Rolling bag and rolling support assembly therefor

Abstract

There is described a rolling bag (B) comprising a collapsible container body (10) made of an assembly of fabric panels that are joined together to form at least a bottom side (15) and a sidewall (11-14) including four lateral sides (11, 12, 13, 14) that jointly define an inner storage volume when the collapsible container body (10) takes an expanded state. The rolling bag (B) further comprises a rolling support assembly (S) to provide rolling support for the collapsible container body (10) in the expanded state, the rolling support assembly (S) including a support plate (P) and a plurality of caster wheels (W) provided on an underside of the support plate (P). Each caster wheel (W) includes a click-in caster wheel assembly (100) comprising a swivel axis (100A) extending at least partly through a thickness of the support plate (P), and the support plate (P) includes a plurality of supporting inserts (200) that are each configured to cooperate with the swivel axis (100A) of a corresponding one of the click-in caster wheel assemblies (100) and cause it to automatically latch onto the support plate (P) during assembly. Each supporting insert (200) comprises a mounting aperture (200A) shaped and dimensioned to receive the swivel axis (100A) and cause latching of the swivel axis (100A) inside the mounting aperture (200A).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a multipurpose rolling bag, such as a rolling tote bag as for instance used as shopping bag, grocery bag and / or laundry bag. The invention is also applicable to other types of rolling bags, including but not limited to cabin bags as used for travelling purposes.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Rolling bags are known as such in the art.

[0003] International (PCT) Publication No. WO 2014 / 068545 A1 and related U.S. Patent No. US 9,999,282 B2, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, disclose a rolling bag comprising a collapsible container body made of an assembly of fabric panels that are joined together to form a bottom side and a sidewall including four lateral sides that jointly define an inner storage volume when the collapsible container body takes an expanded state. This rolling bag further comprises a removable rolling support assembly to provide rolling support for the collapsible container body in the expanded state, the removable rolling support assembly including a support plate and a plurality of caster wheels provided on an underside of the support plate. More specifically, the rolling bag is constructed such that the support plate can be inserted inside the inner storage volume and be removably attached at the bottom of the collapsible container body by means of a pair of inner securing flaps. The bottom side of the collapsible container body is furthermore provided with apertures to allow passage of the caster wheels therethrough so as to project away from the bottom side on the underside of the collapsible container body.

[0004] Yet another example of a similar rolling bag with a removable rolling support assembly is disclosed in U.S. Design Patent No. US D688,449 S, the rolling bag being likewise constructed such that the rolling support assembly can be inserted inside the inner storage volume and removably attached at the bottom of the collapsible container body, with the caster wheels projecting away from the bottom side through corresponding apertures formed therein to provide rolling support for the collapsible container body.

[0005] An improvement over this configuration is disclosed in International (PCT) Publication No. WO 2024 / 079728 A2 and related U.S. Patent No. US 12,053,071 B1, the contents of which are likewise incorporated herein by reference (see also International (PCT) Publication No. WO 2024 / 084477 A2 and related U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2024 / 0315411 A1). In this other case, the collapsible container body further comprises a retaining structure formed of one or more fabric panels, the retaining structure being provided underneath the bottom side of the collapsible container body and being configured to securely hold the support plate outside of the inner storage volume against an underside of the bottom side of the collapsible container body.

[0006] A rolling bag embodying the aforementioned improved configuration is available on the market in various sizes and colours under the product designation HULKEN ®< (cf. https: / / hulken.com / ), HULKEN ®< being a registered trademark of the Applicant.

[0007] The aforementioned solutions are reasonably satisfactory but suffer from certain limitations. Indeed, the caster wheels are typically secured to the support plate by means of a threaded arrangement including mutually cooperating male-female screws extending through the support plate and one or more washers located on either side of the support plate to hold the caster wheel onto the support plate. This threaded arrangement in effect forms the axis about which the caster wheel is allowed to swivel. While reasonably robust, this threaded arrangement may however get loose over time, leading to inadvertent dislodgement of the caster wheel, or, worse, the interface between the support plate and the threaded arrangement may break in case of extreme shock or excessive wear and tear, which then requires replacement of the whole rolling support assembly.

[0008] Furthermore, while of reasonably simple construction, the threaded arrangement requires manual operations during production and assembly, which inevitably require time and are more complex to automate, thus leading to increased production costs.

[0009] There therefore remains a need for an improved solution, especially such a solution that is more robust and easier to implement from a production / assembly perspective.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A general aim of the invention is to provide a rolling bag that obviates the problems and limitations of known rolling bags.

[0011] More specifically, an aim of the invention is to provide such a rolling bag that retains the functionalities and benefits of the known rolling bags of, especially, International (PCT) Publications No. WO 2024 / 079728 A2 and WO 2024 / 084477 A2 and related U.S. Patent No. US 12,053,071 B1 and U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2024 / 0315411 A1, while improving resistance to wear and tear, as well as robustness of the rolling support assembly.

[0012] A further aim of the invention is to provide such a rolling bag that is easier and cost-efficient to produce.

[0013] These aims and others are achieved thanks to the solutions defined in the claims.

[0014] In accordance with the invention, there is provided a rolling bag comprising a collapsible container body made of an assembly of fabric panels that are joined together to form at least a bottom side and a sidewall including four lateral sides that jointly define an inner storage volume when the collapsible container body takes an expanded state. The rolling bag further comprises a rolling support assembly to provide rolling support for the collapsible container body in the expanded state, the rolling support assembly including a support plate and a plurality of caster wheels provided on an underside of the support plate. According to the invention, each caster wheel includes a click-in caster wheel assembly comprising a swivel axis extending at least partly through a thickness of the support plate. Additionally, the support plate includes a plurality of supporting inserts that are each configured to cooperate with the swivel axis of a corresponding one of the click-in caster wheel assemblies and cause it to automatically latch onto the support plate during assembly, each supporting insert comprising a mounting aperture shaped and dimensioned to receive the swivel axis and cause latching of the swivel axis inside the mounting aperture.

[0015] By way of preference, the swivel axis exhibits a peripheral groove, and the mounting aperture exhibits a corresponding inner groove for latching of the swivel axis inside the mounting aperture, latching being ensured by a latching element, such as a snap ring, that is interposed between the peripheral groove of the swivel axis and the inner groove of the mounting aperture.

[0016] The supporting insert may in particular comprise a head portion configured to rest against a topside of the support plate and an axial section configured to extend through the thickness of the support plate from the topside of the support plate to the underside of the support plate. In this context, a height of the head portion, as measured in an axial direction, preferably does not exceed 5 mm and is especially of less than 3 mm, while a length of the axial section, as measured in the axial direction, preferably does not exceed 15 mm and is especially of about 10 mm. Furthermore, a diameter of the head portion of the supporting insert may be of at least 35 mm, while a diameter of the axial section may be of at least 20 mm.

[0017] In accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, each click-in caster wheel assembly further comprises (i) a swivelable fork element supporting the caster wheel, (ii) a cap member configured to rest against the underside of the support plate, and (iii) a ball bearing interposed between the swivelable fork element and the cap member to provide rotatable support for the swivelable fork element about the swivel axis. A spacer member, such as a washer, may optionally be interposed between the cap member and the underside of the support plate, which helps ensuring proper support of the cap member against the underside of the support plate.

[0018] The support plate may in particular be made of a lightweight material and / or exhibit an alveolar or honeycomb structure, each supporting insert being inserted from a topside of the support plate such that a portion of each supporting insert extends through the whole thickness of the support plate. This advantageously ensures a sufficiently robust support for each caster wheel assembly, while taking advantage of the lightweight construction of the support plate.

[0019] The supporting insert is preferably made of a plastic material, especially injection-mouldable thermoplastic material, that can advantageously be chosen to substantially match the properties of the material of the support plate, which is far more advantageous than the use of the threaded arrangement of the prior art which typically relies on metallic screw members that are prone to inducing weaknesses in the area of the support plate immediately surrounding the point where each caster wheel assembly is attached to the support plate.

[0020] In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the collapsible container body further comprises a retaining structure formed of one or more fabric panels, the retaining structure being provided underneath the bottom side of the collapsible container body and being configured to securely hold the support plate outside of the inner storage volume against an underside of the bottom side of the collapsible container body. In this latter context, the retaining structure may in particular include first and second releasable securing flaps attached to and positioned along opposite first and second ends of the bottom side, the first and second releasable securing flaps being partially overlapping and releasably attachable to one another to encase the support plate between the bottom side and the first and second releasable securing flaps. By way of preference, the retaining structure may further include third and fourth releasable securing flaps attached to and positioned along opposite third and fourth ends of the bottom side to hold corresponding end sections of the support plate.

[0021] One or each of the first and second releasable securing flaps may be provided with at least one aperture that is positioned and dimensioned to allow passage of one of the caster wheels therethrough, and / or each of the first and second releasable securing flaps may be dimensioned or structured to accommodate for the presence of the caster wheels.

[0022] The support plate can be provided with a plurality of fastening elements for releasable attachment of the releasable securing flaps, the fastening elements preferably consisting of hook-and-loop fasteners.

[0023] The sidewall may include at least two outer pieces of fabric and an intermediate piece of packing material, in particular bubble wrap, interposed between the two outer pieces of fabric, the outer pieces of fabric being preferably made of or comprising at least one sheet of woven fabric produced out of strands of synthetic or non-synthetic material, such as polypropylene strands. In this latter context, one or each of the outer pieces of fabric preferably further comprises an outer layer, such as a biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film, a cast polypropylene (CPP) film, a polypropylene (PP) coating or a PVC layer, that is applied on an outer side of the sheet of woven fabric, for instance by lamination or extrusion coating.

[0024] In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, opposite short lateral sides of the collapsible container body are each provided with a gusset fold designed to allow inward or outward folding of the opposite short lateral sides into flat-folded gusset sections. In particular, the collapsible container body is preferably configured to be foldable into a flattened configuration where the opposite short lateral sides are folded outward along the gusset fold into the flat-folded gusset sections, the flat-folded gusset sections being foldable inward over lateral sections of a first long lateral side of the collapsible container body, while a second long lateral side of the collapsible container body, opposite the first long lateral side, is foldable inward to align the bottom side and associated rolling support assembly with the first and second long lateral sides.

[0025] Also claimed is a rolling support assembly suitable for providing rolling support for a collapsible container body of a rolling bag, the rolling support assembly including a support plate and a plurality of caster wheels provided on an underside of the support plate. According to the invention, each caster wheel likewise includes a click-in caster wheel assembly comprising a swivel axis extending at least partly through a thickness of the support plate, the support plate including a plurality of supporting inserts that are each configured to cooperate with the swivel axis of a corresponding one of the click-in caster wheel assemblies and cause it to automatically latch onto the support plate during assembly. Furthermore, each supporting insert comprises a mounting aperture shaped and dimensioned to receive the swivel axis and cause latching of the swivel axis inside the mounting aperture.

[0026] This rolling support assembly may be further characterized by features as recited in any one of claims 2 to 7.

[0027] Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are discussed below.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention which are presented solely by way of non-restrictive examples and are illustrated by the appended drawings in which: Figure 1A is a schematic perspective view of a rolling bag in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 1B is a schematic perspective view of a top side of the rolling bag of Figure 1A; Figure 1C is a schematic view of the underside of the rolling bag of Figures 1A-B; Figures 2A and 2B are a bottom view and side view, respectively, of a rolling support assembly of the rolling bag of Figures 1A-C; Figure 3A is a photographic illustration of the underside of a rolling bag in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; Figure 3B is a photographic illustration of the underside of the rolling bag of Figure 3A as shown from a side; Figure 4A is a photographic illustration of a caster wheel assembly as used in accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 4B is diagrammatic side view of a supporting insert for mounting the caster wheel assembly of Figure 4A, the right half of Figure 4B showing a cross-section view of the supporting insert; Figures 5A-D are photographic illustrations showing assembly of the supporting insert of Figure 4B and caster wheel assembly of Figure 4A onto a support plate of the rolling support assembly; Figures 6A and 6B are photographic illustrations showing the supporting insert of Figure 4B and caster wheel assembly of Figure 4A in an assembled state, mounted onto the support plate; and Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of the rolling bag of the invention shown in a collapsed, flat-folded state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0029] The present invention will be described in relation to various illustrative embodiments as shown in particular in Figures 1A-C to 7. It shall be understood that the scope of the invention encompasses all combinations and subcombinations of the features of the invention disclosed herein as defined by the appended claims.

[0030] Figures 1A to 1C are schematic illustrations of a rolling bag B in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention. The rolling bag B comprises a collapsible container body 10 that is made of a foldable assembly of fabric panels that are joined together to form a bottom side 15 and a sidewall 11-14 including four lateral sides 11, 12, 13, 14 (including a pair of opposite short lateral sides 11, 13 and a pair of opposite long lateral sides 12, 14 in the illustrated example) that jointly define an inner storage volume when the collapsible container body 10 takes an expanded state, as shown in Figures 1A and 1B. In accordance with this embodiment, a top side 16 of the collapsible container body 10 is advantageously provided with a releasable cover panel 17 that forms an integral part of the top side 16 and allows to fully enclose the inner storage volume of the collapsible container body 10 in the expanded state, as shown. In the illustrated example, the releasable cover panel 17 is permanently attached to an end of one of the lateral sides (here long lateral side 14) and selectively attachable to the remaining lateral sides (here lateral sides 11, 12 and 13), here by means of a zipper ZP. When not attached to lateral sides 11-13 and released therefrom, the cover panel 17 can be tuck inside the inner storage volume of the collapsible container body 10, for instance for the purpose of collapsing the container body 10 into a flat-folded configuration as shown e.g. in Figure 7 for storage or transport purposes.

[0031] In the illustrated examples, multiple handles are secured to the lateral sides 11, 12 and 14, including a pair of handles H2 secured to an upper portion of the opposite long lateral sides 12, 14 (only one being visible in Figures 1A and 1B) and a third handle H1 secured to an upper portion of short lateral side 11 to facilitate rolling of the bag B in use. A side handle H is further provided on each of long lateral sides 12, 14.

[0032] The rolling bag B further comprises a removable rolling support assembly S to provide rolling support for the collapsible container body 10 in the expanded state. The removable rolling support assembly S includes a support plate (not visible in Figures 1A and 1B but designated by reference sign P - see Figure 1C as well as Figures 2A-B) and a plurality of caster wheels W provided on an underside of the support plate P (four such caster wheels W being shown in Figures 1C and 2A-B).

[0033] The collapsible container body 10 is advantageously constructed such that the sidewall 11-14 includes at least two outer pieces of fabric and an intermediate piece of packing material interposed between the two outer pieces of fabric. Advantageously, the packing material is bubble wrap, as taught for instance in International (PCT) Publication No. WO 2014 / 068545 A1. This provides some level of structural reinforcement to the collapsible container body 10 which can retain its expanded state, while still allowing the collapsible container body 10 to be folded into a compact configuration for storage, as shown by way of illustration in Figure 7.

[0034] The outer pieces of fabric may especially be made of or comprise at least one sheet of woven fabric produced out of polypropylene (PP) strands. Other synthetic or non-synthetic materials could however be contemplated without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Preferably, one or each of the outer pieces of fabric further comprises an outer layer, such as but not limited to a biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film, that is applied on an outer side of the sheet of woven fabric, for instance by lamination, which allows customization of the appearance of either one or both of the external and internal visible sides of the collapsible container body 10. Lamination of a BOPP film is advantageously contemplated, but any other suitable material and application technique could be contemplated, including e.g. lamination of a cast polypropylene (CPP) film, extrusion coating of a polypropylene (PP) coating or application of a PVC layer.

[0035] The support plate P may be made of any desired material and exhibit any adequate structure. Light-weight materials and structures are particularly preferred. In particular, the support plate P may be made of a board of synthetic (e.g. plastic) material including an alveolar or honeycomb spacer structure that ensures adequate rigidity and strength, while remaining light-weight.

[0036] The collapsible container body 10 advantageously retains the ability to be collapsed into a flattened configuration (as schematically shown in Figure 7) and each of the opposite short lateral sides 11, 13 may advantageously be provided with a gusset fold F designed to allow inward or (preferably) outward folding of the opposite short lateral sides 11, 13 into flat-folded gusset sections 11F, 13F. If and when folded outward, the flat-folded gusset sections 11F, 13F may conveniently be folded inward over lateral sections of one of the long lateral sides (e.g. long lateral side 14), while the second, opposite long lateral side 12 of the collapsible container body 10, is folded inward, along a horizontal fold, to align the bottom side 15 and associated rolling support assembly S (including support plate P) with the long lateral sides 12, 14.

[0037] In case of outward folding of the short lateral sides 11, 13 into the flat-folded gusset sections 11F, 13F, as schematically shown in Figure 7, the solution disclosed in U.S. Patent No. US 12,114,749 B1, which is incorporated herein by reference, could additionally be contemplated in order to allow the rolling bag B to retain its flat-folded collapsed state.

[0038] The rolling support assembly is preferably removably attached to the underside of the rolling bag B, namely underneath the bottom side 15, by means of a releasable retaining structure 20, which will not be described extensively as it separately forms the subject-matter of International (PCT) Publication No. WO 2024 / 079728 A2 and related U.S. Patent No. US 12,053,071 B1.

[0039] In the illustrated embodiment, the releasable retaining structure 20 follows the configuration discussed with reference to Figures 4A-B of International (PCT) Publication No. WO 2024 / 079728 A2 and related U.S. Patent No. US 12,053,071 B1, and includes a first pair of releasable securing flaps 21, 22 attached to and positioned along opposite transversal ends of the bottom side 15, the releasable securing flaps 21, 22 being partially overlapping and releasably attachable to one another to encase the support plate P between the bottom side 15 and the releasable securing flaps 21, 22, as shown in Figure 1C. The releasable retaining structure 20 advantageously further comprises a second pair of releasable securing flaps 23, 24 that are attached to and positioned along opposite longitudinal ends of the bottom side 15 to hold corresponding longitudinal end sections of the support plate P, as further shown in Figure 1C.

[0040] In the illustrated embodiment, the releasable securing flaps 21, 22 are dimensioned and structured to accommodate for the presence of the caster wheels W, namely by extending longitudinally between the wheels W, as shown. In other embodiments, the first pair of releasable securing flaps 21, 22 could extend transversely from one longitudinal end of the bottom side 15 to the other, rather than longitudinally from one transversal side of the bottom side 15 to the other, as shown, and the second pair of releasable securing flaps 23, 24 could be attached to and positioned along opposite transversal ends of the bottom side 15 to hold corresponding transversal end sections of the support plate P.

[0041] In the example shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the support plate P is provided with a plurality of fastening elements 51, 52, 53, 54 for releasable attachment of the releasable securing flaps 21, 22, 23, 24. These fastening elements 51, 52, 53, 54 advantageously consist of hook-and-loop fasteners that are designed to cooperate with complementary hook-and-loop fasteners (not shown) provided on inner portions of the releasable securing flaps 21, 22, 23, 24.

[0042] Figures 3A and 3B are photographic illustrations of the underside of a rolling bag B' in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. The configuration thereof is substantially similar to that of the rolling bag B of Figures 1A-C and 2A-B, with the same reference signs being used to designate the same features that have already been described with reference to Figures 1A-C and 2A-B. The main difference resides in the provision of a fifth, central wheel W in a middle portion of the support plate P, as shown in Figure 3A, leading to the provision of a corresponding aperture in the securing flap 21 that is positioned and dimensioned to allow passage of this fifth caster wheel W through the securing flap 21. This arrangement is of particular interest for rolling bags of large sizes, the fifth, central wheel W providing additional rolling support for the bag B'.

[0043] A further refinement, visible in Figures 3A-B, resides in the provision of two manually engageable brake devices BRK on two of the outer caster wheels W to selectively exert a braking action on the relevant wheels W and prevent inadvertent rolling of the bag B'.

[0044] According to the invention, each caster wheel W includes a click-in caster wheel assembly 100 - one embodiment thereof being shown in isolation in Figure 4A - which comprises a swivel axis 100A extending at least partly through a thickness of the support plate P. Furthermore, the support plate P includes a plurality of supporting inserts 200 - one embodiment thereof being shown in isolation in Figure 4B - that are each configured to cooperate with the swivel axis 100A of a corresponding one of the click-in caster wheel assemblies 100 and cause it to automatically latch onto the support plate P during assembly, each supporting insert 200 comprising a mounting aperture 200A shaped and dimensioned to receive the swivel axis 100A and cause latching of the swivel axis 100A inside the mounting aperture 200A.

[0045] The supporting insert 200 can especially be made of a plastic material exhibiting similar properties to those of the material of the support plate P, which brings benefits in terms of overall robustness.

[0046] In the illustrated example, each supporting insert 200 is inserted from a topside of the support plate P and a portion, designated by reference 200b, of each supporting insert 200 extends through the whole thickness of the support plate P. Even more specifically, as shown in Figure 4B, the supporting insert 200 may advantageously comprise a head portion 200a configured to rest against a topside of the support plate P and an axial section 200b configured to extend through the thickness of the support plate P from the topside of the support plate P to the underside of the support plate P. The axial section 200b may be cylindrical in shape, as shown, or exhibit any other non-cylindrical shape. By way of preference, a height h of the head portion 200a, as measured in an axial direction, preferably does not exceed 5 mm, while a length L of the axial section 200b, as measured in the axial direction, preferably does not exceed 15 mm. By way of illustration, height h is especially of less than 3 mm, while length L is of about 10 mm (which also corresponds to the thickness of the support plate P). The diameter of the head portion 200a is preferably of at least 35 mm, while a diameter of the axial section 200b is of at least 20 mm (the diameter of the mounting aperture 200A being of approximately 10 mm in the illustrated example).

[0047] By way of preference, as shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the swivel axis 100A exhibits a peripheral groove 100a and the mounting aperture 200A exhibits a corresponding inner groove 200c for latching of the swivel axis 100A inside the mounting aperture 200A, latching being ensured by a latching element 100L (visible in Figure 4A) that is interposed between the peripheral groove 100a of the swivel axis 100A and the inner groove 200c of the mounting aperture 200A. In the illustrated example, the latching element 100L takes the form of a snap ring that is adapted to retract automatically during assembly, upon insertion of the swivel axis 100A inside the mounting aperture 200A of the supporting insert 200, and then expand radially outward upon reaching the latching position, namely upon the peripheral groove 100a coming into alignment with the inner groove 200c.

[0048] By way of preference, as shown in Figure 4A, each click-in caster wheel assembly 100 further comprises a swivelable fork element 105 supporting the caster wheel W, a cap member 100C configured to rest against the underside of the support plate P (see e.g. Figures 2B and 6A-B), and a ball bearing 100B interposed between the swivelable fork element 105 and the cap member 100C to provide rotatable support for the swivelable fork element 105 about the swivel axis 100A. In the illustrated example, one will appreciate that the swivel axis 100A essentially remains stationary and does not rotate, much like the cap member 100C. The only element of the caster wheel assembly 100 that is free to rotate is the swivelable fork element 105 and associated wheel W.

[0049] Optionally, a spacer member, such as a washer, could additionally be interposed between the cap member 100C and the underside of the support plate P to improve adhesion and ensure proper support of the cap member 100C against the underside of the support plate P.

[0050] Figures 5A to 5D are photographic illustrations showing assembly of the supporting insert 200 and click-in caster wheel assembly 100 onto the support plate P. As an initial step, as shown in Figure 5A, the axial section 200b of the supporting insert 200 is inserted (preferably without any play) into a corresponding mounting hole formed through the support plate P, from the topside thereof, with the axial section 200b extending all the way through the thickness of the support plate P, from the topside to the underside, as shown in Figure 5C which shows the underside of the support plate P with the supporting insert 200 fully inserted into the mounting hole. As a result, the lower surface of the head portion 200a comes to rest against the topside of the support plate P, as shown in Figure 5B. While not shown in Figure 5B, a small cap or plug member could optionally be inserted into the upper end of the mounting aperture 200A, where the head portion 200a is provided, to close the mounting aperture 200A. Alternatively, the supporting member 200 could be designed such that the mounting aperture 200A does not extend fully through the supporting member 200 and stops before reaching the head portion 200a, in which case no particular cap or plug member would be necessary.

[0051] Next, once the supporting member 200 has been fully inserted through the support plate P, as shown in Figures 5B and 5C, the swivel axis 100A of the click-in caster wheel assembly 100 can be inserted inside the mounting aperture 200A of the supporting insert 200, from the underside of the support plate P, as shown in Figure 5D. In the illustrated example, the latching element 100L is pre-mounted on the peripheral groove 100a of the swivel axis 100A, leading to automatic retraction of the latching element 100L upon insertion of the swivel axis 100A inside the mounting aperture 200A.

[0052] Upon reaching the latching position, the latching element 100L is allowed to expand again partly inside the inner groove 200c, thus causing automatic latching of the click-in caster wheel assembly 100 into the supporting insert 200, and therefore onto the support plate P. Figures 6A and 6B show the supporting insert 200 and caster wheel assembly 100 in the resulting assembled state, mounted onto the support plate P. This arrangement leads to a particularly robust assembly that is less prone to getting loose over time or to break due to excessive wear and tear. Indeed, despite the lightweight construction of the support plate P, which preferably consists of an alveolar spacer structure, as shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the supporting insert 200 that extends through the whole thickness of the support plate P ensures a sufficiently robust support for the associated caster wheel assembly 100, which constitutes a not insignificant improvement over the conventional threaded arrangement of the prior art which typically relies on the use of metallic screw members.

[0053] Various modifications and / or improvements may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For instance, while the illustrated embodiments make use of a snap ring as latching element, any other suitable solution could be envisaged, including the use of spring-loaded latching devices that are likewise capable to automatically retract upon insertion of the swivel axis inside the mounting aperture of the supporting insert during assembly and then expand radially outward upon reaching the latching position.

[0054] Furthermore, in all of the aforementioned embodiments, the relevant retaining structure is preferably realized in such a way as to be releasable and allow removal of the rolling support assembly. In other embodiments, the retaining structure could be designed to permanently hold the rolling support assembly, in which case the relevant securing flaps may for instance be stitched, glued or otherwise attached to one another. Use of a releasable retaining structure is however preferred from a practical perspective. It is moreover to be appreciated that the invention is also applicable in the event the rolling support assembly were to be arranged inside the inner storage volume.LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SIGNS USED THEREIN

[0055] Brolling bag (first embodiment) B'rolling bag (second embodiment) 10collapsible (foldable) container body of rolling bag B, resp. B' 11(first) short lateral side of collapsible container body 10 (part of sidewall 11-14) 12(first) long lateral side (also referred to as "front side") of collapsible container body 10 (part of sidewall 11-14) 13(second) short lateral side of collapsible container body 10 (part of sidewall 11-14) 14(second) long lateral side (also referred to as "rear side") of collapsible container body 10 (part of sidewall 11-14) Fgusset fold formed on each short lateral side 11, 13 11Fflat-folded gusset section formed by outward folding of short lateral side 11 along gusset fold F 13Fflat-folded gusset section formed by outward folding of short lateral side 13 along gusset fold F 15bottom side of collapsible container body 10 16top side of collapsible container body 10 17releasable cover panel forming an integral part of the top side 16 of the collapsible container body 10 (permanently attached to e.g. long lateral side 14) ZPzipper for releasably attaching cover panel 17 to remaining lateral sides 11, 12, 13 H, H1, H2handles Srolling support assembly removably attached to bottom side 15 of collapsible container body 10 Psupport plate Wcaster wheels provided on underside of support plate P BRKmanually engageable brake device 20retaining structure formed of releasable fabric panels 21, 22, 23, 24 21(first) releasable securing flap of retaining structure 20 extending from (first) transversal end of bottom side 15, along short lateral side 11 22(second) releasable securing flap of retaining structure 20 extending from (second) transversal end of bottom side 15, along short lateral side 13, for cooperation with releasable securing flap 21 23(third) releasable securing flap of retaining structure 20 extending from (first) longitudinal end of bottom side 15, along long lateral side 12, for cooperation with corresponding longitudinal end of support plate P 24(fourth) releasable securing flap of retaining structure 20 extending from (second) longitudinal end of bottom side 15, along long lateral side 14, for cooperation with corresponding longitudinal end of support plate P 51, 52(first) pair of fastening elements (e.g. hook-and-loop fasteners) provided on underside of support plate P for releasable attachment to inner side of first and second releasable securing flaps 21, 22 53, 54(second) pair of fastening elements (e.g. hook-and-loop fasteners) provided on underside of support plate P, along the longitudinal ends thereof, for releasable attachment to inner side of third and fourth releasable securing flaps 23, 24 100caster wheel assembly 100Aswivel axis of caster wheel assembly 100 100aperipheral groove formed in outer periphery of swivel axis 100A 100Bball bearing 100Ccap member 100Llatching element (e.g. snap ring) interposed between peripheral groove 100a of swivel axis 100A and inner groove 200c of mounting aperture 200A 105swivelable fork element supporting caster wheel W 200supporting insert 200Amounting aperture shaped and dimensioned to receive swivel axis 100A of caster wheel assembly 100 200ahead portion of supporting insert 200 200baxial section of supporting insert 200 200cinner groove formed in mounting aperture 200A for cooperation with latching element 100L hheight of head portion 200a of supporting insert 200 Llength of axial section 200b of supporting insert 200

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0029]The present invention will be described in relation to various illustrative embodiments as shown in particular in Figures 1A-C to 7. It shall be understood that the scope of the invention encompasses all combinations and subcombinations of the features of the invention disclosed herein as defined by the appended claims.

[0030]Figures 1A to 1C are schematic illustrations of a rolling bag B in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention. The rolling bag B comprises a collapsible container body 10 that is made of a foldable assembly of fabric panels that are joined together to form a bottom side 15 and a sidewall 11-14 including four lateral sides 11, 12, 13, 14 (including a pair of opposite short lateral sides 11, 13 and a pair of opposite long lateral sides 12, 14 in the illustrated example) that jointly define an inner storage volume when the collapsible container body 10 takes an expanded state, as shown in Figures 1A and 1B. In accordance with this embodiment, a top s...

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a multipurpose rolling bag, such as a rolling tote bag as for instance used as shopping bag, grocery bag and / or laundry bag. The invention is also applicable to other types of rolling bags, including but not limited to cabin bags as used for travelling purposes.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Rolling bags are known as such in the art.

[0003] International (PCT) Publication No. WO 2014 / 068545 A1 and related U.S. Patent No. US 9,999,282 B2, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, disclose a rolling bag comprising a collapsible container body made of an assembly of fabric panels that are joined together to form a bottom side and a sidewall including four lateral sides that jointly define an inner storage volume when the collapsible container body takes an expanded state. This rolling bag further comprises a removable rolling support assembly to provide rolling support for the collapsible container body in the expanded state, the removable rolling support assembly including a support plate and a plurality of caster wheels provided on an underside of the support plate. More specifically, the rolling bag is constructed such that the support plate can be inserted inside the inner storage volume and be removably attached at the bottom of the collapsible container body by means of a pair of inner securing flaps. The bottom side of the collapsible container body is furthermore provided with apertures to allow passage of the caster wheels therethrough so as to project away from the bottom side on the underside of the collapsible container body.

[0004] Yet another example of a similar rolling bag with a removable rolling support assembly is disclosed in U.S. Design Patent No. US D688,449 S, the rolling bag being likewise constructed such that the rolling support assembly can be inserted inside the inner storage volume and removably attached at the bottom of the collapsible container body, with the caster wheels projecting away from the bottom side through corresponding apertures formed therein to provide rolling support for the collapsible container body.

[0005] An improvement over this configuration is disclosed in International (PCT) Publication No. WO 2024 / 079728 A2 and related U.S. Patent No. US 12,053,071 B1, the contents of which are likewise incorporated herein by reference (see also International (PCT) Publication No. WO 2024 / 084477 A2 and related U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2024 / 0315411 A1). In this other case, the collapsible container body further comprises a retaining structure formed of one or more fabric panels, the retaining structure being provided underneath the bottom side of the collapsible container body and being configured to securely hold the support plate outside of the inner storage volume against an underside of the bottom side of the collapsible container body.

[0006] A rolling bag embodying the aforementioned improved configuration is available on the market in various sizes and colours under the product designation HULKEN ®< (cf. https: / / hulken.com / ), HULKEN ®< being a registered trademark of the Applicant.

[0007] The aforementioned solutions are reasonably satisfactory but suffer from certain limitations. Indeed, the caster wheels are typically secured to the support plate by means of a threaded arrangement including mutually cooperating male-female screws extending through the support plate and one or more washers located on either side of the support plate to hold the caster wheel onto the support plate. This threaded arrangement in effect forms the axis about which the caster wheel is allowed to swivel. While reasonably robust, this threaded arrangement may however get loose over time, leading to inadvertent dislodgement of the caster wheel, or, worse, the interface between the support plate and the threaded arrangement may break in case of extreme shock or excessive wear and tear, which then requires replacement of the whole rolling support assembly.

[0008] Furthermore, while of reasonably simple construction, the threaded arrangement requires manual operations during production and assembly, which inevitably require time and are more complex to automate, thus leading to increased production costs.

[0009] There therefore remains a need for an improved solution, especially such a solution that is more robust and easier to implement from a production / assembly perspective.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A general aim of the invention is to provide a rolling bag that obviates the problems and limitations of known rolling bags.

[0011] More specifically, an aim of the invention is to provide such a rolling bag that retains the functionalities and benefits of the known rolling bags of, especially, International (PCT) Publications No. WO 2024 / 079728 A2 and WO 2024 / 084477 A2 and related U.S. Patent No. US 12,053,071 B1 and U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2024 / 0315411 A1, while improving resistance to wear and tear, as well as robustness of the rolling support assembly.

[0012] A further aim of the invention is to provide such a rolling bag that is easier and cost-efficient to produce.

[0013] These aims and others are achieved thanks to the solutions defined in the claims.

[0014] In accordance with the invention, there is provided a rolling bag comprising a collapsible container body made of an assembly of fabric panels that are joined together to form at least a bottom side and a sidewall including four lateral sides that jointly define an inner storage volume when the collapsible container body takes an expanded state. The rolling bag further comprises a rolling support assembly to provide rolling support for the collapsible container body in the expanded state, the rolling support assembly including a support plate and a plurality of caster wheels provided on an underside of the support plate. According to the invention, each caster wheel includes a click-in caster wheel assembly comprising a swivel axis extending at least partly through a thickness of the support plate. Additionally, the support plate includes a plurality of supporting inserts that are each configured to cooperate with the swivel axis of a corresponding one of the click-in caster wheel assemblies and cause it to automatically latch onto the support plate during assembly, each supporting insert comprising a mounting aperture shaped and dimensioned to receive the swivel axis and cause latching of the swivel axis inside the mounting aperture.

[0015] By way of preference, the swivel axis exhibits a peripheral groove, and the mounting aperture exhibits a corresponding inner groove for latching of the swivel axis inside the mounting aperture, latching being ensured by a latching element, such as a snap ring, that is interposed between the peripheral groove of the swivel axis and the inner groove of the mounting aperture.

[0016] The supporting insert may in particular comprise a head portion configured to rest against a topside of the support plate and an axial section configured to extend through the thickness of the support plate from the topside of the support plate to the underside of the support plate. In this context, a height of the head portion, as measured in an axial direction, preferably does not exceed 5 mm and is especially of less than 3 mm, while a length of the axial section, as measured in the axial direction, preferably does not exceed 15 mm and is especially of about 10 mm. Furthermore, a diameter of the head portion of the supporting insert may be of at least 35 mm, while a diameter of the axial section may be of at least 20 mm.

[0017] In accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, each click-in caster wheel assembly further comprises (i) a swivelable fork element supporting the caster wheel, (ii) a cap member configured to rest against the underside of the support plate, and (iii) a ball bearing interposed between the swivelable fork element and the cap member to provide rotatable support for the swivelable fork element about the swivel axis. A spacer member, such as a washer, may optionally be interposed between the cap member and the underside of the support plate, which helps ensuring proper support of the cap member against the underside of the support plate.

[0018] The support plate may in particular be made of a lightweight material and / or exhibit an alveolar or honeycomb structure, each supporting insert being inserted from a topside of the support plate such that a portion of each supporting insert extends through the whole thickness of the support plate. This advantageously ensures a sufficiently robust support for each caster wheel assembly, while taking advantage of the lightweight construction of the support plate.

[0019] The supporting insert is preferably made of a plastic material, especially injection-mouldable thermoplastic material, that can advantageously be chosen to substantially match the properties of the material of the support plate, which is far more advantageous than the use of the threaded arrangement of the prior art which typically relies on metallic screw members that are prone to inducing weaknesses in the area of the support plate immediately surrounding the point where each caster wheel assembly is attached to the support plate.

[0020] In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the collapsible container body further comprises a retaining structure formed of one or more fabric panels, the retaining structure being provided underneath the bottom side of the collapsible container body and being configured to securely hold the support plate outside of the inner storage volume against an underside of the bottom side of the collapsible container body. In this latter context, the retaining structure may in particular include first and second releasable securing flaps attached to and positioned along opposite first and second ends of the bottom side, the first and second releasable securing flaps being partially overlapping and releasably attachable to one another to encase the support plate between the bottom side and the first and second releasable securing flaps. By way of preference, the retaining structure may further include third and fourth releasable securing flaps attached to and positioned along opposite third and fourth ends of the bottom side to hold corresponding end sections of the support plate.

[0021] One or each of the first and second releasable securing flaps may be provided with at least one aperture that is positioned and dimensioned to allow passage of one of the caster wheels therethrough, and / or each of the first and second releasable securing flaps may be dimensioned or structured to accommodate for the presence of the caster wheels.

[0022] The support plate can be provided with a plurality of fastening elements for releasable attachment of the releasable securing flaps, the fastening elements preferably consisting of hook-and-loop fasteners.

[0023] The sidewall may include at least two outer pieces of fabric and an intermediate piece of packing material, in particular bubble wrap, interposed between the two outer pieces of fabric, the outer pieces of fabric being preferably made of or comprising at least one sheet of woven fabric produced out of strands of synthetic or non-synthetic material, such as polypropylene strands. In this latter context, one or each of the outer pieces of fabric preferably further comprises an outer layer, such as a biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film, a cast polypropylene (CPP) film, a polypropylene (PP) coating or a PVC layer, that is applied on an outer side of the sheet of woven fabric, for instance by lamination or extrusion coating.

[0024] In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, opposite short lateral sides of the collapsible container body are each provided with a gusset fold designed to allow inward or outward folding of the opposite short lateral sides into flat-folded gusset sections. In particular, the collapsible container body is preferably configured to be foldable into a flattened configuration where the opposite short lateral sides are folded outward along the gusset fold into the flat-folded gusset sections, the flat-folded gusset sections being foldable inward over lateral sections of a first long lateral side of the collapsible container body, while a second long lateral side of the collapsible container body, opposite the first long lateral side, is foldable inward to align the bottom side and associated rolling support assembly with the first and second long lateral sides.

[0025] Also claimed is a rolling support assembly suitable for providing rolling support for a collapsible container body of a rolling bag, the rolling support assembly including a support plate and a plurality of caster wheels provided on an underside of the support plate. According to the invention, each caster wheel likewise includes a click-in caster wheel assembly comprising a swivel axis extending at least partly through a thickness of the support plate, the support plate including a plurality of supporting inserts that are each configured to cooperate with the swivel axis of a corresponding one of the click-in caster wheel assemblies and cause it to automatically latch onto the support plate during assembly. Furthermore, each supporting insert comprises a mounting aperture shaped and dimensioned to receive the swivel axis and cause latching of the swivel axis inside the mounting aperture.

[0026] This rolling support assembly may be further characterized by features as recited in any one of claims 2 to 7.

[0027] Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are discussed below.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention which are presented solely by way of non-restrictive examples and are illustrated by the appended drawings in which: Figure 1A is a schematic perspective view of a rolling bag in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 1B is a schematic perspective view of a top side of the rolling bag of Figure 1A; Figure 1C is a schematic view of the underside of the rolling bag of Figures 1A-B; Figures 2A and 2B are a bottom view and side view, respectively, of a rolling support assembly of the rolling bag of Figures 1A-C; Figure 3A is a photographic illustration of the underside of a rolling bag in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; Figure 3B is a photographic illustration of the underside of the rolling bag of Figure 3A as shown from a side; Figure 4A is a photographic illustration of a caster wheel assembly as used in accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 4B is diagrammatic side view of a supporting insert for mounting the caster wheel assembly of Figure 4A, the right half of Figure 4B showing a cross-section view of the supporting insert; Figures 5A-D are photographic illustrations showing assembly of the supporting insert of Figure 4B and caster wheel assembly of Figure 4A onto a support plate of the rolling support assembly; Figures 6A and 6B are photographic illustrations showing the supporting insert of Figure 4B and caster wheel assembly of Figure 4A in an assembled state, mounted onto the support plate; and Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of the rolling bag of the invention shown in a collapsed, flat-folded state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0029] The present invention will be described in relation to various illustrative embodiments as shown in particular in Figures 1A-C to 7. It shall be understood that the scope of the invention encompasses all combinations and subcombinations of the features of the invention disclosed herein as defined by the appended claims.

[0030] Figures 1A to 1C are schematic illustrations of a rolling bag B in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention. The rolling bag B comprises a collapsible container body 10 that is made of a foldable assembly of fabric panels that are joined together to form a bottom side 15 and a sidewall 11-14 including four lateral sides 11, 12, 13, 14 (including a pair of opposite short lateral sides 11, 13 and a pair of opposite long lateral sides 12, 14 in the illustrated example) that jointly define an inner storage volume when the collapsible container body 10 takes an expanded state, as shown in Figures 1A and 1B. In accordance with this embodiment, a top side 16 of the collapsible container body 10 is advantageously provided with a releasable cover panel 17 that forms an integral part of the top side 16 and allows to fully enclose the inner storage volume of the collapsible container body 10 in the expanded state, as shown. In the illustrated example, the releasable cover panel 17 is permanently attached to an end of one of the lateral sides (here long lateral side 14) and selectively attachable to the remaining lateral sides (here lateral sides 11, 12 and 13), here by means of a zipper ZP. When not attached to lateral sides 11-13 and released therefrom, the cover panel 17 can be tuck inside the inner storage volume of the collapsible container body 10, for instance for the purpose of collapsing the container body 10 into a flat-folded configuration as shown e.g. in Figure 7 for storage or transport purposes.

[0031] In the illustrated examples, multiple handles are secured to the lateral sides 11, 12 and 14, including a pair of handles H2 secured to an upper portion of the opposite long lateral sides 12, 14 (only one being visible in Figures 1A and 1B) and a third handle H1 secured to an upper portion of short lateral side 11 to facilitate rolling of the bag B in use. A side handle H is further provided on each of long lateral sides 12, 14.

[0032] The rolling bag B further comprises a removable rolling support assembly S to provide rolling support for the collapsible container body 10 in the expanded state. The removable rolling support assembly S includes a support plate (not visible in Figures 1A and 1B but designated by reference sign P - see Figure 1C as well as Figures 2A-B) and a plurality of caster wheels W provided on an underside of the support plate P (four such caster wheels W being shown in Figures 1C and 2A-B).

[0033] The collapsible container body 10 is advantageously constructed such that the sidewall 11-14 includes at least two outer pieces of fabric and an intermediate piece of packing material interposed between the two outer pieces of fabric. Advantageously, the packing material is bubble wrap, as taught for instance in International (PCT) Publication No. WO 2014 / 068545 A1. This provides some level of structural reinforcement to the collapsible container body 10 which can retain its expanded state, while still allowing the collapsible container body 10 to be folded into a compact configuration for storage, as shown by way of illustration in Figure 7.

[0034] The outer pieces of fabric may especially be made of or comprise at least one sheet of woven fabric produced out of polypropylene (PP) strands. Other synthetic or non-synthetic materials could however be contemplated without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Preferably, one or each of the outer pieces of fabric further comprises an outer layer, such as but not limited to a biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film, that is applied on an outer side of the sheet of woven fabric, for instance by lamination, which allows customization of the appearance of either one or both of the external and internal visible sides of the collapsible container body 10. Lamination of a BOPP film is advantageously contemplated, but any other suitable material and application technique could be contemplated, including e.g. lamination of a cast polypropylene (CPP) film, extrusion coating of a polypropylene (PP) coating or application of a PVC layer.

[0035] The support plate P may be made of any desired material and exhibit any adequate structure. Light-weight materials and structures are particularly preferred. In particular, the support plate P may be made of a board of synthetic (e.g. plastic) material including an alveolar or honeycomb spacer structure that ensures adequate rigidity and strength, while remaining light-weight.

[0036] The collapsible container body 10 advantageously retains the ability to be collapsed into a flattened configuration (as schematically shown in Figure 7) and each of the opposite short lateral sides 11, 13 may advantageously be provided with a gusset fold F designed to allow inward or (preferably) outward folding of the opposite short lateral sides 11, 13 into flat-folded gusset sections 11F, 13F. If and when folded outward, the flat-folded gusset sections 11F, 13F may conveniently be folded inward over lateral sections of one of the long lateral sides (e.g. long lateral side 14), while the second, opposite long lateral side 12 of the collapsible container body 10, is folded inward, along a horizontal fold, to align the bottom side 15 and associated rolling support assembly S (including support plate P) with the long lateral sides 12, 14.

[0037] In case of outward folding of the short lateral sides 11, 13 into the flat-folded gusset sections 11F, 13F, as schematically shown in Figure 7, the solution disclosed in U.S. Patent No. US 12,114,749 B1, which is incorporated herein by reference, could additionally be contemplated in order to allow the rolling bag B to retain its flat-folded collapsed state.

[0038] The rolling support assembly is preferably removably attached to the underside of the rolling bag B, namely underneath the bottom side 15, by means of a releasable retaining structure 20, which will not be described extensively as it separately forms the subject-matter of International (PCT) Publication No. WO 2024 / 079728 A2 and related U.S. Patent No. US 12,053,071 B1.

[0039] In the illustrated embodiment, the releasable retaining structure 20 follows the configuration discussed with reference to Figures 4A-B of International (PCT) Publication No. WO 2024 / 079728 A2 and related U.S. Patent No. US 12,053,071 B1, and includes a first pair of releasable securing flaps 21, 22 attached to and positioned along opposite transversal ends of the bottom side 15, the releasable securing flaps 21, 22 being partially overlapping and releasably attachable to one another to encase the support plate P between the bottom side 15 and the releasable securing flaps 21, 22, as shown in Figure 1C. The releasable retaining structure 20 advantageously further comprises a second pair of releasable securing flaps 23, 24 that are attached to and positioned along opposite longitudinal ends of the bottom side 15 to hold corresponding longitudinal end sections of the support plate P, as further shown in Figure 1C.

[0040] In the illustrated embodiment, the releasable securing flaps 21, 22 are dimensioned and structured to accommodate for the presence of the caster wheels W, namely by extending longitudinally between the wheels W, as shown. In other embodiments, the first pair of releasable securing flaps 21, 22 could extend transversely from one longitudinal end of the bottom side 15 to the other, rather than longitudinally from one transversal side of the bottom side 15 to the other, as shown, and the second pair of releasable securing flaps 23, 24 could be attached to and positioned along opposite transversal ends of the bottom side 15 to hold corresponding transversal end sections of the support plate P.

[0041] In the example shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the support plate P is provided with a plurality of fastening elements 51, 52, 53, 54 for releasable attachment of the releasable securing flaps 21, 22, 23, 24. These fastening elements 51, 52, 53, 54 advantageously consist of hook-and-loop fasteners that are designed to cooperate with complementary hook-and-loop fasteners (not shown) provided on inner portions of the releasable securing flaps 21, 22, 23, 24.

[0042] Figures 3A and 3B are photographic illustrations of the underside of a rolling bag B' in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. The configuration thereof is substantially similar to that of the rolling bag B of Figures 1A-C and 2A-B, with the same reference signs being used to designate the same features that have already been described with reference to Figures 1A-C and 2A-B. The main difference resides in the provision of a fifth, central wheel W in a middle portion of the support plate P, as shown in Figure 3A, leading to the provision of a corresponding aperture in the securing flap 21 that is positioned and dimensioned to allow passage of this fifth caster wheel W through the securing flap 21. This arrangement is of particular interest for rolling bags of large sizes, the fifth, central wheel W providing additional rolling support for the bag B'.

[0043] A further refinement, visible in Figures 3A-B, resides in the provision of two manually engageable brake devices BRK on two of the outer caster wheels W to selectively exert a braking action on the relevant wheels W and prevent inadvertent rolling of the bag B'.

[0044] According to the invention, each caster wheel W includes a click-in caster wheel assembly 100 - one embodiment thereof being shown in isolation in Figure 4A - which comprises a swivel axis 100A extending at least partly through a thickness of the support plate P. Furthermore, the support plate P includes a plurality of supporting inserts 200 - one embodiment thereof being shown in isolation in Figure 4B - that are each configured to cooperate with the swivel axis 100A of a corresponding one of the click-in caster wheel assemblies 100 and cause it to automatically latch onto the support plate P during assembly, each supporting insert 200 comprising a mounting aperture 200A shaped and dimensioned to receive the swivel axis 100A and cause latching of the swivel axis 100A inside the mounting aperture 200A.

[0045] The supporting insert 200 can especially be made of a plastic material exhibiting similar properties to those of the material of the support plate P, which brings benefits in terms of overall robustness.

[0046] In the illustrated example, each supporting insert 200 is inserted from a topside of the support plate P and a portion, designated by reference 200b, of each supporting insert 200 extends through the whole thickness of the support plate P. Even more specifically, as shown in Figure 4B, the supporting insert 200 may advantageously comprise a head portion 200a configured to rest against a topside of the support plate P and an axial section 200b configured to extend through the thickness of the support plate P from the topside of the support plate P to the underside of the support plate P. The axial section 200b may be cylindrical in shape, as shown, or exhibit any other non-cylindrical shape. By way of preference, a height h of the head portion 200a, as measured in an axial direction, preferably does not exceed 5 mm, while a length L of the axial section 200b, as measured in the axial direction, preferably does not exceed 15 mm. By way of illustration, height h is especially of less than 3 mm, while length L is of about 10 mm (which also corresponds to the thickness of the support plate P). The diameter of the head portion 200a is preferably of at least 35 mm, while a diameter of the axial section 200b is of at least 20 mm (the diameter of the mounting aperture 200A being of approximately 10 mm in the illustrated example).

[0047] By way of preference, as shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the swivel axis 100A exhibits a peripheral groove 100a and the mounting aperture 200A exhibits a corresponding inner groove 200c for latching of the swivel axis 100A inside the mounting aperture 200A, latching being ensured by a latching element 100L (visible in Figure 4A) that is interposed between the peripheral groove 100a of the swivel axis 100A and the inner groove 200c of the mounting aperture 200A. In the illustrated example, the latching element 100L takes the form of a snap ring that is adapted to retract automatically during assembly, upon insertion of the swivel axis 100A inside the mounting aperture 200A of the supporting insert 200, and then expand radially outward upon reaching the latching position, namely upon the peripheral groove 100a coming into alignment with the inner groove 200c.

[0048] By way of preference, as shown in Figure 4A, each click-in caster wheel assembly 100 further comprises a swivelable fork element 105 supporting the caster wheel W, a cap member 100C configured to rest against the underside of the support plate P (see e.g. Figures 2B and 6A-B), and a ball bearing 100B interposed between the swivelable fork element 105 and the cap member 100C to provide rotatable support for the swivelable fork element 105 about the swivel axis 100A. In the illustrated example, one will appreciate that the swivel axis 100A essentially remains stationary and does not rotate, much like the cap member 100C. The only element of the caster wheel assembly 100 that is free to rotate is the swivelable fork element 105 and associated wheel W.

[0049] Optionally, a spacer member, such as a washer, could additionally be interposed between the cap member 100C and the underside of the support plate P to improve adhesion and ensure proper support of the cap member 100C against the underside of the support plate P.

[0050] Figures 5A to 5D are photographic illustrations showing assembly of the supporting insert 200 and click-in caster wheel assembly 100 onto the support plate P. As an initial step, as shown in Figure 5A, the axial section 200b of the supporting insert 200 is inserted (preferably without any play) into a corresponding mounting hole formed through the support plate P, from the topside thereof, with the axial section 200b extending all the way through the thickness of the support plate P, from the topside to the underside, as shown in Figure 5C which shows the underside of the support plate P with the supporting insert 200 fully inserted into the mounting hole. As a result, the lower surface of the head portion 200a comes to rest against the topside of the support plate P, as shown in Figure 5B. While not shown in Figure 5B, a small cap or plug member could optionally be inserted into the upper end of the mounting aperture 200A, where the head portion 200a is provided, to close the mounting aperture 200A. Alternatively, the supporting member 200 could be designed such that the mounting aperture 200A does not extend fully through the supporting member 200 and stops before reaching the head portion 200a, in which case no particular cap or plug member would be necessary.

[0051] Next, once the supporting member 200 has been fully inserted through the support plate P, as shown in Figures 5B and 5C, the swivel axis 100A of the click-in caster wheel assembly 100 can be inserted inside the mounting aperture 200A of the supporting insert 200, from the underside of the support plate P, as shown in Figure 5D. In the illustrated example, the latching element 100L is pre-mounted on the peripheral groove 100a of the swivel axis 100A, leading to automatic retraction of the latching element 100L upon insertion of the swivel axis 100A inside the mounting aperture 200A.

[0052] Upon reaching the latching position, the latching element 100L is allowed to expand again partly inside the inner groove 200c, thus causing automatic latching of the click-in caster wheel assembly 100 into the supporting insert 200, and therefore onto the support plate P. Figures 6A and 6B show the supporting insert 200 and caster wheel assembly 100 in the resulting assembled state, mounted onto the support plate P. This arrangement leads to a particularly robust assembly that is less prone to getting loose over time or to break due to excessive wear and tear. Indeed, despite the lightweight construction of the support plate P, which preferably consists of an alveolar spacer structure, as shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the supporting insert 200 that extends through the whole thickness of the support plate P ensures a sufficiently robust support for the associated caster wheel assembly 100, which constitutes a not insignificant improvement over the conventional threaded arrangement of the prior art which typically relies on the use of metallic screw members.

[0053] Various modifications and / or improvements may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For instance, while the illustrated embodiments make use of a snap ring as latching element, any other suitable solution could be envisaged, including the use of spring-loaded latching devices that are likewise capable to automatically retract upon insertion of the swivel axis inside the mounting aperture of the supporting insert during assembly and then expand radially outward upon reaching the latching position.

[0054] Furthermore, in all of the aforementioned embodiments, the relevant retaining structure is preferably realized in such a way as to be releasable and allow removal of the rolling support assembly. In other embodiments, the retaining structure could be designed to permanently hold the rolling support assembly, in which case the relevant securing flaps may for instance be stitched, glued or otherwise attached to one another. Use of a releasable retaining structure is however preferred from a practical perspective. It is moreover to be appreciated that the invention is also applicable in the event the rolling support assembly were to be arranged inside the inner storage volume.LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SIGNS USED THEREIN

[0055] Brolling bag (first embodiment) B'rolling bag (second embodiment) 10collapsible (foldable) container body of rolling bag B, resp. B' 11(first) short lateral side of collapsible container body 10 (part of sidewall 11-14) 12(first) long lateral side (also referred to as "front side") of collapsible container body 10 (part of sidewall 11-14) 13(second) short lateral side of collapsible container body 10 (part of sidewall 11-14) 14(second) long lateral side (also referred to as "rear side") of collapsible container body 10 (part of sidewall 11-14) Fgusset fold formed on each short lateral side 11, 13 11Fflat-folded gusset section formed by outward folding of short lateral side 11 along gusset fold F 13Fflat-folded gusset section formed by outward folding of short lateral side 13 along gusset fold F 15bottom side of collapsible container body 10 16top side of collapsible container body 10 17releasable cover panel forming an integral part of the top side 16 of the collapsible container body 10 (permanently attached to e.g. long lateral side 14) ZPzipper for releasably attaching cover panel 17 to remaining lateral sides 11, 12, 13 H, H1, H2handles Srolling support assembly removably attached to bottom side 15 of collapsible container body 10 Psupport plate Wcaster wheels provided on underside of support plate P BRKmanually engageable brake device 20retaining structure formed of releasable fabric panels 21, 22, 23, 24 21(first) releasable securing flap of retaining structure 20 extending from (first) transversal end of bottom side 15, along short lateral side 11 22(second) releasable securing flap of retaining structure 20 extending from (second) transversal end of bottom side 15, along short lateral side 13, for cooperation with releasable securing flap 21 23(third) releasable securing flap of retaining structure 20 extending from (first) longitudinal end of bottom side 15, along long lateral side 12, for cooperation with corresponding longitudinal end of support plate P 24(fourth) releasable securing flap of retaining structure 20 extending from (second) longitudinal end of bottom side 15, along long lateral side 14, for cooperation with corresponding longitudinal end of support plate P 51, 52(first) pair of fastening elements (e.g. hook-and-loop fasteners) provided on underside of support plate P for releasable attachment to inner side of first and second releasable securing flaps 21, 22 53, 54(second) pair of fastening elements (e.g. hook-and-loop fasteners) provided on underside of support plate P, along the longitudinal ends thereof, for releasable attachment to inner side of third and fourth releasable securing flaps 23, 24 100caster wheel assembly 100Aswivel axis of caster wheel assembly 100 100aperipheral groove formed in outer periphery of swivel axis 100A 100Bball bearing 100Ccap member 100Llatching element (e.g. snap ring) interposed between peripheral groove 100a of swivel axis 100A and inner groove 200c of mounting aperture 200A 105swivelable fork element supporting caster wheel W 200supporting insert 200Amounting aperture shaped and dimensioned to receive swivel axis 100A of caster wheel assembly 100 200ahead portion of supporting insert 200 200baxial section of supporting insert 200 200cinner groove formed in mounting aperture 200A for cooperation with latching element 100L hheight of head portion 200a of supporting insert 200 Llength of axial section 200b of supporting insert 200

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0029]The present invention will be described in relation to various illustrative embodiments as shown in particular in Figures 1A-C to 7. It shall be understood that the scope of the invention encompasses all combinations and subcombinations of the features of the invention disclosed herein as defined by the appended claims.

[0030]Figures 1A to 1C are schematic illustrations of a rolling bag B in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention. The rolling bag B comprises a collapsible container body 10 that is made of a foldable assembly of fabric panels that are joined together to form a bottom side 15 and a sidewall 11-14 including four lateral sides 11, 12, 13, 14 (including a pair of opposite short lateral sides 11, 13 and a pair of opposite long lateral sides 12, 14 in the illustrated example) that jointly define an inner storage volume when the collapsible container body 10 takes an expanded state, as shown in Figures 1A and 1B. In accordance with this embodiment, a top s...

Claims

1. A rolling bag (B; B') comprising a collapsible container body (10) made of an assembly of fabric panels that are joined together to form at least a bottom side (15) and a sidewall (11-14) including four lateral sides (11, 12, 13, 14) that jointly define an inner storage volume when the collapsible container body (10) takes an expanded state, wherein the rolling bag (B; B') further comprises a rolling support assembly (S) to provide rolling support for the collapsible container body (10) in the expanded state, the rolling support assembly (S) including a support plate (P) and a plurality of caster wheels (W) provided on an underside of the support plate (P), characterized in that each caster wheel (W) includes a click-in caster wheel assembly (100) comprising a swivel axis (100A) extending at least partly through a thickness of the support plate (P), and in that the support plate (P) includes a plurality of supporting inserts (200) that are each configured to cooperate with the swivel axis (100A) of a corresponding one of the click-in caster wheel assemblies (100) and cause it to automatically latch onto the support plate (P) during assembly, each supporting insert (200) comprising a mounting aperture (200A) shaped and dimensioned to receive the swivel axis (100A) and cause latching of the swivel axis (100A) inside the mounting aperture (200A).

2. The rolling bag (B; B') according to claim 1, wherein the swivel axis (100A) exhibits a peripheral groove (100a) and the mounting aperture (200A) exhibits a corresponding inner groove (200c) for latching of the swivel axis (100A) inside the mounting aperture (200A), latching being ensured by a latching element (100L), such as a snap ring, that is interposed between the peripheral groove (100a) of the swivel axis (100A) and the inner groove (200c) of the mounting aperture (200A).

3. The rolling bag (B; B') according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the supporting insert (200) comprises a head portion (200a) configured to rest against a topside of the support plate (P) and an axial section (200b) configured to extend through the thickness of the support plate (P) from the topside of the support plate (P) to the underside of the support plate (P), and wherein a height (h) of the head portion (200a), as measured in an axial direction, preferably does not exceed 5 mm and is especially of less than 3 mm, while a length (L) of the axial section (200b), as measured in the axial direction, preferably does not exceed 15 mm and is especially of about 10 mm.

4. The rolling bag (B; B') according to claim 3, wherein a diameter of the head portion (200a) of the supporting insert (200) is of at least 35 mm, and wherein a diameter of the axial section (200b) is of at least 20 mm.

5. The rolling bag (B; B') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each click-in caster wheel assembly (100) further comprises: a swivelable fork element (105) supporting the caster wheel (W); a cap member (100C) configured to rest against the underside of the support plate (P); and a ball bearing (100B) interposed between the swivelable fork element (105) and the cap member (100C) to provide rotatable support for the swivelable fork element (105) about the swivel axis (100A), and wherein a spacer member is optionally interposed between the cap member (100C) and the underside of the support plate (P).

6. The rolling bag (B; B') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support plate (P) is made of a lightweight material and / or exhibits an alveolar or honeycomb structure, wherein each supporting insert (200) is inserted from a topside of the support plate (P), and wherein a portion (200b) of each supporting insert (200) extends through the whole thickness of the support plate (P).

7. The rolling bag (B; B') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the supporting insert (200) is made of a plastic material, especially injection-mouldable thermoplastic material.

8. The rolling bag (B; B') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the collapsible container body (10) further comprises a retaining structure (20) formed of one or more fabric panels (21, 22, 23, 24), and wherein the retaining structure (20) is provided underneath the bottom side (15) of the collapsible container body (10) and is configured to securely hold the support plate (P) outside of the inner storage volume against an underside of the bottom side (15) of the collapsible container body (10).

9. The rolling bag (B; B') according to claim 8, wherein the retaining structure (20) includes first and second releasable securing flaps (21, 22) attached to and positioned along opposite first and second ends of the bottom side (15), wherein the first and second releasable securing flaps (21, 22) are partially overlapping and releasably attachable to one another to encase the support plate (P) between the bottom side (15) and the first and second releasable securing flaps (21, 22), and wherein the retaining structure (20) preferably further includes third and fourth releasable securing flaps (23, 24) attached to and positioned along opposite third and fourth ends of the bottom side (15) to hold corresponding end sections of the support plate (P).

10. The rolling bag (B; B') according to claim 9, wherein one or each of the first and second releasable securing flaps (21, 22) is provided with at least one aperture that is positioned and dimensioned to allow passage of one of the caster wheels (W) therethrough, and / or wherein each of the first and second releasable securing flaps (21, 22) is dimensioned or structured to accommodate for the presence of the caster wheels (W).

11. The rolling bag (B; B') according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the support plate (P) is provided with a plurality of fastening elements (51, 52, 53, 54) for releasable attachment of the releasable securing flaps (21, 22, 23, 24), and wherein the fastening elements (51, 52, 53, 54) preferably consist of hook-and-loop fasteners.

12. The rolling bag (B; B') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sidewall (11-14) includes at least two outer pieces of fabric and an intermediate piece of packing material, in particular bubble wrap, interposed between the two outer pieces of fabric, and wherein the outer pieces of fabric are preferably made of or comprise at least one sheet of woven fabric produced out of strands of synthetic or non-synthetic material, such as polypropylene strands.

13. The rolling bag (B; B') according to claim 12, wherein one or each of the outer pieces of fabric preferably further comprises an outer layer, such as a biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film, a cast polypropylene (CPP) film, a polypropylene (PP) coating or a PVC layer, that is applied on an outer side of the sheet of woven fabric, for instance by lamination or extrusion coating.

14. The rolling bag (B; B') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein opposite short lateral sides (11, 13) of the collapsible container body (10) are each provided with a gusset fold (F) designed to allow inward or outward folding of the opposite short lateral sides (11, 13) into flat-folded gusset sections (11F, 13F), and wherein the collapsible container body (10) is preferably configured to be foldable into a flattened configuration where the opposite short lateral sides (11, 13) are folded outward along the gusset fold (F) into the flat-folded gusset sections (11F, 13F), the flat-folded gusset sections (11F) being foldable inward over lateral sections of a first long lateral side (14) of the collapsible container body (10), while a second long lateral side (12) of the collapsible container body (10), opposite the first long lateral side (12), is foldable inward to align the bottom side (15) and associated rolling support assembly (S) with the first and second long lateral sides (12, 14).

15. A rolling support assembly (S) suitable for providing rolling support for a collapsible container body (10) of a rolling bag (B; B'), the rolling support assembly (S) including a support plate (P) and a plurality of caster wheels (W) provided on an underside of the support plate (P), characterized in that each caster wheel (W) includes a click-in caster wheel assembly (100) comprising a swivel axis (100A) extending at least partly through a thickness of the support plate (P), and in that the support plate (P) includes a plurality of supporting inserts (200) that are each configured to cooperate with the swivel axis (100A) of a corresponding one of the click-in caster wheel assemblies (100) and cause it to automatically latch onto the support plate (P) during assembly, each supporting insert (200) comprising a mounting aperture (200A) shaped and dimensioned to receive the swivel axis (100A) and cause latching of the swivel axis (100A) inside the mounting aperture (200A), wherein the rolling support assembly (S) is preferably further characterized by the features recited in any one of claims 2 to 7.

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