Improvements in and relating to an article of luggage

Abstract

An article of luggage ( 2 ) is disclosed comprising a first portion (( 4 ), ( 104 ), ( 204 ), ( 304 ), ( 404 )), a second portion (( 6 ), ( 106 ), ( 206 ), ( 306 ), ( 406 )), the first and second portions being hingedly connected for movement between a closed position and an open position, and a zip fastener (( 50 ), ( 150 ), ( 250 ), ( 350 ), ( 450 )) for releasably securing the first portion (( 4 ), ( 104 ), ( 204 ), ( 304 ), ( 404 )) of the article of luggage to the second portion (( 6 ), ( 106 ), ( 206 ), ( 306 ), ( 406 )) of the article of luggage in the closed position to define an internal storage volume between the first and second portions of the article of luggage, in which the article of luggage further comprises retention means (( 60 ), ( 160 ), ( 260 ), ( 360 ), ( 460 )) in use extending across the zip fastener (( 50 ), ( 150 ), ( 250 ), ( 350 ), ( 450 )) and in part permanently secured to one of the first and second portions. It is an advantage that this construction allows for the first and second portions of the article of luggage easily to be zipped together while providing additional means to keep the first and second portions of the article of luggage together in the event of failure of the zip mechanism.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of luggage comprises a first portion, a second portion, the first and second portions being hingedly connected for movement between a closed position and an open position, and a zip fastener for releasably securing the first portion of the article of luggage to the second portion of the article of luggage in the closed position to define an internal storage volume between the first and second portions of the article of luggage, in which the article of luggage further comprises retention means in use extending across the zip fastener and in part permanently secured to one of the first and second portions. 
     
     
         2 . An article of luggage according to  claim 1 , in which the retention means comprises a strap having a first end and a second end. 
     
     
         3 . An article of luggage according to  claim 2 , in which the retention means is provided with complementary connecting means. 
     
     
         4 . An article of luggage according to  claim 3 , in which the complementary connecting means comprises one of the following:
 complementary elements of a buckle or snap fit buckle loops for connection to a lock   complementary elements of a lock buckle or   complementary elements of a combination lock buckle.   
     
     
         5 . An article of luggage according to  claim 1 , in which the retention means is secured to each of the first and second portions. 
     
     
         6 . An article of luggage according to  claim 1 , in which the retention means is permanently secured to one or both of the first and second portions by stitching. 
     
     
         7 . An article of luggage according to  claim 1 , in which the retention means is permanently secured to one or both of the first and second portions by riveting. 
     
     
         8 . An article of luggage according to  claim 1 , in which the article of luggage is further provided with locating means for locating parts of the retention means not permanently secured in place. 
     
     
         9 . An article of luggage according to  claim 1 , in which when the ends of the retention means are secured together, the retention means encircles the article of luggage. 
     
     
         10 . An article of luggage substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.