Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02847036 2014-02-27
WO 2012/140479
PCT/1B2011/055916
EXPANSIBLE SUITCASE
Description
The present invention relates to an expansible suitcase, of the type
comprising
wheels and a handle which can be lengthened for the dragging thereof,
conventionally also called trolley. Generally, it comprises a pair of half-
shells which
form the suitcase casing and which can be separated for opening and expanding
the suitcase itself.
Several types of suitcases on wheels or without wheels are known in the art,
which
can be expanded thanks to several systems determining the extension of the
suitcase walls. However, they guarantee a poor stability when the suitcase is
expanded, by making the dragging thereof uncomfortable.
Furthermore, in the expanded configuration the suitcases on wheels lose the
stability which allow to let them rested onto the wheels themselves or onto
the
however provided supports, without their overturning, causing additional
discomfort
to the suitcase bearer and to adjacent people.
The German patent Nr. DE 10 2009 040 468 Al and the German utility model Nr.
DE 201 09 564 U1 describe expansible suitcases on wheels with horizontally
arranged faced half-shells.
The technical problem underlying the present invention consists in providing a
suitcase able to overcome the drawbacks mentioned with reference to the state
of
art.
Such problem is solved by a suitcase as defined in the appended claim 1.
The above-mentioned suitcase allows that its own centre of gravity, in
particular in
the both contracted and expanded rested configuration moves necessarily along
a
vertical line always parallelly to the handle which can be lengthened, with
its own
projection always falling back upon the resting base. Furthermore, the greater
stability is allowed by said translating means defining the distance of the
two half-
shells.
Additional features and variants, together with additional invention
advantages, will
appear more clearly from the following description of two embodiment examples
of
the present expansible suitcase, provided by way of example only and not with
limiting purposes by referring to the enclosed drawings wherein:
= figure 1 shows respective front, rear and side views of a first
embodiment of
a suitcase according to the invention;
= figure 2 shows a series of side views of the suitcase of figure 1,
illustrating
the expansion of the same;
= figure 3 shows a series of front perspective views of the suitcase of
figure 1,
CA 02847036 2014-02-27
WO 2012/140479
PCT/1B2011/055916
illustrating the operation of the same;
= figure 4 shows a top front perspective view of the suitcase of figure 1;
= figure 5 shows an enlarged rear perspective view of a detail of the
suitcase
of figure 1;
= figure 6 shows a series of front perspective views of a second embodiment
example of expansible suitcase according to the invention, which illustrate
the operation and some enlarged details thereof;
= figure 7 shows an additional detail of the suitcase of figure 6 in
section;
= figure 8 shows a series of front perspective views of the suitcase of
figure 6,
illustrating the operation of the same;
= figure 9 shows a perspective view of the suitcase of figure 6 in
contracted
configuration; and
= figure 10 shows a perspective view of the suitcase of figure 6 in
expanded
and wholly closed configuration.
By referring to figures 1 a 5, a first embodiment example of expanded suitcase
is
designated as a whole with 1.
It is of the trolley type comprising wheels 2 arranged on a frame, and a
handle 3
which can be telescopically lengthened for the dragging thereof.
The frame forms even a resting foot 4, positioned on the front side that is on
the
opposite side of the suitcase 1 with respect to the handle 3.
It further comprises a pair of half-shells forming the casing of the suitcase
and
which can be separated for opening and expanding the suitcase itself.
In particular, in said pair of half-shells a first half-shell 5 or lower half-
shell can be
found, which is connected to said frame. Therefore, said wheels 2 and said
handle
3 are associated thereto.
Said half-shell 5 has substantially a squared and flattened basin-like shape,
with a
cavity and edges apt to cooperate with respective edges of the other half-
shell.
Considering that, in a normal rested configuration, the wheels 2 rest upon the
ground and the handle assumes a vertical position, the first half-shell 5
assumes a
substantially horizontal configuration, perpendicular to said handle 3, with
its own
cavity faced upwards when the suitcase 1 is resting.
Furthermore, the suitcase 1 comprises a second half-shell 6 or upper half-
shell,
which is apt to be connected to the first half-shell 5 on the respective
edges, thereat
the suitcase 1 comprises a seal, for example of polyurethane tubular type.
Still in the above-described configuration, the second half-shell 6 assumes a
substantially horizontal configuration, perpendicular to said handle 3, that
is with its
- 2 -
CA 02847036 2014-02-27
WO 2012/140479
PCT/1B2011/055916
own cavity faced downwards when the suitcase 1 is resting.
The above-described half-shells are conveniently manufactured in a stiff or
half-stiff
material, possibly with shock-proof, scratch-resistant and burglar-resistant
features.
The second half-shell 6, differently from what usually takes place in the
suitcases, is
not articulated to the lower half-shell 5, but it is able to translate
according to a
direction which is parallel and it is defined by the telescopic extension of
the handle
3.
To this purpose, the upper half-shell 6 on the rear side has a slot 7 (figure
5)
wherein the bars 8 of the telescopic handle 3 are inserted. The bars 8 then
act as
guides for the second half-shell 6.
Said slot 7 is defined by a handle-like portion of the second half-shell 6,
which can
be used to raise or lower manually the half-shell itself.
On the front side, the two half-shells 5, 6 have a conventional closing
system, for
example of the type with snap hooks and levers.
The suitcase 1 further comprises means for translating said second shell 6
vertically
with respect to said first shell 5, in the direction defined by the extension
of said
handle 3.
In the present embodiment, such means comprises a pantograph-like system
having a pair of articulated pantographs 9 arranged on the inner side of the
suitcase
1 between said half-shells 5, 6. The arrangement of the pantographs 9 is so as
not
to obstruct the inner portion of the suitcase 1 and it is so as to raise and
lower the
upper half-shell 6 by keeping it parallel to the first half-shell 5.
At last, the suitcase 1 comprises at least one, i.e. possibly a single
continuous wall
10 with variable extension which is apt to join the edges of said two half-
shells when
the second half-shell 6 is translated upwards.
In the present embodiment, such continuous wall is substantially tubular with
rectangular section and extends elastically from the inner edges of the first
half-
shell 5 upwards, until coupling with the second half-shell 6.
The coupling can be of the hinge-like type 11 of the divisible type, joined to
a wall
portion connected inside the second half-shell 6.
The extensible wall 10 can be implemented with a bellows-like structure or
made of
stretchy material, with possible circumferential reinforcement wires made of
metal,
and of a tear-resistant tissue.
Upon use, the suitcase can assume any extended volume comprised between the
coupling positions of the two-half-shells 5, 6 and maximum extension of the
two
pantographs 9, for example 65 cm.
- 3 -
CA 02847036 2014-02-27
WO 2012/140479
PCT/1B2011/055916
In the contracted position, it could be opened by raising the upper half-shell
6 by
making it to slide along the handle 3. The same operation will serve to expand
the
suitcase 1, which will be closed by using the extensible wall 10.
By referring to figures 6 a 10 a second embodiment of extensible suitcase 1 is
described.
It is of trolley type too and it comprises wheels 2 arranged on a frame and a
handle
3 which can be lengthened telescopically for the dragging thereof.
The frame forms even a resting foot 4, positioned on the front side, that is
on the
opposite side of the suitcase 1 with respect to the handle 3.
It is meant that in this embodiment and in the previous embodiment, the frame
can
be constituted by the structure itself of the lower half-shell.
The suitcase 1 then comprises a first half-shell 5 or lower half-shell, said
wheels 2
and said handle 3 being associated thereto.
Said half-shell 5 substantially has a squared and flattened basin-like shape,
with a
cavity and edges apt to cooperate with respective edges of the other half-
shell.
By considering that, in a normal rested configuration, the wheels 2 rest onto
the
ground and the handle assumes a vertical position, the first half-shell 5
assumes a
substantially horizontal configuration, perpendicular to said handle 3, with
its own
cavity faced upwards when the suitcase 1 is resting.
Furthermore, the suitcase 1 comprises a second half-shell 6 or upper half-
shell,
which is apt to be connected to the first half-shell 5 on the respective
edges.
Still in the above-described configuration, the second half-shell 6 assumes a
substantially horizontal configuration, perpendicular to said handle 3, that
is with its
own cavity faced downwards when the suitcase 1 is resting.
The above-described half-shells are conveniently manufactured in a stiff or
half-stiff
material, possibly with shock-proof, scratch-resistant and burglar-resistant
features.
The second half-shell 6, differently from what usually takes place in the
suitcase, is
not articulated to the lower half-shell 5, but it is able to translate
according to a
direction which is parallel and it is defined by the telescopic extension of
the handle
3.
On this matter, the upper half-shell 6 on the rear side has a slot, as in the
previous
example, wherein the bars 8 of the telescopic handle 3 are inserted. The bars
8
then act as guides for the second half-shell 6.
Said slot 6 is defined by a handle-like portion of the second half-shell 6,
which can
be used to raise or lower manually the half-shell itself.
On the front side, the two half-shells 5, 6 have a conventional closing
system, for
- 4 -
CA 02847036 2014-02-27
WO 2012/140479
PCT/1B2011/055916
example of the type with snap hooks and levers, herein not represented.
The suitcase 1 further comprises means for translating said second shell 6
vertically
with respect to said first shell 5, in the direction defined by the extension
of said
handle 3.
The half-stiff panels 2 are two, constrained to the inner sides of the half-
shell, and
they can be raised and opened, by forming both front and front and rear walls.
On this matter, each one of said panels is folded back in three portions which
can
The edges of said panels can be constrained to the top wall of the second half-
shell
6 and therebetween by means of specific hinges, represented with dotted lines
in
figure 7, illustrating the motions to deploy said panels 12.
The panels 12 are of the type with multiple layers, with two outer layers 13,
on
Among thereof a stiff layer 14 is comprised, coupled with coupled to an air
gap 15
containing a fluid which is able to lessen shocks, coming back then to an
extended
configuration.
A fluid suitable to this purpose is a not Newtonian fluid, for example a
polymeric
In the present suitcase embodiment, said panels 12 constitute even another
embodiment of the extensible wall described previously by referring to the
first
embodiment.
Upon use, the suitcase can assume a minimum volume, corresponding to the
To the above-described expansible suitcase a person skilled in the art, with
the
- 5 -
