Suitcase with Adjustable Support Legs and Auxiliary Wheels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wheeled suitcases are inefficient as they require users to bear a significant portion of the weight, leading to fatigue, especially on uneven surfaces, and do not allow for easy access to contents without lifting, particularly for larger or elderly users.
Innovation Solution
A suitcase design featuring adjustable support legs with secondary wheels that allow the suitcase to lean on main wheels, reducing user effort and enabling easier access to contents by standing in an inclined position, with optional features like telescopic handles and adjustable straps for secure attachment to a wheeling frame.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional wheeled suitcase design is used with main wheels only, then the structure is simple, but user fatigue increases due to bearing significant weight
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel system is segmented into two functional groups: main wheels for primary support and secondary auxiliary wheels for additional support. This segmentation allows the suitcase to distribute weight more effectively while maintaining structural organization and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The support system transitions from a two-dimensional wheel arrangement to a three-dimensional configuration by adding adjustable legs with secondary wheels that extend downward. This vertical dimension enables better weight distribution and reduces user fatigue without significantly increasing overall complexity.
2Ease of operation
If auxiliary wheels are added to reduce user fatigue, then weight distribution improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support legs are designed to be adjustable rather than fixed, allowing users to modify the configuration based on loading conditions and terrain. This dynamic adaptability optimizes weight distribution while keeping the added complexity manageable through user-controlled adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable legs with secondary wheels serve multiple functions: providing additional support points, enabling the suitcase to navigate uneven surfaces, and offering stability during stationary use. This multi-functionality justifies the increased structural complexity by delivering multiple benefits from a single mechanism.
3Ease of operation
If suitcase stands upright on main wheels only, then structure is simple, but access to contents requires lifting the suitcase
Solution Approach 1:
The legs are designed to be adjustable between extended and retracted positions, allowing the suitcase to dynamically change its standing angle. When extended, they create an inclined standing position that enables easy access to contents; when retracted, they maintain a compact profile for transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable leg mechanism enables the suitcase to serve itself by providing its own stable inclined standing position without requiring external supports or lifting. The user simply adjusts the legs, and the suitcase independently maintains the optimal angle for content access.
4Ease of operation
If adjustable legs with secondary wheels are added, then ease of access to contents improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The leg mechanism incorporates adjustable positioning capabilities that allow it to adapt between different functional states: extended for content access and retracted for compact storage. This dynamic design enables the complexity to be activated only when needed, maintaining simplicity during transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The same adjustable leg mechanism serves dual purposes: providing structural support for the inclined standing position that enables content access, and offering additional stability through secondary wheels. This multi-functionality ensures that the added complexity delivers multiple operational benefits.
Data Source
AI summary
A wheeling frame for a suitcase which has its own rolling wheels includes a frame supporting a pair of leaning wheels arranged at ends of a pair of pivotable legs, with a first wheel arranged at the end of a first leg and a second wheel arranged at the end of a second leg. The leg positions are adjustable between a stowed position and a deployed, adjustable position extending at an angle to the frame. The legs have a movable pivoting axis and adjustable lengths. A handle system at a proximal end of the frame is adjustable in length and angle, and is operable in conjunction with the leaning wheels to roll the suitcase in a stable leaning position, to allow walking the suitcase on steps of a staircase, and to be converted into a suitcase table, to ease packing and unpacking.