EP3123893A1 - Pièce de bagage avec agencement de roue - Google Patents

Pièce de bagage avec agencement de roue Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3123893A1
EP3123893A1 EP15178624.1A EP15178624A EP3123893A1 EP 3123893 A1 EP3123893 A1 EP 3123893A1 EP 15178624 A EP15178624 A EP 15178624A EP 3123893 A1 EP3123893 A1 EP 3123893A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
luggage
piece
wheel
bottom wall
rigid
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP15178624.1A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Carsten KULCKE
Tillmann Paul
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Victorinox AG
Original Assignee
Victorinox AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Victorinox AG filed Critical Victorinox AG
Priority to EP15178624.1A priority Critical patent/EP3123893A1/fr
Publication of EP3123893A1 publication Critical patent/EP3123893A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45C—PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
    • A45C5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid luggage
    • A45C5/14—Rigid or semi-rigid luggage with built-in rolling means
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45C—PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
    • A45C5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid luggage
    • A45C5/14—Rigid or semi-rigid luggage with built-in rolling means
    • A45C2005/148—Other arrangements of the rolling means

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a piece of luggage, in particular a suitcase, with a wheel arrangement for enhancing a mobility of said piece of luggage.
  • Luggage manufacturer strive toward providing items of luggage that offer, on the one hand, reliability, duration, and sufficient packing space, whilst being, on the other hand, light and mobile alike. It is well kwon in the art to fit suitcases with wheel arrangements such that they may be rolled instead of carried over smooth terrain.
  • a piece of luggage that comprises a luggage body, the luggage body delimiting an interior packing space and comprising a bottom wall, the bottom wall having a rear longitudinal edge and a front longitudinal edge opposite said rear longitudinal edge.
  • the piece of luggage comprises a wheel arrangement, said wheel arrangement being arranged at, preferably attached to, said bottom wall.
  • the wheel arrangement comprises at least two swivel casters, preferably exactly two swivel casters, wherein each swivel caster has a swivel axis and a caster wheel rotation axis.
  • the two swivel axes are preferably arranged in opposing first and second corner regions of said rear longitudinal edge of the bottom wall.
  • said wheel arrangement further comprises at least rigid wheel, preferably exactly one rigid wheel, the rigid wheel having a rigid wheel rotation axis and the rigid wheel being arranged between the two swivel casters and in a region of said front longitudinal edge of the bottom wall.
  • the present invention is based on the insight that a luggage wheel arrangement for mobilizing a piece of luggage with a rigid bottom wall provides improved mobility and an optimized empty-weight to packing-volume ratio while offering sufficient stability if the wheel arrangement has two swivel casters arranged on the bottom rear longitudinal edge side and one opposing rigid wheel on the bottom front longitudinal edge side between the two swivel casters.
  • the rigid wheel is arranged spaced from the swivel casters over a depth of the piece of luggage and, at the same time, space from the swivel casters in lengthwise direction ( i.e. in the direction of a straight connecting line between the swivel casters) in-between the two swivel casters.
  • the two swivel casters and the rigid wheel are thus provided in a triangular arrangement with the swivel casters defining the hypotenuse of the triangle.
  • the triangular arrangement offers stability and a minimal turning circle of the piece of luggage, the depth being the height of the triangle.
  • the rigid wheel is already properly oriented for movement along the turning cycle while, in prior art, the swivel casters have to be first properly oriented, which requires space and force and is therefore disadvantageous to the mobility.
  • the two swivel casters aligned along or close to a floor facing edge of the piece of luggage allow for tilting the piece of luggage and pulling or pushing it suspended on the two swivel casters in an inclined position, preferably via an extendable handle located at the other end of the piece of luggage. Furthermore, upon putting the piece of luggage to rest on all its wheels, the entire weight of the piece of luggage is carried by the piece of luggage in the upright position (spinner function) while the piece of luggage may be pushed or pulled.
  • said triangle is an equilateral triangle.
  • the preferred minimum wheel arrangement requires only three items (two swivel casters and one rigid wheel) which reduces the weight of the piece of luggage whilst allowing for increasing the interior packing space as there is one wheel case less that protrudes into the interior packing space. Accordingly, there is no need for wheel cases in the front corners or along the bottom front longitudinal edge of the piece of luggage, accordingly, in some embodiments. Having no wheel cases in at the bottom front longitudinal edge also allows for fitting a maximized access opening in the front main face.
  • the front face may also be a soft wall with an integrated mounting plate while the rigid wheel is attached to the mounting plate ( cf. below).
  • the expression "the rigid wheel being arrangestinct in a region of said front longitudinal edge of the bottom wall” means that the rigid wheel is arranged close to the front longitudinal edge, i.e. with a distance of less than half, preferably of less than a third or a fourth or a fifth, of the depth of the piece of luggage at the position of the rigid wheel.
  • the rear and/or the front edge of the bottom wall may be rounded (i.e. curved), wherein the edge region includes or is defined by the rounded portion at the respective edge. A no-rounded sharp edge would, however, also work in the context of the present invention.
  • a wheel arrangement consisting of three wheel groups, i.e. the two swivel casters and the single rigid wheel, is preferred. It is, however, also conceivable to have more casters and/or rigid wheels in the wheel arrangement.
  • internal packing space refers to compartment provided by the luggage body for receiving items such as clothes or the like.
  • said luggage body comprises a first body portion and a second body portion, said first and second body portions being configured such as to form said bottom wall and to form, therebetween, the interior packing space, wherein said two swivel casters are arranged on said first body portion and said rigid wheel is arranged on said second body portion.
  • the first body portion is the rear body portion and the second body portion is the front body portion.
  • the two preferably rigid body portions may be attached to one another by pivot joints, while a zipper connection provided along the gap between the first and the second body portion may be used to close the interior packing space.
  • the luggage body is a single-piece rigid luggage body, or a luggage body with a soft front wall, or a soft shell luggage body with a rigid bottom wall.
  • the rigid wheel may not necessarily be attached to the bottom wall. It may be attached to a rigid mounting wall that is attached to the front face of the piece of luggage.
  • the front face may be a rigid or a soft wall structure. Accordingly, the present invention provides wheel arrangements for at least partially soft pieces of luggage.
  • said two swivel axes of the swivel casters are arranged spaced to one another along a connecting line, wherein said rigid wheel rotation axis extends parallel to and at a distance of less than 150 millimeters to a perpendicular bisector plane of said connecting line.
  • the perpendicular bisector plane extends perpendicular to the connecting line and through a middle point of said connecting line.
  • the rigid wheel is arranged in a middle region of the front longitudinal edge region of the bottom wall. This is particularly advantageous as the piece of luggage is then optimally balanced, which further improves mobility of the device.
  • said rigid wheel axis extends in said perpendicular bisector plane, i.e. it is arranged through the midpoint between the two swivel casters and perpendicular to said connecting line.
  • the piece of luggage includes a handle, said handle preferably being extendable substantially perpendicularly to the bottom wall.
  • the handle attached to the first body portion, i.e. to the rear side of the piece of luggage. Then, the piece of luggage may simply be pivoted to the rear direction about the two swivel casters, which raises the rigid wheel from the ground, whereby the swivel casters automatically align themselves in traveling direction and the piece of luggage may simply be dragged behind oneself.
  • a rigid wheel diameter is larger than 40 millimeters, preferably larger than 50 millimeters or larger than 75 millimeters.
  • a large rigid wheel which may be a single wheel and which may be skeletonized, improves the rolling stability of the piece of luggage.
  • the rigid wheel diameter is larger than a swivel caster wheel diameter.
  • the rigid wheel rotation axis is arranged above (i.e. closer to the top wall than) the swivel caster rotation axes, while the latter are preferably arranged on the same height and perpendicular to the swivel axes.
  • the rigid wheel rotation axis may, for example, be arranged above the swivel caster rotation axes by a distance that is equal to a difference between the rigid wheel diameter and the swivel caster wheel diameter.
  • the rigid wheel is arranged and designed such as to extend from below the bottom wall to above the bottom wall. This allows having a large rigid wheel.
  • the rigid wheel is recessed into the major front face of the piece of luggage. This may decrease the interior packing space a little bit, but far less than a wheel case for a swivel caster does.
  • the luggage body defines a major front face, wherein said rigid wheel is arranged such that an front facing surface of the rigid wheel is flush and parallel with said front major face.
  • said preferably rigid bottom wall is substantially rectangular.
  • said two swivel casters are arranged in a recessed manner. This allows maximizing the interior packing space if the outer dimensions of the piece of luggage are subject to regulations such as currently provided by airline companies. The maximizing effect is due to the use of the space between the different wheel groups of the wheel arrangement.
  • said two swivel casters are of double- or compound-wheel type and are preferably of automatic-aligning type and/or wherein said rigid wheel is of single-wheel type.
  • said rigid wheel may, in some embodiments, be attached to a rigid mounting plate, the latter being attached to the luggage body, preferably to the front face (internally or externally).
  • the rigid wheel rotation axis may be attached to the mounting plate instead of being attached to the bottom wall.
  • soft shell luggage such as soft side luggage, rolling duffle bags, and rolling backpacks may be fitted with the wheel arrangement according to the present invention.
  • the piece of luggage is a suitcase with a front wall, an opposing rear wall, rear and front walls connecting side walls, and a top wall, the top wall being arranged opposite of the bottom wall, wherein said walls delimit the interior packing space.
  • the piece of luggage is a hard side luggage, in particular a hard side suitcase.
  • Figures 1 to 4 show an isometric view of a preferred embodiment in a true to scale manner therefore showing true angles and aspect ratios of said embodiment.
  • Figure 1 shows said embodiment of the piece of luggage as a cuboidal suitcase 1.
  • bottom part is to be understood as the lower part of the suitcase 1, i.e. where the wheel arrangement 2 is arranged.
  • the "top” part is opposite the bottom part.
  • the “rear” part is to the left in Figs. 3 and 4 .
  • the " front " part is opposite the rear part.
  • the suitcase 1 comprises a luggage body 10 with a first body portion 11 and a second body portion 12.
  • the body portions 11, 12 are hard-top half shells that are hinged to one another. They may be produced by deep-drawing techniques.
  • the both body portions 11, 12 are hinged to one another such as to be pivotable relative to one another.
  • the body portions 11, 12 of suitcase 1 may be moved between a closed and an opened position, while the suitcase 1 may be secured in closed position by means of a zipper running between the two rigid body portions 11, 12.
  • the zipper may extend circumferentially in the gap between the first and second body portions 11, 12 around the suitcase 1, from first to second ends of a hinge portion.
  • the zipper is configured to attach the two body portions 11, 12 to one another.
  • the first body portion 11 is the rear body portion; the second body portion 12 is the front body portion.
  • the suitcase 1 has a front wall 15 that is part of the second body portion 12, an opposing rear wall 16 ( cf. Fig. 2 ) that is part of the first body portion 11. Moreover, the suitcase 1 comprises rear and front walls 15, 16 connecting side walls 17 and a top wall 18 ( cf. Fig. 4 ). The top wall 18 is arranged opposite of the bottom wall 14. The bottom wall 14, the side walls 17, and top wall 18 are formed by corresponding sections of the first and second body portions 11, 12; accordingly, these walls 14, 17, 18 are each divided into two parts. Said six walls 14-18 delimit the interior packing space 13 ( cf. Figs. 3, 4 ).
  • the bottom sections of the body portions 11, 12 form the bottom wall 14, which is divided into two parts by the gap running between the two body portions 11, 12, the zipper being arranged in said gap.
  • the rear body portion 11 has at the bottom side a lengthwise extending rear longitudinal edge 141 with rounded region 1410 ( cf. Fig. 2 ) and rounded first and second corner regions 143 and 144, respectively.
  • the longitudinal direction L is depicted in Fig. 1 .
  • the front body portion 12 has at the bottom side a lengthwise extending front longitudinal edge 142 with a rounded region 1420.
  • the rounded regions 1410, 1420 may have radii in the range of 20 millimeter to 40 millimeter.
  • the rounded regions 1410, 1420 are preferably shaped as circular cylinder sections.
  • first and second swivel casters C 1 and C 2 are arranged in wheel cases first and second swivel casters C 1 and C 2 , respectively.
  • the swivel casters C 1 , C 2 are suspended in vertically extending swivel joints with first and second swivel axes S C1 and S C2 , respectively.
  • the vertical direction extends between the top and the bottom of the suitcase 1.
  • the swivel axes S C1 and S C2 are arranged to have an offset distance to a center axis of the wheels such as to allow automatic alignment of the swivel wheels into traveling direction.
  • the double-wheels of the swivel casters C 1 , C 2 are rotatable about horizontal rotation axes R C1 , R C2 , respectively.
  • the rotation axes R C1 , R C2 are the center axis of the wheels.
  • Each double-wheel has a diameter D S of about 50 millimeters ( cf. Fig. 4 ). In some embodiments, D S may be up to 120 millimeters or more.
  • the swivel casters C 1 and C 2 are arranged recessed in said wheel cases such that an interior package space 13 is maximized.
  • the first and second swivel axes S C1 and S C2 may be connected by a straight connecting line 1 ( cf. Figs. 2, 3 ).
  • the connecting line 1 runs parallel to the rear and front edges 141, 142, respectively, and perpendicular to the swivel axes S C1 and S C2 .
  • Figure 2 shows the suitcase 1 in a bottom rear view.
  • An extendable handle 3 with a telescopic grip 32 is attached at the suitcase 1's rear body portion 11.
  • the rigid wheel R has a rigid wheel diameter D R of about 80 millimeters and a front surface 21 ( cf. Fig. 3 ).
  • D R may be up to 150 millimeters or more.
  • a thickness of the rigid wheel R may range from 15 millimeters to 30 millimeters.
  • the rigid wheel R may be a single piece wheel, preferably with an elastic damping material on its bearing surface.
  • the rigid wheel R is skeletonized.
  • the wheel R is skeletonized such as to form a structure with four webs that are oriented perpendicular to one another to form a cross ( cf. Fig. 1 ).
  • the rigid wheel R is rotatable about its horizontal rotation axis R R .
  • the rotation axis R R is arranged to extend in a perpendicular bisector plane M that runs through the connecting line 1 middle point between the swivel casters C 1 , C 2 ( cf. Figs. 2 & 3 ).
  • the rigid wheel rotation axis R R is suspended in a substantially triangular mounting structure 22 which has a skeletonized front face 23 with a bearing point to receive the axis R R .
  • the mounting structure 22 has a base with a length that is larger than the diameter D R of the rigid wheel R. In the embodiment according to Figs. 1 to 4 , the mounting structure 22 is arranged in the middle between the casters C 1 , C 2 .
  • a height of the mounting structure 22 protrudes over the bottom wall 14 and extends vertically beyond the rotation axes R C1 , R C2 .
  • the mounting structure 22 tapers in the direction parallel to the height ( cf. Figs. 3 & 4 ). This tapering reduces the width of the mounting structure to 50% of the width at the base and helps to minimize the weight while the dimensions are chosen such that any stability requirements are met.
  • the mounting structure 22 (and therefore the rigid wheel R) may be shifted away from the middle position, e.g. by 10% t0 30% of a length of the suitcase 1 in the L direction.
  • Figure 3 shows suitcase 1 in a bottom view. From Fig. 3 is apparent that the wheel arrangement 2 is an equilateral triangular arrangement of swivel caster C 1 , C 2 and rigid wheel R with the connecting line 1 as the hypotenuse. Also, it is apparent that the front surface 21 of the rigid wheel R is flush with a front major face 150 of the front wall 15.
  • Figure 4 shows the suitcase one from a side view. From Fig. 4 it becomes clear that the rigid wheel rotation axis R R is arranged above the swivel caster rotation axes R C1 , R C2. This is a result from the fact that the double-wheel diameter D S is smaller than the rigid wheel diameter D R , while the bottom end of the wheels may be arranged to contact horizontal ground such that the suitcase 1 stands vertically on the wheel arrangement 2. This further enhances stability. From Fig. 4 it is also apparent that the outward facing surface 21 of the rigid wheel R is flush with the major front face 150.

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  • Purses, Travelling Bags, Baskets, Or Suitcases (AREA)
EP15178624.1A 2015-07-28 2015-07-28 Pièce de bagage avec agencement de roue Withdrawn EP3123893A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP15178624.1A EP3123893A1 (fr) 2015-07-28 2015-07-28 Pièce de bagage avec agencement de roue

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP15178624.1A EP3123893A1 (fr) 2015-07-28 2015-07-28 Pièce de bagage avec agencement de roue

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3123893A1 true EP3123893A1 (fr) 2017-02-01

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EP15178624.1A Withdrawn EP3123893A1 (fr) 2015-07-28 2015-07-28 Pièce de bagage avec agencement de roue

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20170043621A1 (en) * 2014-04-24 2017-02-16 Ingenious Designs Llc Caster wheel assembly
USD961258S1 (en) * 2020-07-08 2022-08-23 Victorinox Ag Suitcase

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2672191A1 (fr) * 1991-02-04 1992-08-07 Samsonite Corp Bagage muni de quatre elements de roulement.
WO1992019122A1 (fr) * 1991-04-29 1992-11-12 American Tourister, Inc. Valise pourvue d'une poignee de traction
EP0874564A1 (fr) 1996-01-19 1998-11-04 RIMOWA Kofferfabrik GmbH Valise
US6148971A (en) 1999-01-25 2000-11-21 Kho; Dick T Easily pullable suitcase
WO2008139306A1 (fr) * 2007-05-09 2008-11-20 Angelini Design Di Angelini Lamberto & C. Sas Valise ou chariot avec une stabilité plus importante
US20080308370A1 (en) * 2007-06-14 2008-12-18 Kyong-Soo Chung Push-pull wheeled luggage with swingable rear wheels and at least one fixed front wheel
EP2888968A1 (fr) * 2013-12-26 2015-07-01 Kowa Emtech Limited Boîtier de transport

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2672191A1 (fr) * 1991-02-04 1992-08-07 Samsonite Corp Bagage muni de quatre elements de roulement.
WO1992019122A1 (fr) * 1991-04-29 1992-11-12 American Tourister, Inc. Valise pourvue d'une poignee de traction
EP0874564A1 (fr) 1996-01-19 1998-11-04 RIMOWA Kofferfabrik GmbH Valise
US6148971A (en) 1999-01-25 2000-11-21 Kho; Dick T Easily pullable suitcase
WO2008139306A1 (fr) * 2007-05-09 2008-11-20 Angelini Design Di Angelini Lamberto & C. Sas Valise ou chariot avec une stabilité plus importante
US20080308370A1 (en) * 2007-06-14 2008-12-18 Kyong-Soo Chung Push-pull wheeled luggage with swingable rear wheels and at least one fixed front wheel
EP2888968A1 (fr) * 2013-12-26 2015-07-01 Kowa Emtech Limited Boîtier de transport

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20170043621A1 (en) * 2014-04-24 2017-02-16 Ingenious Designs Llc Caster wheel assembly
US9914327B2 (en) * 2014-04-24 2018-03-13 Ingenious Designs Llc Caster wheel assembly
USD961258S1 (en) * 2020-07-08 2022-08-23 Victorinox Ag Suitcase

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