Patent ID: 7086510

Claim:
A piece of luggage comprising: a first frame having a perimeter and an open side; a second frame having a perimeter and an open side; a strip of flexible material attached to the perimeters of both of said frames such that said first frame and said second frame enclose a volume which can be increased by moving said second frame away from said first frame; and a first expansion mechanism, said first expansion mechanism comprising: a-protective plate attached to said first frame; an expansion plate attached to said second frame and coupled to said protective plate, said expansion plate and said protective plate configured for selective positioning relative to one another in a collapsed position wherein said first frame and said second frame are positioned a first distance from one another and in an expanded position wherein said first frame and said second frame are positioned a second distance from one another, said second distance being greater than said first distance; and a lifting mechanism coupled to said protective plate and to said expansion plate, said lifting mechanism configured to position the first frame and the second frame between the collapsed position and the expanded position; wherein, in at least one intermediate position between said expanded position and said collapsed position, said expansion plate is not in contact with said protective plate.