Promotional shopping-bag handle with hinged bag gripping members
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B65D-033/06
A45F-003/10
A45F-003/00
출원번호
US-0145757
(2005-06-06)
등록번호
US-7377568
(2008-05-27)
발명자
/ 주소
Moses,Joel V.
출원인 / 주소
Adbaggers LLC
대리인 / 주소
Lackenbach Siegel, LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
3인용 특허 :
4
초록▼
A promotional shopping-bag handle with hinged bag-gripping members contains a strap that includes an elongate sheet of material with two end portions and a central portion. Each end portion has a hook configured to receive the plastic handles of a shopping bag or the like. The strap may be plastic
A promotional shopping-bag handle with hinged bag-gripping members contains a strap that includes an elongate sheet of material with two end portions and a central portion. Each end portion has a hook configured to receive the plastic handles of a shopping bag or the like. The strap may be plastic injection molded; it may be of uniform thickness throughout or selectively reduced in thickness to save material and weight in areas where extra bulk is not essential to the strap's function. Hinges provided between the central and end portions allow the end portions to deflect out of the plane of the central portion under the weight of the bags being supported. This allows the bag holder to respond to the weight of the bags while holding a central portion that is substantially flat, thus avoiding bending, compression and pain to the hand of the user.
대표청구항▼
I claim: 1. Strap for carrying at least two shopping bags by hand comprises a relatively thin sheet of elongate material which defines a plane and a longitudinal axis within said plane in a flat unloaded condition of said elongate sheet of material including a substantially rigid central portion, d
I claim: 1. Strap for carrying at least two shopping bags by hand comprises a relatively thin sheet of elongate material which defines a plane and a longitudinal axis within said plane in a flat unloaded condition of said elongate sheet of material including a substantially rigid central portion, dimensioned and configured to be gripped by the hand of a user; a pair of spaced engaging members initially arranged within said plane in the unloaded condition and including receiving means substantially co-extensive with said axis for receiving handles of a pliable shopping bag from a predetermined position offset from said axis to a point substantially co-extensive with said axis, said plane defining a substantially vertical plane during an initial loading phase when shopping bag handles are introduced into said receiving means of said engaging members, and defining a substantially horizontal plane during a carrying phase prior to deformation by loads applied to said engaging members by bags; and a pliable hinge between said central portion and each engaging member that permits said engaging members to be in said plane of said central portion before loads are applied or move out of said plane relative to said central portion in said carrying phase in response to loads applied to said engaging members, said pliable hinge comprising a generally flat flexible portion having a thickness less than the thickness of said central portion that defines a radius on bending smaller than a radius defined by said central portion upon application of a load on said engaging members in said carrying phase, said pliable hinge including a guide edge inclined relative to a longitudinal axis for guiding a shopping bag handle from said offset position along said central portion towards said axis during said initial loading phase to facilitate insertion of said shopping bag handle into said receiving means, whereby supporting shopping bags on each engaging member facilitates the carrying of the shopping bags with comfort by allowing said engaging members to assume positions during said carrying phase consistent with the weight of the bags while maintaining the central portion relatively flat so as to avoid compressive or squeezing forces on the hand of the user due to excessive flexing or bending of the central portion. 2. Strap as defined in claim 1, wherein said pair of spaced engaging members comprises a lateral hook at each end of said central portion. 3. Strap as defined in claim 1, wherein each pliable hinge is integrally formed with said central portion and said engaging member. 4. Strap as defined in claim 1, further comprising shrinkable cylindrical sleeve surrounding said central portion that resists splitting when caused to bend out of said plane with bending of said central portion. 5. Strap as defined in claim 4, wherein said sleeve is imprinted with at least one advertisement. 6. Strap as defined in claim 4, wherein said sleeve is transparent. 7. Strap as defined in claim 4, wherein said sleeve is opaque. 8. Strap as defined in claim 1, wherein the material and thickness of said central portion are selected to allow said central portion to only bend to a degree to substantially conform to the shape of a shoulder of a user when the strap is placed on the shoulder with one engaging member in front of the user and one engaging member in the back of the user with loads applied to said engaging members. 9. Strap as defined in claim 1, wherein said central portion is provided with at least one elongate groove or recess extending along the elongate direction of a planar surface of said central portion. 10. Strap as defined in claim 9, wherein a plurality of generally parallel grooves or recesses are provided to form a plurality of spaced ribs. 11. Strap as defined in claim 10, further comprising a cylindrical sleeve that is shrink-wrapped about said central portion to cover and protect the hand of a user from direct contact with said ribs. 12. Strap as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide edge is substantially a straight edge inclined relative to said axis. 13. Strap as defined in claim 12, wherein said hinge substantially defines a trapezoid within said plane prior to application of loads. 14. Strap as defined in claim 1, wherein said pliable hinge defines a cantilever beam having a fixed end connected to said central portion and supporting an associated engaging member at a free end thereof, and having more material at said fixed end to strengthen said pliable hinge against bending or deformation during said loading phase when said plane is arranged in said vertical plane. 15. Strap as defined in claim 1, wherein each receiving means includes an opening that provides a minimal access clearance for the handles of plastic bags to move into said openings, whereby forced insertion of the handles of the plastic bags through said access clearances into said openings minimizes the risk of the handles from inadvertently separating from the strap. 16. Strap for carrying at least two shopping bags by hand comprises a relatively thin sheet of elongate material which defines a plane and a longitudinal axis within said plane in a flat unloaded condition of said elongate sheet of materials including a substantially rigid central portion, dimensioned and configured to be gripped by the hand of a user; a pair of spaced engaging members at each axial end of said central portion each including receiving means substantially co-extensive with said axis for receiving a handle of a pliable shopping bag, said plane defining a substantially vertical plane during an initial loading phase when shopping bag handles are introduced into said receiving means of said engaging members, and defining a substantially horizontal plane during a carrying phase prior to deformation by loads applied to said engaging members by the bags; and a pliable hinge between said central portion and each engaging member that permits said engaging members to be in said plane of said central portion during said loading phase before loads are applied or move out of said plane relative to said central portion in said carrying phase in response to loads applied to said engaging members, said pliable hinge comprising a generally flat flexible portion having a thickness less than the thickness of said central portion to define a radius on bending smaller than a radius defined by said central portion during said carrying phase upon application of a load on said engaging members, and said pliable hinge having a length along the direction of said longitudinal axis which is less than a minimum dimension of said pliable hinge along a direction normal to said longitudinal axis to form a substantially rigid structure and substantially avoid any bending during said loading phase when bag handles are introduced into said engaging members and having a guide edge inclined to a longitudinal axis for guiding a shopping bag handle from said offset position along said central portion towards said axis during said initial loading phase to facilitate insertion of said shopping bag handle into said receiving means, whereby bag handles can be readily guided and introduced into said engaging members during said loading phase when the strap is substantially rigid and when said plane is arranged in a vertical plane, and supporting shopping bags on each engaging member facilitates the carrying of the shopping bags with comfort by allowing said end portions to assume positions outside said plane during said carrying phase consistent with the weight of the bags while maintaining the central portion relatively flat to avoid compression or squeezing forces on the hand of the user due to excessive flexing or bending of the central portion, or undesired flexing or pivoting movements of said engaging members. 17. Strap as defined in claim 16, wherein each pliable hinge has a length direction which is approximately one half of the maximum dimension of said pliable hinge along a direction normal to said axis. 18. Strap for carrying at least two shopping bags by hand comprising a relatively thin sheet of elongate material which defines a plane and a longitudinal axis within said plane in a flat unloaded condition of said elongate sheet of material including a substantially rigid central portion, dimensioned and configured to be gripped by the hand of a user; a pair of spaced engaging members including receiving means for receiving a handle of a pliable shopping bag; pliable hinge between said central portion and each end portion that permits said engaging members to be in the plane of said central portion before loads are applied or move out of said plane in response to loads applied to said engaging members, said pliable hinge comprising a generally flat flexible portion having a thickness less than the thickness of said central portion to form a step of reduced thickness at each axial end where said central portion makes a transition to a pliable hinge and having a guide edge inclined to a longitudinal axis for guiding a shopping bag handle from said offset position along said central portion towards said axis during said initial loading phase to facilitate insertion of said shopping bag handle into said receiving means; and a shrink-wrap sleeve surrounding said central portion and having an axial length greater than the axial length of said central portion to position said sleeve to extend beyond both of said steps of reduced thickness to engage the same and prevent axial shifting or movements following the shrinking of said shrink-wrap sleeve. 19. Strap as defined in claim 18, wherein said sleeve is imprinted with at least one advertisement. 20. Strap as defined in claim 18, wherein said sleeve is transparent. 21. Strap as defined in claim 18, wherein said sleeve is opaque. 22. Strap for carrying at least two shopping bags by hand comprises a relatively thin sheet of elongate material which defines a plane and a longitudinal axis within said plane in a flat unloaded condition of said elongate sheet of materials including a substantially rigid central portion, dimensioned and configured to be gripped by the hand of a user; a pair of spaced engaging members of each axial end of said central portion including receiving means for receiving a handle of a pliable shopping bag; and a pliable hinge between said central portion and each engaging member that permits said engaging members to be in the plane of said central portions before loads are applied or move out of said plane in response to loads applied to said engaging members, said pliable hinge comprising a generally flat flexible portion having a thickness less than the thickness of said central portion that defines a radius on bending smaller than a radius defined by said central portion upon application of a load on said engaging members, and said pliable hinge having a length along the direction of said longitudinal axis which is less than a minimum dimension of said pliable hinge along a direction normal to said longitudinal axis and having a guide edge inclined to a longitudinal axis for guiding a shopping bag handle from said offset position along said central portion towards said axis during said initial loading phase to facilitate insertion of said shopping bag handle into said receiving means, whereby supporting shopping bags on each engaging member facilitates the carrying of the shopping bags with comfort by allowing said end portions to assume positions consistent with the weight of the bags while maintaining the central portion relatively flat to avoid compression or squeezing forces on the hand of the user due to excessive flexing or bending of the central portion, wherein each receiving means includes an opening that provides a minimal access clearance for the handles of plastic bags to move into said openings, whereby forced insertion of the handles of the plastic bags through said access clearances into said openings minimizes the risk of the handles from inadvertently separating from the strap. 23. Strap for carrying at least two shopping bags by hand comprises a relatively thin sheet of elongate material which defines a plane and a longitudinal axis within said plane in a plat unloaded condition of said elongate sheet of material including a substantially rigid central portion, dimensioned and configured to be gripped by the hand of a user; a pair of spaced engaging members including receiving means substantially extensive with said axis for receiving handles of a pliable shopping bag from a predetermined direction to a point substantially co-extensive with said axis; and a pliable hinge between said central portion and each engaging member that permits said engaging members to be in the plane of said central portion before loads are applied or move out of said plane in response to loads applied to said engaging members, said pliable hinge comprising a generally flat flexible portion having a thickness less than the thickness of said central portion that defines a radius on bending smaller than a radius defined by said central portion upon application of a load on said engaging members, said pliable hinge including a guide edge inclined relative to said axis for guiding a shopping bag handle from said central portion towards said axis to facilitate insertion of said shopping bag handle into said receiving means, whereby supporting shopping bags on each engaging member facilitates the carrying of the shopping bags with comfort by allowing said engaging members to assume positions consistent with the weight of the bags while maintaining the central portion relatively flat so as to avoid compressive or squeezing forces on the hand of the user due to excessive flexing or bending of the central portion, wherein each receiving means includes an opening that provides a minimal access clearance for the handles of plastic bags to move into said openings, whereby forced insertion of the handles of the plastic bags through said access clearances into said openings minimizes the risk of the handles from inadvertently separating from the strap.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (4)
McDonald Kirk A. (5153 Emerson Village Indianapolis IN 46032), Battery handle assembly.
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