Wheeled luggage and reclining chair

Abstract

Luggage selectively provides a reclining chair for the traveler. The luggage has a wheeling configuration and has a backward-tilted, stationary configuration including a sitting configuration. The luggage includes a case including a top wall, a bottom wall and a back wall defining a backplane, and an extendable and retractable top handle. A front support and a pair of wheels support the case in the stationary position wherein the backplane is tilted backward from the vertical. A brace assembly is movable between a storage position wherein the brace assembly is in the backplane and a sitting position extending backward from the backplane and downward to contact the ground for preventing the luggage in the stationary position from toppling backward when a person or object is sitting on the top wall and leaning against the handle in the extended position.

1 . Luggage having a stationary configuration and a wheeling configuration; the stationary configuration including a tilted sitting configuration; said luggage comprising: 
     a case including:
 a front; 
 a back; 
 a top including
 a top wall; 
 
 a bottom including:
 a bottom wall; and 
 
 side walls connecting said top wall and said bottom wall and suitably supporting said top wall spaced above said bottom wall for sitting upon by a user, including:
 a front wall on said front of said case; and 
 a back wall on said back of said case defining a backplane; 
 
 
     a front support on said case including:
 a contact portion for contacting the ground for supporting said case in the stationary position wherein said backplane is tilted backward from the vertical; 
 
     wheel means including:
 a contact portion for contacting the ground; said wheel means attached to said case and supporting said back of said case in the stationary position and wheelingly supporting said case in a wheeling position wherein said backplane is tilted backward from the stationary position such that said front support does not contact the ground, 
 
     a handle attached to said back wall to facilitate manipulation of said case by a user, including:
 an elongate portion having:
 a lower end; and 
 an upper end; and 
 
 a grip attached to said upper end; said handle movable between a lower, retracted position wherein said grip is proximal said case and a higher, extended position wherein said grip is above said top wall and said elongate portion is in the plane of said back wall; and 
 
     a brace assembly including:
 a brace including:
 an elongate portion including:
 a front portion pivotably attached to said case; and 
 a back portion including:
 a ground contact portion; said brace movable between a storage position wherein said brace is in said backplane and a sitting position wherein said elongate portion extends backward from said backplane and downward and said ground contact portion of said back portion contacts the ground for preventing said luggage in the stationary position from toppling backward when a person or object is sitting on said top wall and leaning against said handle in the extended position. 
 
 
 
 
   
   
       2 . The luggage of  claim 1  wherein:
 said back wall includes a recess wherein said brace assembly is disposed in the storage position.   
   
   
       3 . The luggage of  claim 1  wherein:
 said backplane is tilted back at least three degrees.   
   
   
       4 . The luggage of  claim 1  wherein:
 said backplane is tilted back at least ten degrees.   
   
   
       5 . The luggage of  claim 1  wherein:
 said brace assembly includes:
 restraining means for restraining said brace at the sitting position. 
   
   
   
       6 . The luggage of  claim 1  wherein:
 said front portion of said elongate portion of said brace includes:
 an upper portion having:
 a front end pivotably attached to said case; and 
 a back end; and 
 
   said back portion of said elongate portion of said brace includes:
 an upper end pivotably attached to said back end of said upper portion. 
   
   
   
       7 . The luggage of  claim 5  wherein:
 said back end of said upper portion of said front end of said elongate portion of said brace includes:
 a grip for moving said brace between the storage position and the sitting position. 
   
   
   
       8 . The luggage of  claim 1  wherein:
 said elongate portion comprises:
 a plurality of telescoping sections. 
   
   
   
       9 . The luggage of  claim 8  wherein:
 said brace assembly includes:
 restraining means for restraining said brace at the sitting position. 
   
   
   
       10 . The luggage of  claim 9  wherein:
 said restraining means comprises:
 a folding support comprising:
 a first member including:
 a front end pivotably connected to said case; and 
 a back end; and 
 
 a second member including:
 a front end pivotably connected to said back end of said first member: and 
 a back end pivotably connected to said elongate portion of said brace. 
 
 
   
   
   
       11 . The luggage of  claim 9  wherein:
 said restraining means comprises:
 a flexible tension member. 
   
   
   
       12 . Luggage having a stationary configuration and a wheeling configuration; the stationary configuration including a tilted sitting configuration; said luggage comprising: 
     a case including:
 a front; 
 a back; 
 a top, including:
 a top wall; 
 
 a bottom including:
 a bottom wall; and 
 
 side walls connecting said top wall and said bottom wall and suitably supporting said top wall spaced above said bottom wall for sitting upon by a user including:
 a front wall on said front of said case; and 
 a back wall on said back of said case defining a backplane; 
 
 
     a front support attached to said case including:
 a contact portion for contacting the ground for supporting said case in the stationary position wherein said backplane is tilted backward from the vertical; 
 
     wheel means including:
 a contact portion for contacting the ground; said wheel means attached to said case and supporting said back of said case in the stationary position and wheelingly supporting said case in a wheeling position wherein said backplane is tilted backward from the stationary position such that said front support does not contact the ground, 
 
     a handle attached to said back wall to facilitate manipulation of said case by a user including:
 an elongate portion having:
 a lower end; and 
 an upper end; and 
 
 a grip attached to said upper end; said handle movable between a lower, retracted position wherein said grip is proximal said case and a higher, extended position wherein said grip is above said top wall and said elongate portion is in said backplane; and 
 
     a brace assembly including:
 an elongate portion including:
 a front portion including:
 a deployment handle including;
 a front end pivotably attached to said case a midsection including: 
  a pivot point; and 
 a back end for gripping by a user; 
 
 
 a back portion including:
 a front end pivotably attached to said pivot point of said midsection of said deployment handle; 
 a midsection; and 
 a back end including:
 a ground contact portion; and 
 
 
 
 a strut including:
 a front end pivotably attached to said case; and 
 a back end pivotably attached to said midsection of said elongate portion; said brace assembly movable between a storage position, wherein said brace assembly is in said backplane; and said pivot point of said deployment handle is above said front end of said deployment handle, and a sitting position, wherein said pivot point of said deployment handle is below said front end, said elongate portion extends backward from said backplane and downward, and said ground contact portion of said back end contacts the ground for preventing said luggage in the stationary position from toppling backward when a person or object is sitting on said top wall and leaning against said handle in the extended position. 
 
 
   
   
       13 . The luggage of  claim 12  wherein:
 said back wall includes a recess wherein said brace assembly is disposed in the storage position.   
   
   
       14 . The luggage of  claim 12  wherein:
 said plane of said back wall is tilted back at least three degrees.   
   
   
       15 . The luggage of  claim 12  wherein:
 said plane of said back wall is tilted back at least ten degrees.   
   
   
       16 . The luggage of  claim 12  wherein:
 said brace assembly includes:
 restraining means for restraining said brace at the sitting position. 
   
   
   
       17 . The luggage of  claim 16  wherein:
 said restraining means includes a stop on said back end of said deployment handle.   
   
   
       18 . Luggage having a stationary configuration and a wheeling configuration; the stationary configuration including a titled sitting configuration; said luggage comprising: 
     a case including:
 a front; 
 a back; 
 a top including
 a top wall 
 
 a bottom including:
 a bottom wall and 
 
 side walls connecting said top wall and said bottom wall and suitably supporting said top wall spaced above said bottom wall for sitting upon by a user including:
 a front wall on said front of said case; and 
 a back wall on said back of said case defining a plane; 
 
 
     a front support attached to said case including:
 a contact portion for contacting the ground for supporting said case in the stationary position wherein said backplane is tilted backward from the vertical 
 
     wheel means including:
 a contact portion for contacting the ground; said wheel means attached to said case and supporting said back of said case in the stationary position and rolling supporting said case in a wheeling position wherein said backplane is tilted backward from the vertical and said front support does not contact the ground, 
 
     a handle attached to said back wall to facilitate manipulation of said case by a user including:
 an elongate portion having:
 a lower end; and 
 an upper end; and 
 
 a grip attached to said upper end; said handle movable between a lower, retracted position wherein said grip is proximal said case and a higher, extended position wherein said grip is above said top wall and said elongate portion is in the plane of said back wall; and 
 
     a brace assembly including:
 a brace including:
 an elongate portion including:
 a front end attached to said case; and 
 a back end including:
 a ground contact portion; said brace movable between a storage position wherein said brace is in said backplane and a sitting position wherein said elongate portion extends backward from said backplane and downward and said ground contact portion of said back end contacts the ground for preventing said luggage in the stationary position from toppling backward when a person or object is sitting on said top wall and leaning against said handle in the extended position. 
 
 
 
 
   
   
       19 . The luggage of  claim 18  wherein:
 said plane of said back wall is tilted back at least three degrees.   
   
   
       20 . The luggage of  claim 18  wherein:
 said plane of said back wall is tilted back at least ten degrees.