bag

Abstract

To implement operation of a wheel lock mechanism capable of regulating rotation of wheels, while avoiding complication of a configuration in a bag.SOLUTION: A bag comprises a bag body, a handle attached to the bag body, wheels attached to a bottom part of the bag body, and a wheel lock mechanism 20 having a control wire. The wheel lock mechanism 20 is configured to, when the control wire is located at a first position, turn into a lock release state of allowing rotation of the wheels, and when the control wire is located at a second position, turn into a lock state of regulating the rotation of the wheels. The handle 200 includes a rod-shaped rotation part and a support part 240 for rotatably supporting the rotation part 250, with a longitudinal direction of the rotation part 250 used as an axis. The control wire is connected to the rotation part 250 and is configured to displace between the first position and the second position with the rotation of the rotation part 250.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to bags.

Background Art

[0002] Bags having a bag body with a space for storing luggage, a handle attached to the bag body, and wheels attached to the bottom of the bag body are widely used. With such a bag, the user can move the bag with the wheels on the floor surface by gripping and pulling the handle.

[0003] To prevent unintentional movement of the bag, various bags having a wheel lock mechanism capable of restricting (locking) the rotation of the wheels have been proposed. In Patent Document 1, a bag is disclosed in which the wheel lock mechanism has an electric actuator capable of restricting the rotation of the wheels, a button switch for operating the electric actuator is provided on the handle, and when an operation signal generated by the button switch is transmitted to the wheel lock mechanism via wireless, the electric actuator restricts the rotation of the wheels.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the bag of Patent Document 1, electrical components such as a button switch and an electric actuator are required, and a power source for their operations needs to be secured. Furthermore, in addition to the configuration for realizing the functions of the bag (the bag itself, the handle, the wheels, etc.), a dedicated configuration (such as a button switch) for operating the wheel lock mechanism is required, so there is a problem that the configuration becomes complicated.

[0006] This specification discloses a technology capable of solving the above-mentioned problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The technologies disclosed herein can be implemented, for example, in the following forms:

[0008] (1) The bag disclosed herein comprises a bag body, a handle attached to the bag body, wheels attached to the bottom of the bag body, and a wheel locking mechanism having a control wire. The wheel locking mechanism is in an unlocked state that allows the wheel to rotate when the control wire is in a first position, and in a locked state that restricts the rotation of the wheel when the control wire is in a second position. The handle has a rod-shaped rotating part and a support part that supports the rotating part so that it can rotate about the longitudinal direction of the rotating part as an axis. The control wire is connected to the rotating part and is configured to be displaced between the first position and the second position as the rotating part rotates. With this bag, the wheel locking mechanism can be switched between an unlocked state and a locked state by operating the rotating part. Therefore, with this bag, the wheel lock mechanism can be switched using the rotating part of the handle, which is a component that enables the bag's functionality, without requiring electrical components or their power source, and without requiring a dedicated configuration (such as a button switch) for operating the wheel lock mechanism. This avoids complicating the bag's structure and allows for a simple bag design.

[0009] (2) In the above-described bag, the rotating part may have a rotating-side engaging part, and the support part may have a first support-side engaging part that engages with the rotating-side engaging part when the control wire is in the first position, and a second support-side engaging part that engages with the rotating-side engaging part when the control wire is in the second position. With this bag, it is possible to achieve positioning (angle setting) of the rotating part along the circumferential direction with a so-called click feeling, and to improve the feel of operation for switching the wheel lock mechanism.

[0010] (3) In the above-described bag, the rotating side engaging portion may be a protrusion that can move back and forth in the radial direction of the rotating portion, and the first support side engaging portion and the second support side engaging portion may be holes that can engage with the protrusion. With this bag, the above-described improvement in operability can be achieved with a relatively simple configuration.

[0011] (4) In the above-described bag, the rotating part may have a rotating side restricting part, and the support part may have a support side restricting part that allows rotation of the rotating part within a range from a state in which the rotating side engaging part is engaged with the first support side engaging part to a state in which the rotating side engaging part is engaged with the second support side engaging part, and restricts rotation of the rotating part beyond that range by contacting the rotating side restricting part. With this bag, the rotation range of the rotating part can be limited to the range necessary for switching the wheel lock mechanism, and malfunctions of the mechanism caused by rotation exceeding the range of the rotating part can be suppressed.

[0012] (5) In the above-described bag, the rotating side restricting portion may be a protruding portion that protrudes along the longitudinal direction at the end of the rotating portion, and the supporting side restricting portion may be a groove into which the protruding portion fits. With this bag, the limiting of the rotation range of the rotating portion described above can be achieved with a relatively simple configuration.

[0013] (6) The bag may further be configured to include a biasing member that biases the control wire toward the first position. With this bag, the rotating part is biased via the control wire in a direction that causes the wheel lock mechanism to be in the unlocked state. Therefore, with this bag, the force that the user must apply to the rotating part when switching the wheel lock mechanism from the locked state to the unlocked state is smaller than the force that the user must apply to the rotating part when switching from the unlocked state to the locked state, thereby improving the operability of the bag.

[0014] (7) In the above-described bag, the handle has an extendable mechanism that extends and retracts so that the relative position of the rotating part with respect to the wheel changes, and the bag may further include a tubular body that houses at least a portion of the control wire, and which deforms while maintaining a constant overall length as the extendable mechanism extends and retracts. With this bag, even when the handle is extended or retracted, the path length of the control wire can be kept constant due to the presence of the tubular body. Therefore, with this bag, the operability of the bag can be improved by making the handle extendable and retractable, while the wheel locking mechanism can be switched by the rotating part of the handle.

[0015] (8) The bag may further be configured to include a cover member positioned to cover the support portion. With this bag, it is possible to prevent the components for switching the wheel lock mechanism from being exposed to the outside of the handle, and to further simplify the external design of the handle.

[0016] (9) In the above-mentioned bag, the rotating part may be configured as a grip part that is held by the user. With this bag, the user can switch the wheel lock mechanism by operating the rotating part while holding the rotating part as a grip part for holding or transporting the bag, thereby further improving the operability of the bag.

[0017] (10) In the above-described bag, the wheel locking mechanism may be configured to include a body, a rotating member supported by the body so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis, having a recess formed on at least a part of its outer circumferential surface around the rotation axis and rotating together with the wheel, and a linear body having a protrusion, connected to the control wire, and configured such that when the control wire is in the first position, the protrusion does not engage with the recess and the lock is released, and when the control wire is in the second position, the protrusion engages with the recess and the lock is released. With this bag, compared to a conventional wheel locking mechanism in which the rotation of the wheel is restricted by inserting a lock pin into a lock hole, the risk of the protrusion becoming fixed in the recess can be reduced, and any obstacle to unlocking can be avoided.

[0018] (11) In the above-described bag, the wheel locking mechanism may be configured such that it transitions from the locked state in which the protrusion is fitted into the recess to the unlocked state as the linear body moves in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotating member, thereby separating the protrusion from the recess. With this bag, the amount of movement of the protrusion when unlocking the wheels can be reduced, the force required to unlock the wheels can be reduced, and the time required to unlock the wheels can be shortened.

[0019] (12) In the above-described bag, a plurality of recesses may be formed on at least a part of the outer circumferential surface of the rotating member, and the linear body may be configured to have a plurality of protrusions that can be fitted into each of the plurality of recesses. With this bag, a more reliable locking of the wheels can be achieved.

[0020] (13) In the above-mentioned bag, the linear body may be configured to have a rack member on which a plurality of teeth that function as the protrusions are formed. With this bag, a more reliable locking of the wheels can be achieved with a relatively simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0021] [Figure 1] Explanatory drawing schematically showing the structure of the bag in this embodiment [Figure 2] Explanatory drawing showing the state where the handle of the bag shown in Fig. 1 is pulled out [Figure 3] Explanatory drawing showing the usage state of the bag [Figure 4] Perspective view showing the external appearance structure of the caster and the wheel lock mechanism for locking the wheels of the caster [Figure 5] Exploded perspective view showing the external appearance structure of each component constituting the caster and the wheel lock mechanism shown in Fig. 4 [Figure 6] Explanatory drawing showing the unlocked state of the wheel lock mechanism [Figure 7] Explanatory drawing showing the locked state of the wheel lock mechanism [Figure 8] Perspective view showing the external appearance structure of the handle and the wheel lock mechanism [Figure 9] Explanatory drawing showing the back structure of the handle [Figure 10] Exploded perspective view showing the external appearance structure of each component constituting the handle and the wheel lock mechanism [Figure 11] Explanatory drawing showing the side view and cross - section of the handle and the wheel lock mechanism in the unlocked state [Figure 12] Explanatory drawing showing the side view and cross - section of the handle and the wheel lock mechanism in the locked state [Figure 13] Explanatory drawing showing the detailed structure of the control wire in the bag with the handle stored [Figure 14] Explanatory drawing showing the detailed structure of the control wire in the bag with the handle pulled out [Figure 15] Perspective view showing the external appearance structure of the wire connector shown in Figs. 13 and 14

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] A. Embodiment: A - 1. Structure of the bag: Figures 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams illustrating the configuration of the bag in this embodiment. The bag 10 is a so-called suitcase and has a handle 200. Figure 1 shows the external configuration of the bag 10 with the handle 200 retracted, and Figure 2 shows the external configuration of the bag 10 with the handle 200 extended. Each figure shows mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z axes. Hereafter, the positive Z-axis direction will be referred to as the upward direction, and the negative Z-axis direction will be referred to as the downward direction. In each figure, some components are shown transparently, and some components are omitted from the illustration. These points are also the same for Figures 3 and beyond.

[0023] The bag 10 comprises a bag body 11, a handle 200, two casters 100, each containing a wheel 120, and a wheel locking mechanism 20. The wheel locking mechanism 20 switches between an unlocked state that allows rotation of each wheel 120 and a locked state that restricts rotation of each wheel 120. Hereinafter, the surface of the bag 10 viewed from the positive Z-axis direction will be referred to as the top surface, the surface of the bag 10 viewed from the negative Z-axis direction will be referred to as the bottom surface, the surface of the bag 10 viewed from the positive Y-axis direction will be referred to as the front, the surface of the bag 10 viewed from the negative Y-axis direction will be referred to as the back, and the surfaces of the bag 10 viewed from the positive X-axis direction and the negative X-axis direction will be referred to as the side. The bag 10 will be described assuming that the handle 200 extends in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), but the bag 10 can take on other orientations.

[0024] The bag body 11 is a box-shaped structure with a space for storing luggage, and is, for example, a roughly rectangular parallelepiped. The front of the bag body 11 is provided with an openable and closable lid 12. In Figures 1 and 2, the lid 12 is shown with a dashed line for convenience.

[0025] The handle 200 is the part that the user grasps when lifting or moving the bag 10, and is attached to the back side of the bag body 11 at a position approximately in the center along the X-axis. The handle 200 has two pole sections 290 and a handle body section 210.

[0026] Each pole section 290 is, for example, roughly rectangular in shape and is attached to the bag body 11 in a position that extends vertically. Each pole section 290 has a telescopic mechanism 292 that extends and retracts along the vertical direction. The telescopic mechanism 292 is configured to be switchable between a stored state in a storage space 14 provided in the bag body 11 (see Figure 1) and an extended state in which it extends upward from the top surface of the bag body 11 (see Figure 2).

[0027] The handle body 210 is, for example, roughly cylindrical and is mounted so as to extend in the X-axis direction and span the upper ends of the two pole sections 290. The handle body 210 is the part that is actually gripped by the user. Furthermore, as will be described later, the handle body 210 also functions as an operating part for operating the wheel locking mechanism 20.

[0028] The casters 100 are attached to the bottom surface of the bag body 11 near the two corners on the back side. Each caster 100 has two wheels 120. Each caster 100 supports the bag body 11, and the rotation of the wheels 120 allows the bag 10 to move smoothly along the floor surface.

[0029] Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the usage state of the bag 10. One or more legs 13 are attached to the front side of the bottom surface of the bag body 11. As shown in columns A and B of Figure 3, the bag 10 is configured to stand upright with the legs 13 and the two casters 100 touching the floor when the handle 200 is in the retracted or extended state. Also, as shown in column C of Figure 3, for example, by tilting the bag 10 backward and gripping the handle body 210 and pulling, the bag 10 can be moved with only the two casters 100 touching the floor.

[0030] A-2. Detailed configuration of caster 100 and wheel locking mechanism 20: Next, the detailed configuration of the caster 100 and the wheel locking mechanism 20 will be described. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the caster 100 and the wheel locking mechanism 20, Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the external configuration of their components, and Figures 6 and 7 are explanatory diagrams showing the side configuration of the caster 100 and the wheel locking mechanism 20. Figure 6 shows the wheel locking mechanism 20 in the unlocked state, which allows the rotation of the wheel 120, and Figure 7 shows the wheel locking mechanism 20 in the locked state, which restricts its rotation.

[0031] As shown in Figures 4 to 7, the caster 100 comprises a body 150, two wheels 120, and two rotating members 140. Each component of the caster 100 is made of, for example, resin or metal. At least some of the components of the caster 100 may function as components of the wheel locking mechanism 20.

[0032] The body 150 comprises a main body 170 and a pair of sub-bodies 160 attached to the main body 170 so as to sandwich it from both sides. The body 150 is attached to the bottom of the bag body 11 so as to be able to pivot horizontally via a vertically extending support shaft 172 formed in the main body 170 (see Figures 1 to 3).

[0033] The body 150 has a wire through-hole 151 through which the support shaft 172 passes vertically, a bridge housing space 152 located below the support shaft 172 and communicating with the wire through-hole 151, and a pair of rotating member housing spaces 153 secured between the main body 170 and each sub-body 160. Guide protrusions 156 extending vertically are formed on each of the two opposing sides that define the bridge housing space 152. In addition, toothed grooves 154 communicating with the rotating member housing space 153 are formed on both sides of the main body 170. The rotating member housing space 153 communicates with the outside of the body 150 through through-holes 162 formed in each sub-body 160.

[0034] The rotating member 140 has a rod-shaped shaft 142 and a disc-shaped gear 144 with a through hole 143 formed in the center. The shaft 142 is inserted into the through hole 143 and is integrated with the gear 144 so as not to rotate relative to it. The rotating member 140 is supported in the rotating member housing space 153 so as to be rotatable with its longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) as the axis of rotation.

[0035] The tip of the shaft 142 protrudes to the outside of the body 150 through a through hole in the bearing member 130, which is located outside the gear 144, and a through hole 162 in the sub-body 160. In addition, multiple teeth, i.e., recesses 146, are formed around the entire circumference of the outer surface of the gear 144.

[0036] The wheel 120 is a roughly disc-shaped member with a through hole 122 formed in the center. The tip of a shaft 142 that protrudes from the outside of the body 150 is inserted into the through hole 122 of the wheel 120, and the wheel 120 is integrated with the shaft 142 in such a way that it cannot rotate relative to it. Therefore, the wheel 120 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating member 140. A ring-shaped retaining member 112 is fitted to the tip of the shaft 142 that passes through the through hole 122 of the wheel 120, and a roughly disc-shaped cover 110 is attached to the outside of the wheel 120.

[0037] The wheel locking mechanism 20 is a mechanism that switches between an unlocked state, which allows the rotation of each wheel 120 of each caster 100, and a locked state, which restricts the rotation of each wheel 120. When the wheel locking mechanism 20 is in the unlocked state, the bag 10 can be moved smoothly along the floor surface, and when the wheel locking mechanism 20 is in the locked state, unintended movement of the bag 10 can be prevented.

[0038] The wheel locking mechanism 20 includes a pair of control wires 300, a bridge member 180, a biasing member 188, and two rack members 190. Each component of the wheel locking mechanism 20 is made of, for example, resin or metal.

[0039] The control wire 300 is a long member connected to the rotating part 250 (see Figure 8) of the handle 200, which functions as the operating part of the wheel lock mechanism 20. The control wire 300 is displaced as the rotating part 250 rotates, thereby switching the wheel lock mechanism 20 between the unlocked state and the locked state. This will be described in detail later.

[0040] The control wire 300 has a caster-side control wire 310. The caster-side control wire 310 is a component that forms part of the control wire 300 on the side closer to the caster 100. The caster-side control wire 310 has a long, narrow diameter portion 314 having a substantially constant outer diameter, and substantially spherical, enlarged diameter portions 312 formed at both ends of the narrow diameter portion 314, with an outer diameter larger than that of the narrow diameter portion 314. A caster-side control wire 310 with such a configuration can be made, for example, by crimping spherical terminals that become the enlarged diameter portions 312 to both ends of the narrow diameter portion 314. The lower end of the caster-side control wire 310 passes through a wire through-hole 151 in the body 150 to the bridge housing space 152.

[0041] The bridge member 180 is, for example, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped member and is housed in a bridge housing space 152 formed in the body 150. A pair of guide grooves 181 extending in the vertical direction are formed on the side surface of the bridge member 180. The bridge member 180 is slidable in the vertical direction within the bridge housing space 152 with guide protrusions 156 formed in the body 150 fitted into each guide groove 181. The biasing member 188 is, for example, a coil spring and biases the bridge member 180 downward.

[0042] The bridge member 180 has a pair of toothed grooves 183 into which one end of the rack member 190 fits. The bridge member 180 also has a through hole 182 that extends in the vertical direction. The inner diameter of the through hole 182 is smaller than the outer diameter of the enlarged portion 312 of the caster-side control wire 310, and larger than the outer diameter of the narrow portion 314. The narrow portion 314 of the caster-side control wire 310 is inserted into the through hole 182 with the enlarged portion 312 positioned below the bridge member 180. Since the bridge member 180 is biased downward by the biasing member 188, the enlarged portion 312 receives a downward force from the bottom surface of the bridge member 180, and the caster-side control wire 310 is also biased downward. Furthermore, when an upward force is applied to the caster-side control wire 310, the enlarged diameter portion 312 exerts an upward force on the bottom surface of the bridge member 180, causing the caster-side control wire 310 and the bridge member 180 to move upward against the biasing force of the biasing member 188.

[0043] The rack member 190 is a flexible member and is housed in a rotating member housing space 153 formed in the body 150 so as to face the outer circumferential surface of the gear 144 of the rotating member 140. Multiple protrusions (teeth) 192 are formed on the surface of the rack member 190 that faces the outer circumferential surface of the gear 144. Each protrusion 192 of the rack member 190 is configured to fit into each recess 146 formed on the outer circumferential surface of the gear 144. The rack member 190 is an example of a linear body within the scope of the claims.

[0044] One end of the rack member 190 is fixed to the bridge member 180 by fitting one or more protrusions 192 of that end into a toothed groove 183 formed in the bridge member 180. In other words, this one end of the rack member 190 is connected to the caster-side control wire 310 via the bridge member 180. The other end of the rack member 190 is fixed to the body 150 by fitting one or more protrusions 192 of that end into a toothed groove 154 formed in the body 150.

[0045] As shown in Figure 6, when no upward force is acting on the caster-side control wire 310, the biasing force of the biasing member 188 positions the bridge member 180 at the lower end of the bridge housing space 152. At this time, each protrusion 192 of each rack member 190, one end of which is fixed to the bridge member 180, is separated from each recess 146 of each gear 144, and the two are not engaged with each other. In this state, the rotation of each gear 144 is not restricted by each rack member 190. That is, in this state, the wheel lock mechanism 20 including the rack member 190 is in an unlocked state that allows the rotation of the wheel 120 connected to the rotating member 140 including the gear 144. The position of the caster-side control wire 310 (control wire 300) in the unlocked state is called the unlocked position P1. The unlocked position P1 is an example of the first position in the claims.

[0046] As shown in Figure 7, when an upward force (arrow D1) acts on the caster-side control wire 310, the caster-side control wire 310 and the bridge member 180 are displaced upward against the biasing force of the biasing member 188. Consequently, a substantially upward force acts on one end of the rack member 190 fixed to the bridge member 180, causing the rack member 190 to elastically deform. As a result, each convex portion 192 of the rack member 190 engages with each concave portion 146 of the gear 144. In this state, the rotation of the gear 144 is restricted by the rack member 190. In other words, in this state, the wheel lock mechanism 20, including the rack member 190, is in a locked state that restricts the rotation of the wheels 120 connected to each rotating member 140, including the gear 144. Thus, the wheel locking mechanism 20 is configured to transition from an unlocked state, where the protrusion 192 is separated from the recess 146, to a locked state, as the rack member 190 moves in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotating member 140, the protrusion 192 engages with the recess 146. The position of the caster-side control wire 310 (control wire 300) in the locked state is called the locked position P2. The locked position P2 is an example of the second position in the claims.

[0047] When an upward force is no longer acting on the caster-side control wire 310, as shown in Figure 6, the biasing force of the biasing member 188 displaces the bridge member 180 to the lower end of the bridge housing space 152. Each rack member 190, with one end fixed to the bridge member 180, deforms so that each protrusion 192 separates from each recess 146 of each gear 144, and the wheel lock mechanism 20 returns to the unlocked state. Thus, the wheel lock mechanism 20 is configured to transition from a locked state, where the protrusion 192 of the rack member 190 is engaged with the recess 146 of the gear 144, to an unlocked state as the rack member 190 moves in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotating member 140, causing the protrusion 192 to separate from the recess 146.

[0048] A-3. Detailed configuration of the handle 200 and wheel locking mechanism 20: Next, the detailed configuration of the handle 200 and the wheel lock mechanism 20 (a part of the wheel lock mechanism 20 closer to the handle 200) will be described. Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the handle 200 and the wheel lock mechanism 20, Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the rear configuration of the handle 200, Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view showing the external configuration of each component constituting the handle 200 and the wheel lock mechanism 20, and Figures 11 and 12 are explanatory diagrams showing the side and cross-sectional configurations of the handle 200 and the wheel lock mechanism 20. Figure 11 shows the configuration when the wheel lock mechanism 20 is in the unlocked state, and Figure 12 shows the configuration when the wheel lock mechanism 20 is in the locked state. In Figures 11 and 12, column A shows the side view of the handle 200 and wheel lock mechanism 20 with the cover member 220 (described later) removed, column B shows the side view of the handle 200 and wheel lock mechanism 20 with the support end member 230 (described later) removed, and column C shows the cross-sectional view of the handle 200 and wheel lock mechanism 20 at position CC in Figure 9.

[0049] As described above, the handle 200 has two pole sections 290 and a handle body section 210 attached so as to span the upper ends of the two pole sections 290. The handle body section 210 has a rotating section 250, a support section 240, a pair of cover members 220, and a pair of columnar members 270. Note that the cover members 220 are not shown in Figures 8 and 9.

[0050] The rotating part 250 is a rod-shaped portion extending in the X-axis direction and functions as a grip portion held by the user. The rotating part 250 has a core member 253 and a pair of outer members 258. The core member 253 is a substantially cylindrical member extending in the X-axis direction and has a through hole 251 that penetrates in the longitudinal direction. The pair of ends 252 of the core member 253 have a larger outer diameter than the central portion sandwiched between the pair of ends 252.

[0051] The pair of outer members 258 are attached to the core member 253 in such a way that they sandwich the core member 253 from both sides, exposing the pair of ends 252 of the core member 253. The portion of the rotating part 250 to which the pair of outer members 258 are attached constitutes a substantially cylindrical portion that is primarily gripped by the user.

[0052] Each end 252 of the core member 253 is formed with a first recess 254 that is concave in the longitudinal direction of the rotating part 250, and a wire groove 255 that communicates with the first recess 254 and extends in the circumferential direction of the rotating part 250. In addition, a second recess 256 that is concave in the radial direction of the rotating part 250 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of each end 252. A ball spring 260, composed of a coil spring 264 and a spherical body 262, is inserted into the second recess 256. When the coil spring 264 is contracted, the ball spring 260 is contained within the second recess 256, and when the coil spring 264 is extended, the tip of the spherical body 262 protrudes from the second recess 256. In other words, the ball spring 260 functions as a radially movable convex portion. The ball spring 260 is an example of a rotating-side engaging portion in the claims.

[0053] A pair of projections 257 are formed at the tips of each end 252 of the core member 253, projecting along the longitudinal direction of the rotating portion 250. The pair of projections 257 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis of the rotating portion 250. The cross-section of each projection 257 is substantially arc-shaped. The projections 257 are an example of the rotation-side restricting portion in the claims.

[0054] The support portion 240 includes a shaft member 241 and a pair of support end members 230. The shaft member 241 is a rod-shaped member extending in the X-axis direction. The shaft member 241 is inserted into a through hole 251 formed in the core member 253. Both ends of the shaft member 241 protrude outward from the through hole 251.

[0055] The pair of support end members 230 are positioned to sandwich the shaft member 241 from both ends in the longitudinal direction. Each support end member 230 has a substantially cylindrical portion and is positioned to overlap the end 252. In this state, the pair of ends of the shaft member 241 are fixed to the pair of support end members 230 by connecting members 222 such as screws and washers. As a result, the support portion 240 supports the rotating portion 250 in a state in which it can rotate around the shaft member 241 extending in the X-axis direction.

[0056] Each support end member 230 has a first through hole 231 and a second through hole 232 formed on its outer circumferential surface. The positions of the two through holes 231 and 232 along the X-axis coincide with the position of the ball spring 260 along the X-axis when the support end member 230 is placed over the end 252. Furthermore, the inner diameters of the two through holes 231 and 232 are smaller than the outer diameter of the spherical body 262 of the ball spring 260. Therefore, when the rotating part 250 is rotated around its axis of rotation, and the ball spring 260 moves toward the position of the first through hole 231, the tip of the spherical body 262 engages with (inserts) the first through hole 231 (see column C in Figure 11). In this state, the posture of the rotating part 250 is maintained unless a rotational force greater than a predetermined value is applied to the rotating part 250 that would allow the spherical body 262 to exit the first through hole 231 against the coil spring 264. Similarly, when the rotating part 250 is rotated and the position of the ball spring 260 moves toward the position of the second through hole 232, the tip of the spherical body 262 engages with the second through hole 232 (see column C in Figure 12), and the position of the rotating part 250 is maintained unless a rotational force exceeding a predetermined value is applied to the rotating part 250. In this way, the engagement between the ball spring 260 and the through holes 231 and 232 enables positioning (angle setting) of the rotating part 250 along the circumferential direction with a so-called click sensation. The first through hole 231 is an example of the first support-side engaging part in the claims, and the second through hole 232 is an example of the second support-side engaging part in the claims.

[0057] Each support end member 230 has a pair of regulating grooves 234 formed in the longitudinal direction of the rotating part 250. The pair of regulating grooves 234 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the support end member 230. The cross-section of each regulating groove 234 is substantially arc-shaped, similar to the projection 257 of the core member 253, but its circumference is longer than that of the projection 257. When the support end member 230 is placed over the end 252 of the core member 253, each projection 257 is fitted into each regulating groove 234. When the rotating part 250 rotates, each projection 257 maintains its fitted state in each regulating groove 234, while each projection 257 is displaced relative to each regulating groove 234 in the circumferential direction. Each regulating groove 234 is configured to limit the range of rotation of the rotating part 250. The rotatable range Z1 (see column A in Figures 11 and 12) is approximately the same as, or slightly larger than, the angle formed by the line connecting the center of the spherical body 262 when it is inserted into the first through hole 231 and the center of the shaft member 241 (see column C in Figure 11) and the line connecting the center of the spherical body 262 when it is inserted into the second through hole 232 and the center of the shaft member 241 (see column C in Figure 12) in the cross-section of the handle 200. This allows the rotation of the rotating part 250 within range Z1, and restricts the rotation of the rotating part 250 beyond range Z1 by each protrusion 257. Each restricting groove 234 is an example of a support-side restricting part in the claims.

[0058] The cover member 220 is a substantially cylindrical member and is positioned to cover the outer circumference of the support end member 230. This prevents through holes 231, 232 and regulating grooves 234 formed in the support end member 230, or other members such as the connecting member 222, from being exposed to the outside, thus simplifying the appearance.

[0059] The pair of columnar members 270 are members that extend in the vertical direction and are positioned below each end 252 of the core member 253 of the rotating part 250. Guide grooves (not shown) are formed in the columnar members 270, and the handle-side control wire 320, which will be described later, is housed in the guide groove, while the columnar members 270 are fixed to the pole part 290 with fixing screws 272. In addition, the support end member 230 is fixed to the upper end of the pole part 290 via the columnar members 270. As a result, the handle body part 210 is fixed to each pole part 290.

[0060] As described above, the wheel locking mechanism 20 has a pair of control wires 300. Each control wire 300 has a handle-side control wire 320 in addition to the caster-side control wire 310 (see Figure 5, etc.) described above. The handle-side control wire 320 is a component that forms part of the control wire 300 on the side closer to the rotating part 250 of the handle 200. The handle-side control wire 320 has a long, narrow diameter portion 324 with a substantially constant outer diameter, and substantially spherical, enlarged diameter portions 322 formed at both ends of the narrow diameter portion 324, with an outer diameter larger than that of the narrow diameter portion 324. A handle-side control wire 320 with such a configuration can be made, for example, by crimping spherical terminals that become the enlarged diameter portions 322 to both ends of the narrow diameter portion 324.

[0061] The enlarged diameter portion 322 at the upper end of each handle-side control wire 320 is housed in a first recess 254 formed in each end 252 of the core member 253 that constitutes the rotating portion 250 of the handle 200. As a result, the upper end of the handle-side control wire 320 is fixed to the rotating portion 250. In addition, the portion of the narrow diameter portion 324 of each handle-side control wire 320 adjacent to the enlarged diameter portion 322 is housed in a circumferentially extending wire groove 255 formed in each end 252. The portion of the narrow diameter portion 324 adjacent to the portion housed in the wire groove 255 extends downward through a pair of fixing screws 272 fixed to the columnar member 270.

[0062] Each handle-side control wire 320 is displaced as the rotating part 250 rotates. Specifically, when the rotating part 250 is rotated in the direction of arrow D2 from the state shown in Figure 11, i.e., the state in which the ball spring 260 is engaged with the first through hole 231, to the state shown in Figure 12, i.e., the state in which the ball spring 260 is engaged with the second through hole 232, the enlarged diameter portion 322 of the handle-side control wire 320, which is housed and fixed in the first recess 254, is displaced along the circumferential direction (direction of arrow D2). Consequently, the portion of the narrow diameter portion 324 of the handle-side control wire 320 that is wound by the rotating part 250 (the portion housed in the wire groove 255) increases, and as a result, the portion of the narrow diameter portion 324 near the rotating part 250 is displaced upward. Conversely, when the rotating part 250 is rotated in the opposite direction to arrow D2, from the state shown in Figure 12 to the state shown in Figure 11, the enlarged diameter part 322 is displaced along the circumferential direction (opposite direction to arrow D2). Consequently, the portion of the narrow diameter part 324 of the handle-side control wire 320 that is wound up by the rotating part 250 (the portion housed in the wire groove 255) decreases, and as a result, the portion of the narrow diameter part 324 near the rotating part 250 is displaced downward.

[0063] As will be described in detail later, each handle-side control wire 320 is connected to each caster-side control wire 310, forming a single control wire 300 that extends from the rotating part 250 of the handle 200 to the caster 100. Therefore, as the rotating part 250 rotates, the portion of the narrow diameter section 324 of each handle-side control wire 320 near the rotating part 250 is displaced upward to the position shown in Figure 12, causing an upward force to act on each caster-side control wire 310, which is also displaced upward. As a result, as described above, the wheel lock mechanism 20 enters a locked state that restricts the rotation of the wheel 120. At this time, the position of the control wire 300, including the handle-side control wire 320 and the caster-side control wire 310, is the locked position P2.

[0064] Conversely, as the rotating part 250 rotates, the portion of the handle-side control wire 320 near the rotating part 250 in the narrow diameter portion 324 is displaced downward to the position shown in Figure 11. As a result, no upward force acts on each caster-side control wire 310, and each caster-side control wire 310 is displaced downward by the biasing force of the biasing member 188. This causes the wheel lock mechanism 20 to enter an unlocked state, allowing the wheel 120 to rotate, as described above. At this time, the position of the control wires 300, including the handle-side control wire 320 and the caster-side control wire 310, becomes the unlocked position P1.

[0065] In this way, in the bag 10, the control wire 300, including the handle-side control wire 320 and the caster-side control wire 310, is connected to the rotating part 250 of the handle 200, and is displaced between the unlocked position P1 and the locked position P2 as the rotating part 250 rotates. Accordingly, the wheel locking mechanism 20 switches between an unlocked state that allows the rotation of the wheel 120 and a locked state that restricts the rotation of the wheel 120. The amount of displacement of the control wire 300 along the extension direction from the unlocked position P1 to the locked position P2 is, for example, about 5 mm to 20 mm.

[0066] A-4. Detailed configuration of control wire 300: Next, the detailed configuration of the control wire 300 will be described. Figures 13 and 14 are explanatory diagrams showing the detailed configuration of the control wire 300. Figure 13 shows the configuration of the control wire 300 in the bag 10 with the handle 200 retracted, and Figure 14 shows the configuration of the control wire 300 in the bag 10 with the handle 200 extended.

[0067] Each control wire 300 has a caster-side control wire 310 and a handle-side control wire 320, as well as a wire connector 350 that connects the caster-side control wire 310 and the handle-side control wire 320.

[0068] Figure 15 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the wire connector 350. Figure 15 shows an enlarged view of the configuration of part X1 in Figure 13. As shown in Figures 13 to 15, the wire connector 350 is positioned between the caster-side control wire 310 and the handle-side control wire 320, and has a handle-side connector 351, a caster-side connector 352 located below it, and a nut 353 located between the handle-side connector 351 and the caster-side connector 352. A threaded portion is formed at the upper end of the caster-side connector 352, and a threaded hole is formed at the lower end of the handle-side connector 351, and the handle-side connector 351 and the caster-side connector 352 are joined by screwing them together. The nut 353 is positioned at the screwed-in location between the handle-side connector 351 and the caster-side connector 352 to prevent loosening.

[0069] The handle-side connector 351 has a handle-side recess 354 and a wire groove 355 that communicates with the handle-side recess 354 and extends upward. The handle-side recess 354 houses the lower enlarged portion 322 of the handle-side control wire 320, and the wire groove 355 houses the lower end of the narrow portion 324 of the handle-side control wire 320. The handle-side control wire 320 is fixed to the handle-side connector 351 by a fixing screw 356. Similarly, the caster-side connector 352 has a caster-side recess 357 and a wire groove 358 that communicates with it and extends downward. The caster-side recess 357 houses the upper enlarged portion 312 of the caster-side control wire 310, and the wire groove 358 houses the upper end of the narrow portion 314 of the caster-side control wire 310. The caster-side control wire 310 is fixed to the caster-side connector 352 by a fixing screw 359. In this way, the caster-side control wire 310 and the handle-side control wire 320 are connected to each other via the wire connector 350 and function as a single control wire 300. The total length of the control wire 300 can be adjusted, for example, during manufacturing or over time, by adjusting the amount the caster-side connector 352 is screwed into the handle-side connector 351. This makes it possible to set the total length of the control wire 300 to an appropriate length corresponding to the path length from the rotating part 250 of the handle 200 to the caster 100, thereby enabling reliable switching of the state of the wheel lock mechanism 20 by the rotation of the rotating part 250.

[0070] As shown in Figures 13 to 15, the handle-side control wire 320 is housed within a flexible tube 330, except for a portion at both ends. The tube 330 is made of, for example, a metal coil. The upper end 332 of the tube 330 is enlarged in diameter and is fitted and fixed into a recess formed in the columnar member 270 of the handle 200 (see Figures 10 to 12). The tube 330 extends downward from the upper end 332 through the space within the pole portion 290 of the handle 200, from the lower end of the space within the pole portion 290 to the space within the bag body 11, and extends in a roughly S-shape within the space within the bag body 11. The lower end 334 of the tube 330 is enlarged in diameter and is fitted and fixed into a recess formed near the top of the wire connector 350 in the space within the bag body 11.

[0071] As described above, the pole section 290 has a telescopic mechanism 292, which allows switching between a retracted state and an extended state. As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the tube body 330 deforms while maintaining a constant overall length as the telescopic mechanism 292 expands and contracts.

[0072] For example, in the retracted state of the handle 200 shown in Figure 13, the relatively short portion of the tube body 330 closer to the rotating part 250 is housed in the space within the pole part 290, while the relatively long portion not housed in this space extends to the lower end 334 in a relatively large, roughly S-shape within the space of the bag body 11. Also, in the extended state of the handle 200 shown in Figure 14, the relatively long portion of the tube body 330 closer to the rotating part 250 is housed in the space within the pole part 290, while the relatively short portion not housed in this space extends to the lower end 334 in a relatively small, roughly S-shape within the space of the bag body 11.

[0073] As the telescopic mechanism 292 extends and retracts, the relative position of the rotating part 250 with respect to each caster 100 (each wheel 120) changes. However, since the tube body 330 deforms while maintaining a constant overall length as the telescopic mechanism 292 extends and retracts, the path length of the control wire 300 (specifically, the handle-side control wire 320) remains constant regardless of whether the handle 200 is in the retracted or extended state. Therefore, whether the handle 200 is in the retracted or extended state, the state of the wheel lock mechanism 20 can be switched by rotating the rotating part 250 by a fixed amount.

[0074] A-5. Effects of this embodiment: As described above, the bag 10 of this embodiment includes a caster 100 having wheels 120, a wheel locking mechanism 20, and a handle 200. The wheel locking mechanism 20 has a control wire 300, and when the control wire 300 is in the unlocked position P1, it is in an unlocked state that allows the rotation of the wheels 120, and when the control wire 300 is in the locked position P2, it is in a locked state that restricts the rotation of the wheels 120. The handle 200 has a rod-shaped rotating part 250 and a support part 240 that supports the rotating part 250 so that it can rotate around its longitudinal axis. The control wire 300 is connected to the rotating part 250 and is configured to be displaced between the unlocked position P1 and the locked position P2 as the rotating part 250 rotates. Therefore, with the bag 10, the wheel locking mechanism 20 can be switched between the unlocked state and the locked state by rotating the rotating part 250. Therefore, with the bag 10, the switching operation of the wheel lock mechanism 20 can be achieved using the rotating part 250 of the handle 200, which is a configuration that realizes the function of a bag, without requiring electrical components or a power source, and without requiring a dedicated configuration (button switch, etc.) for operating the wheel lock mechanism 20. This avoids complicating the configuration of the bag 10 and allows for a simple design of the bag 10.

[0075] The rotating part 250 has a ball spring 260. The support part 240 has a first through hole 231 that engages with the ball spring 260 when the control wire 300 is in the unlocked position P1, and a second through hole 232 that engages with the ball spring 260 when the control wire 300 is in the locked position P2. As a result, it is possible to achieve positioning (angle setting) of the rotating part 250 along the circumferential direction with a so-called click sensation, and improve the feel of operation for switching the wheel lock mechanism 20. Furthermore, the ball spring 260 is a convex portion that can move back and forth radially on the rotating part 250, and the first through hole 231 and the second through hole 232 are holes that can engage with this convex portion, resulting in a simple lock mechanism configuration. This simple configuration makes it possible to achieve the improved feel of operation described above.

[0076] The rotating part 250 has a protruding part 257. The support part 240 has a restricting groove 234 that allows rotation of the rotating part 250 within a range Z1 from when the ball spring 260 is engaged with the first through hole 231 to when the ball spring 260 is engaged with the second through hole 232, and restricts rotation of the rotating part 250 beyond this range Z1 by contacting the protruding part 257. As a result, the rotation range of the rotating part 250 can be limited to the range necessary for the switching operation of the wheel lock mechanism 20, and malfunctions of the mechanism caused by rotation of the rotating part 250 beyond the range Z1 can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the protruding part 257 is a protruding part that protrudes along the longitudinal direction at the end of the rotating part 250, and the restricting groove 234 is a groove into which the protruding part 257 fits, the lock mechanism has a simple configuration. The above-mentioned limitation of the rotation range of the rotating part 250 can be achieved with a simple configuration.

[0077] The bag 10 further includes a biasing member 188 that biases the control wire 300 toward the unlocked position P1. As a result, the rotating part 250 is biased via the control wire 300 in a direction that causes the wheel locking mechanism 20 to be in the unlocked state. Consequently, the force that the user must apply to the rotating part 250 when switching the wheel locking mechanism 20 from the locked state to the unlocked state is smaller than the force required when switching from the unlocked state to the locked state, thereby improving the operability of the bag 10.

[0078] The handle 200 has an extension mechanism 292 that extends and retracts so that the relative position of the rotating part 250 with respect to the wheel 120 changes. The bag 10 also includes a tube body 330 that houses at least a portion of the control wire 300. The tube body 330 deforms while maintaining a constant overall length as the extension and retraction mechanism 292 extends and retracts. Therefore, even when the handle 200 is extended or retracted, the presence of the tube body 330 allows the path length of the control wire 300 to be kept constant. Thus, the operability of the bag 10 can be improved by making the handle 200 extendable and retractable, while the wheel locking mechanism 20 can be switched by the rotating part 250 of the handle 200.

[0079] The bag 10 further includes a cover member 220 positioned to cover the support portion 240. This prevents the components for switching the wheel lock mechanism 20 from being exposed to the outside of the handle 200, thereby further simplifying the external design of the handle 200.

[0080] The rotating part 250 is a grip part that is held by the user U. Therefore, with the bag 10, the user U can switch the wheel lock mechanism 20 by rotating the rotating part 250 while holding the rotating part 250 as a grip part for holding or transporting the bag 10, thereby further improving the operability of the bag 10.

[0081] The wheel locking mechanism 20 comprises a body 150, a rotating member 140, and a rack member 190. The rotating member 140 is supported by the body 150 so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis, and a recess 146 is formed on at least a part of its outer circumferential surface around the rotation axis, and rotates together with the wheel 120. The rack member 190 is a linear body having a protrusion 192, which is connected to a control wire 300, and is configured such that when the control wire 300 is in the unlocked position P1, the protrusion 192 does not engage with the recess 146, resulting in an unlocked state, and when the control wire 300 is in the locked position P2, the protrusion 192 engages with the recess 146, resulting in a locked state. Therefore, with the bag 10, compared to a conventional wheel locking mechanism in which the rotation of the wheel is restricted by inserting a lock pin into a lock hole, the risk of the protrusion 192 becoming fixed in the recess 146 can be reduced, and any obstacle to unlocking can be avoided.

[0082] The wheel locking mechanism 20 is configured to transition from a locked state, in which the protrusion 192 is fitted into the recess 146, to an unlocked state, as the rack member 190 moves in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotating member 140, causing the protrusion 192 to separate from the recess 146. Therefore, according to the bag 10 of this embodiment, the amount of movement of the protrusion 192 when unlocking the wheel 120 can be reduced, thereby reducing the force required to unlock the wheel 120 and shortening the time required to unlock the wheel 120.

[0083] Multiple recesses 146 are formed on at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the rotating member 140, and the rack member 190 has multiple protrusions 192 that can be fitted into each of the multiple recesses 146. Therefore, the bag 10 can achieve a more reliable locking of the wheels 120.

[0084] As indicated by arrow D2 (see Figures 1 and 11), the bag 10 is configured such that when switching the wheel lock mechanism 20 from the unlocked state to the locked state, the rotating part 250 is rotated in a direction that moves the upper surface of the rotating part 250 from the front side to the back side. Generally, the operation of switching from the unlocked state to the locked state is often performed immediately after the bag 10 is brought upright and self-supporting, as shown in column C of Figure 3, when the user U is pulling the bag 10 while holding the handle body 210 and tilting the bag 10 to the back side, as shown in column B of Figure 3. With the bag 10, the wheel lock mechanism 20 can be switched from the unlocked state to the locked state by rotating the rotating part 250 in the direction of arrow D2 as a natural hand movement following the operation of changing the posture of the bag 10 from the tilted state to the upright state, further improving the operability of the bag 10.

[0085] Conversely, in the bag 10, when switching the wheel lock mechanism 20 from the locked state to the unlocked state, the rotating part 250 is configured to rotate in a direction that moves the upper surface of the rotating part 250 from the back side to the front side. Generally, the operation to switch from the locked state to the unlocked state is often performed just before the user U tilts the bag 10 to the back side and pulls the bag 10 while grasping the handle body 210, as shown in column B of Figure 3, from a state where the bag 10 is upright and self-supporting, as shown in column C of Figure 3. With the bag 10, the action of tilting the bag 10 to the back side can be performed as a natural hand movement following the operation of switching the wheel lock mechanism 20 from the locked state to the unlocked state by rotating the rotating part 250 in the opposite direction to arrow D2, further improving the operability of the bag 10.

[0086] B. Variations: The technologies disclosed herein are not limited to the embodiments described above and can be modified in various forms without departing from their essence, for example, the following modifications are possible.

[0087] The configuration of the bag 10 and the wheel locking mechanism 20 in the above embodiment are merely examples and can be modified in various ways. For example, although two casters 100 are attached to the bag 10, the number of casters 100 attached to the bag 10 may be one or three or more. Also, although each caster 100 is equipped with two wheels 120, the number of wheels 120 equipped to each caster 100 may be one or three or more.

[0088] In the above embodiment, a rack member 190 is used as a component of the wheel locking mechanism 20, but other linear bodies having protrusions (for example, a core wire with an outer wire spirally wound around it, or a core wire with one or more spherical bodies attached) may be used instead of the rack member 190.

[0089] In the above embodiment, the positioning (angle setting) of the rotating part 250 along the circumferential direction is achieved by the engagement of the ball spring 260 on the rotating part 250 side with the through holes 231 and 232 on the support part 240 side. However, this positioning may also be achieved by other configurations (for example, a configuration in which a recess is formed on the rotating part 250 side and a protrusion that engages with the recess is formed on the support part 240 side). Furthermore, the configuration for positioning the rotating part 250 may be omitted.

[0090] In the above embodiment, the rotation of the rotating part 250 is restricted to within range Z1 by the fitting and contact between the protrusion 257 on the rotating part 250 side and the restricting groove 234 on the support part 240 side. However, this restriction may also be achieved by other configurations, for example, a configuration in which a groove is formed on the rotating part 250 side and a protrusion that fits into and contacts the groove is formed on the support part 240 side. Furthermore, the configuration for restricting the rotation of the rotating part 250 to within range Z1 may be omitted.

[0091] In the above embodiment, the biasing member 188 biases the control wire 300 toward the unlocked position P1, but conversely, the biasing member 188 may also bias the control wire 300 toward the locked position P2. Furthermore, the biasing member 188 may be omitted.

[0092] In the above embodiment, the control wire 300 is composed of a caster-side control wire 310, a handle-side control wire 320, and a wire connector 350 connecting the caster-side control wire 310 and the handle-side control wire 320. However, the control wire 300 may be composed of a single wire. Furthermore, the control wire may be in the form of a stranded rope, not just a single metal wire or stranded wire.

[0093] In the bag 10, the telescopic mechanism 292 of the handle 200, the tubular body 330, and / or the cover member 220 may be omitted. Also, in the above embodiment, the rotating part 250 of the handle 200 is a grip part that is grasped by the user U, but the rotating part 250 may be provided at another location on the handle 200. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0094] 10: Bag 11: Bag body 12: Lid 13: Legs 14: Storage space 20: Wheel locking mechanism 100: Caster 110: Cover 112: Fastener 120: Wheel 122: Through hole 130: Bearing member 140: Rotating member 142: Shaft 143: Through hole 144: Gear 146: Recess 150: Body 151: Wire through-hole 152: Bridge housing space 153: Rotating member housing space 154: Tooth groove 156: Guide protrusion 160: Subbody 162: Through hole 170: Main body 172: Support shaft 180: Bridge component 181: Guide groove 182: Through hole 183: Tooth profile groove 188: Biasing member 190: Rack component 192: Convex part 200: Handle 210: Handle body 220: Cover component 222: Connecting member 230: Support end member 231: First through hole 232: Second through hole 234: Restriction groove 240: Support part 241: Shaft member 250: Rotating part 251: Through hole 252: End portion 253: Core member 254: First recess 255: Wire groove 256: Second recess 257: Projection 258: Outer member 260: Ball spring 262: Spherical body 264: Coil spring 270: Columnar member 272: Fixing screw 290: Pole section 292: Telescopic mechanism 300: Control wire 310: Caster-side control wire 312: Expanded diameter section 314: Narrow diameter section 320: Handle-side control wire 322: Expanded diameter part 324: Narrow diameter part 330: Tube 332: Upper end 334: Lower end 350: Wire connector 351: Handle-side connector 352: Caster-side connector 353: Nut 354: Handle side recess 355: Wire groove 356: Fixing screw 357: Caster side recess 358: Wire groove 359: Fixing screw

Claims

1. It is a bag, The bag itself, The handle attached to the bag body, Wheels attached to the bottom of the bag body, A wheel locking mechanism having a control wire, wherein when the control wire is in a first position, it is in an unlocked state that allows the wheel to rotate, and when the control wire is in a second position, it is in a locked state that restricts the rotation of the wheel. Equipped with, The aforementioned handle is A rod-shaped rotating part, A support portion that supports the rotating portion so that it can rotate about the longitudinal direction of the rotating portion as an axis, It has, The control wire is connected to the rotating part and is configured to be displaced between the first position and the second position as the rotating part rotates. The handle has an extension / retraction mechanism that extends and retracts so that the relative position of the rotating part with respect to the wheel changes. The bag further comprises a tubular body that houses at least a portion of the control wire, and which deforms while maintaining a constant overall length as the telescopic mechanism expands and contracts. A bag in which the path length of the control wire is kept constant regardless of the extension / retraction state of the extension / retraction mechanism.

2. The bag according to claim 1, The rotating part has a rotating side engaging part, The support portion of the bag has a first support-side engaging portion that engages with the rotating-side engaging portion when the control wire is in the first position, and a second support-side engaging portion that engages with the rotating-side engaging portion when the control wire is in the second position.

3. The bag according to claim 2, The aforementioned rotating engagement portion is a convex portion that can move back and forth in the radial direction of the rotating portion, A bag in which the first support-side engaging portion and the second support-side engaging portion are holes that can engage with the protrusion.

4. A bag according to claim 2 or claim 3, The rotating part has a rotation-side restricting part, A bag wherein the support portion allows rotation of the rotating portion within a range from a state in which the rotating portion engaging with the first support portion engaging with the first support portion to a state in which the rotating portion engaging with the second support portion, and restricts rotation of the rotating portion beyond that range by contacting the rotating portion restricting portion.

5. The bag according to claim 4, The rotation-side restricting portion is a projection that protrudes along the longitudinal direction at the end of the rotating portion, The support-side restricting portion is a groove into which the protruding portion fits, in a bag.

6. A bag according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further, A bag comprising a biasing member that biases the control wire toward the first position.

7. A bag according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further, A bag comprising a cover member positioned to cover the aforementioned support portion.

8. A bag according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The aforementioned rotating part is a grip part held by the user, which is a bag.

9. A bag according to any one of claims 1 to 8, The wheel locking mechanism is The body and A rotating member is supported by the body so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis, has a recess formed on at least a portion of its outer circumferential surface around the rotation axis, and rotates together with the wheel, A linear body having a protrusion, connected to the control wire, configured such that when the control wire is in the first position, the protrusion does not engage with the recess, resulting in the unlocked state, and when the control wire is in the second position, the protrusion engages with the recess, resulting in the locked state; A bag that has a bag.

10. The bag according to claim 9, A bag wherein the wheel locking mechanism is configured to transition from the locked state, in which the protrusion is fitted into the recess, to the unlocked state, as the linear body moves in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotating member, thereby separating the protrusion from the recess.

11. A bag according to claim 9 or claim 10, A plurality of recesses are formed in at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the rotating member. The linear body is a bag having a plurality of protrusions that can be fitted into each of the plurality of recesses.

12. The bag according to claim 11, The linear body is a bag having a rack member on which a plurality of teeth that function as protrusions are formed.

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