Claims
- 1. In combination with a wheeled article of luggage including:
- a case having first opposed front and back walls, second opposed side walls, and third opposed top and bottom walls to define an openable enclosure having an interior volume for receiving articles;
- said first and second opposed walls including major and minor dimensions, with all of said major dimensions being substantially equal and separating said top and bottom walls, said major dimension being substantially greater than the lengths of the perimeter portions forming said top and bottom walls;
- wheels positioned along said bottom wall;
- said case adapted to be placed on a surface with said wheels contacting the surface, such that said top wall is spaced from said wheels by said major dimension, and
- a manually graspable handle extending upwardly with respect to said top wall to guide rolling movement of the article of luggage with rotation of said wheels along a surface;
- the improvement comprising:
- an elongate member including resiliently extensible material, said elongate extensible member secured to said case for selective movement between a stored retracted position and an operable extended position;
- said elongate extensible member including a first portion located within said interior volume and including an interior segment connected to the interior side of the bottom wall of said case and a second portion freely extending outward of said case;
- said second portion of said elongate extensible member operably located on said case to manually move a desired length of said first portion outward of said interior volume and securely encircle an auxiliary article positioned on said top wall when said elongate extensible member is in its extended position;
- a connection member on said case independent of, and at a location displaced from the connection of said elongate member to said case;
- securing means carried by said elongate extensible member at said second portion for releasably securing said elongate extensible member to said connection member when said elongate extensible member is in its extended position and encircling an auxiliary article at said top wall; whereby said elongate extensible member selectively retains an auxiliary article on the surface of said top wall.
- 2. The combination of claim 1, where the resiliently extensible material of said elongate extensible member provides biasing means opposing the maintenance of its extended position and urging it towards its retracted position, whereby an extent of said extensible member urges the auxiliary article of luggage to maintain contact against said top wall when said extensible member is secured to said connection member.
- 3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the biasing means provided by said resiliently extensible material includes elastic within said elongate extensible member.
- 4. The combination of claim 2, wherein said biasing means includes spring means.
- 5. The combination of claim 2, said biasing means including a helical coil spring interposed between one end of said elongate extensible member and its connection to said case.
- 6. The combination of claim 2, said biasing means including an accordion spring interposed between one end of said elongate extensible member and its connection to said case.
- 7. The combination of claim 1, wherein said securing means is a hook.
- 8. The combination of claim 7, wherein said connection member is located in proximity to said top wall and is adapted to engage said hook.
- 9. The combination of claim 8, wherein said elongate extensible member is located along a selected one of said first opposed walls.
- 10. The combination of claim 1, wherein said elongate extensible member is located along said back wall.
- 11. The combination of claim 1, wherein one end of said elongate extensible member is attached to said bottom wall of said case, and said elongate extensible member extends through an aperture in said top wall of said case.
- 12. The combination of claim 11, wherein said securing means includes a hook member attached to said elongate extensible member at a connecting portion of said elongate extensible member extending outward of said case proximate said top wall, said hook member adapted for attachment to said connection member of said case.
- 13. The combination of claim 11, including a hook or loop fastener pad attached to said elongate extensible member connecting portion for attachment to a complementary hook or loop pad forming said connection member carried by said case.
- 14. The combination of claim 1, in which said elongate extensible member is comprised of a cord resiliently stretchable between its retracted and extended positions.
- 15. In combination with a wheeled article of luggage including:
- a case having first opposed front and back walls, second opposed side walls and third opposed top and bottom walls;
- wheels positioned along said bottom wall;
- a manually graspable handle extending upwardly with respect to said top wall to guide rolling movement of the article of luggage with rotation of said wheels along a surface;
- an elongate extensible member secured to said case for selective movement between a stored retracted position and an operable extended position;
- said elongate extensible member operably located on said case to securely encircle an auxiliary article positioned on said top wall when said elongate extensible member is in its extended position;
- securing means carried by said elongate extensible member for releasably securing said elongate extensible member to a connection member when said elongate extensible member is in its extended position and encircling an auxiliary article at said top wall; whereby said elongate extensible member selectively retains an auxiliary article on the surface of said top wall;
- said elongate extensible member located along a selected one of said first opposed walls; and
- three spaced retaining elements are positioned along a selected one of said first opposed walls for routing said elongate extensible member through said case, said retaining elements being at opposed bottom corners and centered along said top wall; and a pair of openings along said top wall, said elongate extensible member being successively routed through one of said top openings, to one of said bottom retaining elements, to said top retaining element, to the other of said bottom retaining element, and through the other of said top openings, to from a continuous loop.
- 16. The combination of claim 15, wherein said hook is secured to a portion of said elongate extensible member between said pair of top openings.
- 17. The combination of claim 15, wherein said elongate extensible member includes elastic for urging said elongate extensible member towards its retracted portion, when in said extended portion to encircle an auxiliary article on the surface of said top wall, and said hook is secured to said connection means.
- 18. In combination with a wheeled article of luggage including:
- a case having first opposed front and back walls, second opposed side walls, and third opposed top and bottom walls to define an openable article receiving enclosure;
- said first and second opposed walls including major and minor dimensions, with all of said major dimensions being substantially equal and separating said top and bottom walls, said major dimension being substantially greater than the lengths of the perimeter portions forming said front and bottom walls;
- wheels positioned along said bottom wall;
- said case adapted to be placed on a surface with said wheels contacting the surface, such that said top wall is spaced from said wheels by said major dimension, and
- a manually graspable handle extending upwardly with respect to said top wall to guide rolling movement of the article of luggage with rotation of said wheels along a surface;
- the improvement comprising:
- an elongate member including resiliently extensible material, said elongate extensible member secured to said case for selective movement between a stored retracted position and an operable extended position;
- said elongate extensible member including a first portion connected to said case and a second portion freely extending outward of said case;
- said elongate extensible member operably located on said case to securely encircle an auxiliary article positioned on said top wall when said elongate extensible member is in its extended position;
- a connection member on said case independent of, and at a location displaced from the connection of said elongate member to said case;
- securing means carried by said elongate extensible member at said second portion for releasably securing said elongate extensible member to said connection member when said elongate extensible member is in its extended position and encircling an auxiliary article at said top wall; whereby said elongate extensible member selectively retains an auxiliary article on the surface of said top wall;
- further including guide members positioned within said case permitting multiple passes of said elongate extensible member.
- 19. In combination with a wheeled article of luggage including:
- a case having first opposed front and back walls, second opposed side walls, and third opposed top and bottom walls to define an openable article receiving enclosure;
- said first and second opposed walls including major and minor dimensions, with all of said major dimensions being substantially equal and separating said top and bottom walls, said major dimension being substantially greater than the lengths of the perimeter portions forming said front and bottom walls;
- wheels positioned alone said bottom wall;
- said case adapted to be placed on a surface with said wheels contacting the surface, such that said top wall is spaced from said wheels by said major dimension, and
- a manually graspable handle extending upwardly with respect to said top wall to guide rolling movement of the article of luggage with rotation of said wheels along a surface;
- the improvement comprising:
- an elongate member including resiliently extensible material said elongate extensible member secured to said case for selective movement between a stored retracted position and an operable extended position;
- said elongate extensible member including a first portion connected to said case and a second portion freely extending outward of said case;
- said elongate extensible member operably located on said case to securely encircle an auxiliary article positioned on said top wall when said elongate extensible member is in its extended position;
- a connection member on said case independent of, and at a location displaced from the connection of said elongate member to said case;
- securing means carried by said elongate extensible member at said second portion for releasably securing said elongate extensible member to said connection member when said elongate extensible member is in its extended position and encircling an auxiliary article at said top wall; whereby said elongate extensible member selectively retains an auxiliary article on the surface of said top wall;
- said elongate extensible member is located along a selected one of said first opposed walls, and
- wherein three spaced retaining elements are positioned along the interior of said front wall for routing said elongate extensible member through said case, said retaining elements being at opposed bottom corners and a centered along the top of said front wall; and an externally accessible opening along said front wall for manual accessing of said extensible member, said elongate extensible member being successively routed from within said externally accessible opening, to one of said bottom retaining elements, to said top retaining element, to the other of said bottom retaining elements, and returning to said externally accessible opening, to form a continuous loop.
- 20. The combination of claim 19, wherein, the desiliently elastic material of said elongate extensible member includes elastic for urging said elongate extensible member towards its retracted portion, when in said extended portion to encircle an auxiliary article on the surface of said top wall, and said hook is secured to said connection means.
Parent Case Info
This application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/491,619, filed Jun. 19, 1995, and abandoned, which in turn is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/488,611, filed Jun. 8, 1995, now abandoned, both entitled AUXILIARY LUGGAGE HOLDER.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
187318 |
Jul 1986 |
EPX |
2358124 |
Feb 1978 |
FRX |
577808 |
Jul 1976 |
CHX |
WO9519721 |
Jul 1995 |
WOX |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
491619 |
Jun 1995 |
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Parent |
488611 |
Jun 1995 |
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