Abstract:
A handle assembly for wheeled luggage is disclosed. The handle grip is off-centered from the center line of luggage in the longitudinal direction across the top of luggage within a predetermined limited distance. The handle assembly further comprises a locking mechanism mounted to the inner tube with locking pins facing each other for engaging three apertures provided in the outer tubes in the handle storage position, the handle for carrying position, or the handle for pulling position. This allows wheels to be away from the legs of user and thus provides a great convenience to user since luggage does not interfere with the user&#39;s movement.

Description:
This application claims benefit of Prov. No. 60/120,332 filed Feb. 17, 1999. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a handle assembly for wheeled luggage and more particularly to an off-centered dual-purpose handle assembly that can be used for both carrying and pulling a wheeled luggage and furthermore, when luggage is carried, the lower end of luggage tilts away from the user. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Wheeled luggage has been widely used in recent years by travelers in various forms of transportation. When designing a wheeled luggage, a number of important criteria must be considered. For example, luggage should be rigidly constructed for surviving rough handling when pulled in the streets, in and out of buildings with ascending or descending steps, and in and out of various forms of carriers such as airplanes or motor vehicles. The wheeled luggage must also have adequate wheel means such that luggage can be pulled along a pavement with relative ease. 
     Wheeled luggage should have a convenient pull-handle system that can be easily stowed away when not in use and extended when needed. Most types of luggage of large or medium size sold in markets are equipped with a pull handle of various types so as to facilitate carrying of the same in journey. However, most of pull-handle systems are not suitably designed and cannot be reliably used. For example, in order to carry or lift the wheeled luggage, a separate handle system must be provided on luggage case in addition to the pull-handle system. But such design is unsatisfactory because it protrudes from the surface of luggage case permanently and cannot be retracted into a recess. As such, the requirement for a separate carry handle system not only clutter the simple design of a luggage case, but also increase the cost of luggage. 
     More recently, the airline industry has strictly enforced the restriction on the dimensions of carry-on luggage that may be brought onboard of an airplane. A protruded carry handle used on a wheeled luggage for carrying purpose further adds to the dimensions and may disqualify a luggage to be carried onboard an airplane. The need for a handle system that can be completely stowed away in a recess built into the luggage case, can be used to both pull luggage on wheels or to carry luggage when needed has been long existing but unfulfilled. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a wheeled luggage equipped with a pull-handle system that does not have the drawbacks of conventional pull-handle systems. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a wheeled luggage equipped with a dual-purpose handle system that can be used for both pulling luggage on wheels or carrying wheel when needed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wheeled luggage equipped with a dual-purpose handle system that can be locked in at least two operating positions for pulling and carrying luggage. 
     It is another further object of the present invention to provide a wheeled luggage equipped with a dual-purpose handle system that can be completely stowed away in a bezel when not in use and thus reducing the dimensions of luggage. 
     It is still further object of the present invention to provide a wheeled luggage equipped with a dual-purpose handle system such that the need for a separate carrying handle is eliminated. 
     It is still further object of the present invention to provide a wheeled luggage equipped with a dual-purpose, off-entered handle system. 
     It is still further object of the present invention to provide a dual-purpose handle system that can be locked in a stowed-away position, in a partially-extended or carrying position, e.g., at a distance between about 0.5 inch to about 6 inch from the top of luggage, and in a fully extended position for pulling luggage on wheels. The locking function is provided by a novel locking mechanism that is connected to an end of an inner tube which slidingly engages a cavity in an outer tube for operating the handle system. Two identical inner tubes are used to slidingly engage two identical outer tubes and are mounted on each side of handle grip. A recessed button in the handle grip is used to operate the locking mechanism by a pair of flexible steel cables mounted inside the inner tubes. The locking mechanism which are mounted to the inner tube with locking pins facing each other for engaging at least three apertures provided in the outer tubes for each of the three locking positions, i.e., the handle storage position, the handle for carrying position, and the handle for pulling position. 
     Another novel feature of the present invention is the positioning of handle grip in relation to the center line of luggage in the longitudinal direction across the top of luggage. The U-shaped handle grip which attaches to the two inner tubes at the two ends of the U-shaped handle grip while the bottom of the U-shaped handle grip is used as the handle grip and a housing for the push button, i.e., the activating device for locking mechanism. The handle grip is designed to be off-centered from the center line of luggage. The off-centered distance may be between about 0.1 inch and about 2 inch to either side of the center line. The off-centered handle grip enables the luggage to be picked up by the handle grip with the lower end of luggage tilting away from the user. The U-shaped handle rip is designed with the opening of the U-shaped handle grip pointing toward the wheels mounted on the backside of the luggage. This allows the backside of luggage, and specifically the wheels to tilt away from the legs of user. The tilt-away feature of the present invention wheeled luggage when luggage is being carried provides a great convenience to the user since it does not interfere with the user&#39;s movement or walking. 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention wheeled luggage illustrating the handle grip being mounted to the luggage in an off-centered manner and the handle grip in a stowed-away position; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention wheeled luggage of FIG. 1 with handle grip partially extended and locked in a carrying position; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention wheeled luggage with handle grip in a fully extended position for pulling the luggage on wheels; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the frame of the present invention wheeled luggage with the handle grip in a stowed-away position; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the frame of the present invention wheeled luggage with handle grip locked in a carrying position; 
     FIG. 6 is sectional view of the handle system of the present invention wheeled luggage with locking pins engaged to the lower apertures in the outer tubes; 
     FIG. 7 is sectional view of the handle system of the present invention wheeled luggage with push button in a pressed-down position and locking pins disengaged from the lower apertures; 
     FIG. 8 is sectional view of the handle system of the present invention wheeled luggage with push button in a released position and locking pins disengaged from the lower apertures in the outer tubes such that inner tubes are slidable in the outer tubes; 
     FIG. 9 is sectional view of the handle system of the present invention wheeled luggage with push button in a released position and locking pins engaged to the middle apertures in the outer tubes such that handle grip is locked in a partially extended position for carrying the luggage; 
     FIG. 10 is sectional view of the handle system of the present invention wheeled luggage with push button in a released position and locking pins engaged to the upper apertures in the outer tubes such that handle grip is locked in fully extended position for pulling the luggage; 
     FIGS. 11A,  11 B, and  11 C are illustrations of the present invention handle system that is designed with the center line of handle grip coincided with the center line of luggage in three different bezel designs for storing the handle grip; 
     FIGS. 12A,  12 B, and  12 C are illustrations of the present invention handle system that is designed with the center line of handle grip off-centered with the center line of luggage showing the novel tilt y feature of the dual-purpose handle system; 
     FIGS. 13A,  13 B, and  13 C are illustrations of the present invention handle system that is designed off-centered in an opposing direction to those shown in FIGS. 12A-12C on the other side of the center line showing the novel tilt-away feature of the dual-purpose handle system; and 
     FIG. 14 is an illustration of the present invention wheeled luggage with the dual-purpose handle system in a fully extended position for operating the luggage on wheels. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an off-centered, dual-purpose handle system  12  for a wheeled luggage  10  constructed in accordance with the present invention wherein dual-purpose handle system  12  is in a stowed-away position and stored in bezel  14 . 
     The U-shaped handle system  12  is constructed by a handle grip  16  which houses a recessed push button  18  at a center location connected by two side pieces  22 ,  24  to the inner tubes (not shown). The wheeled luggage  10  is further equipped with a carrying handle  26  mounted on the side  28  of luggage for carrying the luggage sideways. However, it should be noted that there is no carrying handle provided on the top  32  of luggage  10 . The novel handle system  12  of the present invention serves both as a pull handle and as a carrying handle. Note that center line “l” for the handle grip  16  is designed such that it is positioned away from the center line “m” for the top  32  of luggage  10 . The distance between two center lines “l” and “m” may be suitably between about 0.1 inch and about 2 inch. It should be further noted that the center line “l” for handle grip  16  can be positioned on either side of the center line “m” for the luggage such that the luggage can be carried with either the wheels toward the user or away from the user. This is further shown in detail in FIGS. 12A-12C and  13 A- 13 C. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention wheeled luggage  10  with handle system  12  in a partially extended position for carrying of the luggage. The partially extended handle system  12  may be suitably locked by a locking mechanism (not shown) connected to the inner tubes of handle system  12  at any suitable positions. The handle grip  16  may be at a distance defined between the bottom surface  34  of handle grip  16  and the surface of the top  32  of luggage  10  at between about 0.5 inch and about 6 inch. The distance is determined based on the design of handle grip  16  such that a user can comfortably grip the handle grip  16  with sufficient clearance between the grip  16  and the bezel  14  in the top  32 . 
     When handle system  12  is pulled out completely such that it is in a fully extended position as shown in FIG. 3, the handle system  12  or handle grip  16  can be used to pull or push the wheeled luggage  10  on its wheels  40 . The wheels  40  are mounted in plastic housing  42  with a kick plate  44  mounted therebetween. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of frame assembly  30  for wheeled luggage  10 . As shown, the handle system  12  is mounted in bezel  14  of a top plate  46  which is further attached to a side frame  48  by attachment means  50 . The side frame  48  can be suitably made of a plastic material or of a metal material. The handle system  12  is attached to two inner tubes (not shown) which are stored in two outer tubes  52  with their bottom ends  54  fixed to an end bracket  56  and then to a bottom plate  58  which supports the side frame  48  by attachment means  62 . 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the frame assembly  30  of FIG. 4 with handle system  12  in partially extended or carrying position. It is seen that the distance between the bottom surface  34  of the handle grip  16  and the surface of top plate  461  represented by “C” in FIG. 5, is between about 0.5 inch and about 6 inch. 
     FIG. 6 is sectional view of the handle system  12  of the present invention with locking pins  78  engaged to the lower apertures  80 A in the outer tubes  52 . It is seen that push button  18  operates by a compressible spring  60  which supports a bottom surface  62  of push button  18 . Two wedges  64  projecting downwardly from the bottom of push button  18  and are arranged symmetrically to the center of push button  18 . The wedges  64  are equipped with inclined bottom surfaces  66  which engage a pair of sliding blocks  68  such that when push button  18  is pressed downwardly against the spring  60 , the inclined surfaces  66  engage sliding blocks  68  and pull them toward the center. Flexible cables  70  attached to sliding blocks  68  through flexible cable mounting blocks  72  are thus pulled up. The lower ends of flexible cables  70  are operatively attached to the locking mechanisms  76  which will be described in detail later. 
     FIG. 7 is sectional view of the handle system  12  with push button  18  in a pressed-down position and locking pins  78  of locking mechanisms  76  disengaged from the lower apertures  80 A such that inner tubes  38  are slidable in outer tubes  52 . 
     FIG. 8 is sectional view of the handle system  12  with push button  18  in a released position and locking pins  78  of locking mechanisms  76  disengaged from the lower apertures  80 A in the outer tubes  52  such that inner tubes  38  may slide freely in the outer tubes  52 . 
     FIG. 9 is sectional view of the handle system  12  with push button  18  in a released position and locking pins  78  of locking mechanisms  76  engaged to the middle apertures  80 B in the outer tubes  52  such that handle grip  16  is locked in a partially extended position for carrying the luggage  10 . Note that the bottom surface  34  of handle grip  16  and surface of top plate  46  has a distance “C”, as previously shown in FIG.  5 . Preferably, the distance for “C” is between about 0.5 inch and about 6 inch. 
     FIG. 10 is sectional view of the handle system  12  with push button  18  in a released position and locking pins  78  engaged to the upper apertures  80 C in the outer tubes  52  such that handle grip  16  is locked in fully extended position for pulling the luggage  10  as further shown in FIG. 14 later. 
     In view of the above sectional views of handle system  12 , it is seen that locking pin  78  slidingly engaged a lock house  84  is pulled by flexible cable  70  against a compressible spring  86 . The housing  84  is further provided with a smoothly curved portion  88  to facilitate the sliding of flexible cable  70  on the housing  84 . It is also seen that lock housing  84  is mounted to inner tube  38  at an upper end  92  and further engages the interior cavities (not shown) of outer tube  52  through a mounting bracket  90  which is locked at upper holes  82 - 82  of the upper portion of the outer tube  52 . The upper end  92  of lock housing  84  is removably attached to inner tube  38  through a pin  96  and an aperture  98  in the inner tube  38 . 
     FIGS. 11A,  11 B, and  11 C illustrate wheeled luggage without off-centered feature for the handle grip  16 . It is seen that in these illustrations, the center line of handle grip  16  is designed to coincide with the center line of luggage  10  such that when the luggage is picked up by handle grip  16 , the luggage  10  is perpendicular to ground surface  100 . Therefor, when a luggage  10  is carried by hand, the wheels  40  is accordingly positioned perpendicular to ground surface  100  not interfering with the movement of the user. In this manner, both center lines pass through the center of gravity CG of the luggage. FIGS. 11A,  11 B and  11 C each illustrates a different bezel design for storing the handle grip  16 . 
     FIGS. 12A,  12 B, and  12 C illustrate wheeled luggage  10  of the present invention which incorporates the dual-purpose, off-centered handle system  12 . It is seen that based on the off-centered design, i.e., the center line of handle grip  16  is positioned at a distance “D” from the center line of luggage  10 , luggage  10  tilts away (specifically, the wheels  40  tilt away) from the user when luggage is picked up and carried. Preferably, the distance “D” is between about 0.1 inch and about 2 inch. Note that in this embodiment, handle grip  16  is off-centered to the right of center line of luggage  10  such that luggage should be carried with wheels toward user, and both center lines also pass through the center of gravity CG of the luggage. FIGS. 12A,  12 B, and  12 C each illustrates a different bezel design for storing the handle grip  16 . 
     FIGS. 13A,  13 B, and  13 C are further illustrations of the present invention dual-purpose, off-centered handle system  12  for pulling and carrying luggage  10 . Note that in this embodiment, the center line of handle grip  16  is designed to the left of center line of luggage  10 , or closer to the wheels  40 . In this design, the luggage should be carried with the wheels away from user such that the lower end of luggage  10  tilts away from the user. Similarly, three different bezel designs are shown in these figures. 
     FIG. 14 illustrates the handle system  12  in a fully extended position such that handle grip  16  can be pulled with wheels  40  rolling on the ground surface  100 . 
     While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.