FR2775168A1 - BAG FOR ROLLING CLOTHES WITH A REINFORCEMENT FRAME - Google Patents

Abstract

A garment bag / travel suitcase combination is formed with a rigid plastic frame secured in a rectangular configuration by studs or nails inserted into aligned cellular passages in frictional contact with stripe connecting portions. The reinforced main frame supports opposing openable main compartments which share a common face. Each compartment is bordered by a reinforced U-shaped frame. A common wall is provided with a separate panel member which protects clothing, particularly suits or dresses, which may be hung from one compartment across the common face and into the other main compartment. The hard frame travel bag can be hung from a hook and used as a conventional soft sided garment bag to put on and take off suits and dresses without spilling soft clothes contained in auxiliary pockets.

Description

This invention relates to travel bags. More specifically,

  it relates to bags for clothing with flexible faces having a rigid frame, provided with rollers and handles for transport. Such bags usually include hangers or hangers for holding costumes or dresses and pockets

  auxiliaries for holding flexible clothing.

  Suits, dresses, dressing gowns and the like are usually stored on hangers because such clothes are likely to wrinkle when folded to fit in a classic suitcase. A long flexible garment bag is the most effective form of transportation to prevent wrinkling, but does not have compartments to hold anything other than hanging clothes. Even for short trips, a traveler usually carries a small travel bag for small clothes in addition to the bag for long clothes. Although some folding travel bags are now equipped with compartments for underwear, socks, pullovers and other soft clothing, they tend to be bulky and unwieldy and are difficult to store under the

  s seat or in the upper storage compartment of an airplane.

  Attempts to modify the suitcases to include hooks and hangers for such clothing represent a compromise that has not been entirely successful. Hangers are generally provided on at least one interior wall of a relatively large suitcase with hard side faces so that suits, dresses and the like can be stored on a hanger and folded once. Such hangers do not allow fold-free transport of fine clothing and are not suitable for hand luggage. Pressure from other items in such suitcases, especially if the suitcase is relatively full,

  1s still causes wrinkling of hanging clothes.

  Other suitcases include a rigid panel for supporting the part of hanging garments located inside the interior recess of a side face of the suitcase. The pieces of clothing hanging below the bottom edge of the panel are folded over the edge of the panel. Although the proper configuration using such suitcases can result in the upper and lower parts of the hanging garments not being wrinkled, experience has shown that such a configuration tends to produce a crease in the

  clothes along the edge of the panel.

  A conventional folding panel configuration is described in U.S. Patent No. 5,458,239 issued to Plath, in which a folding panel is accompanied by padded bars of diameter

  larger at the fold line along a folding panel.

  This structure requires two folds in a suit and allows you to put the whole folded set inside the lid of the suitcase. The folds in this structure are accentuated, however, despite the large radius padded bars. Folds form where the suit jacket is wrapped around the bars and tends to wrap around a. Thus, the problem of transporting wrinkle-free suits or dresses in a stowable suitcase with a rigid frame which acts as a bag for clothes with flexible side faces remains to be solved. The problem is complex if several garments are placed in such a bag, one on top of the other. In addition, the heavy and bulky frame structure of clothing bags with conventional flexible side faces adds considerably to the weight of the

  bag while also reducing its interior storage volume.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

  According to the invention a combination (travel bag) of clothing bag and rigid frame travel suitcase is proposed, which serves as a bag with flexible side faces for clothing to prevent wrinkling of costumes, dresses, dressing gowns and d other fine clothing. The rigid and light frame structure of the invention is particularly suitable for handling several suits or other clothing without significant wrinkling, while nevertheless retaining the

  lightness and durability characteristics of classic travel bags.

  The overall strength of the rigid frame structure allows a large number of other garments to be accommodated in auxiliary pockets, but is weak enough to fit the structure into an upper storage compartment as required by company regulations.

aerial.

  In the preferred embodiment, a construction with increased frame resistance and reduced weight is obtained by means of an element forming a frame of rigid multicellular plastic material fastened end to end in a rectangular configuration. The rigid plastic frame member includes four flat side panels spaced from each other and joined by connecting portions in multiple transverse bands forming multiple cellular passages which extend longitudinally along the length of the rigid frame. The opposite end portions of the rigid frame are joined to each other by metal studs, nails or the like inserted into the aligned cell passages. Bringing adjustment contact rubbing connecting elements forming studs or metal nails against the cell walls provides a resistant assembly which resists shock and

  rough treatment normally encountered during the trip.

  The configuration of a rigid multicellular plastic frame can be assembled by hand without the need for special tools and forms a regular narrow abutting connection easily closed tightly by a thin plastic tape and is invisible when covered by materials of

  exterior upholstery and classic fabric.

  The lightweight reinforced frame structure supports opposing main opening compartments, foldable and flexible hinged along a common side face. We see a compartment

  upper and a lower compartment when the bag is open and placed.

  The compartments are delimited by a closed face, an open face in which clothes are placed and three generally rectangular side faces in addition to the common side face. The three rectangular side faces of the compartments have edges which meet along a common dividing line which can be closed with a sliding closure device when the compartments are pivoted towards each other around the common lateral face

  articulated in a folding way to close and form the case.

  The overall or overall dimensions of the suitcase are typically about seventeen inches by about twenty-four inches by about seven inches (from about 43.18 cm by about 60.96 cm by about 17.78 cm). These dimensions make the suitcase small enough to

  s enter the upper storage compartment of an airliner.

  The fabric used in the construction is preferably ballistic nylon traditionally used in the construction of luggage with flexible side faces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

  The accompanying drawings are incorporated into, and form part of, the

  description to illustrate the preferred embodiments of the present

  invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the

  principles of the invention. The drawings serve only to illustrate a typical embodiment showing how the invention can be made and used in the best way and should not be interpreted as limiting the invention to the embodiments shown and described. Various advantages and characteristics of the invention will be more easily understood at

  reading the following detailed description considered jointly

  with the claims and the accompanying drawings in which:

  - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a travel bag incorporating the principles of the invention, - Figure 2 is a view of the opposite side of the bag of Figure 1 showing an additional compartment mounted on the closed face of the compartment main lower and an access zone containing a mechanism of extendable or telescopic handle which makes it possible to roll the suitcase, - Figure 3 is a plan view of the suitcase of Figure 1 in its fully open position and placed on a surface flat, in which a flexible panel with one edge connected along the right side of the two upper and lower main compartments and another panel with one edge connected along the right side of the two upper and lower main compartments and another panel with one edge connected along the underside of the lower compartment, are placed open respectively to the right and below the main compartments, - FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 showing a part of the U-shaped frame at the point where it is secured to a spacer placed across the closed face of the upper compartment, - Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a hanging suit secured in the main compartment using a retaining strap attached to the common side face and the smallest of the foldable panels folded inwards above the lower main compartment and the lower part of the suit contained in its internal part, - Figure 6 shows the next step of closing the travel bag after the steps shown in Figure 5, in which the large panel secured along the right side of the two compartments is folded over and secured and shows that the folding panel has pockets accessible on both sides, - Figure 7 is an el side view, partially detached, of the travel bag shown in Figure 1, - Figure 8 is a sectional view, taken along line 8-8 of Figure 7, showing the reinforced frame of the present invention, and - Figure 9 is a side elevational view of a metal stud / nail connecting member which is insertable into the passages

of the frame.

  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

  s Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the text with reference to various examples of how the invention can be made and used. Identical reference marks are used

  throughout the description and several views of the drawings to indicate

  identical or corresponding components. Throughout the description, the bag

  or travel suitcase is generally designated by the digital reference 10.

  Figure 1 shows what can be considered as the front of the suitcase 10 while Figure 2 can be considered as a rear view. Top views with the bag open and laid flat, an upper side and opposite left and right sides continuing at right angles form the upper compartment. A lower face, continuing at right angles to the opposite left and right faces forms the lower compartment. Each of the compartments is secured to the frame reinforced by a rigid U-shaped frame which extends across the upper face of the upper compartment and another rigid U-shaped frame which extends across the underside of the compartment inferior. The U-shaped frames have branches which extend towards, but a short distance from the common wall along the left and right sides of the respective compartments. At least one spacer is arranged across the closed face of the upper compartment and connects the ends of the branches of the rigid frame. Likewise, at least one spacer is arranged across the closed face of the lower compartment and connects the ends of the branches which extend along the, and define the left and right faces of the lower compartment. Layers of fabric making up the bag cover the reinforced frame member and the U-shaped frames. The rigid rectangular frame is part of the common wall between the upper and lower compartments and acts as a pivot for the common wall s 'extending approximately between the left and right sides of the main compartments. The rectangular frame is covered with resistant fabric from which the faces of the compartments are formed. The common wall has an upper edge part and a lower edge part, looking at it in the open orientation laid flat of the case, in which the upper edge part serves as a loose hinge connection means to the upper compartment and the lower edge portion serves as a loose hinge connection to the lower compartment. The upper and lower edge portions extend away from, and are separated by, the height of the planar frame. The common wall has an interior surface facing upwards when the case is open and the closed faces of the main compartment are arranged on a surface. A fixable strap extends between the left and right sides along the interior surface of the common wall above the planar frame to hold one or more suits against the common wall, thereby producing a slightly accentuated fold

  protected by the common wall when the case is closed.

  A large foldable panel has a foldably connected edge along one of the side edges of the two upper and lower compartments. Since the panel has an outer peripheral contour slightly lower than the combined periphery of the upper and lower compartments, it can be pivoted in the same way as the page of a book on the open faces of the two compartments and be there detachably attached to serve as a flexible wall on clothes already placed in the compartments. The upper side has a device for fixing hangers or hangers in a central position to hold hangers so that one suit or more can be laid flat across the upper and lower compartments and the common wall and covered by the folding panel to create a slightly accentuated fold near the common face when the suitcase is closed and secured, thus preventing the formation of accentuated folds. In addition to the strap located on the inside of the common wall to hold one or more suits in place, other belts can be placed across the suits to hold them against the closed faces

  upper and lower compartments.

  Another folding panel with an edge connected along the underside and an area approximately identical to the open surface of the lower compartment can be folded over the open face of the lower compartment and secured to form a removable wall on the lower compartment before the larger panel is folded over the face of the two compartments. These two flexible panels have accessory pockets for flexible clothing such as

  as shirts, underwear, socks and the like.

  The lower compartment preferably comprises an additional compartment mounted on the external closed face of the lower compartment. The additional compartment is approximately the same size as the lower compartment. The additional compartment is approximately the same size as the lower compartment, has a peripheral wall delimited by a rigid frame and has exposed wheels secured to the reinforced frame and a stretchable or telescopic handle to roll the closed suitcase along a surface without lift the full weight of the bag. The additional compartment secured to the lower main compartment is traversed inside by a stretchable or telescopic handle mechanism connected to a telescopic handle opposite the wheels and having an opening access opening for the storage of

  flexible clothing inside the additional compartment.

  The closed face of the upper compartment preferably comprises a second additional compartment mounted outside the closed face of the upper compartment. The second additional compartment is approximately the same extent as the upper compartment, has a flexible exterior wall face accessible from the outside of the closed suitcase and a pocket or more provided with closures for the storage of flexible clothing. Because the closed faces of the upper and lower compartments and the first and second additional compartments are made of flexible material, they extend outward when filled with flexible clothing without applying pressure to the suit or suits

  folded inside the main compartments of the structure.

  The peripheral walls of the closed bag are formed by the frame

  reinforced rectangular, so the contents are protected against overwriting.

  Even with two suits in the bag, there is still enough room in the main compartments for

  additional soft clothing such as shirts and underwear

  clothing. The bag of the invention can be hung from a handle or hook to conveniently load and remove hanging shirts or dresses without stooping. Small, flexible clothes can be stored in the separate pockets. The hanging garments are set up using gravity so that they hang naturally. Once the large folding panel is closed over the hanging garments, they are retained in the correct position which is established when the suitcase is hung. The larger folding panel and the smaller folding panel hold costumes or dresses in place when the suitcase is closed. When arriving at the destination, the traveler can open the bag and hang it by a handle in the same way as a bag for clothes with flexible side faces, if he wishes, without unloading the flexible clothes because they

  are held in separate auxiliary pockets.

  As shown in Figure 3, the case 10 is open and

  s laid flat on a surface. Most of the description will be

  performed with respect to this orientation of the suitcase 10 fully open. The suitcase 10 comprises opposite opening main compartments comprising an upper compartment 12 and a lower compartment 14 articulated in a foldable fashion along the common lateral face 16. The main compartments 12, 14 are delimited by faces in the plane of the sheet. drawing and side faces which, with the exception of the common side face, are perpendicular to the plane of the drawing sheet. The upper compartment 12 has a closed face 18 and the lower compartment 14 has a closed face 20. The closed faces are, of course, secured to the lateral faces and form a bottom of main compartments 12, 14. Directly above and of the same extent that the closed faces 18, 20 are corresponding open faces 22 for the upper compartment 12, 24 for the lower compartment 14. These open faces meet when the connected compartments are pivoted in an articulated manner so that they are in screw -to each other when the case 10 is closed. Pockets 25 with removable zippers are conveniently arranged

  along the upper corners of compartment 12.

  The compartments have three generally rectangular side faces in addition to the common face 16 which meet along a common dividing line 26 shown in Figure 6. The dividing line 26 comprises the two sides of a closure device 28 sliding located at the upper edge of the side faces which surround the compartments and which is used to close the case 10. The upper compartment 12 (see Figure 3) has an upper face 30 and a lower compartment has a corresponding lower face 32 which is partially hidden by a small shutter or panel which will be described later. The upper face 30 extends regularly to a left face 34 and a right face 36 which in Figure 3 is partially hidden by a large flap or panel which will be described later. Likewise, the lower face 32 of the lower compartment 14 extends regularly to a left face 38 and a right face 40 which is

  partially hidden by the large flap or panel mentioned above.

  The faces 30, 34 and 36 and the faces 32, 38 and 40 each consist of two layers of material between which is stuck a rigid rectangular frame 42 which can be seen in Figure 4 and Figure 7. The frame 42 is made in a light rigid plastic which has a certain flexibility to resist impact forces. The three rectangular faces of the upper and lower compartments 12, 14 are enclosed within the coverings of fabric indicated in FIGS. 1 and 7. As regards the upper compartment 12, the frame 42 extends across the upper face 30, with branches which extend along each of the left face 34 and the right face 36 but end at a short distance from the common face 16. The branches of the rigid U-shaped frame in the upper compartment 12 extend approximately to the point where we see a spacer 44 in Figure 3. The spacer 44 is a flat rectangular piece with ends 46 turned upward at right angles which, by means of 'A fixing device 48, connect the ends of the branches of the frame 42 in

  rigid U shape in the upper compartment 12 and secures them.

  The spacer 44 is preferably covered with a fabric.

  The lower compartment 14 has lateral faces supported by a rigid frame 42 in exactly the same way as the upper compartment 12. In the lower compartment 14, the rigid frame 42 extends along a lower face 32 with upturned branches at right angles to form the interior of the left face 38 and the right face 40, which end at the point where another spacer 44 connects the ends of the branches of the U-shaped frame and subjects them to a

  short distance from a common wall 16.

  s When the suitcase 10 is closed, the common face 16 is part of the fourth lateral face of the upper compartment 12 and of the fourth lateral face of the lower compartment 14. A flat panel 50 is sandwiched between the fabric panels which constitute the common face 16 and extends along the common face 16 from the left face to the right face of the suitcase 10. The planar panel 50 comprises a main planar element 52 which is conveniently made with the same thickness as the frame rigid 42. The panel 50 preferably comprises a thin flexible element 54 situated below the main planar element 52 (see FIG. 3) which is wider than the element 52 and extends a short distance above and below the upper and lower edges of the main element 52

forming a panel.

  The common face 16 has an upper edge part 56 and a lower edge part 58 at the level of which the panels of doubled fabric covering the flat framework 52 extend away from the frame and are loosely and flexible coupled to the fabric which forms the closed faces of compartments 12 and 14. The fabric can simply be extended across the common face in the form of a double piece between which the flat framework 50 is placed. In the preferred embodiment, the flexible element 54 of smaller thickness can be extended to the left and to the right slightly beyond the main planar element 42 and sewn along the edge 59 to hold it in place. Other conventional means could be used to hold the flat framework 50 in place so that it acts as a pivot for the common face to which handles or straps can be anchored from the outside of the suitcase

  by means of bolts passing through the flat elements and the fabric.

  The edge 59 represents the opposite ends of the common face 16 approximately in line with the left and right faces of the main compartment but is not connected to these except by the connection of the common wall along the parts upper edge and lower s of the common face 16 which comprise the fabric connection means loosely articulated. This allows the common face to be arranged relatively flat when the suitcase

  is laid completely open on a surface.

  In Figure 1 the common face 16 is shown on the right side where a handle 60 is bolted in place by means of the planar element at the level of lugs 62 using fixing devices 48. Lugs 64 close to the ends of the common wall 16 are also bolted by means of the planar element 50. The lugs 64 anchor the ends of the sliding closure device 28 which forms the line of

  separation 26 that can be seen in Figure 6.

  We see the common wall 15 in Figure 3 which shows an inner surface on the planar frame 52. A fixable belt 66 provided with connection means at the left and right sides extends along the inner face of the common wall 16 and serves to hold a suit against the common wall, thus helping to create a slightly accentuated fold line at the level of the common wall 16 when the suitcase is closed. An additional fixable strap 68 is seen disposed across the inner side face of the closed face 20 of the lower compartment 14. Additional straps can be used if desired. We

  could use fixed elastic belts.

  Normally, when a suit jacket 67 is suspended from a fixed part 70 close to the handle 72 along the upper face of the compartment 12, it hangs across the two open compartments up to a point close to the lower face 32. The structure is ideal for wearing several suits one above the other in this way because the height of the side faces above the closed faces 18,

  allows to easily receive several costumes with the remaining space.

  When the suitcase is closed, a slightly accentuated fold line of large radius is created along the common face 16 which is protected by the width of the planar element 52. In the preferred embodiment, the planar element 52 has a width of approximately 3 1/4 inches (8.25 cm) and the planar element 54 of smaller thickness has a width of approximately 4 3/4 inches (12.06 cm), although these dimensions are not not critical. The handle 72 can be a hook (not shown) or a separate hook can be used to hang the rigid frame bag in a vertical orientation for the

loading and unloading.

  A small flap or flexible panel 74 is flexibly secured along an edge close to the upper inner edge of the lower face 32. This will be designated by the panel 74 of smaller dimension. The edge 76 is connected to the lower face 32. A perimeter 78 surrounded by a wire frame covered with fabric defines a rectangular area approximately identical to the open area of the open face 24 of the lower main compartment. The wire frame only keeps the shape and facilitates the opening and closing of the

  panel but it is not essential.

  The panel preferably has an accessory pocket 80 on the interior surface and may contain one or more securing straps 82 which can be used to secure a garment. This component

  is particularly useful in the case of long dresses that extend over

  below the lower face 32 but in most cases do not extend below the lower edge 84 of the panel 74 of smaller dimension. After placing suits or dresses on hangers or hangers and securing them in place using belts 66, 68 and 82, the panel 74 is folded over as shown in Figure 5 and secured belt means 86 to hold it in place. Because the edge 76 is secured near the upper edge of the lower face 32 of the compartment 14, another slightly accentuated fold is created there which is protected by the height of the lower face 32 above the closed face 20 itself if the hanging garment stretches

  outward on panel 74.

  The suitcase can be opened and hung vertically by the handle 72. Suits or dresses can be placed on hangers and hang inside the open suitcase. Referring to Figure 5, an additional accessible pocket 88 is conveniently provided on the face of the panel 74 opposite the pocket 80. In the preferred embodiment, the panel 74 of smaller dimension is a flexible panel in

  fabric hinged removably at the underside 32.

  Referring to Figure 3, a larger folding panel 90 has an edge 92 foldably connected to the upper part of the inner surfaces of the side edges 36, 40 of the upper and lower compartments. The rectangular perimeter edge 94 of the panel 90 is slightly lower than the combined periphery of the upper and lower compartments and comprises a sliding closure device 96 surrounding three sides of the perimeter 94. It can be seen that a corresponding cooperating part of a zipper 96 is secured to the sides just inside of a zipper 28 on the

Figure 6.

  The inner surface of the larger panel 90 has a pair of accessible panels 98 and 100. They are suitable for shirts or other flexible clothing. An additional pocket 102 for small items is seen in the upper right corner of Figure 5. Figure 6 shows the appearance of the opposite side of the larger panel 90 after it has been folded over the jacket 67 to close the open faces 22, 24 of the two compartments and cover the panel 74 s of smaller dimension where it is secured in place by means of the sliding closure device 96. Additional pockets 104 and 106 are formed on the underside of the panel 90 larger, which are shown in Figure 6. In the preferred embodiment, the larger panel 90 is a flexible fabric panel loosely hinged along the side faces 36 and 40 but not connected

on the common face 16.

  Figure 2 shows an additional compartment 108 mounted on the closed face 20 of the lower compartment. The additional compartment 108 has rectilinear side faces 110, 112, 114, 116 perpendicular to the face 20 which surround a chamber 118. The faces 110, 112, 114, 116 form a peripheral wall delimited by an interior frame similar to the reinforced frame 42 The reinforced frame 42 is hidden in FIG. 2 but it follows the perimeter and makes it possible to obtain the shape

contiguous faces 110 to 116.

  A pair of opposing wheel mounts 120 have exposed wheels 122 located near the side face 114. The wheel mounts are rigidly secured to the inner frame 119. A chamber 118 of the compartment 108 is traversed inside by a mechanism 124 extendable or telescopic handle and a telescopic handle 126 of a conventional type. The handle 126 is received in a cavity formed inside the frame 119 and covered by a flap 128. An additional compartment 108 has an opening access panel which closes with a zipper. Despite the presence of the handle mechanism 124, a considerable amount of flexible clothing can be stored inside the chamber 118 without disturbing or opening the main case. Room 118 is ideal for

put away dirty clothes.

  Referring now to Figure 2, the frame 119 is a rigid frame, separate from the reinforced frame 42, which surrounds the main compartment s below. The additional compartment 108 is connected to the rest of the bag mainly via the side walls of fabric which are sewn or glued to the bag. Protective corner edges 132 resist wear on the edges. The structure of the wheels is described in detail in my joint US patent application serial number 08 / 744,466 filed November 7, 1996 which is incorporated into the text for reference. As shown in Figure 1, an additional handle 134 is placed near the handle 126 to allow use

  with two hands to lift the bag if desired.

  In Figure 1 a second additional compartment 136 is shown mounted outside of the closed face 18 of the upper compartment. The additional compartment 136 has a rectangular periphery 138 and an interior compartment 140 which is closed by zippers 142. The additional compartment 136 further includes separate pockets 144 and 146 which have their own openings provided with zippers. Finally, opposite wheels 122 and support legs 148 hold the suitcase 10 in the standing position

  right shown in Figure 1.

  As shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, the reinforced frame 42 is produced overall in the form of an open rectangle, the opposite end parts 42A, 42B of which are closed and joined together end to end in an end-to-end assembly 149 by one or more fixing devices such as studs or nails 150 incorporated in the opposite end parts of the element 42 forming a rigid frame. In this embodiment, the element forming a rigid frame comprises first and second parts 152, 154 forming flat side panels spaced from one another but joined by connecting parts 156 in multiple transverse strips. The strip connecting parts 156 are spaced laterally from each other, thus forming multiple cell passages 158 which extend longitudinally along the length of the member forming a rigid frame. The metal studs or nails 150 each have opposite end portions 150A, 150B which are inserted into the aligned cell passages 158 of the opposite end portions of the frame. The members forming metal studs / nails have a diameter of one dimension enabling them to come into position of tight fitting contact and rubbing against the core connection parts 156 and the parts 152, 154 forming panels. In addition, each metal stud / nail has a pair of ribs 150C, 150D projecting in the radial direction, which also rub frictionally with the core connecting parts and the panel members.

flat sides.

  The element 42 forming a rigid multicellular frame is preferably produced by extrusion or molding of light plastic material. This provides increased strength and reduced weight without compromising the interior storage volume of the travel suitcase assembly. Frame 42 has a thickness dimension of about 1/4 inch (6.35 mm). The flat side panels and the strip connecting elements are about 1/64 th of an inch (0.40 mm) thick, the lateral spacing between the strip connecting parts being about 3/16 th of inch (4.76 mm). The end parts 42A, 42B of the frame are assembled together in a butt joint 149 by inserting the end parts 150A of two or more studs / nails in selected cell passages 158. The nails are fully inserted until the ribs 150C, 150D form a strong interlocking connection with the core and the side walls of the panels. The end portions 150B of the studs / nails are then inserted into the corresponding aligned cell passages of the opposite end portion 42B of the frame. After the end parts have been fully assembled by pressing, the studs / nails 150 being completely incorporated in the frame end parts, the end-to-end assembly 149 is waterproofed and closed so

  waterproof by a strip of thin plastic tape.

  The multicellular frame is preferably made by extruding polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or an ABS plastic material. ABS is generally preferable because it is about 30% lighter than PVC in a construction of equivalent strength and rigidity. One can also use any other material which can be formed so as to obtain a light cellular structure and makes it possible to obtain a resistance and a

  equivalent or better stiffness with identical volume and weight.

  In the embodiments described above, the multicellular frame material is particularly suitable for making travel bags with flexible lateral faces using a rectangular frame structure covered by a soft flexible confining wall since the ends of the element multicellular can be joined by studs inserted into the cell passages. However, the invention is not limited to this particular bag structure. The multicellular material can be used to make frames for travel bags in which the ends of the frame are not joined together to form a rectangular frame. The material may have a shape suitable for making a frame or a side panel support, or it can be used as a free panel structure. The multicellular material can therefore be used in luggage with hard side faces as well as in luggage with faces

flexible side.

  Although the invention has been described particularly with respect to specific embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will understand that the same principles can be used in similar configurations. Therefore, it should be understood that although the invention has been described particularly with respect to specific embodiments, the forms of the invention shown and described in detail should be considered as preferred embodiments only and that '' various variants and modifications can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as

  as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (15)

  1. Garment bag and travel suitcase assembly, comprising an element forming a rigid frame and face elements forming upper and lower compartments movably coupled to each other along a common edge of the element forming a rigid frame, the lower and upper compartments being articulated in a folding fashion along the common face to move towards a closed position in which the lower and upper compartments are joined together by folding in relation to opposite or towards an open position in which the lower and upper compartments are unfolded relative to each other, the element forming a rigid frame comprising an element forming a flat body arranged in a generally rectangular configuration, opposite end portions of the element forming a frame being secured end to end in an abutting assembly by a plurality of studs passing through the assembly abutting and incorporated into the aligned end portions of the element forming a flat body.   2. Garment bag and travel suitcase assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the element forming a flat body is traversed by multiple longitudinally extending cellular passages forming first and second panel elements forming spaced flat faces from each other and joined by connecting portions in multiple transverse bands extending longitudinally along the length of the member forming a rigid frame, and the plurality of studs has opposite end portions received in aligned cell passages of the end parts   opposite of the element forming a rigid frame.   3. Garment bag and travel suitcase assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein each stud has a rod portion and at least one rib member projecting in the radial direction from the rod portion at level 'a position   located between the opposite end portions of the stud.   4. Garment bag and travel suitcase assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the opposite end portions of the frame member are traversed by a plurality of longitudinally extending passages and each stud has a dimension thereof. allowing to come in position of contact of tight adjustment and rubbing   with the passages extending longitudinally.   5. Garment bag and travel suitcase assembly, comprising an element forming a rigid frame and lateral elements forming lower and upper compartments movably coupled to each other along a common edge of the element forming a rigid frame, the element forming a rigid frame comprising an element forming a flat body traversed by multiple passages extending longitudinally, the passages extending longitudinally being delimited between first and second parts forming flat panels and separated by transversely extending band connecting portions which join the first and second panel members to each other, the opposite end portions of the frame member being secured end to end in a butt joint. 6. Combination of a garment bag and a travel suitcase suitable for accommodating several suits and flexible garments comprising: (a) a generally rectangular suitcase comprising opposite opening main compartments which include an articulated upper compartment and a lower compartment foldable along a common side face, the compartments being delimited by a closed face, an open face and three rectangular side faces in addition to the common side face, in which the rectangular side faces of the compartments have edges which meet along a common dividing line which can be closed using a sliding closure device when the compartments are pivoted towards each other around the common side face to close the suitcase, (b ) the three generally rectangular side faces of the upper compartment include an upper face extending into opposite left and right faces by looking at it from above with the suitcase open and laid flat on a surface, (c) the three generally rectangular lateral faces of the lower compartment include a lower face extending into opposite left and right faces looking at it from above with the suitcase open and placed flat on a surface, (d) an element forming a rigid frame forming part of the common face between the upper and lower compartments, the common face having an upper edge part and a lower edge part looking at it in the open orientation laid flat of the case, in which the upper edge part serves as a connection means loosely articulated to the upper main compartment and the lower edge part serves as a connection means loosely hinged to the lower main compartment and the rigid frame member plays the r role of a pivot of the common face to which handles or belts can be anchored from the outside of the case, and (e) the element forming a rigid frame comprising first and second flat side panels spaced apart on the other and joined by multiple transverse strip connecting parts forming multiple cellular passages extending longitudinally along the length of the element forming a rigid frame, the opposite end parts of the element forming a rigid frame being secured end-to-end in a butt connection by a plurality of studs, the opposite end portions of each stud or nail being received in aligned cellular passages from opposite end portions of the member forming a rigid frame.   7. Garment bag of the type comprising a member forming a rigid frame and side members forming lower and upper sections which are movably coupled to each other along a common edge of the member forming a rigid frame, the element forming a rigid frame comprising a member forming a flat body having opposite end portions which are traversed by multiple passages extending longitudinally, the opposite end portions of the frame member being secured end to end in a butt joint by a plurality of studs or nails which pass through the butt joint and are arranged in   aligned passages from the opposite end portion.   8. Travel bag comprising a substantially rigid frame comprising an element forming a flat body arranged in a generally rectangular configuration, the opposite end portions of the element forming a body being secured end to end in an abutting assembly by at least one stud passing through the abutting connection and incorporated in the end parts   aligned of the element forming a flat body.   s 9. Travel bag as defined in claim 8, in which the element forming a flat body comprises a monolithic body in extruded plastic comprising first and second side panels arranged opposite one another, spaced from each other and joined by multiple transverse strip connecting portions extending longitudinally along the length of the body member which form   cell passages extending longitudinally.   10. Travel bag as defined in claim 9, wherein the stud has opposite end portions received in cellular passages aligned with opposite ends of the element forming a body.   The travel bag as defined in claim 10, wherein said stud has a rod portion and at least one rib member projecting in the radial direction from the rod portion at a position between the end parts opposite of the stud.   12. Travel bag as defined in claim 11, in which said stud has a dimension allowing it to come into position for tight adjustment contact and rubbing in the passages extending longitudinally. 13. Travel bag comprising a soft flexible confining wall and an element forming a substantially rigid frame comprising a plastic body which comprises first and second parallel panels spaced from one another and joined by transverse connecting strips multiples which extend longitudinally along the length of the frame member and define longitudinally extending cells. 14. Travel bag as defined in claim 13, in   wherein said plastic is an extruded ABS plastic.   15. Travel bag as defined in claim 13, in   wherein said plastic material is extruded polyvinyl chloride.