Luggage system and device

Abstract

A stackable luggage system comprising: a plurality of luggage units, each luggage unit comprising a main body oriented to have an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein a leading edge of the lower surface and a trailing edge of the upper surface are chamfered to facilitate an upper luggage unit to slide over a lower luggage unit when the luggage units are vertically stacked.

Description

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2020902914, filed on 17 August 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention generally relates to luggage systems, and more specifically, to luggage systems and luggage items used with such systems, providing standardized handling and storage of items in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Background Technology

[0004] Domestic and international travel has become commonplace in most societies in recent years. This is largely due to airlines' ability to offer fares at affordable prices. Consequently, the airline industry has undergone considerable changes over the years to improve operational efficiency and reduce operating costs in order to maintain ticket prices at such affordable levels.

[0005] With the widespread adoption of air travel, airlines have become adept at handling large numbers of passengers at check-in points to minimize wait times and maximize throughput. Larger aircraft have made it possible to maximize the number of passengers that can be accommodated on board, and as competition intensifies, many airlines are beginning to realize that their profit margins are decreasing in order to continue offering discounted tickets.

[0006] While new technologies can automate the handling of large numbers of passengers through electronic check-in and self-service check-in facilities, processing passenger baggage still requires significant human intervention and is therefore costly. Airlines typically require baggage handlers to manually load and unload passenger baggage at the start and end of flights. Because passenger baggage is unregulated and varies in shape and size, each piece must be manually loaded into a containerized bin (ULD) for storage in the aircraft's cargo hold. This can become difficult to manage and control, especially when individual passenger baggage items vary considerably in size and weight. Such issues become particularly relevant to ensuring the proper distribution of cargo weight across the aircraft.

[0007] Therefore, baggage handling and management involves considerable labor factors, including cost and time, both of which negatively impact airline profit margins. Consequently, there is a need for a baggage system and baggage items that provide a more automated way to handle baggage before and after departure from the airport.

[0008] The foregoing references and descriptions of prior art solutions or products are not intended to, and should not be construed as, a statement or admission of common general knowledge in the prior art. In particular, the foregoing discussion of prior art is not related to anything commonly known or familiar to those skilled in the art, but rather to aid in understanding the inventive steps of the present invention, wherein the relevant prior art solutions are identified as only a part. Summary of the Invention

[0009] One or more aspects of the invention are defined by the independent claims. Some optional and / or preferred features of the invention are defined by the dependent claims.

[0010] Therefore, according to one aspect of the present invention, a luggage unit is provided, comprising:

[0011] A substantially rigid body having a first portion that is at least partially releasable to a second portion to define a storage space for storing items therein;

[0012] The first portion has an outer surface on which a plurality of guide rail members extend longitudinally, each guide rail member protruding above the outer surface of the first portion to form at least one channel therebetween; and

[0013] The second portion has an outer surface on which at least one guide rail member extends longitudinally, the guide rail member or each guide rail member protruding above the outer surface of the second portion and configured to mate with the at least one channel formed in the outer surface of the first portion;

[0014] Both the first portion and the second portion have a chamfered edge formed along their opposite ends.

[0015] The luggage unit can be configured to be vertically stacked on top of another luggage unit configured according to the first aspect of the invention, such that the second portion of an upper luggage unit or each guide rail member is received within a channel formed in the first portion of a lower luggage unit.

[0016] The at least one channel formed in the first portion may have a locking ridge extending orthogonally therein, and the at least one guide member formed in the second portion has a recess extending orthogonally therein, such that when the upper luggage unit is mounted on the lower luggage unit, the locking ridge of the lower luggage unit engages with the recess formed in the upper luggage unit to prevent slippage and to act as a positioning mechanism between the upper and lower luggage units.

[0017] The handle component can be retractably mounted to the second part so as to be received in a recess formed between each guide rail component.

[0018] At least two wheels can be mounted on the main body to facilitate the movement of the luggage unit.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, a luggage system is provided, comprising:

[0020] Multiple luggage units, each luggage unit having a generally rigid body having a first portion at least partially releasable to a second portion to define storage space for storing items therein; the first portion having an outer surface on which a plurality of guide rail members extend longitudinally, each guide rail member protruding above the outer surface of the first portion to form at least one channel therebetween; the second portion having an outer surface on which at least one guide rail member extends longitudinally, the guide rail member or each guide rail member protruding above the outer surface of the second portion and configured to mate with at least one channel formed in the outer surface of the first portion; wherein both the first portion and the second portion have a chamfered edge formed along their opposite ends;

[0021] The luggage units are arranged to be stacked vertically, such that the guide rail member of the second part of the upper luggage unit is received in a channel formed in the first part of the lower luggage unit.

[0022] According to another aspect, the present invention provides a stackable luggage system comprising: a plurality of luggage units, each luggage unit including a body oriented having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein a leading edge of the lower surface and a trailing edge of the upper surface are chamfered to allow an upper luggage unit to slide on a lower luggage unit when the luggage units are arranged in a vertically stacked configuration.

[0023] In one embodiment, the upper surface of each luggage unit is configured to mate with a lower surface of an upper luggage unit in a vertically stacked configuration. One of the upper or lower surfaces of each luggage unit may have one or more guide rail members formed therein, and the other of the upper or lower surfaces of each luggage unit may have one or more channels formed therein.

[0024] The one or more channels may be configured to mate with the one or more guide rail members such that when the upper luggage unit is positioned on the lower luggage unit, at least one guide rail member of the upper or lower luggage unit may be accommodated within the channel member of the upper or lower luggage unit to provide interlocking between stacked luggage units.

[0025] In one configuration, each luggage unit can be stacked vertically, such that an upper luggage unit can be supported on a lower luggage unit. In another configuration, each luggage unit can be stacked vertically, such that an upper luggage unit can be supported between a pair of lower luggage units. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The invention will be more readily understood from the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

[0027] Figure 1 This is a view of a typical container (ULD) used in an aircraft according to existing technology;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a side view of a suitcase according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 One end view of the luggage unit;

[0030] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A rear view of the luggage unit;

[0031] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 A front view of the luggage unit;

[0032] Figure 6 These are front and side views of a series of luggage units of different sizes and shapes according to the present invention;

[0033] Figure 7 yes Figure 2 The suitcases are in a stacked configuration in the main view;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a perspective view illustrating a manner in which the luggage unit of the present invention is installed in a ULD according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 9 This is a side view of a ULD equipped with a luggage unit according to the present invention;

[0036] Figure 10 This is a side view showing a pair of suitcases in a vertically stacked configuration; and

[0037] Figure 11 This is a front view of a vertically stacked suitcase unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0038] Preferred features of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that the features illustrated and described with reference to the drawings should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0039] Although the system of the present invention will be described below with respect to luggage for loading onto an aircraft ULD, it should be understood that the luggage system and individual luggage items of the present invention can be used in any transportation situation, including rail, bus, car, air and interplanetary / space transportation.

[0040] refer to Figure 1 The image shows a typical baggage container (ULD) 10 used to hold baggage on an aircraft. ULDs 10 are typically in the form of shipping containers, designed to store large quantities of cargo in a single location, usually luggage, but also including other items. Baggage handlers typically load passenger baggage and other items onto the ULDs before takeoff; each ULD has its own inventory list or a cargo manifest listing the items it contains. As shown, the shape of the ULD is adapted for installation within the aircraft fuselage, allowing for a variety of shapes and configurations depending on the aircraft and the area of ​​the aircraft where the ULD is located. This storage device is highly effective in reducing loading and unloading time, thus reducing flight delays, as it provides a method for handling large quantities of individual baggage items on and off the aircraft. However, ULDs do require a significant amount of manual loading, and the baggage items to be stored in the ULD must be on an inventory list; therefore, this work is labor-intensive and a cost that airlines must bear as part of their overall operating expenses.

[0041] refer to Figure 2-5 The illustration shows a suitcase 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Suitcase 20 is designed to provide a standardized size for use by all passengers on the flight. In this regard, suitcase 20 may be of two or more consistent standard sizes and is intended to serve as a standard baggage item for all passengers. Preferably, suitcase 20 may be available in extra-small, small, medium, and large sizes to accommodate different baggage needs of passengers, such as… Figure 6 As shown.

[0043] The suitcase 20 is preferably made of a sturdy material such as polypropylene or a similar plastic to form a hard shell around the contents of the suitcase to protect them. The suitcase 20 has a first main body portion 22, which is attached to a second main body portion 24 by a zipper 25, hinge, or similar device to facilitate opening the suitcase 20 to access its internal storage compartments. The first main body portion 22 has an outer surface 23, which... Figure 5As shown more clearly, the figure shows a plurality of guide rails 21 extending longitudinally thereon. As illustrated, the guide rails 21 include a wider central guide rail and two narrower guide rails located near the edges of the suitcase 20. The guide rails 21 are configured to define two channels 27 extending therebetween for receiving and fitting another suitcase 20, the manner of which will be described in more detail below. It should be understood that the shape and construction of the guide rails 21 and the channels 27 can vary and will depend on the width of the suitcase 20.

[0044] As described above, the second main body portion 24 is configured to mate with the first main body portion 22 to store items therein and to facilitate the separation of the first main body portion 22 from the second main body portion 24, thereby providing access to the internal storage compartments of the suitcase 20. Figure 4 As can be seen more clearly, the second main body portion 24 has an outer surface 26 that includes a pair of guide rails 29 extending longitudinally along the length or height (depending on orientation) of the suitcase 20, as shown. The guide rails 29 are spaced apart by a predetermined distance such that when the suitcase 20 is positioned on top of another suitcase 20, the guide rails 29 are positioned as follows: Figure 7 The luggage compartments are accommodated in a channel 27 formed in the first main body portion 22 of the lower compartment 20 as shown. When positioned in this stacking manner, multiple compartments 20 will interlock.

[0045] Wheel 28 is located at one end of the suitcase 20. (Example) Figure 2-5 As shown, four wheels 28 are mounted at the ends of the suitcase 20 to support the suitcase 20 on the ground when it is in an upright position as shown. Figure 6 As shown, for larger suitcases, a pair of wheels can be installed along the edge of the end of the suitcase 20 to provide a means for moving the suitcase in a conventional manner. The wheels 28 can be in the form of casters or conventional disc wheels.

[0046] like Figure 4 As shown, a handle 35 is retractably mounted to the surface 26 of the second body portion 24. The handle 35 is mounted between recesses formed between the guide rails 29 and extends therefrom to protrude above the upper end of the suitcase 20, as shown. The handle 35 allows the user to conveniently push and manipulate the suitcase 20 as needed.

[0047] As in Figure 2As can be seen more clearly, the leading edge 30 of the second main body portion 24 of the suitcase 20 is configured to form a chamfered or angled surface to provide a certain degree of gap “X” along the edge. Such a gap “X” is sufficient to help the suitcase 20 slide into position above the lower suitcase for interlocking stacking. Similarly, the rear edge 32 of the front main body portion 22 is configured to have a chamfered or angled surface to facilitate the stacking of multiple suitcases 20 on each other, which will be discussed in more detail below.

[0048] like Figure 7 As shown, the suitcases 20 can be easily stacked on top of each other, such that the guide rails 29 of the upper suitcase 20 slide into the channels 27 of the lower suitcase 20. This interference fit between the vertically adjacent suitcases 20 ensures the stability of the stacking as they are assembled for storage in a ULD or similar device.

[0049] Figure 10 Two suitcases 20 are shown as follows Figure 7 The figure shows a side view of the vertically stacked luggage compartments. In this embodiment, the upper luggage compartment 20 can slide onto the lower luggage compartment 20, such that the guide rail 29 provided on the lower surface of the upper luggage compartment 20 is received within a channel formed on the upper surface of the lower luggage compartment 20. As shown, the leading edge 30 of the lower surface of the upper luggage compartment 20 and the trailing edge 32 of the upper surface of the lower luggage compartment 20 are chamfered or angled. This provides sufficient clearance when the upper luggage compartment 20 slides onto the lower luggage compartment 20 to facilitate the reception of the guide rail 29 of the upper luggage compartment within the channel 27 of the lower luggage compartment. This can be achieved with minimal baggage handler intervention, thus ensuring that the luggage stacking process can be easily automated.

[0050] like Figure 4 and 5 As shown, to prevent the suitcases 20 from sliding when vertically stacked, each aisle 27 has a locking ridge 40 extending laterally relative to the direction of the aisle 27. The locking ridge 40 protrudes above the surface of the aisle 27 and receives in a corresponding recess 42 formed in the guide rail 29 of the lower suitcase 20 when the suitcases 20 slide into the stacked position. This provides an interlock between vertically adjacent suitcases 20 to prevent them from sliding against each other.

[0051] like Figure 11 As shown, due to the standardized shape of the suitcases 20, they can be stacked vertically in a staggered or overlapping manner. In this arrangement, the guide rails 29 of the upper suitcase 20 are received in the channels 27 of the adjacent lower suitcase 20. This stacking arrangement provides enhanced stability for the stacked suitcases.

[0052] refer to Figure 8An embodiment of the invention is shown, illustrating how the container 10 can easily load the suitcase 20 in an automatic manner.

[0053] ULD 10 can be mounted on a scissor lift device 15, which can be raised and lowered by a robot according to the height of the suitcases 20 stored in ULD 10. The suitcases 20 to be loaded are positioned on a conveyor system 12 for transport to the ULD. The conveyor system 12 can also or optionally be configured to raise / lower as needed to transport suitcases into the ULD. Each suitcase 20 is aligned on the conveyor system 12 such that they are supported on the outer surface 26 of the second body portion 24 and the outer surface 23 of the first body portion 22 is positioned on top. In this arrangement, the inclined edge 32 of the first body portion 22 is positioned rearward such that the inclined edge 30 of the second body portion is positioned toward the ULD 10 below the suitcases 20.

[0054] The bottom of the ULD will be configured to have a channel 17 formed therein to replicate the channel formed in the upper surface of the suitcase 20. To achieve this, a lining may be provided to extend on the inner surface of the bottom of the ULD 10. In this respect, the suitcase can simply slide into place in the ULD such that the guide rail 29 formed in the lower surface of each suitcase 20 is received within the channel 17 formed in the bottom of the ULD.

[0055] In this setup, since the width of the suitcases 20 is the same, the upper layer of the suitcases 20 to be loaded can be positioned with the front facing outwards. Figure 10 or Figure 11 The method discussed involves simply sliding the suitcase 20 onto the outer surface 23 of the already loaded suitcase. Since the lower surface of the suitcase to be loaded has a sloping edge 30 as its leading edge, and the already loaded suitcase has a sloping edge 32 as its upper rear edge, there is a large gap to facilitate the guide rail 29's reception within the channel 27 of the already loaded suitcase. Therefore, the suitcase 20 can be easily pushed in and guided to the appropriate position on top of the loaded suitcase. Figure 9 As shown, each baggage can then be loaded in a similar manner to provide stacked ULDs. Once baggage 20 is full of ULDs, they can be loaded onto the aircraft as needed. It should be understood that ULDs can be unloaded in the same simple and automated manner.

[0056] Each suitcase 20 may have a readable data card (not shown) installed in the body. The data card may be molded into the inner or outer surfaces 23, 26 such that it can be easily read by a suitable reader as it passes along the conveyor system. Therefore, the inventory of the suitcases 20 loaded into the ULD can be automatically retrieved with minimal manual input, and the exact location of individual luggage items stored in the ULD can be precisely pinpointed. The data card may take any known form, including RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chips or similar readable technologies.

[0057] It should be understood that because each suitcase 20 has a standardized form and structure, security and customs officers can easily approach the suitcase 20 and use a standard unlocking system to open the lock to inspect and view the items carried in the suitcase 20. This significantly improves the efficiency of airport security procedures, as officers responsible for performing such inspections do not have to deal with the numerous different locks and security settings associated with the countless different types of suitcases commonly found in existing setups. Furthermore, because the suitcases have similar structures and are made of the same hard-surface material, they can be easily disinfected or subjected to biohazard cleaning during handling.

[0058] It should be understood that by providing suitcases 20 with standard shapes and sizes, as well as standard structures and configurations, passengers can easily enter the airport and, once check-in is complete, their luggage can be transported to the appropriate collection and loading area in a routine manner. The collected suitcases can be easily loaded into the required ULD or similar cargo storage system, in which they are designed to interlock and assemble to maximize storage space. The suitcases 20 are designed to slide easily against each other and are of the same size, thus significantly reducing the manual requirements associated with handling and loading luggage items of various sizes and shapes.

[0059] It should also be understood that upon arrival at the terminal, once the ULD has been removed from the aircraft's cargo hold, individual suitcases 20 can be easily unloaded from the ULD and transported to a collection point for passenger pickup. This can be done in a simple and efficient manner, and because the suitcases are uniform in shape and size, storage equipment, transport vehicles, and other handling equipment can be easily adapted for use with them.

[0060] It should be understood that, due to the construction of the luggage compartments 20, the way they are loaded / unloaded from the ULD can vary. Since the luggage compartments are designed to slide on top of other luggage compartments in a stacked manner, the luggage compartments can also enter the ULD via linear gravity feeding, belt feeding, or power feeding.

[0061] Regardless of how luggage is loaded / unloaded from the ULD, airlines are able to optimize baggage space for each flight before departure due to the interlocking and standardized size and shape of the luggage of this invention. The standardized nature of the baggage allows airlines to determine the quantity of baggage each passenger will bring at the time of ticketing. Therefore, airlines can plan cargo capacity with high certainty, opening up the possibility for passenger airlines to utilize baggage space for other commercial cargo applications. This can provide airlines with an additional revenue stream that was previously difficult to achieve due to the randomness of traditional luggage size and volume.

[0062] Throughout the specification and claims, the term "comprising" and its derivatives are intended to have an open-ended meaning rather than a closed-ended meaning, unless explicitly stated or required by the context. That is, the term "comprising" and its derivatives refer not only to the directly listed components, steps, or features, but also to other components, steps, or features not explicitly listed, unless explicitly stated or required by the context.

[0063] It will be understood that those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the methods of the present invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A suitcase unit, comprising: A substantially rigid body having a first portion that is at least partially releasably attached to a second portion to define a storage space for storing articles therein; The first portion has an outer surface on which a plurality of guide rail members extend longitudinally, each guide rail member protruding above the outer surface of the first portion to form at least one channel between the plurality of guide rail members. and The second portion has an outer surface on which at least one guide rail member extends longitudinally, the at least one guide rail member protruding above the outer surface of the second portion and configured to mate with the at least one channel formed in the outer surface of the first portion; Both the first portion and the second portion have chamfered edges formed along one end thereto; the chamfered edges of the first portion are located on a pair of sides of the substantially rigid body opposite to the chamfered edges of the second portion; at least one channel formed on the outer surface of the first portion is continuously connected at the chamfered edges and configured to slide and position at least one guide rail member, the at least one guide rail member being continuously connected at the chamfered edges of the outer surface of the second portion of a second luggage unit; the second luggage unit is configured to be substantially identical to the luggage unit such that, when the second luggage unit is adjacent to the luggage unit, at least one guide rail member of the second luggage unit is aligned with at least one channel formed on the first luggage unit, such that the at least one guide rail member of the second luggage unit can slide within the at least one channel formed on the outer surface of the luggage unit, such that the second luggage unit slides longitudinally along a length of the luggage unit on the first portion of the luggage unit.

2. The suitcase unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The at least one channel formed in the first portion has a locking ridge extending orthogonally therein, and the at least one guide rail member formed in the second portion has a recess extending orthogonally therein, such that when the second luggage unit is slidably positioned on the luggage unit, the locking ridge of the luggage unit engages with the recess formed in the second luggage unit to prevent sliding between the second luggage unit and the luggage unit.

3. The suitcase unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a handle component that is telescopically mounted to the second part so as to be received in a recess formed between the two guide rail components.

4. The suitcase unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least two wheels are mounted on the main body to facilitate the movement of the luggage unit.

5. A baggage system, comprising: Multiple luggage units, each luggage unit having a substantially rigid body having a first portion at least partially releasable to a second portion to define a storage space for storing items therein; the first portion having an outer surface on which a plurality of guide rail members extend longitudinally, the plurality of guide rail members protruding above the outer surface of the first portion to form at least one channel therebetween. The second portion has an outer surface on which at least one guide rail member extends longitudinally, the at least one guide rail member protruding above the outer surface of the second portion and configured to mate with at least one channel formed in the outer surface of the first portion; wherein both the first portion and the second portion have a chamfered edge formed along their opposite ends, the chamfered edge of the first portion being located on a pair of sides of the substantially rigid body opposite the chamfered edge of the second portion; The luggage units are arranged to be stacked vertically, such that at least one guide rail member of the second portion of the upper luggage unit slides along its chamfered edge into at least one channel formed in the first portion of the lower luggage unit. The at least one channel of the lower luggage unit is continuously connected along its chamfered edge, such that when the upper luggage unit is adjacent to the lower luggage unit, at least one guide rail member of the upper luggage unit aligns with at least one channel formed on the lower luggage unit to slide within at least one channel formed on the outer surface of the lower luggage unit, allowing the upper luggage unit to slide longitudinally along a length of the lower luggage unit.

6. The luggage system according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each luggage unit is stacked vertically, such that an upper luggage unit supports a lower luggage unit.

7. The luggage system according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each luggage unit is stacked vertically, such that an upper luggage unit is supported between a pair of lower luggage units.

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