WO2016089356A1

WO2016089356A1 - Luggage incorporating a weight determination mechanism and location determination system

Info

Publication number: WO2016089356A1
Application number: PCT/US2014/067956
Authority: WO
Inventors: Guillermo DILONE
Original assignee: Dilone Guillermo
Priority date: 2014-12-01
Filing date: 2014-12-01
Publication date: 2016-06-09

Abstract

Luggage includes an outer container having a bottom wall and four vertical walls, a lid hinged to one of the vertical walls of the outer container and an inner container having a bottom wall and four vertical walls carried within the outer container. A weight measuring device is located between the bottom walls of the outer container and the inner container. A display having an indicator, mounted on one wall of the outer container and electrically connected to the weight measuring device is included, so that when a user places articles within the inner container the display will activate the indicator to alert the user whether the weight of the articles either matches or exceeds a predetermined index weight.

Description

LUGGAGE INCORPORATING A WEIGHT DETERMINATION MECHANISM AND LOCATION DETERMINATION SYSTEM

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to luggage and, more particularly, to smart luggage comprising an outer case having an inner case with a weight determination mechanism therebetween in electrical communication with a circuit having firmware and an exterior electronic display. The circuit further incorporates GPS determination and transponder whereby a smart luggage user having a mobile device enabled with tracking software may be able to locate and retrieve lost or stolen luggage. Further provided within the smart luggage is a camera that can take one or more pictures when the smart luggage is opened of the person opening the luggage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a primary object of the present invention is to provide luggage that will aid a user during packing by continuously indicating whether the weight of added luggage articles is below or above a programmed index weight.

Another object of the present invention is to provide luggage comprising an outer case and an inner case having a weight measuring device therebetween.

Yet another object of the present invention is to smart luggage having a plurality of low friction coefficient strips mounted to the interior walls of the outer case providing low resistive forces between the outer and inner case.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide luggage wherein said weight determination mechanism is a piezoresistive force sensor. An additional object of the present invention is to provide luggage with a pair of sufficiently rigid pressure plates having the piezoresi stive force sensor therebetween allowing the luggage to be placed on any surface during packing and still provide an accurate readout.

A further object of the present invention is to provide luggage with a visual display in electrical communication with a comparator circuit incorporating a piezo- resistive force sensor whereby an indicator can be displayed on said visual indicator denoted whether the baggage contents are above or below a predetermined index weight.

A yet further object of the present invention is to provide luggage having GPS determination software whereby a user having a mobile phone enabled with tracking software may be able to locate and recover lost or stolen baggage.

A further object of the present invention is to provide luggage having an interior camera that can capture one or more images of individuals opening the luggage.

The foregoing and related objects are achieved by the luggage of the present invention, which comprises an outer and inner container with the inner container isolated from the outer container except through a weight measuring device. The weight recorded by the weight measuring device will not include the weight of the outer container and its peripherals. The intention is to add the "constant" weight of the external container to the weight measured by the weight measuring device via a constant introduced in the system software. It is also the case that if the standard deviation of this weight is large that the PCB will possess the ability for the constant to be changed during production.

Located between the inner and outer containers will be a series of friction reduction strips. The objective of these strips is to aid in the isolation of the inner and outer containers. During the packing process of the luggage, there will be an uncontrolled increase in pressure placed on the sides of the internal container. The very low friction coefficients of the strips are expected to result in very low resistive forces. Regardless, these resistive forces will combine with the gravitational weight and be registered by the weight measuring device. With this understood it is expected that these forces will be predictable and repetitive for given content weight and will be allotted for in the readout by predetermined algorithms contained within the systems firmware.

Located between the bottoms of the inner and outer containers is the weight measuring device. This device will consist of a piezoresistive force sensor, preferably Tekscan® Flexiforce® sensors, sandwiched between pressure plates. The pressure plates provide surfaces of required stiffness to allow the luggage to be placed on any surface during packing and still provide an accurate readout. These plates will also provide for proper and consistent interface with the Flexiforce® sensors.

All Electro-mechanical systems possess inherent error within the system. The Flexiforce (registered trademark of Tekscan Incorporated, 307 West First Street South Boston, Massachusetts 02127, U.S.A.) sensor system is not different in this regard. Error in linearity, hysteresis and drift are all present to some degree within this system. This system will not read out actual weight but merely a readout that additional items can be 'ADD'ed or when the luggage is 'FULL' due to the very nature of the smart luggage system that indicates when a certain weight threshold has been violated. By configuring the system in this fashion the system error will be significantly reduced.

Most system errors are a function of the range of values the system must work within. For instance; if we were to develop a system that measures the weight within a range from 10 to 50 lbs or 40 lbs, with a system error of ±10%, the system error could be ± 4 lbs which would unacceptable for this product. Therefore, by adopting the threshold methodology we need only to measure between 47 and 51 lbs or a range of 4 lbs, thereby having only a ±0.4 lb error which is certainly more acceptable. The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of conventional luggage by providing luggage having an outer case and an inner case with a weight determination mechanism therebetween in electrical communication with a circuit having firmware and an exterior electronic display, which circuit further incorporates GPS determination and transponder, so that a "smart" luggage user having a mobile device enabled with tracking software may be able to locate and retrieve lost or stolen luggage. These benefits are in addition to the inclusion of a camera that can take one or more pictures when the luggage is opened of the person opening the luggage.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent when considered in combination with the accompanying drawing figures, which illustrate certain preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should, however, be noted that the accompanying drawing figures are intended to illustrate only select preferred embodiments of the claimed invention and are not intended as a means for defining the limits and scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

In the drawing, wherein similar reference numerals and symbols denote similar features throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is an overview of the luggage of the present invention, in use;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the luggage of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the luggage of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the luggage of the present invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the luggage weight determination mechanism of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a prospective, exploded view of the luggage of the present invention, in use; and,

Figure 7 is a prospective, exploded view of the luggage of the present invention, in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, the drawing figures illustrate the breakaway sports pants of the present invention. With regard to the reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the various drawing figures:

10 smart luggage

12 weight measuring device in luggage 10

14 display in luggage 10

16 user

18 indicator in display 14

20 article

22 remote electronic component for luggage 10

24 circuit in luggage 10

26 transponder in luggage 10

28 GPS locator in luggage 10

30 digital camera in lid 34

32 person

34 lid of luggage 10 36 outer container of luggage 10

38 inner container of luggage 10

40 friction reducing strip in luggage 10

42 piezoresistive force sensor in device 12

44 pressure plate in device 12

Turning now, in detail, to an analysis of the accompanying drawing figures, Figure 1 presents an overview of the "smart" luggage of the present invention in use. More particularly, the present invention is luggage 10 incorporating a weight measuring device 12 and display 14 that will aid a user 16 by either visually displaying a status indicator 18 on the display 14 whether the poundage, or weight, of articles 20 placed within the luggage 10 exceeds a predetermined index weight and/or will audibly enunciate the status. For illustrative purposes only, the indicator 18 is shown as visually displaying 'ADD' or 'FULL' but is not limited to such. Furthermore, the present invention provides for a remote electronic device 22 and the luggage 10 having a circuit 24 incorporating a transponder 26 and a GPS locator 28, whereby when the luggage 10 is lost or stolen it can be recovered. An internal digital camera 30 will photograph a person 32 opening a lid 34 of the luggage 10 once closed by the user 14.

Referring to Figure 2, there is shown a perspective view of the luggage of the present invention. Specifically, Figure 2 is an internal view of the luggage 10 of the present invention having an outer container 36 holding an inner container 38 with the inner container 38 isolated from the outer container 36 by a weight measuring device 12. The weight recorded by the weight measuring device 12 does not include the weight of the outer container 36 and its peripherals. The invention adds the "constant" weight of the outer container 36 to the weight measured by the weight measuring device 12 through a constant weight introduced in the system software. Concerning Figure 3, shown is a perspective view of the luggage 10 having an outer container 36 holding an inner container 38 with a plurality of friction reducing strips 40 situated between the inner container 38 and outer container 36 to aid in the isolation of the inner container 38 from the outer container 36.

Turning to Figure 4, shown is a perspective view of the luggage of the present invention and located between the bottoms of the inner and outer containers 38, 36 is the weight measuring device 12. This device 12 comprises a piezoresistive force sensor 42, preferably a Tekscan Flexiforce® sensor positioned between pressure plates 44. The pressure plates 44 provide surfaces of required stiffness to allow the luggage 10 to be placed on any surface during packing and still provide an accurate read out. The plates 44 will also provide for proper and consistent interface with the piezoresistive force sensor 42.

With respect to Figure 5, shown is a perspective view of the luggage weight determination mechanism. Located between the bottoms of the inner and outer containers 38,36 is the weight measuring device 12. The device 12 comprises a piezoresistive force sensor 42 positioned between pressure plates 44. The pressure plates 44 provide surfaces of required stiffness to allow the luggage 10 to be placed on any surface during packing and still provide an accurate read out.

Referring to Figure 6, shown is a prospective, exploded view of the luggage in use. To avoid overweight baggage fees, the present invention provides luggage 10 enabled with a weight measuring device 12 in communication with a display 14

providing a visual and/or audio indicator 18 as to whether the luggage articles 20 weigh less than or more than a preprogrammed index weight. As illustrated, the display 14 indicates that the luggage articles 20 weigh less than the index weight. Finally, turning to Figure 7, shown is an illustrative view of the luggage in use with the present invention providing the luggage 10 enabled with a weight measuring device 12 communication with a display 14 providing a visual and/or audio indicator 18 as to whether the luggage articles 20 weigh less than or more than a preprogrammed index weight. As illustrated, the display 14 indicates that the luggage articles 20 weight is substantially equal to that of the index weight.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.

While only several embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Claims

1. Luggage, comprising:

an outer container having a bottom wall and four vertical walls;

a lid hinged to one of the vertical walls of the outer container;

an inner container having a bottom wall and four vertical walls carried within the outer container;

a weight measuring device located between the bottom walls of the outer container and the inner container;

a display having an indicator, mounted on one wall of the outer container and electrically connected to the weight measuring device, so that when a user places articles within the inner container the display will activate the indicator to alert the user whether the weight of the articles either matches or exceeds a predetermined index weight;

a circuit electrically connected to the weight measuring device;

a GPS locator electrically connected to the circuit;

a transponder electrically connected to the GPS locator; and,

a remote electronic component operated by the user for receiving a signal from the transponder, so that when the luggage is lost or stolen, the luggage can be recovered.

2. The luggage as recited in Claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of friction reducing strips, spaced apart and affixed vertically to inner surfaces of the vertical walls of the outer container to aid in the isolation of the inner container from the outer container.

3. The luggage as recited in Claim 1, further comprising a digital camera attached to a bottom surface of the lid, whereby the digital camera will photograph a person when opening the lid of the outer container once closed by the user.

4. The luggage as recited in Claim 1, wherein the weight measuring device comprises:

piezoresistive force sensor; and,

a pair of pressure plates that are positioned between the piezoresistive force sensor to provide surfaces of required stiffness, to allow the outer container to be placed upon any surface during packing of the articles within the inner container and still produce an accurate readout on the display.

5. The luggage as recited in Claim 1, wherein the display is a visual display.

6. The luggage as recited in Claim 1 , wherein the display is an audible display.

7. The luggage as recited in Claim 1, wherein the remote electronic component is a laptop, a computer, a smart phone or a tablet.