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US 6,953,111 B2Granted
Protective structure for a travel case
AssigneeYoshida Sports, Inc.
InventorJim J. Chi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a flexible, protective structure adapted to conform to the shape of an object being protected by the structure. The structure may be formed into a flexible travel case adapted to conform to the shape of the contents of the bag while still providing the protection of a hard, inflexible travel case. The structure may include a plurality of substantially rigid plates positioned adjacent a flexible skin.
Claims14
A travel case comprising:
- a protective outer enclosure, at least a portion of which includes,
- a flexible skin, and
- a plurality of substantially rigid impact resistant panels positioned adjacent the flexible skin, the plurality of panels being adapted to conform to the shape of the flexible skin as it is flexed;
- wherein the protective outer enclosure is configured to flex from a first configuration to a second configuration, and at least two of the panels are configured to increasingly overlap as the protective outer enclosure is laterally compressed;
- and wherein each of the panels is polygonal, and hinged to the skin along a panel edge.
2 more elements
A travel case comprising:
- a protective outer enclosure, at least a portion of which includes,
- a flexible skin, and
- a plurality of substantially rigid impact resistant polygonal panels coupled to the flexible skin along a panel edge by a hinge, the plurality of panels being adapted to conform to the shape of the flexible skin as it is flexed
- wherein the protective outer enclosure is configured to flex from a first configuration to a second configuration, thereby altering the footprint of the overlapped panels;
- and
- wherein the panels are configured to increasingly overlap as protective outer enclosure is laterally compressed.
3 more elements
A travel case comprising:
- a protective outer enclosure, at least a portion of which includes,
- a flexible skin, and
- a plurality of substantially rigid impact resistant panels positioned adjacent the flexible skin, the plurality of panels being adapted to conform to the shape of the flexible skin as it is flexed;
- wherein the protective outer enclosure is configured to flex from a first configuration to a second configuration, and at least two of the panels are configured to increasingly overlap as the protective outer enclosure is laterally compressed, wherein the flexible skin is an outer skin and the plurality of panels are mounted inward of the outer skin, the enclosure further including a flexible inner skin positioned inwardly adjacent the plurality of panels.
1 more element
A travel case comprising:
- a protective outer enclosure, at least a portion of which includes,
- a flexible skin, and
- a plurality of substantially rigid impact resistant panels positioned adjacent the flexible skin, the plurality of panels being adapted to conform to the shape of the flexible skin as it is flexed;
- wherein the protective outer enclosure is configured to flex from a first configuration to a second configuration, and at least two of the panels are configured to increasingly overlap as the protective outer enclosure is laterally compressed;
- the travel case further including a locking mechanism adapted to temporarily and reversibly lock at least one of the panels into a first orientation.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.