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EP-4543253-B1 - TRUNK SYSTEM AND ASSEMBLY METHOD THEREOF

EP4543253B1EP 4543253 B1EP4543253 B1EP 4543253B1EP-4543253-B1

Inventors

  • OBMALAY, SENGDARA
  • HERMET, Sabine
  • PETIT FLEURY, Mathieu
  • SAGNARD, Laurence
  • JACQUET, Sophie

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20230617

Claims (13)

  1. A trunk system (1) comprising a case body (110) and an opening lid (120), the case body (110) and the opening lid (120) each comprising a parallelepiped frame composed of a set of rigid panels (11), one rigid panel (11) of which forming a bottom and four rigid panels (11) forming side walls, each parallelepiped frame having an opening defined by the absence of a rigid panel facing the bottom, the side walls being parallel in pairs and being orthogonal when they are adjacent, the rigid panels (11) being engaged in grooves (21) provided in angle pieces (2), the angle pieces (2) being assembled by means of assembly members (3), each assembly member (3) having three feet, each foot comprising a fastening member engaging with a complementary fastening member belonging to each angle piece (2) end, so as to fasten three angle pieces (2) to an assembly member (3) in order to form a right-angled vertex of the corresponding parallelepiped frame, the angle pieces (2) defining edges of the parallelepiped frame of the case body (110) or of the opening lid (120), the opening of the parallelepiped frame of the case body (110) being intended to be closed by the opening lid (120) pivotably mounted on the case body (110), the openings of the case body (110) and of the opening lid (120) facing each other, said trunk system being characterized in that at least one edge of the parallelepiped frame of the case body (110) and/or of the opening lid (120) iscovered from the outside by at least one respective edge reinforcing member (50) assembled by means of mechanical fastening means to the rigid panels (11) on both sides of the angle piece (2) corresponding to the edge, the mechanical fastening means being configured to connect the at least one edge reinforcing member (50) to the rigid panels (11), by passing through them, on both sides of the angle piece (2), and the mechanical fastening means not passing through the angle pieces (2) or the assembly members (3), the at least one edge reinforcing member (50) ensuring a joint between adjacent and orthogonal rigid panels (11) on both sides of the corresponding angle piece (2), and said rigid panels (11) thus being engaged in the angle pieces (2) without being fastened thereto.
  2. The trunk system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical fastening means comprise a stitching (51), the stitching (51) being made through the rigid panels (11) on both sides of the angle piece (2) and the stitching (51) not passing through the angle pieces (2) or the assembly members (3).
  3. The trunk system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the angle pieces (2) have grooves (21) with an L-shaped cross-section and the rigid panels (11) have a fold (12) on at least one portion of the edges thereof, in particular at right angles, towards the interior of the corresponding parallelepiped frame, so as to form a peripheral edge having at least one portion with an L-shaped cross-section, the peripheral edges of the rigid panels (11) being engaged in the grooves (21) provided to conform with the angle pieces (2), so as to ensure the engagement of the rigid panels (11) on the angle pieces (2).
  4. The trunk system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the angle pieces (2) are fastened to the assembly members (3) by means of fastening screws.
  5. The trunk system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a reinforcement frame (81) attached to the case body (110) at the opening of the parallelepiped frame of the case body (110) and/or of the parallelepiped frame of the opening lid (120).
  6. The trunk system (1) according to the preceding claim, the reinforcement frame (81) being made of carbon fiber.
  7. The trunk system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein at least one accessory part from: one or more gripping handles (6), one or more locks (7), one or more hinges (9), an inner lining, one or more fasteners, one or more hasps, is attached to the reinforcement frame (81).
  8. The trunk system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a strap (82) encircling the parallelepiped frame of the case body (110) at a peripheral edge on the opening side, the strap (82) projecting, the projection being configured to guide the opening lid during the closing thereof and to contribute to the rigidity between the case body (110) and the opening lid (120) when the trunk system (1) is in use.
  9. The trunk system according to one of the preceding claims, comprising removable corners to protect the vertices of each parallelepiped frame.
  10. A method for manufacturing a trunk system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, whereby, for each parallelepiped frame: rigid panels (11) are cut, portions of the peripheral edge of the rigid panels (11) are folded (12) at right angles, so as to form a peripheral edge of the rigid panels (11) having at least one portion with an L-shaped cross-section, the peripheral edge of each rigid panel (11) is engaged in grooves (21) with an L-shaped cross-section provided on angle pieces (2), the angle pieces (2) wherein the rigid panels (11) are engaged are assembled on assembly members (3) to form each parallelepiped frame, and then, a fabric (90) is provided to cover the outside of the rigid panels (11) belonging to each parallelepiped frame, edge reinforcing members (50) are provided on each edge of each parallelepiped frame, mechanical fastening means are implanted to fasten each edge reinforcing member (50) to two adjacent rigid panels (11), the mechanical fastening means being implanted on each side of the corresponding angle piece (2), the mechanical fastening means passing through the edge reinforcing member (50) and the corresponding rigid panel (11) by perforating them, and the mechanical fastening means not passing through the angle piece (2) or any of the corresponding assembly members (3), so as to form, on the one hand, the case body (110) and, on the other hand, the opening lid (120), the case body and the opening lid (120) are assembled, the opening lid (120) being pivotably mounted on the case body (110).
  11. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein the mechanical fastening means consist of a stitching (51).
  12. The manufacturing method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein rigid panels (11) are marked to facilitate the folding of at least a portion of the peripheral edge thereof.
  13. The manufacturing method according to one of claims 10 to 12, wherein a reinforcement frame (81) is attached to the parallelepiped frame of the case body and/or to the parallelepiped frame of the opening lid (120).

Description

technical field The present invention relates to the field of trunks, in particular those that can be moved by rolling using a set of wheels. It's important to note that trunks are distinct from suitcases and other smaller luggage. Trunks are defined as large, rigid pieces of luggage. Specifically, trunks are generally larger (taller and longer) and more rigid than suitcases, and typically have a rectangular shape. STATE OF THE ART The state of the art includes the description of luggage and methods for manufacturing such luggage which include a step of assembling a frame, for example a frame composed of angle irons which define a substantially parallelepiped structure on which panels are then assembled to form a body, and a lid allowing the luggage to be opened and closed. The document CN 2 190 894 Y describes such luggage. The document EP3476241A1 describes such a method for assembling this type of luggage. However, this type of luggage is not a trunk and does not have a comparable structure. However, there is a need for larger luggage, in other words, trunks. Trunks allow for the transport of greater volume and weight and are generally designed to be stronger and more durable. This implies that trunks must be very robust. The faces of this type of trunk are perfectly parallel in pairs, with adjacent faces forming right angles. The edges of such trunks must be protected by mortise and tenon joints that reinforce them. However, it is difficult to ensure both the rigidity and flexibility required for such trunks. The invention aims to provide trunks exhibiting both high rigidity and suitable flexibility. The trunks according to the invention are thus robust and durable. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing such trunks. PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION More specifically, the invention relates to a trunk system comprising a body and a hinged lid, the body and the hinged lid each having a parallelepiped frame composed of a set of rigid panels, including one rigid panel forming a base and four rigid panels forming side walls, each a parallelepiped frame having an opening defined by the absence of a rigid panel opposite the base, the side walls being parallel in pairs and orthogonal when adjacent, the rigid panels being engaged in grooves formed in angle brackets, the angle brackets being assembled by means of connecting members, each connecting member having three feet, each foot comprising a fastening member cooperating with a complementary fastening member belonging to each end of the angle bracket, so as to fix three angle brackets to a connecting member to form a right-angled vertex of the corresponding parallelepiped frame, the angle brackets defining edges of the parallelepiped frame of the shaft or the hinged lid, the opening of the parallelepiped frame of the shaft being intended to be closed by the hinged lid pivotally mounted on the shaft, the openings of the shaft and the hinged lid being placed opposite each other, at least one edge of the parallelepiped frame of the shaft and/or the opening lid being covered on the outside by at least one respective socket assembled by means of mechanical fixing to the rigid panels on either side of the angle corresponding to the edge, the mechanical fixing means being configured to connect, by passing through them, the at least one socket to the rigid panels on either side of the angle, and the mechanical fixing means not passing through the angles or the assembly members, the at least one socket ensuring a joint between adjacent and orthogonal rigid panels on either side of the corresponding angle, and said rigid panels being thus engaged in the angles without being fixed to them. The trunk systems according to the invention have the particular advantage of having both suitable flexibility and great robustness because the solid sockets ensure the protection of the edges, improving the rigidity of the trunk structure, while being stitched or nailed or riveted, for example, directly into the panels, on each side of the angle, but not into the angle itself nor into the assembly elements or "connectors" which ensure the link between the different angles at the level of each vertex of the parallelepiped structure of the trunk system. Thus there is flexibility, in other words a degree of freedom, at each interface between an angle and a panel, ensuring the structure has the appropriate flexibility (flexibility is also ensured by the choice of the panels themselves). Advantageously, the mechanical means of fixing include a spigot, the spigot being made through the rigid panels on either side of the angle bracket and the spigot not passing through the angle brackets or the assembly members. According to one embodiment, the angle brackets have grooves having an L-shaped cross-section and the rigid panels have a fold on at least a portion of their edges, in particular at a right angle, towards the interior of the corresponding parallelepiped frame, so as