Suitcase structure

Details Suitcase structure Suitcase structure

2002-07-02

2003-11-25

Weaver, Sue A. (Department: 3727)

Trunks and hand-carried luggage

Trunks

Frames and interior braces

C190S01800A, C190S039000, C190S115000, C190S122000, C190S127000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06651792

ABSTRACT:

RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS
Not applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not applicable.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a suitcase, and more particularly to a reinforced shell of the suitcase.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is readily important that the shell of a suitcase must be strong in structure and light in weight. In order to enhance the structural strength of the conventional suitcase shell, the shell is provided with a reinforcing frame
50
, as shown in FIG.
7
. The reinforcing frame
50
of the prior art is made of a rigid plastic sheet by bending. The reinforcing frame
50
has a bottom portion
50
a
which is reinforced by a bottom plate
51
. The addition of the bottom plate
51
results in an increase in thickness and weight of the bottom portion
50
a
of the reinforcing frame
50
. However, the bottom portion
50
a
is susceptible to deformation by the weight of articles held in the interior of the suitcase in the event that the bottom portion
50
a
is devoid of the bottom plate
51
. It is readily conceivable that the deformed bottom portion
50
a
can seriously undermine the overall stability of the suitcase, thereby making the suitcase vulnerable to overturn.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a suitcase shell with a reinforcing frame which is free of the shortcoming of the prior art reinforcing frame described above. Accordingly, the reinforcing frame of the present invention is devoid of the bottom plate of the prior art reinforcing frame.
In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by a reinforcing frame comprising a bottom portion, a back portion, a top portion, and two side portions. The bottom portion, the back portion, the top portion, and the two side portions are all provided with means to fasten them together as an integral body. The present invention is characterized by the bottom portion, the back portion, and the top portion, which are provided with one or more reinforcing upturned flanges without increasing their thickness and weight.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4610333 (1986-09-01), Seynhaeve
patent: 4762211 (1988-08-01), Krenzel
patent: 5529156 (1996-06-01), Yang
patent: 5588569 (1996-12-01), Mitomi et al.
patent: 6119835 (2000-09-01), Lin
patent: 6148973 (2000-11-01), Chang
patent: 6220412 (2001-04-01), Lin
patent: 6260680 (2001-07-01), Lin
patent: 6443274 (2002-09-01), Klamm
patent: 2024612 (1980-01-01), None

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