Patent Publication Number: US-2006011499-A1

Title: Golf bag or suitcase having extendible wheels

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a suitcase or golf bag, and more particularly to a suitcase or golf bag having a wheel device extendible outwardly from the suitcase or the golf bag for stably supporting the suitcase or the golf bag in a tilted or inclined working position.  
      2. Description of the Prior Art  
      Various kinds of typical suitcases or golf bags have been developed and comprise one or more wheels attached to bottom thereof, for allowing the suitcases or the golf bags to be tilted and to be easily moved or carried with the users.  
      In addition, the typical suitcases may further comprise a retractable handle attached thereto, and pullable or extendible out of the typical suitcases, for allowing the typical suitcases to be easily moved or carried with the users.  
      For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,362 to Kuo, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,360 to Wang disclose two of the typical suitcases each also comprising a retractable handle attached thereto, and selectively or adjustably extendible out of the typical suitcases, for easily moving or carrying the typical suitcases by the users.  
      However, the typical golf bags have no additional spaces to receive a retractable handle, and the wheel device may not be suitably extended outwardly from the golf bag, such that the golf bag may not be stably supported in a tilted or inclined working position.  
      The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional suitcases or golf bags.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a suitcase or golf bag including a wheel device extendible outwardly from the suitcase or the golf bag for stably supporting the suitcase or the golf bag in a tilted or inclined working position.  
      In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a suitcase comprising a receptacle including a chamber formed therein, and including two passages formed therein, and communicating with the chamber thereof, the receptacle including two channels formed therein, a handle slidably attached to the receptacle, and extendible out and movable into the receptacle, the handle including two pins attached thereto and slidably engaged in the channels of the receptacle, and two legs slidably engaged through the passages of the receptacle respectively, and movable into and out of the passages of the receptacle respectively, each of the legs including an upper portion pivotally secured to the receptacle with an axle, and each including a lower portion having a wheel attached thereto, and each including a middle portion having a slot formed therein, to slidably receive the pins of the handle. The legs are movable into and out of the passages of the receptacle respectively when the pins of the handle are moved along the channels of the receptacle and moved along the slots of the legs respectively. The receptacle may thus be stably positioned or supported in the tilted or inclined working position relative to the ground when the legs are extended out of the receptacle, and when a stable triangular or rectangular area is formed between the lower portions or the wheels of the legs and the bottom portion or the front and side portions of the receptacle.  
      The receptacle includes two posts having the channels formed therein, to slidably receive the pins of the handle respectively. The receptacle may further include two posts and the upper portions of the legs are pivotally secured to the posts of the receptacle with the axles.  
      The handle includes an actuator device attached thereto and having two arms extended therefrom, the pins are attached to the arms respectively.  
      The receptacle includes a sleeve secured thereto, and having a bore formed therein to slidably receive the handle. The receptacle includes a latch slidably engageable into the bore of the sleeve, to selectively engage with the handle, and to selectively latch the handle to the receptacle.  
      The receptacle includes a button slidably engageable in the sleeve, the latch is extended from the button and extendible into the bore of the sleeve. The receptacle includes a spring engaged with the button, to bias the latch to engage into the bore of the sleeve, and thus to engage with the handle.  
      The handle includes a number of orifices formed therein, to selectively receive the latch, and to adjustably secure the handle to the receptacle.  
      Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a suitcase or golf bag in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a partial exploded view of the suitcase or golf bag;  
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the suitcase or golf bag;  
       FIG. 4  is a side view similar to  FIG. 3 , illustrating the operation of the suitcase or golf bag; and  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the suitcase or golf bag, illustrating the suitcase or golf bag having the wheel device retracted or received or stored therein. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to the drawings, and initially to  FIGS. 1-3 , a suitcase or golf bag in accordance with the present invention comprises a suitcase body or a receptacle  10  preferably including a planar bottom portion  11  for allowing the receptacle  10  to be positioned in an upright storing position ( FIGS. 4, 5 ). The receptacle  10  includes one or more, such as two passages  12  formed in two of the corner areas or formed in the front and side portions  13  thereof, and includes a chamber  14  formed therein and communicating with the passages  12  thereof.  
      A frame device  20  is received and engaged in the chamber  14  of the receptacle  10 , to expand or to retain the receptacle  10  in an open position, best shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 . The frame device  20  includes an upper frame  21  and a lower frame  22  coupled together with a number of posts  23 ,  24 , in which two front posts  24  each includes a longitudinal channel  25  formed therein, such as formed in the lower portion thereof. The upper frame  21  includes one or more openings  26  formed therein for allowing golf clubs (not shown) or other objects to be disposed into the chamber  14  of the receptacle  10 .  
      One or more, such as two legs  30  are slidably engaged through the passages  12  of the receptacle  10  respectively, and each includes an upper portion  31  rotatably or pivotally secured to the frame device  20 , such as to the posts  23  of the frame device  20 , or directly to the receptacle  10  with pivot axles  32 , for allowing the legs  30  to be rotated relative to the receptacle  10 , and for allowing the legs  30  to be rotated outwardly ( FIGS. 1, 3 ) or into the passages  12  of the receptacle  10  ( FIGS. 4, 5 ).  
      Each of the legs  30  includes a slot  33  formed in the middle portion thereof, and includes a wheel  34  rotatably attached to the other end or the lower end portion  35  thereof. It is preferable that the wheels  34  may also be slightly or partially extended out of the passages  12  of the receptacle  10  ( FIGS. 4, 5 ) when the legs  30  are rotated into the passages  12  of the receptacle  10 , to allow the wheels  34  to be engaged with ground when the receptacle  10  is tilted relative to the ground.  
      A sleeve  27  is secured to the front and upper portion of the receptacle  10 , and includes a bore  28  formed therein. A button  40  is slidably and laterally engaged through the sleeve  27  ( FIGS. 3, 4 ), and includes a latch  41  extended therefrom ( FIG. 3 ), and extendible into the bore  28  of the sleeve  27 , and a spring  43  may be engaged with the button  40 , to bias and to force the latch  41  into the bore  28  of the sleeve  27 .  
      A handle  50  is slidably engaged through the bore  28  of the sleeve  27 , and includes a hand grip  51  attached to or provided on top thereof, for pulling or moving the handle  50  into and out or relative to the sleeve  27 . The handle  50  includes one or more orifices  52  formed therein, to selectively receive the latch  41  of the button  40 , and to adjustably secure the handle  50  to the receptacle  10  at selected or different heights or positions.  
      For example, the handle  50  may be positioned to the receptacle  10  at a partially extended position ( FIG. 3 ), or a fully and outwardly extended position ( FIG. 1 ) with the latch  41  of the button  40 . The handle  50  may also be completely engaged into the receptacle  10  to a receiving or storing position as shown in  FIGS. 4, 5 . At this moment, it is not required to engage the latch  41  of the button  40  into either of the orifices  52  of the handle  50 . However, for preventing the handle  50  from being disengaged or extended out of the receptacle  10  inadvertently, it is also preferable that the latch  41  of the button  40  be engaged into one of the orifices  52  of the handle  50 .  
      The handle  50  includes an actuator device  53  attached thereto or extended therefrom, and having two arms  54  extended therefrom and each having a pin  55  engaged therein or attached thereto. The pins  55  of the arms  54  are slidably engaged in the channels  25  of the posts  24  and in the slots  33  of the legs  30  respectively, in order to rotate the legs  30  into and out of the receptacle  10  when the pins  55  are guided or forced to move along the channels  25  of the posts  24  ( FIGS. 3, 4 ).  
      In operation, as shown in  FIGS. 4, 5 , the legs  30  may be rotated into the passages  12  of the receptacle  10 , to a receiving or storing position by forcing or moving the handle  50  into the receptacle  10 , or by moving the pins  55  to bottom of the channels  25  of the posts  24 . The handle  50  may be released from the receptacle  10  when the button  40  is depressed against the spring  43 , to disengage the latch  41  from the handle  50 .  
      When the handle  50  is pulled upwardly or outwardly from the receptacle  10 , the pins  55  may be moved upwardly along the channels  25  of the posts  24 , and may also be caused to slide along the slots  33  of the legs  30  respectively, in order to rotate the legs  30  out of the receptacle  10 . The receptacle  10  may thus be tilted relative to the ground, and may be supported on the tilted or inclined working position ( FIGS. 1, 3 ) with the wheels  34  and the legs  30 .  
      It is to be noted that a stable triangular or rectangular area may be formed between the lower portions or the wheels  34  of the legs  30  and the bottom portion  11  or the front and side portions  13  of the receptacle  10 , to allow the receptacle  10  to be stably positioned or supported in the tilted or inclined working position.  
      The latch  41  of the button  40  may be engaged into one of the orifices  52  of the handle  50 , to position the handle  50  to the receptacle  10  either at a partially extended position ( FIG. 3 ), or at a fully and outwardly extended position ( FIG. 1 ), and to prevent the handle  50  from being moved relative to the receptacle  10 , and thus to prevent the legs  30  and the wheels  34  from being rotated and received into the receptacle  10  inadvertently. The handle  50  may only be moved relative to the receptacle  10  again when the latch  41  of the button  40  is disengaged from the orifices  52  of the handle  50  again.  
      Accordingly, the suitcase or golf bag in accordance with the present invention includes a wheel device extendible outwardly from the suitcase or the golf bag for stably supporting the suitcase or the golf bag in a tilted working position.  
      Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.