Abstract:
A security luggage bag having multi layered walls defining a storage volume and at least one of the walls has a reinforcing layer comprised of a fabric with a reinforcing wire strand on a surface of the fabric, the reinforcing strand being fixed to the fabric as with stitching, tape or welds extending lengthwise along the reinforcing strand.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation in part to my application Ser. No. 11/337,839, Filed: May 1, 2006. 
     Applicant claims the benefit of Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2012900188, Filed Jan. 18, 2012 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a softside luggage bag having a reinforced cover defining the storage volume thereof and in which the cover is resistant to being sliced open by anyone attempting to steal or surreptitiously remove the contents of the luggage bag through such a sliced opening. Ads utilized herein, the term “luggage bag” is defined to include all forms of storage bags which are generally carried by the user, often during traveling, and utilized for temporarily retaining in the volume various articles and items and includes, but is not limited to, backpacks, suitcases, shoulder bags, Gladstone bags, duffle bags, purses, brief cases, computer or other electronic device cases, and the like. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     The use of reinforcement such as a flexible wire mesh in the cover of flexible or softside luggage bags provides an increased level of security against theft, particularly that which achieved by some unauthorized person slicing open the bag and stealing the contents of the storage volume. The mesh can be held adjacent the fabric or other flexible material walls of the luggage bag for greatly enhanced security, while still retaining the advantages of traditional softside un-reinforced products. For luggage bags of this construction, it is convenient to have a fabric outer layer providing, if desired, a waterproof shell about the mesh layer. To prevent the bag&#39;s contents snagging, or being damaged by the wire mesh layer exposed on the inside, a liner, such as an inner fabric layer is used and the inner fabric layer is typically of relatively lighter material than the outer fabric layer. 
     The wire mesh layer may be formed in the shape of the bag from a single wire strand arrayed in a preselected pattern, or from separate sheets of the cover material which may be appropriately joined together to form the luggage bag and, if desired a frame may be included over which the cover is attached. 
     Fastenings may, if desired, join adjacent portions of the wire mesh, which is generally has as strand of wire in a sinusoidal pattern, with the strand extending generally longitudinally and being turned back upon itself to form closed loops at each of the opposing edges of the wire mesh layer. Due to the construction of the mesh bag or sheet of the cover in this manner, when the wire mesh layer is in a relaxed state the wire mesh ends to collapse, closing the open spaces between the strands. 
     In many of the prior art wire mesh reinforced luggage bags the reinforcing cover or separate reinforcing sheets from which the luggage bag was assembled, were a composite reinforced textile, comprising inner and outer fabric bags laminated together to enclose the reinforcing wire mesh layer, or two layers laminated together with the mesh layer held therebetween. Such cover structures often included multi layer arrangements including the wire mesh layer and the various layers may be bonded together to provide additional desirable features to the luggage bag. 
     Bonding the wire mesh layer to the fabric layers by lamination, while effective to retain the wire mesh layer in place avoids the problems resulting from the mesh separating from the outer fabric layer and the liner fabric layer due to the tendency of the mesh to collapse. However, the manufacture of laminated luggage bags or sheets of cover material has proven to be relatively costly. 
     It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above cost of lamination and the disadvantages inherent therein and, in general to provide an improved reinforced luggage bag in which the cover is a multi layer configuration providing an improved arrangement for securing the wire mesh layer to at least one of the fabric layers in the construction of softside luggage bags. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a luggage bag having a reinforced cover and in which the cover is a multi layer configuration comprising a fabric layer and a reinforcing wire mesh layer with the strand of the wire mesh layer arrayed in a preselected pattern overlying a surface of the fabric layer. Stitching by a thread utilizing a preselected stitch, such as a lock stitch, extends lengthwise along the wire mesh layer and fixing the strand of the wire mesh layer to the fabric. In preferred embodiments of the present invention the strand forming the wire mesh layer is substantially continuous and comprises a metal strand. Optionally the wire mesh layer may comprise multiple strands, such as a metal wire, or other material including relatively high-strength strands, such as carbon fibers. As may be desired in particular applications, on a single sheet of the fabric layer, different lengths of the continuous reinforcing strand may be stitched to opposing sides, or separate reinforcing strands may be stitched to opposing sides of the fabric. A first fabric layer may cover the reinforcing wire mesh strand, and optionally, the first fabric layer may be bonded to a second fabric layer with the wire mesh layer, stitched to one of the fabric layers, contained therebetween. 
     In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the preselected pattern of the strands of the wire mesh layer comprises a net- or mesh-like pattern in which the strand of the wire mesh layer overlies itself it at intersections or nodes in the mesh-like pattern and, in the mesh-like pattern, the strand of the wire mesh layer is non-woven, and the strand is not looped, knotted, crimped or otherwise connected to itself at the intersections. That is, the strand of the wire mesh layer may overly itself at the nodes but the retention of the strand of the wire mesh layer on the fabric is by the aforementioned stitching. 
     In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the stitching comprises a lockstitch, wherein one thread of the lockstitch crosses back and forth over the strand of the wire mesh layer and the other thread of the lockstitch extends longitudinally in the direction of the strand of the wire mesh layer. 
     The fabric layer may be woven, but it may alternatively be knitted. The reinforced textile comprising the fabric layer or layers containing the wire mesh may be utilized in the cover of a luggage bag and wherein there may be provided additional layers of other fabrics or materials as part of the cover in the construction of luggage bags. As such, it has been found advantageously to utilize the fabric layer or layers having the wire mesh layer stitched thereto as the lining for the inside of the luggage bag. The luggage bag may have, if desired, frame members on which the cover including the wire mesh layers is attached. 
     Another aspect of the present invention comprises a luggage bag in which the cover is fabricated from separate sheets and some, or all, of the separate incorporate the wire mesh reinforced composite sheet as described above. 
     The present invention also defines a method of manufacturing a reinforced composite sheet incorporating a wire mesh layer attached to a fabric layer and in which the wire mesh layer is sewn longitudinally along a continuous strand of the wire mesh to secure the wire mesh to a fabric layer in a pattern overlying a surface of the fabric. The sewing is performed by an embroidering machine which simultaneously feeds the wire mesh strand together with first and second threads, the first and second threads forming a lockstitch, the first thread crossing back and forth over the wire mesh strand, and the second thread extending longitudinally in the elongated direction of the wire mesh strand. Alternatively, in particular applications, other stitches may be employed to secure the wire mesh fabric strand to the fabric. 
     The wire mesh strand may be configured into a boustrophedonic pattern on the fabric layer the wire mesh strand having a plurality of sets of alternating first and second lengths of the strands, each strand having a wave shape and a common central axis and wherein the crests and troughs of adjacent sets overlap one another. AS a variation on such a configuration, the wire strand comprises a a plurality of alternating wire strand lengths each having a wave shape and the crests and troughs of adjacent portions of the strands overlap one another. 
     In another aspect the invention there is a method of reinforcing a fabric layer, comprising fastening an elongate reinforcement such as a strand of wire to a surface of fabric, the reinforcement wire strand following a boustrophedonic path having a plurality of sets of alternating first and second lengths of the strands of the wire mesh, each strand having a wave shape, and each first and second length of strand of the wire mesh having a common central axis, and wherein crests and troughs of adjacent sets overlap one another. 
     The invention also shows a method of reinforcing a fabric sheet, comprising the steps of: fastening an elongate wire strand in the form of a mesh to a surface of the fabric sheet, the strand following a boustrophedonic path comprising a plurality of alternating wire strand lengths, each wire strand length having a wave shape and a respective central axis, and wherein crests and troughs of adjacent wire strand lengths overlap one another. 
     The present invention also includes as a another embodiment a fabric layer and a reinforcing wire strand of a wire mesh layer that is arrayed in a pattern overlying a surface of the fabric layer and fixed to the fabric layer, the reinforcing wire strand following a boustrophedonic path comprising a plurality of sets of alternating first and second lengths of the wire strand, each wire strand length having a wave shape, the first and second length of each set having a common central axis, and wherein crests and troughs of adjacent sets overlap one another. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention there is provided, according to the invention, a reinforced sheet comprising a layer of fabric, a reinforcing strand of a wire mesh arrayed in a pattern overlying a surface of the fabric and fixed to a surface of the fabric layer, the reinforcing strand following a boustrophedonic path and comprising a plurality of sets of alternating lengths, each length having a wave shape, each length having a respective central axis, wherein crests and troughs of adjacent lengths of the wire strand of the wire mesh overlap one another. 
     The wave shape is substantially and the amplitude and frequency of the wave shape are substantially constant for a plurality of the lengths of the wire strand. The wire strand is continuous and is continuously, or intermittently as may be desired in particular applications, fastened to a surface of the fabric by one of stitching, adhesive and welding. As noted above, in preferred embodiments of the present invention, the stitching is a lock stitch contiguously fastening the wire mesh strand against the surface of the fabric in which one of the threads of the lock stitch crosses back and forth over the reinforcing wire strand, and the other thread of the lockstitch extends longitudinally in the direction of the reinforcing wire strand of the wire mesh. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcing strand may be enclosed in a tape, and the lock stitch connects the tape to a surface of the fabric. 
     If an adhesive is utilized to fasten the wire strand of the wire mesh to the fabric, the adhesive comprises a longitudinally continuous or intermittent adhesive bead bonding the wire strand to the fabric. In a variation of this embodiment the adhesive further comprises adhesive tape continuous with the reinforcing strand or a plurality of lengths of adhesive tape, wherein the reinforcing strand is bonded between the surface of the fabric and the adhesive tape. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention wherein, as noted above, a weld is utilized to secure the wire strand of the reinforcing wire mesh to a surface of the fabric, the reinforcing strand is coated in a fusible material and the welding comprises longitudinally continuous or intermittent ultrasonic welding of the fusible material to the fabric. 
     In the embodiments of the present invention, the wire strand is fabricated from a metal wire or other cut resistant material such as a hard carbon fiber, or the like. The wire strand may be a single filament wire or a conventional braided multiple wire. 
     According to the principals of the present invention, the luggage bag is comprised of an outer shell which may incorporate one or more layers of fabric, plastic or other desired material, and the the reinforced fabric layer with the wire mesh affixed thereto comprises a liner sheet of luggage bag with the surface of the reinforced fabric layer on the inside of the luggage bag and the reinforcing strands of wire are disposed between the fabric layer and the innermost layer of the shell. If desired, other layers may be placed on the surface of the reinforced fabric layer which is free of the wire mesh to provide, for example, another layer of water proofing material enclosing the storage volume of the luggage bag. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other embodiments of the present invention my be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar elements throughout and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a partial semi-schematic sectional view through a fabric layer with a strand of a wire mesh secured to a surface thereof by a lock stitch; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial semi-schematic plan view of the fabric layer of  FIG. 1 , showing a first preselected pattern of the reinforcing wire strand of the wire mesh; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial semi-schematic plan view of the fabric layer of  FIG. 1 , showing a second preferred pattern of the reinforcing wire strand of the wire mesh; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a sheet of fabric cut to conform to the six orthogonal sides of a luggage bag with the fabric sheet having reinforcing strands of wire of a wire mesh as shown in  FIG. 2  or  3  thereon; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates fabric sheet of  FIG. 4  folded along fold lines thereof for insertion into a luggage bag; and 
         FIG. 6  is a partial sectional view through the wall of a luggage bag which incorporates the fabric sheet of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a reinforced textile  10  may be made from a sheet of fabric  11  to which a continuous reinforcing wire strand  12  of a wire mesh  7  is sewn. The reinforcing strand  12  overlies a surface  13  of the fabric  11  and is fixed to the fabric  11  by a lockstitch formed of an upper thread  14  and lower thread  15 . The lockstitch may be a zigzag stitch in which the upper thread  14  crosses back and forth over the reinforcing wire strand  12 , and the lower thread extends longitudinally in the direction of the reinforcing wire strand  12 . The reinforcing strand  12  preferably comprises a multi-stranded metal wire, and the threads  14 ,  15  may comprise multi-filament threads. It will be appreciated that the illustration is schematic, and the scale and the space shown between the surface  13  and reinforcing wire strand  12 , are not representative of the actual geometry. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the reinforcing strand  12  of a wire mesh  7 ′ may be one continuous length arrayed in a regular, mesh-like pattern and held by the threads  14 ,  15  (which are not shown in  FIG. 2 ). The mesh-like pattern of  FIG. 2  is of a first preferred type and may be formed with the reinforcing strand  12  extending in a wave-like form of constant frequency and amplitude, back and forth generally transversely in direction  21  between opposing edges  30 ,  31 , the reinforcing wire strand  12  being turned back upon itself to form closed loops at each of the opposing edges of the fabric  11 . 
     The reinforcing strand  12  is continuously fed, as from a reel (not shown), to an embroidering machine head (not shown) by which the reinforcing wire strand  12  is stitched to the panel. The embroidering machine head traces the mesh pattern of the wire strand while stitching and placing the reinforcing wire strand  12  at the same rate. The reinforcing wire strand  12  generally follows a boustrophedonic path extending back and forth between the edges  30 ,  31  and comprises lengths that alternate in direction. The first reinforcement length  512  extends left to right (with reference to  FIG. 2 ), starting for instance at point  134  and extending to point  135  where it meets the second reinforcement length  612  that extends right to left, underlying the length  512  at nodes or intersections. The reinforcement wire lengths  512 ,  612  may have a substantially sinusoidal shape of the same amplitude and frequency. Reinforcement wire length  512  has a central axis  539  to either side of which the reinforcement wire length  512  extends, while reinforcement length  612  has a central axis  639  to either side of which the reinforcement length  612  extends. As  FIG. 2  illustrates, the crests  40  and the troughs  41  of wave-shaped adjacent reinforcement wire lengths  512 ,  612  overlap one another, specifically the troughs  41  of length  512  overlap the crests  40  of the length  612 . By overlapping the reinforcing strand  12  in the manner of  FIG. 2 , there is no path for a blade to pass between and separate the crests, unless the plane of the blade lies generally parallel to that of the textile  10 , so the bag reinforced with this textile  10  is secured against being slashed open by a blade, even for a cut along a join in the mesh. The wire strand forming lengths  512  and  612  is continuous from a first end  12   a  to a second end  12   b.    
       FIG. 3  illustrates a second preferred method of reinforcing a fabric sheet with a reinforcing wire strand of a wire mesh pattern that extends between opposing edges  30 ,  31 . The reinforcing strand  12  is continuously fed, as from a reel (not shown on  FIG. 3 ), to an embroidering machine head (not shown on  FIG. 3 ) by which the reinforcing strand  12  is stitched to the panel. The embroidering machine head traces the mesh pattern while stitching and placing the reinforcing strand  12  at the same rate. The reinforcing wire strand  12  is continuous from a first end  12   a  to a second end  12   b  and generally follows a boustrophedonic path extending back and forth between the edges  30 ,  31  and comprises first and second reinforcement wire lengths that alternate in direction and are arranged in a plurality of sets, two sets of which, sets  32  and  33 , are shown in  FIG. 3 . Set  32  comprises reinforcement wire strand lengths  112 ,  212 , while set  33  comprises like reinforcement lengths  312 ,  412  of the continuous reinforcing wire strand  12 . 
     The first reinforcement length  112  of set  32  extends left to right (with reference to  FIG. 3 ), starting for instance at point  34  and extending to point  35  where it meets the second reinforcement length  212  of set  32  that extends right to left, overlying the length  112  at nodes or intersections. The reinforcement lengths  112 ,  212  may have a substantially sinusoidal shape of the same amplitude and frequency, and a common central axis  36  to either side of which the reinforcement lengths  112 ,  212  extend. In this manner the resulting set  32  appears as a row of contiguous mesh openings or loops  42 . 
     The set  33  is formed in a like manner from reinforcement wire strand lengths  312 ,  412  and appears as a row of contiguous loops  43 . The first reinforcement length  312  of set  33  extends left to right, starting at point  37  and extending to point  38  where it meets the second reinforcement length  412  of set  33  that extends right to left, overlying the length  312  at nodes or intersections. The reinforcement wire lengths  312 ,  412  may have a like substantially sinusoidal shape extending either side of common central axis  39  at the same amplitude and frequency. As  FIG. 3  illustrates, the loops  42 ,  43  of the sets  32 ,  33  overlap one another, more specifically the crests  40  of set  32  overlap the troughs  41  of set  33 , the troughs  41  overlying the previously formed crests  40 . It will be understood that the mesh pattern of  FIGS. 2 and 3  can be varied to cover sheets of varying shapes, not only those which have parallel edges  30 ,  31  or which are rectangular. In particular, the shape of the loops  42 ,  43  adjacent the edges of the panel can be varied, so as to allow the reinforcing wire strand  12  to extend adjacent to such edges. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate an exemplary construction of a reinforced liner for a liner bag, showing the flat pattern of the reinforced fabric layer  50  and as assembled into the reinforced fabric layer liner  51  respectively. 
     The flat pattern  50  may comprise the six orthogonal rectangular panels  60   a - 60   f , each reinforced according to the invention with a wire mesh pattern, and formed on one side of a single sheet  52  of fabric. The wire mesh pattern may extend adjacent to, or contiguous with, the seams  54  and fold lines  55  (shown as broken lines) of each panel  60   a - 60   f . As the reinforcing wire strand  12  stiffens the panels, terminating the mesh pattern adjacent to the seams  54  and fold lines  55  allows “sharper” corners to be formed along these edges than if the reinforcing strands themselves spanned across the seams or fold lines and thus had to be bent around the corners. In other arrangements of the present invention as may be desired for particular applications, the reinforcing wire strands of the wire mesh may extend over the fold lines  55 . The liner  51  has the reinforcement wire strands of the wire mesh as indicated at  712  on panel  6   a  in the pattern shown on  FIGS. 2 and 3  on the outer surface  52   a  of each of the sheets  6   a - 6   f  of the fabric  52  so as to be free of contact with the inner surface  52   b . As shown on  FIG. 5 , the assembled sheets  6   a - 6   f  define the storage volume  69  of a luggage bag according to the principals of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a partial sectional view through a wall  89  of a luggage bag  80  according to the principals of the present invention. As shown thereon, the wall  89  of the luggage bag  80  is a multi layer construction. The wall  80  has an exterior fabric layer  90  that is bonded to a protective layer  92 . The protective layer  92  may be a sheet of polyethylene on the order of 0.4 mm thick. The protective layer  92  is bonded to a fabric mesh layer  94 . The wire strand reinforced fabric layer  6   d  is placed inside the inner surface  94   a  of fabric mesh layer  94  For clarity, the threads holding the strands of the wire mesh layer  7 ,  7 ′ are omitted from  FIG. 6 . If desired, an inner layer  96  may be inserted on the inside surface  52   b  of the fabric layer  52 . The inner layer  96  may, for example, be a further waterproofing layer surrounding the storage volume  69 . Depending on the application, one or more of the layers other than the fabric reinforced layer indicated may be omitted or, alternatively, other layers may be added for particular applications.