Field of Search:
190/41R,48,49,50,25,54 220/80,DIG.25 229/5.7
Claims:
What is claimed is
1. A luggage or carrying case comprising a body having spaced vertical side and end walls and a horizontal bottom all secured together and forming an open top, a closure flap for closing the open top when said closure flap is horizontally positioned over said open top, said closure flap being hingedly connected to one of said vertical side walls, each of said end walls being formed of a substantially rigid material and a sheathing secured thereto, said sheathing being flexible and having opposite side hinging flanges and a bottom flexible hinging flange which hinging flanges are integral with and are continuations of said sheathing and are hingedly bent to extend perpendicular to the plane of the end wall, said sheathing having no top flange, said side and bottom flexible hinging flanges being positioned adjacent the side and bottom walls so that the said flanges extend outwardly and the end wall is recessed or spaced inwardly thereof, an integrally formed channel strip frame formed of metal and substantially rigid and which is of generally U-shaped configuration in end view plan comprising spaced vertical sides connected by a bottom horizontal portion but with an open top, said channel strip also being U-shaped in transverse section with an outer leg and an inner leg and a connecting portion therebetween and extending over the side and bottom flanges and the end edges of the side and bottom walls and not extending over the top of the end walls, said channel strip having inwardly extending pointed ribs on one of said legs biting into the side flexible flanges to secure said end walls to the side and bottom walls without the use of any stitching or other fastening means and solely by the use of said integrally formed channel strip frame, said outer leg and connecting portion of said U-shaped channel strip being flat and each having a recessed flat central portion in the outer surface thereof, said top closure flap when horizontally positioned in closing position, positioned contiguous to and overlying the top free edges of the end walls, and a carrying handle secured to the top closure flap for carrying said case.
2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the recessed central portions of the channel strip are covered by a decorative strip adhesively secured thereto.
Description:
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One of the objects of this invention is to provide the opposite ends of a carrying case with a frame or edging formed of a substantially rigid material which serves to provide a protective edging at the sides and bottom of the case, which frame or protective edging is also ornamental to enhance the appearance of the case and which also reinforces and strengthens the case.
Another object of this invention is to provide a metal stripping secured to the opposite end edges of the case, which stripping provides a reinforcement and protective covering for the opposite end edges of the case, and wherein said stripping also serves as ornamentation. The advantage of this invention is that it may be readily applied at a minimum of labor cost.
Another object of this invention is to provide means readily applied to the opposite ends of a carrying case which reinforces the opposite end edges and prevents the end edges from becoming frayed, which normally occurs with unprotected edges.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the carrying case provided with the frame or edge molding secured to the opposite ends of the case.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view, broken away and partially in section, showing the frame or edge molding secured to the end edges of the case.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2 with the inner leg of the frame positioned before it is pressed inwardly.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 2 with the inner leg of the frame pressed inwardly to lock it to the flanges, and
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the end wall before it is secured to the side walls of the case.
The carrying or luggage case is known in the trade as a catalog case, although it will be understood that this invention is not limited specifically to this type of carrying case.
The body of the carrying case is generally designated by the numeral 10 and comprises a pair of spaced vertical side walls 12, a bottom 14, and a pair of spaced vertical end walls 16. The upper end of the case is formed to provide an open area bounded by the side and end walls, however, the upper open end is closed by means of a pair of overlapping closure flaps 18 and 20, each of said flaps being hingedly connected to the side walls 12 by means of the hinge members generally designated by the numeral 22. Said hinge members form the subject matter of another application. The flaps may also be hinged in any other manner to the body of the case. The closure flap 18 carries a handle 24 which extends through an opening 25 in the flap 20. Cooperating locking members 26 lock the two closure flaps together to close the case and to permit carrying of the case.
The inside of the side wall 12 is covered with a suitable lining sheet 12' adhesively secured thereto. The side walls 12 each have end edges 13. The body of the case or bag may be formed of any suitable sheet material, such as multi-ply plastic material or multi-ply leather material, or leather-like material or leather, or the body may be formed of single ply sheet material. Whether formed of multiple sheets or single ply, the body of the case is preferably substantially rigid.
The opposite end walls 16 of the case are each formed of a plastic inner sheathing designated by the numeral 28 which is provided with continuing hinged opposite side portions or flanges 30 and a continuing hinged bottom portion or flange 32, which flanges are adapted to be positioned to extend substantially perpendicular to the plane of the end walls when the end walls are secured to the side walls 12. The flanges 30 and 32 have end edges 33. The two side and bottom flanges 30 and 32 respectively are integral with the inner sheathing 28, with a groove 34 provided along the length of each of the sides and along the bottom to form the side and bottom hinge lines, whereby the two side flanges 30 and the bottom flange 32 may be bent outwardly, as best shown on the left side of FIG. 5, perpendicular to the plane of the end wall 16 when same is secured to the side walls and bottom to form the body of the case.
Secured to the sheathing 28 by suitable stitching 36 is a wall surface 38 formed of chip board or binder's board or a fiber body which may be covered by a vinyl material designated by the numeral 40, which is preferably adhesively secured to the chip board or binder's board wall surface 38. The vinyl covering 40 forms the outside covering for the end wall whereas the inner sheathing 28 forms the inside covering of the end wall. It will be seen that said backed chip board or binder board 38 is secured by the same stitching 36 to the plastic sheathing 28 so that the side and bottom edges of the backed chip board is positioned contiguous to the vertical and horizontal grooves 34 of the sheathing 28. Thus, when the side and bottom flanges 30 and 32 of the sheathing 28 of the end wall 16 are folded forwardly or outwardly they will be contiguous to the sides and bottom of the end wall.
A T-shaped rail 42 formed of plastic or like material is secured to the top edge of the end wall 16, with the stem portion of said railing positioned between the rear of the chip board 38 and the inside sheathing 28 and secured thereto by the stitching 36. This top railing 42 forms the top edge of the end wall 16.
The end walls 16 are secured to form the opposite ends of the case body 10 and the side and bottom flanges 30 and 32 of the end walls are positioned contiguous to the side walls 12 and bottom 14 adjacent the edges of the side and bottom walls. Said flanges 30 and 32 are stitched or otherwise permanently secured to the side walls 12 and bottom wall 14. As best seen in FIG. 2, the side and bottom flanges 30 and 32 respectively, extend outwardly of the plane of the end wall, therefore, the end wall 16 is recessed inwardly from the opposite end edges.
A trim, frame or edge molding which is generally U-shaped in plan, generally designated by the numeral 44, is adapted for securement to the edges of the case body. The trim or U-shaped frame 44 is an aluminum extrusion which is generally U or channel shaped in transverse section and comprises an outer leg 46, an inner leg 48 and a connecting portion or bight 50. The outer leg 46 extends generally perpendicular to the connecting portion 50 and the inner leg 48, as can best be seen in FIG. 3, before it is connected to the case body, inclines or slopes so that the widest portion is at the mouth of the channel strip with the narrowest portion at the connecting portion 50. The inner leg 48 adjacent the mouth of the channel strip is provided with spaced parallel pointed ribs 52. The inner leg 48 is also provided with a longitudinal groove 54 adjacent the connecting wall 50. The outer leg 46 is provided with a longitudinally extending channeled or recessed portion 56 and the connecting wall is similarly provided with a channeled or recessed portion 58. The recessed portions 56 and 58 may be covered by a vinyl strip 60 which is adhesively secured thereto to provide a contrasting color to that of the aluminum extruded strip 44. The aluminum extruded strip is preferably brass anodized whereas the vinyl inserts or stripping 60 is of a contrasting color which may be similar to the color of the side and end walls of the case to provide a decorative effect.
The frame 44 is made from an aluminum extruded strip which is bent to form a U-shape in plan, with the connecting portion mitered to permit the formation of the U-shape. The U-shaped frame 44 is positioned on the edges of the case so that the outer leg 46 of the molding strip extends over the outer edge of the side walls 12 as well as under the outer edge of the bottom 14, with the inner leg 48 extending against the forwardly extending side flanges 30 and bottom flange 32. The connecting portion 50 of the molding strip 44 extends over and covers the edges of the case. The U-shaped frame 44 is secured to said edges by having the inner leg 48 pressed inwardly by means of a proper tool, from the position shown in FIG. 3 to that of FIG. 4 so that the pointed ribs 52 will bite into the side and bottom flanges. When the inner leg is pressed inwardly to effect its locking engagement it assumes a substantially perpendicular position to the connecting wall 50 and it is substantially parallel to the outer leg. The molding thus completely enclosed the end edges of the case and provides a protective covering therefor so that irrespective of the use to which the case is put, the end edges of the case will not become frayed or the appearance thereof otherwise impaired or damaged. The U-shaped frame 44 will also form a support and reinforcement for the ends of the case to strengthen the body of the case. Thus, the trim also provides a protective and ornamental covering for the normally exposed end edges. The protective strips may be readily applied to the case, thus, a case may be protected and ornamented with a minimum of expense.