Luggage comprising a foldable structure

Abstract

A luggage with a foldable structure between a conformation of reduced volume suitable for the stowage and a developed conformation with a volume suitable for use. The luggage has an access face and a bottom opposite to the access face. The bottom is bordered by four side faces. At least one of the two side faces is associated at least one stiffening panel, that is configured to swivel towards the bottom of the luggage. A third side face has a foldable structure lockable by a side locking device.

Claims

1. A substantially prismatic foldable luggage comprising: four wheeling casters; a driving handle; a hard floor, a hard bottom and two hard sides, wherein the hard bottom, the two hard sides and the hard floor being connected in corners by four trihedral junctions, the hard floor extending between aft and front trihedral junctions; the hard floor comprises a rigid front part and a rigid back part linked by a hinge with a hinge axis parallel to the hard bottom, so that a front part of the hard floor is rotatable towards the hard bottom; each of the two hard sides comprise a stiffening panel hinged on its first edge with respect to the hard bottom, according to the hinge axis parallel to the hard bottom, the stiffening panels of the two hard sides are not fixed on their second edges such that the stiffening panels are rotatable and foldable towards the hard bottom; each wheeling caster is beared by a casing comprising an interior part at an interior of the luggage, located in proximity of a trihedral junction and carried by the hard floor; and a pair of locking devices, each locking device comprising a rigid stem pivotally linked at one end to one of the casings, between a locked position where the rigid stem is perpendicular to the hard bottom and connects a pair of front and aft casings and a folded-up position where the rigid stem is not connected to the pair of front and aft casings, and other end of the rigid stem being wedged in a housing integral with the linked casing.

2. The luggage according to claim 1, wherein the interior part of said each casing comprises a shoulder at an edge of a locked panel.

3. The luggage according to claim 2, wherein the interior part of said each casing comprises a shoulder groove configured to lock the second edge of a corresponding stiffening panel.

4. The luggage according to claim 2, wherein the shoulder of said each casing is part of a corresponding hard side.

5. The luggage according to claim 1, further comprising a panel made of a webbed plastic framework wrapped in a textile envelope.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is described hereafter in its preferred embodiments, in no way limiting, and with reference to the figures, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically represents a perspective view of an embodiment of a luggage according to the invention, in a folded-up conformation of reduced footprint suitable for stowage;

(3) FIG. 2 schematically represents a perspective view of a luggage according to an embodiment of the invention in a developed conformation, suitable for use;

(4) FIG. 3 schematically represents a partial view seen in perspective, showing an exemplary embodiment of locking means adapted to a luggage according to the invention in a folded up conformation;

(5) FIG. 4 schematically represents a partial view seen in perspective, showing the locking means of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3 when the luggage is in a deployed conformation;

(6) FIG. 5, shows schematically in a perspective view and exemplary embodiment of a luggage according to the invention;

(7) FIG. 6, is a detail view in perspective and seen from the access face of a luggage according to the invention of the interior part of a wheel casing comprising a shoulder groove;

(8) FIG. 7 shows in perspective a partial view of an exemplary embodiment where locking shoulder is part of a side panel; and

(9) FIG. 8 is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a webbed framework used for making a panel of the luggage according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(10) According to FIG. 1, a luggage with a foldable structure according to the invention is a luggage with casters R and a telescopic handle T, comprising a bottom 1, a floor 2 and a ceiling 3.

(11) According to this embodiment, the luggage comprises four wheels R.

(12) Two side faces are extending from the bottom 1, between the floor 2 and the ceiling 3.

(13) An access face 5, through a zipper, opposite the bottom 1 borders the side faces 4, the floor 2 and the ceiling 3.

(14) The floor 2 is a foldable floor between a conformation of reduced volume suitable for the stowage of the luggage as shown on FIG. 1, and a conformation of high volume, as shown on FIG. 2.

(15) The floor 2 comprises two parts: a rigid front part 2a and a rigid back part 2b, linked by a hinge 2c.

(16) The hinge 2c may be made by a seam of textile envelopes sewed with the rigid parts 2a and 2b of the floor 2, so that the front part is able to rotate towards the interior of the product.

(17) The rigid parts 2a and 2b of the floor 2 are folded up at a substantially right angle in the conformation of reduced volume suitable for stowage, so as to reduce the thickness of the floor 2.

(18) Considering FIG. 5, when the luggage according to the invention comprises wheels or casters, these wheels are preferably located as close as possible to the trihedral junctions 501 . . . 504, between the edges of the floor 2 and the edges of the sides 4a, 4b. These areas are commonly designated as corner fittings for a suitcase, and are the stiffest parts of the luggage. As a consequence, these trihedral junctions are particularly suited to bear the casters and in order to provide a force flow from the load carried by the luggage to the ground through the casters, the side panels 4 and the floor panel 2 are advantageously secured together in these areas.

(19) Coming back to FIG. 1, the rigid parts 2a and 2b of the floor 2 are each provided with two casters R arranged laterally in the vicinity of the side faces 4.

(20) The front part 2a of the floor 2 is thus a rigid part, which carries two casings 6 for bearing the casters R.

(21) The rear part 2b of the floor 2 is also a rigid part which carries two other casings 6 for bearing the casters R.

(22) The ceiling 3 of the luggage with casters R and a telescopic handle T is generally made of a polypropylene sheet exhibiting a C shape conformation, extending from the bottom 1 and constituting the return. The ceiling 3 exhibits an opening, enabling the installation of the telescopic handle T.

(23) The invention also covers and not shown alternative of a luggage with a ceiling 3, foldable between a conformation of reduced volume suitable for the stowage of the luggage shown in FIG. 1 and a conformation of high volume shown on FIG. 2. The ceiling 3 of this not shown alternative of a luggage with a foldable structure according to the invention, may comprise to this end a front part and a back part that may be folded up at a substantially right angle, in the conformation of reduced stowage volume. The front and the back parts of the ceiling 3 can be complementary in the vicinity of the side faces 4, so as to constitute a substantially rigid ceiling 3.

(24) The side faces 4 extending from the bottom 1, between the floor 2 and the ceiling 3 are associated with stiffening panels 4a adapted to swivel towards the bottom of the luggage.

(25) These swiveling rigid panels 4a are installed inside the structure of the luggage with a foldable structure, so as to constitute a stiffening framework in the conformation of high volume shown on FIG. 2.

(26) The stiffening panels 4a are fixed on the bottom 1 of the luggage with a foldable structure, and are not fixed on their other sides, so as to be able to rotate and to fold up inside the structure of the luggage with a foldable structure.

(27) These stiffening panels 4a thus swivel inside the structure of the luggage with a foldable structure, in the conformation of reduced volume for the stowage of the luggage, shown in FIG. 1.

(28) The pair of rigid swiveling panels 4a is thus folded up one on the other in the conformation of reduced volume, for stowage of the luggage shown in FIG. 1.

(29) The stiffening panels 4a are made out of a textile envelope and are preferably bordered by rigid continuous frameworks, holding them in position without deformation inside the luggage with a foldable structure. The stiffening panels 4a may comprise other items than side frameworks, for example, glass fiber stems, removable or not

(30) FIG. 8, according to an advantageous embodiment, the rigid framework 800 inside the textile envelope is a webbed framework. This part 800 is made of plastic by injection molding. In a specific embodiment, the plastic material is reinforced with short glass or polypropylene fibers. This embodiment is stiff and lightweight.

(31) As shown on FIG. 2, the luggage with a foldable structure according to the invention is in a conformation of high volume suitable for its use.

(32) In this conformation of high volume suitable for use, the front part 2a is coplanar with the back part 2b of the floor 2.

(33) The front and back parts 2a and 2b are connected by the pivoting link 2c.

(34) Side locking means 2d are set on the front part 2a or on the back part 2b alternatively, in the vicinity of the caster R casings.

(35) The locations of the side locking means are preferably set on the interior part 6a of the caster R casings 6.

(36) The side locking means 2D may be made of any rigid material, for example out of glass fiber, steel, or rigid plastic.

(37) The spacing of the side locking means, of the front part 2a and of the back part 2b of the floor 2, makes it possible to avoid the stress concentrations in the middle of the floor 2. It thus avoids the set up of a combined bending in the middle of the floor 2, and the distortion of the wheeling plane at the locations of the caster casings 6, thanks to the forces distribution over a wider width, corresponding to the internal edges of the floor 2.

(38) In the high-volume conformation suitable for use, each stiffening panel 4a is fixed and maintained on a front edge of a side face 4 by a Velcro strip or by press-studs.

(39) The back of each stiffening panel 4a is fixed and maintained at the back of each side face 4 by a hinge 4c, which can be made out by the seam of a textile envelope sewed with the back of each side face 4.

(40) Going towards the high-volume conformation, each stiffening panel 4a is guided by the hinge 4c attached with the back of each side face 4. The rigid swiveling panels 4a thus open themselves towards the outside, while being pivotally linked to the back face of the luggage, so that the rigid swiveling panels 4a are standing substantially parallel in the high-volume conformation.

(41) Because at least one of the two side faces is associated with at least one stiffening panel adapted to swivel towards the bottom of the foldable luggage, the forces are evenly transmitted from the top to the bottom of the product so that the wheeling is improved.

(42) Thus, thanks to the invention, the luggage with a foldable structure exhibits a stable and rigid structure in the high-volume conformation: the side parts 4 being actually stabilized by the swiveling stiffening panels 4a in the high-volume conformation.

(43) FIG. 3 shows a locking means for a luggage with a foldable structure according to the invention, in a folded-up conformation with reduced volume, suitable for stowage.

(44) The front and back parts 2a and 2b are connected by the pivoting link 2c.

(45) Side locking means 2D are set on the back part 2b according to this exemplary embodiment, in the vicinity of the caster R casings 6.

(46) The locations of the side locking means are directly set on the interior part 6a of the caster R casings 6.

(47) The side locking means 2D comprise elongated items 7 made of a rigid material, for example out of glass fiber, steel, or rigid plastic.

(48) The elongated items 7 made of a rigid material are pivotally linked between a free position, substantially parallel with the bottom 1, and a forced position, substantially perpendicular to the bottom 1.

(49) In the free position, substantially parallel with the bottom 1, the elongated items 7, made of rigid a material, do not extend over the pivoting line 2c.

(50) In the case of a plurality of elongated items 7 made of a rigid material, the rigid elongated items 7 may be pivotally linked on the front side or on the back side of the floor 2 of the luggage with a foldable structure according to the invention.

(51) When the elongated items 7 made of a rigid material are pivotally linked on the back side, as shown, the swiveling stiffening panels 4a are indented at the bottom, so as to enable the crossing above the interior parts 6a of the caster R casings 6 of the luggage with a foldable structure.

(52) When the elongated items 7 made of a rigid material are pivot linked on the front of the luggage with a foldable structure, in the vicinity of the access opening, the swiveling stiffening panels 4a may not be indented backwards.

(53) FIG. 4, each elongated item 7 made of a rigid material is locked in two housings 8a, 8b, thus making a rigid connection that maintains coplanar the front part 2a and back pat 2b connected by the pivot link 2c.

(54) The locations of the housings 8a, 8b are preferably set on the interior parts 6a of the casters R casings 6.

(55) This rigid connection keeping the coplanarity thus provides a good quality of wheeling for the luggage with a foldable structure and with four casters R and a telescopic handle T.

(56) Each elongated item 7 made of a rigid material is embedded in the housings 8a, 8b which are fixed on the front half-floor 2a and on the back half-floor 2b, so that no force is applied to the axis of rotation of the elongated item 7 made of a rigid material.

(57) The invention also covers the not shown alternative wherein at least one elongated item 7 made of a rigid material is pivotally assembled in the front half-floor 2a, between a free position, substantially parallel with the bottom 1, and one forced position, substantially perpendicular to the bottom 1.

(58) The invention also covers the not shown alternative comprising only one elongated item 7 made of a rigid material, pivotally assembled rotating between a free position, substantially parallel with the bottom 1, and one forced position, substantially perpendicular to the bottom 1.

(59) The invention also covers the not shown alternative comprising more than two elongated items 7 made of a rigid material set up in a different way, but enabling a rigid connection keeping the co-planarity of the front part 2a and of the back part 2b of the floor 2.

(60) In the embodiment comprising four wheels, the luggage according to the invention comprises lateral means for the rigid connection between a front wheel R and an aft wheel R that are on the same side. This rigid connection is provided by two connection stems 7 connecting the interior wheel casings 6a and enabling the stiffening of the foldable floor 2. The invention allows, in the deployed position, to connect the front wheel R with the corresponding aft wheel R, in order to create a rigid link between the two wheels R so as to maintain their co-planarity.

(61) The invention simply provides for two stems or rigid links 7, which directly connect, in the deployed position, in a rigid way, an area close to the front wheel R with an area close to the corresponding aft wheel R.

(62) Thus, at least one stem 7 is able to rotate around a fixed point, located near one of the wheels R, and thus can be placed in two main positions: a folded-up position not connecting the wheels casings and parallel with the bottom 1 of the suitcase, and a deployed position creating a link with another wheel on the other half-floor and perpendicular to the bottom 1 of the suitcase.

(63) The invention thus allows, in the deployed position, to ensure a perfect transmission of the force between the front and the back of the luggage, and to keep the front wheels and the aft wheels in the same plane, so as to enable a perfect wheeling in the four wheels mode.

(64) According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is considered to place the system of stems 7 inside the foldable suitcase, to make the attachment, the pivoting and the maintaining units of the stems 7 integral with the interior wheel casings 6a, inside the suitcase.

(65) A first wheel casing 6a, for example the rear casing at the bottom of the suitcase, holds the stem 7 assembled around a pivoting axis.

(66) An additional housing 8a for the wedging of the stem 7 in the deployed position, is designed so as to avoid the transmission of the force to the fixing point and to the pivoting axis of the stem 7.

(67) A second wheel casing 6a, for example the casing at the front of the suitcase, bears a housing 8b which maintains and locks the stem 7 on the other half-floor, in the deployed position.

(68) The invention also covers the not shown alternative wherein at least one elongated item 7 made of a rigid material is integral with an exterior wheel casing 6b.

(69) The invention also covers the not shown alternative wherein at least one elongated item 7 made of a rigid material, is not integral with a wheel casing whether interior or exterior, but is assembled close to it, directly or by means of an insert, in particular in the case when it is made by injection molding in several pieces.

(70) According to the invention implementation, the user starts by unfolding the floor 2, then he fixes the stems 7 to the casings 6a. Lastly, he rotates of the swivelling rigid panels, from the interior towards the outside and the front of the luggage with a foldable structure.

(71) At the time of this rotational movement, the bottom of the rigid swivelling panels 4a, is likely to bump or to be blocked by the wheel casings 6a on the surfaces of housing 8a, 8b protruding from the floor 2.

(72) When the housings 8a, 8b maintaining the stem 7 on the interior casings 6a are raising obstruction problems during the handling, the swivelling rigid panels 4a may be of slightly lower height as compared with the internal height of the suitcase.

(73) The bottom of the rigid swivelling panels 4a does not touch the bottom of the product, and are indented, so as to cross above the housings 8a, 8b of the interior wheel casings 6a during rotation.

(74) In this case, each interior wheel casing 6a comprises an elevated edge 9 able to provide a counter-bracket for the rigid framework of the swiveling panel 4a. This edge 9 makes a shoulder at the edge of the floor panel. This edge 9 not only makes it possible to correctly bear the rigid framework of the swiveling panel 4a, but also to compensate for the shortened height of the rigid framework of the swivelling panel 4a and to support it at the appropriate height.

(75) Considering FIG. 6, in a specific embodiment the interior part 6a of the casing secure to the floor, comprises at the edge of said floor panel 2 a shoulder groove 609 where the edge of the swiveling stiffening panel is wedged when the said stiffening panel is pivoted from the bottom 1 to the side 4 of the luggage. Therefore, this shoulder groove provides a lock of the trihedral junction between the edges of the stiffening panel and the edges of the floor panel.

(76) FIG. 7, in an alternative embodiment better suited for a luggage comprising 2 aft wheels, the locking shoulder 709 is formed at the edge of the side panel 704, so that when going from the folded-up configuration to the use configuration the floor panel 702, or the hinged part of this floor panel 2, is pivoted towards and stopped by this shoulder.

(77) In order to strengthen the rigidity and the stability of the luggage with a foldable structure according to the invention in all conformations corresponding to a chosen volume, it is advantageous to provide additional locking means of the rigid frameworks of the swivelling stiffening panels 4a, so as to keep the stiffening panels in the conformation position enabling the transmission of the vertical and side forces.

(78) The invention disclosed in reference to several specific embodiments is by no way limited to them, but covers any modification of shape and any alternative embodiment falling into the scope of the annexed claims.

(79) Thus, the luggage according to the invention may comprise at least one stiffening panel (4a) movable in another way, for example at least one stiffening panel (4a) able to swivel forwards or towards the access face of the luggage.

(80) Thus, the luggage according to the invention may comprise at least one side maintaining means (2D) articulated in another way, for example at least one foldable means such as a second floor whose pivot axis is transverse with the hinge axis of the side face (2) having a foldable structure and constituting a floor (2) comprising two rigid parts (2a, 2b) connected between them by a hinge.