US20060011499A1

US20060011499A1 - Golf bag or suitcase having extendible wheels

Info

Publication number: US20060011499A1
Application number: US10/893,735
Authority: US
Inventors: Chao Yen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-07-19
Filing date: 2004-07-19
Publication date: 2006-01-19

Abstract

A suitcase includes a receptacle having a chamber and two passages communicating with each other, and having two channels. A handle is slidably attached to the receptacle, and extendible out the receptacle, and includes two pins slidably engaged in the channels of the receptacle. Two legs are slidably engaged through the passages of the receptacle and pivotally secured to the receptacle, and each includes a middle slot to slidably receive the pins of the handle. The legs are movable into and out of the passages of the receptacle respectively when the pins of the handle are moved along the channels of the receptacle and moved along the slots of the legs respectively.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a suitcase or golf bag, and more particularly to a suitcase or golf bag having a wheel device extendible outwardly from the suitcase or the golf bag for stably supporting the suitcase or the golf bag in a tilted or inclined working position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various kinds of typical suitcases or golf bags have been developed and comprise one or more wheels attached to bottom thereof, for allowing the suitcases or the golf bags to be tilted and to be easily moved or carried with the users.
In addition, the typical suitcases may further comprise a retractable handle attached thereto, and pullable or extendible out of the typical suitcases, for allowing the typical suitcases to be easily moved or carried with the users.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,362 to Kuo, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,360 to Wang disclose two of the typical suitcases each also comprising a retractable handle attached thereto, and selectively or adjustably extendible out of the typical suitcases, for easily moving or carrying the typical suitcases by the users.
However, the typical golf bags have no additional spaces to receive a retractable handle, and the wheel device may not be suitably extended outwardly from the golf bag, such that the golf bag may not be stably supported in a tilted or inclined working position.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional suitcases or golf bags.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a suitcase or golf bag including a wheel device extendible outwardly from the suitcase or the golf bag for stably supporting the suitcase or the golf bag in a tilted or inclined working position.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a suitcase comprising a receptacle including a chamber formed therein, and including two passages formed therein, and communicating with the chamber thereof, the receptacle including two channels formed therein, a handle slidably attached to the receptacle, and extendible out and movable into the receptacle, the handle including two pins attached thereto and slidably engaged in the channels of the receptacle, and two legs slidably engaged through the passages of the receptacle respectively, and movable into and out of the passages of the receptacle respectively, each of the legs including an upper portion pivotally secured to the receptacle with an axle, and each including a lower portion having a wheel attached thereto, and each including a middle portion having a slot formed therein, to slidably receive the pins of the handle. The legs are movable into and out of the passages of the receptacle respectively when the pins of the handle are moved along the channels of the receptacle and moved along the slots of the legs respectively. The receptacle may thus be stably positioned or supported in the tilted or inclined working position relative to the ground when the legs are extended out of the receptacle, and when a stable triangular or rectangular area is formed between the lower portions or the wheels of the legs and the bottom portion or the front and side portions of the receptacle.
The receptacle includes two posts having the channels formed therein, to slidably receive the pins of the handle respectively. The receptacle may further include two posts and the upper portions of the legs are pivotally secured to the posts of the receptacle with the axles.
The handle includes an actuator device attached thereto and having two arms extended therefrom, the pins are attached to the arms respectively.
The receptacle includes a sleeve secured thereto, and having a bore formed therein to slidably receive the handle. The receptacle includes a latch slidably engageable into the bore of the sleeve, to selectively engage with the handle, and to selectively latch the handle to the receptacle.
The receptacle includes a button slidably engageable in the sleeve, the latch is extended from the button and extendible into the bore of the sleeve. The receptacle includes a spring engaged with the button, to bias the latch to engage into the bore of the sleeve, and thus to engage with the handle.
The handle includes a number of orifices formed therein, to selectively receive the latch, and to adjustably secure the handle to the receptacle.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a suitcase or golf bag in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of the suitcase or golf bag;
FIG. 3 is a side view of the suitcase or golf bag;
FIG. 4 is a side view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating the operation of the suitcase or golf bag; and
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the suitcase or golf bag, illustrating the suitcase or golf bag having the wheel device retracted or received or stored therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a suitcase or golf bag in accordance with the present invention comprises a suitcase body or a receptacle 10 preferably including a planar bottom portion 11 for allowing the receptacle 10 to be positioned in an upright storing position (FIGS. 4, 5). The receptacle 10 includes one or more, such as two passages 12 formed in two of the corner areas or formed in the front and side portions 13 thereof, and includes a chamber 14 formed therein and communicating with the passages 12 thereof.
A frame device 20 is received and engaged in the chamber 14 of the receptacle 10, to expand or to retain the receptacle 10 in an open position, best shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. The frame device 20 includes an upper frame 21 and a lower frame 22 coupled together with a number of posts 23, 24, in which two front posts 24 each includes a longitudinal channel 25 formed therein, such as formed in the lower portion thereof. The upper frame 21 includes one or more openings 26 formed therein for allowing golf clubs (not shown) or other objects to be disposed into the chamber 14 of the receptacle 10.
One or more, such as two legs 30 are slidably engaged through the passages 12 of the receptacle 10 respectively, and each includes an upper portion 31 rotatably or pivotally secured to the frame device 20, such as to the posts 23 of the frame device 20, or directly to the receptacle 10 with pivot axles 32, for allowing the legs 30 to be rotated relative to the receptacle 10, and for allowing the legs 30 to be rotated outwardly (FIGS. 1, 3) or into the passages 12 of the receptacle 10 (FIGS. 4, 5).
Each of the legs 30 includes a slot 33 formed in the middle portion thereof, and includes a wheel 34 rotatably attached to the other end or the lower end portion 35 thereof. It is preferable that the wheels 34 may also be slightly or partially extended out of the passages 12 of the receptacle 10 (FIGS. 4, 5) when the legs 30 are rotated into the passages 12 of the receptacle 10, to allow the wheels 34 to be engaged with ground when the receptacle 10 is tilted relative to the ground.
A sleeve 27 is secured to the front and upper portion of the receptacle 10, and includes a bore 28 formed therein. A button 40 is slidably and laterally engaged through the sleeve 27 (FIGS. 3, 4), and includes a latch 41 extended therefrom (FIG. 3), and extendible into the bore 28 of the sleeve 27, and a spring 43 may be engaged with the button 40, to bias and to force the latch 41 into the bore 28 of the sleeve 27.
A handle 50 is slidably engaged through the bore 28 of the sleeve 27, and includes a hand grip 51 attached to or provided on top thereof, for pulling or moving the handle 50 into and out or relative to the sleeve 27. The handle 50 includes one or more orifices 52 formed therein, to selectively receive the latch 41 of the button 40, and to adjustably secure the handle 50 to the receptacle 10 at selected or different heights or positions.
For example, the handle 50 may be positioned to the receptacle 10 at a partially extended position (FIG. 3), or a fully and outwardly extended position (FIG. 1) with the latch 41 of the button 40. The handle 50 may also be completely engaged into the receptacle 10 to a receiving or storing position as shown in FIGS. 4, 5. At this moment, it is not required to engage the latch 41 of the button 40 into either of the orifices 52 of the handle 50. However, for preventing the handle 50 from being disengaged or extended out of the receptacle 10 inadvertently, it is also preferable that the latch 41 of the button 40 be engaged into one of the orifices 52 of the handle 50.
The handle 50 includes an actuator device 53 attached thereto or extended therefrom, and having two arms 54 extended therefrom and each having a pin 55 engaged therein or attached thereto. The pins 55 of the arms 54 are slidably engaged in the channels 25 of the posts 24 and in the slots 33 of the legs 30 respectively, in order to rotate the legs 30 into and out of the receptacle 10 when the pins 55 are guided or forced to move along the channels 25 of the posts 24 (FIGS. 3, 4).
In operation, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, the legs 30 may be rotated into the passages 12 of the receptacle 10, to a receiving or storing position by forcing or moving the handle 50 into the receptacle 10, or by moving the pins 55 to bottom of the channels 25 of the posts 24. The handle 50 may be released from the receptacle 10 when the button 40 is depressed against the spring 43, to disengage the latch 41 from the handle 50.
When the handle 50 is pulled upwardly or outwardly from the receptacle 10, the pins 55 may be moved upwardly along the channels 25 of the posts 24, and may also be caused to slide along the slots 33 of the legs 30 respectively, in order to rotate the legs 30 out of the receptacle 10. The receptacle 10 may thus be tilted relative to the ground, and may be supported on the tilted or inclined working position (FIGS. 1, 3) with the wheels 34 and the legs 30.
It is to be noted that a stable triangular or rectangular area may be formed between the lower portions or the wheels 34 of the legs 30 and the bottom portion 11 or the front and side portions 13 of the receptacle 10, to allow the receptacle 10 to be stably positioned or supported in the tilted or inclined working position.
The latch 41 of the button 40 may be engaged into one of the orifices 52 of the handle 50, to position the handle 50 to the receptacle 10 either at a partially extended position (FIG. 3), or at a fully and outwardly extended position (FIG. 1), and to prevent the handle 50 from being moved relative to the receptacle 10, and thus to prevent the legs 30 and the wheels 34 from being rotated and received into the receptacle 10 inadvertently. The handle 50 may only be moved relative to the receptacle 10 again when the latch 41 of the button 40 is disengaged from the orifices 52 of the handle 50 again.
Accordingly, the suitcase or golf bag in accordance with the present invention includes a wheel device extendible outwardly from the suitcase or the golf bag for stably supporting the suitcase or the golf bag in a tilted working position.
Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A suitcase comprising:

a receptacle including a chamber formed therein, and including two passages formed therein, and communicating with said chamber thereof, said receptacle including two channels formed therein,

a handle slidably attached to said receptacle, and extendible out and movable into said receptacle, said handle including two pins attached thereto and slidably engaged in said channels of said receptacle, and

two legs slidably engaged through said passages of said receptacle respectively, and movable into and out of said passages of said receptacle respectively, each of said legs including an upper portion pivotally secured to said receptacle with an axle, and each including a lower portion having a wheel attached thereto, and each including a middle portion having a slot formed therein, to slidably receive said pins of said handle, and

said legs being movable into and out of said passages of said receptacle respectively when said pins of said handle are moved along said channels of said receptacle and moved along said slots of said legs respectively.

2. The suitcase as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receptacle includes two posts having said channels formed therein, to slidably receive said pins of said handle respectively.

3. The suitcase as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receptacle includes two posts, said upper portions of said legs are pivotally secured to said posts of said receptacle with said axles.

4. The suitcase as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle includes an actuator device attached thereto and having two arms extended therefrom, said pins are attached to said arms respectively.

5. The suitcase as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receptacle includes a sleeve secured thereto, and having a bore formed therein to slidably receive said handle.

6. The suitcase as claimed in claim 5, wherein said receptacle includes a latch slidably engageable into said bore of said sleeve, to selectively engage with said handle, and to selectively latch said handle to said receptacle.

7. The suitcase as claimed in claim 6, wherein said receptacle includes a button slidably engageable in said sleeve, said latch is extended from said button and extendible into said bore of said sleeve.

8. The suitcase as claimed in claim 7, wherein said receptacle includes a spring engaged with said button, to bias said latch to engage into said bore of said sleeve, and thus to engage with said handle.

9. The suitcase as claimed in claim 5, wherein said handle includes a plurality of orifices formed therein, to selectively receive said latch, and to adjustably secure said handle to said receptacle.