GB2214166A

GB2214166A - Luggage case

Info

Publication number: GB2214166A
Application number: GB8800452A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth William Jenks
Original assignee: SPARTAN LUGGAGE CO Ltd
Current assignee: SPARTAN LUGGAGE CO Ltd
Priority date: 1988-01-09
Filing date: 1988-01-09
Publication date: 1989-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 2008-01-09
Also published as: GB2214166B; GB8800452D0

Abstract

The body 1 of a luggage case has an external peripheral flange 12 at its mouth and the lid 3 of the case closes over the body within the confines of the peripheral flange. The flange 12 may be interrupted at the part of the mouth where the lid is hinged to the body. The lid 3 may have a forward portion which is inclined towards the front of the body 1, the adjacent upper surface of the flange 12 being similarly inclined, and co-operating elements for securing the closed lid are provided on the inclined forward portion and the inclined surface of the flange. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO LUGGAGE CASES This invention relates to luggage cases, particularly, though not exclusively, attache cases.

It is conventional for the body of a luggage case to have an internal peripheral flange at its mouth which locates inside the mouth cf the lid when the case is closed.

According to the present invention a luggage case is provided comprising a body and a lid in which the body has an external peripheral flange at its mouth and the lid closes over the body within the confines of the peripheral flange.

The peripheral flange may extend completely around the mouth of the body, or around a substantial part of the mouth. Where the body and lid are hinged together the flange will normally be interrupted at that part of the mouth at which the hinged connection in provided.

Thus in the usual rectangular form of the case in which there is a hinged connection between the body and lid at one side of the mouth of the body, the flange will normally extend around the other three -sides of the mouth.

Preferably the lid seats on abutment surfaces of the body inwardly of the peripheral flange.

Conveniently the abutment surfaces are presented by an edge or edges of a circumferential wall or walls of the body.

Fastening and/or locking means for securing the lid closed over the body may be positioned to be accessible from the top of the case instead of from the front of the case, which is the more usual arrangement. This may facilitate the operations of securing and releasing the lid because they may be performed while the case is resting with the body flat on a surface rather than having to stand the case on its rear or tilt it to present the fastening and/or locking means upwardly, as is often required when the means are at the front of the case.In a preferred embodiment, a portion of the lid adjacent to the front of the case is inclined downwardly towards the front of the body, the peripheral flange has a similarly inclined upper surface at the front of the body which is co-planar with the upper surface of the inclined portion of the lid when the lid is closed over the body, and co-operating fastening elements are provided on the inclined portion and surface of the lid and flange respectively.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an open case in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the case; Figure 3 is a section along the line A-A in Figure 1, and Figure 4 is a section along the line B-B in Figure 1.

In this embodiment the luggage case is in the form of an attache case and comprises a body 1, which incorporates a frame 2, and a lid 3. A handle 4 of conventional form is mounted on a front wall of the frame 2. The body 1 and lid 3 have substantially rectangular bottom and top panels 5, 5' the major portions of which are orientated parallel to each other and to the frame 1. Forward portions 6, 6' of the bottom and top panels 5, 5' are similarly inclined towards the frame. A bevelled strip 7 extends along the front of the body above the frame and has an upper inclined surface 7' which when the lid is closed over the body lies in the same plane as the inclined forward portion 6' of the lid. A support 8for the lid extends substantially perpendicularly inwards from the front wall of the body adjacent to the bevelled strip 7.The lid is hinged to a bottom wall 9 of the body I in a known manner, not shown.

The frame 2 extends around side walls 10 and a front wall 11 of the body and protrudes upwardly therefrom to form in combination with the bevelled strip 7 a peripheral flange 12 upstanding from the body. Side walls 13 of the lid and a front edge 14 of the forward portion 6' of the lid seat respectively on the side walls 10 of the body and the support 8 when the lid is closed over the body. The peripheral flange 12 then encloses the seated side walls 13 and the front edge 14 of the lid.

Complementary elements 15, 16 of locking catches of a known kind are mounted on the upper inclined surface 7' of the bevelled strip 7 and the adjacent inclined forward portion 6' of the lid so that they are accessible from the top of the case for securing the lid in and releasing it from its closed position.

Plywood members 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 impart rigidity to bevelled strip 7 and to the walls and panels of the body and the lid. The reinforcement may be provided by other suitable materials such as plastics or metal, if desired.

The interiors of the body and lid each have a lining 23, for example of suede leather. The exterior aspects of the frame, lid and body each have a covering 24, for example of a polished lather. Other suitable materials may be substituted, if desired, for the lining and the covering.

Claims

1. A luggage case comprising a body and a lid in which the body has an external peripheral flange at its mouth and the lid closes over the body within the confines of the peripheral flange.

2. A luggage case according to claim 1 wherein the peripheral flange extends around a substantial part of the mouth.

3. A luggage case according to claim 2 wherein the body and the lid are hingedly connected together, and the peripheral flange extends around the mouth except adjacent to the hinged connection.

4. A luggage case according to claim 3 wherein the peripheral flange is formed by a raised strip along the front of the body and by protruding parts of a frame extending around the exterior of the body.

5. A luggage case according to claim 1 wherein the peripheral flange extends completely around the mouth of the body.

6. A luggage case according to any preceding claim wherein the body has abutment surfaces inwardly of the peripheral flange on which the lid seats.

7. A luggage case according to claim 6 wherein the abutment surfaces are presented by an edge or edges of a circumferential wall or walls of the body.

8. A luggage case according to any preceding claim in the form of an attache case in which the body and lid are substantially rigid.

9. A luggage case according to claim 8 wherein the body and lid have adjacent upper surfaces on which are mounted, so as to be presented at the top of the case, co-operating elements for securing the lid closed over the body.

10. A luggage case according to any preceding claim wherein the lid has a portion adjacent to the front of the case which is inclined towards the front of the body, and the peripheral flange has an upper surface which is similarly inclined and co-planar with the outer surface of the inclined lid portion.

11. A luggage case according to claim 10 as dependent from claim 9 wherein the co-operating elements are provided on the inclined lid portion and inclined surface of the flange.

12. A luggage case substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings