EP0103663A1 - Insulator-hinge for hand luggage - Google Patents

Abstract

The insulator and the hinge are made from a single piece of material and form a monobloc part (1) in synthetic material. Application: industrialisation of the manufacture of hand luggage. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to an insulator-hinge for hand luggage, of the type comprising two legs each made integral with a shell of the luggage, the articulation of said shells operating between said legs, each of the legs comprising a stud on which can rest the luggage when it is placed on the ground.

We already know hinge insulators of this type. They are generally made of metal or rigid synthetic material, and comprise a certain number of articulations to allow precisely this function of hinge. They are actually hardware items.

These elements have the disadvantage of requiring multiple industrial laying operations. In addition, they are subject to oxidation or to various deteriorations.

Finally, they are not very aesthetic, insofar as they are necessarily added, for example by riveting on the shells, which, if one takes into account the other added elements (casters for example) is very detrimental to the aesthetics of the 'together,

The object of the present invention is to propose an insulator-hinge of the above type allowing advanced industrialization at the level of the mounting of the luggage and authorizing searches for lines integrating it perfectly into the shells.

In accordance with the invention, this result is obtained with an insulator-hinge for hand luggage, of the type comprising two legs each made integral with a shell of the luggage, the articulation of said shells operating between said legs, each of the legs comprising a stud on which the baggage can rest when it is placed on the ground, characterized in that the insulator and the hinge have come in one piece and form a single piece of synthetic material.

• - isolateur pour le positionnement du bagage sur le sol ou sur toute surface plane,
• - charnière d'articulation pour les deux coques du bagage à main.

Thus, the following functions are carried out by a single piece:

• - isolator for positioning luggage on the ground or on any flat surface,
• - articulation hinge for the two shells of hand luggage.

According to an advantageous mode of implementation, the insulating-hinge part will include means for fixing rollers allowing easy movement of the luggage.

It will be understood that the assembly according to the invention also has an assembly function, since it also secures the two shells to each other.

The hinge insulator according to the invention may be attached to the luggage by any suitable means, for example glued or, preferably, snapped into structures receiving reinforcement pieces disposed inside the shells or in a frame.

It can be made of any synthetic material capable of fulfilling these functions, and therefore strong enough to withstand the tensile and shear forces.

Advantageously, a polypropylene copolymer will be used.

• - la figure 1 est une vue en élévation latérale d'un élément conforme à l'invention ;
• - la figure 2 est une vue de dessous d'un élément conforme à l'invention ;
• - la figure 3 est une coupe selon B-B de la figure 2 ;
• - la figure 4 est une vue perspective partielle d'un mode avantageux de mise en oeuvre.

The invention will be better understood using the description below of an embodiment given by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• - Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an element according to the invention;
• - Figure 2 is a bottom view of an element according to the invention;
• - Figure 3 is a section along BB of Figure 2;
• - Figure 4 is a partial perspective view of an advantageous embodiment.

The hinge insulator (1) according to the invention essentially comprises two substantially planar areas (2,3) separated by an intermediate zone (4) for-. mant the hinge of articulation between the two shells. The "insulator" function is mainly provided by the pads (2,3) which are applied to structures (5) projecting from the shells (6), as shown in FIG. 4.

The hinge (4) will for example be in the form of a crenellation consisting of a succession of zones of lesser thickness.

The tracks (2,3) and the articulation (4) will, in accordance with the invention, come as one.

The areas (2,3) will be fixed to the shells of the luggage by any suitable means and thus also serve as means of assembly between the two shells.

In accordance with a very advantageous embodiment, these hinge insulators will constitute the only means of assembly between the two shells of a hand luggage, the entire periphery of which is traversed by a zipper. In this case, advantageously two insulators-hinges according to the invention will be provided, the zipper cannot be opened on the side of the luggage where said insulators are arranged.

Advantageously, the hinge insulators will include snap studs (7), for example of the harpoons type, cooperating with suitable receiving structures formed in a frame or in a rigid reinforcement, not shown, of the luggage.

In the latter case, the insulators also have an assembly function insofar as their positioning secures the hinge, the shells and the reinforcing piece or pieces in a single latching operation.

Advantageously, the areas (2,3), or only one of them, will be provided with means making it possible to fix rollers therein for the movement of hand luggage. Preferably, these will be automatic snap-on devices always with the same concern for optimal industrialization of the product obtained.

Claims (8)

l. Insulator-hinge for hand luggage, of the type comprising two legs each made integral with a shell of the luggage, the articulation of said shells operating between said legs, each of the legs comprising a stud on which the luggage can rest when is, placed on the ground, characterized in that the insulator and the hinge have come in one piece and form a single piece (1) made of synthetic material. 2. Insulator-hinge according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two areas (2,3) separated by an intermediate zone (4) forming the hinge itself. 3. Insulator-hinge according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it comprises latching pins (7) on the shell of the hand luggage or on a reinforcement structure thereof. 4. Insulator-hinge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it also serves as an assembly means between the two shells. 5. Insulator-hinge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the pads (2,3) comprise means for fixing rollers. 6. Insulator-hinge according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the pads (2,3) are applied to structures (5) projecting from the shells (6). 7. Insulator-hinge according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the zone (4) is constituted by a crenellation comprising a succession of zones of lesser thickness. 8. Hinge insulator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it is made of polypropylene copolymer.

Images