JP2002521108A - Soft side bag with one peripheral frame and two side-by-side compartments - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] A bag having a large pocket provided in the main storage door (30). This pocket is formed by a portion of the rail (20) releasably attached to the bag by a wavy passage zipper track (32) and a gusset (44) along a self-hinged portion (34) below the door. ing. The compartments thus obtained project inside the bag and over at least one of the wheels (26) to provide a good configuration within the bag and to keep the bag balanced on the wheels. It has been made to help hold.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a so-called Pullman case, a luggage having two or more wheels arranged along one elongated side. This particular style of Pullman has a so-called drum structure, ie, a relatively rigid frame that extends around the perimeter or rails, ie, around the four narrow sides of the bag. Each of the opposed front side and back side is closed by a flexible fabric member. Typically, one of these sides is releasably attached to a framed perimeter by a zipper or the like. Most such bags include a main storage compartment and at least one small zippered compartment that can be accessed through a normally zippered side or door. The zippered pocket on this door is usually nothing less than a narrow envelope made of fabric that holds only a small amount of clothing. Alternatively, this type of Pullman case had a gusseted pocket protruding 2-6 cm from its entire perimeter. This gives at least the illusion that the combination of the gusseted pocket and the main compartment has a large storage capacity.

[0002] There are many problems with these conventional designs. Since the slit pocket in the door has very little storage space, most of the storage space is in one very large compartment that is difficult for the traveler to organize. Also, the very deep main compartment, once packed, presents a difficult barrier to finding stored items. Pullman cases with large gusseted pockets are excellent in terms of organization. However, since such a gusseted compartment and a framed rail protrude from one side, an imbalance may occur and the bag may be packed and tilted toward the protruding pocket.

A third other bag provides a storage scheme in which the main storage compartment is divided into two. This case uses two frames that are parallel to each other and separated by a zippered storage compartment that divides this main compartment. Thus, such a Pullman suitcase is divided approximately in half in a plane parallel to the rail and passing through the center of the rail, and the two compartments thus formed have a frame extending around it. I was This generally requires a sturdy hinge connecting the two compartments so that the bag will stand upright when zippered face-to-face.

[0004] Such a bag disadvantageously has several disadvantages. First, it is heavier than a single frame because of the extra frames. Second, due to the extra cost and complexity of this complex structure, such luggage is less prevalent than the traditional lid-opening Fullman case described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides an overall luggage structure utilizing a single plastic or metal frame, and otherwise a conventional drum structure, forming a luggage body. To provide However, instead of a conventional zippered flat lid at one edge of the peripheral rail, the present invention provides a luggage luggage to the body along a wavy path or on an inclined connecting plane. A zippered attachment releasably attaches the top of the lid and the edges of the two sides, and the lid extends along the intersection of its front face and the bottom side of the rail to which the wheel or glide is attached. Alternatively, in the vicinity thereof, it is self-hinged to the body of the bag. The zipper passage extends from this self-hinged edge and curves toward the mid-splitting plane of the rail to provide a second compartment having a substantial depth (of the main compartment to which it is attached). Besides). Thus, the lid has one side and three walls, which span the ends and top of the lid. The depth of these walls in the lid compartment ideally comprises one third of the overall width (or depth) of the entire bag. The fourth wall of this case can be closed by a textile gusset, usually formed of a backing (as opposed to the front or lid and the three side walls). A light, rigid material, such as polyethylene sheet, retains the shape of the gusset formed by these three walls and the backing material. However, these rigidified plastic layers do not constitute a structural frame. When the lid is closed, this fourth gusset wall rests on the bottom board of the rail, and thus is in the case of the Pullman case inside one set of wheels, or at least positioned on that wheel Can be

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a Pullman case 10 according to the present invention. Fixed shaft wheels 12 and 14 at the lower rear corner of the case are shown. Preferably,
Other pairs of wheels, such as caster wheels 16, 18 of known construction, are located at the lower front corner of the case so that the case can be pulled by all four wheels or slope the front corner of the case. And can be rolled on two rear wheels as shown. The bottom of the case is structurally stabilized by an inner bottom board 24 (FIG. 2) and a molded bezel that holds and positions each pair of wheels (see FIGS. 3 and 4).
The rear wall 40 is attached to the rail along one edge to form a main storage compartment. The main storage door 30 is attached to the rail by a main storage opening slide fastener or zipper 32. The zipper tracks of the main zipper 32 are sewn using conventional means along the path dividing the rails to provide about one third of the rail's total width around three of the four sides of the rail. To define. The zipper track curves away from this two-thirds of the way and at the intersection 34 between the bottom side of the rail and the face of the lid 30, the case lid
Intersects the edge of the face. In this embodiment, the lid is also a conventional zipper 3
8 is provided with another slit pocket which can be taken in and out from the outside. Although the zipper track 32 is shown as a wavy or curved passage 33, this passage may be generally straight in this region 33, and may be a straight line closer to the self-hinge portion 34 and the centerline of the rail. Form a diagonal line with the passage. In this way, at least a substantial part of the rail along the top and sides forms a substantial part of the main storage door.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the main access zipper in an open state. The 2/3/3 slit is clearly shown, as is the structure of the gusseted compartment in the case. One narrow frame 22 of conventional rolled or extruded steel extends along the centerline of the rail 20 and around the inside of the rail 20, and the bottom of the case is defined by the front and rear surfaces of the case. Includes a wide board 24 extending from the intersection. FIG. 3 shows details of the hinged part of the main storage door. Zipper truck 3
2 are found at the intersection of each of these zipper tracks.
The interior fabric gusset wraps around the corner and has an interior wall attached to its interior surface. This interior wall also has its own zipper access.

FIG. 5 shows a view inside the same corner as shown in FIG. The figure clearly shows the peripheral frame extending around the inside of the rail. The bottom board extends under the frame, as before, to the end of the main access zipper.

FIG. 6 shows details from the rear side of the case, showing the relationship between the depth of the inner rail and its curved zipper truck. A stiffener, such as a conventional thin sheet of polyethylene 46, is located within the originally soft cross gusset 44 to make the entire volume of this door compartment readily available to travelers. The path of the innermost corner 45 of the gusset 44 is indicated by a dashed arrow. How the volume defined by the second compartment 40 is arranged on the wheel 14, and how the traveler's articles in the compartment 40 are supported by these wheels below Please pay attention to.
This structure allows easy and proper storage, but does not cause excessive packing or unbalance of the case. In contrast to other Pullman cases or upright-type cases that have one or a series of auxiliary storage pockets with gussets protruding from the sides of the case, the present invention provides such a potentially unbalanced load. This is done with only a single surrounding frame, such as the frame 22 for structural stability.

FIG. 4 shows the unique wavy path created by the main access zipper at each of its terminals. This wavy passage, which is initially parallel to the front and back of the case, then curves through a passage that turns smoothly toward the front, is continuous at an acute angle, and curves again as you approach the front. The front and back corners of the main access door, which is parallel to the front and curves through a passage terminating at the self-hinged portion described above, are very prominent.

FIG. 3 shows this wavy path extending around the rounded corners and characterizing the basic case drum structure, terminating where the bottom board flattens. ing.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to the case of implementing the invention in a Pullman case, the concept is based on a roll-on cabin luggage, a so-called upright luggage (main storage opening is vertical), a soft business case,・
It should be understood that it is applicable to cases.

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Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A rail, two or more wheels mounted along the bottom side of the rail, a relatively rigid frame extending around the rail, and a perimeter attached to the rail. Front and rear side walls which are closed by flexible fabric panels and the front side wall is releasably attached to a rail, the front side wall forming a door for access to a main storage compartment, through which the main side wall is inserted. An improved bag with a slide fastener that allows access to a storage compartment, the slide fastener extending along a path that divides the rail generally along its length. And the top edge and two side edges of the lid are releasably attached to the rest of the bag, and a substantial portion of the rail is secured to the front side wall. And the substantial portion forms a portion of the door along the top edge and two side edges of the front side wall, wherein the lid is formed between the front side wall and the bottom side of the rail. A self-hinge portion at the intersection, wherein the passage of the slide fastener is sloped from the two side edges toward the self-hinge portion, when the slide fastener is open. The lid opens and closes in a hinged operation along the self-hinge portion, the lid is attached to the self-hinge portion along the slide fastener and the front side wall and a top edge and a side of the front side wall. An improved luggage, characterized in that a second compartment having a substantial depth is defined in the luggage with a portion of the rail secured to an edge. 2. The portion of the rail divided by the slide fastener and fixed to the top and side edges of the front side wall is about one third of the total width of the rail of the entire bag. An improved luggage according to claim 1 having a depth dimension. 3. The improved luggage according to claim 1, wherein said woven panel comprises a backing material. 4. The three walls and textile panel of the second compartment comprise a layer of light rigid material, such as a sheet of ethylene, to retain the shape of these three walls and gussets. An improved bag according to claim 3. 5. The gusset rests on a rail when the lid is closed, and is positioned on at least one of the wheels, and the second gusset is positioned when the luggage is running on the wheel. The improved luggage according to claim 1, wherein the weight of the articles in the compartments is generally applied to the wheels and carried by the wheels.