U.S. patent application number 10/804046 was filed with the patent office on 2004-09-23 for carrying handle of luggage.
This patent application is currently assigned to CHAW KHONG TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Lin, Jer Hong.
Application Number | 20040182667 10/804046 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32968482 |
Filed Date | 2004-09-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040182667 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lin, Jer Hong |
September 23, 2004 |
Carrying handle of luggage
Abstract
A carrying handle of luggage comprises an intermediate grip
including two end extensions each having an elongated opening, two
end connecting mechanisms each including a first post and a second
post each having inner threads at inside wherein the first post is
inserted into the opening and the luggage case and the connecting
mechanism are fastened together by driving two fasteners through a
top of the luggage case into the first and second posts
respectively, and two bellows mechanisms each including a bellows
member interconnected the grip and the connecting mechanism.
Lifting the grip will both move the extensions and expand the
bellows mechanisms toward a center of the grip until one end of
either opening is stopped by the first post and form a space
between the grip and the top of the luggage case.
Inventors: |
Lin, Jer Hong; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JER HONG LIN
No.29, Wu Chuang 3RD Rd.,
Wu Ku Industrial Park
Wu Ku Hsiang, Taipei County
248
TW
|
Assignee: |
CHAW KHONG TECHNOLOGY CO.,
LTD.
Wu Ku Hsiang
TW
|
Family ID: |
32968482 |
Appl. No.: |
10/804046 |
Filed: |
March 19, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
190/115 ;
16/114.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C 13/26 20130101;
Y10T 16/455 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
190/115 ;
016/114.1 |
International
Class: |
B65D 025/28; A47B
095/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 21, 2003 |
CN |
03242061.7 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A carrying handle of a luggage case, comprising: a grip
including two end extensions each having an elongated opening; two
connecting mechanisms at both ends of the grip, each connecting
mechanism including a cap and a first post extended downward from
the bottom of the cap wherein the first post is inserted into the
elongated opening and the luggage case and the connecting mechanism
are fastened together by a first fastening member through a top of
the luggage case into the first post; and two bellows mechanisms
each including a bellows member interconnected the end extension of
the grip and the connecting mechanism, whereby lifting the grip
will move the extensions of the grip toward a center of the grip
and the bellows mechanisms is expanded toward the center of the
grip until one end of either opening is stopped by the first post
and a space between the grip and the top of the luggage case is
formed
2. The carrying handle of claim 1, wherein the bellows mechanism
further comprises a supporting member at one end and a neck
interconnected the bellows member and the supporting member.
3. The carrying handle of claim 1, wherein the bellows member has a
section of substantially elliptical shape.
4. The carrying handle of claim 2, wherein the connecting mechanism
further comprises a recess open to one end and two inwardly
extending stops at opposite sides of the recess so as to fasten the
supporting member in the recess.
5. The carrying handle of claim 1, wherein the other end of either
elongated opening of the grip is engaged with the first post in a
nonoperating position.
6. The carrying handle of claim 1, wherein the connecting mechanism
further comprises a second post provided in a position parallel to
the first post and outside the elongated opening of the grip
wherein the luggage case and the connecting mechanism is further
fastened together by a second fastening member through a top of the
luggage case into the second post.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to luggage handle and more
particularly to an upper hand engageable carrying handle of a
luggage case with improved characteristics.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Conventionally, a handle of luggage is of a hard-side (e.g.,
molded thermoplastic) construction for prolonging the useful life
of luggage. Further, a carrying handle provided in addition to the
pulling handle in some types of luggage. Such carrying handle
typically has an ergonomically curved shape in most portions
thereof for ease of holding by a user and two ends being
perpendicular relative to a top of the luggage. For maintaining the
structural strength, the ends are formed to have large projections.
This is not unsightly and is not desirable. Thus, ends of a
carrying handle having smaller projections have been developed.
However, it may sacrifice the structural strength in favor of the
luggage's appealing appearance. This is still not desirable.
[0005] For overcoming the above problem, a small carrying handle
formed of pliable material is available. Moreover, two ends of the
carrying handle are formed with flexible extensions so as to give
an enlarged space to the hand while lifting the carrying handle.
However, the extensions have recessed gap portions after lifting
the carrying handle such that fingers, skirt, hose, or the like
easily inserted in the recessed gap may be hurt or scraped if
enough care is not taken. Thus, the need for improvement still
exists.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
carrying handle of a luggage case, comprising an intermediate grip
including two end extensions each having an elongated opening; two
end connecting mechanisms each including a first post and a second
post each having inner threads at inside wherein the first post is
inserted into the opening and the luggage case and the connecting
mechanism are fastened together by driving two fasteners through a
top of the luggage case into the first and the second posts
respectively; and two bellows mechanisms each including a bellows
member interconnected the grip and the connecting mechanism;
whereby lifting the grip will move the extensions toward a center
of the grip and expand the bellows mechanisms toward the center of
the grip until one end of either opening is stopped by the first
post and form a space between the grip and the top of luggage case.
By utilizing the present invention, the problem of hurting a user
by the end portions of the carrying handle while lifting the same
is substantially eliminated.
[0007] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description taken with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of
carrying handle of luggage according to the invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the carrying handle in FIG.
1;
[0010] FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views of the carrying handle in
nonoperating and operating positions respectively;
[0011] FIGS. 5 and 6 are bottom views of one end portion of the
carrying handle in nonoperating and operating positions
respectively; and
[0012] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a luggage case incorporating
the carrying handle according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a carrying handle of luggage
constructed in accordance with the invention is shown. The carrying
handle comprises an intermediate grip 10, two connecting mechanisms
30 at both ends, and two bellows mechanisms 20 each flexibly
interconnected the grip 10 and the connecting mechanism 30. Each
component will be described in detail below.
[0014] The grip 10 is an elongated member and comprises two
elongated end extensions 11 each having an elongated opening 12.
The bellows mechanism 20 comprises a bellows member 21 made of
flexible material, the bellows member 21 having a section of
substantially elliptical shape, a supporting plate 23 at one end,
and a neck 22 interconnected the supporting plate 23 and the
bellows member 21. The connecting mechanism 30 comprises a cap 31,
first post 32 and second post 33 each having inner threads extended
downward from the bottom of the cap 31, a recess 34 open to an
inner end 37, and two inwardly extending stops 35 and 36 at
opposite sides of the end 37.
[0015] An assembly of the invention will now be described in detail
below. The carrying handle has a bilaterally symmetrical shape so
that description of one side serves to describe the entirety.
Mounting the bellows mechanism 20 is by inserting the bellows
member 21 into the end extensions 11 of the grip in a place between
an inner end 13 (i.e., stop member) of the extension 11 and the end
37 of the connecting mechanism 30. Insert the first post 32 into
the opening 12. Next, drive screws 41 and 42 through a top of
luggage case 70 into the first and second posts 32 and 33
respectively for fastening the carrying handle on the luggage.
Hence, the opening 12 is able to move laterally relative to the
first post 32 in a maximum distance about equal to the length
thereof. The characteristics of the carrying handle are detailed
below. The bellows member 21 is held captive by fastening the neck
22 in the recess 34. The bellows member 21 may expand or compress
laterally as the extension 11 moves relative to the end 37 such
that the bellows member 21 is able to always fill a gap between the
end 37 and the inner end 13 of the extension 11. This configuration
can preserve the carrying handle's appearance.
[0016] An operation of the invention will now be described in
detail below by referring to FIG. 4 specifically. The extension 11
moves toward center of the grip 10 until a left end 121 of the
opening 12 is stopped by the first post 32 when a user inserts
his/her fingers into a small gap between the grip 10 and the top of
luggage case 70. Thus, a space is formed between the grip 10 and
the top of luggage case 70. Next, the hand can sufficiently hold
the grip 10. At the same time, the bellows mechanism 20 expands
laterally as the inner end 13 of the extension 11 moves away from
the end 37. Thus, as stated above, the bellows member 21 is able to
always fill a gap between the end 37 and the inner end 13 of the
extension 11.
[0017] Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a bottom view of one end
portion of the carrying handle in a nonoperating position. As seen,
the extension 11 is inserted into the bellows member 21 with the
first post 32 passed the opening 12. Also, a right end 122 of the
opening 12 is engaged with the first post 32. Thus, the bellows
member 21 is compressed between the stops 35 and 36 and the inner
end 13 of the extension 11.
[0018] Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a bottom view of one end
portion of the carrying handle in an operating position (i.e.,
lifting the grip 10 by the hand). As seen, the left end 121 of the
opening 12 is stopped by the first post 32 after moving the opening
12 toward center of the grip 10. The bellows member 21 expands
laterally as the inner end 13 of the extension 11 moves away from
the end 37. Thus, as stated above, the bellows member 21 is able to
always fill a gap between the end 37 and the inner end 13 of the
extension 11.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown a luggage case 70
incorporating the aesthetic carrying handle according to the
invention.
[0020] While the invention herein disclosed has been described by
means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and
variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art
without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set
forth in the claims.
* * * * *