Patent Grant
8668064
This invention relates to the construction of luggage cases, and more particularly, to a luggage case construction in which the inner lining material is anchored to an internal wire frame structure, thereby resulting in fewer or no seams and stitching to attach the inner lining material to and through the outer material.
A luggage case typically includes an outer material layer defining an outer surface that is handled by a user, an inner material layer that lines the interior of the luggage case, a frame defining the peripheral shape of the luggage, a reinforcement structure configured to reinforce and maintain the shape of the frame, and one or more of various opening structures to allow access to the interior space inside the luggage case. These components, which can include foam, wires, poly sheets, or the like, are typically attached together in a manner that requires anchoring of the inner material layer to the outer material layer using various attachment means or structures, such as sewing, riveting, bonding, anchors, and so on. This anchoring of the inner material layer to the outer material layer can create interruptions and marring, for example, by stitching or seams, on the outer surface of the luggage case, which can compromise its overall aesthetic appearance. The anchoring of the inner and outer material layers can further compromise the structural integrity of the luggage case, since each of these layers can be torn or otherwise damaged due to pulling of the other. This typical construction of luggage cases generally requires that the luggage case be built from the outside to the inside, which also can limit the structural and aesthetic design choices for constructing the luggage case.
It is to satisfy the above-recognized issues that the present invention has been developed.
One embodiment of a luggage case may include a first wire frame element forming at least a partial peripheral shape of a main body, an inner material attached at least in part to the first wire frame element, an outer material positioned over the first wire frame element, and a second wire frame element attached at least in part to the inner material and the outer material. The outer material is not attached to the first wire frame element.
In another embodiment, the outer material may be free of any interruptions created by anchoring the first wire frame element to the outer material. In a further embodiment, the partial shape may include at least a partial peripheral shape of the main body. In another embodiment, the inner material may define one or more pockets configured to receive one or more structural members. In some embodiments, the structural members are configured as one or more plates.
In another embodiment, one or more structural members may be configured to bias the first wire frame element away from the second wire frame element. Additionally, one or more structural members may be formed from a structurally resilient material. In another embodiment, the first wire frame element may be positioned in a different plane than the second wire frame element.
Another embodiment is directed to a method of making a luggage case. The method includes forming a first wire frame element into at least a portion of a shape of luggage, attaching an inner material to the first wire frame element, and laying an outer material over the first wire frame element without securing the outer material to the first wire frame element to form an outer wall of the luggage case.
In another embodiment of the method, the outer wall of the luggage case does not include any external interruptions. In a further embodiment, the inner material may be attached to the first wire frame element by forming a hem around a portion of the first wire frame element. Another embodiment may include attaching the inner material to a second wire frame element. A further embodiment may include attaching at least a portion of the outer material to the second wire frame element.
Another embodiment of the method may further include forming one or more pockets in the inner material. Another embodiment may include positioning one or more structural members in the one or more pockets of the inner material. Additionally, the one or more structural members may be configured to bias the second wire frame element away from the first wire frame element.
Another embodiment of a luggage case may include a first wire frame element forming at least a partial shape of a main body, an inner material attached at least in part to the first wire frame element, and an outer material positioned over the first wire frame element. The outer material may not be substantively attached to the first wire frame element.
In another embodiment, a second wire frame element may be attached at least in part to the inner material and the outer material. Additionally, the inner material may define one or more pockets configured to receive one or more structural members.
The features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, illustrated by way of example in the drawing figures, wherein:
a is a cross section taken along line 3a-3a of
b and 3c show additional representative examples of the cross section in
A luggage case 20 is shown in
In one example, one side of the intermediate rim 26 may be fixedly attached, for example, by an edge bead 33, to one of the perimeter edges 28, 30 (respectively) of the front and rear portions 22, 24, while the other side of the intermediate rim 26 may be releasably attached to the other of the perimeter edges 28, 30. The perimeter edge 28, 30 may be releasably attached to the intermediate rim 26 by one or more zippers 29 joined to the perimeter edge 28, 30 and one side of the intermediate rim 26, buckles, latches, tongue and groove engagements, or other suitable releasable closure mechanism. The intermediate rim 26 may be a rigid structure or a flexible structure.
As referenced above, the front portion 22 and the rear portion 24 may be joined by a hinge structure that allows them to be selectively pivoted relative to each other to different configurations while remaining joined via the hinge structure. For example, the hinge structure may be a living hinge, a piano hinge, hinge brackets or the like. While the structure allowing relative motion is referred to herein as a hinge structure, it should be understood that other examples of luggage cases may employ other structures that allow for other types of movement between the front and rear portions 22, 24.
The hinge structure may be positioned in a variety of locations according to different examples. In one example, for example, where the intermediate rim 26 is fixedly attached to the rear portion 24, then a hinge structure may be positioned between the intermediate rim 26 and the front portion 22. Conversely, if the intermediate rim 26 is fixedly attached to the front portion 22, then a hinge structure may be positioned between the intermediate rim 26 and the rear portion 24. The hinge structure may be positioned along a short side or a long side of the luggage case shown in
As known in the art, the luggage case 20 may also include any of a carry handle, an extendable pull handle, or wheels as desired. For example, the luggage case 20 may include 2 wheels, 4 wheels, or some other number of wheels. External pockets or other additional structure may be included on the luggage case if desired.
While the luggage case 20 shown in
For the purposes of describing the inventive aspects herein, reference will be made to the construction of the front portion 22 of the luggage case 20, it being understood that the described construction may be applied to the rear portion 24, and to luggage cases that include only one portion or more than two portions. In other words, this construction may be applied to a portion of a luggage case, or may be applied to the entirety of a luggage case depending on the particular peripheral shape, structure, and features of a specific luggage case. Also, while described herein with respect to a soft-sided luggage case, this construction may also apply to hard sided luggage cases, hybrid luggage cases (i.e. combinations of soft and hard sided luggage), luggage cases with flexible yet rigid side panels, business cases, duffle bags, backpacks and purses.
The front portion 22 of the luggage case of
In one embodiment, a cutout 40 may be formed in each corner of the main panel 35 of the first outer material 34 where the edges of the material 34 would otherwise typically intersect. The cutouts 40 may provide aesthetic benefits, in that they may allow for the formation of seamless, rounded corners, and may also allow for the application of a second outer material 42 different from the first outer material 34 on the corners of the luggage case 20. In some embodiments, the second outer material 42 may be visually distinct from the first outer material 34, for example, by using materials of contrasting color or texture, to create a distinctive luggage case design. In other embodiments, the second outer material 42 may be formed from a wear-resistant material, such as wear-resistant fabric, rubber, plastic, vinyl, and so on, to protect the corners of the luggage case 20, which are often more subject to wear and tear than other portions of the case 20. In other embodiments, the second outer material 42 may be formed from an injected material or a hard material such as plastic or metal.
The second outer material 42 is attached along an edge 44 to the intermediate rim 26, such as by an second wire frame element 32. The second material 42 is also attached along or adjacent to the abutting edges 41 of the cutouts 40 to the first outer material 34, such as by sewing, stapling, riveting, bonding or the like. The second outer material 42 and the cutouts 40 in the main material 40 are not required.
In one embodiment, the main panel 35 of the first outer material 34 may be seamless as it curves from the main panel towards the lateral edges and intermediate rim 26. This curvature provides a smooth, substantially seamless transition curve from a main face (i.e. 35) to minor peripheral faces that define the edges that engage intermediate rim 26. In other words, the main panel 35 may be substantially free of any seams, stitching marks or lines, or other anchor structures, caused by attaching the second outer material 42 to the first outer material 34, and interrupting the main panel 35 in the regions between the cutouts 40 or in the central portion of the panel 35. Also, the main panel 35 is curved around the shoulders 60 defined between the main panel 35 and edge panels 36, 38, in a manner that is substantially free of any seams, stitching marks, or lines, or other anchor structures, which are typically caused by forming the edge panels 36, 38 relative to the main panel 35 in a standard non-hardside luggage case. This lack of interruption in the first outer material 34 is facilitated by the wire frame anchoring construction shown and described herein.
The liner collar 43 may extend forwardly from an inner perimeter edge 50 positioned adjacent to or overlapping the intermediate rim 26, to an outer perimeter edge 52. The width of the liner collar 43, which is the distance from the inner perimeter edge 50 and the outer perimeter edge 52, may be such that both the cutouts 40 and the second outer material 42 are overlapped by the liner collar 43 on the interior-facing side. The straight portions, or corners, of the liner collar 43 may include recesses or pockets configured to receive one or more structural members 48, such as flexible polymer foam or polymer sheets, configured to provide some shape retention and structural support. In one embodiment, each structural member 48 may be formed from a structurally resilient material that substantially assumes its original shape after it is bent or otherwise deformed.
As will be further described below, the structural members 48 may serve to bias the wire frame against the outer layer(s) 34, 42, and, in this way, keep the outer layer 34, 42 in the desired shape and position. In one embodiment, the liner collar 43 may be sloped along its width to match the curvature of the main panel 35 where it may curve over the shoulder 60 to form edge panels 36, 38, whose edges meet the intermediate rim 26. In some embodiments, the minimum and maximum dimensions of the inner perimeter edge 50 may be greater than the same corresponding features of the outer perimeter edge 52, creating the slope along the width of the liner collar 43. The liner collar 43 may thus have a three-dimensional configuration, such that the inner and outer perimeter edges 50, 52 are positioned on separate planes. In other embodiments, the liner collar 43 may have a two-dimensional, rather than a three-dimensional, configuration.
The liner collar 43 may be continuous, as shown in
Continuing with
The first wire frame element 58 may extend around the entire perimeter 52 of the liner collar 43 in the hem 54, or may extend around a partial perimeter coincident with the extension of the hem 54. The first wire frame element 58 may also extend in segments coincident with a segmented hem 54. Additionally, the first wire frame element 58 may extend around the entire perimeter and not be positioned in the hem 54 continuously. The hem 54 may only cover part of the first wire frame element 58 to help maintain its position. The first wire frame element 58 may be exposed outside of the hem 54, or may be positioned through and covered by other materials used to construct the luggage case.
The first wire frame element 58 may be made of a wire of any dimension capable of being bent to create the desired structural shape. The first wire frame element 58 may be made of a structurally resistant material, such that the wire may conform to its original shape after being bent. The wire may be formed from metal, or a non-metal material, such as plastic or rubber, if suitable for the purposes described herein. In some embodiments, the first wire frame element 58 may be formed a bundle of wires having smaller cross-sectional dimensions than the overall cross-sectional dimension of the first wire frame element 58.
The second wire frame element 32 may be attached, as by sewing for instance, to the inner perimeter 50 of the liner collar 43, to the linear edges 55 of the first outer material 34 that extend between the cutouts 40, and to the inner edges of the second outer material 42. The second wire frame element 32 may be received inside a hem structure, as shown and described in
The liner collar 43 may form recesses 56 or pockets (noted by dashed lines) in order to receive the structural members 48, which keep the second wire frame element 32 and the first wire frame element 58 spaced apart from one another, on opposite sides of the structural member 48. One example of recesses 56 that can be used to form the structural members 48 is shown in
The first wire frame element 58 may serve as an anchor to which the liner collar 43 is attached at its outer perimeter 52. The first wire frame element 58 may further provide structural rigidity to at least the outer perimeter 52 of the liner collar 43 to allow it to extend along the inside surface of the first outer material 34 and second outer material 42 at least partially or entirely to support the materials 34, 42 in position without requiring the first and second outer materials 34, 42 to be attached to the liner collar 43 in those regions. As referenced above, this eliminates the need to have any type of stitching, seam, or other interruption of the first outer material 34 in this region to provide support to the assembled structure, and allows a clean-lined, interruption free outer material along the main panel 35 and around the curved portions of the edge panel 36, 38.
a is a cross section view taken along line 3a-3a of
As referenced above, the liner collar 43 may be attached to the first wire frame element 58 after it has been formed into a desired shape. This attachment may be provided by a hem 54 around the outer perimeter edge 52 of the liner collar 43. The hem 54 may receive the wire frame 58 therethrough to secure the liner collar 43 (in this case the liner collar 43) to the first wire frame element 58.
The pocket 56 defined in the width of the liner collar 43 may receive the structural member 48. The structural member 48, when positioned in the pocket 56, serves to space the first wire frame element 58 away from the bead edge 32, as well as provide structural reinforcement to the front portion 22 and to the minor faces of the front portion 22 where the structural member(s) are positioned. As shown in
As shown in
In one embodiment, the first wire frame element 58 at the outer perimeter 52 of the liner collar 43 is not attached to the first outer material 34 at any other attachment point. In other words, the only point at which the liner collar 43 and the first wire frame element 58 are attached to the first outer material 34 is the attachment point 62 located near the second wire frame element 32 and adjacent the intermediate rim 26 between the front and rear panels 22, 24. The first outer material 34 thus curves from the main face to a minor face without attachment to an underlying frame structure at or near the line of curvature 60. The first outer material is simply supported from the inside at the line of curvature 60. Accordingly, the first outer material 34 may be overlaid onto the first wire frame element 58 to take the shape of the first wire frame element 58 without being attached or anchored to the first wire frame element 58. This keeps any seams, sew lines, or other interruption from being formed in the first outer material 34, and provides a clean line in the outer materials 34, 42. Therefore, any interruptions in the first outer material 34 caused by anchoring the second outer material 42 or the first wire frame element 58 thereto are eliminated or significantly reduced. The structural members 48 thus serve to space the first wire frame element wire 58 away from the second wire frame element 32, which in turn biases the wire frame 58 against the outer material(s) 34, 42, and, in this way, keeps the outer material(s) 34, 42 in the desired shape.
As shown in
The structural member 48 may further serve to maintain the first wire frame element 58 in a desired location and prevent it from shifting relative to the front panel 22, thereby reducing the need to attach the first wire frame element 58 to an additional support structure or anchor. The size and shape of the structural member 48 may vary according to different examples of luggage cases. For example, some embodiments may use multiple structural members 48 that are positioned intermittently along the length of the first wire frame element 58, as shown in
In some embodiments, the first wire frame element 58 or the outer perimeter 52 of the liner collar 43, may be tacked to the first outer material 34 at intermittent locations along the outer perimeter 52 along the inside surface of the first outer material 34. Such an attachment by a tack structure, which can include, for example, a single or very few sewing stitches or the like, can be less perceptible than a longer seam or sew-line. The tack structure may be able to be associated with or hidden by design features or other structures (such as branding badge, pocket zipper seams, or the like) provided in the inside or outside surface of the first outside material 34, so as to not be noticeable from the outside-facing surface of the first outside material 34. In this way, a first outer material 34 may be kept substantially free of interruption even if intermittent tacking is utilized.
The liner collar material 43 may be anchored to the first wire frame element 58 and held in position by the first wire frame element 58 without the liner collar material 43 or the first wire frame element 58 being attached to the first outer material 34, thus providing the benefit of an uninterrupted expanse of the outer material 34 described above. The first wire frame element 58 may also form a structural skeleton about which the first outer material 34 is overlaid or positioned and fastened along intersecting edges of the outer material 34 where necessary, but not requiring seams or beads in the middle of the first outer material 34 to attach it to the first wire frame element 58. The wire frame 58 may be a single portion of the frame of a traditionally built case, or the wire frame 58 may be the only type of frame in the luggage case. In some embodiments, a plurality of first wire frame elements 58 may be combined together to form a portion of a periphery of a luggage case.
As referenced above, the structure described herein allows for constructing a luggage case from the inside to the outside, as opposed to the typical manner of constructing a luggage case from the outside to the inside. In short, the first wire frame element 58 is formed to create the desired overall peripheral shape, or a portion of the overall shape, of a luggage case. As shown in
In other embodiments, as shown in
The wire frame structure defined herein provides a lightweight means to construct and configure a luggage case with fewer interruptions of the major panels of the luggage case caused by anchoring the interior materials to and through the outer material panels. This construction may be used for entire luggage cases, or portions of luggage cases. It is also capable of being used on hard side luggage cases to position the liner collar inside without having to attach the liner collar to the hard-side members in the middle of a span. Because the wire frame construction can be done efficiently by hand using traditional sewing and assembly methods to obtain the clean uninterrupted spans of outer fabric, luggage manufacturers do not need to rely as much on hard-sided luggage styles produced by more expensive molding processes.
While the methods disclosed herein have been described and shown with reference to particular steps performed in a particular order, it will be understood that these steps may be combined, subdivided, or re-ordered to form an equivalent method without departing from the teachings of the present invention. Accordingly, unless specifically indicated herein, the order and grouping of the steps are not generally intended to be a limitation of the present invention.
A variety of embodiments and variations of structures and methods are disclosed herein. Where appropriate, common reference numbers were used for common structural and method features. However, unique reference numbers were sometimes used for similar or the same structural or method elements for descriptive purposes. As such, the use of common or different reference numbers for similar or the same structural or method elements is not intended to imply a similarity or difference beyond that described herein.
The references herein to “up” or “top”, “bottom” or “down”, “lateral” or “side”, and “horizontal” and “vertical”, as well as any other relative position descriptor are given by way of example for the particular embodiment described and not as a requirement or limitation of the shade or the apparatus and method for assembling the shade. Reference herein to “is”, “are”, “should”, “would”, or other words implying a directive or positive requirement are intended to be inclusive of the permissive use, such as “may”, “might”, and “could,” unless specifically indicated otherwise. Fluid as referred to herein may be both liquid and gaseous phases of materials.
The apparatus and associated method in accordance with the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments thereof. Therefore, the above description is by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. Accordingly, it is intended that all such alterations and variations and modifications of the embodiments are within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
The references herein to “up” or “top”, “bottom” or “down”, “lateral” or “side”, or “horizontal” or “vertical,” as well as any other relative position descriptor are given by way of example for the particular embodiment described and not as a requirement or limitation of the shade or the apparatus and method for assembling the shade.
The apparatus and associated method in accordance with the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments thereof. Therefore, the above description is by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. Accordingly, it is intended that all such alterations and variations and modifications of the embodiments are within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. provisional application No. 61/288,110, entitled “Assembly Structure For a Luggage Case” filed on Dec. 18, 2009, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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