GB2318322A

GB2318322A - Attachable handle for a box and a method and apparatus for automatically attaching such a handle to a box.

Info

Publication number: GB2318322A
Application number: GB9721824A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Agnes Birgitta Wigemark; Lars-Gunnar Wigemark
Original assignee: WIGEMARK BERTIL AB; BERTIL WIGEMARK AB
Current assignee: WIGEMARK BERTIL AB; BERTIL WIGEMARK AB
Priority date: 1996-10-16
Filing date: 1997-10-16
Publication date: 1998-04-22
Anticipated expiration: 2017-10-16
Also published as: SE505620C2; GB2318322B; SE9603780L; SE9603780D0; GB9721824D0

Abstract

An attachable handle 1a for a box 25 has a gripping portion 2a and locking lugs 3a at either end. The handle initially forms part of a strip (11, Fig. 1) of interconnected handles. The first handle of the strip is attached to a box, having spaced apart slots 5, 6 to receive the locking lugs, by first advancing the strip along a support 18 until the first handle is adjacent separating means 29. Stop means (19, 20, Fig. 6) hold the strip before lug bending means 21-23 bend the lugs so that they are perpendicular to the grip portion. The support 18 is retracted so the first handle is clear of it, the box is displaced towards the handle until the lugs penetrate into the slots and the separating means are activated to separate the first handle from the rest of the strip. The first handle is then moved towards the box until the lugs have passed completely through the slots. The combined box and handle is removed to make way for a new box whilst the handle strip is advanced. The strip advancing means, stop means, lug bending means and separating means preferably include pistol and cylinder arrangements cooperating with appropriate tools fitted to the ends of the pistons. The handle also includes retaining means (10, Fig. 4) to hold the handle flat against the box when not in use.

Description

CARRIER HANDLES AND METHODS OF APPLYING CARRIER HANDLES This invention relates to improved carried handles and a method and apparatus for attaching such carrier handles.

Boxes designed to accommodate carrier handles are often provided with two lid forming flaps, and each of the lid forming flaps has suitably positioned and sized slots for the carrier handle. The carrier handle is of the kind comprising an elongate grip portion and locking lugs provided at each end of the grip portion. An example of such a carrier handle is disclosed in Specification GB 1526475. With the box in a closed condition there is defined an inner lid and an outer lid, locking lugs of the carrier handle bearing in use on the inner lid.

One problem with such a box in the closed condition is that the outer lid tends to flex away from the inner lid. If the box is of the kind which is in a finished state once the carrier handle has been put in position, the flexing outer flap can give the box an unaesthetic appearance and the box may be regarded as having been violated or as being open when a lid-forming flap fails to close the box completely. If, on the other hand, the box is of the kind which after application of the carrier handle, but prior to delivery, is to be enclosed in shrinking foil and/or to be stacked in a storage room, such a 'gaping' lid flap being a projecting component, makes the enclosure of the package in shrinking foil or the stacking thereof in a storage room more difficult.

A further problem can arise even if the lid-forming flaps are glued together.

Once the handle has been attached to the box, the grip portion may naturally flex above the outer flap and thus lead to difficulties relating to packaging and storage.

Yet another problem associated with carrier handles of the kind set forth is that the attachment of such handles is often performed manually and as a result the process is extremely time consuming.

To overcome these problems we provide an improved carrier handle and a method and apparatus for attachment of such handles.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method of attaching a carrier handle to a box, the carrier handle initially forming part of a strip of interconnected carrier handles, the strip comprising a first carrier handle adjacent to which is situated a second carrier handle, each carrier handle comprising a grip portion and locking lugs disposed at opposite ends of the grip portion, the box being formed in one box wall with spaced-apart slots to receive the respective locking lugs, comprising the steps of: advancing the strip on a support so that the first carrier handle is positioned opposite a separating means; applying stop means to the strip so as to hold the strip in abutment against the support; bending the locking lugs of the first carrier handle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the grip portion of the carrier handle; retracting the support sufficiently far to ensure that the first carrier handle is clear of the support; displacing the box relatively towards the first carrier handle, until the locking lugs penetrate into the slots of the box; activating the separating means so as to separate the first carrier handle from the remainder of the strip and subsequently displace said first handle in a direction towards the box until the locking lugs of said first handle have completely passed through the slots and thus allowing the lugs to flex outwards so as to be capable of abutting with the inner face of the box wall; removing the box in order to accommodate a fresh box while substantially at the same time the second carrier handle is advanced to a position opposite the separating means.

Preferably the handle comprises retaining means, the handle being so attached to the box that retaining means holds the grip portion substantially within the box wall.

Preferably the retaining means comprises at least one nib element which extends transversely relative to the grip portion.

Preferably the box wall comprises two lid-forming flaps.

Preferably the nib element is engaged under either one of the lid-forming flaps.

Preferably the retaining means provide connection means between the handles in the strip.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for attaching a carrier handle to a box by the method in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, comprising strip advancing means arranged to advance on the support the strip of the interconnected carrier handles, securing means arranged to immobilise the strip after the strip has been advanced, lug bending means for bending the locking lugs of the first carrier handle so that said lugs extend substantially perpendicular to the grip portion of the first carrier handle and at the same time positioning the lugs so that they are in registry with the slots of the box, separation means for separating the first carrier handle from the strip and displacing the first carrier handle relatively towards the box until the locking lugs have completely passed through the slots.

Preferably, the strip advancing means comprises a first piston and cylinder unit having a finger, the finger being pivotally connected to the piston rod of the cylinder unit, a free end of the finger being so arranged as to engage, in use, in a recess formed between the first carrier handle and the second carrier handle in the strip, upon extension of the piston rod in one direction the strip is advanced by one carrier handle and upon retraction of the piston rod in the opposite direction the finger is positioned behind an adjacent carrier handle.

Preferably, the securing means consist of a second piston and cylinder unit which is arranged to immobilise the strip by means of a stop means, which is applied to any one of the carrier handles resting on said support.

Most preferably the stop means is applied to the second carrier handle.

Most preferably the lug bending means comprises a third piston and cylinder units located on either side of the strip, said units comprising a folding rail which is connected to the piston of the cylinder and said units are so arranged that, in use, upon an extension of the piston, to move into abutment against an adjacent locking lug bending the latter into a substantially perpendicular position relative to the grip portion of the carrier handle, said rail being further arranged to serve as a guide during the passage of the locking lugs through the slots in the box.

Preferably, a fourth piston and cylinder unit is connected to the support and is so arranged as to displace the latter in a direction opposite to that of advancement of said strip so that the first carrier handle no longer rests on the support.

Most preferably said support is a table.

Preferably, the separation means consists of a punch which is connected to a fifth piston and cylinder unit and so arranged as to separate the first carrier handle from the second carrier handle by breaking off the first carrier handle at one or several nib elements which interconnect the two carrier handles.

Preferably, guide rails are provided so arranged as to guide the box into the correct position to receive the locking lugs of the first carrier handle through the slits.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a carrier handle provided with retaining means.

Preferably, the retaining means comprises at least one nib element which extends transversely relative to the grip portion.

Preferably, the nib element forms connection means between adjacent carrier handles in a strip of such carrier handles.

Preferably the nib element remains integrally connected to a carrier handle that has been separated from the strip.

Preferably, the nib element comprises a weakened portion and a stronger portion, so that adjacent carrier handles are separable in the region of the weakened portion.

The advantages of a variable strength nib element are three-fold. Firstly, the process of attaching such carrier handles according to the method and apparatus previously set out is facilitated since no blade is required to separate a handle from a strip of such handles. Secondly, the nib element serves as a holding-down means for the flaps of those boxes comprising lid-folding flaps. Thirdly, in those boxes where the lid-forming flaps are fixed together, the handle can be attached so that the nib element is urged under either one of the lid-forming flaps so that the grip portion is held substantially within the lid-forming flaps.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided an assembly comprising a handle of the kind set forth and a box, the handle comprising retaining means and the box defining a box wall, the handle being so attached to the box that the handle is held substantially within the box wall.

Preferably the retaining means comprises at least one nib element.

Preferably the box wall comprises two lid-forming flaps and the lidforming flaps comprising slots.

The various aspects of the invention will be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing a strip of carrier handles in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view through the strip, Figure 3 is a perspective view of a box equipped with a carrier handle in accordance with the invention, Figure 4 is a schematic view, as soon from the front, through a box positioned below apparatus, designed to insert carrier handles in accordance with the invention, Figures 5 and 6 are lateral views of said apparatus, showing first and second operative steps, respectively, Figure 7 is a front view of the apparatus, showing a third operative step, Figure 8 a lateral view of the apparatus, showing a fourth operative step, Figure 9 is a front view of the apparatus illustrating a fifth operative step, Figure 10 is a lateral view of the apparatus illustrating a sixth operative step, and Figure 11 finally is a front view of the apparatus illustrating a seventh operative step.

With reference to figure 3, one aspect of the invention relates to a carrier handle 1 of the kind consisting of an elongate grip portion 2 which is provided at each end with locking lugs 3. The locking lugs 3 are typically of oval shape, as shown. In a manner known per se, each locking lug 3 may be manually inserted through slots 4, 5, 6 formed in each one of a couple of folded lid-forming flaps 7, 8, namely an outer lid flap 7 and an inner lid flap 8, of a box 9. In addition and in accordance with the embodiment shown, the carrier handle 1 is provided in a manner known per se with two nib elements 10 extending transversally relative to the grip portion 2 and arranged to interconnect a number of carrier handles 1 to form a row or strip 11 of interconnected handles, see Figure 1. The handling of the carrier handles 1 is facilitated when said handles are manufactured in interconnected relationship in the form of such a strip 11.

As appears from Figure 3, the flap 7 is formed with an longitudinal slot 4 making it possible, after mounting of the carrier handle 1 on the box 9, to apply the flap 7 on top of the grip portion 2 of the carrier handle 1 to thus close the box. As described above one has, however, hitherto met with the disadvantage that the lid flap 7, after closing of the box 9, in an undesirable manner flexes somewhat outwards, thus partly re-opening the box. In accordance with the invention the nib elements 10 are intended, after separation of a carrier handle 1 from the strip 11, to remain integrally connected with the thus separated carrier handle 1. After application of this carrier handle 1 to the lid flaps 7, 8 the nib elements 10 are intended to serve as a holding-down means in abutment against the external face of the outer lid flap 7 in order to prevent said undesirable flexing outwards of the outer lid flap 7 away from the inner lid flap 8.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, best illustrated in Figure 2, the nib elements 10 are formed with a weakened portion 12 and with a stronger portion 13. In this manner, a carrier handle is detachable from the adjacent one at the point of the weakened portion 12, the stronger portion 13 arranged, after application of the detached carrier handles to the lid flaps 7, 8, to serve as said holding-down means in abutment against the external face of the outer lid flap 7. The advantage of configuring the nib elements 10 with one weakened portion 12 and one stronger portion 13 is that for the operation of separating a carrier handle 1 in a apparatus designed to apply the carrier handles there is no need to equip said apparatus with a sharp knife or blade that severs the nib elements 10 and therefore rapidly making the blade blunt thus making the apparatus inoperative. Instead, the nib elements 10 may be broken off in the region of the weakened portion 12 with the aid of a blunt separating means.

With reference to Figures 4 to 7, apparatus designed for application of carrier handles 1 comprises a first piston-type cylinder 14 and a piston rod 15 to which a finger 16 is connected. The free end of said finger 16 engages in a gap formed between a first carrier handle la and a second carrier handle Ib in the strip 11 of handles. Upon extension of the piston rod 15 in the direction of arrow 17 in Figure 5 the finger 16 is arranged to advance the strip 11 by one step on the top of a support plate 18. Upon retraction of the piston rod 15 the free end of the finger 16 slides across the second carrier handle lb for gripping engagement with said handle behind the latter.

With the aid of a second piston type cylinder 19 a stop means 20 is arranged to immobilise the strip 11 following advancement of the latter, which is effected by said stop means pressing against a subsequent carrier handle, preferably the second carrier handle lb positioned adjacent to the first carrier handle la, as shown in Figure 6.

As illustrated in Figure 7, the apparatus further comprises a third pistontype cylinder 21 on either side of the strip 11. The piston 22 of these piston-type cylinders 21 is provided with a folding rail 23 arranged, upon extension of the piston 22, to move into abutment against an adjacent locking lug 3a, bending the latter to a substantially perpendicular position relative to the grip portion 2a of the first carrier handle la. In this position, the locking lug 3a is directed towards slots 4, 5, 6 formed in a box wall 31 of a box 25.

The apparatus further comprises a fourth piston type cylinder 26 which is connected to support plate 18 and which is arranged to displace the latter in the opposite direction to the direction of advancement of the strip 11, ie the direction of arrow 27 in Figure 8, to expose the first carrier handle la.

A fifth piston type cylinder 28 is connected to a punch 29 serving as the separation means. The punch 29 is arranged to separate the first carrier handle la from the second carrier handle Ib by breaking through the nib element 10 that interconnects the two carrier handles la, lb.

The apparatus also comprises guide rails 30 arranged to guide the box 25 to the correct position for inserting the locking lugs 3a of the first carrier handle la through the slots 4, 5, 6 in the box 25.

In use of the apparatus, the first carrier handle la in the strip 11 of interconnected handles is initially advanced on the support plate 18, see Figure 5, to a position in registry with or directly underneath the punch 29.

With the aid of the piston-type cylinder 19 the stop means 20 presses a subsequent carrier handle, preferably the second carrier handle lb in the strip 11, against the support plate 1 8 to immobilise the strip 11. The piston rods 22 are now sufficiently extended, see Figure 7. for the folding rails 23 to move into abutment against and bend the corresponding locking lug 3a to a substantially vertical position.

The piston cylinder 26 thereafter retracts the support plate 18 sufficiently far to ensure that the first carrier handle 1 a leaves its support, see Figure 8.

By lifting means, not shown, the box 25 is moved towards the first carrier handle la, see Figure 9, until the locking lugs 3a of said handle reach and pass through the slot 4, 5 6 in the box 25. During this operation, the folding rails 23 likewise serve to guide the locking lugs 3a as the latter pass through the slots 4, 5, 6.

The first carrier handle la is now separated from the strip 11, which is effected in such a manner that the fifth piston cylinder 28, see Figure 10, forces the punch 29 against the first carrier handle la, the punch thus detaching the first carrier handle la from the second carrier handle lb by breaking the nib elements 10 interconnecting said two carrier handles at the weakened portions 12 thereof. Moreover, the full extension of the punch 29 displaces the first carrier handle la sufficiently far in the direction towards the box 25 for the locking lugs 3 to be positioned entirely inside the box 25 and to allow the lugs to flex into abutment against an inner face of the box 25, see Figure 11. Furthermore, the nib elements 10 are forced into engagement with the box wall 31 of the box 25 so that the grip portion 2 is held substantially within the box wall 31. The box wall 31 may comprise two lid-forming flaps 7, 8 which are attached to one another and in which case the nib elements would be forced under either one of the flaps. During the entire operation of inserting the first carrier handle la into the box the latter is retained in the correct position by means of the guide rails 30. The nib elements are of suitable resilience so that when the use of the handle is required the grip portion can be lifted out of the slot 4 in the upper lid-forming flap 7.

Once the application of the first carrier handle la to the box 25 has been completed, the finished box 25 may be removed to accommodate a new box. For this purpose the support plate 18 is again advanced by one step and the strip 11 is likewise fed one step forwards, again see Figure 5, until the second carrier handle lb in the strip 11 reaches a position in registry with or underneath the separating means, ie the punch 29.

The invention is not limited to the features described and illustrated but could obviously be modified in a variety of ways within the scope of the appended claims. The apparatus has been shown for vertical application of carrier handles but could easily be adjusted to operate horizontally.

Claims

1. A method of attaching a carrier handle to a box (25), the carrier handle initially forming part of a strip (11) of interconnected carrier handles, the strip (11) comprising a first carrier handle (la) adjacent to which is situated a second carrier handle (lib), each carrier handle comprising a grip portion (2) and locking lugs (3) disposed at opposite ends of the grip portion, the box (25) being formed in one box wall (31) with spaced-apart slots (4, 5, 6) to receive the respective locking lugs (3), comprising the steps of: advancing the strip (11) on a support (18) so that the first carrier handle (la) is positioned opposite a separating means (29); applying stop means (20) to the strip (11) so as to hold the strip in abutment against the support (18); bending the locking lugs (3a) of the first carrier handle (la) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the grip portion (2a) of the carrier handle (la); retracting the support (18) sufficiently far to ensure that the first carrier handle (la) is clear of the support (18); displacing the box (25) relatively towards the first carrier handle (la), until the locking lugs (3a) penetrate into the slots (4, 5, 6) of the box (25); activating the separating means (29) so as to separate the first carrier handle from the remainder of the strip (11) and subsequently displace said first handle in a direction towards the box (25) until the locking lugs (3a) of said first handle have completely passed through the slots (4, 5, 6) and thus allowing the lugs (3a) to flex outwards so as to be capable of abutting with the inner face of the box wall; removing the box (25) in order to accommodate a fresh box while substantially at the same time the second carrier handle is advanced to a position opposite the separating means (29).

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the handle comprises retaining means (10) and the handle (1) being so attached to the box (25) that retaining means (10) holds the grip portion (2) substantially within the box wall (31).

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, in which the retaining means (1) comprises at least one nib element (10) which extends transversely relative to the grip portion (2).

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, in which the box wall (31) comprises two lid-forming flaps (7, 8).

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, in which the nib element (10) is engaged under either one of the lid-forming flaps (7, 8).

6. A method as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5, in which the retaining means (10) provide connection means between the handles in the strip (11).

7. Apparatus for attaching a carrier handle to a box according to the method of claim 1, comprising strip advancing means (14, 16) arranged to advance on the support (18) the strip (11) of interconnected carrier handles, securing means (19, 20) arranged to immobilise the strip (11) after the strip has been advanced, lug bending means (21, 22, 23) for bending the locking lugs of the first carrier handle (la) so that said lugs extend substantially perpendicular to the grip portion (2a) of the first carrier handle (la) and at the same time positioning the lugs so that they are in registry with the slots (4, 5, 6) of the box (25), separation means for separating the first carrier handle (la) from the strip (11) and displacing the first carrier handle relatively towards the box (25) until the locking lugs have completely passed through the slots (4, 5, 6).

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which the strip advancing means comprises a first piston and cylinder unit (14) having a finger (16), the finger being pivotally connected to the piston rod (15) of the cylinder unit (14), a free end of the finger being so arranged as to engage, in use, in a recess formed between the first carrier handle and the second carrier handle in the strip (11), upon extension of the piston rod (15) in one direction the strip is advanced by one carrier handle and upon retraction of the piston rod (15) in the opposite direction the finger (16) is positioned behind an adjacent carrier handle.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 or 8, in which the securing means comprises a second piston and cylinder unit (19) which is arranged to immobilise the strip (11) by means of a stop means (20), which is applied to any one of the carrier handles resting on said support (18).

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, in which the stop means is applied to the second carrier handle (lob).

11. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10, in which the lug bending means comprises a third piston and cylinder units (21, 22) located on either side of the strip (11), said units (21) comprising a folding rail (23) which is connected to the piston (22) of the cylinder (21) and said units (21, 22) are so arranged that, in use, upon an extension of the piston (22), to move into abutment against an adjacent locking lug (3a) bending the latter into a substantially perpendicular position relative to the grip portion (2a) of the carrier handle (la), said rail being further arranged to serve as a guide during the passage of the locking lugs (3a) through the slots (4, 5, 6) in the box (25).

12. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 7 to 11, in which a fourth piston and cylinder unit (26) is connected to the support (18) and is so arranged as to displace the latter in a direction opposite to that of advancement of said strip (11) so that the first carrier handle (la) no longer rests on the support (18).

13. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 12, in which said support is a support plate (18).

14. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 13, in which the separation means comprises of a punch (29) which is connected to a fifth piston and cylinder unit (28) and so arranged as to separate the first carrier handle (la) from the second carrier handle (Ib) by breaking off the first carrier handle at one or several nib elements (10) which interconnect the two carrier handles.

15. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 7 to 14, in which guide rails (30) are provided so arranged as to guide the box (25) into the correct position to receive the locking lugs (3a) of the first carrier handle (la) through the slots (4, 5, 6).

16. A carrier handle of the kind set forth, in which the handle is provided with retaining means (1 0).

17. A carrier handle as claimed in claim 16, in which the retaining means comprises at least one nib element (10) which extends transversely relative to the grip portion (2).

18. A carrier handle as claimed in claim 17, in which the nib element forms connection means between adjacent carrier handles in a strip of such carrier handles.

19. A carrier handle as claimed in claim 18, in which the nib element remains integrally connected to a carrier handle that has been separated from the strip.

20. A carrier handle as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 19, in which the nib element (10) comprises a weakened portion (12) and a stronger portion (13), so that adjacent carrier handles are separable in the region of the weakened portion.

21. An assembly comprising a handle of the kind set forth and a box, the handle comprising retaining means (10) and the box defining a box wall (31), the handle being so attached to the box that the retaining means (10) holds the grip portion (2) substantially within the box wall (31).

22. An assembly as claimed in claim 21, in which the retaining means (10) comprises at least one nib element (10).

23. An assembly as claimed in claim 22, in which the box wall (31) comprises two lid-forming flaps (7, 8) and the lid-forming flaps comprising slots (4, 5, 6).

24. An assembly as claimed in claims 23, in which the nib element is engaged under either one of the lid-forming flaps (7, 8)

25. A method of attaching carrier handles to a box substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

26. Apparatus for attaching a carrier handle to a box substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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

28. A box and handle assembly substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.