GB2385318A

GB2385318A - Case with Moulded Plastic Shell Parts

Info

Publication number: GB2385318A
Application number: GB0203913A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dick-Ming Hsieh
Original assignee: Eminent Luggage Corp
Current assignee: Eminent Luggage Corp
Priority date: 2002-02-01
Filing date: 2002-02-19
Publication date: 2003-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 2022-02-19
Also published as: GB2385318B; DE20201491U1; GB0203913D0

Abstract

A case includes a case body (1) having at least two molded plastic shell parts (11, 12, 13) that cooperate to form a receiving space of the case body (1), and a connecting unit (2) for interconnecting the shell parts (11, 12, 13) One of the shell parts (11) is formed with an opening that is bounded by a looped connecting flange (114, 115). Another of the shell parts (12, 13) is configured to close the opening and is formed with a looped peripheral wall (122, 132). The connecting unit (2) includes a connecting strip (21, 22) and at least one stitch seam (23) for securing the connecting strip (21, 22) to the looped connecting flange (114, 115) and the looped peripheral wall (122, 132).

Description

CASE WITH MOLDED PLASTIC SHELL PARTS The invention relates to a case having molded plastic shell parts.

A conventional case includes two complementary molded plastic shells. While the molded plastic shells can provide adequate protection to articles inside the case against impact, a metal connecting frame is required for pivotally interconnecting the shells, thereby resulting in a substantial increase in the weight of the case.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a case that does not use a metal connecting frame to interconnect molded plastic shell parts of the case so that the case can be relatively lightweight.

According to this invention, a case includes a case body having at least two molded plastic shell parts that cooperate to form a receiving space of the case body, and a connecting unit for interconnecting the shell parts.

One of the shell parts is formed with an opening that is bounded by a looped connecting flange. Another of the shell parts is configured to close the opening and is formed with a looped peripheral wall. The connecting unit includes a connecting strip and at least one stitch seam for securing the connecting strip to the looped connecting flange and the looped peripheral wall.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed

description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is an assembled perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a case according to this invention; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment; and Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating how two molded plastic shell parts are interconnected in the preferred embodiment.

Referring to Figures 1,2 and 3, the preferred embodiment of a case according to this invention is shown to be embodied in a traveling case that includes a case body 1, a connecting unit 2, a pair of wheels 3, a pair of foot posts 4, and a retractable handle unit 5.

The case body 1 is formed from a plurality of molded plastic shell parts, the number and shapes of which may vary in accordance with actual design requirements. In this embodiment, the case body 1 includes a main shell part 11, a pair of lateral shell parts 12, and a front shell part 13. The main shell part 11 includes an upright rear wall 111, a bottom wall 112 extending forwardly and horizontally from a bottom edge of the rear wall 111, and a top wall 113 extending forwardly and horizontally from a top edge of the rear wall 111. The main shell part 11 further has opposite lateral sides, each of which is formed with a lateral opening that is

bounded by a looped lateral connecting flange 114, and a front side that is formed with a front opening that is bounded by a looped front connecting flange 115. Each of the lateral shell parts 12 is disposed to close a respective one of the lateral openings, and includes a base wall 121 and a looped peripheral wall 122 that extends from the base wall 121. The front shell part 13 is disposed to close the front opening, and includes a base wall 131 and a looped peripheral wall 132 that extends from the base wall 121. The main shell part 11, the lateral shell parts 12 and the front shell part 13 cooperate to form a receiving space of the case body 1. Preferably, a strap 117 has opposite ends secured to an outer surface of the top wall 113 to form a handle for carrying the case body 1. It is noted that each of the shell parts 11,12, 13 may be provided with a number of pockets (not shown) to expand the capacity of the case. In addition, each of the pockets may be associated with a respective zipper for closing the same.

The connecting unit 2 interconnects the shell parts 11,12, 13 to retain the shape of the case body 1. In this embodiment, the connecting unit 2 includes a first connecting strip 21 in the form of a known zipper, and a set of second connecting strips 22 that are made of rubber. The first connecting strip 21 has a first zipper half 211 secured to the front connecting flange 115 by a stitch seam 23, and a second zipper half 212 secured

to one of the second connecting strips 22 and to the looped peripheral wall 132 of the front shell part 13 by a stitch seam 23. Each of the remaining second connecting strips 22 has a clamped portion 221 disposed between one of the lateral connecting flanges 114 of the main shell part 11 and the looped peripheral wall 122 of one of the lateral shell parts 12 and secured thereto by means of a stitch seam 23, and an abutment portion222 that abuts against an end face of the adjacent lateral connecting flange 114. Note that it is within the contemplation of one skilled in the art to provide a zipper (not shown), similar to the zipper of the first connecting strip 21, between any of the lateral connecting flanges 114 and the looped peripheral wall 122 of the adjacent lateral shell part 12 for access into the receiving space of the case body 1. The zipper may be secured directly to the lateral connecting flange 114 or the looped peripheral wall 122 without the use of the second connecting strip 22. It is also noted that the rubber connecting strips 22 may be replaced with connecting strips made of fabric.

The wheels 3 are mounted spacedly on the bottom wall 112 of the main shell part 11 adjacent to the rear wall 111 in a known manner to facilitate movement of the case body 1 along a ground surface.

The foot posts 4 are mounted securely on the bottom wall 112 of the main shell part 11 adjacent to the front

side, and cooperate with the wheels 3 to support the case body 1 in an upright position.

The handle unit 5 is a conventional retractable device mounted on an outer surface of the rear wall 111 of the main shell part 11. Since the particular configuration of the handle unit 5 is not pertinent to the claimed invention, a detailed description of the same will be omitted herein for the sake of brevity.

Because the case of this invention does not use metal connecting frames to interconnect the molded plastic shell parts 11,12, 13, the case can be relatively lightweight. The object of the invention is thus met.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A case including a case body having at least two molded plastic shell parts that cooperate to form a receiving space of the case body, and a connecting unit for interconnecting the shell parts, characterized in that : one of the shell parts is formed with an opening that is bounded by a looped connecting flange ; another of the shell parts being configured to close the opening in said one of the shell parts and being formed with a looped peripheral wall ; the connecting unit including a connecting strip and at least one stitch seam for securing the connecting strip to the looped connecting flange of said one of the shell parts and to the looped peripheral wall of said another of the shell parts.
2. The case as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the connecting strip is a zipper that permits access into the receiving space of the case body.
3. The case as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the connecting strip is a rubber strip.
4. The case as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the case body is provided with a set of wheels and a set of foot posts that cooperate to support the case body in an upright position.
5. The case as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the case body is provided with a retractable handle unit.

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6. The case substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.