US20110031082A1

US20110031082A1 - Wheeled luggage device with brake

Info

Publication number: US20110031082A1
Application number: US12/536,507
Authority: US
Inventors: Chen-Lung Chi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-08-06
Filing date: 2009-08-06
Publication date: 2011-02-10

Abstract

The luggage device has an extendible handle threaded in at least a tubular sleeve. An elastic element is housed in the tubular sleeve, supporting from below a connecting rod. A bottom end of the connecting rod is configured with a brake pad. A blind hole is configured on the extendible handle where a spring and a steel ball are housed to interact with a through hole of the tubular sleeve. When the extendible handle is pushed downward, the blind hole is aligned with the through hole of the tubular sleeve and the steel ball is pushed by the spring into the through hole, thereby detachably locking the extendible handle. In the mean time, the connecting rod is driven downward and the brake pad is pressed against the wheel to prevent it from rolling.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to wheeled luggage, and more particularly to a wheeled luggage device having a brake mechanism engaged and disengaged by the luggage device's extendible handle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Wheeled luggage provides a traveler with supreme comfort, as the individual no longer has to carry the luggage, which can place significant pressure on the arm, shoulder and back. Despite its convenience, wheeled luggage would unexpectedly slide when it is placed on a tilted ground or in a moving vehicle, or when it is pushed.
To prevent the unexpected slide, there are various types of wheeled luggage that have a braking mechanism on the wheels, or have the wheels folded and fixed. For the latter, folding the wheels usually requires a user's stamping or squatting to operate. It is not only inconvenient and, when the luggage suddenly moves, hardly a user could respond in time to fold and fix the wheels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore a novel luggage device is provided herein, which contains an extendible handle, at least a tubular sleeve, at least a connecting rod, wheels, and a casing. Wheels are configured on a bottom side of the casing. The tubular sleeve is configured vertically along a back side of the casing. An elastic element is housed in the tubular sleeve, supporting from below a lower piston and the connecting rod. A bottom end of the connecting rod is configured with a brake pad. A leg of the extendible handle is threaded in the tubular sleeve and a bottom end of the leg is configured with an upper piston. A blind hole is configured on a leg of the extendible handle where a spring and a steel ball are housed. When the extendible handle is retracted, the blind hole is aligned with a through hole of the tubular sleeve and the steel ball is pushed by the spring into the through hole, thereby detachably locking the extendible handle.
To prevent the wheeled luggage from sliding, the extendible handle is pushed downward and the upper piston drives the lower piston and the connecting rod downward and compresses the elastic element. The brake pad is descended by the connecting rod and pressed directly against a wheel. When the extendible handle is pulled upward, the steel ball is forced out of the through hole. As the extendible handle is pulled upward, the elastic element raises the lower piston and the connecting rod. The brake pad is thereby lifted to allow the wheel to roll freely.
The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram showing a wheeled luggage and a partial interior of the wheeled luggage according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective diagram showing the wheeled luggage of FIG. 1 when the extendible handle is pulled upward with enlarged views of a handle locking mechanism and a wheel braking mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram showing the wheeled luggage of FIG. 2 when the extendible handle is retracted.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the inside of the wheeled luggage of FIG. 1 when the extendible handle is pulled upward with enlarged views of a handle locking mechanism and a wheel braking mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the wheeled luggage of FIG. 4 when the extendible handle is retracted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a wheeled luggage device according to an embodiment of the present invention contains an extendible handle 1, at least a tubular sleeve 2, at least a connecting rod 3, wheels 4, and a casing 5.
As further shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, at least two wheels 4 are configured on a bottom side of the casing 5. The tubular sleeve 2 is configured vertically inside and along a back side of the casing 5. An elastic element 23 is housed in a lower section of the tubular sleeve 2, supporting from below a lower piston 22 and the connecting rod 3. A bottom end of the connecting rod 3 is configured with a brake pad 32 and the connecting rod 3 has an adjustment screw 31 inside the casing 5 adjacent to the brake pad 32. A leg of the extendible handle 1 is threaded in the tubular sleeve 2 and a bottom end of the leg is configured with an upper piston 21 inside the tubular sleeve 2.
To prevent the wheeled luggage from sliding, the extendible handle 1 is pushed downward so that it is retracted into the tubular sleeve 2. Inside the tubular sleeve 2, the upper piston 21 drives the lower piston 22 and the connecting rod 3 downward and compresses the elastic element 23. The brake pad 32 is as such descended by the connecting rod 3 and pressed directly against a wheel 4 to prevent the wheel 4 from rolling. A blind hole 11 is configured near the bottom end of a leg of the extendible handle 1, and a spring 112 and a steel ball 113 are housed in the blind hole 11. When the extendible handle 1 is retracted as described above, the blind hole 11 is aligned with a through hole 20 of the tubular sleeve 2 and the steel ball 113 is pushed by the spring 112 into the through hole 20, thereby detachably locking the extendible handle 1 in this retracted position. When the extendible handle 1 is pulled upward, the steel ball 113 is forced out of the through hole 20 and the inner side wall of the tubular sleeve 2 pushes the steel ball 113 inward to compress the spring 112. The extendible handle 1 therefore escapes out of the retracted position. As the extendible handle 1 is pulled upward, the elastic element 23 raises the lower piston 22 and the connecting rod 3. The brake pad 32 is thereby lifted to allow the wheel 4 to roll freely.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wheeled luggage device, comprising:

a casing having at least two wheels on a bottom side;

at least a tubular sleeve configured inside and along a back side of said casing where a through hole is configured on the side wall of said tubular sleeve, and an elastic element and a lower piston on top of said elastic element are housed in a lower section of said tubular sleeve;

an extendible handle having at least a leg threaded in said tubular sleeve, said leg having an upper piston on a bottom end and a blind hole where a spring and a steel ball are housed; and

a connecting rod extended through said tubular sleeve and supported from below by said lower piston where a brake pad is configured on a bottom end of said connecting rod and is positioned above one of said wheels;

wherein, when said extendible handle is pushed downward, said upper piston drives said lower piston and said connecting rod downward and compresses said elastic element; and said brake pad is lowered to press against one of said wheels to prevent it from rolling.

2. The wheeled luggage device according to claim 1, wherein, when said extendible handle is pushed downward, said blind hole is aligned with said through hole; and said spring pushes said steel ball so that said steel back protrudes into said through hole.

3. The wheeled luggage device according to claim 1, wherein said connecting rod has an adjustment screw inside said casing adjacent to said brake pad.