초록 ▼

A case system and method includes a first case and a second case. The first case has wheels and an extendable handle having two handle shafts. The second case has two parallel grooves which receive the two handle shafts. The second case also has two latches which lock the two handle shafts in place

A case system and method includes a first case and a second case. The first case has wheels and an extendable handle having two handle shafts. The second case has two parallel grooves which receive the two handle shafts. The second case also has two latches which lock the two handle shafts in place within the two parallel grooves, so that the two case are secured together and may be wheeled about as a single unit. In a second embodiment of the invention, the first case has a top half and a bottom half, the top half being removable from the bottom half. When the bottom half is stacked on top of the top half, two cavities in the top half receive the two wheels of the bottom half so that the bottom half resides in a level orientation.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for handling cases, comprising:(a) providing a first case having:a bottom having a first edge and an opposite second edge;at least one wheel disposed along said first edge;a handle disposed along said second edge, wherein said handle may be selectively pulled out from a retracted positio

1. A method for handling cases, comprising:(a) providing a first case having:a bottom having a first edge and an opposite second edge;at least one wheel disposed along said first edge;a handle disposed along said second edge, wherein said handle may be selectively pulled out from a retracted position to an extended position thereby exposing first and second handle shafts;(b) providing a second case having:a bottom having first and second spaced apart parallel grooves, said grooves shaped and dimensioned to longitudinally receive said first and second handle shafts respectively;a first latch which may selectively be activated to capture said first handle shaft;a second latch which may selectively be activated to capture said second handle shaft;(c) extending said handle;(d) ensuring that said first and second latches are not activated;(e) stacking said second case on top of said first case so that said first groove receives said first handle shaft and said second groove receives said second handle shaft; and,(f) activating said first and second latches thereby capturing said first and second handle shafts and retaining said second case in fixed relationship with respect to said first case. 2. The method according to claim 1, further including:(g) providing a support surface;(h) tilting said first and second cases so that said cases rest upon said at least one wheel; and,(i) using said handle to pull said first and second cases along said support surface. 3. The method according to claim 1, further including:said first and second cases having a stackable ball corner wherein a ball in one of said first and second cases engages a socket in the other of said first and second cases thereby holding said first and second cases in stacked relationship. 4. A method for handling cases, comprising:(a) providing a first case having:a bottom portion having a first and second edge and a top portion separable from said bottom portion;at least one wheel disposed on said bottom portion;said top portion having a third edge; and,at least one wheel-receiving cavity disposed along said third edge;(b) providing a support surface;(c) separating said top portion from said bottom portion;(d) placing said top portion upon said support surface with said wheel-receiving cavity facing upward;(e) stacking said bottom portion on top of said top portion so that said at least one wheel is received by said wheel-receiving cavity, and said bottom portion resides parallel with said support surface. 5. A case system for articles, comprising:a first case having:a bottom having a first edge and an opposite second edge;at least one wheel disposed along said first edge; and,a handle disposed along said second edge, wherein said handle may be selectively pulled out from a retracted position to an extended position thereby exposing first and second handle shafts;a second case having:a bottom having first and second spaced apart parallel grooves, said grooves shaped and dimensioned to longitudinally receive said first and second handle shafts respectively;a first latch which may selectively be activated to capture said first handle shaft; and,a second latch which may selectively be activated to capture said second handle shaft; and,so that said handle may be extended, said first and second latches are not activated, said second case is stacked on top of said first case so that said first groove receives said first handle shaft and said second groove receives said second handle shaft, said first and second latches are activated thereby capturing said first and second handle shafts and retaining said second case in fixed relationship with respect to said first case. 6. A case system according to claim 5, further including:said first case having a bottom portion and a top portion separable from said bottom portion;said at least one wheel disposed on said bottom portion;said top portion having a third edge;at least one wheel-receiving cavity disposed along said third edge; and,wherein when said top portion is detached from said bottom portion, said top portion may be placed upon a support surface with said wheel-receiving cavity facing upward, and said bottom portion stacked on top of said top portion so that said at least one wheel is received by said wheel-receiving cavity, and said bottom portion resides parallel with said support surface. 7. A case system according to claim 5, further including:said first and second cases having a stackable ball corner wherein a ball in one of said first and second cases engages a socket in the other of said first and second cases thereby holding said first and second cases in stacked relationship.