CASE WITH DEPLOYABLE STRUCTURE
Case including a plate (12) to which a lid (13) is attached so as to be able to pivot between a retracted position and a raised position that is virtually perpendicular to the plate, and an unfoldable structure (14) that has a first portion that is attached to the upper surface of the plate and a second portion that is attached to the inside surface of the lid. The attachment of the cover to the plate is advantageously carried out by attachment elements (122, 132) that are assembled by simple interlocking. Members (131, 124, 134) are arranged to ensure that the lid (13) has a stable position when it is in its raised position. The plate (12) is advantageously mounted on a basket (11) so as to be able to slide relative to the basket.
This invention relates to a case that is equipped with a structure that can be folded and unfolded in the space.
PRIOR ARTAn unfoldable structure that comprises a foldable sheet that has several elements that can be deployed in the space by forming at least one plane that is parallel to the sheet in the folded state is known by EP 0771229. In the known embodiment, the foldable sheet is attached both to the bottom of a case and inside a lid that is attached to the case and can be retracted on the top of the case. The decor thus is folded inside the case by the single retraction of the lid, and it is deployed in the space by the simple raising of the lid.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA first objective of this invention is to produce a new case that can be molded with the attachment means of the lid that can be raised.
A second objective is to produce a new case that combines and integrates a container for various objects with a decor structure that can be unfolded in the space.
The case according to the invention is distinguished by the characteristics that are defined in the claims.
Several sample embodiments of the invention are described in detail below using the attached drawings.
In these drawings, the same reference symbols designate identical, similar or equivalent elements.
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTSReferring to
A first portion of the foldable structure 14 is attached to the upper face of the plate 12, and a second portion of the structure 14 is attached to the inside face of the lid 13. In the embodiment that is illustrated, the foldable structure is attached to the plate 12, in a detachable manner, by brackets 16 that are formed on a flange 15 of the plate, and it is attached to the lid 13, in a detachable manner, by brackets 18 that are formed on a flange 17 of the lid, which flange extends in a virtually perpendicular manner to the plane of the lid. When a foldable structure 14 is thus attached to the plate 12 and to the lid 13, it automatically folds on itself when the lid 13 is retracted on the top of the plate 12, automatically folding the elements that comprise the decor, which were deployed in the space, and it is redeployed automatically in the space when the lid 13 is brought into its raised position.
The unfoldable and foldable structure can be made in various ways and with presentations that may vary. It can consist of any unfoldable structure. Advantageously, the unfoldable/foldable structure that is attached in the case consists of a foldable substrate by forming a first portion 14a and a second portion 14b, whereby said substrate is pierced by many slots that laterally delimit elements 14c that have folds that extend between the above-mentioned slots and are placed in a suitable manner for creating a selected decor. The elements 14c of the unfoldable structure can be deployed in the space by forming one or more planes that are parallel to one or the other of said portions 14a and 14b of the substrate. Each unfoldable element in the space can have numerous configurations and can be freely decorated to achieve any desired decor.
In this embodiment, the lid 13 can also have a rear flange 131 that just rests on or against a portion of the rear side of the plate 12 when the lid is in raised position. This flange 131 thus assures a stabilization function for the lid in raised position, in a manner that is complementary to the locking function ensured by the locking elements 124 and 134.
In the illustrated example, the lid 13 is provided with a closing tab 19 that is designed to work with a housing 21 that is arranged on the corresponding flange of the plate 12 and the basket 11. When the lid is retracted on the top of the plate 12, the tab 19 keeps the lid 13 in retracted position and the basket closed. Advantageously, rough spots are formed in the housing so as to perfect the adhesion of the closing tab 19. Rough spots that are thereby used are shown by way of example in
The closing tab 19, which extends so as to attach the retracted lid 13 to the wall of the basket 11, prevents the sliding of the plate 12 and the opening of the basket 11 as the lid 13 is retracted on the top of the plate 12. In this manner, access to the inside space of the basket 11 is possible only when the user has raised the lid 13, which, in so doing, automatically deploys the unfoldable decor as described above.
Claims
1-11. (canceled)
12. Case that comprises a basket, a plate that is attached on the top of the basket so as to be able to slide relative to the latter, a lid that is attached to the plate by attachment means that are arranged to be able to make the lid pivot between a retracted position on the plate and a raised position that is virtually perpendicular to the plate, means that are arranged to assure a stable position to the lid when it is in its raised position, and an unfoldable structure that comprises a first portion that is attached to said plate and a second portion that is attached to the inside of said lid so as to unfold when the lid pivots between its retracted position on the plate and a raised position and to fold when the lid is retracted on the top of the plate.
13. Case according to claim 12, wherein the plate has the first rectilinear elements that are suitable for working with second rectilinear elements that are provided on the lateral wall of the basket so as to allow the first above-mentioned rectilinear elements to slide longitudinally relative to the second above-mentioned rectilinear elements.
14. Case according to claim 12, wherein the lid has a means that extends so as to connect the lid to the plate and to the basket and to prevent the plate from sliding relative to the basket when the lid is retracted on the plate.
15. Case according to claim 12, wherein the plate has two first attachment elements that are profiled in an arch, and the lid has two second attachment elements that are profiled in an arch, whereby each attachment element of the lid works by interlocking with an attachment element of the plate so as to define a pivoting axis for the lid.
16. Case according to claim 12, wherein the means for assuring a stable raised position to the lid comprise locking elements that are combined with means for attaching the lid to the plate.
17. Case according to claim 12, wherein the means for attaching the lid comprise locking means that are arranged for locking the lid in several positions relative to the plate.
18. Case according to claim 12, wherein the plate has a rear flange and the lid, on its rear side, has an outside flange that rests against said rear flange of the plate when the lid is in a raised position that is virtually perpendicular to the plate.
19. Case according to claim 12, wherein the unfoldable structure consists of a foldable sheet by forming a first portion that is attached to said plate and a second portion that is attached to the inside of said lid, whereby said sheet is pierced by several slots that laterally delimit elements that have folds that extend between the above-mentioned slots and that can be deployed in the space by forming at least one plane that is parallel to at least one of said first and second portions of the foldable sheet.
20. Case that can accommodate an unfoldable structure, comprising a basket, a plate that is attached to the top of the basket so as to be able to slide, relative to the latter, a lid that is attached to the plate by attachment means that are arranged to be able to pivot the lid between a retracted position on the plate and a raised position that is virtually perpendicular to the plate, whereby means are arranged to assure a stable position to the lid when it is in its raised position, whereby the plate has attachment brackets for holding a first portion of an unfoldable structure and the lid has attachment brackets for holding a second portion of the unfoldable structure.
21. Case that can accommodate an unfoldable structure, comprising a plate, a lid that is attached to the plate to be able to pivot between a retracted position on the plate and a raised position that is virtually perpendicular to the plate, whereby the plate has two first attachment elements that are profiled in an arc and whereby the lid has two second attachment elements that are profiled in an arch, whereby each attachment element of the lid works by interlocking with an attachment element of the plate so as to define a pivoting axis for the lid,
- whereby the plate has a rear flange and the lid, on its rear side, has an outside flange that rests against said rear flange of the plate when the cover is in a raised position that is virtually perpendicular to the plate, and
- whereby the plate has attachment brackets for holding a first portion of a foldable structure and whereby the lid has attachment brackets for holding a second portion of the foldable structure.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 15, 2006
Publication Date: Jan 21, 2010
Inventor: David Piron (Lorgues)
Application Number: 11/912,232
International Classification: B65D 43/16 (20060101); B65D 43/20 (20060101);