Patent Application
20210037942
The present invention is directed to a protective cover and a wheel well assembly for protecting luggage, such as a suitcase and, more specifically, a protective cover to safeguard the luggage for transport, such as for shipping or airline transport.
Shipping luggage has become an attractive option for travelers, either for convenience, necessity or economic reasons. As more and more airlines charge travelers to check a first or second bag on flights, and charge even more for bags over certain weight limits, luggage shipping is an attractive alternative. This is particularly true considering that even when a passenger pays a bag fee, excess bag fee, or an overweight bag fee, the airlines make no guarantees that the bag will make it to your destination, on time, or in good condition. And, of course, the baggage security policies are also to be considered. Airlines no longer permit locked suitcases (at least, not ones that cannot be opened with a master key for inspection). Incidences of lost, mishandled, or damaged luggage are well-known. From a convenience standpoint, a passenger traveling without luggage does not have to wait in line to check the bags before the initial flight and does not wait again at the baggage carousel at the destination. Nor must the traveler have to physically transport luggage to and from the airport.
Hence, shipping luggage has become a viable alternative. One solution is to purchase a corrugated suitcase box formed of cardboard to enclose a suitcase for shipping. These boxes are, generally, not reusable, must be purchased each time, and do not offer sufficient protection to the suitcase during shipping. Moreover, cardboard is not weather resistant, durable, or uniquely designed to protect the wheels, particularly, of the suitcase. Another solution is to place the luggage in a plastic tote. A rectangular standard size tote also is not uniquely designed to conform to the luggage and the luggage or suitcase is free to move within the container. No protection is provided for the easily damaged wheels of the suitcase as it moves freely within the container which may experience turbulence during transport.
The present invention overcomes shortcomings of the prior art by providing a protective enclosure or cover which protects the luggage housed therein, provides easy handling during transport, and is reusable and cost-efficient. This is achieved with a protective luggage cover which is uniquely configured to accommodate and fit an item of luggage, such as a suitcase. This is also achieved by providing a wheel well assembly to protect the wheels of a suitcase. The wheel well assembly is adjustable to further facilitate a custom, form fitting enclosure for the luggage/suitcase.
The present invention will now be described in detail hereinafter by reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments described; rather, this detailed description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and practice the invention.
As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to a “tether” includes aspects having two or more tethers unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
Ranges can be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another aspect includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another aspect. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint.
As used herein, the terms “optional” or “optionally” mean that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not. For the purposes of describing and defining the present invention it is noted that the use of relative terms, such as “substantially”, “generally”, “approximately”, and the like, are utilized herein to represent an inherent degree of uncertainty that is attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. These terms are also utilized herein to represent the degree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue.
The luggage cover 10 is sized and configured to accommodate conventional sized luggage such as suitcases. Like a suitcase, if has height measured longitudinally which is greater than its width, measured horizontally. It has a depth, measured front to back, to accommodate the depth of a suitcase, for example. The luggage cover is provided in varying sizes, such as the following (Height×Width×Depth): 27×17×12⅝; 48×16×12⅝; 33×20×12⅝; 25½×15⅛×12⅝; and 24×24×12⅝ to accommodate smaller carryon size suitcases, medium sized suitcases, and larger suitcases. Of course, these are provided by way of example only, as it is within the scope of the present invention that the luggage cover 10 may be sized and configured to accommodate any size or shape of luggage.
The luggage cover 10 includes handles for facilitating easy manipulation. As shown, upper handles 22 facilitate lifting and/or moving the luggage cover 10 in an upright position as shown in
A reinforcement system in the form of reinforcing members are secured to the front 14 and rear panels 16 to provide additional structural integrity to the luggage cover 10. As shown in
The protective base 20 of the luggage cover 10, as shown, is formed as the same material as the front 14 and rear panels 15 with a seam 28 differentiating the protective base. This is by way of example, as the protective base 20 may be omitted. As shown in
The front 14 and rear panels 16 provide areas for shipping labels. As shown by way of example, an upper label area in the form of a clear pocket 34 is positioned on the front panel 14. Another pocket 35 is positioned on the protective base 20. These are shown on the front panel 14 but may also be on the rear panel 16 or side panels 17. A pocket, such as pocket 55 shown in
A wheel well assembly 40 is provided and is sized and configured to cooperate with the luggage cover 10 to further protect the suitcase 12 positioned therein. As shown in
In use, the user may select the appropriate luggage cover 10 closest in size and configuration for the luggage or suitcase to be transported (shipped or checked in with an airline, for example) and provide the desired information in the various pockets 34, 35 at any step of the process. The luggage cover 10 is then place upright and the front 14 and rear 16 side panels are folded down. The wheel well assembly 40 is then inserted into the protective base 20 and the width adjusted accordingly. The foam block 50 is optionally positioned on the base support 42. The suitcase 12 is then inserted into the luggage cover 10 and the wheel base is positioned on the base support 42 of the wheel well assembly 40. The expandable members may then be adjusted. The front 14 and rear 16 panels are then pulled upward and over the suitcase 12, and the zipper 18 may be closed.
While exemplary embodiments have been shown and described above for the purpose of disclosure, modifications to the disclosed embodiments may occur to those skilled in the art. The disclosure, therefore, is not limited to the above precise embodiments and that changes may be made without departing from its spirit and scope.
This application claims priority to U.S. Pat. App. No. 62/488,251, filed Aug. 8, 2019, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62884251 | Aug 2019 | US |
