Heat sealing method for making a luggage case

• US 5,458,718 A
• Filed: 03/18/1994
• Issued: 10/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vip Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Vip Industries Limited
• Inventors: Venkitachalam, Ramchandra
• Primary Examiner(s): Ball, Michael W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): REED, DAVID WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US08/210,892
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 156/309.6, 156/273.9, 156/379.6, 156/379.7, 190/28, 190/100, 220/658, 220/643, 220/640
• US Class Current: 156/273.9
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 5/02 Materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/342 comprising at least a single wire, e.g. in the form of a winding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3464 characterised by the cross-section of said heated elements which remain in the joint or by the cross-section of their coating, e.g. being triangular
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/348 with a polymer coating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/12445 having the tongue on the side
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/12469 being asymmetric
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5344 said single elements being substantially annular, i.e. of finite length, e.g. joining flanges to tube ends B29C66/5346 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/612 Making circumferential joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7418 Suitcases

Abstract

A method of joining a beading to a luggage case is provided in which the beading has a conductive material, for example a length of wire embedded within it and in which the beading and the luggage case are positioned together and the conductive material made to pass a current so that it heats up causing the thermoplastic materials to melt locally and fuse. A hard shell luggage case having a thus joined beading and which in a particular embodiment includes a lining which also becomes attached to the case in the method is also provided.

Claims

1. A method of attaching a beading to a luggage case shell which comprises:

positioning a thermoplastic beading around the periphery of the said luggage case shell, the periphery of the luggage case shell being thermoplastic and a length of conductive material being embedded in one of said beading and said luggage case shell; and

passing a current through the conductive material whereby the material of the thermoplastic beading and luggage case shell melt and fuse locally, to attach the beading to the luggage case shell.

2. A method according to claim 1 which further comprises a first step of extruding a length of said beading together with a length of said conductive material whereby the conductive material is embedded in the beading.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the conductive material is a wire.

4. A method according to claim 1 which further includes trapping the edge of a lining between the beading and hard shell, whereby when a current is passed through the wire, the edge of the lining also melts and fuses with the beading and/or shell.

5. A method according to claim 4 which further comprises fixing the remainder of the lining to the inside of the hard shell.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said luggage case shell forms a periphery, said periphery defining a groove extending around said periphery, said orienting step including attaching said beading in said groove.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said periphery includes an outwardly projecting rim, said groove being defined in said rim.