US20060157521A1

US20060157521A1 - Support for easier carrying of suitcases, trunks and the like

Info

Publication number: US20060157521A1
Application number: US11/331,155
Authority: US
Inventors: Massimo Tonelli
Original assignee: GT Line SRL
Current assignee: GT Line SRL
Priority date: 2005-01-19
Filing date: 2006-01-13
Publication date: 2006-07-20
Also published as: ITBO20050028A1

Abstract

A support for easier carrying of suitcases, trunks and the like, comprising at least one substantially elongated band, which is provided with elements for fastening at its respective end portions, so that it can be folded onto itself in a loop and closed around at least one suitcase, said band being provided, on at least one face, with elements for detachable coupling to the trunk of the body of the user, so as to allow to carry the suitcase without using one's hands and in a substantially upright position.

Description

The present invention relates to a support for the easier carrying of item carrying containers such as suitcases, trunks and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known that carrying items by means suitcases, trunks and the like, both in the private field (travel, leisure, et cetera) and in a strictly professional field is often very inconvenient, both due to the weight that one is forced to support with one's arms and due to the fact that at least one hand is in any case constantly engaged. In order to solve this drawback, substantially soft and deformable bags have been provided which are designed to be carried over one's shoulder and rest against the body, adapting to its shape and thus allowing to have one's hands free: however, said bags are not capable of ensuring that the items contained in them remain tidy in the way in which they were introduced, indeed due to the deformations that they undergo during transport.
Suitcases have also been devised which are provided with wheels and with an extensible handle so that they can be pulled like a trolley, so that it is not necessary to support their weight, which is often considerable.
It is evident that the solutions devised up to now are not certainly fully satisfactory, since none of them allows to solve all the described drawbacks: this is particularly felt when the person carrying the suitcase or trunk is engaged in delicate or dangerous operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to obviate the above-cited drawbacks, by providing a support for easier carrying of suitcases, trunks and the like, which allows to bear the weight of the suitcase without excessive efforts and at the same time allows to have one's hands and arms completely free.
Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a support for easier carrying of item carrying containers, such as suitcases, trunks and the like which is extremely versatile and flexible in use and has a very low weight.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a support which is simple, relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use, effective in operation, and has a relatively low cost.
This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by the present support for easier carrying of suitcases, trunks and the like, characterized in that it comprises at least one substantially elongated band, which is provided with means for fastening at its respective end portions, so that it can be folded onto itself in a loop and closed around at least one suitcase, said band being provided, on at least one face, with elements for detachable coupling to the trunk of the body of the user, so as to allow to carry the suitcase without using one's hands and in a substantially upright position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a support for easier carrying of item carrying containers, such as suitcases, trunks and the like according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the support according to the invention, associated with a suitcase;
FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of said support associated with the suitcase;
FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the support.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the examplary embodiment that follows, individual characteristics may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other embodiments.
Moreover, it is noted that anything found to be already known during the patenting process is understood not to be claimed and to be the subject of a disclaimer.
With reference to FIG. 1, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a support for easier carrying of an item carrying container, such as suitcases, trunks and the like according to the invention.
FIGS. 1 and 2, in particular, show a support 1 according to the invention which is associated with a suitcase, designated by the reference numeral 2, of a substantially traditional type, but this is done merely by way of example. It is in fact evident that the support described hereinafter can be associated simply with any type of portable carryall container having the most disparate sizes (for example a trunk, a box, and the like).
The support according to the invention comprises at least one substantially elongated flexible band 3, which forms a central portion 3 a and two end portions 3 b, 3 c (FIG. 3). The band 3 is provided advantageously with fastening means, generally designated by the reference numeral 4, at the end portions 3 b, 3 c, so that it can be easily folded onto itself in a loop and closed around the suitcase 2. The band 3 further comprises, on at least one face 5, elements, generally designated by the reference numeral 6, for detachably coupling to the trunk of the body of the user, so as to be able to carry the suitcase 2 without using one's hands and in a substantially upright position. This clearly avoids excessive tiring of the user (who often, in performing his profession, must walk for long stretches) and allows said user to perform any operation with his hands and arms free.
Conveniently, the band 3 and the detachable coupling elements 6 are made of a material which is substantially flexible, so that it can be folded easily, and is very light and strong, for example natural fabric or synthetic fabric or any other material which has the characteristics cited above and is in any case relatively inexpensive.
The fastening means 4 conveniently comprise a first buckle, which is constituted by a female member 7 and a male member 8, which is suitable to engage substantially with a snap action in the female member 7; the female member 7 and the male member 8 are associated, so that their position can be adjusted, with respective strips 7 a, 8 a, which are rigidly coupled to the end portions 3 b, 3 c of the band 3. In particular, the male member 8 is provided with elastically flexible tabs 9, which are suitable to engage within respective recesses 10 provided in the female member 7, so as to provide the removable loop-like closure of the band 3 around the suitcase 2.
Conveniently, the detachable coupling elements 6 comprise at least one pair of substantially parallel belts 11, 12 of the over-the-shoulder type, i.e., each suitable to be arranged around a respective shoulder of the user; the belts 11, 12 are fixed to the central portion 3 a of the band 3 at respective mutually opposite ends 13, 14. Preferably, each one of the belts 11, 12 is of the type whose length can be adjusted, used in conventional rucksacks, so that it is possible to adapt the configuration of the support to the needs of each user.
Conveniently, the coupling elements 6 also comprise at least one pair of lower mutually opposite straps 15, 16, which are fixed, each at a respective end, to the sides of the central portion 3 a of the band 3 and can be coupled to each other by means of a second buckle, which is constituted by a male element 17 and a female element 18, preferably of the type of the first buckle described above. The lower straps 15, 16 thus allow to fix the band 3 to the trunk of the body of the user substantially at the height of his waist belt.
The band 3 is conveniently shaped so as to close substantially like a belt transversely around the suitcase 2, so as to pass below the hand insertion opening 19 formed by the handle 20 of the suitcase 2: safe retention of the suitcase 2 is thus ensured and lateral slippage thereof, or any other inadvertent displacement thereof, is prevented.
In greater detail, the band 3 has a substantially wide contour at the central portion 3 a, so as to provide a large supporting base for the suitcase 2, and has a substantially narrow and tapered contour at the end portions 3 b, 3 c, so as to easily fit below the insertion opening 19 of the handle 20.
Conveniently, the band 3 and the coupling elements 6 (the belts 11, 12 and the lower straps 15, 16) are provided with respective paddings 21, which are suitable to make it more comfortable to carry the suitcase 2 over one's shoulder.
The band 3 is provided preferably with at least one external carryall pocket 22, which is rather useful for carrying other items which have to be accessed quickly.
The method of use of the support according to the invention is intuitive. It is in fact sufficient to wrap the band 3 around the suitcase 2, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and insert with a snap action the male member 8 in the female member 7 of the first buckle (optionally adjusting the position thereof with respect to the strips 7 a, 8 a), providing the optimum locking of the suitcase 2 to the band 3.
It has thus been shown that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects. The support allows to carry, very simply and easily, even very heavy and bulky suitcases in an upright position without excessive tiring and with one's hands completely free. The support is very light and strong, and can also be folded up when not in use, with minimal space occupation.
The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.
All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent ones.
The embodiment of the present invention shall be carried out in the most scrupulous compliance with the statutory and regulatory provisions related to the products of the invention or correlated thereto and following any required authorization of the corresponding competent authorities, with particular reference to regulations related to safety, environmental pollution and health.
In practice, the materials used, as well as the shapes and the dimensions, may be any according to requirements without thereby abandoning the scope of the protection of the appended claims.
The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. B02005A000028 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A support for easier carrying of item carrying containers, comprising at least one substantially elongated band; fastening means provided connected to said band for fastening respective end portions thereof, so that the band is foldable onto itself in a loop and closed around at least one container; detachable coupling elements provided on at least one face of said band for detachable coupling to a trunk of a body of a user, so as to allow to carry the container without using hands and in a substantially upright position.

2. The support of claim 1, wherein said fastening means comprises at least one first buckle, which is constituted by a female member and by a male member, said female and male members being rigidly coupled to respective ones of said end portions, and wherein said male member is provided with elastically flexible tabs, which are suitable to engage in respective recesses provided in said female member, so as to provide detachable loop-like closure of said band around the at least one container.

3. The support of claim 2, wherein said female and male members are associated with respective strips so as to have an adjustable position therealong, said strips being rigidly coupled to said end portions.

4. The support of claim 2, wherein said detachable coupling elements comprise at least two belts, which are substantially parallel and of an over-the-shoulder type, each said belt being fixed to a central portion of said band at respective mutually opposite ends thereof.

5. The support of claim 4, comprising a second buckle, said detachable coupling elements comprising at least one pair of lower straps which are mutually opposite, are provided at sides of said central portion of said band and are provided, at respective free ends thereof, with the male member and the female member of the second buckle, so as to surround the trunk of the body of the user substantially at a height of a waist belt of the user.

6. The support of claim 4, with a container with a handle, wherein said band has a contour which is suitable to be closed substantially like a belt transversely around the container and arranged so as to pass below a hand insertion opening formed by the handle, so as to ensure safe retention of said container, preventing lateral slippage thereof or any other inadvertent movement.

7. The support of claim 6, wherein said band has a substantially wide contour at said central portion, so as to provide a broad base for supporting the container, and a substantially narrow contour at said end portions, so as to fit easily below the hand insertion opening formed by the handle of the container.

8. The support of claim 1, wherein said band and said detachable coupling elements are made of substantially flexible, lightweight and strong material.

9. The support of claim 1, wherein said band and said detachable coupling elements are provided with paddings which are suitable to make the support more comfortable to carry the container on one's shoulders.

10. The support of claim 5, wherein said band is provided with at least one external carryall pocket.