Rotatable handle for towable luggage

Abstract

A towing member and towable luggage where the handle can be stored in the luggage in a retracted position where the principal dimension of the grip portion of the handle is arranged to be generally perpendicular to the wheel rotation axis and parallel to the top face of the piece of luggage. The handle preferably still allows two degrees of rotation in the extended position. The towing arm may be constructed by having at least three axes of rotation about which it can rotate, two of the axes generally being parallel.

1 . A hand towed piece of luggage comprising: 
 a piece of luggage;    at least one wheel connected to the piece of luggage, said wheel having a wheel rotation axis;    a towing arm including a pole, said pole having a length with opposite proximal and distal ends, said distal end of said pole being arranged to move from a retracted position to an extended position; and    a towing handle having a grip portion with a principal dimension, said towing handle operatively connected to said distal end of said towing arm for pivoting movement of said towing handle about at least two pivot axes relative to said distal end of said pole in said extended position;    wherein, in said retracted position, said grip portion is arranged so said principal dimension is generally perpendicular to said wheel axis    
   
   
       2 . The hand towed piece of luggage of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 one of said at least two pivot axes being oriented substantially parallel to said wheel rotation axis.    
   
   
       3 . The hand towed piece of luggage of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 said at least two pivot axes comprising a first axis and second axis that intersect each other in generally perpendicular relation.    
   
   
       4 . The hand towed piece of luggage of  claim 1 , wherein said movement between said retracted and said extended position is telescoping movement.  
   
   
       5 . The hand towed piece of luggage of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 said pole being comprised of at least two telescoping sections that are slidably attached to each other for relative telescoping movement.    
   
   
       6 . The hand towed piece of luggage of  claim 4 , further comprising 
 a locking mechanism operatively connected to said pole so said pole can be locked in said extended position.    
   
   
       7 . The hand towed piece of luggage of  claim 1  wherein said towing arm is a dual-pole towing arm including at least two poles.  
   
   
       8 . The hand towed piece of luggage of  claim 1  where said towing arm is a monopole towing arm including only a single pole.  
   
   
       9 . A hand towed piece of luggage comprising: 
 a piece of luggage;    at least one wheel connected to the piece of luggage, said wheel having a wheel rotation axis;    a towing arm including a pole, said pole having a length with opposite proximal and distal ends, said distal end of said pole being arranged to move from a retracted position to an extended position; and    a towing handle having a grip portion with a principal dimension, said towing handle being operatively connected to said distal end of said towing arm for pivoting movement of said towing handle about at least three pivot axes relative to said distal end of said towing arm.    
   
   
       10 . The piece of luggage of  claim 9  wherein at least two of said axes are parallel to each other.  
   
   
       11 . The piece of luggage of  claim 9  wherein at least two of said axes are perpendicular to each other.  
   
   
       12 . The piece of luggage of  claim 9  wherein said towing handle is connected to said distal end of said towing arm via a pivot mechanism comprising: 
 a knuckle; and    an intermediate arm having an upper portion and a lower portion with a length therebetween;    wherein, said handle rotates about a first of said at least three axes of rotation relative to said knuckle;    wherein said knuckle rotates about a second of said at least three axes of rotation relative to said intermediate arm; and    wherein said intermediate arm rotates about a third of said at least three axes of rotation relative to said towing arm.    
   
   
       13 . The piece of baggage of  claim 12  wherein said first axis of rotation and said second axis of rotation are perpendicular.  
   
   
       14 . The piece of baggage of  claim 12  wherein said third axis of rotation and said second axis of rotation are parallel.  
   
   
       15 . The piece of baggage of  claim 12  wherein when said towing arm is in said retracted position said principal dimension of said grip portion and said length of said intermediate arm are arranged generally parallel to each other.  
   
   
       16 . The piece of baggage of  claim 12  wherein when said towing arm is in said retracted position said principal dimension of said grip portion and said towing arm are arranged generally perpendicular to each other  
   
   
       17 . The piece of baggage of  claim 12  wherein said luggage is of generally parallelepiped shape having a top face and a back face.  
   
   
       18 . The piece of baggage of  claim 17  wherein when said towing arm is in said retracted position, said principal dimension of said grip portion is generally parallel to said top face.  
   
   
       19 . The piece of baggage of  claim 18  wherein when said towing arm is in said retracted position, said principal dimension of said grip portion is generally co-planar to said top face.  
   
   
       20 . The piece of baggage of  claim 18  wherein when said towing arm is in said retracted position, said length of said intermediate arm is generally parallel to said top face.  
   
   
       21 . The piece of baggage of  claim 18  wherein when said towing arm is in said retracted position, said principal dimension of said grip portion is generally arranged at about a 90 degree angle with said towing arm.  
   
   
       22 . The piece of baggage of  claim 17  wherein when said towing arm is in said retracted position, said principal dimension of said grip portion is generally parallel to said back face.  
   
   
       23 . The piece of baggage of  claim 22  wherein when said towing arm is in said retracted position, said principal dimension of said grip portion is generally co-planar to said back face.  
   
   
       24 . The piece of luggage of  claim 9  wherein said towing arm is a dual-pole towing arm including at least two poles.  
   
   
       25 . The piece of luggage of  claim 24  wherein said poles are connected at their distal ends by a bridge.  
   
   
       26 . The piece of luggage of  claim 25  wherein at least one of said at least three axes is parallel to said bridge.  
   
   
       27 . The piece of luggage of  claim 26  wherein at least one of said at least three axes is collinear with said bridge.  
   
   
       28 . A hand towed piece of luggage comprising: 
 a piece of luggage arranged to generally be a parallelepiped and having a top face and a bottom face on opposite sides thereof,    at least one wheel connected to the piece of luggage toward said bottom face thereof, said wheel having a wheel rotation axis;    a towing arm including a pole, said pole having a length with opposite proximal and distal ends, said distal end of said pole being arranged to move from a retracted position to an extended position; and    a towing handle connected to said distal end of said towing arm so as to be able to rotate about said distal end of said towing arm, said towing handle including a grip portion with a principal dimension;    wherein, in said retracted position, said grip portion is arranged so said principal dimension is generally perpendicular to said wheel axis and said principal dimension is generally parallel to said top face.