LUGGAGE SYSTEM

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application for a utility patent claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/696,973, filed Sep. 20, 2024.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to luggage systems, and more particularly to a luggage system that allows multiple pieces of luggage to be removably attached for easier and more efficient transportation.

Description of Related Art

A known challenge in the art of luggage systems is the difficulty of transporting multiple pieces of luggage simultaneously. Traditional luggage systems require separate handling of each piece, which can be cumbersome and inefficient, especially in environments such as airports or train stations. Various systems have attempted to address this issue by providing connectors or linking mechanisms to temporarily attach luggage pieces. However, these solutions often lack flexibility, ease of attachment, or stability during transport.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.

The present invention provides a luggage system comprising a first luggage piece having a first attachment pad disposed on a front surface, and a second luggage piece having a second attachment pad disposed on a rear surface. The first and second attachment pads are adapted to interlock to attach the first and second luggage pieces together. A plurality of wheels is attached to each of the first and second luggage pieces, wherein the luggage system is configurable in multiple assembled configurations for transport.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a luggage system having advantages not taught by the prior art.

Another objective is to provide a luggage system that allows for secure attachment of multiple luggage pieces.

A further objective is to provide a luggage system that offers versatility in wheeled configurations, improving maneuverability in various environments.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a luggage system according to one embodiment of the present invention and showing a cover flap lifted upwardly to expose an attachment pad.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, shown in a first assembled configuration wherein the luggage system is supported on four sets of wheels.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view thereof, wherein the luggage system is tilted back so that it is supported on only one set of wheels.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view thereof, shown in a second assembled configuration wherein the luggage system is supported on two sets of wheels at a first angle.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view thereof, shown in a third assembled configuration wherein the luggage system is supported on two sets of wheels at a second angle.

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of a first luggage piece, showing an alternative closure for the attachment pad.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The above-described drawing figures illustrate the invention, a luggage system that includes two or more pieces of luggage which may be removably attached together for easier mutual transportation.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a luggage system 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, which includes first and second luggage pieces 20 and 30. In alternative embodiments, additional luggage pieces may also be included.

The first and second luggage pieces 20 and 30 may each be in the form of any standard luggage piece, and may include a hard shell exterior, or a fabric exterior, and may include any other materials known in the art. Each of the first and second luggage pieces 20 and 30 comprise a front surface 22 and 32, a rear surface 24 and 34, a top portion 26 and 36, and a bottom portion 28 and 38. In FIG. 1, a cover flap 40 of the first luggage piece 20 is shown lifted upwardly to expose a first attachment pad 46 disposed on the front surface 22 of the first luggage piece 20. The second luggage piece 30 has a second attachment pad 48 disposed on the rear surface 34. The attachment pads 46 and 48 are adapted to firmly but removably interlock, such as with hook and loop fasteners, or an equivalent interlocking material. The attachment pads 46 and 48 enable the luggage pieces 20 and 30 to be attached together. In this manner, both luggage pieces 20 and 30 may be wheeled together using only a handle 50 of the first luggage piece 20.

In this embodiment, the handle 50 is attached (e.g., telescopically engaged) with the first luggage piece 20 adjacent the top portion 26 adjacent the rear surface 24. In some embodiments, the second luggage piece 30 also includes a handle 54 so that it may be used independently, but this is not required in some embodiments.

As illustrated, each luggage piece 20 and/or 30 may include at least one pair of wheels 52 attached to the bottom portion 28 and 38, adjacent the rear surface 24 and 34. In this embodiment, each luggage piece includes two pairs of wheels 52 mounted on the bottom portion 28 and 38, one pair adjacent the rear surface 24 and 34, and a second pair adjacent the front surface 22 and 32. While caster type wheels are shown, the frontward facing wheels may be fixed so that the luggage system 10 may be tilted onto the front pair of wheels that are adjacent the rear surface 24 and 34.

In at least one embodiment, the second luggage piece 30 may completely lack wheels 52, but may instead rely on the pair(s) of wheels 52 located on the first luggage piece 20 for rolling transportation.

While the drawings illustrate that the first luggage piece 20 is larger than the second luggage piece 30, each luggage piece may be any suitable size or shape, including various pockets, accessories, and attachments, provided they may be attached together for transport. While two luggage pieces are illustrated and described, additional luggage pieces may be added, i.e., to a front surface 32 of the second luggage piece 30, or a rear surface 24 of the first luggage piece 20, which will only be limited by the weight and wieldiness of the luggage pieces 20/30.

In various embodiments, the attachment pads 46 and 48 may include an adhesive (not shown) to be attached by the user to a given luggage piece, or alternatively it may be pre-attached to the respective luggage piece via an adhesive, stitching, or other form of attachment (e.g., buttons, hook and loop fasteners, a pocket having openings for insertion and attachment, etc.). In this embodiment, the attachment pads 46 and 48 are 300×400 mm, but any suitable dimensions may be constructed.

When the luggage pieces 20/30 are used separately, the attachment pads 46 and 48 are preferably covered so that they do not stick to other items or surfaces. In this embodiment, they are covered with the cover flap 40 to avoid unintended attachment of other items, and for easy luggage handling, especially when the luggage piece(s) are being handled by an airline, or similar. As shown in FIG. 1, the cover flap 40 is one example of a means of covering the attachment pads 46 and 48. The cover flap 40 may be attached to the first luggage piece 20 adjacent the top portion 26 so it can extend downwardly to cover the attachment pad 46 of the first luggage piece 20, or alternatively to cover the attachment pad 48 of the second luggage piece 30 (FIG. 2). The cover flap 40 is attached at a top edge 42 to the first luggage piece 20, above the first attachment pad 46, the cover flap 40 extending to a bottom edge 44 so that it covers the first attachment pad 46 when the second luggage piece 30 is separated from the first luggage piece 20. In some embodiments (not shown), the second luggage piece 30 also has its own cover flap.

The cover flap 40 may include a securing mechanism (not shown) for securing the cover flap 40 to the luggage 10 adjacent the bottom portion(s) 28/38, so it does not shift, or the cover flap 40 may simply stick to the hook or loop fastener of the attachment pad(s) 46/48. While the cover flap 40 is illustrated at a given length for covering the attachment pad(s) 46/48, any length of cover flap 40 may be included, to cover different sizes and lengths of luggage system 10. Furthermore, the cover flap 40 may be rolled up and out of the way when not in use. Another example of a means of covering the attachment pads 46/48 is shown in FIG. 6 and discussed below.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the luggage system 10, shown in a first assembled configuration wherein the luggage system 10 is supported on four sets of wheels 52. As shown in FIG. 2, once the attachment pads 46/48 have been connected together, a user may pull the handle 50 of the first luggage piece 20 to transport the luggage system 10 altogether.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view thereof, wherein the luggage system 10 is tilted back so that it is supported on only one set of wheels 52. As shown in FIG. 3, from the position of FIG. 2, a user may tilt the luggage system 10 back in this configuration, which may be useful for traveling up an escalator or transporting the luggage system 10 more quickly and/or easily.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view thereof, shown in a second assembled configuration wherein the luggage system 10 is supported on two sets of wheels 52 at a first angle A1. As shown in FIG. 4, in this configuration, the attachment pads 46/48 are connected together in an offset position, so that the luggage system 10 may be supported on two sets of wheels 52 (one set of each luggage piece 20 and 30). Alternatively, the attachment pads 46/48 may be placed onto the luggage pieces 20/30 in an off-set position, so that each pad 46/48 contacts the entirety of the other.

The configuration of FIG. 4 may provide the advantage of the position of FIG. 2, without needing to use force to tilt the luggage system 10 backward for transport. In this embodiment, the angle A1 is between approximately 95-75 degrees, though any desired angle may be achieved, as long as it is still possible to roll the luggage system 10. An additional example is shown in FIG. 5, discussed below.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view thereof, shown in a third assembled configuration wherein the luggage system 10 is supported on two sets of wheels at a second angle A2. As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment, the angle A2 is between approximately 50-30 degrees.

In use, the luggage system 10 addresses the problem of traveling with multiple luggage pieces each having a separate handle. Occupational safety and insurance policies demand one hand be free to hold staircase banisters. Typically, if one person is handling multiple cases, this isn't possible. Another application might be where a person is trying to hold onto small children or animals as well as luggage.

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the second luggage piece 30, showing an alternative cover 56 for the attachment pad 48. Obviously, this alternative cover 56 may be applied to either luggage piece. As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, the cover 56 is in the form of a singlet that is pulled over the entire luggage piece 30, with openings for the handle 54, wheels 52, or any other elements that need to be exposed for use. The cover 56 may include a zipper opening 60 for accessing the attachment pad 48, or an opening having any type of closure on the singlet 56. This cover 56 may further help to protect the luggage piece 30 from environmental damage such as scratches or water damage.

The title of the present application, and the claims presented, do not limit what may be claimed in the future, based upon and supported by the present application. Furthermore, any features shown in any of the drawings may be combined with any features from any other drawings to form an invention which may be claimed.

As used in this application, the words “a,” “an,” and “one” are defined to include one or more of the referenced item unless specifically stated otherwise. The terms “approximately” and “about” are defined to mean +/−10%, unless otherwise stated. Also, the terms “have,” “include,” “contain,” and similar terms are defined to mean “comprising” unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, the terminology used in the specification provided above is hereby defined to include similar and/or equivalent terms, and/or alternative embodiments that would be considered obvious to one skilled in the art given the teachings of the present patent application. While the invention has been described with reference to at least one particular embodiment, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but rather the scope of the invention is defined by claims made to the invention.