Combination carrying handle and retractable handle

Abstract

A combination carrying handle and retractable handle of luggage is provided wherein the carrying handle is provided on the top center while retractable handle is provided within the compartments. This eliminates protruding tubes of prior art retractable handle system, resulting in an aesthetic design. Further, the combination is capable of being either upright to serve as carrying handle/retractable handle when in use or laid down on either side for saving space in storage.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A luggage comprising: 
 a main body;    two sets of wheels;    a handle including of an upper bar and a mating lower bar;    a pair of buttons on two sides of the handle respectively;    a bezel for supporting the handle on the top of body;    a pair of hinges hinged between two lower ends of the handle and two sides of the bezel, respectively for effecting the upright or the lying position of the handle;    a pair of sliding tubes coupled to the hinge;    a pair of support tubes with the sliding tubes slidable therein;    a pair of locking devices on the lower ends of the sliding tubes; and    a pair of connecting devices having upper ends secured to the buttons of the handle and lower ends passed through the hinge and the sliding tubes to secure to the locking devices,    wherein the buttons are depressible to either cause the connecting devices to move up to unlock the locking devices such that the sliding tubes is operable to pull up to an extended while locked position, thereby enabling the handle to serve as retractable handle, or unlock the locking devices for pushing the sliding tubes down to a lowest while locked position, thereby enabling the handle to serve as carrying handle which is capable of being either upright or laid down on both sides of the luggage.    
     
     
         2 . The luggage of  claim 1 , wherein the handle is provided on the top center of the luggage.  
     
     
         3 . The luggage of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting device comprises a first connecting cable made of steel including an upper enlargement secured to a recess of the button and a lower enlargement, a first engagement member including a thin body having a recess and a slit such that the lower enlargement of the first connecting cable is secured to the recess of the first engagement member through the slit and a half circular lower connecting member having an elongate hole and a horizontally extending arcuate flange on the bottom, a second engagement member including a top vertical member having a top end hook engaged with the flange of the first engagement member and a lower body having an elongate hole, an aperture, and a recess, and a second connecting cable including a top hook inserted into the aperture of the lower body of the second engagement member to engage with recess of the second engagement member and a bottom hook secured to the top of the locking device for actuating the locking of the locking device.  
     
     
         4 . The luggage of  claim 1 , wherein the handle further comprises a center pin and a gear put on the center pin, the button comprises an extension on the internal end and a toothed member on the extension engaged with the gear such that one button and one connecting device on the same side is capable of being actuated by the actuation of the other button on the other side.  
     
     
         5 . The luggage of  claim 1 , wherein the second engagement member is pivotably engaged with the first engagement member in the hinge.  
     
     
         6 . The luggage of  claim 3 , wherein the first connecting cable is a flexible steel wire and the second connecting cable is a rigid steel rod.