Battery latch assembly and retractable battery cover for luggage and other travel bags

Abstract

Several novel components for Travel Bags and Travel Bag accessories are disclosed including a retractable trolley which has multiple adjustable handle heights along substantially all of the range of distance of its telescopic trolley tubes which permits the user to select and to fix the trolley pull handles at a height of their selection, a retractable hingeless plastic cover which in a closed position covers and protects an opening for a removable battery and which in open position permits the removal of the removable battery and/or access by the user to the battery face for charging and recharging purposes; a divider which can be fastened in place with adjustable side squeeze buckles or releasing and fastening clips either of which are adjustable to hold the contents in place; a battery latching and ejection system for a removable battery, a retractable power chord for rechargeable batteries or rechargeable electronic devices, and a connector cap which connects a vacuum pump with a vacuum compression bag valve and which is removable after the use of the vacuum pump.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A latch assembly adapted for positioning a removable battery within a travel bag, the travel bag having trolley bridge member having a bottom surface defining an opening for insertion and removal of a removable battery, the latch assembly comprising:
 a latch, wherein in a closed position the latch adapted for contacting a top surface of a battery when the battery is inserted into the Travel Bag through the bottom surface opening of the trolley bridge member;   wherein the latch is adapted to be maintained in one position from a choice of multiple positions with respect to the location of the bottom surface opening of the trolley bridge member including a latch position where the latch is positioned intermediate of a latch fully closed position and a latch fully opened position.   
     
     
         2 . The latch assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a cradle disposed within the travel bag and located under the opening in the bottom surface and at least one spring contacting the cradle at one end and adapted to contact the battery when the battery is inserted into the Travel Bag. 
     
     
         3 . The latch assembly of  claim 2  wherein the battery when inserted into the bottom surface opening is received within the cradle such that a bottom surface of the battery contacts the at least one spring and compresses the at least one spring and is maintained in position compressing the at least one spring by the latch contacting the top surface of the battery in at least the latch fully closed position. 
     
     
         4 . The latch assembly of  claim 2  wherein the cradle having an opening; wherein when the battery is received within the cradle one or more electrical contacts or electrical connectors disposed on a bottom surface of the battery are accessible through the cradle opening for mating with corresponding contacts or electrical connectors of an electrical device contained within the travel bag. 
     
     
         5 . The latch assembly of  claim 4  wherein the electrical device contained within the travel bag is a vacuum pump. 
     
     
         6 . The latch assembly of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a button member; 
 a latch moving member connected to the latch, the latch moving member having a first contact surface; 
 a contact member movable by the button member and having a second contact surface; 
 wherein to release the latch from contacting a top surface of a battery inserted into the travel bag through the bottom surface opening, the button is pressed down by a user causing the second contact surface of the contact member to contact the first contact surface of the latch moving member to move the latch such that the latch does not contact the top surface of the battery and the battery is permitted to be at least partially extended upward from the bottom surface opening in the trolley bridge member and removed from the travel bag by the user. 
 
     
     
         7 . The latch assembly of  claim 6  further comprising:
 an elongated member having a first end connected to the button and a second end connected to the contact member; and 
 a spring, the elongated member extending through a center passageway of the spring; 
 wherein when the user presses the button to release the latch the spring compresses and when the user no longer presses on the button the spring extends to position the button upward to its original position prior to being pressed by the user. 
 
     
     
         8 . The latch assembly of  claim 7  further comprising an internal shelf or ledge, wherein the spring internally disposed between the button and the internal shelf or ledge. 
     
     
         9 . The latch assembly of  claim 6  wherein the first contact surface and the second contact surface are angled. 
     
     
         10 . The latch assembly of  claim 6  wherein the contact of the first contact surface with the second contact surface when the user pushes the button causes the latch to be moved away from the battery. 
     
     
         11 . The latch assembly of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a spring having a first end in contact with the latch and a second end in contact with an internal wall surface; 
 wherein the spring in an extended position positions a catch portion of the latch in contact with a top area of the battery when the battery is internal disposed within the travel bag through the bottom surface opening. 
 
     
     
         12 . The latch assembly of  claim 11  further comprising:
 a bridge area cover having a tab member depending downward from an outward end of the cover; 
 wherein in a closed position the bridge area cover is disposed over the battery opening and the inserted battery and the tab member is disposed on an opposite side of the opening from the latch; 
 wherein in a partially opened position the bridge area cover is moved inward such that the tab member is adjacent to the latch with the spring extended so that latch still maintains the battery within the travel bag and with any electrical ports or outlets or interface disposed on a top surface of the battery accessible to a user; 
 wherein in a fully opened position a user pushes the bridge area cover further inward causing the tab member to contact the latch member which compresses the spring and moves the latch member inward such that the latch member no longer maintains the battery in position and the battery is permitted to be removed from the Travel Bag by the user. 
 
     
     
         13 . A battery latching, release and ejection assembly for use with travel bags, the travel bag having an electrical component having contact pins, comprising:
 a spring loaded cradle disposed within an interior area of a travel bag;   a fastening latch disposed within the interior area and position near a top area of a battery when a bottom area of the battery is received within the spring loaded cradle, the latch maintaining at least a bottom area of the battery within the cradle against tension from a spring member of the spring loaded cradle;   wherein when a battery is inserted into the spring loaded cradle, the spring becomes loaded and the battery is held in place by the fastening latch and electrical contact pins located on a bottom surface of the battery makes electrical connection with contact pins of an electrical component also externally disposed within the travel bag;   wherein the latch is adapted to be maintained in one position from a choice of multiple positions with respect to the location of the bottom surface opening of the trolley bridge member including a latch position where the latch is positioned intermediate of a latch fully closed position and a latch fully opened position.   
     
     
         14 . A retractable hingeless cover assembly for use with travel bags, comprising:
 a bridge member defining an opening area having a passageway wall, the bridge member having an interior area, a portion of the passageway wall provided with a wall opening which provides communication between the opening area and the interior area of the bridge member, the bridge member externally accessible at a top area of a travel bag;   a cover member retractably movable from an open position to a closed position with respect to the opening area of the bridge member, the cover member sized to cover at least a majority of the opening area in a cover closed position, at least a majority portion of the cover member positioned within the interior area through the wall opening when the cover member is a cover opened position;   a holder and guide system for maintaining the cover in positional relationship with the bridge member.   
     
     
         15 . The retractable hingeless cover assembly of  claim 14  wherein in a cover closed position the cover member seals the opening from its top opening. 
     
     
         16 . The retractable hingeless cover assembly of  claim 14  wherein a bottom surface of the opening area defines a first open end of a battery passageway where a rechargeable battery is inserted or removed from.