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Patent Searching and Data


Title:
A CONTAINER FOR PERSONAL ITEMS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2014/191707
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A container (2) for personal items, which container (2) comprises a body portion (4), a lid (6), a lock (8) for locking the lid (6) to the body portion (4), and a handle (10) for carrying the container (2), and the container (2) being such that a face part (12) of the lid (6) forms a first side of the container (2), a face part (14) of the body portion (4) forms a second and opposite side of the container (2), the lock (8) is mounted in the body portion (4), and the lock (8) is accessible for locking and unlocking through an aperture (16) in the face part of the lid (6).

Inventors:
POULTON ROBIN MICHAEL (GB)
GARDNER CARL ANDREW (GB)
THOMPSON ALLAN (GB)
Application Number:
PCT/GB2014/000191
Publication Date:
December 04, 2014
Filing Date:
May 16, 2014
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
CARBONARTZ LTD (GB)
International Classes:
A45C5/03; A45C13/10; E05B65/52
Foreign References:
GB2158417A1985-11-13
US4893851A1990-01-16
KR20020040118A2002-05-30
Other References:
None
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
JONES, Graham Henry (77 Beaconsfield RoadBlackheath,London, SE3 7LG, GB)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS

1. A container for personal items, which container comprises a body portion, a lid, a lock for locking the lid to the body portion, and a handle for carrying the container, and the container being such that a face part of the lid forms a first side of the container, a face part of the body portion forms a second and opposite side of the container, the lock is mounted in the body portion, and the lock is accessible for locking and unlocking through an aperture in the face part of the lid.

2. A container according to claim 1 in which the lock has a locking and unlocking formation which is positioned in the aperture.

3. A container according to claim 2 in which the locking and unlocking formation extends through the aperture.

4. A container according to claim 2 or claim 3 in which the locking and unlocking formation is a cylindrical formation.

5. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the lock is at least one of a key operated lock, a combination lock and an electronic lock.

6. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the handle is in an edge part of the body portion.

7. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the lid is hinged to the body portion.

8. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first and second sides of the container are rigid or non-rigid.

9. A container according to any one of the preceding claims and including a drop-down portion for acting as a work surface.

10. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the container is in the form of a briefcase, a travel case, a travel bag, a clutch bag, a handbag, a watch carry case, a musical instrument case, a toiletry bag, an airline luggage container, a car luggage container, a boat luggage container, a gun case, a drawing case, or a painting case.

Description:
A CONTAINER FOR PERSONAL ITEMS

This invention relates to a container and, more especially, this invention relates to a container for personal items. The container may be in the form of a briefcase, a travel case, a clutch bag, a handbag, or various other forms depending upon the personal items to be carried in the container.

Known containers for personal items comprise a body portion, a lid, a lock for locking the lid to the body portion, and a handle for carrying the container. The lock is usually positioned in an edge of the container. Often the lock is not conveniently accessible and/or is awkward to install and/or detracts from the appearance of the container.

It is an aim of the present invention to reduce the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a container for personal items, which container comprises a body portion, a lid, a lock for locking the lid to the body portion, and a handle for carrying the container, and the container being such that a face part of the lid forms a first side of the container, a face part of the body portion forms a second and opposite side of the container, the lock is mounted in the body portion, and the lock is accessible for locking and unlocking through an aperture in the face part of the lid. The container of the present invention is such that the lock remains in place in the body portion, with the lid opening around the lock. The lock is easily installed. The aperture in the face part of the lid is able to form an aesthetically attractive part of the container, enabling the container to be produced for various uses, but all with the aperture forming a recognisable brand feature.

The container may be one in which the lock has a locking and unlocking formation which is positioned in the aperture.

The locking and unlocking formation will usually extend through the aperture. The locking and unlocking formation can thus extend such that it is in the plane of the lid, or protrudes through the lid. Alternatively, if desired, the locking formation can be below the plane of the lid but still be accessible through the lid.

The locking and unlocking formation may be a cylindrical formation. Other shapes for the locking and unlocking formation may be employed.

The lock may be at least one of a key operated lock, a combination lock and an electronic lock. Other types of lock may be employed.

The handle will usually be in an edge part of the body portion. The handle may be placed elsewhere if desired.

The lid will usually be hinged to the body portion. Various types of hinges may be employed so that, for example, the hinges may be metallic or flexible material hinges. The flexible material hinges may be made from the same material as the material used for the remainder of the container. If desired, the lid may be arranged to be removable from the body portion.

The first and second sides of the container may be rigid or non-rigid, in dependence upon the precise type of container. Thus, for example, a travel case will usually have rigid sides, whereas a clutch bag or a handbag will usually have non-rigid sides.

The container may include a drop-down portion for acting as a work surface. The work surface will vary in size in dependence upon the size of the container. Thus, for example, with a relatively large container such as a briefcase, then the drop-down portion may act as a desk.

The container may be in the form of a briefcase, a travel case, a travel bag, a clutch bag, a handbag, a watch carry case, a musical instrument case, a toiletry bag, an airline luggage container, a car luggage container, a boat luggage container, a gun case, a drawing case or a painting case. The container may be in other forms for other uses if desired.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view from the front and one side of a container in an open condition;

Figure 2 is a side view of the container as shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a front view like Figure 1 but shows the container in a closed condition; Figure 4 is a top view of the container as shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side view of the container as shown in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a front view of the container as shown in Figure 3 and with a handle removed;

Figure 7 is a view like Figure 3 which shows a body portion only of the container;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the body portion of the container as shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is an end view of the body portion of the container as shown in Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a front view of the body portion of the container as shown in Figure 7;

Figure 11 is a perspective view from the front and the other side of the lid of the container as shown in Figure 3;

Figure 12 is a plan view of the lid as shown in Figure 11 ;

Figure 13 is an end view of the lid as shown in Figure 1 1 ; and

Figure 14 is a front view of the lid as shown in Figure 11.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a container 2 for personal items. The container 2 comprises a body portion 4, a lid 6, a lock 8 for locking the lid 6 to the body portion 4, and a handle 10 for carrying the container 2. The container 2 is such that a face part 12 of the lid 6 forms a first side of the container 2. A face part 14 of the body portion 4 forms a second and opposite side of the container 2.

The lock 6 is mounted in the body portion 4. The lock 6 is accessible for locking and unlocking through an aperture 16. The aperture 16 is in the face part 12 of the lid 6.

The lock 6 has a locking and unlocking formation 18 which is positioned in the aperture 16. The locking and unlocking formation 18 extends through the aperture 16.

The lock 8 has arm portions 20, 22 by which the lock 8 is mounted in the body portion 4. The arm portions 20, 22 may or may not be used to mount the handle 10 in position on the body portion 4.

The lock 8 is a key operated lock 8. The lock 8 may alternatively or additionally be a combination operated lock 8 or an electronic lock.

The handle 10 is in an edge part of the body portion 4. The lid 6 is hinged to the body portion 4 by one or more hinges (not shown).

The container 2 is in the form of a briefcase. The first and second sides of the container 2 formed by the face parts 12, 14 are rigid.

The container 2 is advantageous in that the lock 8 is always easily accessible through the aperture 16. The positioning of the lock 8 and especially the locking and unlocking formation 18 enables the lock 6 easily and securely to be installed in the body portion 4. The aperture 16 in the face part 12 of the lid 6 provides the container 2 with an easily recognisable feature which is able to be seen as a brand feature, and which thus enhances the commercial appeal of the container 2 when it forms part of a range of containers.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the container 2 has been shown as a briefcase but the container could alternatively be constructed as another type of case such for example as a travel case, a travel bag, a clutch bag, a handbag, a watch carry case, a musical instrument case, a toiletry bag, an airline luggage container, a car luggage container, a boat luggage container, a gun case, a drawing case, or a painting case. The container 2 may be made with flexible sides rather rigid sides, for example where the case is a clutch bag for male or female persons. The containers of the present invention may be made of any suitable and appropriate materials including those materials currently used for making known comparable types of containers. Thus, for example, the container may be made of leather, plastics materials, and composite materials. The aperture 16 may be of other shapes than that shown. The shape of the aperture 16 will usually be the same as the shape of the locking and unlocking formation 18, but it may be different. The aperture 16 and/or the locking and unlocking formation 18 may be provided with sealing means for providing a seal against the ingress of moisture in the event that the container 2 should be left in the rain. Individual components shown in the drawings are not limited to use in their drawings and they may be used in other drawings and in all aspects of the invention.