Luggage frame

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10791809-B2
Application number	US-201214358235-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2012
Priority date	Nov 15, 2011
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

A piece of luggage (100, 298) may include front, rear, top, bottom, right, and left sides or faces (102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112) that define an enclosed space. The enclosed space may be divided into one or more compartments. The luggage piece may further include at least one zipper (124) to access the enclosed space. The at least one zipper may include a zipper track (132), at least one zipper slider (134), and at least one zipper tab (136). The luggage piece may further include a frame (138, 300) that generally defines the shape of the luggage piece. The frame may include upper and lower bodies (140, 142, 144, 146, 302, 304) that are joined together by elongated structural members (148, 150, 306), such as pultrusions or closed wire loops. The upper bodies may substantially define the top side of the luggage piece, and the lower bodies may substantially define the bottom side of the luggage piece. The upper and lower bodies may be molded, hard bodies.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A luggage piece, comprising:
a base comprising a frame;
a lid pivotally joined to the base to pivot between at least a first position where the base and the lid define a substantially enclosed space and a second position that allows for access to the substantially enclosed space;
at least one wheel coupled to a wheel housing; and
the frame comprising:
two wire loops;
a first molded, hard body defining a groove to receive at least a portion of one of the wire loops, the groove defined by a bottom wall and two side walls;
a second molded, hard body receiving at least a portion of one of the wire loops, the second, molded hard body positioned at a portion of the base that is distal from the first molded, hard body;
the first molded, hard body further defines at least a significant portion of a face of the base;
the second molded, hard body defines at least a significant portion of another face of the base;
the first molded, hard body joined to the second molded, hard body by at least said two wire loops; and

wherein the second molded, hard body receives at least a portion of one of the wire loops at a location defined in an end portion of the second molded, hard body between at least a portion of the wheel housing and the end portion.

2. The luggage piece of claim 1 , wherein
a top face of the base is the face of the base that is at least significantly defined by the first molded, hard body.

3. The luggage piece of claim 1 , further comprising an outer layer joined to the frame.

4. The luggage piece of claim 3 , wherein the outer layer comprises a fabric.

5. The luggage piece of claim 3 , wherein the outer layer defines a central portion of yet another face of the base where the central portion is located between the first and second molded, hard bodies.

6. The luggage piece of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second molded, hard bodies defines portions of at least two other faces of the luggage piece.

7. The luggage piece of claim 6 , wherein the at least two other faces are selected from the group consisting of the following: a front face or a rear face, of the luggage piece.

8. The luggage piece of claim 6 , wherein:
the first molded, hard body further defines portions of the top, rear, and front faces of the luggage piece; and
the second molded, hard body further defines portions of the bottom, rear, and front faces of the luggage piece.

9. The luggage piece of claim 1 , wherein a bottom face of the base is the another face of the base that is at least significantly defined by the second molded, hard body.

10. The luggage piece of claim 1 , wherein the first molded, hard body and the second, molded hard body are selected from acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (“ABS”) plastic, polycarbonate plastic, or an ABS/polycarbonate plastic blend.

11. The luggage piece of claim 1 , wherein the groove is defined at the end portion of the respective molded hard body.

12. The luggage piece of claim 11 , wherein the end portion is proximate the right or left face of the luggage piece.

13. The luggage piece of claim 12 , wherein when at least one of the two wire loops is received in the groove, the wire loop is located proximate the right or left face of the luggage piece.

14. The luggage piece of claim 1 , wherein each of the two wire loops is a supporting wire that forms the frame to provide structural support to the first and second molded, hard bodies.

15. The luggage piece of claim 1 , wherein each wire loop is positioned along exterior surfaces of the first and second molded, hard bodies, the exterior surfaces of the first and second molded, hard bodies defining at least top and bottom faces of the base, respectively.

16. The luggage piece of claim 1 , wherein a second groove is defined at least partially by a wheel housing.

17. The luggage piece of claim 16 , wherein the second groove is defined at least partially between the wheel housing and the second molded, hard body.

Assignees

• Meersschaert Reinhard
• Yoneno Kenzo
• Samsonite Ip Holdings Sarl

Inventors

• Meersschaert Reinhard
• Yoneno Kenzo

Classifications

• A45C2005/035

  soft-sided, i.e. with flexible side walls covering a rigid frame · CPC title

• A45C5/14

  with built-in rolling means · CPC title

• A45C5/03

  Suitcases · CPC title

• A45C5/02 Primary

  Materials therefor · CPC title

• A45C13/02

  Interior fittings; Means, {e.g. inserts,} for holding and packing articles · CPC title