US2722368A - Combination closure and handle device - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet l M. GOTTSEGEN Nov. l, 1955 COMBINATION CLOSURE AND HANDLE DEVICE Filed March 8, 1954 M. GOTTSEGEN COMBINATION CLOSURE AND HANDLE DEVICE Nov. l, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 8, 1954 United States Patent COMBINATION CLOSURE AND HANDLE DEVICE Marten Gottsegen, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 8, 1954, Serial No. 414,843

2 Claims. (Cl. 229-54) This invention relates to top closure devices for containers such as bags and the like and also to separable handle members attachable to such containers. More particularly, the invention comprises a combination closure device and handle member which, after serving its initial function as a closure member, continues to function as a convenient handle, thereby converting which would otherwise be an ordinary bag container to a shopping bag type of container.

In recent years marketing methods, especially packaging of innumerable and varied merchandise has been revolutionized by the introduction of plastic bag containers replacing the more conventional paper bag containers heretofore used. Such bags are of both the transparent and opaque varieties including those made from such materials as polyethylene, cellophane, etc. Bags made of such materials are ordinarily stronger and hence more permanent than paper bags. This property as well as other desirable properties of such bags enable the continued use of the bags as containers long after they have served their initial packaging function. Oftentimes, they may be used as shopping bags or similar carriers for transporting articles.

It is also well known that packages and containers of various types which are provided with handles enabling the same to be handled and transported by the lmere grasping of the handles in the hand of the operator are preferred to handleless packages. Logically, merchandise packaged in such containers is more saleable than mechandise packaged in the more conventional containers.

Heretofore, however, the cost of such packages was prohibitive and therefore seldom, if ever, used. Moreover, the diliculty experienced in attempting to provide a satisfactory closure device for use in connection with a bag provided with handles was a factor contributing to the non-use thereof.

It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide a combination bag closure and handle device so constructed and designed as to overcome all of the objections mentioned hereinabove.

Another important object is to afford a combination bag closure and handle device unitarily formed and capable of affording a satisfactory closure of the container when the same is attached to the mouth or opening of a container such as a bag.

A further object is to provide a separable handle device which may be readily affixed to a container in such a manner that the same serves as a closure member for the container.

Yet another object is to afford a top closure member which may be mounted over the opening of a container and which after it has completed its initial function as a closure member still retains an additional function as a carrying handle. An object relating thereto is to construct the closure member with a perforated separation area by means of which the seal may be broken, said Patented Nov. 1, 1955 2 perforated area being so positioned that it does not alect or interfere with the handle portions of the closure member.

Yet a further object is to provide a separable handle device which may be formed by die-cutting, punching, and folding a blank of suitable material with portions of the material folded in such a manner as to provide reinforcement of those portions of the handle which require strengthening.

Still another object is to afford a bag-type container with a separable combination handle and top closure member mounted thereon, said latter-mentioned member affording additional space for prominently displaying advertising indicia and the like.

Still a further object is to provide a device of the character described which in addition to performing the several functions heretofore mentioned, additionally reinforces the container in the area adjacent the mouth of the bag thereby preventing the premature destruction of the bag at least at this vital position.

Finally another object is to afford a simply constructed, inexpensive, yet sturdy and attractive, combination closure and handle device for containers, especially of the bag type.

According to the invention the device comprises a pair of identically shaped handle members provided with aligned slots through which may be inserted the ngers of the carrier and by means of which the container and its contents may be supported and transported. The handle members are attached one to the other along a partially cut and partially perforated scored line so that both of the handles may be actually die-cut and formed from a single blank. Each of the handles comprises a pair of members integrally formed and folded so. that the two are aligned one with the other. The bases of each of these latter-mentioned members may be attached one to each of the surfaces of the two sides of a bag, so that the perforated separation line is positioned between the two sides and actually serves as a part of the closure member. The handles project upwardly and may be used as such while the same still retain their initial closure function, When it is desired to gain access to the contents of the bag, the device is separated along the perforated line thereby opening the bag but without detaching the handle members from the upper edges of the sides of the bags. Thereafter, the device may be used as a handle for the container.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, my invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding v or similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawcontainer with my closure and handle device mounted thereon; v

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blank from which the combination closure and handle device is formed;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the device with portions of the handle member shown in section;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of one of the handle members taken on the plane of line 4 4 in Fig. 5 of the drawings;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the handle device taken on the plane of line 5 5 in Fig. 7 of the drawings and viewed in the direction indicated;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to that of Fig. 5 but showing the device with the seal of the closure member broken;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a bag with my combination closure and handle member in its initial operational position on said bag;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 4 showing the hand of a carrier in dotted outline as it would be positioned in actual operation; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of a merchandise-lled bag with my combination closure and handle device mounted thereon showing the closure member separated and with one of the handle members removed for purposes of illustration, the same however being shown in dotted outline.

Referring to the several figures of the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates generally a handled container comprising a bag 12 with my novel handle device 14 mounted thereon. The bag 12 may be formed from any suitable material including paper, cloth, nylon mesh, or one of the many flexible plastic materials such as polyethylene, the vinyls, cellophane, and the like. The handle likewise may be formed from a suitable material combining the physical properties of sufficient strength to support the weight of the merchandise-filled bag for which it is intended, sufficient flexibility so that it may accommodate itself to the approximate shape of the container both in its unfilled and filled condition, as well as other characteristics such as workability, inexpensiveness, etc. I have found that a cardboard calendered on one surface serves admirably as a material of construction for such a handle.

Turning now to a more detailed description of the comt bination closure and handle member 14, attention is directed to Fig. 2 in which is shown a blank 16 from which the handle 14 may be formed. The blank 16 is die-cut to afford a pair of I-beam shaped panels such as 18. These panels are connected along a weakened line 20, the end portions of which are cut at 22, said cut extending inwardly from the outer edges for a short distance until they communicate with a central perforated portion 24. Thus it will be noted that the weakened line separates the blank 16 into two identical portions which may be folded, in a manner to be subsequently disclosed, to provide both the closure member and the handle device.

Each of the panels 18 is formed with a pair of rectangular segments 26 and 28 formed at the outer ends of the same. Protruding inwardly and integrally formed with the segments 26 and 28 are a pair of trapezoidal- shaped segments 30 and 32, the sides of which converge inwardly until they meet at the point 34, at which point the two trapezoidal segments 30 and 32 are joined together along a scored fold line 36. Again it will be noted that each of the identical I-beam shaped panels of the blank 16 are again formed from identically shaped panels joined together along the scored line 36.

Within each of the segments 30 and 32 central elongated slots such as 38 may be formed by die-cutting along the lines 40 as shown in solid outline in Fig. l of the drawings. One of the straight sides of the slot 38 remains uncut but instead is merely scored as at 42, thereby affording a fold line. Thus the portion of the blank cut out of the slot 38 comprises a tab 44 joined to the panel along the scored fold line 42. The function of these tabs will be disclosed as the description proceeds.

After the blank 16 has been die-cut and scored in the manner described hereinabove, simple folding operations are all that are required to complete the handle and closure member. In this connection the blank is first folded along the weakened line 20 with the individual handles 18 folded upwardly through an arc of 180 until they both abut each other in adjacent parallel relationship. When so folded the outer rectangular- shaped segments 26 and 28 are aligned one with the other as are the inner rectangular segments 26 and 28. Moreover, the four tabs 44 are each aligned with each other.

The aforementioned tabs are then bent outwardly through an arc of until each of them is folded back and against the adjoining portion of the trapezoidal segments 30 and 32.

The handle is then completed by folding the smaller identical members along the scored line 46 until all of the segments are aligned in the position shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. In this position it will be noted that the tabs 44 folded inwardly serve as reinforcements for the handle portion and that the aligned slots 38 permit the fingers of the hand of the carrier to be inserted therethrough in the manner shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. It will further be noted that the folded device comprises a pair of outer walls 48 and 50 and a pair of inner walls 52 and 54 joined together at the bottom thereof along the perforated and partially cut line 20.

After the handle has been fully formed as described hereinabove, the same is then attached to the bag 12 in the manner which will now be described in detail. It will be noted that the bag 12 is formed with two walls or sides 56 and 58. The combination handle and closure member 14 is mounted over the mouth of the bag with the bag side 56 positioned between the outer wall 48 and the inner wall 52. The other bag side 58 is similarly positioned between the walls 50 and 54 of the handle member. The bag and handle member are then joined together by suitable fastening means such as for example a plurality of staples 60 spaced apart in aligned relationship as shown in Figs. 4 and 9 of the drawings. Thus it will be noted that on one side the staples join one side of the bag 56 to a handle outer wall 48 and an inner wall 52, whereas on the other side the bag wall 58 is aixed between the handle walls 50 and 54.

Since the inner walls 52 and 54 of the handle member at this point are still joined together along the scored line 20 as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings, it will be evident that this inner portion of the handle member serves as a closure device for the mouth of the bag while at the same time, the handle function of the device is unimpaired thereby. It should furdier be noted, as in Fig. 7 of the drawings, that the width of the handle member 14 is at most only slightly less than Vthe width of the mouth of the bag 12, so that a substantially full closure of the bag is effected by the mounting of the handle member as described hereinabove. It should also be noted, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 9 of the drawings, that in mounting the handle members on the bag, only the rectangular segments 26 and 28 of the blank are positioned below the top of the mouth of the bag. The trapezoidal-shaped segments 30 and 32 protrude upwardly above the mouth of the bag so that free access to the finger-engaging slots 38, unimpeded by the bag walls, is provided.

When it is desired to open the package, all that need be done is to separate the top closure member along the perforations 24 as shown in Figs. 6 and 9 of the drawings. When so separated it will be noted that the handle walls 48 and 52 remain affixed to the bag wall 56 and that the opposite side of the handle, namely the walls 50 and 54, remain attached to the other bag wall 58. Thus, the handle remains in operational position at all times, thereby preserving its initial function. Although the seal of the closure member has been broken, the bag may continue to be used as a carrier and, if desired, the

closure may be again eiected by joining together the inner handle sidewalls 52 and 54 by a suitable adhesive member or the like.

From the foregoing description it should be evident that I have provided a unique combination closure and handle device for containers having a top opening or mouth such as a bag. The device may be mounted on the container so that a portion thereof serves as a top closure member while at the same time other portions of the device serve as a handle. The device is further constructed in such a manner that breaking the seal of the closure member does not alect or destroy the handle function of the device.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A combination container and carrier comprising a exible bag, a separable combination closure and handle device aixed to the upper marginal edges of the bag, said closure and handle device comprising a cardboard member accordion-folded along three fold lines to af.- ford two pairs of transversely aligned like segments positioned with two fold lines uppermost and one bottom fold line connecting the two pairs of segments, the width of said segments approximating the width of said bag, the upper marginal edges of the sides of said bag positioned between each pair of adjacent carboard member segments and affixed therebetween to aord a substantially complete closure for said bag, the central area of said cardboard member having at least one area of weakness wherein the pairs of segments may be separated for gaining ready access to the contents of the bag and transversely aligned handle means formed in the segments for providing means for carrying the bag.

2. The combination container and carrier of claim l in which said bottom fold line is weakened by perforations.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,691,741 Snyder Nov. 13, 1928 1,751,473 Duebener Mar. 25, 1930 2,400,759 Katz May 21, 1946

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