Adaptable luggage

Abstract

A flexible and modular system of internal partitioning of a piece of luggage that permits the user to allocate appropriate space to the various contents or to accommodate the particular nature of the contents, such as waterproof containment of wet items, and that is interchangeably modular so that the user can vary the partitioning depending upon the nature of the trip for which he/she is packing.

1 . A suitcase comprising 
 a luggage base defining a compartment therein for containing clothing, the base having interior side walls defining spaced-apart partition locating features;    a lid attached to the base and closable to enclose the compartment; and    a removable compartment partition sized to simultaneously engage at least two of the partition locating features of the luggage base while partitioning the compartment.    
   
   
       2 . The suitcase of  claim 1 , comprising multiple, independently removable compartment partitions, each sized to simultaneously engage at least two of the partition locating features of the luggage base while together partitioning the compartment into at least three regions.  
   
   
       3 . The suitcase of  claim 1 , wherein the partition is configured to be removed from engagement with a first two of the partition locating features, and moved into engagement with a second two of the partition locating features, to alter a compartment configuration.  
   
   
       4 . The suitcase of  claim 1 , wherein the lid comprises at least one internal flap extending from an internal edge of the lid adjacent the luggage base so as to be moved with the lid open, from a first position against the lid, to a second position covering contents of the luggage base.  
   
   
       5 . The suitcase of  claim 4 , wherein the lid comprises two internal flaps, both extending separately from an internal edge of the lid adjacent the luggage base.  
   
   
       6 . The suitcase of  claim 1 , wherein the partition locating features comprise slots sized to receive edge portions of the partition.  
   
   
       7 . The suitcase of  claim 1 , wherein the partition is expandable to form a pocket therein.  
   
   
       8 . The suitcase of  claim 7 , wherein the partition is expandable into a honeycomb structure to form multiple, polygonal pockets therein.  
   
   
       9 . The suitcase of  claim 7 , wherein the partition comprises a flexible fabric panel.  
   
   
       10 . A suitcase comprising 
 a luggage base defining a compartment therein for containing clothing, the base having interior side walls; and    a clothes hanger with a hook at one end for suspending the hanger from a rod, the hanger partitioned to simultaneously hang multiple items of clothing draped over different portions of the hanger;    wherein the hanger is foldable in length to be placed into the luggage base with clothing hanging therefrom, the interior walls of the base having hanger locating features arranged to receive and locate the folded hanger.    
   
   
       11 . The suitcase of  claim 10 , wherein the hanger locating features comprise spaced-apart hooks.  
   
   
       12 . The suitcase of  claim 10 , wherein the hanger comprises multiple, spaced-apart, rigid crossbars extending between side rails.  
   
   
       13 . The suitcase of  claim 12 , wherein the side rails are bendable to fold the hanger.  
   
   
       14 . The suitcase of  claim 12 , wherein the side rails comprise flexible cable.  
   
   
       15 . A suitcase comprising 
 a luggage base defining a compartment therein for containing clothing, the base having interior side walls; and    at least one movable partition within the compartment and arranged to be moved from an open position to a closed position to seal a portion of the compartment from a remainder of the compartment, the partition having a perimeter edge adapted to form an air-tight seal with the interior side walls of the luggage base, and a one-way air valve configured to allow air to escape from the sealed portion of the compartment under pressure, and to inhibit entrance of air into the sealed compartment.    
   
   
       16 . The suitcase of  claim 15 , wherein the partition comprises a flexible membrane extending across a major portion of the sealed portion of the compartment.  
   
   
       17 . The suitcase of  claim 16 , wherein the partition comprises a semi-rigid perimeter sealing flange defining a central aperture across which the membrane extends.  
   
   
       18 . The suitcase of  claim 16 , wherein the flexible membrane extends across substantially a full lateral extent of the sealed portion of the compartment.  
   
   
       19 . The suitcase of  claim 15 , wherein the partition is hinged to one of the interior side walls of the luggage base.  
   
   
       20 . The suitcase of  claim 15 , wherein the air valve is positioned to allow air to escape from the sealed portion of the compartment when the partition is manually pressed toward the sealed portion of the compartment.  
   
   
       21 . The suitcase of  claim 15 , further comprising a lid attached to the base and closable to enclose the compartment with the partition in its closed position.  
   
   
       22 . A suitcase comprising 
 a luggage base defining a compartment therein for containing clothing, the base having interior side walls; and    multiple rigid support boards removably secured to one of the interior side walls of the luggage base, each support board sized to support a folded article of clothing thereon.    
   
   
       23 . The suitcase of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of the support boards is sized to fold an adult-sized shirt thereon, so as to support the folded shirt to resist wrinkling while packed.  
   
   
       24 . The suitcase of  claim 22 , wherein the support boards are arranged in a stack within the compartment.  
   
   
       25 . The suitcase of  claim 24 , wherein the stacked support boards are all secured to a common retention feature on one of the interior side walls of the luggage base.  
   
   
       26 . The suitcase of  claim 25 , wherein the common retention feature comprises an elongated dovetail sized to be received within complementary slots in each of the support boards.  
   
   
       27 . The suitcase of  claim 22 , further comprising a rigid shell open at a bottom thereof and removably secured to one of the interior walls of the luggage base to protect contents contained under the rigid shell from contents placed within the compartment above the shell.  
   
   
       28 . The suitcase of  claim 27 , wherein the luggage base has a compartment floor that defines features for receiving and locating a lower perimeter edge of the shell.  
   
   
       29 . The suitcase of  claim 27 , wherein the rigid shell defines a side slot sized to receive an elongated dovetail extending from one of the interior side walls of the luggage base, to secure the shell to the luggage base.  
   
   
       30 . A suitcase comprising 
 a luggage base defining a compartment therein for containing clothing, the base having interior side walls; and    a hanger disposed within the compartment, the hanger having a hook at one end for suspending the hanger from a rod when removed from the luggage base;    wherein the hanger comprises a series of separately sealable pouches, each pouch having a respective, sealable opening for pouch access, and a respective one-way air vent configured to allow air to escape from the sealed pouch under pressure, and to inhibit entrance of air into the sealed pouch.    
   
   
       31 . The suitcase of  claim 30 , wherein the sealable openings of the pouches each comprise a rib-and-groove closure.  
   
   
       32 . The suitcase of  claim 30 , wherein the hanger is disposed in a folded state inside the compartment.  
   
   
       33 . The suitcase of  claim 32 , wherein the one-way air vents of the pouches are arranged to enable air to be evacuated from all of the pouches by pressing against the folded hanger in the compartment.  
   
   
       34 . The suitcase of  claim 30 , wherein the pouches of the hanger are configured in different sizes.  
   
   
       35 . The suitcase of  claim 30 , wherein the pouches are arranged to extend in a vertical chain of pouches when the hanger is suspended by its hook.  
   
   
       36 . The suitcase of  claim 30 , further comprising a lid attached to the base and closable to enclose the compartment with the hanger therein.