A castor includes a wheel support and at least one roller mounted on the wheel support. The at least one roller has a peripheral portion provided with a hollow air chamber which is provided with a plurality of hollow air columns. One of the hollow air columns is provided with an air inlet. The at least one roller is made of soft material that is made by a blow molding operation. The soft material is initially made into a tubular blank by a blow molding machine. A gas is then filled into the soft material to blow and shape the soft material in a die at a high temperature to form the at least one roller. The at least one roller is then stripped from the die.

A hollow twin-wheel caster structure of a luggage includes a wheel seat for coupling to the bottom of the luggage, the wheel seat having a horizontal inner annular hole; a hollow shaft unit inserted in the inner annular hole, two ends of the hollow shaft unit extending out of two sides of the inner annular hole to form a pair of coupling portions, the center of the hollow shaft unit being formed with a hollow portion communicating with the two ends of the hollow shaft unit; two plastic wheels fitted on the coupling portions; at least one bearing fitted on the hollow shaft unit; and a support member plugged into the hollow portion of the hollow shaft unit, the support member leaning against an inner wall of the hollow portion to prevent the hollow shaft unit from being compressed and deformed.

A luggage article may include a plurality of walls together defining an outer structure of the luggage article, a wheel bracket attached to and extending from one of the walls, and a wheel attached to the wheel bracket. The wheel bracket may comprise first and second elongate arms extending along a common side of the wheel. The first and second arms may be vertically-spaced apart from one another over at least a portion of the length of the first and second arms. The configuration of the wheel bracket may result in higher shock absorption and reduced wheel noise comparative to conventional wheel brackets, and offer an improvement and alternative to conventional luggage wheel brackets.

A castor for a suitcase includes a fixed seat, a wheel support, a hollow axle, two roller modules, and two caps. The fixed seat is mounted on a suitcase. The wheel support is mounted on the fixed seat and provided with two ears each having a transverse axle hole provided with a plurality of locking grooves. The hollow axle extends through the transverse axle hole of each of the two ears. The roller modules are mounted on the hollow axle and arranged between the ears. Each of the caps is provided with a plurality of locking hooks locked into the locking grooves of the transverse axle hole of one of the ears. Thus, when one of the roller modules cannot be rotated, the other one of the roller modules can be rotated freely.

A multi-functional active container (e.g., luggage or suitcase) with a plurality of sensors and actuators is described. The container may include a body defining an enclosure and having at least one opening. The container may include a processor, a wireless receiver, and an electronically controllable lock. The processor can selectively lock or unlock the electronically controllable lock based on signals received via a wireless receiver (e.g., via Wi-Fi or BLUETOOTH connections). In some examples, a distance between the active container and a remote device (e.g., a smart phone) can be determined (e.g., based on relative GPS signals or connection strength) and if the distance exceeds a threshold, the electronically controllable lock can be activated to secure the container. Further, the container may include a rechargeable power source for powering external devices and an integrated weight sensor for detecting the weight of the container.

A multi-functional active container (e.g., luggage or suitcase) with a plurality of sensors and actuators is described. The container may include a body defining an enclosure and having at least one opening. The container may include a processor, a wireless receiver, and an electronically controllable lock. The processor can selectively lock or unlock the electronically controllable lock based on signals received via a wireless receiver (e.g., via Wi-Fi or BLUETOOTH connections). In some examples, a distance between the active container and a remote device (e.g., a smart phone) can be determined (e.g., based on relative GPS signals or connection strength) and if the distance exceeds a threshold, the electronically controllable lock can be activated to secure the container. Further, the container may include a rechargeable power source for powering external devices and an integrated weight sensor for detecting the weight of the container.

A shock absorbing component for a luggage wheel is disclosed. In one practice, the component comprises a resilient circular member comprising an outer circumference; a center hole comprising an incompressible sleeve inserted into the center hole and configured to receive a wheel axle; and a plurality of openings radially disposed between the outer circumference and the center hole, the plurality of openings configured to resiliently deform to absorb shock when the circular member is subjected to force along its longitudinal axis. A wheel assembly for an article of luggage and an article of luggage comprising the shock absorbing component are also separately disclosed.

A stabilized luggage article is disclosed. In one practice, the luggage article comprises a plurality of swiveling wheel assemblies, each assembly comprising one or more wheels having a horizontal axis of rotation and mounted to a pivot member, such as a pivot post that has a vertical axis of wheel rotation; the vertical axis of rotation is laterally spaced from the horizontal axis of rotation and is projected outwardly toward the front wall of the luggage but not beyond it, the pivot post extending downwardly at least to the level of the horizontal axis of wheel rotation, preferably beyond it for further increased stability.

A caster wheel assembly includes a wheel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis within a wheel carriage such that the wheel rotates about the horizontal axis with respect to the wheel carriage. The wheel carriage is positioned within a retention ring such that the wheel carriage can rotate about the vertical axis with respect to the retention ring. The wheel carriage also has an opening on the bottom surface such that the wheel can make contact with the ground. The horizontal axis about which the wheel rotates is offset from the vertical axis about which the wheel carriage rotates. An outer carriage may be included such that the outer carriage is positioned within the retention ring and the wheel carriage is positioned within the outer carriage. The outer carriage would be able to rotate about the vertical axis with respect to both the retention ring and the wheel carriage.

The present disclosure relates to a universal wheel assembly and a suitcase including the universal wheel assembly. The universal wheel assembly includes: a base structure including an upper base and a lower base which form a cavity therebetween; and a wheel bail locked in the cavity in a manner such that the wheel ball is capable of rolling in all directions, wherein a bottom of the lower base is provided with an opening enabling a part of the wheel bail to protrude out of a lower end face of the lower base to form an exposed rolling spherical surface, and an inner diameter of the opening is smaller than a diameter of the wheel ball.