Abstract:
A scissor lift for raising and lowering a heavy object, including an upper platform for supporting a heavy object, including a release mechanism, and guided rollers mounted on axles, a lower frame including guided rollers mounted on axles, a scissor lift mechanism fastened to the axles of the upper platform guided rollers and to the axles of the lower frame guided rollers, that raises and lowers the upper platform, a locking mechanism including protrusions protruding outward of the upper frame, each protrusion corresponding to a different height of the scissor lift mechanism, wherein at least one guided roller within the upper platform includes a spring-loaded pin for engagement in the protrusions, thereby locking the scissor lift mechanism into place at a height corresponding to the protrusion into which the spring-loaded pin is engaged, and a release mechanism that unlocks the scissor lift mechanism.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to luggage, such as a suitcase, with an integrated trolley that raises and lowers the luggage. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Conventional luggage trolleys have several drawbacks. A first drawback is that a traveler must either bring a trolley with him, or rely on a trolley being available when he needs one. 
         [0003]    A second drawback is that a conventional trolley does not enable the traveler to lift his luggage. Often a traveler wants to put in item into his luggage or remove an item from his luggage when the luggage is on a trolley, and there is no way to do so other than to either bend down to reach the luggage, or lift the luggage from the trolley onto an elevated surface. Similarly, the traveler may be packing or unpacking his luggage while it is placed on an elevated surface, and there is no way to close the luggage and stand it on its wheels other than to lift the luggage from the elevated surface and lower it to the floor. 
         [0004]    A third drawback is that conventional luggage, when dragged on its wheels by a traveler, leans towards the traveler and the traveler must bear some of the weight of the luggage. 
         [0005]    A fourth drawback is that conventional luggage is pulled behind a traveler, and the traveler cannot see if the luggage collides with another traveler or an obstacle. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIPTION 
       [0006]    Embodiments of the present invention overcome disadvantages of conventional luggage trolleys, by providing luggage with an integrated trolley that has a scissor lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the luggage on the trolley. The integrated trolley, when not in use, locks compactly to stow alongside a surface of the luggage for convenient transport. When the integrated trolley is locked, the traveler can pull the luggage along its wheels in a conventional manner. 
         [0007]    Being integrated with the luggage, the trolley is always available to the traveler whenever he needs it. Having a lifting mechanism, the trolley raises the luggage, making it convenient for the traveler to insert an item into the luggage or remove an item from the luggage, and convenient for the traveler to wheel the luggage around while packing or unpacking the luggage. 
         [0008]    The integrated trolley may be pushed or pulled like a cart, thereby relieving the traveler of bearing any weight of the luggage. Pushing the integrated trolley in front of the traveler enables the traveler to see where the luggage is being pushed and avoid collision with other travelers or obstacles. 
         [0009]    The integrated trolley is lightweight, and thus avoids adding significant weight to the luggage. 
         [0010]    There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention luggage with an integrated trolley, including a luggage unit, including a piece of luggage, a handle fastened to the piece of luggage, for pushing or pulling the piece of luggage, and luggage wheels fastened to a first outer surface of the piece of luggage, for rolling the piece of luggage when a trolley unit is in a stowed position, a trolley unit that has a stowed position and a non-stowed position, and that, when in the non-stowed position, locks and unlocks such that the trolley unit is free to be raised and lowered when it is unlocked, and is not free to be raised and lowered when it is locked, the trolley unit being fastened to the luggage unit in both the stowed and the non-stowed positions, and including a locking mechanism for locking the trolley unit, an upper trolley body fastened to a second outer surface of the piece of luggage, a scissor lift mechanism fastened to the upper trolley body, that raises and lowers the upper trolley body, a lower trolley body fastened to the lift mechanism, including trolley wheels for rolling the trolley unit when the trolley unit is in the non-stowed position, and guided rollers within the upper trolley body and guided rollers within the lower trolley body, for raising and lowering the lift mechanism when the trolley unit is unlocked, and a release mechanism extending from the luggage unit to the trolley unit through a slit in the piece of luggage, for unlocking the trolley unit. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a simplified front view of luggage with an integrated trolley, in non-stowed raised and lowered positions, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a simplified front view of the luggage with the integrated trolley in a stowed position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a simplified side view of the luggage of  FIG. 1 , showing a release lever to unlock the trolley, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a simplified bottom view of the luggage and trolley of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a simplified perspective view of an upper trolley body, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a simplified perspective view of a guided roller for use in the upper trolley body, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a simplified view of a shaft for releasing a guided roller pin from being engaged in a protrusion of an upper trolley body, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a simplified view of a guided roller pin in an engaged and in a disengaged position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a simplified view, from the side and from the bottom of the luggage, of a release mechanism, for releasing a guided roller pin from its engaged position by means of a release lever, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a simplified front view of luggage with an integrated trolley, in raised and lowered positions, in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a simplified view, from the side and from the bottom of the luggage, of a release mechanism, for releasing a guided roller pin from its engaged position by means of a handle bar, in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0023]    For reference to the figures, the following index of elements and their numerals is provided. Similarly numbered elements represent elements of the same type, but they need not be identical elements. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Table of elements in the figures 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Element 
                 Description 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 100 
                 luggage unit 
               
               
                 110 
                 luggage 
               
               
                 120 
                 handle for pushing/pulling the trolley 
               
               
                 125 
                 handle for pushing/pulling the luggage 
               
               
                 130 
                 luggage wheels 
               
               
                 140 
                 release lever to open trolley 
               
               
                 142 
                 rod connected to release lever 
               
               
                 143 
                 rod in luggage handle 
               
               
                 144 
                 inclined slideable block 
               
               
                 146 
                 spring 
               
               
                 148 
                 rod connected to slideable block 
               
               
                 149 
                 slit through which rod extends out of luggage 
               
               
                 150 
                 shaft to release engaged pin of guided roller 
               
               
                 155 
                 capped shaft pins 
               
               
                 200 
                 trolley unit 
               
               
                 210 
                 upper trolley body 
               
               
                 212 
                 studs for fastening luggage unit to trolley unit 
               
               
                 214 
                 Slit through which rollers of lift mechanism are guided 
               
               
                 215 
                 protrusions for engaging pin of guided roller 
               
               
                 220 
                 lower trolley body 
               
               
                 230 
                 lift mechanism 
               
               
                 240 
                 guided rollers for raising and lowering lift mechanism 
               
               
                 242 
                 axles of guided rollers 
               
               
                 245 
                 spring-loaded pin of guided roller 
               
               
                 250 
                 trolley wheels 
               
               
                 260 
                 axles for a trolley 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    Embodiments of the present invention relate to luggage with an integrated trolley. The trolley locks and unlocks. The trolley includes a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the luggage when the trolley is unlocked. The luggage rolls on a set of wheels when pulled by a luggage handle, in the raised and lowered positions. When not in use, the trolley folds to stow compactly along an outer surface of the luggage. The luggage rolls on a different set of wheels when the trolley is not in use. 
         [0025]    The integrated luggage and trolley includes four primary components, as described in detail below; namely, a luggage unit, a trolley unit, a lock mechanism and a release mechanism. The luggage unit includes a piece of luggage, a luggage handle and luggage wheels. The trolley unit includes a lift mechanism for raising and lowering the trolley unit, and trolley wheels. The luggage unit may be used with or without the trolley unit. The trolley unit folds to a stowed position, for convenient stowage when not in use, and unfolds to a non-stowed position when in use. The luggage and trolley units are shown in  FIGS. 1-4 and 10 . The lift mechanism of the trolley unit may be locked in place, in which case the trolley unit cannot be freely raised and lowered. The lock mechanism locks the lift mechanism, is situated within the trolley unit, and is shown in  FIGS. 5-8 . The release mechanism unlocks the lift mechanism of the trolley unit, so that the trolley unit may be freely raised and lowered. The release mechanism extends from the luggage unit to the trolley unit through a slit in the piece of luggage, and is shown in  FIGS. 9 and 11 . 
       Luggage and Trolley Units 
       [0026]    Reference is made to  FIG. 1 , which is a simplified front view of luggage with an integrated trolley, in a non-stowed raised position at the left of  FIG. 1  and in a non-stowed lowered position at the right of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Shown in  FIG. 1  is a luggage unit  100  including a piece of luggage  110  having a luggage handle  120  for pushing or pulling luggage  110 . From the viewpoint of  FIG. 1 , the outer left, right, top and front faces of luggage  110  are designated respectively as A, B, C and D. 
         [0027]    Luggage unit  100  is fastened to a trolley unit  200  that locks and unlocks. Trolley unit  200  has an upper trolley body  210 , a lower trolley body  220 , and a scissor lift mechanism  230  fastened between upper trolley body  210  and lower trolley body  220 . Guided rollers  240  control raising and lowering of lift mechanism  230 . Lift mechanism  230  is fastened to rollers  240  via axles  242  of the rollers. Trolley wheels  250  are fastened underneath lower trolley body  220 , and serve to roll luggage  110  when luggage handle  120  is pushed or pulled. 
         [0028]    Luggage wheels  130  serve to roll luggage  110  when trolley unit  200  is folded, by pushing or pulling on luggage handle  125  (shown in  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0029]    A release lever  140  on luggage  110  serves to unlock trolley unit  200  from its locked position. While lever  140  is lifted by a traveler, trolley unit  200  is released from its locked position, and lift mechanism  230  is free to raise and lower. When the traveler stops lifting lever  140 , trolley unit  200  locks into place at its current position. Operation of release lever  140  is described below with reference to  FIG. 9 . 
         [0030]    Reference is made to  FIG. 2 , which is a simplified front view of the luggage with the integrated trolley in a stowed position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  shows that trolley upper body  210  and trolley lower body  220  rest together compactly along an outer surface of luggage unit  100 , when trolley unit  200  is folded, for convenient stowage of the trolley when it is not in use. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, folding of trolley unit  200  is performed by locking the trolley unit into place when lift mechanism  230  is lowered as much as possible. As seen from the relative positions of the faces A, B and C, the luggage in  FIG. 2  is rotated 90° and flipped vis-à-vis the luggage in  FIG. 1 , since the luggage of  FIG. 2  rolls along luggage wheels  130 , whereas the luggage of  FIG. 1  rolls along trolley wheels  250 . 
         [0031]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that trolley unit  200  may optionally include a latch (not shown) to fasten trolley upper body  210  and trolley lower body  220  together when the trolley unit is stowed. 
         [0032]    Reference is made to  FIG. 3 , which is a simplified side view of the luggage of  FIG. 1 , showing release lever  140  that unlocks the trolley, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The side view appears at the top of  FIG. 3  and, as can be seen at the bottom of  FIG. 3 , release lever  140  connects to a rod  142  inside luggage  110 . Operation of release lever  140  and rod  142  is described below with reference to  FIG. 9 . 
         [0033]    Reference is made to  FIG. 4 , which is a simplified bottom view of the luggage and trolley of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Shown in  FIG. 4  are axles  260  joining front and back parts of lower trolley body  220 . 
       Lock Mechanism 
       [0034]    Reference is made to  FIG. 5 , which is a simplified perspective view of upper trolley body  210 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the outer top face of upper trolley body  210  includes studs  212  for fastening luggage  110  to upper trolley body  210 . The bottom face of upper trolley body  210  includes a slit  214  through which the top of scissor of lift mechanism  230  moves back and forth. The outer back face of upper trolley body  210  includes protrusions  215  in which a spring-loaded pin of a guided roller  240  is securely engaged when the trolley unit is locked, as described below. 
         [0035]      FIG. 5  also shows a cross-section of protrusions  215  extending out of a line X-X in the outer back face of upper trolley body  210 . 
         [0036]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that slit  214  may alternatively be located on the front face of upper trolley body  214 , instead of on the bottom face. 
         [0037]    Reference is made to  FIG. 6 , which is a simplified perspective view of guided roller  240  for use in upper trolley body  210 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 6  shows a spring-loaded guided roller pin  245 , which engages in one of the protrusions  215  of upper trolley body  210 , as roller  240  slides, to lock the trolley unit. Engagement of roller pin  245  serves to hold roller  240  in place, and to thereby hold scissor lift mechanism  230  in place at a desired height. 
         [0038]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that either one or both of guided rollers  240  in upper trolley body  210  may be equipped with spring-loaded guided roller pin  245 , for engagement within one of the protrusions  215 . If only one guided roller has a spring-loaded roller pin  245 , then it is only necessary for upper trolley body  210  to have protrusions  215  for half of its extent. If both guided rollers have spring-loaded roller pins, then upper trolley body should have protrusions  215  for its full extent. 
       Release Mechanism 
       [0039]    Reference is made to  FIG. 7 , which is a simplified view of a shaft  150  for releasing guided roller pin  245  from being engaged in a protrusion of upper trolley body  210 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 7 , protrusions  215  of upper trolley body  210  are pierced by small holes at their apex. Respective capped pins  155  are moved in and out of these small holes by shaft  150 . When capped pins  155  move into these small holes, they eject roller pin  245  from whichever protrusion is it engaged in, thereby enabling roller  240  move freely, and thereby enabling scissor lift mechanism  230  to freely move up and down. 
         [0040]    In accordance with an embodiment of the subject invention, lifting of release lever  140  mechanically causes shaft  150  to move from the position shown in the upper portion of  FIG. 7  to the position shown in the lower portion of  FIG. 7 , and thereby disengages roller pin  245  from a protrusion, and enables scissor lift mechanism to freely move. 
         [0041]    Reference is made to  FIG. 8 , which is a simplified view of guided roller pin  245  in an engaged position with its spring uncompressed, at the right of  FIG. 8 , and in a disengaged position with its spring compressed, at the left of  FIG. 8 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0042]    Reference is made to  FIG. 9 , which is a simplified view, from the side and from the bottom of the luggage, of a release mechanism, for releasing guided roller pin  245  from its engaged position by means of release lever  140 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 9 , when release lever  140  is lifted, rod  142  lowers onto an inclined plane of a slideable block  144 . The force of rod  142  on the inclined plane causes block  144  to slide rightward. As block  144  moves to the right, a spring  146  is compressed. When release lever  140  is lowered, rod  142  is raised away from the inclined plane, and spring  146  causes block  144  to slide leftward, back to its rest position. Another rod  148  connects block  144  to shaft, so that sliding of block  144  to the right causes capped pins  155  to eject roller pin  245  from whatever protrusion it is engaged in, thereby unlocking lift mechanism  230 . 
         [0043]    Although rod  142  is contained within luggage  110 , rod  148  extends out of luggage  110  through a small slit  149  at the bottom of luggage  110  that is sealed by block  144 . 
         [0044]    The portion of the release mechanism of  FIG. 9  inside of luggage  110  is preferably situated within a covered portion at the bottom of the luggage, thus concealing it from the traveler. The portion of the release mechanism of  FIG. 9  outside of luggage  110  is preferably situated within a covered portion of trolley unit  200 , thus concealing it, too, from the traveler. 
         [0045]    One having the benefit of the subject disclosure will appreciate that there are many variations of the integrated luggage and trolley of the subject invention. Thus, although the luggage and trolley described hereinabove are integrated in a purely mechanical fashion, they may alternatively be integrated using an electro-mechanical lock and release mechanism. 
         [0046]    In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, one of the luggage wheels also functions as one of the trolley wheels. In this regard, reference is made to  FIG. 10 , which is a simplified front view of luggage with an integrated trolley, in raised and lowered positions, in accordance with this alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0047]    In another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the release mechanism may use a bar  143  inside handle  120  of the luggage, in which case release lever  140  is not required. In this regard, reference is made to  FIG. 11 , which is a simplified view, from the side and from the bottom of the luggage, of a release mechanism, for releasing a guided roller pin from its engaged position by means of a handle bar, in accordance with this alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0048]    In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to the specific exemplary embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.