EXPANDABLE CASE

Abstract: A case (10) comprising a substantially rigid central frame portion (20) defining at least one side-facing open edge and a plurality of substantially parallel rib-receiving tracks (28) substantially parallel to the open edge of the case; at least one movable side compartment (12, 14) defining a substantially rigid rib (16) extending peripherally therefrom and dimensioned for slidable engagement within said rib-receiving tracks and arranged for selectable engagement within any one of said rib-receiving tracks in such a way that none of the tracks is exposed outside the compartment; wherein said at least one side compartment is movable with respect to said central portion from one rib receiving track to another to obtain a desired volume.

Description: EXPANDABLE CASE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to hand luggage in general and, in particular, to expandable suitcases and the like. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Suitcases, briefcases, and other hand carried luggage are generally manufactured in a variety of sizes and volumes. Collapsible suitcases, wherein it is possible to remove one or more walls of the suitcase for convenience in transportation, are known. These suitcases may include walls which are retained in place by friction, or those retained within grooves defined in the outer frame. See, for example, GB 2,079,255A, US 3,748,358, and DE 26 15 447. These cases can all be collapsed, but none of them is adapted to be expanded beyond a single basic size, in case of need. There are also known briefcases having several walls folded in accordion folds which are capable of flattening out when the case is filled so as to increase the volume therein. These folds are a weak point of the case, the case not having a substantially rigid central portion for carrying objects. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a case which is readily expandable all around the perimeter to one of a number of different sizes, which is easy to assemble and expand, and inexpensive to manufacture. There is thus provided in accordance with the present invention a case including side walls and a central frame portion, and substantially rigid elements on the side walls adapted to engage substantially rigid complementary elements on the central frame portion, the side walls being adapted to move a predetermined distance relative to the central frame portion so as to expand the case to one of a plurality of substantially predetermined case sizes. There is further provided in accordance with the present invention an expandable case including at least one removable side end portion, the open edge of the removable side end portion defining a peripheral projecting rib, a bottom central portion defining along at least one side thereof a plurality of rib receiving tracks, and a top central portion defining along at least one side thereof a plurality of rib receiving tracks in registration with the tracks of the bottom central portion, the projecting rib being arranged for selectable seating in the rib receiving tracks of the ' top and bottom central portions. According to a preferred embodiment, the top central portion defines a flange arranged to overlap the bottom central portion in the assembled case. According to one embodiment, the non-removable side end portion includes hinge elements to which the bottom central portion is affixed and closure elements arranged to engage complementary closure elements on the top central portion. According to a preferred embodiment, the case includes two removable side end portions, each defining a peripheral projecting rib, the bottom central portion includes two portions coupled by hinge elements, each portion defining a plurality of rib engaging tracks along its non-hinged side, the case further comprising a second top central portion defining a plurality of rib engaging tracks along one side thereof, the first and second top central portions being provided with complementary closure elements on their sides which do not define tracks. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be further understood and appreciated from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a case constructed and operative in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figs. 2a and 2b are top views of the case of Fig. 1 in respective unexpanded and expanded orientations; Figs. 3a and 3b are side views of the case of Fig. 1 in respective unexpanded and expanded orientations; Figs. 4a and 4b are sectional views of the case of Fig. 1 in respective unexpanded and expanded orientations; Fig. 5 is a side view of a case with an alternate locking means; and Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the locking means shown in Fig. 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to briefcases, suitcases and other similar luggage which is expandable from its basic size to a plurality of greater volumes. The case comprises side walls and a central frame portion, and substantially rigid means on the side walls adapted to engage substantially rigid complementary means on the central frame portion, the side walls being adapted to move a predetermined distance relative to the central frame portion so as to expand the case to one of a plurality of substantially predetermined case sizes. The cases of the present invention may be substantially rigid all around. Alternatively, the side walls may be formed of vinyl, fabric or other conventional material, so long as the connecting elements are substantially rigid to provide a solid connection. The cases of the present invention may be provided with lining and inside pockets, as known in conventional cases. It will be appreciated that there are any number of designs of cases falling within the general invention. The invention will be described hereinbelow with reference to some specific embodiments. It will be appreciated however, that the invention is not limited thereto. With reference to Fig. 1, there is shown an exploded perspective view of a case 10 constructed and operative in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Case 10 comprises first and second side end portions 12 and 14. The open edges of side end portions 12 and 14 each define a peripheral projecting rib 16. Adjacent rib 16 is mounted locking means 18, which may comprise a plurality of screw holes and a reinforcement plate. Case 10 further comprises a bottom central portion 20. In the illustrated embodiment, bottom central portion 20 comprises two halves 22 and 24 joined by hinge means 26, as known. The interior of bottom central portions 22, 24 defines a plurality of rib receiving tracks 28. Any number of tracks 28 may be provided, the number of tracks defining the number of different stages of expansion possible. Each of tracks 28 defines locking means 29, such as screw holes and a reinforcing plate, arranged to be in registration with locking means 18, as described hereinbelow. Two top central portions 30 and 32 are also provided. Top central portions 30 and 32 define case closure elements 34 and a handle 36, as on conventional cases. The interior of top central portions 30 and 32 defines a plurality of rib receiving tracks 38. Rib receiving tracks 38 are arranged to be in registration with rib receiving tracks 28. Any number of tracks 38 may be provided, provided that there are the same number as are provided on bottom central portions 22 and 24. It will be appreciated that the case consisting of only one expandable side, as shown in Fib. 4b, is also within the present invention. In this case, the second, non-extendable, side end portion would be integrally formed with one of the top and bottom central portions, which would, therefore, require no rib receiving tracks. This integral side portion would include case closure elements and hinge means adapted to engage the tracked top and bottom central portions of the expandable part of the case. According to a preferred embodiment, top central portions 30 and 32 each define a flange 40 arranged to overlap the bottom central portion in the assembled case. Flange 40 serves to seal the case and prevent the entrance of rain water, etc. Operation of the case of the present invention is as follows, with additional reference to Figs. 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a and 4b. The case is constructed by sliding the projecting rib 16 of side end portion 12 into one of tracks 28 on the bottom central portion 22 and the rib 16 of side end portion 14 into one of tracks 28 on bottom central portion 24 and affixing them at 27. Top central portion 30 is then slid with the corresponding track 38 engaging rib 16 of side end portion 12, i.e., the track 38 which is complementary to track 28 of the bottom portion. Top central portion 32 is then slid likewise with the complementary track 38 engaging rib 16 of side end portion 14. The top portions are affixed to the side end portions at 31. The top and bottom central portions are now locked to the side end portions by any suitable locking means 18, such as nuts and bolts through screw holes, or any other means. According to a preferred embodiment of ' the invention, as seen in Figs. 4a and 4b, a metal reinforcing plate 15 is provided along the outer perimeter of the side end portions integral with the projecting rib 16. The suitcase produced in this manner can be opened and closed and filled as known with any conventional suitcase. When it is desired to expand or contract the suitcase, the same procedure is followed, however ribs 16 are moved into engagement with different tracks 28 and 38. In Fig. 5 there is illustrated a case 40 similar to that of Fig. 1 but having a different locking means 48. In this case the locking means are entirely outside of the interior case compartment. This locking means 48 will now be discussed with reference to Fig. 6. The top 30 and bottom 22 central portions on one side of the case with receiving tracks 38 and 28 (not seen in Fig. 6) respectively, h?τs mounted to them respectively interfitting tongue 50 and groove 52 locking elements. These elements 50 and 52 are fastened to the central portions 30 and 22 by rivets 54 or the like, or they could be integrally molded therewith. To lock the two — o — central portions 30, 22 in place, a pin 56 is pushed through hole 58 traversing both the tongue 50 and groove 52 elements. A recess 59 in the groove element 52 receives the pinhead 60 so that it does not protrude beyond the edge 62 of the central portion 22. Once the case is closed, the pinhead 60 and the entire side 62 are concealed and covered by the corresponding locking means (not shown) on the complementary hinged central portion. Yet another embodiment contemplated within this invention is a case wherein the side walls of the bottom central track receiving portions 22 and 24 (see Fig. 1 ) are continuous respectively with the side walls of the top central track receiving portions 30 and 32 and are hingedly connected to at least one of the corners of the top side of the central track receiving portions. The top of the central track receiving portion 30 may be comprised of two mating sections which can be locked together after the ribbed side end portions 12 and 1 are put in place. Alternatively, the top of the top central portion 30 may be one piece and the locking means can be at one of the corners of the central track receiving portions. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to what has been shown and described hereinabove by way of example. Rather, the scope of the invention is limited solely by the claims which follow.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A case comprising: a subtantially rigid central frame portion defining at least one side-facing open edge and a plurality of substantially parallel rib-receiving tracks substantially parallel to the open edge of the case; at least one movable side compartment defining a substantially rigid rib extending peripherally therefrom and dimensioned for slideble engagment within said rib-receiving tracks and arranged for selectable engagment within any one of said rib-receiving tracks in such a way that none of the tracks is exposed outside the compartment; wherein said at least one side compartment is movable with respect to said central portion from one rib receiving track to another to obtain a desired volume. 2. An expandable case having a volume, the case comprising: a bottom central portion defining an tipen side-facing edge along at least one side thereof with a plurality of substantially parallel rib receiving tracks parallel to said open side-facing edge; a top central portion defining an open side-facing edge along at least one side thereof with a plurality of substantially parallel rib receiving tracks parallel to said open side-facing edge in registration with the tracks of the bottom central portion; and at least one movable side compartment, an open edge of the movable side compartment defining a peripheral projecting rib dimensioned for slidable engagement in said rib receiving tracks of the top and bottom cnetral portions, wherein said at least one side compartment is movable with respect to said top and bottom central portions from one rib receiving track to another to obtain a desired volume. 3. A case according to claim 2, wherein said at least one movable side compartment comprises two movable side compartments, wherein said top central portion and said bottom central portion each define two open side-facing edges along opposite sides thereof and a plurality of rib receiving tracks substantially parallel to each of said open edges along both said edges, each of said side compartments defining a peripherally projecting rib dimensioned for slidable engagement in said tracks, one on either side of the top and bottom central portions; wherein the side compartments are movable with respect to one another from one rib receiving track to another to obtain a desired volume. 4. A case according to claim 2, and wherein said bottom central portion and said top central portion define said rib receiving tracks on said one side thereof, the other side of each merging into a non-movable side compartment. 5. A case according to claim 2 and wherein: the bottom central portion comprises two portions coupled by hinge elements, at least one of said portions defining said plurality of rib receiving tracks along its non-hinged side; and said top central portion consists of two portions couplable by complementary closure elements, at least one of said portions defining said plurality of rib receiving tracks along the side thereof not having a closure element. 6. A case according to claim 3 and wherein: the bottom central portion comprises two portions coupled by hinge elements, each portion defining said plurality of rib receiving tracks along its non-hinged side; and said top central portion consists of two portions, each portion defining the plurality of rib receiving tracks along one side thereof and being provided with complementary closure elements on their sides which do not define tracks. 7. A case according to any of claims 2-6 and wherein the top central portion defines a flange arranged to overlap the bottom central portion in the assembled case. 8. A case substantially as shown and described hereinabove or as illustrated in any of the drawings. AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 29 October 1992 (29.10.92); original claim 8 cancelled; other claims unchanged (1 page)] said top central portion consists of two portions, each portion defining the plurality of rib receiving tracks along one side thereof and being provided with complementary closure elements on their sides which do not define tracks, 7. A case according to any of claims 2-6 and wherein the top central portion defines a flange arranged to overlap the bottom central portion in the assembled case. SUBSTITUTE SHEET STATEMENTUNDERARTICLE19 Claim δ was indicated as being unsearchable because it incorporated the specification and drawings by reference. Accordingly, claim 8 has been canceled.

Inventors: NECHUSHTAN GABRIEL, NECHUSHTAN, GABRIEL
Applicants: THEE ALFRED, THEE, ALFRED
Application year: 1992
Main classification: A45C7
IPC codes: A45C7