Article of luggage

Abstract

 The invention relates to a suitcase, or the like, which comprises a rigid box-­like body (1) having in a wall thereof an opening embrasure which can be closed by means of a cover (11) having a surface with no corners and of the same dimensions as said opening embrasure, so that it completes the surface of said wall in alignment with the remaining parts thereof.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an article of luggage, such as, for example, a suitcase, a travelling-bag, a valise, or any other box-like container suitable for the transportation of objects in general, for travel-, work-, or leisure-­purposes.

[0002] The article of luggage according to the invention is of the rigid type, is made of any suitable material of known type, and is characterized on that it is constituted by a box-like body which has, in one of its walls, an opening which can be closed by a cover with no corners which, when the suitcase is closed, completes the surface of said wall in alignment with the remaining parts thereof.

[0003] The characteristics of the article of luggage according to the invention, and the advantages resulting therefrom, will become apparent from the following description thereof, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a suitcase according to the invention, showing the wall that is provided with the cover.

Figures 2 and 3 are end elevational views of the suitcase, showing the opposite side end fronts thereof.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the suitcase, with the cover in the opened condition.

[0004] With reference to the Figures, the suitcase comprises a unitary body 1 made of any suitable rigid material, including a larger wall or bottom wall 2 (so termed because it constitutes the bottom of the suitcase when the latter is normally opened or closed to be either filled or emptied), a wall 3 intended to rest on the ground and provided at one end with small wheels 4 to permit a user to pull along the suitcase, and with small feet 5 at the other end to rest on the ground, two side end fronts 6 and 7 of which the front 6, which is opposite to the end provided with the wheels 4, is provided with a suitable handle 8 to pull along the suitcase on the wheels 4, said handle 8 being hinged in a known manner to said front 6 and being retractable in a concealed position, when not being used, within a suitably-shaped recess formed in said front 6. The body 1 comprises, finally, a handle wall 9 provided with the suitcase-handle proper 10, also of known construction and designed to be retractable into a concealed position (when not in use) within a suitable recess formed in said handle wall 9. The ground-resting wall 3, handle wall 9, and side end fronts 6 and 7 extend further a certain extent along the ideal surface which would constitute a larger wall equal and opposite to the bottom wall 2, so as to form (as shown clearly in Figure 1) a substantially rectangular or trapezoidal frame 103, 106, 109, 107 which defines the embrasure opening of the suitcase body 1. In conclusion, the suitcase body 1 is a box-like element of substantially parallelepipedal shape (in the illustrated embodiment, of slightly trapezoidal cross section) with no cover at a larger wall thereof.

[0005] Finally, the suitcase comprises a cover 11 with no corners (either of sharp or rounded configuration), which is hinged in any suitable manner at 12 to the side 103 of the frame which defines the embrasure opening of the suitcase. Said cover is of such dimensions as to close said opening perfectly and is provided with any suitable lock 13 co-operating with the side 109 of the opening-­defining frame, that is opposite to the hinge side 103. Suitable seals of known type (not shown) are provided to grant a perfect tightness between the edges of the cover and the mating edges of the frame which defines the opening embrasure of the suitcase.

[0006] Adjacent the ground-resting wall 3 and the handle wall 9 there may be provided, inside of the suitcase body 1, suitable partitions 203, 209, respectively, to define pockets for containing small objects such as vanity and cosmetic articles or the like, or for containing objects to be kept separate from the remaining contents of the suitcase, such as shoes or slippers. Other compartments may be provided, in a conventional and conceivable manner, depending upon the size, and therefore capacity, of the suitcase.

[0007] The advantages resulting from the new suitcase illustrated above are apparent. The filling or packing up of the suitcase is effected in the hollow of the body 1, with visible and certain indication of the maximum level that can be reached by the objects packed up in the suitcase, which is necessarily the level of the opening embrasure, in contrast with what occurs with the conventional two-­shell suitcases, or suitcases with a cover to be inserted onto the open box-­like element, where one must calculate approximately the space exceeding the level of the box-like element (the one comprising the bottom of the suitcase), to dispose additional objects or garments thereover, subordinately to the necessity to forcedly compress them (or to remove them) upon closing the suitcase with a mating shell-cover or a conventional cover.

[0008] Advantageously, the filling of the suitcase may be effected by means of suitably-sized extractible trays.

[0009] Moreover, the unitary construction of the suitcase body 1 ensures an improved ruggedness and imperviousness due to the absence of closure lines exposed directly (for example) to the rain, when the suitcase rests on its ground-resting wall 3.

[0010] In the description we have omitted the constructional details concerning the hinge system 12 of the cover 11 to the suitcase body 1, since they may be varied depending upon the requirements and the type of the suitcase, and anyway they may be easily conceived and constructed by anyone skilled in the art. Similarly, we have omitted the details concerning the lock system 13 of the cover 11, since they are also liable to changes and modifications depending upon the type of suitcase and the required degree of security.

[0011] Therefore, it is to be understood that several changes and modifications, especially of constructional nature, may be made to the invention without departing from the novelty principle, and, therefore, the benefits of this patent should extend to the models that, by using the same novelty principle, achieve a similar utility.

[0012] For example, it is obvious that the novelty principle constituting the basis of this invention may be advantageously applied to any other article of luggage other than the illustrated one, such as, for example, a tubular container, and in this instance the cover may be applied either at one of the heads of said container, or at a cylindrical wall thereof.

Claims

1. An article of luggage, such as for example a suitcase, a travelling-bag, a valise, a beauty-case, or the like, characterized in that it comprises a rigid box-like body (1) having in a wall thereof an opening embrasure which can be closed by means of a cover (11) having a surface with no corners and of the same dimensions as said opening embrasure, so that it completes the surface of said wall in alignment with the remaining parts thereof.

2. An article of luggage according to claim 1, characterized in that it is of substantially parallelepipedal shape, wherein the opening embrasure is implemented in a larger wall thereof.

3. An article of luggage according to claim 1, characterized in that it is of trapezoidal cross section.

4. An article of luggage according to claim 1, characterized in that it has corners, and that at least the larger wall (2) and the cover (11) are of convex configuration, the convexity being directed outwards.

5. An article of luggage according to claim 1, characterized in that it has side end walls (6,7) of slightly curved configuration, the convexity being directed outwards.

6. An article of luggage according to claim 1, characterized in that the ground-resting wall and handle wall (3,9) and the side end walls (6,7) of the suitcase body (1) extend further a certain extent along the ideal surface which would constitute a wall equal and opposite to said larger or bottom wall (2) of the suitcase body (1), so as to form a substantially rectangular or trapezoidal frame (103, 106, 109, 107) which defines the opening embrasure of the suitcase.

7. An article of luggage according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover (11) is hinged (12) along one side of said frame, and is provided with lock means (13) at the opposite side.

Drawing