Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Handle – handle component – or handle adjunct – Length adjustable pull handle for luggage or luggage cart
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-05
2001-12-25
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3626)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Handle, handle component, or handle adjunct
Length adjustable pull handle for luggage or luggage cart
C016S405000, C016S429000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332241
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retractable handle for wheeled luggage and more particularly to a locking device for retractable handle of wheeled luggage.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, only one locking device is provided in the retractable handle for controlling the handle in a retracted position and an extended position. Further, it is also possible to design the sliding tube to be engaged with the support tube in a plurality of retaining slots of the support tube for varying the length of retractable handle. It is known that the maximum length of the retractable handle is less than that of the height of luggage case. In addition, the airline industry has strictly enforced the restriction on the dimension of carry-on luggage that may be brought onboard of an airplane. As such, in one case that the total height of the height of luggage plus the length of fully extended handle is still less than the distance between hand of an upright person and ground. This means that the person has to bend his/her back to reach and tow the handle grip. It can be seen that such design is not convenient.
Furthermore, it is necessary to retract the handle to its lowest position in order to carry the luggage in and out of various forms of carriers such as airplanes or motor vehicles. However, the center line of handle grip tends to tilt away from the center line of luggage when luggage is lifted, i.e., the lower portion of luggage is nearer the user than the top portion thereof. As such, luggage may interfere with the user's movement or walking.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a multi-locking device for retractable handle of wheeled luggage for eliminating the disadvantages of prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a locking device for retractable handle of wheeled luggage wherein the length of fully extended handle is longer than the height of luggage for providing a handle with extended sufficient length to the user when towing a small luggage along the ground.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a locking device for retractable handle of wheeled luggage wherein handle grip can be pulled a small sufficient distance above the recess on top of luggage and locked therein so as to provide a great convenience to the user when lifting luggage.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a locking device for retractable handle of wheeled luggage wherein the length of handle may be varied for conforming to a tall person.
To achieve the above and other objects, the present invention provides a handle assembly of wheeled luggage having two identical parts each comprising: a first sliding tube; a first locking device detachably attached to the bottom of the first sliding tube; a second sliding tube for allowing the first sliding tube to slidingly move therein having a plurality of holes; a second locking device detachably attached to the bottom of the second sliding tube; and a support tube for allowing the second sliding tube to slidingly move therein having a plurality of holes.
Whereby the handle is retracted when the push button is not pressed. The first sliding tube is received in the second sliding tube and the second sliding tube is received in support tube. Projection is biased by spring to engage with lower hole of the second sliding tube. The bottom of first locking device is biased against the top of sliding block of second locking device so as to cling the first end of lock pin to lower hole of support tube, whereby handle is locked in a retracted position. The push button is pressed. Then handle is pulled upward to cause flexible steel cable to move upward so as to bias spring and guide pin to move into lower hole. Grasp handle grip to pull first sliding tube upward for separating bottom of first locking device from top of second locking device. Then top of sliding block being vertically slidable on second locking device is not biased by bottom of first locking device. Sleeve is pushed to the right by the expansion of spring to cause lower slopes of triangular projections to engage against lower slope of the sliding block. Then sliding block moves up to cause lock pin to move to the right to dear lower hole of support tube. Once first sliding tube is pulled up to cause projection of locking block to come into middle hole to lock therein, first sliding tube no longer moves up along the second sliding tube. Then first sliding tube and second sliding tube together move up until the lock pin of second locking device comes into engagement with middle hole of support tube and locks therein. At this time handle is pulled up a small distance above the top of luggage. First and second locking device are unlocked simultaneously when push button is pressed again. Locking block moves up to come into engagement with upper hole of second sliding tube. Handle grip continuously moves up to cause flexible steel cable previously caught in the retaining groove of the first housing below the first sliding tube to move up along with first sliding tube. Then second sliding tube and second locking device move up until lock pin comes into contact with upper hole and locks therein. Now handle is in a fully extended position for allowing luggage to be towed along the ground.
To the contrary, press push button to retract handle which in turn causes pin of locking block attached to flexible steel cable to escape engagement with upper hole of second sliding tube. Whereby first sliding tube may receive within second sliding tube until bottom of first locking device comes into contact with top of sliding block. Then upper slopes of sliding block engages with upper slopes of triangular projections to cause lock pin of second locking device to clear upper hole of support tube. Pin dears upper hole of second sliding tube when push button is pressed again. Then first sliding tube may receive in second sliding tube and second sliding tube may receive in support tube. Now the handle is fully retracted.
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.
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Browne Lynne H.
Chaw Khong Technology Co. Ltd.
Dougherty & Troxell
Walsh John B.
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