DE29904655U1 - Computer system case - Google Patents

Description

Applicant: Parat-Werk

Schönenbach GmbH +Co. KG

Tenter Way 1-3

42897 Remscheid

Designation

of the invention: computer system case

The invention relates to a suitcase according to the preamble of claim 1.

Portable computers, so-called laptops or notebooks, are widely used in mobile applications. For transporting such small computers and possibly a printer as well as other additional devices and accessories, two-shell cases are known with a lower part and an upper part that can be opened up opposite them. The lower part contains a support surface for a computer and/or a

30 printers.

One of the main purposes of suitable cases for notebooks and accessories is to transport these devices safely and protect them against damage. For this purpose, there are usually holding devices for the computer and/or other devices inside the case, which hold them in place during transport and prevent them from moving.

Postbank Credit and Volksbank eG Commerzbank AG VAT ID No. Eat Wuppertal-Barmen Wuppertal-Barmen VAT No. (Bank code 360 100 43)445 04-431 (Bank code 330 600 98) 301 891 024 (Bank code 330 400 01) 4 034 823 DE 121068676

PARAT-Werk Schönenbach GmbH + Co.: KG·. . j

A case is known from DE 296 18 083 U1 in which the means for holding the device are divided into two groups of holding means on the two shells of the case. These are holding means for securing the device against displacement parallel to the plane of a case base, which are referred to as positioning means, and locking means for securing the device against displacement perpendicular to this plane. The locking and positioning means work together when the case is closed and only grip the outer surfaces of the device. In addition, the locking and positioning means can be adjusted in and against the direction of displacement to be prevented and can be fixed in their set position. This has the advantage that notebooks or printers of different heights, widths or depths can be transported in the same case. The locking and positioning means can be adapted to the respective devices.

Adapting the positioning devices to the devices is very simple and can be done with the case open. For example, in the current state of the art, angles and strips that can be moved in the planes are pushed onto the outer surfaces of the device, making contact with them, and fixed in place.

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The adjustment of the locking devices, which are formed by plate-like pressure pieces with threaded pins and are fitted in the case lid, is also in principle easy to carry out. They work together with nut bodies arranged in the upper shell and can be adjusted to the height of different device types by screwing them in and out. Since the cases are usually equipped with the devices

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not carried out by the case manufacturer, the user must be given measurements or distance gauges corresponding to the different device heights. The adjustment process may seem complicated to a user, especially since the selected setting can only be checked with the case closed, i.e. not visually.

The user will therefore try to adjust the means to the devices by trial and error when the case is open. The case is then closed and the case must be moved to check whether the device or devices inside the case are still impermissibly movable or are even too tightly clamped. The optimal position is often only found after this procedure has been carried out several times.

Therefore, a further simplification of the adjustability of the locking means was desirable, especially when replacing a device that differs in dimensions from the device being replaced. DE 297 03 554 U1 deals with such an improvement. The principle of this invention is essentially based on designing and arranging locking means in a case shell in such a way that when the case is opened, the locking means can initially be brought into a maximum position. When the case is started to be closed, the locking means contacts an outer surface of the device and adjusts itself until the case is completely closed to the desired position that best corresponds to the device currently in use. The case is then opened again, with the locking means remaining in the preset position. This position is then finally fixed.

PARAT-Werk Schönenbach GmbH + Coi KC. .11 *. . '..:·..:

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Unfortunately, practice has shown that this solution, as simple as it is, is sometimes too much for the user and therefore does not guarantee with 100% certainty that the computer cover cannot be damaged by pressing on the locking devices.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a case of the type outlined in the preamble of claim 1, in which the locking means can be adapted to the device in the case in an even simpler manner, almost automatically. The user should be able to use the locking device without complex instructions for use according to the principle of 'see and use ^' .

The invention solves this problem with the features of claim 1 and is accordingly characterized in that the locking means comprises a flexible, band- or belt-like and essentially longitudinally inelastic surface element, that the case shell associated with the locking means is provided with holders for the ends of the locking means on walls that are spaced apart from one another, in particular opposite one another, and that at least one of these ends is arranged on the holder so that the distance to the plane of the case lid or case base is adjustable in relation to different dimensions of the device to be held, that the locking means in its locking position partially encloses the device tightly and essentially longitudinally inelasticly.

PARAT-Werk Schönenbach GmbH + Co: KO

The use of straps or belts for the stated purpose is well known. On the one hand, it is common to provide two strips of tape that partially cover the device from opposite sides and are equipped with surface adhesive elements in their common overlapping area so that the straps can be ^lashed to fit, regardless of the size of the device to be held. However, the safety of such Velcro fasteners depends on careful handling by the user, and on the other hand, with prolonged use, wear and tear can lead to a reduction in the adhesive effect, which reduces reliability.

Furthermore, it is also known to attach the ends of a rubber-elastic band to the inside of the opposite walls of the upper shell, which automatically adjusts to the device being held when the upper shell is closed. Although this practically eliminates any possibility of incorrect operation, this type of holder is not considered to be secure enough. If a case falls on its lid or experiences a significant deceleration in this direction, the device is accelerated in a catapult-like manner against the effect of the elastic band, which can no longer hold the device back. This means that the device can also be moved out of the positioning devices in the lower shell of the case.

In contrast, the essential core of the present invention consists in using a band or strap that spans the inside of the case shell as a locking device. However, this band is

PARAT-Werk Schönenbach GmbH + Col KG, . : : ·. . ·..:*..:

essentially longitudinally inelastic, so that it can hold the device firmly and unyieldingly against its base in the other case shell - in principle like a two-part surface fastener tape in the closed state, but in one piece and without a fastener in itself. To adapt to devices of different dimensions, the locking device can be arranged with one end or preferably with both ends in holders in the case shell so that it can be adjusted. The articulation of the locking device ends to the relevant stops on the holders then provides the locking device length that is best suited to the size of the device to be held. Whether the user has chosen the right setting can be determined very easily by the counterpressure that is felt when closing the case.

The invention thus succeeds in further improving and simplifying a device retention system in an IT system case.

In the sense of the present invention, 'essentially longitudinally inelastic locking means' is intended to express that it does not have to be an absolutely longitudinally rigid flat product, but rather that it is to be understood that it does not behave like a rubber-elastic band, but rather a flat product that can certainly have a certain longitudinal elasticity. However, in the sense of the invention, it is important that the locking means is so tensile in terms of its elastic behavior that the device to be held cannot lengthen the locking means to such an extent that

PARAT-Werk Schönenbach GmbH + Co: KQ. . :

the device could leave its proper place in the case.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the locking means comprises a substantially longitudinally inelastic surface element and a longitudinally elastic surface element which is firmly connected to the longitudinally inelastic surface element at two longitudinally spaced-apart locations, it being further advantageous if the distance between the fastening points on the inelastic surface section is greater than the free length of the unstretched longitudinally elastic surface element.

This essentially achieves two things: The longitudinally elastic surface element causes a slack in the longitudinally inelastic surface element and can therefore stretch elastically around the device until the inelastic surface element is completely tightened by using up its slack. On the other hand, the above-mentioned features mean that the inelastic surface element can be longer than the distance between the two stops in the case shell. Nevertheless, it takes up a position there that at least looks neatly tightened.

Further useful and advantageous features of the invention emerge from the subclaims as well as from the following description of the invention, based on an embodiment shown in the drawings. In the drawings:

PARAT-Werk Schönenbach GmbH + Co:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic top view of an opened suitcase with the lid raised,

Fig. 2 a schematic side view of the opened case,

Fig. 3 a similar view, but of the closed case,

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged section of Fig. 3 in the arrangement area of the locking device and its holder in the case shell, and

Fig. 5 is a view of the holder for a locking means end.

The case shown as an example in Fig. 1 and designated as a whole by 10 is a two-part shell case with a lower shell 11 and an upper shell 12, whereby the case shells 11, 12 are pivotally connected to one another by means of hinges 13, which can be removed if necessary. The case 10 can be carried by a handle 14.

The case base 11 is divided into an arrangement area 15 for a laptop or notebook 17 (Fig.

1) and an arrangement area 16 for a printer 18, which is only indicated schematically. Under the area 15 and/or the area 16 for the printer 18 there is a storage space for cables and accessories, such as a transformer, mouse or the like.

PARAT-Werk Schönenbach GmbH + Co; KS.

The area 15 for the notebook 17 has surface adhesive elements 20 on which stops 21 can be arranged as desired. The stops 21 are designed as angles 22, the inner surfaces of which serve to rest on the corners of the device. Flat base plates are formed on the angles 22, the sides of which facing the adhesive elements 20 (not shown) have counter-adhesive elements that are complementary to the adhesive elements 20 and can be brought into engagement with them. The adhesive elements 20 and the counter-adhesive elements on the angles 22 are preferably made of Velcro material.

In Fig. 1, a locking device 19 can be seen in the upper shell 12 of the case in the form of a specially designed and attached, flexible and band-like surface element 23, which is referred to below as the belt 23. As can be seen, the belt 23 in the present embodiment spans diametrically over the interior of the upper shell 12 of the case in an area assigned to the notebook 17, which is particularly useful but not absolutely necessary. The belt 23 could also, for example, be guided diagonally and attached to adjacent side walls of the case shell. Each end of the belt 23 is detachably hinged to a special holder 24.

The belt 23 extends continuously between the holders 24, but has the special feature that approximately in its middle area a longitudinally elastic band 25 is attached by its ends to the belt 23. The distance between the two points 26 and 27, each of which is preferably formed by a seam, is dimensioned such that it is noticeably longer than the unstretched elastic band 25. In the ineffective position of the locking means shown in Fig. 1,

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By means of the strap 19, the elastic band 25 creates a slack 34 in the strap 23 due to its inherent tensile force. Since the rubber-elastic band 25 in the embodiment shown is attached to the side of the strap 23 facing the inside of the case (see in particular Fig. 1), the optical impression of a continuous, taut strap is created. This is particularly the case when the strap 23 and band 25 are the same width and the same color.

The two ends of the belt 23 are sewn around to form a loop 28. The loop 28 serves to hold a locking pin 29 as securely as possible, both ends 30 of which protrude over the side edges of the belt 23. The belt 23 is hinged to the holders 24 using these locking pin ends, as follows:

Each holder 24 has two parallel spaced-apart strips 29, which are provided with pin receptacles 32 on their rear sides facing the inner surface of the upper shells of the case. These are formed as arched depressions, beads or the like on the strips, which are also components of the same material as the holders 24, which are made of metal or plastic.

The free space 33 between the strips 31 is dimensioned such that the locking pins can be guided through the free space at an angle and their ends can then be hooked into the pin receptacles 32 behind the rails 31."

As is particularly clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, several pin receptacles 32 are arranged at a distance from one another, namely in the direction of the narrow sides of the upper shell side.

PARAT-Werk Schönenbach GmbH + CoI KG. .11 *. . '..i*..

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ten walls to which the holders 24 are attached. This makes it clear that the distance between the two holding points of the strap ends can only be varied slightly. What is important, however, is that the adjustment options allow very good rough adaptation to notebooks of different shapes and sizes, especially heights, as can be easily deduced from Fig. 4.

The locking pins 29 can be adjusted from one position on the holder 24 to another simply by pressing the locking pins towards the case wall (i.e. to the left or right outside with respect to Fig. 4), then moving them transversely and allowing them to engage in another pin receptacle.
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The rough adjustment described results in

When the top shell of the case is closed (Fig. 4), the belt 23 is tightened over the top of the computer 17, but there may still be a small amount of belt slack 34, so that an automatic fine adjustment is the result.

If the computer 17 is now loaded in the sense of a final possible belt tightening, the stretching capacity of the longitudinally elastic band 25 is only very limited, since the complete elimination of the belt slack 34 and thus the complete tightening of the practically non-stretchable belt 23 occurs almost immediately. The notebook 17 can therefore practically not move and certainly cannot be moved out of its stops 21, as would inevitably be the case with conventional rubber bands.

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With regard to the arrangement of the locking means, it is fundamentally irrelevant whether - as shown - the elastic rubber band 25 points towards the computer 17 or away from it. The user can freely choose both possible settings. The arrangement shown has the already mentioned advantage that when the case lid is open, the strap slack 34 is largely visually concealed by the elastic band 25.

Claims (8)

PARAT-Werk Schönenbach GmbH + Co·. KG· · j j - 13 - Claims 1. Case (10) for portable data processing devices, such as computers (17), printers (18) and accessories and peripheral devices such as power supplies, cables, mice, printer paper or the like, with a lower shell (11) and an upper shell (12) which is arranged to pivot opposite the lower shell and forms the case lid when closed, with means (19; 21) for holding the device (17) at least when the case (10) is closed and in transport, these means being divided into two groups of holding means on the two shells (11, 12) of the case (10), one shell (11) being assigned the group of holding means (21) for securing the device (17) against displacement parallel to a plane (positioning means) and the other shell (12) being assigned at least one holding means for securing the device (17) against displacement perpendicular to this plane (locking means 19), the two groups of holding means only being able to be used when the case is closed. (10) and at least the locking means (19) engages the outer surfaces of the device (17) and is arranged so as to be adjustable in order to adapt to different device heights, characterized in that the locking means (19) comprises a band- or belt-like, flexible and essentially longitudinally inelastic surface element, that the case shell (12) associated with the locking means (19) is provided with holders (24) for the ends of the locking means (19) on walls spaced apart from one another, and that at least one of these ends is arranged on the holder (24) so as to be adjustable in terms of the distance from the plane of the case lid (12) or case bottom (11) in relation to different dimensions of the device (17) to be held, that PARAT-Werk Schönenbach GmbH + Co? KG· · · &iacgr; - 14 - the locking means (19) in its locking position partially surrounds the device (17) tightly and essentially inelastically along its length. 2. Case according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking means (19) comprises a longitudinally inelastic surface element (23) and a longitudinally elastic surface element (25) which is firmly connected to the longitudinally inelastic surface element (23) at two longitudinally spaced apart points (26, 27). 3. Case according to claim 2, characterized in that the distance between the fastening points (26, 27) on the inelastic surface element (23) is greater than the free length of the unstretched longitudinally elastic surface element (25). 4. Case according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the distance between the fastening points (26, 27) of the longitudinally elastic surface element (23) on the longitudinally inelastic surface element (25) is dimensioned such that the locking means (19) in its ineffective state, i.e. in particular when the case (10) is open, is held taut between the holders (24) to form a length-extendable section (belt slack 34) of the inelastic surface element (23). 5. Case according to claim 1 or one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a transverse locking pin (29) is arranged on the or each of the ends of the locking means (19) which are adjustable in a holder (24), the locking pin (29) extending over the longitudinal edges of the locking means PARAT-Werk Schönenbach GmbH + Cot KG. . &iacgr;&Igr; '. . '..;·..: - 15 - the ends protruding from the animal means (19) can be inserted into pin receptacles (32) of the holder (24). 6. Case according to claim 5, characterized in that the relevant end of the locking means (19) is designed as a loop (28) holding the locking pin (29). 7. Case according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the holder (24) has two parallel spaced-apart strips (31) each with a plurality of pin receptacles (32) spaced differently from the case lid or case base. 8. Case according to claim 7, characterized in that the free space (33) between the strips (31) of the holder (24) is dimensioned such that it can be freely reached through by the locking pin (29) from the open side of the case shell (12).