Mobile luggage case handle assembly

A luggage case with a pair of wheels located at the lower edge has a handle assembly that can be folded into a side wall or swung outwardly into pulling (or pushing) relation. A two-part brace maintains a quasi locking of the handle assembly when in the open position such that it may be closed by merely applying a significant rotating force to the assembly about its pivotal interconnection with the case. A latch operates to secure the handle assembly within the case recess when closed or during nonuse and includes a finger actuated button for releasing the latch.

The present invention relates generally to a mobile luggage case, and, more 
particularly, to a handle assembly which is integral with the luggage case 
and for use in pulling or pushing the luggage case. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In the practice of the invention to be described hereinafter, a luggage 
case is provided having a pair of wheels located at the lower back edge 
thereof. The wheels are so mounted with respect to the luggage case that 
when the case sits flat on a substantially horizontal supporting surface 
the wheels are held spaced from the floor surface. However, on lifting the 
case side opposite that including the wheels, the wheels move into rolling 
contact with the horizontal supporting surface. 
The described handle assembly is foldably received in the side wall 
opposite that including wheels and can be selectively swung outwardly into 
pulling (or pushing) relation, or, when not in such use can be folded back 
into a receiving recess formed in the case side wall. The handle assembly 
is also spring-loaded such that when partially opened the spring 
resiliently urges the handle toward a completely open position. Moreover, 
when extended to maintain the handle assembly in its pulling/pushing mode 
a two-part brace maintains a quasi locking of the handle assembly in the 
open position. The handle assembly is closed without requiring 
manipulation of the brace parts, merely applying a significant rotating 
force to the assembly about its pivotal interconnection with the case. 
A latch operates to secure the handle assembly within the case recess when 
closed or during nonuse and includes a finger actuated button for 
releasing the latch.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Turning now to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the 
luggage case of this invention is enumerated generally as at 10 and is 
seen to include first and second molded shells 11 and 12 joined together 
at their facing edges by a recessed channel member 13. A lifting handle 14 
of conventional design is provided at the top wall of the case. Four feet 
or pedestals 15, two adjacent each of the case ends, are provided on the 
lower surface of the shells 11 and 12 for supporting the case when it is 
resting on the ground plane or other horizontal surface 16. 
On the back lower corner or edge of the luggage case 10, there are provided 
a pair of wheels 17 extending slightly diagonally outwardly from the case 
outer surface. The case and wheels are so arranged that when the luggage 
case rests on the feet or pedestals 15, the wheels will be spaced from the 
ground plane 16. On the other hand, when the opposite end wall of the case 
is lifted by a pull handle 18 to be described further herein, and as 
particularly shown in FIG. 1, the pedestals will be lifted off the ground 
plane to enable rolling of the luggage case as desired. 
The pull handle 18 includes an elongated, generally U-shape in transverse 
section, member 19 having side walls 20 and 21 and a back wall 22, 
collectively forming a hollowed-out underside 23. The gripping end of the 
handle includes first and second plastic or rubber grips 24 and 25 which 
are secured together about the member 19. More particularly, the grip 25 
has a substantial portion thereof received within the hollowed-out 
underside 23 of the U-shaped member 19 thereby serving to reinforce or 
strengthen the member. The grip 24 includes integral posts 26 extending 
through openings in the back wall 22 of member 19 and to which grip 25 is 
secured via threaded means 27. 
The end of the member 19 opposite that containing the grips 24 and 25 is 
rotatively secured to a mounting member 28 which is affixed to the upper 
end of the recessed channel member 13. Specifically, the mounting member 
includes a flat portion 29 lying flush against the channel floor wall, and 
a pair of spaced upstanding ears 30. A pin 31 passes through the side 
walls 20 and 21 and the upstanding ears 30 to enable pivoting of the 
handle member 18 from a closed position in FIG. 3 to an open or pulling 
position shown in the other drawing figures. Rivets 32 and 33 secure the 
mounting member 28 within the channel. 
As a means for controlling the maximum pivoting extent of the handle and 
for adding further stability to the handle as well as distributing the 
pulling load on the luggage case channel, there is provided a brace 34. 
This brace includes two brace arms 35 and 36 having their outermost ends 
pivotally connected, respectively, to the handle and the channel, as at 37 
and 38. The two brace arms are pivotally interconnected to each other as 
at 39 enabling the arms to rotate from a fully extending position as in 
FIG. 4 to one where the arms are closed onto one another as in FIG. 3. 
More particularly with respect to details of the brace construction, the 
arm 35 is stamped metal of U-shaped cross-section with the arm side walls 
being spaced apart a distance enabling the end portion to be received 
within the handle member side walls 20 and 21. The pivot pin 37 passes 
through the side walls 20 and 21 as well as the side walls of the brace 
35. A coil spring 40 is received on the pin 37 and includes pressure 
exerting parts which bear against both the handle member wall 22 and the 
brace 35 resiliently urging the handle to the open or pulling position. 
The brace arm 36 is similar to the arm 35 in that it is of stamped metal 
construction and U-shaped in cross-section. A mounting bracket 41 affixed 
to the channel bottom wall by rivets 42, has a pair of upstanding ears 43 
via which the pin 38 interconnects with the side walls of the brace 36. 
The inner end of the brace arm 35 has a width d which is slightly less than 
the width D of the opposite end. The small end of 35 is located with its 
side walls within the side walls of the brace arm 36. The main body wall 
of brace arm 35 has a tablike end portion 44 which extends over the main 
body wall of brace 36 when the end portions are fitted together (FIG. 5). 
Similarly, brace arm 36 has a tablike end 45 which extends between the 
side walls of brace 35. Pivot pin 39 links the side walls of the brace 
arms, such that the tablike ends overlap each other and in that way serve 
as limit stops to the relative pivoting about 39 in one direction. 
More particularly, the two brace arms can pivot from the folded maximum 
position (FIG. 3) to the maximum open position as in FIG. 4. At the 
maximum open position, the tablike ends overlap and contact each other 
maintaining the two brace arms canted at a slight angle to each other with 
the pivot pin 39 lying off the centerline of pivot pins 37 and 38 in a 
direction toward pivot 31. It is preferable that the brace arms be 
disposed to one another at an angle not exceeding about 5 degrees. 
This arrangement of brace arms in an almost straightline condition causes 
the arms in combination with the action of the spring 40 to assume a 
semi-locked relationship. Thus, when fully open (FIG. 4) due to the 
combined action a substantial force must be exerted on the handle 19 to 
cause the brace arms 35 and 36 to pivot about 39 which is important in 
maintaining the handle in the open or pulling mode throughout use. 
Although in general use the luggage case would be pulled as shown in FIG. 
1, it may be desired to push the case by the handle 18 and in this 
situation it is highly advisable that the handle be semi-locked to prevent 
inadvertent folding up on the hand. 
If, on the other hand, the brace arms 35 and 36 were allowed to form a 
straight line or perhaps even pivot past the straight condition, then the 
arms would "lock" and the handle could not be closed or folded shut by 
downward pressure alone. Instead, in the latter case the brace would have 
to be manipulated by hand thereby running the risk of pinching the fingers 
or hand. 
As a further aspect of this invention, the relative lengths of the handle 
18 and the brace 34 are such that the handle will stay extended during 
normal use in pulling or pushing the luggage case and not fold up 
inadvertently. For example, if the handle were substantially longer 
relative to the brace than it is now, there would be a corresponding 
increase in handle leverage which would cause the brace to collapse more 
easily on manipulative movements of the handle. On the other hand, if the 
brace were substantially longer and connected much closer to the outer end 
of the handle, then the brace would be difficult to close by downward 
movement of the handle alone. 
Accordingly, it has been found that with a handle having a total length of 
12 inches (30.48 cm.) from the handle outer end to the pivot 31 provides 
the previously described advantageous operation with a brace 34 measuring 
4.5 inches (11.43 cm.) and is considered to be optimum in this regard. 
Also, the handle is preferably interconnected with the channel so as to 
form an angle A which is slightly less than 90 degrees (e.g., 80 degrees) 
for ease of pulling. In explanation, since the luggage case must be tilted 
during use to place the wheels on the ground plane, a handle intersecting 
the side wall of the case at 90 degrees will tend to slide out of the 
hand, whereas with the handle directed downwardly a slight amount there is 
less tendency for the grip to be loosened and it is more comfortable. 
Turning once again to FIG. 3, the end of the handle 18 includes a hooklike 
member 46 mounted on a pin 47 for limited rotative motion about a 
transverse axis. The hooklike member cooperates with a large-headed 
stanchion 48 affixed to the channel. A finger lever 49 enables releasing 
the hooklike member 46 from engagement with the stanchion while spring 50 
continuously urges the hooklike member in the direction of engagement.