The present invention relates to a suitcase container.

In particular, the present invention relates to a suitcase container including at least one hanger that keeps a piece of clothing hanging, in correct position, as in a wardrobe.

A suitcase container of the specified type is disclosed in document no. WO2014/184607 Al .

From the above prior art document, it is known to provide said suitcase container with suspension means, fixed inside the container itself, including a hanger, so as to immobilize the hanger itself against swinging, but allowing said hanger to be inserted or removed with respect to the suitcase container. However, the operations required for hanging related to the suspension of a piece of clothing on the hanger and subsequent insertion of the same in the suitcase container and, vice versa, related to the extraction of the hanger from the suitcase container, are particularly laborious, especially in the case of multiple pieces of clothing to be stored in the container itself, hanging on respective hangers.

Moreover, the arrangement of the pieces of clothing hanging on the respective hangers, inside the suitcase container, does not always ensure a correct preservation of the ironing of the pieces of clothing themselves, as they are subject to involuntary creasing during the insertion and subsequent transport.

In addition, said prior art document discloses holding means, fixed inside the suitcase container and cooperating with the respective hanger, for keeping the piece of clothing properly hung inside the suitcase container. While these holding means carry out an effective retaining action of the piece of clothing in a correct hanging arrangement, however the implementation of the same on the piece of clothing is laborious and time-consuming.

On the other hand, if multiple pieces of clothing are arranged in the prior art suitcase container and the user wants to pick up only one of them, not immediately accessible with open container, he/she must still remove the garments at the front before being able to pick up the piece of clothing of his/her interest, with needless waste of time and effort.

Document GB 268 727 A discloses a suitcase container comprising a parallelepiped rigid body, closed by means of a cover, and suspension means for at least one hanger on the inside of said container, wherein said suspension means comprise at least one rigid suit-holder frame dismountably fixed to the inside of said rigid body and including holding means for a corresponding suit in a stably hanging position, which comprise said clothes hanger fixed to said frame and restraining means in the extended position of said suit hanging on said hanger.

However, the suspension means and the relative restraining means shown in GB 268 727 A have a complex structure and do not prevent the occurrence of undesired phenomena of involuntary creasing of the suit.

Document US 2 384 332 A discloses a suitcase container including suspension means and relative restraining means for a suit, as specified above, which keep the suit itself folded and not extended like hanging in a wardrobe or the like.

Starting from the notion of the above drawbacks, the present invention aims to provide a solution to the same.

In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a suitcase container as indicated, which allows the correct preservation of the ironing of the pieces of clothing hanging therein by means of respective hangers, like hanging in a wardrobe or the like, preventing the occurrence of undesired phenomena of involuntary creasing of the pieces of clothing themselves during the relative insertion into the container and subsequent transport.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a suitcase container, which has restraining means capable of carrying out an effective holding action of the piece of clothing in a correct hanging arrangement during the transport step while facilitating the implementation of the same with respect to the piece of clothing.

Moreover, an object of the present invention is to provide a suitcase container as mentioned, which greatly facilitates the user in picking up a piece of clothing from the same, even assuming that it is a piece of clothing not immediately accessible with open container, without such operation requiring the removal of any clothing at the front.

On the other hand, a further object of the present invention is to provide a suitcase container as indicated which provides a valuable solution for storing said at least one piece of clothing in a protected and properly ironed condition, once removed from the suitcase container itself.

In view of such objects, the present invention provides a suitcase container the essential feature whereof is the object of claim 1.

Further advantageous features are described in the dependent claims .

The above claims are intended as integrally reported herein.

In particular, the suitcase container comprising a parallelepiped rigid body, closed by means of a cover, and suspension means for at least one hanger on the inside of said container, wherein said suspension means comprise at least one rigid suit-holder frame dismountably fixed to the inside of said rigid body, and including holding means for a corresponding suit in a stably hanging position, which comprise said clothes hanger fixed to said frame and restraining means in the extended position of said suit hanging on said hanger, is characterized in that said restraining means comprise elastic means, fixed at one end to one side of said frame and provided at the other end with gripping means for a part of the suit hanging in said at least one frame from said hanger means.

The present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawing, describing an exemplary embodiment of the suitcase container according to the invention, in which:

- figure 1 is a front elevation view of the rigid body of the suitcase container according to a first embodiment variant of the suitcase container according to the present invention, the cover of the container 'being omitted;

figure 2 is a side elevation view of the suitcase container in figure 1;

- figure 3 is a front elevation view of suit-holder frame means associated with the suitcase container according to figures 1 and 2;

- figure 4 is a front elevation view of the suitcase container according to said embodiment variant, in which the relative cover is shown in the open position with respect to the rigid body and said frame means are omitted;

- figure 5 is a view similar to that in. figure 4, but showing another embodiment variant of the suitcase container according to the present invention;

- figure 6 is a front elevation view of suit-holder frame means associated with the suitcase container according to figure 5;

- figure 7 is a front elevation view of the rigid body of the suitcase container in figure 5, in which said suit-holder means according to figure 6 are contained; - figure 8 is a side elevation view of the rigid body in figure 7, in which said suit-holder means are shown connected to the rigid body itself, but removed from the same;

- figure 9 is a front perspective view of the rigid body in figures 7 and 8, but in which one of said suit-holder means is partially removed.

In the above drawing figures 4 and 5, reference numeral 10 indicates, as a whole, a suitcase container according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

According to the prior art, said suitcase container 10 comprises a parallelepiped rigid body 11, closed by means of a cover 12, and suspension means 13 for at least one hanger 14 on the inside of said container 10.

According to the present invention, said suspension means 13 conveniently comprise at least one rigid suit-holder frame 13.1 dismountably fixed to the inside of said rigid body 11, and including holding means 14, 15 for a corresponding suit A in a stably hanging position, which comprise said clothes hanger 14 fixed to said frame 13.1 and said restraining means 15, which keep in the extended position said suit A hanging on said hanger 14.

Advantageously in the embodiment shown, said suitcase container 10 comprises dismountable coupling means 16.1, 16.2 between said at least one rigid frame 13.1 and at least one inner part of said rigid body 11 of the suitcase container 10 itself.

More in particular, according to the present invention, said dismountable coupling means 16.1, 16.2 comprise male/female guide means 16.1, 16.2 fixed, on one side, to said at least one frame 13.1 and on the other side to said at least one inner part of said rigid body 11.

In particular, in the example shown, three suit-holder frames 13.1 are provided, accommodated inside the rigid body 11 of container 10, mutually side by side, by means of said dismountable coupling means 16.1, 16.2.

In a variant of the present exemplary embodiment of the invention, said rigid body 11 comprises first plate means 17 5 that can slide with respect to a first side wall 11.1 of -the rigid body 11, between a position set-back from wall 11.1 itself and not interfering with said cover 12 in a closed position of the same, and a position at least partially extended with respect to said first side wall 11.1, with cover 10 12 open, and of the first dismountable fixing means 18 of said at least one rigid frame 13.1, which are fixed with respect to said first sliding plate means 17.

In the example shown, said first fixing means 18 comprise a board 18.2 of plastic material, fixed to part of the lower 15 side of said plate means 17, such as metal, and having three grooves 18.3 extending parallel to the length of said first side wall 11.1 of the rigid body 11.

Each groove 18.3 is provided for receiving in engagement, with elastic snap, the upper horizontal branch of a corresponding

20 rigid frame 13.1 and stably holding the same.

More in particular, according to the present invention, said first sliding plate 17 comprises a first plate part 17.1 integral with and sliding with respect to said first side wall 11.1 and a remaining plate part 17.2 articulated with respect

25 to said first plate part 17.1 and oscillating around an axis X-X identified by the intersection between a plane that is essentially parallel and a plane that is essentially orthogonal to said first side wall 11.1. Said board 18.2 is fixed with respect to the lower side of said remaining part of 0 plate 17.2.

Said rigid body 11 comprises second plate means 19 that can slide with respect to a second side wall 11.2, opposite to said first side wall 11.1, between a position set-back from wall 11.2 itself and not interfering with said cover 12 in a closed position of the same, and a position at least partially extended with respect to said side wall 11.2, with cover 12 open; said second sliding plate means 19 providing in said extended position a support for said at least one suit-holder frame 13.1 hanging with respect to said first plate means 17 in said at least partially extended position.

In the example shown, said second plate means 19 comprise a board 19.2 of plastic material, fixed to part of the upper side of said plate means 17, such as metal, and having three grooves 19.3 extending parallel to the length of said second side wall 11.2 of the rigid body 11.

Each groove 19.3 is provided for receiving in engagement, with elastic snap, the lower horizontal branch of a corresponding rigid frame 13.1 and stably holding the same.

In this way, the user is further facilitated in the positioning and pick up steps, respectively, of said piece of clothing A, with respective hanger 14, from the rigid body 11 of container 10.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, said second plate means 19 comprise ground support means 20, oscillating between a closed rest position, when said second plate means 19 are set back from said second side wall 11.2, and an open operating position, wherein said ground support means 20 are operational, when said second plate means 19 are at least partially extended with respect to said second side wall 11.2. Said ground support means 20 cooperate to the greater stability of container 10, when in use.

In the embodiment shown, said at least one fixed frame 13.1 comprises hook means 14.1 provided at said suit hanger 14 and oscillating between a rest position, inside said at least one frame 13.1, and a working position, outside said same at least one frame 13.1 and arranged for hanging frame 13.1 itself in a wardrobe or the like.

In particular, it will be seen that said hanger 14 is preferably fixed and coplanar to the respective suit-holder frame 13.1. In this way, in use, the occurrence of swinging problems or undesired rotation of said suit hanger 14 with respect to frame 13.1 is prevented, thus allowing proper keeping of suit A into position.

In addition, as shown in the embodiment shown, said restraining means 15 comprise elastic straps 15.1, fixed at one end thereof to one side of said frame 13.1 and provided at the other end with gripping means 15.2 for a part of suit A hanging in said at least one frame 13.1 from said hanger means 14.

In particular, said elastic straps 15.1 are fixed relative to the side of frame 13.1 opposite to hanger 14; by way of example, said gripping means 15.2 may comprise clip means with control lever in open and closed position, which are able to hold the suit in the correct position without causing any damage to the integrity of the same.

Moreover, although not shown in the accompanying drawings, each suit-holder frame may comprise a bag envelope extending from hanger 14 up to the side opposite to the frame itself, within which the suit hanging on said hanger is accommodated. This prevents undesired creasing of the suit hanging into the relative frame, both during the insertion and the removal steps into/from the rigid suitcase container, and during transport .

Operation .

When preparing suitcase 10, each suit-holder frame 13.1 is removed from the rigid body 11. In said frame 13.1, a suit (such as trousers and jacket of a suit) is hung on hanger 14 and the hanging ends of suit A itself are engaged by the restraining means 15, by means of the respective clips 15.2. In this way, suit A is correctly arranged and held hung and extended inside said frame 13.1.

Any casing means - (not shown) in the shape of a bag wrap suit A thus arranged.

The first plate means 17 and the second plate means 19 are partially removed from the respective walls 11.1 and 11.2 of the rigid body 11, after opening cover 12. Each frame 13.1 is then engaged by elastic snap in a respective pair of opposite grooves 18.3, 19.3 of boards 18.2, 19.2 of said plate means 17, 19, thus being firmly held in position.

By making said first and second plate means 17, 19 retract within the respective side walls 11.1, 11.2, the suit-holder frames 13.1 are automatically and properly stored within the rigid container 11, which can then be closed by cover 12.

By the reverse operation, after opening said cover 12 and removing said first and second plate means 17, 19, the suit- holder frames 13.1 automatically come out of the rigid body 11 and it is possible for the user to pick up the selected suit, removing the corresponding suit-holder frame 13.1 from grooves 18.3, 19.3 of boards 18.2, 19.2, fixed to the respective plates .

In particular, in order to facilitate such an operation, the user can swing the remaining part of plate 17.2 with respect to the first part of plate 17.1 so as to lift said suit-holder frames 13.1, jointly with the first plate means 17, with respect to the second plate means 19. Such operation for example allows easily pulling a suit-holder frame 13.1 from above, behind one or more other suit-holder frames 13.1.

As is seen on the basis of what described thus far, said suitcase container according to the present invention has restraining means capable of carrying out an effective holding action of the piece of clothing in a correct hanging arrangement during the transport step while facilitating the implementation of the same with respect to the piece of clothing .

Moreover, said suitcase container as mentioned greatly facilitates the user in picking up a piece of clothing from the same, even assuming that it is a piece of clothing not immediately accessible with open container, without such operation requiring the removal of any clothing at the front. In addition, said suitcase container as specified allows transporting, respectively storing, said at least one piece of clothing in conditions of full integrity, preventing unintentional creasing phenomena of the same.

On the other hand, said suitcase container as indicated provides a valuable solution for storing said at least one piece of clothing in a protected condition, once removed from the container itself.

As it appears from the above description, the present invention allows the objects described in the introduction to be achieved in a simple and advantageous manner.