Wheeled suitcase with detachable garment holder

Abstract

An apparatus for transporting clothing comprising a wheeled rolling suitcase and a detachable garment holder where the garment holder wraps around the outside of the suitcase and is held against the suitcase by attachment means. By wrapping the garment holder around the perimeter of the suitcase it does not require folding. The result is that clothes in the garment holder do not crease or wrinkle as they do in conventional luggage.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a combination wheeled rolling suitcase and a garment holder, said garment holder wraps around the outside of said suitcase and is held against the outer surface of said suitcase by at least one releasable attachment means.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said attachment means comprise a plurality of hook and loop fasteners positioned for releasable securement of said garment holder to said rolling suitcase.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said attachment means comprise a plurality of clips, said clips comprising a male portion that is resleasably secured to a female portion, and at least one of the male portion and the female portion is releasably secured to one of said wheeled rolling suitcase and said garment holder.  
     
     
         4 . The aparratus of  claim 3  wherein at least one of said male portions or said female portions of said clips have adjustment means for adding tension to said garment holder after it is wrapped around said suitcase, said adjustment means comprising straps that can be selectively tensioned to securely hold said garment holder against said outer surface of said suitcase.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said straps are of sufficient length to allow for the selective expansion of said garment holder to be loaded with varying amounts of clothing.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said garment holder wraps substantially around the perimeter of said rolling suitcase, and is releasably secured thereto.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said rolling suitcase has a plurality of wheels integral to the bottom portion of said suitcase and a retractable handle positioned to extend above said rolling suitcase for pulling said rolling suitcase on said plurality of wheels.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  where said wheels are preferably made from a polymer material that allows for smooth and quiet rolling of said apparatus.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  where said rolling suitcase contains interior padding material to provide for cushioning along the edges of said rolling suitcase when said garment holder wraps around said rolling suitcase, said padding increasing the angle traversed by said garment holder, effectively rounding the corners of said suitcase and removing a source of creasing of said clothing in said garment holder.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  where said suitcase has an access opening at the top end of said suitcase, said access opening being releasably securable and allowing access to the interior portion of said suitcase while said garment holder is wrapped around said suitcase, without having to detach said garment holder from said suitcase.  
     
     
         11 . A two-part luggage apparatus comprising a combination wheeled rolling suitcase and a detachable garment holder, said garment holder being of sufficient size to hold large articles of clothing such as suits, coats, and dresses, said garment holder being removably securable onto said outer surface of said rolling suitcase by at least one attachment means.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  where said garment holder is made from woven fabric with a water resitant coating on said fabric to protect said large articles of clothing from the environment.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11  where said garment holder contains access means to allow for loading of said large clothing into said garment holder.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  where said access means comprise a zipper of sufficient length so that substantially the entire interior portion of said garment holder can be exposed.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11  where said garment holder contains pockets on its interior and exterior faces to allow for holding additional items of varying size.  
     
     
         16 . A two-part luggage apparatus comprising a wheeled rolling suitcase and a detachable garment holder, said garment holder and said rolling suitcase each being usable by themselves.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  whereby said garment holder has an integral handle to enable it to be carried when not attached to said rolling suitcase.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16  where said garment holder has integral attachment means to enable it to be hung in a vertical position from a fixed support  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  where said attachment means comprise a strap with releasable buckle, said strap being releasably securable to a door handle, hanger rod, or other support.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18  where said attachment means comprise an itegral hook.