Suitcase With Compressible Packing System

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to collapsible storage structures and, more particularly, to a suitcase having an air tight liner which collapses to compress bulky articles such as clothing, thereby increasing the storage capacity of the suitcase.

2. Description of the Related Art

When travelling, the transport of luggage can often be a burdensome ordeal. And, despite the difficulty and inconvenience of having to tote heavy suitcases throughout one's journey, many air travelers prefer to carry their luggage on the plane in order to avoid delays at their destination. In recent years, however, many airlines have implemented strict policies, limiting the size and number of pieces of luggage which can be carried on the plane. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to fit all of one's items in a small suitcase. Luggage pieces which do not meet the carry-on size limitations must be checked with the airline for storage in the plane's cargo compartments. In addition to delays encountered when waiting for checked luggage, as well as the possibility of loosing the luggage, an oversize suitcase is difficult to carry and transport, especially when travelling to more than one destination.

In a desperate attempt to pack more clothing and articles in a smaller suitcase, virtually every traveler has encountered the inevitable battle of zipping closed an overstuffed suitcase. This is a particularly common dilemma for those travelling to colder climates, such as ski destinations, wherein the packed articles of clothing tend to be bulky, such as sweaters, jackets, ski suits, and the like.

In the past, others have developed collapsible storage containers which typically include a flexible, air tight bag, and a fixture through which to evacuate excess air. When the air tight bag has been filled with one or more articles, air is evacuated through the fixture, causing the bag to collapse, thereby compressing the articles therein so that the storage container is easier to transport and store in a smaller space.

One such storage container is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,030 to Sweeney, et al. This patent discloses a reusable, evacuable enclosure comprising a bag with an opening in which to place compressible articles, such as clothing or linen, and a one-way valve in a surface of the bag. Excess air in the bag is removed by replacing a cylindrical attachment of a household vacuum cleaner over the one-way valve. Once the excess air is extracted, a cap is placed over the valve to ensure a permanent seal. Removal of the excess air reduces the size of the compressible article inhibits the growth of insects and bacteria, which may damage the contents of the bag. Generally, the enclosure structure of Sweeney, et al. is intended for storing clothing, linen, and other articles for an extended period of time in a manner which prevents damage from moisture, insects, bacteria and the like, while reducing the required storage space.

Another compressible storage structure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,500 to Tanaka. This patent discloses a compressive sealed bag for compressible articles such as clothing. The sealed bag includes a body of a plastic film having sealing fasteners formed at an opening portion of the bag body and a check valve formed with a flat pipe of a plastic film along any of the marginal portions of the bag body. According to the disclosure in Tanaka, the compressive sealed bag is filled with articles, such as clothing. Thereafter, the bag is sealed and air is evacuated by applying pressure to the entire bag body. Consequently, the compressible articles are compressed to a compact and thin condition while maintaining a sealed condition so that air cannot re-enter the bag.

Notwithstanding the various structures in the related art, there still exists a need for a suitcase having a collapsible packing system therein to thereby increase the holding capacity of the suitcase. More specifically, there is a need for a suitcase having a compressible packing system including a collapsible liner which is sized and configured to the interior of the suitcase, and wherein the system further includes means to remove air from the liner to thereby collapse and compress the contents therein so that the suitcase can be easily closed.

The present invention is directed to a suitcase having top and bottom portions which enclose an interior packing space, and a compressive liner fitted within the interior space. The liner is structured and disposed for containing clothing and other articles normally packed in a suitcase, and includes a sealable opening to enable placement and removal of the packed articles from within an air tight storage chamber. In a non-compressed, relaxed state, the volume of the storage chamber is substantially larger than the volume of the interior packing space of the suitcase, thereby increasing the holding capacity of the suitcase. After packing the storage chamber, the opening is sealed closed and air is removed from the storage chamber by a motorized vacuum pump, causing the liner to collapse and compress the packed articles to a volume which is less than the suitcase interior. The substantial reduction in size of the liner, when collapsed, enables the top and bottom portions of the suitcase to be easily closed. A one-way valve prevents entry of air into the storage chamber of the liner, maintaining the liner in the collapsed state, until the liner is opened when unpacking the suitcase.

For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the suitcase, shown in a partially open position to reveal the compressible packing system therein;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, in partial section, showing the compressible liner in a relaxed, non-collapsed state;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, in partial section, showing the compressible liner in a compressed state;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a rigid floor of the compressible packing system;

FIG. 5 is an isolated view, in partial section, showing a motorized vacuum pump, one-way valve and air intake fitting in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an isolated sectional view taken from the area indicated as 6 in FIG. 1, showing a seal structure for providing an air tight seal around the opening of the liner; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view, in partial section, showing the liner in the relaxed, non-compressed state with a top of the liner in the open position.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring initially to FIGS. 1-3, a first preferred embodiment of the suitcase of the present invention is shown and generally indicated as 10. The suitcase 10 includes a top portion 12 and a bottom portion 14 which close together to enclose an interior packing space. A zipper 16 or other closure means is provided to secure the top and bottom portions in the closed position, in the same general manner as a conventional suitcase.

The suitcase 10 further includes a compressible packing system, generally indicated as 20, and including a liner 22 formed of a flexible, impervious film material such as plastic or vinyl. The liner 22 includes sides 24, a bottom 26, and a top 28. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, the top may be reinforced with a substantially rigid plate 29 which may be of a transparent material. The top 26 opens relative to the remainder of the liner about the upper peripheral side and front edges 30 of the liner, so that the top may be folded back, as generally shown in FIG. 7, to permit access to an interior packing/storage chamber 40. To secure the top in air tight relation to a remainder of the liner, air tight seal means 36 are provided, as shown in FIG. 6. Specifically, the mating peripheral lips 32, 34 of the edges 30 of the top and sides of the liner are provided with interlocking means, including a protruding ridge 37 on the peripheral lip 32 of the top of the liner and a congruently configured channel 38 formed along the opposing peripheral lip 34 of the sides of the liner. The ridge 37 is specifically structured and configured for interlocking, sealing engagement within the channel 38 to thereby provide an air tight seal about the mating peripheral edges so that when the top 38 of the liner 22 is closed, the interior storage chamber 40 is air tight.

In a relaxed state, the volume of the storage chamber 40 is substantially greater than the volume of the suitcase interior, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this manner, a greater packing capacity is provided, enabling the liner to contain a substantially greater quantity of articles 100 than could normally be packed in the interior of the suitcase. Once the storage chamber of the liner is filled with clothing and other compressible articles 100 which are to be packed in the suitcase, the top is sealed closed and a motorized vacuum pump 50 is actuated to remove air from the air tight storage chamber 40. In a preferred embodiment, the motorized vacuum pump 50 is fitted within the suitcase so that an intake 51 of the vacuum pump communicates with an air space 52 below a rigid floor 54. To permit air flow throughout the storage chamber to the intake, the rigid floor is provided with a plurality of air holes 56 in spaced array throughout the floor 54 and communicating between the storage chamber 40 and the air space 52 below the floor, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 4. Ribs 58 or other upwardly projecting structure support the clothing and other articles 100 above the surface of the floor 54 to avoid blocking the air holes 56. An outlet 60 of the vacuum pump is directed through the side of the suitcase, in air flow communication with an exterior of the suitcase, so that air withdrawn from the interior storage chamber is exhausted to atmosphere. A one-way check valve 62 is provided to prevent re-entry of air from atmosphere into the storage chamber, thereby maintaining a negative pressure condition within the liner once air has been exhausted therefrom.

As the air is withdrawn from the liner, the liner begins to collapse. To facilitate a more uniform, downward collapsing of the liner, telescoping leg members 70 may be provided at spaced intervals about the perimeter of the liner. Specifically, the telescoping leg members include a plurality of telescoping extensions 72, 73, 74 extending up from a bottom of the suitcase, with an uppermost one 74 of the telescoping extensions being fitted to the rigid plate 29 on the top 28 of the liner. In this manner, as the air is exhausted by the vacuum pump, the telescoping leg members retract, while guiding the rigid top plate downwardly in a substantially level, uniform manner, until the telescoping leg members reach the fully retracted position, with the top plate substantially level to permit closing of the suitcase, as seen in FIG. 3. In the fully collapsed position, as seen in FIG. 3, the volume of the storage chamber is substantially reduced, as compared to the relaxed position in FIG. 2, thereby compressing the articles contained therein.

In another embodiment of the invention, shown in FIG. 5, the vacuum motor pump 50 is fitted in a bottom of the suitcase 10, exterior of the liner 22, with the intake 51 of the vacuum pump extending through the side wall 24 of the liner and into the storage chamber 40. An air tight seal is provided on the wall of the liner surrounding the intake 51 to maintain the air tight integrity of the interior storage chamber. The end of the intake 51, within the storage chamber, is provided with a fitting 80 having a plurality of prongs or spokes 82 extending outwardly in multiple directions, similar to a hairbrush. The ends of the prongs may be provided with enlarged heads 83 to prevent the prongs from snagging fabric, such as clothing. The fitting is further provided with a plurality of air intake openings 84 about its surface. The prongs 82 serve to maintain the articles 100 in spaced relation from the air intake openings 84, preventing obstruction of the air intake openings upon operation of the vacuum motor pump 50 to withdraw air from the interior storage chamber 40 of the liner. The intake conduit 51 extending between the fitting 80 and the vacuum pump 50 may be provided with a one-way check valve 62, to prevent air from re-entering the interior storage chamber once exhausted therefrom. Similar to the embodiment described in FIGS. 1-3, the vacuum motor pump includes an outlet directed through the suitcase wall, and communicating with an exterior of the suitcase for exhausting air withdrawn from the liner to atmosphere. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the liner is provided with a flexible top 28, sides 24, and bottom 26. When the liner is packed and the top is sealed closed, operation of the vacuum motor pump serves to collapse the liner to a reduced volume, similar to that as seen in FIG. 3, thereby enabling the suitcase to be closed.

While this invention has been shown and described in connection with practical and preferred embodiments thereof, it is recognized that departures may be made from the instant disclosure which, therefore, should not be limited except within the spirit of the following claims as interpreted under the doctrine of equivalents.