EP1107674B1

EP1107674B1 - An article of luggage

Info

Publication number: EP1107674B1
Application number: EP99935011A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Colin Datnow
Original assignee: Interbrand Pty Ltd
Current assignee: INTERBRAND (PROPRIETARY) LIMITED
Priority date: 1998-08-14
Filing date: 1999-08-13
Publication date: 2003-10-15
Anticipated expiration: 2019-08-13
Also published as: DE29913932U1; AU717135B3; HK1039041A1; EP1107674A1; GB9919202D0; WO2000008966A1; AU5061499A; DE69912138D1; GB2338177B; GB2338177A; ATE251858T1

Abstract

An article of luggage 10 comprises a plurality of flexible panels at least one of which has a circumferentially extending stiffening element 68 of wire-like material. As described the luggage is a wheeled suitcase having a retractable handle and the wheels 30 and handle are mounted on a stiffening panel or panels of expanded foamed plastics extending over three sides of the case. The stiffening loops may be provided in one wall of the suitcase, or in the front and two adjacent sides, or in opposite sides only, or in all walls. The wire-like material may be fabric-covered and provide piping stitched into the seams between adjacent case walls. Carrying handles 62, 64 and feet 66, 67 may also be provided.

Description

More particularly, the invention relates to luggage known in the art as upright, roll-on cases. Such cases are substantially cuboid, having six generally rectangular walls, with a pair of wheels located at the junction between two walls and a handle (which is usually extendable) being provided at the opposite end of one of these walls. The wall which extends between the wheels and this handle will be referred to as the back wall with a wall that is parallel to and spaced therefrom being referred to as the front wall.The wall which extends between the wheels and the front wall will then be a bottom wall with the wall that is parallel thereto and which extends between the front and back walls on the opposite end being the top wall. The remaining walls are then side walls. It will be appreciated that the disposition of the walls has been defined with the case oriented such that the wheels are in contact with the ground and the handle used to pull the case is above. In this specification an article of luggage as described above will be referred to as "an article of luggage of the type described".

US-A-3613843 is directed to a center folded twin compartment travel bag having front, back, bottom, top and side walls. The front and back walls of the bag have a peripheral stiffening loop. Two bent stiffening sheets are provided, one for each compartment. These sheets stiffen the bottom wall of each compartment and part of the side walls thereof. The bag also has reinforcing struts.

GB-A-2201335 discloses a luggage casealso having front, back, bottom, top and side walls. The front and back walls thereof have frames of stiff steel wire.

According to the invention there is provided an article of luggage which has a front wall, a back wall, a bottom wall extending from the back wall to the front wall at a bottom end of the back wall, a top wall extending from the back wall to the front wall at a top end of the back wall and a pair of side walls extending between the back and front walls at sides of the back wall, the walls being of a fabric material and includes a first stiffening loop of a resiliently flexible wire-like material arranged peripherally on the front wall and a stiffening sheet, characterised in that it is substantially frameless and further includes a pair of wheels adjacent the bottom end of the back wall and an extendable handle at the top end of the back wall, and the stiffening sheet extends across the back wall and the top and bottom walls.

The article of luggage may include a pair of second stiffening loops each of which is arranged peripherally on a respective one of a pair of opposed second walls of the article. In a preferred embodiment of the invention where the article of luggage is of the type described, the pair of opposed second walls are side walls.

Each stiffening loop of resiliently flexible wire-like material may comprise a core of a piping, the piping being stitched into a seam between the wall on which the loop is arranged and adjacent walls of the article. Where the article of luggage has an openable front wall, the piping may be stitched into a seam between the front wall and a zip fastener arranged peripherally about three sides of the front wall. The loop may be covered with a fabric material which may ba of the same material as that of the walls of the article of luggage.

The stiffening sheet may be of a lightweight resiliently flexible plastics material. Instead it may be of a rigid material. A single sheet of material may be used, the sheet having three portions, a first portion stiffening the top wall, a second portion stiffening the bottom wall and an intermediate portion stiffening the back wall. This sheet may be of a synthetic plastics material. This sheet may be bent to define the three portions. The sheet may also have moulded recesses in which the wheels are supported with suitable axles. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the article of luggage has an extendable "U"-shaped handle, having a cross bar with two arms extending therefrom. Two support tubes may then be secured to the portion of the rigid sheet stiffening the back wall, with the two arms being slidable therein between extended and retracted positions. Instead, a first sheet, bent to define two substantially perpendicular portions, may stiffen the top wall and an operatively top portion of the back wall, while a second sheet, similarly bent to define two substantially perpendicular portions, may stiffen the bottom wall and an operatively bottom portion of the back wall. Then the handle may be mounted on the first sheet, while the wheels may be mounted on the second sheet.

Further, some of the walls may be further stiffened by means of a non-rigid sheet of a stiffening material such as an expanded plastics material, for example an open or closed cell foam plastic. The non-rigid sheat of stiffening material may be encased in cloth which may be of a high density polyester with an acrylic coating. such cloth is lightweight and durable. This cloth may also be used to cover the rigid sheet, or sheets, used for the top, bottom and back walls, the cloth of the various walls being sewn to each other. The tubes for the extendable handle may be covered with a lining of the cloth.

The article of luggage may have a central compartment which is defined by the bottom, back, front, top and side walls. Conveniently, the front wall may be openable, and may be secured to the top, bottom and one of the side walls by means of a sliding fastener, such that the front wall is hingedly connected to the other side wall.

Auxiliary pouches may also be provided on the outside of the front wall, which may also be closed by sliding fasteners.

Further, the article may have a first carrying handle attached to one of the side walls. Preferably, the first carrying handle may be attached to the side wall opposite to the side wall to which the front wall is hingedly attached. A second carrying handle may be attached to the top wall.

Feet may be provided on the bottom wall opposite the wheels.

The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 shows a front view of an article of luggage in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 shows a rear view of the article of luggage;

Figure 3 shows a first side view of the article of luggage;

Figure 4 shows a second opposed side view of the article of luggage;

Figure 5 shows a top view of the article of luggage; and

Figure 6 shows a sectional top view of the article of luggage.

In the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally indicates an article of luggage in accordance with the invention.

The article of luggage 10 is of the type described, being of the upright roll-on type, and has a bottom wall 12, a top wall 18, a back wall 14, a front wall 16 and a pair of side walls 20.

The bottom wall 12, top wall 18 and back wall 14 have arranged thereon a stiffening sheet 19 (as shown in Figure 6) of a resiliently flexible plastics material which is bent to define a pair of end portions and an intermediate portion 21, the end portions being substantially perpendicular to the intermediate portion 21. Moulded recess defining elements 28 define recesses in the sheet 19 of plastics material and are attached to the sheet 19 at a junction between the operatively bottom end portion 23 and the intermediate portion 21 of the stiffening sheet 19. Wheels 30 are supported with axles 32 in each of the recesses 28. An extendable handle 34 which is "U"-shaped, having a cross bar 36 with two arms 37 (as shown in Figure 6) extending therefrom is secured to the intermediate portion 21 of the stiffening sheet 19 of rigid plastics material by means of a pair of guide tubes 39 in which the arms 37 are slidably received.

The article of luggage 10 has a central compartment 46 which is defined by the bottom wall 12, back wall 14, front wall 16, top wall 18 and side walls 20. The front wall 16 is openable, and is secured to the top wall 18, bottom wall 12 and one of the side walls 20 by means of a zip 48, such that the front wall 16 is hingedly connected to the other side wall 20. A cloth lining (not shown) covers the interior of the central compartment 46, covering the sheets 19 of plastics material and the arms 37 and guide tubes 39 for the extendable handle 34.

The article of luggage 10 has a front pocket 50 attached to, and projecting from, the front wall 16. The front pocket 50 is defined by fabric 44, which is the same as that used for the

walls

12, 14, 16, 18 and 20. The pocket 50 has a gusset 52 and a front cover 54, the gusset 52 extending from the front wall 16. An opening 55 defined in the front cover 54 is openably closeable by means of a zip 56 to permit access to the front pocket 50.

An auxiliary pouch 58 is provided on the outside of the front cover 54 and is closed by a zip 60. Further auxiliary pouches (not shown) and tie-down straps (not shown) are provided within the central compartment 46.

Further, the article of luggage 10 has a first carrying handle 62 attached to the side wall 20 opposite to the side wall 20 to which the front wall 16 is hingedly attached. A second carrying handle 64 is attached to the top wall 18.

Feet 66 are provided on the bottom wall 12 opposite the wheels 30. A further pair of feet 67 is provided on the back wall 14 opposite the wheels 30.

A stiffening element 68 comprising an endless loop 69 of a spring steel is shaped and configured to correspond with the shape and configuration of a periphery 70 of the front wall 16, the stiffening element 68 providing stiffening for the wall 16. The loop 69 comprises a core of a piping 72, the spring steel loop 69 being covered with fabric 44 (as shown in Figure 6). The piping 72 is stitched into a seam between the front wall 16 and the zip 48. Two further stiffening elements 68 comprising loops 69 included in piping 72 provide stiffening for the side walls 20 of the article 10. The piping 72 of each of the further loops 69 is stitched into a seam between the respective side wall 20 and adjacent top, bottom, front and

back walls

18, 12, 16 and 14, respectively.

Claims

An article of luggage which has a front wall, a back wall, a bottom wall extending from the back wall to the front wall at a bottom end of the back wall, a top wall extending from the back wall to the front wall at atop end of the back wall and a pair of side walls extending between the back and front walls at sides of the back wall, the walls being of a fabric material and includes a first stiffening loop (69) of a resiliently flexible wire-like material arranged peripherally on the front wall and a stiffening sheet (19),
characterised in that it is substantially frameless and further includes a pair of wheels (20) adjacent the bottom end of the back wall and an extendable handle (34) at the top end of the back wall, and the stiffening sheet extends across the back wall and the top and bottom walls.
The article of luggage as claimed in Claim 1, characterised therein that each side wall has a peripherally arranged stiffening loop (69).
The article of luggage as claimed in Claim 2, characterised therein that each stiffening loop of resiliently flexible wire-like material comprises a core of a piping (72), the piping being stitched into a seam between the wall on which the stiffening loop is arranged and adjacent walls.
The article of luggage as claimed in Claim 1, characterised therein that the stiffening sheet is a single sheet bent to define first and second end portions (23) and an intermediate portion (21), the end portions being substantially perpendicular to the intermediate portion, the first and second end portions being arranged on the top and bottom walls and the intermediate portion being arranged on the back wall.
The article of luggage as claimed in Claim 4, characterised therein that the extendable handle is U-shaped, comprising a cross bar (36) and a pair of parallel arms (37) extending therefrom, each of the arms being slidably received within guide tubes (39) and operable between extended and retracted positions, and that the guide tubes are secured to the intermediate portion of the stiffening sheet.
The article of luggage as claimed in Claim 1, characterised therein that the front wall is openable and is hingedly attached to one of the side walls and that a carrying handle (62) is attached to the other side wall.