Telescopic suitcase handle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9894971-B2
Application number	US-201615200568-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2016
Priority date	Jul 1, 2015
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

A telescopic suitcase handle is provided for including a telescopic handle housing disposed within a suitcase, a lower extendible handle section movably disposed within the telescopic handle housing, and an upper extendible handle section movably disposed within the lower section. A spring loaded bullet disposed within the upper section releasably engages with one of a plurality of openings along the length of the lower section for temporarily holding the upper extendible handle section in place. A spring-loaded protrusion releasably engages with the lower extendible handle section for temporarily holding the lower section in place.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A telescopic suitcase handle comprising:
a telescopic handle housing disposed within a suitcase;
a lower extendible handle section movably disposed within the telescopic handle housing;
at least one spring-loaded protrusion disposed proximate an upper end of the telescopic handle housing that releasably engages with each of a first plurality of openings along the length of the lower extendible handle section for temporarily holding the lower extendible handle section in place with respect to the telescopic handle housing;
a button for temporarily disengaging the at least one spring-loaded protrusion from the lower extendible handle section, wherein the button is not located on the telescopic suitcase handle;
an upper extendible handle section movably disposed within the lower extendible handle section; and
at least one spring-loaded bullet disposed proximate a lower end of the upper extendible handle section that releasably engages with each of a second plurality of openings along the length of the lower extendible handle section for temporarily holding the upper extendible handle section in place with respect to the lower extendible handle section, the at least one spring-loaded bullet configured to engage a first opening of the second plurality of openings when the upper extendible handle section is collapsed within the lower extendible handle section and configured to engage a second opening of the second plurality of openings when the upper extendible handle section is extended away from the lower extendible handle section.

2. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 1 further comprising a handle portion at the top end of the telescopic suitcase handle.

3. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 2 further comprising two parallel lengths of the lower extendible handle section.

4. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 3 further comprising two parallel lengths of upper extendible handle section.

5. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 4 further comprising a recessed handle housing on a suitcase for receiving the handle portion of the telescopic suitcase handle when the telescopic suitcase handle is in a fully inserted position.

6. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 5 , wherein the at least one spring-loaded protrusion is disposed within the recessed handle housing.

7. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 6 , wherein the button is disposed on the recessed handle housing.

8. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 7 , wherein the upper extendible handle section includes a plug at its lower end, wherein the at least one spring-loaded bullet is disposed within the plug.

9. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 8 , wherein the upper extendible handle section has one or more ornamental cutout sections.

10. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 9 , further comprising a lower frame member for attaching to the telescopic handle housing.

11. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 10 , wherein the lower frame member is attached to either an internal support frame for a suitcase or the hard shell of a suitcase.

12. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 9 , wherein the openings on the lower extendible handle section and on the upper extendible handle section are configured to allow the telescopic suitcase handle to temporarily lock in at least a fully inserted, partially extended, and fully extended position.

13. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spring-loaded bullet may further be disengaged by manually depressing a portion of the spring-loaded bullet that extends beyond the outer surface of the lower extendible handle section.

14. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spring-loaded bullet has an end shaped such that the at least one spring-loaded bullet is disengaged by the surrounding lower extendible handle section responsive to an upward or downward force exerted on the upper extendible handle section.

15. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 14 , wherein each end of the at least one spring-loaded bullet is substantially ramped or tapered.

16. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 14 , wherein each end of the at least one spring-loaded bullet is rounded.

17. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 14 , wherein the at least one spring-loaded bullet is designed and configured to disengage responsive to an upward or downward force of at least 5 pounds being exerted on the upper extendible handle section.

18. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 1 , wherein:
the spring-loaded protrusions further comprise at least one ramped section having a top surface;
the button has at least one ramped section with a lower surface that is in contact with the top surface of the at least one ramped section on the spring-loaded protrusions;
wherein depressing the button causes the at least one ramped section on the button to slide down the at least one ramped section on the spring-loaded protrusions, thereby retracting the spring-loaded protrusions.

19. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 1 wherein the plurality of openings along the length of the lower extendible handle section for temporarily holding the lower extendible handle section in place with respect to the telescopic handle housing, comprise at least two openings for temporarily holding the lower extendible handle section in a fully inserted or fully extended position, with respect to the telescopic handle housing.

20. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 1 wherein the plurality of openings along the length of the lower extendible handle section for temporarily holding the upper extendible handle section in place with respect to the lower extendible handle section, comprise at least two openings for temporarily holding the upper extendible handle section in a fully inserted or fully extended position, with respect to the lower extendible handle section.

21. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spring-loaded bullet has an end shaped such that the at least one spring-loaded bullet is disengaged by the surrounding lower extendible handle section responsive to both an upward force and a downward force exerted on the upper extendible handle section.

22. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 1 , wherein each of the first plurality of openings is disposed on an inner portion of lower extendible handle section, the inner portion oriented towards a center of the suitcase, and wherein each of the second plurality of openings is disposed on an outer portion of the lower extendible handle section, the outer portion oriented away from the center of the suitcase.

23. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 22 , wherein the at least one spring-loaded protrusion is configured to engage a first opening of the first plurality of openings when the lower extendible handle section is extended away from the telescopic handle section, the first opening positioned proximate a lower end of the lower extendible handle section, and wherein the at least one spring-loaded protrusion is configured to engage a second opening of the first plurality of openings when the lower extendible handle section is collapsed within the telescopic handle section, the second opening positioned proximate an upper end of the lower extendible handle section.

24. The telescopic suitcase handle of claim 23 , wherein the first opening of the second plurality of openings is positioned proximate an upper e

Assignees

• Tumi Inc
• Tumi Inc

Inventors

• Scicluna Paul V
• Wu Peter C
• Sanz Victor G

Classifications

• A45C5/14 Primary

  with built-in rolling means · CPC title

• A45C2013/267

  the handle being slidable, extractable and lockable in one or more positions · CPC title

• A45C13/262 Primary

  for wheeled luggage · CPC title