AU2256300A - Improvements in or relating to cases or the like - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO CASES OR THE LIKE" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: Improvements in or Relating to Cases or the Like This invention relates to improvements in or relating to cases and is more particularly but not exclusively concerned with assembly of attach6 cases.

These days attache cases or briefcases may be made out of many materials and not just traditional leather or plastics material. There has been a demand for strong, durable, rigid cases of this style which are lightweight and which can be constructed in a quick, easy and convenient manner in order to provide a stylish briefcase at a generally low cost. It is known to provide such briefcases which are of modular construction generally having a lid hinged to a bottom or base portion to which a carrying handle is attached. The hinges or hinge means may be screwed onto the outside of the lid and bottom portion and supported by riveting and perhaps including a stop to limit the opening angle of the lid to the case, for example to just greater than 900. In a case of such modular construction, the lid may be made up of a hollow extruded aluminium section comprising four pieces or members cut and sized to make a supporting frame joined at the corners by plastics corer joints. The extruded cross-section includes a channel for receiving the edge of a flat, rectangular top part of the lid made for example of rigid plastics or a sandwiched material. The downwardly depending edge of the lid defined by the frame members is shaped suitably to mate with a complementary edge contour of aluminium extruded section material arranged in a frame to form the bottom or base of the case.

The bottom or base of the case may be made up of similar extruded sections and 2 plastics and/or aluminiumn corner brackets joining the frame members but the precise make-up of the bottom of the case may be -varied. to suit according to the particular, depth of base and/or aesthetic characteristics or cost. For example, the upstanding side walls of the base need not be constructed from an alumninium extruded section which is the full height of the side wall (as with the lid) but rather, for saving in costs, the upstanding side walls themselves may be constructed by frame members shaped to support and hold in place flat, rectangular side walls of similar plastics construction to the flat bottom wall of the base of the case. However, the applicant has perceived that there may be certain disadvantages to such modular construction atachd cases or briefcases or at least it is believed that a more versatile construction could be engineered.

The plastics corner brackets themselves ar~ rovide with projeo MR ml mating parts that engage In holes (or slots) or fpale mating pars in thealmnu extruded fdrune sections. The frame sections 4np lie4 togotbcr by th#frqt engagement of the comner brackets in the holes/slots in said frame sections, wn to tenature of said engagement, it ha bpcn found -in practice that the hciglf o cornebacethtcnb employed is liniiteI mor particularly to about ;Qzr Mn that if any such corner bracket is employed having a height greter thani that tt are problems in the corner brackct8 being retained poerly in the frame rnemblers bearing in muind that the idea of tbo construction Method Is not to CMly I c~eie 3 and in any event the application of such adhesives may not be suitable in view of the stresses involved on the structure overall in any case both in manufacturing -and in Use.

Owing to the height restriction of about 20 rnun. it tends to be disadvantageous that the base of the briefcase is often constructed with three part corner sections to cater for the height required and thus overall the assembly method is believed to b much more complex than need otherwise be the case. Thus, in certain situations in constructing either the lid or the base of the case each comner has been made up of a plurality of corner brackets and owing to the particular -construction involved the base may not have side -walls which are-each made up of a single length of extruded alumniniumn scrtion unlike the lid. A40ftiollally, t4w plastics copner sections clearly stand out in such a case and this may niot be the most acthetlcaprne that could be achieved, Additionally, it is believed that improvemecnts my be mnade to the overll aesthetics of' the case and particularly in relation to the corner b~ct An object oftthe present inventlorq h to at least afleviato aim or more of aforementioned, or othier, disadvantages -amociated with modular case constructi.

According to one aspect of the present invention there C Arvie w ae havn a lid and a base, at least one of tho lid and boo# boing formed from' framo mciubgr$ 4 connected together by corner brackets, the case having one or more of the following features:a) the corner brackets including tapered ribs; b) the corner brackets being of single piece construction; c) the corner brackets having a height greater than both frame members of the side walls of the lid and base extending the full height of the side walls, and e) the corner-bracket having moans for maintaining (preferably indentations) a decoration material aluminiumn sheet).

According to another embodiment of the 'invention there is rvie a q8Sp having a lid. and a base, at least one of the lid and base being formed b rm members connected together by corner-brackets, the cqsc havling Core brackets including flange means extending in three -mutually orthogonal directions.

Where each corner bracket includes tapered ribs, said ribs PrO prfby tapered in cross-sectin as well as'longitudinally and proferably are tapered in threemutually orthogonal directions, sAld ribs tapering Crop!an innor location of the corner bracket to the outside of the corner brackt, In practtgq, sai d tapcred ribs will define an edge surface engaging walling of the frame members defining a slot or hole for reception of connection flanges on the corner brackets defining the tapered ridge.

In one embodiment of the present invention the case is made up of a lid and base, the lid including four frame member sections, each frame member section corresponding to the height of a side wall of the lid, connected together by corner S:brackets, each corner bracket having the same height extending the height of the side wall. Additionally, the base may comprise a four frame member sections of a similar height as used on the lid or greater joined together by four corner brackets having a height equal to the height of the side walls of the base.

Thus, the briefcase may include a lid made up of four frame member sections, S..e four corner joints and a flat top part in addition to a base made up of four frame S"member section, four corner brackets and a flat bottom part to the base. Each corner bracket may be constituted by the integral moulding and there may be only two types of corner bracket provided in a construction.

Preferably, each of the flange means includes tapered ribs such that the narrowest tapered edge engages walling of a slot in an extruded frame member section of said case.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a case of modular construction having double sided frame members and corner brackets having:- 6 a) flange means extending in three mutually perpendicular directions engaged in said frame members or b) flange members having locally deformable or collapsible rib means, such as tapered ribs or frangible membranes.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a kit of parts for a case in accordance with the preceding statements of invention.

Many other advantageous features of the present invention will be evident from S. the following description and drawings.

*Embodiments of an attach6 case or briefcase will now be described, by way of 0* example only, with reference to the FIGURES of the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:- FIGURE 1 shows a view of a prior art case in a closed position; FIGURE 2 shows a view of a first embodiment of the case in accordance with the present invention also in closed position; FIGURE 3 shows an enlarged pespective open view of a case similar to tha shown in FIGURE 2; FIGURE 4 shows two perspective views and an enlarged portion of the corner bracket utilised in the lid portion of the case shown in FIGURE 3; 7 FIGURE 5 shows a section through an-extruded aluminium upper side frame member taken on line IV IV of FIGURE 3; FIGURE 6 shows a section through an extruded alumniniumn lower side frame member taken on line V-V of FIGURE 3; FIGURE 7 shows a section through another extruded aluminium lower side -frame member that may be used instead of that depicted in FIGURE 8; FIGURE 8 shows a section through an oxtuded alurninhpn lower side frame *member taken on line IV TV of FIGURE 3 with guid .ance ps to hwribs on the corner-brackets shown in FIGURE 4 fit thereinto; FIGLTRn 9 shows perspctivo view Apd an Onlergd portiop of a comnplecntWz comner bracket utilised base portiP Of thip C430 shown in FIGURE 3; FIGURE 10 shows an interior view of a orner tbrackot for psje in a se;ond embodimenat of the attachd case or brietoaso w~ording to t~he present inveritlop; RGFE 1-shows an wotrior view of the comner brac~wt of FIGL=~ 0 FIOUR-S I1Z, 13 and 14 4how views of a secon4 coriner br4cket according to -the present. invenition that may be employed at-the corner of an opon-top on the base of the second embodimnent of the briefcase,; 8 FIGURE 15 shows a section through a top wall portion of a side wall of a base of the second embodiment of a briefcase and, FIGURE 16 shows a sectional view through a bottom extruded aluminium frame member of a base of the second embodiment of the briefcase.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings a briefcase. of known construction has a lid 10 1 hinged to a base or bottom 102 with a handle 103. The lid 10 1 is made up from four frame members 104 (only -two shown) of hollow extruded alumi'niumn joined at their ends by plastics comner brackets 105 (only three corners shown) and a flat rectangular top part 106.

~The base 102 uitilises corner brackets. 107 of twp part osrcin beingspt up into cmoent ~0a 0h omponent 107b is of about 20mm in height and Is a push-Mfit ongagement into the hollow slots providcd in the cx~tuded aluiniim frame memnber sections IlIj and 112. The-four 41umninium swcions 104 arc provided with a U-shaped longitudinal ;haaine1 opening inwardly raceiving a flat rcagu, top panel 106. A flat roctangular baso panol (not shown) Is similarly framed =n4 held in the channels of four extrudc4 miember sectiozis I1I1 of reduced height compared to frame meMbers 104.

As should be evident ffrm FIGURE 1, the side walls of the bottom 102 of the case are not constructed entirely of an aluminium extruded material. Instead, each 9 side wall includes a flat rectangular panel 108 and each comer bracket 107a and 107b has a central aluminium comer bracket piece 110 In assembly of the case shown in FIGURE 1 in order to preserve the strength of the structure, the comer bracket means 105 and 107, in each case have to be less than 20mm in height or otherwise the lid or base of the case may be prone to coming apart and it is believed that restrictions on the height of each comer bracket means unnecessary limits the design feature of the case.

FIGURES 2 and 3 show views of an attachd case or brief case 1 constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGURE 3 each comer bracket means 2 at each corner on the lid 3 is a one-piece plastics

C

moulding having a height or depth substantially larger than 20mm and in practice up to virtually whatever dimension may be required. The base 4 is constructed in a similar fashion to the lid 3 except that the height of the side walls is greater and the height of the corer bracket means 5 has been increased accordingly. The lid 3 is formed from four hollow extruded aluminium frame member sections 6 held together by a force-fit with the comer bracket means 2, in a manner to be described, and the base 4 has been constructed in a similar mann except that the height of the extruded aluminium frame member section 7 is grater than the height of the aluminium section 6 used for the lid. The cross-section of the frame member section 7 is similar (but larger) to the cross-section of frame member 6. The frame member sections 6 of the lid have inwardly directed longitudinal U-shaped channels U (see FIGURES 5 and 6) to snugly receive a rectangular top panel 8 of the lid.

Similarly, in the bottom part of the case, the hollow external aluminiumn section frame members 7 have siilarly inwardly directed channels to receive edge portions of the plastics rectangular base panel 9. A handle H is provided on the base 4 of the case in known manner.

FIGURE 4 shows perspe ctive views of one of the corner brackets 2 used. for-the lid and it can immediately be seen -that each corner bracket 2 has mutually perpendicular connecting -flanges 2a and 2b which are a force-fit into appropriate slots T (see FIGURE 5) in the aluminium, extruded section frame members 6 in a 2 manner which should be generally evident from the drawings. Each corner bracket a...is divided up into Wo portions and each portion includes a tjumber.'of spaced tapered ribs R which, as showp, are tapered in two directiqns, at righ-angles an4 the height Ra of the tapered rib 04q the outside of the corner bracket is sligtl lessth the -internal heigh Rbohe tapered rib more particularly as should be'evident from FIGUTRE 4 of the drawings. FJGUjM 8 shows tho rib R patterp super1nmposed iq engagement position in slots T.tisolente (see FIGUR )ta hetpo h corner bracket.2 is provided with a slot 2d whlch, In jjse, receives the corr pf t1 rectangular plastics panel or the like of the 1id. The coor er acket 5uiid for tl base (see FIGURE 9) is provi*ed with a chmclQ foriMain co Ion ntr channel configwation to the P~pper mating cdge 2c of comner bracket S (i ce IFIU The ringed details on FIGURE 4 and FIGURE 9 show how the overlapping channel configurations mate. The corner bracket 5 is very similar to corner bracket 11 2 and so will not be described in great detail since the only feature of difference apart from the complementary channel shape 5e is the length of the bracket.

The tapered rib design is extremely important since it allows a significant holding force in the slots provided in the aluminium extruded section to such an extent that the length of corner brackets provided may be much greater (very much greater than 20 mm provided for in prior art construction). Thus, advantageously, by the aforedescribed embodiment of the present invention, the side walls on brief cases can be provided to virtually any reasonable height requirement and each of the .oa corner bracket means need only be produced in one piece as a one piece moulding rather than necessarily having to employ a plurality of shorter height component corner brackets.

Thus, it is believed that the tapered rib or fin arrangements R are very important a as are flat stop surfaces 2f and 5f provided at the ends of the tapered ribs. Thus, a case can be constructed with having a bottom or base with quite high side walls with the aluminium extruded frame member sections extending the full height of the side walls.

Additionally, and importantly it is to be noted that each corner bracket is provided with an indented outer surface, for example surface 2g on corner bracket 2 (see FIGURE 4) for mounting a sheet of decorative material aluminium 12 finished to match the aluminium outer appearance of the case for enhanced aesthetics).

FIGURES 5 and 6 show typical sections through the upper of lower side frame members. Both FIGURES 5 and 6 show a side frame member with an inner wall 121 and an outer wall 122 each of thickness X mm, these walls being parallel and spaced apart by a separation distance W mm. The side frame members may be made of metal, aluminium being particularly suitable. When using aluminium it has been found that a wall thickness X in the range 1 to 2 mm, preferably about 1.6 mm, combined with a separation distance W between 4 and 30 numm, and preferably between 8 to 15mm provide walls of the required strength and rigidity.

For deep side frame members (see FIGURE 7) it has been found that sufficiently •g 0 sufficient strength for many applications can be achieved without the need for an 0 0 inner wall 121 along the entire depth of the side frame member. Thus, in this case upper and lower sections 123 and 124 have two walls while the centre section 135 has a just an outer wall 122. In this instance a space 2h (see FIGURE 4) and 5h (see FIGURE 9) is substantially longer than shown being sized to be slightly longer than the vertical depth of section 7h (see FIGURE 7).

Another embodiment of the invention will now be described by reference to FIGURES 10 to 16. This embodiment is particularly concerned with the production and assembly of a briefcase of a general form as shown in FIGURE 1 of the 13 drawings but on a much larger scale.- .As, previously mentioned in relation to FIGURE 1 of the drawings the components 105 and 107 are limited to a height of about 20mm., but in accordance with the further developments made by the Applicant, no such limitation need-be applied and each corner bracket 105, 107 could for example be of a height of 40. nn.enabling a much larger case to be provided. Using the corner brackets shown in FIGURE 10 to 14 brackets 200, effectively replace the lower components 107b positioned on the base of the case shown in FIGURE 1 and the corner brakets 300 would replace the upper components 107a on the upper open part of the base 102, Mot nportantly each inoiminS ract 200 wi4 300hW mutually pcrpendicular connecting flanges-or fangq e ans 201i 202 etc., whirh gre force fit into appropriate slots Si aI48(scFQ1 )iite aljuuiz w pitrwao Seqtiqfl frame member 400, which is similar to the frameq members IlIt dq&npd i the bottom of t base 102.

O-winz to the tapecd rib destin qf -thec flanges 201, 202 the height of the e'Ome bracket 200 can be above 20mm (fbr eC=p1* 40mm) 4nd the reqi*4 holdin force of the flanges in the slots in the extrusiop wIll s$11l l' o fircly sufficient.

Additionally, and most importantly each corner bracket 200 has a third flange or flange means 203 projecting mutually perpendicular to the other two flanges 201, 14 202, said third flange being receivable in an appropriate aluminium extrusion corner bridge piece similar to central aluminium corner bracket piece 1 As far as the Applicant is aware, it is a brand new concept to provide such a flange means extending in a third dimension to interfit with such a central aluminium. extruded comner piece or indeed another corner piece. Obviously, such engagement in the third dimension enables a much stronger construction to be employed and the formnat of thie flange -means 203 is similar to the flange means 20 1, 202.

Corner- bracket 300 is of a generally-simila 'qrna to comer brce PQ!~ ~Corner bracket 300 has two utually pe pendipular flnge means 301 302 to ;eicn within the associated- exterior alumimniu seciop. an4 also 4 thjr4 mutualljy ~Perpendicular flange means 303 similar-to the flapg mas03 (provi4d ozq ;qrnq; bracket- 200). However,- instead- of th; ;QMer bracket -300 being -provided Wilj 4 smooth corner portion Opposite tlhc fla4ge Mean 303, it is5 proviood, Withalpe edge to receive up appropriatey -lippdeg30otl ldIa marner which;ol be si.epaaoy The tapcred ribs RI of the flange meens 201, 202, 203, 301, 302, 303& su;rrounded by longer L-shanped section or U-shapecd sction prtions at the -case may be,

Claims (22)

1. A case having a lid and a base, at least one of the lid and base being formed from frame members connected together by comer brackets wherein the comer brackets including tapered ribs.

2. A case according to Claim 1 wherein said ribs are tapered in three mutually orthogonal directions, said ribs tapering from an inner location of the corer bracket to the outside of the comer bracket.

3. Acase according to any preceding claim wherein the corer brackets are of single piece construction.

4. A case according to any preceding claim wherein the corer brackets have a height greater than A case according to any preceding claim wherein both frame members of the side walls of the lid and base extend the full height of the side walls.

6. A case according to any preceding clim wherein the corner bracket have means for maintaining a decoration material, said means preferably being Sindentations.

7. A case according to any preceding claipi wher9in said ribs are tapered in cross-section and longitudinally,

8. A case according to Claim 7 wherein the height of a rib (Ra) at the inner location of the corer bracket is slightly greater than the height of that rib (Rb) at the outside comer of the bracket.

9. A case according to any preceding claim wherein the tapered ribs define an edge surface engaging walling of the frame members defining a slot or hole 16 for reception of connection flanges on the corner brackets defining a tapered ridge. A case according to any preceding claim wherein the tapered ribs are triangular in cross section i.A case- according to. any preceding claim wherein the tapered ribs of the comner brackets engage at least one rectangular slot in a side, wall frame member.

12. A case according to Claim 11 wherein the rectangular slot is formed p artly by inner and outer wall portions of the frame member. Acase- according to Claim 12 wherein each wall portion has a thickness of between 1 -and 2 nL i

14. A case according to Claim 12 or 13 wherein the irmer ap4 outer wiplls ore coplanuand Scp~ratcd bW 'I 4t~ne of bqPwcc 4 and 301i Tm prfqfjly g distance b!etween 8 and t~rpnl. A- casc having a lid Pxd a baso, at -~Icat onc of the lid 4nd base betas~ formed from frame members copnecte4 t ether by cornor brackets wharviq *ae corner brac~ets arc of single piece cosULlto1.

16. A -case aecordiul to Clain 15 wh~erein the rnecr brackets have A 1ighl greater. than

17. A case according to Claim 15 or 16 wherein both frame members of the side walls of the lid and base extend the full height of to d@ 9wgLs. 17

18. A case according to Claim 15, 16 or 17 wherein the corner brackets have means for maintaining a decoration material, said means preferably being indentations.

19. A case having a lid and a base, at least one of the lid and base being formed from frame members connected together by corner brackets wherein the corner brackets have a height greater than A case according to Claim 19 wherein both frame members of the side walls of the lid and base extend the full height of the side walls.

21. A case according to Claim 19 or 20 wherein the corner brackets have S-means for maintaining a decoration material, said means preferably being S. indentations.

22. A case having a lid and a base, at least one of the lid and base being formed from frame members connected together by corner brackets wherein both frame members of the side walls of the lid and base extend the full height of the S, side walls.

23. A case according to Claim 22 wherein the corner brackets have means fro maintaining a decoration material, said means preferably being indentations.

24. A case having a lid and a base, at least one of the lid and base being formed from frame members connected together by corner brackets wherein the comer brackets have means for maintaining a decoration material, said means preferably being indentations. A case having a lid and a base, the lid including four frame member sections, each frame member section corresponding to the height of a side wall 18 of the lid, connected together by corner brackets, each corner bracket having the same height extending the height of the side wall.

26. A case according to Claim 25 wherein the base comprises four frame member sections of a similar height as sued on the lid or greater joined together by four corner brackets having a height equal to the height of the side walls of the base.

27. A case having a lid and a base, at least one of the lid and base being formed by frame members connected together by corner brackets, the case S. "having corner brackets including flange means extending the three mutually S. orthogonal directions. S. 28. A case according to Claim 27 wherein each of the flange means includes tapered ribs such that the narrowest tapered edge engages walling of a slot in an extruded frame member section of said case. S.o•

29. A case of modular construction having double sided frame members and S"corner brackets having a flange means extending in three mutually perpendicular directions engaged in said frame members. A case of modular construction having double sided frame members and corner brackets having flange members having locally deformable or collapsible rib means, such as tapered ribs of frangible membranes.

31. A kit of parts for a case according to any preceding claim. DATED this Twenty-third day of March 2000. POLYFORMES LIMITED By its Patent Attorneys FISHER ADAMS KELLY