Suit-Case.

The present invention relates to a travelling bag or suit-case, the wall of which consists of an inner stiff tray, an outer wear-proof skin and an intermediate layer ^" of foamed plastics.

Bags or cases are known, wherein a padding element of shock-absorbing and/or heat insulating material, e.g. rock-wool or cotton wadding, is glued to the inner layer of the wall prior to the application of the outer skin of plastic foil or leather, or is inserted as a pad between the layers previously welded together to form the inner and outer sides of the bag. The manufacture of these known bags or cases is time-consuming and difficult and involves a risk that the insulating, layer will get displaced betwee the surrounding layers, or that wrinkles will arise there¬ in either during the manufacture of the bag or case, or later. It is the object of the invention to avoid these drawbacks and to provide a shock-absorbing and insulating bag which may be manufactured in a fast, cheap and safe manner and, besides, during the manufacture of the wall is easily constructed with retaining mountings for tools, glass ampoules or other objects to be kept in a certain position, or with a strengthening layer or a wire mesh preventing or counteracting damages at attempts to cut the bag open.

The inventive bag is characteristic in that the intermediate layer of foamed plastics in the wall of the bag is a hard foam which is firmly compressed during foam¬ ing in and complete filling of the space between the tray and the skin, so that the outer skin of the wall is kept tightly stretched by the foamed material. Such a bag is easily manufactured by the thin flexible skin being ar¬ ranged on the outside of the tray secured to the upper edge thereof, a foaming agent, such as polyurethan foam or a

corresponding one or two-component material thereafter be¬ ing injected into the space between the tray and the skin in such an amount that when hardening it will stretch the outer skin and form a firmly compressed shock-absorbing padding. The pressure from the foamed plastic material stretches the outer skin evenly all over, and in this way • it is possible to manufacture bags which are particularly shock-absorbing and therefore very well suited, e.g. as medical bags and tool and instrument bags for transport- ation of delicate instruments.

According to the invention, the upper edge of the tray and the edge portion of the skin arranged around the side walls of the tray may be connected with each other by means of a frame formed in such a way that the pressure from the compressed plastic cooperates in keeping the frame firmly connected with the upper edge of the tray and the skin firmly connected with the frame. This results in a very solid and-durable bag, especially when in addition the frame is provided with holes engaged by deadheads of foam- ed plastics, these holes having been used for injection of foamed plastics material. The holes in the frame are easi¬ ly closed on the outside after the casting of the foam agent. A bag to be used as a medical case or as depository for instruments is easily constructed with holding means for the instruments when formed as stated in the character¬ izing clause of claim 4.

The bag or case according to the invention may furthermore be adapted, in a cheap and effective manner, as a burglary-secured case for transportation of banknotes, securities, coins or other articles of value. According to the invention, a mesh of metal wire may be cast in the layer of foamed plastics surrounding the interior of the case, so that it would be very difficult or impossible to cut through the case with a knife or saw. Moreover, such a mesh may constitute a cheap element of a system which in case of attempts at breaking the case open will eject a liquid which makes articles of value, e.g. banknotes, kept

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in the case worthless, seeing that such a dyeing system ma be adapted in a way so as to begin functioning when an electric igniter is activated by the wire mesh embedded in the foaming material if it is. hit by a knife at attempts t cut the case wall open.

The drawing shows a section through part of an em- • bodiment of the bag or case according to the invention. The bag or case as usually consists of a bottom portion and a cover portion or of two identical halves hinged to each other. The interior space of .each half is defined by a stiff box-shaped tray of hard plastic or possibly of metal. The tray 1 constitutes the inner layer of the wall of the case which on the outside is covered with a skin 2 of flexible tensile material, ^' such as plastic foil or leather. Between the inner layer 1 and the outer layer 2 of the wall firmly compressed hard foamed plast¬ ics 3 is cast by foaming in situ. The foamed plastics have a shock-absorbing and heat-insulating effect and keeps the layer 2 forming the skin of the case, tightly and smoothly stretched. The upper edge of the tray 1 and the skin 2 are connected to each other by a frame 5, and the pressure from the foamed plastics 3 cooperates in keeping the inner layer 1 as well as the outer layer .2 in firm connection with the frame 5. The bag or case according to the invention is easi¬ ly manufactured by arranging the skin 2 around the lower portion of the tray 1, the edge portion of the skin 2 be¬ ing secured to the lower portion 10 of the mounting 5, e.g. by glueing or nailing, and the upper edge of the tray 1 be¬ ing secured to the mounting 5 in any suitable manner, e.g. by clamps, adhesive tape or by glueing. The tray 1 with the surrounding skin 2 is placed in a mould 4, in the draw¬ ing indicated by dotted lines, and a two-component foaming material 3 is injected through holes in the skin 2, the tray 1 or the frame 5. When foaming the material, the flex¬ ible skin 2 is pressed tightly and smoothly against the inner side of the mould 4. The appearing outer contour of

the bag or case is maintained when the foamed plastics hav hardened as a firm shock-absorbing and insulating sub¬ stance. The pressure in the_ foamed plastics 3 moreover co¬ operates in keeping the skin 2 firmly against the frame portion 10, in keeping this portion 10 and the remaining portion of the frame 5 together, and in keeping the frame 5 in firm connection with the tray 1. Through-going holes 6 in the frame 5 may further contribute to retain the frame on the bag by means of the deadheads formed at the holes. The holes 6 and other casting and overflow holes if any, are closed on the outside after the casting. Mountings 1 to hold tools or instruments are. securely maintained in position by discs 8 screwed on the outer side of the tray 1, said discs being pressed firmly against the tray by the foamed plastics 3.

In the embodiment shown, a fine-meshed network 9 of metal wire is embedded in the foamed plastics 3 to pre¬ vent cutting in the wall of the case and, as referred to, may be connected to an electric ignition mechanism act- ivating a system which makes the contents of the bag or case worthless at attempts to break the bag open.

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