GB2041330A

GB2041330A - A Convertible Case

Info

Publication number: GB2041330A
Application number: GB7925322A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: HANSKENS M
Current assignee: HANSKENS M
Priority date: 1979-02-12
Filing date: 1979-07-20
Publication date: 1980-09-10
Also published as: IT7924415A0; FR2448314A1; IT7922118V0; ES252991Y; DE2928068A1; ES252991U; BE877547A; NL7905876A; IT1122598B

Abstract

A convertible case comprises a base (1) and two lid members (4, 5) one of which (4) comprises a wall (6) pivoted along one edge (8) of the base (1) in order to pivot between a first position as a case in which it is upright and a second position in which it is placed horizontally approximately as an extension of the base (2). The other lid member (5) is pivoted to the first about at least one axis (32), so that the two members (4, 5) pivot to a horizontal position simultaneously, the edge of the member (5) remote from the axis (32) being guided across the base (1), while a drawer (33) may be pulled out to support the member (4). The case may form a picnic basket convertible into a table or an animal basket convertible into a bed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A Convertible Case The present invention relates to a convertible case.

It relates more particularly to a case which can be converted into a piece of furniture of a type comprising a substantially horizontal upper face, such as a table for example, in which instance the case may advantageously be arranged in order to contain picnic equipment, or a basket for example intended for an animal, in which instance the closed case may be designed in order to facilitate the transportation of this animal under good conditions as regards comfort. This list is naturally in no way limiting.

Convertible cases are already known, certain of which provide a substantially horizontal upper face after conversion. However, the conversion operation is frequently awkward and complicated and these cases are expensive to produce and of inadequate strength since the weight of the case must not become too high so that stability of the open case is precarious.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the abovementioned drawbacks.

According to the present invention there is provided a case which is convertible into a piece of furniture that comprises a substantially horizontal upper face, the case comprising: a horizontal base defining two substantially parallel edges; a lid member comprising a wall pivoted along one of said edges of the base in order to pivot between a first position in which it forms the case and is upright with respect to the base and a second position when the case has been converted into a piece of furniture in which position it is located horizontally approximately as an extension of the base; and a second similar lid member, pivoted to the first aforesaid member about at least one axis which is parallel to said one edge in order to occupy a first position in which it forms the case and has one wall upright with respect to the base, in the immediate vicinity of the other edge of the base, and in which the axis for the mutual pivoting of the two lid members is located in the immediate vicinity of the base between the two edges of the latter, and to occupy a second position when the case has been converted into a piece of furniture in which position said wall of the second lid member rests horizontally on the base, as an extension of the wall of the first lid member.

Advantages of the case are that it is simple to open and close and convert to a piece of furniture while being inexpensive and reliable. Moreover, in the case of a preferred embodiment, the invention proposes means which are particularly simple, easy to position and inconspicuous, for stabilizing the case on the opened state, in its form of a piece of furniture.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a case according to the invention intended for transporting an animal and which can be converted into a basket intended to serve as a bed for this animal, this case being illustrated closed.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the case in the course of opening or closing.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the open case, forming a basket.

In these three figures, the broken lines illustrate a variation of the case which is intended for transporting picnic equipment and is able to be converted into a table.

In the illustrated embodiment, the case according to the invention comprises a base 1 of rectangular parallelepipedal shape, whereof the upper face 2, which is substantially horizontal and of rectangular shape, constitutes the base of a convertible upper part 3 of the case.

This upper part 3 is defined by two lid members 4 and 5 which are substantially identical but connected in a different manner to the base 1, in the region of the upper face 2 of the latter.

Referring to the closed position of the case illustrated in Figure 1, each of the members 4 and 5 has a substantially flat and vertical wall 6 and 7 respectively (cf., also Figures 2 and 3). In the position illustrated in Figure 1 ,the walls 6 and 7 are parallel and connected at their lower edges of the two longest parallel edges of the face 2, respectively 8 and 9.

In their upper part, the walls 6 and 7 are extended upwards by walls 10 and 11 respectively, curved inwards towards each other in order to meet in vertical alignment with the longest median line of the face 2, i.e. parallel to the edges 8 and 9 in a vertical plane located at a mid-point between these two edges, the case being assumed to be in a closed position as illustrated in Figure 1.

In the immediate vicinity of their edges 8 and 9 placed side-by-side in this closed position, the two walls 10 and 11 comprise complementary closing means of any known type, which are not illustrated and can be locked and unlocked at will and also handles 30 and 31 for carrying the case.

In vertical alignment with the two shorter parallel edges of the face 2, such as 12, each of the lid members 4 and 5 also comprises two vertical end walls respectively 13-14 and 15-16 (cf. also Figures 2 and 3), each of which, referring to the closed position illustrated in Figure 1, is connected in a rigid manner to the corresponding edge of the vertical wall and of the corresponding incurved wall and is furthermore defined on the one hand by a vertical edge respectively 17, 18, 19, 20 located in the vertical plane including the major median line of the face 2 of the base 1, the edges 17 and 19 and the edges 18 and 20 being respectively placed side-by-side when the case is closed and on the other hand by a horizontal edge respectively 21, 22, 23, 24 extending along the edge of the corresponding shorter face 2, such as 12. over half its length.

Thus, when the case occupies its closed position illustrated in Figure 1, the members 4 and 5 define internally with the face 2 a closed space able to receive an animal. In order that light is able to reach the animal, two of the end walls, for example the walls 13 and 15, may be provided with a transparent window 25 and 26 respectively, possibly constructed as a grill in order to allow for the passage of air, other means naturally being able to be provided for this purpose.

Referring now in particular to Figure 2, it will be seen that the lower edge of the wall 6 is pivoted on the base 1 about a horizontal axis 27 coinciding substantially with the edge 8 of the face 2.

Furthermore, the two members 4 and 5 are pivoted to each other about an equally horizontal axis 32, arranged parallel to the axis 27 and located in the immediate vicinity of the major median line of the face 2 of the base 1 when the case is in the closed position illustrated in Figure 1.

In practice, the axis 32 is defined by means for the mutual pivoting respectively of the wall 1 5 on the wall 13 and of the wall 16 on the wall 14.

According to the practical construction of the pivot means, this axis 32 may possibly be split into two adjacent parallel axes, mutual pivoting of the two members 4 and 5 thus being achieved by means of swivels pivoted respectively on each of these members, respectively about each of these adjacent axes.

The member 5 may thus pivot about the axis 32 with respect to the member 4 itself intended to pivot about the axis 27 with respect to the base 1. This base 1 comprises, along the shorter edges of its face 2, such as the edge 12, guides along each of which a complementary member is intended to slide, which member is supported by the member 5 in the immediate vicinity of the lower edge of the wall 7, i.e. in the immediate vicinity of the respective region of the edges 23 and 24 of the walls 1 5 and 16 located in the immediate vicinity of the wall 7.

These members, of any known type and the complementary guides on the base 1 have not been shown, but their effect is apparent particularly in Figure 2, where it can be seen that when the case is opened by separating the members 4 and 5 in the region of their upper edges 28 and 29, after having unlocked them, one simultaneously brings about pivoting of the wall 6 about the axis 27, towards the outside of the case and towards a horizontal position in which this wall 6 horizontally extends the face 2 of the frame 1 (cf.Figure 3) and at the same time pivoting of the member 5 on the member 4 about the axis 32 and sliding of the lower edge of the wall 7, of the edge 9 of the face 2 of the base 1 towards the edge 8 of this face, i.e. progressive tilting of the wall 7 into a horizontal position in which it rests on the face 2, substantially as an extension of the wall 6, the angle formed by each of the walls 6 and 7 with respect to the horizontal plane of the face 2, during each of the opening stages, being identical.

The opening movement thus brings the two members 4 and 5 progressively into the position illustrated in Figure 3, in which the walls 6 and 7 are placed horizontally substantially one as an extension of the other, respectively on either side of the axis 27 coinciding with the edge 8. The member 5 thus rests by its wall 7 on the upper face 2 of the base 1. The member 4 thus placed in an overhung position with respect to this base in turn rests on a drawer 33, provided for this purpose in the vertical wall of the base 1 corresponding to the edge 8 of the latter, which drawer 33 is mounted to slide parallel to the edges such as 1 2 of the face 2 in order to be able to retracted at will into the base 1 or placed in a projecting position horizontally beyond the edge 8 of the latter, a position in which it provides a support for the wall 6 in the horizontal position.

To this end, the front panel 34 of the drawer 3, i.e.

the panel of the latter attached to the side of the base 1 corresponding to the edge 8 in the retracted position, has a height which is as ciose as possible to that of the base 1.

It should be noted that the drawer 33 may advantageously be used as a space for storing toilet accessories, toys or food for the animal transported.

When the case is open to the maximum extent, in its position illustrated in Figure 3, the members 4 and 5 placed side-by-side define a stable basket whereof the walls 6 and 7 define the base and whereof the walls 10,11,13,14,15,16 define the side walls. Advantageously, it is possibie to provide internal padding of the members 4 and 5, which is not shown, firstly in order that the basket can be inhabited directly by the animal as soon as the case is opened and secondly to protect the animal from impact when the latter is transported in the closed case.

According to one variation of the case according to the invention, intended to be converted into a picnic table, the two members 4 and 5 constitute closed boxes to which one is able to gain access for example through the walls 10 and 11, thus pivoted respectively to the wall 6 and to the wall 7 in the region in which they join the platter, shown diagrammatically in the drawings by broken lines 35 and 36, parallel to the connecting edges respectively of the wall 6 and of the wall 7 to the face 2 of the base 1.

In this case, the rectangular face of the member 6 defined by the edges 17, 28 and 18 is closed by a flat wall in the same way as the face of the member 5 defined by the edges 19, 29 and 20, these two walls being joined side-by-side along the vertical plane including the median line of the face 2 of the base 1 in the closed position of the case illustrated in Figure 1 and on the other hand being placed horizontally one as an extension of the other in the position of maximum opening illustrated in Figure 3, in order to define the horizontal upper side of the table.

Furthermore, a wall joined side-by-side to the face 2 of the base 1 in the closed position of the case closes the members 4 and 5 in the region of their faces defined respectively by the edges 21 and 22 and by the edges 23 and 24. In the position of maximum opening of the case illustrated in Figure 3, these two walls are joined, in the vertical position, in vertical alignment with the edge 8 of the face 2 of the base 1.

Other variations of the case according to the invention can be envisaged, depending on the use for which the case is required.

Claims

1. A case which is convertible into a piece of furniture that comprises a substantially horizontal upper face, the case comprising: a horizontal base having two substantially parallel edges; a lid member comprising a wall pivoted along one of said edges of the base in order to pivot between a first position in which it forms the case and is upright with respect to the base and a second position when the case has been converted into a piece of furniture in which position it is located horizontally approximately as an extension of the base; and a second similar lid member; pivoted to the first aforesaid member about at least one axis which is parallel to said one edge in order to occupy a first position in which it forms the case and has one wall upright with respect to the base, in the immediate vicinity of the other edge of the base, and in which the axis for the mutual pivoting of the base between the two edges of the latter, and to occupy a second position when the case has been converted into a piece of furniture in which position said wall of the second lid member rests horizontally on the base, as an extension of the wall of the first lid member.

2. A case as claimed in Claim 1, in which the base comprises a raised base and in which retractable means are provided constituting a support for the first lid member in said second position.

3. A case as claimed in Claim 2, in which the said means forming a support are themselves supported by the base.

4. A case as claimed in Claim 3, in which the means forming a support comprise a drawer which is mounted to slide inside the base in order to occupy a first position in which the drawer is retracted inside the base a second position in which the drawer projects horizontally towards the outside of the latter with respect to said one edge of the base along which the first lid member is pivoted, the said drawer having at least one portion that has a height substantially equal to that of the base.

5. A case as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which it additionally comprises means for guiding along the base and in a direction perpendicular to said edges of the latter, the edge of said wall of the second lid member which is located in the vicinity of the base in said first position.

6. A case as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which each of the lid members is in the form of a half basket, in order to define a basket in the second position when converted to a piece of furniture, the base of which basket is constituted by said walls so that a closed space is defined with the base when the walls are in the first position as a case.

7. A case as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, in which each lid member is in the form of a box internally defining a storage space and comprising means for access to said space, the said boxes being joined above the base, in the first position as a case, by two respective vertical walls which are able to occupy a horizontal position when in the second position as a piece of furniture wherein they are placed one as an extension of the other and define the horizontal upper face of a table.

8. A case which is convertible into a piece of furniture substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.