ITEM OF LUGGAGE OR SUITCASE COMPRISING MEANS FOR RETAINING THE CONTENTS OF THE ITEM OF LUGGAGE OR SUITCASE

Abstract

An item of luggage or suitcase includes a retainer to retain the contents of the item of luggage or suitcase. The retainer includes a removable retaining plate and a plurality of downwardly open hooks that are secured to the item of luggage or suitcase.

Description

The invention relates to a piece of luggage or suitcase comprising means for retaining the contents of the piece of luggage or suitcase.

Documents EP 379 438 A1 and FR 2 711 044 A1, are describing a piece of luggage provided with means for retaining the content of the piece of luggage. The retaining means comprise straps, that are or are not elastic, intended for retaining the carried items. The strap ends may be fixed to a wall of the suitcase by an anchoring device or by means of loops

The documents FR 2 860 650 A1 and WO 2011/139 318 A1, describe pieces of luggage or suitcases comprising a partition wall dividing their internal volume and comprising anchoring means on the wall opposite to the joint of the partition wall.

Other devices comprise partition plates fixed by snap fasteners or by straps to a wall of the suitcase.

Documents GB 2.489.832 A1 and EP 1.712 149 A1, describe a piece of luggage comprising snap fasteners, VELCRO® fasteners or peripheral zippers that do not enable a height adjustment, nor an effective retaining of the contents under a light compression.

Documents EP 0.375.925 A1 and CN 201.267.257, describe a piece of luggage comprising fully opened grooves forming slideways or means that do not enable a height adjustment, nor an effective retaining of the contents under a light compression.

The aim of the invention is to propose a new piece of luggage with an effective retaining of the contents of suitcase while traveling, without wrinkling the contents, not requiring an adjustment by means of a strap.

Another aim of the invention is to hold effectively the suitcase contents, without wrinkling it, while providing a height adjustment and slightly compressing the contents so as to secure its retaining.

Another aim of the invention is to use a retaining means, adjustable in height and removable, enabling an easy access to the contents of the piece of luggage.

The invention concerns a piece of luggage or suitcase comprising means for retaining the contents of the piece luggage or of the suitcase, characterized in that the retaining means comprise, in combination, a retaining removable plate to effectively hold the contents of the suitcase with a large contact face and a plurality of hooks opened downwards and attached to the piece of luggage or to the suitcase, to engage the removable plate by pushing the aforementioned removable retaining plate downwards, then by letting it move upwards to allow its catching by the hooks, adapted for the height adjustment required for retaining the contents of the suitcase.

According to embodiments of the invention:

• • The removable retaining plate comprises a peripheral frame cooperating with the hooks opened downwards.
  • The plurality of hooks attached to the piece of luggage is advantageously divided into several sets, each set forming a retaining rack comprising several downwards opened hooks.
  • Each retaining rack is advantageously fixed on a sidewall of the piece of luggage or of the suitcase.
  • The hooks may exhibit an opening that widens from bottom to top.
  • The bottom part of the opening is preferably slightly narrower than the diameter of the frame entering in the hooks.
  • The top part of the opening is preferably slightly wider than the diameter of the frame entering in the hooks.
  • The piece of luggage may comprise pairs of racks, fixed on opposite on sidewalls of the piece of luggage.
  • The peripheral frame may be advantageously connected to a flexible central portion.
  • The flexible central portion may advantageously bear pockets
  • The piece of luggage may comprise four racks, each comprising at least two downwards opened hooks.

The invention will be better understood considering the following description given as a nonrestrictive example, and in reference to the annexed drawings in which:

FIG. 1 schematically represents a first embodiment of a rack with several hooks according to the invention.

FIG. 2 schematically represents a second embodiment of a rack with several hooks according to the invention.

FIG. 3 schematically represents a perspective view of a rack with several hooks according to the invention.

FIG. 4 schematically represents a partial view in perspective of a hook according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 schematically represents a perspective view of a first embodiment of the removable retaining plate according to the invention.

FIG. 6 schematically represents a second embodiment of the removable retaining plate according to the invention.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, identical elements or functionally equivalents are referred by identical reference numbers.

The invention makes it possible to effectively hold the contents of a suitcase, with a large contact area, without requiring further handling than pushing the removable plate downwards and letting it move upwards to hook in the retaining downwards opened hooks.

Preferably, the plurality of hooks is split in retaining racks, each comprising several downwards opened hooks.

Each retaining rack may be fixed on a sidewall of the piece of luggage.

The retaining racks are preferably fixed in opposing pairs on sidewalls of the piece of luggage. A particularly advantageous embodiment consists in the fixing of four racks, each one comprising at least four hooks, on the sidewalls of the piece of luggage.

On FIG. 1, according to a first embodiment, a rack comprising several hooks intended to be fixed on a sidewall of a piece of luggage having a rounded bottom, comprises a curved rail (1) integral with seven hooks (2) opened downwards and adapted to receive a cord or a stem of suitable shape constituting the frame of a removable retaining plate.

The frame may be separated from the central portion of the plate or may be assembled in welt with openings at the intended locations of the hooks.

In the set shown on FIG. 1, the hooks are preferably delimited by an inside outline corresponding to the surface of the supporting rail (1) and by an outline narrowed towards the bottom, so that the hooks (2) exhibit an opening widening from bottom to top.

On FIG. 2, according to another embodiment, the rack comprising several hooks according to the invention, comprises a support (1) intended to be fixed on a sidewall of a suitcase (not shown). The support (1) may exhibit a curved shape but may also be of any other shape without departing from the invention framework.

In this example, the hooks (2) attached to the support (1) exhibit a shape bended like a fishhook, that is more particularly dedicated to a cord with an oval cross section which can be retained or engaged in the fishhook shape of the hook (2).

The set may comprise six hooks as shown on FIG. 2, but may comprise more or less of these, without departing from the invention framework.

On FIG. 3, according to another embodiment of the invention, the rack with several hooks comprises a support (1) provided with five hooks (2). In this example, the hooks (2) exhibit an inside outline following a trapezoidal prism enabling the interlocking of a flexible and slightly deformable cord.

The number of hooks may also be changed, without departing from the invention framework.

On FIG. 4, a hook (2) according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1) exhibit a narrower bottom opening, of width (d), allowing the forced insertion of a cord of the frame of the removable retaining plate, through a slight deformation in the opening of the hook (2).

The top part of the hook (2) exhibits a widened portion with a space (e) wider than the aforementioned width (d).

The diameter of the cord of the removable retaining plate consequently lies between the width (d) and the aforementioned space (e).

Thus, when the cord of the frame of a removable retaining plate is engaged in the entry of the hook (2), the frame is maintained with play in the top part of the hook (2).

Thus, during the transportation of a piece of luggage or of a suitcase, the retaining cord is able to travel according to the play in the top portion of the hook (2), but cannot leave the lower end of the hook (2), because the width (d) is narrower than the diameter of the cord of the removable retaining frame.

On FIG. 5, according to a first embodiment, the removable retaining plate of the invention is referred by the general reference 3. The removable retaining plate comprises a frame (4) made by a cord out of metal or out of glass fiber.

The cord of the frame (4) is connected by loops (5) to a central portion, so that this central portion is held under a certain tension by the frame formed by the cord (4). According to the shown example, there are three loops (5) each side, which secure a satisfactory and relatively even tension to provide a certain traction on the central portion.

According to the shown setup, the central portion comprises channels (6a, 6b) making a way for the holding tubes of a telescopic handle, generally laid out on the bottom of the suitcase, which makes it possible to sustain the pockets delimited on both sides of the channels (6a and 6b) on the bottom of the suitcase when this one is nearly empty.

According to the shown setup, four pockets are delimited by the channels (6a, 6b), i.e. two central pockets (6c, 6d) and two side pockets (6th, 6f).

On FIG. 6, another embodiment of the removable retaining plate according to the invention also comprises a peripheral frame made up from a cord (4), loops (5) and a central portion (6). The central part may also comprise pockets or may be openwork, without departing from the invention framework.

The loops (5) may be replaced by a welt, in such a case the central portion (6) extends up to the frame delimited by the cord (4). Interruptions in the welt may be performed at the locations intended to cooperate with the hooks (2).

After having fixed the racks by their support (1) on sidewalls of the suitcase, the retaining of the contents of the suitcase is carried out in a simple way, by pushing the removable retaining plate in contact with the contents, until obtaining a light compression, then by letting the removable retaining plate move upwards to enable its catch by the hooks (2) and the interlocking of the cord (4) in the hook (2) corresponding to the height adjustment necessary to maintain the contents of the bag.

The lay out makes it possible to slightly compress the contents of the suitcase, so as to avoid any wrinkling and any damage of these contents.

Having a central portion comprising pockets also makes it possible to separate certain item from the contents of the suitcase to attach them with the removable plate and to use this removable plate as a display pack or as a desk pad, after taking it out of the suitcase.

According to another embodiment, the removable retaining plate may also comprise additional grips to allow fixing of it on a clotheshanger or another hanging means, so as to set up the pockets vertically for an easier access.

The invention disclosed in reference to specific embodiments is by no way limited to them, but covers any modification of shape and any alternative embodiment falling into the scope of the annexed claims.

Although the invention is described in reference to at least one retaining rack (1) fixed on a sidewall of the piece of luggage, it also covers the embodiments comprising racks or hooks fixed on the top wall or “ceiling” of the suitcase and/or on the bottom wall or “floor” of the suitcase, or either on or in the corners of the suitcase.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A piece of luggage/suitcase comprising a retainer to retain contents of the piece luggage/suitcase, wherein the retainer comprises, in combination, a removable retaining plate to effectively hold the contents of the luggage/suitcase with a large contact face, and a plurality of hooks opened downwardly and attached to the piece of luggage/suitcase, the removable retaining plate is configured to move downwardly and then upwardly to engage the downwardly opened hooks, the downwardly opened hooks are configured for an height adjustment to retain the contents of the luggage/suitcase.

13. The piece of luggage/suitcase according to claim 12, wherein the removable retaining plate comprises a peripheral frame cooperating with the downwardly opened hooks.

14. The piece of luggage/suitcase according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of hooks attached to the piece of luggage is split into sets, each set of downwardly open hooks forming a retaining rack.

15. The piece of luggage/suitcase according to claim 14, wherein each retaining rack is fixed on a sidewall of the piece of luggage/suitcase.

16. The piece of luggage/suitcase according to claim 12, wherein each downwardly opened hook exhibits an opening that widens from its bottom part to its top part.

17. The piece of luggage/suitcase according to claim 13, wherein each downwardly opened hook exhibits an opening that widens from its bottom part to its top part, the bottom part of the opening is narrower than a diameter of the peripheral frame.

18. The piece of luggage/suitcase according to claim 17, wherein the top part of the opening is wider than the diameter of the peripheral frame.

19. The piece of luggage/suitcase according to claim 14, wherein the retaining racks are fixed on sidewalls of the luggage/suitcase in opposing pairs.

20. The piece of luggage/suitcase according to claim 13, wherein the peripheral frame is connected to a flexible central portion of the removable retaining plate.

21. The piece of luggage/suitcase according to claim 20, wherein the flexible central portion comprises pockets.

22. The piece of luggage/suitcase according to claim 14, further comprising four retaining racks, each retaining rack comprising at least two downwardly opened hooks.