FLAT PACKING SUITCASE SYSTEM
An improved design for a rolling suitcase having a retractable handle assembly is disclosed. The design includes a multi-piece molded shell having opposing side and end walls and a bottom wall, which together form a packing area. The telescoping tubes of the handle are located outside the packing area to maximize the packing area, and also to provide a flat bottom surface to minimize wrinkling of packed articles. The wheel skids are moved to the outer corners of the suitcase to minimize intrusion into the packing area. The tubes are made from fiber reinforced polymer for enhanced strength, and are concealed from view by a covering envelope. The handle assembly and wheel skids attach to the shell in a manner that enhances the structural strength and rigidity of the suitcase. Wear points on the handle assembly are provided with removable wear members made from abrasion-resistant material.
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The invention relates to the field of wheeled suitcases, baggage items and the like, and in particular to an improved flat packing suitcase in which the handle tubes and wheel skids are moved out of the packing area to provide maximum packing volume for the case and also to reduce wrinkling of clothing articles contained therein.
BACKGROUNDA variety of designs exist for suitcases, including those with wheels for rolling transport across the ground, and those having handles that extend to cooperate with the wheels, allowing a user to pull or push the case along the ground. Such suitcases are generally rectilinear in shape, both as to their outer contour and their general internal container volume. Two spaced-apart coaxial wheels are typically mounted externally on or within a lower edge of the case. The handle can have one or more rods or tubes that slide or telescope from within in the case so as to be retractable for storage or extendable for use.
One problem with current case designs is that the handle tubes are contained within the packing area of the case. This arrangement provides a flat profile for the back of the case. It also serves to protect the lightweight (often aluminum) handle tubes from damage during rough handling, since large impact forces can be applied against the sides of the case if the case is dropped or thrown against a hard surface. If the outer handle tubes were to be dented, the inner tubes would either bind or be difficult to slide. In some cases this binding may prevent the handle from retracting.
With the handle tubes located within the case, the case frame takes the brunt of mishandling impacts, preventing dinging or denting of the tubes which could prevent the tubes from retracting or extending as intended. The problem with such an arrangement, however, is that the presence of the handle tubes within the case decreases the total volume available for receiving clothes or other articles by up to 40%. It also results in the case having an uneven interior bottom surface. To pack the case smoothly, the user must roll up small items and pack them around the tubes prior to packing larger garments. A similar problem exists with the wheel assemblies which also impinge upon the packing area.
It would, therefore, be advantageous to provide an improved suitcase design which maximizes the total interior space available to contain clothing or other packed articles, and that also has a flat bottom packing surface for minimizing wrinkling of packed clothing. The improved design should be lightweight, and inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe disadvantages heretofore associated with the prior art are overcome by the inventive design for a suitcase having a flat bottom surface for minimizing wrinkling of packed clothes.
In particular, the disclosed design achieves this flat bottom arrangement by moving the handle tubes out of the packing space, to the back side of the bag. The arrangement thus takes advantage of the space between the back of the bag and the rear-most extension of the wheels, which is space that goes “unused” in prior designs. Since airlines typically place restrictions on the total width of carry-on baggage (the width being measured from the top of the bag to the rear-most extension of the wheels), the disclosed design advantageously places the handle system within this formerly “dead” space between the back side of the bag and the rear-most extension of the wheels (see
Thus, a bag assembly is disclosed, comprising a shell member having first and second side walls, first and second end walls, and a bottom. The bag assembly may further comprise a handle assembly connected to the shell member, the handle assembly having a telescoping tubular assembly comprising a fiber-reinforced polymer material. A wheel skid assembly may further be provided, the wheel skid having a pair of wheels, the wheel skid assembly connected to the shell member. The shell member may define a packing space defined by the side walls, the end walls, and the bottom, and the telescoping tubular assembly may be disposed outside of said packing space. Thus arranged, the handle assembly, wheel skid assembly and telescoping tubular member impart substantial strength and rigidity to the suitcase assembly.
A carrying bag is disclosed, comprising a shell member having first and second side walls and first and second end walls, and a handle assembly connected to the first end wall. The handle assembly may further have a telescoping tubular assembly connected to the first end wall via a recess in the first end wall, the telescoping tubular assembly connected to the second end wall via a projection in the end wall that receives the telescoping tubular assembly. The bag may further comprise first and second wheel assemblies connected to the second end wall. The shell member may comprise a packing space defined by the first and second side walls and the first and second end walls. The telescoping tubular assembly may comprise a glass-reinforced plastic material, and may be disposed outside of said packing space. The handle assembly may have at least one removable wear insert comprising a material having a higher resistance to abrasion than the portion of the handle assembly to which the removable wear insert connects.
A bag assembly is disclosed, comprising a shell assembly having first and second end walls and first and second side walls. The shell assembly may have a packing space defined by the first and second end walls and first and second side walls. A handle assembly may be provided comprising a telescoping tubular assembly having an outer tubular member with first and second ends, the first end of the outer telescoping tubular assembly connected to the first end wall and the second end of the telescoping tubular assembly connected to the second end wall, the telescoping tubular member further being disposed outside of said packing space. A tube cover may also be provided overlying said telescoping tubular member, the tube cover connected to at least one of said first and second side walls. A foam insert may be disposed around the telescoping tubular member within the tube cover. Further, a surface of the foam insert may a bottom wall of the bag assembly.
The details of the invention, both as to its structure and operation, may be obtained by a review of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:
A new design is disclosed for an improved wheeled suitcase in which the retractable handle tubes and the wheel recesses are located outside of the packing area of the case to maximize the total volume available to receive packed articles, and to provide a flat bottom profile to the case interior to minimize wrinkling of packed articles. Although the disclosure will generally be discussed in relation to a wheeled suitcase application, it will be appreciated that it will be equally applicable to a wide variety of other wheeled carrying products, such as duffels, garments bags, totes, backpacks, business cases and sport bags.
Referring to
Referring now to
Referring now to
The positioning and support of the telescoping tubular assemblies 42, 44 is shown in
Referring now to
In the illustrated embodiment, the shell 22 formed by the interconnection of the side walls and end walls does not have a solid bottom wall 32 (
As noted, the corners 62 of the illustrated shell 22 are rounded, providing an aesthetically pleasing final appearance to the finished case portion 20. It will be appreciated that the corners 62 (as well as the end and side walls) may be formed in any of a variety of shapes and curvatures to provide a desired finished case shape (e.g., rectangular with square corners, square with round corners, round, etc.) Additionally, though the corners 62 are shown as being integrally formed with the first and second end walls 28, 30, they could alternatively be made integral parts of the first and second side walls 24, 26 (in which case the end walls would be substantially straight.)
The first and second end walls 28, 30 may connect to the first and second side walls 24, 26 in any of a variety of joining arrangements, but most preferably with an arrangement incorporating a self-retaining feature. In one exemplary embodiment, simple tongue 68 and groove 82 connections may be used (
Although the shell 22 has been described as being made up of four discrete wall elements, it could instead be formed of any number of pieces desired to achieve the goals of ease of manufacture, reduced cost, increased strength, and the like. Thus, in one alternative, the entire shell 22 may be formed as a single molded piece, or as a two molded pieces.
As can be seen throughout the figures, the walls of the shell 22 may further have a variety of recesses and/or holes 76 stamped, molded or cut into the walls. These recesses and/or holes may be suitable for receiving fasteners (e.g., screws, rivets) to allow other structural elements (handles, wheel skids) to be connected to the shell 22 at desired locations.
Although the shell 22 may be formed of lightweight polymer materials, the overall case design may be exploited to enhance the overall strength and structural rigidity of the assembly. Thus, as shown in
Disposed at either end of the angled bottom portion 80 are curved recesses 84 sized and configured to receive corresponding portions of the first and second wheel skids 36, 38. First and second projecting tabs 85 are further provided on the angled bottom portion 80 in line with the curved recesses 84. These projecting tabs 85 are configured to engage a forward extending portion 36a, 38a (
The end wall 30 may further have a pair of tubular support members 86, 88 located inboard of the curved recesses 84. These tubular support members 86, 88 may each be configured to receive a distal end 42a, 44a (
Referring again to
The first end wall 28 may further include a handle tray recess 98 provided between the tube support surfaces 94, 96 and the upright wall portion 90 for engaging a handle tray 100 (
In the illustrated embodiment, the handle tray 100 engages the telescoping tubular assemblies 42, 44 in two ways. First, a pair of recesses 101 are provided to slidingly engage the assemblies 42, 44 to hold them in place in place during use. The recesses 101 have shapes that generally conform to the outer shape of the associated tubular assembly, but are also provided with sufficient clearance that the tubular assemblies 42, 44 are allowed to extend and retract without restriction from the handle tray 100. Second, the handle tray 100 may have a distal portion 102, that, when assembled to the first end wall 28 of the shell, directly overlies the tube support surfaces 94, 96 of the first end wall 28. This connection sandwiches the proximal ends 42b, 44b of the telescoping tubular assemblies 42, 44 between the handle tray 100 and the tube support surfaces 94, 96 to hold the assemblies in place. Additional methods of fixation, such as suitable adhesive, pinning, screwing or other fasteners can also be used to ensure a tight and long lasting connection between the telescoping tubular assemblies 42, 44 and the shell 22.
On a top surface 103 of the handle tray 100, a removable wear plate 107 may be provided. This removable wear plate 107 is positioned so that when the case 18 is laid down on its back it rests on the removable wear plate 107. This protects the handle assembly 34 and the handle tray 100 from contact with the ground or other hard surface on which the bag may be laid. It also reduces wear on the cover 48 and keeps water and debris off the case 18. The removable wear plate 107 may be made from a material that is different from the material of the rest of the handle tray 100. For example, the removable wear plate 107 may be made from a highly durable material such as Zytel nylon or the like, which enhances the longevity of the plate 107. The removability feature allows for quick and easy refurbishment should the wear plate 107 become damaged or worn over time. In one embodiment the wear plate 107 is screwed to the handle tray. In an alternative embodiment, a snap-fit feature may allow quick assembly and disconnection of the plate 107.
Referring now to
Each of the tubular members 104, 105, 106 may be sized so that the next smaller member is easily slidable within the next larger member. Thus, member 104 (referred to as the inner member) is easily slidable within member 105 (referred to as the middle member), and the middle member is easily slidable within member 106 (referred to as the outer member). As previously described, the telescoping tubular assemblies 42, 44 are fixed to corresponding structures of the first and second end walls 28, 30. In one embodiment, it is only the outer member 106 of each assembly 42, 44 that is fixed directly to the first and second end walls 42, 44, leaving the inner and middle members 104, 105 free to extend and retract with respect to the outer member 106 and the shell 22.
One benefit of this fixed outer tubular member 106 arrangement is that it enhances the stiffness and strength to the case 18, particularly when the tubular members 104, 105, 106 are made from a reinforced fiberglass material.
The inner, middle and outer members 104, 105, 106 may be of substantially the same or similar length, or they may be of substantially different lengths. They should, however, be sized so that when the inner and middle members 104, 105 are fully extended from the outer member 106 that the handle is presented at a comfortable position for the user.
The inner, middle and outer members 104, 105, 106 may have any of a variety of outer geometric configurations, such as round, square, rectangular, and the like. In one preferred embodiment, the members 104, 105, 106 have an oval or oblong cross-section (
In one embodiment, the inner member has a major diameter “MajD” of ¾-inch and a minor diameter “MinD” of ⅜-inch, the middle member has a major diameter “MajD” of 1-inch and a minor diameter “MinD” of ½ inch, and the outer member has a major diameter “MajD” of 1¼-inch and a minor diameter “MinD” of ¾-inch. Each of the inner, middle and outer members 104, 105, 106 may have a nominal wall thickness of from about 0.055-inches to about 0.0120. In a preferred embodiment, the wall thickness may be about 0.070-inches. Although these thicknesses are generally larger than the thicknesses of traditional metal (Aluminum) tubing used in similar applications, the tubular members 104, 106 are still relatively light-weight owing to their polymeric construction. Additionally, polymeric tubes may be less expensive than aluminum or other commonly used metals.
The inner and outer members 104, 106 also may be fabricated from any of a number of materials, such as aluminum, steel or polymer. In one embodiment, the inner and outer members 104, 106 are formed from carbon-reinforced glass filled polymer material to provide enhanced strength and durability. As previously noted, making the tubular members from a high strength material such as carbon reinforced glass filled polymer also enhances the strength and rigidity of the case 18 because, as explained, the outer tubular members 106 are fixed to the end walls 28, 30 of the shell. The outer tubular members 106 thus act as rigidifying bars that prevent deformation of the case even when it is subjected to rough handling in use. The substantial strength (and imperviousness to denting, dinging, or kinking) provided by the tubular members allows the remainder of the case to be highly flexible and thus more impact resistant.
The telescoping tubular assemblies 42, 44 (more particularly, the inner tubular member 104 of each assembly) may be attached to the handle 40 using gluing, press-fitting, fasteners, or the like. The handle assembly 34 may be movable through a range of position between the extreme retracted position and the extreme extended position, and the user may wish to roll the case along with the handle fully extended or only partially extended. A detent (not shown) may be provided to fix the handle at defined positions. The grasping portion 40 may comprise a graspable sleeve made from leather, vinyl plastic or the like.
Referring now to
The wheel skid assemblies 36, 38 may each be positioned to overlie a respective corner 62 of the end wall 30 of the shell 22. The assemblies may have forward extending portions 36a, 38a that cover a portion of the joint 66 between the end wall 30 and the associated side wall 24, 26. The forward extending portions 36a, 38a may include screw recesses suitable for receiving screws to engage the end wall 30 and associated side wall 24, 26 to firmly fix the wheel skids to the shell 22. A rearward extending portion 36b, 38b of each wheel skid assembly 36, 38 cradles an associated corner 62 of the second end wall 30. Thus arranged, the wheel skid assemblies bridge the joints 66 between the end and side walls 30, 24, 26, and enhance the overall strength and rigidity of the shell 22.
The forward and rearward extending portions 36a, 38a; 36b, 38b also provide a large area of protection to traditional “wear points” of the case (i.e., the wheel skids protect the fabric/leather covering near the corners and edges of the case).
In addition, the wheel skid assemblies 36, 38 incorporate wheel-protection features as well, including a bottom bumper 112, 114 in front of each wheel 108, 110 to protect the wheels from high impact loads that can occur when the case is wheeled up over a curb or other surface obstruction. In addition, as can be seen in
In addition to providing enhance structural stability to the shell 22, positioning the wheel skid assemblies 36, 38 at the outer corners 62 of the shell 22 also enhances the rolling stability of the case as compared to traditional designs that position the wheel skids inboard of the case corners (see
The wheels themselves 108, 110 can be selected from any of a variety of known designs. In one preferred embodiment, the wheels have a nylon core with a polyurethane overmold tread such as may be found in high speed roller applications. The wheel skid assemblies may be made from any of a variety of high durability polymers, including ABS. Other polymer materials are also acceptable.
In addition, although the disclosure has described the wheel skid assemblies 36, 38 as each having a single wheel 108, 110, it will be appreciated that each wheels skid assembly may incorporate more than one wheel, depending on the size of the particular bag. In addition, more than two wheel skid assemblies may be provided. For example, a wheel skid assembly could be placed at each of the four corners of the shell 22. Alternatively, for large bags, an additional wheel skid assembly could be placed at or near the midpoint of one of the bag walls to provided added rolling support.
As described, the disclosed design differs from conventional designs in which the handle assemblies and wheel assemblies are simply “tacked on” to the finished frame, and thus supply little if any additional strength or rigidity for the finished case. With the present design, the wheel skids 36, 38, handle tray 100 and telescoping tubular members 42, 44 are designed and engaged with the shell 22 so as to impart substantial structural strength and rigidity to the case 18 as compared to conventional designs. This additional strength and rigidity enables the shell 22 itself (i.e., the individual wall components) to be fabricated from molded polypropylene or other lightweight polymer, while still resulting in a case having acceptable strength and a lighter weight as compared to current metal and/or laminated cardboard designs.
As previously noted with respect to
In one embodiment, the packing material 52 comprises a pre-formed closed cell polyurethane foam material. In another embodiment, the packing material comprises a foamed-in polyurethane material that is introduced into the space between the cover 48 and the tubular assemblies 42, 44 in an uncured state, and which cures in place to conform exactly to the interior geometry of the cover and tubes. These are but two exemplary embodiments, and other appropriate packing materials may be used.
While the disclosure has been be termed in the context of a generally rectilinear suitcase, it will be appreciated that it is fully applicable to luggage of any of a wide variety of styles and sizes, including hard and soft-sided luggage. Thus, it will be understood that the description and drawings presented herein represent particular exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, and are therefore merely representative of the subject matter that is broadly contemplated. It will be understood, therefore, that the scope of the disclose encompasses other embodiments that may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the disclosure is accordingly limited by nothing other than the appended claims.
Claims
1. A bag assembly, comprising:
- a shell member having first and second side walls, first and second end walls, and a bottom;
- a handle assembly connected to the shell member, the handle assembly having a telescoping tubular assembly comprising a fiber-reinforced polymer material; and
- a wheel skid assembly having a pair of wheels, the wheel skid assembly connected to the shell member;
- wherein the shell member defines a packing space defined by the side walls, the end walls, and the bottom, and the telescoping tubular assembly is disposed outside of said packing space;
- and wherein the handle assembly, wheel skid assembly and telescoping tubular member impart a strength and rigidity to the suitcase assembly over that attributable to the multi-piece shell member alone.
2. The bag assembly of claim 1, further comprising a cover disposed over an exterior surface of the bottom wall of the shell member, the cover concealing the telescoping tubular member, wherein filler material is positioned between the cover member, the exterior surface of the bottom, and the telescoping tubular assembly to support the bottom and to provide shape to the covering member; and wherein the cover does not extend beyond a rearward extension of the wheels.
3. The bag assembly of claim 2, wherein the filler material comprises a pre-molded foam.
4. The bag assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly engages a portion of the bottom wall adjacent to the first end wall, the handle assembly further comprising a bearing element; wherein when the suitcase assembly is placed on a substantially flat surface so that the suitcase assembly is supported by the wheels and the handle assembly, the bearing element is configured to contact the substantially flat surface to protect the handle assembly from abrasion; and wherein the bearing element is made from a material that is different from the material of the remainder of the handle assembly.
5. The bag assembly of claim 4, wherein the bearing element is releasably connectable to the remainder of the handle assembly to allow replacement of the bearing element without replacing the handle assembly.
6. The bag assembly of claim 4, wherein the bearing element has a greater resistance to abrasion than the portion of the handle assembly to which it is connected.
7. The bag assembly of claim 1, wherein the telescoping tubular assembly comprises a plurality of individual tubes each having an oval cross-section.
8. The bag assembly of claim 7, wherein the plurality of individual tubes are made from a fiber reinforced polymer resin.
9. The bag assembly of claim 1, wherein the shell is a multipiece shell having first and second side walls and first and second end walls with cooperating structures that enable the walls to be snapped together.
10. The bag assembly of claim 1, wherein a portion of the handle assembly cooperates with a portion of the first end wall to engage an outer surface of the telescoping tubular assembly.
11. The bag assembly of claim 1, wherein the telescoping tubular member engages a cooperating surface on the second end wall to thereby impart strength and rigidity to the shell member.
12. The bag assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel skid assembly comprises at least two wheel skids attached to opposite corners of the shell member.
13. A carrying bag, comprising:
- a shell member having first and second side walls and first and second end walls;
- a handle assembly connected to the first end wall, the handle assembly further having a telescoping tubular assembly connected to the first end wall via a recess in the first end wall, the telescoping tubular assembly connected to the second end wall via a projection in the end wall that receives the telescoping tubular assembly; and
- first and second wheel assemblies connected to the second end wall;
- wherein the shell member comprises a packing space defined by the first and second side walls and the first and second end walls;
- wherein the telescoping tubular assembly comprises a glass-reinforced plastic material, and is disposed outside of said packing space; and
- wherein the handle assembly has at least one removable wear insert comprising a material having a higher resistance to abrasion than the portion of the handle assembly to which the removable wear insert connects.
14. The bag assembly of claim 13, further comprising a cover disposed over an exterior surface of the bottom wall of the shell member, the cover concealing the telescoping tubular assembly, wherein filler material is positioned between the cover member, the exterior surface of the bottom, and the telescoping tubular member to support the bottom and to provide shape to the covering member; and wherein a rearward extension of the cover does not extend beyond a rearward extension of the first and second wheel assemblies.
15. The bag assembly of claim 14, wherein the filler material comprises a pre-molded foam.
16. The bag assembly of claim 13, wherein the telescoping tubular assembly comprises a plurality of individual tubes each having an oval cross-section.
17. The bag assembly of claim 16, wherein the plurality of individual tubes are made from a fiber reinforced polymer resin.
18. The bag assembly of claim 13, wherein the first and second side walls and first and second end walls have cooperating structures that enable the walls to be snapped together.
19. The bag assembly of claim 13, wherein the wheel skid assembly comprises a pair of individual wheel skids attached to opposite corners of the shell member.
20. A bag assembly, comprising:
- a shell assembly comprising first and second end walls and first and second side walls, the shell assembly having a packing space defined by the first and second end walls and first and second side walls;
- a handle assembly comprising a telescoping tubular assembly having an outer tubular member with first and second ends, the first end of the outer telescoping tubular assembly connected to the first end wall and the second end of the telescoping tubular assembly connected to the second end wall, the telescoping tubular member further being disposed outside of said packing space; and
- a tube cover overlying said telescoping tubular member, the tube cover connected to at least one of said first and second side walls; and
- a foam insert disposed around said telescoping tubular member within said tube cover;
- wherein a surface of the foam insert forms a bottom wall of said bag assembly.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 31, 2007
Publication Date: Jul 2, 2009
Applicant: HL Operating Corp. (Lebanon, TN)
Inventors: Robert Phillip Davis (Vidalia, GA), Ken Hinman (Nashville, TN), Richard Rekuc (Asbury, NJ)
Application Number: 11/967,710
International Classification: A45C 5/14 (20060101);