Telescopic handle for piece of luggage

Abstract

A telescopic handle for a piece of luggage has telescoping inner and outer tubes. A rod fixed on the outer tube has a toothed lower end, a toothed upper end spaced above the toothed lower end, and an untoothed sliding section between the upper and lower ends. The outer end of the inner tube carries a grip and the outer tube is fixed in the piece of luggage. A handle on the grip can be actuated to shift a locking element in the inner tube between a locking position engaging the upper or lower end of the rod of the outer tube and preventing relative movement of the inner and outer tubes and a freeing position permitting such movement.

Claims

1. A telescopic handle for a piece of luggage, the handle comprising: an outer longitudinally extending telescopic tube fixed on the piece of luggage; a longitudinal rod fixed on the outer telescopic tube and having a toothed lower end, a toothed upper end spaced above the toothed lower end, and an untoothed sliding section between the upper and lower ends; an inner longitudinally extending telescopic tube that can be accommodated in and pulled longitudinally out of the outer telescopic tube; a grip on an outer end of the inner telescopic tube that can be pulled out of the outer telescopic tube to shift the telescopic handle between a rest position in which the inner telescopic tube is recessed in the outer telescopic tube and an operating position in which the inner telescopic tube is pulled out of the outer telescopic tube and the piece of luggage can be moved and steered by the telescopic handle; a positioning and energy-storage device that can move the inner telescopic tube from a position that corresponds to the rest position of the telescopic handle and in which the inner telescopic tube is in the outer telescopic tube to an intermediate position in which the inner telescopic tube is slightly pulled out of the outer telescopic tube and the grip on the inner telescopic tube can be comfortably grasped by a hand and from which the grip can be brought into the operating position of the telescopic handle, the positioning and energy-storage device being integrated inside the outer and inner telescopic tubes of the telescopic handle; and a handle on the grip; a locking element in the inner telescopic tube shiftable by the handle between a locking position engaging the upper or lower end of the rod of the outer telescopic tube and preventing relative telescopic movement of the inner and outer telescopic tubes and a freeing position permitting such movement.

2. The telescopic handle according to claim 1, wherein the outer telescopic tube includes: a longitudinally extending intermediate telescopic tube between the inner telescopic tube and the outer telescopic tube.

3. The telescopic handle according to claim 1, further comprising: pretensioning means for transversely urging the locking element in the inner telescopic tube toward the toothed rod; and an actuator connected between the grip and the locking element for moving the locking element transversely out of engagement with the rod.

4. The telescopic handle according to claim 3, further comprising: a tension spring connecting the actuator to the handle biasing the actuator longitudinally in the inner telescopic tube; and an angled face on the actuator engageable with the locking element converts longitudinal movement of the actuator into transverse movement of the locking element in the inner telescopic tube so as to move the locking element in the inner telescopic tube out of engagement with the toothed rod.

5. The telescopic handle according to claim 4, further comprising: a pivotal tilting lever connecting the actuator with the tension spring.

6. The telescopic handle according to claim 3, wherein the actuator is displaceable in an adjusting chamber firmly inserted in the inner telescopic tube, preferably pressed in.

7. The telescopic handle according to claim 1, wherein the positioning and energy-storage device has a compression spring that in the rest position of the telescopic handle is compressed between the inner telescopic tube and the outer telescopic tube.

8. The telescopic handle according to claim 7, wherein the compression spring holds a drive or lifting rod that in the rest position of the telescopic handle can be clamped between the tensioned compression spring and the outer telescopic tube.

9. The telescopic handle according to claim 7, wherein by the compression spring, after disengaging the locking element in the inner telescopic tube from the lower end of the toothed rod in the outer telescopic tube, the inner telescopic tube can be raised from the outer telescopic tube or the intermediate telescopic tube a stroke corresponding to a length of the sliding section of the toothed rod and the locking element.

10. The telescopic handle according to claim 9, wherein the stroke is about 20 mm.

11. The telescopic handle according to claim 1, wherein the toothed upper end is longitudinally significantly longer than the toothed lower end of the rod, whereby the handle can be locked in a plurality of longitudinally offset positions by engagement of the locking element in teeth of the upper end.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The invention is explained in detail hereinafter by an embodiment with reference to the drawings. In the figures:

(2) FIG. 1 is a section through one embodiment of the telescopic handle according to the invention for a piece of luggage in which the telescopic handle is in the rest position;

(3) FIG. 2 is a view of the embodiment of the telescopic handle according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 where an inner telescopic tube of the telescopic handle is in an intermediate position;

(4) FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a positioning and energy-storage device of the telescopic handle according to the invention in the intermediate position shown in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 is a view of the embodiment of the telescopic handle according to the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 with the inner telescopic tube in its completely pulled-out position; and

(6) FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the positioning and energy-storage device of the telescopic handle shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 in the pulled-out end position of the inner telescopic tube.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) A telescopic handle 1, also called pull-out handle, according to the invention, shown in different positions in FIGS. 1 to 5 and explained hereinafter, is used to move a piece of luggage, in particular a travel suitcase or similar container, not shown in the figures.

(8) In the embodiment shown, the telescopic handle 1 has an outer telescopic tube formed of two outer telescopic tubes 2, a intermediate telescopic tube or intermediate telescopic tube formed of two intermediate telescopic tubes 3 with each intermediate telescopic tube 3 inside a respective one of the outer telescopic tubes 2, and an inner telescopic tube formed from two inner telescopic tubes 4 with the inner telescopic tube 4 inside a respective one of the intermediate telescopic tubes 3.

(9) The intermediate telescopic tubes 3 are connected to the respective outer telescopic tubes 2 or inner telescopic tubes 4 in a telescopic manner so that they can be pulled out and pushed in.

(10) The two outer telescopic tubes 2 are fixed on the piece of luggage by spacers 5.

(11) The two inner telescopic tubes 4 are connected to one another by a grip 7 at the ends 6 thereof and can be pulled out from the outer telescopic tubes 2.

(12) The two outer telescopic tubes 2 areas already mentionedfixed to the piece of luggage not shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. At upper ends 8 thereof in FIGS. 1 to 5, the two outer telescopic tubes 2 are connected to one another by a handle guide housing 9, and in a rest position of the telescopic handle 1 in which the inner telescopic tubes 4 and the intermediate telescopic tubes 3 are recessed inside the outer telescopic tubes 2, the grip 7 of the telescopic handle 1 is recessed in the handle guide housing 9 of the same.

(13) The grip 7 of the telescopic handle 1 can be locked by a latch 10 in or on the handle guide housing 9.

(14) To this end, the latch 10 comprises a locking member 11 fixed in the intermediate telescopic tube 3 in the embodiment shown. In the embodiment shown the locking member 11 fixed in or on the intermediate telescopic tube 3 is a lower end section of a toothed rod 12 that extends internally in the longitudinal direction of the intermediate telescopic tube 3. Furthermore, the latch 10 includes a locking element 13 that can be brought into and out of engagement with the lower end section 11 of the toothed rod 12 forming the locking member.

(15) The locking element 13 is carried on an actuator 14 connected via a tension means 15 that extends through the telescopic tube and a tilting lever 16 to a handle 17 recessed on the grip 7

(16) The locking element 13 is pretensioned by a transverse spring 18 toward the toothed rod 12. An angled face arrangement 19 is provided on the actuator 14. When the actuator 14 is raised by actuating the handle 17 on the grip side via the tilting lever 16 and the tension means 15, the actuator 14 and with it the locking element 13 is moved by the angled face arrangement 19 against the spring force of the transverse spring 18 radially of the telescopic tube so that the locking element 13 comes out of engagement with the lower end section 11 of the toothed rod 12. As soon as the locking element 13 connected to the grip 7 via the tension means 15 disengages from the lower end section 11 of the toothed rod 12 fixed in the intermediate telescopic tube 3, the inner telescopic tube 4 is movable in the intermediate telescopic tube 3.

(17) In order to bring the grip 7 recessed inside or on the handle guide housing 9 in the rest position of the telescopic handle 1 into an intermediate position in which the grip 7 is readily grasped, the telescopic handle 1 has a positioning and energy-storage device 20. This positioning and energy-storage device 20 includes a compression spring 21 on the inner telescopic tube 4 and on which a lifting or drive rod 22 is fixed.

(18) In the rest position of the telescopic handle 1 shown in FIG. 1 the positioning and energy-storage device 20 comprising the compression spring 21 and the lifting or drive rod 22 is fixed between the inner telescopic tube 4 and the intermediate telescopic tube 3 when the compression spring 21 is compressed. In the rest position of the telescopic handle 1, the lifting or drive rod 22 abuts with its lower end against a stop 26 provided in the intermediate telescopic tube 3. As soon as the locking element 13 connected to the grip 7 is disengaged from the lower section 11 of the toothed rod 12 connected to the intermediate telescopic tube 3, the inner telescopic tube 4 is displaced upward by the mechanical energy stored in the compression spring 21 of the positioning and energy-storage device 20.

(19) Since the toothed rod 12 is formed with a toothing-free sliding section 23 above its lower end section 11, after cancelling the engagement between locking element 13 on the grip side and the locking member 11 provided on the intermediate telescopic tube 3, the actuation of the handle 17 need not be maintained.

(20) The grip 7 is moved upward as a result of the interaction between the positioning and energy-storage device 20 and the intermediate telescopic tube 3 or the stop 26 provided therein until the locking element 13 on the grip side is pushed directly above the sliding section 23 of the toothed rod 12 by the transverse spring 18 again into engagement with a toothed upper section 24 of the toothed rod 12.

(21) By actuating the handle 17 on the grip side once, the telescopic handle 1 can accordingly be brought from its rest position shown in FIG. 1 into its intermediate position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 so that the grip 7 of the telescopic handle 1 is moved away from the handle guide housing 9 of the telescopic handle 1 by a pre-definable stroke and thus can be grasped in a simple and convenient manner.

(22) If the telescopic handle 1 is to be moved from the intermediate position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 into a pulled-out operating position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the the toothed upper section 24 of the toothed rod can be disengaged again by renewed actuation of the handle. By this means the inner telescopic tube 4 is movable relative to the outer telescopic tube 2 until the operator has found a suitable operating position of the telescopic handle 1 for him and ends the actuation of the handle 17. In this operating position the the locking element 13 on the grip side re-engages the corresponding part of the upper section 24 of the toothed rod 12. The telescopic handle 1 is now located in the operating position selected by the operator. In FIGS. 4 and 5 the selected operating position of the telescopic handle 1 is selected so that the locking element 13 on the grip side at an upper end section of the toothed rod 12 is in engagement with same. Naturally other operating positions of the telescopic handle 1 are also possible. The adjustable handle 1 is adjustable quasi-continuously between different operating positions according to the dimensions of the upper section 24 of the toothed rod 12.

(23) In order to ensure a defined sequence of the adjustment of the actuator 14 brought about by the handle 17 on the grip side, the actuator 14 is displaceably recessed inside an adjusting chamber 25 firmly inserted or pressed in the inner telescopic tube 4.

(24) In order to bring or push the telescopic handle 1 from the operating position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 back into the rest position shown in FIG. 1, the handle 17 on the grip side must be actuated for the duration of the push-in process so that the locking element 13 on the grip side is loosened or released from its locking with the upper section 24 of the toothed rod 12. In this state the inner telescopic tube 4 and the intermediate telescopic tube 3 can be pushed back again into the outer telescopic tube 2. As a result of the simultaneous application of force to the grip 7 toward the telescopic insertion as far as the stop, the positioning and energy-storage device 20 or its compression spring 21 is pretensioned again. On reaching the end position of the telescopic handle 1 defined by a stop, the actuation of the handle 17 is ended so that the locking element 13 on the grip side is brought into engagement with the locking member or the lower end section 11 of the toothed rod 12.

(25) The telescopic handle 1 has the same type of functional members in both telescopic tubes in both inner telescopic tubes 4. intermediate telescopic tubes 3 and outer telescopic tubes 2, wherein hereinbefore the description and operating mode have been made for one outer telescopic tube 2, intermediate telescopic tube 3 and inner telescopic tube 4.