GB2173393A

GB2173393A - An adjustable article of luggage

Info

Publication number: GB2173393A
Application number: GB08509518A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chung-Wen Li
Original assignee: JUI HARVEST CO Ltd
Current assignee: JUI HARVEST CO Ltd
Priority date: 1985-04-13
Filing date: 1985-04-13
Publication date: 1986-10-15
Also published as: GB8509518D0

Abstract

An adjustable article of luggage comprises a body portion (20); a lid (30), fastener means eg zip 11, adapted for fastening the body and lid; a first zipper and a first pleated sheet (12) provided in the lid; and/or a second zipper and a second pleated sheet (14) provided in the body portion. When the first and second zippers are zipped open, the sheets (12), (14) expand to increase the capacity of the article of luggage, and, when the first and second zippers are closed, the sheets fold to reduce the capacity of the article of luggage. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An adjustable article of luggage The present invention relates to an article of luggage, in particular, to an adjustable suitcase the capacity of which is capable of being expanded and/or reduced.

Various size suitcases are used by people, travelling for example to foreign countries.

While abroad, the traveller may buy additional articles, for which the luggage he already carried may be not large enough to contain and he may therefore need extra bags.

The object of the present invention is to provide an ajdustable article of luggage which is expansible and/or reducible in capacity, rugged in construction and convenient to use.

The invention provides an article of luggage comprising a container having a first container part comprising a body portion and a second container part comprising a lid, fastener means arranged releasably to fasten together the first and second container parts, wherein at least one of said container parts comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, confronting edges of which are joined on the one hand by a pleated sheet inserted between the upper and lower portions and are joinable on the other hand by a zipper secured along said confronting edges, the width of the sheet in an unfolded condition being greater than the width of the closed zipper.

The present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings which form an integral part of this application in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable article of luggage in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing two zippers being zipped open and two folding gussets in an expanded condition.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the adjustable article of luggage in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention in Fig. 1, showing two zippers being zipped close and two pleated sheets in a folded condition.

In Fig. 1, an adjustable suitcase 10 comprises a body portion 20, comprising an upper portion 21, having an upper edge 22 and a lower edge 23, and a lower portion 24 having an upper edge 25; a lid 30, comprising an upper portion 31, having a lower edge 32, and a lower portion 33, having an upper edge 34 and a lower edge 35; a zip fastener or zipper 11 disposed between the upper annular edge 22 and lower annular edge 35 and sewn to the inner surfaces of the annular edges 22 and 35, and adapted for fastening the body 20 and the lid 30 and a further zipper 13, having a sliding member 16, the sliding member 16 being adjacent an end 13 of the zipper when open, and adjacent a second end 13b when the zipper 13 is closed.The length of the zipper 13 is greater than the circumferential dimension of the suitcase 10, and the zipper is disposed between the lower edge32 and the upper edge 34 and sewn to the inner surfaces of the edges 32 and 34 with the second end 1 3b overlapping outside the end 13a. There is provided a first pleated sheet 12 disposed between the edges 32 and 34 and inside the first zipper 13, the width of the sheet being greater than the width of the zipper 13. A second zipper 15, having a sliding piece 17, comprises a first end 15a to which the sliding piece 17 is closer when the second zipper 15 is open, and a second end 15b to which the sliding piece 17 is closer when the second zipper 15 is closed.The length of the zipper 15 is greater than the circumferential dimension of the luggage 10, and the zipper is disposed between the lower edge 23 and the upper edge 25 and sewn to the inner surfaces of the edges 23 and 25 with the second end 15b overlapping outside the end 15a. A second pleated sheet 14 disposed between the edges 23 and 25 and inside the second zipper 15, the width of the sheet 14 being greater than the width of the second zipper 15.

In Fig. 2, the pleated sheets 12 and 14 are unfolded for increasing the capacity of the suitcase 10; and, when the zippers 13 and 15 are closed, as shown in Fig. 2, the pleated sheets 12 and 14 are folded to reduce the capacity of the luggage 10. It should be noted that the fastener zipper 11 may be replaced by the other fastener means known by those skilled in the art, and two zippers 13, 15 and pleated sheets 12, 14 may be replaced by one or more zippers and pleated sheets. The manner of attaching the parts, in this preferred embodiment of the present invention being described as being sewn, may also be replaced by other ways, for example, sticking, bonding, and so on.

While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it should be understood that the invention is not be limited to the disclosed embodiment but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims.

1. An article of luggage comprising a container having a first container part comprising a body portion and a second container part comprising a lid, fastener means arranged releasably to fasten together the first and second container parts, wherein at least one of said container parts comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, confronting edges of which are joined on the one hand by a pleated sheet inserted between the upper and lower portions and are joinable on the other hand by

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION An adjustable article of luggage The present invention relates to an article of luggage, in particular, to an adjustable suitcase the capacity of which is capable of being expanded and/or reduced. Various size suitcases are used by people, travelling for example to foreign countries. While abroad, the traveller may buy additional articles, for which the luggage he already carried may be not large enough to contain and he may therefore need extra bags. The object of the present invention is to provide an ajdustable article of luggage which is expansible and/or reducible in capacity, rugged in construction and convenient to use. The invention provides an article of luggage comprising a container having a first container part comprising a body portion and a second container part comprising a lid, fastener means arranged releasably to fasten together the first and second container parts, wherein at least one of said container parts comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, confronting edges of which are joined on the one hand by a pleated sheet inserted between the upper and lower portions and are joinable on the other hand by a zipper secured along said confronting edges, the width of the sheet in an unfolded condition being greater than the width of the closed zipper. The present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings which form an integral part of this application in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable article of luggage in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing two zippers being zipped open and two folding gussets in an expanded condition. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the adjustable article of luggage in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention in Fig. 1, showing two zippers being zipped close and two pleated sheets in a folded condition. In Fig. 1, an adjustable suitcase 10 comprises a body portion 20, comprising an upper portion 21, having an upper edge 22 and a lower edge 23, and a lower portion 24 having an upper edge 25; a lid 30, comprising an upper portion 31, having a lower edge 32, and a lower portion 33, having an upper edge 34 and a lower edge 35; a zip fastener or zipper 11 disposed between the upper annular edge 22 and lower annular edge 35 and sewn to the inner surfaces of the annular edges 22 and 35, and adapted for fastening the body 20 and the lid 30 and a further zipper 13, having a sliding member 16, the sliding member 16 being adjacent an end 13 of the zipper when open, and adjacent a second end 13b when the zipper 13 is closed.The length of the zipper 13 is greater than the circumferential dimension of the suitcase 10, and the zipper is disposed between the lower edge32 and the upper edge 34 and sewn to the inner surfaces of the edges 32 and 34 with the second end 1 3b overlapping outside the end 13a. There is provided a first pleated sheet 12 disposed between the edges 32 and 34 and inside the first zipper 13, the width of the sheet being greater than the width of the zipper 13. A second zipper 15, having a sliding piece 17, comprises a first end 15a to which the sliding piece 17 is closer when the second zipper 15 is open, and a second end 15b to which the sliding piece 17 is closer when the second zipper 15 is closed.The length of the zipper 15 is greater than the circumferential dimension of the luggage 10, and the zipper is disposed between the lower edge 23 and the upper edge 25 and sewn to the inner surfaces of the edges 23 and 25 with the second end 15b overlapping outside the end 15a. A second pleated sheet 14 disposed between the edges 23 and 25 and inside the second zipper 15, the width of the sheet 14 being greater than the width of the second zipper 15. In Fig. 2, the pleated sheets 12 and 14 are unfolded for increasing the capacity of the suitcase 10; and, when the zippers 13 and 15 are closed, as shown in Fig. 2, the pleated sheets 12 and 14 are folded to reduce the capacity of the luggage 10. It should be noted that the fastener zipper 11 may be replaced by the other fastener means known by those skilled in the art, and two zippers 13, 15 and pleated sheets 12, 14 may be replaced by one or more zippers and pleated sheets. The manner of attaching the parts, in this preferred embodiment of the present invention being described as being sewn, may also be replaced by other ways, for example, sticking, bonding, and so on. While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it should be understood that the invention is not be limited to the disclosed embodiment but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims. CLAIMS

1. An article of luggage comprising a container having a first container part comprising a body portion and a second container part comprising a lid, fastener means arranged releasably to fasten together the first and second container parts, wherein at least one of said container parts comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, confronting edges of which are joined on the one hand by a pleated sheet inserted between the upper and lower portions and are joinable on the other hand by a zipper secured along said confronting edges, the width of the sheet in an unfolded condition being greater than the width of the closed zipper.

2. An article of luggage comprising a body portion including a first upper portion, having a first upper edge and a first lower edge, and a first lower portion having a second upper edge; a lid including a second upper portion, having a second lower edge, and a second lower portion, having a third upper edge and a third lower edge; fastener means disposed between said body portion and said lid; a first zipper disposed between and secured inside said second lower edge and said third upper edge, and a first pleated sheet disposed between said second lower edge and said third upper edge and secured inside said first zipper, and width which is larger than the width of said first zipper.

3. An adjustable luggage according to claim 2, wherein said first zipper further includes a first sliding piece, a first end to which said first sliding piece is closer and when first zipper is open, an opposite end to which said first sliding piece is closer when said first zipper is closed, and having a length longer than the circumferential dimension of said article, and is mounted so that said first opposite end thereof overlaps outside said first end thereof when the first zipper is disposed between and inside said second lower edge and said third upper edge.

4. An article of luggage according to claim 2 further comprises a second zipper disposed between and secured inside said first lower edge and said second upper edge, and a second pleated sheet disposed between said first lower edge and said second upper edge and secured inside said second zipper, and having a width greater than the width of the second zipper.

5. An adjustable luggage according to claim 4, wherein said second zipper further includes a second sliding piece, a second end to which said second sliding piece is closer when said second zipper is open, a second opposite end to which said second sliding piece is closer when said second zipper is closed, the length of the second zipper being longer than the circumferential dimension of said article and is mounted so that said second opposite end thereof overlaps outside said second end thereof when said second zipper is disposed between and inside said first lower edge and said second upper edge.

6. An adjustable article of luggage constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in a) Fig. 1 b) Fig. 2 of the drawings.