FR2704521A1 - Additional hand grip for bags having integral handles - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an additional hand grip for bags having integral handles allowing the comfortable carrying of one or more bags whilst retaining objects inside these bags. The hand grip 35 is of solid, single-piece nature. Its overall shape is that of a right cylinder along the principal axis 22. The ends 27 and 28 of this cylinder have a concave shape in order to form guides to facilitate the insertion of plastic bag handles. The internal right cylinder 26 ensures the retention of the bag handles. The housings 20 and 21 are each intended to receive a coin or a token. The hand grip is particularly intended for carrying plastic bags dispensed by shopkeepers.

Description

ADDITIONAL HANDLE FOR BAGS WITH INTEGRATED HANDLES
TECHNICAL APPLICATION AREA
The object of the invention relates to the holding of any object that can be manipulated by a human user, and in particular plastic bags having "strap" handles (bags with integrated handles).

STATE OF THE ART
Since the creation of the supermarkets, plastic bags have been made available to customers to enable them to transport the purchases made. These bags are also available in local shops, sports stores ... These bags generally have at the top two handles serving as carrying handles.

These handles have, among other things, the disadvantage of injuring the user's hands during transport. Indeed, the user generally carries several bags in one hand in order to reduce the number of round trips between the place of purchase, his car, the place of storage of purchases ... The handles of the bags becoming very narrow under load, the local surface pressure exerted by them in the palm of the user is high, painful.

In addition, the bags subjected to the effects of the gravity of the elements which they contain do not have a sufficiently rigid structure to maintain these elements within them, which frequently obliges the user to put the purchases in the bags again. following transport by car, when they are placed on the ground ... Some users close the bags by tying the handles together, which does not solve the problem of comfortable handling.

In France, no device is currently successfully marketed to resolve these drawbacks. The THETYS company was to market from the first half of 1991 a type of handle very similar to that described by Peter DIETERICH in international patent W0 92/15220. Other competing systems identified by
Peter DIETERICH have several drawbacks which are intended to be resolved by his invention.

However, the handles of the type described by the invention of Peter DIETERICH have the disadvantage of not presenting an obvious instinctive use, of requesting too much precision from the user to insert the handles of the bags in the context of purchases quickly made in a supermarket, not to present a real comfort of transport (because of a frisfficiently ergonomic shape, of the material used, of the deformation of the body and of a too small diameter), to present an obstacle to the extraction of the handles because of the kinematics of the hooks present at their end, to be aggressive with respect to the hands also because of the sharp aspect due to the small thickness of material.

In addition, the patents relating to this type of handle recommend the use of injected plastic material such as polyethylene or polypropylene. None of them are entirely made of synthetic foam with skin.

The existing handles also do not present any solution relating to the secondary function of not forgetting the handle when leaving to make purchases, resolved for example, by providing accommodation for a coin generally necessary for the use of a cart in a supermarket.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION
The objectives and advantages of my invention are as follows a) Provide an additional handle for a bag allowing to carry
comfortably two or more bags in one hand and proprioceptively
and ergonomic.

b) Provide an additional bag handle for easy assembly
several handles of plastic bags in the said handle. This gathering
temporary speed up all bag transport operations
(quick localization and reduction of the number of handles).

c) Provide an additional handle for a bag allowing very easy extraction
the handles of the bags by simple rotation of the handle at the end of transport.

d) Provide an additional bag handle ensuring effective retention of
handles when carrying the bags by the user, or when placing the bags in the
floor or in the trunk of a car for example. The purpose of this retention is to
keep purchases in bags e) Provide an additional handle for non-aggressive bag for hands and do not
not inadvertently clinging to clothing, the sides of transported bags ...

f) Provide a bag handle with minimum bulk and weight in order to
facilitate storage, in particular by allowing them to be assembled two by two.

g) Provide an additional handle for a bag allowing the storage of a piece of
change, generally necessary for the use of a trolley in a supermarket.

The purpose of this function is to minimize the possibility of forgetting the handles when
from the start to make purchases, by defining an object generally dedicated to
transport of purchases.

h) Provide an additional bag handle allowing mass production at
lower cost in order to make the service compatible with free service for the customer
final plastic bags.

i) Provide an additional handle for a reusable bag.

The other objectives and advantages of my invention are easily deductible from the attached diagrams.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The additional handle for the bag which is the subject of the present invention consists of a solid body having the overall shape of a straight cylinder. The central part of the cylinder is produced by the extrusion of a symmetrical profile composed of - segments allowing easy insertion of bag handles - segments ensuring retention of the bag handles - segments allowing the handle to be manipulated comfortably during all
phases of use (transport and extraction of handles in particular)
In this central part are provided two housings (symmetrically to the axis of the cylinder) allowing each to receive a coin.

The symmetrical ends of the cylinder constitute guides allowing the handles to be easily inserted into the central insertion guide, then into the central cylindrical retention zone.

The advantages of my invention are essentially the following. First of all, the realization of the handle in a massive elastic material of synthetic foam type makes it possible to bring a real ergonomic comfort of use compared to the existing products, in particular by improving the following points - Increased grip comfort thanks to the use of a semi-rigid material.

- Greater grip comfort by defining a practically cylindrical shape
closed on itself (whether for the insertion of the handles, the transport of the bags
or extracting the handles).

- Ease of insertion of the bag handles increased by the presence of important guides
insert at each end of the handle.

- Ease of insertion of the bag handles increased by the presence of a central guide
cylindrical insertion along the handle for inserting the handles
with a continuously guided gesture.

- Ease of extraction of the handles increased by a relative kinematics of the handles by
relative to the appropriate retention zone (no obstacle at the exit of the handles).

Then, the presence of housing for a coin makes it possible to define an object generally dedicated to the transport of purchases made in a supermarket.

PRESENTATION OF THE ANNEXED FIGURES
Figure 1 is a top perspective view of an additional handle for bag made according to the present invention.

Figure 1A is a sectional view of the additional handle along the axis A-A of Figure 1, showing the housing for receiving the coin.

Figure 2 is a top perspective view of the additional handle illustrated in Figure 1 attached to two plastic bags.

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the additional handle illustrated in Figure 1, showing in particular the concave insertion guides located at the ends.

FIG. 3B is a sectional elevation view along the axis B-B of FIG. 3 of the additional handle illustrated in FIG. 1, representing in particular the insertion of the bag handles into the retention zone.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the additional handle illustrated in Figure 1, showing the extruded profile performing the functions of insertion, retention, extraction and ergonomics.

Figure 4C is a sectional elevational view along the axis C-C of Figure 4 of the additional handle illustrated in Figure 1, showing in particular the shape of the coin receiving slots.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the additional handle illustrated in Figure 1 in the hand of a user during transport by the user.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the additional handle illustrated in Figure 1 in the hand of a user when extracting the bag handles.

Figure 7 is a side view in section of two additional handles illustrated in Figure 1 assembled together during storage.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the objectives set out above, the additional handle which is the subject of the present invention is a product which is simple to implement. However, the satisfaction of all the objectives leads to the definition of specificities.

As shown in FIG. 1, the additional handle for a bag, generally designated 35, has a solid monobloc appearance 1, the current thickness of the constituent material being quite large compared to the general dimensions of the handle. Its shape is generally that of a straight cylinder, along the main axis 22. This cylinder is generated by the profile 41 presented in FIG. 4, this profile being the sum of the segments 23, 24 and 25 tangentially connected. The ends 27 and 28 of this cylinder have a concave shape (according to FIG. 3), in order to constitute concave guides facilitating the insertion of the handles 37 of the plastic bags, as shown in FIG. 3B. The internal straight cylinder 26 ensures the retention of the bag handles. The housings 20 and 21 are each intended to receive a coin or a token. This is the coin generally necessary for the use of a trolley in a supermarket. The presence of two housings aims to make the handle 35 completely symmetrical along its main axis 22, so as not to force the user to locate a housing when storing the coin.

Figure 2 shows how are inserted into a handle 35 of the handles 37 of bags 36. It is understood that each of the bags 36 can have one or more handles 37, and that the material of the bags or handles can be variable.

The massive appearance of the handle 35 makes it possible to meet the objectives of non-aggression of the hands of the user, of his personal objects or of the walls of the bags 36, by presenting no thin wall or sharp angle on the external surface. This peculiarity represents a difference and an improvement compared to existing products. In fact, all the ends are rounded along large connecting radii between the gripping surface 43, the central insertion guide 44, the concave end guides 27 and 28 and the retention zone 26, like the spokes 29 and 30, shown in Figure 3, or the spokes 33 and 34, shown in Figure 4C.

In addition, the massive appearance makes it possible to create a surface 43 of contact with the user's hand (generated by the segment 25) practically closed on itself, thus generating real grip comfort thanks to an excellent distribution of the surface pressure and total absence of edge.

The massive aspect also makes it possible to create the housings 20 and 21 for receiving a coin.

The choice of a suitable material makes it possible to provide sufficient rigidity to the handle 35 to withstand mechanical forces without having to resort to geometric devices of the rib type, reinforcement zones or general devices consisting of superimposing two handles.

The massive aspect also makes it possible to create real guide surfaces and not only left curves. The concave insertion guides 27 and 28, at each end of the handle, indeed have large dimensions, even allowing a nervous and awkward user to insert a handle 37 without any particular effort of attention in the insertion guide central 44, then in the retention zone 26. These concave guides are composed of two cylindrical surfaces converging towards the center of said handle and the main axis of which belongs to the plane containing the main axis 22 of said handle and the main axis of said central insertion guide 44.

Finally, the realization of the handle 35 in an elastic material of the synthetic foam type with skin contributes to the general comfort of use thanks to the small localized deformations adapting the contact surface 43 to the specificities of the user's hand. It is thus not necessary to define a complex convex surface or to provide the location of each of the fingers of a hand. However, the present invention also relates to all the variations consisting in modeling the contact surface with the hand in order to increase the adaptation to the shape of the fingers or to modify the overall surface friction coefficient. The use of foam also makes it possible to control the density of the material in order to adapt to local mechanical constraints.

The color of the handle is preferably bright, in order to facilitate the visual localization by the user of the gripping areas.

FIG. 4 details the extruded profile of the central part of the handle 35, and in particular of the surfaces 44 and 43, perfectly connected, in order to participate in the general ergonomics of the handle. This profile is composed of symmetrical convergent segments 23 whose shape defines a central insertion guide 44 of the handles 37 opening directly into the retention zone 26. This cylindrical retention zone 26 (generated by the segment 24), of elliptical shape with large vertical axis, allows to receive one or more handles 37 of one or more bags. It also makes it possible to adjust the relative position of the handles 37 and of the handle 35 in order to ensure the ergonomics and the proprioceptivity of the transport in the hand of the user. The connection angles 31 (generating the edge 42), between the central insertion guide 44 and the retention zone 26, make it possible to retain the handles 37 in the zone 26 during transport by the user or when the bags are placed on any surface. The retention of the handles keeps the bags closed and therefore keeps purchases in the bags.

As indicated above, the segment 25 makes it possible to define a surface 43 practically closed on itself, generating a real comfort of contact with the hand of the user. This surface 43 can also be used as an advertising marking support.

The real novelty introduced by my invention is in the definition of a rectilinear cylinder created from the extruded profile defined by the segments 23 and 24, and of a perpendicular orientation of these generator segments with respect to the main axis 22 of the handle. The advantage of the invention lies in the presence of such a profile all along the central zone of the handle 35 and not preferentially located at the ends of the handle, which leads to defining functional surfaces 44 and 26, not curves. This feature makes it possible to quickly and easily insert the handles of bags 37 in a single continuously guided movement.

The rapid extraction of the handles 37 by simple rotation of 1800 of the handle 35 around its main axis 22 in FIG. 6 is also facilitated because the edges 31 naturally tend to move apart (as indicated in dotted lines) during the extraction of handles. This spacing is consecutive to the elasticity of the chosen material. The tensile forces of the handles being exerted in directions lying in the two lower quadrants of the retention zone 26, the orientation of the plane containing the extruded segments 23 and 24 in a direction perpendicular to the main axis 22 (as indicated in Figure 4C) is sufficient to guarantee effective retention of the handles.

Another real novelty provided by the invention consists of the presence of surface insertion guides 27 and 28 located at each end of the handle (as indicated in FIG. 3 for example). These concave shaped guides allow the body of the handle to be quickly oriented relative to the handles of the bags, before presenting the handles in the central insertion guide 44.

FIGS. 1A and 4C specify the position and the shape of the housings 20 and 21 in the body of the handle 35. The shape and the size of the housings make it possible both to perfectly hold a coin 32 during transport or storage, allow the coin 32 to protrude sufficiently to allow it to be easily extracted by the user (see FIG. 4C) and not to allow the coin 32 to protrude too much so as not to disturb the user (cf. FIG. 5).

Figure 3H shows how to insert a handle 37 into the handle 35. Preferably, the handle 37 is first inserted in a concave end guide 27 or 28 according to movement D. Then the rest of the handle is inserted in the central guide 44, then in the zone 26 thanks to the movement E.

FIG. 5 then presents the handle 35 in the hand of the user during transport, the part 32 being located in one of the two housings provided for this purpose.

Figure 6 shows how to extract the handles. It suffices to rotate 1800 of the handle 35 around its main axis 22, then to print a vertical movement F from bottom to top. By gravity, the handles 37 leave the retention zone 26. During this manipulation, depending on the load and the number of handles contained in the retention zone, the edges 31 move away from one another thanks to the elasticity of the material of the handle.

FIG. 7 shows two handles 35 assembled together. The aim of this possibility is to reduce the overall size occupied by several handles during their storage, as well as to facilitate their transport when not in use. To assemble two handles in this way, it suffices to present them head-to-tail, end against end, then to slide them towards each other along their main axis 22.

By way of example, the bag handle that is the subject of the present invention can be produced by injecting synthetic foam with skin (poly (poly or polyethylene foam)). Versions in wood or other solid materials can also be imagined.

For example, the overall dimensions indicative of the additional handle are a length of about 100 mm, a width of about 22 mm and a height of about 26 mm. The average wall thickness is approximately 6 mm. Different surface modeling can be provided, as well as markings according to different processes (relief, transfer ...).

In summary, the additional handle object of the present invention has increased performance in terms of comfort and use compared to existing handles intended for the transport of plastic bags. In addition, it is an object generally dedicated to the transport of purchases in the supermarket, thanks to the accommodation for a coin.

Other modifications can be made to the characteristics described above without departing from the scope of the present invention, which is only limited by the appended claims.

Claims (9)

1) Additional handle for bags 36 with one or more integrated handles 37  characterized in that it consists of a solid body 35 having  overall the shape of a straight cylinder, made of a semi-rigid material with  from a generator profile 41, sum of segments 23, 24 and 25, the said profile  generator 41 defining a retention zone 26 of said handles 37, said  zone 26 generally having the shape of a right cylinder, an elliptical section  of large vertical axis, occupying the center of said handle, said profile  generator 41 defining a surface insertion guide 44 of said handles 37  generally having the shape of a right cylinder1 also occupying the center of  said handle, said generator profile 41 defining a gripping surface  43 generally having the shape of a right cylinder, also occupying the center  of said handle, said solid body 35 being terminated at each end by a  concave insertion guide (27 and 28) of said handles 37, said solid body 35  having two housings 20 and 21 which can each receive a coin or  a token 32 and said solid body 35 having on the surface no thin wall. 2) handle according to claim 1 characterized in that said insertion guide  central 44 is composed of two converging cylindrical surfaces, generated by the  segments 23, tangentially connected to said cylindrical surface of  gripping 43 and said cylindrical retention zone 26. 3) Handle according to claim 1 characterized in that said concave guides 27  and 28 are perfectly connected by non-aggressive spokes 29, 30, 33 and 34  for the user's hand or the walls of said bags in said insertion guide  central 44, to said retention zone 26 and to said gripping zone 43. 4) handle according to claim 1 characterized in that its external surface meets  said insertion guide 44 and the gripping surface 43 is generally  tubular and has no thin walls. 5) Handle according to claim 1 characterized in that the shape of said area of  retention 26 allows the possible natural spacing of the connection edges 42  between said central insertion guide 44 and said retention zone 26 during  extraction. 6) Handle according to claim 1 characterized in that said concave guides 27  and 28 are composed of two cylindrical surfaces converging towards the center of the  said handle and whose main axis belongs to the plane containing the main axis  22 of said handle and the main axis of said central insertion guide 44. 7) handle according to claim 1 characterized in that the shape of said profile  generator 41 allows two said handles to be assembled by presenting them head to tail  end against end and sliding them towards each other according to  the main axis 22 of said cylindrical body 35. 8) Handle according to claim 1 characterized in that said housing 20 and 21  for coin are located symmetrically to the axis  main 22 of said cylindrical body. 9) Handle according to claim 1 characterized in that the shape of said area of  retention 26 has an elliptical section with a large vertical axis.