Adjustable Telescoping Luggage System

Abstract

An adjustable luggage system comprised of telescoping poles joined by a pair of corner hinge joints and stationary joints and surrounded by a rigid shell, with each side of the shell constructed of four panes with U-channels to maintain alignment of panes and rigidity of the structure. The luggage system may be adjusted in three dimensions, which allows the luggage system to increase up to six times the size of the original capacity. The telescoping poles may be accessed at the external panels of the adjustable luggage system in order to adjust the size in three dimensions. The adjustment or locking mechanism of each pole is located along the telescoping pole. The luggage system opens on one side but is permanently closed on the remaining sides. The entire rigid shell covers the telescoping frame such that by adjusting the telescoping poles and therefore adjusting the rigid shell surrounding the telescoping poles.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . An adjustable luggage system, comprising:
 six sides, each side comprising a plurality of at least partially overlapping panes, wherein the panes are hard; and   a support frame comprised of telescoping members, wherein the support frame is disposed within an interior defined by the six sides, wherein the adjustable luggage system is expandable and contractible in at least two dimensions by adjusting at least a portion of the support frame.   
     
     
         13 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 12 , wherein the support frame comprises eight telescoping members. 
     
     
         14 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 13 , wherein the adjustable luggage system is expandable in a first dimension by extending a first set of four of the telescoping members and is contractible in the first dimension by retracting the first set of four of the telescoping members. 
     
     
         15 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 14 , wherein the adjustable luggage system is expandable in a second dimension by extending a second set of four of the telescoping members and is contractible in the second dimension by retracting the second set of four of the telescoping members, wherein the telescoping members in the first set of telescoping members are different from the telescoping members in the second set of telescoping members. 
     
     
         16 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 12 , wherein the support frame comprises twelve telescoping members and the adjustable luggage system is expandable and contractible in any one of three dimensions, in any two of three dimensions, and in three dimensions. 
     
     
         17 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 12 , wherein the panes are comprised of aluminum, carbon fiber, composite, plastic, or steel. 
     
     
         18 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 12 , wherein the panes of each side are attached at their interior edges via a glide channel. 
     
     
         19 . An adjustable luggage system, comprising:
 a hard covering; and   a support frame comprised of members that are expandable and contractible, wherein the support frame is disposed within the hard covering, and wherein the adjustable luggage system is expandable and contractible in three dimensions by adjusting the members of the support frame.   
     
     
         20 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 19 , wherein the adjustable luggage system in a fully expanded configuration has about six times the volume that the adjustable luggage system has in a fully contracted configuration. 
     
     
         21 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 19 , wherein the members of the support frame each comprise a locking mechanism to maintain the length of the member of the support frame. 
     
     
         22 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 21 , wherein the locking mechanism is one of a spring button lock, a set knob lock, a collar lock, a clutch lock, a cam, a pneumatic lock, a hydraulic lock, and a teeth-gear lock. 
     
     
         23 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of the hard covering is coupled to the support frame by hinges. 
     
     
         24 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 19 , wherein the hard covering comprises a plurality of sides and each side comprises a plurality of at least partially overlapping hard panes. 
     
     
         25 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 24 , wherein one of the sides is a lid that is coupled the support frame by hinges and comprises at least one lid latch coupled to an edge of the lid. 
     
     
         26 . An adjustable luggage system, comprising:
 six sides, each side comprising four at least partially overlapping panes; and   a support frame disposed within an interior defined by the six sides, wherein the adjustable luggage system is expandable and contractible by adjusting at least a portion of the support frame.   
     
     
         27 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 26 , wherein the panes comprise a sturdy material. 
     
     
         28 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 26 , wherein the panes comprise plastic. 
     
     
         29 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 26 , wherein the panes comprise nylon. 
     
     
         30 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 26 , wherein the support frame comprises twelve telescoping members. 
     
     
         31 . The adjustable luggage system of  claim 30 , wherein the support frame further comprises four corner joints, each corner joint coupled to three of the telescoping members.