Dual access luggage with orthogonal isolation packing stowage-cell system

[0001] This application is the Regular U.S. patent application of Provisional Application No. 60/385,054 entitled Orthogonal Luggage System filed by the same inventor on May 29, 2002, the priority of which is hereby claimed under 35 USC §119.

[0002] The invention relates to hand luggage, and more particularly to suitcases, travel bags of the carry-on or roll-on type, back packs, totes and specialty bags such as brief cases, computer and laptop carry cases, camping bags, military duffle bags, medical bags, and the like, having dual-sided external access combined with internal, modular, fixed-size or variable-size stowage cells, oriented orthogonal (transverse) to the plane of one or more faces or sides, for orthogonal packing and selective removal of articles (isolation packing) such as clothing, gear, supplies, equipment, personal grooming and hygiene items, first-aid items, food and the like.

[0003] There are a wide variety of hand carried travel bags and specialty equipment bags, commonly grouped as personal luggage, that are commercially available. The types range from traditional clamshell, hard-sided suitcases, typically of graduated sizes, to overnight cases, to fabric type roll-on overnight bags. The latter have access to the interior from one face side that employs a heavy-duty zipper for closure. In all these luggage designs, there is “box” type access, by which is meant that the packaging system is through a single opening, and the packaging is typically “layered” in a “First-In, Last-Out” (or “Last-In, First-Out”) sequence.

[0004] This FILO (or LIFO) packaging arrangement gives the rise to inevitable problems of access, primarily that to access the bottom layers, the top layers must be removed or disturbed. That is, a layer system of packing buries the prior packed item. In the case of clothing, accessing a given item of clothing by removal of the layers above it, followed by repacking is time consuming. The alternative of folding back or feeling around in the lower layers introduces wrinkles in clothing. In addition, layer packing involves placing worn or soiled clothing into contact with fresh clothing, the result being introduction of odors and possibly stains on the fresh clothing.

[0005] These problems arise regardless of whether the bag is a clam shell suitcase, a roll-on bag type, a top opening bag, a back pack, or the like. Accordingly, there is a need in the field for a new approach to luggage design that permits isolation packing for fast packing and access without disturbing other packed items, introducing contact of soiled with clean clothing or other items and prevention of migration of the stowed objects during travel, and which design is highly flexible and adaptable to a wide range of luggage forms or types.

Summary, Objects and Advantages

[0006] The invention is directed to a revolutionary approach to luggage design that combines the advantages of multi-side access to the interior from the exterior, and an internal, modular, fixed or variable-sized stowage cells system or assembly for isolation packing and retention of good. The cells are oriented generally orthogonal to the plane of at least one side or face, for receivingly engaging articles to be packed, such as clothing, gear, supplies, equipment, personal grooming and hygiene items, first-aid items, food and the like.

[0007] In a first embodiment, we will consider a carry-on or roll-on type travel bag by way of a non-limiting example. These travel bags have opposed planar faces, each face having perimeter zipper closures permitting access from two opposed sides. The two faces zipper perimeter preferably employs 2-way zippers having two separately slideable closure actuators. The perimeter zippers extend around a bit more than three adjacent marginal edges to permit the entire face to be folded back.

[0008] In the description herein, the travel bag sides or faces, denominated a front face and a back face, respectively, are considered generally parallel. The space between the spaced-apart faces is bounded by a perimeter wall that is generally rigid and made of a high impact polymeric material, such as an ABS, HDPE or other suitable polymer, that defines the thickness of the travel bag. The volume defined by the faces and perimeter wall comprises the packable interior packing volume for the load capacity of that particular type of luggage.

[0009] The travel bags are typically made of tough polymeric fiber or sheet goods, such as a hard-shell ABS, or flexible fabric of nylon, polypropylene, Kevlar, or other polymer, canvas, rug-weave fabric, leather and the like, herein generically referred to as “fabric”. Where the travel bag is of the carry-on or roll-on type, the rigid perimeter wall is typically fabric-covered for aesthetic or design reasons. One or more of the perimeter walls typically include one or more handgrips, handles, loops, carry straps or carry strap connectors (such as D-Rings), and the like to facilitate handling and carrying.

[0010] In the exemplary embodiment of a generally rectangular roll-on type travel bag, the bag includes a telescopic pull-handle unit, typically having two telescoping tubes connected at their outer ends by a handlebar. The tubes may be round or square in cross-section, and may include a pop-up spring with a latch release and/or locking detents. Or the handle may be a T- or L-Type handle mounted on the upper end of a single, preferably square, support tube. The handle can also be secured in the retracted, stowed position by a hook and loop fastener, e.g., Velcro brand hook and loop fabric.

[0011] One or more of the faces can include one or more internal or external pockets, preferably external, that permit carrying objects and items such as books, papers, newspapers, magazines, writing implements, laptop computers, and the like in an orientation generally parallel to the plane of the face containing the pocket. External pockets do not ordinarily communicate with the interior volume of the travel bag. Typically, one lower pocket is about half to ⅔ the size of the face on which it is secured, and the upper pocket is half to ⅓ or less the size. Internal pockets may be mesh type or waterproofed for holding previously worn clothing articles or hygiene kits or articles.

[0012] The internal stowage cells may occupy from a part of the interior volume up to the entire volume, typically from 50% to 100% of the volume. In one embodiment, the cells are constructed from stretchable, thin but tough, fabric or webbing. The axes of the individual cells are oriented orthogonal to at least one face, typically transverse to both faces, in the example given above. An item to be stowed is inserted in and removable from a given cell without disturbing the adjacent cells or their contents. This permits isolation packing by insertion in the cells, rather than layering, which buries the earlier items packed.

[0013] By way of example, clothing is folded to a width approximately the depth of the cell, rolled up and inserted in a suitably sized cell so that it can be removed from either the front or back face, by selective opening the zipper of the closest side and simply pulling the individual article out without disturbing adjacent articles in their individual cells. Where the depth of the cell is greater than the rolled length of clothing inserted in that cell, a second item is placed in the same cell on top of the first, the first item can be accessed from the rear face of the travel bag, while the second is accessed from the front face.

[0014] Thus, the inventive luggage system by using orthogonally oriented stowage cells, provides expandable-to-fit compartments, for retaining and keeping separate the items to be stowed (isolation packing). The inventive stowage cell system prevents migration of articles during travel while permitting selective retrieval without disturbing adjacent and without the need for unpacking many layers above the given article.

[0025] The invention is described in detail in a plurality of embodiments by way of example, and not by way of limitation, of the principles of the invention in its various aspects, features and functions of the several structures, components, sub-assemblies and the overall combination thereof. One skilled in the art will be able to ascertain that it is evident the invention admits of a wide range of equivalent structures and substantially equivalent functions. This description will clearly enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the invention, including what is presently believed to be the best modes of carrying out the invention.

[0026] In this regard, the invention is illustrated in the several figures, and is of sufficient complexity that the many parts, interrelationships, and sub-combinations thereof simply cannot be fully illustrated in a single patent-type drawing. For clarity and conciseness, several of the drawings show in schematic, or omit, parts that are not essential in that drawing to a description of a particular feature, aspect or principle of the invention being disclosed. Thus, the best mode embodiment of one feature may be shown in one drawing, and the best mode of another feature will be called out in another drawing.

[0027] All publications, patents and applications cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference, as if each individual publication, patent or application had been expressly stated to be incorporated by reference.

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of an exemplary piece of luggage 10 in accord with the principles of the invention characterized by dual face access and internal orthogonal stowage cells for transverse packing of clothing and other articles, which permits the selective removal of individual items without disturbing the adjacent articles. Travel bag 12 is, by way of example, a roll-on, carry-on or overnight type bag having a heavy fabric top face 14, a heavy fabric bottom face 16 and a rigid perimeter wall 24 to which a rolling transport handle assembly 26 is attached. The opposed, generally planar faces are spaced apart a distance D, best seen in FIG. 5, that defines the interior packable volume of the travel bag or suitcase 12. The marginal edge of each of the faces 14 and 16 are openably secured to the perimeter wall 24 by heavy-duty, luggage grade, two-way perimeter zippers, 18a for the top face 14 and 18b for the bottom face 16. Each zipper includes two separately sliding closure guides or actions and ring pulls, identified as 20a and 20b for the top zipper 18a, and 22a, 22b (not seen in FIG. 1) for the bottom zipper 18b. The separate actions permit selective positioning around the perimeter to permit selective access for packing or removal of individual items packed in the various cells.

[0029] The perimeter zipper typically will extend around at least three of the four marginal edges, plus enough more of the fourth edge to permit fully folding back of the particular face. This is evident in FIG. 3, where face 14 is fully folded back. Note that the cells can be considered to have row and column “addresses”, as is particularly evident in FIGS. 4, 6A, 6B, 6D-6F and 8. The selective opening function permitted by the dual zipper guides on opposed faces permits isolation packing, that is, selective removal and insertion in a cell from a packed bag without disturbing articles in adjacent cells. Thus, the inventive cell system overcomes the aggravation of layered packing, in which the fiber adhesion and static cling of one article of clothing to another makes it almost impossible to remove one article in the midst of a plurality of layers of clothes. For example, the attempt to pull out, horizontally, a T-shirt, from the middle of the stack inevitably results in rumpling the remaining articles.

[0030] In contrast, the inventive orthogonal luggage system permits selectively accessing the cell in which the T-shirt is inserted, and pulling it out without disturbing the adjacent clothes in their separate cells. Where some bulky clothes are layered on top of the cells, as in FIG. 5, the access to the T-shirt cell is by the bottom face. The travel bag is simply flipped over so face 16 is on top, the zipper 18b is selectively opened and the T-shirt pulled out the “backside”. This is illustrated in FIG. 4, wherein the T-shirt 50a is inserted, arrow I-1, from the front, and removed from the back as shown by arrow I-2. The packing and unpacking of the inventive luggage system is thus bi-directional, rather than uni-directional in currently available luggage. The benefits of rapid, selective access without disturbing other packed articles are significant and self-evident.

[0031] FIG. 1 also illustrates additional alternative features that may be used in combination with the orthogonal cell system of the invention. A retractable, spring and detent release pop-up type handle assembly 26 is mounted on the back face of the perimeter wall, and comprises a pull handle 28 bridging a pair of support tubes 30a and 30b. The handle is shown, alternatively, in FIG. 1 as mounted external of the perimeter wall 24, and internal of the wall 24 in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, a recess at the right-hand upper corner may be provided for the handle 28, and that corner also includes spaced holes through which the support tubes extend and retract.

[0032] As best seen in FIG. 2, the travel bag also preferably includes wheels 32 mounted on the corner opposite the handle 28 so that the bag can be tipped and rolled easily by the user. A pair of legs 34a, 34b are mounted on the same face of the perimeter wall as the wheels, preferably adjacent the opposed corner. The bag preferably includes one or more hand grips 36a, 36b strategically placed on adjacent faces of the perimeter wall to assist in handling, stacking, lifting up stairs and the like.

[0033] The stowage cell assembly 40 of FIG. 4 (shown as 40b in this figure) is mountable in the travel bag 12; the stowage cell assembly is shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 in the unfurled or fully extended position, and in FIG. 9 in a collapsed (furled) unused position. The assembly 40 can be permanently sewn or glued in place, or may be removable. As shown in FIG. 4, a top margin of the perimeter wall 41 of the cell assembly 40 may include a perimeter zipper 42a for securing the assembly in proper position to the interior face of the perimeter wall 24 of the travel bag shell. The mating zipper half 42b is best seen in FIG. 3. The placement of the internal zipper for the cell assembly can be selected to provide a head space, indicated by the arrow R in FIGS. 1 and 5 to receive a few bulky clothing articles in a layered packing arrangement. This headspace R is seen in isometric in FIG. 1 and in vertical section in FIG. 5. When articles are packed in the headspace, the articles in the cells can still be accessed and selectively removed or packed by unzipping the bottom face 16 and removing them directly, as shown by the arrow I-2 in FIG. 5.

[0034] Indeed, because of the use of stretch fabric for the cells, individual cells can be accessed and unpacked or packed with the suitcase standing up, that is, in the orientation of FIG. 2, including when the handle is vertical, while the bag rests on the wheels 32 and legs 34. The remaining articles will simply remain in place, being gripped by the elastic fabric of the cells. Thus, an additional feature of the inventive orthogonal system, in those embodiments employing elastic or stretchable fabric cells, is that not only are the articles selectively accessible without disturbing adjacent articles, but the packing/unpacking can be done in a wide variety of orientations of the bag. Imagine attempting to pull out of a conventional layer-packed bag a T-shirt from the bottom when the bag is in an upstanding orientation, without disturbing and messing up the adjacent layers.

[0035] FIG. 4 shows the orthogonal stowage cell assembly 40 (identified 40b in this figure) in an unfurled (extended) orientation as it is inserted in a piece of luggage such as the travel bag of FIG. 1. In this embodiment, a plurality of generally square and/or rectangular cells of different sizes are constructed of webbing or fabric sewn, glued, snap-fastened, hook and loop-fastened (e.g., Velcro brand hook and loop tape), or otherwise secured to a perimeter wall 41. The perimeter wall 41 may be stretch or non-stretch fabric, or may be a relatively wide band of thin, relatively rigid material, such as plastic, so the stretch fabric cell assembly can be manufactured separately and mounted in the shell of the travel bag shown in FIG. 3. In the embodiment where the elastic fabric cells are secured (sewn or glued to the interior face of the band 41, then the plastic of that cell assembly “insert” can be solvent glued, riveted, snap-fastened, RF bonded, zippered or sewn to the rigid perimeter wall 24 of the travel bag shell of FIG. 3. In an important alternative, the perimeter wall 41 of the cell insert may also be of fabric, but need not be stretchable, except where an expandable cell system is used, e.g., as in FIG. 6D and/or FIG. 9.

[0036] The internal walls of cells 44a-44g (not all the cells are numbered in FIG. 4 to prevent confusion) are preferably constructed of stretch fabric or elasticized fabric so that the cells can accommodate and grippingly retain a wide range of sizes of the articles inserted therein. Thus, a fewer number of different sized cells are needed. A suitable exemplary fabric is an 85% polyester-15% Nylon stretch fabric that is uni-axial, that is, stretches only in the longitudinal and/or lateral direction, but not in the vertical direction, such as a Special Occasion Basics fabric identified by SKU 190 584-4519. That is, the fabric from which the cells are constructed is oriented so that the stretch is parallel to the longitudinal and lateral axes of the suitcase, but not vertically (not in the direction of the arrow H in FIG. 5). The fabric can be biaxial or any color, such as black, to match the suitcase liner.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, a range of stowage assembly cell sizes is preferred, and it is well within the skill in the art to provide different layouts of different sized cells for the most efficient packing of a particular class of goods or articles. Thus, a man's suitcase or travel bag can have a different arrangement and some larger sized cells than a woman's travel bag because of the different bulk of their respective clothing. For example, cell 44f, for shoes, may be as shown for a woman's bag, yet that cell could span and include the cell 44g just below it for men's suitcases, since men's shoes are larger than women's. The cells are preferably sized to securely grip most articles, but it should be clear that more than one article can be packed in a single larger cell. This is illustrated in FIG. 5, where articles 50b and 50c are packed in a single cell 44e. In premium or fancy luggage, the cells can be dedicated to certain articles and so labeled. Thus, the shoe cells may be located at what will be the bottom of the bag, in the roll-away position of FIG. 2; that is, cell 44f of FIG. 4 would be adjacent the wheels 32 and the legs 34 of the bag in FIG. 2.

[0038] FIG. 4 also shows provision for removal of the cell assembly, in that a top zipper 42 is provided for positive vertical location of the assembly in the shell of FIG. 3, and snaps 38a-38d are provided at the lower corners to engage receiving snaps in the bottom of the suitcase or bag (adjacent the juncture of perimeter wall 24 and the bottom face 16) as seen in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5. Additionally, FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a travel bag without the rollers and pop-up handle. FIG. 9 shows a collapsible cell assembly.

[0039] The stretch fabric used for the cells may be any commercially available stretch fabric, which may range from about 10% to about 200% elongation, and preferably about 20% to about 100% elongation, but simple trials, not involving undue effort or experimentation, will reveal the most useful elongation range for a particular use. In addition, the principles of the invention include providing luggage shells with more than one mountable/removable cell assembly insert for the shell, each insert having different height, or numbers of cells, or configuration of cell shapes, partial cells, degree of fabric stretch, and the like so that the luggage is multi-purpose, with the cell assemblies being quickly changed out to accommodate a different packing purpose for use of the luggage. The cell material may be water proofed, or provided with drawstrings 85 (in FIGS. 5 and 6b) on one or both outer faces of the cells in the eve with wet or soiled clothes or other liquids, such as cosmetics, sun lotions, after shave, perfume and the like.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a section view through a portion of an inventive travel bag showing several cells 40 packed with clothing, such as a T-shirt 50a, underwear 50b and 50c in a single cell 44e, and a hygiene kit or bag 54, such as a shaving kit. Top face 14 includes one or more external pockets 52, the one shown containing a magazine 59. The height H of the cells is preferably, but need not be, less than the depth D of the bag, the remainder R being a head-space for layer-packing of several articles of fine clothing, such as dress pants 56a, long-sleeve tie shirt 56b and a jacket 56c. The clothing and articles 50a, b, c, 54 may be inserted in the cells when the top 14 is opened, then the additional clothing layered on top. When it is desired to retrieve an article from the cells, such as a fresh T-shirt 50a and underwear 50b, the suitcase can be flipped over and the back face 16 un-zippered for orthogonal removal, as shown by arrow I-2. The head-space R can be any desired amount, including zero. Where there is no head height, that is the height of the stowage cell assembly is substantially the same as D in FIG. 5, it is still possible to pack clothes 56a, b, c (FIG. 5), if the cells are not filled to the full height, D, as the unfilled cell fabric portion simply folds over under the weight of the clothes 56, being stretchable.

[0041] FIG. 6, in six exemplary sub-parts 6A through 6F shows in plan view cell assemblies 40a through 40f having several variations of cell shapes, sizes and layouts, including: generally square and slightly rectangular in FIG. 6A; predominantly rectangular in FIG. 6B; triangular, rectangular, square and irregularly shaped and oriented at an angle to the longitudinal and lateral axes of the bag in FIG. 6C; triangular, hexagonal and square in FIG. 6E; and triangular in FIG. 6F. The cell assembly of FIG. 6D also includes a draw bar 58 at one end permitting the stretchable cells to be extended (unfurled) or retracted, as shown by arrow A. A hook and loop strap (e.g., Velcro brand) is drawn through a D-ring 60 secured to one end of the perimeter wall interior face 24 to permit the longitudinal adjustment to whatever length is desired. The space 76 that is not occupied by the cell assembly may be used for bulky objects, such as shoes, hair dryers, etc. FIG. 6b shows a drawstring closure 85 for a cell.

[0042] FIG. 7 shows the inventive cell assembly 40 adapted to a case 64 for carrying a laptop computer 66. Individual cells are shown by way of example as securely holding batteries 68, floppies 70, self-stick note pads 72, phone or data cable 74 and the like. FIG. 8 shows the cell assembly 40 being adapted to a back pack, day pack, military rucksack or the like 78 having shoulder straps 80a and 80b. In this instance the front face 16 is zippered for access to the interior in which a portion includes the cell assembly 40. Exterior pouches 82a, 82b and 82c hold a variety of objects.

[0043] FIG. 9 illustrates one end of a travel bag in which the cell assembly 40 is shown collapsed at one end of the bag. The assembly may be stretched out for use and secured to the other end (not shown, but it is to the left in the figure) by snaps 38. The parts are numbered as in FIG. 1. A thin fabric liner 84 is conveniently used to cover the support tubes 30a and 30b extending along the back perimeter wall 24. It should be understood that the cell assembly may be completely unsnapped and removed from the interior. However, as shown in FIG. 9, it is stowed for future use, e.g., during travel, soiled or used clothing placed in the cells, with the assembly gradually expanding as it is filled up.

[0044] It is evident that the many features of the inventive dual access travel bag with its orthogonal cell assembly for isolation packing and side-wall mounted pop-up retractable handle, are particularly suited to wide use in the luggage industry. The inventive system is simple to manufacture, and instantly understandable as having high utility.

[0045] It should be understood that various modifications within the scope of this invention can be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit thereof and without undue experimentation. This invention is therefore to be defined by the scope of the appended claims as broadly as the prior art will permit, and in view of the specification if need be, including a full range of current and future equivalents thereof.

[0046]

Parts List
This Parts List is provided as an aid to examination;
it may be canceled upon Allowance
	A =	Longitudinal Adjustment
	D =	Depth of Bag
	H =	Height of Stowage Cells
	10	Dual Face Access Luggage
		with Orthogonal Stowage Cells
	12	Travel Bag
	14	Top Face
	16	Bottom Face
	18 a, b	Perimeter Zipper
	20 a, b	Pulls
	22 a, b	Pulls
	24	Perimeter Wall
	26	Handle Assembly
	28	Handle
	30 a, b	Support Tubes
	32	Wheels
	34 a, b	Legs
	36 a, b	Hand Grips
	38 a, b, c, d	Snaps
	40	Stowage Cell Assembly
	41	Cell Assembly Perimeter Wall
	42 a, b	Internal Zipper for Securing Stowage
		Cell Assembly
	44 a, b, c, d	Cells
	46	Small Cells
	48	Larger Cells
	R =	Depth of Recess for Layered Packing
	I-1, I-2 =	Direction of Insertion or Removed
	50 a, b, c	Article of Clothing (rolled)
	52	External Pocket
	54	Hygiene Kit (Shaving/Lav/Cosmetics)
	56 a, b, c	Layered Clothing
	58	Draw Bar (plastic, wood, metal, etc.)
	59	Magazine
	60	D-Ring
	62	Hook & Loop Strap (Velcro Brand)
	64	Laptop Case
	66	Laptop
	68	Batteries
	70	Floppies
	72	Self-Stick Notepads (Post-It's)
	74	Phone Cord
	76	Space for Shoes
	78 a, b	Backpack
	80 a, b, c	Shoulder Straps
	82 a, b, c	Pockets
	84	Liner