Abstract:
A luggage inflatable structure includes a sleeve fixedly mounted in the housing of a luggage, an air bag received in a bottom lining and the periphery of the housing of the luggage, and a pull rod having a piston located on the bottom end thereof and movable up and down in the sleeve for pumping air into the air bag so that storage items are held firmly in position when the air bag is inflated, avoiding storage item damage or noises during carrying or delivery of the luggage.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to luggage and more particularly, to a luggage inflatable structure which has a piston mounted on the bottom side of the pull rod of the luggage and movable up and down with the pull rod in a sleeve inside the luggage to pump air into a air bag so that storage items are held firmly in position when the air bag is inflated, avoiding storage item damage or noises during carrying or delivery of the luggage. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    When carrying or delivering a luggage, the items stored in the luggage may be forced to hit one against another, causing storage item damage or producing noises. Air bags or elastic cushion pads may be set in a luggage to hold down storage items in place. However, when the volume of the storage items is changed following traveling, the air bags or elastic cushion pads may be unable to hold down the storage items in place. In this case, storage item damage or noises may occur. 
         [0005]    Further, US 2004/0035185 teaches the use of an inflation connector for the connection of an air pump to pump air into the luggage. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. 
         [0007]    It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a luggage inflatable structure, which allows inflation of an air bag to any status subject to the amount of storage items in the luggage, enabling the storage items to be firmly held in place between the peripheral wall of the housing of the luggage and a bottom lining when the user is carrying the luggage or when the luggage is being delivered, avoiding storage item damage or noises. 
         [0008]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a luggage inflatable structure, which has a simple structure, requires less installation space, and fully utilizes the internal space of the luggage. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic sectional view of a luggage having an inflatable structure in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a schematic section view of the present invention, illustrating storage items accommodated in the luggage and the air bag flattened. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  corresponds to  FIG. 2 , illustrating the air bag inflated. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    Referring to  FIGS. 1˜3 , an inflatable structure of a luggage in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising: 
         [0013]    at least one sleeve  1  fixedly mounted between an upper locating block  52  and a lower locating block  53  at one side in a housing  51  of a luggage  5  with fastening members  56 ; 57  and defining a bottom air inlet  14  that is connected to an air intake pipe  11  in the luggage  5  and an axial piston hole  10  that receives a pull rod  2 , where the upper locating block  52  has a locating groove  521  for the positioning of the top end of the sleeve  1 ; the lower locating block  53  has a locating hole  531  for the positioning of the bottom end of the sleeve  1  and a fastening member  532  mounted in the locating hole  531  to affix the bottom end of the sleeve  1 ; 
         [0014]    at least one pull rod  2  that has its bottom end  22  inserted the axial piston hole  10  of the sleeve  1  and fixedly connected with a piston  20  and its top end provided with a grip  21  and is movable up and down in the axial piston hole  10  of the sleeve  1  to pump air through the air intake pipe  11  into an air bag  3 ; 
         [0015]    an air bag  3  mounted in one side inside the housing  51  of the luggage  5  between a bottom lining  54  and the sleeve  1  and having an air pipe  35  connected to the air intake pipe  11  for guiding pumped air from the sleeve  1  into the air bag  3  for enabling the air bag  3  to be inflated upon reciprocating motion of the piston  20  with the pull rod  2  in the axial piston hole  10  of the sleeve  1 , wherein the bottom lining  54  can be a rigid sheet member, or a fabric, synthetic leather or flexible sheet member connected to the housing  51  of the luggage  5 ; and 
         [0016]    an air-valve switch  4 , which comprises a first air port  41  connected to the air intake pipe  11 , a second air port  42  connected to the air pipe  35  of the air bag  3 , an exhaust pipe  43  connected to a through hole  511  on the peripheral wall of the housing  51  of the luggage  5  and an operation panel  44  with an air intake control key (not shown) and an exhaust control key (not shown), wherein when the air intake control key is switched on, the first air port  41  and the second air port  42  are opened and the exhaust pipe  43  is closed for enabling pumped air to flow through the air-valve switch  4  and the air pipe  35  into the air bag  3 ; when the exhaust control key is switched on, the first air port  41  is closed, the second air port  42  and the exhaust pipe  43  are opened, for enabling air to be exhausted out of the air bag  3  through the air pipe  35 , the second air port  42  and the exhaust pipe  43 . 
         [0017]    Further, the top end of the sleeve  1  is covered with a cap  12  that has a through hole  121  for the passing of the bottom end  22  of the pull rod  2 . 
         [0018]    Further, an one-way valve  111  is installed in the air intake pipe  11  of the sleeve  1  for allowing air to flow in direction from the sleeve  1  toward the air pipe  35  of the air bag  3  and prohibiting backward flowing of air from the air pipe  35  toward the inside of the sleeve  1 . 
         [0019]    Further, the air-valve switch  4  is mounted in a switch hole  512  on the peripheral wall of the housing  51  of the luggage  5 , keeping operation panel  44  on the outside of the luggage  5  for operation by a user. 
         [0020]    Further, the air bag  3  is a hollow inflatable container made of a flexible rubber material having a high deformation rate. 
         [0021]    As stated above, the piston  20  is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the pull rod  2  and movable up and down with the pull rod  2  in the axial piston hole  10  of the sleeve  1  to pump air through the air intake pipe  11  into the air bag  3 . When the air bag  3  is inflated, it imparts a pressure to the bottom lining  54  against the storage items  6  in the housing  51  of the luggage  5  (see  FIG. 3 ), holding the storage items  6  firmly in place against displacement. Therefore, when carrying or delivering the luggage  5 , the storage items  6  are firmly held in position and will not hit against one another, avoiding storage item damage or noises. After each use, the internal air of the air bag  3  can be exhausted through the exhaust pipe  43  of the air valve switch  4  (see  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0022]    In conclusion, the invention has advantages as follows:
       1. All storage items, no matter how much the amount, can be held firmly in place between the peripheral wall of the housing  51  of the luggage  5  and the bottom lining  54  when the air bag  3  is inflated when the user is carrying the luggage  5  or when the luggage  5  is being delivered, avoiding storage item damage or noises.   2. Subject to the arrangement of the piston  20  at the bottom end of the pull rod  2 , the air intake pipe  11  at the bottom side of the sleeve  1  and the air-valve switch  4  in between the air bag  3  and the air intake pipe  11 , the inflatable structure of the present invention has a simple structure, requires less installation space, and fully utilizes the internal space of the luggage.   3. The operation of the inflatable structure is easy. The user can be inflated or flattened conveniently when desired. It is not necessary to use an external air pump when wishing to inflate the air bag.