Apparatus and method for facilitating the lifting and carrying of objects without handles

Abstract

An apparatus and method are disclosed for facilitating movement of movable objects with an attachable handle. The handle includes a gripping section, a plurality of ductile members extending from the gripping section, and an attachment means attached to distal ends of the ductile members to secure the object to the handle. The attachment means may be a tacky material, which sticks to the object or to a corresponding attachment means to wrap around the object. The gripping section may include a slot on a side so that a user can remove the ductile members from the gripping section to open a box or bag being held by the handle. While the handle is not in use, the ductile members can be inserted into a hollow portion of the gripping section for storage thereof.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to handles and more particularly relates to handles with retractable straps to secure to objects without handles.

2. Description of the Related Art

For convenience sake, handles have been added to all types of movable objects, such as luggage, shopping bags, boxes, etc. These handles have proven to be extremely helpful and advantageous. Unfortunately, there are many products that do not include handles to assist in transportation. Handles have not been attached to these products for the mere fact that the product may be unattractive with handles, the product may not function as intended with handles attached, or it simply costs too much to attach handles thereto.

Additionally, some products with handles may still be difficult to carry due to the handle configuration. For example, boxes may be configured with handles that have been cut into the sides of the box, into which a user inserts the hands. These handles suffer from at least three distinct disadvantages. First, it requires both hands inserted into the handles to carry the box. In many situations, the user is already holding an object and it is therefore impossible to hold the object and carry the box at the same time. Second, the box may be loaded to a point that inserting ones hands into the handles is impeded by objects inside the box. Third, the handles tend to tear due to their placement as most of the weight bears on the bottom of the box, rather than on the sides.

From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for an apparatus and method for facilitating the lifting and movement of object that do not have handles already attached thereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available handles that can be attached to movable objects. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide an apparatus for attaching to movable objects that do not have handles that overcome many or all of the above-discussed shortcomings in the art.

The apparatus, in one embodiment, is configured to facilitate movement of movable objects with an attachable handle. The handle includes a gripping section, a plurality of ductile members extending from the gripping section, and an attachment means attached to distal ends of the ductile members and configured to secure the object to the handle to facilitate movement thereof. In one embodiment, the ductile members connect at a central location within the gripping section. In another embodiment, the gripping section includes a slot on a side, which extends the length of the gripping section and configured such that a user can remove the ductile members from the gripping section to open a box or bag being held by the handle.

In other embodiments, the gripping section may be plastic, fabric, metal, or other known material. The ductile members may be straps, rope, cords, or other suitable material. The attachment means may be a tacky material, which sticks to the object. However, the attachment means of one ductile member may also be attached to a corresponding attachment means of a different ductile member so that the attachment means does not have to-attach to the object; rather, the ductile members would wrap around the object.

While the handle is not in use, a removable cover can be applied to the tacky material to prevent it from inadvertently sticking to the wrong object, the gripping section, or ductile members. Additionally, the gripping may be hollow to store the ductile members when the handle is not in use.

A method is also presented for attaching a handle to an object. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of providing a gripping section, providing a plurality of ductile members protruding from the gripping section, providing attachment means to the ductile members to attach to the object and attaching the attachment means to enable a user to move the object using the handle.

Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a handle according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2A-2E illustrate general configurations for attaching the handle according to certain embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a gripping section for holding straps according to one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a gripping section according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

FIG. 1 depicts a handle 10 for attaching to movable objects to facilitate movement thereof according to one embodiment of the present invention. The handle 10 includes a gripping section 12, a plurality of ductile members 14 extending from the gripping section 12, and an attachment means 16 attached to distal ends of the ductile members 14 and configured to secure the object to the handle 10 to facilitate movement thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the attachment means 16 is a tacky material, which sticks to the object 10. Removable covers 18 may be used to prevent the tacky attachment means 16 from inadvertently attaching to the wrong object, the ductile members 14, or the gripping portion 12.

In one embodiment, the ductile members 14 connect at a central location within the gripping section 12 to ensure that the object connected to the handle is maintained at a level position.

The gripping section 12 may be plastic, fabric, metal, or other known material. The ductile members 14 may be straps, rope, cords, or other suitable material and may comprise fabric, plastic, or other known substance. The attachment means 16 is configured to attach to the object.

FIGS. 2A-2E illustrate general configurations for attaching the handle 10 to objects 20. As illustrated, the tacky attachment means 16 attaches to sides of the objects 20. However, specifically in FIG. 2D, it is also envisioned that the attachment means 16 may be configured to connect directly to another attachment means 16 to create a hoop for holding the object 10. More specifically, for explanation purposes, a first attachment means 22 of a first ductile member 24 may be attached to a corresponding second attachment means 26 of a second ductile member 28 so that the attachment means 16 does not have to attach to the object 10; rather, the ductile members 24 and 28 would wrap around the object 10.

FIG. 3 depicts a gripping portion 12 with the ductile members 14 stored therein according to one embodiment of the present invention. The gripping portion 12 is hollow to allow the user to insert the ductile members 14 for storage. While the handle 10 is not in use, the removable cover 18 can be applied to the tacky material to prevent it from inadvertently sticking to the wrong object, the gripping section 12, or the ductile members 14.

In operation, for storage, the user simply pushes the ductile members 14 into the hollow portion 34 of the gripping section 12. For use, the user simply pulls the ductile members 14 out of the gripping section 12, removes the covers 18 from the tacky attachment means 16, and attaches the attachment means 16 to the object 20 (See FIG. 2A-2E) or to other attachments means 16.

FIG. 4 depicts the gripping section 12 configured to allow removal of the ductile members 14 therefrom according to one embodiment of the present invention. The gripping section 12 includes a slot 30 on a side 32, which extends the full length of the gripping section 12. The slot 30 is wide enough to allow the ductile members 14 to exit from within the gripping section 12. Advantageously, the slot 30 allows a user to remove the ductile members 14 from the gripping section 12 to open a box or bag being held by the handle 10 without detaching the attachment means 16 from the object.

It is understood that the above-described arrangements are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the presently illustrated invention. The present invention may, however, be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

For example, although the illustrated embodiment(s) show a gripping portion 12 of generally round shape, it is envisioned that the gripping portion 12 may be any shape, and may be configured to provide the most comfortable grip possible to the users.

Thus, while the present invention has been fully described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment(s) of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made, without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A handle to facilitate movement of an object, the handle comprising:

a gripping section;

a plurality of ductile members extending from the gripping section; and

an attachment means attached to distal ends of the ductile members and configured to secure the object to the handle to facilitate movement thereof.

2. The handle of claim 1, wherein the ductile members connect at a central location in the gripping section.

3. The handle of claim 1, wherein the gripping section comprises material selected from the group consisting of plastic, fabric, and metal.

4. The handle of claim 1, wherein the ductile members are selected from the group consisting of straps, ropes and cords.

5. The handle of claim 1, wherein the attachment means is a tacky material configured to stick to the object.

6. The handle of claim 1, wherein the attachment means is configured to attach each ductile member to a corresponding ductile member to secure the object in a substantially fixed position between the ductile members.

7. The handle of claim 5, wherein the tacky material comprises a removable cover, configured to cover the tacky material until the handle is to be used.

8. The handle of claim 1, wherein the gripping section is hollow and configured to receive the ductile members when the handle is not in use.

9. A handle to facilitate movement of an object, the handle comprising:

a gripping section having an opening on a side thereof which extends from one end to an opposite end;

a plurality of ductile members extending from the gripping section; and

an attachment means attached to distal ends of the ductile members and configured to attach to the object.

10. The handle of claim 9, wherein the gripping section comprises material selected from the group consisting of plastic, fabric, and metal

11. The handle of claim 9, wherein the ductile members are straps.

12. The handle of claim 9, wherein the attachment means is a tacky material configured to stick to the object.

13. The handle of claim 9, wherein the attachment means is configured to attach each ductile member to a corresponding ductile member to secure the object in a substantially fixed position between the ductile members.

14. The handle of claim 12, wherein the tacky material comprises a removable cover, configured to cover the tacky material until the handle is to be used.

15. The handle of claim 9, wherein the gripping section is hollow and configured to receive the ductile members when the handle is not in use.

16. The handle of claim 9, wherein the ductile members are configured to be removable from the gripping section through the slot on the side of the handle when the attachment means is secured to the object.

17. A method for attaching a handle to an object comprising the steps of:

providing a gripping section;

providing a plurality of ductile members protruding from the gripping section;

providing attachment means to the ductile members to attach to the object; and

attaching the attachment means to enable a user to move the object using the handle.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the ductile members are straps.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the attachment means is a tacky material attached to distal ends of the ductile members and configured to stick to the object.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the tacky material is tape.