Retractable wheel assembly

A retractable wheel assembly for luggage comprising:

• an elongate handle comprising a fixed portion and a telescoping portion, the telescoping portion slidably engaging the fixed portion such that the telescoping portion is movable between an extended position and a retracted position:
• a closable container attached to the fixed portion of the elongate handle;
• a left wheel support structure rotatably supporting a left wheel and a right wheel support structure rotatably supporting a right wheel;
• a transverse axle assembly drivably connecting the right wheel support structure to the left wheel support structure, the axle being pivotably attached to the closeable container and pivotable between an extended position and a retracted position;
• wherein the left and right wheels rotate about an axis that is offset from the pivot axis of the axle assembly such that when the axle assembly is in the retracted position the wheels are disposed relatively close to the closable container and when the axle assembly is in the extended position the wheels extend relatively further away from the closable container;
• and
• wherein the axle assembly is biased towards one of the extended position and the retracted position.

A retractable wheel assembly for a carrier comprising:

• a retractable handle that is movable between an first position and a second position:
• a closable container attached to the retractable handle;
• a left cowl, a right cowl, and an elongate axle fixedly attached to the left and right cowls, the axle being pivotably attached to the closeable container such that the axle is pivotable about a first axis, the axle being pivotable to drive the left and right cowls between an extended position and a retracted position;
• and
• a right wheel rotatably mounted to the right cowl and a left wheel rotatably mounted to the left cowl, wherein the left and right wheels rotate about a second axis that is offset from the first axis;
• wherein when the axle is pivoted to the retracted position the left wheel is cooperatively enclosed by the left cowl and the container, and the right wheel is cooperatively enclosed by the right cowl and the container.