Patent Abstract:
Luggage, duffel bags, travel bags and travel covers including travel covers for sporting goods such as, but not limited to, golf bags, skis, snowboards, baseball equipment, soccer equipment, and tennis equipment, and travel covers for tradeshow or conference displays or graphics, product samples, tents (collectively, “travel covers”), for example, are commonly used for conveniently transporting and protecting large objects during travel by walking, car, train and/or airplane. The travel covers may have a handle that my rotate or swivel to adjust to an ergonomic position for pulling or pushing the travel cover.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is directed to luggage and travel covers for carrying sports equipment or other objects that need protection during transportation. Embodiments of the travel covers comprise at least one wheel and a handle that is configured to swivel to provide ease and ergonomic handling of the travel cover. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Luggage, duffel bags, travel bags and travel covers including travel covers for sporting goods such as, but not limited to, golf bags, skis, snowboards, baseball/softball equipment, soccer equipment, football equipment, lacrosse equipment, hockey equipment, bowling equipment, motocross equipment, and tennis equipment, and travel covers for tradeshow or conference displays or graphics, product samples, tents (collectively, “travel covers”), for example, are commonly used for conveniently transporting and protecting large objects during travel by walking, car, train and/or airplane. 
     Luggage may have wheels to assist in moving the luggage and its contents. Typical wheeled luggage also has a retractable handle that may be moved between a storage position and an extended position. The handle is pulled out of the storage position into the extended position to increase the overall length of the luggage so it may more easily be rolled. The extended position prevents the user from having to bend over to hold the handle when the luggage is in a tilted position that allows the luggage to roll. Thus, the extended position avoids fatigue and injury to the user. 
     Some wheeled travel covers, however, are sufficiently long so they do not require a retractable handle. These long travel covers typical have handles attached to the top portion of the travel cover. The handle is attached directly to the enclosure, typically sewn on, and does not swivel relative to the travel cover. The handle is usually attached in a horizontal position that may be uncomfortable to the user of the travel cover but is a compromise position for pulling the travel cover with the right or left hand. 
     There exists a need for a travel cover with a swivel handle that is attached directly to the enclosure of the travel cover and that swivels. There exists a further need for a travel cover in which the enclosure does not comprise a retractable handle but has a swivel handle. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the invention are directed to a travel cover with a handle capable of rotating of swiveling. The travel cover comprises an enclosure for protecting and facilitating transporting objects during travel. For example, embodiments of the travel cover comprise an enclosure, a base plate connected to the enclosure, and a handle rotatably connected to the base plate. The travel cover may further comprise a rotatable plate wherein the handle is connected to the rotatable plate. The base plate and the rotatable plate may be any size or shape capable of supporting and connecting the swivel handle on the enclosure. In some embodiments, the base plate or rotatable plate may cover more than fifty percent (50%) of the top portion of the travel cover. 
     Further embodiments of the travel cover may comprise a housing having a surface defining an aperture, wherein the handle or a portion of the handle protrudes through the aperture and the surface covers a periphery portion of the rotatable plate. The housing may be connected to the enclosure directly or connected to a base plate. 
     A still further embodiment of the travel cover comprises an enclosure, a housing for the swivel handle, a rotatable plate directly or indirectly connected to the enclosure, the rotatable plate comprising a first side facing toward the enclosure and a second side facing away from the enclosure, and a bearing contacting a bearing surface on the second side of the rotatable plate and a bearing surface on an inside surface of the housing. The swivel handle may comprise more than one bearing to facilitate rotation of the handle. 
     Other aspects and features of embodiments of the travel covers comprising at least one swivel handle will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, upon reviewing the following description of specific, exemplary embodiments of the present invention in concert with the figures. While features may be discussed relative to certain embodiments and figures, all embodiments can include one or more of the features discussed herein. While one or more particular embodiments may be discussed herein as having certain advantageous features, each of such features may also be integrated into various other of the embodiments of the invention (except to the extent that such integration is incompatible with other features thereof) discussed herein. In similar fashion, while exemplary embodiments may be discussed below as system or method embodiments it is to be understood that such exemplary embodiments can be implemented in various systems and methods. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts a travel cover; 
         FIG. 2  depicts components of an embodiment of a travel cover comprising a swivel handle including an upper bearing  108 , rotatable plate  101 , lower bearing  104 , base plate  105 , housing  103  and handle  102 ; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a swivel handle without a housing; 
         FIG. 4  depicts a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the swivel handle of  FIG. 3  with a housing; and 
         FIG. 5  depicts a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the swivel handle wherein one set of bearings is a set of wheels connected to the rotatable plate. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Travel covers are used to protect a variety of objects during transport including traveling by walking, car, train and/or airplane as previously described. For example as shown in  FIG. 1 , a golf bag travel cover may be used to protect a golf bag and golf clubs. Golf bag travel covers are typically used by golfers to protect and ease transporting their golf clubs on airplanes where the bags must be carried through the airport. There is a significant chance of damage to the golf clubs as they are put in a trunk of a car, carried through an airport, and loaded into and transported in a baggage compartment of a train or airplane. These covers have tough enclosures that protect golf bags and other objects to be transported. The enclosures of travel covers may be flexible, rigid, or have components that are rigid and components that are flexible. For example, the embodiment of the golf bag travel cover  10  shown in  FIG. 1 , includes a rigid base member  13 , a pair of wheels  14 , a flexible cover  15 , and means for closing  16  the flexible cover  15 . The means for closing may be selected from the group comprising, but not limited to, zippers, hook and loop closures, buckles, snaps, ties, buttons and/or a combination of such closures. The embodiment of the golf bag travel cover further comprises a swivel handle  100 . The swivel handle  100  may rotate to allow ergonomic pulling or pushing of the travel cover by a traveler to the car, through the airport or hotel, to the golf course, as well as anywhere else. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the base member  13  allows the golf bag travel cover  10  to stand upright and comprises at least one wheel  14  for rolling the travel cover when the travel cover  10  is in the tilted position. The travel cover  10  may be leaned forward to shift the weight onto the wheels  14  and held by the handle  100  on the top portion of the travel cover  10 . The travel cover  10  may be easily pulled as a portion of the weight of the travel cover and its contents is supported by the wheels  14  and only a portion of the weight may be supported by a handle by the user. However, as the travel cover  10  is transferred from the user&#39;s left hand to the right hand, for example, the swivel handle  100  may adjust by rotating to a comfortable position for the user&#39;s hand in the new position. It is ergonomic for the swivel handle  100  to rotate from tilting from a comfortable position for the right hand to a comfortable position in the left hand. The swivel handle  100  may also adjust to reduce stress on the hand, wrist, and/or arm of the user as the travel cover is pulled up stairs, turned around corners or when tilting the travel cover from an upright position to a rolling, tilted, or laying position. 
     Embodiments of the swivel handle and components of the swivel handle may be made using any material or combination of materials that provides the desired properties to the components. Example materials include plastics such as, but not limited to, ABS, polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, or other plastics and metals including, but not limited to, aluminum, steel, stainless steel, or combinations of such materials, for example. Similarly, the flexible portion, if present, may be made using any desired material such as, but not limited to, nylon or other fabric. 
     As previously stated, typical luggage having wheels will also comprise a retractable handle. The retractable handle may be withdrawn to increase the overall height of the luggage and extend the handle to a more ergonomic height for pulling the luggage on the wheels. With the handle extended, the luggage may be leaned forward with a portion of the weight still supported by the wheels but the user&#39;s arm may be comfortably extended to pull the luggage. However, some travel covers are already at sufficient length that the travel cover does not require a retractable handle to extend their overall height. Typically, retractable handles may be extended to increase the overall height of the luggage to the range of about three feet to about four feet. Embodiments of travel covers comprising wheels that have an overall length over three feet may comprise a non-retractable handle fixed handle. Other embodiments of the travel cover having an overall length of three and one half feet or greater, or even four feet or greater may not have a retractable handle. These embodiments of travel covers may comprise a non-retractable handle that is typically fixed to a top portion of the travel cover. 
     Embodiments of the travel cover comprising a non-retractable handle capable of swiveling about an axis during use. Components of an embodiment of the swivel handle  100  capable of swiveling are shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     The rotatable plate may be any portion or component connected to the handle that is used to rotatably connect the handle to the top portion of the enclosure. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the rotatable plate is a circular plate that rotates within the housing. However, the rotatable plate is not required to be complete circle, for example, the rotatable plate may be an annular ring; two small place plates attached, one attached to each end of the handle, a plate extending between both ends of the handles, as well as generally triangular, square, rectangular, oval or other shapes. 
     The rotatable plate may be sandwiched between the other components of the travel cover such as between any combination of a housing, a bearing, fixed or non-rotatable plate, the enclosure, or two of the same types of components. The rotatable plate may also be rotatably connected by an axle, center shaft or central connector. The axle, center shaft or central connector may further include a bearing. Thus, the rotatable plate may be rotatably connected to the travel cover by its center, its periphery, or both. In any case, the bearings may be integral or separate from another component. 
     As in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the swivel handle  100  may comprise a base plate  105  capable of being connected to an enclosure (not shown) and a rotatable plate  101  rotatable relative to the base plate  105 . The rotatable plate  101  comprises a handle  102 . The handle  102  may be integral to the rotatable plate  101  or connected separately of the rotatable plate  101 . Embodiments of the handle may have at least one connection point; in some embodiments, the handle  102  comprises two points of connection as shown in  FIG. 2 . The rotatable plate  101  may be disposed between a housing  103  and the base plate  105 . The housing  103  may be connected to the base plate  105  along a periphery and defines an aperture  103   a  through which the handle  102  may be disposed. In other embodiments, the house  103  may be connected directly to the enclosure or to an inner plate inside the enclosure. In such an embodiment, the base plate  105  may be independently connected to the enclosure  15  or merely held in place by the housing  103 . The rotatable plate  101  may rotate within the space between the base plate  105  and the housing  103 . With the handle protruding through the aperture  103   a  in such cases, the handle  102  may be easily grasped and swivel within the housing  103 . In certain embodiments, the housing may have a surface defining the aperture  103   a , wherein the handle protrudes through the aperture  103   a  and the surface covers a periphery portion of the rotatable plate. A bearing  108  may be disposed between the covered periphery portion of the rotatable plate  101  and an inside bearing surface  103   c  (See  FIG. 4 ) of the housing  103 . 
     As such, in further embodiments, the swivel handle  100  may comprise one or more bearings. The bearings are capable of improving the ability of the swivel handle  102  to rotate within the housing  103 . The bearings may be located on a central axle  106 , between the housing  103  and the rotatable plate  101 , and/or between the base plate  105  and the rotatable plate  101 . The bearings may take any desirable form including slide bearings and/or roller bearings. The roller bearings may be ball bearings or wheel bearings, for example. The swivel handle may further comprise springs capable of biasing or urging a component of the swivel handle toward or away from the bearing. Since the handle is used to pull the travel cover and its contents, an embodiment of the travel cover comprises a bearing between the rotatable plate and the housing or other component on the opposite side of the rotatable plate from the enclosure. 
     The embodiment of the swivel handle  100  shown in  FIG. 2  has a ball bearing  104  having a plurality of balls  104   a . In the embodiment of the swivel handle  100  shown in  FIG. 2 , the bearing  104  is disposed between the base plate  105  and the rotatable plate  101 . The swivel handle shown in  FIG. 2  further comprises a bearing  108  disposed between the rotatable plate  101  and the housing  103 . The bearing  108  comprises ball bearings  108   a  that may roll along bearing surfaces on the housing  103   c  and the rotatable plate  101   e . The bearing  108  may comprise a lower extension  108   b  that may engage a groove in the rotatable plate  101  or may comprise an upper extension  108   c  that engages a groove on the housing  103  or may comprise both extensions  108   b  and  108   c  to stabilize the bearing  108  during rotation of the handle. 
     Similarly, the bearing  104  may comprise balls  104   a . The balls  104   a  may roll on the bearing surface  101   e  on the rotatable plate and  105   e  on the base plate  105 . Additional embodiments may comprise bearings in other locations such as on a central axle. Further, embodiments of the swivel handle may comprise only one of the bearings described above, all of the bearings or any combination of bearings. The upper bearing  108  facilitates swiveling of the handle while the handle is being pulled to roll or otherwise move the travel cover. 
     Further, in the embodiment of the swivel handle of  FIG. 5 , the swivel handle may comprise a bearing comprising a set of wheels  107  between the rotatable plate  101  and the housing  103 . The bearing  107  may be used in combination with the bearing  104  between the base plate  105  and the rotatable plate  101 . In the embodiment of the travel cover shown in  FIG. 5 , the bearing comprising wheels  107  comprises at least three wheels rotatably connected to the rotatable plate  101 , and preferably at least four wheels. The wheels  107  may be connected to the rotatable plate  101  and roll along a bearing surface on the inside of the housing  103 . Thus as the travel cover is pulled, the rotatable plate  101  is pulled toward the housing  103  and the bearing  107  or bearing  108  allows the rotatable plate  101  to still easily rotate within the housing  103 . In a still further embodiment, the rotatable plate  101  may be further rotatably connected to the base plate  105  by an axle  106 . The axle  106  may comprise a bearing fixedly connected to the either of the base plate  105  and/or the rotatable plate  101 . 
     In still further embodiments of the travel cover, the handle  102  may swivel completely around or the rotation of the handle  102  relative to a base plate  105  or the top portion of the travel cover may be limited by a combination of stops. For example, the base plate  105  and the rotatable plate  101  may comprise one or more stops that may engage one another during rotation. For example, the base plate  105  may comprise at least one stationary stop  105   a  and  105   b  and the rotatable plate may also comprise at least one rotatable stop  101   a  and  101   b . The rotatable stop may engage the stationary stop as the handle  102  is rotated to limit further rotation of the rotatable plate relative to the base plate. In certain other embodiments, the base plate  105  may comprises two stationary stops that engage at least one rotatable stop to limit the rotation of the rotatable plate  101  in each of two directions relative to the base plate  105 . The positioning of the steps may be reversed or in another configuration capable of limiting the rotation of the handles. The combination of stops interferes with the rotatable plate&#39;s  101  rotational movement to limit the rotation of the rotatable plate  101  to less than 360°. For example, in the embodiment of the swivel handle  105  in  FIG. 2 , the four stops  105   a  and  105   b  are integrally formed in the base plate  105 . There are two corresponding stops on the bottom portion of the rotatable plate  101  (an example is shown in  FIG. 3 , stops  101   a  and  101   b ) that may rotate within the angle A. This combination of stops on the base plate  105  and the rotatable plate  101  limits that angular rotation of the swivel handle  102  within a desired range. For example, in certain embodiments of the swivel handle, the angular rotation of the handle may be limited to less than 360°. In other embodiments such as the embodiment of the swivel handle shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the angular rotation A of the swivel handle  102  is limited to less than 180° and other embodiments may limit the angular rotation to less than 140°. 
     Further embodiments of the swivel handle may comprise a guide system for supporting and guiding the rotational movement of the swivel handle. For example, the base plate  105  and the rotatable plate  191  or the housing  102  and the rotatable plate  101  may comprise interlocking components that guide the rotational movement of the swivel handle  102 . In the embodiments of the swivel handle shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the base plate  105  comprises an inner ring  105   c  and an outer ring  105   d  defining an annular space between the two rings. The rotatable plate  101  comprises at least one corresponding protrusion  101   c  and  101   d  (see  FIG. 3 ) that may be inserted in the annular space between the inner ring  105   c  and the outer ring  105   d . The annular space will restrict the movement of the protrusion or protrusions  101   c  and/or  101   d  within a distinct range. The protrusion may be any shape including a pin, post, arc or complete circle. As one skilled in the art would understand, these features may be switched from the components shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  to the other components and still function as required. 
     To connect the swivel handle  100  to the enclosure  15 , the base plate  105  or the housing  103  may be connected to the enclosure  15 . The base plate  105  or housing  103  may be connected to the enclosure around their periphery. The base plate  105  and/or the housing  103  may be connected to the enclosure  15  by any attachment mechanism including, but not limited to, rivets, screws, bolts, adhesives, glues, stitching, or other connector. The base plate or housing may be connected directly to the top of the enclosure or may have intermediate components between the base plate or housing and the enclosure. Alternatively, if the top portion of the travel cover is a rigid material a top portion of the travel cover may act as the base plate and comprise the desired configuration. As such, the base plate  105  may be integral to the top of the enclosure of the travel cover. 
     Further, the swivel handle may comprise a second plate (not shown). The second plate may be installed on the inside of the enclosure. In such an embodiment, the base plate  105  may be connected to the second plate by rivets, screws, bolts or stitching to provide a more rigid support for the swivel handle  100  to the travel cover  100 . A second plate may be desirable for travel covers comprising a flexible top portion or, in some cases wherein the travel cover has a rigid top portion. If the top portion or the entire travel cover comprises a rigid material, such as a rigid plastic, the second plate internal to the enclosure may not be as desirable, except in embodiments where extra support is needed for carrying and supporting heavy contents. 
     For some travel covers such as golf bag travel covers, there may be advantages for the travel cover to comprise a rigid top portion. Particularly, for embodiments of the travel covers for golf bags comprising golf clubs, the top portion of the travel cover may comprise a rigid top portion. The rigid top portion provides additional protection against damage during transport to the golf clubs that extend beyond the top of the golf bag. There may be other applications for travel covers that comprise a flexible portion and a rigid top portion. Other travel covers may comprise a complete rigid enclosure, for example, travel covers for tradeshow or conference displays or graphics and/or product samples may benefit from the protection provided by a rigid enclosure. 
     The embodiments of the described methods and travel covers with at least one swivel handle are not limited to the particular embodiments, components, method steps, and materials disclosed herein as such components, process steps, and materials may vary. Moreover, the terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing exemplary embodiments only and the terminology is not intended to be limiting since the scope of the various embodiments of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. 
     Therefore, while embodiments of the invention are described with reference to exemplary embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that variations and modifications can be effected within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, the scope of the various embodiments of the present invention should not be limited to the above discussed embodiments, and should only be defined by the following claims and all equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8