GB2297967A - Suitcase tether - Google Patents

Abstract

A suitcase (1) comprises a top (2), a bottom (3), side (4 and 5) and end (6 and 7) walls wherein three or more wheels (8 and 9) are provided on the bottom wall and a tether (18) is provided on an end wall, the tether located at least half way down the end wall of the suitcase. The tether comprises a flexible strap and means are provided to retract the tether within the suitcase comprising a spindle (20) onto which the tether is wound, the spindle provided with torsional spring (29) to retract the tether.

Description

SUITCASE TETHER The present application relates to a tether for a wheeled suitcase case.

With the advent of larger and heavier suitcases, the difficulty in lifting and carrying such suitcases has increased. As a consequence, large suitcases are often provided with two or more wheels and a pulling handle so that the suitcase may be pulled rather than carried.

Typically, a suitcase is provided with a wheel near each of the four corners of its base and a simple strap or dog- lead" near the top of one of the end walls of the suitcase.

Such an arrangement, however, affords only minimal control over the direction in which the suitcase moves and, in particular over uneven ground, control of the suitcase can be lost often resulting in the suitcase colliding with other objects or people, or overturning of the suitcase.

A further disadvantage of a conventional strap is that when not in use it will hang free from the suitcase and is liable to snag on other objects or to be torn off.

According to the present invention there is provided a suitcase comprising a top, a bottom, side and end walls wherein three or more wheels are provided on the bottom wall and a tether is provided on an end wall, the tether located at least half way down the end wall of the suitcase.

Tests have shown that locating the tether at or more than half way down the end wall of the suitcase gives a person pulling the suitcase by the tether significantly more control over the direction in which the suitcase moves.

Such positioning of the tether also makes the suitcase significantly more stable, in particular resistant to overturning, when being pulled over uneven ground or when being manouvered in confined spaces, such as airport terminals where sharp changes of direction through 900 or even 1800 may be necessary.

Preferably, the tether is located between half way and three quarters of the way down the end wall of the suitcase.

The tether may comprise a flexible strap. Alternatively, the tether may comprise a rigid or semi-rigid rod.

Preferably, the tether comprises a flexible strap approximately 700 mm long. The length of the tether may, however, be adjusted to suit the size of the suitcase and the user.

When not in use the tether may be retracted, for example into a storage compartment outside or within the suitcase.

The storage compartment may be integral with the end wall of the suitcase. Preferably, means are provided to retract the tether within the suitcase. Such retracting means may, for example comprise a spindle into which the tether is wound.

The spindle may be biassed, for example by a coil spring exerting a torsional force on the spindle, to retract the tether when not in use.

In the present application reference to wheeled suitcase includes any wheeled trunk or travelling bag.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a retractable tether for a suitcase.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the Figures in which: Figure 1 is a side view of suitcase according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the suitcase; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional plan view of a tether retraction mechanism and its location within an end wall of the suitcase; Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional end view in plane A A of the tether retraction mechanism; Figure 5 is a schematic exploded view of the tether retraction mechanism; Figure 6 is a schematic exploded view of the tether retraction mechanism housing and mounting; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the tether retraction mechanism housing; Figure 8 is a schematic exploded view of an alternative embodiment of a tether retraction mechanism and housing; Figure 9 is a schematic exploded view of the alternative embodiment of the tether housing and mounting;; Figure 10 is a perspective view of the alternative embodiment of the tether housing and tether; Figure 11 is a cross-sectional plan view of the alternative embodiment of the tether retraction mechanism; and Figure 12 is a cross-sectional end view in plane B-B of the alternative embodiment of the tether retraction mechanism.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a suitcase 1 comprising top wall 2, bottom wall 3, side walls 4 and 5, leading end wall 6 and trailing end wall 7. Near each opposed end of the junction of the bottom wall 3 and trailing end wall 7 is mounted a wheel 8 rotatable about an axis parallel to the junction of the bottom wall 3 and trailing end wall 7. On the bottom wall 3, near the junction of the bottom wall 3 and the leading end wall 6 and mounted a pair of castors 9.

Mounted on the inside of leading end wall 6 is tether housing 13 in which is located the tether retraction mechanism. The tether housing 13 comprises a main housing 14, cover 15 and face plate 16. The tether housing is mounted on the end wall 6 via mounting plate 17 which surrounds a hole in the end wall 6 through which the tether 18 emerges. On the end of the tether 18 is tether disc 19 which serves both to seal the hole in the end wall when the tether is not in use and to provide a convenient handle with which to grip the tether when in use. The tether comprises a strip of webbing 700 mm long.

The tether retraction mechanism comprises a spindle 20 provided with a longitudinal slot 21 in which the other end of tether 18 is fastened by means of a serrated wedge 22.

Spindle 20 is rotatably mounted in the housing by means of spindle arms 23 and 24 located in U-grooves in spindle supports 25 and 26. In spindle arm 24 are provided two longitudinal grooves 27 into which is slotted one end 28 of a coil spring 29 held in spring casing 30. The other end 31 of the spring 29 is secured to the casing. The spring casing 30 is held in place in the tether housing 13 by means of supports 32. The coil spring 29 is tensioned so as to exert a torque on the spindle which tends to wind the tether 18 onto the spindle. To use the tether, the cover disc 19 is pulled so as to unwind the tether from the spindle 20.

When not in use, the tether is rewound onto the spindle by the coil spring 29.

An alternative embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figures 8 to 12. The tether retraction mechanism of the alternative embodiment is mounted within a tether housing 35 comprising a side wall 36, face plate 37 and housing cover 38. The housing cover 38 is secured to the tether housing by means of a pair of clips 39, which engage and secure into slots 40, and by means of a pair of screws 41 which transpierce holes 42 and screw into blind posts 43 on the inside of the housing cover 38.

The tether retraction mechanism comprises a spindle 44 provided with radial coaxial plates 45 to maintain alignment of the tether 46. The tether comprises a strip of webbing 700 mm long. The tether is fastened to the spindle by being passed through a longitudinal slot 47 in the spindle and glued or stitched around a wedge 48, which is them jammed into the slot 47. The tether passes through a slot 49 in the face plate 37 of the tether housing and out through hole 50 the end wall 6 of the suitcase. On the end of the tether is provided tether disc 51.

The spindle 44 is rotatably mounted in U-grooves in supports 52 and 53 provided on the face plate 37 and supports 54 and 55 provided on the housing cover 38. Spring casing 56, which comprises a disc 57 and side wall 58, is mounted in corresponding mouldings on the side wall 36 and face plate 37 of the tether housing. Rotation of the spring casing within the mouldings is prevented by engagement of tongue 59 in corresponding moulding 60 and by engagement of a tooth 61 extending from the disc 57 in to slot 62 in spindle support 53. Located within the spring casing 56 is a steel ribbon coil spring 63. The outer end 66 of coil spring 63 is secured around posts 64 and 65, whilst the inner end 67 of the spring is slotted into longitudinal L-shaped groove 68 provided in arm 69 of the spindle, which passes through a hole 70 in the spring casing. In use, the coil spring 63 is tensioned so as to exert a torque on the spindle which tends to wind the tether onto the spindle.

The tether housing is mounted on the inside end wall 6 of the suitcase. Elongate raised section 70 of the face plate 37 locates in hole 50 and the housing is secured by self tapping screws 71, which transpierce the end wall 6 of the suitcase and screw into posts 72.

It will be appreciated that the present invention is described by way of example only and that modification detail may be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims (6)

Claims

1. A suitcase comprising a top, a bottom, side and end walls wherein three or more wheels are provided on the bottom wall and a tether is provided on an end wall, the tether located at least half way down the end wall of the suitcase.

2. A suitcase according to claim 1 wherein the tether is located between half way down and three quarters of the way down the end wall of the suitcase.

3. A suitcase according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the tether comprises a flexible strap.

4. A suitcase according to any preceding wherein means are provided to retract the tether within the suitcase.

5. A suitcase according to claim 4 wherein the retraction means comprises a spindle onto which the tether may be wound, the spindle provided with torsional biassing means to retract the tether.

6. A suitcase as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 12.