US20020144376A1

US20020144376A1 - Concealable article-carrying strap for luggage

Info

Publication number: US20020144376A1
Application number: US09/828,685
Authority: US
Inventors: Yu-Wen Lee
Original assignee: Hando Ind Co Ltd
Current assignee: HANDO INDUSTRIAL Co Ltd; Hando Ind Co Ltd
Priority date: 2001-04-09
Filing date: 2001-04-09
Publication date: 2002-10-10

Abstract

An article-carrying strap structure of the luggage comprises a housing seat, a recovery shaft, and a concealable strap. The recovery shaft is mounted in the housing seat and is provided at one end with an arresting wheel and a recovery spring. The recovery shaft is further provided in the hollow interior with a spindle which is pivoted to the housing seat. The strap is held at one end by the recovery shaft such that other end of the strap is jutted out of the strap structure. As the other end of the strap is pulled out, the recovery shaft is actuated to turn, so as to cause the recovery spring to compress. When the strap is relieved of the external force, the recovery spring force actuates the recovery shaft to turn in reverse to rewind the strap.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a luggage, and more particularly to a concealable article-carrying strap of the luggage.

2. Description of Related Art

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a prior art luggage is provided with a

strap

11 for carrying a small bag in the external side of the luggage. The luggage is provided in the outer side wall of the luggage shell with a male retainer 10. The strap 11 is provided at one end with a female retainer 111, and at other end with another female retainer 112. The female retainer 111 of the strap 11 is engaged with the male retainer 10. A bag is carried in the outside of the luggage by the strap 11 such that the strap 11 is put through the bag handle, and that the second female retainer 112 of the strap 11 is engaged with the male retainer 10. When the strap 11 is not in use, it becomes a safety hazard in such a way that the strap 11 may be caught by a stationary object or another luggage in the airport conveyor. In addition, the strap 11 undermines the external appearance of the luggage. When the strap 11 is not in use, it may be removed and kept in the inside of the luggage. However, it is conceivably inconvenient to open the luggage to take out the strap 11 at such time when the strap 11 is to be used.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a luggage with a concealable strap for carrying a bag or object in the outside of the luggage.

In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by a strap structure comprising a housing seat, a recovery shaft, and a strap. The recovery shaft is mounted in the housing seat and is provided at one end with an arresting wheel and a recovery spring. The recovery shaft is further provided in the interior with a spindle which is pivoted to the housing seat. The strap is held at one end thereof by the recovery shaft such that other end of the strap is jutted out of the luggage, and that the strap is wound on the recovery shaft. As the strap is pulled out, the recovery shaft is actuated to turn, so as to cause the recovery spring to compress. When the strap is relieved of the external force, the recovery spring force actuates the recovery shaft to turn in reverse to rewind the strap.

BRIEF DESCIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a prior art article-carrying strap of the luggage. [0007]
FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the prior art article-carrying strap of the luggage at work. [0008]
FIG. 3 shows a schematic external view of the present invention. [0009]
FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the present invention. [0010]
FIG. 5 shows a side sectional view of the present invention in combination. [0011]
FIG. 6 shows a front sectional view of the present invention in combination. [0012]
FIG. 7 shows a side sectional view of the present invention at work. [0013]
FIG. 8 shows another side sectional view of the present invention in combination. [0014]
FIG. 9 shows a front sectional view of the recovery shaft of the present invention. [0015]
FIG. 10 shows a side sectional view of the recovery shaft of the present invention.[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIGS. [0017] 3-8, a strap structure 20 embodied in the present invention is mounted in an appropriate position of a luggage 1 or a pull rod frame 2 of the luggage 1. The strap structure 20 is intended to carry an article 8 in the outside of the luggage 1, as shown in FIG. 8. The strap structure 20 comprises a housing seat 21, a recovery shaft 22, a strap 23, a recovery spring 24, a locating cover 25, and a spindle 26.
The [0018] housing seat 21 is provided with two stop plates 211 and 212 opposite to each other and having respectively a pivoting hole 213, 214. The housing seat 21 is further provided with a face plate 215 having a plurality of threaded holes 216. The housing seat 21 is fastened with a top seat 3 of the pull rod frame 2 of the luggage 1 by a plurality of screws 5 which are fastened onto the pillars 4 of the top seat 3 of the pull rod frame 2 via the threaded holes 216.
The [0019] recovery shaft 22 is formed of a hollow tubular body 221 and an arresting wheel 222 which is mounted on one end of the tubular body 221. The tubular body 221 is provided with a slot 223 extending along the longitudinal direction of the tubular body 221. The slot 223 is in communication with the hollow interior of the tubular body 221. The arresting wheel 222 is provided on the outer periphery with a plurality of teeth 224 which are arranged at an interval.
The [0020] strap 24 has a curved inner end which is provided with a thickened stop edge 231. The strap 24 further has an outer end which is provided with an end piece 232 of a triangular shape and having a T-shaped projection 233. The strap 24 is provided in an appropriate position thereof with a through hole 235.
The [0021] recovery spring 24 is provided at one end with a first retaining hook 241, and at other end with a second retaining hook 242. The recovery spring 24 is mounted on one end of the recovery shaft 22 such that the first retaining hook 241 is located in the inner side wall of the arresting wheel 222, and that the second retaining hook 242 is located in the inner side of the first stop plate 211 of the housing seat 21.
The locating [0022] cover 25 is provided at the center with an axial hole 251 and is mounted on other end of the recovery shaft 22 in such a way that the other end of the tubular body 221 is put through the axial hole 251 of the locating cover 25. The locating cover 25 is intended to locate the strap 23.
The [0023] spindle 26 is disposed in the hollow interior of the tubular body 221 of the recovery shaft 22 such that one end of the spindle 26 is received in the pivoting hole 214 of the second stop plate 212 of the housing seat 21 and the axial hole 251 of the locating cover 25, and that other end of the spindle 26 is received in the pivoting hole 213 of the first stop plate 211 of the housing seat 21. The locating cover 26 is located on the spindle 26 by a locating pin 7 which is fastened onto the locating cover 26. The housing seat 21 is fastened with the top seat 3 of the pull rod frame 2 such that the housing seat 21 is located between two support rods 301 and 302 of the top seat 3 of the pull rod frame 2 of the luggage 1.
In operation, the [0024] end piece 232 of the strap 23 is pulled out such that the end piece 232 is put through the handle 9 of the article 8, and that the T-shaped projection 233 of the end piece 232 is retained in the through hole 235 of the strap 23. As a result, the article 8 is carried along with the luggage 1. As the end piece 232 of the strap 23 is pulled out, the recovery shaft 22 is actuated to turn, thereby causing the recovery spring 24 to be compressed. As the strap 23 is relieved of the external force of the article 8, the recovery spring force of the recovery spring 24 actuates the recovery shaft 22 to turn in reverse, thereby causing the strap 23 to be rewound.
As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the [0025] face plate 31 of the top seat 3 of the pull rod frame 2 is provided with a retaining hole 311 for retaining a plug 40. The plug 40 has a retaining block 401, which is removably retained in the groove located between two teeth 224 of the arresting wheel 222. The plug 40 serves to present the strap 23 at work from being rewound accidentally. In addition, the plug 40 serves to facilitate the adjusting of the length of the strap 23.

Claims

I claim:

1. An article-carrying strap structure of a luggage, said strap structure being disposed in conjunction with a pull rod frame of the luggage and comprising:

a housing seat provided with a first stop plate having a first pivoting hole, a second stop plate having a second pivoting hole, and a face plate having a plurality of threaded holes, said housing seat being fastened with a top seat of the pull rod frame of the luggage by a plurality of screws which are fastened onto a plurality of pillars of the top seat of the pull rod frame via said threaded holes;

a recovery shaft formed of a hollow tubular body and an arresting wheel mounted on one end of said tubular body, said tubular body provided with a longitudinal slot in communication with a hollow interior of said tubular body, said arresting wheel provided on an outer periphery with a plurality of teeth which are arranged at an interval;

a strap having an inner end with a stop edge, and an outer end with an end piece having a T-shaped projection, said strap being provided at a predetermined position with a through hole;

a recovery spring provided at one end with a first retaining hook, and at other end with a second retaining hook, said recovery spring being mounted on one end of said recovery shaft such that said first retaining hook is retained in an inner side wall of said arresting wheel, and that said second retaining hook is retained in an inner side of said first stop plate of said housing seat;

a locating cover provided with an axial hole and mounted on other end of said recovery shaft such that other end of said tubular body of said recovery shaft is put through said axial hole, said locating cover being used to locate said strap; and

a spindle disposed in the hollow interior of said tubular body of said recovery shaft such that one end of said spindle is received in said second pivoting hole of said second stop plate of said housing seat and said axial hole of said locating cover, and that other end of said spindle is received in said first pivoting hole of said first stop plate of said housing seat, said locating cover being located on said spindle by a locating pin.

2. The strap structure as defined in claim 1 further comprising a plug having a retaining block whereby said plug is removably retained in a retaining hole of the face plate of the top seat of the pull rod frame of the luggage such that said retaining block is retained in a groove located between two of said teeth of said arresting wheel.