FR3082401A1 - LUGGAGE APPARATUS - Google Patents

Abstract

Baggage apparatus comprising: a case (99) with substantially rigid sides (7, 8, 17, 77) and two substantially rigid sides (1, 10), wherein the sides include a flexible expandable fastening portion (6) to fix objects on the face (1); and in which the case (99) comprises one or more wheels (21) which project with reference to a face (10) and one or more wheels (3) which project with reference to one side (17), and a handle (2) with an articulated connection (12) to the bag; such that the case (99) is configured to allow a user to pull the case along the wheels (3, 21) when the case is in two vertical and orthogonal orientations.

Description

LUGGAGE APPARATUS

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus for luggage, in particular an apparatus for transporting objects inside and outside of a suitcase.

Technological background

In our societies, the number of people enjoying travel is constantly increasing. In particular, air transportation is very popular with these many people.

However, when traveling it can be problematic to carry luggage, such as at airports or stations for example and more generally, in all places where the traveler has to transport large quantities of items.

Travelers typically use wheeled suitcases to facilitate the transportation of objects which can then be stored inside the suitcase. However, when the traveler is in possession of one or more suitcases or is carrying several independent objects, he can very quickly be confronted with problems in moving all of these objects or suitcases in an organized and secure manner.

State of the art

Document US 2015 0 014 949 (DITTMAN) discloses a transport device, comprising: a storage compartment; one or more wheels on a bottom of the storage compartment; a handle connected to the storage compartment; and a clasp on a surface anterior to the storage compartment, the clasp being configured to cooperate with a corresponding receiver situated on a rear surface of a pendant transport device, so that, when paired, the transport device pendant is securely and removably attached to the transport device.

Document US 2009 0 315 284 (OSORNO) relates to a suitcase convertible between a first configuration similar to a suitcase and a second configuration similar to a wheeled cart. The suitcase may have wheels and a swivel handle. The pivoting handle can be supported by a spacer pivotally attached to the latter at one end and arranged at the other end to slide along a groove in a guide track fixed to the suitcase. The spacer may be provided to stop at a predetermined location along the groove, the handle being set at an angle suitable for pushing the suitcase on its wheels.

Document US 8,118,145 (HAMAMY) describes a convertible cart suitcase comprising: a suitcase having a main body comprising at least a rear surface and a bottom surface; a track for receiving a retractable handle; a retractable handle connected to said suitcase, said retractable handle being movable towards and away from said main body; a first set of wheels provided on said lower surface of said main body; wheel arches for receiving a second set of wheels; said second set of wheels being disposed in said wheel arches, said wheels being retractable; wherein said retractable handle is movable between a position located inside said track and horizontal to said bottom surface of said suitcase and a position substantially orthogonal to said main body of said suitcase, said handle being used by a user in said horizontal position or in said orthogonal position; and wherein, when said retractable handle is in said horizontal position, said first set of wheels is used to roll said suitcase, and wherein, when said retractable handle is removed from said track, said second set of wheels slide out of said passages wheel and are positioned on said lower surface of said main body and said first and second sets of wheels being used to roll said suitcase.

The need to overcome the problems encountered on existing devices has led to the present invention.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for luggage comprising: a suitcase with substantially rigid sides, and at least one substantially rigid face, wherein the sides include a flexible expandable fastening portion for securing objects on the face; and wherein the bag comprises one or more wheels which project with reference to a face and one or more wheels which project with reference to a side, and a handle with an articulated connection to the bag; so that the case is configured to allow a user to pull the case on 5 wheels when the case is in two orientations, vertical and orthogonal.

For example, the wheels can be provided on one end side and on one side, in which the case includes two end sides, and two long sides, as well as two opposite sides.

¹⁰

In this way, the suitcase can be rolled face down and rolled upright or tilted on one end. In the face-down position, it can be envisaged that the suitcases can be stacked.

In some embodiments, the wheels on the end side may include standard wheels or case wheels known in the art, such as swivel wheels. These wheels can protrude from the side so as to maximize the internal space in the case.

The wheels on the face can be envisaged to be appreciably smaller, and embedded in the face so as to avoid creating a protrusion that is too large or protruding too much upward, and limiting the loss of internal space.

In some embodiments of the apparatus, for example, the suitcases can be considered for use as part of a stacking apparatus, in which the apparatus comprises more than one device including the suitcase, the sale. For example, the faces of the devices can be configured to fit together, and the side attachment portion can be configured to fix the sides of different devices together.

In some embodiments, in order to provide a substantially planar surface or in order to provide a face better configured to nest with other devices, and / or in order to provide a surface to the face better adapted to limit the movement of objects transported on the face, the face may include raised and hollow parts.

In certain embodiments, the wheels can comprise pivoting wheels, for example on the end side, so as to advantageously allow greater degrees of movement.

The articulated connection between the case and the handle comprises an articulated base. In some embodiments, the handle is configured to allow minimization, for example configured to be foldable or telescopic. Conversely, this minimization can allow the handle to be extendable to great lengths, so as to provide maximum comfort when the case is flat on one side.

It can be envisaged that, to facilitate storage when the appliance is not in use, the handle can be reduced in size by coaxial telescoping and be articulated on one side or one face of the suitcase.

The articulated connection of the handle can allow the handle to be inclined relative to the bag or to be directed straight up from a bag end; to allow comfortable transport in either orientation.

In some embodiments, the joint is provided by a pivot. In others, the articulated link can allow rotation as well as articulation.

In certain embodiments, the articulated link can be locked, for example in two positions, so that the case can be configured for easy use in a first or a second orientation. In addition or alternatively, the articulated connection may comprise a notch or ratchet articulation, so as to allow a plurality of locked positions.

The flexible fixing part can extend from one or more sides of the case. For example, in some embodiments, the part may extend from the two long sides, so as to meet above the center of the rear face. In some embodiments, the portion may include four separate portions meeting above the rear face, so as to provide a more efficient means of holding the objects on the rear face without loss.

The flexible attachment portion may include a single portion, which is configured to extend from one side of the case, pass over an object, and clip into a clip on the opposite side. The sides of the bag can thus differ, or in certain embodiments, the part can comprise two ports which can be spaced and / or inverted in formation, passing over the rear face during use for clipping.

In certain embodiments, the clips or other portions can be locked or lockable so as to lock the part when the part is extended on the rear face.

₁₀ In some embodiments, the portion may be configured to extend on a reel mechanism. In some embodiments, the part may include an elastomeric material.

In certain systems, the embodiments of the suitcases of the present invention may differ from one another in configuration and / or in size so as to form a modular system of multiple suitcases and complementary devices sharing some or all of their characteristics.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the Figures in which:

Brief description of the figures

Figure 1 shows an Isometric view of an embodiment of a suitcase forming the apparatus of the present invention with a retracted handle;

Figure 2 shows an isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 with an extended handle in a stacking orientation;

Figure 3 shows an inverted isometric view of the embodiment as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows an inverted isometric view of the embodiment as shown in Figure 2;

Figure 5 shows an isometric view of an apparatus consisting of a stack of three embodiments of a suitcase as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 6 shows an inverted isometric view of the apparatus as shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 shows an inverted isometric exploded view of the embodiment of the bag shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 8 shows an exploded isometric view of the embodiment of the suitcase shown in Figure 1.

Detailed description of the Figures

Referring to the Figures, there is generally shown an apparatus for baggage generally comprising: a suitcase 99 with substantially rigid sides 7, 8, 17, 77 and two substantially rigid faces 1,10, in which the dimensions 20 comprise a part of flexible extensible fastener 6 for securing objects on the face 1; and in which the case comprises wheels 21 which project with reference to the face 10 and wheels 3 which project with reference to the side 17, and a handle 2 with an articulated base 12, so that the case 99 is configured to allow a user to pull the suitcase on the wheels 3, 21 in more than one orientation.

²⁵

The base includes an articulated connection 12 between the suitcase 99 and the handle 2.

With particular reference to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, there is shown an embodiment comprising a suitcase with blank faces and sides 99 30 with rounded and reinforced corners 71. The embodiment is formed from a thermoplastic material or polymer such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

The embodiment comprises a metal handle 2, with a powder coating, coaxially folding, and having a gripping element 15 orthogonal to two elongated and telescopic elements 13,14.

The sides are continuous around the rounded corners, and act to separate the two parallel faces 1,10, comprising a front face 10 and a bitter face 1.

Both sides are wavy, with raised and hollow parts.

The faces are corrugated in a corresponding and equal manner with respective parts of hollow tracks and raised rib 11 so that the rear face of a suitcase fits with the front face of another suitcase and vice versa.

However, the rear face also includes the articulated connection of the handle 2 and a location for storing the handle 2 when it is not in use. The articulated connection comprises two articulated pivoting bases 12 located at the proximal ends of the elongated handle elements 13, distal of the PNSE element in hand 15. The location for storage comprises an Indentation 18 in the form of

U extending from the pivoting articulated bases 12.

The rear face 1 further comprises raised and hollow surfaces 11, which correspond with the opposite front face 10, and in particular the wheels 3, so as to allow the assembly and nesting of the faces, thus allowing stacking 20 efficient suitcases with minimal footprint, also ensuring that vahses are less likely to move when stacked. In addition or alternatively the nesting also limits the movement at the end.

The handle extends from a proximal or upper side at an angle allowing the rutlllsateur to pull the suitcase in its preferred orientation, namely with the handle at an obtuse angle relative to the rear face 1 when the face front 10 is in contact with the ground, and largely coaxial with the rear face 1 when the lower face is in contact with the ground.

The swivel wheels 3 on the lower side 17 imply that the suitcase can be manufactured in a similar manner to a conventional suitcase.

The front face 10 comprises four small wheels 21 spaced in two sets of parallel wheels located near the ends.

Smaller wheels 21 on the front surface 10 also facilitate manufacturing since they can be inserted into a hard shell lower cover or a front face. These are also more discreet compared to disc wheels.

The handle 2 is integrated in the rear face 1. This allows it to both articulate and slide for a greater length. The handle 2 remains in position with a friction fit.

The user can turn the handle 2 then press a button located inside the handle to lengthen it.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, multiple devices 100 can be configured to be stacked on top of each other and on the case 99 of the present invention so as to form a second aspect of the present invention. The opposite faces 1,10 of the devices are configured in the same way as for the suitcase and fit into each other thanks to the raised ribs and hollow tracks 11, 20. In this way, the device is configured to the stacking of more than one suitcase and other devices or objects in which the opposite faces 1,10 of the suitcase are configured to fit into one another using a raised rib and parts of hollow tracks 11, 20.

The fixing of objects on the rear face of the suitcase 1 is carried out by a retractable strap 61 of the extensible part 6 with a male buckle clip 23 which extends from a central articulated handle 9 on a long side 77 of the mode of realization and 25 which clips into a female loop clip 16 on the opposite side 8 of the bag in order to fix the bags together. In certain embodiments, the part 6 can engage with the handles of other suitcases.

More particularly, the fastening means 6 thus comprises a nylon canvas strap (RTM) 61 with a thermoplastic loop 23 at its end, in which the strap 61 extends from a reel 24 through a slot 22 in the side 77 of the bag, extends on the rear face 1 of the bag, and all the objects placed on the back side, and clips into the loop clip 16 on the other side 8 of the bag.

Known in the art, the long sides of the case 8, 77 include central articulated handles 9.

The invention has been described by way of example only and the embodiments mentioned above may vary without being excluded from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims, in particular, but not only, a combination of features of the embodiments described.

Claims (3)

claims 1. An apparatus for luggage comprising: a suitcase (99) with substantially rigid sides (7, 8, 17, 77) and two substantially rigid faces (1, 10), in which the sides include a flexible extensible fixing part ( 6) to fix objects on the face (1); and in which the case (99) comprises one or more wheels (21) which project with reference to a face (10) and one or more wheels (3) which project with reference to one side (17), and a handle (2) with an articulated connection (12) to the bag; such that the case (99) is configured to allow a user to pull the case along the wheels (3,21) when the case is in two vertical and orthogonal orientations. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flexible extensible fixing part comprises a retractable strap which extends on one side (77) and clips into a buckle clip (16) on the other side (8) of the suitcase. 3. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, configured for more than one suitcase in which the opposite faces (1, 10) of the suitcase are configured to fit into one another using a raised rib and portions of hollow tracks (11, 20).