Hands-Free Luggage Towing Bracket with Flexible Hook
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wheeled luggage requires constant steering corrections and muscle stress due to its centrally mounted rigid pull handle, leaving only one hand free for the user, and can cause tripping issues due to the trailing distance behind the user.
Innovation Solution
A luggage towing apparatus with a bracket and strap system that allows for 'hands-free' pulling by engaging a flexible hook to the luggage handle, enabling straight tracking and maintaining sufficient distance to prevent foot contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a centrally mounted rigid pull handle is used, then the user can grasp the luggage with one hand, but the user experiences awkward torso twisting and constant steering corrections are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a centralized single-point handle to a distributed multi-point handle system. The handle includes multiple engagement points (first handle portion, second handle portion, third handle portion) arranged in different spatial dimensions, allowing the user to grasp the luggage at various locations and orientations. This dimensional distribution eliminates the need for awkward torso twisting and steering corrections by providing ergonomic grasp options that align with natural body posture.
2Ease of operation
If a centrally mounted rigid pull handle is used, then the user can pull the luggage, but only one hand remains free for carrying other items
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the grasping function from a single centralized handle and distributes it across multiple handle portions. The first handle portion, second handle portion, and third handle portion can each be independently grasped, allowing the user to pull the luggage with one hand while keeping the other hand free for carrying items. This extraction of the grasping function to multiple locations enables hands-free or one-handed operation options.
3Ease of operation
If a fixed rigid luggage handle is used, then the luggage can be pulled directly behind the user, but the trailing distance causes the user's feet to bump into the luggage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustability to the handle system. The handle portions can be reconfigured or detached to change the effective pulling distance and angle. The second handle portion can be positioned at different distances from the main body, and the third handle portion provides additional grasping options. This dynamic configuration allows users to adjust the luggage-trailing distance based on their height and arm length, preventing foot-luggage collisions while maintaining proper tracking alignment.
Data Source
AI summary
A luggage towing apparatus, wherein the luggage has a wheel to move on a surface and an opposing handle. The luggage apparatus includes a bracket constructed of a beam having first, mid, and second end portions, the first end portion having an aperture, the second end portion having a flexible hook being removably engagable to the luggage handle. The mid portion has a finger channel constructed of a partial sidewall, wherein the partial sidewall terminates in an open gap that operationally allows a user's finger to pass therethrough wherein the sidewall acts as a finger rest to facilitate finger movement thus moving the bracket to engage and disengage the flexible hook from the luggage handle. The luggage towing apparatus further includes a strap that is affixed the aperture, wherein operationally the strap is looped around a torso of the user to enable pulling the luggage across the surface hands free.