Rolling case with protective dirt barrier

Abstract

A portable carrying case is provided which can be converted between a manual carrying and rolling modes of operation. During the rolling modes of operation a handle is extended upward from the case, and the case is traversed along the floor surface by a roller means secured to the bottom of the case. A shoulder strap and/or manual graspable handle is provided for manual lifting of the case during its manual carrying mode of operation. A predetermined spacing is provided between the roller means and back wall of the case so that when the case is in its manual mode of operation the roller means, which may have accumulated dirt, will not be against the user's body.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A portable carrying case comprising: 
 opposed front and back walls, opposed top and bottom walls and opposed first and second end walls to collectively define an enclosed volume;    manually operable access means along one of said walls to provide access to said enclosed volume for the insertion and removal of contents from within said enclosed volume;    said portable carrying case having a manual carrying mode and a rolling mode;    at least one of a shoulder strap or hand graspable handle secured to said case for the manual lifting of said portable carrying case, with said back wall being against the user's body during its manual carrying mode;    roller means secured to said bottom wall and a retractable handle extending upward of said top wall for operating said portable carrying case in its rolling mode, with said roller means moving along a floor surface;    said roller means being predeterminedly spaced from said back wall, along said bottom wall and towards said front wall, whereby said roller means will be spaced from the user's body when said back wall of the carrying case is against the user's body during its manual carrying mode.    
     
     
         2 . A portable carrying case according to    claim 1   , further including a bracket member positioning and securing said roller means on said bottom wall, said bracket member including a generally planar first portion having first and second ends, said first end bracket at the juncture of said bottom and back walls, and said second end located between said front and back walls; 
 said roller means secured to said first portion of said bracket member at a roller mounting location intermediate said first and second ends to establish said predetermined space between said roller means and back wall, said predetermined space providing the spacing between said portable carrying case and the user's body when said portable carrying case is in its manual carrying mode.    
     
     
         3 . A portable carrying case according to    claim 2   , said bracket member having a generally L-shaped cross section, and including a second generally planar portion integral with said first generally planar portion, said second portion positioned against said back wall, and having a first end in common with the first end of said first portion and a second end located between said bottom and top walls.  
     
     
         4 . A portable carrying case according to    claim 1   , wherein said roller means is a unitary elongated cylindrical roller assembly extending substantially between said opposed first and second end walls.  
     
     
         5 . A portable carrying case according to    claim 1   , wherein said roller means includes a plurality of individual wheels spaced between said first and second end walls.  
     
     
         6 . A portable carrying case according to    claim 2   , wherein said roller means is a unitary elongated cylindrical roller assembly extending substantially between said opposed first and second end walls.  
     
     
         7 . A portable carrying case according to    claim 2   , wherein said roller means includes a plurality of individual wheels spaced between said first and second end walls.  
     
     
         8 . A portable carrying case according to    claim 6   , said bracket member having a generally L-shaped cross section, and including a second generally planar portion integral with said first generally planar portion, said second portion positioned against said back wall, and having a first end in common with the first end of said first portion and a second end located between said bottom and top walls.  
     
     
         9 . A portable carrying case according to    claim 7   , said bracket member having a generally L-shaped cross section, and including a second generally planar portion integral with said first generally planar portion, said second portion positioned against said back wall, and having a first end in common with the first end of said first portion and a second end located between said bottom and top walls.  
     
     
         10 . A portable carrying case according to    claim 1   , wherein said portable carrying case is configured to receive a laptop computer.  
     
     
         11 . A portable carrying case according to    claim 8   , wherein said portable carrying case is configured to receive a laptop computer.  
     
     
         12 . A portable carrying case according to    claim 9   , wherein said portable carrying case is configured to receive a laptop computer.