Feet for wheeled luggage

Abstract

Provided is a support structure on a bottom of wheeled luggage. The structure comprises a pair of front feet, and a pair of rear feet proximate wheels. All feet have the same height. The wheels are disposed above the supporting surface when the luggage is in a vertical position. Either rear foot is disposed between the wheels in one embodiment. One rear foot is disposed between one wheel mount and one front foot at one bottom side and the other rear foot is disposed between the other wheel mount and the other front foot at the other opposing bottom side in the other embodiment. The luggage is able to maintain its stability in a vertical position with the luggage being supported by the feet and the wheels being disposed above the supporting surface.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to bottom structure of wheeled luggage and more particularly to a wheeled luggage having a pair of front feet and a pair of rear feet proximate rear wheels in which in a vertical position of the luggage the wheels are above the supporting surface with the weight of the luggage being totally supported by the feet.

2. Description of Related Art

There have been numerous suggestions in prior patents with respect to the bottom structure of a piece of wheeled luggage. For example, such is shown in FIG. 1 of Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 313,779, entitled “Improved Handle for Wheeled Luggage” and FIGS. 1 and 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,406. Each patent discloses two feet fixedly formed on positions proximate two front corners of the bottom of luggage with two wheels rotatably mounted in two rear corners thereof. The luggage is supported by the feet and the wheels in a vertical position.

However, the prior patents suffered from several disadvantages. For example, (a) the upright luggage tends to fall in response to collision. In detail, the wheel is in a point contact with the supporting surface, resulting in a decrease of force supporting the luggage. It is also found that both wheels tend to wear after a short period of time of use. As such, the wheels and the feet may be not on a same plane parallel to the supporting surface which is assumed to be horizontal throughout the specification. In fact, the luggage tilts toward its rear (i.e., toward the wheels) in this case. As an end, such luggage tends to fall in its vertical position in response to colliding with a foreign object.

(b) It is difficult or even impossible for the luggage to stably stand on an inclined surface because the wheels tend to rotate.

(c) The wheels tend to malfunction after a short period of time of use since the wheels also serve to support the luggage in its vertical position. Thus, continuing improvements in feet for wheeled luggage are constantly being sought.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a support structure mounted on a bottom of a piece of wheeled luggage in which the luggage is able to maintain its vertical position in response to colliding with a foreign object.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a support structure mounted on a bottom of a piece of wheeled luggage in which the weight of the luggage is totally supported by the support structure and rear wheels are disposed above the supporting surface by a predetermined distance when the luggage is its vertical position so as to reduce wear of the wheels.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a support structure mounted on a bottom of a piece of wheeled luggage in which a person may sit on top of the luggage in its vertical position since a reliable support is carried out by the support structure.

To achieve the above and other objects, the present invention provides a support structure mounted on a bottom of a piece of luggage having two wheel mounts provided at two rear corners and two rear wheels each rotatably coupled to the corresponding wheel mount, the support structure comprising a pair of front feet provided on the bottom of the luggage proximate two front corners thereof; and a pair of rear feet provided on the bottom of the luggage proximate the wheels, wherein either front foot has the same height as either rear foot and the wheels are disposed above the supporting surface by a predetermined distance when the luggage is in a vertical position.

In one aspect of the present invention, either rear foot is disposed on a bottom of the wheel mount and is disposed between the wheels.

In another aspect of the present invention, one rear foot is disposed between one wheel mount and one front foot at a first bottom side and the other rear foot is disposed between the other wheel mount and the other front foot at a second bottom side opposing the first bottom side.

In a further aspect of the present invention, either rear foot is integrally formed with the corresponding wheel mount or releasably coupled thereto.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of feet mounted on a bottom of a piece of wheeled luggage according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the luggage in its vertical position with four feet resting on the supporting surface and two rear wheels disposed above the supporting surface;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 where the luggage is its tipped position with the feet lifted above the supporting surface and the wheels rotatably supported on the supporting surface;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of feet mounted on a bottom of a piece of wheeled luggage according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the luggage of FIG. 5 in its vertical position with four feet resting on the supporting surface and two rear wheels disposed above the supporting surface; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 where the luggage is its tipped position with the feet lifted above the supporting surface and the wheels rotatably supported on the supporting surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, there is shown a piece of wheeled luggage 20 incorporating characteristics in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention. The characteristics will be described in detailed below. Two wheel mounts 21 are provided at two rear corners on a bottom 200 of the luggage 20. A wheel 22 is rotatably coupled to either wheel mount 21. A pair of front feet 30 are provided on the bottom 200 proximate two front corners of the luggage 20. Also, a pair of rear feet 10 are provided on the bottom 200 in which each rear foot 10 is threadedly secured to a bottom 210 of the wheel mount 21 and is proximate an inner side of the wheel 22. In other words, the rear feet 10 are disposed between the wheels 22.

As shown in FIG. 3 specifically, either front foot 30 has the same height as either rear foot 10. Also, the wheels 22 are disposed above the supporting surface by a predetermined distance. As such, the weight of the luggage 20 is totally supported by the feet 10 and 30 when the luggage 20 is upright. This has the advantages of maintaining the vertical position of the luggage 20 in response to colliding with a foreign object (i.e., stable without tipping), and reducing wear of the wheels 22 (i.e., prolonging the useful life of the wheels).

As shown in FIG. 4 specifically, it is seen that the rear feet 10 do not cause interference with the rotation of the wheels 22 when the luggage 20 is being towed along the supporting surface. In other words, users do not have to pay additional attention to a piece of luggage incorporating a pair of rear feet 10 of the invention while towing.

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 7, there is shown a second preferred embodiment of the invention. The second preferred embodiment substantially has same structure as the first preferred embodiment. The differences between the first and the second preferred embodiments, i.e., the characteristics of the second preferred embodiment are detailed below. One of a pair of rear feet 10A is provided between one wheel mount 21 and one front foot 30A at the same bottom side (i.e., first bottom side) and the other one of the pair of rear feet 10A is provided between the other wheel mount 21 and the other front foot 30A at the same bottom side (i.e., second bottom side opposing the first bottom side). Moreover, either rear foot 10A is not coupled to the corresponding wheel mount 21. Operation and advantages of the second preferred embodiment is substantially the same as the first preferred embodiment. Thus, a detailed description thereof is omitted herein for the sake of brevity.

Note that either rear foot may be integrally formed with the corresponding wheel mount in other embodiments as contemplated by the invention.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A support structure mounted on a bottom of a piece of luggage having two wheel mounts disposed at two rear corners and two rear wheels each rotatably coupled to the corresponding wheel mount, the support structure comprising: a pair of front feet disposed on the bottom of the luggage proximate two front corners thereof; and a pair of rear feet disposed on the bottom of the luggage proximate the wheels, wherein either front foot has the same height as either rear foot and the wheels are disposed above the supporting surface by a predetermined distance when the luggage is in a vertical position.

2. The support structure of claim 1, wherein either rear foot is disposed on a bottom of the luggage between the corresponding wheel mount and the corresponding rear foot.

3. The support structure of claim 1, wherein either rear foot is disposed on a bottom of the wheel mount and is disposed between the wheels.

4. The support structure of claim 1, wherein one rear foot is disposed between one wheel mount and one front foot at a first bottom side and the other rear foot is disposed between the other wheel mount and the other front foot at a second bottom side opposing the first bottom side.

5. The support structure of claim 3, wherein either rear foot is integrally formed with the corresponding wheel mount or releasably coupled thereto.

6. The support structure of claim 4, wherein either rear foot is integrally formed with the corresponding wheel mount or releasably coupled thereto.