Casters for luggage cases are well known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 2,392,926 to Kelly, for example, discloses a luggage case having four ball-bearing-type casters permanently mounted to the bottom surface thereof. A strap is provided by (connected to) the case for pulling the case on the casters. The casters, for all practical purposes, cannot be removed from the luggage case by the retailer or the consumer. Thus, the market for this type of luggage case is limited to those prospective purchasers who desire luggage cases having casters permanently affixed thereto. As a result, in order to provide luggage cases of this type as well as cases having the usual feet or runners instead of casters, the retailer must stock two sets of cases.
Practically all luggage cases not having permanent casters affixed thereto have four feet or runners on the underside of the case for providing the support surfaces for the case. Structures for enabling temporary attachment of casters or rollers to these luggage cases typically employ a pair of rollers mounted side-by-side on a long flexible strap which may be tightened about the periphery of the luggage case to secure the rollers near a lower corner of the case. A loose portion of the strap near the upper corner of the luggage case which is diagonally opposite the position of the rollers provides a handle for moving the luggage case on the rollers. Attachable caster structures of this type are cumbersome and difficult to mount. Even when properly mounted, these structures do not provide a rigid connection between the rollers and the luggage case. Consequently, the rollers may shift from proper position during use and eventually may become completely detached from the luggage case. Furthermore, certain luggage cases have configurations which do not permit the use of such structures.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds