MXPA00003208A - Folding handle device - Google Patents

Abstract

A folding handle device (10) is disclosed, mountable to an article to be carried, having a rotatable U-shaped handle (20) with leg members adaptable to pivotally receive a mounting shaft (30), each leg member having a base having planar surfaces (23, 25) such that the handle can be held upright or folded. The device further includes two mounting shafts rotatably mounted to the handle through apertures in a planar mounting surface (70) and are retained in place by a nut (50). A spring (40) between the nut and the bottom side of the mounting surface bias the mounting shaft away from the planar mounting surface. The handle is adapted to facilitate axial movement of the shafts relative to and perpendicular to the planar mounting surface as the handle is rotated between the upright and folded positions, wherein when the handle is either in the upright or folded position, the spring is under a compressive load, and during the transition from folded to upright positions, the spring is under a greater compressive load than that when the handle is in the upright or folded position.

Description

FOLDING HANDLE DEVICE The present invention relates to a folding handle device, wherein the handle can be held securely in either an open or closed position. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the technique of handles and handle structures and more particularly to an improvement in a handle for mounting on an article, wherein the handle can be safely held in an open position, where the handle is accessible or in a closed position where the handle is stored safely. The main objective of the present invention is to provide a handle that can be securely held, either in an open or closed position. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a folding handle device that can be rotated and held securely in either a stored closed position or an open, vertical position by sufficient force, such that the handle remains in position in spite of vibrations or agitato or minor shake of the own handle or the article to which the handle is connected.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved foldable handle device, which can be safely stored at least in either a folded, stored position and an open, vertical position. A further objective of the present invention is to provide a new and improved folding handle device, which can be safely stored at least in any of a folded, stored position and an open, vertical position that is simple in design. A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved folding handle device which can be safely stored in at least one already in a folded, stored position and an open, vertical position, which is simple in design and requires a minimum number of pieces separated. The present invention is directed to a folding handle that is mounted on a transport article, the article has a generally planar mounting surface having top and bottom sides. The folding handle comprises a rotatable U-shaped handle, having two leg members and an extension member connecting the leg members, each leg member having an adaptable means for pivotally receiving a mounting arrow. Each leg member has a base, with planar surfaces that allow the base to rest level with the planar mounting surface in a plurality of positions, including a position where the handle is vertical and including a position where the handle is bent parallel to the mounting surface. Two mounting arrows, each having a pivot end and a retaining end, are rotatably mounted on a handle base at a pivot end of the mounting shaft. The retaining ends of the mounting arrows mount through openings in the planar mounting surface, such that the handle is on the upper side of the mounting surface and the retaining ends of the mounting arrows project to through the bottom side of the mounting surface and are retained in place by retaining means to capture the handle on the planar mounting surface. Bypass means are used between the retaining ends of the mounting arrows and the bottom side of the mounting surface, to derive the retaining ends of the mounting arrow away from the bottom side of the planar mounting surface. Finally, the handle is adapted to facilitate the axial movement of the arrows in relation to and perpendicular to the planar mounting surface, as the handle is rotated between the vertical and bent positions, where the handle is already in the vertical position or the position bent, the bypass means are under a compression load and during the transition from the vertical to bent positions, and the transition from the bent to vertical positions, the bypass means are under a higher compression load than when the handle is in the vertical position or the folded position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a first embodiment of a folding handle device, comprising the present invention, with the handle in an open, vertical position. Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the embodiment of Figure 1, with the handle in the closed or bent position. Figure 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of the handle of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a mounting arrow as used in the embodiment of Figure 1. Figure 5 is an elevation view front of the arrow of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a front view of a slot pin as used in the embodiment of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a front elevational view of a handle as used in the embodiment of Figure 1. Figure 8 is a plan view of the handle of Figure 7. Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the handle of FIG. Figure 7. Figure 10 is a partial exploded front elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the folding handle device of the present invention. Figure 11 is a partially exploded side elevational view of the handle device of Figure 10. Figure 12 is a perspective view of a combined pivot pin and mounting arrow, as used in a second alternate embodiment of the present invention. invention. Figure 12a is a sectional front elevational view of a second alternate embodiment of the folding handle device of Figure 1, illustrating the combined hinge and mounting arrow of the Figure 12. Figure 13 is a front elevational view of a third alternate embodiment of this folding handle device of the present invention.

Figure 14 is a partially exploded side elevational view of a fourth alternate embodiment of the folding handle device of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY Now with reference in detail to the drawings, in which similar reference numerals indicate similar elements throughout the various views, a folding handle device 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figures 1 to 3. The folding handle device 10 has a rotatable handle 20, a mounting arrow 30, a bypass means or spring 40, and a retaining means 50. The mounting arrow 30 is rotatably connected to a rotatable handle 20. As can be seen in Figures 4 and 5, which show front and side views of a mounting arrow 30 suitable for use in the current embodiment, an opening 32 is provided to through the head 34 of the mounting arrow 30. As best seen in Figure 7 illustrating a front elevation view of the rotatable handle 20 of the present embodiment of the invention, the rotatable handle 20 has cavities 22, adapted to receive the head 34 of the mounting arrow 30. The cavities 22 of the rotatable arrow 20 create side walls 24, each of which is provided with an opening 26. The openings 26 in the rotatable handle 20 align with the opening 32 in the head 34 of the mounting arrow 30, such that a pivot means such as the pivot pin 60 (see Figure 3), such as the slot pin 60 as illustrated in Figure 6, can be installed to hold in shape rotating the arrow of assembly 30 with the rotatable handle 20. The cavities 22 of the rotatable handle 20 also preferably create the rear wall 28 of the rotatable handle 20 which limits the rotation of the rotatable handle 20 with respect to the mounting arrow 30 to approximate ninety degrees preferably. The folding rotatable handle device 10 is adapted to be mounted on an article having a planar mounting surface 70. The mounting arrow 30 rotatably engages at one end, the pivot end 38 of the mounting arrow 30 to the rotatable handle 20 as described above, allowing the rotatable handle 20 to rotate with respect to the mounting arrow 30 by approximately ninety degrees. The end of the mounting arrow 30 opposite the pivot point, the retaining end 36 is threaded and designed to project through an opening in the planar mounting surface 70 on which the folding handle device 10 is mounted. Once that the mounting arrow 30 is passed through the opening in the planar mounting surface, the bypass or spring means 40 are placed around the mounting arrow 30 and a retaining means such as the nut 50 shown in the Figure 1, is threaded onto the mounting arrow 30 to hold the handle device to the planar mounting surface and the spring 40 between the planar mounting surface and the retaining means 50. The rotatable handle 20 of the folding handle device 10 can Stored safely either in an open position, vertical as illustrated in Figure 1, or a stored, closed position as illustrated in Figure 2. By applying a rotational force in the direction A, as illustrated in Figure 1, the rotatable handle 20 can be moved from a vertical position to a stored position. Alternately, by applying a rotational force in the direction B, as illustrated in Figure 2, the rotatable handle 20 can move from the stored position to the vertical position. The nut 50 is placed on the mounting arrow 30 by rotating either clockwise or counterclockwise to the desired spring force required to retain the pivotable handle 20 in place. As the nut 20 is turned clockwise in the mounting arrow 30, the force of the spring increases. As the nut 50 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction, the spring force decreases in the mounting arrow 30. When the rotatable handle 20 is moved from the vertical position (Figure 1) to the stored position (Figure 2), the increased force is created by means of leverage 21 (see Figures 9, 1 and 2) integral to the rotatable handle 20. Conforming the rotatable handle 20 is rotated in the direction of the arrow A as illustrated in Figure 1, the leverage means 21 created by a radius in each of the walls 24, causing the pivot point of the rotatable handle 20 to move away of the mounting surface 70, in this way moving the retaining end 36 of the mounting arrow 30 axially towards the handle. Then, after the pivot point passes the peak point in the cam, the retaining end 36 of the mounting arrow moves axially away from the handle 20. This movement increasingly compresses the spring 40 to a point of maximum compression when the The pivot point is pivoted at a point furthest from the mounting surface 70. The spring force then decreases as the handle 20 continues to rotate until it is in the bent position.

Preferably, the pivot point is located such that it is equidistant from the bottom surface 23 of the rotatable handle 20 and lateral surface 25 of the rotatable handle. That is, as illustrated in Figure 9, the distance X is approximately equal to the distance Y. A uniform radius of diameter smaller than the distance X or Y creates an adequate leverage action, thereby increasing the amount of force about half is required between the stored position and the vertical position of the rotatable handle 20. When designing the handle to be folded in this way, equal force is required to move the handle rotatable from the stored position to the vertical, as required to move the handle rotatable from the vertical position to the stored one. Additionally, when designing the distance X to be equal to Y, an equivalent amount of retaining force keeps the handle rotatable in place in either the vertical or bent positions. Several modifications to the previous design are contemplated, which may be advantageous in certain circumstances. The bypass means may comprise any means in the art that is capable of providing the spring force necessary to hold the handle 20 in place. For example, as illustrated in Figures 10 and 11, the bypass means may be a cylindrical neoprene eyelet. An advantage here is additional cushioning and a silent and even operation. While the most useful geometry of the present invention is anticipated to be that the rotatable handle has two positions, vertical (ninety degrees) and stored (zero degrees), other applications may require that the rotatable handle have certain positions in other locations, or probably multiple positions with a rotational movement of one hundred and eighty degrees or probably greater. By varying the leverage surface on the rotatable handle 20 to include one or more planar surfaces at various locations, a greater number of combinations may be employed. The mounting arrow and the pivot pin can be incorporated into an integral part 90 as illustrated in Figure 12 and Figure 12A. Here, a modification to the handle base is required, illustrated in Figure 12A, where the handle base 102 is designed to accommodate the integral T-90 mounting pin and arrow, when installed across the top 106 of the handle base through a hole to abut a pair of slots 104 in the base of the handle 102.

The above modalities direct a U-shaped rotatable handle with two connection points to a mounting surface. The present invention also applies to a rotatable handle having a single connection point 10 'such as that illustrated in Figure 13. Except for the 20 X rotatable handle itself this design uses substantially the same basic components as those of the rotatable handle design U-shaped 10, including a mounting arrow 30", a bypass means or spring 40 ', a retaining means or nut 50' and a pivot means, such as pivot pin 60. However, only one Mounting arrow, spring, nut and pivot pin are required instead of 2. Finally, an alternate embodiment is illustrated in Figure 14 wherein the hinge pin, the mounting arrow and the bypass means are all one integral piece 80. As in the embodiment of Figures 12 and 12A, a modified handle 110 is required to provide the handle base for rotatably supporting the pin 82 on the handle As in Figure 12A, the combined part 80 is installed through the supe part of the base of the handle 110, as illustrated by the arrow C. The curved members 84 act as both spring or resilient and retaining means, to hold the handle in place against a planar mounting surface and provide a spring force against that surface. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the above described embodiments of the invention, without departing from its broad inventive concepts. It is therefore understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described but is intended to cover all modifications that are within the scope and spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (16)

1. CLAIMS 1. A folding handle device, which is mounted on an article for transport, the article has a generally planar mounting surface having upper and bottom sides, the folding handle is characterized in that it comprises: a) a handle in the shape of A rotatable U having two leg members and an extension member connecting the leg members, each leg member having an adaptive means for pivotally receiving a mounting arrow, each leg member having a base having planar surfaces that allow the base resting level against the planar mounting surface in a plurality of positions, including the position in which the handle is vertical and which includes a position in which the handle is bent parallel to the mounting surface; b) two mounting arrows, each having a pivot end and a receiving end, each mounting arrow is rotatably mounted with a handle base at the pivot end of the mounting arrow; c) the retaining ends of the mounting arrows are mounted through openings in the planar mounting surface, such that the handle is on the upper side of the mounting surface and the retaining ends of the arrows assembly projects through the bottom side of the mounting surface and held in place by retaining means to capture the handle on the planar mounting surface; d) bypass means between the retaining ends of the mounting arrows and the bottom side of the mounting surface, to derive the retaining ends of the mounting arrow away from the bottom side of the planar mounting surface, and ) the handle is adapted to facilitate axial movement of the arrows relative to and perpendicular to the planar mounting surface, as the handle is rotated between the vertical and folded positions, when the handle is already in the vertical position or the folded position, the means bypass are under a compression load, and during the transition from the vertical to bent positions and the transition from the bent to vertical positions, the bypass means are under a higher compression load than when the handle is in the vertical position or in the folded position. The folding handle device according to claim 1, characterized in that the compression load of the bypass means when the handle is in the vertical position, is the same as the compression load of the bypass means when the handle It is in the folded position. 3. The folding handle device according to claim 1, characterized in that the bypass means are helical springs. 4. The folding handle device according to claim 1, characterized in that the bypass means are rubber eyelet means. 5. The folding handle device according to claim 1, characterized in that each arrow is threaded and the retaining means are nuts. The folding handle device according to claim 1, characterized in that each arrow includes an integral pivot pin adapted to be received in a slot of each leg member. The folding handle device according to claim 1, characterized in that each arrow includes an integral pivot pin, integral retention means and integral bypass means. 8. A folding handle device, which is mounted on an article for transport, the article has a generally planar mounting surface with upper and bottom sides, the folding handle comprises: a) a rotatable U-shaped handle having two Leg members and an extension member connecting the leg members, each leg member having an adaptive means for pivotally receiving a mounting arrow, each leg member having a base with planar surfaces that allow the base to support level against the planar mounting surface in a plurality of positions, including a position in which the handle is vertical and includes a position in which the handle is bent parallel to the mounting surface; b) two mounting arrows, each having a pivot end and a retaining end, each mounting arrow is rotatably mounted with a handle base at the pivot end of the mounting arrow; c) the retaining ends of the mounting arrows are mounted through openings in the planar mounting surface, such that the handle is on the upper side of the mounting surface and the retaining ends of the mounting arrows they project through the bottom side of the mounting surface and are held in place by a nut to capture the handle on the planar mounting surface; d) a spring between the nut on the mounting arrow and the bottom side of the mounting surface, to derive the retaining ends of the mounting arrow away from the bottom side of the planar mounting surface; e) the handle is adapted to facilitate axial movement of the arrows relative to and perpendicular to the planar mounting surface, as the handle is rotated between the vertical and folded positions, when the handle is in either the vertical position or the folded position, the springs are under a compression load, and during the transition from the vertical to folded positions and the transition from the folded to vertical positions, the springs are under a greater compression load than when the handle is in the vertical position or in the vertical position. bent position; and f) wherein the compression load of the springs when the handle is in the vertical position, is the same as the compression load of the springs when the handle is in the folded position. 9. A folding handle device, which is mounted on an article for transport, the article has a generally planar mounting surface with upper and bottom sides, the folding handle is characterized in that it comprises: a) a rotatable handle having a member of foot having means adapted to pivotally receive a mounting arrow and a base, the base has planar surfaces which allow the base to rest level with the planar mounting surface in a plurality of positions, including a position in which the handle it is vertical and includes a position in which the handle is bent parallel to the mounting surface; b) a mounting arrow having a pivot end and a retaining end, rotatably mounted on the handle base at the pivot end of the mounting arrow; c) the retaining end of the mounting arrow is mounted through an opening in the planar mounting surface such that the handle is on the upper side of the mounting surface and the retaining end of the mounting arrow is projected through the bottom side of the mounting surface and held in place by retaining means to capture the handle on the planar mounting surface; d) bypass means between the retaining end of the mounting arrow and the bottom side of the mounting surface, to derive the retaining end of the mounting arrow away from the bottom side of the planar mounting surface; and e) the handle is adapted to facilitate axial movement of the arrow relative to and perpendicular to the planar mounting surface as the handle is rotated between the vertical and folded positions, when the handle is in any of the vertical or folded positions, the means of bypass are under a compression load, and during the transition from the vertical to folded positions and the transition from the folded to vertical positions, the bypass means are under a higher compression load than when the handle is in the vertical position or the folded position. 10. The folding handle device according to claim 9, characterized in that the compression load of the bypass means when the handle is in the vertical position, is the same as the compression load of the bypass means when the handle is in the folded position. The folding handle device according to claim 9, characterized in that the bypass means comprise a helical spring. The folding handle device according to claim 9, characterized in that the bypass means comprise a spring with rubber eyelet. The folding handle device according to claim 9, characterized in that each arrow is threaded and the retaining means comprise a nut. The folding handle device according to claim 9, characterized in that the arrow includes an integral pivot pin adapted to be received in a slot in the leg member. The folding handle device according to claim 9, characterized in that the arrow includes an integral pivot pin, integral retention means and integral bypass means. 16. A folding handle device for mounting on an article to be transported, the article has a generally planar mounting surface having top and bottom surfaces, the folding handle is characterized in that it comprises: a) a rotatable handle having a pivoting member; With adaptable means for pivotally receiving a mounting arrow and a base, the base has planar surfaces which allow the base to rest level or against the planar mounting surface in a plurality of positions, including a position in which the handle it is vertical and including a position where the handle folds parallel to the mounting surface; b) a mounting arrow having a pivot end and a retaining end, rotatably mounted on the handle base at the pivot end of the mounting arrow; c) the retaining end of the mounting arrow is mounted through an opening in the planar mounting surface, such that the handle is on the upper side of the mounting surface and the retaining end of the arrow Assembly projects through the underside of the mounting surface and is retained in place by a nut to capture the handle on the planar mounting surface; d) a spring between the nut of the mounting arrow and the underside of the mounting surface, to bypass the retaining end of the mounting arrow away from the underside of the planar mounting surface; and e) the handle is adapted to facilitate axial movement of the arrow relative to and perpendicular to the planar mounting surface, as the handle is rotated between the vertical and bent positions, when the handle is in any of the vertical or bent positions, the spring is under a compression load and during the transition from the vertical to bent positions and the transition from the bent to vertical positions, the spring is under a greater compression force than when the handle is in the vertical position or the bent position, in where the compression load of the spring when the handle is in the vertical position, is the same as the compression load of the spring when the handle is in the bent position.