U.S. patent number 3,730,309 [Application Number 05/164,156] was granted by the patent office on 1973-05-01 for suitcase.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Rox-Lederwarenfabriken Hamann KG. Invention is credited to Jurgen Hamann, Klaus Hamann.
United States Patent |
3,730,309 |
Hamann , et al. |
May 1, 1973 |
SUITCASE
Abstract
A suitcase essentially consisting of frames of extruded light
metal and planar panels of rigid wood is assembled by edges of the
panel members being adhesively fastened in elongated grooves of the
frames, one side wall of each groove being provided with integral,
longitudinal ribs. The ribs mechanically interlock with the
adhesive layer and prevent the adhesive from being released from
the frame under unfavorable conditions.
Inventors: |
Hamann; Klaus (8191 Hohenrain,
DT), Hamann; Jurgen (8033 Krailling, DT) |
Assignee: |
Rox-Lederwarenfabriken Hamann
KG (Munich, DT)
|
Family
ID: |
6613408 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/164,156 |
Filed: |
July 19, 1971 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jul 30, 1970 [DT] |
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G 70 28 787.5 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
190/127 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C
5/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A45C
5/00 (20060101); A45c 013/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;190/24,28,49,50,54 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Norton; Donald F.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A piece of luggage comprising, in combination:
A. a body portion including
a. a bottom frame formed with a first groove in the inner
circumference thereof;
b. a bottom panel member having an edge portion received in said
first groove;
c. a body rim frame offset from said bottom frame transversely of
said bottom panel member,
1. said frames being formed with respective second grooves open
toward each other;
d. a body side panel member having two edge portions, said edge
portions being received in said second grooves respectively;
B. a cover portion including
a. a top frame formed with a third groove in the inner
circumference thereof;
b. a top panel member having an edge portion received in said third
groove; and
C. sealing means for releasably sealing said cover portion to said
rim frame;
a. said first, second, and third grooves respectively defining
first, second, and third planes,
b. each groove being bounded transversely of the associated plane
by two opposite faces of the corresponding frame,
c. one of said faces being formed with respective pluralities of
alternating projections and recesses,
d. one of said panel members consisting of substantially rigid
material carrying an outer skin of a material softer than said
rigid material and directed toward the other one of said faces in
the grooves receiving said one panel member,
e. said other face being free of alternating projections and
recesses; and
f. a layer of adhesive interposed between said one face and the
edge portion received in said groove and securing said edge portion
to said one face.
2. A piece as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said frames has
an outer face and a plurality of ribs on said outer face, the ribs
on one of said frames bounding a planar outer face portion of said
one frame member.
3. A piece as set forth in claim 1, wherein said top frame includes
a wall member extending in said second plane away from said third
plane and toward said body rim frame, said wall member being formed
with a fourth groove open toward said body rim frame, said wall
member having outer and inner elongated face portions bounding
therebetween a cavity in said wall member, one of two transverse
stiffening members separating said fourth groove from said cavity,
and the other stiffening member dividing said cavity into two
portions respectively adjacent said fourth groove and remote from
said fourth groove, said stiffening members connecting said face
portions to each other.
4. A piece as set forth in claim 3, said face portions abuttingly
engaging respective edge portions of said body rim frame in the
closed condition of said piece, said sealing means including a
sealing rib projecting from said body rim frame between said edge
portions into said fourth groove, and a sealing member of resilient
material received in said fourth groove in abutting engagement with
said sealing rib.
5. A piece as set forth in claim 4, said sealing member having a
cylindrically arcuate face directed toward said sealing rib, and
the latter has a flat sealing face directed toward said sealing
member.
6. A piece as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sealing means
include wall means secured to said top frame and defining an
elongated fourth groove open toward said body rim frame, said wall
means having two opposite elongated faces bounding the open side of
said fourth groove therebetween, an elongated, resilient sealing
member received in said fourth groove, and a rib projecting into
said fourth groove between said open side and said sealing member
from each face bounding said open side, said ribs being dimensioned
to retain said sealing member in said fourth groove.
7. A piece as set forth in claim 6, wherein said wall means
constitute a cover rim frame of substantially H-shaped cross
section, said cover rim frame and said top frame being formed with
respective fifth grooves open toward each other, said piece further
comprising a cover side panel, respective edge portions of said
cover side panel being received in said fifth grooves, said fifth
grooves being each bounded by two opposite faces of the
corresponding frames, one of the faces bounding said fifth groove
being formed with alternating projections and recesses.
8. A piece as set forth in claim 6, wherein said body rim frame
includes a sealing rib directed toward said fourth groove and
dimensioned for being received in said fourth groove, said sealing
rib having a planar sealing face engaging said sealing member when
said sealing rib is received in said fourth groove.
Description
This invention relates to suitcases and like pieces of luggage, and
particularly to improvements in a piece of luggage essentially
consisting of grooved frames and panels whose edge portions are
received in the grooves of the frames.
The known luggage of the afore-described type, as disclosed, for
example, in German Utility Model 1,960,380, filed on Feb. 20, 1967,
and the corresponding British Pat. No. 1,147,916, has been used
successfully heretofore. The panels are adhesively secured in the
grooves of the frames, and such difficulties as were encountered
with such luggage are due to failure of the adhesive bond at the
interface with the metallic frame surfaces. The normally employed
rubber or polyvinyl alcohol latex adhesives form bonds of limited
strength with the light metal. Thermoplastic adhesives also have
been used, and have been found to soften sufficiently to flow from
the grooves when the luggage is exposed to high temperatures.
Epoxy-resin adhesives, while not subject to the shortcomings
outlined above, are not conveniently used in this application.
The primary object of this invention is an improved bond between
the adhesive layer and the metal of the frames which does not rely
on adhesive material of any specific composition, but is effective
regardless of the type of adhesive employed.
With this object and others in view, as will hereinafter become
apparent, the invention, in its more specific aspects, resides in a
piece of luggage which has a body portion, a cover portion, and a
sealing arrangement which releasably seals the cover portion to the
body portion, and particularly seals the cover portion to one of
the two frames of the body portion, hereinafter referred to as the
body rim frame, the other frame being the bottom frame. The bottom
panel has an edge portion received in a groove in the inner
circumference of the bottom frame. The body rim frame is offset
from the bottom frame transversely of the bottom panel, and both
frames are formed with respective second grooves open toward each
other, in which respective edge portions of a body side panel are
received.
The cover portion includes a top frame and a top panel whose edge
portion is received in a third groove which extends in the inner
circumference of the top frame.
The first-mentioned groove and the second and third grooves
respectively define first, second, and third planes. The first and
third planes are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the
second plane in the closed condition of the piece of luggage. Each
of the grooves is bounded transversely of the associated plane by
two opposite faces of the corresponding frame, and at least one of
the two opposite faces is formed with respective pluralities of
alternating projections and recesses.
When a layer of adhesive is interposed between the irregularly
shaped face of the frame and the edge portion of a panel received
in the groove, the adhesive is mechanically interlocked with the
face and also prevented from flowing out of the groove when
softened by heat, particularly when the projections are ribs
parallel to the open side of the groove.
Other features and the attendant advantages of this invention will
be appreciated more fully as the invention becomes better
understood by reference to the following detailed description of
preferred embodiments when considered in connection with the
appended drawing in which:
FIG. 1 shows a suitcase of the invention in fragmentary elevational
section; and
FIG. 2 shows a modification of the suitcase of FIG. 1 in a
corresponding view.
Referring now to FIG. 1 in more detail, there is shown only as much
of a suitcase as is needed for an understanding of the invention.
The elements ommited include all hardware, such as hinges, latches,
and locks, and the section illustrated is representative also of
all other elevational sections of the piece of luggage shown in
FIG. 1.
The suitcase has three rectangular frames 1, 2, 3 of extruded
aluminum. The bottom frame 1 has the cross-sectional shape of two
letters J integrally connected at right angles to each other so
that two longitudinal grooves 11, 12 in the frame 1 are open in two
directions offset 90.degree. from each other. The groove 11 extends
in the inner circumference of the frame 1 and defines the bottom
plane of the suitcase in the illustrated position of the same.
The side walls 18, 19 of the grooves 11, 12 located on the inside
of the suitcase have longitudinal faces 13, 15 which bound the
grooves jointly with corresponding, opposite faces of the outer
side walls. The side walls 18, 19 project beyond the open sides of
the respective grooves 11, 12 and the associated opposite side
walls, and the inner faces 13, 15 in the grooves 11, 12 are
corrugated, the corrugations or ribs 14 being elongated
longitudinally of the walls 18, 19 and at right angles to the plane
of FIG. 1. The opposite outer faces of each groove are free from
corrugations.
The reduced edge portion of a rigid, wooden bottom panel 16 of the
suitcase body is received in the groove 11 with as little clearance
as is practical, and the narrow gaps between the bottom panel and
the walls of the groove 11 are filled with a layer of adhesive, not
explicitly shown in the drawing for the sake of clarity. The
adhesive also fills the recesses which alternate with the ribs 14.
Rivets 100, of which only one is seen in FIG. 1, pass through the
side wall 18 and the bottom panel 16 for further securing the
latter to the bottom frame 1.
The illustrated part of the suitcase body further includes an
upright wooden side panel 17 whose lower edge is adhesively
fastened in the groove 12 in the same manner as described with
reference to the groove 11. The top edge of the side panel 17 is
received in a groove 21 of the body rim frame 2, the grooves 13 and
21 being open toward each other and jointly defining the lateral
plane of the suitcase body in which the side panel 17 is
located.
The frame 2 is approximately U-shaped in cross section, and the
vertical walls of the groove 21 defined by the legs of the U-shape
are of equal width. The surface 23 of the inner wall carries ribs
14. A heavy sealing rib 24 projects upward from the bight portion
of the U-shape and terminates in a flat horizontal sealing face 25.
Adhesive, not explicitly shown, fastens the frame 2 to the side
panel 17.
The cover portion of the suitcase includes a top frame 3 having a
horizontally open groove 31 in its inner circumference. The wooden
top panel 32 of the cover portion is partly received in the groove
31 and adhesively fastened to the frame 3, as described with
reference to the bottom panel 16 and the bottom frame 1. The frame
3, as far as described so far, is J-shaped in cross section, the
longer leg 38' of the J-shape providing the inner wall 33 of the
groove 31 and being provided with longitudinal ribs 14 for better
anchorage of an adhesive film, not itself explicitly shown.
The hollow side panel of the suitcase cover is an integral part of
the frame 3 and depends from the bight portion of the J-shape. The
outer and inner aluminum layers 34, 35 of the side wall are
connected by spaced transverse stiffening members 36, 37, and the
latter, jointly with the free edge portions of the layers 34, 35,
bounds a downwardly open groove 38 in which a cylindrical sealing
string 50 of resilient material, such as rubber, is retained by
ribs 39 projecting into the groove 38 from the aluminum layers 34,
35. The aforedescribed sealing rib 24 is so dimensioned that it can
enter the groove 38 in the illustrated closed position of the
suitcase for sealing engagement between the face 25 and the rubber
string 50.
All wooden panels 16, 17, and 32 are provided with protective and
decorative outer skins 70 of adhesively fastened, softer polyvinyl
chloride composition, and all exposed aluminum surfaces of the
frames 1, 2, 3 are provided with coarse corrugations or ribs 60
elongated parallel to the bottom and top panels 16, 32, except for
planar outer surface portions 134, 135 on the aluminum layer 34
which are dimensioned for receiving identifying labels and bounded
by the corrugations or ribs 60 which protect the labels. The ribs
60 contribute to the stiffness of the frames, have a decorative
effect of their own, and reduce the detrimental effect of scratches
in the relatively soft aluminum surfaces on the appearance of the
suitcase. Such scratches cannot be avoided entirely by the
artificial oxide layer with which all exposed aluminum surfaces are
provided by anodizing in a conventional manner prior to assembly
with other elements of the suitcase.
The suitcase partly shown in FIG. 2 differs from that described
above with reference to FIG. 1 by the construction of its cover
portion which is assembled from a top frame 3' surrounding the top
wall 32, a cover rim frame 4, and a cover side panel 48.
The tope frame 3' has the double J-section described with reference
to the bottom frame 1 in FIG. 1, and the horizontally open groove
31 in the frame 3' receives an edge portion of the top panel 32, a
non-illustrated layer of adhesive being interposed between the top
wall 32 and the faces of the frame 3' in the groove 31, including a
ribbed surface 33 of the inner groove wall 38'.
The cover rim frame 4 is approximately H-shaped in cross section so
as to define an upwardly open groove 41 and a downwardly open
groove 46 separated by a heavy web 45. Edge portions of the cover
side panel 48 are received in the groove 41 and the downwardly open
groove of the top frame 3', and secured in the grooves by adhesive,
not illustrated, the bond between the adhesive and the metal being
enhanced by ribs 14 on the face 42 extending in the lateral plane
of the cover defined by the opposite grooves. The upright walls 43
and 44 of the cover rim frame 4 are of equal vertical width and
elongated at right angles to the plane of FIG. 2.
The groove 46 bounded by the web 45 and the depending portions of
the walls 43, 44 receives therein a sealing string 50 in the manner
described with reference to FIG. 1 for cooperation with the sealing
rib on the body rim frame 2, the string 50 being secured by
projecting ribs 39 on the walls 43, 44 of adequate hight to prevent
escape of the string in the relaxed condition of the latter while
permitting insertion of the resiliently deformed string.
It will be understood that the suitcase partly illustrated in FIG.
2 is identical with that described with reference to FIG. 1 as far
as not explicitly shown or described otherwise, and a description
of the common features will not be required for an understanding of
the modified suitcase.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure
relates only to preferred embodiments of the invention, and that it
is intended to cover all changes and modifications in the examples
of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure
which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the
appended claims.
* * * * *