Hi everyone
I’m currently working on a checked suitcase concept for a school project and any feedback would be much appreciated.
The profile of the suitcase and the angled handle should make it easier to carry around and should prevent your feet from stumbling against the back the suitcase, especially when running. Also, the front fabric door rolls down, meaning that you don’t have to lay it on the ground for that last minute un/packing at the airport.
Thanks in advance!
Can you show a bit more of your process?
If you haven’t yet, I would urge you to prototype this in cardboard at full scale asap and do some tests.
Not 100% what’s the definition of “checked suitcase”, but from the guesstimated size of this I assume it is meant to also be used as cabin luggage on planes? My first thought: Given the physical restrictions for cabin luggage a design like this means wasted space (the empty space caused be placing the wheels like this is included when the volume of the suitcase is measured). If the point is to the move the wheels away from the case (to avoid hitting the back of the suitcase) these should ideally retract when the case is stored (that is, ideally they should retract with a sturdy mechanism that costs next to nothing;) ).
Edit: I don’t use a suitcase like this myself, but is hitting the suitcase with your feel a real problem? I don’t get that impression from watching people using them. My main issue with them as a non-user is that people walk in crowded spaces with them and forget that their now a meter long.
@jada
first of all thanks for your feedback
by checked suitcase I mean the suitcase you drop at the check-in desk.
The concept has overall dimensions at the limit of airlines regulations, although the curved profile reduces the real storage volume. I thought about a wheel retracting mechanisms or even a handle ones, but I wanted to explore other ways to get around it and I found this to be a decent deal.
Being a suitcase user myself, I find this to be quite an issue, especially when I’m rushing to catch my flight. When my foot hits the back side, the suitcase then starts tipping over from side to side, as the wheels are too small.
@bepster
Will build a cardboard/foam prototype over the next week, will post the updates
Considering a suitcase’s number one job is to pack as much stuff as possible, the wasted space seems like a very poor idea. I’ve never had an issue catching my feet on a suitcase. Most larger suitcases now anyhow have 4 spinning wheels, so you don’t have to lift the weight of the suitcase with the handle in an angled position.
As for the roll down door and horizontal packing, I don’t think that would be very efficient or good for security.
Not saying there’s no room for innovation in suitcases, but seems you’ve got solutions without problems. Or solutions that cause more problems than they solve.
R
+1 on the wasted space.
Can you design pivoting/retracting wheels to create the shape without wasting space?
How about a longer handle…would that increase the distance between you and the suitcase?
Why don’t you have somebody take pictures of you walking with your suitcase and sketch over that?
Seems like you are looking at this with only one solution in mind.
I agree, for making the suitcase easier to run with it would probably be much smarter to implement a different type of handle or wheel rather than changing the entire shape of the suitcase. Here’s another idea: removable wheels snapped onto the sidewalls. Before going through the gate, you remove the wheels, “yes this is a suitcase without wheels”, put them in your pocket, and put them back on when you’re through. They should probably be as thin and large in diameter as possible. I agree that a lot of value can be added to suitcases by making them more manoevrable - traveling sometimes feels like grocery shopping on a time limit with current-day suitcases. Also I’ll take a door over a zipper any day given that you can lock it, and the option of creating compartments is great. I do not like your visual design and the sharp edges will be the places where the suitcase will wear very quickly.
