Retractable single luggage handle with arrangement for holding an auxiliary piece of luggage on top of a main piece of luggage by turning into a cross support

Abstract

A retractable single luggage handle is disclosed. In one embodiment, the handle includes a hollow handle rod including a recess on the peripheral surface proximate the top of the main piece of luggage in an extended state of the handle rod, and a plate member fitted onto the recess and including a recessed flat aligned with the recess; and a cross member fitted onto the flat by releasably securing to the plate member, the cross member-adapted to rotate about 90 degrees relative to the handle rod to form a cross support which is adapted to stably hold an auxiliary piece of luggage rested on the top of the main piece of luggage while towing the inclined main piece of luggage.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to retractable single luggage handle systems and more particularly to a retractable single handle of a main piece of luggage, the handle having an arrangement which is adapted to rotate about 90 degrees relative to the handle to form a cross support for stably holding an auxiliary piece of luggage on the top of the main piece of luggage while towing the inclined main piece of luggage.

2. Description of Related Art

A main piece of conventional luggage 90 is shown in an inclined towed state in FIG. 1. The main luggage 90 comprises a wheeled main body 91 and a retractable single handle rod 92 having a T-shaped handle grip 93 at its top end. In use a user may place an auxiliary piece of luggage (e.g., a flat, rectangular case) 94 on the top of the main body 91 by lying upon the extended handle rod 92 while towing the main luggage 90 by grasping the handle grip 93.

However, the well known retractable single handle suffers from a disadvantage. In detail, the case 94 may fall onto the ground if sufficient care is not taken when towing. This is because there is no additional support mechanism provided by the handle system other than the straight single handle rod 92. Thus, a need for improvement exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a retractable single handle of a main piece of luggage, the handle having an arrangement which is adapted to rotate about 90 degrees relative to the handle to form a cross support for stably holding an auxiliary piece of luggage on the top of the main piece of luggage while towing the inclined main piece of luggage.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the 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 a main piece of conventional luggage being towed with an auxiliary piece of luggage placed on the top of the main luggage by lying upon the extended single handle of the main luggage;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of retractable single handle of a main piece of luggage according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the handle of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the main portion of the handle of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the main portion of the handle of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5A a sectional view taken along line 5A-5A of FIG. 5;

FIG. 5B a sectional view taken along line 5B-5B of FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 where the cross member has been turned about 90 degrees relative to the single handle of the main luggage to form a cross support;

FIG. 7 is a front view of FIG. 6 showing two possible phases of turning the cross member relative to the single handle of the main luggage;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the main luggage of the invention being towed with an auxiliary piece of luggage placed on the top of the main luggage by lying upon the extended single handle of the main luggage with the cross member being turned about 90 degrees relative to the single handle to form a cross support to stably hold the auxiliary luggage;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of retractable single handle of a main piece of luggage according to the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the assembled single handle of FIG. 9 where the cross member has been turned about 90 degrees relative to the single handle to form a cross support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 8, a retractable single luggage handle system in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The handle system is adapted to receive in a bezel 11 on a rear top center of a main piece of luggage 10 by retracting in a storage or nonoperating position. The handle system comprises a retractable handle rod 20 and a T-shaped handle grip 23 on a top end of the handle rod 20. The handle rod 20 of oval section has an internal space 21 and two parallel rails 22 each longitudinally extending from a top end of the handle rod 20 to a bottom stop (not shown) of the handle rod 20 at either side. One rail 22 is disposed opposing the other rail 22.

A support mechanism 30 is provided and is of substantially half-oval section. The support mechanism 30 comprises a plate member 31 including an intermediate flat 311 on a front surface, a front, central, circular protrusion 312 on the flat 311 and having four holes 314 equally spaced apart around its front face, and an aperture 313 through a center of the protrusion 312 and a corresponding rear recessed portion of the plate member 31 (i.e., the aperture 313 having both ends open to front and rear surfaces of the plate member 31).

The support mechanism 30 further comprises a cross member 32 of substantially half-oval section. The cross member 32 is dimensioned and shaped to fit snugly in the flat 311. The cross member 32 comprises a circular recess 322 on a planar rear surface, an aperture 323 extending from a front surface to a center of the recess 322 to form a shoulder structure at a joining portion of the aperture 323 and the recess 322, and four tabs 324 equally spaced apart around the shoulder. The protrusion 312 is dimensioned and shaped to fit snugly in the recess 322. Also, A bolt and nut combination 33 is adapted to drive through the apertures 323, 313 to secure the cross member 32 and the plate member 31 together. Preferably, the cross member 32 is made of a flexible material (e.g., plastic).

The assembled support mechanism 30 is inserted into the hollow handle rod 20 by sliding downward along the rails 22 until being stopped. In an assembly state of the handle rod 20 the top of the cross member 32 (i.e., a transverse shoulder joining the plate member 31 and the top of the flat 311) is flush with a transverse shoulder joining an upper portion of the handle rod 20 and the top of the space 21, and the bottom of the cross member 32 (i.e., a transverse shoulder joining the plate member 31 and the bottom of the flat 311) is flush with a transverse shoulder joining a lower portion of the handle rod 20 and the bottom of the space 21.

A turning operation of the cross member 32 will be described in detail below. First, a person may exert a force to pull the cross member 32 to slightly disengage from the plate member 31 with the tabs 324 cleared the holes 314. Then the person may counterclockwise turn the cross member 32 about 90 degrees relative to the plate member 31 (see FIG. 7). The tabs 324 are aligned with the new holes 314 again. Next, release the plate member 31 to cause the tabs 324 to move into the new holes 314. At this position, a cross support is formed.

As shown in FIG. 8, in use a user may place an auxiliary piece of luggage (e.g., a flat, rectangular case) 40 on the top of the main luggage 10 by lying upon the above support of the extended handle rod 20 while towing the main luggage 10 by grasping the handle grip 23. It is envisaged by the invention that the case 40 is stable during the towing because a large portion of the rear of the case 40 is held by the recumbent support consisting of the horizontally disposed cross member 32 and the extended handle rod 20.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a retractable single luggage handle system in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics of the second preferred embodiment of the handle system are detailed below. The plate member 31 and the handle rod 20 of the first preferred embodiment are formed integrally as a unitary member.

The handle rod 20 comprises an intermediate flat 24 on a front surface, a front, central, circular protrusion 242 on the flat 24 and having four holes 244 equally spaced apart around its front face, and an aperture 243 through a center of the protrusion 242 and the handle rod 20 (i.e., the aperture 243 having both ends open to front and rear surfaces of the handle rod 20).

The handle system further comprises a cross member 34 of substantially half-oval section. The cross member 34 is dimensioned and shaped to fit snugly in the flat 24. The cross member 34 comprises a circular recess 342 on a planar rear surface, an aperture 343 extending from a front surface to a center of the recess 342 to form a shoulder structure at a joining portion of the aperture 343 and the recess 342, and four tabs 344 equally spaced apart around the shoulder. Preferably, the cross member 34 is made of a flexible material (e.g., plastic).

The cross member 34 is snugly placed onto the flat 24 with the protrusion 242 being dimensioned and shaped to fit snugly in the recess 342. Next, drive a bolt and nut combination 35 through the apertures 343, 243 to secure the cross member 34 and the handle rod 20 together. In an assembly state of the handle rod 20 the top of the cross member 34 is flush with a transverse shoulder joining an upper portion of the handle rod 20 and the top of the flat 24, and the bottom of the cross member 34 is flush with a transverse shoulder joining a lower portion of the handle rod 20 and the bottom of the flat 24.

A turning operation of the cross member 34 relative to the handle rod 20 is the same as that described in the first preferred embodiment. Thus, a detailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Note that, for example in the first preferred embodiment, the location of the tabs 324 and that of the holes 314 can be exchanged. That is, the tabs 324 may be formed on the protrusion 312 and the holes 314 may be formed in the recess 322.

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 and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A retractable single handle of a main piece of luggage, the retractable single handle comprising:

a hollow handle rod including a recess on the peripheral surface proximate the top of the main piece of luggage in an extended state of the handle rod, and a plate member fitted onto the recess and including a recessed flat aligned with the recess; and

a cross member fitted onto the flat by releasably securing to the plate member, the cross member adapted to rotate about 90 degrees relative to the handle rod to form a cross support.

2. The retractable single handle of claim 1, wherein the handle rod further comprises two parallel internal rails at both sides such that the plate member is adapted to insert into the handle rod by sliding downward along the rails.

3. The retractable single handle of claim 1, wherein the plate member further comprises a central, circular protrusion on the flat, the protrusion including a plurality of first elements equally spaced apart around a surface thereof, and an aperture through a center of thereof and the plate member; and wherein the cross member comprises a staged channel open to a front and a rear surfaces thereof, the channel including a plurality of second elements equally spaced apart around a shoulder of the channel, the second elements adapted to either matingly engage with the first elements or temporarily disengage from the first elements by pulling the cross member.

4. The retractable single handle of claim 3, wherein the retractable single handle further comprises a bolt and nut combination adapted to drive through the aperture and the channel to secure the cross member and the plate member together.

5. The retractable single handle of claim 3, wherein the first elements are tabs and the second elements are holes.

6. The retractable single handle of claim 3, wherein the first elements are holes and the second elements are tabs.

7. A retractable single handle of a main piece of luggage, the retractable single handle comprising:

a handle rod including a recessed flat on a peripheral surface thereof, the flat being disposed proximate a top of the main piece of luggage in an extended state of the handle rod; and

a cross member fitted onto the flat by releasably securing to the handle rod, the cross member adapted to rotate about 90 degrees relative to the handle rod together with the handle rod to form a cross support.

8. The retractable single handle of claim 7, wherein the handle rod further comprises a central, circular protrusion on the flat, the protrusion including a plurality of first elements equally spaced apart around a surface thereof, and an aperture through a center thereof and the handle rod; and wherein the cross member comprises a staged channel open to a front and a rear surfaces thereof, the channel including a plurality of second elements equally spaced apart around a shoulder of the channel, the second elements adapted to either matingly engage with the first elements or temporarily disengage from the first elements by pulling the cross member.

9. The retractable single handle of claim 7, wherein the retractable single handle further comprises a bolt and nut combination adapted to drive through the aperture and the channel to secure the cross member and the handle rod together.

10. The retractable single handle of claim 7, wherein the first elements are tabs and the second elements are holes.

11. The retractable single handle of claim 7, wherein the first elements are holes and the second elements are tabs.