EP0575812B1 - Carrying handle device and container - Google Patents

Abstract

A carrying handle device has a carrying handle (48) which is mounted with pivoting movement on a holding body (10) provided for the attachment to a container. The ends of the carrying handle (48) engage in a groove (16) which is open towards the container. The carrying handle (48) is supported in an approximately horizontal position on the holding body (10) via stops. An enlarged and reinforced support surface (22, 24) is produced as a stop for supporting on the bearing limb (50, 60) of the carrying handle (48) by removal of material in the groove (16) of the extrusion profile. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a handle device according to the preamble of claim 1 and a container with such a handle device according to the preamble of claim 15 (see DE-U-77 09 709).

Conventional handles of this type are produced from a stamped and embossed sheet metal part which supports the handle on the container and enables the handle to be pivoted from the adjacent position into a folded-down position. In the folded position, the handle is at an angle of approximately 90 ° to the side wall of the container, so that easy carrying is possible.

In order to enable the pivoting path of 90 °, the known containers have a carrying handle, which comprises a - usually plastic-coated - handle, from which two support legs extend at right angles to the container, the support legs opening in turn at right-angled ends, which serve as a journal on the sheet metal part. The sheet metal part thus acts as a holding body and is fastened in a suitable manner to the selected side wall.

Numerous such handles have been announced by different manufacturers with varying degrees of success, the basic principle being defined in the DIN 3136 standard. A problem with such handles is always the insertion of the ends of the handle into the corresponding bearing recesses of the holding body that it requires standard handle devices to bend the handle, which consists of 8 mm steel round wire, only when the insertion of the ends is ensured . This problem does not occur with two-part holding bodies, as are known for example from DE-A-34 25 815. With such holding bodies, however, the stability is considerably reduced. On the other hand, the number of screw connections required is nevertheless increased, and it is not possible or not without additional measures to manufacture the handle device as a pre-assembled unit and to attach it to the container in question without further assembly steps.

Various other carrying handle devices have also become known in which the problem of mounting the carrying handle is to be solved without additional bending measures for the carrying handle, which are also disadvantageous due to the chrome plating that may have to be carried out. For example, from US-A-4 157 763 a handle device is known in which this problem is solved by a special locking body 70, which must be added after assembly.

However, this solution requires comparatively complex individual parts and is basically only suitable for special containers in which an external seal is not essential.

Another mounting arrangement for a handle assembly is shown in US-A-4,775,072. The recessed handle there is characterized by special bearing supports, which are inserted laterally through the wall of the container and form both the bearing point for the handle and the support surface for upward support. This solution is also only suitable if - as described in the cited document - a container with a thick, foamed wall is used, or smooth inner walls of the container are not of interest.

A special solution which is tailored to plastic can be seen from EP-A-0 413 836. In this solution, the assembly takes place in such a way that the handle is mounted on the holding body slotted on one side via a pin and at the same time holds the slot of the bearing body together, so that it is fastened to corresponding projections of the container side wall. This solution has a design relatively low lateral stability and is less suitable if an essentially horizontal position of the handle is to be realized as a carrying position.

Furthermore, it has also become known, for example from FR-A-2 249 632, to insert the handle from behind through the holding body and thereby lock it. With this solution, it is not necessary to subsequently bend the handle into the final shape. The disadvantage of this solution, however, is that there is no preassembled unit, and also that a spring loading of the handle cannot be easily realized. However, spring loading of the handle toward the abutting position is often desirable to prevent the handle from rattling on the container.

Furthermore, a carrying handle is known from the generic DE-U-77 09 702, the holding body of which is designed as an extruded profile, the carrying handle consisting of a rectangular profile which is supported in the holding body on supporting surfaces. In this solution, the handle is inserted into the corresponding groove of the holding body in the adjacent position, in which the handle fits with its short side through the groove. Due to the action of the leaf spring and the frictional connection produced thereby, the handle and the holding body still hold together in the bolt, so that the handle device according to DE-U-77 09 702 can also be regarded as a preassembled unit.

Although this solution is basically good, it requires a subsequent check during assembly to determine whether the preassembled condition has actually been preserved. Even with heavy loads, the system on the stop surfaces could not be sufficient, so that over time the handle would "slip" and a folded position would no longer be ensured.

Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a handle device according to the preamble of claim 1 and a corresponding container according to the preamble of claim 15, in which a preassembled position is ensured, although a stable and permanent carrying function is ensured with inexpensive manufacture.

This object is achieved by claims 1 and 15, respectively. Advantageous further developments result from the subclaims.

It is particularly favorable with the material removal according to the invention that, despite the inexpensive use of an extruded profile, a very stable support on the enlarged and reinforced support surface is made possible. An extruded profile can be produced very easily in the desired shape, with the extrusion effect also resulting in material compression which increases strength.

It is particularly favorable here that the material is removed transversely to the extrusion direction and the stop acting as a support or support surface is thus designed as a projection over a reinforced groove flank. The removal of material also opens up the possibility of carrying out the mounting of the handle without any subsequent bending, despite the large dimensions. According to the invention, the handle is tilted diagonally for this purpose - expediently in a somewhat folded-down position, so that it can even be lifted without contact over the relevant end of a fastening strap, while the opposite end at the transition to the supporting leg of the carrying handle adjoining there is then deep into the material removal formed recess is sunk in the holding body.

Nevertheless, an automatic self-centering effect occurs in both end positions of the handle, which at least reliably prevents the handle from moving in the adjacent position releases from the holding body again, and in the folded-down position feeds both support legs symmetrically to the support surfaces, as will be explained in more detail below.

The support surface can be provided on the groove base or on a groove flank, namely the so-called load groove flank. The maximum leverage for support is available when training at the base of the groove, which makes this solution particularly favorable. Since a profile thickness of 1 mm can be used throughout for the extruded profile holding body, it is expedient if the supporting surface is enlarged to, for example, 2 mm and in a suitable manner, e.g. possibly reinforced by material compaction. This configuration requires only an insignificant, for example 15% higher material consumption, even if the subsequent groove flank is designed with a profile thickness of 2 mm, but increases the strength and long-term stability considerably, for example almost twice.

It is also relevant here that the tool manufacture requires no additional costs due to this modification, so that a very inexpensive manufacture of a handle device according to the invention is still possible. By strengthening both the stop in the area of the groove base and the subsequent load groove flank, the force introduced is deflected obliquely laterally towards the wall of the container, an increase in the material thickness not being necessary in the area of the fastening tab, since the wall itself there corresponding pressure forces.

For the design of the load groove flank, it is advantageous to sharply bevel the steep flank part, which is kept relatively short and adjoins the base of the groove, so that the force introduced is absorbed not in the material transverse direction but in the material longitudinal direction.

The transition between the straight and sloping load-flank part can expediently be rounded on the outside, which not only reduces the susceptibility to contamination, but also rules out any notch effects.

The support surface can also protrude from the straight part of the load groove flank by approximately 2 mm, so that there is a compact projection with dimensions of approximately 2 x ² mm ^{2 available} for support.

It is also expedient if the material removal is selected such that it is adapted to the shape of the support leg in the region of the support surface. Then a large-area introduction of the forces to be transmitted and thus a uniform force distribution is ensured already in the area of the support surface. Accordingly, when using a handle made of aluminum round wire with a diameter of 8 mm, the support surface can have a correspondingly suitable, concave design, which can adjoin the above-mentioned inclined surface.

Due to the selected dimensioning and the great stability of the extruded extruded profile, it has been found that a correspondingly concave configuration of the inclined surface is not necessary, since no deformation was found even when the load was considerably greater than in practice.

The beefy, angular design of the transition between the load groove flank and the groove base also reliably prevents warping in this area, while the opposite guide groove flank, which in practice is only subjected to tension and holds the end of the handle on the inside, can be kept in the low material thickness of, for example, 1 mm.

Furthermore, it is possible to provide the support surface in the area of the load groove flank, which results in a support over a larger area. Due to the shortened load lever arm of the As a one-armed lever carrying handle, however, somewhat increased forces arise, so that this configuration is particularly suitable when lower loads are incurred. The support on the support surface acts somewhat more elastic in this embodiment.

The length of the desired load arm can be adapted to requirements in a wide range. The further the support surface is from the axis of rotation of the ends of the handle, the longer the load arm becomes and the lower the force transmitted for this purpose, which must also be transmitted accordingly via an extended load flank.

In any case, according to the invention, an asymmetrical groove profile is favorable, in which the guide groove flank defines the axis of rotation for the handle and the load groove flank is correspondingly more stable and longer.

The material removal according to the invention can be carried out in the desired manner. With a relatively large radius of the transition between the ends of the handle and the support legs, a correspondingly large recess can be provided to ensure trouble-free movement. The support surfaces are preferably followed by inclined surfaces in the area of the groove base, the greatest depth of the recess being able to be reached, for example, in the area of the transition between the guide groove flank and the groove base.

With this configuration, an automatic centering function for the handle can be realized in the folded position. If, for example, the carrying handle sits slightly asymmetrically in the holding body due to the preassembly described below, centering takes place when pivoting into the folded position, namely by sliding the transition between the end of the carrying handle and the associated supporting leg along the associated inclined surface and thus at the same time the entire Carry handle at this point outside presses. The dimensioning can be such that the handle is fixed in the folded position due to the action of the two inclined surfaces in the axial direction, that is, in the direction of its axis of rotation, so that a uniform introduction of force is also ensured in this regard.

In the adjacent position, the handle with the carrying legs preferably rests on the corresponding mounting bracket, which is the lower mounting bracket when mounted on the container. In this position, the handle assembly forms a preassembled unit that can be easily attached to the container wall.

It is particularly expedient that the preassembly of the handle device according to the invention does not, however, require the handle to be bent in the assembled state. According to the invention, this advantage is realized in that the dimensions of the fastening tab on which the handle rests are selected so that they are slightly larger than the clear width between the support legs, which is, however, less than the inner diagonal dimension of the handle.

For assembly, the handle is then tilted diagonally in the slightly pivoted state and lifted over the relevant end of the lower fastening tab. Due to the spring loading, the handle pulls automatically into the non-tilted, i.e. straight position, in which there is a safe pre-assembly.

According to the invention, there is provision for a certain sliding mobility of the handle in the axial direction, that is to say in the direction of the axis of rotation of the handle. Accordingly, the recesses are larger than is actually required to accommodate the radii between the ends and the support legs. A spiral spring which is arranged in the groove and acts between the end of the handle and the holding body in the direction of the adjacent position of the handle, is also preferably preloaded somewhat so that axial displacement is only possible by overcoming the frictional engagement of the spring.

The helical spring is advantageously supported on the holding body in a groove which is provided in the extruded profile, in the region of the transition between the load groove flank and the upper fastening tab.

The end of the spiral spring engaging in this groove can be designed in a suitable manner in order, if desired, either to allow the spring to slide relatively easily in the axial direction, to make it difficult to slide the spring in the axial direction or to slide only in the axial direction, but not in the opposite direction to enable.

The part referred to here as a container, to which the carrying handle device is to be attached, is to be understood in general terms as any container, for example an aluminum transport container, a housing or the like. Since the handle device allows such a stable pre-assembled state, it is also possible to attach the handle device, for example, for transport purposes only occasionally to objects to be transported, the attachment in any manner, for example also by snapping, clamping or the like. can be done.

Further details, advantages and features emerge from the following description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawing.

Fig. 1

eine Ansicht eines Haltekörpers zur Verwendung in einer erfindungsgemäßen Tragegriffvorrichtung;

Fig. 2

eine Seitenansicht des Haltekörpers gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

eine Seitenansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Tragegriffs in einer anliegenden Stellung;

Fig. 4

eine Ansicht gemäß Fig. 3, wobei der Tragegriff von dem Haltekörper jedoch abgeklappt ist; und

Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht auf eine erfindungsgemäße Tragegriffvorrichtung in fertig montierten Zustand.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a view of a holding body for use in a handle assembly according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a side view of the holding body of FIG. 1;

Fig. 3

a side view of a handle according to the invention in an adjacent position;

Fig. 4

a view of Figure 3, but the handle is folded down from the holding body. and

Fig. 5

a plan view of a handle assembly according to the invention in the fully assembled state.

A handle container according to the invention consists of a holding body 10, as shown in FIG. 1, as well as the handle shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, for example.

The holding body 10 is formed from an extruded profile, preferably made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, the profile being chosen such that a groove 16 results between the upper fastening tab 12 and a lower fastening tab 14. The fastening tabs 12 and 14 are provided for full-surface contact with the wall of a container, not shown, to which the handle device is to be attached. The groove 16, on the other hand, protrudes and is intended to be gripped behind by the ends of the handle.

Lateral support legs of the handle pass through a region of cutouts 18 and 20. The cutouts 18 and 20 and also the groove 16 themselves are designed asymmetrically with respect to the extruded profile. The recesses 18 and 20 are produced by the material removal according to the invention, preferably in such a way that a support surface 22 and 24 according to the invention is generated in the region of the groove 16 at which the groove 16 protrudes the most. The normal of the support surfaces 22 and 24 here extends transversely to the extrusion direction, the support surfaces preferably being substantially in Extend extrusion direction.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the groove consists of three regions, namely a load groove flank 26, a groove bottom 28 and a guide groove flank 30. In this exemplary embodiment, the support surfaces 22 and 24 cut the groove bottom 28 and guide the forces introduced over the load Groove edge 26 from. In its part adjoining the upper fastening tab 12, this part is flatter than the guide groove flank 30 so that the force introduced can be better dissipated.

The upper fastening tab 12 has two fastening holes 32, while the lower fastening tab 14 has three fastening holes 32. The lower fastening tab 14 is wider than the groove 16 in the region of the cutouts 18 and 20. Its extent is such that it is preferably larger than the clear width between the carrying legs of a handle, a protrusion dimension 34 in relation to the base of the cutouts 18 or 20 is chosen so that it allows a diagonally tilted insertion of the handle.

The lower fastening tab 14 preferably ends in a fillet 36 and 38, it being understood that the fillet can also have any suitable other shape, for example an angular basic shape with rounded corners. The carrying handle rests on at least one of the fillets 36 and 38 in the preassembled state, that is to say in the state in which the carrying handle device is not yet attached to the wall of the container, for which purpose reference should be made to the adjacent condition of the carrying handle shown in FIG. 3 .

The cutouts 18 and 20 have their lowest point in the region of the guide groove flank 30. Between this area and the support surfaces 22 and 24, the design of the recesses 18 and 20 is selected so that inclined surfaces 40 and 42 result, which perform the centering function described above.

From Fig. 2 it can be seen that the support surface 22 is also enlarged transversely to the direction of extrusion. For this purpose, the extruded profile is made thicker in the region of the part of the groove base which is adjacent to the load groove flank 26, the support surface 22 being formed just behind the transition from the thinner to the thicker material thickness.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, the support surface 22 forms a real projection over the load groove flank 26.

It is particularly advantageous that the forces introduced by the lever action of the one-armed lever, which is the carrying handle, are already partially neutralized in the region of the groove 16. The forces that are transmitted upward from the support surface 22 are simultaneously fed via the groove base 28 as tensile forces to the guide groove flank 30, these tensile forces being transmitted only over part of the guide groove flank 30 and there by the support of the ends of the Carrying handle (see. Fig. 4) are neutralized.

Surprisingly, the support surface 22 formed on a projection leads these forces particularly well into the guide flank 30 due to the reinforced design of the projection, so that the handle device according to the invention proves to be resistant to deformation even during continuous operation and heavy loads.

Here, the configuration of the load groove flank 26 has proven to be particularly favorable, in which a straight, that is to say essentially horizontal, part adjoins the groove base 28, which ends in a strongly bevelled part 44 toward the fastening tab 12. The transition between the part 43 and the groove base 28 is also very rounded. Also the force introduced is improved by the action of the inclined surfaces 40 and 42.

In contrast, the guide groove flank 30 has a more round, conventional design, wherein it is designed to accommodate ends of the handle. Accordingly, its inner surface forms a bearing for the ends of the carrying handle which act as bearing pins, while at the same time serving to accommodate a spiral spring.

In the area of the transition between the part 44 of the load groove flank and the fastening tab 12, a spring support groove 46 is also provided, the function of which can be seen in FIG. 3.

The illustration in FIG. 3 shows the manner in which the handle 48 is mounted on the holding body 10. The ends of the handle engage laterally in the groove 16 via the cutouts 18 and 20. For this purpose, they are bent in a manner known per se and merge into support legs, of which a support leg 50 is shown in FIG. 3.

Also extending in the groove 16 between the ends of the handle 48 is a helical spring 52 which is supported at one end in a groove in the end of the handle 48 and at the other end in the spring support groove 46. Due to its pretension, the spiral spring 52 holds the handle 48 in the adjacent position shown in FIG. 3. In the case of a handle device attached to a container, this ensures that the handle 48 always rests in the unloaded state.

The folded position of the handle can be seen in Fig. 4. In this position, the handle 48 extends substantially horizontally, the distance between the inner surface of the guide groove flank 30 and the support surface 22 being selected so that the handle 48 is horizontal Position on both. In this position, the spiral spring 52 is tensioned even more, the force introduced via the support surface 22 being introduced into the wall of the container via the load groove flank 26 and the upper fastening tab 12.

In a manner known per se, the handle 48 has a plastic covering 54 to improve the grip, which mainly envelops the handle part of the handle 48.

5 shows a view of a fully assembled unit of the handle device according to the invention. As can be seen, the carrying handle device is composed of the holding body 10 and the carrying handle 48. Ends 56 and 58 of the handle 48 engage in the groove 16 of the holding body 10. The ends are bent relative to the support legs 50 and 60, which in turn are each bent through 90 ° relative to the plastic-coated handle 62. The support legs 50 and 60 each overlap the fillets 36 and 38 of the lower fastening tab 14, while the dimension between the bottom of the recesses 18 and 20 is less than the clear width between the support legs 50 and 60. The distance between the bottom of the recesses 18 and 20 plus the projection dimension 34 is greater than this clear width, but smaller than the inner diagonal dimension of the handle 48 so that it can be removed and inserted by suitable pivoting and tilting.

In the preassembled state, each end 56 and 58 of the handle 48 extends into the groove 16 provided therefor. In this symmetrical position, the handle 48 is securely mounted on the holding body 10. The spiral spring 52 counteracts any tilting, since it is also pretensioned in the adjacent state of the handle 48 shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.

As shown in FIG. 5, both ends of the coil spring are cranked, with the fixed end 64 running in the spring support groove 46, while the loose end 66 extends in a transverse groove in the end 58 of the handle 48. There, the end 66 is clamped so that the coil spring 52 remains in the end 58 with axial load, i.e. with a load in the extrusion direction, but moves with its end 64 in the spring support groove 46. Due to the preload, however, there is a considerable amount of friction, which benefits the stability of the pre-assembly.

In the illustrated embodiment, a round profile for the handle 48 and a flat design of the support surfaces 22 and 24 is shown. It goes without saying that any other configuration is possible, the large area of the support being favorable if the pressure introduced is to be kept small.

Furthermore, it goes without saying that the handle device according to the invention is not limited to one with a hand handle. Rather, if desired, a corresponding eyelet or the like can also be attached in order to enable machine-supported carrying.

Claims (15)

1. Carrying handle means, with a carrying handle which, displaceable in a swinging movement, is supported on a support body provided for securing to a container, with the ends of the carrying handle engaging in a groove open towards the container and the carrying handle being stopped in an approximately horizontal position via stops on the support body, characterised in that an enlarged and reinforced support surface (22,24) is produced as a stop for resting on the carrying shank (50, 60) of the carrying handle (48) by removing material in the groove (16) of the extruded profile.
2. Carrying handle means according to claim 1, characterised in that the support surface (22, 24) is formed on the groove bed (28) and in particular the load groove flank (26) adjacent to the stop is designed reinforced.
3. Carrying handle means according to claim 2, characterised in that the stop forming the support surface (22,24) opposite the groove flank (26) adjacent thereto protrudes, with the extent of the protrusion corresponding approximately to the thickness of the groove bed (28) at this point or of the adjacent groove flank (26).
4. Carrying handle means according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in the load groove flank (26) extending from the the container and adjacent to the stop, is prolongated relative to the guide groove flank (30) lying opposite and essentially merges angularly into the groove bed (28), while the guide groove flank (30) rounds out to merge into the groove bed (28).
5. Carrying means according to claim 1, characterised in that the support surface (22, 24) is provided free of protrusion on the load groove flank (26) provided for absorbing the load in the unfolded position of the handle (48), which is reinforced relative to a guide groove flank (30) lying opposite.
6. Carrying handle means according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the load groove flank (26) provided for the absorption of the strain in the unfolded position of the carrying handle (48) as well as in particular the parts (43, 44) of the support body (10) adjacent to said load groove flank (26) are reinforced, so that an upper and a lower securing tab (12, 14) for securing to the container is adjacent to the groove (16), with the reinforcement extending at least to the upper securing tab (12), and the upper and lower securing tabs (12, 14) each presenting a reduced material thickness relative to the groove (16).
7. Carrying handle means according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support surface (22, 24) is formed by a laterally open cut out (18, 20) on the support body (10).
8. Carrying handle means according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that slanting surfaces (40, 42) are adjacent to the support surfaces (22, 24), which are provided in the groove base (28) and diverge towards the support surfaces (22. 24).
9. Carrying handle means according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the carrying handle (48), at the merge point between the carrying shanks (50,60) and the ends (56, 58) which essentially extend in an angle of 90° to one another, has an internal radius, which during displacement of the carrying handle (48) from a closed into an unfolded position relative to the slanted surfaces (40,42) serves as a guide surface and glides along the same.
10. Carrying handle means according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the carrying handle (48) together with the support body (10) is adapted as a premountable unit and the carrying handle (48) in the spring loaded position, resting against the support body, rests upwardly with at least one carrying shank (50,60) on a securing tab (14).
11. Carrying handle means according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterised in that in a rest position of the carrying handle (48) on the support body (10) the lower securing tab (14) forms a counter stop surface (curvature 36, 38) on each end of its upper flank, with the securing tab (14) having a width which is somewhat larger than the internal width between the carrying shanks (50, 60) of the carrying handle (48), however its extent of protrusion (34) relative to the base of the cut-outs (18,20) plus the distance between these in particular is less than the inner diagonal measurement of the carrying handle (48).
12. Carrying handle means according to one of claims 6 to 11, characterised in that a spring for spring loading the carrying handle (48) in the direction of the rest position is formed as a spiral spring (52), which is tensed between a spring support groove (46) at the transition between the securing tab (12) and one groove flank (26) and one end (56) of the carrying handle (48), with the spring with its spiral spring body resting on the opposite groove flank and there, stabilised by the bias being taken up, so that during mounting it prestrains the associated end (56) of the carrying handle (48) in the direction of the groove.
13. Carrying handle means according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the internal width between the carrying shanks (50, 60) is enlarged such that the support of the carrying handle (48) in the groove (16) provides an axial play, which enables the mounting of the carrying handle (48) onto the support body (10).
14. Carrying handle means according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the removal of material is achieved by sawing, punching or milling the ends of the support body (10).
15. Container with a carrying handle means, according to one of the preceding claims.

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