CARRY-ON CASE FOR CONFORMING TO THE CURVED SHAPE OF AN OVERHEAD CARRY-ON LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT
A carry-on case comprising a packing compartment defined by a lower textile panel and a zipper track that extends along a bottom edge of the packing compartment. Packing compartment is accessible from the top of the case via a three sided zipper track extending along the top edge, right, and left sides of the packing compartment to permit all-sided access therein.
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This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/589,631 entitled “Carry-On Case For Conforming to the Curved Shape of an Overhead Carry-On Luggage Compartment” filed on Sep. 4, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,900,758, which is the national stage application of PCT International Patent Application No. PCT/US2005/004197 entitled “Carry-On Case For Conforming to the Curved Shape of an Overhead Carry-On Luggage Compartment” filed on Feb. 9, 2005, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/545,287 entitled “Carry-On Case for Conforming to the Curved Shape of an Overhead Carry-On Luggage Compartment” filed on Feb. 17, 2004. All of the foregoing applications are hereby incorporated in their entireties by reference as though fully disclosed herein.
BACKGROUNDThis invention relates to carry-on luggage cases, specifically luggage cases designed to fit in most aircraft overhead compartments. More particularly, this invention relates to carry-on luggage cases that take full advantage of the space available in the rather wedged-shaped overhead compartments positioned on the extreme port and starboard sides of the passenger compartment where the airplane fuselage causes those overhead compartments to taper sharply along their back most or rear most locations. Tapering carry-on cases have been known in the art. For example, U.S. design Pat. No. D374,773 to Domotor, also assigned to the assignee of the subject invention, illustrates such a tapering case. However, full advantage of this shape has been unavailable since the passenger would have to remove this case from the overhead compartment to access books, laptop computers, etc., packed therein. It is an object of this invention to provide a carry-on luggage case that conforms to the shape of the aircraft's overhead compartments while allowing a traveler to easily access the case's contents without having to remove it from the overhead compartment.
Accordingly, we have invented a new configuration of such a case including a generally rectangular shaped luggage case body 2 with a tapering front top portion 4 that mimics the tapering shape of the port or starboard overhead compartments in a typical commercial airline. Of course, it should be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that case 2 can comprise any type of storage and/or transport vessel, including backpacks, messenger bags, totes, purses, briefcases, or any other type of storage and/or transport device. Tapering front top portion 4 houses an upper pocket that is enclosed on three sides (the top, left, and right sides) by access zipper 8. The tapering front portion pocket 4 also includes a gusset (not shown) that allows the pocket to outwardly expand and to prevent the contents therein from spilling out of the sides. This case 2 further includes a special gusseted “all-sides accessible” pocket 12 located on the front lower portion of the carry-on case 2. This all-sides accessible pocket 12 has an access zipper 8 that extends fully around three sides of this pocket 12 (namely the top, left, and right sides as seen in
The case 2 is constructed in the known manner using a fabric, preferably textile fabric, outer covering. Plastic sheets stabilize the overall shape of the case 2 and castor wheels 26 and carry handles 24 and/or towing handle 32 permit the case 2 to be transported on a set of four corner mounted wheels 26 as shown in the figures. Of course, case 2 may be exclude wheels. Furthermore, case 2 may be transported by other means such as by shoulder straps, backpack straps, or other means, the case 2 either having wheels or not having wheels.
Referring to
Another feature of the present invention is a bottom grip 44 as shown in
Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example, and changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A backpack, comprising:
- a body defining a main compartment;
- a zipper joined to the body and configured to allow access to the main compartment;
- at least one shoulder strap joined to the body; and
- four spinner wheels joined to the body, the spinner wheels configured to allow the body to be rolled along a support surface.
2. The backpack of claim 1, wherein the body further defines a pocket, the pocket including a perimeter edge that includes a length that encompasses the pocket.
3. The backpack of claim 2, further comprising:
- a first zipper including a first zipper track that extends along a portion of the length of the perimeter edge and a first zipper slider selectively movable along the first zipper track to provide access to the pocket through approximately any portion of the first zipper track; and
- a second zipper including a second zipper track that extends along a remaining portion of the length of the perimeter edge and a second zipper slider selectively movable along the second zipper track to provide access to the pocket through approximately any portion of the second zipper track.
4. The backpack of claim 3, wherein the first zipper and the second zipper collectively provide access to the pocket through any portion of the length of the perimeter edge of the pocket.
5. The backpack of claim 3, wherein the portion of the length equals approximately three-quarters of the length of the perimeter edge, and the remaining portion of the length equals approximately one-quarter of the length of the perimeter edge.
6. The backpack of claim 3, wherein the second zipper slider is selectively secured to the body by a securing feature.
7. The backpack of claim 6, wherein the second zipper slider and the securing feature are configured to substantially prevent movement of the second zipper slider along the second zipper track when the second zipper slider is secured to the body by the securing feature.
8. The backpack of claim 6, wherein the securing feature comprises a hook and snap lock selectively engageable with the second zipper slider.
9. The backpack of claim 8, wherein the second zipper slider includes a pull tab with a keyhole configured to receive a portion of the hook and snap lock therethrough.
10. The backpack of claim 1, wherein:
- the body includes a lid, a panel spaced apart from the lid, a top edge that extends between the lid and the panel, a bottom edge that extends between the lid and the panel, and two spaced apart edges, each spaced apart edge extending between the lid and the panel, and each spaced apart edge further extending from the top edge to the bottom edge;
- a first zipper track positioned at least within a portion of the top edge and within portions of the two spaced apart edges;
- a first zipper slider selectively movable along the first zipper track to provide access to the pocket through any of the top or two spaced apart edges;
- a second zipper track positioned at least within the bottom edge; and
- a second zipper slider selectively movable along the second zipper track to provide access to the pocket through the bottom edge.
11. The backpack of claim 10, wherein the second zipper slider is selectively secured to the body by a securing feature.
12. The backpack of claim 11, wherein the second zipper slider and the securing feature are configured to substantially prevent movement of the second zipper slider along the second zipper track when the second zipper slider is secured to the body by the securing feature.
13. The backpack of claim 11, wherein the securing feature comprises a hook and snap lock selectively engageable with the second zipper slider.
14. The backpack of claim 13, wherein the second zipper slider includes a pull tab with a keyhole configured to receive a portion of the hook and snap lock therethrough.
15. The backpack of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises a tapered upper portion.
16. The backpack of claim 15, wherein the tapered upper portion is shaped for receipt within a curved area defined by an aircraft overhead compartment.
17. The backpack of claim 1, wherein at least one of the four spinner wheels comprises a castor wheel.
18. The backpack of claim 1, further comprising a carry handle joined to the body.
19. The backpack of claim 1, further comprising a telescoping handle joined to the body.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 7, 2011
Publication Date: Jun 30, 2011
Applicant:
Inventors: William L. King (Swansea, MA), John H. Sullivan, JR. (Englewood, CO)
Application Number: 13/041,812
International Classification: A45C 5/14 (20060101); A45F 3/00 (20060101);