Structure of Case Body

Abstract

A structure of case body selects a material of PET fibers or PET fibers with PP fibers to prepare a non-woven fabric layer block which is processed by baking and cold molding to form a case body. The case body is formed by combining a left shell and a right shell which are manufactured separately, and then combined into a case body with an accommodation space inside. The left shell is divided into a left top wall, a left sidewall and a left bottom wall which are continuously extended and molded. The right shell is divided into a right top wall, a right sidewall and a right bottom wall which are continuously extended and molded. The left and right top walls and the left and right bottom walls have a weight per unit area of 1200-2000 g/m.sup.2. The left and right sidewalls have a weight per unit area of 600-1200 g/m.sup.2.

Claims

1. A structure of case body, formed by combining a left shell and a right shell, the left shell and the right shell being manufactured and molded separately, and then combined into a case body having an accommodation space inside, and the left shell being divided into a left top wall, a left sidewall and a left bottom wall which are continuously extended and molded; the right shell being divided into a right top wall, a right sidewall and a right bottom wall which are continuously extended and molded; and the material used for manufacture being one selected from the group consisting of a (polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) fiber and a PET fiber added with a polypropylene (PP) fiber, and the selected fiber being stirred, piled up, and manufactured into a non-woven fabric layer block; and then being processed by baking and cold molding to form the left shell and right shell; characterized in that the left and right top walls, and the left and right bottom walls have a weight per unit area of 1200˜2000 g/m.sup.2 after molding; the left and right sidewalls have a weight per unit area of 600˜1200 g/m.sup.2.

2. The structure of case body of claim 1, wherein the left top wall and the right top wall, and the left bottom wall and the right bottom wall have a density greater than that of the left sidewall and the right sidewall after molding.

3. The structure of case body of claim 1, wherein the non-woven fabric layer block has a film selectively pasted onto an outer surface thereof.

4. The structure of case body of claim 3, wherein the film is a polyethylene film having a thickness of 0.009 mm˜0.1 mm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section view of the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section view of the second embodiment of the present invention; and

[0017] FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a manufacturing process of an embodiment of the present invention.

REFERENCE NUMBERALS IN DRAWING FIGURES

[0018] 1 Suitcase

[0019] 10 Left shell

[0020] 11 Left top wall

[0021] 12 Left sidewall

[0022] 13 Left bottom wall

[0023] 20 Right shell

[0024] 21 Right top wall

[0025] 22 Right sidewall

[0026] 23 Right bottom wall

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] The objectives, technical measures and effects of the present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of this invention described in connection with the drawings.

[0028] This invention discloses a structure of case body such as a suitcase which is used as an example to illustrate the invention. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 for the structure of case body (which is a suitcase) in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention, the suitcase 1 is composed of a left shell 10 and a right shell 20 engaged and combined with each other, wherein the left shell 10 and the right shell 20 are manufactured and formed separately, and then combined into a case body with an accommodation space inside. The left shell 10 is divided into different parts including a left top wall 11, a left sidewall 12 and a left bottom wall 13, and the left top wall 11, left sidewall 12 and left bottom wall 13 are continuously extended and formed. Similarly, the right shell 20 is continuously extended and formed and it is also divided into different parts including a right top wall 21, a right sidewall 22 and a right bottom wall 23; and the left shell 10 and the right shell 20 are manufactured and formed by a non-woven fabric manufacture technique.

[0029] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 for a case body in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, the case body is also a suitcase 1 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and the suitcase 1 further includes a pull rod, and the suitcase 1 of the second embodiment is also formed by a left shell 10 and a right shell 20 engaged and combined with each other, and the left shell 10 and the right shell 20 are manufactured and formed separately, and then engaged and combined into a case body with an accommodation space inside. The left shell 10 can be divided into different parts including a left top wall 11, a left sidewall 12 and a left bottom wall 13, and the left top wall 11, left sidewall 12 and left bottom wall 13 are continuously extended and formed. Similarly, the right shell 20 is continuously extended and formed, and the right shell 20 is divided into different parts including a right top wall 21, a right sidewall 22 and a right bottom wall 23. The left shell 10 and the right shell 20 are manufactured and formed by a non-woven fabric manufacture technique.

[0030] With reference to FIG. 5, in order to achieve a light and robust structure of case body, the present invention selects a fiber material such as polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) or PET added with polypropylene, and stirs and piles up the selected material to produce a non-woven fabric layer block by a non-woven fabric manufacture technique. During the manufacturing process, the left and right top walls 11, 21 and the left and right bottom walls 13, 23 are added with the non-woven fabric layer block to increase the total thickness; and then a film is selectively attached onto an outer surface of the non-woven fabric layer block, and the film can be a polyethylene film with a thickness of 0.009 mm˜0.1 mm. The term “a film . . . selectively attached onto . . . ” used here refers to an option to attach or not to attach the film. If the film is attached, the whole structure of the film attached with the non-woven fabric layer block is still called the “non-woven fabric layer block”. The non-woven fabric layer block (regardless of having or not having the attached film) is put into an oven and baked sufficiently until the non-woven fabric layer block is softened, wherein a flat press type baking method is preferred. After the non-woven fabric layer block has been baked sufficiently, it is put into a mold and processed by cold molding to produce the left shell 10 and the right shell 20 in a desired shape. Finally, the left shell 10 and the right shell 20 so formed are assembled into a case body of the suitcase 1.

[0031] When the selected fiber material is stirred and piled up, the material is in a fluffy state, so that the weight per unit area is relatively the smallest; the total height (or total thickness) is relatively higher; and the density is relatively the smallest. When a non-woven fabric manufacture technique is used to produce the non-woven fabric layer block, the fibers are tight and close to one another, and thus having the effects of increasing the weight per unit area, decreasing the thickness (or height), and increasing the density, and the parts to be formed into the left and right top walls 11, 21 and the left and right bottom walls 13, 23 are added with the fibers to increase the thickness, so as to provide a greater weight per unit area. Finally, the baking and cold molding processes are carried out for molding. Now, the fibers are in a fused state, so that the weight per unit area is increased, the thickness (or height) is decreased, and the density is increased. In addition, even if the parts which are already formed into the left and right top walls 11, 21 and the left and right bottom walls 13, 23 are pressed to have the same thickness, the structure of case body still has a high density. In other words, the parts formed into the left and right top walls 11, 21 and the left and right bottom walls 13, 23 have better robustness.

[0032] In order to increase the robustness of the suitcase 1 of the present invention, the baked non-woven fabric layer block is put into the mold for the cold molding process. It is necessary to adjust the molding time and pressure of the mold, and the thickness and density of the left shell 10 and the right shell 20 so formed can be adjusted as needed. For example, the suitcase 1 may drop during use, and the impact is generally situated at the corners of the left and right top walls 11, 21 and the left and right bottom walls 13, 23, so that the structural design needs to have a relatively larger density for the left and right top walls 11, 21 and the left and right bottom walls 13, 23. For example, the formed structure of case body has a weight per unit area of 1200˜2000 g/m.sup.2, a thickness t.sub.1 which are converted into a density of 1200˜2000 g/m.sup.3. The density of the parts of the left and right sidewalls 12, 22 is relatively smaller. For example, the formed structure of case body has a weight per unit area of 600˜1200 g/m.sup.2, and a thickness t.sub.2, which are converted into a density of 600˜1200 g/m.sup.3. After such a distinction, it is obvious that the left and right top walls 11, 21 and the left and right bottom walls 13, 23 have relatively better robustness, which can resist larger impact. Of course, when the density of the left and right top walls 11, 21 and the left and right bottom walls 13, 23 is greater than that of the left and right sidewalls 12, 22, the left and right top walls 11, 21 and the left and right bottom walls 13, 23 also selectively increase their thickness (such that t.sub.1≥t.sub.2) to provide better robustness, but this option is not absolutely necessary.

[0033] Compared with the conventional case body made of the resin material and manufactured by the plastic injection molding, the present invention obviously has the following advantageous effects:

[0034] 1. Since the structure of case body of the present invention is made of a fiber material and processed with the non-woven fabric manufacture technique and the cold molding manufacture technique, the density and thickness of the case body so formed can be adjusted. Unlike the conventional case body made of a resin material and manufactured by plastic injection molding, whose thickness and density are limited and unchangeable.

[0035] 2. Since certain parts of the structure of case body of the present invention are thickened (for example, t.sub.1≥, so that the robustness of the structure of case body can be adjusted and increased to reduce the possibility of being broken or damaged easily by impacts.

[0036] 3. The structure of case body of the present invention can increase its weight per unit area or thickness for certain parts of the structure, so that these parts of the structure of case body can have better strength and impact resistance.

[0037] 4. Since the structure of case body of the present invention is made of the fiber material and processed by the non-woven fabric manufacture technique and the cold molding manufacture technique, therefore after the structure of case body is formed, the wall body is actually a body having fibers intertwined with each other and formed by the fusion, baking, and pressing processes. As a result, the wall body can be relatively more tightened to provide a better impact resistance.

[0038] 5. After the structure of case body of the present invention is processed and formed by the non-woven fabric manufacture technique and the cold molding manufacture technique, the wall body is in a watertight state. With the film attached onto the structure of case body, the structure of case body provides a better waterproof effect and a more tightened wall body.

[0039] In summation of the description above, the structure of case body made of the fiber material and manufactured into the non-woven fabric layer block, and then the non-woven fabric layer block is processed sufficiently by the baking and cold molding manufacture techniques to produce the left and right shells with a density of 600˜2000 Kg/m.sup.3. Especially, the density of the top and bottom walls is greater than the density of the sidewalls, and these walls are assembled into a structure of case body (in form of a suitcase). Since the structure of case body has good carrying capacity and robustness, therefore its service life is longer than that of the conventional structure of case body. Even if the structure of case body of this invention has been used for a long time or it is damaged and discarded, the structure of case body can be recycled to produce fiber materials which can be reused for manufacturing new products.

[0040] Therefore, the structure of case body of the present invention is novel and can really achieve the expected creative purpose. Apparently, the invention complies with patent application requirements, and is thus duly filed for patent application.