Collapsible Expanding Luggage

Abstract

A collapsible piece of luggage is disclosed. The piece of luggage may have wheels and an extendable and retractable handle. The sidewall, bottom and cover of the luggage have sufficient rigidity to hold their own shape and may be folded into a storage configuration in which the piece of luggage is smaller in width and depth. Additionally, the luggage includes an expansion feature that allows the luggage cover to expand outward pyramidally so as to increase the storage volume of the luggage.

1 . A piece of luggage, comprising:
 a bottom panel having at least one rigid portion, the rigid portion covering a central third of the bottom panel;   left, right, upper, and lower sidewall portions connected to one another so as to form a generally contiguous sidewall connected to the bottom panel and extending outwardly therefrom, the sidewall having sufficient rigidity to hold its own shape and, with the bottom panel, defining a storage volume; and   a cover sized to cover and close the storage volume defined by the sidewall and bottom panel, the cover being attached to at least one of the sidewall portions so as to be movable between an open position, in which the storage volume can be accessed, and a closed position, in which the storage volume is closed;   the cover, sidewall, and bottom panel having fold lines in predefined positions such that the piece of luggage can be folded into a storage configuration in which the sidewall, the cover, and portions of the bottom panel are folded into an area defined by the at least one rigid portion of the bottom panel.   
     
     
         2 . The piece of luggage of  claim 1 , wherein substantially the entire bottom is essentially rigid in the storage configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The piece of luggage of  claim 2 , wherein the rigid portion covers substantially the entire length of the bottom panel. 
     
     
         4 . The piece of luggage of  claim 1 , wherein the cover, sidewall and bottom panel are constructed and arranged to be folded into the area defined by the at least one rigid portion such that portions of the bottom panel adjacent the at least one rigid portion become sidewalls of the storage configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The piece of luggage of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an extendable and retractable handle provided within the at least one rigid portion of the bottom panel and connected thereto, the handle being movable between an extended position, in which the handle extends beyond the at least one rigid portion, and a retracted position, in which the handle is substantially within the at least one rigid portion; and   one or more wheels attached to the exterior of the lower sidewall portion or the bottom panel.   
     
     
         6 . A piece of luggage, comprising:
 a bottom panel with sufficient rigidity to hold its own shape, the bottom panel having first and second fold lines dividing the bottom panel into left, right, and center sections; and   left, right, upper, and lower sidewall portions connected to one another so as to form a generally contiguous sidewall connected to the bottom panel and extending outwardly therefrom, the sidewall having sufficient rigidity to hold its own shape and, with the bottom panel, defining a storage volume;   the sidewall having fold lines in predefined positions that correspond with the first and second fold lines in the bottom panel such that the piece of luggage can be folded into a storage configuration in which the left and right portions of the bottom panel and the sidewall are folded inwardly along the first and second fold lines in the bottom panel such that the left and right sections of the bottom panel become sidewalls of the storage configuration.   
     
     
         7 . The piece of luggage of  claim 6 , further comprising a cover sized to cover and close the storage volume defined by the sidewall and bottom panel, the cover being attached to at least one of the sidewall portions so as to be movable between an open position, in which the storage volume can be accessed, and a closed position, in which the storage volume is closed, the cover having sufficient rigidity to hold its own shape and fold lines in predefined positions that allow it to fold with the sidewall. 
     
     
         8 . The piece of luggage of  claim 7 , wherein the cover has a depth about equal to a height of the sidewall. 
     
     
         9 . The piece of luggage of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an extendable and retractable handle connected to the bottom panel; and   one or more wheels attached to the exterior of the lower sidewall portion or the bottom panel.   
     
     
         10 . The piece of luggage of  claim 6 , wherein the bottom panel and sidewall are reinforced so as to have sufficient rigidity to hold their own shape. 
     
     
         11 . The piece of luggage of  claim 10 , wherein the fold lines in the sidewall and the first and second fold lines in the bottom panel comprise sections of flexible material between adjacent sections of reinforcing material. 
     
     
         12 . A piece of luggage, comprising:
 a bottom panel including a fixed portion and respective left and right foldable portions hingedly connected to the fixed portion, the bottom panel having sufficient rigidity to hold its own shape;   left, right, upper, and lower sidewall portions connected to one another so as to form a generally contiguous sidewall connected to the bottom panel and extending outwardly therefrom, the sidewall having sufficient rigidity to hold its own shape and a height that defines a major portion of a depth of the piece of luggage; and   a cover attached to at least one of the sidewall portions so as to be movable between an open position and a closed position, the cover being securable in the closed position;   wherein the bottom panel, the cover, and the sidewall are constructed and arranged to move between an unfolded configuration and a storage configuration in which the left and right foldable portions of the bottom panel are essentially perpendicular to the fixed portion of the bottom panel with the left and right sidewall portions in essentially the same angular orientation with respect to the left and right foldable portions of the bottom panel, respectively, as in the unfolded configuration.   
     
     
         13 . The piece of luggage of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 an extendable and retractable handle connected to the fixed portion of the bottom panel; and   one or more wheels attached to the exterior of the lower sidewall portion or the bottom panel.   
     
     
         14 . The piece of luggage of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more wheels are constructed and arranged such that the piece of luggage is rolled with the lower sidewall portion proximate to the ground. 
     
     
         15 . The piece of luggage of  claim 13 , wherein the extendable and retractable handle is contained within a housing that is attached to the exterior of fixed portion of the bottom panel. 
     
     
         16 . The piece of luggage of  claim 12 , wherein the height of the sidewall comprises about half of the depth of the piece of luggage. 
     
     
         17 . The piece of luggage of  claim 12 , wherein the cover has a depth that comprises approximately half of the depth of the piece of luggage. 
     
     
         18 . A piece of luggage, comprising:
 a central reinforcing member, the central reinforcing member being substantially rigid and having an elongate bottom portion and upper and lower portions connected to upper and lower ends of the bottom portion, the upper and lower portions being essentially perpendicular to the bottom portion such that the central reinforcing member is generally C-shaped;   respective left and right side members arranged so as to be adjacent to the central reinforcing member on either side thereof, each side member having a bottom portion and a side portion connected to the bottom portion; and   layers of flexible material disposed over the central reinforcing member and the left and right side members so as to join the central reinforcing member and the left and right side members and to establish
 a bottom panel corresponding to the bottom portion of the central reinforcing member and the bottom portions of the left and right side members, and 
 left, right, upper, and lower sidewall portions, the sidewall portions being connected to the bottom panel and extending outwardly therefrom to form a generally contiguous sidewall, such that the sidewall and bottom panel together define a storage volume, 
   
       the layers of flexible material being arranged such that at least a portion of the central reinforcing member is disposed on the exterior of the bottom panel and the left and right side members are disposed between the layers of the flexible material;
 wherein the arrangement of the central reinforcing member, the left and right side portions, and the layers of flexible material provide fold lines in predetermined positions allowing the piece of luggage to be folded into a storage configuration in which the left and right side members, and corresponding sidewall portions, fold into a volume defined by the central reinforcing member. 
 
     
     
         19 . The piece of luggage of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 an extendable and retractable handle provided within the central reinforcing member and connected thereto, the handle being movable between an extended position, in which the handle extends beyond the central reinforcing member, and a retracted position, in which the handle is substantially within the central reinforcing member; and   one or more wheels attached to the exterior of the lower sidewall portion or the bottom panel.   
     
     
         20 . The piece of luggage of  claim 18 , further comprising a cover sized to cover and close the storage volume defined by the sidewall and bottom panel, the cover being attached to at least one of the sidewall portions so as to be movable between an open position, in which the storage volume can be accessed, and a closed position, in which the storage volume is closed. 
     
     
         21 . A piece of luggage, comprising:
 a bottom panel with sufficient rigidity to hold its own shape, the bottom panel having first and second fold lines dividing the bottom panel into left, right, and center sections; and   left, right, upper, and lower sidewall portions connected to one another so as to form a generally contiguous sidewall connected to the bottom panel and extending outwardly therefrom, the sidewall having sufficient rigidity to hold its own shape and, with the bottom panel, defining a storage volume; and   a cover sized to cover and close the storage volume defined by the sidewall and bottom panel, the cover being attached to at least one of the sidewall portions so as to be movable between an open position, in which the storage volume can be accessed, and a closed position, in which the storage volume is closed, the cover having sufficient rigidity to hold its own shape and a depth that adds to the storage volume;   wherein the sidewall has fold lines in predefined positions that correspond with the first and second fold lines in the bottom panel such that the piece of luggage can be folded into a storage configuration in which the bottom panel and sidewall are folded inwardly along the first and second fold lines in the bottom panel such that the left and right sections of the bottom panel become sidewalls of the storage configuration; and   wherein the cover has fold lines in predefined positions, allowing the cover to fold with the sidewall.   
     
     
         22 . The piece of luggage of  claim 21 , wherein the depth of the cover is about equal to a height of the sidewall. 
     
     
         23 . The piece of luggage of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 an extendable and retractable handle connected to the bottom panel; and   one or more wheels attached to the exterior of the lower sidewall portion or the bottom panel.