SINGLE-PIECE, CENTERING LOCKING SYSTEM FOR FOLDING CASES

Subject of the Invention

The invention relates to a new, single-piece, centering locking system that can easily be assembled, which provides opening and locking of the folding side walls of folding cases used in carriage and storage purposes.

State of the Art

Containers that are referred to as cases are tools that are used frequently in daily life in storage and hauling. Stacking and moving large cases that are used to store food products, for example, is difficult and causes serious problems due to the large spaces needed. Thus, folding cases are replacing fixed cases today, making it more practical to use and store cases. Even though fixed cases are more durable than folding cases, they have disadvantages with regard to reuse due to difficulties in storage, thereby increasing costs. Thus, folding cases are increasingly preferred to fixed cases, which lead to their proliferation.

Today, folding cases generally have two short sides that connect to the case base via folding hinges thereby allowing the case to be folded. On the other hand, when the two long edges are in the open position, the short sides slide into the gaps between the long edges and thus form the open case with a rectangular form. In further detail, when the case is opened, the sidewalls latch onto each other and this structure is protected by a locking system to prevent it from being opened unintentionally when being used. The main difference in folding cases, which generally have the same folding principal, is at this latching mechanism. The safety and efficiency of operation of these cases is also directly provided by these locking systems and its robustness. Folding cases that do not have a strong locking system may be unintentionally opened due to exposure to excessive loads, leading to spillage of their contents. In addition, when the cases are stacked and hauled they might be subjected to impacts rendering their locking systems inoperable, thus leading to the unintentional opening of the cases. The locking system can prolong the economic life of the cases, in addition to providing safety with regard to the closure. A folding case that does not have a robust locking system can be unintentionally disassembled, split apart, or otherwise broken due to possible impacts on the sides. The lack of robustness and durability from the initial locking system designs were tried to be overcome by integrating a centralizing system into the state of the art later.

The first centralizing systems used in the state of the art are typically provided in sets of two or three, as seen in applications no. US7011225 and US2009/0101640, so that they are lined up in centralizing + lock or centralizing + lock + centralizing configurations. Later, as described in the patent application no. WO2008/094131, locking systems that included centralization and lock within a single system were developed. Even though locking systems have been made more compact by integrating the lock and centralization components in a single compact structure, there is still no locking system available in which the spring system and the locking system are integrated.

The invention that is the subject matter of this application is a single-piece centering locking system for folding cases, which contains within itself a spring system, which has the advantages of better centering and ease of assembly. This enhances the robustness of the lock, preventing it from impacts and prolonging its economic life, as well as decreasing the time required for assembly and thereby increasing the production speed and decreasing production costs. The contribution that the product would make to the state of the art is obvious.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention is about folding cases that are used for storage and hauling, which contains a new centralizing single-piece lock system that contains a spring (5) and that allows for the opening and locking in place of folding sidewalls, and folding cases in which this system can be used.

As can be seen in Figure 1 and Figure 2, the invention that is the subject matter of this application is a folding case, which contains short side (1), long side (2), moving body (3), locking pin (4), locking wall (8), holding recess (9), locking pin movement gap (10), locking bolt (14) ; characterized in that it contains a locking system which contains as its components: springs (5) that are fixed onto the short side (1) and located above the locking system, and that reinforces its centralization through their coordinated movement; fixation pin housing (12) located above the short side (1) and that allows for the springs (5) to be fixated in place; fixation pin (7) that is located at the tip of the springs (5) and that allows for the springs (5) to be fixated in place; centralizing pin housing (11) that is located on the short side (1) and that provides centralization; centralizing pin (6) that is located above the locking system and that provides centralization . As can be seen in Figure 3, when the locking system in the invention that is the subject matter of this application is not mounted on the case, it contains a moving body (3) that opens and closes the locking system, a locking pin (4) that merges with the locking wall (8) on the long side (2) of the case to allow for the closure of the case, springs (5) that are mounted on the lock system and that reinforce the centralization with their coordinated movement, fixation pin (7) that is located on the short side (1) of the case and that is placed in the fixation pin housing (12) to fix the springs

(5) on the short side (1) of the case, centralizing pin (6) that is placed in the centralizing pin housing (11) that is located on the short side (1) to provide centralization, centralizing pin (6) that is located between the centralizing pin housing gap (13) and moving body (3) and locking pin (4) and on which a locking bolt (14) is placed which contains the centralizing pin housing gap (13) and springs (5) at its lower and upper tips. As can be seen in Figure 4, when the short side(l) of the folding case that is in the structure of the invention that is the subject matter of this application is in the unmounted position, it contains locking pin movement gap (10) that provides the necessary space for the locking pin (4) to move up and down to lock and open during the opening process, centralizing pin housing (11) to which the centralizing pin

(6) which is located on the lock system and which provides centralization will be attached, and the fixation pin housing (12) to which the fixation pin (7) that is located on the lock system which helps fix the springs (5) to the short side (1) .

The springs (5) that are located on the lock system that are in the structure of the invention are comprised of 2 sets, upper spring set (5a) and lower spring set (5b) as can be seen in Figure 3. Each set includes at least two springs (5) that are located on the locking bolt (14) and that protrude either in the upward or downward direction. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the springs (5) that are located on the lock system have three stages of movement.

The locking procedure that opens and closes the case is characterized in that the moving body (3) is moved either in the upper or lower direction; depending on the direction of movement either the upper spring set (5a) or the lower spring set (5b) is compressed while the other set is stretched; the locking bolt (14) and the locking pin (4) moves in the same direction that is controlled by the springs (5); the case is closed due to the movement of the locking pin (4) in the locking pin movement gap (10) and its attachment to the locking wall (8), or is opened due to the movement of the locking pin (4) in the locking pin movement gap (10) and its detachment from the locking wall (8) thereby allowing for the short side (1) of the case to be folded open. Said locking procedure has three stages in the preferred embodiment of the invention and characterized in that the springs (5) are moved in a coordinated manner; when the moving body (3) is brought to the upper position the upper spring set (5a) is compressed and the lower spring set (5b) is stretched, when the moving body (3) is brought to the lower position the lower spring set (5b) is stretched and the upper spring set (5a) is stretched, and when the moving body (3) is brought to the middle position both the upper spring set (5a) and the lower spring set (5b) maintain their neutral position.

In the folding cases that are the subject matter of the invention, the centralized lock system that is the subject matter of the invention has a built-in spring (5) mechanism that allows for the opening and locking in position of sidewalls, when the coordinated movement of the springs (5) causes one of the upper spring set (5a) and lower spring set (5b) to be compressed and the other one to be stretched, thereby providing a support force to the centralization, and thus improves the durability of the lock and the case. In addition, the fact that the springs (5) are a part of the lock system makes assembly of the lock system easier. This, in turn, provides significant cost and speed advantages to users. As a result, the lock system and the folding cases that contain it offer a more durable and user-friendly product to the art .

Explanation of Figures

Figure 1: External view of the case with centralized single- piece lock system

Figure 2: Internal view of the case with centralized single- piece lock system

Figure 3: External view of the centralized single-piece lock system

Figure 4: View of the folding case before the mounting of the centralized single-piece lock system

Re erences

1. Short side

2. Long side

3. Moving body

4. Locking pin

5. Spring

5a . Upper spring set

5b. Lower spring set

6. Centralizing pin

7. Fixation pin

8. Locking wall

9. Holding recess 10. Locking pin movement gap

11. Centralizing pin housing

12. Fixation pin housing

13. Centralizing pin housing gap 1 . Locking bolt