US20080078053A1

US20080078053A1 - Retractable pull handle for luggage

Info

Publication number: US20080078053A1
Application number: US11/541,866
Authority: US
Inventors: Lien-Ching Lu
Original assignee: Theprem Success Co Ltd
Current assignee: Theprem Success Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-10-02
Filing date: 2006-10-02
Publication date: 2008-04-03

Abstract

A retractable pull handle for a luggage includes an outer pipe, an inner pipe, a fixing seat, a positioning block, a first elastic member, two locking blocks, two second elastic members, and a push member. Thus, the locking posts of the locking blocks are locked in the lower locking holes of the outer pipe, and the positioning post of the positioning block is locked in the positioning hole of the outer pipe to provide a double locking effect, so that the inner pipe is locked in the outer pipe exactly and stably to prevent the inner pipe from detaching from the outer pipe, thereby facilitating packaging, transportation and storage of the luggage.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pull handle and, more particularly, to a two-stage or multi-stage retractable pull handle for a luggage.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional retractable pull handle 10 for a luggage in accordance with the prior art shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 comprises a handle 11 having two ends each provided with an outer pipe 14, an intermediate pipe 13 movably mounted in the outer pipe 14 and having a plurality of locking holes 131, an inner pipe 12 movably mounted in the intermediate pipe 13, and a link 121 pressed by the handle 11 and extended into the inner pipe 12. Each of the inner pipe 12 and the intermediate pipe 13 has a bottom end provided with a locking device 15 including a fixing seat 151, a locking pin 153 movably mounted in the fixing seat 151 and having a first end detachably locked in one of the locking holes 131 of the intermediate pipe 13, an elastic member 154 mounted in the fixing seat 151 and biased between the fixing seat 151 and a second end of the locking pin 153 to push the locking pin 153 toward the respective locking hole 131 of the intermediate pipe 13, and a V-shaped control member 152 pivotally mounted in the fixing seat 151 and having a first end rested on a lower end of the link 121 and a second end locked on the second end of the locking pin 153.
However, when the locking pin 153 of the locking device 15 attached on the inner pipe 12 is locked in the respective locking hole 131 of the intermediate pipe 13, the locking pin 153 of the locking device 15 attached on the intermediate pipe 13 is movable in the outer pipe 14, so that the intermediate pipe 13 is not positioned in the outer pipe 14 and easily slips in the outer pipe 14 when the retractable pull handle 10 is folded. In addition, the locking pin 153 of the locking device 15 is usually made of a metallic material to withstand a larger force, so that the locking pin 153 of the locking device 15 rubs the outer pipe 14 and the intermediate pipe 13 during movement of the outer pipe 14 and the intermediate pipe 13, thereby producing greater noise.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a retractable pull handle having a locking and positioning effect.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a retractable pull handle, wherein the locking posts of the locking blocks are locked in the lower locking holes of the outer pipe, and the positioning post of the positioning block is locked in the positioning hole of the outer pipe to provide a double locking effect, so that the inner pipe is locked in the outer pipe exactly and stably to prevent the inner pipe from detaching from the outer pipe, thereby facilitating packaging, transportation and storage of the luggage.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a retractable pull handle, wherein when the inner pipe is unlocked from the outer pipe, the inner pipe is movable upward relative to the outer pipe by push of the restoring force of the compression springs, thereby facilitating the user pulling the retractable pull handle.
Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a retractable pull handle in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of a fixing seat of the retractable pull handle as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective assembly view of the fixing seat of the retractable pull handle as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the fixing seat of the retractable pull handle as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a partially exploded perspective view of a mounting seat of the retractable pull handle as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a locally plan cross-sectional assembly view of the retractable pull handle as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a locally plan cross-sectional assembly view of the retractable pull handle as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a schematic operational view of the retractable pull handle as shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a locally plan cross-sectional assembly view of the retractable pull handle as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a locally plan cross-sectional assembly view of the retractable pull handle as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is a schematic operational view of the retractable pull handle as shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective assembly view of a retractable pull handle in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a partially exploded perspective cross-sectional view of a conventional retractable pull handle in accordance with the prior art.

FIG. 14 is a plan cross-sectional assembly view of the conventional retractable pull handle as shown in FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-6, a retractable pull handle for a luggage in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an outer pipe 5 having an upper end formed with two upper locking holes 51 and a lower end formed with two lower locking holes 52 and a positioning hole 53 located beneath the lower locking holes 52, an inner pipe 25 movably mounted and detachably locked in the outer pipe 5, a fixing seat 3 secured in the inner pipe 25 to move therewith, a positioning block 45 movably mounted in the fixing seat 3 and having a first side provided with a protruding positioning post 452 extended through the fixing seat 3 and the inner pipe 25 and detachably locked in the positioning hole 53 of the outer pipe 5, a first elastic member 453 biased between the fixing seat 3 and a second side of the positioning block 45 to push the positioning post 452 of the positioning block 45 toward the positioning hole 53 of the outer pipe 5, two locking blocks 43 each movably mounted in the fixing seat 3 and each having a first side provided with a protruding locking post 432 extended through the fixing seat 3 and the inner pipe 25 and detachably locked in a respective upper locking hole 51 or a respective lower locking hole 52 of the outer pipe 5, two second elastic members 434 biased between the fixing seat 3 and a second side of a respective locking block 43 to push the locking post 432 of the respective locking block 43 toward the respective upper locking hole 51 or the respective lower locking hole 52 of the outer pipe 5, a push member 4 movably mounted in the fixing seat 3 and rested on the positioning block 45 and the locking blocks 43 to push the positioning post 452 of the positioning block 45 to detach from the positioning hole 53 of the outer pipe 5 and to push the locking post 432 of each of the locking blocks 43 to detach from the respective upper locking hole 51 or the respective lower locking hole 52 of the outer pipe 5, a grip portion 21 mounted on an upper end of the inner pipe 25 to move the inner pipe 25, and a link 23 movably mounted in the inner pipe 25 and having a first end provided with a push button 22 movably mounted on the grip portion 21 and a second end provided with a press block 24 rested on the push member 4 to push the push member 4 downward.
The grip portion 21 has two fixing holes 211, and the upper end of the inner pipe 25 has two fixing holes 251 secured to the fixing holes 211 of the grip portion 21 by two rivets (not shown). The inner pipe 25 has a lower end formed with two through holes 252.
The fixing seat 3 includes a housing 30 and a side cover 32 attached to an open side wall of the housing 30 to cover the push member 4. The side cover 32 of the fixing seat 3 has two screw bores 321, and the retractable pull handle further comprises two locking screws 254 each extended through a respective through hole 252 of the inner pipe 25 and screwed into a respective screw bore 321 of the side cover 32 to secure the fixing seat 3 to the inner pipe 25. The fixing seat 3 has a face formed with two through holes 311 to allow passage of the locking posts 432 of the locking blocks 43 and a through bore 313 to allow passage of the positioning post 452 of the positioning block 45. The fixing seat 3 has an inside provided with two guide slots 31, two slideways 312 in each of which a respective locking block 43 is slidable, and a guide track 314 in which the positioning block 45 is slidable. The guide track 314 of the fixing seat 3 has a bottom formed with a first limit hole 3141 and a second limit hole 3142.
The positioning block 45 is provided with two outwardly extending driven posts 451 each protruding outwardly from the guide track 314 of the fixing seat 3. The positioning block 45 has a bottom formed with a receiving chamber 454 (see FIG. 9) for mounting a limit post 455 that is detachably locked in the first limit hole 3141 or the second limit hole 3142 of the guide track 314, and a push spring 456 that is biased between the positioning block 45 and the limit post 455 to push the limit post 455 toward the first limit hole 3141 or the second limit hole 3142 of the guide track 314.
Each of the locking blocks 43 is provided with two outwardly extending driven shafts 431 each protruding outwardly from the respective slideway 312 of the fixing seat 3. The second side of each of the locking blocks 43 is formed with a mounting chamber 433 for mounting the respective second elastic member 434.
The push member 4 is movably mounted in the inside of the fixing seat 3 and has a mediate portion provided with two push blocks 44 each slidable on the guide track 314 of the fixing seat 3 and each having a tapered push face 441 rested on a respective driven post 451 of the positioning block 45 to push the positioning block 45 inwardly to detach the positioning post 452 of the positioning block 45 from the positioning hole 53 of the outer pipe 5 and to move the limit post 455 from the first limit hole 3141 into the second limit hole 3142 of the guide track 314. The push member 4 has two opposite sides each provided with a movable seat 42 which has an inside formed with a displacement space 420 to allow displacement of a respective locking block 43. The movable seat 42 of the push member 4 has a top provided with two tapered push faces 421 each rested on a respective driven shaft 431 of the respective locking block 43 to push the respective locking block 43 inwardly to detach the locking post 432 of each of the locking blocks 43 from the respective upper locking hole 51 or the respective lower locking hole 52 of the outer pipe 5. The push member 4 is provided with two driven bars 41 each movably mounted in a respective guide slot 31 of the fixing seat 3 and each having a distal end protruding from the fixing seat 3 and rested on the press block 24.
The retractable pull handle further comprises two restoring springs 46 each mounted in the fixing seat 3 and each biased between a bottom wall of the fixing seat 3 and a bottom wall of the push member 4 to push the push member 4 upward, a mounting seat 55 mounted on the lower end of the outer pipe 5 and having a top provided with a push pin 553 that is inserted into the second limit hole 3142 of the guide track 314 when the fixing seat 3 is movable downward toward the mounting seat 55 to push and detach the limit post 455 of the positioning block 45 from the second limit hole 3142 of the guide track 314, and two compression springs 552 each biased between the top of the mounting seat 55 and the bottom wall of the fixing seat 3 to push the fixing seat 3 upward. The top of the mounting seat 55 is formed with two locking slots 551, and each of the compression springs 552 has a distal end 5521 inserted into and locked in a respective locking slot 551 of the mounting seat 55. The mounting seat 55 has an inside formed with a fixing hole 554, and the lower end of the outer pipe 5 formed with a fixing hole 54 secured to the fixing hole 554 of the mounting seat 55 by a rivet (not shown).
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the inner pipe 25 is disposed at a fully expanded state. At this time, the restoring springs 46 push the push member 4 upward, and the second elastic members 434 push the locking posts 432 of the locking blocks 43 toward the upper locking holes 51 of the outer pipe 5, so that the locking posts 432 of the locking blocks 43 are locked in the upper locking holes 51 of the outer pipe 5 to lock the inner pipe 25 in the outer pipe 5.
When the user wishes to fold the inner pipe 25, the push button 22 is pressed to move the link 23 which pushes the press block 24 which pushes the push member 4 downward, so that the tapered push faces 421 of the push member 4 are moved downward to press the driven shafts 431 of the locking blocks 43 to move the locking blocks 43 inwardly to detach the locking post 432 of each of the locking blocks 43 from the respective upper locking hole 51 of the outer pipe 5 into the respective through hole 311 of the fixing seat 3 as shown in FIG. 8, to unlock the inner pipe 25 from the outer pipe 5. Thus, the inner pipe 25 is movable relative to the outer pipe 5.
At the same time, the tapered push faces 441 of the push member 4 are moved downward to press the driven posts 451 of the positioning block 45 to push the positioning block 45 inwardly so that the limit post 455 is movable with the positioning block 45 from the first limit hole 3141 to the second limit hole 3142 of the guide track 314 and is inserted into the second limit hole 3142 of the guide track 314 by the restoring force of the push spring 456 as shown in FIG. 9.
When the inner pipe 25 is movable downward to reach the mounting seat 55 as shown in FIG. 10, the second elastic members 434 push the locking posts 432 of the locking blocks 43 toward the lower locking holes 52 of the outer pipe 5, so that the locking posts 432 of the locking blocks 43 are locked in the lower locking holes 52 of the outer pipe 5 as shown in FIG. 11 to lock the inner pipe 25 in the outer pipe 5.
At the same time, the push pin 553 of the mounting seat 55 is inserted into the second limit hole 3142 of the guide track 314 to push and detach the limit post 455 of the positioning block 45 from the second limit hole 3142 of the guide track 314, and the first elastic member 453 pushes the positioning post 452 of the positioning block 45 toward the positioning hole 53 of the outer pipe 5, so that the positioning post 452 of the positioning block 45 is locked in the positioning hole 53 of the outer pipe 5 as shown in FIG. 11.
At this time, the limit post 455 is movable with the positioning block 45 from the second limit hole 3142 to the first limit hole 3141 of the guide track 314 and is inserted into the first limit hole 3141 of the guide track 314 by the restoring force of the push spring 456 as shown in FIG. 11.
Thus, the locking posts 432 of the locking blocks 43 are locked in the lower locking holes 52 of the outer pipe 5, and the positioning post 452 of the positioning block 45 is locked in the positioning hole 53 of the outer pipe 5 to provide a double locking effect, so that the inner pipe 25 is locked in the outer pipe 5 exactly and stably.
On the contrary, when the user wishes to expand the inner pipe 25, the push button 22 is pressed to move the link 23 which pushes the press block 24 which pushes the push member 4 downward, so that the tapered push faces 421 of the push member 4 are moved downward to press the driven shafts 431 of the locking blocks 43 to move the locking blocks 43 inwardly to detach the locking post 432 of each of the locking blocks 43 from the respective lower locking hole 52 of the outer pipe 5, while the tapered push faces 441 of the push member 4 are moved downward to press the driven posts 451 of the positioning block 45 to push the positioning block 45 inwardly to detach the positioning post 452 of the positioning block 45 from the positioning hole 53 of the outer pipe 5. Thus, the locking blocks 43 and the positioning block 45 are unlocked from the outer pipe 5 so that the inner pipe 25 is unlocked from and movable upward relative to the outer pipe 5 by the restoring force of the compression springs 552.
When the locking posts 432 of the locking blocks 43 align with the upper locking holes 51 of the outer pipe 5, the second elastic members 434 push the locking posts 432 of the locking blocks 43 toward the upper locking holes 51 of the outer pipe 5, so that the locking posts 432 of the locking blocks 43 are locked in the upper locking holes 51 of the outer pipe 5 to lock the inner pipe 25 in the outer pipe 5 again.
As shown in FIG. 12, the retractable pull handle further comprises an intermediate pipe 6 mounted between the inner pipe 25 and the outer pipe 5, a mounting seat 7 mounted on the lower end of the intermediate pipe 6 and has a top provided with a push pin 72, and two compression springs 71 each biased between the top of the mounting seat 7 and the bottom wall of the fixing seat 3 to push the fixing seat 3 upward.
Accordingly, the locking posts 432 of the locking blocks 43 are locked in the lower locking holes 52 of the outer pipe 5, and the positioning post 452 of the positioning block 45 is locked in the positioning hole 53 of the outer pipe 5 to provide a double locking effect, so that the inner pipe 25 is locked in the outer pipe 5 exactly and stably to prevent the inner pipe 25 from detaching from the outer pipe 5, thereby facilitating packaging, transportation and storage of the luggage. In addition, when the inner pipe 25 is unlocked from the outer pipe 5, the inner pipe 25 is movable upward relative to the outer pipe 5 by push of the restoring force of the compression springs 552, thereby facilitating the user pulling the retractable pull handle.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A retractable pull handle, comprising:

an outer pipe having an upper end formed with two upper locking holes and a lower end formed with two lower locking holes and a positioning hole located beneath the lower locking holes;

an inner pipe movably mounted and detachably locked in the outer pipe;

a fixing seat secured in the inner pipe to move therewith;

a positioning block movably mounted in the fixing seat and having a first side provided with a protruding positioning post extended through the fixing seat and the inner pipe and detachably locked in the positioning hole of the outer pipe;

a first elastic member biased between the fixing seat and a second side of the positioning block to push the positioning post of the positioning block toward the positioning hole of the outer pipe;

a push member movably mounted in the fixing seat and rested on the positioning block and the locking blocks to push the positioning post of the positioning block to detach from the positioning hole of the outer pipe.

2. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

two locking blocks each movably mounted in the fixing seat and each having a first side provided with a protruding locking post extended through the fixing seat and the inner pipe and detachably locked in a respective upper locking hole or a respective lower locking hole of the outer pipe;

two second elastic members biased between the fixing seat and a second side of a respective locking block to push the locking post of the respective locking block toward the respective upper locking hole or the respective lower locking hole of the outer pipe.

3. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 2, wherein the push member pushes the locking post of each of the locking blocks to detach from the respective upper locking hole or the respective lower locking hole of the outer pipe.

4. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 2, wherein the fixing seat has a face formed with two through holes to allow passage of the locking posts of the locking blocks.

5. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 2, wherein the fixing seat has an inside provided with two slideways in each of which a respective locking block is slidable.

6. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fixing seat has a face formed with a through bore to allow passage of the positioning post of the positioning block.

7. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fixing seat has an inside provided with a guide track in which the positioning block is slidable.

8. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 7, wherein the guide track of the fixing seat has a bottom formed with a first limit hole and a second limit hole, and the positioning block has a bottom formed with a receiving chamber for mounting a limit post that is detachably locked in the first limit hole or the second limit hole of the guide track, and a push spring that is biased between the positioning block and the limit post to push the limit post toward the first limit hole or the second limit hole of the guide track.

9. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 8, wherein the positioning block is provided with two outwardly extending driven posts each protruding outwardly from the guide track of the fixing seat, and the push member is movably mounted in the inside of the fixing seat and has a mediate portion provided with two push blocks each slidable on the guide track of the fixing seat and each having a tapered push face rested on a respective driven post of the positioning block to push the positioning block inwardly to detach the positioning post of the positioning block from the positioning hole of the outer pipe and to move the limit post from the first limit hole into the second limit hole of the guide track.

10. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 5, wherein the push member has two opposite sides each provided with a movable seat which has an inside formed with a displacement space to allow displacement of a respective locking block.

11. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 10, wherein each of the locking blocks is provided with two outwardly extending driven shafts each protruding outwardly from the respective slideway of the fixing seat, and the movable seat of the push member has a top provided with two tapered push faces each rested on a respective driven shaft of the respective locking block to push the respective locking block inwardly to detach the locking post of each of the locking blocks from the respective upper locking hole or the respective lower locking hole of the outer pipe.

12. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 1, further comprising two restoring springs each mounted in the fixing seat and each biased between a bottom wall of the fixing seat and a bottom wall of the push member to push the push member upward.

13. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 8, further comprising a mounting seat mounted on the lower end of the outer pipe and having a top provided with a push pin that is inserted into the second limit hole of the guide track when the fixing seat is movable downward toward the mounting seat to push and detach the limit post of the positioning block from the second limit hole of the guide track.

14. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 13, further comprising two compression springs each biased between the top of the mounting seat and the bottom wall of the fixing seat to push the fixing seat upward.

15. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 14, wherein the top of the mounting seat is formed with two locking slots, and each of the compression springs has a distal end inserted into and locked in a respective locking slot of the mounting seat.

16. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fixing seat has an inside provided with two guide slots, and the push member is provided with two driven bars each movably mounted in a respective guide slot of the fixing seat and each having a distal end protruding from the fixing seat.

17. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:

a grip portion mounted on an upper end of the inner pipe to move the inner pipe;

a link movably mounted in the inner pipe and having a first end provided with a push button movably mounted on the grip portion and a second end provided with a press block rested on the driven bars of the push member to push the push member downward.

18. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fixing seat includes a housing and a side cover attached to an open side wall of the housing to cover the push member.

19. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 18, wherein the inner pipe has a lower end formed with two through holes, the side cover of the fixing seat has two screw bores, and the retractable pull handle further comprises two locking screws each extended through a respective through hole of the inner pipe and screwed into a respective screw bore of the side cover to secure the fixing seat to the inner pipe.

20. The retractable pull handle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second side of each of the locking blocks is formed with a mounting chamber for mounting the respective second elastic member.