Handle assembly for wheeled luggage
AssigneeOutrigger, Inc.
InventorBernard D. Sadow
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheeled luggage case is provided with a universal pivoting extendable handle assembly that includes a handle that is movable from a protected retracted position in a contoured mounting plate to a fixed angularly rotated position that is about 35° from the vertical in order to minimize the vertical force on the handgrip experienced by users of wide range of heights while towing the luggage. The handle can be provided with one or a pair of telescoping legs and various handgrip configurations.
Claims21
A pivoting handle assembly (20) for use with a wheeled luggage case (10), the assembly comprising:
- a handle (30) including at least one rigid leg (32) joined at one end to a transverse handgrip (36), the at least one leg being pivotally movable between a first stowed position and a second angularly displaced towing position (T),
- a mounting plate (22) for receiving and retaining the handle (30) in pivotally-mounted relation, the mounting plate adapted for mounting the handle on an exterior surface of the case;
- at least one range-limiting means (60) operatively joined to the mounting plate (22) and the handle (30),
- whereby the angle defined by the at least one leg of the handle and the mounting plate is determined by the range-limiting means when the handle is in the towing position, wherein the range-limiting means is a folding stop hinge.
A method of manually towing a wheeled luggage case by a handle attached to the exterior of a back wall of the case above a plurality of wheels or rollers, mounted on a lower portion of the case the method comprising:
- a. providing a pivoting handle assembly;
- b. mounting the pivoting handle assembly on the back wall of the wheeled case;
- c. moving the handle by extending a folding stop hinge that forms part of the pivoting handle assembly from the stowed position to a fixed and secured position that forms an angle of 35° to the vertical;
- d. manually gripping the handgrip and tilting the case;
- and
- e. towing the case in the tilted position.
A pivoting handle assembly (20) for use with a wheeled luggage case (10), the assembly comprising:
- a handle (30) including at least one rigid leg (32) joined at one end to a transverse handgrip (36), the at least one leg being pivotally movable between a first stowed position and a second angularly displaced towing position (T),
- a mounting plate (22) for receiving and retaining the handle (30) in pivotally-mounted relation, the mounting plate adapted for mounting the handle on an exterior surface of the case;
- at least one range-limiting means (60) operatively joined to the mourning plate (22) and the handle (30),
- whereby the angle defined by the at least one leg of the handle and the mounting plate is determined by the range-limiting means when the handle is in the towing position, wherein the range-limiting means includes a coil spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.