MODULAR LUGGAGE ARTICLE

Abstract

A luggage article includes a first luggage part and a second luggage part defining two opposing closable parts of the luggage article, where the first and second luggage parts define an inner volume of the luggage article when closed, and an attachment part having a first connecting part and a second connecting part that are pivotally connected via a hinge, where the first connecting part is attached to a first edge of the first luggage part and the second connecting part is attached to a second edge of the second luggage part, a closure part adapted to secure the first luggage part to the second luggage part preventing access to the inner volume of the luggage article, and a barrier that overlaps the closure part in an area that is between the inner volume of the luggage article and the closure part in a radial direction.

Claims

1. A luggage article, comprising: a first luggage part and a second luggage part defining two opposing closable parts of the luggage article, wherein the first and second luggage parts define an inner volume of the luggage article when in a closed position; and an attachment part comprising: a first connecting part and a second connecting part that are pivotally connected via a hinge, wherein the first connecting part is attached to a first edge of the first luggage part and the second connecting part is attached to a second edge of the second luggage part; and a closure part adapted to secure the first connecting part to the second connecting part thereby preventing access to the inner volume of the luggage article, wherein a barrier that overlaps the closure part is disposed between the inner volume of the luggage article and the closure part in a radial direction.

2. The luggage article of claim 1, wherein the barrier is a projection having a first end that is attached to the first connecting part and an opposite free end.

3. The luggage article of claim 2, wherein the projection extends from the first connecting part in a direction towards the second connecting part when the luggage article is in the closed position.

4. The luggage article of claim 2, wherein the free end of the projection is configured to be inserted into a depression in the second connecting part when the luggage article is in the closed position, wherein the depression is configured to receive the free end of the projection.

5. The luggage article of claim 1, wherein the barrier comprises at least one reinforcement element, and wherein the reinforcement element is configured to improve the structural integrity of the barrier in a radial direction.

6. The luggage article of claim 1, wherein the first connecting part comprises a first barrier part that extends across a radial axis extending from a central point in the luggage article, and wherein the second connecting part comprises a second barrier part that receives the first barrier part and is configured to secure the first barrier part when the luggage article is in the closed position.

7. The luggage article of claim 1, wherein the barrier is positioned adjacent to the closure part.

8. The luggage article of claim 1, wherein the closure part is a zipper.

9. The luggage article of claim 1, wherein the closure part is attached to the first luggage part and the second luggage part.

10. The luggage article of claim 1, wherein an outer periphery of the first connecting part extends beyond at least part of the closure part in a radial direction away from a central point of the luggage article.

11. The luggage article of claim 1, wherein the barrier extends along more than 75% of the first edge of the first luggage part and of the second edge of the second luggage part.

12. The luggage article of claim 1, wherein the first luggage part and the second luggage part each define at least 30 percent of the inner volume of the luggage article.

13. The luggage article of claim 1, wherein the first connecting part and the second connecting part comprise a lining projection configured to extend in a direction towards an inner volume of the first luggage part and the second luggage part, thereby creating a space between the lining projection and the luggage parts.

14. A luggage article, comprising: a first connecting part comprising: a first groove configured to receive a first edge of a first luggage part, and a barrier extending around an edge of the first luggage part; a second connecting part comprising: a second groove configured to receive a second edge of a second luggage part, wherein the first and second luggage parts are pivotally connected about a hinge, and wherein the first and second luggage parts define an inner volume of the luggage article when in a closed position, and a depression configured to receive a free end of the barrier of the first connecting part when the luggage article is in the closed position; and a closure part configured to secure the first connecting part to the second connecting part when the luggage article is in the closed position.

15. The luggage article of claim 14, wherein the first connecting part further comprises a fabric flange configured to secure a fabric material between the first connecting part and the first luggage part.

16. The luggage article of claim 14, wherein the second connecting part further comprises a radial flange, wherein a compartment separator extends from the radial flange, thereby dividing the inner volume of the luggage article.

17. The luggage article of claim 14, wherein the first connecting part and the second connecting part each comprise a material that is more rigid than the material of the first and the second luggage parts.

18. The luggage article of claim 14, wherein the closure part comprises a zipper.

19. The luggage article of claim 18, wherein a first portion of the closure part extends into a first channel of the first connecting part and wherein a second portion of the closure part extends into a second channel of the second connecting part.

20. The luggage article of claim 14, wherein the closure part comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the closure part extends between the first and second ends, and wherein the first and second ends each abut a respective side of the hinge.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a luggage article in accordance with an embodiment in a closed state.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a luggage article in accordance with an embodiment in an open state.

[0047] FIGS. 3a and 3b each show a sectional view of a side wall of the luggage article in accordance with an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a luggage article 1 according to an embodiment, where the luggage article 1 comprises a first luggage part 2 and a second luggage part 3 that are pivotally connected to each other via a hinge 4. The luggage article may be provided with a handle 5, as well as a wheel handle 6 which may be extended in order to roll the luggage article 1 on its wheels 7. The first 2 and the second luggage parts 3 may be shells made of a thermoplastic material, which may have a fixed shape and be rigid compared to a luggage article made of a textile material.

[0049] The first 2 and the second 3 shells may pivot relative to each other, into an open state (FIG. 2) and into a closed state, where a closure device 8, such as a zipper allows the securing of the first shell 2 to the second shell 3.

[0050] The first 2 and the second 3 shell may be connected to an attachment part 9, having a first connecting part 10 and a second connecting part 11, to which the first 2 and the second 3 shells are connected to, respectively. The attachment part 9, may provide the luggage article 1 with both the closure part 8 as well as the hinge 4, allowing the shells 2, 3 to be made of a relatively simple and lightweight material, having the main purpose of providing a peripheral boundary to the inner volume of the luggage article 1, in the form of the first 12 and second side wall 13 of the first 2 and the second shell 3, respectively. The attachment part 9 may be permanently fixed to the side walls 12, 13 of the shells 2, 3, so that the attachment part 9 may provide both the hinging function, the closure function as well as a structural reinforcement to the shells 2, 3, by reinforcing the edges 14, 15 of the side walls 12, 13, and thereby improving the structural integrity of the luggage article 1.

[0051] The closure device 8 may be utilized to selectively secure the first connecting part 10 and the second connecting part 11 to each other, and thereby secure the luggage article 1 in its closed position. The closure device 8 may extend from a first end 16 and towards a second end 17, where each of these ends 16, 17 may abut the hinge part 4 on either side. When the closure part 8 has been opened, the shells 2, 3 may be pivoted relative to each other into the position shown in FIG. 2, where the luggage article 1 is in its open state.

[0052] It is to be understood that the attachment part 9 may be an integral part of the shells 2, 3, and that the shells 2, 3 may be designed in such a manner that the attachment part 9, the closure device 8, and the hinges 4 may be part of or integrated with the shells.

[0053] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the luggage article 1 in an open state, where the second shell 3 has been pivotally moved relative to the first shell 2 into an open position, allowing access to the first inner volume 18 of the first shell 2 and the second inner volume 19 of the second shell. The first inner volume 18 and the second inner volume 19 provide the total volume of the luggage article 1, i.e. the inner volume of the luggage article 1 is the sum of the first inner volume 18 and the second inner volume 19. The boundary of the first 18 and the second 19 inner volumes may be seen as the side walls 12, 13 of the shell, and the first 10 and the second 11 connecting part. The closure device 8 may be seen extending around the periphery of the first 10 and the second 11 connecting parts, where the closure part 8 is in its open state, having a first 20 and a second 21 sliding parts, that allow for the selective opening and closing of the closing part 8. In its open state the sliding parts 20, 21 abut the hinges 4 of the luggage article, allowing the pivoting of the shells 2, 3.

[0054] The edges 14, 15 of the shells are provided with the first 10 and the second connecting part 11, which are connected via the hinge 4. In this view, it is possible to see that the first connecting part 10 is provided with a flange 22, which is a projection extending from the first connecting part 10, and in a vertical direction. The flange 22 is positioned between the closure part 8 and the inner volume 18 of the first luggage part 2, and extends in such a manner that when the luggage article 1 is closed, the flange 22 extends beyond the opposing closure part 8 on the second connecting part 11, so that it is positioned between the closure part 8 and the inner volume 19 of the second luggage part 3. Thus, the flange 22 operates as a barrier between the closure part 8 and the inner volume 18, 19 of the luggage article 1.

[0055] The flange 22, may extend around the entire first edge 14 of the first luggage part 2, or may be provided in certain parts of the periphery of the inner volume 18 on the first edge 14. The flange 22 is positioned in such a manner that the flange 22 ensures that an axis extending from a center point C (an intersection of a longitudinal axis A and a transversal axis B) and outwards in a longitudinal or transversal direction along axis A or B intersects the flange 22 before the axis intersects the closure part 8. The flange is arranged in an area between the closure part 8 and the inner volume 18, 19, especially when the luggage article 1 is in its closed position (seen in FIG. 1).

[0056] The second connecting part 11, may be provided with a depression 23, which may be in the form of a groove, or some kind of track, which is adapted to receive the free end 24 of the flange 22 when the luggage article 1 is in its closed position, where the depression 23 is capable of stabilizing the free end 24 of the flange 22 in order to prevent it from deflecting in a radial direction (direction away from the center point C and outwards)

[0057] FIG. 3a shows a sectional view taken along axis in FIG. 1, where FIG. 3a shows the luggage article 1 in its closed position. FIG. 3b shows the luggage article of FIG. 3a in an open position, where the second part 3 has been pivoted away from the first part 2. The first side wall 12, of the first part 2, may be provided with a first connecting part 10, where the first connecting part 10 is provided with a groove 25 which receives the first edge 14 of the first side wall 12. The first connecting part 10 may be permanently attached to the first side wall 12 through welding, adhesion, or other types of permanent fixation.

[0058] The first connecting part 10 may further be provided with a flange 22 that extends in a vertical direction upwards, in a direction towards the second part 3, as seen in FIG. 3a. The flange 22 may be provided with a proximal part 26 and a distal part 27, where the closure part 8 is attached to the proximal part 26, and the distal part extends in a vertical direction past the teeth 28, 29 of the closure part and beyond towards the second part 3.

[0059] The second side wall 13, of the second part 3, may be provided with a second connecting part 11, where the second connecting part 11 is provided with a groove 30 which receives the second edge 15 of the second side wall 13. The second connecting part 11 may be permanently attached to the second side wall 13 through welding, adhesion, or other types of permanent fixation.

[0060] The second connecting part 11 may further be provided with a groove, depression or a track 23, which receives the free end 24 of the flange 22 when the luggage article 1 is closed. The second connecting part 11 may furthermore be provided with a flange 31, allowing the closure part 8 to be attached to the second connecting part 11, where the flange 31 may, for example, be a side wall of the groove 23 adapted to receive the free end 24 of the flange 22.

[0061] In this embodiment the closure part 8 is in the form of a zipper, having a first part 32 and a second part 33, where the first part 32 is attached to the first connecting part 10 via stitching 40 that penetrates both the zipper and the first connecting part 10 and the second part 33 is connected to the second connecting part 11 via stitching 41 that penetrates both the zipper and the second connecting part 11, where the zipper comprises teeth 28, 29 which are adapted to be selectively opened and closed, using a sliding part (20, 21 in FIG. 2). The two parts 32, 33 of the zipper 8 may extend into channels 42, 43 on the first 10 and the second 11 connecting parts, respectively, so that it may be difficult to peel open the zipper 8 when the luggage article 1 is secured in its closed position. When the zipper 8 is closed, an object travelling in a radial direction D towards the inner volume 18, 19 of the luggage article may possibly penetrate the teeth 28, 29 or the parts 32, 33 of the closure device 8, but when the penetration has been made, the object will intersect the flange 22 of the first connecting part 10, and thereby ensure that the object cannot penetrate the inner volume of the luggage article 1.

[0062] The first connecting part 10 and/or the second connecting part 11, may have a first 37 and/or a second 38 fabric flange, where this flange extends into the inner volume (not shown) of the first 2 and the second 3 luggage parts, where these flanges are adapted to be utilized to secure a fabric material on the inside of the first 2 and/or the second luggage parts 3, where the fabric may be wedged into a space 44, 45 between the flanges 37, 38 and the side walls 12, 13 of the luggage parts 2, 3, for example, for a lining of the inner surface of the side walls 12, 13. The flanges 37, 38 may extend in an annular manner along the entire length or circumference of the first 10 and/or the second 11 connecting parts, or may be positioned in suitable positions to ensure that the lining may be secured inside the inner volume 18, 19 of the luggage parts 2, 3. However, as seen in FIG. 3b, when the closure device 8 has been selectively opened in the direction shown by arrow E, the second part 3 may be pivoted in a direction away from the first part 2, allowing access to the inner volume of the luggage article 1, where the free end 24 of the flange 22 is released from the groove, when the first part 32 of the closure device 8 has been released from the second part 33 of the closure device.

[0063] The first 10 or the second connecting part 11 may be provided with a radial flange 36, that may be utilized to attach a compartment separator or divider 39 which can extend in a plane that is somewhat parallel to the plane defined by the axes A and B shown in FIG. 2, so that the inner volume 18, 19 of the first 2 or the second part 3, may be separated from the remaining parts of the luggage article 1. The divider 39 may be made from a textile or fabric, or alternatively of a solid material, suitable to be utilized as a divider.