Patent Description:
<CIT> discloses a suitcase with collapsible structure, capable of assuming an expanded configuration of normal use and a collapsed configuration, comprising: a front shell provided with a perimetral edge; a rear shell provided with a perimetral edge that can be associated to the edge of the front side; a perimetral side for distancing said front and rear shells, comprising a plurality of distancing walls defined between a first edge that in the configuration of use extends at the edge of the front shell and a second edge that extends at the edge of the rear shell, said walls being connected by foldable articulated angular portions; a first reversible linear joining element for connecting at least one stretch of the first edge of the side to at least one stretch of the edge of the front shell; and a second reversible linear joining element for connecting at least one stretch of the second edge of the side to at least one stretch of the edge of the rear shell; wherein at least one wall of the side is provided with at least one intermediate folding line orthogonal to the edges of the side, said suitcase being characterized in that: said side comprises a wall defined by a first side that can be articulated along a stretch of articulation with respect to a side of the edge of the front shell and a second side that can be articulated along a stretch of articulation with respect to a side of the edge of the rear shell; and said wall comprises a first intermediate articulation line comprised between and parallel to said articulation stretches of the wall.

<CIT> discloses a suitcase structure, comprising: a back case component; a front lid component; and a ring-shaped gusset component, wherein the opposite sides of the ring-shaped gusset component are connected with the edge of the back case component and the edge of the front lid component respectively, so as to form an accommodation space configured for being closed, the ring-shaped gusset component comprises a plurality of sidewall portions and a plurality of flexible structures linking the sidewall portions, each of the flexible structures extends from the edge of the ring-shaped gusset component connected to the back case component towards the edge of the ring-shaped gusset component connected to the front lid component, the flexible deformation capability of the flexible structures is greater than the flexible deformation capability of the sidewall portions, each of the flexible structures has an inclination, the inclination is formed and maintained between each of the flexible structures and the edge of the ring-shaped gusset component connected to the back case component, the width of each of the flexible structures decreases gradually from the place near the back case component along a direction away from the back case component, and two of the sidewall portions adjacent to each other can be bent and therefore be stacked opposite to each other by the flexible structures linking the two of the sidewall portions.

<CIT> discloses a collapsible suitcase comprising a front section; a back section; and a collapsible wall section connected to the front section and the back section, the wall section including at least three stacked, generally annular tiers; the collapsible wall section, front section, and back section cooperating to enclose a storage volume; at least one of the collapsible wall section tiers being stiff; and at least two of said tiers being relatively flexible and configured to fold and unfold between relatively expanded and relatively collapsed positions while the stiff tier remains substantially upright, including at least one flexible tier disposed to the front of the stiff tier and at least one flexible tier disposed to the rear of the stiff tier.

<CIT> discloses a folding suitcase includes a support frame, a tie rod, and a box body, wherein the box body comprises a box cover, a box body, and a box bottom. The support frame is fixedly connected with the bottom of the box, the box body is divided into two opposite parts, and the parts of the box body are respectively passed through the support frame. The sleeve assembly b is movably connected, and the pull rod is movably connected with the support frame through the sleeve assembly a, and the box body is disposed between the box body and the box cover. The zipper I is provided with a zipper II between adjacent boxes, and a zipper III is provided on the outer periphery of the box bottom.

<CIT> discloses a suitcase consisting of two identically constructed shells having similar shape however with different sizes.

<CIT> discloses a contractile luggage comprising a shell top and a shell bottom and is characterized in that a folding rubber structure is arranged between the shell top and the shell bottom, and a zipper is arranged between the folding rubber structure and the shell bottom.

According to the present invention there is provided a suitcase comprising a back shell and a front shell, both said front shell and said back shell being made of a rigid material; the back shell is configured with a substantially flat back base and a perimetric back wall extending upwards therefrom and the front shell is configured with a substantially flat front base and a perimetric front wall extending upwards therefrom; a planar footprint of the front shell is slightly greater than a planar footprint of the back shell; a flexible perimetric closed-loop side wall of the suitcase is attached along one of a back edge and a front edge of the flexible perimetric side wall to one of a perimetric edge of the perimetric back wall and a perimetric edge of the perimetric front wall, respectively, with the other one of the back edge and the front edge of the flexible perimetric side wall being articulated to an articulation portion of the other of the perimetric edge of the perimetric back wall and perimetric edge of the perimetric front wall; the flexible perimetric side wall comprising a sliding closure (e.g. a zipper fastener) along a reclosable portion that extends along the edge of the flexible perimetric side wall that is articulated via the articulation portion, the sliding closure extending along said entire edge of the flexible perimetric side wall excluding the articulation portion; the suitcase is configurable between an expanded position and a collapsed position, wherein at the collapsed position the perimetric front wall accommodates the perimetric edge of the perimetric back wall and wherein the thickness of the suitcase at the collapsed position corresponds with a height of the back shell and a thickness of the front base, and the flexible perimetric side wall is folded inwards into a space extending between an inside face of the back base and an inside face of the front base at the collapsed position, and at the collapsed position the perimetric edge of the perimetric back wall substantially bears against the inside face of the front base.

For sake of clarity, the terms 'front shall' and 'back shell', and elements associated therewith, are used to distinguish between the two suitcase shells, however said shells being interchangeable.

The front shell is larger than the back shell, and at the collapsed position at least a portion of the perimetric back wall is enveloped by the perimetric front wall, giving rise to a space extending between an inside face of the back base and an inside face the front base, said space having a height substantially corresponding with a height of the perimetric back wall, and further wherein at the collapsed position said space accommodates the perimetric side wall.

The expanded position gives rise to a storage space, having extended space extending between inside face of the back base and an inside face the front base, with the perimetric side wall fully expanded, said storage space having a thickens corresponding with the accumulated height of the perimetric back wall with the height of the perimetric front wall and the width of the perimetric side wall.

At least a bottom portion of the of the perimetric side wall can be configured with a support mechanism for imparting said bottom portion rigidity and stability.

The support mechanism, according to one example, can be a support board. According to another example, the support mechanism can be an array of foldable support beams. According to yet an example, the support mechanism can be a set of foldable panels deployable into a rigid support structure.

One or more rigid support boards can be articulated at inside portions of the back shell, wherein at the expanded position said one or more rigid support boards can be disposed flush against corresponding portions of the perimetric side wall.

A rigid bottom support board can extend at least at a bottom base of the suitcase, and be configured such that at the collapsed position said bottom support board is disposed substantially parallel to the back base, and at the expanded position said bottom support board can be disposed substantially normal to the back wall and flush against a corresponding bottom portion of the perimetric side wall.

At least one additional support board can be configured at a top base of the suitcase, such that at the collapsed position said additional support board is disposed substantially parallel to the back base, and at the expanded position said support board can be disposed substantially normal to the back wall and flush against a corresponding top portion of the perimetric side wall.

At the expanded position the one or more support boards reinforce the flexible perimetric side wall and impart the suitcase, at the expanded position, with stability.

According to an example, the flexible perimetric side wall is attached along the back edge thereof to the perimetric edge of the perimetric back wall and the front edge of the flexible perimetric side wall being articulated through the articulation portion to the perimetric edge of the perimetric front wall, the front edge of the perimetric side wall comprising said sliding closure (e.g. zipper fastener); said sliding closure comprises a front zipper tape configured at the perimetric edge of perimetric front wall and a back zipper tape configured at the front edge of the perimetric side wall.

According to another example, the flexible perimetric side wall is attached along the front edge thereof to the perimetric edge of the perimetric front wall and the back edge of the flexible perimetric side wall being articulated through the articulation portion to the perimetric edge of the perimetric back wall, the back edge of the perimetric side wall comprising said sliding closure (e.g. zipper fastener); said sliding closure comprises a back zipper tape configured at the perimetric edge of perimetric back wall and a front zipper tape configured at the back edge of the perimetric side wall.

Any one or more of the following features, designs and configurations can be applied to a suitcase according to the present disclosure, separately or in various combinations thereof:.

In order to better understand the subject matter that is disclosed herein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:.

Attention is made to the annexed drawings showing an example of a collapsible suitcase according to this disclosure, generally designated <NUM>, deployable between a collapsed position (<FIG> and <FIG>), and an expanded position (<FIG> and <FIG>).

The suitcase <NUM> comprises a back shell <NUM> and a front shell <NUM>, both shells <NUM> and <NUM> made of a non-pliable, rigid material, such as molded polymeric resins, composite materials etc. The back shell <NUM> is configured with a substantially flat back base <NUM> and a perimetric back wall <NUM> extending upwards therefrom. The front shell <NUM> is configured with a substantially flat front base <NUM> and a perimetric front wall <NUM> extending upwards therefrom.

A flexible perimetric side wall <NUM> of the suitcase is made of flexible material such as fabric, synthetic materials e.g. flexible plastic, rubber, etc., with or without reinforcements, is attached, e.g. by stitching, welding, adhering, etc., in this specific example, along a back edge <NUM> thereof to a perimetric edge <NUM> of the perimetric back wall <NUM>, with a front edge <NUM> of the perimetric side wall <NUM> articulated to a perimetric edge <NUM> of the perimetric front wall <NUM> at articulation portion <NUM> (better seen in <FIG>), and the front edge <NUM> of the perimetric side wall <NUM> is engageable with the perimetric edge <NUM> of the perimetric front wall <NUM> by a zipper fastener <NUM> (<FIG>) extending along the entire front edge <NUM> excluding the articulation portion <NUM>. The zipper fastener <NUM> comprising a front zipper tape <NUM> attached to the perimetric edge <NUM> of perimetric front wall <NUM>, and a back zipper tape configured at the front edge <NUM> of the perimetric side wall <NUM> (said back zipper tape can be integral with or integrated with the front edge <NUM> of the perimetric side wall <NUM>). A pair of zipper pull tabs <NUM> is provided, for closing/opening the zipper <NUM>. It is noted that although the specific example refers to articulation of the flexible perimetric side wall <NUM> to the perimetric front wall <NUM> of the front shell, this is but a mere example; it is to be understood that this disclosure also encompasses alternative arrangements in which the flexible perimetric side wall can be articulated to the perimetric back wall by via an articulation portion and a zipper arrangement located at the perimetric edge of the back perimetric wall.

Whilst not illustrated, the suitcase can be configured with an expansion mechanism, by configuring a zipper over a flexible gusset portion at the perimetric side wall <NUM>, whereby opening said zipper enlarges the width of the perimetric side wall <NUM>, and closing said zipper contracts the perimetric side wall <NUM>.

It is appreciated that one or both the front base <NUM> and the back base <NUM> can comprise one or more closable openings (not shown), wherein the one or more closable openings can facilitate access into the space of the suitcase. Such closable openings can be in addition to the fastener at the perimetric side wall.

Either or both the front base and the back base can comprise one or more soft portions (not shown). Said soft portions can be integrated with the rigid shell or they can be applied thereto by a closure system, e.g. a zipper fastener, facilitating access to the inside space of the suitcase
A pair of wheels <NUM> is articulated at a bottom portion of the back shell <NUM>, said wheels <NUM> can be free swivel wheels or roller wheels, with a flat support base <NUM> comprising an outside portion 50A and an inside portion 50B, the latter fixedly disposed within the suitcase, as will be discussed hereinafter.

The suitcase is further configured with a telescopic handle disposed at the back shell <NUM>, said handle comprising, in the present example, two telescopic rods <NUM> (e.g. seen in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>) and a handle <NUM> disposed at the top end of the telescopic rods. The telescopic handle is manipulable between a retracted position (<FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, etc.) and an extracted position (<FIG>) used for rolling along the suitcase <NUM>. The arrangement is such that at the retracted position of the telescopic handle, the handle <NUM> is received within a depression <NUM> at a top back face of the back shell <NUM>, thus it does not project above and behind the surface of the back shell <NUM>. Likewise, the telescopic rods <NUM> are each received within a support guide tube <NUM> which in turn is fixedly secured within a longitudinal recess <NUM> at the back base <NUM>, such that the guide tubes <NUM> are flush with the back surface of the back base <NUM> (i.e. the recesses project at an inside face <NUM> of the back base <NUM>).

As an alternative (not shown), the guide tubes can be configured at the inside face <NUM> of the back base <NUM>, with the telescopic rods extending through a suitable opening at the top portion of the perimetric back wall <NUM> of back base <NUM>.

Further noted, the perimetric side wall <NUM> is configured at a top portion thereof with a carrying handle <NUM> and with a side carrying handle <NUM> (<FIG>). Said carrying handles can be made of pliable material or they can be rigid. However, as they are configured over the outside face of the perimetric side wall <NUM>, they collapse inwards upon folding the suitcase, as will be discussed herein after. Furthermore, the perimetric side wall <NUM> can be configured with one or more storage pockets, at an outside face (designated 37A) and/or an inside face (designated 37B) of the perimetric side wall <NUM>.

The perimetric side wall <NUM> is further configured at bottom portion at the outside face thereof with one or more support pieces <NUM>, whereby at the expanded position of the suitcase <NUM>, when placed at its upright position, it is supported by the wheels <NUM> and said one or more support piece <NUM>, maintaining the suitcase level and stable. Though one or more support pieces <NUM> are made of rigid material, at the collapsed position of the suitcase they are fully received within the space of the suitcase and do not project or interfere.

In order to render the suitcase stability and maintain a substantially rectangular shape at its expanded position, one or more rigid support boards, collectively designated <NUM>, are articulated at inside portions of the back shell <NUM> (seen in <FIG>). The rigid support boards <NUM> are made of non-pliable material, and are articulated at an inside face of the perimetric back wall <NUM> (or to the inside face <NUM> of back wall <NUM>) through a flexible connecting pivot <NUM> (<FIG>), wherein at the expanded position said rigid support boards <NUM> are be disposed flush against corresponding portions of the perimetric side wall <NUM>. The support boards <NUM> are detachably attachable to inside face of the corresponding the perimetric side wall <NUM> through a detachable fastening mechanism, e.g. a hook and pile fastener (Velcro™), snap fasteners, etc..

A bottom rigid support board <NUM> extends at a bottom base of the suitcase <NUM>, and is configured such that at the collapsed position said bottom support board <NUM> is disposed substantially parallel to the back base <NUM> and flush against the inside face <NUM>, and at the expanded position said bottom support board <NUM> is disposed substantially normal to the back wall <NUM> and flush against a corresponding inside bottom portion of the perimetric side wall <NUM>. Likewise, additional support boards (top and side support boards) are be configured, at a top base and side walls of the suitcase <NUM>, and are configured such that at the collapsed position said additional support board is disposed substantially parallel to the back base, and at the expanded position said support board can be disposed substantially normal to the back wall and flush against corresponding inside top portion and side wall portions of the perimetric side wall <NUM>.

At the expanded position the one or more support boards reinforce the flexible perimetric side wall and impart the suitcase, at the expanded position, with stability and secure the overall rectangular shape of the suitcase <NUM>.

An important feature of the suitcase according to the present disclosure is the ratio of thickness between the expanded position and the fully collapsed position of the suitcase <NUM>. Thus, the arrangement is such that the planar footprint of the front shell <NUM> is slightly greater than a planar footprint of the back shell <NUM>, whereby at the collapsed position (<FIG> and <FIG>) the perimetric front wall <NUM> accommodates the perimetric edge <NUM> of the perimetric back wall <NUM>, and wherein the thickness T of the suitcase <NUM> at the collapsed position corresponds with a height H) of the back shell <NUM> and a thickness t of the front base <NUM>.

The term footprint refers to the planar size of the shell members. It is thus noticeable that the front shell <NUM> is larger than the back shell <NUM>, and at the collapsed position at least a portion of the perimetric back wall <NUM> is enveloped by the perimetric front wall <NUM>, giving rise to a space S extending between an inside face <NUM> of the back base <NUM> and an inside face <NUM> the front base <NUM>, said space having a height h substantially corresponding with a height of the perimetric back wall <NUM>, and further wherein at the collapsed position said space S entirely accommodates the perimetric side wall <NUM>, as well as all other components discussed hereinabove, e.g. inside portion 50B member of wheel supports, longitudinal recess <NUM>, etc. At the collapsed position the perimetric edge <NUM> of the perimetric back wall <NUM> substantially bears against the inside face <NUM> of front base <NUM>.

The expanded position of the suitcase gives rise to an expanded storage space S', extending between inside face <NUM> of the back base <NUM> and an inside face <NUM> the front base <NUM>, with the perimetric side wall <NUM> fully expanded, wherein said expanded storage space S' has a thickness corresponding with the accumulated height of the perimetric back wall <NUM> with the height of the perimetric front wall <NUM> and the width of the perimetric side wall <NUM>.

Collapsing the suitcase <NUM> from its expanded position into its collapsed position, takes place by detaching the one or more support boards <NUM> from the inside face of the perimetric side wall <NUM> and folding said support boards <NUM> inwards, in direction of arrows <NUM>, deposing the support boards <NUM> against the inside face <NUM> of the back wall <NUM>. Then the perimetric side wall <NUM> can be folded inwardly into the space S' and then the two shells <NUM> and <NUM> are pressed against each other until the fully collapsed position is obtained, wherein the perimetric edge <NUM> of the perimetric back wall <NUM> substantially bears against the inside face <NUM> of front base <NUM>. Deploying the suitcase <NUM> into its fully expanded position takes place in a reverse sequence, namely, first the two shells <NUM> and <NUM> are displaced away from one another causing the perimetric side wall <NUM> to fully span and stretch out, whereupon the one or more support boards <NUM> are flipped outwards (in a direction opposite arrows <NUM>), securing the support boards <NUM> to the inside face of the perimetric side wall <NUM>, whereby the suitcase <NUM> is ready for use.

Claim 1:
A suitcase (<NUM>) comprising a back shell (<NUM>) and a front shell (<NUM>), both of which being made of a rigid material;
the back shell (<NUM>) is configured with a substantially flat back base (<NUM>) and a perimetric back wall (<NUM>) extending upwards from the flat back base, and the front shell is configured with a substantially flat front base (<NUM>) and a perimetric front wall (<NUM>) extending upwards from the flat front base, a planar footprint of the front shell (<NUM>) is slightly greater than a planar footprint of the back shell (<NUM>);
a flexible perimetric closed-loop side wall (<NUM>) of the suitcase is attached along one of a back edge (<NUM>) and a front edge (<NUM>) of the flexible perimetric side wall (<NUM>) to one of a perimetric edge (<NUM>) of the perimetric back wall (<NUM>) and a perimetric edge (<NUM>) of the perimetric front wall (<NUM>), respectively, with the other one of the back edge (<NUM>) and the front edge (<NUM>) of the flexible perimetric side wall (<NUM>) being articulated to an articulation portion (<NUM>) of the other of the perimetric edge (<NUM>) of the perimetric back wall (<NUM>) and perimetric edge (<NUM>) of the perimetric front wall (<NUM>),
the flexible perimetric side wall (<NUM>) comprising a sliding closure (<NUM>) along a reclosable portion that extends along the edge of the flexible perimetric side wall that is articulated via the articulation portion, the sliding closure (<NUM>) extending along said entire edge of the flexible perimetric side wall excluding the articulation portion;
the suitcase is configurable between an expanded position and a collapsed position, wherein at the collapsed position the perimetric front wall (<NUM>) accommodates the perimetric edge (<NUM>) of the perimetric back wall (<NUM>) and wherein the thickness (T) of the suitcase at the collapsed position corresponds with a height (H) of the back shell (<NUM>) and a thickness (t) of the front base (<NUM>), and
the flexible perimetric side wall (<NUM>) is folded inwards into a space (S) extending between an inside face (<NUM>) of the back base (<NUM>) and an inside face (<NUM>) of the front base (<NUM>) at the collapsed position, and at the collapsed position the perimetric edge (<NUM>) of the perimetric back wall (<NUM>) substantially bears against the inside face (<NUM>) of front base (<NUM>).