Protective case

• US 6,698,608 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2001
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pelican Products Incorporated (Pelican Products Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pelican Products Incorporated (Pelican Products Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Deighton, Kevin, Hoven, John, Parker, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Merek, Joseph C.
• Application Number:
  US10/001,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20030080124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 220/203.04, 220/203.05, 220/203.06, 220/203.28, 220/203.19, 220/203.29, 220/203.24, 220/202, 220/DIG.27, 220/4.22, 220/238, 220/324, 220/772, 220/4.23, 220/849, 220/378, 220/FOR.202, 220/23.87, 206/550
• US Class Current: 220/4.22
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/008 for making water- or air-tight
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/02 Interior fittings; Means, e.g. inserts, for holding and packing articles
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/1076 with a snap action A45C13/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/1084 of the latch-and-catch type
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 5/00 Rigid or semi-rigid luggage collapsible or extensible luggage, bags or the like A45C7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 11/188 the container being formed by two mating halves
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2205/02 Venting holes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/16 Loose, or loosely-attached, linings
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/22 for facilitating lifting or suspending of containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/2808 Horizontal, e.g. U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 53/02 Collars or rings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 220/27 Vents

Abstract

A protective case which includes two mating case components and a liner extending between a peripheral area for mating engagement to ensure a relatively sealed relationship when the case components are closed. A latch face is a single elongated element on the front and has two spaced interlocking components to cooperate with hooks in the opposite case component.

Claims

1. A protective case comprising:

a body of surrounding material having at least two mating components for opening and closure thereby to provide access to a space defined by the surrounding material, each component having a respective edge for location adjacent an edge of the opposite component;

a hinge located along a first side of the two component to permit opening and closure;

a latch for securing the two components in a closed position, the latch being fastened to a first component on the side opposite the hinge and extending in the front of the case, the latch including a face and a locking member, the locking member being for releasably engaging a second component;

a liner including a side wall for extending substantially with a side wall of a first of said components and a lateral extension from the side wall, the lateral extension being directed towards the edge of the first component, and wherein when the first and the second components are closed, the lateral extension or a further extension of the lateral extension is located between the respective edges of the first and second components thereby to form a seal for a case, and wherein a liner edge includes two legs which are spaced apart so that there is a space between the legs and being such that when a lip on the edge of the second component presses against lateral edge the space between the legs becomes smaller, and the liner having an opening to facilitate purging from the container; and

a purge valve in the body, the purge valve being for permitting equilibrium of pressure between the inside of the case when closed and the outside of the case.

2. A carrying case as claimed in claim 1 wherein both components are made of translucent or at least partially translucent material, and wherein the liner is opaque.

3. A case as claimed in claim 1 wherein the liner is a single liner fitting in the space in the surrounding material.

4. A case as claimed in claim 1 wherein the latch includes an elongated face component, the face component extending in front of the case and an interlocking element on the latch component, and a cooperating lock element on the second component.

5. A case as claimed in claim 4, the face component extending for about half the length of the front of the case, and the latch face shaped such that it has two lips extending outward on either side to allow a finger of a user to lift the latch;

and a pair of interlocking elements on the latch component, the interlocking elements being spaced towards the end of the face component, and a pair of cooperating lock elements on the second component.