GB2257029A

GB2257029A - A carrier

Info

Publication number: GB2257029A
Application number: GB9213750A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Allan Dearing
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-06-29
Filing date: 1992-06-29
Publication date: 1993-01-06
Anticipated expiration: 2012-06-29
Also published as: GB9213750D0; GB2257029B; GB9114107D0

Abstract

A portable carrier 10, particularly for bottles comprises an outer container having a body 11 and lid 12 closable by a zip 13, and an inner cell unit 17 made from a shock-absorbing material and having one or more recesses 18 therein. The outer surface of the cell unit 17 is of substantially the same dimensions as the internal surface of the outer container, and the unit 17 comprises a lid and base part. The cell unit 17 has shock diffusing grooves 23 on its outer surface. Further the base of the unit may be made of a number of shock diffusing parts stackable on a base part. <IMAGE>

Description

A CARRIER This invention relates to carriers, and in particular to carriers of a size suitable for easy carrying by hand or shoulder strap, ie. a portable carrier.

It is common practice in duty-free shops, supermarkets and the like to place bottles of wine and spirits in a plastic carrier bag which gives no protection against accidental breakage.

An object of the present invention is to provide a portable carrier that will overcome the above mentioned problem, and give peace of mind to shoppers and in particular to travellers who take full advantage of duty free allowances.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a portable carrier having at least one recess surrounded by a shock-absorbing material, the carrier being operable to locate an item in said recess so that, in use, said item is firmly held in said recess and protected against impacts. Preferably the outer surface of the cell unit has groove means to diffuse shock absorbed by the cell unit material.

Preferably the portable carrier comprises an external container which contains the shock-absorbing material, the shock absorbing material being in the form of a cell unit.

Preferably also, the cell unit of the shock absorbing material comprise a base which is formed as a plurality of parts stackable on top of a base part.

Preferably also, adjacent top and bottom surfaces of the plurality of parts and the base part are formed with co-acting raised and recessed portion.

Preferably also, the external container is made of a waterproofed material.

A pocket may be provided on an external surface of the external container.

The shock-absorbing material may be formed of lightweight plastic material, and preferably of polypropylene.

Alternatively, the shock-absorbing material may be formed of lattice work strips.

Alternatively, the shock absorbing material may be resilient foam plastics material.

The cell unit may comprise a plurality of single cell units each having at least one recess therein.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a portable carrier comprising an outer container having a body and lid closable by closure means, there being provided within the outer container a cell unit made from a shock-absorbing material and having one or more recesses therein, the cell unit having a base part and a lid part each part being of substantially the same dimensions as an internal volume of the body and lid of the outer container respectively.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a portable carrier made at least partially of shock-absorbing material and having at least one recess therein, wherein, in use, an item can be located in the, or each, recess so that the item is firmly held therein, and protected against impacts.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig 1 is a perspective view of a portable carrier according to the invention; Fig 2 is a plan view of a protective body of the carrier; Fig 3 is a front view of the body; and Figs 4 and 5 are plan views showing other cell units.

Referring firstly to Figs 1 to 3 there is provided a portable carrier, generally designated 10 which, in this embodiment, is in the form of a shoulder case of, for example 390mm x 150mm and has an outer container comprising a body 11 and lid 12 closable by a zip fastener 13 or the like.

The front of the body 11 has an external pocket 14 which is also closable by a zip fastener 15 and a swivel shoulder strap 16 attachable to the sides of the body 11.

The provision of the pocket 14 allows the carrier 10 to be used to also carry any other article such as tickets, passports or the like. The carrier 14 therefore has a dual or combined function.

The outer container can be made, for example, from a range of light rubberised nylon fabrics so that it is waterproof.

Within the body 11 and lid 12 is, in this embodiment, a rigid light-weight cell unit 17 formed of expanded plastics material such as polypropylene or polystyrene which has three cylindrical recesses 18, each to contain a bottle or other breakable article.

The cell unit 17 has substantially the same outer dimensions as the inner dimensions of the outer container and comprises a base part 20 which locate fully in the body 11 of the outer container and a lid part 21 which fits fully into the lid 12.

Each part has three recesses which, when the parts come together, ie. when the lid is closed over the body, register to provide the recesses 18 which are completely surrounded by the protective material.

The lid and base parts 20, 21 may be separately formed, eg. by injection moulding. The base 21 may also be formed in two or more parts, dependent on mould limitations, so that there are a plurality of parts each having, in this case, three through apertures and an end slab or base part to close the lower end.

In the embodiment shown in Fig 4 it can be seen that there are 4 such parts 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d stackable on top of a base part 41 to form the base 21.

The division of base 21 into parts 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d and base part 41 further enhances the shock-absorbing nature of the base 21.

In order that the parts 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d and base part 41 are held together, adjacent top and bottom surfaces may be provided with co-acting raised and recessed portions (not shown).

The external major surfaces of the cell unit 17 are provided with grooves or scallops 23 which act as shock diffusers to increase still further the protective qualities of the material forming the cell unit.

The cell unit 17 of the described embodiment has three cylindrical recesses 18, but other cell units will be provided having other shapes of recesses for bottles of a complementary shape, such as two square section recesses 30 for gin bottles as in Fig 4, or a combination of differently shaped recesses such as two cylindrical recesses 31 and one square recess 32 as illustrated in Fig 5.

It is intended that portable carriers according to the present invention will be on sale at outlets for wines and spirits, and that a customer would purchase an outer container and the appropriate cell unit which would be fitted into the outer container then loaded with the purchased goods.

The carriers could of course carry advertising material on the outer container.

The embodiment of the present invention hereinbefore described is given by way of example only, and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Particularly, in one modification single cell units may be provided, each having one recess so that, eg. three separate selected cell units could locate in the outer carrier depending on the type of bottles to be carried.

Other modifications may also be made. For example, the light-weight ringed shock-absorbing material may be other than an expanded plastics material, such as lattice work strips of the kind used as internal support in doors, and the like.

Further, the shock-absorbing material of the cell unit may be other than rigid, such as a resilient foam plastics material.

The portable carrier has been described with specific reference to bottles of wine and spirits, but it could be adapted for carrying other breakable or delicate items such as figurines, vases and the like, simply by packing the item into one of the recesses or by providing cell units with appropriately sized and/or shaped recesses.

Finally, it should be appreciated that the carrier may be used, eg. on returning from holiday, to carry duty free goods and also, eg. on holiday, as a cool box.

Claims

1. A portable carrier having at least one recess surrounded by a shock-absorbing material, the or each recess being capable of having an item located therein so that, in use, the item is firmly held in the recess and protected against impacts, wherein the outer surface of the shock-absorbing material has groove means to diffuse shocks absorbed by the shock-absorbing material.

2. A portable carrier as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2, wherein the portable carrier comprises an external container which contains the shock-absorbing material, the shock-absorbing material being in the form of a cell unit.

3. A portable carrier as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cell unit of the shock absorbing material comprise a base which is formed as a plurality of parts stackable on top of a base part.

4. A portable carrier as claimed in any of claims 2 to 3, wherein the external container is made of a waterproofed material.

5. A portable carrier as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4, wherein a pocket is provided on an external surface of the external container.

6. A portable carrier as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the shock-absorbing material is formed of lightweight expanded plastics material.

7. A portable carrier as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the shock absorbing material is formed of lattice work strips.

8. A portable carrier as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the shock absorbing material is formed of a resilient foam plastics material.

9. A portable carrier as claimed in claims 2 or any of claims 3-7 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the cell unit comprises a plurality of single cell units each having at least one recess therein.

10. An external container for use in a portable carrier as claimed in claim 2 or any of claims 3-9 when dependent on claim 2.

11. An external container for use in a portable carrier as claimed in claim 3 or any of claims 4 to 9 when dependent on claim 3.

12. A portable carrier comprising an outer container having a body and lid closable by closure means, there being provided within the outer container a cell unit made from a shock-absorbing material and having one or more recesses therein, the cell unit having a base part and a lid part each part being of substantially the same dimensions as an internal volume of the body and lid of the outer container respectively.

13. A portable carrier as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A portable carrier made at least partially of shock-absorbing material and having at least one recess therein, wherein, in use, an item can be located in the, or each, recess so that the item is firmly held therein, and protected against impacts.