AU662558B2 - Luggage - Google Patents

Description

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1. C07 S F Ref: 221320

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: King-Sheng Wang No. 16, Lane 116 Ta An Kang Rd.

Ta Chia Chen Taichung Hsien TAINAN R.O.C.

King-Sheng Wang Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Invention Title: Luggage The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5845/4

LUGGAGE

Background Of The Invention The present invention relates to an item of luggage and relates more particularly to the improvement of a handle assembly and the arrangement of castors for a luggage item.

A luggage item for containing a traveller's belongings generally has castors on the bottom for moving and a handle for carrying with the hand. Because the handle is commonly not adjustable and the castors are respectively arranged on the four corners of the bottom edge, it is too great an effort for a traveller to carry a luggage item.

Summary of the Invention It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

There is disclosed herein a luggage item having castors on a bottom surface °i thereof and a handle assembly on one side thereof, wherein said handle assembly comprises: a sleeve made of a channel plate fastened to the shell of the luggage item; an elongated handle bar movably inserted into said channel plate; 4 a U-shaped auxiliary handle having two opposite ends respectively pivoted to said sleeve, said channel plate having two opposite stub rods respectively fitted into two opposite side grooves on said elongated handle bar, said elongated handle bar being allowed to be drawn out of said channel plate and rotated on said stub rods for changing the angular position relative to said channel plate; and locking means operatively associated with the elongated handle bar and the sleeve to releasably lock the handle bar at a desired angular orientation with respect to the sleeve when the handle bar is in its extended position, wherein the locking means comprises: a plurality of teeth formed on an end of the etlingated handle bar, and a projecting block extending from the sleeve and defining an edge portion adapted to engage at least one of the teeth formed on the elongated handle bar, wherein: said castors include a fixed castor in the middle and a first pair of swivel castors on one end of said surface and a second pair of swivel castors on an opposite end of said surface, for permitting said fixed castor and either pair of swivel castors to be landed on the ground as the luggage item is moved.

There is further disclosed herein a luggage item for enclosing a travellers belongings comprising: a) a case having a generally convexly curved bottom and at least one J side; IN:\LIBTT100415:HRW I A -2b) a wheel non-pivotally attached to a middle portion of the convexly curved bottom, the wheel being rotatable about an axis of rotation; c) two pairs of pivoting castors attached to the bottom, the two pairs being located on opposite sides of the axis of rotation; and d) an adjustable handle assembly attached to the at least one side, the handle assembly comprising: i) an elongated handle bar having a handhold portion; ii) a sleeve affixed to the at least one side, the sleeve including means defining an elongated channel with an open end adapted to slidably receive the elongated handle bar therein such that the elongated handle bar is movable between a retracted position and an extended position; iii) pivot means operatively associated with the elongated handle bar enabling the handle bar to be angularly moved about a pivot axis with respect to the sleeve when in its extended position, the pivot axis extending generally parallel to the axis of rotation; and iv) locking means operatively associated with the elongated handle bar and the sleeve to releasably lock the handle bar at a desired angular orientation with respect to the sleeve when the handle bar is in its extended position, wherein the locking means comprises: a plurality of teeth formed on an end of the elongated handle bar, and a projecting block extending from the sleeve and defining an edge portion adapted to engage at least one of the teeth formed on the elongated handle bar.

There is further disclosed herein a luggage item for enclosing a travellers belongings comprising: a) a case having a generally convexly curved bottom and at least one side; b) a wheel non-pivotally attached to a middle portion of the convexly curved bottom, the wheel being rotatable about an axis of rotation; c) two pairs of pivoting castors attached to the bottom, the two pairs being located on opposite sides of the axis of rotation; and d) an adjustable handle assembly attached to the at least one side, the handle assembly comprising: Si) an elongated handle bar having a handhold portion; ii) a sleeve affixed to the at least one side, the sleeve including means defining an elongated channel with an open end adapted to slidably receive the elongated handle bar therein such that the elongated handle bar is movable between a retracted position and an extended position; iii) pivot means operatively associated with the elongated handle bar enabling the handle bar to be angularly moved about a pivot axis with respect to the (N:\LIBTTI00415:HRW i-

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-3sleeve when in its extended position, the pivot axis extending generally parallel to the axis of rotation; iv) locking means operatively associated with the elongated handle bar and the sleeve to releasably lock the handle bar at a desired angular orientation with respect to the sleeve, said locking means comprising a plurality of teeth formed on an end of the elongated bar and a projecting block adapted to engage with at least one of said teeth; and v) an auxiliary handle attached to the sleeve.

a r' IN:\LIBTT]00415:HRW i I BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a handle assembly according to the present invention; Fig. 1A is a plan view in an enlarged scale showing a curved spring leaf retained by a spring; Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the elongated handle of the handle assembly of Fig. 1 moved on the sleeve; Fig. 2A illustrates the toothed portion of the '"elongated handle bar engaged with the curved front edge of the longitudinal rail and the curved back edge of the resilient projecting block of the sleeve; Fig. 3 illustrates the handle assembly fastened to one lateral side of the luggage with the elongated handle bar drawn out of the sleeve reaching halfway; Fig. 4 shows the elongated handle bar drawn out of the sleeve and adjusted to an oblique position relative to 1A 1 I1' i the sleeve; Fig. 5 illustrates a covering fastened to the sleeve of the handle assembly; Fig. 6 illustrates an alternate form of the handle assembly; Fig. 7 is a front plan view showing the luggage supported on the ground by the fixed castor and the front swivel castors; Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the luggage showing the positions of the fixed castor and the swivel castors; and Fig. 9 illustrates the handle assembly fastened to the luggage on one large face thereof and carried with the hand to move the luggage sideways.

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6 D£TrnAIED DESCIPTION i OF THE PPEFEBE EMB3ODINHTiiT Referring to Fig. 1, therein illastrazed is a handle assembly for a luggage\ acording to the present invention which is generally comprised of a sleeve 10, an elongated handle bar 20, and an auxiliary handle 30. The sleeve 10 is made in a substantially rectangular shape having an elongated channel 11 through a large, longitudinal top face thereof, a longitudinal rail 1.2 raised from an inside surface thereof below the elongated channel 11 and terminated into a curved front edge 13, a resilient projecting block 14 1" 0 raised from the inside surface in front of the curved front edge 13 of the longitudinal rail 12 adjacent to a front o ZZ CNNOVM\IeN opening t-hnre two inward stub rods 16 transversely disposed between the curved front edge 13 of the longitudinal rail 12 and the resilient projecting block 14 at two opposite locations, two curved spring leaves 18 retained on the inside i I 7 by springs 19 at two opposite locations (see Fig. and two recessed surface portions 17 on two opposite, longitudinal side walls thereof, wherein the resilient projecting block 14 has a curved back edge 15 opposite the curved front edge 13 of the longitudinal rail 12. The elongated handle bar 20 has a top end formed into a transverse handhold portion 21, a bottom end formed into a toothed portion 26 having a series of parallel teeth, a flat a projecting wall 24 raised from a large, longitudinal top face thereof which fits into the channel 11 on the sleeve 10, a longitudinal bottom groove 25 (see Fig. 2) formed on a large, longitudinal bottom face thereof, and two longitudinal side grooves 22 on two opposite, longitudinal side walls thereof, e wherein each side groove 22 has a hole 23 at a suitable o .15 location into which either curved spring leaf 18 may engage.

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-~iXOEI 8 The auxiliary handle 30 is made from a substantially U-shaped frame comprised of a transverse handhold portion 31 connected between two spaced legs 32,33 at one end. The legs 32,33 of the auxiliary handle 30 each has a spring seat 34 on a respective inner side to hold a respective torsion spring The assembly process of the handle assembly is quite simple.

As the handle bar 20 was inserted into the seve 10, the flat projecting wall 24 of the handle bar 20 fits into the channel 11 on the sleeve 10, the longitudirial rail 12 of the sleeve 10 fits into the elongated groove 25, and the two opposite stub rods 15,16 of the sleeve 10 respectively engage into the longitudinal side grooves 22 on the handle bar The two legs 32,33 of the auxiliary handle 30 are respectively pivoted to the recessed surface portions 17 on the sleeve 10 by screws 36. When assembled, the transverse l ~-ara;sara4-aa~ handhold portion 21 is stopped above the sleeve 10 on the outside (because the length of the transverse handhold portion 21 is relatively longer than the width of the sleeve and the handle bar 20 can be urawn out of the sleeve then pushed back into place.

Reiferring to Figs. 2 and 2A, as the handle bar has been drawn out of the sleeve 10, it is retained to the sleeve 10 by the two opposite stub rods 16. Therefore, the handle bar 20 can be rotated on the stub rods 16 to change its angular position relative to the sleeve 10 (see Fig. 2).

As soon as the handle bar 20 has been properly adjusted to the desired angular position relative to the sleeve 10, it is oo°.

i firmly retained in position by means of the engagement of the toothed portion 26 with the curved front edge 13 of the longitudinal rail 12 and the curved back edge 15 of the aC 0 B r ~I resilient projecting block 14 (see Fig. 2AJ. The handle bar 20 can be conveniently collapsed and received back inside the sleeve 10 by squeezing the resilient projecting block 14 to disengage the curved back edge 15 from the toothed portion 26.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, therein illustrated is a luggage\40 having a handle assembly according to, the present invention, As illustrated in Fig. 3, the handle bar 20 is drawn out of the sleeve 10 reaching halfway and retained in place by the curved spring leaves 18. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the handle bar 20 is drawn out of the sleeve 10 and rotated on the stub rods 16 to the desired angular position.

Referring to Fig. 5, a channeled covering 45 may be fastened to the sleeve 10 on the top by screws 46 to stop P-t 11 the transverse handhold portion 21 of the handle bar 20 as the handle bar 20 was collapsed. Of course, the covering has a hole 45 for moving the handle bar 20 in and out.

Referring to Fig. 6, therein illustrated is an alternate form of the handle assembly. In this alternate form, the handle assembly is simply comprised of a channel plate 41 fastened to one lateral side wall of the shell of a luggage ana an elongated handle bar 42 movably inserted into the channel plate 41. Similar to the handle assembly of Fig. 1, the channel plate 41 has two opposite stub rods respectively fitted into two opposite side grooves on the elongated handle bar 42.

Referring to Figs. 7, 8, 9, the luggageA has a bottom edge curved outwards and attached with a fixed castor 50 in the middle and two opposite pairs of swivel <1 C

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-12castors 51 on two opposite ends. As the luggage item is moved, only the fixed castor and either two swivel castors 51 on the rear end are landed on the ground to support the luggage 40. This arrangement enables the user to carry the luggage item 40 with less labour and permits the luggage item 40 to be turned in another direction conveniently and stably. In Fig. 9, the handle assembly 53 is fastened to one large face panel of the luggage item 40 for permitting the luggage item 40 to be moved sideways.

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Claims (11)

1. A luggage item having castors on a bottom surface thereof and a handle assembly on one side thereof, wherein said handle assembly comprises: a sleeve made of a channel plate fastened to the shell of the luggage item; an elongated handle bar movably inserted into said channel plate; a U-shaped auxiliary handle having two opposite ends respectively pivoted to said sleeve, said channel plate having two opposite stub rods respectively fitted into two opposite side grooves on said elongated handle bar, said elongated handle bar being allowed to be drawn out of said channel plate and rotated on said stub rods for changing the angular position relative to said channel plate; and locking means operatively associated with the elongated handle bar and the sleeve to releasably lock the handle bar at a desired angular orientation with respect to the sleeve when the handle bar is in its extended position, wherein the locking means comprises: a plurality of teeth formed on an end of the elongated handle bar, and a projecting block extending from the sleeve and defining an edge portion adapted to I engage at least one of the teeth formed on the elongated handle bar, wherein: said castors include a fixed castor in the middle and a first pair of swivel castors on one end of said surface and a second pair of swivel castors on an opposite end of said surface, for permittingsaid fixed castor and either pair of swivel castors to 20 be landed on the ground as the luggage item is moved.

2. The luggage item of claim I wherein: said sleeve comprises an elongated channel through a large, longitudinal top face thereof, a longitudinal rail raised from an inside surface thereof below said elongated channel and terminating in a curved front edge, said projecting block;being resilient and being raised from an inside surface thereof in front of the curved front edge of said longitudinal rail adjacent to a front opening of the elongated channel, said two inward stub rods being transversely disposed between the curved front edge of said longitudinal rail and said resilient projecting block at two opposite locations, two curved spring leaves retained on the inside of said sleeve at two opposite locations by S 30 springs, and two recessed surface portions on two opposite, longitudinal side walls thereof, said resilient projecting block having a curved back edge opposite the curved front edge of said longitudinal rail; said elongated handle bar has a transverse handhold portion on a top end thereof disposed outside said sleeve, a flat projecting wall raised from a large, longitudinal top face thereof and fitted into the elongated channel on said sleeve, a longitudinal bottom groove on a large, longitudinal bottom face thereof into which the longitudinal rail of said sleeve fits, and two longitucmnal side grooves on two opposite, Zlongitudinal side walls thereof into which the two stub rods of said sleeve fit [N:\LIBTT10041 I- -14- respectively, each longitudinal side groove having a hole into which one of said curved spring leaves may engage to hold said elongated handle bar in position; said U-shaped auxiliary handle comprises a transverse handhold portion bridged over said sleeve, and two elongated legs pivoted to said sleeve and releasably and respectively received in the two recessed surface portions on said sleeve; and drawing said elongated handle bar out of said sleeve causes the toothed portion of said elongated handle bar to be engaged with the curved front edge of said longitudinal rail and the curved back edge of said resilient projecting block.

3. A luggage item for enclosing a travellers belongings comprising: a) a case having a generally convexly curved bottom and at least one side; b) a wheel non-pivotally attached to a middle portion of the convexly curved bottom, the wheel being rotatable about an axis of rotation; c) two pairs of pivoting castors attached to the bottom, the two pairs being located on opposite sides of the axis of rotation: and d) an adjustable handle assembly attached to the at least one side, the 0 handle assembly comprising: i) an elongated handle bar having a handhold portion; ii) a sleeve affixed to the at least one side, the sleeve including means defining an elongated channel with an open end adapted to slidably receive the elongated handle bar therein such that the elongated handle bar is movable between a retracted position and an extended position; iii) pivot means operatively associated with the elongated handle bar enabling the handle bar to be angularly moved about a pivot axis with respect to the sleeve when in its extended position, the pivot axis extending generally parallel to the a.,axis of rotation; and iv) locking means operatively associated with the elongated handle bar S -and the sleeve to releasably lock the handle bar at a desired angular orientation with Sa respect to the sleeve when the handle bar is in its extended position, wherein the locking means comprises: a plurality of teeth formed on an end of the elongated handle bar, and a projecting block extending from the sleeve and defining an edge portion adapted to engage at least one of the teeth formed on the elongated handle bar.

4. The luggage item of claim 3 wherein the edge portion is curved. The bag of claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the projecting block is movable to a position such that the edge portion is out of engagement with the teeth to enable the angular position of the elongated handle bar to be adjusted.

6. The luggage item of any one of claims 3 to 5 further comprising an auxiliary handle attached to the sleeve. [N:\LIBTT]IO0415:HRW I S7. The luggage item of claim 6 further comprising pivot attachment means to pivotally attach the auxiliary handle to the sleeve such that it is movable between extended and retracted positions.

8. The luggage item of claim 7 further comprising spring biasing means operatively associated with the auxiliary handle to bias the auxiliary handle toward its retracted position.

9. The luggage item of claim 8 wherein the spring biasing means comprises a torsion spring. A luggage item for enclosing a travellers belongings comprising: a) a case having a generally convexly curved bottom and at least one side; b) a wheel non-pivotally attached to a middle portion of the convexly curved bottom, the wheel being rotatable about an axis of rotation; c) two pairs of pivoting castors attached to the bottom, the two pairs being located on opposite sides of the axis of rotation; and d) an adjustable handle assembly attached to the at least one side, the handle assembly comprising: i) an elongated handle bar having a handhold portion; ii) a sleeve affixed to- the at least one side, the sleeve including means defining an elongated channel with an open end adapted to slidably receive the elongated handle bar therein such that the elongated handle bar is movable between a retracted position and an extended position; iii) pivot means operatively associated with the elongated handle bar enabling the handle bar to be angularly moved about a pivot axis with respect to the sleeve when in its extended position, the pivot axis extending generally parallel to the axis of rotation; iv) locking means operatively associated with the elongated handle bar and the sleeve to releaslably lock the handle bar at a desired angular orientation with respect to the sleeve,,said locking means comprising a plurality of teeth formed on an end of the elongated bar and a projecting block extending from the sleeve and adapted to engage with at least one of said teeth-Aand v) an auxiliary handle attached to the sleeve.

11. The luggage item of claim 10 further comprising pivot attachment meails to pivotally attach the auxiliary handle to the sleeve such that it is movable between extended and retracted positions.

12. The luggage item of claim 11 further comprising spring biasing means operatively associated with the auxiliary handle to bias the auxiliary handle toward its retracted position. IN:\LIBTT10041 r ~i r s;3 i!. ii i i i i i: i :1 i1 i i -16-

13. The luggage item of claim 12 wherein the spring biasing means comprises a torsion spring.

14. A luggage item substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, or Figs. 7 to 8. DATED this Tenth Day of July 1995 King-Sheng Wang Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON (N:\LIBTT]00415:HRW I r 4 Luggage Abstract of the Disclosure A luggage (40) having a handle assembly consisted of an elongated handle bar (20) movably inserted in a channel plate (10) for carrying, and a U-shaped auxiliary handle pivoted to the channel plate for lifting. The luggage also has a fixed castor (50) on a bottom edge thereof in the middle, a first pair (51) of opposite swivel castors on one end of the bottom edge, and a second pair of opposite swivel castors on an opposite end of the bottom edge. The fixed castor (50) and either pair (51) of opposite swivel castors are landed on the ground as the luggage is moved. Figs. 4 and 7 aa I-