EP0692942A1

EP0692942A1 - Receptacle for objects

Info

Publication number: EP0692942A1
Application number: EP94911088A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hans Roericht
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-04-05
Filing date: 1994-03-26
Publication date: 1996-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 2014-03-26
Also published as: US5615765A; DE59401407D1; DE4311222A1; JP3398383B2; EP0692942B1; JPH08508184A; WO1994022342A1

Abstract

A receptacle for objects, in particular a case for spectacles, has two opposite shell halves (1, 2) shaped as circle segments which form a hollow body. In order to increase the opening angle between the shell halves (1, 2), they are interconnected by a cross strap hinge (13, 14).

Description

"Container for holding objects"

Description:

The invention relates to a container for holding objects, in particular a glasses case, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Containers, for example for use as a spectacle case, have become known in the form of half-shells which can be folded onto one another and which have a conventional hinge on a longitudinal abutting edge of the half-shells lying one on top of the other. As a result, the half-shells or even just a lid on a half-shell can be opened and opened, for example by pivoting, in general from 90 to 180 °. The hinge connection accordingly connects a longitudinal edge of the two parts forming the container.

The connection of two half-shells, for example, only allows the container to be opened and closed via a connecting edge and only allows a limited opening angle of the structure. The invention has for its object to provide a container for holding objects and in particular a glasses case, which also consists of two collapsible half-shells, but which has a greater scope in its movement options and thus in its handling than conventional containers.

This object is achieved on the basis of a container of the type described in the introduction by the characterizing features of claim 1.

Advantageous and expedient developments of the container claimed in the main claim are specified in the subclaims.

The basic idea of the invention is to create a container which is not limited in its hinge connection to the usual size. Rather, the special shape of the container housing in the form of in particular cylindrical, circular segment-shaped or otherwise spatially shaped half-shells enables a possibility of rolling these three-dimensional half-shells onto one another, a special cruciate ligament joint ensuring the firm connection between the half-shells. Such an arrangement has the advantage that the half-shells can be rolled onto one another in such a way that a pivoting movement of more than 180 ° is made possible. The half-shells can therefore form both a closed container and a shell-shaped container which is open to the outside, the latter, for example, being able to present objects in a pleasing manner.

The spatial half-shells are connected to one another via a cruciate ligament joint known per se with crosswise bands running over the arcuate outer surfaces of the half-shells. The strips can each be arranged in pairs in the two lateral end regions of the container or over the entire surface of the container.

In the closed state of the container, means can be provided on its abutting surfaces to prevent the half-shells from being opened accidentally.

Further details and advantages of the invention are shown in the drawing and explained in more detail in the following description of an embodiment.

Show it

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a z. B. designed as a glasses case in different movement positions,

2 is a plan view of an upper half-shell with the underlying half-shell in the folded state with a lateral hinge arrangement,

3 shows a section along the section line A in FIG. 2 with the movement sequence a) to e),

Fig. 4 shows a section along the interface B in Fig. 2 with the movement sequence a) to e) and

5 and 6 partial areas of the representations of Figures 3 and 4 in an enlarged view, Fig. 7 shows another embodiment of the

Container with an endless cruciate ligament joint.

Description of an embodiment:

In Fig. 1 with the individual figures a) to f) is a movement sequence of a z. B. shown as a glasses case. The container consists of two half-shells 1, 2, which have a circular segment-shaped cross section or a semicircular cross-section. The half-shells 1, 2 are each of the same size in the exemplary embodiment. However, the half-shells can also have a different cross-section, e.g. B. have a triangular or rectangular cross section or the like.

The lateral end faces of each half-shell 1, 2 are closed by adapted circular segment-shaped wall sections 3, 4 for the half-shell 1 and 3 ', 4' for the half-shell 2. The half-shells 1, 2 are connected to one another via a cruciate ligament joint to be explained in more detail in FIGS. 3 and 4 in such a way that the movement sequence shown in FIG. 1 can take place in the sub-figures a) to f) with a rotary movement of more than 180 °. The upper half-shell 1 designed as a container lid opens at the front opening edge or butt edge 5 in FIG. 1 a), the rear butt edge 6 up to an opening angle of a. Λ = 180 ° acts as a fixed hinge longitudinal axis 7 (see Fig. Lb). This circular movement about the axis of rotation 7 is shown in Fig. Lb) with arrow 8.

If the upper half-shell 1 moves as shown in FIG. 1c) over an opening angle> 180 °, the hinge longitudinal axis 7 becomes ineffective as an axis of rotation and the two half-shells 1, 2 roll on their arcuate, cylindrical or faceted jacket surfaces 11, 12 from each other. This rolling process is shown in Fig. Lc) to ld). This rolling movement extends from a first extended position ( _i = 180 °) over an angle of rotation of a ₂ = 180 ° until the half-shell 1 comes to lie stretched to the opposite side next to the half-shell 2. From this state of movement, the front abutting edge 5 acts as a stationary hinge longitudinal axis 9, so that the half-shell 1 rotates clockwise about this fixed hinge axis 9 in the direction of the arrow 10. This further sequence of movements is shown in Fig. Le). The closed state of the superimposed half-shells 1, 2 is shown in FIG. 1f), in which position the rear abutting edge 6 represents the opening edge after a rotational movement by α = 540 °.

Cruciate ligament joints are used to carry out this pivoting movement, as is shown in more detail in FIGS. 2 to 4.

The cruciate ligament joints 18, 19 shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 and explained in more detail below have become known in principle from completely different fields. For example, reference is made to the applicant's DE 41 14 315 AI, where a hinge connection for an articulated connection of surface elements is described. The basic principle of this connection by means of a cruciate ligament joint is also known from AT-PS 165 425 or GB 2 189 290 A. We expressly refer to this prior art for the production and formation of cruciate ligament joints. The basic principle of these cruciate ligament joints is, in particular, to allow arc-shaped surfaces to roll or roll on one another and to connect diametrically opposite bow ends to one another via flexible hinge bands arranged in pairs. The top outer hinge 13 of the upper half-shell 1 shown laterally on the outside in FIG. 2 and in side view along the section line A in FIG firmly connected in a fastening groove 16 with this abutting edge region. In Fig. 3b) the U-shaped encirclement and embedding of the hinge strap 13 in the abutting edge 5 is shown with reference number 15.

The upper hinge 13 runs in the course of the movement according to the representation according to FIG. 3a), 3b) from the attachment point 15 over the outer, arcuate lateral surface 11 to the opposite rear abutting edge 6 and is embedded there in the corresponding half-shell 2 in a corresponding fastening groove 16. In order to hold the half-shells 1, 2 firmly together even during the rolling movement, as shown in FIGS. 3c), 4c), a further articulated band 14, which extends in a cross shape, is assigned to the hinge band 13, the course of which in section B according to FIG Fig. 4 is shown. This hinge 14 is also fastened in the region of the front opening edge 5 in the lower half-shell (edge region 5 ') in a U-shaped embedding 15' and extends over the arcuate lower lateral surface 12 of the lower half-shell 2 to the rear abutting edge 6 and is there in the upper half shell 1 attached in a corresponding fastening groove 16 '.

The cruciate ligament joints 18, 19 can also be formed in one piece, as shown in FIGS. 7a, 7b, the intersecting connection of the articulated ligament sections 13, 14 running inside the half-shells 1, 2 when the container is closed. In the opposite side area of the container, as shown in FIG. 2, there are equally two hinge straps 13 ′, 14 ″ with a mirror image arrangement with respect to the center line of symmetry 17.

The rotary movement of the half-shells 1, 2 clockwise in accordance with the sequence of movements in FIGS. 3 and 4 takes place analogously, as described in FIG. 1. 3 shows the position of the joint ligament 13 and FIG. 4 the position of the associated joint ligament 14 for forming the left cruciate ligament joint 18. The right cruciate ligament joint 19 behaves accordingly in FIG. 2.

In FIGS. 3a), b) and 4a), b), the container is opened by swiveling the upper half-shell 1 around the fixed hinge axis 7 up to an opening angle of α ₄ = 180 °.

If the rotary movement of the upper half-shell 1 continues clockwise around the half-shell 2, the hinge longitudinal axis 7 opens from an angle of rotation a> 180 ° and there is a rolling movement of the arcuate lateral surfaces 11, 12 onto one another, whereby according to the illustration according to FIG 3c) the hinge 13 connects the lower left abutting edge 5 of the half-shell 1 with the upper, right rear abutting edge 6 of the half-shell 2, running diametrically. Likewise, as shown in FIG. 4c), the hinge 14 associated with this cruciate ligament joint 18 connects the lower right abutting edge 6 of the half-shell 1 below with the left upper abutting edge 5 'of the above half-shell 2. In the position according to FIG. 3c), 4c) Accordingly, the hinges 13, 14 run S-shaped on each half of the two arcuate jacket surfaces 11, 12. This position of the container is suitable, for example, for inserting a part into the upper half-shell 2, the lower half-shell 1 serving as a support for the Half shell 2 is used. This can be an advantage when presenting the item.

If the half-shell 1 lying below in FIGS. 3c), 4c) is turned clockwise further into a stretched position lying next to one another, the front abutting edge 5 shown in FIGS. 3a), 4a) becomes a fixed hinge longitudinal axis 9 to carry out the further pivoting movement of the half-shell 1 in a clockwise direction around the half-shell 2 as shown in Fig. 3d), 4d).

The end position of a once-round pivoting movement is shown in Fig. 3e), 4e), it being evident that in this position the rear abutting edge 6 becomes the new opening edge and the front abutting edge 5 becomes the hinge axis or hinge axis 9. The arrangement according to FIG. 3a), 4a) therefore opens clockwise (arrow 20) when the half-shell 1 pivots about the half-shell 2, the arrangement according to FIG. 3e), 4e) correspondingly counterclockwise (arrow 21). The articulated band 13 moves in the sequence of movements according to FIGS. 3a) to 3e) from the upper half-shell (FIG. 3a)) to the lower half-shell (FIG. 3e)). Likewise, the hinge 14 moves according to the sequence of movements according to FIGS. 4a) to 4e) from the lower half-shell (FIG. 4a)) to the upper half-shell (FIG. 4e)). Therefore, the sequence of movements by opening the butt 6 in reverse order, d. H. counterclockwise.

The joint ligament pair 13 ', 14' of the cruciate ligament joint 19 lying on the right-hand side in FIG. 2 behaves in the same way as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The half-shells 1, 2 are thus firmly fixed to one another in any swiveling movement. The cruciate ligament joints 18, 19 can lie in the lateral end regions of the half-shells. It is also possible that the hinges 13, 14 and 13 ', 14' are flat and extend over the entire width B of the outer surface of the respective half-shell. For example, the two bands 14, 14 'can be designed as a one-piece, areal band which covers a large area of the lateral surface of the lower half-shell 2 when the container is closed. The two lateral hinges 13, 13 'then extend laterally from such a flat joint bench 14, so that almost the entire lateral surface of an imaginary single half-shell would be covered. In this arrangement, three articular ligaments 13, 13 'and 14 are sufficient to produce a cruciate ligament joint.

The hinge straps 13, 14 and 13 ', 14' can be designed as rubber-like flexible hinge straps, which are each arranged in the lateral end regions of the container shells and can each be designed as an endless belt (see FIGS. 7a, 7b).

The details shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 represent enlarged views from FIGS. 3, 4. Thus, FIG. 5 a) corresponds to the illustration according to FIG 6a) corresponds to the representation according to FIG. 4a) with an upper half-shell 1, a lower half-shell 2 and a lower, semicircular hinge band 14. The container according to FIG. 5a) is shown according to arrow 20 and the representation according to 5b opened clockwise to insert an object, e.g. B. glasses to be able to insert. The rear abutting edge 6 forms the fixed rotary hinge 9 up to an opening angle of ct = 180 °. The upper half-shell 1 can be pivoted further clockwise over the opening angle of 180 ° until it comes to a position as shown in FIG. 5c). In this position, the container can be used as a presentation document for holding glasses in the upper half-shell 2 in order to be able to display them in a shop window, for example.

The representation according to FIG. 6b) corresponds to the same position as the representation according to FIG. 5b) with a section through the second joint band 14. The same applies to the representation of FIGS. 5c) and 6c) with a presentation position of the two half-shells 1, 2.

5a) to 5c) and 6a) to 6c), the U-shaped fastening or embedding 15, 15 'of the respective end of the hinge straps 13, 14 is shown in the region of the front abutting edge 5, 5'. On the rear edge 6, the fastening groove 16, 16 'is shown, which clamps the respective hinge 13, 14. The fastening points of the respective joint band 14, 15, which are diametrically opposite in each case in FIGS. 5c), 6c), are accordingly designated by reference numerals 15, 16 and 15 ', 16'.

FIGS. 7a, 7b show in principle an embodiment variant of the container, for example in the form of a spectacle case, with an endless hinge strap. 7a shows an open position, as corresponds approximately to the representation in FIGS. 1b, 3b, 4b with the opening angle a. Fig. 7b shows a closed position of the two half-shells 1, 2, as shown in Fig. La, 3a, 4a.

In contrast to the previously described exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 1 to 6, the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 7 has two half-shells 1, 2, which in their lateral End regions are connected to one another via two one-piece cruciate ligament joints 18, 19. The opened position of the container in FIG. 7a represents a section along the sectional plane A in FIG. 2. The endless belt 22 shown in FIGS. 7a, 7b runs in a sectional view on the curved surface 11 of the upper half-shell 1 up to the right hinge. Longitudinal axis 7. Instead of a fixed connection of the hinge band in this area to the lower shell 2, the endless band 22 is guided via a diagonal band section 24 to the front hinge longitudinal axis 9 in order to wrap it around the lower half shell 2 via the arcuate lateral surface 12 . The band which is returned to the right hinge longitudinal axis 7 is then guided over a further diagonal section 25 through the inner wall section of the upper half-shell 1.

The area of the endless belt 22 hatched in FIG. 7a is located in the sectional plane A in FIG. 2, the non-hatched area of the belt 22 is located in the sectional plane B of FIG. 2. The transition point 26 from one sectional plane A to the other sectional plane B lies approximately in the middle of the diagonals 24, 25.

7a, 7b, the container can in principle be opened from both sides, the hinge longitudinal axes 7, 9 serving as axes of rotation. In the illustration according to FIG. 7b, the container can therefore be opened from both opening edges 5, 6. Furthermore, such an arrangement enables uninterrupted rolling of the two half-shells onto one another without a reversal of direction, as in the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 3, 4, being necessary.

The endless cruciate ligament joint 19 with an endless band 23 (see FIG. 2) arranged on the other side of the container is constructed in an analogous manner. The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiment described and illustrated. Rather, it also includes all professional developments and refinements within the scope of the inventive idea. In particular, the half-shells can have any external shapes that roll on one another with linear or planar contact.

Claims

Claims:

1. Container for holding objects, in particular glasses case or the like, consisting of two opposing half-shells to form a hollow body, which are connected to one another via a joint, characterized in that the half-shells (1, 2) form a spatial curve and over at least a cruciate ligament joint (18, 19) are connected to one another, the cruciate ligament joint (18, 19) consisting of opposing, intersecting articulated ligaments (13, 14) or (13 ', 14') running on the half-shell surface (11, 12) , which allow the half-shell surfaces (11, 12) to roll onto one another.

2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that at least three arcuate hinge bands (13, 13 ', 14) are provided as a cruciate ligament joint (18, 19), each band from an abutting surface (5, 6) of the associated half-shell (1 , 2) runs across the half-shell surface (11, 12) to the other abutting surface (5, 6) of the adjacent half-shell and is fastened there in each case.

3. A container according to claim 2, characterized in that on a half-shell (1, 2) two external, flat joint bands (13, 13 ') and on the other half-shell an intermediate, flat joint band when rolling the half-shells (1, 2) (14) is provided as a cruciate ligament joint (18, 19), the joint ligaments (13, 13 ', 14') preferably having a total width which corresponds to almost the entire width B of a half-shell.

4. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that in the two lateral end regions of the two half-shells (1, 2) two opposing cruciate ligaments (13, 14) and (13 ', 14') are provided as cruciate ligament joints (18, 19) are.

5. A container according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that the cruciate ligament joints (18, 19) which are preferably arranged laterally on the half-shells (1, 2) are each formed in one piece as an endless band (22, 23), one in the closed state of the container crossing connection runs within the half shells.

6. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the hinge straps (13, 14) up to the abutting edge (5, 6) of the two superimposed half-shells and fastened there in fastening grooves or embeddings (15, 16).

7. A container according to claim 1, characterized in that the half-shells (1, 2) have an arcuate, cylindrical or circular segment-shaped cross section.

8. A container according to claim 1, characterized in that each half-shell surface consists of two or more individual surfaces, which in particular form a triangular or rectangular cross section of each half-shell.

9. A container according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface of each half-shell (1, 2) consists of facet-like individual surfaces.

10. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the abutting surfaces (5, 6) of the closed container closure devices, such as magnetic closure, Velcro closure or the like, for Keep the container shells together when closed.

11. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cruciate ligament joints (18, 19) or the joint ligaments (13, 14) or (13 ', 14') or (22, 23) as solid or flexible plastic - Or rubber-like bands are formed.