CA1280094C

CA1280094C - Carrier

Info

Publication number: CA1280094C
Application number: CA000519249A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Kenneth Gardner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-09-26
Filing date: 1986-09-26
Publication date: 1991-02-12
Anticipated expiration: 2008-02-12

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A carrier for attachment to a piece of luggage which has a handle, such as a briefcase or a suitcase includes: a top panel with an aperture through which a handle can project. A back panel extends from the top panel when in use, at a substantially right angle thereto. Means are associated with the back panel for carrying objects.

Description

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The present invention relates to the field of luggage and carriers.
Provided by the present invention is a deviee with which the effective carrying capacity of a piece of hand luggage, such as a briefcase, can be substantially increased, without any structural modification of the luggage. More broadly speaking, however, the object of the present invention is to provide a device which may be used -to supplement the carrying capacity of an existing piece of luggage, or to enable an existing piece of luggage to be used to carry ob~ects which otherwise it could not carry.
In one broad aspect, the present invention relates to a carrier for attachment to a piece of luggage which has a handle, such as a briefcase or a suitcase, said carrier ineluding: (i) a -top panel with an aperture through which a said handle can project; (ii) a back panel, extendin~ from said top panel, and when in use, at a substantially right angle there-to; (iii) means associated with sai.d baek pane:l for carrying objects.
In drawings which illustrat~ the present invention by way of example:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view oE a Eirst embodiment of the present invention, mounted on a briefcase which is shown in phantom;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention, also mounted on a briefcase which is shown in phantom, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the ~oo~

present invention also mounted on a briefcase which is shown in phantom, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1.
Referring to the drawings in general, and especially to Fig. 1, the present invention provides a carrier 1 which is used to augment the capacity of a briefcase B (or other piece of luggage) which is provided with a handle H. The carrier 1 of the present invention includes a main back panel 2 which, in use, lies substantially flat against the side of briefcase s. A top panel 3 is integral with the back panel 2, and is provided with a substantially rectangular aperture 4 of a size selected to fit over a standard briefcase handle H. In practice, it has been found that an aperture size of 15 cm long X 2 cm wide will accommodate most briefcase handles ~1.
Using top panel 3 with aperture 4 and back panel 2 as a base, various modifications each re~ultin~ in a different carrier, and a different embodiment of the pres~nt invention, are possible.
For instance, in Fi~. 1, side panels 7 are provided, and a front panel 12 continuous along a common hottom area with back panel 2 is provided, so that a rectangular sack carrier is obtained. The top edge of the front panel 12 defines a closure panel 15 to close the top of the carrier. The underside of the closure panel 5 is preferably provided with a velcro strip 6 - either a hook or a pile surface - and a complementary surface is provided on the top panel opposite. It should be noted that closure panel 5 can as easily extend from top panel 3 outwardly, to a closure strip on * cJe~ r> ~ ~Jc 5 ~r~ ~r~ ' 1 --2--l;~ao~9~

front panel 12, as in Figure 4.
In the embodimen-t illustrated in Fig. 3, a number of pairs of elas-ticized straps 8 are provided on the back panel, the carrier of the present invention thereby being susceptible of use as a roll carrier for carrying charts, maps, plans, drawings, umbrellas and the like. Each strap has one end attached to the back panel, and one free end, which can be looped around a roll.
Opposite ends of each strap are provided with complementary hook or pile velcro surfaces 9, so that the strap may be securely wrapped around a roll, yet easily released. Moreover, it will be understood that similar pairs of straps 8 may be provided on front panel 12 of the carrier of Figure 1, to obtain a combination type carrier, useful for carrying, for instance, a quan-tity of notes and some engineering drawings.
The embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figure 2 is a coat carrier. It will be seen that with the addition of a Eront panel 12 extending upwardly from the lowermost portion oE the back panel, a slirlg-type arrangement can be achieved. ~ velcro stri~> ~ is u~ed to keep this carrier closed.
In Figure 4, a variation of the carrier pack shown in Fig. 1 is illustrated. That is, by constructing the pack with wider side panels, and providing a zippered racket-pocket 10, a sports bag type of carrier is obtained.
A further modification which may be applied to any of the embodiments illustrated is shown in Fig. 3. That is, a pair (or any desired number) of retaining straps 11 may be provided, extending from adjacent the side edges of the back panel, around lX800~4 the briefcase, and into engagement with corresponding retaining members - such as short straps provided with D-rings - which extend from the rear mos-t edge of the top panel. If a D-ring arrangement is used, it is preferred that the outermost surface of the free end of the strap is provided with two complementary velcro surfaces. A hook surface is located near its end, and inwardly from there, a pile surface, so that the end of the strap may be passed through the D-ring, and then strap may be tensioned and fastened by pressing the hook surface into the pile surface.
In a preferred embodiment, the carrier of the present invention is made from a waterproof nylon material, such as Dupont CORDURATn, which may be treated with ~urther surface finishes, such as GORTEX'n.
It will be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications of the present invention, resulting in may diEferent forms of carrier will be apparent a.~ter consultation of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A carrier for attachment to a piece of luggage which has a handle, such as a briefcase or a suitcase, said carrier including:

i) a top panel with an aperture through which a said handle can project;

ii) a single back panel, extending from said top panel, and when in use, at a substantially right angle thereto;
iii) means associated with said back panel for carrying objects.

2. A carrier as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said back panel is substantially rectangular, with a straight top edge, common with said top panel, straight side edges, and a straight bottom edge.

3. A carrier as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said means (iii) comprise a pair of side panels extending outwardly from the edges of said back panel, a front panel connecting said side panels and sharing a common bottom edge with said back panel, and closure means associated with said front panel to detachably secure said front panel to said top panel.

4. A carrier as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said closure means is a hook and pile closure strip, the opposite surfaces of which are on the top panel and the front panel.

5. A carrier as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said means (iii) comprise at least one pair of straps fastened to said back panel, each strap being adapted to be detachably secured in a loop configuration, whereby said carrier can function as a carrier for roll-shaped objects.

6. A carrier as claimed in Claim 5, wherein each end of each said strap is provided with a hook or a pile surface, and the other end is provided with a complementary surface.

7. A carrier as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said means (iii) comprises a rectangular front panel extending upwardly from the bottom edge of said back panel, and contiguous therewith, said front panel being provided with closure means for detachable securement to said top panel.

8. A carrier as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said securement means on said front panel is a hook or pile strip engageable with a complementary hook or pile strip on said top panel.

9. A carrier as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein all of said panels are made of a flexible water resistant material.

10. A carrier as claimed in Claim 4, 5 or 6, wherein all of said panels are made of a flexible water resistant material.

11. A carrier as claimed in Claim 7 or 8, wherein all of said panels are made of a flexible water resistant material.

12. A carrier as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein there is further provided a pair of straps extending from the bottom of said back panel, and capable of securement around a said piece of luggage, there further being provided means associated with said top panel for engaging said straps.

13. A carrier as claimed in Claim 4, 5 or 6, wherein there is further provided a pair of straps extending from the bottom of said back panel, and capable of securement around a said piece of luggage, there further being provided means associated with said top panel for engaging said straps.

14. A carrier as claimed in Claim 7 or 8, wherein there is further provided a pair of straps extending from the bottom of said back panel, and capable of securement around a said piece of luggage, there further being provided means associated with said top panel for engaging said straps.