Wheeled trunk construction

Abstract

 A wheeled trunk which includes top (21), back (22) and side walls (23) defining a compartment for receiving articles, and having wheels (3) rotatably mounted at one end of the trunk for towing the trunk along the ground is provided. The trunk also includes a handle assembly (4) at the opposite end of the trunk and movable from a retracted position to an extended position to facilitate towing the trunk along the ground, characterized in that said hand assembly is movable in a track (30) integrally formed within said back wall of the trunk.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to wheeled trunks, also known as roller trolleys, such as those which include wheels at one end and a handle at the opposite end to facilitate towing the trunk along the ground.

[0002] In the conventional construction of wheeled trunks of this type, the handle assembly is mounted within a track fixed to the back wall of the trunk by screws, rivets, or the like. Such a construction has a number of disadvantages, including increased manufacturing costs, weakening of the back wall by the holes for the screws or rivets, etc. One state of the art trunk of this type is the Samsonite Epsilon roller trolley,

[0003] An object of the present invention is to provide a wheeled trunk having advantages in the above respects.

[0004] According to a broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wheeled trunk, comprising top, back and side walls defining a compartment for receiving articles, wheels rotatably mounted at one end of the trunk for towing the trunk along the ground, and a handle assembly at the opposite end of the trunk and movable from a retracted position to an extended position to facilitate towing the trunk along the ground, characterized in that said hand assembly is movable in a track integrally formed within said back wall of the trunk.

[0005] According to further features in the preferred embodiment of the invention described below, the track includes a rigid panel constituting the back wall of a trunk, a guide secured at an intermediate location to said rigid panel for guiding said handle assembly during its movement to its extended and retracted positions, and a stop secured to the end of said track at said one end of a trunk mounting the wheels for determining the retracted position of the assembly.

[0006] According to still further features in the described preferred embodiment, the guide includes an U-shaped member having a pair of legs secured to said rigid panel, and a bridging wall joined to said legs and spaced from said rigid panel to define a guide for receiving the handle assembly.

[0007] Also, the stop includes a stop plate formed at its opposite ends with snap-on protrusions receivable with a locking fit into the end of the track at the one end of a trunk mounting the wheels.

[0008] As will be described more particularly below, the foregoing features enable wheeled trunks to be constructed less expensively and more sturdity, than the conventional construction referred to above.

[0009] Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description below.

[0010] The invention is herein described, by way of example only, by way of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a three-dimensional view illustrating one form of wheeled trunk constructed in accordance with the present invention, the handle assembly being shown in its extended position;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the wheeled trunk of Fig. 1 showing its main components;

Fig. 3 is a three-dimensional view corresponding to that of Fig. 1 but from the opposite side of the wheeled trunk;

Fig. 4 is an exploded three-dimensional view illustrating the main components in the handle assembly and the parts cooperable therewith;

Fig. 5 is a three-dimensional view more particularly illustrating the track and the guide for the hand-assembly in the wheeled trunk of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the wheeled trunk of Fig. 1.

[0011] The wheeled trunk illustrated in the drawings comprises a trunk section, generally designated 2, a pair of wheels 3 rotatably mounted at one end of the trunk section for towing the trunk along the ground, and a handle assembly, generally designated 4 at the opposite end of the trunk section and movable from a retracted position (not shown) to an extended position (shown in Fig. 1) to facilitate towing the trunk along the ground.

[0012] The trunk section 2 includes, as in conventional trunks, a top wall 21, a bottom wall 22, and side walls 23. The top wall 21 is pivotal to an open position by hinge elements 24 (Fig. 2) along one edge of the top wall 21 cooperable with hinge elements 25 along the corresponding edge of the side wall 23. The two wheels 3 are rotatably mounted in recesses formed in the side walls 23 and back wall 22.

[0013] In accordance with the present invention, the track, within which the hand assembly 4 is movable to its retracted and extended positions is integrally formed with the back wall 22 of the trunk section 2. Thus, wall 22 of a trunk is formed, as by injection molding as a rigid panel to constitute not only the back wall of the trunk but also the track for receiving the handle assembly 4.

[0014] As shown particularly in Fig. 5, the back wall 22 includes a central track section 30 extending along the length of the back wall and integrally formed with extemal reinforcing ribs 31 extending longitudinally of the back wall. The outer surface of the track section 30 and particularly of the ribs 31, extends past the outer surface of the remaining portions of the back wall 22 such that these ribs will engage the ground when the trunk rests in a horizontal position on the floor.

[0015] A U-shaped guide member 32 is secured transversely across the track section 30 of the back wall 22 on the inner surface of the back wall so that the guide 32 projects inwardly of the trunk 2. Member 32 serves to guide the handle assembly 4 during its movement from its retracted position to its extended position and vice-versa. For securing guide member 32 to its wheel, track section 30 of the back wall 22, guide member 32 is integrally formed with a pair of legs 33, 34 at its opposite ends receivable with a force-fit into complementary elements 35, 36 integrally formed on the inner surface of the back wall 22.

[0016] As shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 4, a stop plate 37 is provided at the end of the track section 30 of the back wall 22. Stop plate 37 is engageable by the end of handle assembly 4 when in its retracted position, and thereby determines the retracted position of the handle assembly. Stop plate 37 is formed at its opposite ends with step-arm protrusions 38, 39 resembled with a locking fit into the respective end of the track section 30 with a force-fit, such that once inserted the stop plate cannot be removed.

[0017] The handle assembly 4 includes an elongated tubular member 41 which is slidable within track section 30 of the rigid back wall 32 and a handle 42 at the outer end of tubular member. A second handle 43 is fixed to the side wall 23 of the trunk 2 to be engaged by handle 42 when the handle assembly is in its retracted position. For this purpose, handle 42 at the outer end of tubular member 41 is formed with a transversely-extending rib 44, which rib is received within a complimentary shaped recess 45 formed in the fixed handle 43, such that the two handles 42 and 43 nest within each other to facilitate gripping by the user when the handle assembly is in the retracted position.

[0018] The manner of using the wheeled trunk illustrated in the drawings will be apparent from the above description. Thus, whenever it is desired to tow the trunk on its wheels 3, handle assembly 4 may be moved to its extended position as shown in Fig. 1, whereby handle 42 is gripped by the user to tow the trunk. When handle assembly 4 is to be moved to its retracted position, handle 42 is pressed down until its rib 44 seats within recess 45 of the fixed handle 43, thereby retracting the handle assembly 4 and facilitating gripping of the two handles should the user wish to tow the trunk in this retracted position of the handle assembly.

[0019] By integrally forming the track for the handle assembly 4 as part of the back wall 22 of the trunk, facilitates manufacture and assembly of the wheeled trunk, and moreover enables the wheeled trunk to be of a more sturdy construction since the back wall 22 is not thereby weakened by the holes previously provided for fastening thereto the track for the handle assembly.

[0020] While the invention has been described with respect to one preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated that this is set forth mainly for purposes of example, and that many variations, modifications and other applications of the invention may be made.

Claims

1. A wheeled trunk, comprising:

top, back and side walls defining a compartment for receiving articles;

wheels rotatably mounted at one end of the trunk for towing the trunk along the ground; and

a handle assembly at the opposite end of the trunk and movable from a retracted position to an extended position to facilitate towing the trunk along the ground;

characterized in that said hand assembly is movable in a track integrally formed with said back wall of the trunk.

2. The wheeled trunk according to claim 1, wherein said track includes:

a rigid panel constituting the back wall of a trunk;

a guide secured at an intermediate location to said rigid panel for guiding said handle assembly during its movement to its extended and retracted positions; and

a stop secured to the end of said track at said one end of a trunk mounting the wheels for determining the retracted position of the assembly.

3. The wheeled trunk according to claim 2, wherein said guide includes a u-shaped member having a pair of legs secured to said rigid panel, and a bridging wall joined to said legs and spaced from said rigid panel to define a guide for receiving the handle assembly.

4. The wheeled trunk according to either of claims 2 or 3, wherein said stop includes a stop plate formed at its opposite ends with snap-on protrusions receivable with a locking fit into the end of said track at said one end of a trunk mounting the wheels.

5. The wheeled trunk according to any of claims 1-4, wherein said handle assembly includes an elongated member having one end movable within said track, and a handle at its opposite end for use in towing the trunk in the extended position of the handle assembly;
   said trunk including a second handle fixed to said back wall of the trunk engageable by said first handle in the retracted position of the handle assembly.

6. The wheeled trunk according to claim 5, wherein said first handle includes a rib projecting from its lower end received within a complimentary shaped recess in said second handle in the retracted position of said handle assembly.

7. The wheeled trunk according to any one of claims 2-6, wherein said rigid panel, constituting the back wall of the trunk, is integrally formed with a central track section extending along the length of the back wall of the trunk and having an outer surface formed with an extemal reinforcing ribs extending parallel to the length of said back wall.

8. The wheeled trunk according to claim 7, wherein said central track section of said rigid panel projects slightly past the outer surface of the remaining portions of said rigid panel.

Drawing