GB2072617A

GB2072617A - Bag handle

Info

Publication number: GB2072617A
Application number: GB8001979A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: LONSDALE POLYPAKS Ltd; Marks and Spencer PLC
Current assignee: LONSDALE POLYPAKS Ltd; Marks and Spencer PLC
Priority date: 1980-01-21
Filing date: 1980-01-21
Publication date: 1981-10-07
Also published as: GB2072617B

Abstract

A handle for a carrier bag, comprises two handle portions each joined to a strip, a suspension hook extending from a said handle portion or strip, and a plate 6 integrally formed in a part of the handle, to bear information thereupon. The handle portions are joined by means 10, 11 or by press-studs. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to bag handles This invention relates to handles for carrier bags, particularly carrier bags of the kind made from foil, preferably transparent plastics foil, and intended to be used for holding commodities, which are displayed when the bag is suspended from a support.

Handles of this sort are known and are disclosed, tor example, in British Patent Specification No: 1,130,505 and in German Patent Specification No: 1,782,726.

When a carrier bag having such a handle is employed for point-of-sale display of items retailed in different styles and sizes, it has hitherto been the practice to print onto the bag surface details of the style, size, colour etc of the object eig. garment, to be contained therein. This necessarily involves relatively short uninterrupted printing runs and increases the cost and time taken to manufacture the finished carrier bags.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a handle for a carrier bag, consisting of two inverted generally U-shaped handle portions each joined to a strip which is adapted to be located at and joined to an edge of the bag mouth, a suspension hook extending from a part of the handle and a plate means integrallyformed in a part of the handle and adapted to bear information thereupon.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a carrier bag incorporating a handle as defined above.

Very preferably, but not essentially, the plate means of the handle of this invention is incorporated in a handle of the sort disclosed in the aforementioned British or German Patent Specifications. It is to be understood however, that it may equally be incorporated in handles of other sorts such as those in which two handle halves are adapted to form a closure for a carrier bag by means of integrally formed press-stud and socket arrangements or by means of interengaging nibs or the like formed on respective halves of the handle.

The plate means of the handle of this invention is preferably adapted to receive an adhesive label bearing the desired information as to size, style, colour etc sought to be conveyed to an intending purchaser, although it is envisaged that the surface of the plate means may be such as to be capable of being written upon. Such a writable surface may be provided thereupon actually during formation of the plate means e.g. by using a mould having an appropriately matt or roughened surface or subsequently, e.g. by means of a corona discharge treatment, abrading or the like.

The handles of this invention are generally made from plastics material such as polypropylene or polyethylene and are preferably produced by injection moulding in one operation.

An embodiment of the handle of the present invention will now be described by way of example only by reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 is a side elevation of one half of a handle according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the other half of the handle of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the halves of the handle of Figures 1 and 2 in a complete state affixed to a carrier bag; Figure 4 is a detailed plan of part of Figure 3 indicating the manner in which the handle halves of Figures 1 and 2 are connected; and Figure 5 is a perspective view from the rear of a part of the handle half of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a bag handle essentially similar to that disclosed in German Patent Specification No: 1,782,726 but incorporating the improvement of the present invention. A handle 1 consists of a first inverted U-shaped handle portion 2 affixed to a strip 3 adapted to be secured to the edge of a plastics bag. At the top of the handle portion 2 there is moulded a hook4 and in a stem 5 thereof there is moulded a disc 6 adapted to receive an information label (not shown). A second strip 7 joined to and parallel with said first strip is provided with a second inverted U-shaped handle portion 8 of such a size as to be capable of passing through the aperture 9 formed between the first handle portion 2 and the strip 3.A nib 10 of the first handle portion is arranged to engage in a recess 11 of the second handle portion 8 when said second handle portion 3 is so passed through said aperture 9.

As will be seen from Figure 5 at the rear of the disc 6 there is provided a vertically arranged portrusion 12 to space apart adjacent handles when they are suspended from a support rack or bar so that the legend or label on the front surface of the disc 6 may be more easily read and without being so obscured by the next-adjacent handle.

The entire handle is preferably produced by a single injection moulding operation from a suitable thermoplastic material.

Although in the embodiment described one disclike plate means has been provided in the stem of the hook of the handle portion it will be appreciated that one or more plate means may be located elsewhere on the handle, such as, for example on the said second handle portion, as an upward extension of the hook, as an enlargement of a side surface of the hook, or as an enlargement of one or both of said strips of said handle.

By means of the present invention the need to print several series of bags each series having different information thereupon, may be avoided and much longer production runs for any given carrier bag may be effected.

1. A handle for a carrier bag, comprising two handle portions each joined to a strip, each strip being adapted to be located at and joined to an edge of a bag mouth, a suspension hook extending from a said handle portion or strip, and a plate means integrally formed in a part of the handle and adapted to bear information thereupon.

2. A handle according to Claim 1, wherein each handle portion is of an inverted generally U-shape.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to bag handles This invention relates to handles for carrier bags, particularly carrier bags of the kind made from foil, preferably transparent plastics foil, and intended to be used for holding commodities, which are displayed when the bag is suspended from a support. Handles of this sort are known and are disclosed, tor example, in British Patent Specification No: 1,130,505 and in German Patent Specification No: 1,782,726. When a carrier bag having such a handle is employed for point-of-sale display of items retailed in different styles and sizes, it has hitherto been the practice to print onto the bag surface details of the style, size, colour etc of the object eig. garment, to be contained therein. This necessarily involves relatively short uninterrupted printing runs and increases the cost and time taken to manufacture the finished carrier bags. According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a handle for a carrier bag, consisting of two inverted generally U-shaped handle portions each joined to a strip which is adapted to be located at and joined to an edge of the bag mouth, a suspension hook extending from a part of the handle and a plate means integrallyformed in a part of the handle and adapted to bear information thereupon. According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a carrier bag incorporating a handle as defined above. Very preferably, but not essentially, the plate means of the handle of this invention is incorporated in a handle of the sort disclosed in the aforementioned British or German Patent Specifications. It is to be understood however, that it may equally be incorporated in handles of other sorts such as those in which two handle halves are adapted to form a closure for a carrier bag by means of integrally formed press-stud and socket arrangements or by means of interengaging nibs or the like formed on respective halves of the handle. The plate means of the handle of this invention is preferably adapted to receive an adhesive label bearing the desired information as to size, style, colour etc sought to be conveyed to an intending purchaser, although it is envisaged that the surface of the plate means may be such as to be capable of being written upon. Such a writable surface may be provided thereupon actually during formation of the plate means e.g. by using a mould having an appropriately matt or roughened surface or subsequently, e.g. by means of a corona discharge treatment, abrading or the like. The handles of this invention are generally made from plastics material such as polypropylene or polyethylene and are preferably produced by injection moulding in one operation. An embodiment of the handle of the present invention will now be described by way of example only by reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 is a side elevation of one half of a handle according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the other half of the handle of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the halves of the handle of Figures 1 and 2 in a complete state affixed to a carrier bag; Figure 4 is a detailed plan of part of Figure 3 indicating the manner in which the handle halves of Figures 1 and 2 are connected; and Figure 5 is a perspective view from the rear of a part of the handle half of Figure 1. Referring to the drawings, there is shown a bag handle essentially similar to that disclosed in German Patent Specification No: 1,782,726 but incorporating the improvement of the present invention. A handle 1 consists of a first inverted U-shaped handle portion 2 affixed to a strip 3 adapted to be secured to the edge of a plastics bag. At the top of the handle portion 2 there is moulded a hook4 and in a stem 5 thereof there is moulded a disc 6 adapted to receive an information label (not shown). A second strip 7 joined to and parallel with said first strip is provided with a second inverted U-shaped handle portion 8 of such a size as to be capable of passing through the aperture 9 formed between the first handle portion 2 and the strip 3.A nib 10 of the first handle portion is arranged to engage in a recess 11 of the second handle portion 8 when said second handle portion 3 is so passed through said aperture 9. As will be seen from Figure 5 at the rear of the disc 6 there is provided a vertically arranged portrusion 12 to space apart adjacent handles when they are suspended from a support rack or bar so that the legend or label on the front surface of the disc 6 may be more easily read and without being so obscured by the next-adjacent handle. The entire handle is preferably produced by a single injection moulding operation from a suitable thermoplastic material. Although in the embodiment described one disclike plate means has been provided in the stem of the hook of the handle portion it will be appreciated that one or more plate means may be located elsewhere on the handle, such as, for example on the said second handle portion, as an upward extension of the hook, as an enlargement of a side surface of the hook, or as an enlargement of one or both of said strips of said handle. By means of the present invention the need to print several series of bags each series having different information thereupon, may be avoided and much longer production runs for any given carrier bag may be effected. CLAIMS

3. A handle according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the suspension hook includes a stem portion and the plate means is integrally formed in the stem portion.

4. A handle according to any preceding Claim, wherein the plate means is adapted to receive an adhesive label bearing information.

5. A handle according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the plate means is provided with a surface which is capable of being written upon.

6. A handle according to any preceding Claim, composed of polvpropylene or polyethylene.

7. A handle according to any preceding Claim, produced by an injection moulding operration.

8. A handle for a carrier bag, susbstantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A carrier bag incorporating a handle as claimed in any one of the proceeding Claims.

10. The features hereinbefore disclosed, or their equivalents, in any novel section.