Towable carrying case

• US 6,193,033 B1
• Filed: 04/06/1998
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Outrigger Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Outrigger Incorporated
• Inventors: Schwab, Jeffrey A., Sadow, Bernard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mai, Tri M.
• Application Number:
  US09/056,104
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 190/115, 190/18.A, 161/15, 164/08, 280/37
• US Class Current: 190/18.00A
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/262 for wheeled luggage
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2005/142 with spherical rolling means, e.g. ball casters
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 5/14 with built-in rolling means
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 1/125 by means of telescoping elements
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2202/24 Suit-cases, other luggage
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2205/14 Retractable wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/025 with gliding elements, e.g. skids

Abstract

An article of towable luggage has ground engagable wheels mounted on the major front or rear wall, to permit towing of said article of luggage over a ground surface with the selected wall in proximity to and presented to the ground surface, the article of towable luggage being towable by a towing strap attached to said article of towable luggage, or by a handle having telescopic legs pivotally attached to the article of luggage, the telescopic legs of the handle in the alternative being telescopically received within the body of the article of luggage, the respective legs including hinges permitting the handle to be raised and lowered relative to the article of luggage.

Claims

1. An article of towable luggage, including a body having a major front wall, a major rear wall, and side walls extending peripherally of said major front and rear walls and supporting said major front and rear walls in spaced relation;

the improvement comprising;

wheels mounted on one of said major front and rear walls permitting towing of said article of towable luggage over a ground surface, said one of said major front and rear walls being in proximity to said ground surface and being supported on said ground surface by said wheels mounted on said one of said front and rear major walls during said towing, at least one of said wheels being adapted to be extended from a retracted state within said article of towable luggage by application of an axial force to a means for conducting axial force, and said at least one of said wheels being adapted to be retracted and held within said article of towable luggage by application of a force to at least one mounting of said at least one of said wheels on said one of said major front and rear walls;

each of said at least one mounting of said at least one of said wheels comprising a spring-biased means for extending said at least one of said wheels, said means for conducting axial force being attached to a means for obstructing movement of said at least one of said wheels from said retracted state, said attachment between said means for conducing axial force and said means for obstructing movement existing regardless of whether or not said at least one of said wheels is in said retracted state, said means for conducting axial force being engaged by a rigid member, said rigid member being spaced apart from said apart from said means for obstructing movement.

2. The article of towable luggage of claim 1, wherein said means for conducting axial force comprises a means for conducting tensile force.

3. The article of towable luggage of claim 1, wherein said spring-biased means comprises a spring-biased means for rotating said at least one of said wheels.

4. The article of towable luggage of claim 1, wherein said means for obstructing movement is moveable from a first position holding said at least one retractable wheel in said retracted state to a second position releasing said at least one retractable wheel from said retracted state.

5. The article of towable luggage of claim 1, wherein said means for conducting axial force is spring-biased.

6. An article of towable luggage, including a body having a major front wall, a major rear wall, and side walls extending peripherally of said major front and rear walls and supporting said major front and rear walls in spaced relation;

the improvement comprising;

wheels mounted on one of said major front and rear walls permitting towing of said article of towable luggage over ground surface, said one of said major front and rear walls being in proximity to said ground surface and being supported on said ground surface by said wheels mounted on said one of said front and rear major walls during said towing, at least one of said wheels being adapted to be retracted within said article of towable luggage;

said mounting of said at least one retractable wheel on said one of said major front and rear walls comprising a spring-biased means for rotating said at least one retractable wheel, said at least one retractable wheel being adapted to be extended from within said article of towable luggage upon application of an axial force to a spring-biased means for conducting axial force, said spring-biased means for conducting axial force being attached to a means for obstructing movement of said at least one retractable wheel from a retracted state, said attachment between said means for conducting axial force and said means for obstructing movement existing regardless of whether or not said at least one retractable wheel is in said retracted state, said means for conducting axial force being engaged by a rigid member, said rigid member being spaced apart from said means for obstructing movement.

7. The article of towable luggage of claim 6, wherein said spring-biased means for conducting axial force comprises a means for conducting tensile force.

8. The article of towable luggage of claim 6, wherein said means for obstructing movement is moveable from a first position holding said at least one retractable wheel in said retracted state to a second position releasing said at least one retractable wheel from said retracted state.