Container with breakaway handle

Abstract

A container includes a receptacle and a handle. The handle is coupled to the receptacle to facilitate carrying of the receptacle by a person holding the handle.

Description

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a container. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a container including a handle.

Containers are used to carry a variety of objects. Some containers include a receptacle for receiving the objects and a handle coupled to the receptacle. The handle may be used by a person to carry the receptacle and objects located in the receptacle.

SUMMARY

According to the present disclosure, a container includes a receptacle and first and second handle portions coupled to the receptacle. The first and second handle portions are arranged to be coupled to one another to form a handle and are arranged to be uncoupled from one another to disassemble the handle in response to application of an uncoupling force to the container.

Illustratively, the first handle portion includes a first coupler tab and an elongated first body coupled to the first coupler tab and the receptacle and the second handle portion includes a second coupler tab and an elongated second body coupled to the second coupler tab and the receptacle. The first body is formed to include a first retainer aperture and the second body is formed to include a second retainer aperture and a transition aperture. To form the handle, the first coupler tab extends through the transition aperture into the second retainer aperture and the second coupler tab extends into the first retainer aperture. When the uncoupling force is applied to the container, the first coupler tab withdraws from the second retainer aperture and the transition aperture and the second coupler tab withdraws from the first retainer aperture so that the first and second handle portions separate from one another resulting in disassembly of the handle.

Additional features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a container that includes overlapping first and second handle portions coupled to one another to form a breakaway handle of the container;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the first and second handle portions uncoupled from one another due to application of an uncoupling force to the container;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, with portions broken away, showing insertion of a first coupler tab of the first handle portion through a transition aperture provided in an elongated body of the second handle portion during formation of the handle;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, with portions broken away, showing the first coupler tab extending from the transition aperture over a transition arm included in the elongated body of the second handle portion into a second retainer aperture provided in the elongated body of the second handle portion during formation of the handle;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, with portions broken away, showing insertion of a second coupler tab of the second handle portion into a first retainer aperture provided in an elongated body of the first handle portion during formation of the handle;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines VI-VI of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing connection of the first coupler tab to the second handle portion;

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing that the first coupler tab includes a head and a neck extending between the head and the elongated body of the first handle portion;

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing that the transition aperture is rectangle-shaped and that the second retainer aperture is trapezoid-shaped;

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing connection of the second coupler tab to the first handle portion;

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing that the second coupler tab includes a head and a neck extending between the head and the elongated body of the second handle portion; and

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing that the first retainer aperture of the first handle portion is trapezoid-shaped.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A container 10 includes a receptacle 12 having an open end portion 14 and a closed end portion 16 and a breakaway handle 18, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1 and 2. The handle 18 includes a first handle portion 20 and a second handle portion 22 arranged to move between a handle-formation position shown, for example, in FIG. 1 and a handle-disassembly position shown, for example, in FIG. 2.

The handle portions 20, 22 are arranged to break apart, separate, or otherwise uncouple from one another in response to a breakaway or uncoupling force F shown, for example, in FIG. 2. When coupled, the first and second handle portions 20, 22 are positioned in overlapping relation to one another, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1 and 6.

The receptacle 12 has a bottom wall 23 and a side wall 25 that extends upwardly from the bottom wall 23 toward the open end portion 14. The side wall 25 adjacent to the open end portion 14 is formed to include first and second lug-receiving apertures 27 and 31, respectively, for connecting the handle portions 20, 22 to the receptacle 12. Illustratively, the receptacle 12 is generally cylinder-shaped. It is within the scope of this disclosure for the receptacle 12 to have other shapes.

The handle 18 includes first and second handle portions 20, 22, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6. Illustratively, each of first and second handle portions 20, 22 is a one-piece construction configured as an elongated flexible strip made of plastics material.

The first and second handle portions 20, 22 are coupled to the side wall 25 for pivotable movement relative thereto, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1 and 2. A first proximal end portion 60 of the first handle portion 20 includes a first lug 82 which extends through the first lug-receiving aperture 27. A second proximal end portion 62 of the second handle portion 22 includes a second lug 88 which extends through the second lug-receiving aperture 31.

The first handle portion 20 is formed to include a first retainer aperture 28 and the second handle portion is formed to include a second retainer aperture 30, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1-5 and 7-12. The first handle portion 20 extends into the second retainer aperture 30 and engages the second handle portion 22 adjacent the second retainer aperture 30 when the first and second handle portions 20, 22 are coupled to one another. During coupling of the first and second handle portions 20, 22, handle portion 22 extends into the first retainer aperture 28 and engages the first handle portion 20 adjacent the first retainer aperture 30.

The first handle portion 20 includes a first coupler tab 24 and second handle portion 22 includes a second coupler tab 26, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 3-5. When the first and second handle portions 20, 22 are coupled to one another, the first coupler tab 24 is received in the second retainer aperture 30 and a transition aperture 44 formed in the second handle portion 22 and the second coupler tab 26 is received in the first retainer aperture 28. First coupler tab 24 provides a first distal end portion 64 of first handle portion 20. Second coupler tab 26 provides a second distal end portion 66 of second handle portion 22.

The first handle portion 20 includes an elongated first body 32 and the second handle portion 22 includes an elongated second body 34, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1, 2, 6, 9, and 12. The first body 32 is formed to include the first retainer aperture 28 and includes a first end portion 78 coupled to the first lug 82 and an opposite second end portion 80 coupled to the first coupler tab 24 for coupling of the first body 32 to the receptacle 12. The second body 34 is formed to include the second retainer aperture 30 and the transition aperture 44 and includes a first end portion 84 coupled to the second lug 88 and an opposite second end portion 86 coupled to the second coupler tab 26 for coupling of the second body 34 to the receptacle 12. The transition aperture 44 is located between the second retainer aperture 30 and the second coupler tab 26. A transition arm 46 included in second body 34 is located between the second retainer aperture 30 and the transition aperture 44.

The first coupler tab 24 includes a first head 36 and a first neck 38, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6-8. The first head 36 includes a convex peripheral edge 102 to facilitate insertion of the first head 36 through apertures 30, 44. The first neck 38 is located between the first head 36 and the first body 32 and has a width that is narrower than the first head 36 and the first body 32. The first neck 38 includes spaced-apart concave side edges 68 connecting the first body 32 and the peripheral edge 102 of the first head 36.

The second coupler tab 26 includes a second head 40 and a second neck 42, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 5, 10, and 11. The second head 40 includes a convex peripheral edge 104 to facilitate insertion of the second head 40 through aperture 28. The second neck 42 is located between the second head 40 and the second body 34 and has a width narrower than the second head 40 and the second body 34. The second neck 42 includes spaced-apart convex side edges 70 connecting the second body 34 and the second head 40. Each side edge 70 includes a vertex 72, a first side edge portion 74 extending laterally outward from the vertex 72 to the second body 34, and a second side edge portion 76 extending laterally outward from the vertex 72 to the peripheral edge 104 of the second head 40.

The first retainer aperture 28 is trapezoid-shaped to facilitate insertion and withdrawal of second head 40 through aperture 28 during formation of handle 18 and retention of second head 40 in aperture 28 upon formation of handle 18, as shown, for example, in FIG. 12. The first body 32 includes a first longer edge 48, a first shorter edge 50 parallel to the first longer edge 48, and a pair of non-parallel first side edges 52 connecting the first longer edge 48 and the first shorter edge 50. The first longer edge 48, the first shorter edge, and the pair of first side edges 52 cooperate to define the trapezoid shape of the first retainer aperture 28. The first longer edge 48 is located between the first shorter edge 50 and the first coupler tab 24.

The second retainer aperture 30 is trapezoid-shaped to facilitate insertion and withdrawal of first head 36 through aperture 30 during formation of handle 18 and retention of second head 36 in aperture 30 upon formation of handle 18, as shown, for example, in FIG. 9. The second body 34 includes a second longer edge 54, a second shorter edge 56 parallel to the second longer edge 54, and a pair of non-parallel second side edges 58 connecting the second longer edge 54 and the second shorter edge 56. The second longer edge 54, the second shorter edge 56, and the pair of non-parallel second side edges 58 cooperate to define the trapezoid shaped of the second retainer aperture 30. The second longer edge 54 is located between the second shorter edge 56 and the second coupler tab 26.

The transition aperture 44 is rectangle-shaped, as shown, for example, in FIG. 9. The rectangle shape of aperture 44 facilitates insertion of first coupler tab 24 therethrough.

During formation of handle 18, the first coupler tab 24 is moved through the transition aperture 44 over the transition arm 46 into the second retainer aperture 30 and the second coupler tab 26 is moved into the first retainer aperture 28, as suggested, for example, in FIGS. 3-5. In the handle-formation position, the second body 32 overlies the first body 34, the first neck 38 extends from the transition aperture 44 over the transition arm 46 to the second retainer aperture 30, the first head 36 extends through the second retainer aperture 30 so that the peripheral edge 102 engages side edges 58 to retain first coupler tab 24 in place, and the second head 40 extends through the first retainer aperture 28 so that the peripheral edge 104 engages side edges 52 to retain second coupler tab 26 in place.

Handle portions 20, 22 are moved from the handle-formation position to the handle-disassembly position in response to application of the uncoupling force F to container 10. The uncoupling force F may be applied to one or more of first handle portion 20, second handle portion 22, and receptacle 12 to cause separation of handle portions 20, 22 from one another. The first coupler tab 24 is withdrawn from the second retainer aperture 30 and the transition aperture 44 so that the first coupler tab 24 is not positioned in apertures 30, 44 when the first handle portion 20 assumes the handle-disassembly position. The second coupler tab 26 is withdrawn from the first retainer aperture 28 so that the second coupler tab 26 is not positioned in aperture 28 when the second handle portion 22 assumes the handle-disassembly position.

Claims

1. A container comprising

a receptacle and

first and second handle portions coupled to the receptacle, the first and second handle portions cooperating to provide means for allowing the first and second handle portions to couple to one another to form a handle and to uncouple from one another to disassemble the handle in response to application of an uncoupling force to the container.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the means includes a first coupler tab included in the first handle portion, a second coupler tab included in the second handle portion, a first retainer aperture formed in the first handle portion and configured to receive and retain the second coupler tab, and a second retainer aperture formed in the second handle portion and configured to receive and retain the first coupler tab.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein the first handle portion includes an elongated first body coupled to the first coupler tab and the receptacle and formed to include the first retainer aperture and the second handle portion includes an elongated second body coupled to the second coupler tab and the receptacle and formed to include the second retainer aperture.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein the first coupler tab includes a first head and a first neck, the first head extends through the second retainer aperture and engages the second body at the second retainer aperture when the first and second handle portions are coupled to one another, the first neck is located between the first head and the first body and has a width narrower than the first head and the first body, the second coupler tab includes a second head and a second neck, the second head extends through the first retainer aperture and engages the first body at the first retainer aperture when the first and second handle portions are coupled to one another, and the second neck is located between the second head and the second body and has a width narrower than the second head and the second body.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein the means includes a transition aperture and a transition arm, the transition aperture is formed in the second body and located between the second retainer aperture and the second coupler tab, the transition arm is located between the second retainer aperture and the transition aperture, and the first neck extends from the transition aperture over the transition arm to the second retainer aperture when the first and second handle portions are coupled to one another.

6. The container of claim 3, wherein the means includes a transition aperture formed in the second body and located between the second retainer aperture and the second coupler tab and the first coupler tab extends through the transition aperture into the second retainer aperture when the first and second handle portions are coupled to one another.

7. The container of claim 2, wherein each of the first retainer aperture and the second retainer aperture is trapezoid-shaped.

8. The container of claim 7, wherein the first handle portion includes a first longer edge, a first shorter edge parallel to the first longer edge, and a pair of non-parallel first side edges connecting the first longer edge and the first shorter edge, the first longer edge, the first shorter edge, and the pair of first side edges cooperate to define the first retainer aperture, the first longer edge is located between the first shorter edge and the first coupler tab, the second handle portion includes a second longer edge, a second shorter edge parallel to the second longer edge, and a pair of non-parallel second side edges connecting the second longer edge and the second shorter edge, the second longer edge, the second shorter edge, and the pair of second side edges cooperate to define the second retainer aperture, and the second longer edge is located between the second shorter edge and the second coupler tab.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein the first and second handle portions are positioned in overlapping relation when the first and second handle portions are coupled to one another.

10. A container comprising

a receptacle and

first and second handle portions coupled to the receptacle, the first and second handle portions being arranged to be coupled to one another to form a handle and arranged to be uncoupled from one another to disassemble the handle in response to application of an uncoupling force to the container.

11. The container of claim 10, wherein the first handle portion includes a first retainer aperture, the second handle portion includes a second retainer aperture, the first handle portion extends into the second retainer aperture and engages the second handle portion adjacent the second retainer aperture when the first and second handle portions are coupled to one another, and the second handle portion extends into the first retainer aperture and engages the first handle portion adjacent the first retainer aperture when the first and second handle portions are coupled to one another.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein the first handle portion includes a first coupler tab received in the second retainer aperture when the first and second handle portions are coupled to one another and the second handle portion includes a second coupler tab received in the first retainer aperture when the first and second handle portions are coupled to one another.

13. The container of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second handle portions includes a proximal end portion coupled to the receptacle and a distal end portion spaced apart from the proximal end portion, the first coupler tab provides the distal end portion of the first handle portion, and the second coupler tab provides the distal end portion of the second handle portion.

14. The container of claim 12, wherein the first handle portion includes an elongated first body coupled to the first coupler tab and the receptacle and formed to include the first retainer aperture and the second handle portion includes an elongated second body coupled to the second coupler tab and the receptacle and formed to include the second retainer aperture.

15. The container of claim 14, wherein the first coupler tab includes a first head and a first neck, the first head extends through the second retainer aperture and engages the second body at the second retainer aperture when the first and second handle portions are coupled to one another, the first neck is located between the first head and the first body and has a width narrower than the first head and the first body, the second coupler tab includes a second head and a second neck, the second head extends through the first retainer aperture and engages the first body at the first retainer aperture when the first and second handle portions are coupled to one another, and the second neck is located between the second head and the second body and has a width narrower than the second head and the second body.

16. The container of claim 15, wherein the first neck includes spaced-apart concave side edges connecting the first body and the first head.

17. The container of claim 15, wherein the second neck includes spaced-apart side edges connecting the second body and the second head, each side edge includes a vertex, a first side edge portion extending laterally outward from the vertex to the second body, and a second side edge portion extending laterally outward from the vertex to the second head.

18. The container of claim 12, wherein the second handle portion is formed to include a transition aperture located between the second retainer aperture and the second coupler tab and the first coupler tab extends through the transition aperture when the first and second handle portions are coupled to one another.

19. The container of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second retainer apertures is trapezoid-shaped.

20. The container of claim 10, wherein the first handle portion includes a first coupler tab coupled to the second handle portion when the first and second handle portions are coupled to one another and the second handle portion includes a second coupler tab coupled to the first handle portion when the first and second handle portions are coupled to one another.

21. The container of claim 20, wherein each of the first coupler tab and the second coupler tab includes a convex peripheral edge.

22. A container comprising

a receptacle and

first and second flexible handle strips made of plastics material and arranged to move relative to one another from a handle-formation position in which the first and second handle strips are coupled to one another to form a handle to a handle-disassembly position in which the first and second handle strips are uncoupled from one another to disassemble the handle in response to application of an uncoupling force to the container, the first handle strip including a first coupler tab and an elongated first body coupled to the first coupler tab and the receptacle, the first body being formed to include a first retainer aperture, the second handle strip including a second coupler tab and an elongated second body coupled to the second coupler tab and the receptacle, the second body being formed to include a second retainer aperture and a transition aperture, wherein, in the handle-formation position, the first and second bodies are positioned in overlapping relation to one another, the first coupler tab extends through the transition aperture into the second retainer aperture, and the second coupler tab extends into the first retainer aperture, and, in the handle-disassembly position, the first coupler tab is not positioned in the transition aperture and the second retainer aperture and the second coupler tab is not positioned in the first retainer aperture.

23. The container of claim 22, wherein the first body includes opposite first and second end portions, the first handle strip includes a first lug coupled to the first end portion of the first body and the receptacle, the first coupler tab is coupled to the second end portion of the first body, the second body includes opposite first and second end portions, the second handle strip includes a second lug coupled to the first end portion of the second body, and the second coupler tab is coupled to the second end portion of the second body.

24. The container of claim 22, wherein the second body further includes a transition arm located between the second retainer aperture and the transition aperture and the first coupler tab overlies the transition arm as the first coupler tab extends from the transition aperture to the first retainer aperture when the first and second handle strips are positioned in the handle-formation position.

25. The container of claim 24, wherein the first coupler tab includes a head and a neck positioned between the head and the first body and having a width narrower than the head and the first body, and, in the handle-formation position, the head is positioned in the second retainer aperture and the neck overlies the transition arm.

26. The container of claim 22, wherein the first coupler tab includes a first head and a first neck located between the first head and the first body and having a width narrower than the first head and the first body, the second coupler tab includes a second head and a second neck located between the second head and the second body and having a width narrower than the second head and the second body, and, in the handle-formation position, the first head is positioned in the second retainer aperture and the second head is positioned in the first retainer aperture.

27. The container of claim 22, wherein each of the first and second retainer apertures is trapezoid-shaped.

28. The container of claim 22, wherein the transition aperture is rectangle-shaped.