Trunks and hand-carried luggage – Hand luggage – Variable volume
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-20
2001-01-30
Weaver, Sue A. (Department: 3727)
Trunks and hand-carried luggage
Hand luggage
Variable volume
C190S107000, C190S039000, C190S115000, C280S037000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179101
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a luggage article or a suitcase, and more particularly to a luggage article or a suitcase having a retractable and/or foldable handle device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical foldable bags or suitcases or luggage articles comprise a middle portion that may be folded to a compact size for storing purposes, and a handle device provided for carrying the foldable luggage article. One of the typical foldable luggage articles is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,652 to Shamah and comprises a vertically expandable luggage article, and a vertically expandable handle device having at least three vertically stacked supports or tubular members secured to the luggage article. Only a rigid plate is secured to the upper portion of the top shell. When the intermediate and foldable shells of the luggage article are opened, only the right plate may be provided for supporting the top shell and the intermediate foldable shells are expanded to the working position, such that the luggage article may not be stably supported in place when the luggage article is expanded.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional foldable bags or luggage articles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a foldable suitcase having a retractable support for stably supporting the suitcase at the expanded position.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a suitcase comprising an expandable suitcase body expandable to a working position and foldable to a folded position, and a retractable support secured to the suitcase body for supporting the suitcase body at the working position and at the folded position. The support is pivotally secured to the base of the suitcase body for allowing the support to be folded toward the base of the suitcase body.
The suitcase body includes an upper shell having an upper portion and a lower portion, and includes a foldable middle portion provided between the base and the upper shell for forming a foldable structure to the suitcase body, the retractable support includes a pair of posts having a lower portion pivotally secured to the base of the suitcase body, a pair of tubes slidably received in the posts respectively and having an upper portion secured to the upper portion of the upper shell of the suitcase body. A bar is further secured to the lower portion of the upper shell of the suitcase body and includes a pair of orifices for slidably receiving the posts respectively.
The lower portions of the posts are pivotally coupled to the base of the suitcase body at a pin each for allowing the posts to be rotated relative to the base between an upright position and a lay down position, and means for securing the posts to the base at the upright position. The posts each includes a frame secured to the lower portion thereof and pivotally secured to the base at the pin, the frames each includes an aperture formed therein, the base includes at least one spring-biased projection engaged with the aperture of a first of the frames for securing the posts to the base at the upright position. The first frame includes a recess formed therein for engaging with the spring-biased projection and for securing the posts to the base at the lay down position.
The posts each includes an oblong hole formed in the lower portion thereof, a pair of knobs each having a lateral pole slidably engaged in the oblong holes and each having a stick slidably engaged in the aperture for disengaging the spring-biased projection from the aperture and for allowing the posts to be rotated relative to the base about the pin. A wheel device is further secured to the base of the suitcase body.
A handle device is further attached to the upper shell for carrying the suitcase and includes a pair of pipes slidably received in the tubes respectively and moved relative to the tubes between an extended position and a retracted position, and includes a hand grip provided between the pipes, and means for selectively securing the pipes at the extended position and the retracted position relative to the tubes.
The the foldable middle portion of the suitcase body includes at least one peripheral zipper device, the bar and the posts are secured in the suitcase body for preventing the posts from blocking the peripheral zipper device. A bracket is secured to the upper portion of the upper shell and includes the tubes extended therefrom and slidably engaged in the posts respectively.
A securing means is further provided for securing the posts to the bar and includes at least one hole formed in a first of the posts, a spring-biased projection disposed in the bar and engaged with the hole of the first post for securing the first post to the bar. The bar includes at least one block secured therein for receiving the spring-biased projection.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 764144 (1904-07-01), McGowan
patent: 1573721 (1926-02-01), Loeffler
patent: 2718943 (1955-09-01), Braverman
patent: 3701541 (1972-10-01), Tarducci et al.
patent: 4733759 (1988-03-01), Shih-Chen
patent: 4953673 (1990-09-01), Ambasz
patent: 5251731 (1993-10-01), Cassese et al.
patent: 5476184 (1995-12-01), Hill
patent: 5664652 (1997-09-01), Shamah
patent: 5819891 (1998-10-01), Wang et al.
patent: 2632262 (1989-12-01), None
patent: 19744 (1913-01-01), None
Baxley Charles E.
Weaver Sue A.
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