Portable display case

Abstract

A portable display case including a pair of containers detachably connected together, each container having a compartmented body portion and a hinged cover adapted to be folded to a substantially horizontal position for supporting the compartmented portion in an inclined position, whereby goods contained in the compartmented portion may be displayed.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It has long been known in the art to provide portable display cases wherein the contents thereof can be readily displayed or covered when desired. Some display cases have included structural arrangements such as removable covers and compartmented portions supported by a base for displaying the contents; while others have included a cover hingedly connected to the compartmented portion whereby the contents may be displayed from the compartmented portion, or removed therefrom and positioned between the opened cover and the compartmented portion.

While these prior known portable display cases have been satisfactory for their intended purpose, they have been characterized by certain disadvantages particularly in the extensive manipulation of the container components and/or contents to adequately display the contents. Their design also placed a limit on the capacity of goods which could be carried at any one time.

To overcome the disadvantages experienced with hitherto employed portable display cases, the case of the present invention has been devised which comprises, essentially, a pair of containers detachably connected together, each container having a compartmented portion and a hinged cover adapted to be folded to a substantially horizontal position for supporting the compartmented portion in an inclined position in a vertical plane, whereby goods contained in the compartmented portion may be displayed. By the construction and arrangement of the display case of the present invention, the capacity of the display case is increased as compared to prior portable display cases, and each container of the case can be readily erected to display the contents of the container with very little manipulation of the case, and requiring no handling of the contents therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the portable display case in the carrying position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the case showing the containers in the process of being connected to each other;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the containers having its cover partially open;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 3 in the display position;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of one of the containers, in the closed position; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of one of the containers, in the display position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the portable display case 1 comprises, a pair of rectangular containers 2 and 3 adapted to be detachably connected in face-to-face relationship. Each container includes a body portion 2a, 3a, and a cover portion 2b, 3b hingedly connected to the side walls of the body portion as at 2c, 3c. Each container is provided with a front wall portion 2d, 3d integrally formed with the side of the body portion in the vicinity of the hinge connection, and spaced parallel to the bottom wall of the body portion. Wall portion 3d of container 3 is provided with a pair of spaced lugs 3e adapted to be received in correspondingly spaced keyhole slots 2e provided in wall portion 2d of container 2. To hold the containers in assembled position when the lugs have been inserted into the keyhole slots, container 3 is provided with an expandable jaw latch 3f insertable into a keeper loop 2f provided on container 2. To connect the containers to each other, they are moved in the direction of the arrows as shown in FIG. 2, whereby the lugs 3e are inserted into keyhole slots 2e and the latch 3f snappingly engages the keeper loop 2f as shown in FIG. 1. To disconnect the containers from each other, the jaws of the latch 3f are squeezed together to release the latch from the keeper loop 2f and the lugs 3e are then removed from the keyhole slots 2e.

After the cases have been disconnected from each other, the contents thereof can be displayed, as will be seen in FIGS. 4 and 6. To erect the display container, the cover 3b is folded back approximately 285.degree. until the edge 3g of the cover abuts the bottom wall of the container body portion 3a. The open side of the cover is then used as a base which can be placed upon a horizontal support surface 4 so that the compartmented display area 3h is supported in a stable position inclined at an angle of approximately 15.degree. from the vertical.

With the two containers 2 and 3 thus erected, the goods contained therein are in a position for visual examination and are readily accessible for selection.

While the portable display case of the present invention can be employed for displaying various types of goods, it was devised primarily for storing, displaying and transporting identified chips and swatches of the various families of plastics, and reinforcing materials used in plastics fabrication together with test solvents, cements, adhesives, mixing plates, and utensils for mixing an application, to be used as an education aid in schools, industry and commerce.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A portable display case comprising a pair of containers having substantially flat face portions, each container including a body portion having a display area and a cover portion hingedly connected to the said body portion having bottom, side and end walls and a front wall portion formed integrally with the side walls and one end wall of said body portion, said front wall portion being parallel to and spaced from the bottom wall of the body portion, and releasable connector means interposed said front wall portions for connecting the containers in abutting face-to-face relationship.

2. A portable display case according to claim 1, wherein the connector means comprises a pair of spaced lugs extending outwardly from the front wall portion of one container, and a pair of correspondingly spaced keyhole slots formed in the front wall portion of the other container, and adapted to receive said lugs.

3. A portable display case according to claim 1, wherein latch means are interposed said containers for holding the containers in the connected face-to-face relationship.

4. A portable display case according to claim 3, wherein the latch means comprises a pair of expandable jaw elements connected to one container, and a keeper loop carried by the other container, and adapted to receive said expandable jaw elements.

5. A portable display case according to claim 1, wherein the cover is provided with an edge portion disposed in proximity to the hinge connection and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, whereby when the cover is folded to the body supporting position, the edge abuts the bottom walls of the container body portion.

6. A portable display case according to claim 6, wherein the cover is foldable through an angle of approximately 285.degree., and the display area of the body portion is inclined at an angle of approximately 15.degree. from the vertical.