Retractable handle assembly for a transportable case

Abstract

A retractable handle assembly is disclosed, comprising an elongate handle body (8, 10) having a lower end pivotally attached to an upper surface of the storage case, and extendable from a retracted position to an extended position. The handle body is adapted having an elongate internal cavity, and a profiled opening (56) extending through a lower surface. A release spring plate member (16) is fixedly mounted at one end within the handle body cavity, and has a profiled free end extending within the cavity in cantilever fashion toward handle lower body end. The release spring plate member pivots about the anchored end in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the handle body. A handle link plate member (22) is further provided having a lower end pivotally attached to the case upper surface, inboard of the handle lower end. A free upper end (70) of the handle link plate member extends through the handle body opening to reciprocally move along the release spring plate member as the handle body is pivoted between the retracted and extended positions. A pivotal handle gripping portion (24, 26) remotely attached to the handle body is further provided to swing from a retracted position to a perpendicular, extended position and incorporates an integral lock.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.