EP3060081B1 - Wheeled suitcase comprising a retractable rod - Google Patents

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a rolling luggage comprising a baggage body mounted on wheels and a rod connected to a handle, the rod being mounted movably on the body between an extended position allowing a user to maneuver the luggage (for example by towing in the case of a luggage with two wheels, or pushing it in the case of a baggage with four wheels) and a retracted position in the body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Usually, the movable rod is made in the form of at least one rigid tube slidably mounted in a guide which is secured to the luggage body. The document FR 2,870,693 describes, for example, such an embodiment.

The guide or guides receiving the tube or tubes are positioned in or on the luggage.

When positioned inside the luggage, this assembly represents a certain volume that is lost to the user of the luggage.

Furthermore, whether the assembly is positioned inside or outside the luggage, it increases the weight of the luggage, which may present a drawback for the user who must tow his luggage and which must in particular respect a limitation of luggage weight imposed by the airlines.

The document WO95 / 19721 A1 discloses the subject of the preamble of claim 1.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is intended in particular to overcome all or some of the aforementioned disadvantages.

• un état enroulé, correspondant à la position escamotée de la canne, dans lequel l'élément en bande est enroulé autour d'un premier axe, et
• un état déroulé correspondant à la position déployée de la canne, dans lequel l'élément en bande s'étend sensiblement selon un second axe, sensiblement perpendiculaire au premier axe, l'élément en bande formant au moins partiellement un tube autour dudit second axe dans l'état déroulé.

For this purpose, the invention proposes luggage as mentioned above, which is remarkable in that the rod comprises at least one stretchable and flexible strip element, the strip element being configurable between:

• a wound state, corresponding to the retracted position of the cane, in which the strip element is wound around a first axis, and
• an unwound state corresponding to the deployed position of the rod, wherein the strip element extends substantially along a second axis, substantially perpendicular to the first axis, the strip element at least partially forming a tube about said second axis in the unrolled state.

Thus, the rigid tube slidably mounted is replaced by a flexible strip that occupies little space in the wound state and may possibly be lighter than the sliding tubes of the prior art.

• la poignée peut comporter un tenon s'étendant au moins partiellement selon le second axe, tenon autour duquel peut être enroulée une extrémité de l'élément en bande ;
• le tenon peut comporter une partie cylindrique ;
• l'élément en bande peut s'étendre entre des première et deuxième extrémités, la première extrémité pouvant être enroulée sur un support tournant monté rotatif dans le corps du bagage, autour du premier axe, et la deuxième extrémité pouvant être enroulée autour du second axe et fixée au voisinage de la poignée ;
• le support tournant peut être entraîné en rotation par un actionneur ;
• il peut être équipé d'un dispositif de blocage adapté pour sélectivement bloquer la canne en position déployée (à la longueur souhaitée avec ou sans distinction de position);
• l'actionneur peut comporter un ressort sollicitant élastiquement le support tournant dans un sens permettant d'enrouler la bande autour dudit support tournant ;
• ou bien, suivant une variante de réalisation, l'actionneur peut comporter un moteur électrique,
• la canne escamotable peut comporter un ou plusieurs tronçons escamotables, et notamment deux tronçons escamotables ;
• l'élément étirable peut comporter des fibres de carbone (et/ou de l'aramide ou tout autre matériaux répondant aux performances attendues). De cette façon, l'élément étirable présente la particularité de résister à des efforts en torsion, à la flexion et/ou en étirage, ce qui le rend très avantageux dans son application aux trolleys de bagage ;
• le corps de bagage peut comporter un boîtier qui accueille l'élément en bande à l'état enroulé et qui présente une ouverture traversante par laquelle ledit élément en bande sort du boîtier et du corps de bagage ;
• enfin, dans le cadre d'un mode de réalisation particulièrement avantageux (car simple à réaliser et donc peu coûteux), le boîtier peut présenter une taille qui est ajustée à un volume occupé par l'élément en bande à l'état enroulé et l'élément en bande peut être relié à un élément butoir.

According to several embodiments that will be described later, the luggage according to the invention may include the following characteristics, taken separately or in combination:

• the handle may comprise a tenon extending at least partially along the second axis, the stud around which can be wound one end of the strip element;
• the tenon may comprise a cylindrical portion;
• the strip element may extend between first and second ends, the first end being wound on a rotary support rotatably mounted in the luggage body, around the first axis, and the second end being wound around the second axis; and fixed in the vicinity of the handle;
• the rotating support can be rotated by an actuator;
• it can be equipped with a blocking device adapted to selectively block the cane deployed position (to the desired length with or without position distinction);
• the actuator may comprise a spring resiliently urging the rotating support in a direction for winding the band around said rotating support;
• or alternatively, according to an alternative embodiment, the actuator may comprise an electric motor,
• the retractable rod may comprise one or more retractable sections, including two retractable sections;
• the stretchable element may comprise carbon fibers (and / or aramid or any other material meeting the expected performance). In this way, the stretchable element has the particularity of withstanding torsional, bending and / or stretching forces, which makes it very advantageous in its application to luggage trolleys;
• the luggage body may comprise a housing which accommodates the strip member in the wound state and which has a through opening through which said strip member exits the housing and the luggage body;
• finally, in the context of a particularly advantageous embodiment (because simple to implement and therefore inexpensive), the housing can have a size that is adjusted to a volume occupied by the strip element in the wound state and the strip element can be connected to a bumper element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of several embodiments, given by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

• la figure 1 montre un premier bagage conforme à l'invention, vu en perspective;
• la figure 2 montre un second bagage conforme à l'invention, vu en perspective ;
• la figure 3 représente un premier exemple de mécanisme contenu dans un bagage conforme à l'invention, le mécanisme étant vu en perspective,
• la figure 4 montre une variante de mécanisme qui peut être contenu dans un bagage conforme à l'invention, le mécanisme étant également vu en perspective ;
• la figure 5 montre une bande enroulée (ou bobinée) partiellement, utilisée dans un bagage conforme à l'invention, la bande étant vue en perspective,
• la figure 6 montre un boîtier contenu dans un bagage conforme à l'invention suivant une autre variante de réalisation, avec un élément à l'état enroulé, le boîtier et l'élément étant vus en perspective,
• et la figure 7 montre le boîtier et l'élément de la figure 6, vus en perspective, l'élément étant montré à l'état déroulé.

On the drawings:

• the figure 1 shows a first bag according to the invention, seen in perspective;
• the figure 2 shows a second bag according to the invention, seen in perspective;
• the figure 3 represents a first example of a mechanism contained in a bag according to the invention, the mechanism being viewed in perspective,
• the figure 4 shows an alternative mechanism that can be contained in a luggage according to the invention, the mechanism is also seen in perspective;
• the figure 5 shows a band wound (or wound) partially, used in a luggage according to the invention, the band being seen in perspective,
• the figure 6 shows a case contained in a bag according to the invention according to another variant embodiment, with an element in the wound state, the case and the element being seen in perspective,
• and the figure 7 shows the case and the element of the figure 6 , seen in perspective, the element being shown in the unwound state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The figures that will be described show two embodiments of a bag according to the invention and two variants of mechanism that can be implemented inside each baggage.
Another variant will be presented later, this other variant having no mechanism.

In the different figures, the same references designate identical or similar elements.

The luggage 1 represented on the figure 1 is of the trolley type and comprises a luggage body 3 mounted on wheels 4 and equipped with a rod 5 connected to a handle 6 allowing a user to pull the luggage by rolling it on the ground.

The rod 5 is mounted movably on the baggage body 3, between an extended position (which is illustrated in FIGS. figures 1 and 2 ) and a retracted position (not shown) in which the handle 6 is positioned against a sidewall 7 of the luggage, the sidewall 7 being an upper part of the luggage when the luggage is positioned upright on the rollers 4.

On the figure 1 , the rod 5 comprises, according to the invention, a strip element 8 which is more particularly illustrated in FIG. figure 5 .

The rod 5 may also comprise a plurality of strip elements 8, and in particular two strip elements 8, forming two sections, as illustrated by the embodiment of FIG. figure 2 .

The strip element 8 is a stretchable and flexible strip, which may for example have a length of substantially 60 cm, which is configurable between two states: a wound state shown in FIG. figure 5 (which corresponds to the retracted position of the cane) and an unwound state which corresponds to the deployed position of the cane shown on the figures 1 and 2 .

To do this, the strip element 8 may consist of a strip made from a material comprising carbon or aramid fibers or any other material likely to meet the mechanical characteristics and lightness, which is a sufficiently material flexible to be able to wind around a first axis X and which allows the band, when deployed, to roll automatically on itself (shape memory) around a second axis Y perpendicular to the X axis so as to form a hollow tube 9. Such a strip element 8 is for example described in the document US 6,256,938 whose content is incorporated here by reference.

The hollow tube 9 is rigid enough to withstand the tensile forces generated when a user rolls the luggage (especially if it is a two-wheeled luggage).

The hollow tube 9 is also rigid enough not to bend or flex when the cane is in the deployed and vertical position and a user rolls the luggage (especially if it is a four-wheeled luggage).

• Comme on peut le voir sur la figure 5, l'élément en bande 8 s'étend entre une première extrémité 10 supérieure reliée à la poignée 6 et une seconde extrémité 11 inférieure.

The strip element 8 is mounted on the baggage as follows:

• As can be seen on the figure 5 , the strip element 8 extends between a first upper end 10 connected to the handle 6 and a second lower end 11.

According to the embodiment which is illustrated in figures 1 and 2 , the second end 11 is wound on and secured to a rotatable support 12 about the X axis, for example a rod extending longitudinally along the X axis.

It should be understood that this embodiment is not limiting for the invention. Another embodiment will be described below, according to which the strip is not connected to a rotary support 12.

On the figure 1 for example, it is noted that the rotary support 12 is mounted on bearings 13 fixed to the body 3 of the luggage, preferably inside the luggage. The bearings 13, the rotary support 12 and the second end of the strip element 8 may be contained in a housing 14, itself fixed in or on the luggage 1.

For aesthetic reasons, the casing 14 is fixed in the body 3 of the luggage 1.

Thus, the rotating support consisting in particular of the rod 12 free in rotation is mounted in the body 3 of the luggage 1.

The rotation of the rod 12 around its axis X can be controlled by an actuator 15, two examples of which are realization are illustrated schematically on the Figures 3 and 4 .

The figure 3 shows that one of the supports 13 comprises a scroll spring 16. The scroll spring 16 is a spring which resiliently urges the rotating support (or rod) 12 in a direction that allows the strip element 8 to be wound around the stem 12.

According to this embodiment, the strip element 8 is constrained to the wound state. This means that, when a user does not exert traction on the handle 6, the rod 5 is naturally in the retracted position in the body 3 of the luggage 1.

To maintain the rod 5 in the deployed position, there is a button 19 in the handle 6, ensuring the control of the locking of the rotation of the rod 12.

Another actuator 15 can also be implemented: on the figure 4 , one of the supports 13 comprises a motor 17 of small size, of the order of 1 to a few centimeters.

The operation of the motor 17 can be controlled by the user by means of a button 18.

The winding mechanism of the strip element 8, located at the end 11 of the strip element 8 just described, will now be referred to the elements at the other end 10 of the strip element 8.

The end 10 is attached to the handle 6 of the luggage 1.

More specifically, the handle 6 of the luggage 1, substantially T-shaped, is equipped with a post 20 of cylindrical shape (see figures 1 and 5 ).

The pin 20 is formed by a hollow cylindrical sleeve whose one end is secured to the handle 6 in the shape of T. The other end of the post 20 is free. The tubular-shaped strip element 8 is wound around the tenon 20. The axis of the post 20 is thus coincident with the Y axis around which the band element 8 is wound.

The strip element 8 is fixed on the post 20 by any known means, for example by means of a rivet 21.

As a variant, the luggage 1 could be such as that of the figure 2 which is similar to luggage 1 of the figure 1 but which has a handle 6 different from that of the luggage 1.

The handle 6 of the luggage of the figure 2 is mounted at the end of two parallel rods 5. It may comprise, at each of its ends, a tenon-shaped elbow whose free end is of substantially cylindrical shape.

Reference will now be made to a first mode of operation of the luggage that has just been described and which includes a mechanism for retracting the cane.

To do this, reference is made to the baggage shown in figure 1 or 2 , whose mechanism for retracting the rod 5 comprises a rod 12 which is rotatably mounted in supports 13 and which is constrained by a coil spring 16.

Initially, the luggage 1 has a rod 5 in the retracted position: this means that the handle 6 of the luggage is against the side 7 of the luggage.

To move the luggage, the user pulls on the handle 6 in a vertical direction D shown in FIG. figure 1 .

This action ensures the unwinding of the strip element 8 around the rod 12, and its progressive winding around the Y axis as the strip element 8 leaves the housing 14.

Once out of the housing 14, the strip element 8 forms a tube 9.

The user can, if he wishes to keep the rod 5 in the deployed position, press the button 19. This is particularly useful when it is a four-wheeled baggage in which the force applied to the rod to moving the luggage is not a longitudinal force of traction.

He may also choose not to operate the button 19 and rolling his luggage: by pulling on the handle, it creates a reverse force and greater than the force generated by the coil spring 16, so that the rod 5 does not retract into the body 3 of luggage 1. This embodiment is particularly suitable for luggage with two wheels that are towed by the user.

When the user wishes to immobilize the luggage 1, he stops pulling on the handle 6. The force of the scroll spring 16 then causes the rotation of the rod 12 around which the band element 8 is wound.

The rod 5 then retracts and the handle resumes its initial position against the flank 7.

If the user has previously actuated the button 19 to block the rod 5 in the deployed position, it can unlock the rod 5 by pressing the button 19 again.

Another embodiment may be provided, as indicated above, without a mechanism ensuring the retraction (automatic or not) of the cane, the rod then remaining in the position in which it is put.

For example, as shown by Figures 6 and 7 , the housing 14 may have a size such that it is adjusted to the volume occupied by the strip element 8 in the wound state (see figure 6 ).

This is possible thanks to the rigidity of the strip element 8 which, when it is in the unwound state, forms a self-supporting rigid tube 9 which remains in its deployed position.

The user must exert a pressing force on the handle 6 to force the strip element 8 to enter the housing 14 and to wind around the axis X.

The figure 6 shows that the width l of the housing is substantially larger than the width of the web member 8 so that when the web member 8 is force-fitted into the housing 14, it does not rub against the inner walls of the housing 14.

The width 1 is however sufficiently close to the width of the strip element 8 so that the housing 14 forces the roll to be formed when the strip element 8 is forced back into the housing 14.

As can be seen on the Figures 6 and 7 , the strip element 8 comprises, at its end 11, a rod 22 which extends over the entire width of the strip element 8 and which protrudes on either side of the strip element. The rod 22 has a length L substantially greater than the width l of the casing 14.

The rod 22 constitutes a stop that is positioned against the through opening 23 of the housing 14 when the strip element 8 is fully in the unwound state. Thus, the end 11 of the strip element 8 is held inside the housing 14.

Claims (12)

1. Wheeled suitcase (1; 2) comprising a suitcase body (3) mounted on wheels (4) and a rod (5) connected to a handle (6), the rod (5) being mounted on the body (3) so as to be movable between an extended position enabling a user to maneuver the suitcase (1; 2) and a retracted position inside the body (3),
   wherein said rod (5) comprises at least one flexible strip element (8), the strip element (8) being configurable between:

   - a wound state, corresponding to the retracted position of the rod (5), wherein the strip element (8) is wound around a first axis (X), and

   - an unwound state, corresponding to the extended position of the rod (5), wherein the strip element (8) extends substantially along a second axis (Y) substantially perpendicular to the first axis (X),

   characterized in that the strip element (8) forms at least partially a tube (9) around said second axis (Y) in the unwound state.
2. Suitcase according to claim 1, wherein the handle (6) comprises a connection part (20) extending at least partially along the second axis (Y), and one end (10) of the strip element is wound around said connection part (20).
3. Suitcase according to claim 2, wherein the connection part (20) comprises a cylindrical portion.
4. Suitcase according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the strip element (8) extends between first (10) and second (11) ends, the second end (11) being wound onto a rotating support (12) mounted so as to pivot within the body (3) about the first axis (X), the first end (10) being wrapped around the second axis (Y) and secured near the handle (6).
5. Suitcase according to claim 4, wherein the rotating support (12) can be made to rotate by an actuator (15).
6. Suitcase according to claim 5, comprising a locking device (19) suitable for selectively locking the rod (5) in the extended position.
7. Suitcase according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the actuator (15) comprises a spring (16) resiliently urging the rotating support (12) in a direction that allows the strip element (8) to wind around said rotating support (12).
8. Suitcase according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the actuator (15) comprises an electric motor (17).
9. Suitcase according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said retractable rod (5) comprises two retractable sections.
10. Suitcase according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one stretchable element comprises fibers of carbon or aramid or any other material capable of providing the mechanical and lightness characteristics.
11. Suitcase according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said suitcase body (3) comprises a housing (14) which accommodates said strip element (8) in its wound state and which has a through-opening through which said strip element exits the housing (14) and the suitcase body (3).
12. Suitcase according to claim 11, wherein said housing (14) has a size which is adjusted to the volume occupied by said strip element (8) in the wound state, and wherein the strip element is connected to a stop member.

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