DE-102024132679-A1 - "Stable telescopic handle"

DE102024132679A1DE 102024132679 A1DE102024132679 A1DE 102024132679A1DE-102024132679-A1

Abstract

Telescopic handle (1) for a case, comprising a handle element (2) and at least one telescopic device (4), wherein the handle element (2) is connectable to a support structure of the case via the telescopic device (4), wherein the telescopic device (4) comprises an outer base tube (6) which is connectable to the support structure, and at least one adjusting tube (8) which is mounted in the base tube (6) so as to be telescopically extendable and retractable along a telescopic axis (X), wherein an adapter piece (10) is arranged on an end section of the at least one adjusting tube (8) pointing towards the base tube (6), wherein the adapter piece (10) has a contact section (12) for contacting an inner circumference of the base tube (6) and a mounting section (14), wherein the mounting section (14) of the adapter piece (10) in a pre-assembled state not connected to the end section of the adjusting tube (8) has an interference in cross-section with respect to the telescopic axis (X) with respect to the respective inner circumference of the adjusting tube (8) in the end section exhibits, and at least the excess of the assembly section (14) is made of a softer material than the end section of the adjusting tube (8).

Inventors

Peter Schulte
Patrick Magiera
Guillaume Vannier

Assignees

RIMOWA GMBH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20241108

Claims (15)

Telescopic handle (1) for a case, comprising a handle element (2) and at least one telescopic device (4), wherein the handle element (2) is connectable to a support structure of the case via the telescopic device (4), wherein the telescopic device (4) comprises an outer base tube (6) which is connectable to the support structure, and at least one adjusting tube (8) which is mounted in the base tube (6) so as to be telescopically extendable and retractable along a telescopic axis (X), wherein the at least one adjusting tube (8) is connected to the handle element (2), wherein an adapter piece (10) is arranged on an end section of the at least one adjusting tube (8) pointing towards the base tube (6), wherein the adapter piece (10) has a contact section (12) for contact with an inner circumference of the base tube (6) and a mounting section (14), wherein the adapter piece (10) with the mounting section (14) is inserted into and connected to an end section of the adjusting tube (8) in a plugging direction (S), thereby characterized in that the assembly section (14) of the adapter piece (10) in a pre-assembly state not connected to the end section of the adjusting tube (8) has an excess in cross-section to the telescopic axis (X) relative to the respective inner circumference of the adjusting tube (8) in the end section, and at least the excess of the assembly section (14) is made of a softer material than the end section of the adjusting tube (8).
telescopic handle (1) after Claim 1 , characterized in that the adapter piece (10) in the assembly section (14) has at least one, in particular at least four, sacrificial elements projecting radially to the telescopic axis (X) made of a softer material than the end section of the respective adjusting tube (8), wherein the sacrificial element is designed such that in the pre-assembly state the assembly section (14) has an interference in cross-section to the telescopic axis (X) compared to the respective inner circumference of the adjusting tube (8) in the end section.
telescopic handle (1) after Claim 2 , characterized in that the sacrificial element is at least partially axial to the telescope axis (X) The sacrificial rib (18) extends over the assembly section (14).
telescopic handle (1) after Claim 3 , characterized in that the sacrificial rib (18) is formed radially rising outwards towards the telescopic axis (X) in the direction of insertion (S) such that the assembly section (14) has a minimum circumference at a forward end of the sacrificial rib (18) in the pre-assembly state in the direction of insertion (S) and has a maximum circumference at an end of the sacrificial rib (18) pointing towards the direction of insertion (S), wherein at least in the area of the maximum circumference the assembly section (14) has in cross-section to the telescopic axis (X) the excess to the inner circumference of the adjusting tube (8) in the end section.
telescopic handle (1) according to the general term of Claim 1 or according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adapter piece (10) has at least one locking groove (20) recessed on its outer circumference in the assembly section (14), and in a state of the adapter piece (10) connected to the end section of the adjusting tube (8) a corresponding locking tab (22) of the adjusting tube (8) formed in the end section of the adjusting tube (8) engages in the locking groove (20) in such a way, in particular is pressed in such a way that the adapter piece (10) is at least positively locked against movement relative to the adjusting tube (8) axially to the telescopic axis (X).
telescopic handle (1) after Claim 5 , characterized in that the locking tab (22) is formed by two slots (23) running parallel to each other in the wall of the adjusting tube, which are advantageously punched into the wall of the adjusting tube.
telescopic handle (1) according to the general term of Claim 1 or according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adapter piece (10) in the installation section (12) has a clamping element (24) designed to be elastically shaped radially outwards to the telescopic axis (X) for contact with the respective inner circumference of the base tube (6) or adjusting tube (8) preceding the telescopic arrangement, such that the clamping element (24) is held in a tensioned state by the respective inner circumference of the base tube (6) or adjusting tube (8) against a restoring force.
telescopic handle (1) after Claim 7 , characterized in that the adapter piece (10) has a recessed receiving groove (26) in the mounting section (12) which opens radially outwards towards the telescopic axis (X), and the elastic clamping element (24) is arranged in the receiving groove (26).
telescopic handle (1) after Claim 8 , characterized in that the clamping element (24) is designed as a metallic leaf spring (24), wherein the leaf spring (24) rests on a flat groove base of the receiving groove (26) and is held translationally and rotationally relative to the groove base by groove walls of the receiving groove (26) at least in a form-fitting manner, wherein the leaf spring (24) and the receiving groove (26) are designed to correspond in such a way that the leaf spring (24) is supported on the groove walls and the groove base in the tensioned state.
telescopic handle (1) after Claim 9 , characterized in that the leaf spring (24) has a contact element (28) with a flat contact surface for contact with the respective inner circumference of the preceding base tube (6) or adjusting tube (8) according to the telescopic arrangement, wherein at least two, in particular four, angled extensions (30) pointing towards the groove base are formed on the contact element (28) such that the contact surface extends parallel to the groove base and is arranged spaced apart from the groove base at least in an unstressed state of the leaf spring (24).
telescopic handle (1) after Claim 10 , characterized in that the cantilevers (30) are symmetrically trapezoidal, wherein a first shorter base side of the trapezoidal cantilever is connected to the support element (28) and a second longer base side of the trapezoidal cantilever extending parallel to the first base side is designed to abut the groove base and one of the groove walls.
telescopic handle (1) according to the general term of Claim 1 or according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the circumferential wall of the base tube (6) and/or the adjusting tube (8) has thinned areas (34) of the circumferential wall extending over its length, which are stabilized by adjacent thicker areas (36) of the circumferential wall also extending over the length relative to the thinned areas (34).
telescopic handle (1) after Claim 12 , characterized in that the relatively thicker areas (36) of the circumferential wall are arranged circumferentially on the base tube (6) or adjusting tube (8) and opposite to the clamping element (24), to the mounting section (12) and/or to sacrificial ribs of the adapter piece (10) of the respective inserted adjusting tube (8).
Case comprising a receiving body and a support structure connected to the receiving body; characterized in that the The support structure is connected to a telescopic handle (1) according to one of the preceding claims.
Method for manufacturing a telescopic handle (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 13 , for a case, comprising at least the steps of: - providing a telescopic device (4) with a base tube (6) and at least one adjusting tube (8), - connecting the at least one adjusting tube (8) with a handle element (2), characterized in that an adapter piece (10) with a mounting section (14) made of a material at least partially softer than the adjusting tube (8), which has an excess of material compared to the end section of the adjusting tube (8), is pressed into an end section of the at least one adjusting tube (8) in such a way as to point in a insertion direction (S) that the end section of the adjusting tube (8) cuts into the mounting section (14) of the adapter piece (10), wherein at least one adjusting tube (8) with the adapter piece (10) arranged on the end section is arranged in the base tube (6) such that a contact section (12) of the adapter piece (10) rests against an inner circumference of the base tube (6) and the adjusting tube (8) in the base tube (6) is mounted in a telescopic manner so that it can be extended and retracted along a telescopic axis (X).

Description

The invention relates to a telescopic handle for a suitcase. The telescopic handle comprises a handle element and at least one telescopic mechanism. The handle element is connectable to a support structure of the suitcase via the telescopic mechanism. The telescopic mechanism includes an outer base tube, which is connectable to the support structure, and at least one adjustable tube that can be extended and retracted telescopically into the base tube along a telescopic axis. This at least one adjustable tube is connected to the handle element. An adapter piece is arranged on an end section of the at least one adjustable tube that points towards the base tube. The adapter piece has a contact section for resting against an inner circumference of the base tube and a mounting section. Furthermore, the adapter piece, with its mounting section pointing in a plug-in direction, is inserted into an end section of the adjustable tube and connected to the end section of the adjustable tube. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing such a telescopic handle and a case with such a telescopic handle. Numerous telescopic handles of the aforementioned type are known from the prior art. A disadvantage of these is that the connection between the mounting section of the adapter and the end section of the adjusting tube is particularly prone to fit issues. Manufacturing tolerances of the adapter often prevent it from being inserted into the inner circumference of the adjusting tube during assembly of the telescopic handle, or result in sufficient play between the adapter and the adjusting tube to allow considerable radial movement within the end section. Such play reduces the stability of the telescopic handle, leading to accelerated wear of the adapter material and resulting in uncomfortable handling for the user. Furthermore, an oversize necessitates reworking of the adapter and/or the adjusting tube during assembly of the telescopic handle, creating additional work and often rendering such parts unusable. While manufacturing tolerances could be reduced through the use of special materials and production processes, such measures also entail increased effort. Therefore, as a whole, suitcase handles known from the prior art are often based on a manufacturing process whose efficiency needs to be optimized. Furthermore, it is known from the prior art that the adapter piece is mounted to the inner circumference of the base tube or the adjusting tube by means of at least one spring-loaded steel ball. This steel ball is arranged in the contact section of the adapter piece and is pre-tensioned radially towards the inner circumference of the base tube or the adjusting tube. This results in the steel ball being in constant contact with the respective inner circumference throughout the entire extension and retraction movement, which increases the stability of the telescopic handle. A disadvantage of this design is that during the extension and retraction movement, or when the steel ball slides along the inner circumference of the base tube or adjusting tube (often made of aluminum), material is worn away from the inner circumference of the respective base tube or adjusting tube, negatively affecting its function and extension and retraction behavior. As is known, a telescopic handle also includes a locking mechanism for positively locking the adjusting tube in a maximum retracted position and/or in a maximum extended position and/or several intermediate positions within the base tube. Preferably, the handle element of the telescopic handle has a push button for releasing the locking mechanism arranged in the adjusting tube. In this case, the push button can, for example, be mechanically connected to the locking mechanism via a push rod arranged in the adjusting tube. The locking mechanism can, for example, comprise the spring-loaded steel ball described above, which positively engages in recesses in the circumferential wall of the base tube at specific positions for the retracted position, extended position, and/or intermediate positions and is locked in these positions by the locking mechanism. In particular, the locking mechanism is engaged by a spring-loaded locking bolt mounted in the adapter piece, which, when at rest, makes contact with a rack located in the adjusting tube. The locking mechanism is designed such that the bolt does not make contact with the rack during a sliding adjustment movement. It is also known from the prior art that ease of use can be improved by having the telescopic device have at least two adjusting tubes arranged in the base tube along the telescopic axis so that they can be extended and retracted telescopically. Advantageously, this increases the maximum length of the telescopic handle when the adjusting tubes are extended and/or reduces the minimum length of the telescopic handle when the adjusting tubes are retracted. Preferably, In this version with two or more adjusting tubes