Wheeled luggage case
OwnerNetta Shalgiinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved wheeled luggage case having a pair of freely rotating large wheels that have a diameter substantially greater than the height of the center of gravity of the wheeled luggage case itself (when in an upright, at rest position). The weight of the wheeled luggage case is largely transferred to the large wheel pair when being towed, reducing the load burden on a user and making it easier to pull the wheeled luggage case over long distances, for example, between airport terminals.
Claims21
(canceled)
A wheeled luggage case comprising:
- a storage chamber formed with a base;
- a cover defining an opening on at least one side of said storage chamber for providing ready access therein;
- a pair of freely rotating large wheels mounted on opposite sides of said luggage case having a common axis of rotation therebetween, said large wheels each having a diameter at least one third the height of said storage chamber;
- a set of small, freely rotatable wheels mounted on each side of said luggage case in spaced apart fashion along the circumference of each of said pair of large wheels, each of said set of small wheels supporting one of said pair of large wheels by rolling contact with the circumference of said pair of large wheels;
- a means for immobilizing said wheeled luggage case;
- and
- a means for towing of said wheeled luggage case;
- wherein said luggage case has its center of gravity in a region proximate said common axis of rotation, and wherein said pair of large wheels provides support for said luggage case, bearing most of the weight load of said luggage case when towed by a user,
- such that when said storage chamber is tilted into an upright rest position, said immobilizing means and base are put into full contact with a ground surface, said pair of large wheels being lifted above said ground surface, such that said wheeled luggage case is maintained in an immobile rest position;
- and
- when said wheeled luggage case is tilted at an angle to said ground surface by action of said towing means, said immobilizing means and base are lifted away from contact with said ground surface, thereby restoring said pair of large wheels in contact with said ground surface, to allow rotation of said pair of large wheels on each of their respective said set of small wheels.
A wheeled luggage case system comprising:
- a storage chamber formed with a base and having a secure space for holding and transporting moveable goods;
- a cover defining an opening on at least one side of said storage chamber for providing ready access to all portions therein;
- a pair of freely rotating large wheels mounted on opposite sides of said luggage case having a common axis of rotation therebetween, said large wheels each having a diameter at least one third the height of said storage chamber;
- a set of small, freely rotatable wheels mounted on each side of said luggage case in spaced apart fashion along the circumference of each of said pair of large wheels, each of said set of small wheels supporting one of said pair of large wheels by rolling contact with the circumference of said pair of large wheels;
- a means for immobilizing said wheeled luggage case;
- and
- a means for towing of said wheeled luggage case;
- wherein, when said storage chamber is closed with said cover and said wheeled luggage case is tilted at an angle to a ground surface by action of said towing means, said immobilizing means and base are lifted away from contact with said ground surface allowing rotation of said pair of large wheels on each of their respective said set of small wheels, said large wheels bearing most of the weight of said wheeled luggage case, the weight being distributed among said set of small wheels, relieving said weight load on a user;
- and
- when said storage chamber is tilted into an upright rest position in relation to a ground surface, said immobilizing means and base are put into full contact with said ground surface to restrain rotation of said pair of large wheels and said wheeled luggage case is maintained in an immobile rest position.
A method for easing movement of a wheeled luggage case over a variety of surfaces and gradings and under adverse environmental conditions, said method comprising:
- providing a pair of freely rotating large wheels mounted on opposite sides of said luggage case having a common axis of rotation therebetween, said large wheels each having a diameter at least one third the height of said storage chamber;
- providing a set of small, freely rotatable wheels mounted on each side of said luggage case in spaced apart fashion along the circumference of each of said pair of large wheels, each of said set of small wheels supporting one of said pair of large wheels by rolling contact with the circumference of said pair of large wheels,
- wherein most of the weight of said luggage case is distributed among each of said set of small wheels from said pair of large wheels thereby further reducing said weight load so as to be negligible to said user when said luggage case is towed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.