hinges and suitcases

Abstract

To provide a hinge that allows an opening lid to be opened up to about 90° and is not conspicuous in appearance, and a suitcase using the hinge. [Solution] The hinge (1) of the present invention has an L-shaped cross section and includes a base (10) for attachment to a joint extending from the bottom edge of the opening, a pair of legs (20) connected to one end of the base, a rotating member (30) connected to the pair of legs and attached to the lower edge of the opening lid to rotate the lower edge, and a shaft (40) connecting the pair of legs and the rotating member and whose axial direction is the longitudinal direction of the pair of legs. The rotating member is rotatable about the shaft, and when the lower edge rotates to a predetermined angle based on the horizontal direction of the end face of the lower edge when the opening lid is closed, the end face comes into contact with the inside of the base or the pair of legs to stop the rotation. The suitcase includes a shell body and a shell lid, and the shell lid has an opening that covers the opening, and the joint extending from the bottom edge of the opening and the lower edge of the opening lid are joined by the hinge so that they can be opened and closed.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hinge and a suitcase. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Suitcases that open at the top with a part of the lid serving as an opening lid have been widely known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3213252 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the suitcase described in Patent Document 1, the connecting piece, such as a hinge, that connects the opening flap to the other lid body is generally provided on the outside of the lid body, which is often noticeable from the outside and creates design constraints. There are also suitcases in which the hinge is provided in the gap between the opening flap and the other lid body so as not to be noticeable from the outside. While this suitcase has a good design and is structurally capable of opening the opening flap up to about 45 degrees, which provides some benefits, there is a demand in the market for a suitcase with an opening flap that can be opened even wider.

[0005] Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a hinge that allows the opening lid to be opened up to about 90 degrees and is not noticeable from the outside, and a suitcase that uses this hinge. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) A hinge according to one embodiment for achieving the above object comprises: A hinge for connecting an opening lid to an opening provided above the surface of a shell lid in a suitcase formed by connecting a shell body and a shell lid so that the opening lid can be opened and closed, The device has an L-shaped cross section and comprises a base for attachment to a joint extending from the lower side of the opening, a pair of feet connected to one end of the base, a rotating member connected to the pair of feet and attached to the lower edge of the opening cover to rotate the lower edge, and an axis connecting the pair of feet and the rotating member and having an axial direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the pair of feet, The rotating member is freely rotatable about the axis, and when the lower edge portion rotates to a predetermined angle based on the horizontal direction of the end face of the lower edge portion when the opening lid is closed, the end face comes into contact with the inside of the base or the pair of feet and stops rotating. (2) In the hinge according to another embodiment, the predetermined angle is preferably 60 to 120 degrees. (3) In order to achieve the above object, a suitcase according to one embodiment comprises: A suitcase formed by connecting a shell body and a shell lid body so as to be openable and closable, The shell lid body has an opening formed above the surface and an opening lid that covers the opening, A joint extending from the lower side of the opening and a lower edge of the opening lid are joined together so as to be openable and closable by the hinge described in (1) or (2) above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a hinge that allows the opening lid to be opened up to approximately 90 degrees and is not noticeable from the outside, and a suitcase that uses this hinge. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a perspective photograph (1A) of the exterior of the suitcase according to this embodiment, a perspective photograph (1B) of the suitcase with the opening lid open, and a left side photograph (1C) showing the exterior of the opening lid. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows a perspective photograph (2A), a bottom photograph (2B), a plan photograph (2C), a front photograph (2D), a right side photograph (2E), and a back photograph (2F) of the appearance of the hinge according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the hinge according to this embodiment attached to a suitcase, taken along the line AA in FIG. 2(2F). [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view showing the rotation of the rotating member of the hinge and the lower edge of the opening lid according to this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] 1. Suitcase FIG. 1 shows a perspective photograph (1A) of the exterior of the suitcase according to this embodiment, a perspective photograph (1B) of the suitcase with the opening lid open, and a left side photograph (1C) showing the exterior of the opening lid.

[0010] The suitcase 100 according to this embodiment is formed so that it can be opened and closed by connecting the shell body 150 and the shell lid 110. The shell body 150 and the shell lid 110 are formed, for example, in a vertically or horizontally long rectangle. The shell body 150 and the shell lid 110 are connected via a joint frame 130. This connection can be made using various known methods, preferably a zipper. The material of the suitcase 100 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a hard synthetic resin material having elasticity, preferably a polycarbonate resin material.

[0011] Shell lid 110 has opening 111 formed above its surface and is provided with opening lid 120 that covers opening 111, preferably opening 111 formed above its surface when suitcase 100 is placed upright and is provided with opening lid 120 that covers opening 111. Shell lid 110 may further have support belt 140 inside shell lid 110 or at opening 111 that assists in joining opening 111 and opening lid 120 together.

[0012] Opening 111 is generally rectangular and has top edge 112, left and right gusset edges 113, and bottom edge 114, and further has joint 115 extending downward from bottom edge 114, preferably having joint 115 extending downward from bottom edge 114 in a front view when suitcase 100 is placed upright. Opening 111 is preferably formed so that the bottom edge 114 side is thicker from joint frame 130 than the top edge 112 side in a side view. Opening 111 is preferably provided on the bottom edge 114 side at a position approximately one-quarter to one-third of the way up the surface of shell lid 110.

[0013] Joint 115 is a portion for fixing the base 10 side of hinge 1, which will be described later. There are no particular limitations on the fixing method at joint 115, but screw fastening is preferred from the viewpoint of detachable attachment of hinge 1. When fastening by screw fastening, joint 115 has at least one screw hole, and from the viewpoint of stability of hinge 1, it is preferred to have two or more screw holes.

[0014] The opening lid 120 is a lid attached to cover the opening 111. The opening lid 120 has a substantially rectangular surface portion 123 and edge portions extending from the top, bottom, left, and right sides of the surface portion 123. FIG. 1(1A) shows a lower edge portion 121 and an upper edge portion 122. As shown in FIG. 1(1B), the opening lid 120 has the lower edge portion 121 joined to the shell lid body 110, and opens the top, left, and right edge portions. The opening lid 120 is preferably formed so that the upper edge portion 122 side is longer in the horizontal direction l than the lower edge portion 121 side in a side view. Each edge portion preferably has an elastic member such as rubber attached to the tip opposite to one end connected to the surface portion 123.

[0015] The lower edge portion 121 is an edge portion located at the lower side of the opening lid 120 when it is fixed to the suitcase 100, and is a portion that is rotatably fixed to the shell lid body 110 via a hinge 1, which will be described later. The fixing method for the lower edge portion 121 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of detachable attachment of the hinge 1, screw fastening is preferable. When fastening by screw fastening, the lower edge portion 121 has at least one screw hole, and from the viewpoint of stability of the hinge 1, preferably has two or more screw holes. As shown in FIG. 1 (1C), the lower edge portion 121 is provided so that an end surface 125 faces the horizontal direction l when the opening lid 120 is closed. The lower edge portion 121 starts to rotate with the horizontal direction l as the opening lid 120 opens. When the lower edge 121 rotates to a predetermined angle from the horizontal direction 1, the end surface 125 comes into contact with the inside of the base 10 or a pair of legs 20 of the hinge 1, which will be described later, and the rotation stops.

[0016] Suitcase 100 is fixed to joint 115 extending from the lower edge of opening 111 of shell lid body 110 and lower edge 121 of opening lid 120 by hinge 1, which will be described later. That is, suitcase 100 is provided with hinge 1, which will be described later. The number of fixing points by hinge 1 is not particularly limited and may be one or two or more points, but from the viewpoint of the stability of opening lid 120, two or more points are preferable. That is, suitcase 100 is preferably provided with two or more hinges 1.

[0017] The other components of the suitcase 100, such as the shell body 150, may be any of various configurations used in known suitcases, and are not particularly limited.

[0018] 2. Hinges Figure 2 shows a perspective photograph (2A), a bottom photograph (2B), a plan photograph (2C), a front photograph (2D), a right side photograph (2E), and a rear photograph (2F) of the appearance of the hinge according to this embodiment. Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the hinge according to this embodiment attached to a suitcase, as seen from the cross-sectional direction of line AA in Figure 2 (2F).

[0019] The hinge 1 according to this embodiment is a hinge for connecting an opening lid 120 to an opening 111 provided above the surface of the shell lid 110 of a suitcase 100 formed by connecting a shell body 150 and a shell lid 110 so as to be able to open and close, and includes a base 10 having an L-shaped cross section and for attachment to a joint 115 extending from a lower edge 114 of the opening 111, a pair of feet 20 connected to one end of the base 10, a rotating member 30 connected to the pair of feet 20 and attached to a lower edge 121 of the opening 111 of the opening lid 120 to rotate the lower edge 121, and a shaft 40 connecting the pair of feet 20 and the rotating member 30 and having an axial direction that is the longitudinal direction of the pair of feet 20. The hinge 1 is preferably a connecting member for detachably attaching the opening lid 120 to the shell lid 110 of the suitcase 100. When the opening lid 120 is detachable from the suitcase 100, the hinge 1 is preferably fixed to the joint 115 and / or the lower edge 121 of the opening lid 120 by screws, as shown in Fig. 3. The hinge 1 is preferably detachably fixed such that the base 10 is fixed to the joint 115 by a first screw 13 (X-axis direction in Fig. 3), and the rotation member 30 is fixed to the lower edge 121 of the opening lid 120 by a second screw 34 (Y-axis direction in Fig. 3). Note that the hinge 1 shown in Figs. 2(2E) and 3 shows the state when the opening lid 120 is closed.

[0020] The base 10 is an L-shaped member in cross section and serves to secure the hinge 1 to the joint 115. The base 10 includes a first fixing portion 11 at one end for fixing to the joint 115, and the other end is connected to a pair of legs 20. In other words, the base 10 is the area below the dashed line in FIG. 2(2C). The method for fastening the first fixing portion 11 is not particularly limited, and various known methods can be used. However, screw fastening is preferred from the viewpoint of ease of attachment and detachment. When screw fastening is used, the first fixing portion 11 may include a first screw hole 12. In this embodiment, the first fixing portion 11 is configured to be thicker than the other portions of the base 10, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the first fixing portion 11 may be formed to have the same thickness as the other portions of the base 10. In this embodiment, two first screw holes 12 are provided, but this is not limited thereto. The number of first screw holes 12 may be one or three or more. By forming the base 10 with an L-shaped cross section, the rotation of the lower edge 121 connected to the rotation member 30 is not hindered and handling during installation is easy. From the viewpoint of facilitating installation, the base 10 preferably has a curved surface at the bending portion.

[0021] The pair of feet 20 are members whose one end is connected to the other end of the base 10 and whose other end is connected to the rotating member 30 via the shaft 40. That is, the pair of feet 20 are located above the dashed line in FIG. 2 (2C). In this embodiment, one end of the pair of feet 20 and the other end of the base 10 are integrally molded and connected, but this is not limited thereto. For example, separate members may be connected so that their ends face each other, regardless of whether the opposing surfaces are glued together. The other end of the pair of feet 20 has a hole (not shown) through which the shaft 40 (described later) can be inserted, and is preferably substantially circular. By configuring the pair of feet 20 in this manner, the rotation of the lower edge portion 121 is not hindered. Furthermore, providing the pair of feet 20 can prevent the opening lid 120 from opening too far. The pair of feet 20 are preferably members having an L-shaped cross section, similar to the base 10. When the pair of legs 20 are members with an L-shaped cross section, it is preferable that they have curved surfaces at the bending points in order to facilitate attachment. Furthermore, the shapes of the legs 20 are not particularly limited as long as they do not hinder the rotation of the lower edge portion 121, and they may be the same or different.

[0022] The dimensions of the base 10 and the pair of legs 20 are not particularly limited and can be modified in various ways to fit the size of the lower edge 121. Preferably, the base 10 and the pair of legs 20 do not rotate even when the opening lid 120 is opened or closed.

[0023] The rotating member 30 is a member for fixing the hinge 1 to the lower edge portion 121, and is a member that can rotate in accordance with the rotation of the lower edge portion 121. The rotating member 30 is connected to the pair of feet 20 via a shaft 40, and is rotatable about the shaft 40. That is, the rotating member 30 includes a second fixing portion 31 fixed to the lower edge portion 121, and a shaft portion 32 connected to the pair of feet 20 via the shaft 40.

[0024] The second fixing portion 31 preferably has a groove 35 on at least a portion of the surface that contacts the lower edge portion 121. The method for fixing the second fixing portion 31 to the lower edge portion 121 is not particularly limited and various known methods may be used, but screw fastening is preferred. In this case, the second fixing portion 31 may have a second screw hole 33. In this embodiment, the second screw hole 33 is provided in two locations, but this is not limited thereto and the second fixing portion 31 may have one or three or more locations. The shape of the second fixing portion 31 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of ease of fixation, it is preferable that at least the surface on the side that is fixed to the lower edge portion 121 is flat.

[0025] The shaft portion 32 is preferably a member that is integrated with the second fixed portion 31 to form the rotating member 30. The shape of the shaft portion 32 is not particularly limited, but preferably may be an arc shape with at least a portion having the same dimensions as the pair of foot portions 20.

[0026] The shaft 40 is a rod-shaped member that connects the pair of foot portions 20 and the rotating member 30, and also serves as the rotation axis of the rotating member 30. The shaft 40 is inserted through holes provided at the other ends of the pair of foot portions 20 and through a hole provided in the longitudinal direction of the shaft portion 32 of the rotating member 30. The type of the shaft 40 is not particularly limited as long as it can connect the pair of foot portions 20 and the rotating member 30 and rotate the rotating member 30, but from the viewpoint of durability, etc., it is preferably a long rivet. Furthermore, the shaft 40 is preferably inserted so that it cannot be detached by deforming the end of the rivet.

[0027] The rotation mechanism of the hinge 1 according to this embodiment will be described in further detail below. Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the rotation of the rotation member of the hinge according to this embodiment and the lower edge of the opening lid.

[0028] When the lower edge portion 121 of the rotating member 30 rotates to a predetermined angle based on the horizontal direction l of the end face 125 of the lower edge portion 121 when the opening lid 120 is closed, the end face 125 comes into contact with the inside of the base 10 or a pair of foot portions 20 and stops rotating.

[0029] The rotation member 30 in (i) of Fig. 4 is in a state when the opening lid 120 is closed, and rotates clockwise in association with the opening of the opening lid 120. That is, when the opening lid 120 is opened by 90°, the rotation member 30 rotates clockwise by 90° as shown in (iii) of Fig. 4, and is fixed to the lower edge portion 121 of the opening lid 120 in the X-axis direction.

[0030] More specifically, the hinge 1 joins the base 10 and the joint 115 via the first screw hole 12, and joins the rotation member 30 and the lower edge 121 via the second screw hole 33. When the lower edge 121 of the lid 120 is fully closed, the end face 125 of the lower edge 121 is disposed so as to face the horizontal direction l (see (i) in FIG. 4). When the lid 120 is opened, the end face 125 rises from the horizontal direction l by an angle θ (see (ii) in FIG. 4). When the lid 120 is further opened, the lower edge 121 rotates to a predetermined angle, and the end face 125 comes into contact with the inside of the base 10 or the pair of legs 20, stopping the rotation (see (iii) in FIG. 4). Although the predetermined angle is depicted as 90° in (iii) of Figure 4, it is not limited to this and can be changed in various ways depending on the design of the opening lid 120, and is preferably 60 to 120°, and more preferably 80 to 100°.

[0031] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the hinge 1 according to the present embodiment is a single member, but is not limited to this and may be composed of a combination of two or more members, such as a hinge having a first member that has a base and does not have a pair of feet, a rotating member, and a shaft, and a second member that does not have a base and has a pair of feet, a rotating member, and a shaft, and the first member and the second member are arranged so that the base and the pair of feet are connected to each other. [Industrial Applicability]

[0032] The present invention can be used as a suitcase and a hinge for the suitcase. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1···hinge, 10···base, 20···foot, 30···rotating member, 40···axis, 100···suitcase, 110···shell lid body, 111···opening, 114···bottom edge, 115···joint, 120···opening lid, 121···lower edge, 125···end surface, 150···shell body, l···horizontal direction.

Claims

1. A hinge for connecting an opening lid to an opening provided above the surface of a shell lid in a suitcase formed by connecting a shell body and a shell lid so that the opening lid can be opened and closed, The opening has an L-shaped cross section and comprises a base for attachment to a joint extending from the lower side of the opening, a pair of legs connected to one end of the base, a rotating member connected to the pair of legs and attached to the lower edge of the opening cover to rotate the lower edge, and an axis connecting the pair of legs and the rotating member and having an axial direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the pair of legs, The hinge is characterized in that the rotating member is freely rotatable about the axis, and further, when the lower edge portion rotates to a predetermined angle based on the horizontal direction of the end face of the lower edge portion when the opening lid is closed, the end face contacts the inside of the base or the pair of legs, stopping the rotation.

2. 2. The hinge according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined angle is 60 to 120 degrees.

3. A suitcase formed by connecting a shell body and a shell lid body so as to be openable and closable, The shell lid body has an opening formed above the surface and an opening lid that covers the opening, A suitcase characterized in that a joint extending from the lower side of the opening and a lower edge of the opening lid are joined together so as to be able to be opened and closed by the hinge according to claim 1 or 2.

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