Patent Publication Number: US-2006006035-A1

Title: Case with tab protector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a case, more particularly to a case including a tab protector.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a conventional case used to store clothes and other personal belongings includes a first shell  1 , a second shell  2 , and a slide fastener  3  interconnecting the first shell  1  and the second shell  2 . The slide fastener  3  includes a pair of tape parts  305  fixed to opposing peripheral areas of the first shell  1  and the second shell  2 , respectively. Interlocking elements  301  are provided on the tape parts  305 , and two sliders  302  are movably provided on the tape parts  305 . The sliders  302  operate to effect engaging and disengaging of the interlocking elements  301  on the tape parts  305 . Further, a pull tab  303  is pivoted to each of the sliders  302 . The pull tabs  303  are manipulated by a user to move the sliders  302 .  
      A padlock  4  is often used for security reasons, that is, to prevent undesired opening of the case. In the configuration shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an opening  304  is formed in a distal end of each of the pull tabs  303 , and the padlock  4  is hooked through the openings  304  to thereby secure the pull tabs  303  to each other.  
      A drawback of the above structure is that the padlock  4  and the pull tabs  303  are easily damaged during transport of the case. If the damage is significant, the padlock  4  may be difficult or impossible to open, and the pull tabs  303  may break loose from their connection to the sliders  302 .  
      In an alternative conventional configuration, with reference to  FIG. 3 , a combination lock  6  is fixedly mounted to a specific area of the first shell  1  in proximity to the slide fastener  3 . The combination lock  6  is adapted to receive the distal ends of the pull tabs  303  to lock onto or release the same. The combination lock  6  includes dials  602  that are manipulated by the user to release the locking mechanism of the combination lock  6 . Although such a configuration results in less damage to both the combination lock  6  and the pull tabs  303  (i.e., during transport of the case), the combination lock  6  is complicated in structure, and, as a result, is costly to produce.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a case that is used to store clothes and other personal belongings, that has a simple structure, and that can be manufactured at a relatively low cost. According to the present invention, a case comprises a first shell having a first peripheral portion, and a second shell having a second peripheral portion connected movably to the first peripheral portion of the first shell. A slide fastener interconnects the first and second shells. The slide fastener includes a pair of tape parts secured to the first and second peripheral portions of the first and second shells, respectively, interlocking elements provided on the tape parts, apair of slider elements movably provided on the tape parts and operable for engaging and disengaging the interlocking elements on the tape parts, and a pair of pull tabs pivoted to the slider elements, respectively.  
      The case further includes at least one tab protector having a pair of fixing end portions fixed to the first shell, and a holding portion that is disposed between the fixing end portions and that cooperates with the first shell to form a tab-insertion space. The tab-insertion space permits insertion of the pull tabs of the slide fastener therein. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional case having a padlock;  
       FIG. 2  is a magnified view of the encircled portion of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a fragmentary perspective view of another conventional case having a combination lock;  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a case including a tab protector according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a fragmentary perspective view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating pull tabs and a padlock when received in the tab protector; and  
       FIG. 6  is a fragmentary schematic view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating the pull tabs and the padlock when received in the tab protector. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a case according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a first shell  10 , a second shell  20 , a slide fastener  30 , a tab protector  40 , and a padlock  50 .  
      The first shell  10  has a first peripheral portion  10 ′, and the second shell  20  has a second peripheral portion  20 ′. The second peripheral portion  20 ′ of the second shell  20  is connected movably to the first peripheral portion  10 ′ of the first shell  10 . The first shell  10  further includes a side panel  11 , and a peripheral panel  12  extending from a periphery of the side panel  11  and formed with the first peripheral portion  10 ′. The peripheral panel  12  has a top portion  12 ′.  
      The slide fastener  30 , which is a known double-acting zipper in this embodiment, includes a pair of tape parts  34 . The tape parts  34  are secured to the first and second peripheral portions  10 ′,  20 ′ of the first and second shells  10 ,  20 , respectively. Interlocking elements  31  are provided on the tape parts  34 , and a pair of slider elements  32  is movably provided on the tape parts  34 . The slider elements  32  operate to engage and disengage the interlocking elements  31  on the tape parts  34 . The slide fastener  30  also includes a pair of pull tabs  33 , each of which is pivoted to a respective one of the slider elements  32 .  
      Each of the slider elements  32  includes a pair of locking rings  321  mounted at a predetermined distance from each other with center axes substantially aligned. Further, the locking rings  321  are mounted such that when the slider elements  32  are operated to close the slide fastener  30 , the center axes of the locking rings  321  of one of the slider elements  32  are substantially aligned with the center axes of the locking rings  321  of the other of the slider elements  32 .  
      The padlock  50  may be hooked into the locking rings  321  of the slider elements  32 . That is, the padlock  50  includes a lock housing  51 , and a shackle  52  connected operatively to the lock housing  51  to realize a locking operation of the padlock  50  in a conventional manner. The shackle  52  engages the locking rings  321  of the slider elements  32  to maintain a closed state of the slide fastener  30 . In an alternative embodiment, the padlock  50  may be engaged with conventional pull tabs having openings on distal ends thereof.  
      The tab protector  40  is an elastic and substantially rectangular woven band in the preferred embodiment. The tab protector  40  includes a pair of fixing end portions  41  fixed to the first shell  10 , such as by sewing, and a holding portion  42  that is disposed between the fixing end portions  41 . The holding portion  42  cooperates with the first shell  10  to form a tab-insertion space  43 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , in a state where the padlock  50  is engaged with the locking rings  321  of the slider elements  32 , the pull tabs  33  and the lock housing  51  of the padlock  50  may be received removably in the tab-insertion space  43  formed between the first shell  10  and the holding portion  42  of the tab protector  40 . The elasticity of the tab protector  40  further ensures that the pull tabs  33  and the padlock  50  are held firmly in place.  
      Although the tab protector  40  is shown mounted to an outer surface of the topportion  12 ′ of the peripheral panel  12  of the first shell  10 , it is possible to fix the tab protector  40  to other areas of the peripheral panel  12 . Furthermore, a plurality of the protectors  40  may be mounted to the first shell  10  to provide the user with more than one choice as to where the padlock  50  and the pull tabs  33  may be held firmly in place following locking of the padlock  50  onto the slider elements  32 .  
      In view of the foregoing construction, damage to the pull tabs  33  and the padlock  50  during transport of the case can be prevented by the tab protector  40 . Furthermore, the tab protector  40  is simple in structure, is easily mounted to the first shell  10 , and is inexpensive to produce.  
      While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.