Wheeled suitcase with space-saving shortened handle

Abstract

A suitcase has a frame ( 17 ), a cover ( 15 ) covering the frame, a stabilizing brace ( 12 ) joining two opposite sides of the frame, a pair of corner wheels ( 14 ), a pull handle collar ( 11 ), and a pull handle assembly ( 13 ) mountable between the stabilizing brace and the pull handle collar. The frame and the cover comprise the case body ( 1 ) for packing the contents of the suitcase within. The pull handle assembly includes a pull handle support ( 123 ), at least a hollow tube ( 131 ), and a retractable slide handle ( 132 ). The stabilizing brace both holds the sides of the frame in fixed relation and provides a mounting point for a lower end of the pull handle assembly. Because the pull handle assembly occupies less than a length of the bottom of the suitcase, a large area of flat space is created in the bottom of the suitcase for easier packing of flat objects.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A suitcase, comprising: 
 a case body including: 
 a rectangular frame, the rectangular frame comprising four flat side walls opposed to one another in pairs, the frame being open at a top and a bottom sides thereof, two of the opposed side walls being designated as proximal and distal side walls, the other two opposed side walls being designated as first and second side walls; and  
 a cover, the cover being made of a flexible material and covering the four side walls of the frame and the open top and bottom sides of the frame, portions of the cover covering the top and bottom sides of the frame being designated the top and bottom panels, respectively;  
 a plurality of wheels attached to the distal side wall of the frame;  
 a brace fixedly connecting between the first and the second side walls of the frame and adjacent the bottom panel of the case body;  
 a telescoping pull handle assembly having a pull handle support at its lower end and a slide handle telescopingly slideable at its upper end;  
 wherein the telescoping handle assembly is mounted inside the bottom panel of the case body, fixedly attaching to the frame and the brace to form an organic whole, with the pull handle support being fixedly attached to the brace and the slide handle being slideably deployable away from the case body, so that a flat space is defined in the bottom of the suitcase having a length being a distance between the pull handle support and the distal side wall of the case body and a width being a distance between the first and second side walls of the case body.  
   
     
     
         2 . The suitcase as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the pull handle assembly is attached to the proximal side wall of the case body via a collar which attaches to the proximal side wall of the case body.  
     
     
         3 . The suitcase as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the brace is U-shaped, with the arms of the U attaching respectively to the first and second side walls of the case body.  
     
     
         4 . The suitcase as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the brace has a flat, rectangular shape and is attached to the first and second sidewalls using corner attachments.  
     
     
         5 . The suitcase as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the brace is integrally formed with the first and second side walls.  
     
     
         6 . The suitcase as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one or more additional braces are added, fixed between the first and second sidewalls and located between the brace of  claim 1  and the proximal side wall.  
     
     
         7 . A suitcase comprising: 
 a case body having a lengthwise dimension, a widthwise dimension, and a depth dimension, one side of the suitcase having the lengthwise dimension and the widthwise dimension being designated the bottom side, and another side of the suitcase substantially perpendicular to the bottom side and having the widthwise dimension and the depth dimension being designated the upper side;    a pull handle assembly attached within the case body, parallel to the lengthwise dimension and having a pull handle retractably extendable through the upper side of the case body; and    a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted to a lower corner of the case body;    wherein the pull handle assembly mounts to an inside surface of the case body and has a length substantially less than the lengthwise dimension of the case body when the pull handle assembly is in its retracted state.    
     
     
         8 . The suitcase as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the suitcase further comprises a brace which is attached within the case body between two side walls of the case body and perpendicular to the lengthwise dimension, and the pull handle assembly has a lower side, and the lower side of the pull handle assembly attaches to said brace.  
     
     
         9 . The suitcase as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein more than one of said brace is attached between said side walls and perpendicular to said lengthwise dimension.  
     
     
         10 . A suitcase comprising: 
 a case body which includes: 
 a frame formed of a plurality of walls and having a length, width and depth dimensions, a longitudinal axis being defined between two of said walls, said two walls being designated wall one and wall two, and a lateral axis being defined between two other of said walls, said two other walls being designated wall three and wall four, the lateral axis being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and  
 a flexible cover covering the frame on all sides;  
 a plurality of wheels mounted to wall two of the frame;  
 a brace having a first end and an opposite second end, the first end being fixedly attached to wall three and the second end being fixedly attached to wall four, the brace being parallel to the lateral axis, the brace being spaced a first distance from wall one and being spaced a second distance from wall two; and  
 a pull handle assembly having a handle frame and a slide handle slidingly engaged with the handle frame, the handle frame having a lower end and an upper end, the lower end of the handle frame being fixedly attached to the brace and the upper end being fixedly attached to wall one, a longitudinal axis of the pull handle assembly being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the frame, and the slide handle being slidingly deployable in a direction outside of the case body and away from wall one.  
   
     
     
         11 . The suitcase as described in  claim 10  wherein the brace is U-shaped with the two arms of the U being fixedly attached to wall three and wall four.  
     
     
         12 . The suitcase as described in  claim 10  wherein the brace is flat and is attached to wall three and wall four using corner braces.  
     
     
         13 . The suitcase as described in  claim 10  wherein the brace is integrally formed with wall three and wall four.  
     
     
         14 . The suitcase as described in  claim 10  wherein the frame and the brace are made of hollow plastic panel.