Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45C—PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
  • A45C5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid luggage
  • A45C5/02—Materials therefor
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45C—PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
  • A45C3/00—Flexible luggage; Handbags
  • A45C3/001—Flexible materials therefor
• • 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

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a vertical rolling suitcase.
• the present invention aims to improve these two qualities which are the lightness and the minimum size per unit during transport.
• the rolling and traction system is not part of the basic structure of the case.
• the sides stiffened by plastic or wood are riveted on a frame encircling the suitcase.
• the rolling system is secured to the frame by means of hard and non-deformable elements. The result is a heavy and relatively undeformable suitcase.
• the invention aims to avoid duplication between the frame and the rolling system.
• the rolling system itself ensures the vertical rigidity of the bag.
• a suitcase is thus proposed, the volume of which is constructed around telescopic tubes curved on the bottom and no longer around a frame.
• the volume is no longer rigid as in a "box" type design.
• the sides are flexible: the two sides (lateral faces) are encircled with metal rod and can flatten while regaining their shape as soon as the pressure stops.
• the suitcase therefore has elastic lateral sides. It is very light and very resistant since it can deform its thickness without breaking.
• the reinforcing plastic parts of the upper and lower faces are stiffened by their curvature and their extension on the rear face.
• the back of the suitcase between the metal joints and the telescopic tubes can advantageously remain partially without plastic support to obtain maximum lightness.
• the stiffening of the bag is obtained essentially by two tubes joining a lower part or shell and an upper part or shell, extending at least partially in planes perpendicular to said tubes, which will be covered by the fabric on their outer faces, thus only by two metal rods, stiffening the fabric of the lateral faces.
• the tubes are preferably guides for the rods of a retractable handle provided at the level of the upper part or shell, the upper and lower parts or shells being in the form of a plate or plastic sheet of curved shape defining at least the upper and lower rounded edges of the rear face of the bag.
• the upper and lower parts or shells can be preformed, for example by molding.
• these parts or shells will be made of semi-rigid plastic.
• the upper and lower shells consist of two rectangular plates or sheets of semi-rigid plastic, the curved shape of which is imposed mainly on the side rods, preferably metallic.
• the shell lower is also curved by the curved ends of the aforementioned tubes.
• the upper shell is kept curved by being fixed in the dorsal face by the aforementioned tubes and in the plane of the upper face by a preferably metallic crosspiece perpendicular to the rods.
• the shells form the whole or a substantial part of the upper and lower faces.
• the central part of the rear face can also comprise a plate or plastic sheet which does not however contribute substantially to the rigidity of the assembly but provides an aesthetic effect. Indeed, according to this variant, the objects contained in the luggage will not deform the fabric face as much. This plate may be thinner than the shells mentioned above.
• the two shells are integrated in one piece with the above-mentioned central part.
• the metal rods are provided in the form of two rectangular side frames with rounded corners encircling the fabric side faces.
• the plastic sheets can advantageously be made of polyethylene, a few millimeters thick (about 3 mm, preferably between 2.5 to 3.5 mm). These sheets, or in any case the upper sheet, are flexible enough to be able to curl under the effect of the lateral frames made of metal rods. They are therefore not necessarily thermoformed beforehand.
• the rollers are partially inserted into openings provided at the level of the curvature of the lower shell to which they are fixed.
• the central caster provides better stability and more efficient rolling while avoiding the "duck" effect despite the lightness of the lower shell.
• the lateral rollers can advantageously be fixed near the corners, the shells of the wheels covering the corners and protecting them from shocks. Furthermore, the greater width of the track improves stability.
• one or more handles may be provided sewn and / or riveted on the upper face (for the vertical position) or a side face (for transport in the horizontal position).
• the handle on the upper face will be fixed to the reinforcement bar extending over the entire width of the luggage.
• the part will be a metal part, e.g. groove, or plastic, for example with a honeycomb structure.
• the handle On the lateral face the handle will preferably be fixed on a simple reinforcement of reduced size in the form of overstitched island in the central part.
• the pilability is improved in particular by the fact that the upper shell is advantageously cut so that it does not entirely cover the upper face.
• the anterior portion of the upper face which may correspond to nearly 50%, preferably 30 to 40%, of the surface thereof, is more flexible since it consists only of the fabric held by the rods lateral metal.
• the side faces encircled by a steel perimeter are flexible and can be adapted with more play to receive the side faces of suitcases of smaller dimensions. Indeed, there is no central steel frame supporting these lateral faces and provided between the two large faces, equidistant therefrom.
• the suitcases can be stacked upside down.
• the casters of a smaller suitcase nesting in the flexible part of the face top of the larger case.
• We thus manage to double the number of smaller suitcases contained in a suitcase of given size.
• We can thus "stack" up to 6 suitcases whose dimensions vary only in steps of 3 to 6 cm depending on the type of handle (instead of 9 cm to 10 cm with the nearest known systems for vertical suitcases).
• FIG. 1 shows a diagram of the structure of a suitcase according to the invention, the covering fabric not being shown
• FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the various main elements
• FIGS. 3a to 3c represent in perspective bags according to the invention in vertical position with a retractable handle which can be fully integrated in the bag or not,
• FIG. 4 illustrates in perspective the internal stacking of a suitcase in the other
• FIG. 5 is a section through a stack according to FIG. 4.
• FIG. 1 the perspective structure, partially exploded, of a suitcase of essentially parallelepiped shape arranged horizontally on its rear face 7.
• a shell lower 2 'and an upper shell 2 are connected by rigid telescopic tubes 3 serving as guides for rods 14, in this example rods of rectangular section, of a handle 4 in retractable U shape.
• Two lateral frames 1 of flexible metal rods also participate in the rigidity of the assembly.
• the lower shell is curved under the effect of the curvature, here with flattening, of the end of the tubes 3 to form the rounded edge 12 '.
• a further distinction is made between the openings 5 ′ in the shell 2 ′ for receiving and fixing the support arches for the axis of the lateral side wheels 5 emerging in the curved part of the lower shell.
• Lower feet 6 and rear 6 ′ on the face 7 are also provided.
• the upper shell 2 does not extend over the entire upper face of the bag covered with flexible material, but only over approximately 60%, characteristic of the invention which facilitates stacking upside down.
• a rigid reinforcement cross member in the form of a grooved metal slat whose presence is important to maintain the rigidity of the upper shell.
• Fig. 2 is an exploded schematic view further explaining the structure of a suitcase according to the invention.
• the suitcase is shown vertically.
• Fig. 2 constitutes a variant with respect to FIG. 1 insofar as the tubes each consist of a straight part at least partially telescopic and a curved part made integral at 9 by a means known per se.
• Figs. 3a to 3c show in perspective the final appearance of some suitcases according to the invention. We distinguish each time the rear face 7, the feet 6 ′ and the rollers 5. A pull tab 20 for opening the front face 27 of the bag extends to at least said front part 16, allowing a partial opening of the upper side.
• Fig. 3a illustrates a suitcase for which the handle of rectangular section can retract into a rigid housing and somehow flush with the shell 2. In FIG. 3b, the handle remains slightly protruding. In fig. 3c, the handle and its rods with circular section can be entirely introduced into a pocket 15 inside the suitcase, which can be closed with a flap 15 'and a pull tab. In the latter case, as with the suitcase in fig. 3a, the upper plate is cut for this purpose.
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a top-to-tail stack of two suitcases a and b, of slightly different dimensions, the front face 27a of the largest suitcase being folded outwards by opening a zipper 20a .
• the part 16 extending the front face 27 is intended to cover the rollers 5b after closing the suitcase a.
• Fig. 5 is a schematic sectional view of a stack according to FIG. 4.
• the rollers 5a do not prevent the positioning of the suitcase b inside the suitcase a, because the semi-rigid shell 2b does not extend over the whole of the upper face thus leaving a part 16 ′ flexible able to conform to accommodate an inner part of the rollers 5a.

Landscapes

• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Purses, Travelling Bags, Baskets, Or Suitcases (AREA)
• Cash Registers Or Receiving Machines (AREA)
• Investigating, Analyzing Materials By Fluorescence Or Luminescence (AREA)
• Crystals, And After-Treatments Of Crystals (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=3891416

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (4)

Citations (4)

• 1999
  • 1999-09-01 ZA ZA9905628A patent/ZA995628B/xx unknown
  • 1999-09-02 WO PCT/BE1999/000115 patent/WO2000013542A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1999-09-02 EP EP99944173A patent/EP1109470B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-09-02 AT AT99944173T patent/ATE243954T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1999-09-02 DE DE69909300T patent/DE69909300T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-09-02 AU AU57217/99A patent/AU757496B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1999-09-02 ES ES99944173T patent/ES2205877T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (4)

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