Trunks and hand-carried luggage – Supporting devices – Wheeled
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-04
2001-08-28
Weaver, Sue A. (Department: 3727)
Trunks and hand-carried luggage
Supporting devices
Wheeled
C190S115000, C280S037000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279705
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a wheeled luggage with a third wheel control mechanism for the purpose of controlling the extension of the third wheel unit.
2. Description of Related Art
A wheeled luggage is widely used by travelers at airports to carry personal belongings, which is equipped with wheels and an extendable handle that allows the user to easily and effortlessly carry the luggage by dragging it on its wheels along the ground. The extendable handle is normally retracted and locked in the luggage and can be unlocked to be extended out for the user to drag the wheeled luggage along the ground.
Conventional wheeled luggages are typically provided with only two wheels on the bottom. This type of wheeled luggage, however, is inconvenient to use since the wheeled luggage would not stand by itself on two wheels. Moreover, the inclination of the luggage would cause part of the weight of the luggage to be transferred to the user's dragging hand, thus requiring the user to use more effort to drag the wheeled luggage. As a solution to this problem, newer types of wheeled luggages are provided with a third wheel unit in addition to the main wheel unit. The third wheel unit is normally collapsed to the luggage, and can be expanded to serve an additional wheel unit that allows the wheeled luggage to stand by itself on three wheels.
One such wheeled luggage is shown in FIG.
1
. As shown, the luggage A includes an extendable handle B, a main wheel unit C, and a third wheel unit D. The third wheel unit D includes a hinge D
1
, an expandable frame D
2
, a wheel D
3
, and a foldable arm D
4
. When not in use, the third wheel unit D is collapsed into the luggage to facilitate convenient storage. To allow the luggage to stand by itself on three wheels, the third wheel unit D can be expanded to allow the luggage to stand by itself on three wheels. Moreover, the third wheel unit can take on part of the weight of the luggage resulted from the inclination of the luggage, thus allowing the user to drag the luggage with less effort along the way.
One drawback to this wheeled luggage, however, is that the expansion of the third wheel unit need to be done by hand. When doing this, the user's hand may be hurt by the expandable frame if care is not taken. There exists, therefore, a need for a new mechanism that allows the third wheel unit to be automatically expanded from the luggage when it is used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a luggage with a third wheel control mechanism, which allows the third wheel unit to be extended for use to support the luggage when the handle is being extended for use, and also allows the third wheel unit to be collapsed into the luggage when it is not used, thereby obviating prior art third wheel deficiencies.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a luggage with a third wheel control mechanism having a third wheel unit, which allows the third wheel unit to be effortlessly extended by the user.
In accordance with the forgoing and other objectives of the present invention, a third wheel control mechanism for the third wheel unit at the lower portion of the luggage and near the outer tube of retractable handle is provided.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a wheeled luggage with a third wheel control mechanism in which release button is disposed within the bezel for controlling the expansion of third wheel by actuating a connecting rod attached between release button and third wheel control lever. In particularly, the location of the connecting rod is preferable near the inner and outer tubes of the retractable handle. By utilizing this, connecting rod is enhanced in mechanical strength for preventing from being deformed by the weight of luggage during transportation, and an easy assembling and a simplified controlling mechanism are obtained.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a wheeled luggage with an improved third wheel control mechanism in which the third wheel is of caster provided on a wheel mount capable of being freely rotated at random thus facilitating to wheel along a supporting surface.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a wheeled luggage with an improved third wheel control mechanism in which the supporting member of the third wheel bracket plate is generally extended into a great invert V shape in contact with supporting surface thus facilitating the bracket plate to be easily collapsed into the main body when not used.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a wheeled luggage with an improved third wheel control mechanism in which a collar member is further provided to enclose a section of guiding channel of inner supporting plate for further securing each of retractable handle tubes to be smoothly passed therethrough.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4122924 (1978-10-01), Wasserman
patent: 4852705 (1989-08-01), Cowan, Jr.
patent: 5519919 (1996-05-01), Lee
patent: 5568848 (1996-10-01), Liang
patent: 5613273 (1997-03-01), Tsai
patent: 5873439 (1999-02-01), Liang
patent: 5984326 (1999-11-01), Abraham et al.
patent: 8001671 (1980-08-01), None
Chaw Khong Technology Co. Ltd.
Dougherty & Troxell
Weaver Sue A.
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