EP1332692A2

EP1332692A2 - Luggage waterproofing

Info

Publication number: EP1332692A2
Application number: EP03002039A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Robert W. Schlipper
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-01-31
Filing date: 2003-01-29
Publication date: 2003-08-06
Also published as: AUPS024802A0; US20030141160A1; EP1332692A3

Abstract

Waterproof luggage (10) has a receptacle (11), a lid with waterproof layer (12) with a waterproof layer, a zipper (15,16) closing the lid to the receptacle, and a liquid-impermeable membrane (17) attached to the receptacle adjacent the zipper and extending alongside an inner portion of the lid.
A security cable (14) is attached to the luggage and a cavity (13) within the lid or receptacle is provided into which the cable can be received for storage purposes whilst an end of the cable is attached to the luggage.

Description

Background of the Invention

The present invention relates to luggage. More particularly, although not exclusively, the invention relates to luggage having a waterproof cavity into which a security draw cable can be retracted for storage purposes.
It is known to provide motorcycle luggage for example with a security cable by which the luggage can be locked to a bike or a fixed structure such as a telegraph pole for example. The cable might be attached permanently to the luggage exterior or padlocked thereto. When it is desired to detach the luggage from the fixed structure, the security cable must be removed and then typically stored within the luggage. This can present an inconvenience as the luggage compartment must be opened and then reclosed upon the cable. If the cable is soiled for one reason or another, the contents of the luggage compartment might be soiled by the cable.
Also, although it is known to attach luggage by a security cable to a fixed structure, the part of the luggage to which the cable is attached might readily be severed by a knife for example.
The present applicant has proposed motorcycle luggage incorporating a wire mesh structure laminated between lining of the luggage and the luggage exterior. The wire mesh structure extends from the luggage receptacle to a lid. Any attempt to sever the luggage is foiled as a knife blade engages the wire mesh structure. It would be desirable to take advantage of this strong structure when securing the luggage to a fixture.
It is known to provide zip-closable luggage. However, the zipper region of luggage provides for easy ingress of water to the luggage interior.

Objects of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least one of the above disadvantages and/or more generally to provide improved luggage waterproofing and an improved luggage structure having secure inter-engagement between a draw wire locking cable and the luggage, and a compartment separate to the main luggage receptacle into which the cable can be retracted and/or stored.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved sealing arrangement alongside and/or associated with a zipper.

Disclosure of the Invention

There is disclosed herein luggage comprising:
a receptacle,
a lid,
a zipper closing the lid to the receptacle, and
a liquid-impermeable membrane attached to the receptacle adjacent the zipper and extending alongside an inner portion of the lid.
Preferably the liquid-impermeable membrane is stitched to the receptacle.
Preferably the liquid-impermeable membrane is formed of plastics material.
There is further disclosed herein luggage comprising:
a receptacle,
a lid that can be closed upon the receptacle,
a security cable-attached to the luggage,
a cavity within the lid or receptacle into which the cable can be received for storage purposes whilst an end of the cable is attached to the luggage.
Preferably the security cable is attached to the receptacle.

Brief Description of the Drawings

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of an item of luggage,
Fig. 2 is a schematic close-up front elevational view of a zipper portion of the luggage item, and
Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional elevation of the zipper portion of Fig. 2.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment

In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted an item of luggage 10. Item 10 includes a receptacle 11 and a lid 12. The lid 12 is closed down upon the receptacle 11 by a zipper 15, 16. A hinge 23 secures the lid 12 to the receptacle 11.
A draw wire locking cable 14 extends from the receptacle 11. A portion 20 of the cable 14 can be attached to the security mesh built into the lining of the receptacle 11.
The lid 12 includes a compartment 13 into which the security cable can be received when not used. The compartment 13 is defined between layers 21 and 22 of material. Layer 22 would typically be a waterproof layer form of plastics material for example. This would prevent water from rain or a wet surface of cable 14 entering into the receptacle 11.
As shown in Fig. 2, there is attached to the receptacle 11 at an inner surface thereof, a liquid-impermeable membrane 17. Membrane 17 is attached directly to or alongside zipper strip 16 and extends upwardly alongside the inner surface of the lid 12 to provide a barrier through which any water passing through the closed zipper cannot pass into the receptacle 11. The receptacle might be fabricated from a material having a woven or otherwise liquid-permeable outer surface layer and a liquid-impermeable inner coating to make the receptacle waterproof.
An upper internal lining 18 stitched to the liquid-in permeable membrane 17 need not be waterproof.
As can be seen, if the item of luggage is left exposed to the rain for example, water on the lid or passing through the closed zipper 15, 16 will not enter the luggage compartment the because of the presence of impermeable barriers 17 and 22.
It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious to those skilled in the art are not be considered as beyond of the scope of the present invention. For example, layer 21 of cavity 13 might be dispensed with, or if the lid 12 is provided with a separate storage compartment for maps or small items, then the outer layer 21 of the cavity 13 might be made of waterproof material.

Claims

Luggage comprising:

a receptacle,

a lid,

a zipper closing the lid to the receptacle, and

a liquid-impermeable membrane attached to the receptacle adjacent the zipper and extending alongside an inner portion of the lid.
The luggage of Claim 1 wherein the liquid-impermeable membrane is stitched to the receptacle.
The luggage of Claim 1 wherein the liquid-impermeable membrane is formed of plastics material.
Luggage comprising:

a receptacle,

a lid that can be closed upon the receptacle,

a security cable attached to the luggage,

a cavity within the lid or receptacle into which the cable can be received for storage purposes whilst an end of the cable is attached to the luggage.
The luggage of Claim 4 wherein the security cable is attached to the receptacle.