Combined securing and identifying luggage binder strip

Abstract

An elongated binder strip of tough stretchy material which is colored or patterned or imprinted with figures in a highly visible unique way for instant identification. It is bound tightly and adjustably around the luggage and secured by spaced mating hook and loop fastener strips attached to overlapping ends of the binder strip. One or more binder strips secure the luggage closed in case the latch should pop open in transit. A binder strip over each latch prevents tampering and latch opening.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to luggage and particularly to a rugged elasticized binder strip which is wrapped about a piece of luggage and fastened securely and adjustably by mating hoop and loop fasteners on the overlapping ends of the strip, the body of the strap being specially colored or patterned or an image imprinted thereon which is highly visible for the purpose of rapid identification.

2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

Straps for securing various articles are well known and very useful. For example, travelers use straps to reinforce luggage, to tie two or more pieces of luggage (or their handles) together so that they do not become separated. When luggage arrives safely at its intended destination, such as an airport, bus station, train depot, or cruise ship terminal, a passenger must be able to quickly identify his or her own luggage from the vast number of look-alike suitcases or luggage that are being simultaneously processed. None of the prior art devices provides a secure adjustable binder and identification strip for binding luggage closed for transport.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,818, issued Oct. 20, 1987 to Orwin, is for a strap device for reinforcing luggage and the like to prevent the luggage from opening when subjected to rough handling. The strap device includes a pair of straps which encircle the luggage and pass on either side of a handle on the luggage. A pair of cross straps are secured between the encircling straps and confine and surround the handle such that the device cannot be slid off or pulled off the luggage. No additional connection or attachment between the strap device and luggage is required. Various mechanical and hook and loop fasteners can be used to secure and tighten the encircling straps.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,002, issued Sep. 28, 2004 to Beckwith, provides a universally fitting, removable padded wraparound luggage handle cover includes a substantially square and planar interior sheet of a cushioning, preferably foam-like material. About the cushioning material is peripherally secured a top and a bottom sheet of a flexible high woven fabric. To the top sheet of the fabric is secured an elongate strip of hook-and-loop material having a width in a range of about 1 to about 3.5 centimeters and secured to the top sheet along one entire edge thereof. A second or bottom strip of hook-and-loop material, generally complemental in width to the top strip, is secured to the bottom sheet of fabric along an edge opposite to the edge at which the top strip, is secured and in which the respective fabric edges define a distance therebetween in a range of about 12 to about 17 centimeters. The bottom sheet of fabric is preferably provided with a transparent envelope having one free edge into which may be inserted owner identification or other information. The thickness of the inventive removable wraparound handle cover is at its maximum when the hook-and-loop strips are secured to each other so that the entire handle cover assumes the geometry of an annular solid ellipsoid. In such condition, the strip defines a maximum thickness of the structure of about one centimeter. The strips and cushioning define an elongate zone of maximum thickness of the inventive handle cover that may be readily positioned by the user to protect a part of the hand or fingers that is most susceptible to pain or fatigue. The handle cover may also be adorned with graphic materials of interest to the user or the public, thereby service as a luggage identifier at airports and the like.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,033, issued Apr. 29, 2003 to Hydon, shows a luggage handle cover having a body portion with a first end, a second end, an inner side, and an outer side. The body portion has a length and width sufficient to substantially cover a luggage handle. The luggage handle cover also has a fastening mechanism coupled to the body portion to fasten the first end and the second end and an identification display disposed on the inner side of the body portion when the body portion is arranged to substantially cover a luggage handle. The fastening mechanism could comprise a hook-and-loop fastener, a button fastener, a snap fastener, or a zipper fastener. The device is beneficial to groups as well as to individual travelers. For instance, an entire group may use the same color or style of luggage handle cover for easy collection of the group's luggage from a common collection area. The group's luggage may then be sorted in a more secure environment.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,304,183, issued Oct. 16, 2001 to Causey, claims a suitcase locating device for quickly finding luggage in an airport luggage pick-up area. The suitcase locating device includes a housing. The housing has a top surface, a bottom surface, a front side, a back side, a first side wall and a second side wall. The housing is generally hollow. The top surface has a plurality of bar code indicia thereon. The bar code indicia is unique to the housing. A microprocessor actuates a plurality of lights and decodes a received signal. The microprocessor is securably mounted in the housing. A power supply for powering the microprocessor is operationally coupled to the microprocessor. Each of a plurality of lights is mounted in and is generally flush with the top surface of the housing. Each of the lights is electrically coupled to the microprocessor. A receiving means for receiving a signal is securely positioned in the housing and operationally coupled to the microprocessor. Each of a pair of straps for removably placing around a suitcase has a first end and a second end. Each of the first ends is securely attached to the first side wall, and each of the second ends is attached to the second side wall. An actuating means for sending a signal to the receiving means is adapted for selectively turning the lights on and off. The actuating means comprises a remote control device.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,430,974, issued Aug. 13, 2002 to Mitchell, describes a strap and lock assembly for luggage for preventing luggage from breaking open. The strap and lock assembly for luggage includes a strap assembly including an elastic strap member being adapted to wrap about a piece of luggage; and also includes ring assemblies including ring members being securely attached to ends of the elastic strap member; and further includes a hook member being securely attached to one of the ring members and being adapted to removably engage about the other of the ring members; and also includes a padlock member for locking the elastic strap member about the piece of luggage.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,671,987, issued Jan. 6, 2004 to Fenton, discloses a luggage identification tag that has an envelope having a front wall member and a rear wall member, the wall members being of a sheet material and being joined along opposite side edges and one end edge so as to enable the envelope to receive and hold an identification card. The front wall member has a hole through which a color card received in the envelope between the identification card and the front wall member is visible. The particular color card in the envelope is selected by a user from several color cards of different colors that are furnished with the identification tag by the supplier of the luggage. A tether joined to the envelope enables the envelope to be fastened to an item of luggage.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,365, issued Apr. 2, 2002 to Caplan, indicates a personal luggage identification system that includes luggage recognition devices including adhesive stickers, tape, firm plastic tags, flexible plastic labels, business card carriers, tags, envelopes and cards, each bearing its own distinctive pattern, which can be affixed to luggage either singularly or in combination to provide a distinctive pattern or combination of patterns. The luggage recognition devices can be used to aid in the rapid identification of individual pieces of luggage, groups of luggage, contents of luggage or any combination thereof. The distinctive patterns can include color options.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,698, issued Sep. 12, 1989 to Brame, puts forth a quick release, flexible fabric hook and loop fastener having a pair of strap ends which are adapted for mutually releasable inter-engagement to form a loop when disposed in facing, overlapping arrangement in contact with each other. According to the improvement, the contact surface on the innermost of the strap ends does not extend to the extremity of the strap end, but terminates short of it, thereby defining a tip which is not engageable with the contact surface of the outermost strap end. When the outermost strap end is peeled away from the innermost strap end, the tip on the innermost strap end allows the contact surfaces to separate cleanly so that the fastener can be opened with one hand.

What is needed is a stretchable adjustable combined identifier and securing binder strip for luggage which helps to keep the luggage in a closed and serves as a highly visible identifier of the luggage for its owner.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is a stretchable adjustable combined identifier and securing binder strip for luggage which helps to keep the luggage in a closed and serves as a highly visible identifier of the luggage for its owner.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a luggage identifier and securing binder strip for luggage which, similar to the straps inside the suitcase which are used to secure the clothing so they don't get all bunched up and wrinkled, the outer securer will also help to keep the contents of the suitcase more rigidly bound, and less likely to be wrinkled.

In brief, a luggage identifier and safety binder strip comprises an elongated strip of tough stretchy material which is colored or patterned or imprinted with figures in a unique way so that a traveler will instantly be able to identify his or her luggage, even on a fast moving luggage carousel in a crowded airport. It is bound tightly and adjustably around the luggage and secured by spaced mating hook and loop fastener strips attached longitudinally along the length of one end and mating spaced hook and loop fastener strips attached transversely across an overlapping end so that the binder strip can be attached around a suit case or other luggage and secured in tension around the suit case by a desired adjustable tension depending on how much the two ends overlap. One or more binder strips secure the luggage closed in case the latch should pop open in transit and if it is centrally positioned, the binder strip will also cover the latch for further security against tampering with the lock and latch and further help to prevent the luggage from opening accidentally. The handle protrudes through a slot in the luggage identifier and safety binder strip.

A dual advantage of the present invention is that it provides a highly visible means of identifying luggage and a means to prevent the luggage from opening during travel.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

A further advantage of the present invention is that it helps to prevent anyone from opening or tampering with the luggage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and in which drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the combination luggage identifier and luggage security binder strip of the present invention showing the mating hook and loop attachment configuration on overlapping sections of the binder strip;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the combination luggage identifier and luggage security binder strip of FIG. 1 secured around a piece of luggage;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a wide combination luggage identifier and luggage security binder strip of FIG. 1 covering two latches each positioned near the ends of a piece of luggage;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of two of the combination luggage identifier and luggage security binder strips of FIG. 1 each covering a latch on a piece of luggage with two latches.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIGS. 1-4, a luggage identifier and safety binder strip 20 comprises an elongated strip 21 of tough stretchy material which has a highly visual identification indicator 26 on an outer surface such as a unique colored portion or patterned portion or figure portion to enable a traveler to easily identify his or her luggage at terminals and other locations. The unique visual identification indicator 26 may comprise one or more of the unique visual identification indicators including a unique color, a unique pattern, a unique design, a unique image, a unique indicia, a unique letter, a unique combination of letters, a unique word, and a unique combination of words.

In FIG. 1, the present invention comprises at least one elongated binder strip 21 fabricated of a stretchy binding material in an elongated rectangular configuration with the two ends each having an end edge 22 and 23 orthogonal to the elongated parallel sides 28 and 29. The elongated binder strip 21 configured of a length and width structured to be bound tightly around a piece of luggage 30 with the ends overlapping to bind a luggage top 34 to a luggage bottom 32 across the opening 33 in a closed position and to cover a latch 36 of the piece of luggage. The elongated binder strip 21 has an exterior waterproof surface having a unique visual identification indicator 26 imprinted thereon so that a traveler will be able to identify his or her luggage.

In FIG. 1, the overlapping ends with edges 22 and 23 are securable together by an adjustable attaching means comprising spaced mating hook and loop fastener strips 24A and 24B with a first series of strips 24A of a first mating portion of the mating hook and loop fasteners positioned in a spaced array transversely across a first end on a first side of the at least one elongated binder strip with all of the ends of the first series of strips coincident with the elongated sides 28 and 29 and an outer most strip of the first series of strips coincident with the first end edge 22, and a second series of strips 24B of a second mating portion of the mating hook and loop fasteners positioned in a spaced array longitudinally along the length of a second end of the binder strip on a second side of the at least one elongated binder strip with all of the outer ends of the second series of strips coincident with the second end edge 23 and two outer strips coincident with the two elongated sides 28 and 29 so that the ends of the at least one elongated binder strip are secured to each other with no edges loose to avoid accidental lifting of the ends.

In FIGS. 2-4, the ends overlap a desired amount to adjust the tension of the binder strip 21 around the piece of luggage 30 to bind the top 34 to the bottom 32 of the piece of luggage across the opening 33 to secure the luggage in a closed position and to cover a luggage latch 36 (shown dashed) to prevent tampering with the luggage latch and to prevent opening of the luggage latch and to provide a unique visual identification indicator 26 for a user of the luggage.

In FIGS. 1-3, the elongated binder strip 21 has a transverse opening 25 therethrough to allow a handle 35 of the piece of luggage to protrude out through the transverse opening for carrying the piece of luggage.

In FIG. 3, the piece of luggage 30A comprises two latches 36 (shown dashed) each adjacent to one of two opposing ends of the piece of luggage so that a wide binder strip 21 is used having a unique visual identification indicator 26 imprinted on an exterior surface and the elongated binder strip 21 covering both of the latches 36 with the luggage handle 35 protruding through the center transverse opening 25.

In FIG. 4, the piece of luggage 30A comprises two latches 36 (shown dashed) each adjacent to one of two opposing ends of the piece of luggage so that two elongated binder strips 21 are used with each having the same unique visual identification indicator 26 imprinted on an exterior surface and each of the two elongated binder strips 21 covers one of the two latches 36.

The luggage identifier and binder strip is preferably fabricated of a rugged elasticized synthetic material with a waterproof exterior surface that is imprinted with the visual identification indicator 26.

It is understood that the preceding description is given merely by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention and that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Claims

1. A luggage identifier and safety binder strip device comprises:

at least one elongated binder strip fabricated of a stretchy binding material in an elongated rectangular configuration with the two ends each having an end edge orthogonal to the elongated parallel sides, the at least one elongated binder strip configured of a length and width structured to be bound tightly around a piece of luggage with the ends overlapping to bind a luggage top to a luggage bottom in a closed position and to cover a latch of the piece of luggage, the at least one elongated binder strip comprising an exterior waterproof surface having a unique visual identification indicator imprinted thereon so that a traveler will be able to identify his or her luggage, the overlapping ends secured together by an adjustable attaching means comprising spaced mating hook and loop fastener strips with a first series of strips of a first mating portion of the mating hook and loop fasteners positioned in a spaced array transversely across a first end on a first side of the at least one elongated binder strip with all of the ends of the first series of strips coincident with the elongated sides and an outer most strip of the first series of strips coincident with the first end edge, and a second series of strips of a second mating portion of the mating hook and loop fasteners positioned in a spaced array longitudinally along the length of a second end of the binder strip on a second side of the at least one elongated binder strip with all of the outer ends of the second series of strips coincident with the second end edge and two outer strips coincident with the two elongated sides so that the ends of the at least one elongated binder strip are secured to each other with no edges loose to avoid accidental lifting of the ends, the ends overlapped a desired amount to adjust the tension of the binder strip around the piece of luggage to bind the top to the bottom of the piece of luggage to secure the luggage in a closed position and to cover a luggage latch to prevent tampering with the luggage latch and to prevent opening of the luggage latch, and to provide a unique visual identification indicator for a user of the luggage; the at least one elongated binder strip having a transverse opening therethrough to allow a handle of the piece of luggage to protrude out through the transverse opening for carrying the piece of luggage.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the piece of luggage comprises two latches each adjacent to one of two opposing ends of the piece of luggage and comprising two elongated binder strips each having the same unique visual identification indicator imprinted on an exterior surface, each of the two elongated binder strips covering one of the two latches.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the unique visual identification indicator comprises at least one of the following list of unique visual identification indicators including a unique color, a unique pattern, a unique design, a unique image, a unique indicia, a unique letter, a unique combination of letters, a unique word, and a unique combination of words.