FR2741512A1 - Suitcase or bag with expanding bellows and opening - Google Patents

Abstract

The suitcase, or bag, has a lateral surface (3) with an opening which is closed by a slide clasp fastener (6). This has two cursors (A,B) which have a common set of teeth (9) that give access to the interior of the suitcase and open expanding bellows (11). One cursor (B) is moved to open or close the suitcase when the bellows are expanded and the other cursor (A) folds the bellows into the suitcase. In their closed position the cursors are adjacent. The common row of teeth are outside the other rows of teeth (8,10).

Description

Perfect container and corresponding closing device.

 The invention relates to an improved container and to a corresponding closure device.

 Many flexible bags are known, comprising a zipper system for polishing the opening or closing of the baggage or for increasing the volume by releasing a bellows.

 The object of the invention is to improve this baggage of known type by allowing simultanUment, by means of the same device, to increase the volume of the baggage and / or the closing and opening of it.

 The subject of the invention is a flexible or partially rigid container, such as luggage, suitcase, bag, case or the like, of the type comprising at least one lateral face limited by at least one zipper whose opening or closing allows the access to the interior volume of the container or deployment of a bellows, characterized in that the container comprises at least one chain common to at least two closing sliders, so that the movement of a slider allows the opening or the closing the container in C 1 1 i sant an extension by bellows and the movement of another slider allows the opening or closing of the container by folding the bellows inside the container.

According to one or more other characteristics of the invention: invention
- the sliders along the common chain are adjacent in the closed position of the container
- the sliders are separated from each other along the common chain in the open position of the container
- the common chain is located outside the other chains with respect to the longitudinal median plane of the container
- the sliders are located on a U-shaped strip extending substantially over three quarters of the periphery of the container
- the strip is connected to a base serving as a support in the normal position of use
- the base of the container is rigid
- the bellows is free and able to be deployed in the open position of the container
- at least one extension bellows is integral with the strip of the suitcase or container
- At least one extension bellows is secured to a side face of the suitcase or container.

 The invention also relates to a zipper device in particular for an at least partially flexible object of the container, clothing or other type, comprising chains and sliders, characterized in that the device comprises at least one chain common to the minus two cursors; or generally n cursors and (n + 1) chains, one of which is common to all the n cursors and each of the other chains corresponds to a single cursor, n being an integer greater than 2; so as to obtain at least as many closing modes as there are sliders.

The invention will be better understood from the description which follows given by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
FIG. 1 represents a side elevation view of a container according to the invention, in the closed position.

 FIG. 2 represents a perspective and elevation view of the container according to the invention, in the position of FIG. 1.

 Figure 3 shows schematically in perspective a container according to the invention, at the start of release of the bellows.

 FIG. 4 schematically represents an enlarged partial view corresponding to FIG. 3.

 Figure 5 shows schematically in side elevation a container according to the invention, in the release position of a side face.

 FIG. 6 schematically represents in perspective a container according to the invention, in the position of FIG. 5.

 Figure 7 shows a side elevational view of a container according to the invention, in the open position.

 FIG. 8 schematically represents a container according to the invention in perspective in the position of FIG. 7.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a container according to the invention comprises a rigid or flexible base 1 on which the container rests in its rest position. The base 1 is extended by two large side faces 2 and 3 which are interconnected by a strip 4 in the form of
U.

 The strip 4 has a small side face 4a, a front face 4b and another side face 4c.

 The connection between the strip 4 and the side faces 2 and 3 is carried out by means of zippers 5, 6 and 7.

The closure 5 is an opening or closing closure or a release closure of an extension bellows of a type known per se. The zippers 6 and 7 respectively comprise two chains, each chain being controlled by an appropriate slider A or
B.

 According to the invention, the two slide fasteners 6 and 7 controlled by the sliders A and B comprise at least one common chain. Preferably, the common chain, on which the sliders A and B circulate, is located in the external position relative to the longitudinal median plane of the container.

 With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the elements identified by the numbers identical to those of FIGS. 1 and 2 indicate elements that are identical or of an operation equivalent to those of FIGS. 1 and 2.

 The zipper 6 has two chains 8 and 9, the approach or distance is controlled by the cursor A. The zipper 7 controlled by the cursor B comprises on the one hand the chain 9 located in the outer position and on the other hand the chain 10 normally hidden in the fully closed position of the bag with a bellows 11 retracted.

 In the position for starting to release the bellows 11, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cursor A releases said bellows 11 located between the side panel 4a and the large side face 3 and delimited by the fabric located between the chains 8 and 10.

 The invention described with reference to flexible luggage of the bellows suitcase type or the like also applies to any type of container such as trunks, bags, kits or other flexible or rigid containers mounted on feet or on casters. The essential is, according to the invention, that a zipper such as 6 allows the opening and closing of the container at will when the bellows 11 is folded, as well as the extension of the interior volume of the container thanks to the release of the bellows 11 when a larger volume of storage is desired and the other zipper, such as 7, allows the opening and closing of the container when the bellows is deployed.

 Thus, thanks to 1 invention, in the fully closed position with folded bellows, the two sliders A and B are located on the same side in the position described with reference to Figures 1 and 2; while, in the open position of the bag, the two sliders A and B are both located on the opposite side 4c to the side 4a on which it is in the position described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. To release the bellows 11 , it is necessary to open the suitcase first by means of the cursor A, which gives access to its internal volume, then to close the suitcase by means of the cursor B, which makes it possible to contain a larger volume, the closing is ensured by cursor B.

 With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the identical reference numerals designate elements that are identical or functionally equivalent to those of FIGS. 1 to 4.

 In this other embodiment, the container according to the invention comprises two closing devices according to the invention, each of which comprises three chains and two sliders A and B. Thus, in this embodiment, it is possible to release a bellows 11 , not only on the right side of the container in the elevated position, but also on the left side, thereby substantially doubling the useful volume of the container according to the invention.

 With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the reference numbers identical to the figures in FIGS. 1 to 4 describe elements that are identical or functionally equivalent to those of FIGS. 1 to 4.

 In the open position of the container or the suitcase, the large lateral face 3 and the bellows 11 are separated by a space allowing access to the interior volume of the container. The sliders A and B are located opposite each other in the open position and thus allow the container to be closed after filling either by using the bellows 11 or by folding it inside of the container.

To fold the bellows 11 inside the container, close the container using the slider
A and to use the bellows 11 by closing the suitcase, the suitcase will be closed using the slider B. Thus, whatever the mode of use of the suitcase, the sliders A and B will be in adjacent position when the suitcase is closed .

 The invention described with reference to two particular embodiments is in no way limited thereto, but on the contrary covers any modification of form and any variant embodiment within the scope and spirit of the invention.

 Thus, the invention applies to the closure of any container or any flexible or partially rigid object by means of a multiple closing device with sliders. The essential is according to the invention that the multiple closing device with sliders is provided so that the closing is obtained by the joining of n sliders and (n + 1) chains, n denoting an integer greater than or equal to 2. At least one chain is common to at least two sliders, so that each common cursor assembles the common chain to another chain, which makes it possible to obtain at least as many different closings as there are sliders.

 In particular, the invention applies to the case where at least one chain is common to all the cursors and / or each of the n other chains is dedicated to a cursor, so that each cursor assembles said common chain to the other so-called chain, which also makes it possible to obtain at least as many different closings as there are sliders.

 The invention described with reference to the use of a device for closing or increasing the volume of a container also applies to the closing of all objects at least partially flexible, such as golf bags, jacket, skirt, various clothing or other containers with variable volume totally closed or partially open. In particular, an extension bellows can be secured to the strip of the suitcase or, in a variant not shown, secured to a side face.

Claims (12)

 1. Flexible or partially rigid container, such as luggage, suitcase, bag, case or the like, of the type comprising at least one lateral face (3) limited by at least one zipper (6), the opening or closing of which allows access to the interior volume of the container or deployment of a bellows (11), characterized in that the container comprises at least one chain (9) common to at least two closing sliders (A, B), so that moving a slider (B) allows opening or closing the container using a bellows extension (11) and moving another slider (A) allows opening or closing the container by folding the bellows (11) inside the container.  2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the sliders (A, B) along the common chain are adjacent in the closed position of the container.  3. Container according to claim l or claim 2, characterized in that the sliders (A, B) are spaced from each other along the chain (9) common in the open position of the container.  4. Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the common chain (9) is located outside of the other chains (8, 10) relative to the longitudinal median plane of the container.  5. Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cursors (A, B) are located on a strip (4) in the form of U extending substantially over three quarters of the periphery of the container.  6. Container according to claim 5, characterized in that the strip (4) is connected to a base (1) serving as a support in the normal position of use.  7. Container according to claim 6, characterized in that the base (1) of the container is rigid.  8. Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bellows (11) is free and capable of being deployed in the open position of the container.  9. Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one extension bellows is integral with the strip of the suitcase or container.  10. Container according to one qiie 1 conch of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one extension bellows is secured to a side face of the suitcase or container.  11. Zipper device in particular for an object of the container, garment or other type, comprising chains and sliders, characterized in that the device comprises at least one chain (9) common to at least two sliders (A, B ).  12. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the device comprises n cursors and (n + 1) chains, one of which is common to all the cursors and each of the other chains corresponds to a single cursor, n being an integer greater than 2; so as to obtain at least as many closing modes as there are sliders.