Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a travel trunk comprising a trunk body having a rigid front and a rigid back panel, and a rigid substantially rectangular perimetrical sidewall therebetween defining a hollow interior of the trunk, wherein the sidewall is comprised of an upper and a lower portion wherein the upper portion is perimetrically bounding the front panel and the lower portion is perimetrically bounding the back panel, and wherein the upper portion is pivotal between and open and a closed position for accessing the hollow interior, at least two wheels affixed to the trunk body, a selectively extendable handle extendable from the trunk body opposite the wheels, and a zipper closure for releasably closing upper and the lower portion.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to wheeled luggage designs and more particularly, to wheeled trunk designs.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Many travelers find it desirable to utilize a large hard sided trunk for carrying belongings. A trunk offers many advantages to a traveler because of its large size and its rigid construction. The large size enables a user to transport a large volume of possessions without the need to have multiple pieces of luggage. In addition, the rigid construction provides an added measure of protection for any item stored within the trunk and makes packing and storing of possessions easier because of the well-defined space within the trunk interior. However, one of the drawbacks of the traditional travel trunk is the fact that it is difficult to move because of its large size and weight. A way to alleviate the difficulty in moving trunks as well as standard luggage such as a suitcase has been to include wheels for rolling the luggage. Typically, wheels are positioned on the base of the luggage, having a common rotational axis. An extendable handle is also usually provided that can be extended to give the user additional leverage for pivoting the suitcase onto its wheels by tilting the suitcase from an upright position to an angled position. Once pivoted onto the wheels the suitcase can be rolled across a surface without the need to lift the suitcase. This solution is common for suitcases due to their relatively small size, however, because of their large size, it is more difficult to produce a travel trunk incorporating these features. While some trunks incorporate wheels, they are arranged such that the trunk must be rolled in a lengthwise orientation. These types of wheeled trunks lack maneuverability and typically require the user to maintain an awkward posture to simultaneously grasp the handle and move the trunk. In addition, even those prior art design trunks that provide wheels do not incorporate extendable handles for providing the user with additional leverage to lift and or pivot the trunk as well as give the user a pleasing ergonomic design.  
           [0003]    A further drawback of a typical trunk design is that typically at least one locking clasp or latch is used to maintain the cover in a closed position. The use of a latch however does not provide a complete seal for the entire opening, instead relying on the latches to maintain the cover in a closed position, without a continuous closure seal.  
           [0004]    It would therefore be desirable to have a travel trunk having rigid sides for providing added protection to the contents, wheels for rolling the trunk along a surface, an extendable handle to provide the user with additional leverage in moving the trunk in an upright orientation, as well as providing a convenient and comfortable grip location and a zippered closure for providing a positive and convenient closure and seal for the trunk.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention relates to a vertical upright zippered trunk having six rigid sides which overcomes the deficiencies in the prior art designs. The rigid sides include parallel front and back panels connected to a continuous sidewall which define an interior space. The side wall has an upper portion connected to the front panel and a lower portion connected to the back panel. The upper and lower portions are hingedly connected to form the trunk opening and are secured with a zipper that is set back from the front panel of the trunk. The trunk further includes a rigid telescoping handle adjacent the back panel of the trunk. Wheels for rolling the trunk are mounted on the lower portion of the sidewall opposite the rigid telescoping handle. When not in use, the handle is stored within a void located adjacent the back panel and covered with a flap. The handle can be extended along the plane of the back panel to provide the user with greater leverage to pivot and roll the trunk. In the pivoted position the trunk weight is divided over the wheels and the extended handle in relation to the angle of the pivot.  
           [0006]    The present invention is therefore directed to a travel trunk comprising a trunk body having a rigid front and a rigid back panel, and a rigid substantially rectangular perimetrical sidewall therebetween defining a hollow interior of the trunk, wherein the sidewall is comprised of an upper and a lower portion wherein the upper portion is perimetrically bounding the front panel and the lower portion is perimetrically bounding the back panel, and wherein the upper portion is pivotal between and open and a closed position for accessing the hollow interior, at least two wheels affixed to the trunk body, a selectively extendable handle extendable from the trunk body opposite the wheels, and a zipper closure for releasably closing upper and the lower portion. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the trunk according to the present invention with the handle retracted.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the trunk of FIG. 1 with the handle retracted.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the trunk of FIG. 1 with the handle extended.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the trunk of FIG. 1 with the handle extended.  
         [0011]    FIG. 5  there is an exploded view of the component parts of the trunk according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0012]    There will be detailed below the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like members are designated by like reference characters in all figures.  
         [0013]    The present invention is directed to a vertical upright zippered trunk having six rigid sides. The rigid sides include parallel front and back panels connected to a continuous sidewall which define an interior space. The side wall has an upper portion connected to the front panel and a lower portion connected to the back panel. The upper and lower portions are hingedly connected to form the trunk opening and are secured with a zipper that is set back from the front panel of the trunk. The trunk further includes a rigid telescoping handle adjacent the back panel of the trunk. Wheels for rolling the trunk are mounted on the lower portion of the sidewall opposite the rigid telescoping handle. When not in use the handle is stored within a void located adjacent the back panel and covered with a flap. The handle can be extended along the plane of the back panel to provide the user with greater leverage to pivot and roll the trunk. In the pivoted position the trunk weight is divided over the wheels and the extended handle in relation to the angle of the pivot.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 shows a trunk according to an embodiment of the present invention. Trunk  100  includes generally parallel front and back panels  102  and  104  which are spaced apart. The edges of front and back panels  102  and  104  are connected to sidewall  106 . The front  102  and back  104  panels together with sidewall  106  define the periphery of trunk  100  and an interior space therein. Sidewall  106  includes a top portion  108  and a bottom portion  110 . The top portion  108  is connect to front panel  102  along the edge of top panel  102 . Both sidewall top portion  108  and bottom portion  110  are each formed of a single rigid panel, formed into a substantially rectangular shape. In order to maintain the substantially rectangular shape of trunk  100 , each corner is reinforced by a gusset  111 , which maintains each corner at a substantially 90 degree angle. Furthermore, the corner gussets  111 , add strength and rigidity to the trunk structure. The gussets in a preferred embodiment may be formed of leather or a leather like material. Additionally other suitable materials may be used to provide rigidity. Additionally, the front panel  102  and back panel  104  are each formed of a single flat rigid panel which are attached to the sidewall  106  top portion  108  and bottom portion  110  respectively. The top portion  108  together with connected front panel  102  forms the cover  112  to trunk  100 . Cover  112  is pivotally connected by a hinge (not seen in this view) to the bottom portion  110  of sidewall  106 . When in the closed position depicted, top portion  108  and bottom portion  110  are secured in a closed position by zipper  114 . Zipper  114  can be opened to allow cover  112  to be pivotally opened to provide access to the interior of trunk  112 . Front  102  and back  104  panels and sidewall  106  are substantially rigid to maintain the shape of the trunk  100 . In a preferred embodiment, the rigid panels forming front panel  102  and back panel  103  can be polyethylene boards, while the upper portion  108  and bottom portion  110  of trunk  100  of the present invention may be constructed of a rigid Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) polymer having a honeycomb structure. However these elements can be constructed of any rigid polymeric or other suitable material. Furthermore each element may be at least partially covered with a soft, resilient material such as fabric, to provide a cushioned outer surface.  
         [0015]    Wheels  116  are mounted at the edge forming the connection between bottom portion  110  of sidewall  106  and back panel  104 . Wheels  116  extend downwardly from the bottom portion  110  and support a portion of the weight of trunk  100  when it is in the upright position. Footstuds  118  are mounted on top portion  108  of sidewall  110  and support a portion of the weight of trunk  110  when it is upright and provide a stable level support for trunk  100  when it is in a stationary upright position. Also depicted are carrying handles  118  and  120  extending from different surfaces of sidewall  106  preferably to be oriented generally orthogonally one to another, for lifting trunk  100 . Carrying handles  118  and  120  enabling a user to carry the trunk in different orientations. The construction of an exemplary version of trunk  100  is shown in further detail in FIG. 5.  
         [0016]    Turning now to FIG. 2, there is shown a rear perspective view of the trunk of FIG. 1. Visible in this view is hinge  200 , and studs  202  for supporting trunk  100  in a level horizontal position, such as when being carried using handle  120 . Also visible is flap  204  for covering rigid telescoping handle (not seen in this view) when it is in the retracted position. Flap  204  can be zippered or closed in any known manner, such as snap closures on the sidewall. Depicted at the bottom of back panel  104  are wheels  206  and  208 . Each wheel is located within a housing  210  and  212 . The housings  210  and  212  include a cavity for receiving each wheel, which are rotatably supported within each housing. Wheels  206  and  208  rotate about a substantially common axis and are separated apart from one another in order to provide a stable platform for trunk  100  in both the stationary as well as rolling state. Located between each wheel housing along the back panel is a kickplate  214 . The kickplate  214  is formed of a rigid material such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) polymer or other suitable material. The kickplate  214  provides the user with a convenient location for applying a force to the trunk when it is being pivoted onto wheels  206  and  208  without damaging the outside surface.  
         [0017]    Turning now to FIG. 3, a rigid telescoping handle  300  is mounted adjacent to back panel  104  in a void formed along the inner surface of back panel  104 . Rigid telescoping handle  300  is alternately retractable and extendable from suitcase  100 . Telescoping handle  300  includes a gripping member  302  and two generally parallel stanchions  304 . Telescoping handle  300  can be extended outwardly from bottom portion  110  of sidewall  106  and along the plane of back panel  104 . In the extended position, telescoping handle  300  is operable to permit the suitcase to be rolled across a surface on wheels  116  with the weight of the suitcase distributed between telescoping handle  300  and wheels  116 . The weight of the trunk is divided between the handle  300  and wheels  116  according to the angle that the trunk is pivoted to while rolled by the user. Typically a user will roll the trunk at an angle of less than 45 degrees from vertical whereby most of the weight of trunk  100  is carried by wheels  116 . The user grips gripping member  302  of the rigid telescoping handle  300  and applies force by pulling on gripping member  302  while preventing the trunk from rolling by applying an opposite force to kickplate  214 . A moment force created by lever arm created by extended stanchions  304  causes trunk  100  to rotate about the axis of wheels  116 . The user can then support a portion of the weight of trunk by holding telescoping handle  300 . The balance of the weight of the trunk  100  is supported by wheels  116 . Trunk  100  can then be pulled along by the user on wheels  116 . Because most of the weight of the trunk is carried by the wheels, the user need not provide a large lifting force to maintain the trunk in the pivoted position. In addition, the trunk can be readily steered by applying a force to the telescoping handle perpendicular to the axis of rotation of wheels  116 .  
         [0018]    Turning now to FIG. 4, one end of each stanchion  304  of rigid telescoping handle  300  is movably mounted to housing  400  comprising two substantially parallel tubes, located in a void  402  adjacent back panel  104  of trunk  100 . Void  402  is located adjacent the inner surface of back panel  104 . Flap  204  is provided to cover void  402  when handle is in a retracted position. In a preferred embodiment, flap  204  is secured by way of a zipper closure. It is desirable for the telescoping handle to be movable between a storage position and an operable position. It will be appreciated that when telescoping handle  300  is received into void  402 , it does not protrude significantly above the exterior surface of bottom portion  110  of sidewall  106 . In that way, the handle can be stored when not in use and will be less susceptible to damage when the suitcase is moved through luggage handling systems in airports and the like. Flap  204  provides a measure for locking the handle into the storage position, preventing accidental deployment and damage during transit. In the preferred embodiment, telescoping handle  300  is positioned adjacent to back panel  104  above wheels  116  to provide the user with maximum leverage for pivoting trunk  100  onto wheels  116 .  
         [0019]    Turning now to FIG. 5, there is shown an exploded view of the component parts of trunk  100 . The body of trunk  100  includes sidewall  106 , which is formed of a bottom portion  110 , and upper portion  108 . Both bottom portion  110  and upper portion  108  are each formed of a single rigid panel which is shaped into a substantially rectangular form. Back panel  104  is affixed to the edge of bottom portion  110  using any technique know in the art, such as by piping. In this exemplary embodiment depicted, a cushion  502  may be provided, adjacent to the back panel  104 , such as an EVA foam cushion. Likewise front panel  102  is affixed to the edge of top portion  108  using any know technique. In this exemplary embodiment depicted, front panel  102  may also be covered with a cushion  504  to provide a cushioned outer surface. Zipper  114  is positioned between and affixed to upper portion  108  and lower portion  110  for releasably closing trunk  100 . Sidewall  106 , front panel  102 , and back panel  104  define an interior space  502  of trunk  100 . A resilient material, such as fabric, may at least partially cover, exterior portions of the front panel  102 , back panel  104  and sidewall  106 . In addition, an internal liner (not shown) may cover internal portions of the front panel  102 , back panel  104 , and sidewall  106 . Also shown in FIG. 5 is telescoping rigid handle  300 , shown in an extended position, as well as wheel housing  212  and wheel  208 .  
         [0020]    It will be appreciated that the present invention has been described herein with reference to certain preferred or exemplary embodiments. The preferred or exemplary embodiments described herein may be modified, changed, added to or deviated from without departing from the intent, spirit and scope of the present invention. It is intended that all such additions, modifications, amendments, and/or deviations be included within the scope of the claims appended hereto.