Abstract:
A transporting device adapted to be manually towed behind a student. The transporting device comprises a container with attached telescoping handle and incorporating an axle with attached wheels. Within the container can be placed school books, pencils, pens, paper, and other school supplies. Vertical spacers within the container hold the books and notebooks in an upright position. When the telescoping handle is in the retracted position, the transporting device easily fits beneath a school desk.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a transporting device for easy movement of books, notebooks, pens, pencils, paper, and other school supplies normally used by a student. 
     Prior devices for transporting school supplies have had many disadvantages. For example, students are required to manually carry cumbersome school supplies in containers that are suspended from straps. This configuration can cause stress to back muscles. Another common difficulty is that the container cannot hold all of the supplies and the pens and pencils and other small articles often gravitate to the bottom of the container so that they are difficult to retrieve. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This patent application covers the present invention which relates to a transporting device for use by school students that facilitates transporting books, paper, pencils, pens, and other school supplies, hereafter referred to as school supplies. 
     The device has a box shaped container with wheels and a telescoping handle that allow the student to manually tow the school supplies. The telescoping handle is attached to the back of the box shaped container. The lid of the container is hinged at one side so that the lid may be opened to permit the school supplies to be placed inside the container. A latch on the side opposite from the hinges keeps the lid closed to contain the school supplies until they are needed. 
     It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a transporting device which incorporates wheels to allow for easy movement of school supplies. 
     It is further the object of this invention to provide a transporting device that incorporates a telescoping handle constructed in such a manner that the school supplies can be towed behind the student utilizing the transporting device. 
     It is still further an object of this invention to provide a transporting device and incorporated telescoping handle that is compact enough to enable the transporting device to be stored under a school desk when not in use. 
     These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the instant invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the instant invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the instant invention with the lid removed to illustrate the possible placement of school supplies within the container. 
     FIG. 4 is a front sectional view of the instant invention taken substantially along the line of 4--4 and showing the handle in the retracted position. 
     FIG. 5 is a back perspective view of the upper and lower portions of the telescoping handle assembly. 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of a removable spacer which is used to hold books or notebooks in an upright position. 
     FIG. 7 is a side sectional view taken substantially along the line of 6--6 of an upper attachment block containing a spring-loaded locking device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now in the drawings, the numeral 10 refers generally to the telescoping handle assembly, with the numeral 15 denoting the container&#39;s storage compartment. The container assembly comprises a closed box shaped base 16 and a lid 11 to close the top thereof. The box shaped base 16 has a front wall 12, two side walls 13, and a back wall 14 that are joined to form a peripheral wall 17. Each side wall has a cylindrical hole whose function will be disclosed hereinafter. Four attachment blocks 18, two upper and two lower, are fixed to the back wall 14. Each block 18 has a centrally located vertical hole and is cut into two equal parts along the vertical line 6--6 such that one half of each block 18 is fixed to the back wall 14 and the other half is removable to allow for attachment and removal of the telescoping handle assembly 10. The removable halves are normally attached to the fixed halves by screws. The removable halves of the two upper attachment blocks 18 having a horizontal cylindrical hole along the line 3--3 being open at one end and closed at the end joined to the fixed halves. The closed end having a centrally located aperture whose function will be disclosed hereinafter. The horizontal hole is internally threaded to incorporate a spring-loaded locking device 35. The locking device holds the telescoping handle assembly 10 in the extended position. The peripheral wall 17 is fastened at one end to the bottom 19. Two support blocks 9 are fixed to the bottom 19 and located adjacent to the side walls 13 and in alignment with the edge formed by the junction of the front wall 12 and the bottom 19. The function of the support blocks 9 is to hold the transporting device in an upright and level position when not being towed. The edge of the box shaped base formed by the junction of the bottom 19 and the back wall 14 is beveled to allow more clearance between the box shaped base and the surface upon which the transporting device is being towed. The top of the peripheral wall 17 has a groove 20 formed on the exterior surface thereof whose function will be disclosed hereinafter. A triangular shaped block 21 is disposed within the container storage compartment 15. The block 21 is fixed to the beveled edge and side walls 13 of the box shaped base. The block 21 has a cylindrical hole therein which aligns with the hole in each side wall 13 for the purpose of inserting the axle 22. Two wheels 23 are attached to the axle 22 such that one wheel is attached to each end. A support wall 53 is arranged within the container storage compartment 15 such that the sides of the support wall 53 are perpendicular to and fixed to the side walls 13 and that the bottom edge of the support wall 53 is perpendicular to and fixed to the bottom 19. The front wall 12 has vertical grooves 24 formed on the interior surface thereof which extend from the top of the front wall 12 to the top surface of the bottom 19. The support wall 53 has vertical grooves 24 formed on the interior surface thereof that extend from the top of the support wall 53 to the top surface of bottom 19. The grooves 24 are aligned such that they hold the removable spacer 25 in a vertical position and perpendicular to the front wall 12 and to the support wall 53. 
     The two locking devices 35 comprise a spring 40 and a cylindrical knob 41 having a centrally located threaded aperture and a cylindrical pin 42 being externally threaded at one end and having a collar 52 fixed to the opposite end such that a portion of pin 42 extends beyond the collar 52 and a flanged hollow cylinder 43 having external threads and being closed at the flanged end. The closed end of cylinder 43 has a centrally located hole. The spring 40 is inserted into the hollow cylinder 43. The threaded end of pin 42 is inserted into spring 40 such that the collar on pin 42 fits into cylinder 43 and abuts spring 40. The threaded end of pin 42 extends through the hole in the closed end of cylinder 43. The threaded aperture of knob 41 engages the threaded end of pin 42. The threaded end of cylinder 43 is screwed into the horizontal threaded hole in the removable half of block 18 such that the portion of pin 42 that extends beyond the collar protrudes through the centrally located aperture in the closed end of the horizontal hole. 
     The lid 11 has a front wall 26, two sides walls 27, and a back wall 28 that are joined together to form a peripheral wall 29. The peripheral wall 29 is fastened to the top 30 of the lid. The length and width of the peripheral wall 29 is equivalent to the length and width of the peripheral wall 17 of the box shaped base 16. The bottom of the peripheral wall 29 has a groove 38 formed to the interior surface which is designed to interlock with the groove 20 on the peripheral wall 17 when the lid 11 is closed. Attached to the exterior surface of one side wall 27 and the corresponding exterior surface of the side wall 13 of the box shaped base are two hinges 31 to allow the lid to be opened and closed. Attached to the exterior surface of the other side wall 27 is the top portion of a latch 32. The bottom portion of the latch 32 is attached to the corresponding exterior surface of the side wall 13 of the box shaped base. The function of the latch 32 is to hold the lid in the closed position to prevent spillage of the school supplies. 
     The attachment blocks 18, support wall 53, triangular shaped block 21, and support blocks 9 can be formed as integral parts of the box shaped base 16. The box shaped base 16, attachment blocks 18, support wall 53, spacers 25, triangular shaped block 21, support blocks 9, and lid 11 can be made of a translucent or opaque plastic material; this choice of material would allow various colors and/or designs to be imparted to the plastic material before, during, or after formation of the box shaped base, attachment blocks, support wall, spacers, triangular shaped block, support blocks, and lid. It can also be understood that the box shaped base 16, attachment blocks 18, support wall 53, spacers 25, triangular shaped block 21, support blocks 9, and lid 11 could be made of a transparent plastic material allowing the contents to be visible through the transparent material. It can further be understood that the hollow cylinder 43, pin 42, and cylindrical knob 41 can be made of the same plastic material as the box shaped base. The spring 40 can be made of a metallic material. The axle 22 can be made of a solid metallic material and the wheels 23 can be made of a solid plastic material with or without a fixed rubber tire. It can readily be seen that the box shaped base 16 could also comprise a frame made of a plastic material that incorporates the attachment blocks 18, support wall 53, triangular shaped block 21 and support blocks 9 and has a flexible material such as canvas attached to the exterior of the frame. In this configuation, the lid 11 can be made of the same flexible material and can be held in the closed position by a zipper. 
     The telescoping handle assembly 10 comprises a bottom section 33 with two hollow tubes 49 closed at one end by a hollow crossbar 34 and having a second hollow crossbar 34 fixed to the open ends of the hollow tubes 49 and a top section 36 with two hollow tubes 48 closed at one end by a hollow crossbar 34 and having an offset handle extension 37 attached to one end of the hollow crossbar 34. The offset handle extension 37 being closed by a flexible gripping device 44. In close proximity to the open ends of the hollow tubes 49 of the bottom section 33 are two holes 50 such that pins 42 of the spring loaded locking devices 35 extend through the holes 50 and protrude into the hollow tubes 49. Near the open ends of the hollow tubes 48 of the top section 36 are two holes 45. In the extended position, the pins 42 of the spring loaded locking devices 35 engage the holes 45 in the top section to prevent the top section from retracting. In the retracted position, the length of the telescoping handle assembly 10 is less than the distance from the floor to the bottom of a school desk thereby allowing the transporting device to be stowed under the desk when not in use. The offset handle extension 37, allows the transporting device to be towed behind the student. It can be seen that the telescoping handle assembly and offset handle extension can be made of a metallic or plastic material. It can also be seen that the gripping device 44 can be made of a flexible plastic material. 
     Having thus described the structure of the transporting device, it can be understood that a student can utilize the device by extending the telescoping handle and grasping the offset extension and manually towing the transporting device. As can be seen in FIG. 3, school supplies can be placed in the storage compartment 15. Having been disclosed in use to transport school supplies, it can readily be seen that the transporting device could be used by students, teachers, or anyone who is required to transport cumbersome or difficult to carry articles. 
     The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction, materials, and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.