MX2014009801A

MX2014009801A - Handle.

Info

Publication number: MX2014009801A
Application number: MX2014009801A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Christopher Paul Ramsey
Original assignee: Crown Packaging Technology Inc
Priority date: 2012-02-22
Filing date: 2013-02-22
Publication date: 2014-09-22
Also published as: TN2014000333A1; GB201202999D0; SG11201404594PA; WO2013124418A1; MY165415A; CN104135899A; EP2816935A1; US20150041480A1; CO7071115A2; HK1200294A1; CA2864430A1

Abstract

A handle (50) for affixing to a container having a side-wall (5) and a top (10) joined together by a seam (15), in which the handle (50) has a grip (60) adapted to be held by a user, an attachment ring (70) designed to fit around the top (10) of the container, a main clip (75) aligned with the grip 60 and a retention clip (80) positioned 180 degrees from the grip (60). The handle (50) clips onto the container seam (15) in a robust, but easily detachable fashion and allows a user to hold the container continuously regardless of whether the contents of the container is hot or cold.

Description

HANDLE Technical Field The invention provides a handle adapted to be securely held on the joining line of a conventional beverage or food can. The handle makes the can easier and more comfortable to carry as it is designed to fit easily in the user's hand. With the handle attached to the package it can be held continuously by the user while being consumed, for example during a period of 20 minutes.

Without the handle, a refrigerated can is too cold to hold continuously, so it has to be released. This is not convenient and can lead to spills when used on the move, at parties, events, etc. The same problem arises if the can gets hot, when the can can be too hot or dangerous to hold by the user and often has to be placed on a table or surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a can handle adapted to securely fasten securely to the joint line provided at the top end of a beverage or food can. The handle for can is preferably injection molded from thermoplastic material, for example Polypropylene (PP) or High Density Polyethylene (HDPE).

The handle increases the time in which the cooled metal can remains cold and therefore improves the drinking experience for the user, i.e., improves the mouthfeel and therefore the drinking experience. If the consumer's hand is prevented from making contact with the can wall, the inventors have discovered that it takes more than 50% for the can to be heated by a set amount, for example from 6 to 12 degrees C.

In addition, the plastic flange provided by the handle is thicker than the joining line of a conventional can and can be shaped to make the drinking experience for the user better than drinking from a glass cup.

The handle is designed to be reused and therefore, if used in a multiple package, only a single handle is required in each multiple package. Also, the outer surface of the handle provides space for the product marking e.g., on the cover plate, making it ideally suited for product promotions and the like.

The handle design fits a wide range of conventional can sizes, i.e., can diameters from 52 to 99 mm with large sizes being particularly applicable since these larger sizes are often heavy and more inconvenient to hold by the user.

In addition, the heights of cans from 60 to 250 mm can be accommodated by the handle and this amounts to the capacities of cans of 150 to 1500 ml.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a handle according to the invention, before assembling it on a can; Figure 1A is a cross-sectional side view through the handle according to the invention, as illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 2 is a bottom view below the handle, showing the position of the fasteners and the internal reinforcing ribs on the grip part of the handle; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a conventional beverage can, on which a handle is assembled as shown in Figure 1; Figure 3A is a cross-sectional side view through the beverage can illustrated in Figure 3, showing more clearly how the handle is attached to the junction between the side wall and the upper end of the beverage can; Figure 4A is an enlarged view in section side of the handle retaining clip shown in Figure 3A; Figure 4B is an enlarged view in side section of the handle shown in Figure 3A, in an angular position where the fastener is not; Figure 5 is a plan view of a multiple pack, with the handle assembled according to the invention on one of the beverage cans; Figure 6A is a plan view of an open conventional beverage can, on which a handle is assembled as shown in Figure 1, such that the drinking aperture remains unobstructed; Figure 6B is a plan view of a conventional open beverage can, on which a handle is assembled as shown in Figure 1, such that the drinking aperture is covered.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a handle 50 according to the invention has a handle 60, a complete joint ring 70 (360 degrees), a cover plate 72, a main fastener 75 and a retaining clip 80. The position of the main fastener 75 is aligned with the handle 60 to give resistance to the handle 50. The retaining fastener 80 is placed opposite (from 180 degrees) to the handle 60 and this fastener removably utilizes a tongue 90. As shown in Figure 2, handle 60 is further reinforced by the provision of a plurality of internal reinforcing beads 65.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the handle 50 is assembled on top of a beverage can 1 having a side wall 5, top 10 and a base 20. As is conventional, top 10 and side wall 5 of the beverage can 1 are joined together by a double joining line 15 and defines a drinking opening 12 which is opened using an opening tab 13, which is pressed against a marking (not shown). The beverage can l can be opened before or after the handle 50 is adjusted. The handle 50 has a complete union ring 70 (360 degrees), which is placed on top 10 of the beverage can and the main holder 75 and the retaining clip 80 is fixed under the double line of junction 15. The separable windows 85 are placed above the main holder 75, and of the retaining clip 80 to allow molding in tempering line ie, without creating access features multiple (see Figures 3A and 4A). Figure 4B is an enlarged side view taken in an angular position where the fastener is not found.

Figure 5 shows the conventional arrangement of beverage cans in a multiple package. As shown, handle 60 of handle 50 is located in the space between the cans and no extra space is required in the multiple package. This provides a mechanism to allow the distribution of the handles 50, particularly where each multiple pack has a reusable handle.

Finally, Figures 6A and 6B show the handle 50 attached to an open beverage can. The main holder 75 and the retaining clip 80 are securely fastened under the joint line (not shown) of the beverage can and the cover plate 72 extends over a portion of the top of the can. In a first position (see Figure 6A), the drinking aperture 12 is available for a user to drink from the can, while holding the handle 60 of the handle. However, after opening the handle has a cover plate 72, which actuates a re-closing when the cover plate 72 is rotated to cover the opening 12 (see Figure 6B). The cover plate 72 prevents the access of insects and / or liquids to be easily entered into the can.

Although the handle proposed by the present invention has been illustrated and described in relation to a refrigerated beverage can, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art how a handle according to the invention can also be applied to beverage and hot food containers.

Claims

1. A handle to be fixed to a container that has a side wall and an upper part joined together by a joining line, the handle having a handle adapted to be held by the user characterized in that a complete union ring (360 degrees) is designed to fit around the top of the container and has a main holder aligned with the handle and a retaining clip positioned 180 degrees from the handle.

2. A handle as claimed in the claim 1, wherein the retaining clip can be removed from the container using a tab on the connecting ring.

3. A handle as claimed in the claim 2, wherein after removing the retaining clip, the link ring is rotated to remove the main clip.

4. A handle as claimed in any of the aforementioned claims, injection molded from a thermoplastic material.

5. A handle as claimed in claim 4, further including windows positioned above the main fastener and the retaining fastener to allow in-line tempering.

6. A handle as claimed in any of the aforementioned claims, which further includes a cover plate.

7. A handle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the outer surface of the cover plate is used to position the product mark.

8. A handle as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the cover plate can be rotated to cover an opening in the container and prevent access to the contents of the container by a foreign body.

9. A multiple pack comprising a plurality of containers and one or more handles according to any of the aforementioned claims, wherein the handle is located between the adjacent containers.