Soft-sided luggage with collapsible frame
OwnerGregory J. Hurwitzinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A framed duffel bag has a fabric shell having a box shape with four sides joined by a bottom and a zip-open top. Three framing members made from strips of resilient material hold the four sides erect. Each of the strips is formed with two bends that separate a base from two arms that extend perpendicular to the base. The strips are threaded into channels formed along the bottom and two sides. The two sides are foldable toward the bottom against resilient torques generated by the strips, and the bottom is foldable in half to further compact the bag.
Claims20
A soft-sided article of luggage comprising:
- a fabric shell having a box shape with four sides joined by a bottom and a top;
- framing members for holding said four sides erect;
- at least one of said framing members being formed from a strip of resilient material;
- said strip of resilient material having two bends that separate a base from two arms;
- said base being attached to said bottom of the shell and said arms being attached to two of said sides of the shell;
- a first of said two sides being foldable together with one of said arms against said bottom of the shell, and a second of said two sides being foldable together with the other of said arms against said first side for collapsing said shell into a substantially flat shape;
- said two arms being resiliently opposed to being folded together for re-erecting said four sides of the shell;
- a cinch for holding said two arms folded together;
- and
- said cinch being a strap for carrying the article.
A lightweight, easy-loading article of luggage that can be compacted for occupying less space comprising:
- a flexible covering having a front, a back, and two end panels that extend from a bottom panel and a top panel that extends from said back panel;
- framing members supporting said front, back, and two end panels perpendicular to said bottom panel;
- at least one of said framing members being made from a strip of resilient material;
- said one framing member being bendable against a resilient torque about a first axis for folding said front panel toward said bottom panel and being bendable against a resilient torque about a second axis for folding said back panel toward said bottom panel;
- said bottom panel being foldable together about a third axis that extends perpendicular to said first and second axes;
- three of said framing members being made from strips of resilient material;
- all three of said framing members being bendable against respective resilient torques about said first axis for folding said front panel toward said bottom panel and being also bendable against respective resilient torques about said second axis for folding said back panel toward said bottom panel;
- and
- each of said strips of resilient material having two bends that separate a base from two arms.
A lightweight, easy-loading article of luggage that can be compacted for occupying less space comprising:
- a flexible covering having a front, a back, and two end panels that extend from a bottom panel and a top panel that extends from said back panel;
- framing members supporting said front, back, and two end panels perpendicular to said bottom panel;
- at least one of said framing members being made from a strip of resilient material;
- said one framing member being bendable against a resilient torque about a first axis for folding said front panel toward said bottom panel and being bendable against a resilient torque about a second axis for folding said back panel toward said bottom panel;
- said bottom panel being foldable together about a third axis that extends perpendicular to said first and second axes;
- and
- a channel formed in said front, bottom, and back panels for attaching said strip of resilient material to said covering.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.