The main object of the present invention is a device for protecting a suitcase, whose main aim is to prevent the suitcase from being opened by unauthorised persons and to protect it from abrasions resulting from handling in airports and similar facilities.
The device is elastic, waterproof and universal and protects suitcases of different sizes by a cover which is extremely elastic, waterproof and resistant to abrasions, which has an opening wherethrough the suitcase can be inserted and equipped with inviolable, customisable seal fasteners. The cover is of smaller dimensions than those of the suitcases to adapt to them due to its elasticity in all directions.
It is known that suitcases, when handled in airports and similar facilities, are subject to abrasions and other damage. To overcome this drawback, manufacturers tend to make suitcase increasingly more hard-wearing, although as a result, they are also heavier and more expensive.
Another occurrence in these facilities is that during check-in, loading and off-loading of suitcases, unauthorised persons sometimes gain access to their content, and thefts have even been known to occur.
In an attempt to prevent this, it is increasingly frequent to see suitcases wrapped in plastic film, although this is an awkward job which does not effectively protect against abrasions and calls for the use of a specific machine. It also shows the suitcase in an unfavourable light and the wrapping is not re-usable.
Another example of a device for protecting a suitcase is disclosed in document
The device of the invention has the features of claim 1 and has an ideal constitution for protecting a suitcase against abrasions and undue opening.
According to the invention, the device consists of an extremely elastic and waterproof cover, resistant to abrasions, with at least one opening for inserting the suitcase.
Furthermore, the opening is closed with the help of inviolable and customisable seals, which, in order to extract the suitcase from the cover, would have to be broken, which would be easily detected even if it were to be resealed, due to the possibility of the seals being customised by means of silk-screen printing, pad printing, etc.
The cover is equipped with windows to admit the wheels and handles of the suitcase.
The format of the cover is slightly smaller than the dimensions of the suitcase. Due to the high degree of elasticity of the material of the cover it will adapt like a glove to any suitcase of any shape or size, protecting it from abrasions and undue handling. The material chosen to manufacture the cover is elastic enough to allow it to stretch to at least double its size.
The cover can be manufactured in a variety of materials. They could be chosen, for example, from among the following:
The cover is also equipped with pockets for storing documentation, such as tickets or passports.
In order to complement this description, and with the aim of aiding a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of a practical embodiment thereof, the present specification is accompanied by a set of drawings in whose figures, for illustrative and non-limitative purposes, the following details have been portrayed:
The device (1) for protecting a suitcase of the invention comprises a very elastic and waterproof cover (2), resistant to abrasions, with at least one opening (3) for admittance of the suitcase (4). Said opening (3) is closed with the cooperation of inviolable security seals (5), and by means of a flap (30) where said inviolable, customisable security seals (5) are implemented.
The cover is equipped with windows (6, 6a, 6b, 6c) to admit the wheels (7, 7a) and the handles (8, 8a) of the suitcase (4).
One of the windows (6a) is placed in a position corresponding to that of some of the side handles (8a) of the suitcase (4). It is to these handles (8a) that the airport identification labels (11) are attached. In said window (6a) there is a small flap (9) with a fastener (10), the window (6a) being noticeably longer than the small flap (9) in order to admit the ends of the handle (8a) and leave the rest of the window protected by the small flap (9).
Another window (6c) is placed in a position corresponding to the rear wheels (7) of the suitcase and is larger in order to admit suitcases with two, three or more rear wheels (7), and also to be adaptable to the different positions they may adopt. Owing to the size of this window (6c), wherethrough the suitcase could be pulled out, non-elastic belts (35) have been provided which bring the opposite edges together and cross it to prevent the extraction of the suitcase (4).
Other windows (6b) are placed in a position corresponding to the front wheels (7a) of the suitcase, if it is equipped with them.
Lastly, another window (6) is placed in a position corresponding to the rear, retractable handle of the suitcase (4), used for pulling the same along on its rear wheels (7).
The elasticity of the cover enables the same to be stretched to at least double its size. It can be constituted by one or more materials chosen from among the following:
By way of example, a multi-layer cover constituted by these three materials, regardless of the number of arrangement of the layers, can be elastically stretched until it reaches 100% - 150% its size when at rest. It can also be re-used repeatedly and ultimately discarded.
The inviolable security seals (5), on the other hand comprise sleeves (12) wherethrough breakable fasteners (13) may advance but not retreat. The sleeves are attached to the edge of the opening (3) in order to lie opposite each other and receiving the fasteners. In the example portrayed in the drawings, there is a flap (30) which closes the opening (3); in this case the sleeves are attached to the edge of the same and in the area of the cover adjacent to the flap (30) when closed. Given the fact that the breakable fasteners (13) cannot retreat through the sleeves (12), they would have to be broken in order to open the cover, bearing witness to the suitcase (4) having been manipulated.
According to this example, in no way limiting, of embodiment of the invention, the cover (2) may be manufactured according to a pattern consisting of three parts sewn together: one perimeter closure part (14), one front panel (15) and another rear panel (16).
The perimeter closure part (14) has a shape generally considered to be oblong, with a narrower intermediate area (17) towards one of its ends, which forms a larger indent (18) corresponding to the window (6c), and originating from the part opposite said larger indent (18) is a T-shaped prolongation (19) which forms the flap (30) and lateral indents (20) which form the windows (6b). Indents (21, 22, 23) are implemented at the ends, which form windows (6, 6a) for admitting the handles (8, 8a). Some of these indents implement the small flaps (9) and their fasteners (10) corresponding to the windows (6a).
The rear panel (16) has a general rectangular shape, with an end indent (24), positioned to correspond with another lateral indent (21) on the perimeter closure part (14) to help define the window (6). It also has a further indent on the opposite end (24) positioned to correspond with the larger indent (18) of the perimeter closure part (14) to help define the window (6c).
The front panel (15) has a general rectangular shape and implements the inviolable security seals (5) complementary to the flap (30).
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