Travel bag

Abstract

A ravel bag is disclosed to have a top open chamber formed in the top panel thereof in front of a vertical pull handle, a carrying handle suspending in the top open chamber, a hard cover plate hinged to the top panel and turnable relative to the top panel a close position to close the top open chamber and an open position where the hard cover plate is supported on the shank of the vertical pull handle for supporting a handbag or the like on the top panel of the travel bag, and a zip fastener for locking hard cover plate after the hard cover plate has been closed.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a travel bag and more particularly, to such a travel bag, which has a top cover plate that can be turned outwards and supported on the shank of the vertical pull handle thereof for supporting an object on the top panel of the travel bag when moving.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional travel bags commonly have a retractable handle for pulling by the user when walking. This retractable handle comprises two retractable bars arranged in parallel and a grip transversely connected between the two retractable bars at the top side. There is also known a travel bag, which has a vertical pull handle at the back side. The vertical pull handle comprises a retractable shank and a grip at the top side of the retractable shank. The retractable shank is comprised of an inner tube and an outer tube sleeved onto the inner tube. The bag body of this structure of travel bag is molded from plastics. Further, the user cannot put a handbag or the like on the top panel of the travel bag when walking because the retractable shank of the vertical pull handle cannot support the user's handbag or the like on the top panel of the travel bag steadily when the user pulling the travel bag.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. According to one aspect of the present invention, the travel bag comprises a top open chamber formed in the top panel thereof in front of a vertical pull handle, a carrying handle suspending in the top open chamber, a hard cover plate hinged to the top panel and turnable relative to the top panel between a first position where the hard cover plate closes the top open chamber and a second position where the hard cover plate is supported on the shank of the vertical pull handle for supporting an object on the top panel, and lock means adapted to lock the hard cover plate after the hard cover plate has been closed. According to another aspect of the present invention, the lock means can be a zip fastener, or hook and loop materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a travel bag according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the present invention, showing the hard cover plate of the travel bag opened.

FIG. 3 corresponds to FIG. 2 when viewed from another angle.

FIG. 4 shows a handbag put on the top panel of the travel bag and supported on the hard cover plate at the shank of the pull handle according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing showing a handbag put on the top panel of the travel bag and supported on the hard cover plate at the shank of the pull handle and the travel bag tilted from the vertical standing position to a tilted walking position according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternate form of the travel bag according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a travel bag 1 in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a top open chamber 111 formed in the top panel 11 thereof, a carrying handle 12 suspending in the top open chamber 111, a pull handle 14 provided at the top side thereof and vertically upwardly protruding over the top panel 11 to a distance, and a hard cover plate 13 hinged to the top panel 11 and turnable relative to the top panel 11 to close/open the top open chamber 111. The hard cover plate 13 is comprised of a hard plate member 134 and a soft covering 133 surrounding the hard plate member 134. A zip fastener 131 is installed in the top panel 11 and the hard plate member 134 for securing the hard cover plate 13 to the top panel 11 in the close position. The hard cover plate 13 has an opening 132. The carrying handle 12 protrudes over the hard cover plate 13 through the opening 132 after the hard cover plate 13 has been closed and the zip fastener 131 has been fastened up (see FIG. 3).

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, when opened the hard cover plate 13, the hard cover plate 13 can be rested on the shank 141 of the pull handle 14, and a handbag 2 (or computer bag or the user's personal bag) can be put on the top panel 11 of the travel bag 1 and supported on the hard cover plate 13 at the shank 141 of the pull handle 14 and then moved with the travel bag 1.

FIG. 6 shows an alternate form of the present invention. According to this embodiment, hook and loop materials 112, 135 are used to substitute for the aforesaid zip fastener 131 for securing the hard cover plate 13 to the top panel 11 in the close position.

A prototype of travel bag has been constructed with the features of FIGS. 1-5. The travel bag functions smoothly to provide all the features discussed earlier.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A travel bag comprising a top open chamber formed in a top panel thereof in front of a vertical pull handle thereof, a carrying handle suspending in said top open chamber, a hard cover plate hinged to said top panel and turnable relative to said top panel between a first position where said hard cover plate closing said top open chamber and a second position where said hard cover plate is supported on a shank of said vertical pull handle for supporting an object on said top panel, and lock means adapted to lock said hard cover plate after said hard cover plate has been closed.

2. The travel bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hard cover plate comprises a hard plate member, and a soft covering surrounding said hard plate member.

3. The travel bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hard cover plate has an opening through which said carrying handle has a part protruded over said hard cover plate after said hard cover plate has been closed.

4. The travel bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lock means is a zip fastener.

5. The travel bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lock means is comprised of hook and loop materials.