Stowable Work Surface for Luggage

Abstract

A stowable work surface for use with luggage or any wheeled container with an upright, vertically extendable handle portion. The device is configured to attach to the vertically extending supports for the extendable handle. The construction of the device may be modified depending upon the number and spacing of the vertical supports. The device is of unitary construction and includes no moving parts. More importantly, the device can be stored within the luggage as it requires very minimal space and does not need to be collapsed for storage.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to luggage. More specifically, the invention relates to a stowable work surface that can be attached to a suitcase or other wheeled luggage.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The present invention is directed to a stowable, temporary work surface for luggage. The device can be used by travelers while in transit, particularly in airports, bus terminals, train stations, etc. While the need for such a device has been addressed by the prior art, the prior art devices tend to be bulky and mechanically complex, and therefore too large to fit inside the luggage or container.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,508 is typical of these types of devices. It discloses a work surface including attaching means for attaching to the luggage as well as an extendable leg assembly which adds stability. As with all prior art devices, it is intended to be attached exteriorly of the luggage even when not in use, where it adds to the overall bulk of the luggage, this extra bulk often becoming an issue when the luggage is stored for transport.

The inventive device solves this problem by providing a stowable work surface for use with luggage or any wheeled container with an upright, vertically extendable handle portion. The device is configured to attach to the vertically extending supports for the extendable handle. The construction of the device may be modified depending upon the number and spacing of the vertical supports. The device is of unitary construction and includes no moving parts. More importantly, the device can be stored within the luggage as it requires very minimal space and does not need to be collapsed for storage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a major object of the invention to provide a portable, temporary work surface for use with luggage having a telescoping, extendable handle assembly.

It is another object of the invention to provide a portable, temporary work surface for use with luggage which is attachable to the extendable handle assembly.

It is another object of the invention to provide a portable, temporary work surface for use with luggage which is of one piece, unitary construction.

It is another object of the invention to provide a portable, temporary work surface for use with luggage which is sized and configured to fit within the luggage.

It is another object of the invention to provide a portable, temporary work surface for use with luggage having means to stably position the work surface onto the luggage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the device of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the underside of the inventive device.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the device in working position atop a piece of luggage.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the device being positioned onto a piece of luggage.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, the device, generally designated by the numeral 10, is shown. The device 10 is generally planar and has a rectangular shape so as to provide a generally rectangular work surface 11. Of course, any shape suitable for a work surface may be used for the device 10. The device 10 may be made from any rigid, durable material such as plastic, metal, or wood; but is preferably made from a hard plastic material. As the device 10 is simple and unitary in construction, it can easily be made by injection molding or 3D printing as would be apparent to one of skill in the art.

A key aspect of the device 10 is its portability and ease of use. Portability is greatly enhanced by the simplicity of the device 10 which includes no handles, brackets, or components attached to or extendable therefrom. Accordingly, the device 10 requires limited storage space and can be easily stored within the container it is to be positioned on.

As previously stated, the device 10 is intended for use with luggage or other wheeled containers having a handle 12 attached to at least one elongated or telescoping vertical support member 14 as can be seen in FIG. 3. The device 10 as shown is designed for use with the standard pair of spaced support members 14, this configuration being by far the most common used with wheeled luggage 16 such as that shown in FIG. 3. The device 10 may be modified for use with a wheeled container or luggage 16 having fewer or more support members 14. In the configuration shown, the device 10 can be used with luggage 16 having the standard pair of vertical support members.

Attachment of the device 10 to the luggage 16 is facilitated by an opposing pair of L-shaped cutouts 20 formed in the rear side 21 of the device. Cutouts 20 include opposing capturing slots 22 which are sized and spaced to receive support members 14, with preferably a frictional fit to ensure stability when the device 10 is positioned on the luggage. Stability is also enhanced a pair of substantially oval, convex protrusions 24 formed on the underside 26 of the device 10. The protrusions 24 allow space for the luggage handle 30 so that the device 10 can be laid flat on what is essentially an uneven uppermost surface 32. It should be noted that zippers, ID tags, and other parts of the luggage 16 may be on the uppermost surface 32, with protrusions 24 serving to raise the underside 26 above these obstructions so the device 10 can provide a more stable work surface. The underside 26 may be textured for frictional engagement with said uppermost surface 32 so that the device 10 will not easily slide when in use. In lieu of the protrusions 24, the underside 26 may be provided with a micro-bead pillow 34 (FIG. 5) to allow the device 10 to lie flat on an uneven surface.

In use, the device 10 is positioned onto the luggage 16 by angling as shown in FIG. 4. Angling in this manner allows for a first one of said support members 14 to be engaged within one of the slots 22. The other support member 14 is then engaged within the other slot and the device 10 then lowered and laid flat for use. When not in use, the angling process is reversed and the device 10, due to its compact size, can be stored within the luggage 16.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims:

Claims

1. A device for providing a temporary work surface for luggage, the luggage having an uppermost surface and an extensible handle having spaced telescoping support members, the device comprising:

a generally planar main body having a flat upper surface and a contoured lower surface;

an opposing pair of cutouts formed on one side of the device, the cutouts sized to receive and engage said support members;

said contoured lower surface having a pair of spaced convex protrusions extending downwardly therefrom.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said cutouts are L-shaped.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said L-shaped cutouts include a slot within which said support members may be frictionally engaged.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said contoured underside is textured.

5. A method of forming a temporary work surface on luggage having an uppermost surface and an extensible handle having spaced telescoping support members, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a work surface with opposing slots for receiving said support members;

angling said work surface to allow for engagement of one of said support members within one of said slots;

manipulating said work surface to capture another one said support members within another one of said slots;

laying said work surface onto said uppermost luggage surface; and,

removing said work surface and storing said work surface inside said luggage when not in use.