Samsonite IP Holdings S.a.r.l.

Wim De Vos

Rik Hillaert

Vivien Cheng

Erik Josef Sijmons

Reinhard Meersschaert

Michael Vandemergel

Ward Adriaenssens

Chui Wai Kin

Peter Ten Haaf

Lukas Van Campenhout

Benjamin Vandeputte

Jean-Claude Van De Walle

Jurgen Oskamp

Bart Bauwens

Richard Miles

Sean B Farrelly

Ward Vancoppenolle

Pauline M Koslowski

Adrien Lefebvre

Jean-Claude Vandewalle

Clotilde Destrebecq

Ward Vancoppenholle

Wim Godefroid

A luggage article split along front and rear major faces is provided. The luggage article may include a housing defined by first and second shell portions pivotably connected together at a split line. The housing may define a front major face, a rear major face, and a plurality of minor faces extending between the front and rear major faces. The front and rear major faces may have a width dimension greater than each of the plurality of minor faces. The split line may extend along the front and rear major faces of the housing.

Luggage article split along front and rear major faces

A luggage article may include a plurality of walls together defining an outer structure of the luggage article, a wheel bracket attached to and extending from one of the walls, and one or more wheels attached to the wheel bracket. The wheel bracket may comprise a leaf spring having a loop-shaped profile and the one or more wheels may be rotationally attached to a lower end of the loop-shaped leaf spring. The configuration of the wheel bracket may result in higher shock absorption and reduced wheel noise comparative to conventional wheel brackets, and offer an improvement and alternative to conventional luggage wheel brackets.

Luggage article with loop-shaped wheel bracket

A snap fit interlock for attaching a component of a luggage article may include a snap fitting connecting a luggage article component to a luggage shell, and a locking feature automatically limiting the disengagement of the snap fitting once the snap fitting is engaged. The snap fitting may engage and move the locking feature as the snap fitting is moved in an insertion direction during attachment of the luggage article component to the luggage shell. The locking feature may disengage from the snap fitting when the snap fitting engages the luggage shell. A portion of the locking feature may be automatically positioned between the snap fitting and the luggage article component to limit disconnection of the snap fitting once engaged.

Snap fit connector for use with luggage article components

A luggage article may include a plurality of walls together defining an outer structure of the luggage article, a wheel bracket attached to and extending from one of the walls, and a wheel attached to the wheel bracket. The wheel bracket may comprise first and second elongate arms extending along a common side of the wheel. The first and second arms may be vertically-spaced apart from one another over at least a portion of the length of the first and second arms. The configuration of the wheel bracket may result in higher shock absorption and reduced wheel noise comparative to conventional wheel brackets, and offer an improvement and alternative to conventional luggage wheel brackets.

Luggage article with cantilevered wheel bracket having elongated arms

A luggage case may include opposing sidewalls forming minor faces, opposing sidewalls forming major faces, and opposing end walls together forming an article defining an enclosed space. A line of separation may be formed in said minor faces and end walls. A first portion of the line of separation may extend along a first portion of opposing minor faces at a location proximate one of said opposing major faces and corresponding one of said opposing end walls positioned therebetween. A second portion of the line of separation may extend along a second portion of said opposing minor faces in a direction away from said one of said opposing major faces and towards other of said opposing major faces.

Luggage with shells having varied depths

Growing community of inventors

Zingem, Belgium

Wim De Vos