Trunks and hand-carried luggage – Hand luggage – Wall detail
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-27
2001-04-24
Weaver, Sue A. (Department: 3727)
Trunks and hand-carried luggage
Hand luggage
Wall detail
C190S01800A, C190S122000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220412
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Soft-sided hand luggage such as rolling travel bags and the like generally include a rigid frame forming a hard sidewall boundary for a transportable clothing compartment with a flexible fabric enclosure attached to the rigid frame. Such travel bags are usually equipped with wheels and a retractable handle. Hangers may be supported within the compartment of the travel bag so that suits, dresses and the like may be folded, suspended and transported within the bag.
Conventional rolling travel bags usually employ steel or heavily reinforced plastic for the rigid frame. However, the heavy frame structure of conventional travel bags adds substantially to the overall size and weight of the bag while reducing its internal storage capacity. Accordingly, there is a continuing interest in providing rigid frame travel bags equipped with wheels and retractable pull handles which exhibit strength and durability without sacrificing storage volume or increasing the net weight of the bag.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides light-weight rigid frame travel bags which include a soft-sided enclosure. Such bags may include a set of wheels and a retractable pull handle. Travel bags employing the light-weight rigid frame structure of the invention are particularly suitable for handling business suits and dresses as well as small clothing items without significant wrinkling while retaining or exceeding the capacity, compact size and durability characteristics of conventional soft-sided travel bags. The compact bag provided by the invention also accommodates a significant number of soft garments in auxiliary pockets yet remains small enough to fit within overhead carry-on bin compartments of commercial passenger aircraft.
In accordance with the invention, travel bags are made which employ a rigid plastic frame formed by interconnecting a front panel, a rear panel and a C-shaped bottom panel to form a rigid frame which defines the boundaries of a transportable compartment. The C-shaped bottom panel includes first and second end panel portions joined to a substantially flat intermediate panel portion. The plastic frame members are preferably formed by extruding plastic material such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) or polyvinylchloride (PVC) in a form which defines closely spaced flat side panels, sheets or plates joined together by multiple transverse web linking portions. The web linking portions or ribs are separated by cell passages extending longitudinally along the length of the rigid panel. This light-weight, multi-cellular panel construction provides relatively high burst strength and easily withstands the impacts and rough handling normally encountered during travel. However, it is very light and extremely rigid.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom panel of the rigid frame is generally channel-shaped or C-shaped in side profile. The front panel and rear panel are captured within the end portions and attached to the bottom panel by suitable connecting means such as integrally formed connecting flanges which overlap the inside surface of an end panel. The opposite ends of the front and rear panels may be attached to the opposite end panel by overlapping interior and exterior support plates of left and right wheel assemblies. The end panels preferably define curved panel portions forming opposite endwall boundaries of the transportable compartment and one end panel is intersected by a handle receptacle notch. The end portion is stiffened and stabilized relative to the bottom panel by a retractable pull handle assembly mounted in the receptacle notch. The pull handle assembly is mounted on the end panel portion by interior and exterior receptacle plates which are curved for conforming, overlapping engagement against the inside and outside surfaces of the end panel portion. The front and rear panels are attached to the bottom panel and to the end panel portions and are structurally stabilized with respect to each other by interior and exterior wheel housing plates which are curved for conforming, flush engagement against the end panel portion.
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Kanz Jack A.
Paragon Luggage, Inc.
Weaver Sue A.
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