WO2024033560A1

WO2024033560A1 - Suitcase protection device with advertising support

Info

Publication number: WO2024033560A1
Application number: PCT/ES2023/070514
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rafael Martínez-Echeverría Ozámiz
Original assignee: Vingbox Ibérica, S.L.
Priority date: 2022-08-11
Filing date: 2023-08-11
Publication date: 2024-02-15
Also published as: ES1295037U; ES1295037Y

Abstract

A protective device for suitcases (M), comprising an advertising support in the form of a sheet of a die-cut cellulosic material defining a horizontally elongate large sector which, by means of vertical folding lines (P), determines two large faces, namely a front face (1) and a rear face (11), and two side faces, namely a right face (2) and a left face (21), as well as comprising a top cover (3) and a bottom cover (4) which are each configured as a single folded flange; wherein the top cover (3) and the bottom cover (4) extend from the upper central portion of the front face (1) or rear face (11) respectively so as to fold over, and fit on, the top or bottom side of the suitcase (M) respectively.

Description

SUITCASE PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH ADVERTISING SUPPORT

Description

The present invention refers to a suitcase protection device, especially designed for use in airports, bus stations, train stations, hotels and other transport and passenger transit interchanges, which in addition to its simplicity of use and manufacturing, provides an advertising medium that is very suitable for the use you want to provide.

It is known that, when traveling on planes, buses and even trains, if the suitcases exceed a certain volume, they must be stored in the cargo holds or in receptacles separate from the passenger, which makes it possible for the suitcases to be improperly handled, leading to bumps or scratches, and even the theft of belongings contained in the suitcase itself.

To alleviate this problem, packaging services are known in which the suitcase is rolled with a large number of turns and a transparent plastic film. Thus, the fact of removing the film represents a significant loss of time that usually discourages any opportunist, in addition to evidencing any improper manipulation maneuver, for example, for the introduction of illegal substances. However, the plastic used is a polluting element. Furthermore, unpacking the suitcase for its rightful owner is also a tedious task.

To avoid the use of plastics, document EP2174564A1 is known, which describes a device to protect a suitcase consisting of a very elastic, waterproof and abrasion-resistant cover that has at least one introduction opening for the suitcase equipped with seals. inviolable closing customizations. The cover is smaller in size than the suitcase to fit over it due to its elasticity. However, this cover is made of polyamide or polyurethane, which are not easily recyclable materials and can harm the environment.

The suitcase protector described in document WO2022074279A1 is also known, which describes a suitcase protective packaging comprising a cardboard packaging. characterized in that it is constituted from the development of a die-cut cardboard sheet, in which a majority, rectangular, horizontally elongated sector is defined, which through vertical folding lines determine the two largest and smallest faces of a rectangular prismatic container, prism which is formed through the attachment of a tab associated laterally to one of the larger faces and which is fixed by adhesive to the free smaller face, forming a folding rectangular prism.

It is an object of the present invention to solve the problems indicated in the current state of the art. More specifically, the present invention provides a protective device that is made of a cellulosic material, preferably any cardboard or paper of sufficient weight for handling, which in addition to protecting the suitcase against bumps or scratches, allows any improper manipulation of the case to be evident. suitcase and can be used as an advertising medium. That is, the purpose of the invention is to provide a protective element that, at the same time as being an advertising support, once placed around the suitcase, it can be used in a conventional way, leaving the telescopic handle and its wheels operational, with a ecological and environmentally friendly structure. These objects are achieved with the packaging of claim 1. Particular embodiments of the present invention are indicated in the dependent claims.

Throughout the description and claims, the word "comprises" and its variants are not intended to exclude other technical characteristics, additives, components or steps. For those skilled in the art, other objects, advantages and features of the invention will emerge partly from the invention and partly from the practice of the invention. The following examples and drawings are provided by way of illustration and are not intended to restrict the present invention. Furthermore, the invention covers all possible combinations of particular and preferred embodiments indicated herein.

Next, a series of drawings that help to better understand the invention and that are expressly related to an embodiment of said invention, which is illustrated as a non-limiting example of it, are briefly described.

FIG.l shows the suitcase protection device and advertising support object of the present invention, in a first practical embodiment. FIG.2 shows the development of the device according to the second embodiment of the invention. FIG.3 shows different views (AB) of the second practical embodiment of the suitcase protection device according to the present invention.

In both practical embodiments of the invention, the device is configured as a rectangular device that, in a vertical position, comprises a front face (1) and a rear face (la) with a greater surface area than the left (2) and right side faces ( twenty-one). That is, the device of the invention is constituted from a die-cut sheet of a cellulosic material, preferably cardboard, which defines a majority and rectangular sector, elongated horizontally that, through vertical folding lines, determine the largest faces, that is , the front (1) and rear (11) faces, as well as the two smaller faces, that is, the left (21) and right (2) lateral faces. In this description, the indications "front", "rear", "left" and "right" refer to the part of the suitcase (M) where said face would be located in the position of use. That is, the front face (1) of the protector would be located on the front part of the suitcase (M) and so on with the rest.

In both practical embodiments, the set is materialized in a cellulosic material. The preferred material is cardboard, although any paper with a weight such that it allows the protective device to be configured as described above can be used. The fundamental advantage of using cellulosic material, in addition to being environmentally friendly and allowing easy recycling, is that it is an easily printable material, so the protective device, in itself, is a personalized advertising medium. On the other hand, both the front (1) and rear (11) sides, as well as the left (21) and right sides (2), offer a suitable surface for, for example, adhering stickers with personalized motifs or safety instructions to ensure that The device has not been tampered with.

In FIG.l, the protective device is shown in the position of use in a first practical embodiment, that is, with a suitcase inserted inside, and which can incorporate, within the device, protection elements, such as packing paper. , bubble wrap, or other elements that can secure and protect the suitcase inside.

This arrangement, in the form of a box or rectangular prism, is closed superiorly (3) and internally (4) by separate covers which, in the case of the lower cover (4) comprises weakened areas (4a) in such a way that, in In the case of having the suitcase on wheels (R), they can be easily opened by the user or operator manually. Four zones have been planned weakened, but logically, if the suitcase only had two, it would only be necessary to open those two areas and not all four. One of the obvious advantages of this structure is, precisely, its versatility.

On the other hand, the upper cover (3) also includes a weakened area (3a) that can be opened by the user or operator to extract the retractable handle of the suitcase. In the event that the suitcase does not have said handle, a second upper weakened area (3b) has been provided, to be able to extract the upper fixed handle from the suitcase. It only remains to point out, finally, that the sides (2,21) are susceptible to incorporating weakened areas (2a) in their middle area, which would allow a window to be enabled for the passage of the corresponding lateral manual grip handle that some suitcases incorporate. With this structure, an ecological, sustainable and very simple protective device is achieved to manufacture and operate.

Thanks to the protective device of the invention, an ecological, recyclable and environmentally friendly product is obtained, which completely eliminates the use of plastics. Plus, it's easier and requires less time to handle than plastic packaging or stretch sleeves.

Another additional advantage is that it improves the stability of the luggage in the cargo hold, since it homogenizes the volumetric of the cargo. For example, in an ideal situation with all the suitcases protected by the device of the invention, the load would be distributed in a completely standardized way by size, such as large suitcases (more than 80 cm high), medium suitcases (between 69 and 75 cm high) and small suitcases (generally 55 cm high).

Logically, the device of the invention would also have the advantage that any larger device could be used in a smaller suitcase, simply filling the inside of the protective device with, for example, paper, further improving the protection of the interior. and making it difficult to manipulate without permission.

The level of protection against bumps and scrapes is higher than in known devices from the state of the art. On the other hand, it offers means of inviolability that would immediately reveal improper manipulation. Finally, it offers a surface configured as an advertising support. However, the first practical embodiment shown in FIG.l implies a greater consumption of material (cardboard) since the weakened areas, in general, must be discarded. However, to reduce material consumption, in the second practical embodiment of the invention shown in FIG.2, the upper cover (3) and the lower cover (4) are modified with respect to the first embodiment, the weakened areas disappearing, but with a surface area noticeably smaller than the surface area of the largest faces (1.11) from which they emanate.

Thus, the upper cover (3) is configured as a folded tab, with a width less than that of the larger faces (1,11) and emanating from the upper central part of the front face (1) to fold over, and fit on the upper side of the suitcase (M) thanks to a plurality of folding lines (31) transverse to the upper cover (3). Once folded, the top cover (3) is attached to the inside of the back face (11).

It is also necessary to indicate that the upper cover (3) is dimensionally enabled to pass under an upper handle of the suitcase (M) and to pass between the bars of the retractable handle of the suitcase (M).

In the same way, the lower cover (4) is configured as a folded tab, with a width less than that of the larger faces (1,11) and emanating from the lower central part of the rear face (11) to fold over , and fit on the lower side of the suitcase (M) thanks to a plurality of folding lines (41) transverse to the lower lid (4). Once folded, the lower cover (4) is attached to the internal part of the front face (1), enabling two dimensionally appropriate spaces for the passage and use of the wheels (R) of the suitcase (M).

Furthermore, in this practical embodiment, the prism formed by the major faces (1,11) and lateral faces (2,21) is not a pure rectangular prism, as in the first embodiment or in other documents of the state of the art, but rather Thanks to a plurality of vertical folding lines (P) they allow a perfect fit on the suitcase (M) with the prism adopting essentially the same external shape as the suitcase (M), which reduces the cardboard necessary for its manufacture.

The prism is completed through the attachment of a tab or tab (5) laterally associated with one of the larger faces, in this embodiment, to the front face (1) and which adheres to the left lateral face (21). Next to this closing tab (5) there is a vertical tear line (6) that is configured to detach the closing tab (5) from the lateral face on which it is adhered, so that, to remove the suitcase (M), said tear line must be broken, evidencing its manipulation.

The level of protection against impacts and scrapes is the same as in the devices known from the state of the art, particularly that described in W02022/074279(A1) but with significantly lower material consumption (cardboard). On the other hand, it offers means of inviolability that would immediately reveal improper manipulation. Finally, it offers a surface configured as an advertising support.

Claims

1.- A suitcase protective device (M) with advertising support that is configured as a development of a sheet of a die-cut cellulosic material that defines a majority sector, elongated horizontally that, through vertical folding lines (P) determine two major faces , front (1) and rear (11), and two side faces, right (2) and left (21), which are characterized in that they comprise an upper cover (3) and a lower cover (4) that are configured, each one of them, like a single folded tab; and where the upper cover (3) and lower cover (4) emanate respectively from the upper central part of the front face (1) or the rear face (11) to fold over, and fit on, the upper or lower side of the suitcase (M) respectively.

2.- The device according to claim 1 wherein the lower cover (4) comprises weakened areas (4a) capable of enabling a window for the passage of two or more wheels of a contained suitcase; and where the upper cover (3) also comprises a first weakened area (3a) susceptible to a window configured to extract a retractable handle from the suitcase contained inside, and a second upper weakened area (3b), to be able to extract a handle. fixed top of the suitcase contained inside the device.

3.- The device according to claim 1 wherein the upper cover (3) and the lower cover (4) are of a width less than that of the larger faces (1-11) and comprise a plurality of transverse fold lines (31,41).

4.- The device according to any one of the previous claims that is made entirely of cardboard.

5.- The device according to claim 4 wherein the cardboard is decorated.