LUGGAGE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Provided is a luggage piece and luggage system with a luggage piece that can be coupled to a second luggage piece to be transported with the second luggage piece as a joined unit. The luggage piece includes a housing defining an interior compartment that stores items to be transported within the luggage piece. A coupling system includes a plurality of tethers that cooperate with one or more receivers provided to the second luggage piece to couple the second luggage piece to the luggage piece to form a joined unit. An alignment structure is provided to a surface of the housing that is to be arranged opposite a housing surface of the second luggage piece. The alignment structure cooperates with a compatible alignment structure provided to the housing surface of the second luggage piece to interfere with lateral displacement of the luggage piece relative to the second luggage piece.
This application relates generally to an apparatus for transporting luggage and, more specifically, to an apparatus for temporarily coupling a plurality of luggage pieces together to simplify transportation of the combined luggage pieces together as a collective unit.
2. Description of Related ArtTravelers have traditionally been required to carry luggage pieces such as carry-on suitcases through airports and other locations while en route to a destination. More recently, such luggage pieces have been provided with wheels to allow travelers to pull such luggage pieces, thereby reducing the physical demands of transporting luggage while traveling.
Although pulling a rolling suitcase is much less demanding of travelers than carrying a suitcase, traveling with more than a single such rolling suitcase requires each suitcase to be pulled separately. This can be a daunting task for a traveler who has packed more than one suitcase for an extended stay at a destination, or when traveling in the company of children who may not be able to pull their own luggage. Such travelers will be required to pull each individual rolling suitcase separately, making it difficult for the travelers to carry anything else such as a coat, airline tickets, or small children.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, there is a need in the art for a luggage system that allows a plurality of luggage pieces to be coupled together and collectively transported together as a unit.
According to one aspect, the subject application involves a luggage piece that can be coupled to a second luggage piece to be transported with the second luggage piece as a joined unit. The second luggage piece includes a plurality of adjustable rollers having a variable rolling direction, where the luggage piece includes a housing defining an interior compartment that stores items to be transported within the luggage piece. A retractable handle is provided to the housing, and is adjustable between a recessed position where a handgrip provided to the handle is disposed proximate to the housing and a deployed position where the handgrip is extended distally away from the housing. A plurality of rollers are coupled to the housing on which the luggage piece is to be rolled. A coupling system includes a plurality of tethers that cooperate with one or more receivers provided to the second luggage piece to couple the second luggage piece to the luggage piece at a position that allows the joined unit to roll on the in-line rollers and the adjustable rollers. The adjustable rollers provided to the second luggage piece afford the joined unit a steering capability.
According to another aspect, the subject application involves a luggage system that includes a first luggage piece and a second luggage piece. The first luggage piece includes a housing defining an interior compartment that stores items to be transported within the first luggage piece. A retractable handle is adjustable between a recessed position where a handgrip provided to the handle is disposed proximate to the housing and a deployed position where the handgrip is extended distally away from the housing. Two or more rollers are coupled to the housing on which the luggage piece is to be rolled. The second luggage piece includes a housing defining an interior compartment that stores items to be transported within the second luggage piece, and a retractable handle that is adjustable between a recessed position where a handgrip provided to the handle is disposed proximate to the housing and a deployed position where the handgrip is extended distally away from the housing. A plurality of rollers are coupled to the housing on which the second luggage piece is to be rolled, including at least two adjustable rollers having a variable rolling direction. A coupling system including a plurality of tethers couples the first and second luggage pieces together to be rolled on the at least two in-line rollers and the at least two adjustable rollers together as a joined unit. The joined unit is steerable through adjustment of the variable rolling direction of the adjustable rollers.
According to another aspect, the subject application involves a luggage system that includes a first luggage piece and a second luggage piece that can be coupled together to form a joined unit. The first luggage piece includes a housing defining an interior compartment for storing items to be transported within the first luggage piece, and a retractable handle. The retractable handle is adjustable between a recessed position where a handgrip provided to the handle is disposed proximate to the housing and a deployed position where the handgrip is extended distally away from the housing of the first luggage piece. A plurality of rollers are coupled to the housing to facilitate rolling of the first luggage piece, and include at least two adjustable rollers having a variable rolling direction. The second luggage piece includes a housing defining an interior compartment for storing items to be transported within the second luggage piece. The retractable belt is adjustable between a recessed position where the handgrip is disposed proximate to the housing of the second luggage piece and a deployed position where the handgrip is extended distally away from the housing of the second luggage piece. A plurality of adjustable rollers having a variable rolling direction are arranged to extend from a bottom surface of the second luggage piece to allow the second luggage piece to roll on the adjustable rollers. The bottom surface of the second luggage piece is devoid of any in-line rollers. A coupling system comprising a plurality of tethers that extend between the first and second luggage pieces are provided to couple the first and second luggage pieces together to be rolled on the in-line rollers and the adjustable rollers together as a joined unit. Because of the adjustable rollers, the joined luggage pieces are steerable in a plurality of different directions through adjustment of the variable rolling direction of the adjustable rollers without skidding in a manner that would otherwise occur if the adjustable rollers had a fixed rolling direction.
According to another aspect, the subject application involves a luggage piece that can be coupled to a second luggage piece to be transported with the second luggage piece as a joined unit. The second luggage piece includes a plurality of adjustable rollers having a variable rolling direction. The luggage piece includes a housing defining an interior compartment that stores items to be transported within the luggage piece. A retractable handle is adjustable between a recessed position where a handgrip provided to the handle is disposed proximate to the housing and a deployed position where the handgrip is extended distally away from the housing. A plurality of adjustable rollers are coupled to the housing on which the luggage piece is to be rolled, the plurality of adjustable rollers being pivotal to establish a variable rolling direction. A coupling system comprising a plurality of tethers that cooperate with one or more receivers provided to the second luggage piece couples the second luggage piece to the luggage piece at a position that allows the joined unit to roll on the adjustable rollers. An alignment structure is provided to a surface of the housing that is to be arranged opposite a housing surface of the second luggage piece. The alignment structure cooperates with a compatible alignment structure provided to the housing surface of the second luggage piece to interfere with lateral displacement of the luggage piece relative to the second luggage piece.
According to another aspect, the subject application involves a luggage system including a first luggage piece and a second luggage piece. The first luggage piece includes a rigid housing defining an interior compartment that stores items to be transported within the first luggage piece, and a retractable handle that is adjustable between a recessed position and a deployed position. A plurality of adjustable rollers are coupled to the housing on which the first luggage piece is to be rolled, the plurality of adjustable rollers establishing a variable rolling direction. A male alignment structure protrudes from a surface of the housing of the first luggage piece. The second luggage piece includes a rigid housing defining an interior compartment that stores items to be transported within the second luggage piece, and a retractable handle that is adjustable between a recessed position and a deployed position. A plurality of adjustable rollers are coupled to the housing on which the second luggage piece is to be rolled. The plurality of adjustable rollers establish a variable rolling direction. A female alignment structure is provided to a surface of the rigid housing of the second luggage piece. The female alignment structure cooperates with the male alignment structure while the first luggage piece and the second luggage piece are coupled together. A coupling system includes a plurality of tethers to couple the first luggage piece and the second luggage piece together, to be collectively rolled as a joined unit. The cooperation between the male alignment structure and the female alignment structure interferes with lateral displacement of the first luggage piece relative to the second luggage piece as the joined unit is rolled.
The above summary presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the systems and/or methods discussed herein. This summary is not an extensive overview of the systems and/or methods discussed herein. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope of such systems and/or methods. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, embodiments of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:
Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the present invention. Relative language used herein is best understood with reference to the drawings, in which like numerals are used to identify like or similar items. Further, in the drawings, certain features may be shown in somewhat schematic form.
It is also to be noted that the phrase “at least one of”, if used herein, followed by a plurality of members herein means one of the members, or a combination of more than one of the members. For example, the phrase “at least one of a first widget and a second widget” means in the present application: the first widget, the second widget, or the first widget and the second widget. Likewise, “at least one of a first widget, a second widget and a third widget” means in the present application: the first widget, the second widget, the third widget, the first widget and the second widget, the first widget and the third widget, the second widget and the third widget, or the first widget and the second widget and the third widget.
An illustrative embodiment of a luggage system 10 is shown in
Other airlines may impose a maximum size limit on each individual dimension of an acceptable carry-on bag 18. For instance, the maximum external dimensions of the housing 20 of an acceptable carry-on bag 18 according to such embodiments can be limited to no more than twenty six four inches (24 in.), by sixteen inches (16 in.), by ten inches (10 in.) (i.e., 24 in.×16 in.×10 in.), which is fifty (50 in.) inches in total exterior dimensions (i.e., the sum of each of the individual dimensions). According to alternate embodiments, the maximum dimensions of the housing 20 of an acceptable carry-on bag 18 can be limited to no more than twenty two inches (22 in.), by fourteen inches (14 in.), by ten inches (10 in.) (i.e., 22 in.×14 in.×10 in.), for a total exterior dimension of forty-six (46 in.) inches.
However, the present disclosure is not limited to the carry-on bag 18. Alternate embodiments of one or more of the luggage pieces 12, 14, 16 can be larger than the maximum dimensions of a carry-on bag 18. Such luggage pieces are large enough that they are required to be checked in with airlines, to be transported in a cargo hold of an airplane instead of a passenger cabin. For example, the relatively-large luggage piece can have a total exterior dimension greater than the total exterior dimensions of the carry-on bags 18 described above, up to sixty-two (62 in.) inches in total exterior dimension. Further, the luggage pieces coupled together can include luggage pieces having at least two different sizes (e.g., housings with different lengths L and/or different widths W), and optionally at least three different sizes. For example, the luggage pieces 12, 14, 16 that are connectable can include a small luggage piece 12 (e.g., a carry-on bag 18), and a relatively-large luggage piece 16 having a total external dimension between forty-six (46 in.) inches and sixty-two (62 in.) inches, or a total external dimension between fifty (50 in.) inches and sixty-two (62 in.) inches. Yet another embodiment of the luggage pieces 12, 14, 16, shown in
For embodiments where the luggage pieces 12, 14, 16 include pieces that have a plurality of different total external dimensions, at least one, and optionally at least two of the luggage pieces 12, 14, 16 can have external dimensions that allow the at least one or two pieces to be fully received and enclosed in another one of the luggage pieces 12, 14, 16. For example,
According to yet other embodiments, the maximum allowable external dimension(s) of an acceptable carry-on bag 18 can optionally be established by one or more regulation(s) promulgated by a governing body or trade association of the commercial airline industry such the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Although the luggage pieces 12, 14, 16 coupled together to collectively form a single, joined unit 22 are described herein as being carry-on bags 18, the present invention is not so limited. Instead, each luggage piece 12, 14, 16 can independently be selected as a carry-on bag 18, a suitcase having dimensions greater than those allowable for carry-on bags 18, or a combination thereof. However, for the sake of brevity, the luggage system 10 will be described herein as comprising at least two, and optionally three luggage pieces 12, 14, 16 in the form of carry-on bags 18, as shown in
As shown in
The externally-exposed surfaces of the housing 20, or at least portions thereof, can include connection regions 24 that can cooperate with a tether 26 (
According to alternate embodiments, a system comprising a magnetic and/or a magnetically-attractive material can be provided as the connection region 24 and the compatible, mating portion provided adjacent to the distal end 28 of the tether 26. Magnetic attraction between the magnet and magnetically-attractive portion serves to releasably couple the distal end 28 of the tether 26 to the connection region 24, and thereby couple immediately adjacent luggage pieces together as described below. Regardless of the particular materials used, the fastening system provided to the connection region 24 and the distal end 28 of the tether(s) 26 releasably couples the distal end 28 of the tether 26 extending from one carry-on bag 18 to an immediately-adjacent carry-on bag 18. As a releasable coupling, the distal end 28 of the tether 26 can repeatedly be connected, by hand, and subsequently removed to/from its corresponding connection region 24 provided to the immediately adjacent (e.g., not separated from each other by an intervening carry-on bag 18) carry-on bag 18 without damaging the tether 16, the connection region 24 or the carry-on bag 18 to an extent that renders any such components unfit for subsequent usage.
The one tether 26, or plurality of tethers 26 can optionally include a permanent tether 26 that is affixed to at least one, and optionally each of the carry-on bags 18 included in the luggage system 10, in a non-releasable manner. The permanent tether 26 prevents removal of the tether 26 without damaging the permanent tether 26 itself, or the carry-on bag 18 to which it is affixed. For example, one or more of the tethers 26 can be stitched using nylon thread or other suitable stitching 27 to a first luggage piece 12 (
Additionally, the tethers 26 are described herein as being straps of a flexible material such as nylon or the like. However, it is to be understood that any suitable fastener (e.g., plastic, metal or other rigid braces; elastic bands; etc. . . . ) that can extend between the luggage pieces 12, 14, 16 described herein can be utilized without departing from the scope of the present invention.
To promote and optionally maintain proper alignment and/or arrangement of the luggage pieces 12, 14, 16 coupled together as part of the joined unit 22, one or more of the externally-exposed surfaces of the housing 20 of each luggage piece 12, 14, 16 can be provided with one, or a plurality of alignment structures. For the illustrative embodiment of a luggage piece 12 shown in
A proximate side 46 of the housing 20 adjacent to a vertical plane in which the handle 30 extends and retracts as described in detail below can be provided with at least one, and optionally a plurality of female alignment structures 66, as shown in
One, or a plurality of the male alignment structures 60 can optionally be provided with an embedded magnet 72, a first portion of a hook-and-loop fastener, or any other suitable connecting structure, shown using hidden lines in
One, or a plurality of the female alignment structure(s) 66 can optionally be provided with an embedded magnetically-attractive material 76, a second portion of a hook-and-loop fastener that is compatible with the first portion, or any other structure compatible with a different connecting structure provided to the respective male alignment structure 60, shown using hidden lines in
When the luggage piece 12 is brought into contact with another luggage piece 14 to form a joined unit 22, the male alignment structures 60 of the luggage piece 12 are at least partially received within the female alignment structures 66 of the other luggage piece 14 to establish a linear arrangement of the luggage pieces 12, 14 included in the joined unit 22. For embodiments including one or more of the magnet(s) 72 and the magnetically-attractive material(s) 76, the magnetic force there between urges the luggage pieces 12, 14 together, optionally contributing to the connection between the luggage pieces 12, 14 established between the distal end of the tether 26 and the connection region 24 provided to the luggage piece 14. The cooperation between the female alignment structures 66 and their respective male alignment structures 60 helps to limit lateral displacement of one luggage piece (e.g., luggage piece 12) relative the contiguously-positioned luggage piece (e.g., luggage piece 14) once they are coupled together.
Although the luggage piece 12 is described individually in
Further, although the luggage piece 12 is described in detail in
The alignment structures 60, 66 can optionally have a common shape (e.g., footprint) on each luggage piece, including luggage pieces 12, 14, 16 that are different sizes. As shown in
Each carry-on bag 18 can optionally also include a retractable handle 30 (
According to alternate embodiments, each luggage piece 12, 14, 16 can optionally include substantially the same type of handle, which is shown in
The carry-on bag 18 also includes a plurality of rollers 40, 42 that extend downwardly, and/or protrude from a bottom surface 44 of the housing 20 that is positioned to oppose a ground surface on which the carry-on bag 18 rests when standing upright, with the handle 30 extending in a substantially-vertical orientation. As shown in
The plurality of rollers 40, 42 of the carry-on bag 18 in
According to alternate embodiments, however, all of the rollers extending away from the bottom surface 44 of the carry-on bag 18 can be adjustable rollers 42, as shown in
The plurality of rollers provided to each of the luggage pieces 12, 14, 16 in included in the luggage system 10
In contrast, the other luggage pieces 14, 16 included in the luggage system 10 collectively forming the joined unit 22 illustrated in
In use, the luggage piece 12 can be positioned immediately adjacent to another luggage piece 14 (e.g., physically abutting against each other). The distal side 48 (
In a like manner, the luggage piece 16 can also be positioned adjacent to the luggage piece 14, and coupled thereto with a plurality of tethers 26 to form a joined unit 22 comprising three luggage pieces 12, 14, 16 as shown in
Illustrative embodiments have been described, hereinabove. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above devices and methods may incorporate changes and modifications without departing from the general scope of this invention. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
Claims
1. A luggage piece that can be coupled to a second luggage piece to be transported with the second luggage piece as a joined unit, the second luggage piece comprising a plurality of adjustable rollers having a variable rolling direction, the luggage piece comprising:
- a housing defining an interior compartment that stores items to be transported within the luggage piece;
- a retractable handle that is adjustable between a recessed position where a handgrip provided to the handle is disposed proximate to the housing and a deployed position where the handgrip is extended distally away from the housing;
- a plurality of adjustable rollers coupled to the housing on which the luggage piece is to be rolled, the plurality of adjustable rollers being pivotal to establish a variable rolling direction;
- a coupling system comprising a plurality of tethers that cooperate with one or more receivers provided to the second luggage piece to couple the second luggage piece to the luggage piece at a position that allows the joined unit to roll on the adjustable rollers; and
- an alignment structure provided to a surface of the housing that is to be arranged opposite a housing surface of the second luggage piece, wherein the alignment structure cooperates with a compatible alignment structure provided to the housing surface of the second luggage piece to interfere with lateral displacement of the luggage piece relative to the second luggage piece.
2. The luggage piece of claim 1, wherein at least one of a front surface and a proximate surface of the housing is formed from a rigid material, and the alignment structure is a male alignment structure that protrudes from the at least one of the front surface and a proximate surface.
3. The luggage piece of claim 1, wherein at least one of a front surface and a proximate surface of the housing is formed from a rigid material, and the alignment structure is a female alignment structure that includes a recess formed in the at least one of the front surface and a proximate surface.
4. The luggage piece of claim 1 further comprising a second alignment structure, wherein the alignment structure and the second alignment structure are arranged at different vertical elevations on at least one of a front side and a proximate side of the housing.
5. The luggage piece of claim 1 further comprising a second alignment structure, wherein the alignment structure and the second alignment structure are arranged such that at least a portion of the alignment structure and a portion of the second alignment structure are arranged at a common vertical elevation on at least one of a front side and a proximate side of the housing.
6. The luggage piece of claim 1, wherein the alignment structure comprises a magnet that magnetically attracts a portion of a compatible alignment structure provided to the second luggage piece.
7. The luggage piece of claim 1, wherein the alignment structure comprises a first portion of a hook-and-loop fastener that engages a second portion of the hook-and-loop fastener provided to a compatible alignment structure provided to the second luggage piece.
8. The luggage piece of claim 1 further comprising a leash that is to cooperate with a receiver arranged adjacent to a lower region of the luggage piece.
9. The luggage piece of claim 1, wherein the alignment structure is configured to cooperate with a compatible alignment structure provided to each of a plurality of different luggage pieces, wherein the plurality of different luggage pieces comprise housings of different sizes.
10. A luggage system comprising:
- (i) a first luggage piece comprising: a rigid housing defining an interior compartment that stores items to be transported within the first luggage piece, a retractable handle that is adjustable between a recessed position where a handgrip provided to the handle is disposed proximate to the housing and a deployed position where the handgrip is extended distally away from the housing, a plurality of adjustable rollers coupled to the housing on which the first luggage piece is to be rolled, the plurality of adjustable rollers establishing a variable rolling direction, and a male alignment structure that protrudes from a surface of the housing;
- (ii) a second luggage piece comprising: a rigid housing defining an interior compartment that stores items to be transported within the second luggage piece, a retractable handle that is adjustable between a recessed position where a handgrip provided to the handle is disposed proximate to the housing and a deployed position where the handgrip is extended distally away from the housing, a plurality of adjustable rollers coupled to the housing on which the second luggage piece is to be rolled, the plurality of adjustable rollers establishing a variable rolling direction, and a female alignment structure provided to a surface of the rigid housing of the second luggage piece, wherein the female alignment structure cooperates with the male alignment structure while the first luggage piece and the second luggage piece are coupled together; and
- (iii) a coupling system comprising a plurality of tethers that couple the first luggage piece and the second luggage piece together, to be collectively rolled as a joined unit, wherein the cooperation between the male alignment structure and the female alignment structure interferes with lateral displacement of the first luggage piece relative to the second luggage piece as the joined unit is rolled.
11. The luggage system of claim 10, wherein the male alignment structure protrudes from a front side of the housing of the first luggage piece, and the female alignment structure is formed in a proximate side of the housing of the second luggage piece.
12. The luggage system of claim 10, wherein the first luggage piece further comprises a second alignment structure, wherein the male alignment structure and the second alignment structure are arranged at different vertical elevations on a front side of the housing of the first luggage piece.
13. The luggage system of claim 10, wherein the first luggage piece further comprises a second alignment structure, wherein the male alignment structure and the second alignment structure are arranged such that at least a portion of the male alignment structure and a portion of the second alignment structure are arranged at a common vertical elevation on a front side of the housing of the first luggage piece.
14. The luggage system of claim 10, wherein the male alignment structure comprises a magnet that magnetically attracts a portion of the female alignment structure provided to the second luggage piece.
15. The luggage system of claim 10, wherein the female alignment structure comprises a magnet that magnetically attracts a portion of the male alignment structure provided to the first luggage piece.
16. The luggage system of claim 10, wherein the male alignment structure comprises a first portion of a hook-and-loop fastener, and the female alignment structure comprises a second portion of the hook-and-loop fastener that engages the first portion of the hook-and-loop fastener.
17. The luggage system of claim 10, wherein the housing of the first luggage piece is a different size than the housing of the second luggage piece.
18. The luggage system of claim 10 further comprising a leash that is to cooperate with a receiver arranged adjacent to a lower region of at least one of the first luggage piece and the second luggage piece.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 13, 2018
Publication Date: May 20, 2021
Inventor: John SALEK (Dubai)
Application Number: 16/605,306