GB2206484A - Luggage holder - Google Patents

Abstract

A flexible luggage holder (2) for wrapping around a brief case or attache case (1) comprises at least two pouch-like containers (4) and straps (13) to secure it around the briefcase or attache case. The luggage holder (2) may be laid substantially flat when it is removed from the case and may be hung from a support by a hook inside the luggage holder. The luggage holder may comprise an envelope having a large inner enclosure with the containers (4, 5) being secured to the outer surfaces of the envelope. <IMAGE>

Description

LUGGAGE HOLDER This invention relates to luggage holders.

When business people are away on business for a short period, perhaps requiring them to stay just one or two nights away from home, they may require to take a change of clothes and sleeping clothes with them, but they may not wish to have the encumbrance of having to carry a suitcase in addition to a brief case, attache case the like or sample case which they may need to take for the purposes of the business to be done. For air travellers, for example, the fewer individual items of luggage they have to carry the better.

According to the present invention a luggage holder is provided comprising at least two connected pouch-like containers adapted to be fitted about a brief case, attache case or the like and having attachment means for removably retaining the containers thereto.

The containers are preferably arranged to be located against the opposite sides of the brief case, attache case or the like to which the luggage holder is to be fitted for use. They may be fitted in the manner of panniers.

It will be appreciated that the luggage holder may be relatively small and lightweight. Since it is fitted to the brief case, attache case or the like for use so that the two items form a single package to be carried the transporting of the items is facilitated.

There may be more than to of the containers. The containers may be on a support which may also serve as a container. Thus the support may comprise a substantially flat bag or envelope which can be wrapped around the brief case, attache case or the like, is able to have garments stowed in it, and carries at least two pouch-like containers on it at spaced positions which will locate on opposite sides of the brief case, attache case or the like when the support is wrapped therearound. The support is preferably able to assume a substantially flat position when un-wrapped, thereby enabling garments to be stowed in it in a substantially flat state until required for use, so that they are less likely to become creased.

Conveniently it is able, for example by the provision of a hook, to be suspended when un-wrapped, for example for hanging in a wardrobe or on a peg or rail.

It is desirable for the luggage holder to be made of, or to be made substantially of, flexible material.

The material may be a fabric, sheet plastics material, leather or other suitable flexible material, or combination of materials.

The attachment means may comprise a buckled strap or straps, press-fastenings, toggle fastenings, interengageable patches of VELCRO (registered trade mark) or like material, ties, or other devices, which may also include a locking facility. There may be provision at the attachment means for making adjustment to adapt the luggage holder for fitting to brief cases, attache case or the like of differing sizes.

Feet may be provided on the luggage holder which when the luggage holder is fitted for use will enable the package to be stood on the floor or other support surface.

The garment holder is preferably of a generally rectangular shape of wrap-around length between 60 and 85cm, and of width between 38 and 53cm. These sizes ensure that the garment holder is adapted for a small business case such as a brief case or attache case. Garment holders suitable for most business cases will have a wrap-around length in the range 66 to 80cm and a width in the range 42 to 51cm. Our preferred garment holder has a wrap-around length of 80cm and a width of 51cm.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanling drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an executive's attache type case having a luggage holder in accordance with the invention fitted to it; and Figures 2 and 3 are elevational views respectively of the outside and inside of the luggage holder in an opened-out position.

The case 1 to which the luggage holder 2 is fitted in this embodiment may be of fixed or expansible capacity.

The luggage holder 2 is made from flexible material and comprises a support 3 and two pouch-like containers 4, 5 carried by the support. The support is in the general form of an oblong rectangular envelope.

It is of a length such that it wraps around the bottom and two opposite sides of the case 1. There is an outer panel 6 and a superimposed two-part inner panel 7, the two panels being secured together along the longitudinal edges of the support and at the edges of its opposite ends. A zip fastening 8 extending centrally longitudinally of the support joins the two parts of the inner panel 7 together and provides access to the compartment defined inside the support between the outer and inner panels. A suit, trousers, skirt or dress, for example, may be stowed in that compartment.

The outer panel 6 has a central transverse region 9 which is dimensioned to fit against the bottom of the case, and two similar body regions 10, 11 at opposite sides of the central region 9 on which are the respective pouch-like containers 4, 5. The latter are of slim pocket form with zipped openings. There may be compartments in the containers 4, 5 and they may have additional pockets on their outs ides suitable for holding items of stationary, for example. Further pockets may be provided at least on the body regions, if desired.

At the central region 9 there are spaced feet 12 for enabling the case to which the luggage holder is fitted for use to be stood on the floor or other support surface.

Buckled straps 13 are anchored to the support at the outer ends of the body regions 10, 11. These are fastened over the front of the case when the luggage holder is wrapped around the case to secure the luggage holder to the case, leaving free access to the handle of the case. The buckled straps 13 are arranged to be adjustably fastened to enable the luggage holder to be secured about cases of varying sizes, and to adjust the tightness cf the fitting of the luggage holder about the case.

Inside the compartment of the support 3 a metal ring, not shown, is attached at one end of the support into which one or more clothes hangers may be hooked inside the compartment to support garments in the compartment. A hook, not shown, is attached to the ring by which the luggage holder may be suspended for storing it away when it is not fitted to the case. The sliding clip of the zip fastening 8 is drawn towards the ring to close the two parts of inner panel 7 together. An opening is left at the end of the zip fastening when it is closed for the hook to extend through, and a flap 14 attached to the adjacent end of the support can be fastened over the opening, for example by means of VELCRO patches or press fastenings, to close it off when the hook is not required to be used for suspending the luggage holder.

Typically the support will be approximately 800 mm long and 510 mjn wide but other sizes are possihle.

Claims (14)

1. A luggage holder comprising at least two connected pouch-like containers adapted to be fitted about a brief case, attache case or ,the like and having attachment means for removably retaining the containers thereto.

2. A luggage holder according to Claim 1 in which the poudh-like containers are adapted to be located against the opposite sides of the brief case, attache case or the like to which the luggage holder is to be fitted for use.

3. A luggage holder according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the pouch-like containers are provided on a support which itself comprises a container.

4. A luggage holder according to Claim 3 in which the support comprises a substantially flat baa or envelope which can be wrapped around the brief case, attache case or the like, and in which garments can be stowed.

5. A luggage holder according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 in which the support is able to assume a substantially flat position when detached from a brief case, attache case or the like.

6. A luggage holder according to Claim 5 in which the support has suspension means by which it is adapted to be suspended in a substantially vertical attitude.

7. A luggage holder according to any one of Claims 3 to 6, in which the support is of generally rectangular form and has a wrap-around length in the range 60 to 85cm, and a width in the range 38 to 53cm.

8. A luggage holder according to Claim 7 in which the wrap-around length is in the range 66 to 80cm, and the width in the range 42 to 51cm.

9. A luggage holder according to Claim 8 in which the wrap-around length of the support is approximately 80cm, and the width of the support is approximately 51cm.

10. A luggage holder according to any preceding Claim which is made of, or made substantially of, flexible sheet material.

11. A luggage holder according to any preceding Claim in which the attachment means is adjustable to enable the luggage holder to be compatible with brief cases, attache cases and the like of different sizes.

12. A luggage holder according to any preceding claim which has feet provided upon it at locations such that when the garment holder is fitted about the brief case, attache case or the like the assembly of the luggage holder and brief case, attache case or the like is able to rest in an upright condition supported by the feet.

13. A luggage holder according to claim 12 which comprises a base portion from which two side portions extend from opposed sides of the base portion, each side portion having an inner surface adapted to lie in use against a respective one of the two opposite sides of the briefcase, attache case or the like about which the luggage holder is fitted, and each side portion also having an outer surface at which a respective one of the pouch-like containers is provided, said base portion having an inner surface adapted to lie against the base of the briefcase, attache case or the like, and an outer surface on which the feet are provided.

14. A luggage holder substantially as herein described and illustrated.