suitcase
A suitcase (from French coffre , back in Latin cophinus for “wicker basket”, possibly through the mediation of Arabic guffa , “wicker basket”) is a cuboid, robust, lockable container with a lid for the manual transport of objects. The predecessors of the suitcase were travel chests and travel boxes made of (vulcanized) wood.
A suitcase is provided with one or more handles for carrying or pulling. Some models can be pulled or pushed on rollers. Almost all cases can be locked with a lock (combination of numbers or key).
species
The most common use is as a travel suitcase . The objects that people carry with them when traveling can be stowed in these suitcases. In addition to the handle or handles, many cases are equipped with rollers and pull loops or pull rods.
A subtype of the travel suitcase is the trolley , a suitcase (usually across the direction of pull) with a pulling handle and rollers. This has largely replaced the classic carrying case, at least in travel use. There are now also trolley-style backpacks.
The numerous special cases that can be divided into different categories can include:
- Pilot cases are cases of aircraft pilots that the documents for the flights included, and are in upright suitcase accessible from above.
- The briefcase - also known as a diplomatic or attaché case - is used to transport documents ; one of the broad sides is usually opened.
- Tool cases are cases for technicians or craftsmen and contain tools, material and equipment.
- Money cases are sturdy cases that are usually secured against removal by means of electronic safeguards on the person carrying them. They often also contain so-called security packs , these are devices which, if unauthorized opening, make the contents unusable by coloring them.
- Doctor's cases are used by doctors as a storage place for utensils during house calls.
- Emergency cases contain material for the medical care of emergency patients.
- Forensic suitcases are suitcases thatcontainutensils for the criminal investigation of evidence .
- Museum cases are museum educational aids.
- Sample cases contain products or product samples for sales presentation.
- Flight cases are widely used by musicians and event technicians. They are made particularly robust to guarantee safe transport.
- Motorcycle cases are attached in pairs to the rear of a motorcycle. They differ from tail bags in that they are made of rigid material and that there are removable inner pockets so that they can remain on the motorcycle, as the inside (facing the rear wheel) is usually very dirty. In many cases, they also differ from tail bags in that they are considered vehicle parts in the event of theft and are also insured and that they can remain on the vehicle in the motorail train.
- Wardrobe trunks are particularly large cases that are designed to be placed upright on one narrow side and opened. The two halves stand open like two cupboard compartments next to each other and are often divided on one side with drawers. At the beginning of the 20th century, such suitcases were used by wealthy owners for example for Atlantic crossings in luxury ships and are therefore also known as overseas suitcases. Today they are hardly used anymore.
A small suitcase, in which a toothbrush and underwear can be changed, is jokingly referred to as a buko , a “cohabitation” or “ thump utensil suitcase” (French baise-en-ville ).
All special cases are individually adapted for the intended use.
materials
In addition to the visual design options, durability and low weight are the decisive properties for case materials. A basic distinction is made between soft luggage (or soft case) and hard luggage (or hard case).
Aluminum , plastics (such as polypropylene , ABS or polycarbonate ) and, recently, the material Curv are used for hard-shell cases . Curv is made from continuous polypropylene fibers and is characterized by its high resilience and very low weight. Vulcanized fiber was a widely used material for suitcases until the 1960s.
Fabrics made of Perlon , nylon or other fibers as well as leather are used for soft luggage .
Others
Before departure, airlines bring tags with codes and other labels etc. a. on suitcases. Luggage tags with mostly hidden information about the owner's name and address are typical for suitcases .
Before the flight, the baggage is checked for dangerous objects by being X- rayed. Furthermore, there are special flight regulations for pieces of luggage that must be observed. In some states of the USA it is prohibited to lock suitcases. The manufacturer responded with the so-called TSA lock . So you can still lock your suitcase, but also give the authorities the required access. The contents of the suitcase are thus still protected from strangers as well as possible.
Hand luggage ( hand luggage ) is taken into the cabin. Larger pieces of luggage are stowed in the hold and returned to the passengers on conveyor belts after landing .
Colloquially, “black suitcases” are used to hand over black money .
See also
literature
- Friedrich Gerstäcker : My old suitcase . In: The Gazebo . Issue 22, 1866, pp. 352 ( full text [ Wikisource ]).
- Andrea Mihm: Gripping ... cultural history of the travel suitcase . Jonas Verlag, Marburg 2001, ISBN 978-3-89445-284-1 .
- Claudia Selheim (arrangement): Travel companion - more than just luggage. Accompanying volume for the exhibition in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg, December 9, 2010 to May 1, 2011. Nuremberg 2010, ISBN 978-3-936688-54-2 .
Web links
- Matthias Rüd: suitcase stories. Luggage through the ages, consignment information at Bayern 2
Individual evidence
- ↑ Buko co-sleeping utensil case . mundmische.de
- ↑ the expression: the «baise-en-ville». In: collision. ARTE , October 28, 2013, accessed November 7, 2017 .
- ^ Karl-Hein Bünting: Writing about complex issues. Tips for style and language in environmental reporting. In: Beatrice Dernbach, Harald Heuer (Hrsg.): Environmental reporting in the local: A practical handbook. Westdeutscher Verlag, Opladen 2000, p. 71 ("... a black suitcase can be a black suitcase, but not because of this property and as a simple suitcase it is called that, but because it serves to launder money, ...")