Information
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Patent Grant
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6338400
-
Patent Number
6,338,400
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Date Filed
Friday, October 20, 200024 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, January 15, 200223 years ago
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Inventors
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Original Assignees
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Examiners
- Elkins; Gary E.
- Ngo; Lien
Agents
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CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 016 1131
- 190 115
- 190 18 A
- 190 118
- 190 3 G
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International Classifications
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Abstract
A handle assembly with a protector for luggage, which is formed with a caved recess on the top of the luggage where the pulling-rod handle is positioned, and a notch defined above the cave recess. The protector of the handle assembly is characterized that both lateral sides of the notch respectively have a bottom end with leading edge for latching. A plurality of apertures is defined through the bottom portion of the notch. A flexible spring plate member is received within the notch, and two hooks are fixed on both sides thereof. An upper plate portion of the member is fixed with a plurality of posts, and each of the posts is circumambulated arround by a spring with the end of the spring retained on the bottom of the upper plate portion. In assembly, the hooks of the spring plate member are latchingly snapped with the associated leading edges of the notch, and the posts are inserted through the apertures of the notch.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a handle assembly with a protector for luggage, and particularly to a luggage with a recess for pulling rods, disposed with a flexible spring plate member having specific structure. While the handle is retractably stored therein, it can be avoided that the hand to operate the handle directly bumps against the top of the luggage or is clamped hurtfully under the handle. Therefore, it can get a safety operation for any user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As shown in
FIGS. 1 & 2
, a pulling-rod structure of a common conventional luggage is attached thereon with an upper retaining saddle (
2
) having an upper retaining platform (
1
) which are made of hard materials. While the user hold the handle in hand to press the rod down, the operating hand may directly bumps against the conjunction of the upper retaining platform (
1
) to be hurt or tightly clamped under the handle. Such disadvantage to safety operation should be resolved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed towards overcoming one or more of the above disadvantages.
An object of the present invention provides a handle assembly with a protector for luggage. Meanwhile, a recess defined above the luggage can accommodate a flexible spring plate member thereby avoiding the hand from bumping against the top of the luggage or being hurtfully clamped under the handle for safety operation.
A second object of the present invention provides a handle assembly with a protector for luggage. Meanwhile, the flexible spring plate member that is capable to rise/fall in follow of variation of external force for protecting the hand is made of a material partially identical/consistent with the top of the luggage in color. Thus, the entire luggage can appear in consistence of visional effect.
Another object of the present invention provides a handle assembly with a protector for luggage. Meanwhile, the flexible spring plate member is capable to relatively balance most of the applied forces acting on the handle which is touched by the user. Thus, it can really win safety operation.
To achieve the above objects, there is provided a handle assembly with a protector for luggage, which including: a notch formed on the top of the luggage, the notch having a bottom end with leading edges on both of lateral sides thereof; and a flexible spring plate member received within the notch, and two hooks are fixed on both sides thereof, and at least a spring retained in the bottom of an upper plate portion of the member with an end of the spring fixed on the bottom surface of the upper plate portion.
In assembly, the hooks of the flexible spring plate member are retentively snapped with the associated leading edges of the notch, and the spring is disposed between the bottom of the upper plate portion of the flexible spring plate member and the bottom of the notch.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
These and other objects of the present invention will be readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description and attached drawing, wherein:
FIG. 1
is an assembled perspective view showing a conventional luggage with pulling rods;
FIG. 2
is an active schema showing the pulling-rod handle of the luggage of FIG.
1
. is received therein;
a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3
is an exploded perspective view showing a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 4
is an enlarged bottom view showing the flexible spring plate member of
FIG.3
; and,
FIGS. 5A & 5B
are successive-active scheme showing the flexible spring plate member is progressively stored therein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Firstly referring to
FIGS. 3 & 4
, a handle assembly with a protector for luggage, includes a cave recess
31
defined above the luggage with a pulling rod
11
thereby accommodating a handle
12
of which the pulling rod
11
is retracted back. The recess
31
further has a notch
32
defined upward, and a bottom end
33
with leading edge
34
formed respectively on both lateral sides of the notch
32
for locking with a hook
203
formed with a flexible spring plate member
20
as soon as flexibly recovering. Therefore, the flexible spring plate member
20
will be not broken away because of the flexible recovery of a spring (detailed later). At least one circular aperture
301
is defined through the bottom wall of the notch
32
(See
FIGS. 5A & 5B
) for receiving therein a short post
201
extended from the member
20
as soon as being compressed. The flexible spring plate member
20
is located within the notch
32
and forms a hook
203
on both sides thereof. Although the hooks
203
each are shaped with a reversal triangle contour in the preferred embodiment according to the present invention, any practicable design on the shapes of both the bottom ends and the hooks, which functions in latch and separation therebetween, is not excluded. An upper plate portion
205
is fixed with at least a short post
201
which a spring
202
circumambulates around. An end of the spring
202
is attached at the bottom of the upper plate portion
205
. In assembly, The hooks
203
of the flexible spring plate member
20
are retentively snapped with bottom ends
33
of the notch
32
. Then, each of the short posts
201
is inserted respectively into the corresponding circular aperture
301
defined downward of the notch
32
. Thus, the flexible spring plate member
20
retractably falls down to balance most of applied forces thereby avoiding danger of clamping the hand hurtfully as soon as the pulling rod
11
is retracted by applying an external force on the handle
12
for accommodation of the handle
12
.
As shown in
FIGS. 5A & 5B
, to store the handle
12
therein, a hand of a user holds the handle
12
to press it down until the hand touches the flexible spring plate member
20
located above the recess
31
. The springs
202
attached under the member
20
still are compressed and therefore the posts
201
are deepened into the circular apertures
301
. The entire member
20
falls downward in at least a specific distance H. As functioning as a buffer, the member
20
does not only advantageously balance most of the applied forces but the hand also can be contracted at appropriate time thereby avoiding conflict on the top of the luggage or the problem of clamping under the handle. Therefore, it is useful to reach a safety operation in accommodating the handle.
Furthermore, the flexible spring plate member
20
is made of a material identical to the top of the luggage in color. Thus, the entire luggage can appear in consistence of visional effect and is not uncomfortable in vision.
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. Thus, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described above.
Claims
- 1. A handle assembly with a protector for luggage, the assembly including:a notch formed on the top of the luggage, the notch having a bottom end with leading edges on both of lateral sides thereof; and a flexible spring plate member received within the notch, and having two hooks fixed on the both lateral sides thereof, and at least a spring retained in the bottom of an upper plate portion of the member with an end of the spring fixed on the bottom surface of the upper plate portion; in assembly, the hooks of the flexible spring plate member are retentively snapped with the associated leading edges of the notch, and the spring is disposed between the bottom of the upper plate portion of the flexible spring plate member and the bottom of the notch.
- 2. The handle assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the bottom of the notch is defined through with at least a circular aperture, and the upper plate portion of the flexible spring plate member is fixed with at least a post which is capable to insert through the associated aperture, and the spring circumambulates around the post.
- 3. The handle assembly as described in claim 1, wherein a recess including the notch is defined on the top of the luggage.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
6148478 |
Kuwayama |
Nov 2000 |
A |
6247203 |
Kuo |
Jun 2001 |
B1 |