US2873830A - Suitcase and tray - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 17, 1959 T. WILT SUITCASE AND TRAY Filed July 27. 1954 SUITCASE AND TRAY Ted Wilt, Evanston, Ill.

Application July 27,v 1954, Serial No. 445,955

13 Claims. .(Cl. 190`41) This invention pertains to improvements in luggage, such as wardrobe type suitcases or traveling cases, in which garments may be'conveniently arranged over hangers, folded, as for example, medially c-rosswise of their length, and packed and carried in such improved luggage without becoming wrinkled or creased or disarranged in the luggage.

More specifically stated, this invention pertains to an improved arrangement for carrying garments and other items of clothing in hand luggage of conventional size, wherein 'some of the garments are folded yover an improved, freely movable or oating, displacement or folding and storage element having a liexible and resilient garment shaping and restraining portion to compressively coact with the adjacent surfaces of the garment or other v items of clothing and the adjacent surfaces of the walls of the suitcase to contine the garments in the suitcase outwardly and/or inwardly of the folding element in a predetermined, smoothly arranged, unwrinkled and uncreased order, and `wherein the folding element or frame also functions as a tray and as a dividing unit for the interior of the improved luggage.

Still more specifically stated, this invention fpertains to improvements in a freely oating tray-type of garment folding frame or restraining element provided with a suitable resilient, exible and curved edge or wall section for compressively coacting indirectly with certain walls of the suitcase and directly coacting with the garments to suitably confine the garments in a .predetermined shape retaining position and condition outwardly of the folding frame, and to vcompressively grip other garments within the frame whereby to prevent undesirable wrinkling, creasing or shifting of the garments or other restrained articles of clothing while confined in the luggage, and to provide a tray-type element for supporting as well as positioning other items of clothing 'or toiletry and to separate other items from the folded garments when conned in the closed suitcase as Well as when the suitcase is opened.

Various kinds of luggage, which may be obtained commercially, provide numerous arrangements for supporting or storing garments and other items of clothing in luggage. ln certain instances, some of such luggage also includes luggage trays. VIn some such types of luggage it is common practice to provide for the suspension of a `garment or garments on garment hangers supported in the lid or cover section of the luggage, and to fold the garment or garments crosswise of its lor their length substantially medially of the garment and deposit the lower or dependent end of the garment or garments in the base or body section of the luggage. Upon closing such luggage, with the suspended garments thus arranged, the garments must fold sharply, generally or approximately, along the line of hinged connection between the body and lid sections of such luggage. Such folding of a garment commonly results in the formation of undesirable wrinkles and creases in the garments. In certain instances, some types vof wardrobeluggage have been provided with 'a rigid and at least partially fixed displace- 2,873,830 Patented Feb. 17, 1959 ment or folding board or tray arrangement as well as with garment restraining straps ,for coaction lwith the garments and the walls of the luggage whereby to reduce the tendency of wrinkling the folded garments confined in the luggage and to prevent the shifting ofsuch stored clothing. T o some extent such rigid and partially'zxed garment displacement or folding elements could function to achieve a limited degree of Success in the prevention of wrinkliug of folded garments confined in-lugg-ageand the retaining straps can normallyprevent the shifting of certain items of clothing.

However, the rigid aswell as. .the partially fixed'- aspects of such restraining 'and folding elements and the' fixed restraining strap arrangements do .notpelmit -the satiskfactory use thereof in luggage in.- suchl instances wherein the number of garments tothe-.folded and suspended in the luggage as wellas other items of clothing to lac-stored is varied from time to time. It is common practice in the construction of such conventional luggage to provide rigid walls for the luggage and rigid wallsv as well as positioning fixtures for thegarment displacement or vfolding elements. In such instances, the space .provided between the walls of the luggage and the contained rigid'gar-ment displacement or folding and storage element will satisfactorily accommoclatevand function properly only-'with a predetermined lixed thickness of folded garments as well as a predetermined lixed volume of' other clothing. An increase in the number of ,garmentsl storedin the fixed available Vspace will overcrowd thefluggageand will, dueto excessive pressures developed .upon closing of such overcrowded luggage, produce ,undesirable wrinkling or creasing of the garments and clothing. Similarly, va decrease in the number of garments and other items of clothing from that sufficient to satisfactorily lill the Igarment and clothing space between the walls ofthe case and lthe `displacement unit and the interior of the rdisplacement unit in such conventional luggage will result in loose and unsatisfactory confining of the. garments and clothing inthe case. Consequently, it is apparent, that in luggage provided with garment restraining or folding elements which are xed in position and/or which areA xed .in size so as to preclude increasing or decreasing the storage space for .garments and other `items .of clothing in luggage, it is impossible from time to time to 'secure satisfactory storage in the luggage of varying numbers of garments vand other items of clothing.

The prior art does not provide luggage including the provision of self adjusting, freely floating, Viiexible and resilient garment Adisplacement or folding elements for coacting inwardly and outwardly-thereof with garments and other items of clothing and indirectly with the walls of the luggage, to satisfactorily, from time to time, enable the confining of varying number and quantity of folded garments and other items of clothing in wardrobe type luggage. Neither does the prior art teach or disclose arrangements for the application of .a substantially -uniform ironing or smoothing and confining pressure upon stored garments along the fold zone to prevent the formation of wrinkles or creases, as well asto restrain the movement of the garments and `other items of clothing within the luggage case, all of which are provided by the present invention.

It is, therefore, the primary objective of this invention to Provide improvements in wardrobe type luggage and the like; in which there is .provided a freely oating, self adjusting garment confining and folding element 4having a resilient and flexible garment contacting-and supporting portion adapted to coact with the stored garments and other items of clothing and rcoactindirectly with `the walls of the luggage to automatically and simultaneously ad just the space for folded garmentsand other items ot' clothing within the luggage to properly accommodate t the garment or garments and other items of clothing stored in the luggage whilefapplying a yielding but substantially uniform confiningrv pressure, and where necessary a smoothing pressure, upon the garment or garments along the fold zone thereof and to apply a restraining pressure on other items of `clothing and to function in that manner upon any number of garments or items of clothing stored in the luggage, within the operating capacity of the luggage; in which the garment displacement or folding element, upon being appropriately placed in operating position in the luggage, will automatically adjust itself in operative position to'provide the necessary conning room for the stored folded garments along the fold zone, and to apply a substantially uniform smoothing and confining outward pressure tothe garment or garments as the case may be, within the storage range of the luggage, and to apply an inward restraining precsure upon the other items of clothing stored in the restraining element; in which the garment displacement or folding element is of such construction and is so arranged in the luggage as to directly or indirectly coact with the inner surfaces of the luggage and adjacent surfaces of confined garments and other items of clothing that as a result of the confining pressure applied by the opposed body and lid sections of the luggage upon the closing of the luggage, the restraining and folding element will automatically tend to maintain itself in satisfactory operative position; in which the restraining and garment folding element may also function as a tray for toiletries or similar small articles stored in the luggage and separated from the suspended garments; in which the restraining or folding element may alsofunction as a clothing or other item positioning device and as a divider for the space within the luggage; in which the fixed capacity and rigidly positioned luggage trays and restraining straps have been eliminated; in which a single tray-like element having a flexible and resilient wall section is used to divide the storage space within the luggage into different zones, to position certain items of clothing within the luggage and vto simultaneously apply an outwardly directed confining pressure to suspended garments and an inwardly directed-restraining or confining pressure on other items of vclothing supported by the improved tray.

The foregoing and other objectives, important new and novel and useful features and advantages of this invention will become more apparent and be more easily understood upon examination of the following description thereof and the accompanying drawings and appended claims. It should, however, be understood that, without desire of limitation, the preferred embodiment of this invention Will be described and illustrated as improvements pertaining to a wardrobe type suitcase and suitcase tray. Certain changes and variations may suggest themselves to those skilled in the pertinent arts, which changes may not, however, depart from the spirit of this invention and may come within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the invention in a rigid, rectangular wall type of wardrobe suitcase;

Figure 2 is an elevational, transverse sectional view, of a suitcase of the general type illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings and embodying the present invention;

Figure 3 is an elevational end View, partially in broken away section, illustrating the embodiment of this invention in a closed suitcase of the general type illustrated in Figures l and 2 of the drawings;

Figure 4 is an illustration of the invention similar to that shown in Figure 3 of the drawings but wherein the suitcase has been provided with curved front and rear edges to provide a case having front and rear wall portions generally conforming to the curvature of the flexible wall of the garment restraining element within the case;

Figure 5 is a perspective view similar to the View shown in Figure l of the-drawings and illustrating the adaptation of the invention for use in connection with long flared garments which must be folded around the restraining element from various sides thereof;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of the improved tray and garment restraining and folding element, having hand grip provisions in its end edges;

Figure 7 is an end View of a further modified form of the improved garment restraining element and suit` case tray having a transverse, resilient, flexible, upwardly and inwardly curved garment contacting wall along two opposite edges whereby the tray is made reversible, and having hand grip'and material limiting means for limiting the bending motion of the curved and flexible garment contacting walls;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of another modified form of the improved garment restraining and folding element formed of a framework of resilient and flexible material having a suitable covering jacket.

Referring to the drawings in which like elements are identified by like numerals, and referring particularly to Figure l of the drawings, 1 represents the base or body portion of a wardrobe type of suitcase or hand luggage of generally vrectangular configuration, having an open top defined by the upwardly extending, opposed, vertical end walls and side walls which are joined to the flat, horizontal bottom wall of the base section of the case, as viewed in Figure l of the drawings. The complementary, substantially rectangular lid section 2 which, when the case is closed, has downwardly extending, opposed end and side walls, complementary to the corresponding walls of the base section 1, which defines the open lower portion of the closed lid section 2 when the case is closed. The lid section 2 is hinged to the base section 1 by suitable hinge elements 3 along the juxtaposed edges of the rear side walls of the base section 1 and lid section 2. A carrying handle 4 is suitably secured to the front wall of the basesection 1. Locking means 5 are provided on the front walls of the sections 1 and 2.

When the case is opened the lid section 2 is supported by the hinges 3'substantially vertically at the upper end of the rear wall of the base 1 and stabilized in that position by a collapsible brace element 6. A bracket element 7, for supporting suit hangers l8, is secured to the inner surface of the lid section 2 adjacent the mid portion of the upper front side wall of section 2, as viewed in Figure l, of the drawings. A garment 9, such for example, as a mans suit, may be draped over a hanger S and suspended in the lid section 2 with the dependent, lower half portion of the garment disposed on the bottom wall of the lower section 1 of the improved case. As thus arranged the garment 9 overlies the line of hinged juncture of the sections 1 and 2 of the improved case at a position relatively remote from the normal drape of the garment or at approximately the medial portion of the garment vertically thereof, along which medial section 0r portion the garment must fold crosswise of the garment upon the closing of the improved case.

To satisfactorily accomplish the mentioned folding of the garment 9, and to avoid the undue wrinkling or creasing of the garment, and to securely hold and partially support the garment smoothly with a yielding gentle pressure, there is provided a folding frame and restraining element 10. The element 10 may be formed of any suitable material, as for example, cast, extruded, molded or fabricated plastic. Similarly, it may be appropriately formed of any suitable metal, or may be formed of a combination of suitable materials and may, if desired, be covered with a jacket or sheath.

l The restraining or folding element 10 is, very generally stated, preferably of a configuration, contemplating a plan view outline, similar to that of the general plan view outline o f the base of the improved case. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figure I1 fof the drawings', 'such outline of 4the planxview wouldbe generally rectangular in shapefwi'thrne width ortransverse or' crosswise dimension yof the vifolding and restraining element being s'omewhat'lessthanlbut substantially` as great .as the crosswise or transverse dimension .of the interior of the base 1 of the case and with the length Aorlongitudinal dimension of the element '10 being appre'ciably vor substantially less than the length or longitudinal dimension of'the case and only slightly longer than the lower dependent portion ofthe suit 9 restingon the bottom .wall of the base section 1 ofthe case.

In this application-a'transverse or width orcross`wise dimension will be deemedto be afdimension measured from'left to .right when viewing Figurel from aposition on the 'handle side of the case of'Figur'e l, 1while atlength or 'longitudinal 'dimension' will jbe ifleerned .to Vbe a dimension measured from ythe front or handle side of the casetothehingeside of the case as .viewed in'Figure 11, anda depth dimension willbedeemedto be a vertical dimension as applied to thehorizontal case of Figure vl, and will extend lfor examplefupwardly from the lower panel of the .lower section 1 of the case.

YThe element .10 in normal use is deposited upon the depending portion of garment 9 in section 1 ofthe case toward the rear of the case, and is comprised of a substantially horizontal main panel -11 adaptedto overlie, andin part rest upon, the dependent portion ofthe garment 9 .disposed in the -section 1 of the ease on the lower wall thereof. Panel 11, as shown lin Figures fl, 2 and 4, of the -drawings isprefer'ahly' formed ofsuitable .plasticmater'ial which may, if'desired,be transparent and of sucht'hickness orgauge as to provide a substantially rigid, yet vrelatively thin, .panel 11.. The Vdownwardly turned or directed front edge or wall sect'ionlZ..depends from .the lforward or front edge of panel v11 and is of a height in proportion to the underlying thickness of the stored garments, according .to the stored garment capacity of the improved case, so that the extreme .lower dependentfend of the .garment or garments 9 willnot be subjected to undue pressure by the main fpanelk section 11 andthe weight of articles which may in turn be stored on .the tray 10. The wall section 12 also functions as a transverse divider of the space .in the lower ,portion ofsection 1 of the case. A'

.An upwardly, and outwardly andthen vupwardly and inwardly andv .then slightly downwardly and inwardlyv curved resilient and substantially flexible. wall section 13 extends from therear portion of the ,main panel section 11 of the `folding or tray element 10 in a .configuration having ,a vertical longitudinal crosssection in the lgeneral shape of areclining `rU which .isnarrowerat its mouth than atits `mid section. .When the :garment 9 is suspended in the improved case vin .the manner illustrated in Figure *1, vof the drawings, the folding and shaping- 'element 10 is deposited over `the lower `dependent end ofthe garment 9 `in the section A1 of the case withthe downwardly directed front edge 12 in front-ofthe lower end of the lgarment 9 and resting on the .inner surface of the lower wall ofjthe section 1 ofthe case with the .curved generally U-shaped smooth exible and resilient rear or transverse wall 13 of element `10 resting onthe upper fsurfaceefthe dependentportionof garment 9 in section 1 of the easerand forced into compressive engagement with the -adjacent surface of the vgarment 9 which overlies the Vrear wall of the section 1 parallel to the line .of hinging ybetweenfsections .1 and 2vof .the case. Theupwardlyand'inwardly and the Ainwardlyand downwardly curved Iportions 1 of the vU-shaped section 13 do .not compressively engagethe garments 9 `when the luggage case isvopen, .but as clearly illustrated .inFigures ll .and 2, :of the drawings, extend intov the-space generally along or slightlyabove theplaneof juncture -between .the sections Y1 and .2.of -Athe ease, .vhie'hsectionsuof Athe 6 case will be occupied by the portions of the garments -9 when "thec'ase'is closed. `Thesec'ti'on 13'is"of a depth substantiallyv less vthanlthe depth'o'f the case'when closed.

' As'illu'strated in Figures l, 2,' 3 vand 4, of the drawings,

thespaceinteriorly `ofthe U-shaped vsection 13 may be utilized for the storing ofc'ornpressiblepgarments such as shirts14, etc., which are 'to vbe grasped and held in placein'the vsection 13 when compressed.

Upon vclosing of ltheimproved case, by the hinged lowering of the section 2 upon the section 1, the garment 9 is` folded crosswise of its length, vgenerally along Iits' medial section aboutthe curved wall 13 of element 10. .Such folding during such closing operation gradually compressing the resilient and flexible spring-like curved U-shaped element 13 .into the `position shown in Figures 3 land 4 of the drawings in which position the curved portion 13. of element v10 .adjacent lthe medial portion of the garments 9 in the rear'portion of the closed case, applies .a yielding upward, downward and rearward pres 'sure to .the garments 9 which it engages Vsnugly and maintains insmooth unwrinkled and uncreased arrangementin `the improved case in the desired position-and order inwhich the garments were deposited Vin the case. The inwardly and .slightly downwardly directed extreme inner upper portion of the curved element 13 coacts with the overlying portion of the garments 9,` and, due to 7the plan of curvature ofthe compressed element 13,` as illustrated in .Figure 4 of the drawings, tends to urge the compressed curved wall 13 rearwardly of the improved ease into tight engagement with the portion of the Y garments 9 in .the .rear part of the case, and prevents the forward shifting ofthe tray 10. j

Similarly, uponthe described compressing ,or vclosing type llexing' ofthe curved'U-shaped wall section 13 upon the closing of the lid 2 on the-base 1 of the `luggage case, lthe shirts or like compressiblegarments or clothing items 14 .are compressed and securely locked in postion between ',the upper and lower branches ofthe U-.shaped curved side wall 13 of tray 10. .The clothingitems .14 which are thus securely grasped upon the closing of the luggage and the incidental flexing of the branches ofthe element 13 are automatically released again upon the opening type ilexing of the branches of element .13..when the .case is subsequently opened. f

.Theresilience andllexibility of the curved wal113 of .theelement `10 is substantialsuch as to adapt it to function satisfactorilyas a restrainingelement to accomplish the `lrereinbefore enumerated objectives, .throughout the entire vrange of garment capacity of the improved case. The .unique garmentrestraining element is freely floating Y .within .the lower. section 1 of the improved caseandinay be shifted longitudinally, vertically and slightly transv ersely with respect to the section 1 during the process of vrpacking the case. However, when the case is closed and the. resilient curved v-wall .13 is compressed vertically with respect to the case, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 ofthe drawings, the .element 10 is releasably lockedfin position inthe closed case.

Due rto'the ilexibilityof the curved wall 13 ofrrestraining .element 10 a garment storage space of substantially uniform thickness, measured from yfrontto back -of-.the stored garments, is obtained, and the garments are not yunduly compressed. f l v The dependent wall 12 of tray y10 also functions as a ,divider whereby to protect the lower endsof theV garments 49 from .items such as, for example, cosmetic case 15 .stored rin section 1 of thecase between the wall12 and the adjacent front wall of the case 1 as illustrated invFigure 2 of .thedrawings Slight'y forward or rearwardrthat is longitudinal adjustment of the .tray 10 during thepacking of the luggage twill rpermit the use of the wa1l12 to .urge -thecase yrlagainst .the v.front wall of section `1 .oftheluggage case tozthus retainthecaselSin position. Y 1 'Ihe. downwardly directed `dividing .andsupporting wall efwtraylt) may also be. directedslightly inwardly to .nn

derlie the main panel 11v of the tray 10 asillustrated at 16 in Figure 3 of the'drawings. Such an arrangement permits the use of the front edge of the tray 10 and the thus tilted wall 16, as a retainer for shoes 17 or like items which arrangement due to the Yoverlapping arrangement between the front edge of tray 10 and inclined wall A16 and the shoe 17 in the manner illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings connes or retains the shoe 17 in position in the bottom section 1 of the improved case between the front edge of the tray 10 and the adjacent front side Wall of section 1 of the case. Obviously, slight forward or rearward adjustment of the tray 10 Awill permit theadaptation of the use of the improved tray for retaining shoes of different sizes in the described manner.

The garment storage cases of Figure 4 of the draw* ings, having the curved front and rear edges emphasizes the garment storage Ispace of uniform depth between the walls of the case and the Acomplementary surfaces of the restraining element 10.A The increase or decrease in depth of garment storage spaceV between the element 10 and the lower and upper walls respectively of the sections land 2 is obtained as a result of the ilexing of the `curvedwall 13 to decrease or increase respectively the space between the branches or sides of the U-shaped curved section 13. Similar adjustment in garment storage space between the wall 13 and the rear wall in the case is obtained by suitable forward or rearward shifting of the element 10.

Obviously7 as the space for the storage or" folded gar ments between the U-shaped section 13 and the adjacent surfaces of the sections 11 and 2 of the case is increased, the space for the storage of compressible clothing items 14 between the branches'of the U-shaped section'13 is simultaneously and automatically decreased and vice versa.

As is clearly illustrated in the drawings, the upper surface of the garment folding or tray element 10, may be used as a tray for the storage of other items of clothing or toiletry in such a manner that they have the least possible contact with the stored garments 9.

Several embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in and described with respect to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings in connection with the possible use of the invention for the storage of garments, such as mens suits and the like in wardrobe suitcases. Due, however, to the completely free floating arrangement of the tray or folding and restraining element 10, which is not only of less dimension than the case transversely of the case but also of less dimension than the case longitudinally of the case, the invention is also well adapted for use in the similar storage of bulkier and larger garments such as ladies dresses, including dresses having flared or Wide skirts.

In Figure 5 of the drawings there is illustrated an arrangement for the storage of a dress 18 in the improved suitcase wherein the'depending flared skirt portion of the dress 18 is stored in the lower section 1 of the case. It will be observed that the upper portion of the dress 18 is suspended on a hanger in the lid section 2 of the case and the ilared skirt is deposited over section 1 of the case. After the folding and restraining element is placed in folding and restraining position in section 1 of the case, the flared sides of the skirt, which normally extend beyond the ends of the folding tray, are folded inwardly and over the tray, overlapping one another, thereafter the lower portion of the skirt is folded inwardlyand overlapped over the previously folded dared side portions of the skirt over the top of and along the fronty edge of the folding tray 10.

In certain instances, particularly for the storage of thin garments such as ladies dresses, and to. avoid creasing such thin garments, it may not be desired to provide the restraining element 10 with a relatively thin dependent downwardly directed front wall or ange 12; In such instances the front end of panel 11 may be provided with a downwardly'and inwardly rolled edge 19 which,"due

Y 3 to its relatively extensive contact with a stored dress or similar long garment, will vprevent creasing the dress along the line of contact with the rolled` edge 19.

In other instances, the element 10 may be composed of only the main panel section 11 and curved rear wall section 13 asillustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings. Such a simplified element 10 obviously requires the minimum space within'the improved case, and any of the trays 10 may be provided with cut-out hand-grip arrangements 20 in the end edges of panel 11,- as illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings.

In certain instances, particularly in instances wherein the restraining element 10 is to be used in a case having rounded front and rear upper and lower edge sections, it may be desirable to use a tray having curved resilient and eXible front and rear wall sections 13 and 21 respectively as illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings. Such a tray would also incorporate into thefront section of the suitcase thefimproved flexible and resilient garment support arrangement which has hereinbefore been described in regard to a tray 10 having only the rear ilexible element 13. The tray having both front and rear flexible edges 13 and 21 may be used to particular advantagefor certain types of longer garments. Such a tray would 'yieldably support such longer garments against both the-front and rear walls of the case. The variation of the tray 10 illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings is also provided with bar-like hand-grip and motion limiting elements 22 which are secured to the panel 11 at each end thereof intermediate the flexible and inwardly curved wall sections 13 and 21. The elements 22 are of such a height and of such a length as to enable easy grasping thereof when used as handles for the tray 10, and so arranged as to suitably underlie the inwardly extending portions of the curved wall sections 13 and 21 in such a manner as to alsofunction as a stop element to limit the maximum downward eXing of the curved wall sections 13 and 21, thereby to prevent the possible crushing of the curved portions of sections 13 and 21.

In Figure 8 of the drawings there is illustrated a variation of the improved garment restraining element 10, wherein the element 10 is formed of a covered or jacketed stay-like frame work consisting of relatively rigid, straight, transverse stays 23 and overlapping, longitudinal stays 24 secured together at the points of overlapping. Each of the longitudinal frame elements or stays 24 is provided at one end with a resilient flexible end portion having the sameV general curvature as hereinbefore described with respect to wall section 13 of tray 10 as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. The transverse framey or stay-like elements 23 are so positioned as to define generally the front, the rear and the upper and lower edge portions of the Variation of tray 10 illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings. The frame or stay- like elements 23 and 24, which may preferably consist of suitable material, such as tempered steel or resilient and flexible plastic, when joined in the manner illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings, may be provided with any suitable form of enclosing sheath or jacket 25 to complement the interior of the improved case and tray combination.

In each instance any of the variations of the tray 10 illustrated in the drawings may be provided with handgrip elements, one variation of which is illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings, wherein the transverse opposite cut-outs 20 in the ends of the panel section 11 of the ele ment 10 may function as a convenient handgrip arrangement. Similarly, any of the illustrated variations of the tray 10 may, if desired, be provided with the combined hand-grip and exible wall motion limiting handles 22, illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings.

From the foregoing description of this'invention and from the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent that this invention realizes the introductorily enumerated objectives respecting ythe improved suitcase and tray therefor, which improved hand type luggage lpossesses the hereinbefore introductorilyjlisted advantages and Yprox'vides Va new, unique and useful arrangement and c oni- 1binatiomof l*elements l:in 1luggage lwhich, dueto the' unique 'configuration and istructure of theV combined -tray and garment folding and 'restraining -element and the .coac- Vtion thereofdirectly or :indirectly with theinner surfaces vor the case, enables the utilization yof the maximum amount o'fspace in Jthe luggage forjthe storage of vgarrrnentsrand-other items Ausually carried-in suchluggage .in the uniqueandnovel manner hereinbefore described.

Having thus described and illustrated the preferred embodiment of lseveral variations of this invention Vvin lan yimproved `'suitcase and -tray therefor, the invention is not to'be interpreted as fbeing restricted to the .specifically 'illustrated and 'describedembodiments `as set forthrin the drawings-and as'hereinb'efore described, except insofar vas ,is necessitated by the"disfclosure of the prior art and the 'appendedclaims 'The invention is lhereby claimed asfollows: v 1. A wardrobe type case including garment hanger means upon-which a garment maybe Vhung in the case forzthelstorage of'a garment comprising, in combination, a'ibod'yfsection having a'botto'm panel hingedly joined along an edge Avthereof'toa lid section having a top panel, each vo'f said sections vhaving endy 'walls and side walls 'joined to the associatedpanel andhaving the free edges offthelcorresponding walls adapted'to engage one another when 'the lid section is closed upon the bodysection, a floating andself adjusting type of garment folding and tray element having a resilient and substantially exible wall section along one edge thereof around which agar- -ment may be folded when'said case is closedsaid folding and tray `element having overall vlength or longitudinal and depth dimensions less 'thanthe corresponding 'dimensions of the -interiorof said .case when closed and having a width or transverse dimension less `than but st'ibstantia'lly'as great vas the Awidth or transverse dimension .of the interior of said case, and'said resilient 'and substantially flexible wall lsection 'of said folding 'and tray :element lin `the absence o f ilexing pressure having a generally Ushaped cross section longitudinally ofsaid folding and tray/*element with 4the convex apex portion -offsaid- U-shaped cross :section beingdisposed adjacent the vlir'ies'of hinging 'between said body section and said lid section, yand having said U-shaped cross lsection por- .tion :of said tray element .partially 'flexed bythev folded garmentwhen said case is compressively closed, whereby .toimaintain vsaid folded garment in predetermined position 'and condition offolding'. f y I 2,2.;.A suitcase comprisedeof a body sectionand alid zsection, veach of said .sections having end walls and side .walls and having vbottomand toppanels respectively and having the free edges of corresponding walls yadapted to engage one another when the lid Section isclosed -upon the body section, hinge meansjoiningisaid lid section to said body .section alongthezjuxtaposed edges kof two co1"- -responding side walls, a garmentifolding frame and tray .element about whicha garment may be foldedin said suitcase, said frame having a transverse dimension substantially as greatas but "lessithanthe transverse inner dimension of said suitcase and having arlongitudinal dimension substantially yless thanithe longitudinal dimension of Vsaid suitcase, said frame and tray elementwhen'funcompressed having an upwardlyzand outwardly and thence upwardly and inwardly and vthence downwardly and in- Ywardly lcurved and `resilient and substantially flexible wall section substantially parallelto kthe line of hinged juncture between said bodylk section yand said'lid section .and adaptedto be compressively exedbetween thefolds of Jagarment by said vbottom and top panels `when said suitcaseisclosed, said frame .andz.tray.element'when said -tiexible wall section is uncompressed .having a maximum `depthsubstantially less than Vthe .depth .of ythe interior of said case when closed.` i

. 3. v-A 'wardrobe type case :for -the :storage 'of garments comprising, lin combination, two case .members hingedly secured together. along V'two'juxtaposed edges and adapted Ato lforni an openable closed case, a oating displacement frame elementin the case having Ya resilient and substantially liexiblefcurved'wall section along Aan 'edge'thereof substantially Aparallel tothe line of hinging of said case members andhaving theconvex side of said curved wall section adjacent to saidline of hinging,.said displacement frame element having a width ,or transverse` dimension .less thanbut substantiallyras vgreat as the transverse inner 'dimension of the case and having a longitudinal dimension substantially less than Athe longitudinal inner dimensionof said case and 'being adapted to be spaced from all side and end walls vof the case when closed, the extent of the spacing between the inner surfaces ofthe case and the adjacent surfaces of said displacement' frame element measured in the plane of .flexing of .the frame element when the lcase isl closed and'said resilient curved wall is ilexed as a result of theco'mpressive closing of saidcase being determined by the thickness of the contiguous portions of the stored` garment between said inner surfaces of the case and the adjacent surfaces of the displacement vframe element.

4.` A suitcase comprising, in combination, a body section, a lid section, hinge means securing together said body section and said lid section, bracket means vin 'said lid section for supportinggarmenthangers upon which garments maybe suspended, a floating and self adjusting tray element within said body section, said tray element having a substantially ilexible and resilient curved wall section overlying azpo'rtion of the tray element and being vparallel to said/hinge means and unilexed when said-case is open and ladapted to engage 'thejgarments suspended vnponhangers in said case and to`pre`ss saidgarinents toward the adjacent `'inner surfaces of said sections when said eas'efis compressively closed and saidresilient curved wall section is flexed Yby-threlpressure of the opposed body section andl'id section, said tr'ay elementihaving'a ,transverse dimension less thanbt rsubstantially as great .as the inner `transverse dirnensi'onof vthe suitcase land having a longitudinal dimension substantially less than the v1onrgituclinal dimension of` the suitcase. l

5. lLuggage equipment comprising, in combination, a case having `rnatcl'ied'lower portion and lid portion hinged together' along one set ofjuxtaposed edges, said case being shaped to have 'the lower yportieri .rest on a substantially horizontal flat surface andswhen opened to-havethehinged .lid `portion .disposed in a substantially vertical rarrangement, bracket ineanssecured to said lid portion adjacent thetop ofthe inner face of said lid-portion for `susi-)ending uponfghangers the `upper' ends' fofygarments with the body portions of such .garments 'extending downwardly into said lower portion .ofthe case and then extending longitudinally through at least a section of thelopened lower portion of .the ease, agarment Vfolding frame disposed transversely acrossand xoverlying and .resting upon the lower ends of thetsuspended garments laid on .the inner Y surface of said lower portion of the case, said garment folding frame having aresilient and substantially flexible rounded rear wall section of a size adapted when the case is closed` to betlexedby the pressure of the opposed said lower portion land said lid portionbf said case acting throughl `said garments and yieldably displaced and press against the contiguousportions ofthe suspended garments urging them into engagement with adjacent innerk surfaces of theluggage case and being uniiexed and rounded when the case is open. p 'y f6. A' suitcase comprising, `in combination, a bodysecf tion, a lid.section, means for A,supporting garmentsin said lid section and aspacefordepositing Vanother item of apparel inthe body section, va oatingtray element in said suitcase, said'tray element having along one side thereof a resilient and substantially flexible Acurved wall section overlying a portion 'of said Ytray element and having along Vthe `opposite {side lthereof a downwardly directed wall section, said curved wall section being unexed when said suitcase is open and being adapted to engage the garments supported in said case throughout their adjacent transverse surfaces and to press said garments toward the adjacent inner surfaces of the sections of said case when said curved wall is flexed by the pressure applied theretothrough said garments by said body section and said lid section upon the closing of the suitcase, said downwardly directed wall section being adapted to be moved into engagement with said other item of apparel and graspingly urging it against the adjacent inyin said downwardly `directed wall section is also inwardly directed with respect to the body portion of said tray element, and wherein said other item of apparel has a surface adjacent to said downwardly directed wall section complementary thereto, whereby when said tray element is moved into engagement with said other item of apparel'the downwardly and inwardly directed wall section will overlappingly engage the complementary surface of said other item of apparent and upon the closing of said suitcase will exert both a downward and sideward conning pressure against the other item of apparel.

8. A garment confining device comprising, in combination, a body section having a coverable open top, a cover section hinged to the body section and adapted to cover the open top of the body section, a garment hanger 4bracket at the free end of said cover section interiorly thereof, garment hanger means detachably supported on said bracket whereby garments may be suspended along the inner side of said cover'section and the rear wall of said body section with the lower portions of such suspending garments resting upon and overlying a portion of the inner surface of the bottom of said body section,

garment restraining and shaping means adapted to overlie and rest upon the upper surface of the lower portions of vsuch garments in said body section, said garment restraining and shaping means being ,otherwise normally free to move longitudinally and transversely and vertically with respect to the interior of said bottom section when said cover section is in open position, said garment restraining and shaping means having adjacent the line of hinging of said body section and said cover section a curved and freely and substantially flexible and resilient wall portion of a generally U-shaped cross section ,in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of hinging between said body section and said lid section and having one branch of the U-shaped curved wall portion overlying a portion of a main panel section of the restraining and shaping means with the free end of the overlying portion nearer said main panel section than is a portion of the overlying section intermediate the free end and the apex of the generally U-shaped curved wall portion, said generally U-shaped curved wall portion being unexed when said curved section is in open position and being adapted for engagement with the inner surface of the suspended garments opposite the rear wall of the said bottom section and lbetween the lower portion of said body section and said cover when saidcurved wall portion is fiexed by the compressive force applied thereto through said garments by said body section and said cover for pressing the contacted portions of suchl garments in unwrinkled form tightly against the rear lwall .of said bottom section and preventing the wrinkling of the garments and maintain the garments in predeterminedposition in said case,v l

I 9. A luggage case for the storage of a folded garment ,said body section on said lid section, bracket means in said lid section vfor supporting a garment hanger upon which a garment may be suspended with the upper portion of said garment positioned in said lid section and with ,the lower portion of said garment deposited in said body section and with the medial portion of said garment folded generally along the hinged line of juncture between said body section and said lid section, a floating type tray disposed at least partially within the body section of the luggage case, said tray having a transverse dimension less than but substantially asgreat asy the interior trans.- verse dimension of said case and having a longitudinal dimension substantially less than the longitudinal dimension of said case and having a resilient and substantially flexible curved wall section alongvone side thereof'overlyinga portion of a base sectionfof said tray and positioned generally parallel to said hinge means, said curved wall section of said tray when said case is open normally extending away in unflexed Acondition from said base section a distance in excess of the available space intermediate the position to be occupied `by the folded portions of a garment when the luggage case is closed, said tray being adapted to be deposited upon the lower portion of the garment with the curved wall section engaging the medial and adjacent portion of the garment, said curved wall section of said tray being adapted upon the closing of said case whereby a flexing pressure is applied by said body section and said lid section through saidr garment to said curved wall section to compressively engage with a yieldable pressure the adjacentA upper and lower and Ymedial portions of the garment stored in said case and ,compressively urge those portions of the garment toward .the adjacent inner surfaces of said case. l0. A suitcase comprising, in combination, a body section having bottom and side surfaces, a lid section hinged to said body section, and a floating type of garment restraining and folding and storing tray element disposed within said body section, said tray element having a longitudinal dimension substantially less than the interior longitudinal dimension of said body section and having a transverse dimension less than but substantially as great as the interior transverse dimension of said body section and having along its front edge a downwardly extending wall element engaging the adjacent surface of the bottom of said body section and spaced from the adjacent front side surface of said body section, whereby said downwardly extending wall element supports the forward portion of said tray element and segregates the space within said body section and below saidvtray element from the space intermediate said downwardly extending wall element and the adjacent front side surface of said body section.

1l. In a suitcase the combination of, a body section, a lid section, each of said sections having corresponding end walls and side walls and a top panel in the lid section and a bottom panel in the body section and having thefree edges of the several walls adapted to engage one another when the lid section is closed upon the body section, each of said end walls being joined to the associated panel member by an outwardly convex curved edge portion, a iioating type garment folding and restraining element within said suitcase, said folding and restraining element having a transverse dimension less than but substantially as great as the transverse inner dimension of said suitcase and having a longitudinal dimensionA su-bstantially less than the longitudinal dimension of said suitcase, and having along one edge thereof parallel to one of said side walls a resilient and substantially exible wall section having a Vgenerally U-sh'aped transverse comprising, in combination, an open topped body section, Y

cross section when compressively ilexed, said U-sh'aped cross section being similar to but of lesser dimensions "than the corresponding generally U-shaped transverse cross section of the adjacent portion of the suitcase when :closed-,whereby when said 'ilexible U-shaped'wall section of said restraining element is compressed by the application of exing pressure through a garment by saidk body section and said lid section when closed a generally U- shaped garment receiving space of substantially uniform transverse cross section is provided intermediate the U- shaped portion of said restraining element and the adjacent inner surfaces of said suitcase when closed.

12. In a luggage case, a tray having a multi-sided base section having at one side thereof an integrally formed curved wall section overlying the adjacent portion of said base section, said curved wall section being resilient and substantially llexible and shape retaining in the absence of exing pressures and shape'resuming upon the release of exing pressure and being adapted -by exing to engage garments folded about said curved wall section and stored in said case and apply a yieldable confining pressure to said stored garments throughout their transverse extent for urging said garments into predetermined stor- 14 age space in said case when said tray is compressively flexed between the -body portion and lid portion of said case by the application of pressure to the curved wall section through said garments.

13. In a tray for a luggage case, a multi-sided substantially flat base section having at one side thereof an integrally formed curved wall section overlying the adjacent portion of said base section, said curved wall section being resilient and substantially exible and shape retaining in the absence of flexing pressure and being shape resuming upon the release of exing pressure.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,438,738 Witbeck Dec. 12, 1922 1,725,116 Walker Aug. 20, 1929 1,897,353 Wilt Feb. 14, 1933

Images