EP3501328A1

EP3501328A1 - Expandable luggage

Info

Publication number: EP3501328A1
Application number: EP17210512.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Wei-Hung Lai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-12-22
Filing date: 2017-12-22
Publication date: 2019-06-26

Abstract

An expandable luggage includes a first case member (11), a second case member (12), and a flexible member (13) with opposite ends connected to the first and the second case member (12)s to form a chamber. The expandable luggage further includes a controller (20), which has a first member (30) fixed to the first case member (11), a second member (40) fixed to the second case member (12). The first member (30) is movably connected to the second member (40) to be moved between a first position and a second position. The first member (30) is engaged with the second member (40) when the first member (30) is moved to the first position. The chamber is narrowed when the first case member (11) is moved toward the second case member (12), and the controller (20) is locked automatically. The controller (20) further includes an unlocking device to be operated to disengage first member (30) with the second member (40) if the chamber is expanded.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a luggage, and more particularly to an expandable luggage.

2. Description of Related Art

Typically, conventional luggage each has fixed size. An user usually has plural pieces of luggage with various sizes that he/she may pick the luggage with specified size according to the trip.
An improved luggage was invented which is capable of expanding its size. Such luggage has a first case member, a second case member, and a flexible member with opposite ends connected to the first and the second case members respectively. The luggage further is provided with a zipper on edges of the first and the second case members. When the zipper is zipped, the first case member is moved toward the second case member and the flexible is warped, so that the luggage has a small chamber to store goods, and when the zipper is unzipped, the first case member is moved away from the second case member and the flexible is straightened, so that the luggage has a large chamber to store goods.
For this kind of expandable luggage, the zipper extends around the entire luggage, so that there is a long distance to go when the zipper is zipped or unzipped, and that is troublesome to the user.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide an expandable luggage, which provides an easy way of expanding and narrowing the luggage.
In order to achieve the objective of the present invention, an expandable luggage includes a first case member, a second case member, and a flexible member with opposite ends connected to the first and the second case members to form a chamber between the first and the second case members. The expandable luggage further is provided with a controller, which has a first member fixed to the first case member, a second member fixed to the second case member and in association with the first member, and an unlocking device. The first member has a latch member with a hook. The second member has an entrance at an end thereof and a locking member with a stop portion inside the entrance. The first member is inserted into the second member via the entrance to be moved between a first position, at which the first member is closed to the second member and the hook of the latch member engages the stop portion of the locking member to secure the first member at the first position, and a second position, at which the first member is moved away from the second member.
The unlocking device is provided at the first member or the second member to be operated to disengage the hook of the latch member with the stop portion of the locking member when the first member is at the first position, whereby the first member is able to be moved to the second position.
When the first member is moved to the first position, the first case member is moved toward the second case member to narrow the chamber; and when first member is moved to the second position, the first case member is moved away from the second case member to expand the chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of some illustrative embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the luggage being narrowed;
FIG. 2 is a front view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the luggage being expanded;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the controller of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the controller of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the first member at the first position;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the first member at the second position; and
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the controller inside the luggage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an expandable luggage of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a luggage 10 and a plurality of controllers 20 (only one of the controllers 20 is shown in drawings). The luggage 10 includes a first case member 11, a second case member 12, and a flexible member 13 with opposite ends connected to the first and the second case members 11 and 12 to form a chamber therein to store goods. The first case member 11 is provided with a lid 15 which is able to be opened to put goods into the chamber or take goods out of the chamber. The first and the second case members 11 and 12 are provided with recesses 14. The recesses 14 of the first case member 11 are in association with the recesses 14 of the second case member 12. Each of the controllers 20 has a first member 30 and a second member 40. The first members 30 are received in the recesses 14 of the first case member 11 while the second members 40 are received in the recesses 14 of the second case member 12 and in association with the first members 30 respectively. Heights of the controllers are equal to or lowered to depths of the recesses 14 to reduce the risk of the controllers 20 being operated by accident. The controllers 20 are the same, so we only describe one of which for example hereunder.
As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the first member 30 of the controller 20 has a main body 32 with an opening 34. The main body 32 is fixed to the first case member 11. The first member 30 further has a latch member 36 in the opening 34. The latch member 36 has an end connected to the main body 32 and a distal end suspended. The latch member 36 has a hook 38 at the distal end.
The second member 40 of the controller 20 includes a base 42, a cover 44, and a pin 46. The base 42 has a bottom plate 48 and a U-shaped sidewall 50 connected to an edge of the bottom plate 48. The bottom plate 48 is fixed to the second case member 12. The sidewall 50 is provided with a pair of elongated slots 52. The cover 44 has a top plate 54 and a U-shaped sidewall 56 connected to an edge of the top plate 54. The sidewall 56 is provided with a pair of through holes 58. The cover 44 is connected to the base 42 by the pin 46 inserted into the elongated slots 52 of the base 42 and the through holes 58 of the cover 44. The sidewalls 50 and 56 are at the same side of the second member 40, and the second member 40 has an entrance at a side opposite to the sidewalls 50 and 56. The cover 44 has an opening 60, in which an elastic member 62 is provided. The elastic member 62 has an end connected to the cover 44 and a distal end suspended, and an operating portion 64 is formed on the elastic member 62 adjacent to the distal end. The elastic member 62 works for an unlocking device. The cover 44 further has a locking member 66 adjacent to the operating portion 64, which has a stop portion 68 facing the operating portion 64.
An end of the first member 30 enters the second member 40 via the entrance, and the first member is able to be moved between a first position and a second position. At the first position, the first member 30 is closed to the second member 40 and the hook 38 of the latch member 36 engages the stop portion 68 of the locking member 66 to secure the first member 30 at the first position. When the elastic member 62 is pressed downward, the operating portion 64 moves the latch member 36 away to disengage the hook 38 of the latch member 36 with the stop portion 68 of the locking member 66. It makes the first member 30 able to be moved away from the second member 40 and arrive at the second position.
As shown in FIG. 5, while the first member 30 is being moved toward the first position, the first case member 11 is drawn to the second case member 12 and the flexible member 13 is warped. At the first position, the first case member 11 is closed to the second case member 12 and the hook 38 of the latch member 36 engages the stop portion 68 of the locking member 66 to secure the first member 30 at the first position. At this time, the luggage 10 has a small chamber to store goods.
If the user wants to have a large chamber, he/she only has to press the elastic member 62 to move the latch member 36 downward. As a result, the hook 38 of the latch member 36 disengages the stop portion 68 of the locking member 66, and the first and the second case member 11 and 12 are able to be moved away from each other. As shown in FIG. 6, when the first member 30 is moved to the second position, the flexible member 13 is straightened, and the luggage 10 has a large chamber to store goods.
In operation of narrowing the expandable luggage of the present embodiment, a user only need to press the first case member 11 toward the second case member 12, and the hook 38 of the latch member 36 engages the stop portion 68 of the locking member 66 when the first member 30 arrives at the first position to secure the luggage 10 at a small size. In operation of expanding the expandable luggage of the present embodiment, a user only need to press the elastic member 62 to disengage the hook 38 of the latch member 36 with the stop portion 68 of the locking member 66, and the first and the second case member 11 and 12 are free to move away from each other to expand the luggage 10.
FIG. 7 shows an expandable of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, which are almost the same as the first preferred embodiment, except that the controllers are provided at interior sides of the first and the second case members 11 and 12.
It must be pointed out that the embodiments described above are only some preferred embodiments of the present invention. All equivalent structures which employ the concepts disclosed in this specification and the appended claims should fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

An expandable luggage, comprising:
a first case member (11);

a second case member (12);

a flexible member (13) with opposite ends connected to the first and the second case members (11, 12) to form a chamber between the first and the second case members (11, 12); and

a controller (20) having a first member (30) fixed to the first case member (11), a second member (40) fixed to the second case member (12) and in association with the first member (30), and an unlocking device, wherein the first member (30) has a latch member (36) with a hook (38); the second member (40) has an entrance at an end thereof and a locking member (66) with a stop portion (68) inside the entrance; the first member (30) is inserted into the second member (40) via the entrance to be moved between a first position, at which the first member (30) is closed to the second member (40) and the hook (38) of the latch member (36) engages the stop portion (68) of the locking member (66) to secure the first member (30) at the first position, and a second position, at which the first member (30) is moved away from the second member (40);

wherein the unlocking device is provided at the first member (30) or the second member (40) to be operated to disengage the hook (38) of the latch member (36) with the stop portion (68) of the locking member (66) when the first member (30) is at the first position, whereby the first member (30) is able to be moved to the second position;

wherein when the first member (30) is moved to the first position, the first case member (11) is moved toward the second case member (12) to narrow the chamber; and when first member (30) is moved to the second position, the first case member (11) is moved away from the second case member (12) to expand the chamber.
The expandable luggage of claim 1, wherein the first member (30) of the controller (20) has a main body (32) fixed to the first case member (11); the latch member (36) has an end connected to the main body (32) and a distal end suspended, and the hook (38) is provided at the distal end.
The expandable luggage of claim 2, wherein the main body (32) has an opening (34), and the latch member (36) is provided in the opening (34).
The expandable luggage of claim 1, wherein the second member (40) of the controller (20) has a base (42) fixed to the second case member (12) and a cover (44) connected to the base (42).
The expandable luggage of claim 4, wherein the unlocking device has an elastic member (62) provided on the cover (44); the elastic member (62) has an end connected to the cover (44) and a distal end suspended; the elastic member (62) has an operating portion (64) adjacent to the distal end, and the locking member (66) is adjacent to the operating portion (64) with the stop portion (68) facing the operating portion (64).
The expandable luggage of claim 4, wherein the second member (40) further has a pin (46) passing through the base (42) and the cover (44) to connect the base (42) and the cover (44) together.
The expandable luggage of claim 6, wherein the base (42) is provided with a pair of elongated slots (50), and the cover (44) is provided with a pair of through holes (58); the pin (46) is inserted into the elongated slots (50) of the base (42) and the through holes (58) of the cover (44) to make the cover (44) able to be moved related to the base (42).
The expandable luggage of claim 1, wherein the first case member (11) is provided with a recess (14), in which the first member (30) of the controller (20) is received, and the second case member (12) is provided with a recess (14), in which the second member (40) of the controller (20) is received.
The expandable luggage of claim 8, wherein a height of the controller (20) is equal to or lower than depths of the recesses (14).
The expandable luggage of claim 1, wherein the first member (30) and the second member (40) of the controller (20) are provided at interior sides of the first case member (11) and the second case member (12) respectively.
The expandable luggage of claim 4, wherein the base (42) has a bottom plate (48) and a sidewall (50) connected to an edge of the bottom plate (48); the cover (44) has a top plate (54) and a sidewall (56) connected to an edge of the top plate (54); the bottom plate (48) of the base (42) is fixed to the second case member (12); the sidewalls (50, 56) of the base (42) and the cover (44) are at the same side of the second member (40), and the entrance is formed at a side opposite to the sidewalls (50, 56).
The expandable luggage of claim 4, wherein the second member (40) further includes a pin (46) passing through the sidewalls (50, 56) of the base (42) and the cover (44) to connect the base (42) and the cover (44) together.