Patent Publication Number: US-2016227895-A1

Title: Luggage having a tapered lid depth

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/114,710, filed Feb. 11, 2015, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The field of this disclosure relates to luggage for storage or transportation of articles. 
     INTRODUCTION 
     Luggage is a reclosable storage container for transporting personal articles, such as clothing and the like, in a vehicle, such as a plane, train, or automobile. The maximum allowable size of the luggage may be governed by restrictions imposed by the operators of such vehicles (e.g. the airline) and by the size of the storage compartments for the luggage on the vehicle (e.g. overhead compartments). In some cases, a luggage may include wheels and a handle to assist with manually transporting the luggage by hand. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, a luggage is provided. The luggage may comprise a front face opposite a rear face, a plurality of side faces, at least one support, and at least one handle. The plurality of side faces may collectively surround the front and rear faces. Each side face may connect the front face to the rear face, the plurality of side faces may include at least an upper face opposite a lower face, and the lower face may include a front portion extending forwardly of the upper face. The at least one support may be coupled to the front portion of the lower face, and the at least one handle may be coupled to the upper face. 
     In another aspect, a luggage is provided, which may comprise a lid and at least one support. The lid may be coupled to a front end of a base along a parting line. Each of the lid and base may extend between a lower end and an upper end. The depth of the base may be substantially constant between the lower and upper ends of the base. The depth of the lid may taper from proximate the lower end of the lid toward the upper end of the lid, and the at least one support may be coupled to the lower end of the lid. 
     In another aspect, a luggage is provided, which may comprise a front face opposite a rear face, a plurality of side faces collectively surrounding the front and rear faces, a parting line dividing the luggage into a lid and a base, and at least one support. Each side face may connect the front face to the rear face. The plurality of side faces may include at least an upper face opposite a lower face. The lid may include the front face, and the base may include the rear face. At least a portion of the front face may extend from proximate the lower face toward the upper face in a direction toward the rear face, and the at least one support may be connected to the lid on the lower face. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a luggage in a closed position in accordance with at least one embodiment; 
         FIG. 1B  is a side elevation view of the luggage of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 1C  is a top plan view of the luggage of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 1D  is a front elevation view of the luggage of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 1E  is a bottom plan view of the luggage of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of a luggage in a closed position in accordance with another embodiment; 
         FIG. 2B  is a side elevation view of the luggage of  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 2C  is a top plan view of the luggage of  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 2D  is a front elevation view of the luggage of  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 2E  is a bottom plan view of the luggage of  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of a luggage in a closed position in accordance with another embodiment; 
         FIG. 3B  is a side elevation view of the luggage of  FIG. 3A ; 
         FIG. 3C  is a top plan view of the luggage of  FIG. 3A ; 
         FIG. 3D  is a front elevation view of the luggage of  FIG. 3A ; and 
         FIG. 3E  is a bottom plan view of the luggage of  FIG. 3A . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS 
     Numerous embodiments are described in this application, and are presented for illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments are not intended to be limiting in any sense. The invention is widely applicable to numerous embodiments, as is readily apparent from the disclosure herein. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention may be practiced with modification and alteration without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Although particular features of the present invention may be described with reference to one or more particular embodiments or figures, it should be understood that such features are not limited to usage in the one or more particular embodiments or figures with reference to which they are described. 
     The terms “an embodiment,” “embodiment,” “embodiments,” “the embodiment,” “the embodiments,” “one or more embodiments,” “some embodiments,” and “one embodiment” mean “one or more (but not all) embodiments of the present invention(s),” unless expressly specified otherwise. 
     The terms “including,” “comprising” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to,” unless expressly specified otherwise. A listing of items does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a,” “an” and “the” mean “one or more,” unless expressly specified otherwise. 
     As used herein and in the claims, two or more parts are said to be “coupled”, “connected”, “attached”, or “fastened” where the parts are joined or operate together either directly or indirectly (i.e., through one or more intermediate parts), so long as a link occurs. As used herein and in the claims, two or more parts are said to be “directly coupled”, “directly connected”, “directly attached”, or “directly fastened” where the parts are connected directly in physical contact with each other. As used herein, two or more parts are said to be “rigidly coupled”, “rigidly connected”, “rigidly attached”, or “rigidly fastened” where the parts are coupled so as to move as one while maintaining a constant orientation relative to each other. None of the terms “coupled”, “connected”, “attached”, and “fastened” distinguish the manner in which two or more parts are joined together. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1A-1E , a luggage  100  is shown in accordance with at least one embodiment. Luggage  100  may be used to store and transport personal articles, such as clothing and the like. For example, luggage  100  may be a travel case for carrying personal belongings on voyages by plane, train, or automobile. 
     As exemplified, luggage  100  may include a front face  104  opposite a rear face  108 , and a plurality of sides  112  which collectively surround the front and rear faces  104  and  108 . Luggage  100  may include any number of sides  112 , and each side  112  may connect rear face  108  to front face  104 . In the illustrated example, sides  112  include an upper face  116 , a lower face  120 , and opposite lateral side faces  124 . Each of the front and rear faces  104  and  108  may have a surface area which exceeds that of any one of the side faces  112 . 
     Optionally, luggage  100  may include one or more supports for supporting luggage  100  on a ground surface (e.g. the floor or horizontal surface). Rolling supports may further assist with moving luggage  100  across a horizontal surface. Examples of suitable supports include fixed-axle wheels, spinner wheels, and feet. In the illustrated example, luggage  100  includes four spinner wheels  128  coupled to lower face  120 . 
     Luggage  100  may include any suitable number of supports. For example, luggage  100  may include fewer than four wheels  128  (e.g. zero to three wheels), or greater than three wheels  128  (e.g. four to ten wheels). In some embodiments, luggage  100  may include a combination of two or more of fixed-axle wheels, spinner wheels, and feet. For example, luggage  100  may include two fixed-axle wheels on lower face  120  proximate rear face  108  for supporting luggage  100  when tilted with rear face  108  at an acute angle to the ground surface. 
     In some embodiments, luggage  100  may include one or more handles for grasping luggage  100  by hand. A handle may have a fixed length or may be selectively extensible. In the illustrated embodiment, luggage  100  includes a handle  132  coupled to upper face  116 . A user may grasp handle  132  while luggage  100  is supported on wheels  128  for maneuvering luggage  100  across a ground surface. Optionally, luggage  100  may include additional handles on other side faces  112  such as lateral side faces  124 . In some cases, a handle on a side face  124  may be well suited for carrying luggage  100  while lifted off of the ground surface. 
     Luggage  100  may include a lid  136  and a base  140 . Lid  136  may include at least a portion of front face  104 , and base  140  may include at least at least a portion of rear face  108 . As shown, lid  136  may include all of front face  104 , and/or base  140  may include all of rear face  108 . Base  140  may define one or more interior storage compartments which may be selectively closed by connecting lid  136  to a front end  144  of base  140  to define an enclosed cavity or cavities. In some cases, lid  136  may further define one or more interior storage compartments which may remain separate or be additive with the storage compartment(s) of base  140  when lid  136  is closed onto base  140 . Lid  136  may be movable between a closed position (shown) in which a periphery of lid  136  abuts a periphery of base  140  for closing base  140 , and an open position (not shown) in which a majority of lid  136  is spaced apart from base  140  for accessing the storage compartment(s) of base  140  and/or lid  136 . 
     Luggage  100  may further include a parting line  148 . As used herein and in the claims, a parting line is an imaginary line tracing the threshold between lid  136  and base  140  when lid  136  is connected to base  140  in the closed position. Parting line  148  may extend across any number of faces  104 ,  108 , and/or  112  of luggage  100  according to the respective shapes of lid  136  and base  140 . In the illustrated example, parting line  148  is shown extending through each side face  112  along a path intermediate front and rear faces  104  and  108 . In this case, each of lid  136  and base  140  may include respective portions of each of side faces  112  (e.g. each of upper, lower, and lateral faces  116 ,  120 , and  124 ). 
     Parting line  148  may be formed by any number of straight and/or curved segments. In the illustrated embodiment, parting line  148  extends linearly across each of lateral side faces  124 , upper face  116 , and lower face  120 . As shown, parting line  148  may include segments  152  which extend from lower face  120  to upper face  116  across lateral side faces  124 . Segments  152  may be substantially vertically aligned as shown, or alternatively aligned at an angle to vertical. As exemplified, segments  152  may extend substantially parallel to rear face  108 . Alternatively, segments  152  may extend at an angle to rear face  108 . 
     Lid  136  and base  140  may be connected in any suitable fashion, along any segment of parting line  148 . In some embodiments, lid  136  and base  140  are connected by one or more of a zipper, a hinge, and a lock. For example, luggage  100  may include a hinge  149  along one of segments  152 , and a zipper  150  which extends along the remainder of parting line  148 . 
     The stability of luggage  100  when carried on a ground surface by supports may be improved by enlarging the supported footprint formed by those supports. In some embodiments, at least one support is connected to lower face  120  proximate front face  104  of luggage  100 . For example, one or more supports may be connected to lid  136  on lower face  120 . In the illustrated example, a wheel  128  is connected to each front corner region of lower face  120 . In some embodiments, at least one support is connected to lower face  120  proximate rear face  108  of luggage  100 . For example, one or more supports may be connected to base  140  on lower face  120 . In the illustrated example, a wheel  128  is connected to each rear corner region of lower face  120 . In combination, supports distributed about opposite peripheral edges of lower face  120  may provide a large supported footprint for enhanced stability of luggage  100 . In the illustrated example, wheels  128  are positioned at each corner of lower face  120 , which may maximize the supported footprint for improved stability. 
     A support may be connected to a component (e.g. face) of luggage  100  in any suitable fashion, such as by fasteners (e.g. screws, bolts, staples, nails, or rivets), adhesives, or by integrally forming the support with the component of the luggage  100 . 
     Luggage  100  has a depth  156  measured in a direction  160  intersecting the front and rear faces  104  and  108 . As exemplified, direction  160  may be normal to one or both of front and rear faces  104  and  108 . As shown, direction  160  may be substantially horizontal when luggage  100  is carried on a horizontal surface by supports on lower face  120 . Depth  156  may be attributed at least in part to a depth  164  of base  140 , and a depth  168  of lid  136 . In the illustrated example, depth  156  is a summation of base depth  164  and lid depth  168 . 
     In some embodiments, it may be desirable to provide a luggage having a deep base and a shallow lid. This may permit most or all of the storage capacity of the luggage to be provided by the base. In use, luggage  100  may be filled while laid down with rear face  108  flat on a ground surface, and lid  136  in an open position (e.g. pivoted about hinge  149 ). The weight of a filled lid  136  (which must be moved atop base  140  to close luggage  100 ) may be reduced by decreasing the depth (and storage capacity) of lid  136 . To keep the overall storage capacity of luggage  100  the same, base depth  164  may be increased to compensate. 
     Lid  136  may include a front-most portion of lower face  120 , which may provide an ideal position for locating a support for an enlarged supported footprint for enhanced stability. However, in some cases, a support may require a minimum surface area to form a proper connection with the surface. Accordingly, lid  136  may have a first depth at lower face  120  sufficient for attaching at a support, and the depth may taper toward upper face  116 . 
     In the illustrated example, depth  156  decreases from proximate lower face  120  toward upper face  116 . This may provide a lower face depth  172  greater than an upper face depth  176 . As illustrated, lower face  120  may include a front portion  180  and a rear portion  184 . Front portion  180  may extend forward of upper face  116 . For example, front portion  180  may be entirely positioned forward of a front edge  188  of upper face  116 . As illustrated, front portion  180  may extend from front face  104  toward parting line  148 . Rear portion  184  may be entirely positioned rearward of front edge  188 . In the illustrated example, rear portion  184  is entirely aligned vertically below upper face  116 . As exemplified, wheels  128  may be coupled to front portion  180 . As shown, lid  136  may include at least front portion  180  of lower face  120 . 
     Base depth  164  may be measured between rear face  108  and parting line  148 . In some embodiments, base depth  164  may be substantially constant between lower face  120  and upper face  116 . For example, parting line  148  may extend along lateral side faces  124  in parallel with rear face  108 . In the illustrated example, each of parting line  148  and rear face  108  is substantially vertically aligned to provide a constant base depth  164 . In some embodiments, parting line  148  may lie in a substantially vertical plane. In some cases, a substantially constant base depth  164  may permit articles to be more evenly distributed within the storage compartment(s) of base  140 . For example, articles may be stacked inside base  140  to a constant height across base  140 . In alternative embodiments, base depth  164  may vary between upper and lower faces  116  and  120  of luggage  100 . 
     As exemplified, lid depth  168  may decrease from proximate lower face  120  toward upper face  116 . For example, lid  136  may include a lower portion  192  and an upper portion  196 . As exemplified, lid depth  168  may decrease from proximate lower face  120  across lower portion  192 , and lid depth  168  may remain constant across upper portion  196 . As shown, lid depth  168  may be greater in lower portion  192  than upper portion  196  by any suitable amount. For example, the maximum lid depth  168  in lower portion  192  may be between 1.2 to 5 times, or 1.3 to 3, or 1.5 to 2.5 times the lid depth  168  in upper portion  196 . In the example shown, the maximum lid depth  168  in lower portion  192  is approximately 2 times the lid depth  168  in the upper portion  196 . The enlarged lid depth  168  may provide additional surface area to lid on lower surface  120  for attaching a support, such as wheel  128 . There may be any suitable ratio of lid depth  168  in upper portion  196  to base depth  164 . For example, the ratio may be between 2:1 to 20:1, or 3:1 to 15:1, or 4:1 to 10:1. In the illustrated embodiment, the ratio is approximately 6:1. 
     In alternative embodiments, lid depth  168  may decrease but at a lower rate across upper portion  196  toward upper face  116 , or lid depth  168  may increase across upper portion  196  toward upper face  116 . 
     Lid depth  168  may be measured between front face  104  and parting line  148 . As exemplified, front face  104  may include an upper portion  200  adjacent upper face  116  and a lower portion  204  adjacent lower face  120 . The lower portion  204  may extend from upper portion  200  away from rear face  108  toward lower face  120 . For example, front face lower portion  204  may extend from upper portion  200  away from parting line  148  toward lower face  120 . Front face upper portion  200  may extend in parallel with rear face  108  and/or parting line  148 . Alternatively, front face upper portion  200  may extend toward or away from rear face  108  and/or parting line  148 . Lid upper portion  196  may include front face upper portion  200 , and lid lower portion  192  may include front face lower portion  204 . 
     Lid  136  may include lid upper portion  196  and lid lower portion  192  in any suitable ratio. For example, lid  136  may include upper and lower portions  196  and  192  in the ratio of between 0.5:1 to 20:1, 1:1 to 3:1, or greater than 5:1. Front face  104  may include upper and lower portions  200  and  204  in the same or similar ratios. In the illustrated embodiment, lid  136  includes upper and lower portions  196  and  192  in the ratio of about 2:1.  FIGS. 2A-2E  show another embodiment of luggage  100  having a lid  136  with upper and lower portions  196  and  192  in the ratio of about 10:1. Referring to  FIGS. 3A-3E , in some embodiments, luggage  100  may include a lid  136  having only a lower portion  192  and no upper portion  196 . In this case, lid depth  168  may taper continuously from proximate lower face  120  to proximate upper face  116  as shown. 
     Front face  104  may extend from proximate lower face  120  toward upper face  116  and rear face  108  at any suitable angle  208  to horizontal. For example, angle  208  may be between 5 to 85 degrees, 20 to 75 degrees, or 30 to 65 degrees. As exemplified,  FIGS. 1A-1E  show an embodiment of luggage  100  where angle  208  is approximately 70 degrees,  FIGS. 2A-2E  show an embodiment of luggage  100  where angle  208  is approximately 45 degrees, and  FIGS. 3A-3E  show an embodiment of luggage  100  where angle  208  is approximately 82 degrees. 
     While the above description provides examples of the embodiments, it will be appreciated that some features and/or functions of the described embodiments are susceptible to modification without departing from the spirit and principles of operation of the described embodiments. Accordingly, what has been described above has been intended to be illustrative of the invention and non-limiting and it will be understood by persons skilled in the art that other variants and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto. The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments and examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole. 
     Items 
     Item 1. A luggage comprising:
         a front face opposite a rear face;   a plurality of side faces collectively surrounding the front and rear faces,
           each side face connecting the front face to the rear face,   the plurality of side faces including at least an upper face opposite a lower face,   the lower face including a front portion extending forwardly of the upper face,   
           at least one support coupled to the front portion of the lower face; and   at least one handle coupled to the upper face.       

     Item 2. The luggage of item 1, wherein a parting line extends across each of the plurality of side faces to define a lid and a base, the lid including the front face, the base including the rear face. 
     Item 3. The luggage of item 2, wherein the lid includes the front portion of the lower face. 
     Item 4. The luggage of item 2 or item 3, wherein the front portion extends from the front face toward the parting line. 
     Item 5. The luggage of any one of items 1-4, wherein the support is a spinner wheel. 
     Item 6. The luggage of any one of items 1-5, wherein the at least one support includes a second support coupled to the lower face proximate the rear face 
     Item 7. The luggage of any one of items 2-6 when dependent on item 2 wherein the parting line lies in a vertical plane. 
     Item 8. The luggage of any one of items 2-7 when dependent on item 2 wherein: 
     a segment of the parting line extends from the lower face to the upper face, and the segment of the parting line is vertically aligned. 
     Item 9. The luggage of any one of items 2-7 when dependent on item 2 wherein: 
     a segment of the parting line extends from the lower face to the upper face, and the segment of the parting line is parallel with the rear face. 
     Item 10. The luggage of any one of items 2-9 when dependent on item 2 wherein a depth of the base measured between the rear face and the parting line is substantially constant between the lower and upper faces. 
     Item 11. The luggage of any one of items 2-10 when dependent on item 2 wherein a depth of the lid measured between the front face and the parting line tapers from proximate the lower face toward the upper face. 
     Item 12. The luggage of any one of items 2-9 when dependent on item 2 wherein the lid has a lid depth measured between the front face and the parting line, the base has a base depth measured between the rear face and the parting line, and a ratio of the lid depth to the base depth is between 2:1 and 20:1. 
     Item 13. The luggage of any one of items 2-12 when dependent on item 2 wherein:
         the front face includes an upper portion adjacent the upper face, and a lower portion adjacent the lower face,   the upper portion is substantially parallel with the rear face, and   the lower portion extends from the upper portion away from the rear face toward the lower face.       

     Item 14. The luggage of item 13 wherein the front face includes the upper portion and the lower portion in the ratio of between 1:1 and 3:1. 
     Item 15. The luggage of item 13 wherein the front face includes the upper portion and the lower portion in the ratio of at least 5:1. 
     Item 16. The luggage of any one of items 2-14 when dependent on item 2 further comprising a zipper and a hinge connecting the lid and the base along the parting line. 
     Item 17. A luggage comprising:
         a lid coupled to a front end of a base along a parting line,
           each of the lid and base extending between a lower end and an upper end,   a depth of the base is substantially constant between the lower and upper ends of the base,   a depth of the lid tapers from proximate the lower end of the lid toward the upper end of the lid; and   
           at least one support coupled to the lower end of the lid.       

     Item 18. The luggage of item 16 wherein:
         the lid includes a lower portion adjacent the lower end of the lid, and an upper portion adjacent the upper end of the lid,   the depth of the lid tapers in the lower portion of the lid, and   the depth of the lid is substantially constant in the upper portion of the lid.       

     Item 19. The luggage of item 18 wherein:
         the lid includes the upper portion and the lower portion in a ratio of between 1:1 and 3:1.       

     Item 20. The luggage of item 18 wherein:
         the lid includes the upper portion and the lower portion in a ratio of at least 5:1.       

     Item 21. A luggage comprising:
         a front face opposite a rear face;   a plurality of side faces collectively surrounding the front and rear faces,
           each side face connecting the front face to the rear face,   the plurality of side faces including at least an upper face opposite a lower face;   
           a parting line dividing the luggage into a lid and a base, the lid including the front face, the base including the rear face,
           at least a portion of the front face extends from proximate the lower face toward the upper face in a direction toward the rear face; and   
           at least one support connected to the lid on the lower face.       

     Item 22. The luggage of item 21, wherein:
         a segment of the parting line extends substantially linearly between the lower face and the upper face.