BE1026899A1 - HANDLE ASSEMBLY FOR SECONDARY PACKAGING - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a handle assembly for carrying secondary packages, which includes a base portion having an upper and a lower surface. The base portion includes a first handle opening at a proximal end that extends to a second handle opening at a distal end. The handle assembly further includes a handle that has a grip portion that extends to a first connecting portion through a first body portion at the proximal end and to a second connecting portion through a second body portion at the distal end. Each of the connecting portions is adapted to be received by one of the handle openings from the top surface of the base portion to the bottom surface of the base portion. Furthermore, the connecting portions are locked together on the bottom surface such that the handle forms a loop structure passing through the base portion.

Description

- 1j - Handle assembly for secondary packaging

TECHNICAL AREA

The present disclosure generally relates to a handle assembly and in particular to a handle assembly for use with secondary packages.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, there has been a multiple increase in the trend of grouping together a large number of items such as food items including liquid foods, household supplies or stationery and the like in the form of multipacks for various purposes such as enabling volume sales , easy transportation, easy handling and the like. For example, a single quantity of containers (e.g., cans or bottles) are often packaged in groups of six or twelve for sale to consumers. Additionally, several different items are also packaged together within a single secondary packaging for multiple reasons.

Numerous support mechanisms have been developed for such packages, including multipacks and other secondary packages generally made of paperboard and / or cardboard and or plastic material. Due to cost and environmental concerns, such packages should be formed from as little as

_ 2 - possible material and minimize waste of the materials from which they are formed. Accordingly, one can certainly conclude that there has been a significant shift in packaging a group of individual containers or products together and that this is also very much desired by consumers.

Various types of handles are known for easy carrying of these secondary packages. For example, it is known to provide handle openings to facilitate carrying the packages. However, such handle openings are not comfortable and also require that both hands be used to hold the package, and are therefore not preferred.

Accordingly, it was desirable to provide a carrying handle that is both comfortable to use and strong enough to carry the load of the package contents.

In some cases, packages with one-piece handles were provided. Such a package is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,868,433, which discloses a container with a one-piece handle formed of two layers of board paper for carrying the container and the contents stored therein. However, such packaging had several drawbacks. A drawback is that double thickness of material for the handle requires the use of more packaging material. Furthermore, these boxes can be a

- 3 - have variable thickness which can be unstable when stacked for storage, shipping and presentation.

In some other developments, a multi-pack with carrying handles based on a belt and / or tape has been provided. For example, WO Publication No. 96/27538 discloses a box with a belt handle connected at each end to the side walls of the box. However, these handles were not suitable for carrying heavy containers because when the handle was unfolded, the load in the box was transferred to these connections. Such stress on the joint can lead to handles coming loose from the box, which tends to break frequently

In still other cases, a plastic handle was adhered to an upper end of the multipack from the outside. While such plastic handles provide a suitable carrying handle for the packages, these handles as separate components that were attached from the outside were also prone to breakage when handling heavy loads and could actually be torn away from their attachment points during transportation. Furthermore, these handles, which all had the externally attached handle, had the additional drawback that stacking such packages and / or drawers on pallets was not possible due to the presence of these external handles.

A great deal of effort has recently been made to manufacture a handling mechanism

4 - to overcome the above-mentioned problems, by providing handles which are attached to the packages from the inside of the packages / connected to the packages and which remain inside the package when not in use and therefore are not damaged during transportation.

For example, U.S. Patent No. 4905888 discloses a handle integrated into the packaging wall. The handle has a shape defined by a perforated tear line in the wall. In particular, the handle is attached to the wall by means of a carrying tape which is attached to the inner surface of the wall and the inner surface of the handle.

Such form of carrying further provides free-moving, belt-like, foldable tape sections formed between the end sections which are attached to the inner surface of the wall and the middle section of the support tape which is attached to the handle.

U.S. patent publication no. 20080010945 discloses a moldable package handle assembly having a front panel, a back panel, a bottom panel and opposite side connection plates, each side connection plate having an inner wall and an outer wall. The handle assembly includes one or more hand portions, each hand portion having a lip extending beyond the opening and along the inner wall of the side connection plate. The handle assembly further includes one

5 - sealing member which is placed on the inner wall of the side connection plate and around the opening with the sealing member sealing the lips to the inner wall of the side connection plates and sealing the opening. Such a handle assembly partially locates within an opening of the side connector plate and partially positioned beyond the opening.

U.S. Patent Publication No. 20150108153 discloses a carrying handle which is attached to an inner surface of each end wall of a box with a bottom wall, opposite side walls and opposite end walls. The carrying handles have a folded position in the box and an extended position outside the box to lift and carry the box. The box contains a panel to create spacing that has cut-outs aligned with respective carrying handles to store the carrying handles in their folded position and to prevent contact between the carrying handles and the paper in the box.

U.S. Patent No. 2,889,104 discloses a box having a one-piece belt handle and a handle slot. The strap handle is formed from an inner top lap panel while the handle slot is formed in the outer top lap panel. A pair of end flaps are foldably connected to the opposite end edges of the inner sheet panel to form parts of the end walls of the box. The handle belt itself is relatively short

- 6 - and is formed only from one of the main panels of the box.

Accordingly, as can also be seen in the examples above, currently and most recently, the handle provided is installed within the walls of the packages, and includes a handle accessible through an opening within the package. However, such handles have a number of shortcomings such as they exert a lot of pressure on the wall to which they are joined and therefore can tear the light-weighting wall generally made of paper. Furthermore, most of them apply to very light weight since they have no mechanism to protect and secure the gripping section from the heavy load. In addition, such a handle creates an elevated packaging profile that will not easily resume its previous configuration and nullifies the possibility of stacked packages. Furthermore, the handle openings in the packaging walls were not properly covered, which in turn made them susceptible to product leaks and / or contamination such as dirt from entering the inside of the box.

In addition, these handles are very complicated to install and therefore difficult for an ordinary consumer to use.

Accordingly, as discussed above, various types of handles have been developed for such secondary packages. This one

7 - handle structure includes various types of handles, such as belt-like elements, one-piece board paper handle elements hinged on one of the box walls, and separate handle elements mounted on the inside of the packages. However, any such handle structure has certain shortcomings. Furthermore, these handle structures make a significant contribution to the cost of boxes / packages, while being inherently unsatisfactory, especially when heavy contents are to be carried in the packages / boxes.

As can be seen from the previous discussion, there is still a need for an improved secondary packaging handle structure which, while cost effective, comfortable and strong, is easy to use by a common consumer.

RESUME

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a portable handle assembly is provided. The handle assembly includes a base portion with an upper surface and a lower surface. The base portion includes a first handle opening at a proximal end that extends to a second handle opening at a distal end. The handle assembly further includes a handle that has a grip portion that extends to a first connecting portion through a first body portion on the

8 - the proximal end and to a second connecting portion through a second body portion at the distal end. Each of the connecting portions is adapted to be received by one of the handle openings from the top surface of the base portion to the bottom surface of the base portion. Furthermore, the connecting portions are locked together on the bottom surface of the base portion such that the handle forms a loop-like structure passing through the base portion. In use, if a user grasps the handle by lifting the gripping portion, each of the body portions slides out of the corresponding grip openings and returns to a free state when the gripping portion is released and pushed back.

The base portion is preferably a generally elongated piece of material selected from, but not limited to, all types of paper, cardboard, cardboard box, fiberboard, corrugated cardboard, plastic, and the like.

The base portion is more preferably a single layer structure.

Alternatively, the base portion can also be a multi-layered structure.

The first handle opening may be configured on the base portion at a distance Do from the second opening.

_ 9 -

The distance D0 may furthermore generally be greater than or equal to a length Ls of the grip portion of the handle.

Preferably, each of the handle openings has a shape / size that is complementary to the shape / size of the body parts of the handle such that each of the body parts is adapted to comfortably pass through the corresponding handle opening from the top surface of the handle. base section to the bottom surface of the base section.

The joining portions are more preferably joined together using one or more joining mechanisms selected from one or more of, but not limited to, adhesive based fasteners, adhesive plasters, hooks, locking cutouts and the like .

Even more preferably, the two joining portions are locked / secured together in such a way that there is sufficient overlap between them, further extending their joining.

The handle containing the gripping portion, and the body portion, are preferably made of any material selected from, but not limited to, a single-layer or multi-layer structure of all types of paper, cardboard, carton box, fiber board, ribbed

- 10 - cardboard, plastic, metal materials, hybrid materials and the like.

Further preferred, the gripping portion may include finger grips that allow easy handling thereof by a user.

Optionally, the handle assembly optionally includes a locking mechanism to limit the movement of the body portion beyond a predetermined position to the top surface of the base portion.

Further optionally, the locking mechanism can be configured at each of the first opening and the second opening of the handle assembly.

Still further optionally, the locking mechanism includes a cutout configured on the body portion and a complementary hook on the base portion to lock the movement of the body portion beyond the position of the hook.

Alternatively, the locking mechanism may be any suitable locking mechanism known in the art, including, but not limited to, rivets, threads, buttons, locking tabs and any other suitable mechanical locking means.

- 11 -

In another aspect of the invention, a secondary package is provided which has a portable handle assembly. The secondary package is generally a box having a plurality of walls that includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and a plurality of side walls defining an inner surface therein. The package further includes an elongated cutout configured on at least one of the multiple side walls. The secondary package further includes one or more handle assemblies which are placed in an inner surface and are visibly accessible through the elongated cutout for safe and comfortable handling and / or carrying of the package. The handle assembly is placed in the secondary package such that the grip portion of the handle is accessible through the recessed slot. In use, when a user lifts the package by grasping the handle, the gripping portion slidably extends from the elongated slot and retracts when released by the user.

Generally, secondary packaging is a box formed from a material selected from, but not limited to, a board paper, cardboard, plastic, paper, hybrid material, and any combination thereof.

The secondary package may be adapted to hold a plurality of beverage containers.

_ 1 2 _

Furthermore, the secondary package may have any suitable geometric shape such as semi-cubic, cubic, spherical, round, and the like.

The base portion generally has a size greater than a length of the extended cutout such that the beverage containers stored there in the secondary package are not visible through the elongated cutout.

Furthermore, the base portion is positioned in the inner surface of the package and placed on top of the beverage containers stored therein.

Possibly, the base portion of the handle assembly may have a shape / size that is complementary and substantially similar to a shape / size of the secondary package on a contact point.

The base portion may furthermore be frictionally mounted in the inner surface of the housing at a contact point.

In particular, the gripping portion of the handle has a thickness Te which is generally less than or equal to the thickness Ty of the box wall such as thickness T: of the elongated cut-out.

Accordingly, the gripping portion remains in a free state in the

13 packaging such that it is visibly accessible therethrough while generally remaining flush with the surface of the box wall.

In addition, the gripping portion, when lifted, extends out of the package wall due to a force exerted by the user when lifting the package.

In yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of mounting the secondary package with a handle assembly as disclosed above. The method includes receiving and / or forming a secondary package. The method further includes placing a plurality of items such as beverage containers, for example, in the inner surface of the secondary package arranged in a predetermined row and column configuration. The method further includes positioning the handle assembly in the secondary package such that the grip portion of the handle assembly is accessible from the handle opening / elongated slot. In use, when a user lifts the package, the grip portion and in turn the body portion of the handle are slidably extended from the secondary package thereby supporting the load of the package using the base portion and the corresponding wall of the package .

_ 14 _

Optionally, each of the steps of the method can be performed in any desired order.

Further optionally, the method includes the step of attaching the base portion of the handle assembly to an inner surface of the wall with elongated slot / handle opening.

Alternatively, the method includes supporting the base portion of the handle assembly in the secondary package at the top of the items such as beverage containers placed therein.

The details of one or more embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings and description below. Other aspects, features and advantages of the subject disclosed herein become apparent from the description, drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram representing a handle assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary package with a handle assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

_ 1 5 _

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary handle assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4a illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary package with a handle assembly in a free state according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4b illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary package with a handle assembly in a free state according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4c illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary package with a handle assembly in a lifted state according to the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4d illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary package with a handle assembly in a lifted state according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5a is a side view of a handle assembly in a free state, according to the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5b is a side view of a handle assembly in a lifted state according to the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure;

- 16 -

FIG. 6 shows a flow chart illustrating the steps for mounting the handle assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 shows a flow chart illustrating the steps of installing the handle assembly in a secondary package according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As required, a schematic, exemplary embodiment of the present application is disclosed herein; however, it should be noted that the disclosed embodiment is merely indicative of the present disclosure, which may be in various and / or alternative forms. Specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as being limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching anyone skilled in the art to use the present disclosure in various ways in virtually any appropriate manner. detailed structure.

Aspects, advantages and / or other features of the characterizing embodiment of the disclosure become apparent in view of the following detailed description, which discloses various non-limiting embodiments of the invention. In describing exemplary embodiments,

17 - specific terminology used for clarity. However, the embodiments are not intended to be limited to this specific terminology. It should be noted that each specific section includes all technical equivalents that work in a similar way to achieve a similar objective.

Characterizing embodiments can be adapted for many different purposes and are not intended to be limiting to the specific characterizing purposes included herein. Any skilled artisan will be able to modify the purely illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, depending, for example, on the intended use of the modified embodiment. In addition, related examples and limitations described below are purely intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art become apparent to the skilled artisan after reading the following specification and a study of the related figures.

The present application discloses a handle assembly for use with a secondary package to hold a multitude of items such as beverage containers containing liquids such as cold drinks, beers, wines, mineral water, etc. The handle assembly is portable and strong enough to hold the heavy carry loads from the secondary packaging without breaking through. The handle assembly is furthermore nicely smooth with the surface of the secondary packaging and eliminates the possibility of contamination

- 18 - the dirt from the outside and the like in the secondary packaging. It is to be understood that embodiments of the present invention can be used in combination with another type of packaging, regardless of their size, shape and materials used in the beverage industry. The present invention can further be used in any other industry to facilitate handling of one or more packages, items grouped in single packages, without departing from the scope of the invention. It should also be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “the” and “it” include multiple references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, the term "an opening" is intended to refer to a single opening or combination of openings, "a side wall" is intended to refer to one or more side walls, or a combination thereof.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram showing the basic components of the handle assembly of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the present disclosure provides a handle assembly 100 for use with a secondary package [not shown] that holds a plurality of items such as beverage containers, food items, household supplies and the like. The handle assembly 100 includes a base portion 110 with an upper surface 113 and a lower surface 115.

The base portion 110 includes a first opening 112 at a proximal end Ep and extends to a second

19 handle opening 114 at a distal end E4 configured therein. The handle assembly 100 further includes a handle 120 with a grip portion 122 extending to a first connecting portion 124 through a first body portion 125 at the proximal end E, and to a second connecting portion 126 through a second body portion 127 at the distal end Ea. handle assembly further includes a connecting mechanism [not shown] for locking and / or fixedly joining together the opposing connecting portions 124, 126. Each of the connecting portions 124, 126 slides through one of the handle openings 112, 114 from the top surface 113 to the bottom surface 115 such that the opposite connecting portion 124, 126 touches the bottom surface 115 of the base portion 110 and is adapted to connect thereto. In use, when a user lifts the handle 120, the grip portion 122 is lifted upward and each body portion 125, and 127 slidably extends to a position where it is in a lifted state S. through the corresponding openings 112, 114 such that the force exerted by the user is shared between the connection points 124, 126, the openings 112, 114, and the base portion 110. When the user releases / pushes the handle 120, the gripping portion 122 retracts and the body portions 124, and 126 return to a free state Sr through the corresponding openings 112, 114.

In a preferred embodiment, the handle assembly 100 is of the present

Revelation 120 is generally configured to be installed in a secondary package that holds a plurality of beverage containers (not shown), either as a multipack or as a group of items packed together.

In the description of FIGURES 2-3 below, elements common to the schematic system have the same number assignment unless otherwise stated. In a first embodiment, as illustrated in Fig. 2, a secondary package 280 is provided which employs a handle assembly 200. In a preferred embodiment, the secondary package 280 includes a box 281 having a plurality of walls 282 including a top wall 283, a bottom wall 284 and a plurality of side walls 285 defining an inner surface 295 therein. The box 281 further includes one or more elongated recesses 286 configured in one or more plurality of walls 282. The handle assembly 200 is generally adapted to be received and positioned in the inner surface 285 such that it is visibly accessible from the elongated cutout 286 Accordingly, the elongated cutout 286 is generally an elongated recess of a length Lg and a width Wa generally depending on the dimensions of the handle assembly 200. However, in other embodiments of the present invention, the elongated cutout 286 may be formed in any desired shape suitable to provide access to handle assembly 200 and may also

- 21 - subject to the design limitations thereto, which will be discussed later.

In a preferred embodiment, the box 281 is generally formed from a folded blank box [not shown] to hold a plurality of generally cylindrical beverage containers. Furthermore, the shape and size, including the height of the box 281, can be varied depending on the design limitations and requirements for its application. For example, in cases where the 281 is adapted to accommodate twelve holders in one layer in a 3x4 arrangement, the dimensions of the box are adjusted accordingly. Furthermore, in other cases, the box may be sized and shaped to hold containers of a different or the same amount in a layer, more than two layers and / or in different row / column arrangements (e.g. 1x6, 3x6, 2x6, 4x6, 2x3x4 , 2x6x2, 2x9, 3x5, 3x5x2, etc.).

Although the secondary package 280 has been shown in the form of a box 281 as an exemplary embodiment, it should be understood that the secondary package 280 may be formed in any desired shape, such as differently shaped containers, spherical containers, round boxes and they are formed from any desired material including all types of paper, fiber board, corrugated board, plastic, hybrid material, or any combination thereof. Likewise, the box 281, when adapted and ordered to hold various items, becomes accordingly

_ 22 - dimensioned according to the dimensions and size requirements of the corresponding items.

The handle assembly 200 includes a base portion 210 having an upper surface 213 and a lower surface 215. The base portion 210 includes a first handle opening 212 at a proximal end Ep extending to a second handle opening 214 at a distal end Es, thereby providing a allows access from the top surface 213 to the bottom surface 215 of the base portion 210.

The handle assembly 200 further includes a handle 220. The handle 220 includes a gripping portion 222 of length Le extending between a first connecting portion 224 through a first body portion 225 at the proximal end Ep and a second connecting portion 226 through a first body portion 225 at the distal end one Ea. In some embodiments of the present invention, the gripping portion 222 has a shape that can be easily grasped by the user. For example, in some instances, the gripping portion 222 may include finger grips configured thereon, while in other cases, the gripping portion 222 may include any other shape adapted to facilitate its handling and / or retention by the user.

The base portion 210 is generally an elongated piece of material adapted to serve as a bottom support of the

23 - handle assembly 200. In a preferred embodiment, the base portion 210 is formed from a single layer or a multi-layer elongated piece of material selected from, but not limited to, one or more of all types of paper, fiber board, corrugated board, any type of plastic material, a hybrid material and the like. However, in other embodiments, the base portion 210 may be a multilayer structure such as a box, housing, and the like, formed from a material selected from one or more, but not limited to a folded blank box, all types of paper, fiber board, corrugated board, any type of plastic material , a hybrid material and the like. The base portion 210, in any of the above configurations, has a length Le in the same direction as a longitudinal direction of the elongated cutout 286, which is generally greater than its length Lg. Furthermore, the base portion 210 has a width Wa generally greater than the width Wu of the elongated cutout 286. In an additional embodiment of the present disclosure, the base portion 210 has a size (including the length Lu and the width Ws) in a horizontal plane substantially the same as an inner dimension of the box 281 in the horizontal plane, at a point of contact P. In these embodiments, such comparable dimension provides an additional frictional attachment of the base portion 210 in the inner space 295 of the box 281 to the contact point P.

The first handle opening 212, and the second handle opening 214, are each generally

24 - formed by any tool suitable for making a hole in the base portion 210 at a distance D0 between each other. Furthermore, the openings 212, 214 can be shaped and / or configured in any desired shape, depending on the design constraints and such that they allow the body portions 225, 227 to get through them comfortably but appropriately without an empty cavity therein in order to prevent the passage of pollutants, such as dirt and the like.

In a preferred embodiment, the distance Do is generally equal to or more than the length Ls of the gripping portion 222 of the handle 220. Furthermore, the distance Do is generally less than the length La of the elongated cutout 286, which in turn is less than length Ls of the base portion 210. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the gripping portion has a thickness Ts generally less than or equal to a thickness Ty of the box wall such as thickness T: of the elongated cutout 286. Such configuration allows the handle 220 to be smooth in the box wall 282 and further facilitates stacking of the secondary packs 280.

The connection portions 224, 226 of the handle are generally formed to pass through the corresponding handle openings 212, 214. Furthermore, the connecting portions 224, 226, when received through the corresponding openings 212, 214, are adapted to touch and connect to

25 at each other meeting point Cu by using one or more connecting mechanisms selected from one or more, but not limited to gluing, mechanical locking and stapling

In a preferred embodiment, the connection mechanism includes an adhesive layer configured on the connection portion 212 and / or 214 to allow a substantially overlapping connection between the connection portions 212, 214.

Such overlapping connection further strengthens the bond and therefore provides more strength to the handle assembly 200. In some other embodiments, the connection mechanism includes brackets and the like to connect the connection portions 212, 214 in a removable manner, although it is not preferred.

In some embodiments, the handle assembly 200 further includes one or more locking assemblies [not shown] for locking the body portions 225, 227 beyond a predetermined position on the base portion 210, preferably in the openings 212, 214. Such embodiments are particularly suitable for the substantially heavy load embodiments and where there is a need to provide an additional locking mechanism to support the body portions 225, 227 and which in turn provides additional strength thereto. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the locking assembly includes one on a cutting angle

- 26 - based mechanism. In such embodiments, each of the body portions 225, 227 includes a cutout therein at one or more edges thereof. Furthermore, in such embodiments, the base portion 210 includes one or more brackets that are complementary to the cutouts in the openings 212, 214 and adapted to lock the body portions 225, 227 when engaged with the cutouts. In such embodiments, the one or more brackets are placed in the handle openings 212, 214 in some cases. In some cases, however, the one or more brackets may be positioned at any position on the base portion 210, thereby avoiding shifting the body portions 225, 227 beyond the predetermined position on the base portion 210. Accordingly, such a locking assembly further facilitates reducing the pressure on the connecting portions 224, 226 on the meeting point CM. In other embodiments, the locking assembly may be any suitable locking mechanism already known in the art and suitable for use with the present invention without departing from its field of application.

In use, as previously disclosed, the handle assembly 200 is adapted to be positioned in the inner surface 295 such that the grip portion 222 of the handle 220 is visibly accessible from the elongated cutout 286. In some embodiments, the handle assembly 200 attached to an inner surface

27 - [not shown] of the wall 282 such that the base portion 210 overlaps the elongated cutout 286 from the inside, and the handle openings 212, 214 are positioned adjacent edges of the elongated cutout 286 and the gripping portion 222 is visibly accessible by the elongated cutout 286. In a preferred embodiment, the handle assembly 200 is supported on the top of the beverage containers stored in the box 281 and is not mounted anywhere in the carton 281. However, in other embodiments, the handle assembly 200 is secured to the inner surface 282 to the base portion 210 by using one or more mounting mechanisms.

FIG. 2 and 3 schematically illustrate the arrangement of the base components of the secondary package 280 using the handle assembly 200 of the present disclosure. However, in the construction of commercial functional units, secondary components such as couplings, connectors, support structure and other functional components known to anyone skilled in the field of packaging and more specifically packaging handling may be included in the secondary packaging 280. Such commercial arrangements are included in the present invention as long as the structural components and arrangements disclosed herein are present.

_ 28 -

The handle 220, which includes the body portion 225, 227, the bonding portions 224, 226, and the gripping portion 222, can be made from any material selected from one or more, but not limited to, a single layer or multilayer structure formed from all types of paper , board paper, fiber board, cardboard, cardboard board, ribbed cardboard, plastic and / or any hybrid material and / or a combination thereof.

In some embodiments, the handle 220 may be made of a substantially stretchable material selected from one or more, but not limited to, elastomeric stretchable material, selected from one or more, but not limited to elastomeric material, such as a group of polyethylene, with especially low density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, especially polyalkylene terephthalates and one or more polymers selected from polymer of said elastomeric film selected from the group consisting of poly (ethylene-butene), poly (ethylene-hexene), poly (ethylene octene), poly (ethylene-propylene), poly (styrene-butadiene-styrene), poly (styrene-isoprene-styrene), poly (styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene), poly (ester-ether), poly (ether -amide), poly (ethylene-vinyl acetate), poly (ethylene-methyl acrylate), poly (ethylene-acrylic acid), poly (ethylene-butyl acrylate), polyurethane, poly (ethylene-propylene-diene), and ethylene-propylene rubber, EPM (ethylene propylene rubber, a copoly more of ethylene and propylene) and EPDM rubber (ethylene-propylene-diene rubber a terpolymer of ethylene, propylene and a diene component), epichlorohydrin

- 29 - rubber (ECO), polyacrylic rubber (ACM, ABR), silicone rubber (SI, O0, VMO), fluorosilicone rubber (FVMO), fluoroelastomers (FKM and FEPM) Viton, Tecnoflon, Fluorel, Aflas and Dai-El. . Such elastic property of the handle 220 provides the ability for the body portion to be stretched in at least one direction, and preferably in two or more directions when the joining portions 224, 226 are joined together. Furthermore, the elastic property allows the gripping portion 222 to immediately retract to its original position when the tensile force is removed. Preferably, the handle 220 in such embodiments has an elongation capability ranging from 5% to 20%, preferably from 5% to about 15%. Such stretching capability allows the handle 220 to stretch to a small extent and is preferably desired to eliminate the possibility of breakage of the handle 220 when using very heavy weight.

In some other embodiments, the handle 220 containing the gripping portion 222, the body portions 225, 227 and the connecting portions 224 and 226 may further include a layer of waterproof material with which it is covered and / or laminated to allow use of the handle assembly 200 during rainy seasons and in conditions where the handle 220 can be adapted to come into contact with water / liquids and the like. Furthermore, in such embodiments, the base portion 210 can also be made

- 30 - from a material similar to that of handle 220.

The box 281, as illustrated in FIG. 2 and 3, an example of a cuboid box with elongated cutouts 286 is configured on the top wall 283 according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. However, in other embodiments, the box 281 may have a different shape and any number of side walls and / or elongated cutouts 286 as desired on any wall, without departing from the scope of the invention. In one alternative embodiment, the box 281 is generally cylindrical in shape with round walls with elongated cutouts 286. In such an embodiment, the base portion 210 of the handle assembly 200 is generally adapted to bend over a pre-printed line such that the base portion 210 coincides with the round walls of the box 281. Furthermore, the base portion may be glued to the walls such that the gripping portion 222 of the handle 220 is visibly accessible through the elongated cutout 286.

[0083] FIG. 6, with reference to Figures 1 to 5, is a flow chart illustrating a method 600 for mounting the handle assembly 200 of the present disclosure. The method begins at step 602 and continues to step 604 where the base portion 210 is configured with two spaced apart handle openings 212, 214 and at a predetermined

- 31 - distance Dp from each other. In one embodiment, the handle opening 212, 214 may be formed using any conventionally known hole making tools. The method then proceeds to step 606 where the handle 220 is received in the base portion 210. The step 606 further includes slidably passing the connecting portions 224, 226 of the handle 220 from the top surface 213 to the bottom surface 215 such that the connecting portions 224, 226 meet at the meeting point Cu. Step 606 further includes connecting the connecting portions 224, 226 by using one or more connecting mechanisms, as previously disclosed, such that the handle 220 forms a loop-like structure that contacts the handle openings 212, 214 such that when the gripping portion of the the handle is lifted, the body portions of the handle 220 slide out and thereby enable the lifting of the handle assembly 200. In an embodiment of the present embodiments where the openings 212, 214 have a width less than the maximum width of the connecting portions 224, 226, each of the connecting portion 224, 226 is forcefully slid into the corresponding handle openings 212, 214. The handle assembly 200 can be used with one or more packages / containers to facilitate its handling / gripping / lifting.

[0084] FIG. 7 illustrates a method 700 for mounting the secondary package 280 through the handle assembly 200 of the

32 - to use this disclosure.

The method starts at step 702 and proceeds to step 704 where the box 281 is received and / or formed, the box 281 having one or more elongated cutouts 286 configured in one of its plurality of walls 282. The method 700 then continues to step 706, where a plurality of items, such as beverage containers, for example, are placed in the inner surface 295 of the box 281, and arranged in a predetermined row and column configuration.

Thereafter, at step 708, the handle assembly 200 is placed in the inner surface 295 of the box 281 such that the gripping portion 222 is accessible from the elongated cutout / elongated slot 286. In a preferred embodiment, the handle assembly 200 may simply be placed on top of the items that are in the box 281.

Such an embodiment is particularly feasible when the items stored in the box 281 occupy a significant height of the box 281 such that the gripping portion 222 may be accessible for grasping by a user through the elongated cutout 286. In another Embodiment, the handle assembly 200 may be attached to the inner surface of the box wall 282 using one or mounting mechanism as previously disclosed.

In use, the secondary package 280 is lifted by stretching the gripping portion 222 from the elongated cutout 286 which, in turn, moves each of the body portions 225, 227 from their free state Sr to their lifted state SL. stretches so that when they are in their lifted condition, the

33 - connecting portions 224, 226, openings 212, 214, and base portion 210 divide the amount of force applied by the user. As can be seen in the above disclosed method, the secondary package 280 is first formed and filled with the plurality of items, and the handle assembly 200 is then placed in the wall with the elongated cutout. However, in some embodiments of the present invention, the handle assembly 200 is first mounted in the secondary package 280 using a method as disclosed in step 708. Thereafter, the secondary container 280 is filled with the plurality of items as desired.

In still other embodiments of the present inventions, any of the steps of the method 700 may be performed in any desired order, sequentially and / or simultaneously.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention relates to a handle assembly 200 formed from two spaced apart handle openings 212, 214 configured on a base portion 210 and with a handle 220 to facilitate handling of a secondary package 280 containing various items such as food items , household items, and any other group of items packaged together as a group, and safely carried. The secondary packaging 280 is mainly used to store liquid in containers such as beer, wine, cider, heavier liqueur (e.g. spirit drink, spirits

- 34 - Beverage, liqueur, heavier alcohol, etc.), soft drinks (eg cola, lemonade, pop, tonic, seltzer), ice tea, carbonated water and other types of carbonated / non-carbonated drinks.

The handle assembly 200 is cost efficient and portable, and can be mounted very quickly and easily by end customers, or the retailers, and offers convenient yet convenient shipping, handling and transportation of packages of any shape, size or variety of configurations. Although the secondary packaging 280 has been mainly described for holding and carrying beverage containers, it is also contemplated to one skilled in the art that the secondary disclosure 280 of the present disclosure be used in various industries such as the food industry, transportation industry, home appliance industry in the transportation of any type of product or group of products, with any shape, size or different configurations, without being limited to the beverage industry.

As will be appreciated, the realization of such a secondary packaging handle 400 allows the end consumer to pick up and carry the boxes with a plurality of items stored therein safely, easily and comfortably. Furthermore, the handle 220 forms a loop-like structure around the base portion, which in turn is further supported on the items stored in the box and does not break open even when very heavy weight is placed in the box. In general,

_ 35 - Facilitates the presence of the base portion to support the handle, the ability to allow heavy weight to have no impact on the material of the wall with the handle during carrying and transportation. Furthermore, since the base portion containing the openings and the handle can be a multilayered structure, this allows them to further enhance the strength of the handle assembly and thereby make the boxes of very soft and inexpensive quality of board paper, cardboard and the like .

Additionally, the handle 220 of the handle assembly 200 of the present disclosure retracts into the box 281 when not in use. With no exposed profile, the handle assembly 200 allows the holders of the secondary package 280 to be stacked and shipped economically and therefore provides increased flexibility as well as efficiency during transportation. In addition, the gripping portion is prevented from being damaged. In addition, the base portion 210 of the handle assembly 200 prevents particles, liquids or contaminants from entering or leaving the secondary package 280 through the elongated recess 286. Additionally, when the gripping portion 222 is lifted, the body portions 225, 227 are pulled out to improve the integrity of the box 281 and provide a self-tightening effect which in turn is supported by the walls of the box 281.

- 36 -

While the current disclosure flexible handle 200 has been disclosed with reference to the current disclosure secondary package 280, it can also be used as an independent self-sufficient unit. Furthermore, it can be integrated with various suitable containers known in the art, including various boxes formed from folding blank box and boxes constructed in materials such as fabric, woven material, non-woven material, woven metal fabric containing ferrous or non ferrous metals, etc., or any other suitable material. Also in such embodiments, the handle assembly 200 of the current disclosure can be used to safely carry the secondary package 280 without departing from the scope of the current disclosure.

Furthermore, although the secondary package illustrated here discloses a single handle with a gripping portion extending from one of its side walls, it should be considered that any number of handles on one of the wall of the secondary package including the top wall and the bottom wall can be realized in accordance with design limitations without departing from the scope of the current disclosure.

With reference to FIG. 6 and 7, methodology according to a preferred embodiment of the claimed subject is illustrated. While, to simplify the explanation, the methodology has been presented and described as a series of actions

- to be clear and acknowledged that the claimed subject is not limited by the sequence of actions, as some actions may occur in different sequences and / or simultaneously with actions other than those presented and described herein.

Claims (12)

_ 38 - Conclusions I / We claim: 1.- Secondary package handle assembly, the secondary package comprising a plurality of walls with an elongated cut-out in one of its walls, the handle assembly comprising: a base portion comprising a first handle opening at a proximal end extending to a second handle opening at a distal end, the base portion to be positioned in an inner surface of the secondary package; a handle comprising a gripping portion extending to a first connecting portion through a first body portion at the proximal end and a second connecting portion through a second body portion at the distal end; each of the connecting portions being slidably received through one of the handle openings and locked together on a bottom surface of the base portion such that the handle forms a looped structure that passes through the base portion and is accessible through the elongated cutout of the secondary package with further, when the gripping portion is lifted, at least one of the portion extends to a lifted state and moves back to a free state when the gripping portion is released and retracted. - 39 - 2. Handle assembly according to claim 1, wherein base portion has a width greater than a width of the elongated cut-out and the gripping portion. 3. Handle assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting mechanism for locking and / or fixing and / or connecting the connecting parts. 4. Handle assembly according to claim 11, wherein the connecting mechanism comprises one or more of, but not limited to, glue, adhesive plasters, locking cutouts and the like. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the base portion is a generally single-layer elongated piece of material selected from, but not limited to, all types of paper, cardboard, box, fiberboard, corrugated cardboard, plastic, and the like. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the base portion is a multi-layered elongated piece. The handle of claim 1, wherein the secondary package comprises a box formed from one or more material selected from, but not limited to, foldable blank box, paperboard, cardboard, corrugated cardboard, plastic, all kinds of paper and the like. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle is made from a material selected from, but not limited to, all types of paper, cardboard, box, fiberboard, corrugated cardboard, plastic, and the like. - 40 - 9. Handle assembly according to claim 1, wherein the gripping part of the handle has a thickness equal to or less than a thickness of the elongated cut-out and / or the box. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein a distance between the first handle opening and the second handle opening is greater than a length of the elongated cutout. Secondary package comprising a plurality of walls with an elongated cut-out in one of its walls, and further comprising a handle assembly according to any of the preceding claims. 12. Handle assembly comprising: a base portion comprising a first handle opening at a proximal end extending to a second handle opening at a distal end; a handle comprising a gripping portion extending to a first connecting portion through a first body portion at the proximal end and to a second connecting portion through a second body portion at the distal end. each of the connecting portions being slidably received by one of the handle openings and locked together on an inner surface of the base portion such that the handle forms a loop-like structure passing through the base portion and, when the gripping portion is lifted, at least one of the parts extend to a raised state and return to a free state 41 moves when the gripping portion is released and retracted.