GB2323887A - A lock for a luggage case - Google Patents

Abstract

A lock for a luggage case has a back plate 2, a side wall 5 provided with a slot 7 therethrough, a pop lever 8 disposed over a limb 3 of the back plate, and an angular slider 24. One end of the pop lever 8 is pivoted on the back plate. The pop lever is biassed by spring 20, and it releasably engages the angular slider so that a locking tip 21 fits into a locking element 50, which engages through slot 7 from the other part of the case, to securely clamp the case in a closed state. When the angular slider and pop lever are mutually disengaged, the pop lever pops open, and the case can be opened.

Description

A CLOSURE FOR A LUGGAGE CASE This invention relates to a closure for a luggage case.

The term luggage case wherever used in this specification includes for example suitcase, briefcase or vanity case. It is particularly, though not exclusively, applicable in this invention to a hardsided luggage case.

A closure generally used on a luggage case consists of a back plate, a front plate and a toggle link mechanism disposed therebetween, riveted thereon and stretched by a tension spring. The back plate is rigidly mounted at the front of the lower portion of the luggage case or at the front of a bottom frame rigidly fixed to that lower portion. The front plate is provided with a locking tip at its inner surface and a cover over its outer surface. In the locked position of the luggage case the front plate closes on the back plate and the locking tip engages in a slot provided in a locking strip projecting down from the lid of the case. The tension spring biases the front plate through the toggle link mechanism. If the luggage case happens to fall down or happens to be hit accidentally in the closed position of the closure the tension spring will tend to expand under the impact and may force out the front plate, thereby disengaging the locking tip from the slot in the locking strip and opening the lock. Therefore, the closure is not very reliable or safe. In order to prevent such accidental opening of the closure, a torsion spring stressed latch is provided with the closure. The latch is riveted on the cover and the torsion spring bears against both the front plate and latch. The distal end of the latch is provided with a hook which protrudes through a slot in the bottom frame. In the closed position of the closure the torsion spring stresses both the cover and the latch which clamps against the frame. On pressing the latch against the torsion spring, the latch disengages from the bottom frame. The front plate is then pulled out when the locking tip disengages from the slot in the locking strip and opens the lock.

During outward movement of the front plate the tension spring and torsion spring expand. In the open position of the lock the toggle mechanism, tension spring, latch and torsion spring are exposed. This does not give a good aesthetic appearance and is not desirable.

Besides, in order to close the closure, effort is required to apply sufficient force on the front plate to compress both the tension spring and torsion spring.

In the closed position of the closure the locking tip is loosely engaged in the slot of the locking strip.

There is, therefore, play between the locking tip and locking strip and the top lid is not tightly held to the bottom lid. This gives a feeling of the luggage case being improperly locked.

Another closure generally used on a luggage case consists of a stationary hook cover rigidly fixed at the front inside of the lid thereof and a spring stressed slider hook provided at the front inside of the lower portion adapted to slide into the stationary hook cover in locking engagement therewith. Due to the sliding engagement of the slider hook against the stationary hook cover there is play between the two and the top lid is not tightly held onto the bottom lid in the locked position of the luggage case. This gives a feeling of the luggage case being improperly locked.

In the unlocked position the slider hook lies adjacent to the stationary hook cover. The lid may sag if there is excess load, in which case the stationary hook cover moves down with the lid and the slider hook slides into the stationary hook cover in locking engagement therewith thereby accidentally locking the luggage case. Therefore the closure is not very reliable or secure. Besides the slider obstructs access into the lower portion and may also cause injury.

An object of the invention is to provide a closure for a luggage case which is reliable and secure and gives good aesthetic appearance, and is simple in construction and easy to assemble and disassemble.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure for a luggage case which is operated easily, conveniently and effortlessly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure for a luggage case which holds the lid and lower portion securely in the locked position.

According to an embodiment of the invention there is provided a closure to be rigidly fixed to a corner of one part of a luggage case. The closure has a back plate, with a projection from a side of said back plate and provided with a slot therethrough. A pop lever is disposed over one limb of the angular back plate, an end being pivoted on the back plate. A spring resiliently urges the lever pivotally away from that limb. The pop lever is provided with a locking tip in alignment with the slot in said projection so as to be engageable with a locking element from another part of the case passing through that slot when the lever is pivotally towards the limb. The pop lever is further provided with engagement means for releasably engaging an angular slider, said angular slider being located at the corner on the back plate for guided sliding movement. The angular slider is provided with engagement means on a limb thereof adapted to cooperate with the engagement means on the pop lever to hold the pop lever in its position towards the limb. A spring urges the slider towards that engagement, and depression of the slider against the spring releases that engagement means.

The invention includes a case, especially a hard shell case, equipped with one or more of the closures.

The following is a detailed description of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the embodiment of a closure for a luggage case fully closed; Figure 2 is an exploded view of the closure of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front view of the closure of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a section along AA in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a section along BB in Figure 3; Figure 6 is an enlarged scrap back perspective view of the closure of Figure 1; Figure 7 is a partial front corner perspective of a suitcase fitted with the closure of Figure 1; and Figure 8 is a partial perspective view of part of the assembly of Figure 7.

Referring to Figures 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawings, the closure 1 includes an angled back plate 2 comprising limbs 3 and 4 and a pair of sidewalls 5 and 6 projecting out therefrom. The upper side wall 5 is provided with a slot 7 therethrough. A pop lever 8 is disposed over one limb 3 of the back plate 2. One end of the pop lever is provided with a pair of projections 9 on its inner surface having holes 10 formed therein (only one of the projections 9 and corresponding hole 10 is seen in Figure 2). Corresponding protrusions 11 and 12 are provided on the one limb 3 of the back plate 2 with holes 13 and 14 formed therein. Holes 15 and 16 are formed in the sidewalls 5 and 6. The projections 9 of the pop lever are disposed over the protrusions 11 and 12 and the pop lever is pivoted on the protrusions 11 and 12 by running a pin 17 through holes 15, 10, 13, 14, 10 and 16 in sidewall 5, one projection 9, protrusion 11, protrusion 12, other projection 9 and sidewall 6, respectively. Bosses 18 and 19 are provided on one limb 3 of the back plate and pop lever inner surface respectively. The pop lever is stressed by compression spring 20 located on the bosses 18 and 19 between the one limb 3 of the back plate and the pop lever. The pop lever is provided with a locking tip 21 at the inner surface thereof in alignment below slot 7 in the upper sidewall 5. A flat spring 22 is located on the locking tip 21 and has a bulge 22A (Figure 6).

The pop lever is further provided with a hook 23 on the inner surface of the end of the lever 8 distal from the pivot formed by the pin 17. An angular slider 24 comprising limbs 25 and 26 is slidably located at a corner of the back plate 2. A rib 27 across the one limb 3 of the back plate has a slot 28 and a projection 29. A tenon 30 is provided on one limb 25 of the angular slider and engages in the slot 28 in the rib 27 to guide the sliding movement of the angular slider. A compression spring 31 is located over the projection 29 against the one limb 25 of the angular slider. There is a slot 32 through the one limb 25 of the angular slider. A pin 35 passes through holes 33 and 34 provided in the sidewalls 5 and 6, respectively and through slot 32 to limit the sliding movement of the angular slider. There is a hook 36 provided on the one limb 25 of the angular slider and a button 37 on the other limb 26. A cover plate 38 for the angular slider is provided with an aperture 39 exposing the press button 37. A boss 40 on the cover plate at the inner surface thereof is provided with a threaded hole (not shown). A hole 41 and open slot 42 are provided in the back plate at respective ends thereof. A clamping strip 43 has a boss 44 on its inner surface which is provided with a hole (not shown). The clamping strip 43 is located over hole 41 at one end of the back plate adjacent to the pop lever 8 with the boss 44 running through the hole 41. One end of the lock corresponding to hole 41 of the back plate is rigidly fixed at a front corner of a bottom frame 45 (Figure 7) rigidly fixed to lower portion 46 of a suitcase 47 by securing a screw through a hole in the bottom frame 45 and into the hole in the boss 44 in the clamping strip 43. The other end of the lock is rigidly fixed to the bottom frame 45 by securing a screw through a hole in the bottom frame and through open slot 42 at the other end of the back plate into the hole in the boss 40. The cover plate is also thus rigidly fixed to the other limb 4 of the back plate. A top frame 48 is rigidly fixed to the lid 49 of the suitcase, which is provided with a locking strip 50 projecting therefrom. The locking strip is provided with a slot 51. When the lid of the suitcase is closed against the lower portion, the locking strip 50 enters the slot 7 in the upper sidewall 5 of the angular back plate and lies parallel to the back plate. On closing the pop lever against the limb 3 of the back plate the locking tip 21 enters the slot 51 in locking strip 50 along with the flat spring 22 and locks the top lid of the suitcase to the bottom lid thereof. The bulge 22A of the flat spring 22 tends to flatten against the locking strip and stresses the locking strip against the locking tip.

Therefore, there is no play between the locking tip and locking strip and the locking strip is tightly held onto the locking tip. The lid is thus tightly held to the bottom portion of the suitcase in the closed position thereof. Simultaneously the hook 23 of the pop lever slides over and engages against the hook 36 of the angular slider and clamps the pop lever onto the angular slider. If the suitcase happens to fall down or happens to be hit accidentally such that the angular slider would tend to be urged outwardly, the hook 23 and pin 35 will prevent it from moving out with the result that the pop lever continues to be clamped to the angular slider, thereby preventing accidental opening of the pop lever. When the angular slider is pushed in, the spring 31 is compressed and the hook 36 disengages from the hook 23 with the result that the pop lever opens out about the pivot pin 17 under expansion of spring 20 along with the locking tip, thereby opening the lock. On releasing the angular slider it slides back to its original position under the urging of the spring 31. Unless the angular slider is intentionally pushed in, the pop lever will not move out and open the closure. Thus the closure is reliable and secure. In the open position of the closure only the pop lever pops out. Effort required to push in the pop lever against compression spring 20 and to push in the angular slider against the compression spring 31 is comparatively small. Therefore, the closure may be operated comparatively easily, conveniently and effortlessly. It gives a good aesthetic appearance, especially in the open position thereof. It is simple in construction, easy to assemble and disassemble and also easy to fix on and remove from the luggage case.

The angular back plate and cover plate may be of different construction, geometry or profile. The pop lever including the locking tip and first hook may be of a different construction, geometry or profile.

The angular slider including the push button and hook may be of a different construction, geometry or profile. A specific button such as 37 is optional in which case the limb 26 of the angular slider is pressed to open the lock. Instead of tenon 30 and slot 28, other means such as a T-section or I-section may be used to guide the angular slider.

Claims (10)

1. A closure to be rigidly fixed to a corner of one part of a luggage case and having a back plate; a projection from a side of said back plate and provided with a slot therethrough; a pop lever disposed over a limb of the back plate, an end of said pop lever being pivoted on the back plate; a spring resiliently urging the lever pivotally away from that limb, the pop lever being provided with a locking tip in alignment with the slot in said projection so as to be engageable with a locking element from another part of the case passing through that slot when the lever is pivotally towards the limb, the pop lever being further provided with engagement means for releasably engaging an angular slider, said angular slider being located at a corner on the back plate for guided sliding movement, the angular slider being provided with engagement means on a limb thereof adapted to cooperate with the engagement means on the pop lever to hold the lever in its position towards the limb; and a spring urging the slider towards that engagement, depression of the slider against the spring releasing that engagement.

2. A closure according to claim 1 wherein a leaf spring is located on the locking tip of the pop lever bulging convexly from the tip to engage a slot in the locking element without play.

3. A closure according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the engagement means on the pop lever includes a hook at the distal end inner surface thereof, and the engagement means on the angular slider also includes a hook.

4. A closure according to any of the preceding claims wherein a push button is provided on a second limb of the angular slider.

5. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said lock is adapted to be rigidly fixed at a front corner of a bottom frame rigidly fixed to the bottom portion of a luggage case.

6. A closure according to claim 5 wherein the angular slider is located on a side of the bottom frame at right angles to the front face of the frame.

7. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the direction of movement of the angular slider is parallel to the limb of the back plate over which the pop lever is disposed.

8. A closure for a luggage case substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

9. A case incorporating a closure according to any one of the preceding claims.

10. A luggage case having a closure according to any one of the preceding claims, with its locking element being fast with the other part of the case.