Patent Application
20250031833
For everyday use, members of today's society carry day packs or computer bags that are tailored for carrying office-related and other items for everyday use. Those items may include a laptop computer, tablet, pens and paper, phone, and other items. When the same folks travel, they sometimes resort to stuffing clothing into their day packs, sometimes use a carry-on bag alongside their day pack, or may use another type of bag that combines a compartment large enough for clothing with other compartments for everyday carry items. These conventional solutions to everyday carry and travel carry have various problems unforeseen by their proponents but discovered and solved by the present inventors.
The invention includes a single-bag pack for carrying everyday business and travel articles together, including a separate travel compartment having a first lid to which backpack straps are attached. In embodiments where the first lid is a suitcase-opening lid, the backpack straps are oriented such that the hinge of the suitcase-opening lid is substantially vertical when carried on the back of a user. Other opening types can be used in place of the first lid in other embodiments. The travel compartment is itself compressible to occupy a negligible volume relative to a volume occupied by the pack as a whole when the travel compartment is not in use. The travel compartment may be compressed by a perimeter zipper or any other suitable compression means as may be desired. The pack further includes a business/personal compartment appended to a panel of the travel compartment opposite the first lid. In some embodiments, the business/personal compartment may have a clamshell-opening lid oriented for loading the business/personal compartment from the top when oriented as carried as a backpack, although other opening types and orientations are also within the scope of the invention. The pack yet further includes a computer compartment having a minimal thickness disposed either in the suitcase-opening lid or in a wall between the travel compartment and the business/personal compartment.
A travel compartment having a suitcase-opening lid to which backpack straps are attached, and a business/personal compartment dependent from a wall of the travel compartment opposite the suitcase-opening lid permits the travel compartment to effectively disappear when compressed, provides for the weight of the user's laptop computer to be carried as close to the body as possible, and provides for proper support and balance to the pack while carrying a laptop computer when used for travel or other everyday carry situations.
A single-bag pack for carrying business and travel items together includes a harness for carrying the pack on one's back; a travel compartment having a first lid to which the harness is attached; a personal items compartment; and a computer compartment within one of the first lid and a wall separating the travel compartment from the personal items compartment; the travel compartment, the personal items compartment, and the computer compartment each inaccessible from within each other of the travel compartment, the personal items compartment, and the computer compartment. In a variation, the travel compartment is expandable by use of an expansion zipper joined by an expansion gusset. In a further variation, the expansion zipper is hidden beneath a flap of material when the expansion zipper is closed. In an alternate variation, the suitcase-opening lid remains able to open when the travel compartment is compressed. In another alternate variation, the pack includes a tuck-away compartment in the lid into which the harness can be tucked. In yet another alternate variation, the pack includes an accessory compartment.
More generally, a single-bag pack for carrying business and travel items together includes a first compartment having a first lid, the first compartment constructed and arranged to be expandable and to be substantially invisible when not expanded; a slender compartment built into the first lid opening outside the first lid; and a second compartment having a second lid accessible from outside the first compartment and the slender compartment. In a variation, the pack further includes a harness for carrying the pack on one's back attached to the first lid.
In the following description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown example implementations. It should be understood that other implementations are possible, and that these example implementations are intended to be merely illustrative.
The following section illustrates the invention through a detailed description of an exemplary embodiment and variations thereof.
A suitcase-opening lid is, for the purposes of this description, one type of lid for an item of luggage such as a suitcase, pack, brief case or the like. On an item of luggage having plural generally rectangular sides, it is one of two larger panels and is most often hinged on a long edge of the item; the other large panel forming a base on which the item rests while being loaded with articles to carry. A suitcase-opening lid swings completely out of the way of the compartment top for easy loading.
A clam-shell opening lid, for the purposes of this description, is another type of lid for an item of luggage such as a suitcase, pack, brief case or the like. On an item of luggage having plural generally rectangular sides, it is also one of two larger panels and is most often hinged on an edge of the item other than the longest; a smallest panel of the item usually forming a base on which the item rests while being loaded with articles to carry. A clam-shell opening lid covers a vertical side of the compartment to which it provides access and may be hinged and/or gusseted to open only part-way, allowing the compartment to be loaded from the top.
Other lids and openings that can be used in connection with combinations forming the invention include a U-shape opening, a slash-zipper opening (such as found on duffle bags, and which can be placed on a top surface or front surface of a pack), a drawstring opening, a flap closure (with optional buttons, snaps, buckles, straps, magnets, weights, etc.), and others. Lids, openings, and fastenings can be combined, such as in the case of a drawstring opening covered by a flap with buckles.
A single-bag pack suitable both for everyday carry and for travel according to the invention is now described in connection with the drawing (
Also shown in this view is a bottom zipper 106 through which a small compartment built into the base of the pack is accessed. Such a compartment may be suitable, for example, for carrying infrequently-needed items such as device chargers and batteries, cables, and accessory items.
The pack may be constructed of any suitable materials for exterior durability and style, interior durability and style, and protection. Exterior materials may include nylon canvas, cotton canvas duck, polyester, leather or other durable materials; interiors may be high-denier nylon or other suitable lining materials; hard and soft padding materials may be included between layers; and carrying straps and handles may be of similar high-tensile, durable materials. Gussets may be made entirely of the liner material or may be liner material facing the inside of a compartment and exterior material facing the outside of the pack.
The arrangements of these compartments and others is further illustrated in the side views of
Alternate embodiments may employ styles of lid or opening other than a suitcase-opening lid in place of the suitcase-opening lid 206 and zipper 205 illustrated. Any of the alternatives described including a U-shape opening, a slash-zipper opening (such as found on duffle bags, and which can be placed on a top surface or front surface of a pack), a drawstring opening, a flap closure (with optional buttons, snaps, buckles, straps, magnets, weights, etc.), and others could be used. Lids, openings, and fastenings can be combined, such as in the case of a drawstring opening covered by a flap with buckles. Such alternatives should preferably provide adequate access for packing into the compartment typical large travel items, such as folded clothing, shoes, and the like.
Expansion zipper 204 runs completely around the pack, as will be shown and described further in connection with
While
Other expansion constructions can be used in place of expansion zipper 204 and gusset 301 can be used in alternative embodiments.
Taking the pack with the travel compartment 401 compressed, as shown in
Alternate embodiments may employ styles of opening other than the clamshell opening accessed through zipper 102 as shown. Any of the alternatives described including a U-shape opening, a slash-zipper opening (such as found on duffle bags, and which can be placed on a top surface or front surface of a pack), a drawstring opening, a flap closure (with optional buttons, snaps, buckles, straps, magnets, weights, etc.), and others could be used. Lids, openings, and fastenings can be combined, such as in the case of a drawstring opening covered by a flap with buckles. Such alternatives should preferably provide adequate access for packing into the compartment typical personal business items such as files, tablets, books, and the like.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15944388 | Apr 2018 | US |
| Child | 18916615 | US |
