GB2490164A

GB2490164A - An expandable suitcase

Info

Publication number: GB2490164A
Application number: GB1106760.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Barnaby Edwards; Jean-Philippe Henri Denat
Original assignee: DG International Holdings Ltd
Current assignee: DG International Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 2011-04-20
Filing date: 2011-04-20
Publication date: 2012-10-24
Also published as: US20140048370A1; WO2012143735A2; GB201106760D0; CA2815294A1; WO2012143735A3

Abstract

An expandable travelling case 40 comprises a back panel 47, a flexible jacket (not shown), and an expansion mechanism comprising at least one expansion arm 41 and a holding frame 45. The case can be expanded by moving the expansion arm 41 to an expanded configuration wherein the expansion arm 41 braces the holding frame 45 against the flexible jacket in cooperation with the back panel 47 of the case. This provides a tension fit for the flexible jacket. The case may be collapsed into a store away configuration by moving the expansion arm 41 to a folded configuration. The case takes up less room than a standard case when collapsed. The case preferably has two expansion arms 41 located on opposite sides of the case.

Description

I

A CASE

The present invention relates to a case. In particular, the present invention relates to a travelling case, bag or suitcase that is expandable, i.e. it can be expanded to carry larger contents or additional contents.

Expandable travelling cases or bags are known in the prior art. They allow a user to expand the case in one or more dimension of the case for carrying his/her belongings, or to carry larger or additional belongings compared to those that can be carried in the case in an unexpanded configuration. Typical travelling items range from clothes to laptops, and include other accessories of various types.

Although expandable travelling cases nowadays are very popular with consumers, disadvantages can still be identified in the prior art.

Some expandable travelling cases simply use an additional zipped pocket or compartment that can be unzipped and folded out when necessary. However, it is difficult to use the maximum space that can be so gained, since the folded out pocket or compartment can collapse on itself. A large amount of additional items can be stored in these pockets or compartments such that internal pressure is applied to stretch the pockets/compartments to their maximum volume. However, when fully loaded, these expandable cases can result in an unpredictable shape or profile that is not only unsightly, but it can also cause problems where the expanded cases need to fall within predetermined maximum dimensions (this happens, for example, when a case needs to be stored in overhead storage compartments in airplanes).

Other types of expandable cases are known from the prior art. There are some which use complex or bulky expansion mechanisms comprising the likes of expansion frames, levers or arms. Some of these cases can obviate, at least partially, some of the problems associated with foldable zipped compartments or pockets. However, consumers may have to pay comparatively large premiums to purchase expandable travelling cases equipped with such complicated expansion devices.

It is also possible to find on the market relatively inexpensive expandable cases, although these cases typically have less robust or at least less practical expansion systems.

Certain consumers find expandable cases less aesthetically attractive than equivalent non-expandable cases, due to the presence of unsightly internal or external expansion features such as zips or mechanical arms or the like.

A further problem arises with the prior art cases, and that is that even in their collapsed state, the case is still of a substantial size, whereby the degree of expansion is only, perhaps, an increase in 25% of capacity, and, further, the storage of the case, when not in use, is still highly space dependant.

It would therefore be desirable to mitigate or obviate at least one of the above-discussed problems or disadvantages.

It would also be desirable to provide an expandable travelling case which is more practical or simple to use compared to the prior art.

It would also be desirable to provide an expandable travelling case which is relatively inexpensive to produce, while still being practical, reliable, simple and/or quick to expand.

Finally, it would be desirable to provide a new concept of expandable travelling case, in which expansion is performed in an alternative manner, or according to a different principle or mechanical mechanism compared to the prior art.

According to the present invention, there is provided an expandable travelling case, comprising: a back panel; a flexible jacket or skirt; and an expansion mechanism comprising an expansion arm and a holding frame, wherein the case can be expanded by moving the expansion arm to an expanded configuration. In the expanded configuration, the expansion arm braces the holding frame against the flexible jacket or skirt. The expansion arm rests on, or is supported in cooperation with, the back panel of the case, so that the expansion arm can support the holding frame and apply a force against it. The force is ultimately transmitted to the flexible jacket or skirt, whereby at least a part of the flexible jacket or skirt is put under tension over the holding frame.

This arrangement provides for a tension fit of the flexible jacket or skid over the holding frame in the expanded configuration. The tension fit maximises the internal volume of the case for carrying contents such as clothes or personal belongings.

The use of this expansion system also allows very significant capacity changes for the case -perhaps as much as fourfold the capacity of the collapsed case.

Further, the collapsed case is much less space dependant during storage, the collapsed case being so much thinner than the enlarged case. The collapsed case can have an overall depth down to 75mm.

Preferably, the expanded case can also be collapsed to a store-away configuration by moving the expansion arm to a folded configuration. The folded configuration can be characterised by the expansion arm laying generally parallel with respect to the back panel, in order to reduce the height or depth, or other dimension, of the case.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the flexible jacket or skid is made of a flexible fabric, such as a flexible synthetic fabric or cloth.

In some embodiments, the flexible jacket or skirt is made of an elastic or stretchable fabric or cloth that can recover its original shape after it has been stretched out in the expanded configuration.

Preferably, the holding frame comprises rods, bars or elongated segments of a structural material, all of which are particularly well suited for keeping the flexible jacket or skid in tension thereover.

Preferably, said rods or elongated segments form a network or frame of elongated segments (such as a web structure) over which the jacket can be put in tension when the travelling bag is expanded.

On certain locations, such as corners or joints, the holding frame may be subjected to high loads. Certain embodiments, therefore, can comprise reinforced segments or portions, such as thickened rods or bars, or reinforced corners, or reinforced hinge-points.

Preferably, the holding frame is made of an aramid, graphite, carbon or glass fibre material. These can have an ideal balance between strength and lightness for these applications. It can also be, instead, steel, aluminium or a titanium or magnesium alloy or a polymer.

In preferred embodiments, the back panel is generally rectangular, in order to give the expandable travelling case a generally rectangular profile or projection, which is particularly practical, common and popular among consumers.

Preferably, the back panel comprises a plastics sheet. The plastics sheet can be a polyethylene sheet, which is light and yet durable and resistant. Polyethylene is also a standard material used for this part in the industry, thus it is easy to source and manufacture in the required shape. It might alternatively be aluminium or a polycarbonate. Other known materials used in the art might likewise be used.

In some embodiments, the back panel has an internally concave shape, in which any expansion arm can fold. The flexible jacket or skirt could also be stored in the concave back panel in the collapsed, unexpanded configuration of the case.

Some preferred embodiments will be equipped with a holding frame having substantially the same outer shape, i.e. overall width and length, of the back panel.

Such a shape can be rectangular or square, for example.

In some particularly advantageous embodiments, the holding frame will be arranged such that it maintains a generally parallel and overlapping spatial relationship with the back panel both in the expanded and unexpanded configurations. This allows the case to be re-configured in a compact manner.

In addition, in some embodiments, the back panel may be internally concave, with sides projecting out of the main plane of the back panel, and the holding frame can be configured for resting on the back panel, inside its sides, when the case is collapsed, so that the holding frame is hidden away in the collapsed configuration.

If the back panel and the holding frame have a substantially matching shape and substantially matching overall width and length, these two elements can also be arranged so as to have a substantially corresponding projection, with the projection being projected according to a generally out-of-plane direction, such as a generally perpendicular dimension with respect to the back panel and the frame.

In preferred embodiments, the holding frame comprises perimeter bars, rods or the like, which can be reinforced at any corner (the corners are particularly susceptible of bearing the tension created in the flexible jacket). Any reinforced corners can be made of injection moulded polypropylene, polycarbonate, PVC, polyethylene or other materials used for a similar purpose in the art.

Preferably, there will be two expansion arms. They may be located in correspondence of opposite sides or ends of the expandable case, i.e. they can be symmetrically arranged relative to one another.

Preferably, the expansion arm(s) will each have a back and a front end, the back end being located generally closer to, or designed for interacting with, the back panel of the case, and the front end being located generally closer to, or designed for interaction or connection with, the holding frame of the case -the front end is therefore directly used for implementing the expansion of the case in cooperation with the holding frame.

The front end(s) of the expansion arm(s) may be pivotally connected to the holding frame, so that expanding and collapsing the case can be performed by rotating the arm(s) around the pivotal connection(s) between the holding frame and the arm(s). The extension/expansion arm(s) can therefore swing around the pivotal connection(s) so that they can be configured substantially parallel to the back panel, or generally out-of-plane with respect to the back panel. The former, parallel configuration corresponds to a collapsed configuration of the case, and the latter, out-of-plane configuration corresponds to an expanded configuration of the case.

To provide stability to the case in the expanded configuration, the back panel can be equipped with one or more inner retention means to hold the back end(s) of the expansion arm(s) on the back panel while tension is applied by the expansion arm(s) to the flexible jacket via the holding frame. Preferably, the retention means comprise locking means, so that the expansion arm(s) can be locked, if required, in the required position on the back panel.

Preferably, one or more of the inner locking means comprises respective one or more locking plates. Each locking plate may be screwed on the back panel. Each locking plate may comprise a locking recess, so that a corresponding expansion arm can be locked in place relative to the back panel in the expanded configuration of the case by engaging the back end of the arm with said recess.

Preferably, a perpendicular projection of at least one of the retention or locking means falls within the projection of the holding frame. This is so that it is possible for the corresponding expansion arm(s) to swing inwardly with respect of the back panel under the tension force of the jacket. With this arrangement, should any expansion arm(s) or any corresponding retention or locking means fail, the expansion arm(s) would end up safely folded inside the case.

Preferably, the extension arm(s) are equipped with pulling tab(s), so that the tab(s) can be pulled out of the corresponding retention means (or locking means, such as a recess). In some embodiments, the pulling tab(s) are made with webbing material, which is particularly strong and suitable for being pulled.

Preferably, the flexible jacket surrounds or encapsulates a rigid back panel, and is located substantially all around the case.

Alternatively, the flexible jacket might be connected to a rigid back panel in a different manner, along the perimeter or edge of the rigid back panel.

The above two jacket (or skirt) arrangements provide for a case comprising a rigid base portion (given by the rigid back panel), and for a flexible or semi-rigid expandable portion (flexible in the collapsed configuration, and semi-rigid in the expanded configuration, where the jacket -or skirt -is under tension).

In one embodiment, the collapsed case comprises the or an expansion arm laying generally parallel with respect to the holding frame.

In some embodiments, the expansion arm(s) in the expanded configuration is/are in generally out-of-plane geometrical relation with respect to the back panel.

It is also a possibility to have any of the expansion arms in the expanded configuration in generally out-of-plane geometrical relation with respect to the holding frame.

In embodiments with two expansion arms, the two expansion arms can be conveniently symmetrically positioned with respect to a median plane of the travelling case.

The flexible jacket or skirt can surround substantially all of the case, and can also be arranged as a tight fit on at least a side of the back panel. This arrangement is especially advantageous with a rigid back panel. As a skirt, however, it might not extend around the sides of the case. It might instead be joined at an edge to front and back panels. The joint may be with a zip to facilitate opening of the case.

The jacket or skirt might have a zip provided elsewhere on it -e.g. around the sides -usually 3 sides -of the case, also to facilitate the opening of the case.

The travelling case can comprise a length, a width and a depth, and the expansion mechanism may be configured for expanding the depth of the case. When that is the case, the holding frame and the back panel can have substantially matching projections, the projections being taken in the direction of the depth of the case.

Preferably, the back panel and the holding frame are configured for maintaining, relatively to each other, a generally parallel geometric relation in both the expanded and unexpanded configurations of the case.

Preferably, each expansion arm is configured for folding inwardly with respect to the back panel, and/or the holding frame.

These and other features of the present invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of an expansion arm with corresponding inner and outer locking plates and corresponding set of four screws according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a back perspective view of the components of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top perspective view of an assembly comprising a back panel, an expansion mechanism and a trolley handle according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a top plan view of the assembly of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a bottom perspective view of the expansion mechanism of Figures 3 and 4; Figure 6 is a top perspective representation of an expandable travelling case according to the present invention with missing flexible jacket, in an expanded configuration: Figure 7 is a side perspective view of an expanded travelling case according to the present invention; Figure 8 is a representation of the travelling case of Figure 7 with missing cover jacket; Figure 9 is a representation of the mechanism for collapsing a travelling case in accordance with the present invention; Figure 10 shows a travelling case according to the present invention with expansion arms unlocked and about to be folded; Figure 11 shows a travelling case according to an embodiment of the present invention with retracted or folded expansion arms, in partially collapsed configuration; Figure 12 illustrates a volume gain according to an expandable travelling case in accordance with the present invention, with dimensions given in mm; Figure 13 shows a travelling case in accordance with the present invention in fully collapsed configuration with dimensions given in mm; and Figure 14 shows the internal configuration of the expansion arms of the collapsed travelling case of Figure 13.

Referring to Figure 1, there is illustrated an expansion arm I for use in an expandable travelling bag according to the present invention. The arm 1 has a top and a bottom, or a front and a back, ends 11, 12 which are configured for interacting, respectively, with a holding frame and with a base panel, or back panel, of the case. In particular, the back end or base 12 of the arm I is configured for connection to a base plate, and the front end 11 is configured for supporting a holding frame over which a flexible fabric or cloth can be stretched, or put under tension, to form a tension fit which expands the expandable case. The tension fit is created by the expansion arm 1 being configured substantially vertically between the base panel and the jacket; in this configuration the jacket is subjected to tension. The jacket is either connected to the base panel of the case, or lines it from the outside, so that when the arm pushes against the back panel of the case, the tension fit can be formed in the jacket.

The arm, or arms if there is more than one, can be said to be "sandwiched" between the base and the jacket, i.e. subjected to compression while the jacket is in tension.

The arm or arms can then be reconfigured substantially horizontally with respect to the base or holding frame to remove the tension in the fabric jacket. Thus, the case can be collapsed by folding away or collapsing the jacket once the tension has been removed therefrom.

Further features of the tension fit will be described in more detail below.

The expansion arm 1 of Figure 1 has a "V1' or "1" shape, characterised by the presence of a bifurcation or branching, but alternative shapes would be possible, including a substantially straight shape, with no branching. The bifurcation shown in Figures 1 and 2 serves to provide extra mechanical strength to the expandable case. Furthermore, it provides additional separate supports for the holding frame for hoisting the jacket in tension, as will be apparent later.

At the top end 11 of the expansion arm I, two hollow cylinders 13 are integrally formed therewith. These cylinders work as bushings, and are capable of accepting a wire-frame type element (or pin or rod) thereinside, so that a hinge can be formed, around which the expansion arm can swing. Such wire-frame element or pin is usually a part of the holding frame.

The inner part of the arm I (with reference to its "in use" configuration) is smooth and pleasant to the sight and touch -this is the side of the arm shown in Figure 1. The back part of the arm can instead be used to provide reinforcement, as this part would not be visible to the user when the case is opened -this side is seen from Figure 2. The back side of the arm I of Figure 2 has reinforcements in the shape of ribs or transversal elements 6 which provide the arm 1 with the required rigidity -after all it is important that the arm I is mechanically strong, as it has to support the compression load transmitted from the jacket. The expansion arm.1 also has a base portion 4, which is substantially at right angles with the bifurcated portion of the arm. This portion 4 is at thebackend 12 ofthe arm 1.

When the arm 1 is configured vertically, inside the case, it holds a holding frame against a flexible jacket to expand the case -this will be described in more detail below.

The base portion 4 is responsible, under these conditions, for connecting and resting on the back panel, so that a reaction force can be transmitted from the panel, against which the arm 1 is supported, to the flexible jacket. In particular, such base portion 4 is equipped with a recess 9 that is sized to engage with a protruding element or head or a support plate 5 which is fixed on the back panel, inside the case. The arm 1 -which can rotate around the hinges formed by the cylinders 13 and the holding frame -is thus prevented from rotating inwardly of the case, so that the vertical portion 11 of the arm 1 is supported firmly, so that the flexible jacket can also be supported in the expanded configuration of the case.

The base support plate 5, or internal protruding element 5, in this embodiment is simply screwed on to the back panel by four screws 3 that connect the inside plate with an external element or back plate provided on the back of the panel. The back plate 7 has screw holes in correspondence of holes formed on the base plate 5. Corresponding screw holes are formed in the back panel of the case. A method of forming them is punching, which requires the back panel of the case being made of a punchable material, such as polyethylene sheet.

Figure 3 shows the "skeleton" of the expandable case. This is an assembly comprising expansion arms 21 of the kind described above (shown in Figure 3 in an "engaged" or expanded configuration), a back panel 25 and a holding frame 23. In Figure 3, the expansion arms 21 are retained and locked on the back panel 25 by protruding base plates 28.

The retention and engagement is performed via a recess formed on the back end of each arm 21. Each recess interlocks with the profile of the corresponding base plate 28.

Each base plate 28 may additionally have an upper lip 8 (shown in Figure 2) which prevents the arm 21 from accidentally disengaging from its retention plate.

To disengage the arm from the base plate, the user is required to pull the arm 21 backwards, towards a side of the case, and up, against the tensile force of the jacket, before he can swing the arm 21 inwards, thereby removing the jacket's tension.

The assembly of Figure 3 does not show the jacket, or skirt, forming the tensile fit of the case (a jacket, a skirt, or a combination comprising a jacket and a skirt can be used to provide the tension fit according to different embodiments of the invention).

As it can be seen in Figures 3 and 4, the two expansion arms 21 support a holding frame 23, over which the jacket is put under tension in the expanded configuration. The expansion arms 21 are located on opposite sides of the case, which in this embodiment are the top and bottom sides of the case. The top side of the bag can be recognised by the presence of a trolley handle in correspondence of that side.

There will also be a corresponding internal sleeve or casing 27 for the trolley's handle.

The holding frame is rectangular, and made of a wire-form structural material, in this case fibre glass rods 31. The holding frame comprises four rods 31, connected at right angles with corner units 30 made of injection moulded polypropylene. The rods are inserted into holes formed on the ends of said corner units 30. However, the holding frame could also be integrally formed from the same material.

There will be multiple methods of manufacture possible for such as structure, as it known in the art.

The corner units 30 in this embodiment are notably thicker than the fibre glass rods.

This provides for additional resistance at those corners 30.

Figure 4 represents the assembly of Figure 4 from in top plan view. The expansion arms 21 and the holding frame 23 form the expansion mechanism 29 for the expandable case. It can also be observed that the housing for the trolley handle is used to form the internal concave shape of the internal polyethylene board sheet (the back panel 25) in correspondence of the top of the case.

Figure 5 shows the expansion mechanism 29 of Figures 3 and 4 from a different angle.

The various elements previously described are readily identifiable, such as the rods 31 forming the holding frame 23, the corner units 30, the expansion arms 21 and the inner and outer plate assemblies 28, which are formed by inner and outer plates and by connecting screws as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

At the back of one of the expansion arms 21 in Figure 5, a cut portion 37 can also be seen. This is used to house a pulling tab (not shown) for the expansion arm. Such a pulling tab is made of webbing cloth. It is by means of such pulling tabs that the user can easily disengage the base portion of the expansion arms 21 form the retaining plates, by pulling the pulling tabs gently backward, towards the side of the case, and then upwards to overcome the upper lip 8 formed on the base plate 5. Each pulling tab passes through the cut portion 37, and is retained therebetween at least in one direction.

Figure 6 shows an alternative embodiment of a travelling case 40 in accordance with the present invention (without showing a flexible jacket or cover) -this embodiment is similar compared to the embodiments described so far. The base of the case 40 is an internally concave back panel 47. The panel has a flat base, and four sides 49. These give the case 40 its overall dimensions lengthwise and widthwise.

The back panel 47 is provided with a housing 46, on the internal side, for accommodating a trolley-style handle 48. Notably, the housing runs across the whole length of the back panel 47, and is supported in connection with the top and bottom sides of the back panel. The attachment is by means of screws 42. The housing 46 provides the case 40 with additional rigidity across its length, and the shape and profile of the housing's top and bottom ends contributes to forming and maintaining the curvature of the top and bottom sides of the back panel 47.

The expansion arms 41 are illustrated in the expanded configuration, with the back end portions of the arms 41 firmly engaged against the back plate assemblies 49. The bifurcated ends of the expansion arms 41 rise vertically, out of the plane of the back panel 47, and hold a holding frame 45 in expanded configuration.

As described above, the holding frame 45 comprises rods and corner units 44, and has a generally rectangular shape, generally matching the shape of the back panel 47. The resulting shape of the case 40 will be generally prismatic, with a rectangular base given by the back panel 47. The height or depth of the expanded case is determined basically by the length or height of the expansion arms, and the depth/height of the collapsed case is determined by the height of the sides of the concave back panel 47, as the expansion mechanism is folded and accommodated on the back panel 47.

The holding frame 45 is maintained parallel to the back panel 47 in the expanded or collapsed configurations of the case 40.

Figure 7 represents a complete expandable travelling case 60. The case is represented in the expanded configuration, and the outer jacket 61 is visible. The case is a travelling trolley with telescopic handle 62 and castors 67.

Figure 8 shows the case 60 without the tension jacket 61. Features of the expansion case 60 can then be identified, such as the back panel 63, the holding frame 64, the expansion arms 65 and the retention base plates or protrusions 66.

Figure 9 illustrates schematically the mechanism 70 for collapsing the case 79; the pulling tabs 77 are used to pull the expansion arms 71 out from their retained or locked configuration, and are then folded upwardly and inwardly of the case 79 (see the arrows) until they substantially align with the holding frame 72. At that point, the jacket is no longer in tension, and it is free to collapse on its sides 74. It is clear from this Figure that a flexible skirt 74 could be used instead of a flexible jacket. Therefore, the upper part of the case 79 could also be made of a non-flexible material, with the part forming the tension fit of the case 79 being just the skirt 74 all around the case 79.

In Figure 9, the base plates 76 can also be identified, they extend through the back base 75 of the case 79, and are therefore also useful to keep the case 79 raised form the ground, when the case is laid flat as in Figure 9.

In this embodiment, the holding frame 72 is simply pushed against the jacket 74, but not otherwise connected thereto. Alternatively, the jacket 74 can be fixed or connected in a known manner to the holding frame 72, for example by forming pockets inside the jacket 74, that can house the wire-form elements of the holding frame 72.

The disengagement of the expansion arms from their retention means 76 on the back panel is better represented in Figure 10, while Figure 11 shows the expansion arms 71 in nearly fully retracted configuration -they have rotated about 70 degrees relative to the vertical direction (roughly, the one shown in Figure 10). Figure 11 also shows schematically that the sides of the jacket 74 have started to collapse, since they present wrinkles.

Figures 12, 13 and 14 illustrate dimensional details of a preferred embodiment. They all show the case from a side, while the case lies horizontally on its back side 75. Other cases, however, are anticipated, such as carry-on cases, briefcases, medium suitcases, large suitcases and trunks. They would have dimensions corresponding to industry standards.

Figure 12 shows the maximum expansion of the case with reference to the collapsed configuration. As it can be seen, the depth of the case roughly triples in the expanded configuration. It is foreseeable that the depth of the case 79 could also quadruple with the expansion mechanism of the present invention. Triplification of the depth would correspond to roughly a 200% gain in storage space.

Figure 13 shows that the collapsed case is particularly shallow and easy to store away, with a maximum depth in this embodiment, amounting to only 81mm. The maximum length of the case is instead 524mm, as measured from the end of the handle (retracted) to the castors 96. It should be noted that in the collapsed configuration of the case the expansion mechanism 70 "disappears" inside the concave back panel 75, and that the plane of the rectangular holding frame 72 is substantially flush with the plane identified by the edges of the sides of the back panel 75, as shown in Figure 14.

Figure 14 illustrates that the profile of the expansion arms 71 forms a truncated triangle, or a notional triangle, when the ends of the expansion arms are connected with an imaginary line (that line overlaps with the profile of the holding frame 72 in Figure 14). The vertical height of that triangle corresponds substantially with the depth of the collapsed case 79, and this ensures that the expansion arms tidily and neatly stow inside the concave back panel 75 when they are folded while the holding frame is also snugly housed inside the concave back panel.

The present invention therefore achieves a number of advantages -easy use, small stowage footprint, large expanded capacity and desirable external appearance.

The present invention has been described above purely by way of example.

Modifications in detail may be made to the invention within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1 An expandable travelling case comprising: a back panel; a flexible jacket or skirt; and an expansion mechanism comprising at least an expansion arm and a holding frame, wherein the case can be expanded by moving the expansion arm to an expansion configuration, the expanded case comprising the expansion arm bracing the holding frame against the flexible jacket or skirt in cooperation with the back portion of the case, to provide a tension fit for the flexible jacket or skirt.
2 An expandable travelling case according to claim 1, wherein the expanded case can be collapsed to a store-away configuration by moving the expansion arm to a folded configuration, thereby slackening tension in the jacket or skirt.
3 An expandable travelling case according to claim 2, wherein the collapsed case further comprises the expansion arm laying generally parallel with respect to the holding frame or to the back panel.
4 An expandable travelling case according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the expansion arm in the expanded configuration is in generally out-of-plane relation with respect to the back panel or the holding frame.
An expandable travelling case according to claim 4, wherein the expansion arm in the expanded configuration of the case is in generally out-of-plane relation, and in the collapsed configuration of the case in generally parallel relation, with respect to both the holding frame and the back panel.
6 An expandable travelling case according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the expansion mechanism comprises two expansion arms located on opposite sides of the case.
7 An expandable travelling case according to claim 6, wherein the two expansion arms are symmetrically positioned with respect to a median plane of the travelling case.
8 An expandable travelling case according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flexible jacket or skirt is made of a fabric material.
9 An expandable travelling case according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the back panel comprises a rigid portion and the flexible jacket surrounds substantially all of the case, and is arranged for a tight fit on at least the rigid portion of the back panel.
10 An expandable travelling case according to any one of claims I to 8, wherein the flexible jacket or skirt is connected to an edge of the back panel.
11 An expandable travelling case according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding frame comprises elongated segments of a structural material.
12 An expandable travelling case according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding frame has an overall length and width generally matching the length and width of the back panel.
13 An expandable travelling case according to any one of the above claims, the travelling case comprising a length, a width and a depth, and wherein the expansion mechanism is configured for expanding the depth of the case.
14 An expandable travelling case according to claim 13, wherein the holding frame and the back panel have substantially matching projections, the projections being taken in the direction of the depth of the case.
An expandable travelling case according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the back panel and the holding frame are configured for maintaining relatively to each other a generally parallel relation in both the expanded and unexpanded configurations of the case.
16 An expandable travelling case according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the back panel has an internally concave shape in which any expansion arm can be folded when the case is collapsed.
17 An expandable travelling case according to claim 16, wherein the back panel comprises sides projecting out of the main plane of the back panel, and the holding frame is arranged for resting on the back panel in cooperation with said sides when the case is collapsed.
18 An expandable travelling case according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each expansion arm has a back and front end, the back end being configured for interaction with the back panel of the case, and the front end being configured for interaction with, or for being connected to, the holding frame of the case, and wherein the front end of the expansion arm is pivotally connected to the holding frame.
19 An expandable travelling case according to claim 18, wherein the back panel comprises one or more inner retention means, each retention means being configured for engagement with a back end of an expansion arm.
An expandable travelling case according to claim 15, wherein the one or more retention means comprises one or more respective locking means.
21 An expandable travelling case according to claim 19 or 20, wherein each expansion arm is configured for folding inwardly with respect to the back panel and the holding frame.
22 An expandable travelling case substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.