Granted Patent B2

US 12,543,833 · App. 18/538,690 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Inventors: Sanni McKelvey (Leawood, KS); Stephen R McKelvey (Leawood, KS)

A45C13/03A45C2013/267

Abstract

Claims (46)

1 . A luggage system for a rigid piece of luggage having an exterior face and an interior compartment, the luggage further including a telescoping handle comprising telescoping handle arms configured for pulling said luggage, the luggage system further comprising:

a pair of receiver cavities having a floor near a bottom of the piece of luggage and a top opening near a top of said piece of luggage;

a pair of telescoping arms, each one of said pair of telescoping arms being deployed within a respective one of said pair of receiver cavities;

each of said pair of receiver cavities including a selectively releasable slidable latch configured to retain the respective one of said pair of telescoping arms within the respective one of said receiver cavities;

each said selectively releasable slidable latch configured to release the respective one of said pair of telescoping arms from within the respective one of said pair of receiver cavities such that each said arm can be telescoped upward, thereby transforming said luggage system from said first, stored orientation and said second, deployed orientation;

each said slidable latch being accessible upon lifting a cap;

said slidable latch being spring loaded, such that said latch is configured to return to its original orientation when released;

thereby said slidable latch configured to automatically engage and secure its respective said telescoping arm upon replacement of said telescoping arm into its respective receiver cavity;

each of said pair of receiver cavities including a spring element deployed between said floor of the respective one of said pair of receiver cavities and a bottom end of the respective one of said pair of telescoping arms;

wherein said luggage system is configured to be transformed between a first, stored orientation and a second, deployed orientation;

each respective one of said pair of telescoping arms configured to be released from within the respective one of said pair of receiver cavities, thereby transforming said luggage system from said first, stored orientation and said second, deployed orientation; and

a clothing rack configured to be connected to a top end of each of said pair of telescoping arms when said luggage system is transformed into said second, deployed orientation.

2 . The luggage system of claim 1 , further comprising:

each said cap comprising a stem configured to be inserted into said receiver cavity.

3 . The luggage system of claim 1 , further comprising:

each said cap comprising a latch; and

each said cover comprising a latch receiver configured to receive said latch when in a closed orientation.

4 . The luggage system of claim 1 , further comprising:

each said spring element having a first, locked position and a second, unlocked position;

each said spring element configured to be transformed from said first, locked position to said second, unlocked position by pressing downward against the respective one of said pair of telescoping arms located above the respective said spring element;

each said spring element thereby configured to release the respective one of said pair of telescoping arms from within the respective one of said pair of receiver cavities, thereby transforming said luggage system from said first, stored orientation and said second, deployed orientation; and

each said spring element configured to be transformed from said second, unlocked position to said first, locked position by pressing downward against the respective one of said pair of telescoping arms located above the respective said spring element a second time.

5 . The luggage system of claim 1 , further comprising at least two roller wheels configured to allow the piece of luggage to be rolled.

6 . The luggage system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one exterior storage compartment located on an exterior face of the said piece of luggage.

7 . The luggage system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a removable weight element configured to be moved from a first, stored orientation located within the interior compartment of said piece of luggage to a second, removed orientation where it is selectively removed from said interior compartment; and

said removable weight element configured to act as a counterweight against said clothing rack when said removable weight is placed in said first, stored orientation and when said luggage system is positioned in said second, deployed orientation.

8 . A luggage system for a rigid piece of luggage having an exterior face and an interior compartment, the luggage further including a telescoping handle comprising telescoping handle arms configured for pulling said luggage, the luggage system further comprising:

a pair of telescoping arms being deployed within said piece of luggage;

wherein said luggage system is configured to be transformed between a first, stored orientation and a second, deployed orientation;

each respective one of said pair of telescoping arms configured to be released from within the respective one of said pair of receiver cavities, thereby transforming said luggage system from said first, stored orientation and said second, deployed orientation;

a clothing rack configured to be connected to a top end of each of said pair of telescoping arms when said luggage system is transformed into said second, deployed orientation;

a removable weight element configured to be moved from a first, stored orientation located within the interior compartment of said piece of luggage to a second, removed orientation where it is selectively removed from said interior compartment; and

said removable weight element configured to act as a counterweight against said clothing rack when said removable weight is placed in said first, stored orientation and when said luggage system is positioned in said second, deployed orientation.

9 . The luggage system of claim 1 , wherein the piece of luggage comprises a rigid shell.

10 . A luggage system for a rigid piece of luggage having an exterior face and an interior compartment, the luggage further including a telescoping handle comprising telescoping handle arms configured for pulling said luggage, the luggage system further comprising:

a pair of receiver cavities having a floor near a bottom of the piece of luggage and a top opening near a top of said piece of luggage;

a pair of telescoping arms, each one of said pair of telescoping arms being deployed within a respective one of said pair of receiver cavities;

each of said pair of receiver cavities including a selectively releasable securing element configured to retain the respective one of said pair of telescoping arms within the respective one of said receiver cavities;

each said selectively releasable securing element configured to release the respective one of said pair of telescoping arms from within the respective one of said pair of receiver cavities such that each said arm can be telescoped upward, thereby transforming said luggage system from said first, stored orientation and said second, deployed orientation;

each of said pair of receiver cavities including a spring element deployed between said floor of the respective one of said pair of receiver cavities and a bottom end of the respective one of said pair of telescoping arms;

wherein said luggage system is configured to be transformed between a first, stored orientation and a second, deployed orientation;

each respective one of said pair of telescoping arms configured to be released from within the respective one of said pair of receiver cavities, thereby transforming said luggage system from said first, stored orientation and said second, deployed orientation;

a clothing rack configured to be connected to a top end of each of said pair of telescoping arms when said luggage system is transformed into said second, deployed orientation;

a removable weight element configured to be moved from a first, stored orientation located within the interior compartment of said piece of luggage to a second, removed orientation where it is selectively removed from said interior compartment; and

said removable weight element configured to act as a counterweight against said clothing rack when said removable weight is placed in said first, stored orientation and when said luggage system is positioned in said second, deployed orientation.

Continuity (3)

References Cited (92)