U.S. patent application number 11/535995 was filed with the patent office on 2008-04-03 for cushion device for wheeled luggage.
Invention is credited to Shu-Ling SU.
Application Number | 20080078637 11/535995 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39272858 |
Filed Date | 2008-04-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080078637 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SU; Shu-Ling |
April 3, 2008 |
CUSHION DEVICE FOR WHEELED LUGGAGE
Abstract
A cushion device for a wheel of the wheeled luggage contains a
seat member for installation to a bottom edge of the wheel luggage.
The seat member contains an open compartment having a rotatable pin
to a side of the opening of the compartment. The cushion device
further contains a buffering member where the wheel of the wheeled
luggage is rotatably mounted by the wheel's axle. The buffering
member is housed inside the compartment of the seat member and
hinged to the pin. A helix spring is provided inside the
compartment between the seat member and the buffering member for
absorbing the shock of the buffering member. The distance between
the pin and the spring is longer than the distance between the pin
and the axle of the wheel so that the spring will undergo on;y a
fraction of the vibration force exerted on the wheel.
Inventors: |
SU; Shu-Ling; (Taichung
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEONG C LEI
PMB # 1008, 1867 YGNACIO VALLEY ROAD
WALNUT CREEK
CA
94598
US
|
Family ID: |
39272858 |
Appl. No.: |
11/535995 |
Filed: |
September 28, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
190/18A |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C 5/14 20130101; A45C
2005/148 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
190/18.A |
International
Class: |
A45C 5/14 20060101
A45C005/14 |
Claims
1. A cushion for a wheeled luggage comprising: a seat member
installed to a bottom edge of the wheeled luggage, said seat member
having a L-shaped body, an open compartment formed between the two
legs of said L-shaped body, and a rotatable pin located to a side
of the opening of said compartment by running through a pair of
holes of said seat member; and a buffering member where said wheel
of the wheeled luggage is rotatably mounted by the axle of said
wheel, said buffering member being hinged to said pin and housed
inside said compartment so that said buffering member is capable of
vibrating inside said compartment as said wheel run over a bumpy
surface; wherein a spring is provided inside said compartment
between said seat member and said buffering member so that the
distance between said pin and said spring is longer than the
distance between said pin and the axle of said wheel.
2. The cushion device according to claim 1, wherein the vertical
leg of said L-shaped body of said seat member forms a wedged shield
in front of said buffering member.
3. The cushion device according to claim 1, wherein said pin has a
cap at one end having a larger aperture than that of said holes;
and a removable block locks said cap to said seat member.
4. The cushion device according to claim 3, wherein a rail is
provided next to one of said holes; said removable block is slid
down said rail to lock said cap.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present inventiongenerally relates to the wheeled
luggage, and more particularly to a cushion device for a wheel of
the wheeled luggage.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0002] Wheeled luggage has been a convenient companion for
travelers. Usually, an ordinary type of wheeled luggage has a
telescoping handle and a pair of wheels provided at a bottom edge
of the luggage. By pulling out the telescoping handle and lifting
the luggage to rest the weight of the luggage on the wheels, the
luggage can be easily pulled and moved around on the wheels,
significantly saving the effort of the luggage owner.
[0003] Conveniently, each wheel of the wheeled luggage is rotatably
and directly mounted to a seat of the luggage by the axle of the
wheel without the provision of any shock absorption mechanism and,
therefore, it is quite uncomfortable pulling the luggage over a
bumpy surface. R.O.C. (Taiwan) Patent No. 540,338 teaches a type of
wheeled luggage where two springs are joined to the axle at either
sides of wheel and some buffer space is reserved so that the wheel
can rise up and down within the buffer space. As such, the
vibration of the wheels is successfully absorbed by the springs. A
disadvantage of the forgoing design is that the displacement of the
wheel's axle is identical to the amount of compression to the
springs. As such, the spring usually soon loose their resilience
over a period of usage and the buffering of the wheel vibration
still has some room for improvement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a
cushion device for a wheel of the wheeled luggage so that the wheel
luggage can be operated with more comfort and a long operation
life.
[0005] The cushion device contains a seat member for installation
to a bottom edge of the wheel luggage. The seat member contains an
open compartment having a rotatble pin to a side of the opening of
the compartment.
[0006] The cushion device further contains a buffering member where
the wheel of the wheeled luggage is rotatably mounted by the
wheel's axle. The buffering member is housed inside the compartment
of the seat member and hinged to the pin so that the buffering
member can vibrate inside the compartment. A helix spring is
provided inside the compartment between the seat member and the
buffering member for absorbing the shock of the buffering member.
The distance between the pin and the spring is longer than the
distance between the pin and the axle of the wheel so that the
spring will undergo only a fraction of the force exerted on the
wheel.
[0007] The forgoing objectives and summary provide only a brief
introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these
and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention
itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the
art, the following detailed description of the invention and the
claims should be read in xonjunction with the accompanying
drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical
reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
[0008] many other advantages and features of the present invention
will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making
reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets
of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment
incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by
way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view showing the various
components of a cushion device according to an embodiment of the
present invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the cushion device of
FIG. 1 after its assembly.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the cushion device of
FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a front view showing the cushion device of FIG.
1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] The followingdescriptions are exemplary embodiments only,
and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or
configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following
description provides a convenient illustration for implementing
exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the
described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement
of the elements described without departing from the scope of the
invention as set forth in the appended claims.
[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a cushion device for the wheeled
luggage according to an embodiment of the present invention
contains an L-shaped seat member 10 installed to a bottom edge of
the wheeled luggage. The seat member 10 has a concaved right-angled
triangular section 12 between the two legs of its L-shaped body,
thereby forming a right-angled triangular compartment 11 around the
corner of the L-shaped seat member 10. The triangular section 12 is
provided such that a further concavity, i.e., a spring room 14, is
formed near the top along the side opposite to the right angle of
the compartment 11. Additionally, two opposing through holes 13 are
provided near the bottommost acute angle of the triangular section
12, allowing a pin 15 to run through a side of the opening of the
compartment 11. The pin 15 is provided such that the holes 13 would
prevent an end of the pin 15 having a cap to run completely
through. Next to the hole 13, there is a rail 16 provided on the
side surface of the section 12 where a block 17 can be slid down
the rail 16 to lock the cap of the pin 15 so that the pin 15 will
not escape from the seat member 10. Additionally, the vertical leg
of the seat member 10 is configured such that a wedged shield 18 is
formed in front of the compartment 11 for protection purpose.
[0015] The cushion device also contains a buffering member 20
having a compatible shape as the compartment 11 so that the
buffering member 20 can be housed inside the compartment 11 with
the wedged shield 18 in the front to prevent the buffering member
20 from external impact. Corresponding to the holes 13 of the seat
member 10, the buffering member 20 has a through channel with a
pair of openings 21 at an end of the buffering member 20 so that
the pin 15 can hinge the buffering member 20 to the seat member 10.
As such, the buffering member 20 can pivot around the pin 15 within
the compartment 11. The buffering member 20 also provides a spring
room 22 correspondingly to spring room 14 of the seat member 10. As
such, a helix spring 23 has its both ends housed inside the spring
rooms 14 and 22, respectively. The buffering member 20 also
contains a compartment 24 for housing a wheel 25 of the wheeled
luggage. The axle 26 of the wheel 25 is fixedly installed across
the compartment 24 so that the wheel 25 can freely rotate inside
the compartment 24.
[0016] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the distance between the spring 23
and the pivot, i.e., the pin 15, is longer than the distance
between the wheel 25's axle 26 and the pivot. Therefore, when the
wheel 25 vibrates as it runs over a bumpy surface, a lesser amount
of force is exerted on the spring 23 than that of the conventional
approaches so that the operation life of the spring 23 is
effectively extended. Similarly, as lesser vibration is passed to
the wheeled luggage through the cussion device of the rpesent
invention, the user of the wheeled luggage is therefore able to
enjoy an enhanced degree of comfort in operating the wheeled
luggage.
[0017] It will be understood that each of the elements described
above, or two or more together may also find a useful application
in other types of methods differing from the type described
above.
[0018] While certain novel features of this invention have been
shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is
not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be
understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and
changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in
its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without
departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
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