FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT 1970 (39 of 1970)
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10; rule 13) TITLE
A light weight stiffener for luggages
APPLICANTS
VIP Industries Limited, 78-A, MIDC, Satpur,
Nasik 422007, Maharashtra, India, an Indian
company

INVENTOR
Under Section 28(2)
Ajay Tiple of VIP Industries Limited, 78A MIDC
Estate, Satpur, Nashik - 422007, Maharashtra, India,
an Indian national
The following specification particularly describes the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed :

A light weight stiffener for luggages.
This invention relates to a light weight stiffener for luggages and luggages incorporating the same. The expression luggages used herein after in this specification includes suit cases, brief cases, trolley bags, vanity cases and the like travel articles. This invention is particularly useful in luggages made with woven fabric material.
Background of the invention
Conventional soft luggage made of woven fabric is provided with plastic band or strip attached all around its periphery to provide stiffness. These bands are often reinforced with a metallic member preferably fitted in the center of luggage base. Laminates made of plastic material are often provided for the entire frame as reinforcement. Cold rolled cold annealed (CRCA) bend sections are also used as reinforcement. This is normally done by revetting straight and bend sections together which are then joined to a plastic sheet which covers the entire periphery of the luggage. This piece when incorporated in the luggage makes it heavy and costly. Wooden sheets are also used as reinforcement as well as to add support and for distribution of load. In this case also the final luggage piece becomes too heavy and is against the concept of the light weight luggage.
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The objects of this invention is to provide a light weight reinforcing frame for luggages which provides a taut look as well as structural strength to the finished article. This light weight reinforcing member is made by providing metallic a non-metallic wire inside a plastic beading or holding means and attaching this to a plastic laminate cut to the desired shape to conform to the contour of the luggage which incorporates this reinforcement. The beading with at least one wire embedded therein has an extended area which is utilized for attaching the same to the plastic' laminate member. The final product which has the shape of the portion of the bag where it is intended to be inserted is a stiff body and is light in weight.
Yet another advantage of this reinforcement is the flexibility of the structure which makes it possible for incorporation in other similar pieces of luggages and bags. The extended area or flap of the holding means allows stitching or such means of attaching the reinforcement to the laminate.
Yet another advantage is that the entire surface of the luggage is stiffened and made taut.
This invention relates to a light weight stiffener for luggage which comprises a laminate member provided with at least one reinforcing frame attached thereto, said reinforcing frame consisting of atleast one or more wires embedded in a holder means, said reinforcing frame being fixedly attached to the periphery of said
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laminate member to provide a taut stiffener conforming to the contour of the luggage.
The laminate member may have a base member and a side member disposed on said base member. The periphery of the base member and that of the side member may have the reinforcing member attached thereto. The shape of the final reinforced stiffener may be in the form of a tray with a plurality of reinforcement attached thereto. Such reinforcement may be provided on the base, sides and/or on the lid of die luggage wherever reinforcement is found necessary.
It is also possible to attach the embedded reinforcement member to the corners of the laminate member, all around the same or at any desired outer area of the same. The reinforcement member may have more than one wires mounted within the holding means which may be a split beading.
This invention also includes a luggage such as brief case, vanity bag suit case and the like incorporated at its base, sides land/or lid with a stiffener as described herein above.
This invention will now be described with reference to the figures shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein
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Figure 1 shows the luggage with the stiffener incorporated therein.
Figure la shows atleast one metal wire bend at corners and joined with a sleeve to correspond to the shape of the laminate plastic member which with the reinforcement is shown in Figure lc.
Figure lb shows the holding means such as the split beading separately.
Figure 2 shows a cross sectional view of the reinforcement members attached to the laminate.
In other words Figure 1 shows a sectional view of the light weight stiffener with the metallic wire partly enclosed in the holding means such as split beading. In Figure 2, reference numeral 1 shows the holding means such as a split bearing. Reference numeral 2 indicates the metal wire reinforcement and numerals 3 and 3a show the extended area of the beading and the stitching which connects the reinforcement to the laminate indicated by numeral 4. The stiffener made by this method is flexible and can be attached to any luggage.
Though this invention has been described herein above with reference to a particular embodiment, obvious modifications and alterations known to persons skilled in the art are within the scope and ambit of the appended claims.
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We claim:
1. A light weight stiffener for luggages comprising a laminate member provided with atleast one reinforcing frame attached thereto, said reinforcing frame consisting of atleast one or more wires embedded in a holder means, said reinforcing frame being fixedly attached to the periphery of said laminate member to provide a taut stiffener conforming to the contour of die luggage.
2. The light weight stiffener as claimed in claim 1, wherein said member has a base member and at least one side member the shape of said base member confirming to the base of said luggage and said side member conforming/atleast; partly to one or more sides of said luggage.
3. The light weight stiffener as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein said reinforcing frame is fixedly connected to the entire periphery of said laminate member.
4. The light weight stiffener as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein said reinforcement frame is fixedly connected to selected areas such as corners and middle part of said laminate member.
5. The light weight stiffener as claimed in claims 1 to 4, wherein said reinforcing member is provided at the periphery of said base member and side member.
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6. The light weight stiffener as claimed in claims 1 to 5, wherein said reinforcing member comprises (atleast one wire member shaped to conform to the periphery of said laminate member, the ends of said wire members being joined by a sleeve member.
7. The light weight stiffener as claimed in claims 1 to 6, wherein said wire is made of durable plastic or lightweight metal.
8. The light weight stiffener as claimed in claims 1 to 7, wherein said holding means is a split beading means having an extended flap for attachment with said laminate.
9. The light weight stiffener as claimed in claims 1 to 8, wherein said laminate member is selected from durable plastic or light weight metal.
10. A luggage such as brief case, suit case, vanity bag and the like incorporated with a stiffener as claimed in any of the above claims.
11. A light weight stiffener for luggage substantially as herein described with particular reference to the figures in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of April 2004.

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Abstract of the Invention
This invention relates to a light weight stiffener for luggages. It is cost effective and travel friendly. The stiffener consists of a laminate member provided with at least one reinforcing frame consisting of atleast one or more wire embedded in a holding means. This frame is fixed to the periphery of the laminate which when incorporated in the luggage provides a taut stiffener conforming to the contour of the luggage.
[Figure 1.]