Duffle Bag with Flexible Frame

Abstract

An article of luggage includes a resiliently-bendable reinforcing member extending substantially along the length of a top panel, being attached to the interior of a back panel, and being indirectly attached to the sling strap; resiliently-bendable reinforcing members extending substantially along the length of end panels and being attached to the end panels; and divider panels secured to a base, the divider panels being structured and arranged to provide rigidity to the base. The resiliently-bendable reinforcing member attached to the back panel is structured and arranged to disperse the weight of a load on the article of luggage when loaded with the load; to retain a rectangular parallelepiped shape of the article of luggage; and to minimize strain on an operator selecting mechanism defining an openable and closable access opening to the interior of the article of luggage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of luggage comprising:
 a base;   a left side end panel connected to the base;   a right side end panel connected to the base;   a front panel connected to the base, the left side end panel, and the right side end panel;   a back panel connected to the base, the left side end panel, and the right side end panel;   a top panel connected to the front panel, the back panel, the left side end panel, and the right side end panel;   the top panel including a lid formed therein;   the lid including an operator selecting mechanism that is structured and arranged to define an openable and closable access opening to the interior of the article of luggage;   a back handle secured to the back panel;   a front handle secured to the front panel;   a strap attached to at least one of the panels;   all of the panels being of a deformable material;   a resiliently-bendable reinforcing member attached to the interior of the back panel to extend along at least a length of the back panel, the resiliently-bendable reinforcing member being attached to the strap, whereby the resiliently-bendable reinforcing member:
 a. is structured and arranged to disperse the weight of the load on the article of luggage when loaded; 
 b. is structured and arranged to retain a geometric shape of the article of luggage; and 
 c. is structured and arranged to reduce strain on the access opening; 
   resiliently-bendable reinforcing members extending along a length of the end panels, the resiliently-bendable reinforcing members being attached to the end panels; and   divider panels secured to the base, the divider panels being structured and arranged to provide rigidity to the base.   
     
     
         2 . The article of luggage of  claim 1  in the form of a duffel bag. 
     
     
         3 . The article of luggage of  claim 1 , wherein the openable and closable lid extends substantially over the entire top panel and extends partially abutting the front panel. 
     
     
         4 . The article of luggage of  claim 1 , wherein the resiliently-bendable reinforcing members comprise fibreglass rods. 
     
     
         5 . The article of luggage of  claim 1 , wherein the operator selecting mechanism comprises a zipper. 
     
     
         6 . The article of luggage of  claim 1 , wherein the resiliently-bendable reinforcing member attached to the back panel extends substantially along the length of the interior of the back panel. 
     
     
         7 . The article of luggage of  claim 1 , wherein the lid is integrally and foldably connected to the back panel. 
     
     
         8 . The article of luggage of  claim 1 , wherein support structure comprises a spine that is formed of fibreglass. 
     
     
         9 . The article of luggage of  claim 1 , wherein the resiliently-bendable reinforcing members attached to the end panels extend substantially along the length of the end panels. 
     
     
         10 . The article of luggage of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric of the outer bag is a nylon outer shell. 
     
     
         11 . The article of luggage of  claim 1 , wherein the resiliently-bendable reinforcing member attached to the interior of the back panel is indirectly attached to the strap. 
     
     
         12 . An article of luggage comprising:
 a base;   a left side end panel connected to the base;   a right side end panel connected to the base;   a front panel connected to the base, the left side end panel, and the right side end panel;   a back panel connected to the base, the left side end panel, and the right side end panel;   a top panel connected to the front panel, the back panel, the left side end panel, and the right side end panel;   the top panel including a lid formed therein;   the lid including an operator selecting mechanism that is structured and arranged to define an openable and closable access opening to the interior of the article of luggage;   a back handle secured to the back panel;   a front handle secured to the front panel;   a strap attached to at least one of the panels;   all of the panels being of a deformable material;   a resiliently-bendable reinforcing member attached to the interior of the back panel to extend along a direction that extends from the side end panels and at least 75% of the entire length of the back panel, the resiliently-bendable reinforcing member being attached to the strap, the resiliently-bendable reinforcing member being displaced by a distance from the interior of the back panel such that a load can fit between the resiliently-bendable reinforcing member and the interior of the back panel; and   resiliently-bendable reinforcing members extending along at least some of the length of the end panels, the resiliently-bendable reinforcing members being attached to the end panels.   
     
     
         13 . The article of luggage of  claim 12 , wherein the resiliently-bendable reinforcing members extending along the end panels are arranged along a diagonal direction. 
     
     
         14 . The article of luggage of  claim 12 , wherein the resiliently-bendable reinforcing member attached to the back panel interior is indirectly attached to the strap. 
     
     
         15 . The article of luggage of  claim 12 , wherein a pulling force applied to the strap is transferred to the resiliently-bendable reinforcing member attached to the back panel. 
     
     
         16 . The article of luggage of  claim 15 , wherein more pulling force is transferred to the resiliently-bendable reinforcing member attached to the back panel than is transferred to the back panel. 
     
     
         17 . The article of luggage of  claim 15 , further comprising rigid divider panels secured to the base and extending upward from a plane of the base. 
     
     
         18 . An article of luggage comprising:
 a base;   a left side end panel connected to the base;   a right side end panel connected to the base;   a front panel connected to the base, the left side end panel, and the right side end panel;   a back panel connected to the base, the left side end panel, and the right side end panel;   a top panel connected to the front panel, the back panel, the left side end panel, and the right side end panel;   a strap attached to at least one of the panels;   all of the panels being of a deformable material; and   a resiliently-bendable reinforcing member attached to the interior of the back panel to extend along a direction that extends from the right and left side end panels and at least some of the entire length of the back panel, the resiliently-bendable reinforcing member being attached to the strap, the resiliently-bendable reinforcing member defining a space between an interior side of the back panel and the reinforcing member.   
     
     
         19 . The article of luggage of  claim 18 , further comprising resiliently-bendable reinforcing members extending along at least some of the length of the end panels, the resiliently-bendable reinforcing members being attached to the end panels. 
     
     
         20 . The article of luggage of  claim 18 , wherein the strap is attached to one or more of the front panel, the back panel, the left side end panel, and the right side end panel.