GB2287181A - Handle - Google Patents

Abstract

A handle for releasable engagement with an object to be carried has a grip portion 1 for engagement by a hand of a user and a channel 2 extending through the grip portion for receiving a part of the object inserted via an opening 5. The handle can be released from the object for re-use. The handle may have radially extending end walls 10, 11 and the longitudinal edges adjacent the opening 5 may have interengaging lips. <IMAGE>

Description

HBNI)LE The present invention relates to handles, in particular to releasable handles.

Many objects are uncomfortable or inconvenient to carry by hand because they do not present a suitable surface by which they can easily be gripped. For example, many types of bags - particularly plastics carrier bags with integral handles - present several problems: - the bags are uncomfortable to carry because their handles are thin and do not distribute the weight of the bag and its contents evenly across the hand of the person carrying the bagt - under load the bags' handles tend to stretch and become thinner, intensifying the force on the user 18 hands; - when the bags are full their handles are forced apart from each other, against the grip of the user when the bags are being carried, and the bags are therefore prone to spillage;; - to pick up several bags in one hand is inconvenient because the hand must be threaded through each handle of each bag individually; - when several filled bags are being carried in one hand considerable force is needed to grip their handles together; - when such bags swing whilst being carried uneven stresses are placed on the handles, which can cause the handles to stretch or break.

Other objects have similar disadvantages - for example packages that are secured by narrow fastening straps are often carried by these straps. However the straps can be sharp and can bite uncomfortably into the hand of the person carrying the package.

Flexible carrier bags having integral handles of rigid plastics material which can optionally be clipped together have been made. However, these are little more comfortable to carry than conventional plastics carrier bags because the handles are still relatively thin.

Also, each handle is fixed permanently to a single bag and cannot be useW for other bags. They ars therefore prohibitively expensive for widespread use.

According to the present invention, there is provided, a handle for releasable engagement with an object, the handle having a grip portion for engagement by a hand of a user and a channel extending through the grip portion for receiving a part of the object.

This handle allows the problems referred to above to be overcome. For example, the integral handles of plastics carrier bags or the straps of packages can be received in the channel of such a handle, and the handle will protect a user from the narrow handles of the bags themselves or from the straps of the packages.

The object is suitably an object to be carried, such as a plastics carrier bag.

The channel preferably has a longitudinal opening, most preferably extending the length of the channel to allow endless items, such as the integral handles of plastics carrier bags, to be received in the channel. The ends of the channel are preferably open.

At the ends of the longitudinal opening there are preferably guide surfaces for guiding items into the channel. About the ends of the channel there are preferably generally radially directed walls for engaging items extending out of the channel. These walls are preferably resilient to cushion a user of the handle from movement of such items.

The handle is preferably formed of sheet material.

The present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: figure 1 is a perspective view of a handle according to the present invention; figure 2 is a plan view of the handle of figure 1; figure 3 is a side view of the handle of figure 1; figure 4 is an end view of the handle of figure 1; figure 5 is a cross-section of a portion of a second embodiment of handle according to the present invention; figure 6 is a schematic side view of a third embodiment of handle according to the present invention.

The handle shown in the figures comprises a grip portion 1 which is intended to be gripped in the hand of the user. The grip portion is elongate to fit comfortably into the user's hand and has a channel 2 running longitudinally through it. The channel is open at both its ends 3 and 4 and is suitable for receiving parts of objects to be carried by means of the handle, for example the integral handles of plastics carrier bags.

In more detail, the grip portion 1 comprises a wall whose inner surface defines the channel 2. The wall has a longitudinal slit 5 by which endless parts of objects to be carried (such as the handles of plastics carrier bags or the sealing strips of packages) can be inserted in the channel. At the ends of the slit the wall presents curved shoulders 6, 7, 8 and 9 which define smooth guide surfaces for guiding items into the slit 5. This allows items to be more easily inserted into the slit. The channel can receive parts of several objects, for instance the handles of several plastics carrier bags.

When the handle is in use in a user's hand, the slit is suitably directed upwards or sideways so that the items received in the channel are cupped by the walls of the channel, and the opposite edges of the wall at the slit 5 are urged together by the user's grip.

When the handle has been used the parts of the objects received in the channel can be released and the handle used again to carry other objects.

When the handle is not in use, in its relaxed state, the opposite edges of the wall can abut (as shown in figure 4) or overlap at the slit, with the walls being resiliently deformable to a sufficient degree to allow the slit to be opened for items to be inserted in the channel, (this inhibits the items from leaving the channel); or alternatively the opposite edges can be spaced apart at the slit to allow items to be more easily inserted in the channel. If the edges overlap then they can be provided with releasable fastening means, for example as illustrated schematically in figure 5, to hold the slit closed when required. If the edges abut or are spaced apart when the handle is not in use it is preferable that the walls are sufficiently resilient that they can overlap when the handle is under load, again to inhibit items from leaving the channel.

At the ends of the channel the wall is flared to present generally radially directed end surfaces 10 and 11. When objects are being carried by means of the handle these surfaces protect the user's hand from contact with the objects. For example, when bags with flexible handles are being carried the end surfaces guide the integral handles of the bags away from the user' 8 fingers, protecting the user from the direct force of the handles.

The smooth profile of the end surfaces also protect the integral handles of the bags from wear as they are carried. As is apparent from figure 3, the end walls do not project above the upper surface of the grip portion of the handle (where the slit 5 is located). This allows the handle to fit comfortably against the user's palm.

In cross-section, the outer surface of the grip portion provides a generally elliptical surface (as illustrated in figure 4) to be gripped by the user's hand. The fact that the radius of the grip portion varies in different directions allows the handle to be held comfortably by people whose hands are large or small by rotating the handle about its longitudinal axis to achieve a comfortable position.Of course, differently sized handles may be manufactured to suit hands of different sizes but a suitable standard-sized handle with walls approximately lmm thick may have a channel of length approximately 60mm and diameter approximately 26 to 28mm and end surfaces approximately 60mm wide at their widest point, approximately 35mm deep and curving outwards over a longitudinal region of approximately lOmm. The guide apertures defined between the shoulders 6, 7, 8 and 9 may be approximately lOmni deep longitudinally.

As shown in figure 6, the lower surface of the handle may be configured with alternating ribs 12 and recesses 13 for receiving the fingers of a user holding the handle.

The handle is preferably of such a shape that it can be held comfortably in a user's left or right hand so that only a single pattern of handle needs to be produced.

Alternatively, right- and left-handed handles could be made.

The edges of the walls of the handle are smooth, to reduce the risk of objects being cut or frayed against the edges and to protect users of the handle from injury.

The walls of the handle are sufficiently strong and rigid to resist major deformation when objects are being carried by the handle, so as to present a smooth, comfortable surface to the user's hand even when the handle is loaded. The walls of the grip portion are preferably sufficiently rigid to maintain a smooth outer surface even when several items or flexible items are received in the channel. The walls defining the grip portion and/or the end surfaces 10 and 11 can usefully have some resilience since this allows them to deform as objects, particularly flexible objects, bounce in the handle, cushioning the user's hand from the force of the bounce.

The handle may suitably be formed of plastics material, such as polythene or polypropylene, inJection moulded, vacuum moulded or heat formed to shape. The slit can, if necessary, be cut in a second operation. Such plastics material may suitably be biodegradable. For heavier-duty applications, the handle may be formed of metal, for example steel. The handle may have a cushioning or friction layer around the outer surface of the grip portion. The handle may be clear or coloured and may bear messages, such as advertising material.

In use for carrying plastics carrier bags with integral handles the integral handles can be clipped through the slot 5 into the channel 2. Even heavily loaded bags can then be carried without risk of their handles biting into the user's hand because the relatively rigid grip portion distributes the load of the bags evenly across the user's hand. The side walls of the handle resist the tendency of the handles of filled bags to pull away from one another. Where several bags are engaged in the handle it can similarly resist their tendency to separate and can hold their handles together so that they can all be picked up easily. Also, since in use the bags' handles lie in different directions side-by-side on the end surfaces the chance of them rubbing on one-another and thereby being damaged is reduced. The fact that the bags' weights are evenly distributed across their integral handles reduces the risk of the handles stretching or breaking, as does the fact that the integral handles can slide in the channel 2, without being subject to sudden force, if they are swung.

Claims (17)

1. A handle for releasable engagement with an object, the handle having a grip portion for engagement by a hand of a user and a channel extending through the grip portion for receiving a part of the object.

2. A handle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the channel has a longitudinal opening through which the part of the object can be received in the channel.

3. A handle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the longitudinal opening extends the length of the channel.

4. A handle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the grip portion comprises a wall which passes longitudinally about the channel and terminates in longitudinal edges which define the longitudinal opening.

5. A handle as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one end of the channel the longitudinal edges of the wall define a guide for guiding parts of objects into the channel.

6. A handle as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein in the handle's relaxed state the longitudinal edges of the wall abut at the longitudinal opening.

7. A handle as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein in the handle's relaxed state the longitudinal edges of the wall overlap at the longitudinal opening.

8. A handle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the handle comprises fastening means for releasably fastening the edges of the wall in overlapping relationship.

9. A handle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the handle comprises an end wall which extends radially outwards from one end of the channel.

10. A handle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the handle comprises two end walls, which extend radially outwards from opposite ends of the channel.

11. A handle as claimed in claim 9 or 10, as dependent directly or indirectly on claim 2, wherein the end wall or at least one of the end walls extends radially only in directions away from the longitudinal opening.

12. A handle as claimed in any of claims 9 to 11 as dependent directly or indirectly on claim 4, wherein the or each end wall is formed integrally with the wall of the grip portion.

13. A handle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the grip portion is generally cylindrical.

14. A handle as claimed in claim 13, wherein the grip portion is not circularly cylindrical.

15. A handle as claimed in claim 14, wherein the outer surface of the grip portion is generally elliptical in longitudinal cross-section.

16. A handle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the handle is formed of sheet material.

17. A handle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.