Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6405842
-
Patent Number
6,405,842
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, January 24, 200124 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, June 18, 200222 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
- Browdy and Neimark, P.L.L.C.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 190 18 R
- 190 18 A
- 280 47315
- 280 47371
- 280 37
- 280 655
- 280 652
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
An extendable aid standing for a luggage comprises a main member, fixed at the bottom end of a luggage. Two rotated members, having two helical guiding slots, pivoted at the lateral ends of the main member for turning between a collapsed position and an extended position. Two pressed members received in two coupled bushings respectively and with two pins insert into the corresponded the pressed members and the coupled bushings. Two elastic means received in the coupled bushings respectively, with one end against at the coupled bushing and the other end against at the pressed member. The coupled bushing, with the pressed members and the elastic means, received in the bottom end of the main member, and let the two ends of the pin received in the guiding slots of the rotated member respectively. The pressed can shift between an unpressed position and a pressed position, by the mean time of shifting, the rotated members are driven to turn to the collapsed position and the extended position to prevent tipped the luggage forwards.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is generally relative to a luggage, and more particularly to an automatic extending and collapsing aid standing for a luggage.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the field of conventional luggage, there is a kind of design of luggage, which can expense the volume of the luggage. After expensing the luggage, or putting an extra article on the luggage, the location of the center of gravity of-the luggage will different from the location of the original design, which cause the possibility of tipping the luggage forwards. Conventional solution for above problem is provided an extendable aid standing at the bottom end of the luggage. Please refer to
FIG. 1
, the luggage
80
provided a standing seat
81
at the front side of the bottom end of the luggage
80
. An expandable aid standing
82
pivoted at the seat
81
, which can pull out and push into the seat
81
by hand. If there is a dangerous of tipping the luggage
80
forwards, user can pull out the aid standing
82
by hand for increasing the distance between the standing
82
and the wheels
83
of the luggage
80
, i.e. increasing the area for supporting the luggage
80
, to prevent tipping the luggage
80
forwards. The structure of above aid standing
82
is operated by hand which provided an inconvenient using solution to users.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an extendable aid standing which can automatic extending the aid standing while there is a dangerous of tipping the luggage forwards.
In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing objective of present invention is attained an expandable aid standing, which comprises a main member, fixing at the bottom end of a luggage; a rotated member, which with on end pivoted at the main member for turning within a predetermined range; a pressed member, which with one end pivoted at the bottom end of the main member for moving inwards to or outwards from the main member, and when the pressed member moved, it will drive the rotated member to turn; and a elastic means, which with one end against at the main member, the other end against at the pressed member, whereby actuating the presses member to move outwards from the main member for driving the rotated member to turn inwards to the luggage; and while a pressure exerted on the pressed to overcome the elastic means, the pressed member will move inwards to the main member and drives the rotated to rotate an angle to orient to the front side of the luggage for preventing tipping.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a schematic view of a prior art extendable aid standing of a luggage.
FIG. 2
is an exploded view of the present invention.
FIG. 3
is a perspective view of the present invention (in collapsed state).
FIG. 4
is a perspective view of the present invention (in extended state).
FIG. 5
is a sectional view of the present invention, showing the detail structure of the pin and the guiding slot.
FIG. 6
is a sectional view of the present invention, showing how the pressed member actuated the rotated member to the collapsed position.
FIG. 7
is a sectional view of the present invention, showing how the pressed member actuated the rotated member to the extended position.
FIG. 8
is a schematic view of a luggage with the present invention, showing the activation of the rotated member when the luggage at the normal state.
FIG. 9
is a schematic view of a luggage with the present invention, showing the activation of the rotated member when the luggage possibly tipping forwards.
FIG. 10
is a sectional view of the present invention, showing the rotated member is locked by the interference of the rib and the locking rib.
DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As shown in
FIG. 2
to
4
, a extendable aid standing embodied in the present invention is comprising a main member
10
, two rotated members
20
, two pressed members
30
, two coupled bushings
40
, two elastic means
50
and two mounts
60
; wherein
The main member
10
is made by plastic and elongated in transverse direction. Two receiving pieces
11
provided at the top and bottom side of the two transverse ends of the main member
10
respectively. Each of the receiving pieces
11
has a hole
12
and a teeth potion
121
at the inner surface of each hole
12
of the receiving pieces
11
. Two locking ribs
13
provided at close to the two ends of the main member
10
and between the two receiving pieces
11
on the same side respectively. Two posts
14
provided at the top end of the main member
10
.
Each of the rotated members
20
has a pivoted potion
21
and a arm
25
. The pivoted potions
21
of the rotated members
20
each is a cylinder with a receiving hole
22
. The pivoted potion
21
of each rotated members
20
has a rib
23
on the outer surface and has two helical guiding slots
24
on the inner surface of the receiving hole
22
. The arm
25
with one end connected at the pivoted potions
21
of the rotated members
20
respectively, and elongated outwards and downwards. The rotated members
20
pivoted at the two ends of the main member
10
with the pivoted potion
21
of each rotated member
20
received in between the receiving piece
11
on the same side respectively. The receiving holes
22
of the rotated members
20
corresponding to the holes
12
of the two receiving pieces
11
on the same side of the main member
10
respectively. Thus, the two rotated members
20
can rotate at a predetermined range.
Each of the pressed members
30
has a bottom potion
301
, which has a larger diameter, and a cylinder potion
302
, which fixed at the top end of the bottom potion
301
and has a smaller diameter. Each cylinder potions
302
of the pressed members
30
has a hole
31
along diametric direction. A bar
32
with two ends connected to the bottom potions
301
of the pressed members
30
to let the two. pressed members
30
as a unit.
The coupled bushings
40
are opening at the bottoms and have a screw hole
42
at top end. Two guiding holes
41
disposed at the opposite sides of the coupled bushings
40
elongated along the axial of the coupled bushings
40
respectively. The cylinder potions
302
of the pressed members
30
received in the coupled bushings
40
, and the holes
31
of the pressed members
30
are corresponding to the guiding holes
41
of the coupled bushings
40
respectively. Two pin
34
inserted into the holes
31
of the pressed members
30
and the guiding holes
41
of the coupled bushings
40
respectively, whereby the pressed members
30
can displace along the guiding holes
41
of the coupled bushings
40
.
The elastic means
50
are two springs in the embodiment of present invention. The elastic means
50
received in the coupled bushings
40
, and with one end against at the coupled bushings
40
, the other end against at the cylinder potions
302
of the pressed members
30
respectively. Then the coupled bushings
40
inserted into the holes
12
of the receiving pieces
11
of the main member
10
and the receiving holes
22
of the rotated members
20
respectively. The coupled bushings
40
and the teeth potions
121
of the holes
12
are transition fit or interference fit for fixing the coupled bushings
40
in the main member
10
initially to prevent rotation. Please refer to
FIG. 5
, the pins
34
received in the guiding slots
24
of the rotated members
20
, whereby the rotated members
30
can be driven to rotate when the pressed members
30
displaced.
Finally, disposed the mounts
60
at the inner side of the bottom end of a luggage
90
, the rest elements of the present invention disposed at the predetermined location on the outer side of the bottom end of a luggage
90
. Four screws (not shown in FIG) coupled the mounts
60
to the posts
14
of the main member
10
and the screw holes
42
of the coupled bushings
40
respectively, to fix all the elements of present invention at the bottom end of the luggage
90
.
Now please refer to
FIG. 3 and 6
. Initially, the two pressed members
30
of present invention are actuated by the elastic means
50
to position at a unpressed position, in which the pins
34
are closed to the bottom end of the guiding holes
41
of the coupled bushings
40
and corresponding to the bottom end of the guiding slots
24
of the rotated members
20
. At this time, the rotated members
20
positioned at collapsed positions, in which the arms
25
of the rotated members
20
oriented to each other.
And then, please refer to
FIGS. 4 and 7
. When a pressure exerted on the pressed members
30
to overcome the spring force of the elastic means
50
, the pressed members
30
will move to pressed positions, in which the pins
34
are closed to the top end of the guiding holes
41
of the coupled bushings
40
and corresponding to the top end of the guiding slots
24
of the rotated members
20
. At the journey of the pressed members
30
moved from the unpressed position to the pressed position, the rotated members
20
will be driven by the activation of the pins
34
and the guiding slots
24
of the rotated members
20
to turn from the collapsed positions to extended positions, in which the arms
25
of the rotated members
20
oriented to the front side of the luggage. When the pressure vanished or under a specific value, the elastic means
50
will push the pressed members
30
to shift from the pressed positions to unpressed positions, and drove the rotated members
30
to turn back to the collapsed positions as shown in
FIGS. 3 and 6
.
Please refer to
FIG. 8
, when the luggage
90
operated as normal use, which means the luggage
90
would not tip forwards. At this moment, the pressure exerted on the pressed members
30
will not compress the elastic means
50
, the pressed members
30
still positioned at the unpressed positions, and the rotated members
20
positioned at collapsed positions. If putting the luggage
90
on the ground, the wheels
91
and the bottom potions
302
of the pressed members
30
will support the luggage
90
stand on the ground. Although the distance (d
c
) between the wheels
91
and the pressed members
30
is shorter, i.e., the area for supporting the luggage
90
is smaller. But the luggage
90
will not tip forwards because of the center of the gravity of the luggage
90
located at the predetermined range of the original design.
If expensing the volume of the luggage
90
or putting extra articles on the luggage
90
, to cause the center of gravity of the luggage
90
shift to the front side of the luggage
90
. That will put the luggage
90
in the dangerous of tipping forwards. At this case, the pressure exerted on the pressed members
30
will overcome the elastic means
50
to cause the pressed members
30
shift to the pressed positions and the rotated members
20
are driven to rotate to the extended positions. Please refer to
FIG. 9
, now the luggage
90
is supported by the wheels
91
and the outer ends of the arms
25
of the rotated members
20
. The distance (d
e
) between the wheels
91
and the outer ends of the arms
25
of the rotated members
20
is enlarged, which cause the area for supporting the luggage
90
increased to prevent tipping the luggage
90
forwards.
If the user is pulling the luggage, in which the pressed members
30
lost the touch with the ground, or the center of gravity of the luggage
90
shift back to normal range, in which the pressure exerted on the pressed members
30
decreased, to cause the luggage
90
will not tip forwards. The elastic means
50
will push the pressed members
30
to the unpressed positions and the rotated members
20
are driven to rotate back to the collapsed positions. Which means, the extendable aid standing of the present invention can detect the distribution of the gravity of the luggage
90
to automatic extend when the luggage
90
is in the dangerous of tipping forwards and to automatic collapse when the dangerous vanished.
An important thing we must describe here, the engagement of the pins
34
of the pressed members
30
and the guiding slots
24
of the rotated members
20
is a mechanism for turning the rotated members
20
between the extended position and the collapsed position when the pressed members
30
displacing between the pressed position and the unpressed position. It is not the only one mechanism to achieve such function. Such as, two engaged bevel surface, a slider engaged on a bevel surface, a slider engaged in a guiding slot (hole), a roller engaged in a guiding slot (hole) or the engagement of a worm gear and a rack etc., which are the variety types of the mechanism to make one element displaced straight to drive another element rotated.
Another specificity will be mentioned hereunder. In some case, we do not want the rotated members
20
extended, such as the luggage is put in the cabin of a truck or an aircraft, the rotated members
20
of the present invention will extend by vibration. At that moment, the luggage will not tip forwards but the extended rotated members
20
will possibly be damaged by unexpected impact or the elastic means will fatigue because of the rotated members
20
continuous extended and collapsed by vibration. The solution for above problem in present invention, we provided the locking ribs
13
and the ribs
23
as described above. When the user didn't want the rotated members
20
extended, he/she can turn the rotated members
20
more inwards to let the ribs
23
of the rotated members
20
shift to the back sides of the locking ribs
13
of the main member
10
. Because of the interference of the ribs
23
of the rotated members
20
and the locking ribs
13
of the main member
10
, the rotated members
20
is locked and cannot rotate to the extended positions. To release the locking status, user can pull the rotated members outwards, or the pressure exerted on the pressed members
30
exceeded a predetermined value, the ribs
23
of the rotated members
20
will move to the front sides of the locking ribs
13
of the main member
10
. After that, the rotated members
20
can turn again to the extended position and collapsed position as described above.
For the interference of the locking ribs
13
and the ribs
23
to lock the rotated members
20
is one of the variety choices of the locking structure. It's easy to be understood, the location and the locking type of the means for locking the rotated members
20
will not limit only in the specification of the present invention described.
Summarizing the features of the extendable aid standing of the present invention, which can detect the distribution of the gravity of the luggage, when there is a dangerous of tipped the luggage forwards, the rotated members of the aid standing will extend automatically to prevent the luggage tipped forwards, and when the dangerous disappeared, the rotated members of the aid standing will collapse automatically.
While only one embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that various modifications and changes could be made thereunto without departing the spirit and scope of the invention disclosed.
Claims
- 1. An extendable aid standing for a luggage, comprising:a main member adapted to be fixed to a bottom of a luggage; at least one rotated member having an elongated arm; said rotated member pivotable on said main member so that said rotated member can rotate between a collapsed position, in which said arm of said rotated member is adapted to be oriented to a front side of the luggage, and a extended position, in which said arm of said rotated member is adapted to be oriented to a lateral side of the luggage; at least one pressed member engaged on a bottom of said main member, wherein said pressed member can displace between a unpressed position, in which said pressed member has been moved outwards from said main member, and a pressed position, in which said pressed member has moved inwards to said main member; means for driving said rotated member to turn to the collapsed position and the extended position when said pressed member is moved to the unpressed position and the pressed position; and at least one elastic means which has a first end engaged against said main member and a second end engaged against said pressed member to force said pressed member to the unpressed position; wherein when a pressure with a predetermined value is exerted on said pressed member to overcome said elastic means, said pressed member will move to the pressed position and drive said rotated member to turn to the extended position; and wherein when the pressure is smaller than the predetermined value, said elastic means will force said pressed member to move to the unpressed position and said rotated member will be driven to turn to the collapsed position.
- 2. The extendable aid standing as defined in claim 1, further comprising at least one coupled bushing, which is mounted on said main member; and wherein one end of said pressed member is received in said coupled bushing for displacing vertically at a predetermined limited distance.
- 3. The extendable aid standing as defined in claim 2, wherein said coupled bushing has two elongated guiding holes and said pressed member has a hole corresponding to said guiding holes of said coupled bushing; wherein a pin is inserted into said guiding holes of said coupled bushing and said hole of said pressed member; and wherein said rotated member has two helical guiding slots and wherein ends of said pin are respectively received in said guiding slots.
- 4. The extendable aid standing as defined in claim 2, wherein said elastic means is a spring, which is received in said coupled bushing with the first end against said coupled bushing, the second end against said pressed member.
- 5. The extendable aid standing as defined in claim 2, wherein said main member has two receiving pieces at a lateral end, each of said receiving pieces having a hole and said rotated member having a pivoting portion which has a receiving hole; said guiding slots being provided at an inner surface of said receiving hole of said rotated member; said pivoting portion of said rotated member received in said rotated member between said receiving pieces for free rotation; said coupled bushing received in said holes of said receiving pieces of said main member and said receiving hole of said rotated member.
- 6. The extendable aid standing as defined in claim 5, wherein the inner surface of said holes of said receiving pieces of said main member have respective teeth portions.
- 7. The extendable aid standing as defined in claim 1, further comprising at least one mount adapted to be disposed at an inner side of the bottom of the luggage; at least one screw coupled to said main member and said mount for fixing said main member at an outer side of the bottom of the luggage.
- 8. The extendable aid standing as defined in claim 2, further comprising at least one mount adapted to be disposed at an inner side of the bottom end of the luggage; at least one screw coupled to said main member and said mount and at least one screw coupled said coupled bushing and,said mount for fixing said main member at an outer side of the bottom end of the luggage.
- 9. The extendable aid standing as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotated member has at least one rib; said main member has at least one locking rib corresponding to said rib of said rotated member, wherein said rotated member is locked by the interference of said rib of said rotated member and said locking rib of said main member.
- 10. The extendable aid standing as defined in claim 1, further comprising two of each of said rotated member, said pressed and said elastic means; wherein said rotated members pivot at two lateral ends of said main member and the extended positions of said rotated member are said arms of said rotated members generally adapted to be oriented to the front side of the luggage, and the extended positions of said rotated members are said arms of said rotated members generally oriented to each other.
- 11. The extendable aid standing as defined in claim 10, further comprising a bar having ends connected respectively to said pressed members.
US Referenced Citations (10)