GB2372981A

GB2372981A - Suitcase with a concealed zipper

Info

Publication number: GB2372981A
Application number: GB0105367A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Koon-Ming Cheng
Original assignee: Ruey Yuan Co Ltd
Current assignee: Ruey Yuan Co Ltd
Priority date: 2001-03-05
Filing date: 2001-03-05
Publication date: 2002-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 2021-03-05
Also published as: GB0105367D0; GB2372981B

Abstract

A suitcase includes two housing halves (6) having outer peripheral portions (60) hinged together by connecting sections. A zipper unit (4) includes two interengaged zipper halves (41). A rubber strip unit includes two reinforcing rubber strips (3), each having an outer slot (32), within which the outer peripheral portion of a respective one of the housing halves (6) is stitched, and an inner slot (31), within which a respective one of the zipper halves (41) is stitched so as to conceal the zipper unit (4) within the rubber strips (3). A rubber cover (5) has a portion that covers outer surfaces of the connecting sections.

Description

TITLE : SUITCASE WITH ZIPPER UNIT CONCEALED WITHIN AN ANNULAR RUBBER STRIP UNIT The invention relates to a suitcase, more particularly to a suitcase with a zipper unit concealed within an annular rubber strip unit.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a conventional suitcase 1 is shown to include two generally rectangular housing halves 11, a zipper unit 14, two elongated reinforcing rubber strips 13 and a decorative cover 15.

As illustrated, each of the housing halves 11 has an outer peripheral portion 110 with a connecting section 111. The connecting sections 111 are connected to each other so that the housing halves 11 are rotatable about the connecting sections 111. Each of the connecting sections 111 has an inner surface and an outer surface. The zipper unit 4 includes two interengaged zipper halves 140, each of which has two ends that are fastened respectively to two opposite sides of the connecting sections 111 of the housing halves 11. Each of the reinforcing rubber strips 13 has two ends that are fastened respectively to two opposite sides of the connecting sections 111 of the housing halves 11 such that the rubber strips 13 extend along the entire length of the outer peripheral portions 110 except for the connecting sections 111 in such a manner that the zipper halves 140 and the

zipper heads 141 are exposed outwardly of the rubber strips 13. The decorative cover 15 is made from PVC material, and has an area greater than that of the connecting sections 111. Two opposite side portions 151 of the cover 15 are riveted respectively on the outer surfaces of the housing halves 11 so as to cover the connecting sections 111.

Some disadvantages resulting from the use of the conventional suitcase are as follows: (1) The zipper halves 140 and the zipper heads 141 are not covered by the reinforcing strips 13, thereby affecting adversely the entire appearance of the conventional suitcase.

(2) The zipper halves 140 as well as the reinforcing rubber strips 13 may disengage from the outer peripheral portions 110 of the housing halves 11 due to accidental collision thereto or wearing and eventual rupturing of the stitches.

Therefore, the main object of this invention is to provide a suitcase with a zipper unit concealed within an annular rubber strip unit so as to avoid the aforesaid disadvantages resulting from the use of the conventional suitcase.

Accordingly, a suitcase of the present invention includes two generally rectangular housing halves, a zipper unit, and an annular rubber strip unit. Each of the housing halves has an outer peripheral portion

with a connecting section. The connecting sections are connected to each other so that the housing halves are rotatable about the connecting sections. Each of the connecting sections has an inner surface and an outer surface. The zipper unit includes two interengaged zipper halves, each of which has two ends that are fastened respectively to two opposite sides of the connecting sections. The rubber strip unit includes two elongated reinforcing rubber strips and an elongated rubber cover. Each of the reinforcing rubber strips has an outer side surface formed with an outer slot, within which the outer peripheral portion of a respective one of the housing halves is stitched except for a respective one of the connecting sections, and an inner side surface formed with an inner slot, within which a respective one of the zipper halves is stitched so as to conceal the zipper unit within the rubber strips. The rubber cover has a covering portion that covers outer surfaces of the connecting sections of the housing halves, and two connecting plate portions that are formed respectively and integrally with two opposite sides of the covering portion and that are stitched respectively within the outer slots in the rubber strips.

Other features and advantages of this invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of this

invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a fragmentary and perspective view of a conventional suitcase; Figure 2 illustrates how inner wall surfaces of two housing halves of the conventional suitcase are connected to each other; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a suitcase of the present invention; Figure 4 is a fragmentary and perspective view of the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a partly sectional view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating how two reinforcing rubber strips and a rubber cover are stitched on two housing halves of the preferred embodiment; and Figures 6 and 7 illustrate how two covering clothes are mounted on inner wall surfaces of the housing halves in the preferred embodiment.

Referring to Figures 3 to 6, the preferred embodiment of a suitcase 2 according to the present invention is shown to include two generally rectangular housing halves 6, a first zipper unit 4, and an annular rubber strip unit.

As illustrated, each of the housing halves 6 has an outer peripheral portion 60 with a connecting section 61. The connecting sections 61 of the housing halves 6 are connected to each other so that the housing

halves 6 are rotatable about the connecting sections 61. Each of the connecting sections 61 has an inner surface and an outer surface.

The first zipper unit 4 includes two interengaged first zipper halves 41, each of which has two opposite ends 42, 43 that are fastened respectively to two opposite sides of the connecting sections 61 such that the first zipper halves 41 extend along the entire length of the outer peripheral portions 60 of the housing halves 6 except for the connecting sections 61.

The rubber strip unit includes two elongated reinforcing rubber strips 3 and an elongated rubber cover 5. Each of the reinforcing rubber strips 3 has an outer side surface formed with an outer slot 32, within which the outer peripheral portion 60 of a respective one of the housing halves 6 is stitched except for a respective one of the connecting sections 61, and an inner side surface formed with an inner slot 31 within which a respective one of the first zipper halves 41 is stitched so as to conceal the first zipper unit 4 within the rubber strips 3.

The rubber cover 5 has a covering portion 50 that covers the outer surfaces of the connecting sections 61 of the housing halves 6, and two connecting plate portions 51 that are formed respectively and integrally with two opposite sides of the covering

portions 50 and that are stitched respectively within the outer slots 32 in the rubber strips 3. Each of the rubber strips 3 includes an elongated inner strip section 33, an elongated outer strip section 34 for covering a respective one of the first zipper halves 41, and a generally L-cross-sectioned connecting strip section 35 which interconnects the inner and outer strip sections 33,34 in such a manner that a respective one of the inner slots 31 is defined between the outer strip section 34 and the connecting strip section 35, and that a respective one of the outer slots 32 is defined between the inner strip section 33 and the connecting strip section 35. The outer strip section 34 of the rubber strips 3 abut against each other. Two ends of each of the outer strip sections 34 of the rubber strips 3 are concealed within the cover 5. Each of the connecting plate portions 51 of the cover 5 is stitched and clamped between the connecting strip section 35 of a respective one of the rubber strips 3 and the outer peripheral portion 60 of a respective one of the housing halves 6.

Referring to Figures 6 and 7, two covering clothes 71 are stitched respectively on inner wall surfaces of the housing halves 6, and cover cooperatively the inner surfaces of the connecting sections 61 of the outer peripheral portions 60 of the housing halves 6. A second zipper unit 73 includes two interengaged

second zipper halves 74 that are fastened respectively to the clothes 71. Thus, the connecting sections 61 of the outer peripheral portions 60 of the housing halves 6 are concealed between the cover 5 and the clothes 71, as best shown in Figure 7. Preferably, the cover 5 and the outer strip sections 34 of the rubber strips 3 have outer surfaces which are formed with aligned ribs 52,53 (see Figure 4) that extend along the entire length thereof.

Some of the advantages provided by the suitcase of the present invention are as follows: (1) The suitcase 2 of the present invention has an enhanced outer appearance when compared to the conventional suitcase 1, because the zipper unit 4 is concealed within the reinforcing rubber strips 3. In addition, the outer peripheral portions 60 of the housing halves 6 are strengthened, since the cover 5, the reinforcing strips 3 and the zipper unit 4 are stitched on the outer peripheral portions 60 of the housing halves 6.

(2) The cover 5 and the reinforcing rubber strips 3 cooperatively enhance the appearance of the suitcase 2 of the present invention because they are manufactured from the same material and are of the same design, such as aligned ribs 36,52 (see Figure 4) on the outer surfaces of the cover 5 and the rubber strips 3.

(3) The interior of the suitcase 2 is aesthetically enhanced due to the covering clothes 71 that cover the connecting sections 61 of the housing halves 6.

(4) Since the stitches fastening the zipper halves 41 and the outer peripheral portions 60 of the housing halves 6 are covered by the reinforcing rubber strips 3, accidental collision to the stitches that may result in disengagement between the outer peripheral portions 60 of the housing halves 6 and the zipper halves 41 can be avoided. Thus, the service life of the suitcase of the present invention can be prolonged.

Claims

CLAIMS : 1. A suitcase comprising : two generally rectangular housing halves (6), each of which has an outer peripheral portion (60) with a connecting section (61), the connecting sections (61) being connected to each other so that the housing halves (6) are rotatable about the connecting sections (61), each of the connecting sections (61) having an inner surface and an outer surface; a first zipper unit (4) including two interengaged first zipper halves (41), each of which has two ends (42,43) that are fastened respectively to two opposite sides of the connecting sections (61); and an annular rubber strip unit including two elongated reinforcing rubber strips (3), each of which has an outer side surface formed with an outer slot (32), within which the outer peripheral portion (60) of a respective one of the housing halves (6) is stitched except for a respective one of the connecting sections (61), and an inner side surface formed with an inner slot (31) within which a respective one of the first zipper halves (41) is stitched so as to conceal the first zipper unit (4) within the rubber strips (3), and an elongated rubber cover (5) having a

covering portion (50) that covers the outer surfaces of the connecting sections (61) of the housing halves (6), and two connecting plate portions (51) that are formed respectively and integrally with two opposite sides of the covering portions (50) and that are stitched respectively within the outer slots (32) in the rubber strips (3).
2. The suitcase as defined in Claim 1, wherein each of the rubber strips (3) includes an elongated inner strip section (33), an elongated outer strip section (34) for covering a respective one of the first zipper halves (41), and a generally L-cross sectioned connecting strip section (35) which interconnects the inner and outer strip sections (33,34) in such a manner that a respective one of the inner slots (31) is defined between the outer strip section (34) and the connecting strip section (35) and that a respective one of the outer slots (32) is defined between the inner strip section (33) and the connecting strip section (35), the outer strip sections (34) of the rubber strips (3) abutting against each other, two ends of each of the outer strip sections (34) of the rubber strips (3) being concealed within the cover (5).
3. The suitcase as defined in Claim 2, wherein each of the connecting plate portions (51) of the cover (5) is stitched and clamped between the connecting

strip section (35) of a respective one of the rubber strips (3) and the outer peripheral portion (60) of a respective one of the housing halves (6).
4. The suitcase as defined in Claim 2, wherein each of the housing halves (6) has an inner wall surface, the suitcase further includes two covering clothes (71) which are stitched respectively on the inner wall surfaces of the housing halves (6) and which cover cooperatively the inner surfaces of the connecting sections (61) of the outer peripheral portions (60) of the housing halves (6), and a second zipper unit which includes two interengaged second zipper halves that are fastened respectively to the clothes (71), whereby, the connecting sections (61) of the outer peripheral portions (60) of the housing halves (6) are concealed between the cover (5) and the clothes (71).
5. The suitcase as defined in Claim 2, wherein the cover (5) and the outer strip sections (34) of the rubber strips (3) have outer surfaces which are formed with aligned ribs (52,53) that extend along entire length thereof.
6. A suitcase substantially as hereinbefore described with refer ence to and as shown in Figures 3 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.