Soft-sided container with hanging suspension

Abstract

A soft-side container is sized to fit inside larger luggage such as a suitcase. It has a peripheral zipper that aids in compressing the contents of the container when it is loaded, such as with clothing, thereby tending to take less space in the suitcase. It also has a suspension system permitting the container to be hung from a hanger rod, or from another container of the same type, in a cascade of shelves. To aid in this function, the container has an expanding side wall, and also a form-preserving spreader that tends to cause the container to hold itself in a generally planar configuration to function more effectively as a shelf.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A soft-sided container comprising:
 a soft-sided containment envelope having a first member, a second member, and a peripheral sidewall extending between the first member and the second member;   said first member, second member and peripheral sidewall co-operating to define an internal chamber into which to introduce objects;   said soft-sided containment envelope including a spreader;   said first member including a wall movable between a closed position and an open position to govern access to said chamber;   a first hanger and a second hanger, said first hanger and said second hanger being mounted to said soft-sided containment envelope;   said first and second hangers being opposed on opposite sides of said chamber; and   said first and second hangers being movable between respective stored and deployed positions;   in said respective deployed positions said first and second hangers being co-operable to suspend said soft-sided containment envelope in a hanging position; and   said soft-sided-containment envelope having at least a first anchor point and a second anchor point at which removably to mount corresponding first and second hangers of a second such soft-sided container to form a cascade of said soft-sided containers.   
     
     
         2 . The soft-sided container of  claim 1  wherein said peripheral sidewall has an upper margin and a lower margin, and said spreader is a stiffener mounted to said upper margin of said peripheral wall. 
     
     
         3 . The soft-sided container of  claim 2  wherein said spreader is a frame mounted inside said sidewall and extending about said upper margin. 
     
     
         4 . The soft-sided container of  claim 2  wherein said spreader includes a reinforcement rod extending about said periphery. 
     
     
         5 . The soft-sided container of  claim 2  wherein said container is rectangular in plan view; said peripheral side wall has a pair of first and second long sides and a pair of first and second short sides corresponding to said rectangular container in plan view; and said first and second hangers are mounted to said first and second short sides of said peripheral sidewall. 
     
     
         6 . The soft-sided container of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said first and second hangers include a splayed connection to said peripheral sidewall. 
     
     
         7 . At least a first and a second soft-sided container of  claim 1  combined as a set, the second soft-sided container being hangable from the first soft-sided container. 
     
     
         8 . At least a first and a second soft-sided container of  claim 1  combined as a set, the second soft-sided container being nestable within the first soft-sided container. 
     
     
         9 . The soft-sided container of  claim 1  wherein said container is movable between a first mode and a second mode, said first mode being an expanded mode and said second mode being a contracted mode. 
     
     
         10 . The soft-sided container of  claim 9  wherein said peripheral sidewall is axially collapsible. 
     
     
         11 . The soft sided-insulated container of  claim 10  wherein said peripheral sidewall has a tracked fastener, said tracked fastener extends peripherally about said sidewall. 
     
     
         12 . The soft sided-insulated container of  claim 11  wherein said tracked fastener is movable from a first position in which said peripheral sidewall is axially fore-shortened, to a second position in which said peripheral sidewall is axially expanded. 
     
     
         13 . The soft-sided container of  claim 1  wherein at least one of:
 (a) said peripheral sidewall has an upper margin and a lower margin, and said spreader is a stiffener mounted to said upper margin of said peripheral wall; and said spreader includes a reinforcement rod extending about said periphery; 
 (b) said container is rectangular in plan view; said peripheral side wall has a pair of first and second long sides and a pair of first and second short sides corresponding to said rectangular container in plan view; and said first and second hangers are mounted to said first and second short sides of said peripheral sidewall; 
 (c) at least one of said first and second hangers include a splayed connection to said peripheral sidewall; and 
 (d) said container is movable between a first mode and a second mode, said first mode being an expanded mode and said second mode being a contracted mode; said peripheral sidewall is axially collapsible; said peripheral sidewall has a tracked fastener that extends peripherally about said sidewall; and that is movable from a first position in which said peripheral sidewall is axially fore-shortened, to a second position in which said peripheral sidewall is axially expanded. 
 
     
     
         14 . A soft-sided container, comprising:
 a soft-sided containment envelope having a first panel and a second panel, said first panel being co-operable with said second panel, and being movable between an open position and a closed position relative to each other;   a first receptacle movably mounted to said first panel;   a second receptacle movably mounted to said second panel;   said first receptacle and said second receptacle being contained between said first panel and said second panel when said first panel and said second panel are in said closed position;   a suspension, said suspension being mounted to said first and second panels and to said first and second receptacles;   said suspension including a set of hangers by which to mount said soft-sided container to structure from which it can hang; and   when said first and second panels are in said open position, said suspension supporting said first receptacle and said second receptacle in spaced apart tiered relationship to each other.   
     
     
         15 . The soft-sided container of  claim 14  wherein said first and second panels are co-operable with a closure member to compress said first and second receptacles when said first and second panels are in said closed position. 
     
     
         16 . The soft-sided container of  claim 14  wherein at least one of said first and second receptacles includes a spreader operable to urge said respective receptacle to an expanded condition. 
     
     
         17 . The soft-sided container of  claim 14  wherein:
 said first panel and said second panel are joined by a hinge; 
 said hangers of said suspension are mounted to said first panel; 
 said first receptacle is pivotally connected to said first panel; 
 said suspension extends between said first panel and said first receptacle, and limits pivotal movement of said first receptacle relative to said first panel; 
 said second receptacle is pivotally connected to said second panel; 
 said suspension extends between said first receptacle and said second receptacle, and governs spacing between said first and second receptacles; and 
 when said container is in said open positon and said hangers have been hung up, said first receptacle and said second receptacle define shelves, one above the other. 
 
     
     
         18 . The soft-sided container of  claim 17  wherein:
 said first panel has a distal margin distant from said hinge; 
 said hangers include a first hanger and a second hanger, said first and second hangers being mounted to said distal margin of said first panel; 
 said first receptacle is pivotally connected to said first panel adjacent to said hinge, and has a portion distant from said hinge; 
 said second receptacle is pivotally connected to said second panel at a location of said second panel distant from said hinge; 
 said second receptacle has a portion distant from said second panel when said second receptacle has pivoted away from said second panel; 
 said suspension includes first and second portions, said first and second portions being spaced apart from each other; 
 said first and second members of said suspension are straps that extend from said distal margin of said first panel to said portion of said first receptacle distant from said hinge; 
 said suspension includes third and fourth portions, said third and fourth portions being spaced apart from each other; 
 said third and fourth portions are straps that extend from said distal margin of said first receptacle to said distal portion of said second receptacle. 
 
     
     
         19 . The soft-sided container of  claim 14  wherein at least one of said first and second receptacles has a releasable securement by which said at least one of said first and second receptacles is secured in a closed position thereof relative to the one of aid first and second panels to which said at least one of said first and second receptacles is mounted. 
     
     
         20 . The soft-sided container of  claim 14  wherein at least one of said first and second panels has a door therein, said door being movable between closed and open positions to yield access to a respective one of said first and second receptacles that is mounted to that one of said first and second panels respectively.