Modular suitcase frame

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11528977-B2
Application number	US-202016774779-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2020
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	Dec 20, 2022
Grant date	Dec 20, 2022

Abstract

A piece of luggage comprises a front shell, a rear shell, and a frame assembly configured to hingedly secure the front shell to the rear shell. The frame assembly including a front frame sub-assembly configured to be secured to the front shell and a rear frame sub-assembly configured to be secured to the rear shell. Each of the front frame sub-assembly and the rear frame sub-assembly including a plurality of frame members and a plurality of corner members.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A piece of luggage comprising:
a front shell;
a rear shell;
a frame assembly including a front frame sub-assembly configured to be secured to the front shell and a rear frame sub-assembly configured to be secured to the rear shell, each of the front frame sub-assembly and the rear frame sub-assembly including a plurality of frame members and a plurality of corner members configured to be interchangeably assembled to achieve a respective frame sub-assembly; and
at least one hinge that joins the front shell to the rear shell,
wherein the plurality of corner members includes at least one first front corner member and at least one second front corner member, and
wherein each first front corner member includes a projection configured to extend through an opening in a respective front joint member connected to one of the frame members of the front frame sub-assembly, and each second front corner member has an opening configured to receive a fastener so that the respective fastener extends through the opening of the second front corner member and into the projection of the first front corner member.

2. The piece of luggage of claim 1 , wherein the piece of luggage comprises a piece of hard shell luggage and said front shell and said rear shell comprise hard shells.

3. The piece of luggage of claim 1 , wherein the front shell and the rear shell are soft-sided shells.

4. The piece of luggage of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of frame members includes at least one front edge frame member and at least one rear edge frame member.

5. The piece of luggage of claim 4 , wherein the at least one front edge frame member has a front edge coupling portion that extends along a length of the front edge frame member and the at least one rear edge frame member has a rear edge coupling portion that extends along a length of the rear edge frame member, the front edge coupling portion and the rear edge coupling portion being configured to mate with one another.

6. The piece of luggage of claim 4 , wherein the at least one front edge frame member includes a front tab portion configured to be secured to a respective first front corner member and a respective second front corner member.

7. The piece of luggage of claim 1 , wherein the at least one hinge is attached to the front shell and to the rear shell.

8. The piece of luggage of claim 1 , wherein the at least one hinge is attached to the front frame sub-assembly and the rear frame sub-assembly.

9. A method for producing an article of luggage comprising:
forming a plurality of luggage shells comprising a front shell and a rear shell having substantially similar widths and heights;
forming a length of edge framing material having a tab portion and an edge coupling portion that extends along the length of the edge framing material;
cutting said edge framing material into two or more pieces having a length that is substantially similar to the width of said front and rear luggage shells and into two or more pieces having a length that is substantially similar to the height of said front and rear luggage shells;
forming a plurality of reinforcing corner pieces including at least one first front corner piece and at least one first rear corner piece, at least one second front corner piece and at least one second rear corner piece;
forming a plurality of front edge joint pieces;
forming a plurality of rear edge joint pieces;
constructing a front edge frame comprising at least four pieces of edge framing material, at least eight front edge joint pieces, and the at least one first front corner piece and the at least one second front corner piece, wherein each first front corner piece includes a projection configured to extend through an opening in a respective front joint piece connected to one of the pieces of edge framing material, and each second front corner piece has an opening configured to receive a fastener so that the respective fastener extends through the opening of the second front corner piece and into the projection of the first front corner piece;
constructing a rear edge frame comprising at least four pieces of edge framing material, at least eight rear edge joint pieces, and the at last one first rear corner piece and the at least one second rear corner piece;
attaching said front edge frame to said front shell;
attaching said rear edge frame to said rear shell; and
joining said front shell to said rear shell with a hinge.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein forming said edge framing material is done by passing a length of metal reinforcement material through a hard plastic extruder, thereby embedding a length of metal reinforcement material throughout the length of said edge framing material.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one first front corner piece and the at least one second front corner piece includes a plurality of first front corner pieces and a plurality of second front corner pieces.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one first rear corner piece includes a plurality of first rear corner pieces.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said first front corner pieces are formed so as to matingly couple with said first rear corner pieces.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one second rear corner piece including a plurality of second rear corner pieces.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said second front pieces are formed so as to matingly couple with said second rear corner pieces.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein at least four of said first front corner pieces are attached to at least four of said second front corner pieces.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein at least four of said first rear corner pieces are attached to at least four of said second rear corner pieces.

18. A piece of luggage comprising:
a front shell and a rear shell, each shell comprising an internal compartment for receiving contents;
at least four pieces of front edge framing material having a tab portion and a front edge coupling portion that extends along the length of said front edge framing material;
at least four pieces of rear edge framing material having a tab portion and a rear edge coupling portion that extends along the length of the rear edge framing material, wherein said front edge coupling portion and said rear edge coupling portion are capable of matingly coupling;
at least sixteen corner pieces;
at least eight front edge joint pieces;
at least eight rear edge joint pieces;
a front edge frame comprising said at least four pieces of front edge framing material, said at least eight front edge joint pieces, and at least four reinforcing corner pieces of said at least sixteen corner pieces;
a rear edge frame comprising said at least four pieces of rear edge framing material, said at least eight rear edge joint pieces, and at least four reinforcing corner pieces of said at least sixteen corner pieces;
wherein said front edge frame is attached to said front shell and said rear edge frame is attached to said rear shell; and
at least one hinge joining said front shell to said rear shell,
wherein the at least sixteen corner pieces comprises at least four first front reinforcing corner pieces, at least four second front reinforcing corner pieces, at least four first rear reinforcing corner pieces, and at least four second rear reinforcing corner pieces, and wherein each of said at least four first front reinforcing corner pieces matingly couples with one of said at least four first rear reinforcing corner pieces and each of said at leas

Assignees

• Tumi Inc

Inventors

• Scicluna Paul V

Classifications

• A45C13/36

  Reinforcements for edges, corners, or other parts · CPC title

• A45C5/14 Primary

  with built-in rolling means · CPC title

• A45C13/005

  Hinges · CPC title

• A45C13/04 Primary

  Frames · CPC title

• A45C2005/037

  with a hard shell, i.e. rigid shell as volume creating element · CPC title