Center opening upright luggage case with six wheels

Abstract

A wheeled luggage case ( 30 ) including a main body having a top surface ( 44 ), a bottom surface ( 42 ), a front wall ( 34 ), a rear wall ( 36 ), a first side wall ( 38 ), and a second side wall ( 40 ); a handle ( 46 ) mounted adjacent to the rear wall; a first wheel ( 74 ) and second wheel connected with a rear edge ( 76 ) defined by an intersection of the rear wall and bottom surface; a first rearward side wheel ( 74 ) and first frontward side wheel ( 74 ) connected with a first side edge ( 82 ) defined by an intersection of the first side wall and bottom surface; and wherein a first distance from the first side edge to a first contact point of the first frontward side wheel is greater than a second distance from the first side edge to a second contact point of the first rearward side wheel to aid in stabilizing the luggage case when wheeled on a rearward side wheel and corresponding frontward wheel.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A wheeled luggage case comprising: 
 a main body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front wall, a rear wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall;    an extendable handle mounted adjacent to said rear wall;    a first wheel and a second wheel rotatably operably connected with a rear edge, said rear edge defined by an intersection of said rear wall and said bottom surface;    a first rearward side wheel and a first frontward side wheel rotatably operably connected with a first side edge, said first side edge defined by an intersection of said first side wall and said bottom surface; and    wherein a first distance from said first side edge to a first contact point of said first frontward side wheel is greater than a second distance from said first side edge to a second contact point of said first rearward side wheel.    
     
     
         2 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 1  further comprising a first wheel housing, wherein said first wheel is mounted on an a first axle, and said first axle is mounted on said first wheel housing, and said first rearward side wheel is mounted on a first side axle, and said first side axle is mounted on said first wheel housing.  
     
     
         3 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 2  wherein said first wheel housing defines a cavity in which said first axle is mounted.  
     
     
         4 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 2  wherein said first axle is substantially perpendicular to said first side axle.  
     
     
         5 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 2  wherein said first wheel housing is constructed of molded plastic.  
     
     
         6 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 1  further comprising a first glide, wherein said first frontward side wheel is mounted on a second side axle, and said second side axle is mounted on said first glide.  
     
     
         7 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 6  wherein said first glide is constructed of molded plastic.  
     
     
         8 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 1  wherein said main body tilts toward said rear wall when resting on a support surface.  
     
     
         9 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 1  wherein said first distance is 1{fraction (11/16)} inches, and said second distance is 1⅜ inches.  
     
     
         10 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 1  wherein said main body tilts toward said rear wall at a tilt angle measured from vertical when said wheeled luggage case is supported on said first rearward side wheel and said first frontward side wheel.  
     
     
         11 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 10  wherein said tilt angle is at least approximately 7°.  
     
     
         12 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 1  wherein said bottom surface is rigid.  
     
     
         13 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 1  wherein said bottom surface is made of an integral piece.  
     
     
         14 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a second rearward side wheel and a second frontward side wheel rotatably connected with a second side edge, said second side edge defined by an intersection of said second side wall and said bottom surface; and  
 wherein a third distance from said second side edge to a third contact point of said second frontward side wheel is greater than a fourth distance from said second side edge to a fourth contact point of said second rearward side wheel.  
 
     
     
         15 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 14  further comprising a first wheel housing and a second wheel housing; 
 wherein said first wheel is mounted on a first axle, and said first axle is mounted on said first wheel housing, and said first rearward side wheel is mounted on a first side axle, and said first side axle is mounted on said first wheel housing; and  
 wherein said second wheel is mounted on a second axle, and said second axle is mounted on said second wheel housing, and said second rearward side wheel is mounted on a second side axle, and said second side axle is mounted on said second wheel housing.  
 
     
     
         16 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 15  wherein said first wheel housing defines a first cavity in which said first axle is mounted, and said second wheel housing defines a second cavity in which said second axle is mounted.  
     
     
         17 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 15  wherein said first axle is substantially perpendicular to said first side axle, and said second axle is substantially perpendicular to said second side axle.  
     
     
         18 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 15  wherein said first wheel housing and said second wheel housing are constructed of molded plastic.  
     
     
         19 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 14  further comprising a first glide and a second glide; 
 wherein said first frontward side wheel is mounted on a third side axle, and said third side axle is mounted on said first glide; and  
 wherein said second frontward side wheel is mounted on a fourth side axle, and said fourth side axle is mounted on said second glide.  
 
     
     
         20 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 19  wherein said first glide and said second glide are constructed of molded plastic.  
     
     
         21 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 14  wherein said third distance is 1{fraction (11/16)} inches, and said fourth distance is 1⅜ inches.  
     
     
         22 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 14  wherein said wheeled luggage case tilts toward said rear wall at a tilt angle measured from vertical when said wheeled luggage case is supported on said second rearward side wheel and said second frontward side wheel.  
     
     
         23 . The wheeled luggage case of  claim 22  wherein said tilt angle is at least approximately 7°.  
     
     
         24 . A luggage case comprising: 
 a main body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front wall, a rear wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall;    an extendable handle mounted adjacent to said rear wall;    wherein said first wall and said second wall separate said front wall from said rear wall;    wherein a first width of said first wall and said second wall define a narrow dimension, and a second width of said front wall and said rear wall define a wide dimension;    a means for rolling said luggage case in a first direction substantially parallel to said narrow dimension;    a means for rolling said luggage case in a second direction substantially parallel to said wide dimension; and    a means for tilting said luggage case toward said rear wall when rolling in said second direction.    
     
     
         25 . A wheeled luggage case comprising: 
 a main body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front wall, a rear wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall, wherein said front wall and said rear wall are wider than said first side wall and said second side wall;    an extendable handle mounted adjacent to said rear wall;    at least one rear wheel rotatably operably connected with a rear edge, said rear edge defined by an intersection of said rear wall and said bottom surface;    at least one side wheel rotatably operably connected with a first side edge, said first side edge defined by an intersection of said first side wall and said bottom surface; and    wherein said wheeled luggage case tilts toward the rear wall when supported by said at least one side wheel.