Patent Application
20050161301
1. Statement of the Technical Field
The inventive arrangements relate generally to methods and apparatus for laptop computer carrying cases.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the increase in popularity of laptop computers, there has arisen a corresponding need for suitable carrying cases to protect such devices in transit. A wide variety of such carrying cases are available. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,001 to Marceau discloses a computer carrying case that includes a pair of laterally spaced straps for suspending a laptop computer from a central dividing wall within the case. Similarly, International Publication number WO 93/24028 to Hollingsworth discloses a laptop computer carrying case that includes an elastic sling suspension system to help protect a laptop computer from shocks and impacts when the case is placed on the floor. Yet another laptop computer carrying case is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,777 to Myles et al. The Myles et al. reference includes a carrying strap which is capable of being secured in a first arrangement for carrying the bag in a substantially vertical orientation and in a second derangement for carrying the bag in a substantially horizontal arrangement such that the computer can be operated through the opening in the front wall while being carried in the substantially horizontal orientation.
Although laptop computer carrying cases are offered in a wide variety of sizes and with a variety of features, one persistent problem concerns variety of different sizes in which laptop computers are manufactured. The many different sizes necessitate a custom designed carrying case for every different size laptop computer in order to facilitate a snug fit. While it is certainly possible for manufacturers to design and produce such a wide variety of cases, it is costly to design, develop, manufacture and maintain inventory of such a wide variety of different cases. The problem is exacerbated at the retail sale level because many retailers offer more than one brand of laptop computer for sale. This increases the number of laptop cases they must stock at any given time.
Yet another problem with existing laptop cases arises at the consumer lever. Because technology advances so rapidly, many laptop computers can become obsolete while the laptop case is still in relatively new condition. When the consumer purchases a new computer, the old case often will not fit because the new laptop computer is either smaller or larger in dimensions.
The invention concerns a laptop computer carrying case of a generally parallelepiped form. The carrying case includes a front panel, a rear panel spaced apart and opposed from the front panel and a pair of side panels attached to the front and rear panels along corresponding side edges of the front and rear panels. A base panel is attached to the front, rear and side panels along a base edge defined respectively on each of the front rear and side panels.
A cover flap can be attached to the carrying case and can extend across an opening defined by the front, rear and side panels. The cover flap can have a certain degree of overlap with the front panel when secured in a latched position. A latch point positioner can also be provided. The latch point positioner can be adapted for selectively controlling a slack in the cover flap, such that the slack at least partially encloses an auxiliary carrying case volume exclusive of a main volume defined by the front, rear, base and side panels.
At least one strap can extend from each of the side panels and substantially cover a gap area between the side panel and the cover flap. Each of the straps can be advantageously attached at a proximal end to each of the side panels, and can have a latching structure disposed at a distal end thereof for releasably securing the distal ends to each other. Further, the straps can include a length adjustable section permitting the strap to be adjusted from at least a first length to a second length. The first length can be approximately 50% of the distance between the side panels whereas the second length can be between about 60% and 90% of the distance between the side panels.
According to one embodiment, at least a portion of each strap can include an elastic material and a second portion of the strap can include a resilient pad material that can be disposed within a protective outer fabric layer. The resilient pad material can cover at least a gap area between the side panel and the cover flap that is created by the slack.
The invention concerns a laptop computer carrying case that can accommodate a wide variety of laptop computers of varying sizes. Referring now to
A cover flap 112 is also provided for the carrying case. The cover flap 112 can extend across an opening 138 defined by the front panel 102, rear panel 104 and side panels 106, 109. A portion of the cover flap 112 can overlap with a portion of the front panel 102 when the cover flap is secured in a latched position as shown in
The front, rear, side and base panels of the laptop computer carrying case can be formed from a double wall construction that includes outer fabric layers enclosing a sheet of resilient material.
The resilient material can add structural stiffness to the carrying case. The resilient material also advantageously serves to cushion any laptop placed in the bag against impacts. The cover flap can have a similar construction to that described herein with regard to the panels. Of course, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the panel construction described herein is merely one possible way in which the panels and cover flap can be constructed. There are many other alternative constructions that are well known in the art, and the invention is not limited to any particular one. For example the panels and cover flap can be formed of fabric, leather, imitation leather products, padded leather, neoprene or any other suitable material.
A latch point positioner can be provided for securing the flap to the luggage case 100. The latch point positioner can be any structure capable of adjusting the point at which the cover flap 112 is latched to the laptop carrying case. For example, a latch point positioner 115 can be comprised of a strap 114 and a buckle 113 disposed on the front panel 102 of the laptop carrying case 100. The strap can be formed of leather, plastic, fiber webbing, or any other suitable material.
The buckle 113 can include a slide bar 117 around which the strap 114 is disposed so that the buckle can be repositioned and then secured along the length of the strap. In this way, the position of the buckle can be easily adjusted relative to base edge 111. The buckle 113 can be formed from a male portion 120 having resilient arms 121 for releasably engaging a female portion 118 that is attached to the cover flap 112 by means of a second strap 116. Buckles with slide bars and resilient arms of this type are well known in the art. The buckle can be formed of metal, plastic or any other suitable material.
Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the invention is not limited to the latch point positioner shown in
In
According to a preferred embodiment, the laptop computer carrying case is adapted for also carrying an oversized laptop computer 500 as shown in
Still, the gap 702 that is created when an oversized laptop computer is disposed within the carrying case 100 can create a problem to the extent that it can leave exposed a portion of a oversized laptop computer 500 disposed therein. This is undesirable because a portion of the laptop computer can be exposed to mechanical shocks and impacts, as well as adverse environmental conditions such as rain. In order to protect those portions of the oversized laptop computer 500 that would otherwise be exposed by gap 702, one or more protective elements can be provided.
In particular, straps 126, 128 can extend from each of the side panels 106, 108. According to one embodiment, the straps 126, 128 can advantageously be selected to have a width and length that will substantially cover any portion of an oversized laptop computer 500 that is exposed by the gap 702 defined between the side panel 106, 108 and the cover flap 112. The straps 126, 128 can be attached at a proximal end to each of the side panels 106, 108 respectively.
Referring now to
According to another embodiment, now shown, the straps 126, 128 can be attached to the front panel 102, or rear panel 104, or even the base panel 110, provided that the strap extends across the area associated with gap 702 as described herein.
The straps 126, 128 can have a latching structure disposed at a distal end thereof for releasably securing together the distal end of one strap 126 to the distal end of the other strap 128. The latching structure can include any arrangement capable of securing the distal ends of the straps. For example the latching structure can be comprised of a buckle 131 that includes a male portion 130 and a female portion 132. In
According to one embodiment, the straps 126, 128 can include a length adjustable section 134, 136 for permitting the straps to be adjusted from at least a first length to a second length. For example, the length adjustable sections 134, 136 can be formed of an elastic material to allow the length adjustable sections to vary in length by about 150%. The elastic material has the further advantage of automatically adjusting itself in length so that the straps 126, 128 snugly engage a laptop computer 300 disposed within the carrying case. Still, the invention is not limited in this regard and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other means can be utilized for the purpose of providing the length adjustable sections 134, 136. For example, the length adjustable sections 134, 136 can be formed by means of a looped portion of the strap that can be selectively secured to itself along its length so as to increase or decrease its overall length.
As noted above, the length adjustable strap can be adjustably varied between a first and second length. The purpose of the length adjustable strap sections is to permit the straps 126, 128 to accommodate both small sized laptop computers, such as laptop computer 300, and oversized laptop computers, such as laptop computer 500. In order to accommodate smaller laptop computers, the straps 126, 128 can be relatively short in length so as leave little or no slack when their distal ends are fastened to one another. For example, the first length of each strap 126, 128 can be approximately 50% of the distance between the side panels 106, 108 so that the two lengths together are just long enough to traverse the distance between the two sides 106, 108 of the case. In contrast, the second length of each strap can each have a length that is at least about 55% of the distance between the side panels 106, 108. For example, the second length can be between about 60% to 90% of the distance between the side panels has been found to provide acceptable results. However, the invention is not limited to these ranges and other ranges of adjustable length are acceptable provided that they allow the straps to snugly fit around both small and large size laptops that are to be accommodated within the carrying case as herein described.
A second portion 127, 129 of each strap 126, 128 can advantageously be comprised of a resilient pad material. For example, the resilient pad material can be a formed of foam rubber, neoprene and so on. The resilient pad material can advantageously be provided on a length of the straps sufficient to cover at least the gap 702 between the side panels 106, 108 and the cover flap 112. In this way, the portion of any oversized laptop computer 500 disposed in the carrying case that is left exposed by the gap 702, can be protected against mechanical impact and shocks. The resilient pad material can be disposed within a protective outer fabric layer to protect the pad material from abrasion and to create a more consistent appearance with the exterior of the case. The protective outer fabric layer can be leather, synthetic leather product, nylon web or any other fabric. According to one embodiment, the straps 126, 128 can have a double wall construction, similar to that used for the panels as shown in
The second portion of the strap including the resilient pad material can advantageously be formed to have a width that is at least approximately as wide as the space between the front panel 102 and the real panel 104. In this way any portion of an oversized laptop computer stored in the laptop computer carrying case 100 that is exposes by gap 702 can be protected from mechanical impacts and other adverse environmental conditions.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alterations to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof.
