Luggage with extendable organizer

Abstract

A portable container such as, for example, a suitcase, having a compartment and an extendable organizer disposed within the compartment. The extendable organizer is preferably made of a lightweight material such as nylon. The organizer, when extended, presents a plurality of horizontal, flat, collapsible shelves providing storage compartments, the shelves being vertically separated by a desired distance. The organize, can be of any particular configuration, including length, width and height, consistent with the dimensions of the compartment within the container. In a preferred embodiment the organizer extends to approximately 30 inches in height and collapses, preferably in an accordion-like fashion, to pack down to a height of less than about one inch when empty.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a portable container having an extendable organizer housed within a compartment in the container.

2. Prior Art

Various bags and collapsible organizers are known for use in maintaining various types of items such as clothing and documents in an organized state. Such prior art organizers are not, however, combined with a storage container to provide, when expanded, easier visibility and access to the contents, and when collapsed, more compact storage and portability.

For example, the collapsible organizers disclosed by November, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,656, are used for dividing the area of car trunks to hold grocery bags securely during transport. Other devices, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,979 to Selz, are directed to collapsible containers formed of corrugated paperboard or other material, such as solid or foam plastic, with walls cooperating with legs and reversibly folding along scorelines useful for displays.

Of greater relevance to the present invention, collapsible shelving that is suspended from an overhead support is well known in the art and has been in use for many years. Sweater bags, for example, having collapsible shelving therewithin, are well known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 2,639,819 relates to a container/organizer in the form of a flexible walled body having means for collapsibly supporting a plurality of horizontal shelves having triangular brackets at their corners adapted for engaging vertical supporting rods.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,092 discloses a device comprising four clamps, attached to an overhead ceiling support, from which four chains are suspended. A bracket is equidistantly attached to each chain, and a shelf platform rests thereupon. Additional sets of brackets and shelf platforms may be attached therebeneath.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,432 describes a hanging shelf assembly comprising a plurality of shelves, each shelf having a vertically disposed slot communicating with the exterior of the shelf near each of the four corners thereof, and four webbings, each inserted into one of the slots in vertically aligned relationship and attached to an upper end bar. Each slot is connected at right angles to a horizontal disposed slot terminating in a cylindrical recess into which a plug is inserted so that the web passes downwardly through the vertical slot into the horizontal slot, around the plug, back through the horizontal slot, and downwardly through the vertical slot.

Erickson, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,789 discloses a portable, lightweight, and compact food dryer, comprising a collapsing frame and tiers of lightweight trays enclosed by a net housing and covered by a heat absorbing roof. A metal hook protrudes vertically out of the apex of the roof and has a metal collar at its shank. A plurality of support straps are attached to the shank, pass over the collar and vertically down inside the net housing. All but the last tray are attached at regular intervals to the vertical straps.

Freelander, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,530, discloses adjustable shelving which may be suspended from a cross-member. Each shelf has at least four apertures through which respective vertical suspenders pass. A set of adjustable shelf fasteners, releasably attached to respective suspenders at the corner locations, is used to support each shelf.

Shaffer, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,851, discloses a collapsible display designed to display products and packaged goods having connected back and side walls, foldable shelves secured to the side walls, and a divider fastenable to the shelves and moveable with respect to the back wall. The divider and shelves are releasably securable to the back,wall to form a freestanding display that is assembled from a substantially flat, folded package when in the collapsed condition to a freestanding, multishelved product and package supporting furniture when in the assembled condition.

Bredderman, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,451, discloses an array of storage shelving that is adapted for temporary installation in vertical lockers commonly encountered in schools and gymnasia. The device of the invention includes a plurality of collapsible shelves layered vertically with respect to one another and suspended by means of two lateral flexible supports. The number of shelves and their respective inter-spacings may be varied to accomodate the particular storage needs of the user.

Notwithstanding the state of the art vis a vis collapsible shelves, there remains a need for a lightweight, portable, collapsible, extendable organizer that has storage compartments (shelves) suitable for storing items such as clothing that is extendably housed within a container such as luggage; the container having a (preferably dedicated) compartment therewithin operable for housing and transporting the organizer.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to a container, preferably a backpack or luggage, having an extendable organizer housed therewithin that substantially obviates one or more of the limitations of the related art. To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention includes a portable container such as, for example, a suitcase, and an extendable organizer having a plurality of shelves disposed within a preferably dedicated compartment in the portable container. The collapsible/extensible organizer is preferably made of a light weight material such as nylon. The organizer, when extended, presents a plurality of shelves in its interior, separated by a desired distance. Although the organizer can be of any particular configuration, including length, width and height, in a preferred embodiment the organizer extends to approximately 18-30 inches in height and collapses in an accordion-like fashion to pack down to a height of less than about one inch when empty. Preferably, the organizer is constructed so as to weigh less than about one pound. In a preferred embodiment, the organizer is configured so that when collapsed, it easily fits into a suitcase compartment for transport.

In a preferred embodiment, the extendable organizer is comprised of two sections: a base section (i.e., a container) and an extendable section. The extendable section, which is also collapsible, is preferably attached to the base section and can be divided into compartments of any dimension consistent with the size of the organizer and container therefor. When extended, the extendable section permits better visibility and easier access to load and remove the contents of the bag and, when collapsed, makes the contents more compact. The compartments, separated by dividers, may be fixed in dimension or each may be adjustable and the dividers removable. The entire extendable section is preferably permanently attached to the base unit, but it can be attached to the base section by detachable means such as, for example, hook and loop fasteners. The extendable section can be constructed of rigid material which telescopes either upwardly or downwardly from the base unit and is self-supporting, or of semi-rigid or flexible material which is supported by an external support or by a support means that is part of, or extends from, the base section. The support means may be attached to the container or removable therefrom.

The sides of the extendable section of the organizer is preferably comprised of a flexible material. The shelves, supported by the sides, may be semi-rigid or rigid and lack any wall in the front in order to provide easy access to articles stored thereon. The extendable section of the organizer is configured to hang from either a support means that is either integral with the organizer or separate therefrom when the extendable section is either fully or partially extended.

The support means may be an external member such as a clothes rod, but is most preferably a support rod that is telescopically extendable from or otherwise contained within the base section. In another embodiment, the support means is the top of a door. The present organizer provides a means for organizing transported items such that they can be compactly transported and easily accessed at their point of use. The items may be organized and placed onto the shelves prior to transport or, for example, gear, food, tools, clothing, equipment and documents can be transported to a destination, even in a cluttered but space-saving manner, then transferred to the organizer for convenient access. Most preferably, items are placed onto the shelves prior to departure and collapsed within the base section. The organizer is then transported to a destination in a compact manner. Upon arrival at the destination, the organizer can be expanded from within the base section for convenient access to the items.

The features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. However the invention itself, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container such as a suitcase having a dedicated compartment therewithin operable for storing and transporting an extendable organizer in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a container having a compartment therewithin operable for storing and transporting an extendable organizer in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the extendable organizer includes a pair of hooks adapted to be releasably attached to the top of a door (not shown) to provide support means therefor.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a container having a compartment therewithin operable for storing and transporting an extendable organizer in accordance with a hanging embodiment of the present invention wherein the extendable organizer includes a pair of hooks projecting rearwardly from the upper end of the container adapted to be releasably attached to the top of a door (not shown) to provide support means therefor.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a hanging embodiment of the present invention similar to the hanging embodiment shown in FIG. 3 wherein the shelves comprising the extendable organizer are adapted to be sequentially folded or unfolded to compress or extend the extendable section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Turning now to FIG. 1, an extendable organizer housed within a base section or container such as a suitcase is indicated at numeral 10. The base section or container 11, which may be made from a rigid material, is preferably constructed of a flexible material such as nylon or canvas with preferred dimensions of about 18 ″ tall, 18 ″ deep and 24 ″ wide. The dimensions, as used herein to describe any embodiment of the invention, are meant to be exemplary and not limiting. It will be obvious to the skilled artisan that the dimensions of the container 11 will be selected to be appropriate for the intended use. A U-shaped zipper 12, when unzipped, allows the top 13 of the container 11 to be opened completely and folded backward to drape behind the container 11 thereby exposing a compartment 15 housing the extendable section 14 of the organizer 10. The extendable section 14, shown extended from the base 11 in FIG. 1, is collapsible within the (preferably dedicated) compartment 15 in the base 11, and constructed of a flexible material, with preferred dimensions of about 36 ″ tall, 23″ wide and 17 ″ deep. The sides 16 of the extendable section 14 are constructed of 3 pieces of flexible material about 18 ″ wide and 36 ″ tall, with six 17″×23 ″ pieces of material sewn between them at every 6 ″ from the top to form dividers or shelves 17. The bottom of the side pieces 16 are preferably attached to the bottom of the base section 11. Four pieces of material 6 ″ tall and 18 ″ wide are sewn between the the top 4 dividers at their centers to divide each into 2 equally sized compartments. The top of the divider section has a rigid plastic, wood or metal support 18 in the shape of an X, as shown in the Figure, or a rectangle or a combination of an “X” and a rectangle which attaches to the top of the extendable section 14 in order to maintain its flat, substantially rectangular, shape. A hook 19 is attached to the center of the rigid support 18 in such a way that it can be folded flat or extended upward to be attached to a support 20 in order to keep the extendable section 14 extended. When the extendable section 14 is extended and suspended from hook 19, the compartments 21 are accessible and the contents to be organized can be easily loaded and accessed. When the top of the extendable section is removed from its support 20 and the base section is placed on the ground, the extendable section and its contents are dropped vertically into the compartment 15 within the base section 11 and compressed to fit within the compartment 15 in the base section 11. The U-shaped zipper 12 in the base can be zipped closed for compact and secure transport.

With reference now to FIG. 2, a second preferred embodiment of an organizer in accordance with the present invention is illustrated at numeral 20. The organizer 20, shown in perspective view in FIG. 2, includes a container 11 having a compartment 12 therewithin operable for storing and transporting an extendable section 21 in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. The extendable section 21 of the organizer 20 includes a pair of hooks 22 adapted to be releasably attached to the top of a door (not shown) to provide support means therefor. The rear panel 23 of the extendable section 21 comprises a flexible material such as a fabric. A plurality of shelves 24 are affixed to the rear panel 23 at a rear edge thereof. The opposing (forward) edges of the shelves 24 are attached to a plurality of cords or straps 25. The straps 25 have an upper end 26 which are attached to an upper edge 27 of the rear panel 21. In use, the compartment 12 of the container or base section 11 is opened and the extendable section 21 pulled upwardly. The hooks 22 are placed over the top edge of a door thereby exposing the shelves 24 and supporting the organizer 20. Items to be transported (not shown) are placed onto the shelves and the hooks 22 disengaged from the door. The extendable section is then folded downwardly and compressed to fit within the compartment and the compartment sealed by sealing means such as, for example, a zippered panel. Upon arrival at the destination, the compartment is opened and the extendable section extended upwardly and attached to a door via the hooks in order to provide access to the items.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an organizer 30 comprising a container or base section 11 having a compartment therewithin operable for storing and transporting an extendable organizer 14 in accordance with a hanging embodiment of the present invention. The base section 11 includes a pair of hooks 31 attached to and projecting rearwardly from the upper end of the container 11. The hooks 31 are adapted to be releasably attached to the top of a door (not shown) to provide support means for the organizer 30. The shelves 17 in the extendable organizer 14 are supported by a plurality of flexible cords 32 which extend from the forward edge of a particular shelf 17 to the rearward edge of a second shelf disposed immediately above the particular shelf, which rearward edge is attached to a flexible support fabric 33.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a hanging embodiment of the present invention similar to the hanging embodiment shown in FIG. 3 wherein the shelves comprising the extendable organizer are adapted to be sequentially folded or unfolded to compress or extend the extendable section into or from the compartment within the container 11. Articles 40 placed upon the shelves 17 and the shelves are sequentially folded as indicated by the broad arrows in FIG. 4a-c until the articles 40 are compressed and the extendable organizer 14 fits within the compartment 12 (not shown in FIG. 4) in the base section 11.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The extendable sections 14 and 21 and the base section 11 may be made in a variety of forms and dimensions to conform to a specific application. The only limitation is that the extendable section(s) be constructed such that they can be compressed to fit within the compartment 12 in the base 11. Similarly, while the base section described herein has been described as a transportable container for the purpose of illustration, it is contemplated that the organizer may be stationary. For example, the compartment 12 may be disposed within a base section 11 comprising a piece of furniture. The base may also be a briefcase, toolbox, sample case and the like. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.

Claims

1. An organizer operable for storing and presenting organized goods for access comprising: (a) a base section having a compartment therewithin; and (b) an extendable section disposed in said compartment, said extendable section being extendable upwardly from said base section to provide a plurality of flat shelves adapted to receive said goods.

2. An organizer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said extendable section comprises a hook attached thereto, said hook being adapted to releasably attach said extendable section to a horizontal support member.

3. An organizer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shelves are flat and made from a rigid material.

4. An organizer operable for storing and presenting organized goods for access comprising: (a) a base section having a compartment therewithin; and (b) an extendable section disposed in said compartment, said extendable section being attached to and extendable downwardly from said base section to provide a plurality of flat shelves adapted to receive said goods.

5. An organizer in accordance with claim 4 wherein said base section comprises a pair of hooks attached thereto, said hooks being adapted to releasably attach said base section to a door.

6. An organizer in accordance with claim 4 wherein said shelves comprise a flat sheet of a rigid material.