Telescopic Handle for Hard-Sided Suitcase

Abstract

A hard-sided suitcase may have a front and a back hard-sided shell that together comprise a main storage compartment. A telescopic handle may have retractable or extendable arms, corresponding fixed tubes configured to house the arms, and a curved handle. The fixed tubes and/or frame of the telescopic handle may be at least partially encased within the back hard-sided shell. The fixed tubes may be approximately flush with the exterior of the back hard-sided shell, and the interior of the back hard-sided shell may provide a smooth and continuous surface to the main storage compartment to alleviate packing around the telescopic handle during use. The curved handle may have an undulating bend, and be configured to fit into a corresponding curved surface on the top of the back hard-sided shell. The top and backmost portions of the curved handle may be approximately flush with the back hard-sided shell.

1 . A hard-sided suitcase comprising:
 front and back hard-sided shells defining a main storage compartment; and   a telescopic handle having a curved handle interconnected with a right extendable arm and a left extendable arm, the right and left extendable arms configured to retract into and extend from fixed tubes of a frame of the telescopic handle, the curved handle being configured to bend inward toward the main storage compartment by curving inward toward the main storage compartment while the curved handle moves away from both the right and left extendable arms and toward a mid-point of the curved handle,   wherein the curved handle is configured to fit within a corresponding curved portion on a top, back corner of the back hard-sided shell such that when the right and left extendable arms are retracted into the fixed tubes, a topmost portion of the curved handle is approximately flush with a top of the back hard-sided shell and a backmost portion of the curved handle is approximately flush with a back of the back hard-sided shell to facilitate compactness and storage of the hard-sided suitcase.   
     
     
         2 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 1 , wherein the fixed tubes of the telescopic handle are partially encased within the back hard-sided shell such that the fixed tubes remain partially visible when viewed from the back of the back hard-sided shell. 
     
     
         3 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 1 , wherein the curved handle includes a centrally located push button configured to allow moving the right and left extendable arms into and out of the fixed tubes. 
     
     
         4 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 1 , wherein the curved handle and the right and left extendable arms are made of metal and comprise a single piece. 
     
     
         5 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 4 , wherein the curved handle has a symmetric undulating shape that bends inward toward a middle of the hard-sided suitcase. 
     
     
         6 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 1 , wherein the frame of the telescopic handle is partially encased within the back hard-sided shell and remains visible from an exterior of the hard-sided suitcase. 
     
     
         7 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 1 , wherein the curved handle has a symmetric, undulating shape that bends inward toward a middle of the hard-sided suitcase. 
     
     
         8 . A hard-sided suitcase comprising:
 front and back hard-sided shells defining a main storage compartment; and   a telescopic handle having a curved handle interconnected with a right retractable arm and a left retractable arm, the right and left retractable arms being configured to retract into and extend from corresponding right and left fixed tubes of a frame of the telescopic handle, the curved handle being configured to bend inward toward the main storage compartment by bending inward while the curved handle moves away from a top portion of both the right and left retractable arms and toward a mid-point of the curved handle,   wherein the curved handle is configured to fit within a corresponding curved, indented portion on a top, back corner of the back hard-sided shell such that when the right and left retractable arms are retracted into the right and left fixed tubes, respectively, a topmost portion of the curved handle is approximately flush with a top of the back hard-sided shell and a backmost portion of the curved handle is approximately flush with a back of the back hard-sided shell to facilitate compactness and storage of the hard-sided suitcase.   
     
     
         9 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 8 , wherein the fixed tubes of the telescopic handle are partially encased within the back hard-sided shell such that the fixed tubes remain partially visible. 
     
     
         10 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 8 , wherein the curved handle includes a centrally located push button configured to allow moving the right and left retractable arms into and out of the fixed tubes. 
     
     
         11 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 10 , wherein the curved handle and the right and left retractable arms are made of metal and comprise a single piece. 
     
     
         12 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 8 , wherein the frame of the telescopic handle is partially encased within the back hard-sided shell and remains visible from an exterior of the hard-sided suitcase. 
     
     
         13 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 8 , wherein the curved handle has a symmetric, undulating shape that bends inward toward a middle of the hard-sided suitcase. 
     
     
         14 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 8 , wherein the curved handle and the right and left retractable arms are made of metal and comprise a single piece. 
     
     
         15 . A hard-sided suitcase comprising:
 front and back hard-sided shells defining a main storage compartment; and   a telescopic handle having a curved handle interconnected with right and left retractable arms, the right and left retractable arms being configured to retract into and extend from corresponding right and left fixed tubes that are at least partially encased within the back hard-sided shell, the curved handle having a symmetric, undulating shape that bends inward toward a middle of the hard-sided suitcase,   wherein the curved handle is configured to fit within a curved, indented portion located on a top, back corner of the back hard-sided shell such that when the right and left retractable arms are retracted into the right and left fixed tubes, respectively, a topmost portion of the curved handle is approximately flush with a top surface of the back hard-sided shell and a backmost portion of the curved handle is approximately flush with a back surface of the back hard-sided shell to facilitate compactness and storage of the hard-sided suitcase.   
     
     
         16 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 15 , wherein the curved handle includes a centrally located push button configured to allow moving the right and left retractable arms into and out of the fixed tubes. 
     
     
         17 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 16 , wherein the curved handle and the right and left retractable arms are made of metal and comprise a single piece. 
     
     
         18 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 15 , wherein the curved handle and the right and left retractable arms are made of metal and comprise a single piece. 
     
     
         19 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 15 , wherein the frame of the telescopic handle is partially encased within the back hard-sided shell and remains visible from an exterior of the hard-sided suitcase. 
     
     
         20 . The hard-sided suitcase of  claim 19 , wherein the frame of the telescopic handle is made of metal.