Side handle luggage

Abstract

An article of luggage is described and includes a container with wheels attached thereto. A handle is also provided. In contrast to conventional handles which extend from the center of the back surface of a piece of luggage, and parallel thereto, the described handle extends from the side of the luggage, and is oriented substantially perpendicular to the back surface. This allows, for example, the user to wheel the container behind him/her, while gripping the handle at the user's side, rather than requiring that the user either have the luggage not follow directly behind the user, or place his/her hand behind him to keep the luggage positioned behind the user. The handle may be stored along side or base of the luggage. The handle can include a grip that pivots to allow a user to selectively change the angle of the grip relative to the luggage.

1 . An article of luggage comprising:
 a container portion, said container portion being defined by at least:
 a base; 
   
       a first side surface having a first width; and 
       a second side surface having a second width, wherein said second width is substantially 
       greater than said first width;
 at least two wheels attached at or proximate said base; and 
 
       a handle attached to said container portion, wherein said handle is attached to said container portion along said first side surface having said first width smaller than said second width, and such that said handle is parallel to said first side surface. 
     
     
         2 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 1 , wherein said handle comprises:
 at least one extension members; and   a grip portion attached to said at least one extension member.   
     
     
         3 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 1 , wherein said grip and said at least one extension members are rigid, and said grip is configured to have an angled position in which a first end of said grip is closer to said container portion than a second end of said grip, said first end and said second end of said grip being separated by the length of said grip. 
     
     
         4 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 2 , wherein said grip portion has a first end connected to a first extension member, and a second end connected to a second extension member. 
     
     
         5 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 4 , wherein at least one of said first extension member and said second extension member includes one or more locking mechanisms to selectively lock in place. 
     
     
         6 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 5 , wherein said one or more locking mechanisms simultaneously lock at least one of said first and second extension members such that said first and second extension members have different lengths. 
     
     
         7 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 1 , wherein said handle includes a grip having first and second ends separated by the length of said handle, and wherein said grip is configured to float between different angles, and such that said length of said handle has different angles relative to said first side surface. 
     
     
         8 . An article of luggage, comprising:
 a container portion having at least:   
       a base; 
       a first side wall; and 
       a second side wall;
 two wheels proximate said base of said container portion, wherein said two wheels are spaced apart such that a first wheel is positioned proximate said first side, and a second wheel is distanced from said first side; and 
 an extendible handle, wherein said extendible handle is positioned at said first side of said container portion, said extendible handle comprising: 
 
       at least one extension member connected to said container portion; and 
       a grip at a distal end of said at least one extension member, wherein said grip has first and second ends, and wherein said first and second ends are configured such that at least when said container portion is tilted to rest on said two wheels, said first end of said grip is positionable closer to said container than said second end of said grip. 
     
     
         9 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 8 , wherein said at least one extension member includes two extension members. 
     
     
         10 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 9 , wherein said two extension members are selectively extendible from said container portion, and are selectively extendible to different lengths relative to each other. 
     
     
         11 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 9 , wherein said grip is pivotally connected to each of said two extension members. 
     
     
         12 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 9 , wherein at least one of said two extension members locks in place at an extended position. 
     
     
         13 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 9 , wherein both of said two extension members lock in place at an extended position, and such that when locked, said grip is angled relative said base of said container, with said first end being closer to said base than said second end. 
     
     
         14 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 8 , wherein said grip floats within a track at said distal end of said one or more extension members. 
     
     
         15 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 8 , wherein said at least one extension member is exactly one extension member. 
     
     
         16 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 15 , wherein said grip is supported by said exactly one extension member at only one end of said grip. 
     
     
         17 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 16 , wherein said grip is pivotally supported at said only one end of said grip, and is pivotable to have a closed handle portion that is next to, inside, or around said exactly one extension member. 
     
     
         18 . An article of luggage, comprising:
 a substantially rectangular container portion, said substantially rectangular container portion having:
 a front; 
 a back; 
 a first side; 
   a second side, wherein the each of said first and second sides interfaces with both said front and said back, wherein said first and second sides have widths that are less than widths of said front and back; and
 a top; and 
 a bottom; 
   two fixed wheels connected to said substantially rectangular container portion, wherein a first wheel is connected proximate an interface between said back, first side, and bottom, and wherein a second wheel is connected proximate an interface between said back, second side, and bottom; and   a handle assembly generally connected to said first side, wherein said handle assembly comprises:   
       two extension members configured to retract to a storage position within said container portion and to expand from said storage position to at least one operating position, wherein at least a first of said two extension members can expand or retract at least partially independent of a second of said two extension members, such that said first extension member is extendible to a length that is different than a length to which said second of said two extension members is extended; and 
       a grip attached to said two extension members at distal ends of each of said at least two extension members, wherein said grip is configured to rotate relative to said container portion such that when said first and second of said two extension members are extended to different lengths, said grip is positioned such that one end along a length of said grip is closer to said container than a second end along said length of said grip. 
     
     
         19 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 18 , wherein said grip includes at least two pockets, including a first pocket aligned with a distal end of said first extension member, and a second pocket aligned with a distal end of said second extension member, wherein said pockets are sized to receive said first and second extension members and to permit said first and second extension members to move laterally therein, while the angle of said grip changes by at least ten degrees. 
     
     
         20 . The article of luggage recited in  claim 19 , wherein said handle assembly includes advertising indicia on at least one of said two extension members or said grip.