EP2173642B1 - Baggage container - Google Patents

Abstract

The container (10) has lower and upper loading platforms (14, 16) for loading luggage e.g. carry-on-case (12), in the container with receiving units for receiving the luggage, where the receiving units has bottom walls (56, 58), on which a guiding profile (60) is installed. The receiving units include retaining units for retaining the base of the luggage. The base is engaged in the retaining units when the luggage is loaded in the container such that the base cooperates with the retaining units to maintain the luggage in a fixed position on the platforms.

Description

The present invention relates to a luggage container, according to the preamble of claim 1 and luggage according to the preamble of claim 10, for the processing and automatic routing of luggage.

One area of application envisaged is in particular that of air transport for which it is necessary to transfer individual hand luggage between an air terminal and the hold of an aircraft. The luggage is generally of parallelepipedal shape and they have a base surmounted by two opposite side flanks spaced a distance corresponding to the thickness of the luggage.

In order to increase the rate of rotation of aircraft, it is necessary that the transfer of baggage between the aircraft and the terminal is made in the shortest possible time and with the least costly means possible.

Also, it has been imagined facilities including a storage rack, the luggage being manually stored in support on their base and in rows, for example by the baggage carriers themselves. In this way, the luggage is stored rationally and manually, so that it can then be processed automatically without human intervention, and in particular so as to be transferred inside the hold of the aircraft in rows, after the storage frame was brought to the aircraft by means of a motor vehicle.

Moreover, the luggage is easily removed by the operators themselves, after the automatic transfer in rows, this time, the cargo to another identical storage frame, after the landing of the aircraft.

We can refer in particular to the document WO2006040421 , which discloses a luggage container according to the preamble of claim 1 and luggage according to the preamble of claim 10. However, a first drawback of this installation, results from the relative movement of luggage on the storage rack, when 'it is driven, in particular by the vehicle

automobile. Another disadvantage is the security surrounding the transfer of baggage, and in particular the possibility that a baggage carrier may remove or substitute a piece of luggage from the storage rack.

Also, a problem that arises and that aims to solve the present invention is to provide a luggage container that not only allows to reserve a specific space to store each piece of luggage and prevent it can be driven in motion during transfers, but also, which allows the only identified luggage carrier to store or remove his luggage in said determined space.

In order to solve this problem, the present invention proposes a luggage container according to claim 1.

Thus, a feature of the invention lies in the mode of connection of the luggage and the loading platform, thanks to the cooperation of form of the base of the luggage and the retaining means, which then allows to secure each piece of luggage with said loading platform. In this way, during the transfer of luggage, and more specifically during the movements of the loading platform, the baggage remains attached to the latter, and no longer run the risk of escaping, both during the transfer and during the transfer. flight, in the hold of the plane.

The container object of the invention comprises according to a particular embodiment of the invention, two superimposed platforms, one of large width placed on the other of smaller width.

Furthermore, said loading platform having a bottom wall, said receiving means are provided on portions of said bottom wall, which portions are particularly adapted to receive said support bases. Said reception means have lateral guiding means for guiding the base of said luggage in translation in a given direction when said luggage is loaded in said container. In this way, each of the luggage areas is determined, so that the alignment of rows of luggage is made without difficulty as baggage carriers come to load their luggage on the loading platform.

Furthermore, said loading platform advantageously has a straight loading free edge which extends substantially perpendicular to said given direction. In addition, said lateral guide means preferably comprise guide profiles installed on said bottom wall respectively at a distance from each other and parallel to said given direction. In this way, the luggage is loaded on the loading platform so that one end of their base is engaged between two consecutive profiles, in the vicinity of the free edge of loading, and then the luggage is driven in translation manually by the carrier, in said given direction, by guiding the base by the guide profiles. In addition, the bases of said luggage having a width I and a length L , said guide profiles are advantageously spaced a distance d substantially equal to said width 1 of said bases, and preferably a distance d slightly greater than the width l to provide a functional clearance allowing the sliding of the base between the profiles.

Said retaining means comprise retaining wings installed in return on said guide sections facing said bottom wall so as to form a U-shaped housing, while the bases of said luggage having laterally extending attachment wings to engage in said U-shaped housing, under said retaining wings. In this way, and as will be explained in detail in the following description, the base, and therefore the luggage, is secured to the loading platform.

According to this embodiment, said retaining flanges are preferably oriented towards one another on the guide profiles taken in pairs. Thus, two consecutive guide profiles have respectively two retaining wings, facing each other, in which are adapted to respectively engage two opposed hooking wings of the base. In this way, the luggage has only one degree of freedom with respect to the loading platform, in said given direction. In addition, said retaining means advantageously comprise locking latches installed on said guide sections for locking said bases in said receiving means. Thus, the luggage is fully secured to the loading platform and no longer have any degree of freedom with respect to it. Preferably, said locks comprise a retractable bolt, for example by tilting, and a locking mechanism of said bolt, said bolt being adapted to come laterally projecting from said guide profile. Advantageously, said locking mechanism of said bolt is a combination lock, so as to allow unlocking of the locking bolt to the sole wearer of the combination. In this way, not only can the luggage be loaded into the container, at a place reserved in advance, only if the wearer of the luggage knowing the suit and also, conversely, the luggage can not be taken back only by a person having knowledge of said combination, and a priori, the bearer of the baggage itself or a third party to whom he would have communicated it. Thus, the security conditions surrounding the transfer of luggage are ensured.

In another aspect, the present invention provides an individual hand luggage according to claim 10 for loading into a luggage container as described above.

• la Figure 1 est une vue schématique en perspective d'un conteneur à bagage conforme à l'invention ;
• la Figure 2 est une vue schématique en perspective d'un bagage destiné à être installé dans le conteneur à bagage représenté sur la Figure 1 ; et,
• la Figure 3 est une vue schématique partielle de détail en perspective du conteneur représenté sur la Figure 1.

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given by way of indication but not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• the Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a luggage container according to the invention;
• the Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a piece of luggage intended to be installed in the luggage container shown on the Figure 1 ; and,
• the Figure 3 is a partial schematic perspective detail view of the container shown on the Figure 1 .

The Figure 1 shows in perspective a luggage container 10 according to the invention. This container 10 has two luggage loading platforms 12, a lower platform 14 and an upper platform 16. The container 10 is generally tubular in axis of symmetry A, and is adapted to be loaded. in the hold of a plane not shown, so that its axis of symmetry A extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said aircraft. Said bunker is intended to receive a plurality of containers 10, in the extension of each other so that their axes of symmetry A are substantially merged.

Thus, it will be considered that the lower platform 14 has a first width L1 and the upper platform 16, a second width L2 greater than the first, in a direction perpendicular to the axis of symmetry A of the container 10 although in the direction of this axis of symmetry A, the container 10 has a depth P, between a plane before PAv and a rear plane Par , said depth P being comparable to a length that is less than the widths L1 and L2 above. Indeed, the first width L1 is preferably between 125 cm and 170 cm, for example 160 cm, and the second width L2 preferably between 230 cm and 270 cm, for example 250 cm, while the depth P of the container 10 is advantageously between 100 cm and 150 cm, for example 125 cm.

The lower platform 14 is thus of rectangular shape, it has two opposite free loading edges, one 18 in front of the Figure, the other 20 behind the Figure, and two opposite first side edges 22 , 24 respectively surmounted by two first opposed and rectangular vertical walls, 26, 28. These first two vertical walls 26, 28 have a length substantially equivalent to the depth P of the container 10 and a height h1 preferably between 40 and 60 cm, for example 50 cm.

These first vertical walls 26, 28 also have respectively two upper slices 30, 32 on which is supported the upper platform 16. This upper platform 16 then overlooks the lower platform 14; being of a second width L2 greater than the first width L1 of the lower platform 14, it is fitted on the latter so that its two opposite ends 34, 36 extend respectively beyond the flat lower form 14 and on each side, a substantially equivalent distance for example 45 cm.

The upper platform 16 has two opposite opposite free loading edges, 38, 40 and two opposite second lateral edges 42, 44 respectively surmounted by two second opposite and rectangular vertical walls 46, 48. They also have a length equivalent to the depth P of the container 10 and a height h2 equal to h1 , for example 50 cm. They are connected together, in their upper part, by a ceiling wall 50 which overhangs the upper platform 16, in this case, at a distance of about 50 cm.

However, it will be observed that the second opposite vertical walls 46, 48 and the ceiling wall 50 which connects them are not absolutely necessary in all circumstances. In particular, they can not be installed, when one is forced to stack the containers so as to occupy as little space as possible.

Furthermore, the lower platform 14 and the upper platform 16 are connected together by oblique side arms 52, 54, which extend respectively between the first and second opposite side edges 22, 42; 24, 44, so as to stiffen the container 10. According to a not shown embodiment of the baggage container according to the invention, it is expected to connect together the lower platform 14 and the upper platform 16 by retractable arms. More specifically, these arms are adapted to be folded so as to extend between the two platforms 14, 16, while the latter are moved towards each other to bear against each other. In this way, luggage containers can be stored and stacked on top of each other in a smaller space and less bulky compared to a non-retractable container.

As will be explained in more detail in the following description, the lower platforms 14 and upper 16 respectively have bottom walls 56, 58 on which guide rails 60, 62 are installed. they are respectively equipped with folding flaps 64, 66 mounted articulated along said free edges 18, 38.

Before that, we will describe with reference to the Figure 2 , an individual hand baggage 68 adapted to be installed on the lower platform 14 or upper 16 of the aforementioned container 10, and for which the protection is also sought.

The individual hand baggage 68 has a base 70 surmounted by two opposite lateral flanks 72, 74 and two opposite wafer walls 76, 78, joining a gripping wall 80. The base 70 is substantially rectangular, and has a width l and a length L. The width l is advantageously between 25 and 35 cm, for example 28 cm and the length between 40 cm and 100 cm, while the height h of the individual baggage 68 is less than 50 cm.

The base 70 has two opposite lateral edges 82, 84 and is equipped on a bottom wall 85, on the side of one of the wafer walls 76, two rollers 86, and on the other side, two buffers 86. 88.

It will be observed that the two rollers 86 are respectively set back from the opposite lateral flanks 72, 74 towards the inside of the base 70. In addition, the base 70 has on each of the opposite lateral edges 82, 84 of the wings 90, 92 formed by means of a lateral groove 94 made in the opposite lateral edges 82, 84. This lateral groove 94 is formed over a length substantially equal to half a length of the length L of the base 70, at a constant distance from the bottom wall 85, and extends from a bearing abutment 93 to said one of the wafer walls 76 from which it opens, at the level of the rollers 86. At the opposite rollers 86, in the extension of the lateral groove 94 and near the other slice wall 78, the opposite lateral edges 82, 84 respectively have a locking recess 95. Note that the distance between the recess and block 95 and the bu support seat 93 is determined. We will explain in more detail, with reference to the Figure 3 , on the one hand the functions of the attachment wings 90, 92 and the manner in which it cooperates with the lateral grooves 94 and the bearing abutment 93 and on the other hand, the functionality of these locking recesses 95.

Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the invention not shown, the base is removably mounted on the individual hand luggage. Thus, luggage that would not be equipped with a base as described above, to their presentation in the terminal before boarding, could be equipped with such a removable base just before registration. In this way, the baggage equipped can be inserted like other individual hand luggage in the container according to the invention.

We will now refer to the Figure 3 showing in perspective the details of the upper platform 16. Of course, the two platforms 14, 16 comprise the same details elements. It will be observed that the container 10 has two parts symmetrical to each other, 96, 98 with respect to a median plane Pm perpendicular to the axis of symmetry A of the container 10, and which cuts it equidistant from the free edges opposite 18,20; 38, 40, the lower platforms 14 and upper 16. Furthermore, it will also be noted that the flap 66 extends here in a sloped position, in the plane of the bottom wall 58.

We find on this Figure 3 , the bottom wall 58 of the upper platform 16 on which are installed the guide profiles 62 which extend parallel to each other and in the direction of the axis of symmetry A, a free edge 38 to the other opposite free edge 40. Obviously, these guide profiles 62 are installed in a manner identical to that of which the guide profiles 60 are installed on the lower platform 14.

Thus, the guide profiles 62 are installed at a distance d from each other, equivalent to the width l of the base 70 of each baggage 68, and more precisely to a slightly greater distance so as to obtain a space of receiving 97 ensuring a functional game sliding of the base 70 between the sections 62 and in a direction parallel to the axis of symmetry A.

Furthermore, the profiles 62 have a rear portion 100 located in the vicinity of the median plane Pm , opposite a free end before 99, and an upper edge 101. The profiles 62 are equipped with retaining wings 102 which extend transversely, in their rear portion 100, from their upper edge 101, in return and facing the bottom wall 58. In addition, these retaining wings 102 end longitudinally by a bearing end 103 facing the free end before 99 and at a given distance from this free end before 99.

Two consecutive profiles 62, thus have in their rear portion 100, retaining wings 102 oriented towards one another so as to form two U-shaped housing opposite one another.

In this way, the luggage 68 represented on the Figure 3 by transparency for the purposes of the description, is partially engaged between two sections 62, the rollers 86 here masked by the profiles 62, and bearing against the bottom wall 58. The profiles 62 also mask the lateral groove 94 of the base 70.

The luggage 68 is intended to be driven in translation towards the rear portion 100 of the profiles 62, so that the retaining wings 102 are slidably engaged in the lateral grooves 94 of the base 70. In this way, the base 70 is held laterally engaged between the profiles 62 and vertically by the retaining wings 102 which hold it in abutment against the bottom wall 58. On the other hand, the base 70 and consequently the luggage 68, are still free in translation in the direction of the axis of symmetry A.

In order to lock the luggage 68 on the upper platform 16, via its base 70, the guide profiles 62 are equipped in their free end before 99, a locking latch 104 comprising a retractable bolt 106 pivoting and a combination locking mechanism 108 of the retractable bolt 106. The combination locking mechanism 108 is here a wheel lock mechanism.

The retractable bolt 106 is installed at a determined distance from the bearing end 103 of the retaining wings 102, this determined distance exactly corresponding to the determined distance between the locking recess 95 and the abutment bearing 93 of the 70. The retractable bolt 106 is also adapted to pivot between an active position, in which it extends laterally projecting from the free end before 99 of the guide profile 62 and an inactive position in which it is retracted to the end. the inside of the locking bolt 104 and recessed from the free end before 99 of the guide profile 62. Furthermore, there is provided a single locking bolt 104 for each receiving space 97, for locking the base 70 in said receiving space 97. Thus, each of the free ends before 99 of the guide profiles 62 is equipped with a locking bolt 104, provided with a single retractable bolt 106.

Therefore, when the base 70 is engaged between the guide profiles 62, one of its side edges 84 pushes the retractable bolt 10 inside the locking latch 104, provided, of course, that the a good combination of the lock lock 104 has been displayed. Then, the retractable bolt 106 returns to its active position, projecting laterally from the locking bolt 104, as soon as the luggage 68 has been driven in translation so that the bearing stops 93 of the lateral grooves 94 have come to rest. against the bearing end 103 of the retaining wings 102 and thereby, that one of the locking recesses 95 is precisely opposite the retractable bolt 106.

Finally, after the combination of the locking latch 104 has been scrambled, the retractable bolt 106 remains in its active position, protruding from the locking recess 95, and it constitutes a stopping member of the luggage 68 via of the base 70. The latter is then also maintained in a fixed position in the direction of the axis of symmetry A and therefore, prisoner of the platform 16. Therefore the luggage 68 can be removed only by displaying again the right combination of lock lock 104.

In addition, and as shown in Figure 1 , on which the folding flaps 64, 66 are in a folded opposition, facing the other slice wall 78 luggage 68, the latter are completely prisoners of the container 10. Indeed, even if the retractable bolt 106 would be retracted, if one tried to extract the luggage 68, they would abut against the folding flaps 64, 66 in their folded positions.

Claims (11)

1. A luggage container (10) comprising at least a loading platform (14, 16) for individual hand luggages (12), including a bottom wall (56, 58), said luggages having respectively a base plate (70) surmounted by two opposite side flanks (72, 74), said loading platform comprising receiving means (60, 56, 58) for each base plate of said luggage, arranged on portions of said bottom wall, in order to receive said luggages resting on their base plate and along rows so that said flanks of said luggage are substantially parallel therebetween, said receiving means (60, 56, 58) comprising restraining means (102, 106) for each of said base plates (70), said base plates (70) being adapted to be engaged in said restraining means (102, 106) when said luggage is loaded into said container (10), so that said base plates cooperate with said restraining means to maintain said luggage in a fixed position on said loading platform (14,16);
   characterized in that said receiving means (60, 56, 58) are provided with side guiding means (60) comprising guiding sections arranged on said bottom wall (56, 58) respectively remotely from each other, to guide the base plate of said luggages on a translational movement toward a given direction when said luggage is loaded within said container (10), said guiding sections being arranged in parallel to said given direction, said restraining means comprising restraining lugs (102) installed backward on said guiding sections (60) facing to said bottom wall, while the base plates (70) of said luggage are provided with fixing lugs (90, 92) which laterally extend to engage said restraining lugs (102) from under.
2. The luggage container according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes two superposed loading platforms (14, 16).
3. The luggage container according to claim 2, characterized in that it includes a lower platform (14) having a first width (L1) and an upper platform (16), having a second width (L2) higher than said first width (L1).
4. The luggage container according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said loading platform (14, 16) comprises a loading free edge (38, 40) that extends substantially perpendicular to said given direction.
5. The luggage container according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the base plates (70) of said luggage having a width (1) and a length (L), said guiding sections (60) are spaced away from a distance (d) substantially equal to said width (1) of said base plates.
6. The luggage container according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said restraining lugs (102) are directed the one towards the other on the guiding sections (60) taken two by two.
7. The luggage container according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said restraining means (106) include locking bolts (104) arranged on said guiding sections to lock said base plates (70) within said receiving means.
8. The luggage container according to claim 7, characterized in that said bolts (104) include a retractable bolt (106) and a locking mechanism for said bolt, said bolt being adapted to laterally project from said guiding section (60).
9. The luggage container according to claim 8, characterized in that said locking mechanism of said bolt (106) is a combination lock (108).
10. An individual hand luggage intended to be loaded within a luggage container according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises a base plate (70) surmounted by two opposite side flanks (72, 74), and in that said base plate (70) is provided with fixing lugs (90, 92) which laterally extend.
11. The individual hand luggage according to claim 10, characterized in that it includes a removable base plate.

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