WO1999060882A1

WO1999060882A1 - Traveller's accessory comprising a travel case

Info

Publication number: WO1999060882A1
Application number: PCT/IB1999/000952
Authority: WO
Inventors: Suzanne Dale Ackerman
Original assignee: Suzanne Dale Ackerman
Priority date: 1998-05-28
Filing date: 1999-05-26
Publication date: 1999-12-02
Also published as: AU3840899A

Abstract

A traveller's accessory comprises a travel case (12) and a collapsible trolley (14) on which the travel case is mounted. The trolley includes a collapsible seat (15) for seating an infant, a base frame (20) having a pair of wheels (24), and a handle (26) which can be extended from the base frame. When the handle is extended the seat is automatically withdrawn and deployed at one end of the travel case. Also, when the handle is extended, a pair of legs (32) each with a wheel (36) at the lower end thereof are automatically displaced about pivotal mountings at their upper ends (34), so as to extend away from the base frame.

Description

Traveller's accessory comprising a travel case.

This invention relates to travel goods, and more particularly to a traveller's accessory comprising a travel case.

According to the invention there is provided a traveller's accessory which comprises a travel case, the travel case being mounted on a collapsible trolley which includes a seat for seating an infant.

The trolley may further include a base frame on which the travel case is mounted, and an extendable handle which is displaceable between a retracted position with respect to the base frame and an extended position in which the handle protrudes beyond one of the ends of the travel case.

The seat may be collapsible, the base frame including a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal members each extending from one end of the travel case to the other, the longitudinal members defining between them a space within which the seat when collapsed is retractable, the seat being connected to the handle in such a manner that, when the handle is displaced from the retracted to the extended position, the seat is automatically withdrawn from said space and deployed at said one end of the travel case.

The seat may include a support of flexible sheet material for supporting said infant, the support having a pair of openings therein through which the legs of the infant can pass.

The seat may further include a bar of inverted U-shaped configuration which extends from one side of the base frame to the other, and each of whose ends are pivotally mounted so that the bar is pivotally displaceable with respect to the base frame, the support being suspended from the bar.

The seat may still further include a backrest which is fixed with respect to the handle.

CONRRMAΠON COW The base frame may have a pair of laterally spaced wheels at that end thereof which is opposite the handle, the trolley further including a pair of laterally spaced, pivotally mounted legs, each said leg having a wheel at one end thereof, and the other end of the leg being connected pivotally to the base frame.

Each said leg may be linked to the handle via a pivotal link such that, when the handle is displaced from the retracted to the extended position, the legs are automatically displaced from a retracted position in which they lie flat against the base frame, to an extended position in which they extend away from the base frame. The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 is an oblique view of a traveller's accessory in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, showing the extendable parts thereof in their retracted condition;

Figure 2 is a view in the direction of arrow II in Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a view in the direction of arrow III in Figure 1 ; Figure 4 is a view in the direction of arrow IV in Figure 1 ; Figure 5 is an oblique view of the traveller's accessory of

Figure 1 , showing the extendable parts thereof in their extended condition;

Figure 6 is a view in the direction of arrow VI in Figure 5; Figure 7 is a view in the direction of arrow VII in Figure 5; Figure 8 is a view in the direction of arrow VIII in Figure 5;

Figure 9 is an oblique view of a traveller's accessory in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, showing the extendable parts thereof in their retracted condition;

Figure 10 is a view in the direction of arrow X in Figure 9; Figure 1 1 is a view in the direction of arrow XI in Figure 9;

Figure 12 is a view in the direction of arrow XII in Figure 9; Figure 13 is an oblique rear view of the traveller's accessory of Figure 9; and

Figure 14 is a side view of the traveller's accessory of Figure 9, showing the extendable parts thereof in their extended condition, Referring first to Figures 1 to 8, reference numeral 10 generally indicates a traveller's accessory which comprises a generally rectangular travel case 12 and a collapsible trolley 14 on which the travel case is mounted, the trolley including a collapsible seat for an infant. The travel case 12 is provided with a carry handle 16 whereby the accessory can be carried in the manner of a suitcase, when the trolley 14 is in the fully collapsed condition as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4. On that side of the travel case which is opposite the trolley 14, there is a detachable bag 18, the bag being attached to the travel case by means of, for example "Velcro" type fasteners (not shown).

The trolley 14 comprises a base frame 20 (Figure 6) which includes a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal members 22 each extending from one end of the travel case to the other. At one end thereof the base frame is provided with a pair of laterally spaced wheels 24. At the other end thereof the base frame is provided with an extendible handle 26 which comprises a pair of longitudinal members 28 joined at their upper ends by a handle-bar 30. Each of the longitudinal members 28 co-operates with a corresponding one of the longitudinal members 22, the longitudinal members 22 serving as rails along which the longitudinal members 28 are slidably displaceable.

The trolley 14 further comprises a pair of legs 32. The legs are, at their upper ends 34, pivotally connected to the base frame 20. Each leg 32 has, at its lower end, a wheel 36. Each leg 32 is further linked to the corresponding longitudinal member 28 of the handle 26 by means of a pivotal link 38. One end of the pivotal link 38 is connected pivotally to the corresponding leg 32, and the other end of the link is connected pivotally to the corresponding longitudinal member 28 by means of a pivot pin 40. The pivot pin 40 is able to slide along a slot 42 (Figure 6) in the corresponding longitudinal member 22. By means of this arrangement, the legs 32 are automatically displaced from their retracted position as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, to their extended positions as illustrated in Figures 5 to 8, when the handle 26 is displaced from the retracted position to the extended position. When in their retracted position, the legs 32 lie flat against the base frame 20 whereas, when in their extended position, the legs extend away from the base frame.

The seat 15 comprises an inverted U-shaped safety bar 44. The ends of the safety bar 44 are pivotally connected to the longitudinal members 28 of the handle 26, the arrangement being such that when the handle 26 is displaced from its extended position (Figures 5 to 8) to its retracted position (Figures 1 to 4), the safety bar is automatically displaced from its extended position to its retracted position. When the safety bar 44 is in its retracted position, the limbs thereof lie flat against the longitudinal members 28.

The seat 1 5 further comprises a support 46 of flexible sheet material, the support being suspended from the safety bar 44 and also being attached to the handle 26. The support 46 has openings 48 therein through which the legs of an infant can pass. Finally, the seat 1 5 comprises a backrest 50 of stiff, apertured sheet material, the backrest being fixed to and extending between the longitudinal members 28.

When the handle 26 is displaced from the extended to the retracted position, the safety bar 44 folds flat onto the backrest 50, the support 46 collapses, and the backrest 50, the safety bar 44, and the support 46 together slide into a space between the longitudinal members 22. Simultaneously, as described above, the legs 32 fold to their retracted positions.

Referring now to Figures 9 to 14, reference numeral 10.1 generally indicates a modified version of the traveller's accessory shown in Figures 1 to 8, the same reference numerals being used to indicate the same or similar parts.

The traveller's accessory 10.1 differs from the traveller's accessory 10 in that the travel case 1 2 is of the type that has two shells which are hinged together and are of a curved configuration to improve the styling. At each of the two bottom rear corners of the travel case 12 there are recesses 52 in the respective shell, to accommodate the wheels 36 when the trolley 14 is in the collapsed condition. Furthermore, the lower end of the travel case 12 is shaped to form a stopper or foot 54 which will assist in enabling the accessory to stand upright by itself when the trolley 14 is in the fully collapsed condition. The upper end of the travel case 12 is shaped to form a flat surface 56, which provides added support for an infant sitting in the seat 1 5. At the rear of the accessory 10.1 , between the longitudinal members 22, there is a back pouch 58 (Figure 13).

The detachable bag 18 of the accessory 10.1 is provided with sliding clasp fasteners or "zippers" 60 to provide access to different compartments in the bag. The bag 1 8 can, for example, be used to hold a changing mat, for use when changing an infant's diapers.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 . A traveller's accessory comprising a travel case (12), characterized in that the travel case is mounted on a collapsible trolley (14) which includes a seat (1 5) for seating an infant.

2. A traveller's accessory as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the trolley (14) further includes a base frame (20) on which the travel case (12) is mounted, and an extendable handle (26) which is displaceable between a retracted position with respect to the base frame and an extended position in which the handle protrudes beyond one of the ends of the travel case.

3. A traveller's accessory as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the seat (1 5) is collapsible, and in that the base frame (20) includes a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal members (22) each extending from one end of the travel case (12) to the other, the longitudinal members defining between them a space within which the seat when collapsed is retractable, the seat being connected to the handle (26) in such a manner that, when the handle is displaced from the retracted to the extended position, the seat is automatically withdrawn from said space and deployed at said one end of the travel case.

4. A traveller's accessory as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the seat (1 5) includes a support (46) of flexible sheet material for supporting said infant, the support having a pair of openings (48) therein through which the legs of the infant can pass.

5. A traveller's accessory as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the seat (1 5) includes a bar (44) of inverted U- shaped configuration which extends from one side of the base frame (20) to the other, and each of whose ends are pivotally mounted so that the bar is pivotally displaceable with respect to the base frame, the support (46) being suspended from the bar.

6. A traveller's accessory as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, characterized in that the seat (1 5) includes a backrest (50) which is fixed with respect to the handle (26).

7. A traveller's accessory as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the base frame (20) has a pair of laterally spaced wheels (24) at that end thereof which is opposite the handle (26), and in that the trolley (14) further includes a pair of laterally spaced, pivotally mounted legs (32), each said leg having a wheel (36) at one end thereof, and the other end (34) of the leg being connected pivotally to the base frame (20).

8. A traveller's accessory as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that each said leg (32) is linked to the handle (26) via a pivotal link (38) such that, when the handle is displaced from the retracted to the extended position, the legs are automatically displaced from a retracted position in which they lie flat against the base frame (20), to an extended position in which they extend away from the base frame.

9. A traveller's accessory substantially as herein described and illustrated.