Suitcase, especially a pilot suitcase

Abstract

A suitcase made from hard shell material, preferably a pilot suitcase, including a lower suitcase portion which is open at the top, with a front panel, a rear panel and two side end panels, and a bottom panel, and a hinged lid for closing, wherein a telescopic handle can be pulled out in an upwards direction is arranged on the rear panel of the lower suitcase portion for pulling or pushing the suitcase, the lid having a narrow stationary lid element which extends along the entire length of the lower suitcase portion along the rear panel and has an opening in the middle of the length, through which opening the telescopic handle can be pulled out, and, next to the opening for the telescopic handle, the lid having a hinge which connects the stationary lid element to a fold-down wide lid element.

Claims

1. A suitcase of hard shell material, preferably a pilot suitcase, comprising: a lower suitcase portion which is open at the top, with a front panel, a rear panel and two side end panels, and with a bottom panel, and a hinged lid for closing the lower suitcase portion, wherein a telescopic handle which is secured inside the suitcase and can be pulled out in an upwards direction is arranged on the rear panel of the lower suitcase portion for pulling or pushing the suitcase, wherein the lid has a narrow stationary lid element which extends along the entire width of the lower suitcase portion along the rear panel and has an opening in the middle of the width, through which opening the telescopic handle can be pulled out, and adjacent to the opening for the telescopic handle, the lid has a hinge which connects the stationary lid element to a hinged wide lid element, such that the lid can be moved into a stable open position in which the movable lid element does not protrude or only slightly protrudes beyond the rear panel of the suitcase in such a manner as to enable the suitcase to be open single-handedly, with the lid being retained in the open position only due to gravity, wherein lock mechanisms are provided, with a push button, to enable a single-handed operation when opening the suitcase.

2. The suitcase of claim 1, wherein a limiter means limits the maximum folding angle of the hinged lid element such that the lid element does not protrude beyond the rear panel when in the open state.

3. The suitcase of claim 1, wherein the hinge extends over the entire width of the suitcase.

4. The suitcase of one of claim 1, wherein a lighting means is arranged under the stationary lid element.

5. The suitcase of one of claim 1, wherein at least two rollers are integrated in the bottom panel.

6. The suitcase of one of claim 1, wherein an arresting means is arranged, preferably at the rear panel.

7. The suitcase of one of claim 1, wherein the lower suitcase portion has a frame element at the upper edge, which element cooperates with the movable lid element.

8. The suitcase of claim 7, wherein the frame element receives lock mechanisms cooperating with the movable lid element.

9. The suitcase of claim 7, wherein the frame element is made of metal.

10. The suitcase of claim 4, wherein the lighting means is adapted to be activated when the movable lid element is opened, preferably as a function of an activation state of an ambient light sensor.

11. The suitcase of claim 1, wherein the suitcase is substantially made of polycarbonate or of an aluminum alloy.

Description

(1) The following is a detailed description of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings.

(2) In the Figures:

(3) FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of the pilot suitcase,

(4) FIG. 2 is a perspective rear view of the pilot suitcase,

(5) FIG. 3 is another rear view of the suitcase with an arresting means, and

(6) FIG. 4 shows the suitcase with the lid open.

(7) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a suitcase 1 with a lower suitcase portion 3 open at the top. The lower suitcase portion 3 has a front panel 2, a rear panel 4 and two side end panels 7, 8, as well as a bottom panel 9. A lid 5 for closing the lower suitcase portion 3 open at the top is formed by a stationary lid element 5a and a movable hinged lid element 5b. To open the movable lid element 5b, the top surface of the same is provided with a handle 10 which, in the closed state of the suitcase 1, can also be used to carry the pilot suitcase. A telescopic handle 13 for pulling the suitcase 1, mounted on the inner side of the lower suitcase portion 3, protrudes through an opening 15 in the stationary lid element 5a. In a position of non-use, the telescopic handle 13 is sunk in the recess or the opening 15 such that it does not protrude upwards with respect to the lid element 5a.

(8) The lid elements 5a, 5b are connected through a hinge 19 that extends as a single axis hinge over substantially the entire width of the pilot suitcase. Lock mechanisms are arranged at the upper edge of the lower suitcase portion 3 open at the top, the mechanisms cooperating with the movable lid element 5b. By actuating a push button 26, the two lever lock elements 25 can be opened single-handedly, the locking levers 25 folding out from the plane of the front panel 2, thereby releasing locking pins of the lid element 5b which are not illustrated herein. In addition, the lock mechanism may comprise a combination lock 23. To lock the lid element 5b in the closed position, the locking levers 25 can be pushed single-handedly into their locking position one after the other, the levers being substantially flush with the front panel 2 in this position.

(9) The lid 5 may also comprise a spring means or a spring damping means, by which the movable lid element 5b can be moved into the open position in a self-acting manner when the push button 26 is actuated.

(10) Thus, a single-handed operation is ensured both for opening and closing the suitcase.

(11) The closing mechanisms 24 are preferably integrated in a frame element 22 of metal that borders and finishes the lower suitcase portion 3 at the top.

(12) In the open position of the movable lid element 5b, illustrated in FIG. 4, the suitcase lid may be moved into a stable pivoted position in which the lid element 5b does not protrude rearward beyond the rear panel 4, whereby the suitcase cannot fall over and, moreover, the space required by the suitcase is restricted to the footprint of the suitcase that substantially corresponds to the bottom panel 9.

(13) The lid element 5b may also be provided with a limiter means 14 for the maximum opening angle of the lid element 5b, which means limits the maximum opening angle of the lid element 5b in a stable manner and/or retains the lid element 5b in the predetermined open position in a stable manner. Thereby, it is also possible to avoid an unintentional closing of the hinged lid element 5b.

(14) A pocket may be provided on the inside of the lid element 5b to receive small parts.

(15) The stationary lid element 5a may include a lighting means 16 that preferably is equipped with power-saving LEDs and which preferably comprises one or a plurality of light guide LED modules, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 4. The lighting means 16 may be activated by means of a switch, wherein the period of activation may be adjusted to a predetermined or adjustable value.

(16) As an alternative, the lighting means can be activated automatically when the lid element 5b is opened. Moreover, an ambient light sensor 32 may in this case prevent the activation of the lighting means if sufficient ambient light is available.

(17) The suitcase preferably stands on four castors 18 sunk in recesses 29 in the corners of the bottom panel 9. The vertical axes 28 of the castors 18 preferably have a minimum possible distance a to the panels 2, 4, 7, 8. The distance a should preferably be mm. The horizontal rotation axis 30 of the castors 18 is spaced horizontally from the vertical pivot axis 28, as is best seen in FIG. 3. The castors 18 allow the pilot suitcase to be swiveled in almost any manner about vertical axes.

(18) To prevent the pilot suitcase from rolling away during a climb or a descent of the airplane, an arresting means 20 is provided preferably on the rear panel 4 in the vicinity of the bottom panel 9, the arresting means having a pivot lever 21 that may be moved into a downwardly pivoted position, as is best seen in FIG. 3, in which position the rear castors 18 are slightly lifted, whereby the suitcase is fixed in its standing position.