WO2016142919A1

WO2016142919A1 - Travel suitcase

Info

Publication number: WO2016142919A1
Application number: PCT/IB2016/051401
Authority: WO
Inventors: Adriano BUCCHIA
Original assignee: Joy Distribuzione S.R.L.
Priority date: 2015-03-11
Filing date: 2016-03-11
Publication date: 2016-09-15

Abstract

The travel suitcase (1) comprises: a container body (2) for the containment of objects and/or garments; - a gripping element (3, 4) graspable by a user for the displacement of the suitcase (1); at least a wheel (6) for pulling the suitcase (1) to the ground comprising: an external rolling body (17) made of a polymeric material; and support means (15, 16) rotoidally mountable on the container body (2) and comprising, in turn, two annular flanges (15); in which the external rolling body (17) comprises two lateral sides (18) able to delimit an inner tube (19) between the external rolling body (17) and the support means (15, 16) and on which lateral sides (18) the annular flanges (15) can be secured in a sandwich-like manner.

Description

TRAVEL SUITCASE

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a travel suitcase.

Background Art

With reference to the luggage sector, travel suitcases are known of different type, dimension and material and vary according to the needs of travelers and the type of journey.

The travel suitcases in use today have a container body for containing garments and/or objects, at least a gripping element of the type of a handle, and two or more wheels for pulling the suitcase itself to the ground.

In particular, these wheels are associated with the suitcase by means of a central pin fitted by interlocking and adapted to allow the same to rotate during pulling to the ground.

The wheels of known type have a ring-shaped element, made of metal or plastic, which houses a rotational bearing in its interior and supports an external rolling body.

The external rolling body is made of polymeric material of the type of rubber or the like, and glued or alternatively co-molded to the outer surface of the ring- shaped element.

This known type of wheels, however, have several drawbacks, among which must be counted the fact that their rotation, during pulling the suitcase to the ground, is very noisy; this is due to the fact that the external rolling body, being made in the form of a single solid monolithic body, causes the emission of noise by slithering on the ground.

It is easy to understand that in tourist cities, stations or airports, pulling many travel suitcases to the ground causes not negligible noise pollution.

In some circumstances, such as e.g. in hotels or the like, pulling suitcases to the ground at any time of the day and night often causes disturbance to guests staying in the hotel; the only way to limit this drawback consists in lifting the suitcases from the ground, bringing discomfort to users who are forced to carry them manually.

Description of the Invention The main aim of the present invention is to provide a travel suitcase which allows the elimination of noise pollution, caused by pulling the same to the ground, allowing its use at any time of the day and night.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a travel suitcase which enables to overcome the mentioned drawbacks of the prior art within the ambit of a simple, rational, easy, effective to use as well as affordable solution.

The above mentioned objects are achieved by the present travel suitcase having the characteristics of claim 1.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better evident from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a travel suitcase, illustrated by way of an indicative, but non-limiting, example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of the suitcase according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a view on enlarged scale and in cross-section of a detail of the suitcase of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is an exploded view of a wheel of the suitcase according to the invention in a first embodiment;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the wheel of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an exploded view of a wheel of the suitcase according to the invention in a second embodiment;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the wheel of Figure 5.

Embodiments of the Invention

With particular reference to such illustrations, reference number 1 globally indicates a travel suitcase.

It is pointed out that, in the present treatise, the term "suitcase" means any type of container with a handle and wheels and intended to transport objects and garments during a journey.

The suitcase 1 can be, therefore, of the type of a trolley, a handbag, a rigid suitcase or the like.

The suitcase 1 comprises a container body 2 for the containment of objects and/or garments. The container body 2 has a parallelepiped shape and can be made of plastic, leather, fabric, metal or other material yet.

The suitcase 1 also comprises at least a gripping element 3, 4, e.g. a handle 3 or an extensible grip 4, graspable by a user for the displacement of the suitcase itself.

With reference to the particular embodiment shown in the illustrations, the suitcase 1 has two handles 3 for the lifting of the same, arranged on two contiguous lateral faces of the container body 2 and an extensible grip 4, arranged on an adjacent face, for pulling the suitcase itself to the ground 5.

The suitcase 1, in fact, comprises at least a wheel 6 able to allow its pulling to the ground 5.

Advantageously, the suitcase 1 has two wheels 6, arranged parallel to one another and associated with the container body 2 at the bottom.

As is visible in the illustrations, each wheel 6 is mounted inside a housing seat 7 so as to protrude from the latter by at least one third of its volume; this allows the free rotation of the wheel 6, around a central axis 8, by sliding contact with the ground 5.

In a particular embodiment shown in Figure 2, the suitcase 1 comprises a shock absorber element 9 internally associated with the housing seat 7 and able to dampen the oscillations and shocks due to the irregularities of the ground 5, thus allowing to pull regularly the suitcase 1 also in difficult environmental conditions, such as rough terrain and/or stairs.

The shock absorber element 9 comprises a spring 10, having a first extremity 11 locked together with an internal wall 12 of the housing seat 7, and a second extremity 13 associated with a support element 14 of the wheel 6.

Alternative embodiments cannot however be ruled out wherein the wheel 6 is directly associated with the housing seat 7.

The wheel 6 comprises an external rolling body 17 made of a polymeric material, of the type of rubber or the like, and support means 15, 16 rotoidally mountable on the container body 2.

The external rolling body 17 has two lateral sides 18 able to delimit an inner tube 19, defined between the external rolling body itself and the support means 15, 16.

The inner tube 19 and its function will be described in more detail later in this treatise.

The support means 15, 16 comprise two annular flanges 15 able to be arranged laterally to the external rolling body 17 and can be secured in a sandwich-like manner on the lateral sides 18 of the external rolling body itself.

It is useful to point out that in the present treatise the terms "lateral", "laterally" and the like are to be understood with reference to an operative configuration wherein the wheel 6 can be driven in rotation around the central axis 8 by sliding contact of the external rolling body 17 with the ground 5, substantially parallel to the central axis 8.

In fact, as shown in the illustrations, the central axis 8 is horizontal and the suitcase 1 is movable along a direction of advancement substantially parallel to the ground 5 and perpendicular to the central axis 8.

Conveniently, the annular flanges 15 have a through hole 21, substantially circular, arranged at the central axis 8 and in which is insertable to measure a pin element, not shown in the illustrations, for the anchorage of the wheel 6 to the housing seat 7.

In the first embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the annular flanges 15 are mounted in rotational sliding contact on the pin element.

In this regard, it is useful to point out that the suitcase 1 is marketed in an assembly configuration, with the wheels 6 associated with the respective housing seat 7.

Alternative embodiments cannot however be ruled out wherein the wheels 6 are associable with the housing seat 7 subsequently to the marketing of the suitcase 1; this means that the pin element can be of the type of a rivet pin manually mountable by a user, perhaps on suitcases already on the market, so as to transform them from traditional suitcases to suitcases according to the present invention.

Advantageously, in a second embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6, the annular flanges 15 are made of polyoxymethylene, commercially known e.g. as Delrin, Tecaform, Kepital, Kematal, Ertacetal and Zellamid 900. Polyoxymethylene, thanks to its peculiar mechanical properties such as low friction coefficient, excellent dimensional stability and impact resistance, ensures low friction sliding of the annular flanges 15 on the pin element, leading to similar results to those that would be obtained with a rolling bearing. Furthermore, the use of annular flanges 15 made of the above material ensures the total absence of noise.

Conveniently, the support means 15, 16 also comprise a ring-shaped element 16 having an inner space 20 in which the annular flanges 15 are insertable from opposite sides.

In the first embodiment, the ring-shaped element 16 is intended to cooperate with the annular flanges 15.

In the second embodiment, on the other hand, the ring-shaped element 16 is intended to support the external rolling body 17.

In particular, each annular flange 15 is inserted into the space 20 in a mirror- like manner with respect to the other annular flange 15; this means that the two annular flanges 15 have similar front position and are arranged one on each side of the wheel 6.

More in detail, the annular flanges 15 have a first portion 22 insertable into the space 20 and a second portion 23 remaining on the outside of the space itself. Advantageously, the first portion 22 has a right cylinder shape with a diameter substantially mating to the inner diameter of the ring-shaped element 16.

In particular, the first portion 22 is shaped so as to fit substantially to measure or with a slight play within the space 20, adhering laterally to the ring-shaped element 16.

Conveniently, the second portion 23 has a circle-like shape coaxial to the first portion 22 and with a substantially greater diameter than the diameter of the first portion 22; this allows to define a lateral support surface 24 able to come into contact with the lateral sides 18.

With reference to a second embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6, the second portion 23 comprises an internal seat 25 for housing a rotational bearing 26, placed between the container body 2 and the ring-shaped element 16.

In the present case, the wheel 6 has two rotational bearings 26 respectively housed in the internal seat 25 of each annular flange 15.

Advantageously, each of the annular flanges 15 comprises at least a housing hole 27 of a connecting element 28 for the union of the annular flanges 15 and the securing of the lateral support surfaces 24 against the lateral sides 18.

Each annular flange 15 comprises a plurality of housing holes 27 arranged around the central axis 8.

Conveniently, the housing holes 27 are formed on the first portion 22, but alternative embodiments cannot be ruled out wherein the housing holes 27 are formed on the second portion 23.

With reference to the particular embodiment shown in the illustrations, the first portion 22 has three housing holes 27 equally spaced from one another by an angular distance substantially equal to 120°.

In the present case, the housing holes 27 of one of the annular flanges 15 can be positioned substantially mating with the housing holes 27 of the other annular flange 15 for the insertion of a plurality of connecting elements 28.

The connecting elements 28 have a threaded extremity than can be screwed into at least one of the housing holes 27.

With reference to the second embodiment (Figures 5 and 6), on one of the two annular flanges 15, the housing holes 27 are threaded to define a nut screw able to create a coupling between the same and the respective connecting element 28.

The union between the annular flanges 15, therefore, occurs by simple screwing the connecting elements 28 during assembly of the wheel 6.

In the second embodiment, each of the annular flanges 15 comprises centering means 29, 30 able to facilitate the alignment of the housing holes 27 and the screwing of the connecting elements 28.

For this purpose, the centering means 29, 30 comprise a centering hole 29 formed on each of the annular flanges 15 and at least a centering pin 30 insertable into the centering holes 29, arranged substantially mating with one another.

At the time of assembly of the wheel 6, therefore, it is sufficient to place the annular flanges 15 close together within the ring-shaped element 16, and insert the centering pin 30 in the centering holes 29 to ensure that the flanges themselves are correctly positioned with the housing holes 27 perfectly aligned with one another.

In this position, the connecting elements 28 can be screwed with extreme ease. The ring-shaped element 16 is placed between the external rolling body 17 and the first portions 22; this allows the association by interlocking of the lateral sides 18 between the ring-shaped element itself and the annular flanges 15. When the annular flanges 15 are joined together by means of the connecting elements 28, in fact, the lateral sides 18 get stuck between the ring-shaped element 16 and the lateral support surfaces 24.

In the second embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6, the ring-shaped element 16 comprises at least a through slot 31 and communicating with the inner tube 19 for the passage of air during the movement of the wheel 6.

The through slot 31, in practice, puts the inner tube 19, defined on the external side of the ring-shaped element 16, in communication with the space 20, which is instead defined within the ring-shaped element 16.

Through the space 20, the air of the inner tube 19 has the possibility to escape outwards.

It is underlined, in fact, that the annular flanges 15 and the connecting elements 28, and the centering pin 30 if any as in the second embodiment, are not associated hermetically with their respective housing counterparts and allow the air contained in the inner tube 19 to breathe.

In this regard it should be underlined an important characteristic of the present invention, that is the fact that the inner tube 19 is not pressurized and the polymer material composing the external rolling body 17 has predefined texture and rigidity such as to enable the lateral sides 18 to remain upright without collapsing on the ring-shaped element 16.

In other words, the wheel 6 appears to be apparently inflated but in truth, the air pressure inside the inner tube 19 is substantially equal to atmospheric pressure and the lateral sides 18, stuck between the annular flanges 15 and the ring- shaped element 16, will not collapse due the texture and rigidity of the polymeric material. This prevents the inner tube 19 from being inflated with pressurized air and isolated from the outside.

In this regard, in the second embodiment, the ring-shaped element 16 has three through slots 31 arranged equally spaced from one another (i.e. at 120° to one another), to allow air to enter and exit the inner tube 19 in an even manner.

With reference to the first embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the wheel 6 comprises at least a lightening groove 34 formed on at least one of the ring- shaped element 16 and the annular flanges 15.

Advantageously, the wheel 6 comprises at least a lightening groove 34 formed on the ring-shaped element 16.

In detail, the ring-shaped element 16 comprises an annular protrusion 32 surrounding the ring-shaped element 16 and a plurality of teeth 33 which extend axially from the annular protrusion 32.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, between the annular protrusion 32 and the teeth 33 is defined a plurality of lightening grooves 34; this means that the teeth 33 are arranged along the circular profile to define a plurality of lightening grooves 34 meant to reduce the weight of the ring-shaped element 16.

Conveniently, the ring-shaped element 16 is also made of polyoxymethylene. Before the detailed explanation of the operation of the invention and of its particular structural and constructional aspects, it is useful to point out that the external rolling body 17, in the embodiments represented in the illustrations, has a smooth surface; alternative embodiments cannot however be ruled out wherein the external rolling body 17 has variable drawings, ribs and notches depending on the users' requirements and to the different types of ground 5 that may be encountered during a journey.

Furthermore, the external rolling body 17 can have different colors, also variable depending on the color of the container body 2 and of the current fashion.

The operation of the present invention is as follows.

The suitcase 1 is pulled to the ground 5 by means of the extensible grip 4 and of the wheels 6.

The wheels 6, sliding on the ground, rotate around the central axis 8 and the vibrations generated by the advancement of the suitcase 1 onto the ground are discharged by means of the shock absorber element 9 and of the inner tube 19 which, in practice, acts as a damping cavity.

It should added the fact that, when the wheels 6 are subjected to very high load peaks, as in the case wherein they bump with force against obstacles of the type of steps or the like, the external rolling body 17 is deformed in an elastic manner and the air within the inner tube 19 can breathe and draw through the annular flanges 15 and the connecting elements 28.

Such air leakage further absorbs the impact and helps to reduce vibrations and noises even more.

The elasticity of the polymeric material allows the external rolling body 17 to restore its initial shape once the load peak has finished.

It has in practice been found that the described invention achieves the intended objects.

In this regard, the fact is underlined that the particular expedient to provide an inner tube placed between the external rolling body and the support means allows to obtain a particularly silent suitcase with wheels, which can be pulled to the ground without producing any noise, which allows its use at any time of the day and night both in outdoor and indoor environments such as, e.g., the hotel facilities.

Moreover, the fact that the inner tube of the wheel is not pressurized allows the suitcase according to the invention to be employed in a practical and easy manner, without the need of periodic inflation and without incurring problems associated with the transport of same on pressurized vehicles, such as aircraft or the like.

Claims

1) Travel suitcase (1), comprising:

at least a container body (2) for the containment of objects and/or garments; at least a gripping element (3, 4) graspable by a user for the displacement of said suitcase (1);

at least a wheel (6) for pulling said suitcase (1) to the ground comprising: an external rolling body (17) made of a polymeric material; and support means (15, 16) rotoidally mountable on said container body (2) and comprising, in turn, two annular flanges (15);

characterized in that said external rolling body (17) comprises two lateral sides (18) able to delimit an inner tube (19) between said external rolling body (17) and said support means (15, 16) and on which lateral sides (18) said annular flanges (15) can be secured in a sandwich-like manner.

2) Suitcase (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said annular flanges (15) comprises a through hole (21) arranged at a central axis (8) and in which is insertable to measure a pin element for mounting said wheel (6) on said container body (2), said annular flanges (15) being mounted in rotational sliding contact on said pin element.

3) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said annular flanges (15) are made of polyoxymethylene (15).

4) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least a rotational bearing (26) placed between said support means and said container body (2).

5) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that:

said support means (15, 16) comprise at least a ring-shaped element (16) intended to cooperate with said annular flanges (15); and

said lateral sides (18) are associated by interlocking between said ring- shaped element (16) and said annular flanges (15).

6) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said ring-shaped element (16) is intended to support said external rolling body (17). 7) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said ring-shaped element (16) comprises at least a through slot (31) and communicating with said inner tube (19) for the passage of air during the movement of said wheel (6).

8) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said wheel (6) comprises at least a lightening groove (34) formed on said ring-shaped element (16).

9) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said ring-shaped element (16) comprises an annular protrusion (32) surrounding said ring-shaped element (16) and a plurality of teeth (33) which extend axially from said annular protrusion (32), between said annular protrusion (32) and said teeth (33) being defined a plurality of said lightening grooves (34).

10) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said ring-shaped element (16) has an inner space (20) in which said annular flanges (15) are insertable from opposite sides.

11) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said annular flanges (15) comprises a first portion (22) insertable into said space (20) and a second portion (23) remaining on the outside of said space (20).

12) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first portion (22) has a right cylinder shape with a diameter substantially mating to the inner diameter of said ring-shaped element (16).

13) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second portion (23) has a circle-like shape with a substantially greater diameter than the diameter of said first portion (22) to define a lateral support surface (24) able to come into contact with said lateral sides (18).

14) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second portion (23) comprises an internal seat (25) for housing said rotational bearing (26).

15) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said annular flanges (15) comprises at least a housing hole (27) of a connecting element (28) for the union of said annular flanges (15) and the securing of said lateral support surfaces (24) against said lateral sides (18).

16) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said connecting element (28) has a threaded extremity than can be screwed into at least one of said housing holes (27).

17) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said annular flanges (15) comprises a plurality of said housing holes (27) arranged around a central axis (8) of said wheel (6), the housing holes (27) of one of said annular flanges (15) being positionable substantially mating with the housing holes (27) of the other of said annular flanges (15) for the insertion of a plurality of said connecting elements (28).

18) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said housing holes (27) are formed on said first portion (22).

19) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said annular flanges (15) comprises centering means (29, 30) able to facilitate the alignment of said housing holes (27) and the screwing of said connecting elements (28).

20) Suitcase (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said centering means (29, 30) comprise a centering hole (29) formed on each of said annular flanges (15) and at least a centering pin (30) insertable into said centering holes (29) arranged substantially mating with one another.