Towable hardside luggage piece with pass through panel and caster brake system

Abstract

A luggage piece in the form of a hardsided suitcase includes a two piece front shell assembly having pockets and a pass through opening to access a main compartment in the luggage in various different ways. A braking system for dual wheel casters is also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hardsided luggage piece comprising:
 a rear shell fabricated from a rigid material and defining a rear compartment for packing of items therein;   a front shell joined to the rear shell, the front shell fabricated from a rigid material and defining a front compartment for packing of items; and   a first closure element to detachably couple the rear shell and the front shell to one another;   wherein the front shell comprises:
 a first shell piece and a second shell piece joined by a hinge; 
 the first shell piece being intermediate the rear shell and the second shell piece; 
 the first shell piece defining a pass through opening to the rear compartment in the rear shell; and 
 a second closure mechanism configured to detachably couple the first and second shell pieces to one another, wherein the first closure mechanism and the second closure mechanism are independently operable from one another. 
   
     
     
         2 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 1 , wherein the front compartment is smaller than the rear compartment. 
     
     
         3 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 1 , wherein the second shell piece has an interior side, and at least one pocket accessible via the interior side. 
     
     
         4 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 1 , further comprising a flap joined to the first shell. 
     
     
         5 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 4 , wherein the flap includes a pocket structure. 
     
     
         6 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 4 , further comprising a third closure mechanism operable to detachably couple the flap to the first shell piece, the third closure mechanism independently operable from the first and second closure mechanisms. 
     
     
         7 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first, second and third closure elements comprises a zipper closure element. 
     
     
         8 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 1 , where in the first and second shell pieces are attached along a vertical hinge of the luggage piece. 
     
     
         9 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 1 , wherein the luggage piece is configured as a suitcase. 
     
     
         10 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 1 , wherein the second shell piece has a tapered shape. 
     
     
         11 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 10 , wherein the second shell piece has opposing first and second edges and a wedge-like shape that is wider at the first edge than at the second edge. 
     
     
         12 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 1  wherein the second shell piece includes a flat exterior front surface, and wherein the pass-through opening is angled with respect to the flat exterior front surface. 
     
     
         13 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 1 , wherein the luggage piece is configured as a carry-on piece of luggage. 
     
     
         14 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 1 , wherein the luggage piece is configured as a towable piece of luggage including at least one wheel. 
     
     
         15 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the rear shell and the front shell includes at least one caster. 
     
     
         16 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 15 , wherein the caster comprises a dual wheeled caster. 
     
     
         17 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 15 , further comprising a brake system for the at least one caster. 
     
     
         18 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 15 , wherein the second shell piece includes at least one caster. 
     
     
         19 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 18 , wherein the caster comprises a dual wheeled caster. 
     
     
         20 . The hardsided luggage piece of  claim 19 , further comprising a caster brake system operable to lock the at least one dual wheeled caster in a stationary position. 
     
     
         21 . A caster brake system, comprising:
 at least one caster wheel provided with an inner brake surface;   a brake element selectively positionable to engage or disengage the inner brake surface of the at least one wheel, wherein the at least one caster wheel is locked in a stationary position when the brake element is engaged and wherein the at least one caster wheel is freely rotatable when the brake element is disengaged;   a brake lever mechanically linked to the brake element;   a cable connected to the brake element; and   a handle connected to the cable and movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when the handle is moved to the first position the brake lever causes the brake element to descend and engage the inner brake surface of the at least one wheel.   
     
     
         22 . The caster brake system of  claim 21 , wherein the inner brake surface comprises teeth on an inner facing perimeter surface of the at least one wheel. 
     
     
         23 . The caster brake surface of  claim 21 , wherein the brake element comprises at least one brake pad having a curved brake surface configured to mesh with the inner brake surface of the at least one caster wheel. 
     
     
         24 . The caster brake system of  claim 21 , wherein the brake lever is biased to a position where the brake element is disengaged. 
     
     
         25 . The caster brake system of  claim 21 , further comprising a brake shaft, the shaft having a first end and a second end, the first end of the brake shaft coupled to the brake element, and the second end of the brake shaft coupled to the brake lever. 
     
     
         26 . The caster brake system of  claim 25 , further comprising a pivot housing, the brake shaft extending through the pivot housing, and the at least one wheel attached to the pivot housing. 
     
     
         27 . The caster brake system of  claim 26 , wherein the at least one caster wheel comprises a first wheel and a second wheel each having an inner brake surface, each of the first wheel and second wheel attached to the pivot housing. 
     
     
         28 . The caster brake system of  claim 27 , wherein the brake element is selectively positionable to engage or disengage the inner brake surface of each of the first when and the second wheel. 
     
     
         29 . The caster brake system of  claim 28 , wherein the brake element comprises a brake pad having first and second curved brake surfaces for respective engagement with the inner brake surface of each of the first and second wheel. 
     
     
         30 . The caster brake system of  claim 26 , further comprising a wheel housing, the brake shaft further passing through the wheel housing. 
     
     
         31 . The caster brake system of  claim 30 , further comprising a caster housing, the caster housing defining a caster recess accepting the wheel housing. 
     
     
         32 . The caster brake system of  claim 30 , in combination with a piece of luggage. 
     
     
         33 . The caster brake system of  claim 32 , wherein the piece of luggage is one of a hardside and a softside piece of luggage. 
     
     
         34 . The caster brake system of  claim 33 , wherein the piece of luggage is configured as a carry-on piece of luggage. 
     
     
         35 . The caster brake system of  claim 33 , wherein the piece of luggage is configured as suitcase. 
     
     
         36 . The caster brake system of  claim 21 , wherein the brake lever is pivotally mounted at a location between the at least one wheel and the handle. 
     
     
         37 . The caster brake system of  claim 36  wherein the brake lever is L-shaped. 
     
     
         38 . The caster brake system of  claim 21 , wherein the brake system is coupled to a piece of luggage. 
     
     
         39 . The caster brake system of  claim 38 , wherein the piece of luggage is fabricated with one of a hard side and soft side construction. 
     
     
         40 . The caster brake system of  claim 38 , wherein the handle is located on one of an upper external side piece of the luggage piece, a handle assembly for the luggage piece, and an extendable towing member. 
     
     
         41 . The caster brake system of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one caster wheel is mounted on a piece of luggage. 
     
     
         42 . A luggage piece comprising:
 a rear shell fabricated from a rigid material and defining a rear compartment for packing of items therein;   a front shell joined to the rear shell, the front shell fabricated from a rigid material and defining a front compartment for packing of items;   a first closure element to detachably couple the rear shell and the front shell to one another;   wherein the front shell comprises:
 a first shell piece and a second shell piece joined by a hinge; 
 the first shell piece being intermediate the rear shell and the second shell piece; 
 the first shell piece defining a pass through opening to the rear compartment in the rear shell; and 
 a second closure mechanism configured to detachably couple the first and second shell pieces to one another, wherein the first closure mechanism and the second closure mechanism are independently operable from one another; and 
   a caster brake system, comprising:
 at least one caster wheel provided with an inner brake surface, the at least one caster wheel mounted to one of the rear shell and the front shell; 
 a brake element selectively positionable to engage or disengage the inner brake surface of the at least one wheel, wherein the at least one caster wheel is locked in a stationary position when the brake element is engaged and wherein the at least one caster wheel is freely rotatable when the brake element is disengaged; 
   a brake lever mechanically linked to the brake element;   a cable connected to the brake element; and   a handle connected to the cable and movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when the handle is moved to the first position the brake lever causes the brake element to descend and engage the inner brake surface of the at least one wheel;   wherein the handle is located on an upper external side of one of the rear shell and front shell, a handle assembly for the luggage piece, and an extendable towing member.