Suitcase handle

Abstract

A suitcase capable of being maintained laterally to a user during manual transport. The suitcase includes wheels attached to a luggage compartment, the wheels rotating about a common wheel axis. A handle assembly attached to the luggage compartment includes a grip portion and a passageway for receiving the grip portion. The passageway allows the grip portion to selectively extend parallel to the wheel axis, moving between a storage position and opposing first and second extended positions. The extended positions provide a method for manually transporting the wheeled suitcase while maintaining the suitcase to the side of the user.

1 . A handle extension for a conventional wheeled suitcase, the suitcase having wheels for rotation about a common wheel axis and a handle assembly including one or more handle rods, and the handle extension comprising: 
 a grip portion; and    means for coupling the grip portion to the handle assembly such that the grip portion achieves an extended position in which the grip portion extends parallel to the wheel axis and allows the suitcase to be maintained laterally to a user as the suitcase is being manually transported.    
   
   
       2 . The handle extension as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the grip portion comprises an interior shaft and an exterior shaft, the interior shaft being contained within and selectively telescoping out from the exterior shaft to increase the lateral offset of a suitcase with respect to a user during manual transport.  
   
   
       3 . The handle extension as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the means includes a housing coupled to the one or more handle rods, the housing forming a passageway to slidingly contain the grip portion such that the grip portion can slide between the extended position and a retracted position in which the grip portion is at least partially concealed within the passageway.  
   
   
       4 . The handle extension as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the grip portion can extend out from the passageway in opposing directions.  
   
   
       5 . The handle extension as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the passageway is adapted and configured to allow the grip portion to slide within the passageway while preventing rotation of the grip portion with respect to the housing.  
   
   
       6 . The handle extension as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the grip portion includes: 
 first and second ends; and    a joint between the first and second ends, and    wherein the joint allows rotation of the first end with respect to the second end around an axis perpendicular to the wheel axis when the grip portion is positioned such that the joint is outside the passageway of the housing, while the housing substantially prevents such rotation when the grip portion is positioned to locate the joint inside the passageway of the housing.    
   
   
       7 . The handle extension as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the grip portion can be releasably fixed in the extended position, in the retracted position, and in a plurality of intermediate positions as desired by a user.  
   
   
       8 . The handle extension as recited in  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the housing includes two holes offset from one another in a direction perpendicular to the wheel axis;    the grip portion includes two spring-biased buttons, the buttons being offset from one another in a direction perpendicular to the wheel axis such that each button engages only one of the holes, and the grip portion passes through the passageway when the buttons are depressed.    
   
   
       9 . The handle extension as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the means is a housing coupled to the one or more handle rods, the grip portion being pivotally attached to the housing such that the grip portion pivots into the extended position.  
   
   
       10 . The handle extension as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the grip portion can be releasably fixed in the extended position, in the retracted position, and in a plurality of intermediate positions as desired by a user.  
   
   
       11 . The handle extension as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the handle extension is formed integrally with the suitcase.  
   
   
       12 . A handle assembly for a wheeled suitcase, the suitcase having a luggage compartment and wheels attached to the luggage compartment for rotation about a common wheel axis, and the handle assembly comprising: 
 a connector including first and second handle rods extending from from the luggage compartment, and a cross piece coupled between the handle rods; and    a grip portion slidingly coupled to the connector such that the grip portion slides between a retracted position, in which the grip portion is at least partially contained between the handle rods and/or within the cross piece, and two extended positions, in which the grip portion extends laterally from between the handle rods in either of opposing directions to allow the suitcase to be maintained laterally to a user as the suitcase is being manually transported.    
   
   
       13 . The handle assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the grip portion can be releasably fixed in the extended position, in the retracted position, and in a plurality of intermediate positions in which the grip portion is partially extended from between the handle rods by varying amounts as desired by a user.  
   
   
       14 . The handle assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the cross piece is hollow and defines a lumen through which the grip portion slides as the grip portion moves between the extended and retracted positions.  
   
   
       15 . The handle assembly as recited in  claim 14 , wherein: 
 the cross piece includes two holes; and    the grip portion includes two spring-biased buttons, and    whereby the buttons can be depressed to allow the grip portion to slide through the lumen of the cross piece, each button being capable of separately engaging each hole in the cross piece to selectively fix the grip portion in the extended and retracted positions.    
   
   
       16 . The handle assembly as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the holes in the cross piece are offset from one another in a direction perpendicular to the wheel axis, and the spring-biased buttons are offset from one another in a direction perpendicular to the wheel axis, thereby allowing each button to engage only one of the holes.  
   
   
       17 . The handle assembly as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the grip portion includes: 
 first and second ends; and    a joint, between the first and second ends, for allowing rotation of the first end with respect to the second end around an axis perpendicular to the wheel axis when the grip portion is positioned such that the joint is outside the lumen of the cross piece, while the cross piece substantially prevents such rotation when the grip portion is positioned to locate the joint inside the lumen of the cross piece.    
   
   
       18 . The handle assembly as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the handle assembly includes means for selectively fixing the orientation of the first end with respect to the second end.  
   
   
       19 . The handle assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the grip portion comprises an interior shaft and an exterior shaft, the interior shaft selectively telescoping out from the exterior shaft to increase the lateral offset of a suitcase with respect to a user during manual transport.  
   
   
       20 . A handle assembly for a wheeled suitcase, the suitcase having a luggage compartment and wheels attached to the luggage compartment for rotation about a common wheel axis, and the handle assembly comprising: 
 a connector including first and second handle rods extending from from the luggage compartment, and a cross piece coupled between the handle rods; and    a grip portion pivotally coupled to the connector such that the grip portion pivots between a retracted position, in which the grip portion is at least partially contained between the handle rods, and an extended position, in which the grip portion extends laterally from between the handle rods to allow the suitcase to be maintained laterally to a user as the suitcase is being manually transported.    
   
   
       21 . The handle assembly as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the grip portion can be releasably fixed in the extended position, in the retracted position, and in a plurality of intermediate positions as desired by a user.  
   
   
       22 . The handle assembly as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the grip portion comprises an interior shaft and an exterior shaft, the interior shaft selectively telescoping out from the exterior shaft to increase the lateral offset of a suitcase with respect to a user during manual transport.  
   
   
       23 . A suitcase capable of being maintained laterally to a user during manual transport, the suitcase comprising: 
 a) a luggage compartment;    b) wheels attached to the luggage compartment for rotation about a common wheel axis; and    c) a handle assembly attached to the luggage compartment and including: 
 i) a grip portion; and  
 ii) a passageway for receiving the grip portion such that the grip portion selectively extends parallel to the wheel axis between a storage position and first and second extended positions, the first extended position having the grip portion extend from a first end of the passageway and the second extended position having the grip portion extend from a second end of the passageway.  
   
   
   
       24 . The suitcase as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the handle assembly further includes: 
 a first handle rod secured to the suitcase such that the handle rod is directed substantially perpendicularly to the wheel axis, and    a second handle rod secured to the suitcase and directed substantially parallel to the first handle rod; and    a cross piece coupled between the first and second handle rods and defining the passageway, and    wherein the grip portion slides between a retracted position in which the grip portion is at least partially contained between the handle rods and the first and second extended positions in which the grip portion extends laterally from between the handle rods.    
   
   
       25 . The suitcase as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the grip portion can be releasably fixed in the extended position, in the retracted position, and in a plurality of intermediate positions in which the grip portion is partially extended from between the handle rods by varying amounts as desired by a user.  
   
   
       26 . The suitcase as recited in  claim 24 , wherein: 
 the cross piece is elongated and includes two holes, the holes being axially spaced from one another;    the grip portion is elongated and includes two spring-biased buttons, the buttons being axially spaced from one another, and    whereby the buttons can be depressed to allow the grip portion to slide through the passageway of the cross piece, each button being capable of separately engaging each hole in the cross piece.    
   
   
       27 . The suitcase as recited in  claim 26 , wherein the holes in the cross piece are offset from one another in a direction perpendicular to the wheel axis, and the spring-biased buttons are offset from one another in a direction perpendicular to the wheel axis, thereby allowing each button to engage only one of the holes.  
   
   
       28 . The suitcase as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the grip portion is elongated and has: 
 axially opposed a first and second ends;    a joint between the first and second ends, and    wherein the joint allows rotation of the first end with respect to the second end around an axis perpendicular to the wheel axis when the grip portion is positioned such that the joint is outside the passageway of the cross piece, while the cross piece substantially prevents such rotation when the grip portion is positioned to locate the joint inside the passageway of the cross piece.    
   
   
       29 . The suitcase as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the means includes: 
 a first handle rod secured to the suitcase such that the handle rod is directed substantially perpendicularly to the wheel axis;    a second handle rod secured to the suitcase substantially parallel to the first handle rod;    an elongated cross piece coupled between the first and second handle rods; and    a grip portion pivotally coupled to the first handle rod such that the grip portion can rotate out from a retracted position between the first and second handle rods to assume an extended position in which the grip portion is directed substantially parallel to the wheel axis.