Patent Application
20160166024
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a case, and more particularly to a luggage case structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The existing luggage cases are generally divided into soft cases and hard cases. Hard cases have better ability to resist deformation and therefore win more market share. In order to reduce the weight of the hard case, as shown in
The first frame 12 is relatively narrow and disposed around the periphery of the chamber 116 of the front shell 11 of the luggage case 10, and the second frame 13 is relatively wider in cross section than the first frame 12 and has one side disposed around the peripheral edge of the chamber 116 of the rear shell 11 and has another side connected to the first frame 12. On the outer surface of the second frame 13 are disposed two handles 15.
It is to be noted that carbon fiber product is made by solidifying carbon fibers with resin. Carbon fiber might be light weight but has directionality. Therefore, carbon product has relatively high tensile strength but is susceptible to crack, and the carbon fiber product is particularly weak at the folding portion. Hence, the structural strength of the luggage case 10 is weak at the folding portion where the four lateral boards 112, 113, 114, 115 are connected to the bottom 111, and at the corners of the chamber 116. The corners of the chamber 116 can be strengthened by the first and second frames 12, 13 which are made of metal. However, the structural strength of the shells 11 will become nonuniform. Once the lateral boards are subjected to an impact force, the stress is likely to be transmitted to the folding portion of the shells 11, causing damage to the luggage case.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a luggage case structure, wherein the aluminum alloy frames extends in depth to the bottom of the two shells to form the four lateral surfaces of the two shells, which solves the problem of structure strength difference between the bottom of the shells of the convention luggage case and the lateral boards. Besides, the carbon fiber is formed into two-dimensional flat boards instead of a three-dimensional structure, which not only makes manufacturing easier, but also enhances the structural strength while reducing weight.
To achieve the above objective, a luggage case structure is formed by two shells, and each of the shells comprises: a frame made of aluminum alloy and including four lateral surfaces connected to one another by four round angles, each of the lateral surfaces including a flat portion, an arc-shaped portion extending from the flat portion, and a flat flange extending from the arc-shaped portion, the four flat portions being connected to one another by the four round angles to define a chamber, and the four flat flanges being connected by the four round angles to define an opening, so that the chamber and the opening are located at two sides of the first frame; a board made of carbon fibers and including a peripheral edge disposed in the frame to abut against the flat flanges; and a plurality of fasteners inserted through the flat flanges and a periphery edge of the board to fix the board to the frame.
Preferably, the board includes an outer surface and an opposite inner surface, the peripheral edge of the board is provided with an arc-shaped protruding surface which is formed to fit the shape of the arc-shaped portion of the board and located on the outer surface, the outer surface of the board comes into contact with the flat flange of the frame, and the arc-shaped portion of the frame is abutted against the arc-shaped protruding surface of the board.
Preferably, the first frame shrinks around the opening to form a connecting portion, and around the connecting portion is an annular groove; the second frame is provided an annular flange around an inner edge of the opening, and the annular flange includes a terminal edge; the first and second shells are clamped against each other, in such a manner that the terminal edge of the annular flange of the second frame is disposed in the annular groove of the connecting portion of the first frame.
The inner edge of the opening of the second frame and the annular flange define an annular engaging groove for insertion of a waterproof rubber piece.
Preferably, the flat flange of the frame and the peripheral edge of the board are provided a plurality of holes for insertion of the fasteners.
The present invention will be clearer from the following description when viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to
The first frame 20 is made of aluminum alloy and includes four lateral surfaces 201 which are connected to one another by four round angles 202. Each of the lateral surfaces 201 includes a flat portion 21, an arc-shaped portion 22 extending from the flat portion 21, and a flat flange 23 extending from the arc-shaped portion 22. The four flat portions 21 are connected to one another by the four round angles 202 to define a chamber 24, and the four flat flanges 23 are connected by the four round angles 202 to define an opening 25, so that the chamber 24 and the opening 25 are located at two sides of the first frame 20. In this embodiment, as shown in
The second frame 30 is made of aluminum alloy and includes four lateral surfaces 301 connected to one another by four round angles 302. Each of the lateral surfaces 301 includes a flat portion 31, an arc-shaped portion 32 extending from the flat portion 31, and a flat flange 33 extending from the arc-shaped portion 32. The four flat portions 31 of the four lateral surfaces 301 are connected by the four round angles 302 to define a chamber 34, and the flat flanges 33 are connected by the four round angles 302 to define an opening 35, so that the chamber 34 and the opening 35 are located at two sides of the second frame 30. In this embodiment, as shown in
The first board 40 is made of carbon fibers and includes a peripheral edge 41 disposed in the first frame 20 to abut against the flat flanges 23. The peripheral edge 41 is provided with a plurality of holes 411 aligned with the holes 231 of the first frame 20 for insertion of the fasteners 60, so as to fix the first board 40 to the first frame 20. In this embodiment, as shown in
The second board 50 is made of carbon fibers and includes a peripheral edge 51 disposed in the second frame 30 to abut against the flat flanges 23. The peripheral edge 51 is provided with a plurality of holes 511 aligned with the holes 331 of the second frame 30 for insertion of the fasteners 60, so as to fix the second board 50 to the second frame 30. In this embodiment, as shown in
The first and second shells A and B are clamped against each other, in such a manner that the terminal edge 361 of the annular flange 36 of the second frame 30 is disposed in the annular groove 261 of the connecting portion 26 of the first frame 20. In this embodiment, as shown in
The first and second shells A and B can be connected by any possible means, in addition to the abovementioned method.
Referring then to
The aluminum alloy first and second frames 20, 30 extends in depth to the bottom of the two shells A and B to form the four lateral surfaces of the two shells A and B, which solves the problem of structure strength difference between the bottom of the shells of the convention luggage case and the lateral boards. Besides, the carbon fiber is formed into two-dimensional flat boards 40, 50 instead of a three-dimensional structure, which not only makes manufacturing easier, but also enhances the structural strength while reducing weight.
Referring then to
Referring then to
While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
