CONTAINER WITH A RETRACTABLE HANDLE

Abstract

A container, comprising a body comprising a bottom wall and sidewalls extending from said bottom wall; at least one of two opposite side walls comprising a handgrip portion in an upper portion thereof, the handgrip portion comprising an aperture; a handle comprising at least one side arm, the at least one side arm comprising a first end, a second end and a length between the first and the second ends; the aperture of the handgrip portion receiving the first end of the handle; the side arm being connected to the body by the first end of the handle sliding inside the handgrip portion through the aperture, from i) a pulled out-position, where the first end of the handle is locked inside the handgrip portion by the aperture and the side arm is pivotable about the aperture, and ii) a retracted position along the sidewall of the body, wherein the first end is engaged deeper in the handgrip portion and the side arm is locked into position by the aperture at a position between the first and the second ends.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/245,860, filed on Sep. 25, 2009. All documents above are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a container. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a container provided with a retractable handle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a container, comprising a body comprising a bottom wall and sidewalls extending from said bottom wall; at least one of two opposite side walls comprising a handgrip portion in an upper portion thereof, the handgrip portion comprising an aperture; a handle comprising at least one side arm, the at least one side arm comprising a first end, a second end and a length between the first and the second ends; the aperture of the handgrip portion receiving the first end of the handle; the side arm being connected to the body by the first end of the handle sliding inside the handgrip portion through the aperture, from i) a pulled out-position, where the first end of the handle is locked inside the handgrip portion by the aperture and the side arm is pivotable about the aperture, and ii) a retracted position along the sidewall of the body, wherein the first end is engaged deeper in the handgrip portion and the side arm is locked into position by the aperture at a position between the first and the second ends.

There is further provided a retractable handle for a stackable container comprising a bottom wall and sidewalls extending from the bottom wall; at least one of two opposite of the side walls comprising a handgrip portion, the handgrip portion comprising an aperture; the handle comprising at least one arm, the at least one side arm comprising a first end, a second end and a length between the first and the second ends; the first end of the handle being received in the aperture of the handgrip portion and the first end of the handle sliding inside the handgrip portion through the aperture, from i) a pulled out-position, where the first end of the handle is locked inside the handgrip portion by the aperture and the side arm is pivotable about the aperture, and ii) a retracted position along the sidewall of the body, wherein the first end is engaged deeper in the handgrip portion and the side arm is locked into position by the aperture at a position between the first and the second ends

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the appended drawings:

FIG. 1 are perspective part views of a container according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention: a) with an handle in a retracted position thereof; and b) with the handle in a container-carrying position thereof;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a body of a container according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bodies of two containers according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention, in a stacked position;

FIG. 4 is a detail of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective part view of a container according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention, with the handle in a pulled-out position thereof;

FIG. 6 show handles: a) perspective view of a handle according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention; b) perspective view of a handle according to another embodiment of an aspect of the present invention; and c) top view of the handle of FIG. 6b;

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate insertion and locking of the handle in engagement with the body of the container according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 9 illustrates insertion and locking of the handle in engagement with the body of the container according to another embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 10 illustrate insertion and locking of the handle in engagement with the body of the container according to another embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 11 illustrate insertion and locking of the handle in engagement with the body of the container according to another embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 12 illustrate insertion and locking of the handle in engagement with the body of the container according to another embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 13 illustrate insertion and locking of the handle in engagement with the body of the container according to another embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 14 show different shapes for free ends of the side arms of a handle according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 15 illustrate insertion and locking of the handle in engagement with the body of the container according to another embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 16 illustrate insertion and locking of the handle in engagement with the body of the container according to another embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 17 illustrate insertion and locking of the handle in engagement with the cover of the container according to another embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 18 illustrates insertion and locking of a handle according to another embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 19 illustrate insertion and locking of a one side arm handle according to another embodiment of an aspect of the present invention; and

FIG. 20 illustrates insertion and locking of a handle according to another embodiment of an aspect of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is illustrated in further details by the following non-limiting examples.

A shown in FIG. 1, the container 10 generally comprises a body 12 and a handle 14. The container may further comprise a cover 160.

The body 12, as best seen in FIG. 2, has a generally parallelepiped shape, with two first opposite sidewalls 20, 22 and two second opposite sidewalls 34, 36 extending from a bottom wall. The top portion thereof may comprise an upper flange 16 running over at least part of the perimeter thereof. The flange 16 can extend around the perimeter of the body 12. Typically, two opposite sidewalls 20 and 22 of the body 12 are provided with a handgrip portion 18. The handgrip portion 18 on each one of the opposite sidewalls need not be positioned at the same position along the respective width of the opposite sidewalls.

The handle 14 is shown in a retracted position in FIG. 1a, in a container-carrying position in FIG. 1b, and in a pulled out position in FIG. 5.

The handle 14 is generally shaped to match the envelope of the body 12, with opposite side arms 28 and 30 adapted to slide along opposite sidewalls 20, 22 of the body 12 for example and a joining portion 32. When the joining portion 32 is of a width essentially similar to the width of the sidewall 34 of the body 12, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, for example, the handle 14 can be retracted very closely against the body, which may be advantageous for stacking purposes for example. In this case, the joining portion 32 may be provided with a grip 37, i.e. a portion slightly set back from the remaining of the joining portion 32 for example, allowing a user to easily grasp the handle 14, especially when the handle 14 is in the retracted position shown in FIG. 1a for example.

The free ends 40, 42 of the side arms 28, 30 respectively of the handle 14 may have a hook shape, which stops the sliding movement of the handle 14 away from the sidewall 34 of the body 12, in the pulled-out position shown in FIG. 5, by being trapped within the handgrip portion 18 at an aperture 44 of the handgrip portion 18 as shown in FIG. 2 for example. In this pulled-out position, the handle 14 provides sufficient clearance space from the body 12 for a user to grasp the handle 14 with one hand for example.

Once in its pulled-out position, the handle 14 can be pivoted from a generally horizontal position to a generally vertical container-carrying position (see arrow A in FIG. 5), and is then operable like a conventional handle (see FIG. 1b).

A catch 46, 48, such as an inverted pine tree as illustrated in FIG. 6a, may be provided on the side arms 28, 30, for locking the handle 14 into the retracted position of FIG. 1a, by engagement with the aperture 44 in the handgrip portion 18 in the corresponding upper portion of the body 12.

Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 6b and 6c, substantially at the same position along the side arms 28, 30, instead of a catch as illustrated in FIG. 6a, each side arm may be provided with a discontinuity 50, 52, which allows locking the handle 14 into its retracted position by engagement with the aperture 44 in the handgrip portion 18.

Thus the handle 14 can be secured into its retracted position during transport or other operations that require it. In this retracted position along opposite sidewalls of the body 12 of the container 10, the handle 14 is positioned in close contact with the body 12, thereby not compromising the overall shape of the body 12, in a mostly non intrusive way, i.e. without interfering with designs or labels or features on the body 12 for example. As people in the art will appreciate, such out of the way position may be most advantageous on container filling units and during transportation for example.

Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, two containers 10 and 10′ can be stacked together within a minimum volume, with the handgrip portion 18′ of top container 10′ resting on the upper flange 16 of the bottom container 10, without the handles 14, 14′ of the stacked containers interfering.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show details of the engagement of the handle 14 with the sidewalls of the body 12. As shown in FIG. 7a, first the free ends 40, 42 of the side arms 28, 30 of the handle 14 are inserted into the apertures 44 in the handgrip portions 18 in the corresponding upper portions of the body 12 (see arrow B in FIG. 7a). Then the side arms 28, 30 may be maintained in this position by the locking engagement of the free ends 40, 42 with the aperture 44 (see FIG. 8a) and thus the handle 14 is in the pulled-out position of FIG. 5. The side arms 28, 30 of the handle 14 can also be pushed forward further through the apertures 44 (see arrow C in FIGS. 8a and 8c), until the joining portion 32 of the handle 14 rests on the sidewall 34 of the container, as shown in FIGS. 8b and 8d.

The catches 46, 48 of FIG. 6a, or the discontinuities 50, 52 of FIGS. 6b, 6c may then allow securing the side arms 28, 30 thus inserted, by engagement with the apertures 44, thereby locking the handle 14 into its retracted position.

The apertures 44 may have a number of shapes, provided they allow insertion of the free ends 40, 42 of the side arms 28, 30 of the handle 14 and part of the side arms 28, 30 there through until engaging the catches 46, 48 of FIG. 6, or the discontinuities 50, 52.

Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 9, the handgrip portion 14 may be provided with a double key hole type of locking aperture 55, and the free ends 40, 42 of the side arms 28, 30 of the handle 14 may be provided with a locking head 56 supported by a rod 54 extending generally perpendicularly to the side arms 28, 30. As shown in FIG. 9a, the locking head 56 may be locked into position in a first aperture 58 in the handgrip portion 18 when the handle 14 is in a retracted position (see FIG. 9b). Then, the side arm 28, 30 can be pulled (see arrow F in FIG. 9b) along a first slot 60 of the double key hole type of locking aperture 55 in the handgrip portion 18 into its pulled out position when it reaches the extremity of this first slot 60 opposite the first aperture 58. Then, the locking head 56 of the side arms 28, 30 can be moved up along a second slot 62, up to a second aperture 64 of the double key hole type of locking aperture 55 where it locks again (see arrow G in FIG. 9c). The handle 14 has then reached a container-carrying position (see FIG. 9c).

Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 10 for example, the side arms 28, 30 of the handle 14 may each be formed of telescopic arms, i.e. it may be formed by sections that can telescopically retract into a housing 51 (see arrows (D)). The housing 51 is pivotally attached to the sidewall 20 of the body of the container (see arrow E) so as to allow rotation of the handle into a generally vertical position when the handle 14 is in the pulled-out position (see arrow F). The handle 14 is then able to swivel from one sidewall 34 of the container to the opposite sidewall 36 thereof.

As shown in FIG. 11a, the side arms of the handle 14 may have a bellows like portion 70, which can be retracted so as to retract the handle 14 (see FIG. 11c) and straightened so as that the handle is in its pulled out position and able to rotate about its pivot 72 on the sidewall of the container.

In an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 12, the side arms 28, 30 of the handle 14 can have a folded position (see FIGS. 11a and 11b), and from there can be unfolded (see arrow H FIG. 12b). The side arms 28, 30 may be formed of segments of material connected by thinner sections 73, 75 allowing folding thereof, for example.

In an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13, the handgrip portion 18 of the container is provided with a slot 90 in which a locking head 92 at the free ends of the side arms 28, 30 can be inserted by force, the side arms 28, 30 then being able to be moved along the slot 90 by the rod 94 sliding therein, a wall 95 preventing the side arms 28, 30 to move up or down from the position of the slot 90.

FIG. 14 illustrate different shapes for the free ends 40, 42 of the side arms 28, 30 of the handle 14.

In an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 15, the free ends 40, 42 of the side arms 28, 30 each comprises a slot 76 ending in an aperture 78. The handgrip portion 18 of the container is provided with a locking head 82 supported by a rod 84 extending generally perpendicularly from the surface of the handgrip portion 18, so that the locking head 84 engages the slot 76 securing the handle 14 to the body of the container. Then, the side arms 28, 30 can be pulled out by sliding the slot 76 over the rod 84 until the rod 84 locks into the aperture 78, allowing the handle to rotate about the pivot formed by the head 82 in its aperture 78.

In FIG. 16, the locking of the side arms 28, 30 on the slot 76 is achieved by a locking head 85 directly protruding from the surface of the handgrip portion 18.

According to a further embodiment, the handle 14 may be secured to and retractable from the cover 160, or other places of the body 12 of the container, as shown for example in FIG. 17. Connections as described hereinabove between the handle 14 and the body 12 of the container can be used, or still others, for example as illustrated in FIGS. 17b and 17c.

In an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 18, the body 12 of the container does not comprise handgrip portions. The side wall 20 itself comprises an aperture 90 for engagement with the side arms 28, 30 of the handle 14, and the handle 14 enters the inside of the container.

In all the embodiments described hereinabove, it may be contemplated using a handle 140 comprising a single side arm 280 and a grasping portion 360 for example, as shown for example in FIG. 19.

Although the above embodiments have all dealt with parallelepiped bodies, the container of the present invention may also have a round body or other shapes as well, as shown for example in FIG. 20. Alternatively, the handle 14 could be secured to the container on opposite corners of the container, provided the handle 14 is made in a material that is flexible enough so as to match the envelope of the container.

Although the present invention has been described hereinabove by way of specific embodiments thereof, it can be modified, without departing from the nature and teachings of the subject invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A container, comprising:

a body comprising a bottom wall and sidewalls extending from said bottom wall; at least one of two opposite side walls comprising a handgrip portion in an upper portion thereof, said handgrip portion comprising an aperture;

a handle comprising at least one side arm, said at least one side arm comprising a first end, a second end and a length between said first and said second ends; said aperture of the handgrip portion receiving said first end of said handle;

said side arm being connected to said body by said first end of said handle sliding inside said handgrip portion through said aperture, from i) a pulled out-position, where said first end of said handle is locked inside said handgrip portion by said aperture and said side arm is pivotable about said aperture, and ii) a retracted position along the sidewall of the body, wherein said first end is engaged deeper in said handgrip portion and said side arm is locked into position by said aperture at a position between said first and said second ends.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein said side arm comprises a discontinuity at said position between said first and said second ends, said discontinuity engaging said aperture of said handgrip portion in said retracted position of the handle.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein said first end of said side arm has a hook shape, said hook shape being trapped by said aperture within the handgrip portion and stopping a sliding movement of the handle away from the side wall of the body in the pulled-out position.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein said side arm is pivotable from a generally horizontal position to a generally vertical container-carrying position in said pulled-out position.

5. The container of claim 2, wherein said discontinuity is a catch provided on the side arm, said catch locking the handle into the retracted position by engagement with the aperture of the handgrip portion.

6. The container of claim 2, wherein said discontinuity is a change of curvature, said change of curvature locking the handle into the retracted position by engagement with the aperture of the handgrip portion.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein each one of two opposite side walls of said body comprises a handgrip portion, each handgrip portion comprising an aperture; and said handle comprises two opposite side arms, each side arm comprising a first end, a second end and a length between said first and said second ends; each aperture of each handgrip portion receiving the first end of each side arm;

each side arm being connected to said body by the first end thereof sliding inside its respective handgrip portion through each respective aperture, from i) a pulled out-position, where each first end of each side arm is locked inside said handgrip portion by said aperture and said side arm is pivotable about said aperture, and ii) a retracted position along the side wall of the body, wherein said first end is engaged deeper in said handgrip portion and said side arm is locked into position by said aperture at a position between said first and said second ends.

8. The container of claim 7, wherein said side arms are connected by a joining portion.

9. The container of claim 1, wherein said handgrip portion comprises a first aperture and a first slot extending from said first aperture, and the first end of the side arm comprises a locking head supported by a rod extending generally perpendicularly to the side arm, said locking head locking into position in said first aperture in the handgrip portion when the handle is in its retracted position and said side arm sliding along said first slot from said first aperture until reaching an extremity of said first slot opposite said first aperture in the pulled out position of the handle.

10. The container of claim 9, wherein said handgrip portion comprises a second slot extending at an angle from said extremity of said first slot, said second slot ending into a second aperture opposite said extremity of said first slot, said side arm sliding along said second slot until said locking head locks into position in said second aperture, the handle then being in a container-carrying position.

11. The container of claim 1, wherein said at least one side arm is a telescopic side arm.

12. The container of claim 1, wherein said at least one side arm comprises a bellow portion.

13. The container of claim 1, wherein said at least one side arm comprises folded sections, said folded sections being unfoldable into the length of the side arm.

14. The container of claim 1, further comprising a cover.

15. The container of claim 1, wherein said second end of said side arm comprises a grip.

16. A retractable handle for a stackable container comprising a bottom wall and sidewalls extending from said bottom wall; at least one of two opposite of said side walls comprising a handgrip portion, said handgrip portion comprising an aperture; said handle comprising at least one arm, said at least one side arm comprising a first end, a second end and a length between said first and said second ends; said first end of said handle being received in said aperture of the handgrip portion and said first end of said handle sliding inside said handgrip portion through said aperture, from i) a pulled out-position, where said first end of said handle is locked inside said handgrip portion by said aperture and said side arm is pivotable about said aperture, and ii) a retracted position along the sidewall of the body, wherein said first end is engaged deeper in said handgrip portion and said side arm is locked into position by said aperture at a position between said first and said second ends.