Patent Publication Number: US-6702164-B1

Title: Rucksack with integrated rolling and traction system

Description:
This application claims the benefit of PCT application No. PCT/BE99/00125 filled Oct. 01, 1999, and foreign application BELGIUM 9800741 filed Oct. 02, 1998. 
    
    
     This invention relates to baggage comprising a rigid retractable handle and is suitable for being drawn on wheels. The invention relates more particulary to a rucksack. 
     Several types of rucksack are known provided with wheels and a retractable handle. This type of baggage with supple material walls has proved to be particularly practical and has experienced an increasing success over these past years. This baggage consists of a bag adapted to a rolling system provided for suitcases, which results in a relatively heavy and cumbersome bag. 
     Indeed suitcases or rucksacks on wheels derived from the “trolley” type of rolling suitcases are already known. It relates in fact to utilizing a cabin suitcase telescopic system (so-called “trolley”) to which a rucksack has been adapted. Thus, the rucksacks on wheels of the former state-of-the-art comprise a retractable handle, generally formed by two sliding tubes, along the “rear” face or wall that means the one which is destined to be in contact with the back of the user. This disposition has a disadvantage from the point of view of comfort, the telescopic system of the handle being rigid. A significant additional padding is necessary in order to avoid direct contact of the back with this hard longitudinal element. 
     Furthermore the rolling system, originally provided in order to be mounted on a suitcase, is heavy, cumbersome and disproportionate. The rucksack is mounted in the place provided for the suitcase. The wheels are on the outside and located at the base of the aforesaid rear wall and are thus, when the baggage is used as a rucksack, likely to soil the clothes on the back of the user since these wheels have been in contact with the sidewalk and refuse, and possibly even with dog excrement. The presence of a flap suitable for enveloping the wheels only constitutes a makeshift because in order to return to using the wheels, the wall of the possibly soiled flap is exposed and can be in contact with the user. 
     Consequently an increase in the practical aspect and in the comfort in use of this rolling baggage, in particular rucksacks is being sought, while ensuring a decrease in weight without detracting from the solidity. 
     This invention aims a remedying the above mentioned inconveniences and at improving the qualities of comfort in use and of lightness. The rucksack is no longer adapted to a rolling system, this latter on the contrary being adapted to the form and the utilization of the rucksack. 
     With this objective the invention principally puts forward a rucksack with supple material walls, for example in fabric, comprising a handle retractable by sliding its shaft, and an incurvated interior base plate, the incurvation of this semirigid plate being imposed by the integration into one piece of this plate, e.g. by riveting, with a segment of incurvated profile extending from the base of the telescopic housing, inside the baggage, of the sliding handle. The semirigid plate can be a plastic plate, for example in polyethylene with a thickness varying from 1 to 5 mm. 
     The walls of the baggage in supple material will preferably be provided in order to form baggage of approximately right-angled parallelepipal form. 
     Instead of a handle with one rod, a telescopic U-shaped handle can also be provided, comprising two rods sliding in two parallel housings. Each housing is made to form one piece with the lower incurvated plate and with the upper plate as for the baggage with one single rod. 
     According to one variant, the base plate can be a more rigid molded plate, for example in ABS or polypropylene, whose incurvation is formed from origin. In this case, the base of the telescopic housing need not necessarily be incurvated and/or flattened and can be straight if a solid and rigid attachment means is provided on the raised part of the base plate (e.g. flange). 
     In the case of a semirigid plate, the incurvation is also obtained, in particular at its lateral parts, by two lateral wheel spindle support arch elements projecting out of the incurvated part of the aforesaid plate. 
     The telescopic handle system is provided adjacent to and inside the wall opposite to that which is destined to be in contact with the back, in other words to that provided with straps for use as rucksack. Comfort is thus greatly improved. 
     Advantageously the edge of the lower plate opposite the base of the telescopic housing has a concave curved horizontal section. This section, in contact with the back further conforms to the transverse profile of the back and thus increases the comfort of the user and/or prevents a premature wear and tear of a protective cushion provided on the wall in contact with the back. 
     Furthermore a pad can be provided which adapts to the rim exhibited by the aforesaid edge, for example in the form of a longitudinally split foam sheath. 
     The shaft of the retractable handle can consist of a hollow tube of square, rectangular or polygonal section, for example in aluminum, but can also constitute a U-shaped handle, in which case the section can be round. The shaft will nevertheless advantageously, especially for baggage of small dimensions, consist of a single or double telescopic tube sliding in known manner in a rigid housing provided for this purpose. 
     According to an important aspect of the invention a supporting plate for the supple material (e.g. fabric) is also provided, preferably but not compulsorily of the same nature as the incurvated base plate, disposed at the upper extremity of the housing of the telescopic handle, perpendicular to this housing. This plate is held by an attachment means, e.g. a tightening yoke provided for this purpose on the housing. The size of this plate can vary, in such manner that, according to one preferred embodiment, only a part of the supple material, encircling the upper extremity of the housing can be held. In particular, this supporting plate will preferably not extend over the entire depth of the suitcase. 
     The upper wall can therefore comprise an independent auxiliary plate, which only serves as a better attachment for a classical type of handle. Indeed, in classic manner, in addition to the telescopic handle, additional handles can be provided sewn and/or riveted onto one or several of the walls. 
     The vertical rigidity of the supple material rucksack is essentially ensured by the rolling system, the incurvated plate and the telescopic system. The invention therefore puts forward baggage whose rigid structure is essentially L-shaped, or in the form of an angle iron, to the extent that the transverse upper plate is of relatively reduced surface area, which favors stackability since the lateral faces and, partly, the upper wall can be folded over toward the inside. 
     According to one embodiment, the opening means of the rucksack described above will be a zip fastener extending from the upper face, over the lateral walls, on each side, in a manner such that once the rucksack is open, the part of the supple material supported by the upper plate is separated from the part of the unsupported supple material. 
     According to one variant, one of the walls comprises along three sides of its perimeter a zip fastener which enables the folding over of this wall. 
     The wall or part of the wall which can be folded over can comprise one or several pockets and/or one or several auxiliary compartments. 
     In the case of rucksacks of larger dimensions, a vertical reinforcement can advantageously be provided extending over a part of the wall adjacent to the telescopic system of the handle, integrated to form one piece with the upper plate by attachment to a bracket. According to one variant an integrated angle-iron element can be provided. A bracket is then no longer necessary. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, an inverted U-shaped metallic retaining ring can moreover be provided running over the upper edge and the two lateral edges of the wall adjacent to the telescopic system. This retaining ring is advantageously integrated into a supple edging whose extremities exceed the branches of the U and are incurvated in order thus to form the two lateral lower edges. 
     According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the type of baggage described above need not comprise straps and can thus constitute a rolling cabin suitcase with one or two telescopic rods. This suitcase is characterized by the absence of lateral faces well defined by more rigid retaining ring frames which, for the other types of similar suitcases, ensure a thickness with spring effect when empty. 
     In this case, the wall opposite the telescopic system preferably has a zip fastener on three sides of the perimeter, enabling the folding-over of this wall. The opening being encircled by an edging, for example in metal. 
     Also in this case, an auxiliary supporting plate will advantageously be utilized perpendicular to the transverse upper plate, already mentioned for the rucksack, as well as to the U-shaped retaining ring reinforcing the wall adjacent to the telescopic system. 
     It should be clearly understood that the inner walls of the compartments of the baggage according to the invention can advantageously be lined with a fabric lining, which hides the base plate and the telescopic housing. 
    
    
     The invention will be better understood by examining the drawings submitted in appendix, only by way of example of preferred embodiments, in which 
     FIG. 1 represents a diagram of the internal structure of a rucksack according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2 represents in perspective a “front” view of a complete rucksack according to the invention. 
     FIG. 3 represents a “rear” view of a rucksack according to the invention. 
     FIG. 4 represents a variant of the rucksack comprising a U-shaped handle. 
     FIGS. 5 a ,  5   b  and  5   c  illustrate a variant of the invention applied to a piece of baggage which is not a rucksack. 
    
    
     In the various figures, identical reference numbers refer to identical or functionally equivalent element. 
     FIG. 1 schematically represents in perspective a partially exploded view of the rigid structure of a rucksack according to the invention. A rod or a shaft  1  and a metallic housing  10  can be recognized in which slides the doubly telescopic tube or shaft  1  of square or rectangular section, preferably in aluminum. The lower part  11  of the housing extends in the form of an incurvated segment with which a semirigid base plate  2  for example in polyethylene is made to form one piece by riveting. This incurvated part extending the telescopic housing can advantageously be flattened, and can in fact result from the flattening of an extremity of a hollow section of square or rectangular cross-section. The base plate  2  comprises two openings  8  for receiving the wheels provided on arched elements  5 , to be made to form one piece on the outside by riveting to the plate  2 . These arches thus contribute to the homogeneous incurvation over its entire width. Feet  6  of the side opposite the wheels are also illustrated. 
     It will be noted that the profile of the rim  12  of the plate can also be incurvated in order to conform better to the profile of the back, when the suitcase is used as rucksack. The rim moreover being covered with a longitudinally split protective sheath  14 . 
     A supporting plate  3  of the same nature as the base plate is provided at the upper part of the housing  10 , firmly held by an attachment means, for example a tightening yoke  4 . Preferably this supporting plate will not extend over the entire thickness of the suitcase in order to prevent contact with the upper part of the back or with the neck of the user. A vertical reinforcement  15  is also illustrated, also in the form of a plate, made to form one piece with the supporting plate  3  by attachment to an intermediate bracket  9 . 
     FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of the rucksack seen from the side of the wall adjacent to the retractable handle, such wall being defined as the front wall  60 . The telescopic mechanism is inside the rucksack. A front compartment  21  and the zip fastener  23  can be distinguished which extends over two lateral walls  61 ,  62  and the upper wall and by folding over the rear wall gives access to the main compartment  24 . At the base of three vertical walls  60 ,  61 ,  62 , the supple material is covered with a second material  25  preferably in plastic, for example in grained PVC, rendering the base of the lateral faces  26  less supple, decreasing wear and tear, and advantageously enabling an easier cleaning. The wheel arches  28  are located at the lower corners of the wall comprising the telescopic system and comprising an incurvated flange  29  for protecting the edging  22 , conforming to the incurvated edge of the base plate. The interior supporting plate not shown extends up to the zipper  23  and also serves as support for the classic handle  30 . 
     FIG. 3 is a representation of a rucksack similar to that from FIG. 2 viewed from the rear wall  63  opposite the front wall  60  adjacent to the retractable handle. The straps  31  can be distinguished which can be partially detached at the attachment buckles  32  and inserted into a pocket  33  provided for this purpose. Moreover a cushion  34  is provided for still further protecting the lower part of the back of the user. The handle  30  is attached onto the part that can be folded over with the wall opposite the one adjacent to the telescopic system, the supple material adjacent to this handle being internally reinforced by a small plate not illustrated. 
     FIG. 4 represents a variant of the rucksack such as represented in FIGS. 2 and 3, more adapted for baggage of large dimensions. The telescopic handle  7  indeed comprises two doubly telescopic rods  1 ,  1 ′. Moreover, this handle  7  can be retracted right inside the bag and be covered by a flap  40  with zip fastener. 
     FIG. 5 a  illustrates a variant of the invention in which there are no straps, nor dorsal cushion, the baggage thus constituting a cabin suitcase provided with a back carrying system. The rear wall  63  is rigidified by a metallic retaining ring and comprises a pocket  33 ′ corresponding to the pocket  33  from FIG. 3 which, in this latter case, is suitable for receiving the detached straps. 
     Distinguishable in addition to the elements already described, are shoulder-strap attachment rings  41 ,  41 ′ for a detachable shoulder-strap, the limit of the supporting plate  43 , attached to the upper extremity of the housing (not shown), an upper handle  30  on a reinforcing plate independent of the plate  2  (not shown) and a lateral handle  44  on a reinforcing plate  45  provided under the fabric, as well as a metallic edging  46  (metal retaining ring) hooping the perimeter of the large rear wall  63  of the suitcase that can be folded over. The front wall adjacent to the telescopic system comprises an auxiliary storage compartment  52 . 
     For this variant, as for a rucksack, an edging  22  can be provided which comprises a metallic element  50  forming an inverted U-shaped rigidification retaining ring, illustrated in FIG. 5 b , running over three edges of the wall adjacent to the telescopic system. This retaining ring  50  is advantageously integrated into a supple edging whose extremities  22 ′ exceed the branches of the U and are incurvated inside the arch  8 , protected by the flange  29  in order thus to form the two lateral lower arrises  51 . 
     Illustrated in FIG. 5 b  is the assembly of the edging  22  and of the metallic reinforcement running over three edges of the wall adjacent to the telescopic system. FIG. 5 c  is an enlargement of the profile in perspective of the edging  22  in which the element  50  is inserted at assembly. 
     FIG. 5 b  also shows an exploded reproduction of the base parts of the suitcase. Recognizable are the incurvated plate  2  provided with two openings  8  and made to form one piece with the flattened incurvated extremity  11  of the telescopic housing  10  not illustrated, the feet  6 , the two arches  5  to be attached on the outside of the plate  2  and comprising a protective flange  29  conforming to the incurvation of the plate and forming the two lower corners of the suitcase, opposite the feet.