GB2265250A

GB2265250A - Carrying handle for automotive battery

Info

Publication number: GB2265250A
Application number: GB9205407A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Antony J Mason
Original assignee: Tungstone Batteries Ltd
Current assignee: Tungstone Batteries Ltd
Priority date: 1992-03-12
Filing date: 1992-03-12
Publication date: 1993-09-22
Also published as: GB9205407D0

Abstract

A carrying handle for an automotive battery comprises a strap 1 at either end of which is fixed an attachment clip 2 for attaching the handle to the wall 12 of the battery, each attachment clip 2 having an upwardly extending portion 8 for location in a recess 14 defined by a rim 13 of the battery and a horizontal slot 3 for abutting a lifting ledge 15 of the battery so that the attachment clip 2 is held in position when engaged with the battery. <IMAGE>

Description

CARRYING HANDLE The present invention relates to carrying handles for automotive batteries. In particular, the present invention relates to carrying handles for automotive batteries having lifting portions projecting from opposite walls.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a carrying handle for an automotive battery having first and second opposing walls, each of said walls having an outwardly projecting and laterally extending lifting portion and a laterally extending rim defining a downwardly extending recess open towards said lifting portion, said carrying handle comprising: an elongate flexible strap having first and second attachment members attached to respective ends of the elongate strap; each of said attachment members having an upwardly extending portion adapted for location in said downwardly extending recess, each of said attachment members also having upper and lower abutment members spaced apart, the upper abutment member being adapted to abut an upper surface of the lifting portion, and the lower abutment member being adapted to abut a lower surface of the lifting portion, whereby each attachment member is held in position when engaged with a battery.

The upwardly extending portion may include an abutment portion for abutting the laterally extending rim, whereby the attachment member is held in position by the engagement of said abutment portion with the rim and engagement of the upper abutment member with the lifting portion, when engaged with a battery.

Preferably the attachment member forms a tight snap fit between the rim and the lifting portion.

The carrying handle may be attached to an automotive battery having first and second opposing walls, each of said walls having an outwardly projecting and laterally extending lifting portion and a laterally extending rim defining a downwardly extending recess facing said lifting portion, by partially introducing the upwardly extending portion of each engaging portion into the downwardly extending recess defined by the rim of the respective wall, at an angle thereto; locating the lifting portion between the upper and lower abutment members of the attachment member; applying pressure to a lower end of the attachment member so that the attachment member snaps into a vertical position with the upper and lower abutment members abutting the upper and lower surfaces of the lifting portion and the upwardly extending portion located in said downwardly extending recess, and is securely held in position.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an automotive battery having: first and second opposing walls, each of said walls having an outwardly projecting and laterally extending lifting portion, and a laterally extending rim defining a downwardly extending recess open towards said lifting portion; and first and second attachment members engaged with respective walls of said battery, each of said attachment members having an upwardly extending portion located in said downwardly extending recess and upper and lower abutment members spaced apart and abutting respectively an upper and a lower surface of said lifting portion; and an elongate flexible carrying strap connected between said first and second attachment members.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be further described with reference to the drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 shows an underside view of a carrying handle according to the present invention; FIGURE 2 shows a side view of the carrying handle of Figure 1, with the lower half in partial cross-section, FIGURE 3 shows a plan view of the carrying handle of Figure 1; FIGURES 4a to c show the steps of attaching the carrying handle of Figures 1 to 3 to an automotive battery, and FIGURE 5 shows a battery with a carrying handle fitted in position.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3, a carrying handle in this example of the present invention comprises a strap 1 of flexible webbing material, at either end of which is fixed an attachment clip 2 for attaching the handle to an automotive battery of known construction. Each attachment clip 2 is formed of a front plate 2a and a back plate 2b of moulded plastics material. The front and back plates are sonic-welded together with the end la of the strap sandwiched securely between them.

Figure 5 shows the strap 1 secured to a conventional automotive battery 20 having lifting ledges 15 on opposite end walls 12. The battery 20 also has a conventional rim 13 along its upper edges forming a downwardly facing recess between the rim 13 and the walls 12.

Each attachment clip 2 is provided with a lateral groove 3 extending along its width. Opposite walls 4 and 5 of the groove 3 project slightly above the back face of the attachment clip 2 to form lips 4a and 5a. The bottom 3a of the groove 3 includes a raised portion 6 in its centre region under which the strap passes, and deeper groove portions 7 at either end of the groove, which extend into the front plate 2a. The front and back plates 2a and 2b are of matching size except that the back plate 2b has an upward projection 8 along its upper edge, having laterally extending raised portions 9 projecting from the back face of the upward projection 8 and an abutment shoulder 10 on the front face of the upward projection 8.

A longitudinal recess 11 is located in the centre of the extremity of the upward projection 8. In addition, the front plate 2a has a downwardly projecting lip 18 along its lower edge.

A method of attaching the carrying handle to an automotive battery will now be described with reference to Figures 4a, 4b and 4c.

As shown in Figure 4a, there is provided on the wall 12 of an automotive battery the overhanging rim 13 extending laterally along the wall of the automotive battery 12 and extending downwards to define a recess 14.

Within the recess 14, there is provided one or more downwardly projecting webs 19.

Also on the wall 12 there is provided below the rim an outwardly extending lifting ledge 15 extending laterally along the wall 12. The lifting ledge 15 is supported on the wall 12 by webs 16 and includes a recess 17 along part of its length, the recess matching the length of the raised portion 6 of the attachment clip 2.

To attach the attachment clip 2 to the wall 12, the attachment clip 2 is moved through the sequence of positions shown in Figures 4a to 4c. First the clip 2 is brought up to the lifting ledge 15 and to the recess 14 at an angle thereto. The attachment clip 2 is aligned in the lateral direction so as to lie centrally relative to the recess 17. The recess 11 in the 'projection 8 is positioned opposite one of the downwardly projecting webs 19 in the recess 14.

As shown in Figure 4b, the projection 8 is now located in the recess 14 so that the shoulder 10 abuts the edge of the'rim 13 and the lips 4a and 5a abut upper 15a and lower 15b surfaces of the lifting ledge 15.

Pressure P is then applied to the downwardly projecting lip 18 which provides leverage on the attachment clip 2, so that the clip then snaps into the position shown in Figure 4c, in which the attachment clip 2 is secured to the wall 12 by the location of the projection 8 in the recess 14, by the tight fit of the lifting ledge 15 in the groove 3 between the upper wall 4 and the lower wall 5 and by the engagement of the raised portion 6 in the recess 17. The downwardly projecting web 19 in the recess 14 is located in the recess 11. The shoulder 10 abuts the edge of the rim 13 so that the attachment clip is also held between the shoulder 10 and the upper wall 4 of the groove 3.

Thus, the carrying handle is securely fastened as a tight snap fit to opposite walls of the battery, as shown in Figure 5. The carrying handle enables the battery to be easily carried with one hand.

To detach the attachment clip 2 from the battery 12, essentially the process shown in Figures 4a, 4b and 4c is performed in reverse. The downwardly projecting lip 18 of the attachment clip 2 is pulled away from the wall 12 so that the groove 3 disengages from the lifting ledge 15. The raised portions 9 abut the wall 12 to provide a fulcrum while the downwardly projecting lip 18 provides a convenient lever to assist removal of the attachment clip 2. The attachment clip 2 may then be pulled out of the recess 14 and removed.

Thus there is provided a light, detachable and secure carrying handle for an automotive battery.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A car.rying handle for an automotive battery having first and second opposing walls, each of said walls having an outwardly projecting and laterally extending lifting portion and a laterally extending rim defining a downwardly extending recess open towards said lifting portion, said carrying handle comprising: an elongate flexible strap having first and second attachment members attached to respective ends of the elongate strap; each of said attachment members having an upwardly extending portion adapted for location in said downwardly extending recess, each of said attachment members also having upper and lower abutment members spaced apart, the upper abutment member being adapted to abut an upper surface of the lifting portion, and the lower abutment member being adapted to abut a lower surface of the lifting portion, whereby each attachment member is held in position when engaged with a battery.

2. A carrying handle as claimed in claim 1, in which the upwardly extending portion includes an abutment portion for abutting the laterally extending rim, whereby the attachment member is held in position by the engagement of said abutment portion with the rim and the engagement of the upper abutment member with the lifting portion, when engaged with a battery.

3. A carrying handle as claimed in claim 2, in which the abutment portion of the upwardly extending portion includes a shoulder adapted to abut the rim adjacent an opening of said downwardly extending recess.

4. A carrying handle as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each of the attachment members includes a horizontal slot defining said upper and lower abutment members.

5. A carrying handle as claimed in claim 4, in which said horizontal slot includes a stepped portion adapted for location in a recess in the lifting portion.

6. A carrying handle as claimed'in any preceding claim, in which the upwardly extending portion includes a lateral projection on a face, adapted to abut the respective wall, to provide a fulcrum when the attachment member is pulled away from the respective wall.

7. A carrying handle as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each of the attachment members includes a downwardly projecting portion on a lower edge thereof, to provide a lever when the attachment member is pulled away or attached to the respective wall.

8. A carrying handle as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each of the attachment members is of moulded plastics material.

9. A carrying handle as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each of the attachment members comprises a front section and a back section fixed rigidly together, and in which the respective end of the elongate strap is sandwiched between said front and back sections.

10. An automotive battery having: first and second opposing walls, each of said walls having an outwardly projecting and laterally extending lifting portion, and a laterally extending rim defining a downwardly extending recess open towards said lifting portion; and first and second attachment members engaged with respective walls of said battery, each of said attachment members having an upwardly extending portion located in said downwardly extending recess and upper and lower abutment members spaced apart and abutting respectively an upper and a lower surf ace. of said lifting portion; and an elongate flexible carrying strap connected between said first and second attachment members.

11. A method of attaching a carrying handle as claimed in claims 1 to 9 to an automotive battery having first and second opposing walls, each of said walls having an outwardly projecting and laterally extending lifting portion and a laterally extending rim defining a downwardly extending recess facing said lifting portion, said method comprising: partially introducing the upwardly extending portion of each engaging portion into the downwardly extending recess defined by the rim of the respective wall, at an angle thereto; locating the lifting portion between the upper and lower abutment members of the attachment member; applying pressure to a lower end of the attachment member so that the attachment member snaps into a vertical position with the upper and lower abutment members abutting the upper and lower surfaces of the lifting portion and the upwardly extending portion located in said downwardly extending recess, and is securely held in position.

12. A carrying handle substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

13. A method of attaching a carrying handle to an automotive battery, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.