WHEELED LUGGAGE USABLE AS A SEAT

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/791,610, filed April 11, 2006, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/903,242, filed February 24, 2007, the entire contents of both of which provisional applications are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to wheeled luggage that can be safely used as a seat.

Air travelers typically have a piece of carry on luggage that can be stowed in the overhead bin of the airplane, or under the seat in front of the traveler. In view of the long distances most travelers must walk at an airport, the most popular type of carry on luggage is one that has a pair of wheels and an extendable/retractable handle that allows the traveler to tow the luggage on a towing surface such as a floor.

Airports have become more and more crowded, and security lines longer and longer. Seats in the immediate area of a departure gate are often all taken. Seating is not available in security lines, in baggage claim areas, in car rental lines, and other places.

Suggestions have been made to attach a seat to wheeled luggage to provide the traveler with a place to sit.

U.S. Patent 6,644,447 describes seats that swivel upwardly from the front or back sides of a wheeled suitcase.

U.S. Patent 6,932,427 describes a wheeled suitcase with a chair that folds down from the front side.

U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0231939 describes a seat that can be swivelled upwardly from the back side of a wheeled suitcase. U. S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0098402 describes a wheeled suitcase that has a lounge chair that can be swivelled upwardly from the front side when the suitcase is laid down on its back side.

U.S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0194226 describes a wheeled suitcase that has a seat that can be swivelled downwardly from the back side. All of these devices are complicated, add unwanted weight to the luggage, and are unsafe as the wheels may cause the suitcase to move when being used as a seat.

Attempts to sit on top of a wheeled suitcase is likewise unsafe due to the high potential for movement of the suitcase.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide wheeled luggage that is safe to sit on.

The wheeled luggage includes a seat cushion that forms the upper end of the suitcase. The wheeled luggage includes a wheel assembly located at each lower corner of the front of the suitcase.

Each wheel assembly includes a wheel housing having a brake shoe located within the housing. A wheel carriage is positioned within each of the housings. The wheel carriage rotatably supports a wheel having a rolling surface. In response to a

traveler sitting on the seat cushion, the wheel carriage has means adapted to cause the wheel to move from a first position where the rolling surface of the wheel is not in contact with the brake shoe to a second position where the rolling surface of the wheel is in braking contact with the brake shoe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a first embodiment of a wheel assembly for the wheeled luggage of the present invention;

FlG. 2 is a rear elevation view of the first embodiment of the wheel assembly; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the first embodiment of the wheel assembly showing the wheel in its unlocked, rotatable position;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the first embodiment of the wheel assembly showing the wheel in its locked, non-rotatable position;

FIG. S is a rear perspective view of the wheel housing of the first embodiment of the wheel assembly;

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the wheel housing of the first embodiment of the wheel assembly;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the wheel and its wheel carriage of the first embodiment of the wheel assembly; FIG. 8 is a front elevation view of the wheel and Hs wheel carriage of the first embodiment of the wheel assembly;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view of a second embodiment of the wheel assembly with the wheel shown in its unlocked, rotatable position;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of a second embodiment of the wheel

assembly with the wheel shown in its locked, non-rotatable position;

FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of wheeled luggage employing the wheel assembly of the second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIG. 11, the wheeled luggage 10 includes cushion seat 20 located on the top panel thereof, telescoping handle 30 located on the front panel thereof, and right and left wheel assemblies 140 located on the right and left lower front corners at the intersection of the front, bottom and side panels thereof. The right and left wheel assemblies 140 of the second embodiment (as seen in FIG. 9-11) are identical. The term "front" means that side of wheeled luggage 10 that feces the traveler during towing.

Right and left wheel assemblies 140 can be replaced by right and left wheel assemblies of the first embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-8, only the left wheel assembly 40 of the first embodiment being shown. The right wheel assembly of the first embodiment is a mirror image of left wheel assembly 40.

The left wheel assembly 40 of the first embodiment includes a wheel housing SO and a wheel carriage 80.

Wheel housing 50 has an upwardly extending lip portion 52 adapted to abut against the lower rear portion of the wheeled suitcase, and be attached thereto by screws passing through mating openings in the rear panel of the suitcase and into screw receptors 54, 54'. Right and left screw holes 56, 56' allow screws to attach the bottom portion of housing 50 to the bottom of the wheeled suitcase. A flange 58 located on the left side of housing 50 abuts the lower left side of the wheeled suitcase.

The housing of the right wheel assembly would be identical to the housing 50 of the left wheel assembly 40 except flange 58 would be located on the right side of housing 50 to abut the lower right side of the wheeled suitcase.

Wheel well 60 of wheel housing 50 is adapted to receive wheel carriage 80 and associated wheel 100. Extending outwardly from wheel well 60 is a hollow, cylindrical spring housing 62 adapted to receive and hold spring 64 which extends into wheel well 60 and into contact with wheel carriage 80, as shown. Spring 64 is selected to resist substantial movement of wheel carriage 80 during towing of wheeled luggage 10 filled with normal contents, but to allow movement upon a traveler sitting on seat cushion 20.

A rectangular brake shoe 66 is attached to, or forms a part of, wheel housing 50, and extends into wheel well 60 through opening 96 in wheel carriage 80. The outer surface 70 of brake shoe 66 is arcuate, having a radius substantially identical to the radius of wheel 100, and has a raised patterned surface adapted to mate and interlock with the raised patterned surface 102 of wheel 100 upon contact therewith.

Right and left pivot pin openings 72 extend through the lower right and left side walls of wheel well 60, only the right pivot pin opening 72 being shown, the left pivot opening being opposite right pivot pin opening 72 and in alignment therewith.

Wheel carriage 80 has right and left side walls 82, 82' which are substantially parallel to each other. A top 84 and an angled rear wall 86 extend between right and left side walls 82, 82'. Right and left tongue portions 88, 88' extend forwardly from right and left side walls 82, 82' of tongue portions 88, 88*. Right and left pivot pin openings 90, 90' pass through the walls of right and left tongue portions 88, 88'. Right and left axle openings 92, 92' pass through right and left side walls 82, 82'.

Wheel carriage 80 has a sloping front wall 94 having a rectangular opening 96 therein. Rectangular opening 96 is adapted to receive rectangular brake shoe 66 therethrough.

Wheel 100 is located between right and left side walls 82, 82' of wheel carriage S 80, and an axle 104 passes through right and left axle openings 92, 92' and is secured by any suitable means. The outer ends of axle 104 ride in grooves 74, 74' located in the walls of wheel well 60 of wheel housing SO to prevent wheel carriage 80 from falling out of wheel well 60 when the wheeled luggage 10 is picked up.

Wheel carriage 80, with wheel 100 rotatably attached thereto by axle 104, is 0 then placed within wheel well opening 70 of housing SO with right and left pivot pin openings 90, 90' in alignment with right and left pivot pin openings 72, 72' in housing 50. A pivot pin 94 is inserted through openings 72, 72', 90, and 90' and attached to housing 50 in any suitable manner.

Right and left wheel assemblies 40 are attached to the right and left sides of 5 the lower portion of a suitcase in a manner well known in the wheeled luggage art, in the positions shown in FIG. 11 for right and left wheel assemblies 140.

In use, handle 30 of the rolling suitcase 10 is extended, and the traveler pulls the suitcase behind him or her. During rolling transport of suitcase 10, wheel carriage 80 and wheel 100 are in the configuration shown in FIG. 3, the wheel surface 102 0 being urged out of contact with brake shoe 66 by the action of spring 64 pushing against wheel carriage 80.

Upon reaching a location where a wait is required and it is desired to be seated, handle 30 is retracted, and the traveler sits on seat cushion 20. Upon the traveler being seated, wheel carriage 80 pivots about pivot pin 94 compressing spring 64 until the

rolling surface 102 of wheel 100 comes into contact with the arcuate outer surface 70 of brake shoe 66, as shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4 wheel 100 is shown partially retracted into wheel well 70. However, wheel carriage 80 and wheel 100 can be adapted to be wholly retracted into wheel well 70 before contact of the rolling surface 102 of wheel 100 is made with the arcuate outer surface 70 of brake shoe 66. The matching raised patterns of outer surface 70 of brake shoe 66 and rolling surface 102 of wheel 100 meshingly engage, thereby preventing wheel 100 from rotating for so long as the traveler is seated.

Although it is preferred to have the pattern of the rolling surface 102 of wheel 100 meshingly engage with the pattern of the arcuate outer surface 70 of brake shoe 66, the arcuate outer surface 70 could be made of a deformable rubber or elastomeric material to allow the pattern of rolling surface 102 to embed into the arcuate outer surface 70 to cause a braking action or, vice versa, the rolling surface 102 could be made of a rubber or elastomeric material to allow the pattern of the arcuate outer surface 70 of brake shoe 66 to embed into rolling surface 102 to cause a braking action.

Upon the traveler arising, spring 64 urges wheel carriage 80 away and causes brake shoe 66 and wheel 100 to disengage and allow wheel 100 to rotate.

Although spring 64 is preferably attached to wheel housing SO, as shown, it could be attached to wheel carriage 80.

The second wheel assembly embodiment 140, shown in FIGS. 9-11, employs a similar braking mechanism. However, in the second embodiment the wheel moves in a substantially vertical direction rather than pivoting during engagement of the wheel with the brake shoe.

Wheel assembly 140 includes a wheel housing ISO and a wheel carnage 180.

Wheel housing ISO includes substantially parallel right and left side walls 1S2 and 152', top wall 1S4, and rear wall 1S6. A hollow cylindrical spring housing 1S8 extends upwardly from the top wall 1S4. Spring housing 1S8 has a spring 164 mounted therein.

A brake shoe 166 has an arcuate surface 170 having a radius substantially the same as the radius of wheel 200. The arcuate surface 170 has a raised pattern that can matingly engage the raised pattern 202 of wheel 200. Alternatively, either the arcuate surface 170 or the rolling surface 202 of wheel 200 could be formed of a rubber or elastomeric material to allow the embedding and braking action discussed above relative to the first embodiment.

Wheel carriage 180 includes an inverted, generally U-shaped yoke comprised of opposing right and left arms 182 (only the left arm 182 being shown) and upper cross-plate 184. Upper cross plate engages the lower end of spring 164. Right and left arms 182 have opposed axle receiving openings therein for receiving axle 186 therethrough. The outer ends of axle 186 extend into and slidably engage right and left grooves (not shown) located in the interior wall of right and left side walls 1S2, 152' of wheel housing ISO.

In use, handle 30 of the rolling suitcase 10 is extended, and the traveler pulls the suitcase behind him or her. During rolling transport of suitcase 10, wheel carriage 180 and wheel 200 are in the configuration shown in FIG. 9.

Upon reaching a location where a wait is required and it is desired to be seated, handle 30 is retracted, and the traveler sits on seat cushion 20. Upon the traveler being seated, wheel carriage 180 moves vertically upward until the rolling surface 202 of

wheel 200 comes into contact with the arcuate surface 170 of brake shoe 166, as shown in FIG. 10. In FIG. 10 wheel 200 is shown partially retracted into wheel housing ISO. However, wheel carriage 180 and wheel 200 can be adapted to be wholly retracted into wheel housing ISO before contact of the rolling surface 202 of wheel 200 with the arcuate outer surface of brake shoe 166 is made. The matching raised patterns of the inner surface of channel 170 of brake shoe 166 and outer surface 202 of wheel 200 meshingly engage, thereby prevent wheel 200 from rotating for so long as the traveler is seated.

Upon the traveler arising, spring 164 urges wheel carriage 180 downwardly and causes brake shoe 166 and wheel 200 to disengage and allow wheel 200 to rotate. It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments of this invention without departing from the underlying principles thereof. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.