HK1190892B

HK1190892B - Suitcase with connection for a partition made of double material

Info

Publication number: HK1190892B
Application number: HK14104039.9A
Authority: HK
Inventors: 艾瑞克．龙卡多
Original assignee: 瓦利格瑞．龙卡多有限公司
Priority date: 2011-02-07
Filing date: 2012-02-06
Publication date: 2016-07-15

Abstract

Abstract:A suitcase (1) is described, comprising a body (2) with an edge (3) adapted to be coupled to a space (4) of a connection means (5) for a partition (6) adapted to divide the internal space of the suitcase (1) into an inferior space (7) and a superior space (8), said connection means (5) comprising a raceway (52) adapted to be slidingly coupled to a sliding element (11) which is complementary to the raceway (52) and fixed to a support element (9) with which the partition (6) is integrally associated. Said connection means (5) includes an internal portion (51) of the body (2) made of soft material, at the extremity (512) of which the raceway (52) made of rigid material is fixed, and an external portion (53) of the body (2) made of soft material, the sliding element (11) being made of rigid material fixed to the support element (9) made of soft material.

Description

Luggage case with a connection for a partition made of two materials

The invention relates to a luggage case having a connecting portion for a partition made of a bi-material.

The presence of luggage cases having a baffle sheet between the upper and lower portions of the luggage case to separately contain incompatible items, such as shoes and clothing, is known in the market.

The partition is usually made of fabric and must be supported by the edges of the upper or lower shell of the trunk of the suitcase. The connection to said edge usually takes place by means of stitching together with the tank to a profile suitable for "wrapping" said edge of the tank and the edge of the partition. More precisely, said connecting profile comprises an inner portion of the tank, which is connected to an outer portion of the tank. The stitching passes through the two parts, except for the box and the partition between the two parts. The profile further comprises a further outer portion adapted to cover the stitching. Between said two outer portions, the edges of an outer zipper may be provided, which zipper is also sewn to the box by means of the same sewing thread.

The partition is thus irreversibly integral with the case, usually providing an internal zipper to access the upper or lower space of the case. However, the partition cannot be removed from the luggage case.

GB-2121093 describes a rail-like connection integral with the trunk of a suitcase, which can be coupled by means of complementary profiles with elements integral with the partitions, which can be inserted into said rails. The couplable elements are extruded from the same type of plastic material. Disadvantageously, in view of the significant rigidity required by the support linking the rigid body of the luggage case and the partition, the track requires a deformable portion to connect the external zipper, the partition otherwise not being able to slide into the track. Thus, since the deformable portion is made of the same material as the baffle to be connected to the tank, the deformable portion tends to break, since it is too rigid for the intended purpose.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a luggage case having an attachment means for attaching a partition to the case, which luggage case provides simplicity and low cost, and is more flexible and durable than the prior art.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a luggage case having a body with an edge adapted to be coupled to a space of a connecting device for a partition adapted to divide the space inside the luggage case into a lower space and an upper space, said connecting device comprising a rail adapted to be slidingly coupled to a sliding element complementary to the rail and fixed to a supporting element with which the partition is integrally associated, characterized in that said connecting device comprises an inner portion of the body, made of a soft material, at the end of which the rail is fixed, and an outer portion of the body, made of a rigid material, made of a soft material, to which the sliding element is fixed, made of a rigid material, the support element is made of a soft material.

These and other features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of an actual embodiment thereof, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a conveniently cut-away luggage case according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged perspective view of the tank-baffle connection;

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged perspective view of the connection without the housing;

FIG. 4 shows a vertical cross-sectional view with only the connection;

FIG. 5 shows a vertical cross-section of a connection having only a curved outer portion;

FIG. 6 shows an enlarged perspective view of a coupling having inner and outer zippers.

A luggage case 1 comprises a rigid lower case 2, the rigid lower case 2 having an edge 3, the edge 3 being adapted to be coupled to a space 4 of a connecting means 5, the connecting means 5 being for a partition 6, the partition 6 being adapted to divide the inner space of the luggage case 1 into a lower space 7 and an upper space 8.

The connection means 5 comprise an inner portion 51, to the end 512 of which inner portion 51 a rail 52 is glued, which rail 52 is adapted to be coupled to a sliding element 11, which sliding element 11 is connected to a support element 9 by gluing, to which support element 9 a separation layer 6 is integrally associated. An internal zipper 13 may be associated with the partition 6.

The partition 6 is for example made of fabric and is for example sewn to the element 9; or it may be bonded to 9.

The inner part 51 is made as follows: soft plastic materials, for example, soft thermoplastic materials such as PVC, TPE and PP; or rubber. A soft plastic material refers to a plastic material having a hardness of, for example, Shore a, and a rigid plastic material refers to a plastic material having a hardness of, for example, Shore D. The rail 52, as well as the sliding element 11, are made of a rigid plastic material, for example rigid polypropylene; the support element 9 is made of a soft plastic material. The rigidity is essential because otherwise the element 11 cannot slide into the track 52.

The connection means 5 further comprise a deformable outer portion 53, the deformable outer portion 53 being made of a soft material, such as soft PVC or rubber, the deformable outer portion 53 comprising a first portion 54, the first portion 54 facing said inner portion 51 to form a space 4, the space 4 being suitable for housing the edge 3 of the tank 2, and a second portion 55, the second portion 55 facing said first portion 54 and being integrally in one piece therewith; the deformable linking portion 56 ensures the movability of the second portion 55 with respect to the first portion 54.

The first portion 54 is fixed to the box 2, for example by means of stitching, and to the fabric edge of the external zip fastener 12.

The outer portion 53 of the connection device 5 comprises a single piece made of deformable rubber material and is integral with the inner portion 51. Thus, the connection means 5 comprise an outer portion 53 and an inner portion 51, the outer portion 53 and the inner portion 51 being made of a soft material adapted to be deformed so as to facilitate the connection, for example by means of stitching, of the box to the rigid rail 52, the rigid rail 52 being glued to the lower extremity 512 of the inner portion 51, the rigid rail 52 being couplable to the partition 6. A single stitch joins the inner portion 51, the case 2, the first portion 54 of the outer portion 53 and the outer zipper 12 to one another.

The possibility of bending the second portion 55 with respect to the first portion 54 facilitates the operation of connecting the connecting device 5 to the tank 2, as shown in figure 5. The portion 55 made of rubber material means that there is no risk of breakage during the bending operation; at the same time, the joint sealing of the partition 6 is ensured by the rigidity of the plastic material of the rail 52.

The rigidity of the rail 52 and of the slidable element 11, i.e. the part intended to slide reciprocally, conveniently facilitates the assembly of the partition 6, which partition 6 is otherwise subjected to the annoying friction of rubber material, which makes its assembly slow and often causes breakage. Similarly, the remaining portion remains made of a soft material, thus enhancing the overall elasticity of the connection.

Claims

1. Luggage case (1) comprising a case (2), the case (2) having an edge (3), the edge (3) being adapted to be coupled with a space (4) of a connecting device (5), the connecting device (5) being for a partition (6), the partition (6) being adapted to divide the space inside the luggage case (1) into a lower space (7) and an upper space (8), the connecting device (5) comprising a rail (52), the rail (52) being adapted to be slidingly coupled with a sliding element (11), the sliding element (11) being complementary to the rail (52), and the sliding element (11) being fixed to a supporting element (9), the partition (6) being integrally associated with the supporting element (9), characterized in that the connecting device (5) provides a soft material inner portion (51) of the case (2) and a soft material outer portion (53) for the case (2), a rail (52) of rigid material is fixed to the end (512) of the inner portion (51) of soft material, and a sliding element (11) of rigid material is fixed to the supporting element (9) of soft material.

2. Piece of luggage (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said sliding element (11) forms a "T" with the supporting element (9) of the partition (6).

3. Piece of luggage (1) according to any of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the inner portion (51) is a substantially vertical strip and the rails (52) are fixed to said inner portion (51) in a vertical placement.

4. Piece of luggage (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the outer portion (53) provides a first portion (54) and a second portion (55), the first portion (54) facing said inner portion (51) to form a space (4) adapted to accommodate the edge (3) of the case (2), the second portion (55) facing said first portion (54) and being integral with the first portion (54) by means of a deformable linking portion (56), the deformable linking portion (56) being adapted to provide the movability of said second portion (55) with respect to said first portion (54).

5. Piece of luggage (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the outer portion (53) provides a first portion (54) and a second portion (55), the first portion (54) facing said inner portion (51) so as to form a space (4) suitable for housing the edge (3) of the case (2), the second portion (55) facing said first portion (54) and being integral with the first portion (54) by means of a deformable linking portion (56), the deformable linking portion (56) being suitable for providing the movability of said second portion (55) with respect to said first portion (54).