GB2461770A

GB2461770A - Child backrest and footrest for wheeled luggage

Info

Publication number: GB2461770A
Application number: GB0905251A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nicholas Brealey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-07-12
Filing date: 2009-03-27
Publication date: 2010-01-20
Also published as: GB0812794D0; GB0905251D0

Abstract

The wheeled suitcase incorporates child backrest 1, and footrest 2, and is towed using a fully extended pivoting telescopic handle 7. The wheeled suitcase may be used in the conventional manner, but when the suitcase is placed in a position with the large underside panel flat to the floor, wheels 4 and 5 support the suitcase, and backrest 1 and optional footrest 2 may be opened to enable a child to sit upon the suitcase and be towed by means of handle 7. The backrest may also have a harness for the child. When not in use, the backrest and footrest are stowed flush with the upper panel of the suitcase. The suitcase particularly relates to a smaller suitcase of the size permissible to be carried as hand luggage on airlines.

Description

INTELLECTUAL

. .... PROPERTY OFFICE Application No. GB0905251.5 RTM Date:8 June 2009 The following terms are registered trademarks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document:

VELCRO

Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.ipo.gov.uk Child backrest and footrest for wheeled luggage The present invention relates to a wheeled suitcase incorporating a child's backrest and footrest, enabling children to Sit Ofl the suitcase while the suitcase is pulled. It relates in particular to a suitcase of the size that is permissible to carry on board a flight as carry on luggage.

When travelling, and in particular flying, with young children, travellers frequently have multiple items of luggage or other belongings to carry in addition to managing their child or children. Distances to embarkation points such as airport gates can be considerable, and frequently travellers need to move quickly to their embarkation point.

It has been observed that parents with young children may travel with a pushchair for a baby or toddler, but not always, and in these instances a means of transporting the child would be beneficial. Additionally, for parents traveling with children between around three and six years when a pram is not used, the present invention would be beneficial.

With the crowds often encountered at transport hubs, such as airports, it is preferable that the child may be prevented from wandering away from their parents. Additionally when passing through a transport hub, documents need to be checked, tickets shown etc, and these actions represent a distraction away from monitoring the child.

To ease the difficulties associated to travelling with children, the present invention proposes a wheeled suitcase that may be adapted to transport a child. The suitcase incorporates a backrest and footrest which are integrated and stowed in the large upper panel of the suitcase, preferably enclosed within a zip closed cover. They are deployed by manually pulling open so that the backrest and footrest pivot around their base edges which remain attached to the suitcase panel.

When open, the backrest will sit at a substantially upright position comparative to the large upper panel of the suitcase, and the footrest will extend beyond the end of the large upper panel but remain substantially flat to the large upper panel.

The backrest and footrest are permanently attached to the structure of the suitcase, and therefore form an integral part of the suitcase. To transport a child, the backrest would always need to be deployed, however, deployment of the footrest is optional, and would only be needed to support the legs of taller children whose legs and feet would otherwise extend beyond the end of the large upper panel of the suitcase.

Preferably the suitcase will include a set of four wheels on the large underside panel of the suitcase, and a telescopic pivoting handle to allow the user to transport said item of luggage supporting a child. The large upper panel of the suitcase will be reinforced to support the weight of a child by means of adding support struts.

When in the stowed position, the aforementioned backrest and footrest are integrated within the suitcase, enabling the suitcase to be transported in the conventional manner, meaning the telescopic handle may be extended and the suitcase wheeled on the two wheels housed on the join of the large and small underside panels of the suitcase.

The large underside panel of the suitcase incorporating the telescopic handle mechanism utilizes a multi wheeled system, preferably two multi-directional wheels towards the upper end and two fixed wheels at the lower end.

When the backrest and optional footrest are deployed, the suitcase may be laid with the wheeled underside panel flat to the floor and the telescopic handle pivoted upwards towards the perpendicular permitting the suitcase to be used as a system for transporting a child.

The backrest, working in conjunction with the other facets of the wheeled suitcase allows for: o Method of conveying a child without the need to carry additional equipment to the suitcase itself.

o The capability of the wheeled suitcase to be used in the conventional manner when not be used to convey a child.

o Method of transporting the child quickly and safely.

The backrest and footrest may be prevented from opening too far by the use of support struts that becomes taught when the backrest or footrest is in the fully open position, or by a locking rod mechanism or spring loaded mechanism located in the hinged side of the backrest and footrest.

The backrest and footrest may be held in their closed positions by means of a rod attached to the top edge of the backrest and footrest which is pressed into a receiving groove acting to hold the rod in place until pulled apart. Or by a zip closing system, Velcro strips, or attracting magnets placed on the upper edge of the backrest and footrest and opposite on the large upper panel of the suitcase.

An example of the invention will be described by referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows a wheeled suitcase as used in the conventional manner, before adaptation to a system capable of transporting a child.

Figure 2 shows a suitcase laid flat to the floor and the deployment of the backrest and footrest.

Figure 3 shows a suitcase laid flat to the floor, the deployment of the child backrest and footrest, and the engagement of the telescopic pivoting handle.

Figure 4A shows a support strut to hold the backrest in an upright position.

Figure 4B shows a support strut to hold the footrest in a horizontal position.

Figure 5 shows an alternative mechanism to hold the backrest in an upright position.

Figure 6 shows an alternative method of holding the backrest in an upright position.

Figure 7 shows a configuration of zips to hold the backrest aid footrest in a stowed position.

Figure 8 shows an alternative support mechanism to hold the footrest horizontal.

Figure 9 shows an alternative embodiment of the footrest.

Figure 1 OA shows a half harness system to hold the child in a seated position.

Figure 1 OB shows a full harness system to hold the child in a seated position.

In figure I the child backrest 1 and the footrest 2 are shown in the stowed position, attached to suitcase 3 are a set of front multi-direction swivel wheels 4 and rear fixed wheels 5. The telescopic handle 6 is partially extended to a position where it remains possible to extend and retract only in a single plane, as per accepted conventional usage of a wheeled suitcase of this type.

In figure 2 the suitcase is lowered so as the large base panel of the suitcase is parallel to the ground and supported by wheel sets 4 and 5. Backrest 1 and footrest 2 are shown in their deployed position. The backrest and footrest may be deployed independently from each other. Both the backrest and footrest operate using a simple hinge mechanism, with the side opposite to the hinged side being pulled open by hand and pivoted round on its axis until it reaches its fully open position. The telescopic handle 6 is pivoted upwards and fully extended 7.

In figure 3 child backrest 1 and footrest 2 are shown in their deployed position, and the telescopic handle 7 is fully extended and able to pivot into a position towards the perpendicular. The exact angle and therefore the height of the handle will be determined by the height of the users hand when pulling the case, in normal usage handle 7 will be held at approximately 45 degrees.

In figure 4A support strut 8 prevents the backrest from opening beyond the desired upright position. Support strut 8 becoming taught when the backrest is fully opened and therefore offering resistance to further opening.

In figure 4B support strut 9 prevents the footrest from opening beyond the desired horizontal position. Support strut 9 becoming taught when the footrest is fully opened and therefore offering resistance to further opening.

In figure 5 rod 10 comprises of a rounded rotating section 11 and non rotating section 12.

On opening of the backrest 1 rotating section 11 rotates in a clockwise direction until in the fully open position where upon rod 10 slots downwards into receiving groove 13 * thereby holding the backrest in an upright position. To release the holding mechanism backrest 1 is lifted and pushed forward thus rotating rod 10 in an anticlockwise direction.

This mechanism may in addition include spring 14 attached to non rotating section 12, the function of the spring being to pull the backrest into groove 13 when backrest 1 is in a fully opened position.

In figure 6 an alternative embodiment of the mechanism for holding the backrest in an upright position is shown: Rod 15 at the base of backrest 1 fits into groove 16 when the backrest is in the upright position. Rod 15 is held in place by means of protrusions 17 fitted within groove 16 which offer an element of resistance against rod 15 moving through the protrusions, but rod 15 may be moved through the protrusions by the force of manually moving backrest 1 in a direction to open or close said backrest.

In figure 7 zips 18 and 19 are used to hold backrest 1 and footrest 2 respectively in a closed position flush with the large upper side of the suitcase when the backrest and/or footrest is not in use.

In figure 8, footrest 2 is in an open position with the footrest prevented from opening beyond the desired horizontal position by the area of resistance 20 of the large upper side of the suitcase against the footrest.

Figure 9 shows an alternative embodiment of the footrest deployment mechanism, whereby footrest 21 is stowed laterally in a stowage slot 22. Footrest 21 may be deployed or stowed by pulling/pushing in the direction of the arrows.

In figures 1 OA and 1 OB a harness system is shown for holding the child securely in position in the seated position. Figure 1 OA shows a half harness system 23 comprising of straps to go around the child's waist. Figure lOB shows a full harness system 24 comprising of waist and shoulder straps. The harness mechanism is stowed between the backrest 1 and the upper suitcase panel when the backrest mechanism is closed.

Claims

Claims 1. A wheeled suitcase comprising a backrest attached to the case, characterised in that the backrest may be stowed substantially flat to the large upper panel of the suitcase, or pivoted open around the axis of the backrest base edge which remains permanently connected to the suitcase, to rest at an angle of between 60 and 180 degrees from its stowed position.
2. A wheeled suitcase according to claim I comprising a footrest connected to the case, characterised in that the footrest may be stowed substantially flat to the large upper panel of the suitcase, or pivoted open around the axis of the footrest base edge which remains permanently connected to the suitcase, to rest at an angle of between 140 and 220 degrees from its stowed position.
3. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 1 in which the backrest is prevented from opening beyond the desired upright position by a support strut placed at the side of the backrest and attached between the backrest and the upper panel of the suitcase, the support strut becoming taught when the backrest is fully opened and therefore offering resistance to further opening.
4. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 1 in which the backrest is prevented from opening beyond the desired upright position by means of a locking mechanism in which a circular rod located along the hinged side of the backrest and consisting of a rotating and non rotating member, slots into an adjacent receiving groove fixed on the large upper panel of the suitcase when the backrest is fully opened.
5. A wheeled suitcase according to claim I in which the backrest is retained in an upright position by means of a spring loaded mechanism operating in conjunction with the circular rod and the vertical groove as outlined in claim 4, whereby the circular rod is pulled into its locked position in the receiving groove by means of a spring fixed between the non rotating member and the base of the receiving groove.
6. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 1 in which the backrest may be held in a closed position by a rod fitted to the top of the backrest fitting into a groove in an adjacent position on the upper panel of the suitcase, the groove containing one or several protrusions which offer a level of resistance against the movement of the rod through the mechanism allowing the backrest back to be held in a closed position but additionally allowing for the rod to be pulled from the groove by physically opening the backrest back.
7. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 1 in which the backrest is assisted in opening by means of a spring loaded mechanism operating at the hinged side of the backrest, whereby on release of the backrest from the stowed position, the spring loaded mechanism acts to pull the backrest into the desired upright position.
8. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 1 in which the backrest may be held in a closed position by attracting magnets positioned towards the top of the backrest and in an adjacent position on the upper panel of the suitcase.
9. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 1 in which the backrest may be held in a closed position by Velcro positioned towards the top of the backrest and an adjacent position on the upper panel of the suitcase.
10. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 1 in which the backrest may be held in a closed position by a zip fastener enabling the three non hinged sides of the backrest to be zipped closed to the upper panel of the suitcase.
11. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 1 which incorporates a harness system connected to the backrest to restrain the child when seated.
12. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 2 in which the footrest is prevented from opening beyond the desired horizontal position by a support strut attached to both ends of the footrest remote from the hinged side, the support strut becoming taught when the footrest is fuiiy opened and therefore offering resistance to further opening.
13. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 2 in which the footrest is prevented from opening beyond the desired horizontal position by the resistance of the large upper panel of the suitcase against the footrest as it is placed in its horizontal opened position, the edge of the upper panel of the suitcase nearest the hinged side of the footrest being a sufficient distance away from the hinged side of the footrest to allow for sufficient resistance against the footrest when in an open position to prevent further opening.
14. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 2 in which the footrest may be deployed by pulling laterally from a stowed position in the large upper panel of the suitcase.
15. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 2 in which the footrest is assisted in opening by means of a spring loaded mechanism operating at the hinged side of the footrest, whereby on release of the footrest from the stowed position, the spring loaded mechanism acts to pull the footrest into the deployed position.
16. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 2 in which the footrest may be held in a closed position by a rod fitted to the top of the footrest fitting into a groove in an adjacent position on the large upper panel of the suitcase, the groove containing one or several protrusions which offer a level of resistance against the movement of the rod through the mechanism allowing the footrest to be held in a closed position but additionally allowing for the rod to be pulled from the groove by physically opening the footrest.
17. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 2 in which the footrest may be held in a closed position by attracting magnets positioned towards the top of the footrest and in an adjacent position on the large upper panel of the suitcase.
18. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 2 in which the footrest may be held in a closed position by Velcro positioned towards the top of the footrest and an adjacent position on the large upper panel of the suitcase.
19. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 2 in which the footrest may be held in a closed position by a zip fastener enabling the three non hinged sides of the footrest to be zipped closed to the large upper panel of the suitcase.
20. A wheeled suitcase according to claim 1 incorporating a lateral support strut or struts positioned beneath the large upper panel of the suitcase to add support to the weight of the child when sitting.