U.S. patent application number 10/986926 was filed with the patent office on 2005-05-19 for feet for wheeled luggage.
This patent application is currently assigned to CHAW KHONG TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Hu, Yao Wen.
Application Number | 20050103590 10/986926 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34558479 |
Filed Date | 2005-05-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050103590 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hu, Yao Wen |
May 19, 2005 |
Feet for wheeled luggage
Abstract
Provided is a support structure on a bottom of wheeled luggage.
The structure comprises a pair of front feet, and a pair of rear
feet proximate wheels. All feet have the same height. The wheels
are disposed above the supporting surface when the luggage is in a
vertical position. Either rear foot is disposed between the wheels
in one embodiment. One rear foot is disposed between one wheel
mount and one front foot at one bottom side and the other rear foot
is disposed between the other wheel mount and the other front foot
at the other opposing bottom side in the other embodiment. The
luggage is able to maintain its stability in a vertical position
with the luggage being supported by the feet and the wheels being
disposed above the supporting surface.
Inventors: |
Hu, Yao Wen; (Wu Ku Hsiang,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Yao Wen Hu
No. 29, Wu Chuang 3RD Rd.
Wu Ku Industrial Park
Wu Ku Hsiang
248
TW
|
Assignee: |
CHAW KHONG TECHNOLOGY CO.,
LTD.
Wu Ku Hsiang
TW
|
Family ID: |
34558479 |
Appl. No.: |
10/986926 |
Filed: |
November 15, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
190/18R ;
190/18A |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C 5/145 20130101;
A45C 13/36 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
190/018.00R ;
190/018.00A |
International
Class: |
A45C 013/00; A45C
005/00; A45F 003/44 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 14, 2003 |
CN |
200320121906.6 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A support structure mounted on a bottom of a piece of luggage
having two wheel mounts disposed at two rear corners and two rear
wheels each rotatably coupled to the corresponding wheel mount, the
support structure comprising: a pair of front feet disposed on the
bottom of the luggage proximate two front corners thereof; and a
pair of rear feet disposed on the bottom of the luggage proximate
the wheels, wherein either front foot has the same height as either
rear foot and the wheels are disposed above the supporting surface
by a predetermined distance when the luggage is in a vertical
position.
2. The support structure of claim 1, wherein either rear foot is
disposed on a bottom of the luggage between the corresponding wheel
mount and the corresponding rear foot.
3. The support structure of claim 1, wherein either rear foot is
disposed on a bottom of the wheel mount and is disposed between the
wheels.
4. The support structure of claim 1, wherein one rear foot is
disposed between one wheel mount and one front foot at a first
bottom side and the other rear foot is disposed between the other
wheel mount and the other front foot at a second bottom side
opposing the first bottom side.
5. The support structure of claim 3, wherein either rear foot is
integrally formed with the corresponding wheel mount or releasably
coupled thereto.
6. The support structure of claim 4, wherein either rear foot is
integrally formed with the corresponding wheel mount or releasably
coupled thereto.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to bottom structure of wheeled
luggage and more particularly to a wheeled luggage having a pair of
front feet and a pair of rear feet proximate rear wheels in which
in a vertical position of the luggage the wheels are above the
supporting surface with the weight of the luggage being totally
supported by the feet.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] There have been numerous suggestions in prior patents with
respect to the bottom structure of a piece of wheeled luggage. For
example, such is shown in FIG. 1 of Taiwanese Patent Publication
No. 313,779, entitled "Improved Handle for Wheeled Luggage" and
FIGS. 1 and 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,406. Each patent discloses two
feet fixedly formed on positions proximate two front corners of the
bottom of luggage with two wheels rotatably mounted in two rear
corners thereof. The luggage is supported by the feet and the
wheels in a vertical position.
[0005] However, the prior patents suffered from several
disadvantages. For example, (a) the upright luggage tends to fall
in response to collision. In detail, the wheel is in a point
contact with the supporting surface, resulting in a decrease of
force supporting the luggage. It is also found that both wheels
tend to wear after a short period of time of use. As such, the
wheels and the feet may be not on a same plane parallel to the
supporting surface which is assumed to be horizontal throughout the
specification. In fact, the luggage tilts toward its rear (i.e.,
toward the wheels) in this case. As an end, such luggage tends to
fall in its vertical position in response to colliding with a
foreign object.
[0006] (b) It is difficult or even impossible for the luggage to
stably stand on an inclined surface because the wheels tend to
rotate.
[0007] (c) The wheels tend to malfunction after a short period of
time of use since the wheels also serve to support the luggage in
its vertical position. Thus, continuing improvements in feet for
wheeled luggage are constantly being sought.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
support structure mounted on a bottom of a piece of wheeled luggage
in which the luggage is able to maintain its vertical position in
response to colliding with a foreign object.
[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
support structure mounted on a bottom of a piece of wheeled luggage
in which the weight of the luggage is totally supported by the
support structure and rear wheels are disposed above the supporting
surface by a predetermined distance when the luggage is its
vertical position so as to reduce wear of the wheels.
[0010] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
support structure mounted on a bottom of a piece of wheeled luggage
in which a person may sit on top of the luggage in its vertical
position since a reliable support is carried out by the support
structure.
[0011] To achieve the above and other objects, the present
invention provides a support structure mounted on a bottom of a
piece of luggage having two wheel mounts provided at two rear
corners and two rear wheels each rotatably coupled to the
corresponding wheel mount, the support structure comprising a pair
of front feet provided on the bottom of the luggage proximate two
front corners thereof; and a pair of rear feet provided on the
bottom of the luggage proximate the wheels, wherein either front
foot has the same height as either rear foot and the wheels are
disposed above the supporting surface by a predetermined distance
when the luggage is in a vertical position.
[0012] In one aspect of the present invention, either rear foot is
disposed on a bottom of the wheel mount and is disposed between the
wheels.
[0013] In another aspect of the present invention, one rear foot is
disposed between one wheel mount and one front foot at a first
bottom side and the other rear foot is disposed between the other
wheel mount and the other front foot at a second bottom side
opposing the first bottom side.
[0014] In a further aspect of the present invention, either rear
foot is integrally formed with the corresponding wheel mount or
releasably coupled thereto.
[0015] 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
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment
of feet mounted on a bottom of a piece of wheeled luggage according
to the invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a side view of the luggage in its vertical
position with four feet resting on the supporting surface and two
rear wheels disposed above the supporting surface;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 where the luggage is its
tipped position with the feet lifted above the supporting surface
and the wheels rotatably supported on the supporting surface;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second preferred
embodiment of feet mounted on a bottom of a piece of wheeled
luggage according to the invention;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a side view of the luggage of FIG. 5 in its
vertical position with four feet resting on the supporting surface
and two rear wheels disposed above the supporting surface; and
[0022] FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 where the luggage is its
tipped position with the feet lifted above the supporting surface
and the wheels rotatably supported on the supporting surface.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, there is shown a piece of wheeled
luggage 20 incorporating characteristics in accordance with a first
preferred embodiment of the invention. The characteristics will be
described in detailed below. Two wheel mounts 21 are provided at
two rear corners on a bottom 200 of the luggage 20. A wheel 22 is
rotatably coupled to either wheel mount 21. A pair of front feet 30
are provided on the bottom 200 proximate two front corners of the
luggage 20. Also, a pair of rear feet 10 are provided on the bottom
200 in which each rear foot 10 is threadedly secured to a bottom
210 of the wheel mount 21 and is proximate an inner side of the
wheel 22. In other words, the rear feet 10 are disposed between the
wheels 22.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 3 specifically, either front foot 30 has
the same height as either rear foot 10. Also, the wheels 22 are
disposed above the supporting surface by a predetermined distance.
As such, the weight of the luggage 20 is totally supported by the
feet 10 and 30 when the luggage 20 is upright. This has the
advantages of maintaining the vertical position of the luggage 20
in response to colliding with a foreign object (i.e., stable
without tipping), and reducing wear of the wheels 22 (i.e.,
prolonging the useful life of the wheels).
[0025] As shown in FIG. 4 specifically, it is seen that the rear
feet 10 do not cause interference with the rotation of the wheels
22 when the luggage 20 is being towed along the supporting surface.
In other words, users do not have to pay additional attention to a
piece of luggage incorporating a pair of rear feet 10 of the
invention while towing.
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 5 to 7, there is shown a second preferred
embodiment of the invention. The second preferred embodiment
substantially has same structure as the first preferred embodiment.
The differences between the first and the second preferred
embodiments, i.e., the characteristics of the second preferred
embodiment are detailed below. One of a pair of rear feet 10A is
provided between one wheel mount 21 and one front foot 30A at the
same bottom side (i.e., first bottom side) and the other one of the
pair of rear feet 10A is provided between the other wheel mount 21
and the other front foot 30A at the same bottom side (i.e., second
bottom side opposing the first bottom side). Moreover, either rear
foot 10A is not coupled to the corresponding wheel mount 21.
Operation and advantages of the second preferred embodiment is
substantially the same as the first preferred embodiment. Thus, a
detailed description thereof is omitted herein for the sake of
brevity.
[0027] Note that either rear foot may be integrally formed with the
corresponding wheel mount in other embodiments as contemplated by
the invention.
[0028] 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.
* * * * *