Luggage

Details Luggage Luggage

2001-08-21

2003-09-02

Weaver, Sue A. (Department: 3727)

Trunks and hand-carried luggage

Hand luggage

Wall detail

C190S024000, C190S122000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06612413

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to luggage, and more particularly to luggage having a fabric shell which is provided with a platelike frame for reinforcing the fabric shell, without the use of the reinforcing ring, thereby enhancing the productivity of the luggage, reducing the weight of the luggage, and increasing the degree of the design freedom of the luggage.
2. Description of Related Art
As shown in
FIGS. 3-9
, prior art luggage
50
has a main body
51
formed of the lining cloth of the outer cloth by sewing.
The front side of the main body
51
is in the open state and is covered by a cover piece
52
which is made of cloth and is provided in the four fringes thereof with zippers
53
,
54
for fastening and unfastening the adjoining fringes.
As shown in
FIG. 4
a platelike frame
55
is disposed in the gap located between the outer cloth and the lining cloth for maintaining the shape of the luggage
50
and for reinforcing.
In order to facilitate the inserting of the frame
55
into the gap, the frame
55
is divided into a frame main body
55
A, a left side plate
55
B, and a right side plate
55
B. The main body is integrally made with the back plate, the bottom plate, and the top plate.
As shown in
FIG. 5
, a reinforcing ring
56
is fastened by sewing with the four edges of the left and the right side walls of the luggage main body
51
. The reinforcing ring
56
is made of a metal wire and is rectangular in shape.
As shown in
FIG. 6
, the luggage
50
is provided with a handle
57
for use in carrying the luggage, and a caster
58
.
The structures of a conventional luggage
60
are shown in
FIGS. 7-9
. The luggage
60
is basically similar in construction to the luggage
50
such that the main body
61
of the luggage
60
is the same as the main body
51
of the luggage
50
.
As shown in
FIG. 7
, the luggage
60
has a reinforcing frame
62
, which is completely similar in pattern to the frame
55
.
The frame main body
62
A is joined together with the top plate, left side plate and right side plate. The lower ends of the two side plates and the two side edges of the bottom plate
62
B are fastened by screws.
The inner side of the frame main body
62
A is fixed reinforcing plate
63
.
The back plate
62
C and the frame main body
62
A are not made integrally and are made separately.
The frame main body
62
A is susceptible to deformation by an external force. Each edge of the front side and the back side of the luggage main body
61
is provided with a reinforcing ring
64
fastened therewith by sewing, as shown in FIG.
8
. The reinforcing ring
64
is made of a metal wire and is rectangular in shape.
The conventional luggage
50
described above has shortcomings, which are described hereinafter.
In the first place, the frame main body
55
A and two side plates
55
B are not connected together, thereby causing the main body
55
to be susceptible to deformation by an external force.
The above shortcoming may be overcome by the reinforcing ring
56
which is fastened to the luggage main body
51
by sewing. However, it is very inconvenient and time-consuming to fasten the reinforcing ring
56
to the luggage main body
51
by sewing.
The reinforcing ring
56
is made of metal and is responsible for giving an added weight to the luggage.
The frame
55
is divided into three parts, which are then inserted into the receiving space between the lining cloth and the outer cloth as integral parts of the luggage main body
51
. It is conceivably time-consuming and costly to insert the three parts of the frame
55
in the receiving spaces between the lining cloth and the outer cloth.
As shown in
FIG. 6
b
, the four arcuate corners of the luggage are visible to a person who looks at the luggage from the side of the luggage, after the frame
55
has a three-dimensional shape. However, the four arcuate comers are not visible to the person who looks at the front side of the luggage.
Another conventional luggage
60
has several drawbacks which are described hereinafter.
The frame main body
62
A and the back plate
62
C are not connected. As a result, the main body
62
is apt to deform upon being exerted on by a horizontally-oriented external force.
The luggage
60
shares some of the shortcomings of the conventional luggage
50
described above.
The reinforcing plate
63
is rigid and heavy, so as to reinforce the structure of the frame
62
. The reinforcing plate
63
gives an added weight to the luggage
60
.
After the frame
62
has become a three-dimensional structure, the four arcuate corners of the luggage are visible to a person who looks at the front side of the luggage, as illustrated in
FIG. 9
a
. However, the arcuate comers of the luggage are not visible to the person who looks at the side of the luggage, as illustrated in
FIG. 9
b.
The quality of the design of the luggage plays an iml role in the marketability of the luggage.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a novel luggage which comprises a frame resistant to deformation even without the help of the reinforcing ring. In addition, the frame of the present invention is designed in such a pattern that the productivity of the frame is raised, and that the degree of design freedom is enhanced, thereby enabling the luggage to have an arcuate profile.
The luggage of the present invention is characterized by the frame, which is disposed between the outer cloth and the lining cloth of the luggage and is formed of a platelike material. The frame is intended to hold up the shape of the luggage and to reinforce the luggage.
The frame of the present invention is formed of a bottom plate, a top plate, and a back plate. The top plate and the left and the right plates are connected. The lower edges of the top plate and the back plate are fastened to the bottom plate. The upper edge of the back plate is fastened to the top plate. The upper end of the back plate is provided with a laminated plate, which is joined with the top plate.
The four side edges of the bottom plate, the juncture of the side plate and the top plate, and the juncture of the back plate and the laminated plate are provided with a curved portion of a radian.
In addition, the front edge of the frame is also provided with a curved portion of a radian.
The objective, features and functions of the present invention will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 6109404 (2000-08-01), Bishop
patent: 6119835 (2000-09-01), Lin
patent: 6148973 (2000-11-01), Chang
patent: 6220412 (2001-04-01), Lin
patent: 6260680 (2001-07-01), Lin
patent: 6283261 (2001-09-01), Sher
patent: 619686 (1949-03-01), None

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