Information
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Patent Grant
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6434790
-
Patent Number
6,434,790
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Date Filed
Monday, August 7, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, August 20, 200222 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
- Knight; Anthony
- Hutton; Doug
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 016 1131
- 016 429
- 016 405
- 016 430
- 016 410
- 016 411
- 190 39
- 190 115
- 190 18 A
- 190 18 R
- 190 117
- 280 6551
- 280 655
- 280 47371
- 280 4717
- 403 164
- 403 165
- 403 258
- 403 260
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International Classifications
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Abstract
A luggage pull rod is formed of an outer tube and an inner tube slidably fitted into the outer tube such that the top end of the outer tube and the bottom end of the inner tube are connected by a buffer member capable of absorbing shock. The pull rod is provided with a hand grip which is pivotally fastened to the top end of the inner tube.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a luggage, and more particularly to a pull rod for the luggage.
2. Description of Related Art
The conventional luggage pull rod is generally expandable and is formed of an outer tube and an inner tube which is telescopically fastened to the outer tube such that the inner tube can be adjustably pulled out of the outer tube as desired. The conventional luggage pull rod is defective in design because it is not provided with an adequate rigidity to protect the pull rod against the deformity caused by the weight of the articles contained in the luggage at the time when the luggage is moved on the surface by the user's had supporting pull rod of the luggage. In addition, the conventional luggage pull rod has a grip which is fixed and cannot be adjusted to allow the hand to hold it with ease and comfort.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a luggage pull rod which is free from the drawbacks of the conventional luggage pull rod described above.
In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by a luggage pull rod comprising an outer tube, an inner tube, a buffer member, a grip, and a pivoting member. The inner tube is fastened telescopically to the outer tube such that the top end of the outer tube and the bottom end of the inner tube are provided with the buffer member. The grip is adjustably fastened to the top end of the inner tube by the pivoting member.
The foregoing objective, features, functions, and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
shows a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the rent invention.
FIG. 2
shows an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3
shows a longitudinal sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in combination.
FIG. 4
shows a schematic view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention at work.
FIG. 5
shows a side schematic view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention at work.
FIG. 6
shows a top schematic view of the grip of the present invention at work.
FIG. 7
shows a side schematic view of the grip of the preferred embodiment of the present invention at work.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As shown in
FIGS. 1-4
, an expandable pull rod
20
of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is fastened internally or externally to a piece of luggage
1
and is formed of an outer tube
21
and an inner tube
22
which is slidably received in the outer tube
21
. The top end of the outer tube
21
and the bottom end of the inner tube
22
are jointly provided with a buffer member
40
.
The buffer member
40
has a predetermined length and is made of an elastic material. The buffer member
40
has a lower segment which is fitted into the outer tube
21
, and an upper segment which is fitted into the inner tube
22
. The buffer member
40
further has a midsegment which is provided in the outer wall thereof with a buffer area
41
. The buffer area
41
is formed of a plurality of parallel ridges
401
and grooves
402
. The upper segment of the buffer member
40
juts out of the top end of the outer tube
21
to fasten to the bottom end of the inner tube
22
. As the inner tube
22
is pulled out of the outer tube
21
, a stop edge
403
of the lower end of the buffer member
40
is retained in a retaining portion
23
located in the interior of the top end of the outer tube
21
. In the meantime, the buffer area
41
of the buffer member
40
is visibly located between the top end of the outer tube
21
and the bottom end of the inner tube
22
.
The inner tube
22
is provided at the top end with a hand grip
30
fastened pivotally thereto by a pivoting member
50
, which is formed of a shaft rod
51
and a connection sleeve
52
.
The shaft rod
51
has an enlarged top end
511
, which is securely received in a T-shaped hole
301
of the hand grip
30
. The shaft rod
51
is provided in the outer wall in the proximity of the bottom end thereof with a retaining groove
512
.
The connection sleeve
52
is provided with a longitudinal through hole
521
dimensioned to receive the shaft rod
51
such that the bottom end of the shaft rod
51
juts out of the connection sleeve
52
. A C-shaped retainer
53
is securely disposed in the retaining groove
512
of the shaft rod
51
. The bottom end of the connection sleeve
52
is inserted into the top end of the outer tube
22
.
As illustrated in
FIGS. 4-7
, when the inner tube
22
is fully pulled out of the outer tube
21
to facilitate the moving of the luggage
1
on the surface, the pull rod
20
of the present invention is not susceptible to damage or deformation caused by the weight of the articles which are contained in the luggage, because of the buffer member
40
. The buffer area
41
of the buffer member
40
is capable of absorbing shock to prolong the service longevity of the pull rod
20
of the present invention. In addition, the hand grip
30
of the present invention can be swiveled to allow a maximum maneuverability of the hand held grip
30
.
The embodiment of the present invention described above is to be regarded in all respects as being merely illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without deviating from the spirit thereof. The present invention is therefore to be limited only by the scopes of the following appended claims.
Claims
- 1. A luggage pull rod assembly comprising:an outer tube; an inner tube slidably fitted into said outer tube; a buffer member connecting a top end of said outer tube and a bottom end of said inner tube, said buffer member being of an elastic material, said buffer member having a lower segment and an upper segment and a midsegment located between said lower segment and said upper segment, said midsegment having a buffer area formed of a plurality of parallel ridges and a plurality of grooves respectively interposed between adjacent ridges of said plurality of parallel ridges, said lower segment fitted within said outer tube, said upper segment fitted into said inner tube, said buffer area being visibly positionable between said top end of said outer lube and said bottom end of said inner tube, said lower segment having a stop edge abutting a retaining portion in an interior of said top end of said outer tube when said inner tube is pulled fully outwardly of said outer tube; and a hand grip pivotally fastened with a pivoting member to a top end of said inner tube, said pivoting member comprising: a shaft rod having an enlarged top end, said enlarged top end retained in a T-shaped hole in said hand grip, said shaft rod having a retaining groove formed at a bottom end thereof; a connection sleeve having a longitudinal through hole dimensioned to receive said shaft rod therethrough, said bottom end of said shaft rod extending outwardly of said connection sleeve; and a C-shaped retainer disposed in said retaining groove of said shaft rod.
US Referenced Citations (14)