Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02920399 2016-02-09
TITLE: LUGGAGE HAVING A TAPERED LID DEPTH
FIELD
[0001] The field of this disclosure relates to luggage for storage
or transportation of
articles.
INTRODUCTION
[0002] Luggage is a reclosable storage container for transporting
personal articles,
such as clothing and the like, in a vehicle, such as a plane, train, or
automobile. The
maximum allowable size of the luggage may be governed by restrictions imposed
by the
operators of such vehicles (e.g. the airline) and by the size of the storage
compartments for
the luggage on the vehicle (e.g. overhead compartments). In some cases, a
luggage may
include wheels and a handle to assist with manually transporting the luggage
by hand.
SUMMARY
[0003] In one aspect, a luggage is provided. The luggage may
comprise a front face
opposite a rear face, a plurality of side faces, at least one support, and at
least one handle.
The plurality of side faces may collectively surround the front and rear
faces. Each side
face may connect the front face to the rear face, the plurality of side faces
may include at
least an upper face opposite a lower face, and the lower face may include a
front portion
extending forwardly of the upper face. The at least one support may be coupled
to the front
portion of the lower face, and the at least one handle may be coupled to the
upper face.
[0004] In another aspect, a luggage is provided, which may comprise a lid
and at
least one support. The lid may be coupled to a front end of a base along a
parting line.
Each of the lid and base may extend between a lower end and an upper end. The
depth of
the base may be substantially constant between the lower and upper ends of the
base.
The depth of the lid may taper from proximate the lower end of the lid toward
the upper end
of the lid, and the at least one support may be coupled to the lower end of
the lid.
[0005] In another aspect, a luggage is provided, which may comprise
a front face
opposite a rear face, a plurality of side faces collectively surrounding the
front and rear
faces, a parting line dividing the luggage into a lid and a base, and at least
one support.
Each side face may connect the front face to the rear face. The plurality of
side faces may
include at least an upper face opposite a lower face. The lid may include the
front face,
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,
and the base may include the rear face. At least a portion of the front face
may extend
from proximate the lower face toward the upper face in a direction toward the
rear face, and
the at least one support may be connected to the lid on the lower face.
DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a luggage in a closed position in
accordance
with at least one embodiment;
[0007] FIG. 1B is a side elevation view of the luggage of FIG. 1A;
[0008] FIG. 1C is a top plan view of the luggage of FIG. 1A;
[0009] FIG. 1D is a front elevation view of the luggage of FIG. 1A;
[0010] FIG. 1E is a bottom plan view of the luggage of FIG. 1A;
[0011] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a luggage in a closed
position in accordance
with another embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 2B is a side elevation view of the luggage of FIG. 2A;
[0013] FIG. 2C is a top plan view of the luggage of FIG. 2A;
[0014] FIG. 2D is a front elevation view of the luggage of FIG. 2A;
[0015] FIG. 2E is a bottom plan view of the luggage of FIG. 2A;
[0016] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a luggage in a closed
position in accordance
with another embodiment;
[0017] FIG. 3B is a side elevation view of the luggage of FIG. 3A;
[0018] FIG. 30 is a top plan view of the luggage of FIG. 3A;
[0019] FIG. 3D is a front elevation view of the luggage of FIG. 3A;
and
[0020] FIG. 3E is a bottom plan view of the luggage of FIG. 3A.
DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS
[0021] Numerous embodiments are described in this application, and
are presented
for illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments are not intended to
be limiting in
any sense. The invention is widely applicable to numerous embodiments, as is
readily
apparent from the disclosure herein. Those skilled in the art will recognize
that the present
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invention may be practiced with modification and alteration without departing
from the
teachings disclosed herein. Although particular features of the present
invention may be
described with reference to one or more particular embodiments or figures, it
should be
understood that such features are not limited to usage in the one or more
particular
embodiments or figures with reference to which they are described.
[0022] The terms "an embodiment," "embodiment," "embodiments," "the
embodiment," "the embodiments," "one or more embodiments," "some embodiments,"
and
"one embodiment" mean "one or more (but not all) embodiments of the present
invention(s)," unless expressly specified otherwise.
[0023] The terms "including," "comprising" and variations thereof mean
"including but
not limited to," unless expressly specified otherwise. A listing of items does
not imply that
any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified
otherwise. The
terms "a," "an" and "the" mean "one or more," unless expressly specified
otherwise.
[0024] As used herein and in the claims, two or more parts are said
to be "coupled",
"connected", "attached", or "fastened" where the parts are joined or operate
together either
directly or indirectly (i.e., through one or more intermediate parts), so long
as a link occurs.
As used herein and in the claims, two or more parts are said to be "directly
coupled",
"directly connected", "directly attached", or "directly fastened" where the
parts are
connected directly in physical contact with each other. As used herein, two or
more parts
are said to be "rigidly coupled", "rigidly connected", "rigidly attached", or
"rigidly fastened"
where the parts are coupled so as to move as one while maintaining a constant
orientation
relative to each other. None of the terms "coupled", "connected", "attached",
and "fastened"
distinguish the manner in which two or more parts are joined together.
[0025] Referring to FIGS. 1A-1E, a luggage 100 is shown in accordance
with at least
one embodiment. Luggage 100 may be used to store and transport personal
articles, such
as clothing and the like. For example, luggage 100 may be a travel case for
carrying
personal belongings on voyages by plane, train, or automobile.
[0026] As exemplified, luggage 100 may include a front face 104
opposite a rear
face 108, and a plurality of sides 112 which collectively surround the front
and rear faces
104 and 108. Luggage 100 may include any number of sides 112, and each side
112 may
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connect rear face 108 to front face 104. In the illustrated example, sides 112
include an
upper face 116, a lower face 120, and opposite lateral side faces 124. Each of
the front
and rear faces 104 and 108 may have a surface area which exceeds that of any
one of the
side faces 112.
[0027] Optionally, luggage 100 may include one or more supports for
supporting
luggage 100 on a ground surface (e.g. the floor or horizontal surface).
Rolling supports
may further assist with moving luggage 100 across a horizontal surface.
Examples of
suitable supports include fixed-axle wheels, spinner wheels, and feet. In the
illustrated
example, luggage 100 includes four spinner wheels 128 coupled to lower face
120.
[0028] Luggage 100 may include any suitable number of supports. For
example,
luggage 100 may include fewer than four wheels 128 (e.g. zero to three
wheels), or greater
than three wheels 128 (e.g. four to ten wheels). In some embodiments, luggage
100 may
include a combination of two or more of fixed-axle wheels, spinner wheels, and
feet. For
example, luggage 100 may include two fixed-axle wheels on lower face 120
proximate rear
-- face 108 for supporting luggage 100 when tilted with rear face 108 at an
acute angle to the
ground surface.
[0029] In some embodiments, luggage 100 may include one or more
handles for
grasping luggage 100 by hand. A handle may have a fixed length or may be
selectively
extensible. In the illustrated embodiment, luggage 100 includes a handle 132
coupled to
-- upper face 116. A user may grasp handle 132 while luggage 100 is supported
on wheels
128 for maneuvering luggage 100 across a ground surface. Optionally, luggage
100 may
include additional handles on other side faces 112 such as lateral side faces
124. In some
cases, a handle on a side face 124 may be well suited for carrying luggage 100
while lifted
off of the ground surface.
[0030] Luggage 100 may include a lid 136 and a base 140. Lid 136 may
include at
least a portion of front face 104, and base 140 may include at least at least
a portion of rear
face 108. As shown, lid 136 may include all of front face 104, and/or base 140
may include
all of rear face 108. Base 140 may define one or more interior storage
compartments
which may be selectively closed by connecting lid 136 to a front end 144 of
base 140 to
-- define an enclosed cavity or cavities. In some cases, lid 136 may further
define one or
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more interior storage compartments which may remain separate or be additive
with the
storage compartment(s) of base 140 when lid 136 is closed onto base 140. Lid
136 may be
movable between a closed position (shown) in which a periphery of lid 136
abuts a
periphery of base 140 for closing base 140, and an open position (not shown)
in which a
majority of lid 136 is spaced apart from base 140 for accessing the storage
compartment(s)
of base 140 and/or lid 136.
[0031] Luggage 100 may further include a parting line 148. As used
herein and in
the claims, a parting line is an imaginary line tracing the threshold between
lid 136 and
base 140 when lid 136 is connected to base 140 in the closed position. Parting
line 148
may extend across any number of faces 104, 108, and/or 112 of luggage 100
according to
the respective shapes of lid 136 and base 140. In the illustrated example,
parting line 148
is shown extending through each side face 112 along a path intermediate front
and rear
faces 104 and 108. In this case, each of lid 136 and base 140 may include
respective
portions of each of side faces 112 (e.g. each of upper, lower, and lateral
faces 116, 120,
and 124).
[0032] Parting line 148 may be formed by any number of straight
and/or curved
segments. In the illustrated embodiment, parting line 148 extends linearly
across each of
lateral side faces 124, upper face 116, and lower face 120. As shown, parting
line 148 may
include segments 152 which extend from lower face 120 to upper face 116 across
lateral
side faces 124. Segments 152 may be substantially vertically aligned as shown,
or
alternatively aligned at an angle to vertical. As exemplified, segments 152
may extend
substantially parallel to rear face 108. Alternatively, segments 152 may
extend at an angle
to rear face 108.
[0033] Lid 136 and base 140 may be connected in any suitable fashion,
along any
segment of parting line 148. In some embodiments, lid 136 and base 140 are
connected
by one or more of a zipper, a hinge, and a lock. For example, luggage 100 may
include a
hinge 149 along one of segments 152, and a zipper 150 which extends along the
remainder of parting line 148.
[0034] The stability of luggage 100 when carried on a ground surface
by supports
may be improved by enlarging the supported footprint formed by those supports.
In some
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embodiments, at least one support is connected to lower face 120 proximate
front face 104
of luggage 100. For example, one or more supports may be connected to lid 136
on lower
face 120. In the illustrated example, a wheel 128 is connected to each front
corner region
of lower face 120. In some embodiments, at least one support is connected to
lower face
120 proximate rear face 108 of luggage 100. For example, one or more supports
may be
connected to base 140 on lower face 120. In the illustrated example, a wheel
128 is
connected to each rear corner region of lower face 120. In combination,
supports
distributed about opposite peripheral edges of lower face 120 may provide a
large
supported footprint for enhanced stability of luggage 100. In the illustrated
example,
wheels 128 are positioned at each corner of lower face 120, which may maximize
the
supported footprint for improved stability.
[0035] A support may be connected to a component (e.g. face) of
luggage 100 in
any suitable fashion, such as by fasteners (e.g. screws, bolts, staples,
nails, or rivets),
adhesives, or by integrally forming the support with the component of the
luggage 100.
[0036] Luggage 100 has a depth 156 measured in a direction 160 intersecting
the
front and rear faces 104 and 108. As exemplified, direction 160 may be normal
to one or
both of front and rear faces 104 and 108. As shown, direction 160 may be
substantially
horizontal when luggage 100 is carried on a horizontal surface by supports on
lower face
120. Depth 156 may be attributed at least in part to a depth 164 of base 140,
and a depth
168 of lid 136. In the illustrated example, depth 156 is a summation of base
depth 164 and
lid depth 168.
[0037] In some embodiments, it may be desirable to provide a luggage
having a
deep base and a shallow lid. This may permit most or all of the storage
capacity of the
luggage to be provided by the base. In use, luggage 100 may be filled while
laid down with
rear face 108 flat on a ground surface, and lid 136 in an open position (e.g.
pivoted about
hinge 149). The weight of a filled lid 136 (which must be moved atop base 140
to close
luggage 100) may be reduced by decreasing the depth (and storage capacity) of
lid 136.
To keep the overall storage capacity of luggage 100 the same, base depth 164
may be
increased to compensate.
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[0038] Lid 136 may include a front-most portion of lower face 120,
which may
provide an ideal position for locating a support for an enlarged supported
footprint for
enhanced stability. However, in some cases, a support may require a minimum
surface
area to form a proper connection with the surface. Accordingly, lid 136 may
have a first
depth at lower face 120 sufficient for attaching at a support, and the depth
may taper
toward upper face 116.
[0039] In the illustrated example, depth 156 decreases from
proximate lower face
120 toward upper face 116. This may provide a lower face depth 172 greater
than an
upper face depth 176. As illustrated, lower face 120 may include a front
portion 180 and a
rear portion 184. Front portion 180 may extend forward of upper face 116. For
example,
front portion 180 may be entirely positioned forward of a front edge 188 of
upper face 116.
As illustrated, front portion 180 may extend from front face 104 toward
parting line 148.
Rear portion 184 may be entirely positioned rearward of front edge 188. In the
illustrated
example, rear portion 184 is entirely aligned vertically below upper face 116.
As
exemplified, wheels 128 may be coupled to front portion 180. As shown, lid 136
may
include at least front portion 180 of lower face 120.
[0040] Base depth 164 may be measured between rear face 108 and
parting line
148. In some embodiments, base depth 164 may be substantially constant between
lower
face 120 and upper face 116. For example, parting line 148 may extend along
lateral side
faces 124 in parallel with rear face 108. In the illustrated example, each of
parting line 148
and rear face 108 is substantially vertically aligned to provide a constant
base depth 164.
In some embodiments, parting line 148 may lie in a substantially vertical
plane. In some
cases, a substantially constant base depth 164 may permit articles to be more
evenly
distributed within the storage compartment(s) of base 140. For example,
articles may be
stacked inside base 140 to a constant height across base 140. In alternative
embodiments,
base depth 164 may vary between upper and lower faces 116 and 120 of luggage
100.
[0041] As exemplified, lid depth 168 may decrease from proximate
lower face 120
toward upper face 116. For example, lid 136 may include a lower portion 192
and an upper
portion 196. As exemplified, lid depth 168 may decrease from proximate lower
face 120
across lower portion 192, and lid depth 168 may remain constant across upper
portion 196.
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As shown, lid depth 168 may be greater in lower portion 192 than upper portion
196 by any
suitable amount. For example, the maximum lid depth 168 in lower portion 192
may be
between 1.2 to 5 times, or 1.3 to 3, or 1.5 to 2.5 times the lid depth 168 in
upper portion
196. In the example shown, the maximum lid depth 168 in lower portion 192 is
approximately 2 times the lid depth 168 in the upper portion 196. The enlarged
lid depth
168 may provide additional surface area to lid on lower surface 120 for
attaching a support,
such as wheel 128. There may be any suitable ratio of lid depth 168 in upper
portion 196
to base depth 164. For example, the ratio may be between 2:1 to 20:1, or 3:1
to 15:1, or
4:1 to 10:1. In the illustrated embodiment, the ratio is approximately 6:1.
[0042] In alternative embodiments, lid depth 168 may decrease but at a
lower rate
across upper portion 196 toward upper face 116, or lid depth 168 may increase
across
upper portion 196 toward upper face 116.
[0043] Lid depth 168 may be measured between front face 104 and
parting line 148.
As exemplified, front face 104 may include an upper portion 200 adjacent upper
face 116
and a lower portion 204 adjacent lower face 120. The lower portion 204 may
extend from
upper portion 200 away from rear face 108 toward lower face 120. For example,
front face
lower portion 204 may extend from upper portion 200 away from parting line 148
toward
lower face 120. Front face upper portion 200 may extend in parallel with rear
face 108
and/or parting line 148. Alternatively, front face upper portion 200 may
extend toward or
away from rear face 108 and/or parting line 148. Lid upper portion 196 may
include front
face upper portion 200, and lid lower portion 192 may include front face lower
portion 204.
[0044] Lid 136 may include lid upper portion 196 and lid lower
portion 192 in any
suitable ratio. For example, lid 136 may include upper and lower portions 196
and 192 in
the ratio of between 0.5:1 to 20:1, 1:1 to 3:1, or greater than 5:1. Front
face 104 may
include upper and lower portions 200 and 204 in the same or similar ratios. In
the
illustrated embodiment, lid 136 includes upper and lower portions 196 and 192
in the ratio
of about 2:1. FIGS. 2A-2E show another embodiment of luggage 100 having a lid
136 with
upper and lower portions 196 and 192 in the ratio of about 10:1. Referring to
FIGS. 3A-3E,
in some embodiments, luggage 100 may include a lid 136 having only a lower
portion 192
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and no upper portion 196. In this case, lid depth 168 may taper continuously
from
proximate lower face 120 to proximate upper face 116 as shown.
[0045] Front face 104 may extend from proximate lower face 120
toward upper face
116 and rear face 108 at any suitable angle 208 to horizontal. For example,
angle 208 may
be between 5 to 85 degrees, 20 to 75 degrees, or 30 to 65 degrees. As
exemplified, FIGS.
1A-1E show an embodiment of luggage 100 where angle 208 is approximately 70
degrees,
FIGS. 2A-2E show an embodiment of luggage 100 where angle 208 is approximately
45
degrees, and FIGS 3A-3E show an embodiment of luggage 100 where angle 208 is
approximately 82 degrees.
[0046] While the above description provides examples of the embodiments, it
will be
appreciated that some features and/or functions of the described embodiments
are
susceptible to modification without departing from the spirit and principles
of operation of
the described embodiments. Accordingly, what has been described above has been
intended to be illustrative of the invention and non-limiting and it will be
understood by
persons skilled in the art that other variants and modifications may be made
without
departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended
hereto. The
scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments and
examples, but
should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as
a whole.
Items
Item 1. A luggage comprising:
a front face opposite a rear face;
a plurality of side faces collectively surrounding the front and rear faces,
each side face connecting the front face to the rear face,
the plurality of side faces including at least an upper face opposite a lower
face,
the lower face including a front portion extending forwardly of the upper
face,
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at least one support coupled to the front portion of the lower face; and
at least one handle coupled to the upper face.
Item 2. The luggage of item 1, wherein a parting line extends across each of
the plurality
of side faces to define a lid and a base, the lid including the front face,
the base
including the rear face.
Item 3. The luggage of item 2, wherein the lid includes the front portion of
the lower face.
Item 4. The luggage of item 2 or item 3 , wherein the front portion extends
from the front
face toward the parting line.
Item 5. The luggage of any one of items 1-4, wherein the support is a spinner
wheel.
Item 6. The luggage of any one of items 1-5, wherein the at least one support
includes a
second support coupled to the lower face proximate the rear face
Item 7. The luggage of any one of items 2-6 when dependent on item 2 wherein
the
parting line lies in a vertical plane.
Item 8. The luggage of any one of items 2-7 when dependent on item 2 wherein:
a segment of the parting line extends from the lower face to the upper face,
and
the segment of the parting line is vertically aligned.
Item 9. The luggage of any one of items 2-7 when dependent on item 2 wherein:
a segment of the parting line extends from the lower face to the upper face,
and
the segment of the parting line is parallel with the rear face.
Item 10. The luggage of any one of items 2-9 when dependent on item 2 wherein
a depth
of the base measured between the rear face and the parting line is
substantially
constant between the lower and upper faces.
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Item 11. The luggage of any one of items 2-10 when dependent on item 2 wherein
a depth
of the lid measured between the front face and the parting line tapers from
proximate
the lower face toward the upper face.
Item 12. The luggage of any one of items 2-9 when dependent on item 2 wherein
the lid
has a lid depth measured between the front face and the parting line, the base
has a
base depth measured between the rear face and the parting line, and a ratio of
the lid
depth to the base depth is between 2:1 and 20:1.
Item 13. The luggage of any one of items 2-12 when dependent on item 2
wherein:
the front face includes an upper portion adjacent the upper face, and a lower
portion
adjacent the lower face,
the upper portion is substantially parallel with the rear face, and
the lower portion extends from the upper portion away from the rear face
toward the
lower face.
Item 14. The luggage of item 13 wherein the front face includes the upper
portion and the
lower portion in the ratio of between 1:1 and 3:1.
Item 15. The luggage of item 13 wherein the front face includes the upper
portion and the
lower portion in the ratio of at least 5:1.
Item 16. The luggage of any one of items 2-14 when dependent on item 2 further
comprising a zipper and a hinge connecting the lid and the base along the
parting line.
Item 17. A luggage comprising:
a lid coupled to a front end of a base along a parting line,
each of the lid and base extending between a lower end and an upper end,
a depth of the base is substantially constant between the lower and upper
ends of the base,
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a depth of the lid tapers from proximate the lower end of the lid toward the
upper end of the lid; and
at least one support coupled to the lower end of the lid.
Item 18. The luggage of item 16 wherein:
the lid includes a lower portion adjacent the lower end of the lid, and an
upper
portion adjacent the upper end of the lid,
the depth of the lid tapers in the lower portion of the lid, and
the depth of the lid is substantially constant in the upper portion of the
lid.
Item 19. The luggage of item 18 wherein:
the lid includes the upper portion and the lower portion in a ratio of between
1:1 and
3:1.
Item 20. The luggage of item 18 wherein:
the lid includes the upper portion and the lower portion in a ratio of at
least 5:1.
Item 21. A luggage comprising:
a front face opposite a rear face;
a plurality of side faces collectively surrounding the front and rear faces,
each side face connecting the front face to the rear face,
the plurality of side faces including at least an upper face opposite a lower
face;
a parting line dividing the luggage into a lid and a base, the lid including
the front
face, the base including the rear face,
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at least a portion of the front face extends from proximate the lower face
toward the upper face in a direction toward the rear face; and
at least one support connected to the lid on the lower face.
Item 22. The luggage of item 21, wherein:
a segment of the parting line extends substantially linearly between the lower
face
and the upper face.
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