GB1500083A - Foldable hand baggage - Google Patents

Abstract

1500083 Hand luggage FRANKEL & ROTH (INTERNATIONAL) Ltd 21 Aug 1975 34830/75 Heading A4G A foldable suitcase or other item of hand baggage of the type with a zip-fastening lid 1 comprises a body portion 4 having a base 5 and four walls 6, 7, 7', 8 and a hand grip 15 attached to the front wall 6. The rear edge of the lid is attached to the rear wall 8 and the remaining edges of the lid and corresponding edges of the walls 6, 7, 7', are provided with a zip-fastener 14. Each wall 6, 7, 7', 8 includes an inner rigid element 13, the element 13 in each wall 7, 7' being held to the rest of the body portion in a manner permitting it to be moved towards one of the walls 6 and 8 when the suitcase is to be folded. The base 5 and the outer covering 9 of the four walls of the body portion are formed of a flexible material to facilitate folding and the walls 6, 7, 7', 8 contain at least two members 10, 10' between the inner elements 13 and the covering 9, the members 10, 10' being continuous in the region of and extending around the corners 11 between adjacent walls of the body portion to constitute a radius corner at each corner of the body portion, the members also being foldable about the radius corners 11 towards one of the walls 6, 8 when the lateral elements 13 have been moved towards one of these walls. As described the lid has a side wall portion 3 and this is supported when the suitcase is closed by the upper portions 12 of the members 10, 10' which extend above the upper edges of the rest of the wall material. The covering 9 is of natural or synethetic fabric or leather, the elements 13 are of plywood covered on both faces with p.v.c., and the members 10, 10' are of reinforced p.v.c. or of two layers of low density polyethylene secured face to face. To fold the case the inner elements 13 are released by unfastening press-studs 16, Fig.1, and these elements are moved against the wall 6, Fig.6. The side portions of members 10, 10' are folded against the front and rear walls so that the side walls 7, 7' and base 5 can be folded and the front and rear walls flattened as in Fig.8. The lid is then secured by further press-studs.