Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45C—PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
  • A45C13/00—Details; Accessories
  • A45C13/26—Special adaptations of handles
  • A45C13/262—Special adaptations of handles for wheeled luggage
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45C—PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
  • A45C13/00—Details; Accessories
  • A45C13/10—Arrangement of fasteners
  • A45C13/1023—Arrangement of fasteners with elongated profiles fastened by sliders
  • A45C13/103—Arrangement of zip-fasteners
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45C—PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
  • A45C3/00—Flexible luggage; Handbags
  • A45C3/001—Flexible materials therefor
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45C—PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
  • A45C5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid luggage
  • A45C5/03—Suitcases
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45C—PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
  • A45C5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid luggage
  • A45C5/14—Rigid or semi-rigid luggage with built-in rolling means
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45C—PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
  • A45C13/00—Details; Accessories
  • A45C13/26—Special adaptations of handles
  • A45C13/262—Special adaptations of handles for wheeled luggage
  • A45C2013/267—Special adaptations of handles for wheeled luggage the handle being slidable, extractable and lockable in one or more positions

Definitions

• wheeled luggage includes one or more wheels integral with the frame of the luggage.
• a retractable or foldable handle is provided to allow the luggage to be pushed or pulled along the ground. This alleviates the need for the user to carry and thus support the entire weight of the luggage.
• a retractable panel has been provided which includes an extra wheel or two. The retractable panel is automatically deployed by pulling up on the handle. The extra wheels can be casters in order to increase the maneuverability of the luggage. Examples of such items are disclosed in United States Patent Nos. 5,519,919 and 5,568,848.
• the luggage article of the invention satisfies the above-mentioned needs as well as others.
• the luggage article includes a storage compartment and first rolling means projecting from the storage compartment.
• a wheeled panel mechanism is provided which includes a pivotably mounted panel, the panel having second rolling means.
• Operatively associated with the wheeled panel mechanism is a handle which is movable between a retracted position and an extended position.
• the luggage article finally includes means for selective deployment or nondeployment of the second rolling means when the handle is moved from the retracted position to the extended position. In this way, the user has a choice to use or not use the second rolling means even when the handle is in an extended position.
• An improved detent means and improved caster system for the second rolling means are also disclosed.
• a wheeled panel mechanism itself for use not only with luggage but also other articles, such as carts, dollies and baby carriages is also provided.
• An improved pushbutton device is also disclosed.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a luggage article, partially cutaway, showing the wheeled panel mechanism of the invention with the handle in a retracted position and the wheeled panel mechanism in a nondeployed position.
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of a luggage article, partially cutaway, showing the handle in an extended position and the wheeled panel mechanism in a nondeployed position.
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of a luggage article, partially cutaway, showing the handle in an extended position and the wheeled panel mechanism in a deployed position.
• Figure 4 is a partially exploded perspective view showing the wheeled panel mechanism.
• Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the handle means.
• Figure 6 is a perspective view, partially cutaway, of the handle means in the extended position.
• Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 only showing when the pushbutton is pushed and the detent is moved.
• Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 only showing the handle being pushed down towards the retracted position.
• Figure 8A and 8B are cross-sectional views of another embodiment of the pushbutton.
• Figure 9 is a perspective view of the wheeled panel mechanism by itself in its deployed state.
• Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 only showing the wheeled panel mechanism being partially closed.
• Figure 11 is a view similar to Figures 9 and 10 only showing the wheeled panel mechanism being fully closed.
• Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 12-12 of Figure 1. «A , . 4 ⁇ i PCT/US99/03368 99/44461
• Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 13-13 of Figure 2.
• Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figures 12 and 13.
• Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 15-15 of Figure 3.
• Figure 16 is a side elevational view, partially in section, showing the caster of the invention in a storage position.
• Figure 17 is a side elevational view, partially in section, of a caster of the invention bearing on a surface.
• Figure 18 is a side elevational view, partially in section, of the caster with its wheel lifted off of the ground.
• a luggage article 20 is shown.
• the luggage article 20 includes, in this embodiment, a unitary frame or gusset 22 made of plastic.
• a fabric covering (not shown) can be used to create the storage compartment 24 for the luggage article 20.
• the invention herein can also be used with so-called "hard-sided" luggage, in addition to the soft-sided (or gussetted) luggage shown.
• the luggage article 20 includes handle means 26 which includes a pair of spaced apart male tubing members 28 and 30 which are joined together at the top by a gripping portion 32.
• the male tubing members 28 and 30 engage into female tubes 40 and 42. It will be appreciated that the male tubing members 28 and 30 and the gripping portion 32 can be moved from a retracted position, as shown in Figure 1 to an extended portion as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
• Figure 2 shows the luggage article 20 with the handle means 26 in an extended position. In this position, the luggage article 20 can be rolled along a surface by means of first rolling means shown here as a pair of spaced apart wheels 44 and 46. The design and positioning of these wheels are well known to those skilled in the art.
• a wheeled panel mechanism 50 which will be discussed in much greater detail below, is provided which includes second rolling means, in this case unique and novel casters 52 and 54, mounted by means of a caster support bar 55 to a pivotably mounted panel 56 of the wheeled panel mechanism 50 (see Figure 3 ) .
• the wheeled panel mechanism 50 provides greater support for the luggage article 20 and allows the luggage article 20 to be more easily pushed by the user.
• the luggage article 20 includes means for selective deployment or nondeployment of the second rolling means 52, 54 of the luggage article when the handle means 26 is moved from the retracted position ( Figure 1 ) to the extended position ( Figures 2 and 3) .
• the advantage of the luggage article 20 of the invention is that, in contrast to prior art luggage articles, the user has a choice of whether or not to deploy the wheeled panel mechanism 50 when the handle means 26 is extended.
• the wheeled panel mechanism 50 does not have to be deployed when the handle means 26 is extended.
• the wheeled panel mechanism 50 is really needed, such as when the load is heavy or when it is desired to stack other items on the luggage article 20, the wheeled panel mechanism 50 can be deployed to create a luggage cart.
• the wheeled panel mechanism 50 is preferably a modular component which can be attached separately to an existing luggage article.
• a framing member 60 is attached to the female tubing members 40 and 42.
• the wheeled panel mechanism 50 is then attached to the framing member 60 and secured thereto by fastening means, such as rivets 63, 64, 65 and 66.
• fastening means such as rivets 63, 64, 65 and 66.
• the handle means 26 includes the male tubing members 28, 30 which are slidingly engaged in the female tubing members 40, 42.
• the female tubing members 40, 42 include openings 40a, 42a and longitudinal slots 40b, 42b.
• the purpose of the longitudinal slots 40b, 42b will be explained below.
• the free end of each of the male tubing members 28 and 30 encloses the detent housing 70, 71 which contains the detent 72, 73 of the invention.
• the detent 72, 73 includes a channel 74, 75 and a rounded opening 76, 77.
• Cable 78, 79 has one end 78a, 79a connected to the detent 72, 73 as shown in Figure 5.
• the other end 78b, 79b of the cable 78, 79 is connected to a tab 80, 81 movably mounted to a lower portion 84 of the gripping portion 32.
• the tab 80, 81 has an engagement opening 80a, 81a including a sloped pilot surface 80b, 81b.
• a pushbutton 90 is provided that is movably mounted into an opening 92 in upper portion 93 of the gripping portion 32.
• the pushbutton 90 has a first projection 94 with a sloped pilot surface 94a and a second projection 95 with a sloped pilot surface 95a.
• the pushbutton 90 is biased upwardly by means of spring 96.
• Each of the tabs 80, 81 includes a toothed projection portion 98, 99 that is meshingly engaged with a round gear 100 rotatably mounted to the lower portion 84 of the gripping portion 32.
• the detent 72, 73 has the general shape shown in Figure 5 and includes a top flat section 102, 103; a sloped section 104, 105; a vertical section 106, 107; a bottom flat section 108, 109; a lockdown device engagement section 110, 111; an intermediate horizontal section 112, 113 and an outside vertical section 114, 115.
• a portion 120, 121 of the detent 72, 73 extends beyond the outer surface 122, 123 of the male tubing members 28, 30.
• lockdown devices 130, 131 are also provided in the female tubing members 40, 42.
• These lockdown devices 130, 131 include projections 132, 133 having a detent mechanism engagement portion 134, 135 including a sloped pilot surface 136, 137 which act as detent engaging portions.
• the lockdown device 130, 131 includes a spring 138, 139.
• the projection 132, 133 also includes a slider mechanism engagement portion 132a, 133a.
• the operation of the lockdown device 130, 131 will be discussed below in further detail with respect to Figures 12-15. Referring now particularly to Figures 6-8 , the operation of the detent 72, 73 vis-a-vis the handle 26 will be explained. In Figure 6, the handle 26 is shown in its extended position (see Figures 2 and 3 ) .
• the pushbutton 90 can be released, and the detent 72, 73 will contact the inner surface 40c, 42c of the female tubing 40, 42 as shown in Figure 8. Due to the design and configuration of the detent 72, 73, the male tubing 28, 30 can slide downwardly in the female tubing 40, 42.
• FIGS 8A and 8B show an alternate embodiment of the pushbutton mechanism.
• a pair of camming means 140, 141 are provided to which the cables 78' and 79' are attached.
• the pushbutton 142 includes two projections 144, 145 which engage against the camming means 140, 141 when pushed down, causing the camming means 140, 141 to rotate about pivot point 146, 147. This in turn will draw the cable 78', 79' inward and thus rotate the detent, as in the embodiment shown in Figures 5-8.
• the pushbutton 142 is biased in the non-engaged position by spring 148.
• the above detent design is a unique invention in and of itself and can be used with any retractable handle for a luggage article, whether having a wheeled panel mechanism or not.
• the detent design can be used for any item having an extendable handle, such as a dolly or a baby carriage.
• the detent design is especially advantageous when used in connection with the unique wheeled panel mechanism 50 of the invention, as will be explained in further detail below.
• the wheeled panel mechanism 50 of the invention is shown apart from the luggage article in Figure 9.
• the mechanism 50 is a modular component which can be attached separately to an existing luggage article or to any other carrying article such as a dolly, cart or baby carriage.
• the mechanism 50 is connected to a framing member 60 that is itself attached to the female tubing members 40, 42 as was seen in Figure 4.
• the wheeled panel mechanism 50 includes a body portion 150, a pivotably mounted panel 56 (shown in phantom for the sake of clarity) including casters 52, 54 mounted to caster bar 55 and linkage means 152 connecting the body portion 150 to the pivotably mounted panel 56.
• the linkage means 152 consists of a first link 156 and a second link 158.
• the first link 156 is pivotably mounted to the panel 56 and the second link 158 whereas the second link 158 is pivotably mounted to the body portion 150 and the first link 156.
• a first spring 160 is disposed at the joining point of the panel 56 and the first link 156 and a second spring 162 is disposed at the joining point of the body portion 150 and the second link 158.
• the wheeled panel mechanism 50 further includes a slider mechanism 170.
• the slider mechanism 170 includes a pair of arms 172, 174 that extend away from a central roller 176.
• the ends of the arms 172, 174 include extension portions 177 and 178, respectively which extended through the slots 40b and 42b in female tubing members 40 and 42 (not shown in Figure 9) .
• the body portion 150 includes a pair of spaced apart rollers 180 and 182, with central roller 166 being disposed intermediate thereof.
• a belt 184 has one end 184a attached to the pivotably mounted panel 56 and a second end 184b attached to the body portion 150. Taking it from end 184a, the belt 184 is threaded through an opening 156a in first link 156, over roller 166 and threaded back through an opening 158a in second link 158. From there, the belt 184 is threaded under roller 182, under central roller 176, over roller 180 and then over central roller 176 of the slider mechanism 170. The belt end 184b is then attached to the body portion.
• Figures 10 and 11 show how the movement of the slider mechanism pivots the panel 56 so that the wheeled mechanism 50 can be placed in a nondeployed state.
• the belt 184 is pulled by central roller thus pulling the belt 184 and drawing the first link 156 inward, causing the first link 156 and second link 158 to fold up on each other.
• the slider mechanism 170 downward will fold up flat the first and second links 156 and 158 so that they will be disposed in the body portion 150 with panel 56 overlying them, as shown in Figure 11.
• Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 12-12 of Figure 1, which shows the handle 26 in its retracted position and the wheeled panel mechanism 50 in its nondeployed position.
• the extension 177, 178 of the arm 172, 174 of the slider mechanism 170 extends into the hollow female tubing member 40, 42 through slots 40b and 42b and also engages against, and is locked down to the lockdown device 130, 131 by means of the extension 177, 178 engaging against the slider mechanism engagement portion 132a, 133a of the projection 132, 133.
• the slider mechanism 170 is biased against springs 138, 139 of the lockdown device 130, 131.
• a caster 200 is shown associated with a retractable portion 202, such as a retractable panel similar to pivotably mounted panel 56 of the wheeled panel mechanism 50 shown in Figure 3, for example.
• the retractable portion 202 is shown partially in section in Figures 16-18 in order to illustrate the invention.
• the caster 200 is shown retracted into a cavity 204 of an item 205, such as wheeled panel mechanism 50, for storage purposes.
• One of the advantages of the design of the caster 200 which will be explained in detail below, is that the caster 200, when retracted and stored, fits better into the cavity 204.
• the caster 200 consists of a wheel 210, a wheel frame 212 and a swivel 214.
• the swivel 214 includes a rod 216 including a cross pin 217 extending therefrom into guiding means 218 formed in the retractable portion 202.
• the wheel frame 212 connects the swivel 214 to the wheel 210 and is pivotably mounted to the swivel 214 by a pair of connectors 220, 222.
• Wheel 210 includes an axle 223 having each of its ends axially rotatably mounted to the wheel frame 212, as can be seen in Figure 17.
• Retractable portion 202 also includes biasing means, in this embodiment a spring 224, having one end secured to the wall 226 of the retractable portion 202 and having another end bearing against the top surface of rod 216.
• the spring 224 biases the caster into a storage position wherein the cross pin 217 engages into the V-shaped guid- ing means 218, and so that a gap 228 is formed between the swivel 214 and the bottom surface 202a of the retractable portion 202.
• the caster 200 is shown on a retractable portion 202, the invention is not so limited and the caster design disclosed can be used on any item, having a retractable portion or not, where it is desired to use a caster having free range of motion while its wheel is on a surface, but which is desired to assume a predetermined position having a particular desired orientation when its wheel is lifted off of the surface.
• the wheel frame 212 of the caster 200 is designed to pivot about a pivot point P in order to further efficiently store the caster 200 into the cavity 204, as shown by arrow C.

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

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• 1999
  • 1999-02-17 JP JP2000534082A patent/JP2002505127A/ja not_active Ceased
  • 1999-02-17 EP EP99909499A patent/EP1059859A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-02-17 AU AU28689/99A patent/AU2868999A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-02-17 CA CA002321530A patent/CA2321530A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-03-03 CA CA002322214A patent/CA2322214A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-03-03 AU AU30683/99A patent/AU3068399A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-03-03 JP JP2000534388A patent/JP2002505206A/ja active Pending
  • 1999-03-03 EP EP99912271A patent/EP1087863A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-03-04 AU AU31825/99A patent/AU3182599A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-03-04 EP EP99913835A patent/EP1059858A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-03-04 CA CA002322184A patent/CA2322184A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-03-04 JP JP2000534081A patent/JP2002505126A/ja active Pending
  • 1999-03-04 WO PCT/US1999/004864 patent/WO1999044460A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

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