Reinforcing core for a bag handle and bag handle containing such a core

Abstract

The invention relates to a reinforcing core (1) for a bag handle intended to be sheathed between at least one upper covering strip (3) and at least one lower covering strip (4) comprising: - a support strip (2) and having an upper face (5) and a lower face (6); and - a stiffening insert (14) comprising an upper portion arranged above the upper face (5) of the support strip (2), the stiffening insert (14) comprising a connecting portion (19) which connects the upper portion and the lower portion through an opening passing through the support strip. Figure for the abstract: 1

Description

Title of the invention: Reinforcing core for a bag handle and bag handle containing such a core Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of leather goods, such as bags and the like.

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to a reinforcing core for a bag handle, a bag handle containing such a reinforcing core and a bag equipped with such a handle. Technological background

[0003] In the state of the art, it is known to equip bag handles with a reinforcing core aimed at giving said handles greater rigidity, hold and resistance.

[0004] Reinforcing cores are known in particular for being sheathed between an upper covering strip and a lower covering strip. These reinforcing cores comprise a support strip, for example made of leather, which is intended to be arranged between the upper covering strip and the lower covering strip and onto which said covering strips are intended to be sewn. An upper stiffening insert and a lower stiffening insert are respectively glued against the upper face and the lower face of the support strip by means of a double-sided adhesive. The upper and lower stiffening inserts are produced by machining.

[0005] Such cores are not fully satisfactory, in particular because their manufacturing process is too long and complex: it requires in particular operations of gluing the inserts by operators and machining operations. Summary of the invention

[0006] One idea behind the invention is to provide a core for a bag handle that is simpler and quicker to manufacture.

[0007] According to a first aspect, the invention provides a reinforcing core for a bag handle intended to be sheathed between at least one upper covering strip and at least one lower covering strip comprising: - a support strip onto which the upper covering strip and the lower covering strip are intended to be sewn, the support strip having an upper face intended to be covered by the upper covering strip and a lower face intended to be covered by the lower covering strip, the support strip having at least one opening passing through the strip of support; and - a stiffening insert comprising an upper portion arranged above the upper face of the support strip and intended to be positioned between the support strip and the upper covering strip and a lower portion arranged below the lower face of the support strip and intended to be positioned between the support strip and the lower covering strip, the stiffening insert comprising a connecting portion which connects the upper portion and the lower portion through said opening and holds them respectively against the upper face and the lower face of the support strip.

[0008] Thus, it is no longer necessary to glue the stiffening insert to the support strip since said stiffening insert is held integral with the support strip by the connecting portion which passes through the support strip. The manufacturing operations of such a reinforcing core are therefore simpler and faster.

[0009] For the purposes of the present application, the term “bag” means any container intended to contain and transport objects, such as a handbag, school bag, luggage, suitcase or the like.

[0010] According to embodiments, such a reinforcing core may comprise one or more of the following characteristics.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the stiffening insert is formed in one piece and at least one of the upper and lower portions is configured to pass through the opening of the support strip by elastically deforming said support strip. Thus, the stiffening insert being formed in one piece, it is simple to produce. In addition, such an arrangement makes it possible to secure the stiffening insert to the support strip in a simple manner.

[0012] According to one embodiment, said upper or lower portion which is configured to pass through the opening of the support strip has a cross-section which is flared towards the connecting portion. This facilitates the installation of the stiffening insert through the opening of the support strip.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the opening is a slot extending in a longitudinal direction of the support strip.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the connecting portion has a shape complementary to that of the opening provided in the support strip.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the slot has two notches which extend transversely on either side of the slot and the connecting portion has two transverse projections which are housed respectively in one and the other of the two notches of the slot. This makes it possible to ensure precise relative positioning of the stiffening insert with respect to the support strip.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the support strip comprises two ears which project transversely on either side of the support strip and each comprise a hole intended to receive a positioning pin for said sewing equipment.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the connecting portion forms a groove between the upper portion and the lower portion, the support strip having zones, bordering the opening, and housed in said groove. This makes it possible to ensure reliable attachment of the stiffening insert to the support strip.

[0018] According to another embodiment, the stiffening insert is formed from a first and a second separate part which respectively comprise one and the other of the upper and lower portions, the first part further comprising the connecting portion which passes through the opening, said connecting portion being fixed to the second part. This arrangement makes it possible to secure the stiffening insert to the support strip without risk of deforming the support strip by inserting a portion of the stiffening insert through the opening of the support strip, as in the other embodiment.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the support strip comprises a plurality of openings and the connecting portion comprises a plurality of pins each passing through one of the openings.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the pins are clipped into housings provided in the second part.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the support strip is made of a material chosen from natural or synthetic leathers, fabrics, polymers and cellulose-based materials.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the stiffening insert is made of a polymer material.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the stiffening insert is obtained by injection of a polymer material. This makes it possible to manufacture said stiffening insert simply, quickly and in series.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the stiffening insert has a Young's modulus of between 0.01 and 0.1 GPa. This provides adequate stiffness to said reinforcing core.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the stiffening insert is curved along the longitudinal direction of said reinforcing core.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the stiffening insert has two tapered ends.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the stiffening insert is overmolded onto the support strip.

[0028] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a bag handle comprising: - a reinforcing core of the aforementioned type, - at least one upper covering strip which covers the upper portion of the stiffening insert and the upper face of the support strip and is sewn to the support strip, and - at least one lower covering strip which covers the lower portion of the stiffening insert and the underside of the support strip and is sewn to the support strip.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the upper and lower covering strips are each sewn onto the support strip by means of two stitching lines extending respectively along a first and a second longitudinal edge of the support strip.

[0030] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a bag comprising a bag handle of the aforementioned type. Brief description of the figures

[0031] The invention will be better understood, and other aims, details, characteristics and advantages thereof will appear more clearly during the following description of several particular embodiments of the invention, given solely for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, with reference to the appended drawings.

[0032] [Fig. 1] is an exploded perspective view of a reinforcing core for a bag handle according to a first embodiment.

[0033] [Fig.2] is a perspective view from above of the reinforcing core according to the first embodiment.

[0034] [Fig. 3] is a bottom view of the reinforcing core according to the first embodiment.

[0035] [Fig.4] is a side view of the reinforcing core according to the first embodiment.

[0036] [Fig.5] is a side view showing the stiffening insert of the reinforcing core according to the first embodiment.

[0037] [Fig.6] is a cross-sectional view along plane AA of the stiffening insert of [Fig.5].

[0038] [Fig.7] is a cross-sectional view of a handle equipped with the reinforcing core according to the first embodiment.

[0039] [Fig.8] is an exploded perspective view of a reinforcing core for a bag handle according to a second embodiment.

[0040] [Fig.9] is an exploded perspective view of a reinforcing core for a bag handle according to a third embodiment. Description of the embodiments

[0041] In relation to figures 1 to 7, a reinforcing core 1 is described according to a first embodiment.

[0042] The reinforcing core 1 comprises a support strip 2. The support strip 2 is made of a flexible material chosen from natural or synthetic leathers, fabrics, polymers and any material, such as cardboard, based on cellulose (from wood, linen, cotton, hemp). The support strip 2 is intended to be sheathed between two upper 3 and lower 4 covering strips which will be described later in relation to [Fig.7].

[0043] The support strip 2 has an opening, visible in [Fig.l], which passes through the support strip 2 from its upper face 5 to its lower face 6. In the first embodiment, the opening is a slot 7, visible in [Fig.l], extending in the longitudinal direction of the support strip 2. The slot 7 also has two notches 8, 9 which project transversely on either side of the slot 7 from a middle portion of the slot 7.

[0044] The support strip 2 comprises two lugs 10, 11 which are intended to ensure the positioning of the reinforcing core 1 on sewing equipment during operations of sewing the upper 3 and lower 4 covering strips on said support strip 2. In the embodiment shown, the two lugs 10, 11 each have a bore intended to receive a positioning pin of said sewing equipment. The two lugs 10, 11 project transversely on either side of the support strip 2 from a middle portion of the support strip 2. The lugs 10, 11 are intended to be cut after the operations of sewing the upper 3 and lower 4 covering strips to the support strip 2.

[0045] The support strip 2 also has notches 12, 13 along its edges to facilitate folding of the ends of the handle in the areas intended to receive fixing loops.

[0046] The reinforcing core 1 also comprises a stiffening insert 14 making it possible to give the handle its rigidity, its hold and its resistance. The stiffening insert 14 here has a curved shape along the longitudinal axis of the stiffening insert 14. The longitudinal axis of the stiffening insert 14 also corresponds to that of the support strip 2. In the embodiment shown, the stiffening insert 14 has two tapered ends 15, 16. In other words, the transverse dimension of the stiffening insert 14 is the largest at its center and decreases towards each of the two tapered ends 15, 16.

[0047] The stiffening insert 14 is advantageously made of a polymer material and preferably of an elastomeric material. The stiffening insert 14 is made of a material having, for example, a Young's modulus of between 0.01 and 0.1 GPa.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the stiffening insert 14 is produced using a plastic injection process.

[0049] In the first embodiment, the stiffening insert 14 is formed in one piece. It comprises an upper portion 17, visible in Figures 1, 2 and 4 to 6, a lower portion 18, visible in Figures 3 to 6, and a connecting portion 19 visible in Figures 5, 6 and 7. The connecting portion 19 passes through the slot 7 and connects the upper portion 17 to the lower portion 18.

[0050] The connecting portion 19 also has a shape complementary to that of the slot 7. It comprises in particular two transverse projections, one of which is referenced 20 in [Fig. 5], which correspond respectively to one and the other of the two notches 8, 9 of the slot 7. This makes it possible to ensure precise relative positioning of the stiffening insert 14 with respect to the support strip 2.

[0051] The connecting portion 19 has a transverse dimension smaller than that of the upper 17 and lower 18 portions so as to provide, between the upper portion 17 and the lower portion 18, a peripheral groove 21 which extends all around the stiffening insert 14, except in the central zones having the aforementioned transverse projections 20.

[0052] Furthermore, one of the upper 17 and lower 18 portions, here the lower portion 18, is capable of being inserted through the slot 7 by elastically deforming said slot 7.

[0053] When the lower portion 18 has been introduced through the slot, the areas of the support strip 2, positioned at the edge of the slot 7, are housed in the peripheral groove 21, which makes it possible to secure the stiffening insert 14 to the support strip 2.

[0054] In order to allow the lower portion 18 to pass through the slot 7, the dimensions of the lower portion 18 are greater than those of the slot 7 while allowing it to pass through said slot 7 by deformation of the support strip 2 in its elastic domain, that is to say without deforming it irreversibly.

[0055] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the lower portion 18 has a V-shaped cross-section, i.e. one that widens from bottom to top. This makes it easier to insert said lower portion 18 through the slot 7.

[0056] According to an optional embodiment, the reinforcing core 1 also comprises reinforcing strips 22, 23, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, which are glued against the lower face 6 of the support strip 2. The reinforcing strips 22, 23 are for example made of plastic. In the embodiment shown, they are each glued between one of the tapered ends 15, 16 of the lower portion 18 of the stiffening insert 14 and the lower face 6 of the support strip 2. These reinforcing strips 22, 23 thus make it possible to avoid piercing or deforming the support strip 2. support 2 under the effect of a punctual action of the tapered ends 15, 16 of the lower portion 18 of the stiffening insert 14, under the effect of the weight of the bag, in particular when the handle is taken in hand by the user.

[0057] As illustrated in [Fig. 7] which represents a cross-sectional view of the handle 24, when the reinforcing core 1 has been sheathed between at least the upper covering strip 3 and the lower covering strip 4, the upper portion 17 of the stiffening insert 14 is positioned between the upper face 5 of the support strip 2 and the upper covering strip 3 while the lower portion 18 of the stiffening insert 14 is positioned between the lower face 6 of the support strip 2 and the lower covering strip 4. The upper 3 and lower 4 covering strips are furthermore each sewn onto the support strip 2 by means of two stitching lines 25, 26 extending longitudinally along each of the two longitudinal edges of the stiffening insert 14. The upper 3 and lower 4 covering strips may in particular be made of natural or synthetic leather or fabric.

[0058] Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the edge of the support strip 2 can be covered with a layer of dye corresponding to the shade of the upper 3 and lower 4 covering strips.

[0059] [Fig. 8] is an exploded view of a reinforcing core 1 according to a second embodiment. This second embodiment differs in particular from the first embodiment, described in relation to FIGS. 1 to 7, in that the stiffening insert 14 is formed of two parts 27, 28 which are respectively positioned on either side of the support strip 2 and which are fixed to each other through openings 29, 30, 31 formed in the support strip 2, for example by clipping.

[0060] In the embodiment shown, the support strip 2 comprises several openings 29, 30, 31, here three in number, which are distributed along the longitudinal axis of the support strip 2. One of the parts, here the part 28, comprises pins 32, 33, 34 which form the connecting portion 19 between the upper portion 17 and the lower portion 18 of the stiffening insert 14. Each pin 32, 33, 34 is inserted into one of the openings 29, 30, 31 of the support strip 2 and fits into a complementary housing, not shown, formed in the other part 27. The pins 32, 33, 34 are for example clipped into the housings, that is to say they fit into the housings by elastic deformation.

[0061] [Fig. 9] represents a reinforcing core 1 according to a third embodiment. This third embodiment differs in particular from those described above in that the stiffening insert 14 is here overmolded onto the support strip 2. To produce such a reinforcing core 1, the support strip 2 is placed in a mold and then injected plastic in said mold so as to overmold the stiffening insert 14 onto the support strip 2. In order to ensure the cohesion of the overmolded stiffening insert 14, the support strip 2 has a plurality of openings 35 which are each crossed by a connecting portion of the stiffening insert 14 which connects the upper portion to the lower portion of said stiffening insert 14.

[0062] Although the invention has been described in connection with several particular embodiments, it is quite obvious that it is in no way limited thereto and that it includes all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these fall within the scope of the invention.

[0063] The use of the verb “comprise”, “comprise” or “include” and its conjugated forms does not exclude the presence of other elements or other steps than those stated in a claim.

[0064] In the claims, any reference sign in parentheses cannot be interpreted as a limitation of the claim.

Claims

Claims

1. Reinforcing core (1) for a bag handle, intended to be sheathed between at least one upper covering strip (3) and at least one lower covering strip (4) comprising: - a support strip (2) on which the upper covering strip (3) and the lower covering strip (4) are intended to be sewn, the support strip (2) having an upper face (5) intended to be covered by the upper covering strip (3) and a lower face (6) intended to be covered by the lower covering strip (4), the support strip (2) having at least one opening (7, 29, 30, 31) passing through the support strip (2);and - a stiffening insert (14) comprising an upper portion (17) arranged above the upper face (5) of the support strip (2) and intended to be positioned between the support strip (2) and the upper covering strip (3) and a lower portion (18) arranged below the lower face (6) of the support strip (2) and intended to be positioned between the support strip (2) and the lower covering strip (4), the stiffening insert (14) comprising a connecting portion (19) which connects the upper portion (17) and the lower portion (18) through said opening (7, 29, 30, 31) and holds them respectively against the upper face (5) and the lower face (6) of the support strip (2).;

2. Reinforcing core (1) according to claim 1, wherein the stiffening insert (14) is formed in one piece and at least one of the upper (17) and lower (18) portions is configured to pass through the opening (7) of the support strip (2) by elastically deforming said support strip (2).

3. Reinforcing core (1) according to claim 2, wherein said upper (17) or lower (18) portion which is configured to pass through the opening (7) of the support strip (2) has a cross section which is flared towards the connecting portion (19).

4. Reinforcing core (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the opening (7) is a slot extending in a longitudinal direction of the support strip (2).

5. Reinforcing core (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, in which the connecting portion (19) forms a groove (21) between the upper portion (17) and the lower portion (18), the support strip (2) having areas, bordering the opening (7), and housed in said groove (21).

6. Reinforcing core (1) according to claim 1, in which the stiffening insert (14) is formed of a first and a second separate part (27, 28), which respectively comprise one and the other of the upper (17) and lower (18) portions, the first part (28) further comprising the connecting portion (19) which passes through the opening (29, 30, 31), said connecting portion being fixed to the second part (27).

7. Reinforcing core (1) according to claim 6, wherein the support strip (2) comprises a plurality of openings (29, 30, 31) and wherein the connecting portion (19) comprises a plurality of pins (32, 33, 34) each passing through one of the openings (29, 30, 31).

8. Reinforcing core (1) according to claim 7, in which the pins (32, 33, 34) are clipped into housings provided in the second part (27).

9. Reinforcing core (1) according to claim 1, in which the stiffening insert (14) is overmolded onto the support strip (2).

10. Reinforcing core (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the support strip (2) is made of a material chosen from natural or synthetic leathers, fabrics, polymers and cellulose-based materials.

11. Reinforcing core (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, in which the stiffening insert (14) is made of a polymer material.

12. Reinforcing core (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, in which the stiffening insert (14) is obtained by injection of a polymer material.

13. Reinforcing core (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, in which the stiffening insert (14) has a Young's modulus of between 0.01 and 0.1 GPa.

14. Bag handle comprising: - a reinforcing core (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, - at least one upper covering strip (3) which covers the upper portion of the stiffening insert (14) and the upper face (5) of the support strip (2) and is sewn to the support strip (2), and - at least one lower covering strip (4) which covers the lower portion of the stiffening insert (14) and the lower face (5) of the support strip (2) and is sewn to the support strip (2).

15. A bag comprising a handle according to claim 14.

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