GB2300117A

GB2300117A - Adjustable retractable handle mounting structure for travel bags

Info

Publication number: GB2300117A
Application number: GB9508542A
Authority: GB
Inventors: A-Shih Tu
Original assignee: TU A SHIH
Current assignee: TU A SHIH
Priority date: 1995-04-27
Filing date: 1995-04-27
Publication date: 1996-10-30
Also published as: GB9508542D0

Abstract

An adjustable retractable handle mounting structure includes a base frame assembly 20 and a sleeve mounting plate 30 respectively fastened to a travel bag 10 at two opposite sides to hold the sleeves 14 of a retractable handle, the base frame having a perforated rectangular horizontal wall 210 two downward vertical walls 211, 212 extended from two opposite long sides of the rectangular horizontal wall at right angles, a longitudinal bottom chamber defined within the rectangular horizontal wall and the downward vertical walls, and an upward vertical wall 216 extended from one long side of the rectangular horizontal wall at right angles and securely fixed to the bottom ends of the sleeves 14. Two channel bars are fitted into said longitudinal bottom chamber of the base frame from one end and moved therein to the desired position and then fixed in place by rivets. The channel bars may carry wheels 225.

Description

ADJUSTABLE RETRACTABLE HANDLE MOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR TRAVEL BAGS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to travel bags, and relates to an adjustable retractable handle mounting structure for travel bags which can be adjusted subject to the size of the travel bag.

Retractable handles are commonly used in travel bags for carrying by hand with less effort.

Figure 1 shows a base frame 10 installed in a travel bag 11 to hold a wheel axle 12 and two rollers 13 at two opposite ends of the wheel axle 12. This structure of base frame 10 is expensive to manufacture because complicated molds are needed. Another drawback of this structure of base frame is that the rollers will oscillate with the wheel axle when the travel bag is moved on the ground. Still another drawback of this structure of base frame is that it cannot be adjusted subject to the size of the travel bag, therefore different sizes of base frames must be used to match with different sizes of travel bags. Furthermore, because the base frame has no guard means to protect the corners of the travel bag, the corners of the travel bag tend to be damaged when they are moved against the ground or an object.

Figure 2 shows two sleeve mounting caps 15 fastened to the top panel of the travel bag 11 by lock nuts 16 and mounted on the top ends of the sleeves 14 of the retractable handle to hold the sleeves 14 in place, for permitting the handle bars 17 of the retractable handle to be moved in and out of the sleeves 14. This sleeve mounting structure is complicated to install. A spanner or like means must be used to turn the lock nuts during the installation procedure. Because the sleeve mounting caps 15 are separately installed, any small mounting error will cause the sleeves 14 deviated from position. If the sleeves 14 are not accurately installed in position, the handle bars 17 will be rubbed against the inside surface of the sleeves 14 when the handle bars 17 are moved relative to the sleeves 14.

Furthermore, because the contact area between the sleeve mounting caps 15 and the travel bag 11 is limited, the part of the travel bag 11 around the sleeve mounting caps 15 will be stretched and deformed when the handle bars 17 are pulled out of the sleeves 14.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been accomplished to provide an adjustable retractable handle mounting structure which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the adjustable retractable handle mounting structure comprises a base frame assembly and a sleeve mounting plate respectively fastened to a travel bag at two opposite sides to hold the sleeves of a retractable handle, wherein the base frame assembly comprises a base frame and two stands fastened to the base frame, the base frame having a perforated rectangular horizontal wall, two downward vertical walls bilaterally extended from two opposite long sides of the rectangular horizontal wall at right angles, a longitudinal bottom chamber defined within the rectangular horizontal wall and the downward vertical walls, and an upward vertical wall extended from one long side of the rectangular horizontal wall at right angles and securely fixed to the bottom ends of the sleeves of the retractable handle by rivets, the stands each having a channel bar fitted into said longitudinal bottom chamber of the base frame from one end and moved therein to the desired position and then fixed in place by rivets. Because the combined length of the combined length of the base frame assembly is adjustable, the base frame assembly fits travel bags of different sizes.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the wheel frames of the stands of the base frame assembly each has curved top bearing wall for supporting the travel bag, and an upright side guard for protecting a respective corner of the travel bag.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the rollers are respectively mounted within a respective bottom chamber on the wheel frame of each stand by a respective wheel axle, therefore the movement of the rollers are stable.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the sleeve mounting plate is made of substantially L-shaped configuration having a top wall securely fixed to a top side of the travel bag by rivets and two downward caps extended from the top wall and mounted on respective top ends of the sleeves of the retractable handle. Because the downward caps are integrally made on the top wall of the sleeve mounting plate, reciprocating the handle bars of the retractable handle does not stretch the top side of the travel bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 shows a base frame installed in a travel bag to hold a pair of rollers according to the prior art; Fig. 2 shows two sleeve mounting caps fastened to a travel bag to hold the sleeves of a retractable handle; Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the adjustable retractable handle mounting structure of the present invention installed in a travel bag; Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the base frame according to the present invention; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the base frame assembly according to the present invention, showing the stands adjusted relative to the base frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to Figures 3 and 4, an adjustable retractable handle mounting structure in accordance with the present invention is generally comprised of a base frame assembly 20 and a sleeve mounting plate 30.

The base frame assembly 20 comprises a substantially L-shaped base frame 21 and two stands 22 and 23. The base frame 21 comprises a perforated rectangular horizontal wall 210, two downward vertical walls 211 and 212 bilaterally extended from two opposite long sides of the horizontal wall 210 at right angles, a longitudinal bottom chamber 213 defined within the horizontal wall 210 and the downward vertical walls 211 and 212, and an upward vertical wall 216 extended from one long side of the horizontal wall 210 at right angles. The horizontal wall 210 has a longitudinal row of rivet holes 214 in the middle, and two longitudinal rows of adjustment holes 215 at two opposite sides by the rivet holes 214. The adjustment holes 215 are aligned longitudinally as well as transversely, however the rivet holes 214 are not in alignment with the adjustment holes 215. The upward vertical wall 216 has two mounting holes 217 respectively fastened to a respective mounting hole 141 near the bottom end of each sleeve 14 (of the retractable handle) of the travel bag 10 by a respective screw 18. The stands 22 and 23 are symmetrical, each comprised of a channel bar 221 or 231 respectively inserted in the longitudinal bottom chamber 213, and a wheel frame 222 or 232. The channel bar 221 or 231 has two upright locating pins 223 or 233 bilaterally disposed at the top near one end and spaced at a pitch equal to that between the two rows of adjustment holes 215 on the horizontal wall 210 of the base frame 21, and a longitudinal row of rivet holes 224 or 234 longitudinally disposed at the top in the middle for connection to the rivet holes 214 on the horizontal wall 210 of the base frame 21 by rivets 24 (see also Figure 5).The wheel frame 222 or 232 is perpendicularly and fixedly secured to one end of the channel bar 221 or 231 to hold a roller 225 or 235 within the bottom chamber (not shown) thereof outside the travel bag 10 by an axle 226, having a curved top bearing wall 227 or 237 and an upright side guard 228 or 238 for protecting the respective corner of the travel bag 10. The upright side guard 228 or 238 has a curved top edge 229 or 239. The sleeve mounting plate 30 is made of substantially L-shaped configuration having a top wall 31 securely fixed to the top side of the travel bag 10 by rivets 33 and two downward caps 32 respectively mounted on the top ends of the sleeves 14 of the retractable handle of the travel bag 10.Because the downward caps 32 are integrally made on the top wall 31 of the sleeve mounting plate 30, it is easy to install the sleeve mounting plate 30 and the sleeves 14 in the travel bag 10.

Referring to Figure 5 and Figure 4 again, the channel bars 221 and 231 can be moved in the longitudinal bottom chamber 213 of the base frame 21 to adjust the combined length of the base frame assembly 20 subject to the size of the travel bag 10. When adjusted, the upright locating pins 223 and 233 of the stands 22 and 23 are fitted into respective adjustment holes 215 on the horizontal wall 210 of the base frame 21, and then the rivet holes 224 and 234 of the stands 22 and 23 are fastened to respective rivet holes 214 and the bottom side of the travel bag 10 by rivets 24.

It is to be understood that the drawings are designed for purposes of illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits and scope of the invention disclosed.

Claims

I claim:

1. An adjustable retractable handle mounting structure comprising a base frame assembly and a sleeve mounting plate respectively fastened to a travel bag at two opposite sides to hold the sleeves of a retractable handle, wherein said base frame assembly comprises a base frame and two stands fastened to said base frame, said base frame comprising a perforated rectangular horizontal wall, two downward vertical walls bilaterally extended from two opposite long sides of said rectangular horizontal wall at right angles, a longitudinal bottom chamber defined within said rectangular horizontal wall and said downward vertical walls, and an upward vertical wall extended from one long side of said rectangular horizontal wall at right angles, said upward vertical wall having two mounting holes respectively fixed to the sleeves of said retractable handle by rivets, said stands each comprising a channel bar fitted into said longitudinal bottom chamber of said base frame from one end and moved therein to the desired position and then fixed in place by rivets.

2. The adjustable retractable handle mounting structure of claim 1 wherein the horizontal wall of said base frame has a longitudinal row of rivet holes in the middle, and two longitudinal rows of adjustment holes at two opposite sides by the rivet holes for mounting said stands.

3. The adjustable retractable handle mounting structure of claim 2 wherein said stands each has two upright locating rods for fitting into one pair of the adjustment holes on the horizontal wall of said base frame.

4. The adjustable retractable handle mounting structure of claim 2 wherein said stands each has a longitudinal row of rivet holes for connection to the rivet holes on the horizontal wall of said base frame by rivets.

5. The adjustable retractable handle mounting structure of claim 1 wherein each stand further comprises a wheel frame at one end of the respective channel bar to hold a roller at a bottom chamber thereof by an axle.

6. The adjustable retractable handle mounting structure of claim 5 wherein said wheel frame has a curved top bearing wall for supporting said travel bag, and an upright side guard for protecting a respective corner of said travel bag.

7. The adjustable retractable handle mounting structure of claim 1 wherein said sleeve mounting plate is made of substantially L-shaped configuration having a top wall securely fixed to a top side of said travel bag by rivets and two downward caps respectively mounted on respective top ends of the sleeves of said retractable handle.