Luggage case with bi-directional handle for pulling case and for raising height of case

Abstract

A luggage case includes a frame member disposed on a rail system on the back of the luggage case. The frame member is movable between three positions, including a raised position, a storage position, and a lowered position. The frame member includes a latch system that engages latch features on the luggage case or rail system to releaseably retain the frame member in any of those three positions. In the storage position the frame member is not extended. In the raised position the frame member is extended above the top of the luggage case and acts as a handle to pull/push the luggage case on wheels on the bottom of the luggage case. In the lowered position the frame member is extended down below the bottom of the luggage case to hold the luggage case in an elevated position where it can be leaned against a support.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A luggage case, comprising:
 a body having a back, a top, and a bottom, the back having an upper latch engagement and a lower latch engagement;   a rail system disposed on the back of the body;   a bi-directional handle slidably retained by the rail system so as to allow the bi-directional handle to move up and down along the back of the body while retained by the rail system; and   a latch system disposed on the bi-directional handle configured to selectively engage at least one of the upper latch engagement or the lower latch engagement when the bi-directional handle is positioned in a raised position, a storage position, or an elevation position by moving the bi-directional handle along the rail system into the raised position, storage position, or lowered position.   
     
     
         2 . The luggage case of  claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises a main body portion on which the bi-direction handle and rail system are disposed, and having at least two articulating front portions, each front portion hingeably joined to the main body portion at a respective joint about which each of the at least two articulating front portions pivot to open and close with respect to the main body portion. 
     
     
         3 . The luggage case of  claim 2 , wherein the at least two articulating front portions comprise a left front portion and a right front portion, the left front portion being hingeably joined to the main body portion at left side of the main body portion, and the right front portion being hingeably joined to the main body portion at a right side of the main body portion. 
     
     
         4 . The luggage case of  claim 2 , wherein the at least two articulating front portions includes at least one bottom front portion that is hingeably joined at a bottom of the main body portion. 
     
     
         5 . The luggage case of  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of elastic bands disposed across a front of at least one of the main body portion or the at least two articulating front body portions. 
     
     
         6 . The luggage case of  claim 5 , further comprising a shelf disposed in an interior of the at least one of the main body portion or at least one of the at least two articulating front body portions. 
     
     
         7 . The luggage case of  claim 2 , further comprising an extended shelf mounted in the main body portion that is moveable between a raised and a lowered position, and which is sized such that when in the lowered position the extended shelf extends outward from an interior of the main body portion beyond the interior of the main body portion. 
     
     
         8 . The luggage case of  claim 1 , further comprising an upper stop and a lower stop disposed on the back of the body, the upper stop having at least one upper projection that projects from the upper stop, the lower stop having at least one lower projection that projects from the lower stop, wherein the at least one upper projection and at least one lower projection are offset, vertically, from each other;
 wherein the at least one lower projection engages a top cross member of the bi-directional handle to prevent the bi-directional handle from moving past the elevation position when the bi-directional handle is moved downwards relative to the back of the body, and wherein the top cross member has at least one recess corresponding to the at least one upper projection configured to allow the top cross member to move past the upper stop upon the bi-directional handle being moved downwards from the storage position; and   wherein the at least one upper projection engages a lower cross member of the bi-directional handle to prevent the bi-directional handle from moving past the raised position when the bi-directional handle is moved upwards relative to the back of the body, and wherein the lower cross member has at least one recess corresponding to the at least one lower projection that is configured to allow the lower cross member to move past the lower stop upon the bi-directional handle being moved upwards from the storage position.   
     
     
         9 . The luggage case of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pair of rear wheels disposed on a bottom of the body proximate to the back of the body, with one of the pair of rear wheels at each of two rear corners of the bottom of the body, with each wheel of the pair of rear wheels being aligned in a direction from front to back of the body; and   a pair of front wheels disposed in the bottom of the body, one each at each of two front corners of the bottom of the body, wherein each of the pair of front wheel are aligned perpendicular to the rear wheels.   
     
     
         10 . An elevating travel luggage case, comprising:
 a body; and   a bi-directional handle mounted on a back of the body and moveable between a raised position, a storage position, and a lowered position, wherein in the raised position a portion of the bi-directional handle extends up over a top of the body, and in the lowered position a portion of the bi-directional handle extends down below a bottom of the body and is configured to be releaseably retained when in the lowered position.   
     
     
         11 . The elevating travel luggage case of  claim 10 , wherein the bi-directional handle is further configured to be releaseably retained in the storage position when in the storage position, and further configured to be releaseably retained in the raised position when moved to the raised position. 
     
     
         12 . The elevating travel luggage case of  claim 10 , wherein the body further comprises a main body portion on which the bi-direction handle and rail system are disposed, and having at least two articulating front portions, each front portion hingeably joined to the main body portion at a respective joint about which each of the at least two articulating front portions pivot to open and close with respect to the main body portion. 
     
     
         13 . The elevating travel luggage case of  claim 12 , wherein the at least two articulating front portions comprise a left front portion and a right front portion, the left front portion being hingeably joined to the main body portion at left side of the main body portion, and the right front portion being hingeably joined to the main body portion at a right side of the main body portion. 
     
     
         14 . The elevating travel luggage case of  claim 12 , wherein the at least two articulating front portions includes at least one bottom front portion that is hingeably joined at a bottom of the main body portion. 
     
     
         15 . The elevating travel luggage case of  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of elastic bands disposed across a front of at least one of the main body portion or the at least two articulating front body portions. 
     
     
         16 . The elevating travel luggage case of  claim 15 , further comprising a shelf disposed in an interior of the at least one of the main body portion or at least one of the at least two articulating front body portions. 
     
     
         17 . The elevating travel luggage case of  claim 12 , further comprising an extended shelf mounted in the main body portion that is moveable between a raised and a lowered position, and which is sized such that when in the lowered position the extended shelf extends outward from an interior of the main body portion beyond the interior of the main body portion. 
     
     
         18 . The elevating travel luggage case of  claim 10 , further comprising an upper stop and a lower stop disposed on the back of the body, the upper stop having at least one upper projection that projects from the upper stop, the lower stop having at least one lower projection that projects from the lower stop, wherein the at least one upper projection and at least one lower projection are offset, vertically, from each other;
 wherein the at least one lower projection engages a top cross member of the bi-directional handle to prevent the bi-directional handle from moving past the elevated position when the bi-directional handle is moved downwards relative to the back of the body, and wherein the top cross member has at least one recess corresponding to the at least one upper projection configured to allow the top cross member to move past the upper stop upon the bi-directional handle being moved downwards from a storage position; and   wherein the at least one upper projection engages a lower cross member of the bi-directional handle to prevent the bi-directional handle from moving past the raised position when the bi-directional handle is moved upwards relative to the back of the body, and wherein the lower cross member has at least one recess corresponding to the at least one lower projection that is configured to allow the lower cross member to move past the lower stop upon the bi-directional handle being moved upwards from the storage position.   
     
     
         19 . The elevating travel luggage case of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a pair of rear wheels disposed on a bottom of the body proximate to the back of the body, with one of the pair of rear wheels at each of two rear corners of the bottom of the body, with each wheel of the pair of rear wheels being aligned in a direction from front to back of the body; and   a pair of front wheels disposed in the bottom of the body, one each at each of two front corners of the bottom of the body, wherein each of the pair of front wheel are aligned perpendicular to the rear wheels.