AN EXPANDABLE BAG AND A METHOD FOR THE EXPANDING OF BAGS
The invention relates to a device for storing and carrying content, which can be expanded to provide additional storing space therein, comprising: at least one expanding wall such that the boundary of the device occupies a smaller volume before it is expanded, than after its expansion; restricting elements positioned inside said walls; an expansion mechanism; and carrying-aid accessories; wherein said restricting elements prevent uneven inflation along said walls and against excessive inflation of said walls.
The invention relates to traveling and/or storing equipment. More particularly, the invention relates to carrier bags, specifically with regard to methods and devices for expanding bags.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThere are many types and sizes of traveling bags, starting from small hand-bags, up to large suitcases, but sometime there is a need for an adjustable bag in order to make new room for additional content.
According to the prior art, there are some methods for enlarging the size of a suitcase. Many expandable objects get their expansion ability from telescopic parts that are combined with each other and are suitable to be pulled out, to form a new and longer structure. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,874,409, a suitcase provided with a telescopic frame is adjustable, but such mechanism suffers from abrasion of the telescopic parts, when sliding one inside the other, and the frame is under constant pressure and bending stress that can eventually cause the breakage of the frame.
Other mechanical problems are caused when using springs or lifting mechanism, like in EP2077080. When operating a mechanism repeatedly, the material suffers from fatigue, which is an effect on a material as a result of a cyclical stress over time that will eventually cause cracks in the material.
In addition to the aforementioned mechanical problems, in WO2006039725 there is another possible malfunction: when a system comprises several components with a mechanical motion-relationship, if a single component is out of order, broken, or not in place, the whole system becomes dysfunctional, and it is more likely to experience such problems as the number of components increases.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,891 is an example of several discussed disadvantages in a single device: abrasion, pressure and bending stress, as in U.S. Pat. No. 7,874,409, fatigue, as in EP2077080, and a large number of components, as in WO2006039725. It is a complex structure that in addition, has local weak points, which make the structure prone to breakage.
Therefore, there is a need for a device and a method, that meet with the following requirements: low friction between components, a small number of components, and refraining from both cyclic motion that causes fatigue and from local weak points. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device and method that overcome the drawbacks of the prior art. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to a device for storing and carrying content, which can be expanded to provide additional storing space therein, comprising: at least one expanding wall, an expansion mechanism, and carrying-aid accessories. The device can be in the shape of a briefcase, a suitcase, or any other shape suitable for a storing device. The term “expanding wall” is mean to indicate a boundary of the device, which occupies a smaller volume before it is expanded, than after its expansion. It can be built of one piece or of two or more pieces, as the case may be.
The expansion process can be performed by inflation, and the expansion mechanism can comprise a pump. In such cases, the pump can be integral with a carrying handle, it can be manual, electrical, hydraulic, or any other type of pump. The device can further comprise a pressure regulator.
The expanding walls can surround the whole storage space, or just a part of it, and in some exemplary embodiment not all wall are expandable. The expanded walls can host shelves that are placed between them, which can be built-in or placed as desired and then removed.
Two examples of carrying-aid accessories are: wheels, and handles; however, any other carrying-aid accessories can be added, as in any other storage device suitable for carrying.
The invention also relates to a method for storing and carrying content, using an expanded device that allows additional storing space after the expansion, comprising: providing at least one expanding wall, an expanding mechanism, and carrying-aid accessories.
For better understanding of the drawings, the directions are determined as follows:
In the First embodiment, shown in
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- The front of the device is the surface that houses the handle system.
- The bottom of the device is the smaller surface comprising the wheels.
- (Therefore, the right, left, top, and back sides of the device are also known).
In the second, third, fourth, and fifth embodiments, shown respectively in
-
- The top of the device is the surface that houses the handle system.
- The front of the device is the wider surface, in line with the top of the handle.
In the sixth embodiment, shown in
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- The top of the device is the surface comprising both the small carrying handle and the larger handle.
- The back of the device is the vertical surface comprising both poles of the large handle.
In the seventh, eighth, and ninth embodiments, shown respectively in
-
- The top of the device is the surface that houses the handle system.
- The front surface is the surface parallel to the expanding direction, from which both handle and wheels are shown.
In the drawings:
The invention relates to an expandable bag and a method for expanding bags, while transforming the walls of a bag, in such way that allows it to expand.
In the context of this description, a bag can be any device suitable to store contents. It can be for example in the shape of a suitcase, briefcase, hand bag, or backpack. The bag can be provided with the following parts: any number of wheels, carrying handles, extendable handles, and any other components common in ordinary bags, such as zippers.
While several exemplary embodiments are shown in the drawings and in the description, they are only provided for the purpose of illustration and are not meant to limit the invention in any way. For instance, the drawings only show some examples of the original smaller shape, before the expansion, and the larger shape, after the expansion, but intermediate sizes are also possible. For instance, the walls can be divided into sections that expand separately, in order to let the user decide the actual final size.
One method for expanding a bag is by inflating its walls. When the walls are filled with enough gas (such as air), There is sufficient pressure inside the walls to keep them as firm and resistant at least as in an ordinary bag. Since the structure is adjustable, the pressure inside the walls can be adjusted according to the pressure of the surroundings, in order to endure in different conditions, such as airplane pressure at different heights. The adjustments of the pressure can be performed in advance, if the conditions are predictable, but it can also be performed automatically by using a pressure regulator.
The configuration of the device is determined by many factors, such as the thickness of the walls and the space inside and between them, the materials from which the device is made, the initial and final sizes of the bag, the desired use of the bag, and any other factors effecting the resistance of the bag or the safety of its contents.
The walls can be inflated also by using different kinds of gases instead of air, or by using liquid, foam or solid, that will fill the walls up to a satisfactory level of strength. When the walls are inflated, they can be used as a shock-absorbing unit, to prevent the contents from being damaged on impact. The inflation can be performed by a manual device, electrical appliances, or in any other way that provides the ability to insert or compress a desired material into the space in the walls of the bag.
According to this embodiment, the sides, where the walls have not been inflated can be shielded by a sheet 1102 or by some kind of a protective surface. The cover of the sides will prevent the entry of dust or other undesired particles or insects. The device of
The rigid part of the suitcase 1501 can also be fully removed, and then serve as a separate bag or an extra briefcase. It allows the user to carry valuable objects close by, without having to carry the entire extra luggage as well.
All the above examples demonstrated an expansion in which the distance between the front and the back surfaces of the bag increases, as a result of the expansion, but the same expansion can occur between any two parallel surfaces, or even in an expandable wall of different shape, e.g., an elliptically-shaped expanding wall.
For better adjustment after the expansion, the wheels can be relocated, since the weight and size have been altered. The re-location can be effected, e.g., using a rail through which the wheels travel.
The expanding of walls 1901 can be performed also by a built-in pump, as shown in
In general, the restricting elements can be of any shape and material, as long as they limit a substantial change in the volume of the expanding wall(s) of the bag. In
Another possible shape of the restricting element can be a hive-shaped net, which is geometrically strong and more likely to endure pressure. Another example of a material from which the restricting elements are made of is nylon. The shape and material of the restricting element are chosen to provide a strong inner structure that will keep the shape of the walls when inflated, and be lightweight.
As will be appreciated by the skilled person, the device of the invention does not have to be monolithic and, in fact, can be made of a plurality of independently-expanding parts, which can be assembled to create a closed structure.
All the above description has been provided for the purpose of illustration and is not meant to limit the invention in any way. The invention presents significant advantages over the existing art. For example, avoiding the use of a rigid expanding mechanism for the walls, that often suffers from friction, erosion and breakage of different parts. In addition the invention provides a simple solution that can be easily executed. Moreover, the expansion of the wall by inflation provides added strength to the resulting structure. The device according to the invention can be used also in non-expanded form, thus providing much user flexibility. Additionally, it is possible to cause the device to expand when in filled state, thus adapting the size of the device (e.g., a travel bag) to the contents.
Claims
1. A device for storing and carrying content, which can be expanded to provide additional storing space therein, comprising:
- a) at least one inflatable wall, which enables the expansion of the device, such that the boundary of the device occupies a smaller volume before it is expanded, than after its expansion.
- b) restricting elements positioned inside said inflatable walls and in contact with both inner sides thereof;
- c) an expansion mechanism; and
- d) carrying-aid accessories;
- wherein said restricting elements prevent uneven inflation along said walls and against excessive inflation of said walls.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device is in the shape of a briefcase.
3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device is in the shape of a suitcase.
4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the expansion process is performed by inflation.
5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the expansion mechanism comprises a pump.
6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the pump is integral with a carrying handle.
7. A device according to claim 5, wherein the pump is manual.
8. A device according to claim 5, wherein the pump is electric or hydraulic.
9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the expanding walls surround the whole storage space.
10. A device according to claim 1, wherein not all of the walls are expandable.
11. A device according to claim 10, wherein shelves are placed between the expanded walls.
12. A device according to claim 11, wherein the shelves are built-in.
13. A device according to claim 1, wherein the carrying-aid accessories are wheels.
14. A device according to claim 1, wherein the carrying-aid accessories are handles.
15. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a pressure regulator.
16. A device according to claim 1, wherein the restricting means are fibers.
17. A device according to claim 1, wherein the restricting elements are made of polyester.
18. A device according to claim 1, wherein the restricting elements are made of a plastic material.
19. A device according to claim 1, wherein the restricting elements are made of nylon.
20. A device according to claim 1, wherein the restricting elements comprise a hive-shaped grid.
21. A method for storing and carrying content, using an expanded device that allows additional storing space after the expansion, comprising: providing at least one inflatable wall, which enables the expansion of the device, an expansion mechanism, restricting elements positioned inside said inflatable walls and in contact with both inner sides thereof, and carrying-aid accessories.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 3, 2014
Publication Date: Dec 29, 2016
Inventors: Yitzchak ATLAS (Jerusalem), David LIFSHITZ (Kokhav Ya'akov)
Application Number: 14/903,323