Expandable Luggage Assemblies

Abstract

Disclosed herein are luggage assemblies that may include: a first shell having a first sidewall; a second shell having a second sidewall; a first zipper tape that may have: a first outer section having a planar surface parallel to a planar surface of the first sidewall; a first middle section having a planar surface parallel to the planar surface of the first outer section; and a first inner section having a planar surface parallel to the planar surface of the first middle section; a second zipper tape having: a second outer section having a planar surface parallel to a planar surface of the second sidewall; a second middle section having a planar surface parallel to the planar surface of the second outer section; and a second inner section having a planar surface parallel to the planar surface of the second middle section; and a zipper slider coupled to the second zipper tape and capable of being coupled to the first zipper tape.

What is claimed as the invention is: 
     
         1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A luggage assembly, comprising:
 a first shell having a first sidewall;   a second shell having a second sidewall;   a first zipper tape having:
 a first outer section having a planar surface parallel to a planar surface of the first sidewall; 
 a first middle section having a planar surface parallel to the planar surface of the first outer section; and 
 a first inner section having a planar surface parallel to the planar surface of the first middle section; 
   a second zipper tape having:
 a second outer section having a planar surface parallel to a planar surface of the second sidewall; 
 a second middle section having a planar surface parallel to the planar surface of the second outer section; and 
 a second inner section having a planar surface parallel to the planar surface of the second middle section; 
   a first zipper slider capable of being coupled to the first zipper tape and to the second zipper tape, wherein pulling the first zipper slider along a first path couples a first portion of the first zipper tape with a first portion of the second zipper tape and reduces the volume inside the luggage assembly; and   a second zipper slider capable of being coupled to the first zipper tape and to the second zipper tape, wherein pulling the second zipper slider towards the first zipper slider uncouples the first portion the first zipper tape from the first portion of the second zipper tape and creates an opening into the luggage assembly.   
     
     
         12 . The luggage assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first zipper slider is capable of coupling the first inner portion and the second inner portion and the second zipper slider is capable of uncoupling the coupled the first inner portion and the second inner portion. 
     
     
         13 . The luggage assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first zipper slider is capable of coupling the first middle portion and the second middle portion and the second zipper slider is capable of uncoupling the coupled the first middle portion and the second middle portion. 
     
     
         14 . The luggage assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first zipper slider is capable of coupling the first outer portion and the second outer portion and the second zipper slider is capable of uncoupling the coupled the first outer portion and the second outer portion. 
     
     
         15 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A luggage assembly, comprising:
 a first shell having first sidewalls;   a second shell having a second sidewalls;   a first zipper tape coupled to the first sidewalls and extending in a spiral configuration, wherein an edge of the first zipper tape extends at an acute angle relative to the first sidewalls;   a second zipper tape coupled to the second wall and extending in a spiral configuration, wherein an edge of the second zipper tape extends at an acute angle relative to the second sidewalls;   a first zipper slider coupled to the first zipper tape and to the second zipper tape, wherein pulling the first zipper slider along a first path couples a first portion the first zipper tape with a first portion of the second zipper tape and reduces the volume inside the luggage assembly; and   a second zipper slider coupled to the first zipper tape and to the second zipper tape, wherein pulling the second zipper slider towards the first zipper slider uncouples the first portion the first zipper tape from the first portion of the second zipper tape and creates an opening into the luggage assembly.   
     
     
         28 . The luggage assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the second zipper slider is capable uncoupling a first portion of the first zipper tape and a first portion of the second zipper tape that the first zipper slider had coupled. 
     
     
         29 . The luggage assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the second zipper slider is capable coupling a first portion or the first zipper tape and a first portion of the second zipper tape that the first zipper slider had uncoupled. 
     
     
         30 . The luggage assembly of  claim 27 , wherein when the first zipper slider and the second zipper slider are moved in one direction, the first zipper slider would couple a first portion of the first zipper tape and a first portion of the second zipper tape and the second zipper slider would uncouple a second portion of the first zipper tape and a second portion of the second zipper tape. 
     
     
         31 . The luggage assembly of  claim 27 , wherein when the first zipper slider and the second zipper slider are moved in opposite directions, the first zipper slider would uncouple a first portion of the first zipper tape and a first portion of the second zipper tape and the second zipper slider would couple a second portion of the first zipper tape and a second portion of the second zipper tape. 
     
     
         32 . A luggage assembly, comprising:
 a first shell having first sidewalls;   a second shell having a second sidewalls;   a first zipper tape coupled to the first sidewalls and extending in a spiral configuration, wherein an edge of the first zipper tape extends at an acute angle relative to the first sidewalls;   a second zipper tape coupled to the second wall and extending in a spiral configuration, wherein an edge of the second zipper tape extends at an acute angle relative to the second sidewalls;   a first zipper slider coupled to the first zipper tape and to the second zipper tape, wherein pulling the first zipper slider along a first path uncouples a first portion the first zipper tape from a first portion of the second zipper tape and increases the volume inside the luggage assembly; and   a second zipper slider coupled to the first zipper tape and to the second zipper tape, wherein pulling the second zipper slider towards the first zipper slider couples the first portion the first zipper tape with the first portion of the second zipper tape and closes an opening into the luggage assembly.   
     
     
         33 . The luggage assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the first path has turns of at least 360 degrees. 
     
     
         34 . The luggage assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first path has turns of at least 360 degrees. 
     
     
         35 . The luggage assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first path has turns of at least 360 degrees.