The techniques described herein relate to ultrasonic welding and related techniques for luggage. In some embodiments, a method of manufacturing a luggage component is provided that includes orienting a first component adjacent to a second component, wherein a first surface of the first component adjacent a second surface of the second component comprises a flat portion with one or more protrusions extending from the flat portion, and applying, via a horn sized to receive the first component, an ultrasonic vibration to melt the one or more protrusions to ultrasonically weld the first component to the second component.

A luggage shell or case made from a sheet formed by compacting and heating a mat made of either a mixture of randomly oriented first discontinuous non-woven plastic fibers (42) having a first melting temperature and randomly oriented second discontinuous reinforcing non-woven plastic fiber (46) having a second melting temperature higher than the first melting temperature, or a bicomponent fiber having a first plastic portion having a first melting temperature and a second plastic portion having a second melting temperature. The non-woven mat is heated at a temperature between the first melting temperature and the second melting temperature, as well as by forming the compacted non-woven sheet (64) into the luggage shell.

A luggage with composite material integrally formed frame includes a first shell, a second shell, a first frame, and a second frame. The second shell is openably assembled to the first shell. The first frame is integrated with the first shell and is located on the outer edge of the first shell. The second frame is integrally formed with the second shell and located on an outer edge of the second shell. When the first shell and the second shell are closed, the protruding engagement member of the second frame is engaged in the recessed engagement groove of the first frame.

The present invention relates to a part of a luggage system, in particular a shell of a hard-shell case or trolley, comprising a natural fiber material. The present invention further relates to a method for the manufacture and a method for the repair of such a part. A part of a luggage system is provided which comprises a fiber-reinforced material, wherein the fiber-reinforced material comprises a natural fiber material and a matrix material. The natural fiber material comprises at least one set of unidirectional fibers which are embedded in and/or impregnated with the matrix material.

A method for forming a shell type body (100) of self-reinforced composite thermoplastic polymer material from a plate-like element (10, 60), with a central region (11) and a peripheral region (12) surrounding said central region (11), comprises: providing a press (1) including a first and a second die portion (3, 4) which can be moved between a forming configuration, wherein they are pressed against one another, and a release configuration (Y), wherein they are spaced apart; at least one from the first and/or the second die portion (3, 4) being provided with ribs (5) on an operating face (3A, 4A) thereof intended to abut the plate-like element (10); arranging the plate-like element (10) on the press so that the central region (11) abuts on the operating face (4a) of the second die portion (4), retaining the plate-like element (10) at the peripheral region (12), moving the first (3) and/or the second die portion (4) towards the forming configuration until the first die portion (3) abuts the plate-like element (10) continuing to retain the plate-like element (10) at the peripheral region (12), a forming step in which the first (3) and the second die portion (4) are kept in the forming configuration for a predefined time, and the plate-like element (10) is kept between the first (3) and the second die portion (4) at a forming temperature of the material such as to generate the at least partial fusion of a matrix of the material without causing the substantial fusion of the fibers so as to form by means of the ribs (5) a plurality of recesses (20) defining on the central region (11) a plurality of lateral panels (15) mutually connected to a central panel (14) by means of at least one corresponding recess (20A), moving the first (3) and/or the second die portion (4) into the release configuration (Y) and extracting the plate-like element (10), subsequently folding the lateral panels (15) with respect to the central panel (14) at the recesses (20A, 20B) so as to form the shell type body (100).

An article of luggage is provided for comprising a first layer of hard shell and a second layer of hard shell material with one or more ornamental substrate disposed between at least the first layer of hard shell material and at least the second layer of hard shell material. A section of hard shell material may be formed by pressing and/or heating at least the first layer of hard shell material, the second layer of hard shell material, and the ornamental substrate together.

A laminate (110) of polypropylene films (100), a luggage shell (120) constructed of the laminate (110), a method (200) of making the laminate (110), and a method (280) of making the luggage shell (120) are provided. The films (100) include a core (102) and at least one outer layer (104). The laminate (110) includes a plurality of films (100). The laminate (110) may be formed by laminating a plurality of films 100 under predetermined pressure, temperature, and time conditions. The shell (120) may be formed by deep drawing a sheet of laminate (110) while applying heat and tension to the laminate (110).

A piece of luggage (1) comprising a housing (2) with a front wall (3), a back wall (4), a top wall (5), a bottom wall (6) and side walls (7, 8). There is at least one pair of wheels, and at least two functional elements (10, 11, 12, 13, 14). The elements are chosen from the group consisting of a telescopic handle (10), at least one carrying handle (11), a longitudinal closure element (12), a logo element (13), and a lock element (14). For each of said at least two functional elements (10, 11, 12, 13, 14) a recess (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 30) is provided in the housing (2), in which recess (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 30) said functional elements (10, 11, 12, 13, 14) are positioned.

A piece of luggage (1) comprising a housing (2) and at least one pair of caster wheels (9), wherein each of the caster wheels (9) comprises a swivel axis (S) and at least one wheel (10) with a peripheral surface (11) rotating around a rotation axis (R) running perpendicular to the swivel axis (S). The diameter (D) of the at least one wheel (9) is as large as possible under the provision that in a rotational position parts of the peripheral surface (10) of the wheel (9) extend in a space between a center plane (C) extending centrally between a front wall (3) and a back wall (4) and a reference plane (P) extending parallel and at a distance (A) to the center plane (C), which distance (A) amounts up to 20% of the diameter (D) of the wheel (9).

The present disclosure provides a negative mold for luggage molding and an application thereof. The negative mold includes an upper mold holder (11), a convex mold (12), a lower mold holder (21), a concave mold (22), a lifting platform (23), and a material frame (31). The upper mold holder is arranged with a first airflow channel (111); in the adsorbed state, the upper mold holder abuts against the material frame to define an upper air cavity (112); air is blown downward through the first airflow channel to stretch the sheet (41), while each of the convex mold and the concave mold moves in a direction close to the sheet to define a molding space; in the mold detaching state, each of the convex mold and the concave mold moves toward in another direction away from the material frame to detach the molded sheet.