RATCHET-TYPE EXPANSION SYSTEM FOR LUGGAGE AND LUGGAGE INCORPORATING SAME

The article of luggage includes a luggage main body having a bottom surface and a cavity formed to receive articles for packing; an expansion body having a perimeter defining a cavity; a foldable gusset joining the luggage main body to the expansion body; and an expansion and locking device disposed internally at opposite ends of the article of luggage. The expansion and locking device is configured to allow free movement of the expansion body in a compression direction towards the luggage main body and configured to allow locking movement of the expansion body in an expanding direction away from the luggage main body. One expansion and locking device is preferably attached to two or more walls of the luggage. After finishing packing, the luggage is closed and the user pushes the expanding member towards the base member, ratcheting the pawl past the ratchet teeth to collapse the luggage.