WO2009139009A1

WO2009139009A1 - Luggage article having a handle

Info

Publication number: WO2009139009A1
Application number: PCT/IT2008/000318
Authority: WO
Inventors: Cristiano Roncato
Original assignee: Valigeria Roncato S. P. A.
Priority date: 2008-05-14
Filing date: 2008-05-14
Publication date: 2009-11-19

Abstract

A luggage article (1) having a handle (5) comprising a first (6) and a second (7) support designed to be mounted to an externally accessible area (4) of said luggage article, said supports (6, 7) defining respective opposite spaced planes (6b, 7b), a grip (8) extending in a first direction (X) between said opposed planes of said supports and having first (8a) and second (8b) ends, first (6a, 13a) and second (7a, 13b) engagement means, which engage the grip (8) in said first (6) and second (7) support respectively, wherein said grip (8) can be displaced relative to said first (6) and second (7) support in a second direction (Y) transverse to said first direction (X) and parallel to the opposed planes (6b, 7b) of said supports.

Description

Title: "Luggage article having a handle"

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The present invention relates to a luggage article having a handle. As used herein, a luggage article is intended to indicate any container with a cover that is adapted to contain objects and is typically used for traveling, such as rigid or soft cases, for work- or school - activities, such as bags and/or brief-cases. Most luggage articles are known to be equipped with at least one handle to allow firm and comfortable grip of the article by its user.

Nevertheless, while handles are necessary, they substantially alter the size of luggage articles and increase their encumbrance. For instance, in briefcases, their upper handle considerably increases their height .

Various solutions have been developed in the art, such as pivoting handles, either with side posts integral with the grip and hinged at the points where they are secured to the case, or with the grip hinged to the two posts themselves, which are then connected to the case in a substantially fixed manner.

Nonetheless, these pivoting handles have the drawback that, when the grip is in the rest position, i.e. when it has to be actually grasped by the user, it lies folded over the area in which the handle is fastened, i.e. over a plane that is angularly different from the one the grip lies in while the case is carried, after being grasped by the user.

Furthermore, the handles in which the grip is integral with the posts lie in such a way that leaves no sufficient access to allow safe grasping of the grip.

In view of the prior art as described above, object of the present invention is to provide a luggage article, especially for briefcases, that can obviate at least some of the prior art drawbacks .

According to the present invention, this object is achieved by a handle as defined in claim 1. The features and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed description of one practical embodiment, which is illustrated without limitation in the annexed drawings, in which: - Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a briefcase having a handle according to a preferred embodiment of this invention, in a rest position;

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the briefcase of Figure 1, in which the handle is in a carrying position;

Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section of the handle in the position of Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section of the handle in the position of Figure 2; - Figure 5 shows a partially exploded and partially broken-away perspective view of the handle when it is in the position of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the luggage article of the invention, in the embodiment as shown herein, is a bag or briefcase 1 with a flap 2 and a fastening hook

3. The briefcase 1 has a handle, generally designated by numeral 5 , at its top 4.

The handle comprises a first support 6, a second support 7 and a grip 8 extending in a first longitudinal direction (X) and located between support 6 and support 7.

Supports 6 and 7 are attached in a conventional manner to the top 4 of the briefcase and extend therefrom, preferably parallel to each other, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the top.

Grip 8 has a first and a second end, 8a and 8b respectively, and a cover 9 of soft material.

According to the invention, grip 8 takes a first position, i.e. a rest position, shown in Figure 1, in which it is spaced a first distance A apart from top 4 of the briefcase. As grip 8 is grasped by a user for carrying the briefcase, it takes a second position, i.e. a carrying position, shown in Figure 2, in which it is spaced a second distance B, longer than distance A, apart from top 4.

Therefore, grip 8 can be displaced with respect to supports 6 and 7 along a second direction Y, transverse to said first direction X, preferably perpendicular to it and parallel to the directions along which supports 6 and 7 extend from top 4 of the briefcase.

As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, grip 8 includes a cavity 10 longitudinally extending in the first direction X from first end 8a to the opposite end 8b, and is open at such ends . The cavity 10 also extends in the second direction Y between two opposite sides 11 and 12. The cavity 10 has a rectangular or more generally a four- sided cross section and holds therein an elongated element, shaped as a longitudinal rod 13, whose cross section is smaller than the one of channel 10 in both directions X and Y.

Thus, grip 8 can be displaced with respect to the longitudinal rod element 13.

Element 13 has a first end 13a designed for engagement with support 6 and a second end 13b engaging with second support 7.

The engagement of ends 13a and 13b with their respective supports 6 and 7 occurs in respective hollow receptacles 6a and 7a and is stabilized by screw means

14 and 15 passing through respective holes 16 and 17 formed in the bottom of hollow receptacles 6a, 7a.

Covers 18 and 19 with corresponding fastening means 20, 21 are provided to conceal the means for engagement of element 13 with supports 6 and 7.

According to the invention, an elastic leaf spring element 22 is located within longitudinal cavity 10, namely between rod 13 and the side 12 of the cavity. Therefore, elastic element 22 exerts an elastic load on grip 8, thereby normally keeping it in its rest position as shown in Figure 1. As soon as a user grasps grip 8 for lifting and carrying the briefcase 1, the weight of the latter overcomes the elastic force of leaf spring 22 and the grip tends to take or takes the carrying position as shown in Figure 2 thereby moving away from the top 4 by a distance that can reach the distance B of Figure 4, in which the leaf spring 22 is substantially deformed and parallel to the side 12 of cavity 10.

It will be understood that the elastic means and their connection with the grip may be also embodied in other forms, without departure from the scope of the invention as disclosed above and claimed below.

Claims

1. A luggage article (1) having a handle (5) comprising a first (6) and a second (7) support designed to be mounted to an externally accessible area (4) ^r of said luggage article (1), said supports (6, 7) defining respective opposite spaced planes (6b, 7b) , a grip (8) extending in a first direction (X) between said opposed planes of said supports and having a first (8a) and a second (8b) end, first (6a, 13a) and second (7a, 13b) engagement means, which engage the grip (8) in said first (6) and in said second (7) support respectively, wherein said grip (8) can be displaced relative to said first (6) and to said second (7) support in a second direction (Y) transverse to said first direction (X) and parallel to the opposed planes (6b, 7b) of said supports.

2. A luggage article having a handle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second direction (Y) is perpendicular to said first direction (X) in which said grip (8) extends and to the area (4) of said luggage article (1) on which said supports (6, 7) are mountable .

3. A luggage article having a handle as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein said grip (8) comprises a cavity (10) extending in said first direction (X) from said first grip end (8a) to said second grip end (8b) and also in said direction (Y) between two opposite end sides (11, 12) that delimit it, said first and second engagement means comprising a first end (13a) and a second end (13b) of an elongate element (13) respectively, said elongate element being slidably held in said cavity (10) and extending in said first direction (X) with said first (13a) and second (13b) ends engaging in said first (6) and second (7) support respectively, so that said handle (8) can be displaced along said direction (Y) .

4. A luggage article having a handle as claimed in claim 3, wherein elastic means (22) are held within said cavity and are suitable for cooperating with said elongate element (13) to exert an elastic load between said elongate element (13) and said grip (8) in said second direction (Y) .

5. A luggage article having a handle as claimed in claim 4, wherein said elastic means include a leaf spring (22) extending in said first direction (X) .

6. A luggage article having a handle as claimed in one of claims 4 to 5, wherein said elastic means (22) are disposed between said elongate element (13) and the side (12) that delimits said elongate cavity (10) to counteract the possible motion of said grip (8) when it is caused to slide along said second direction (Y) away from the area (4) of the luggage article on which said first and second supports (6, 7) are fastened.

7. A luggage article having a handle as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 6 , wherein said elongate element is rod- shaped (13) having a four- sided cross section.

8. A luggage article having a handle as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 7 , wherein each support (6, 7) has a hollow receptacle (6a, 7a) extending in said first direction (X) and adapted to receive the respective end (Ia, 13b) of said elongate element (13) .

9. A luggage article having a handle as claimed in claim 8, wherein said hollow receptacle (6a, 7a) has a hole (16, 17) extending through its respective support (6, 7) .

10. A luggage article having a handle as claimed in claims 7 and 8, wherein the ends (13a, 13b) of said elongate element (13) have an axial threaded hole formed therein and are connected to their respective supports (6, 7) by screws (14, 15) that pass through the hole (16, 17) of their respective hollow receptacles (6a, 7a) in which the respective end (13a, 13b) of the elongate element (13) is accommodated.

11. A luggage article having a handle as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 11, wherein said elongate cavity (10) has a four- sided section when seen on a plane perpendicular to said first direction (X) and comprising said second direction (Y) .

12. A luggage article having a handle as claimed in claim 11, wherein said four-sided section is rectangular, with the longer side extending in said second direction (Y) .

13. A luggage article having a handle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein said grip (8) comprises a cover of soft material.