Soft-sided carrying case with stowable shoulder straps and waist belt

Abstract

A soft-sided carrying case comprises a compartment having a plurality of sidewalls, a front wall, a back wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall, the back wall having a flap, the flap disposed on the back wall and shiftable between a closed position and an open position to conceal and reveal a back pack configuration. The backpack configuration includes a pair of shoulder straps secured to the back wall and a waist belt. The waist belt is secured to the flap and is foldable about a waist belt hinge so as to lie flat. The carrying case may also include a plurality of wheels and a telescoping handle to use the carrying case in a manner similar to a luggage cart.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A soft-sided carrying case comprising: 
 a compartment, the compartment including a plurality of sidewalls, a front wall, a back wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall;    the back wall having a flap, the flap disposed on the back wall and shiftable between a closed position and an open position;    a pair of shoulder straps secured to the back wall and concealed by the flap when the flap is in the closed position;    a waist belt, the waist belt secured to the flap and accessible when the flap is in the open position, the waist belt foldable about a plurality of waist belt hinges so as to lie flat;    a plurality of wheels secured to the bottom wall of the compartment; and    a telescoping handle secured to the compartment.    
     
     
         2 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 1 , wherein the waist belt comprises a plurality of waist belt panels, and wherein the waist belt panels are foldable flat about them plurality of waist belt hinges.  
     
     
         3 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the waist belt panels extends under a panel section and wherein the panel section is secured to the flap.  
     
     
         4 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 3 , wherein the panel section is padded.  
     
     
         5 . The soft-carrying case of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of waist belt hinges are formed by a line of stitching.  
     
     
         6 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 1 , wherein the flap is securable in the open position to expose the pair of shoulder straps and the waist belt.  
     
     
         7 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 6 , wherein the flap is securable about a handle located on the bottom wall of the carrying case.  
     
     
         8 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 7 , wherein the flap is securable about the handle using a hook and loop closure.  
     
     
         9 . A soft-sided carrying case comprising: 
 a front wall;    a back wall;    a plurality of sidewalls;    the back wall having a flap, the flap disposed on the back wall and shiftable between a closed position and an open position;    a pair of shoulder straps secured to the back wall and concealed by the flap when the flap is in the closed position; and    a waist belt, the waist belt secured to the flap and accessible when the flap is in the open position, and wherein the waist belt is foldable flat against the flap.    
     
     
         10 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 9 , wherein the waist belt is foldable about a plurality of waist belt hinges.  
     
     
         11 . The soft-carrying case of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of waist belt hinges are formed by a line of stitching.  
     
     
         12 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 10 , wherein the waist belt comprises a plurality of waist belt panels, and wherein the waist belt panels are foldable flat about the plurality of waist belt hinges.  
     
     
         13 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the waist belt panels extends under a panel section and wherein the panel section is secured to the flap.  
     
     
         14 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 9 , wherein the waist belt extends under a panel section.  
     
     
         15 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 14 , wherein the panel section is padded.  
     
     
         16 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 9 , wherein the flap is securable in the open position to expose the pair of shoulder straps and the waist belt.  
     
     
         17 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 16 , wherein the flap is securable about a handle located on the bottom wall of the carrying case.  
     
     
         18 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 17 , wherein the flap is securable about the handle using a hook and loop closure.  
     
     
         19 . A soft-sided carrying case comprising: 
 a compartment, the compartment including a plurality of sidewalls, a front wall, a back wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall;    a plurality of shoulder straps secured to the back wall of the compartment;    a cover flap;    a waist belt assembly attached to the cover flap, wherein the waist belt assembly is foldable flat against the cover flap; and    a hinge pivotally joining the cover flap to the back wall of the compartment, the hinge permitting the cover flap to pivot about the hinge between an open position and a closed position in which the cover flap is disposed in confronting relation with at least a portion of the back wall to enclose the shoulder straps and the waist belt assembly.    
     
     
         20 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 19 , wherein the waist belt assembly comprises a plurality of waist belt panels which are foldable flat about a plurality of waist belt hinges.  
     
     
         21 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 19 , wherein the waist belt assembly extends under a panel section.  
     
     
         22 . The soft-sided carrying case of  claim 19 , wherein the flap is securable in the open position.