Professional briefcase / tote bag with hidable handles and backpack straps

Abstract

A versatile professional briefcase that can be converted to a tote bag or backpack. The briefcase has a central compartment for holding a laptop and/or papers. The central compartment includes a front wall and a back wall, each wall having two front handle strap slits. There are also two handle straps, each handle strap having two ends, each end going through a slot, and terminating in an adjustable stop that is used for adjusting the length of the handle strap. A front outer panel of the briefcase is attached to the front wall of the central compartment to form a front pocket for hiding at least a portion of the front handle strap, and a back outer panel is attached to the back wall of the central compartment to form a back pocket for hiding at least a portion of the back handle strap, and for hiding two backpack straps.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A versatile professional briefcase that can be converted to a tote bag or a backpack, the briefcase comprising:
 a central compartment having a front wall and a back wall, the front wall having two front handle strap slits, and the back wall having two back handle strap slits;   a front handle strap having first and second front strap stops, the front handle strap threaded once through each of the two front handle strap slits such that the first and second front strap stops remain within the central compartment;   a back handle strap having first and second back strap stops, the back handle strap threaded once through each of the two back handle strap slits such that the first and second back strap stops remain within the central compartment;   a front outer panel attached to the front wall of the central compartment so as to form a front pocket configured to hide the two front handle strap slits, and at least a portion of the front handle strap; and   a back outer panel attached to the back wall of the central compartment so as to form a back pocket configured to hide the two back handle strap slits, and to hide at least a portion of the back handle strap, the back outer panel also configured to hide a first backpack strap and a second backpack strap.   
     
     
         2 . The versatile professional briefcase of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second front strap stops are configured to be adjustable. 
     
     
         3 . The versatile professional briefcase of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second back strap stops are configured to be adjustable. 
     
     
         4 . The versatile professional briefcase of  claim 1 , wherein a right flap of the back outer panel is attached to the back wall of the central compartment using a releasable closure. 
     
     
         5 . The versatile professional briefcase of  claim 4 , wherein the releasable closure is magnetic. 
     
     
         6 . The versatile professional briefcase of  claim 1 , wherein a left flap of the back outer panel is attached to the back wall of the central compartment using a releasable closure. 
     
     
         7 . The versatile professional briefcase of  claim 6 , wherein the releasable closure is magnetic. 
     
     
         8 . The versatile professional briefcase of  claim 1 , wherein a right flap of the back outer panel is attached to a right edge of the back wall of the central compartment using a right flap zipper. 
     
     
         9 . The versatile professional briefcase of  claim 1 , wherein a left flap of the back outer panel is attached to a left edge of the back wall of the central compartment using a left flap zipper. 
     
     
         10 . The versatile professional briefcase of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first backpack strap having a first end attached to a top portion of a left half of the back wall of the central compartment, and a second end with a first backpack strap attachment device;   a first backpack strap attachment ring, the first backpack strap attachment ring being attached to a lower left corner of the back outer panel, the first backpack strap attachment ring being configured to removably engage with the second end of the first backpack strap attachment device;   a second backpack strap having a first end attached to a top portion of a right half of the back wall of the central compartment, and a second end with a second backpack strap attachment device; and   a second backpack strap attachment ring, the second backpack strap attachment ring being attached to a lower right corner of the back outer panel, the second backpack strap attachment ring being configured to removably engage with the second end of the second backpack strap attachment device.   
     
     
         11 . The versatile professional briefcase of  claim 10 , wherein the first backpack strap attachment device is adjustable. 
     
     
         12 . The versatile professional briefcase of  claim 10 , wherein the second backpack strap attachment device is adjustable. 
     
     
         13 . The versatile professional briefcase of  claim 1 , wherein the front handle strap has a front gripping element located between the first and second front strap stops; and
 the back handle strap has a back gripping element between the first and second back strap stops.   
     
     
         14 . The versatile professional briefcase of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the front gripping element is slidable along the front handle strap between the first and second front strap stops; and   the back gripping element is slidable along the back handle strap between the first and second back strap stops.