CARRIER

Abstract

A carrier for carrying bags or to hang items upon for carrying, the carrier comprising a shoulder support, supporting straps to which a handle receptacle is attached by adjustable fastening means and handles for carrying the bags which are attached to the handle receptacle.

Description

This invention relates generally to a carrier for carrying bags. More specifically, although not exclusively, this invention relates to a carrier in the form of a yoke for use by a person to carry one or more carrier bags, bags, small items of luggage and other items of merchandise that can be accommodated by the carrying hook.

A number of different solutions exist for carrying items of merchandise. These include handles on the bags themselves, which are held in the person's hands and straps which may be worn over one or both of the person's shoulders.

There are several disadvantages with these solutions. Firstly, the number of bags a person can hold in their hands is limited. Secondly, if the bags contain items that are heavy it is difficult to ensure that the load is distributed evenly across the person's body and can cause pain and discomfort to the person carrying the bags. Thirdly, if a person is holding several bags their hands are not available to hold other larger items, such as travel cases, or onto the hands of children or the leads of pets.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved way of carrying bags which at least mitigates the aforementioned issues with current solutions.

It is a more specific, non-exclusive object of the invention to provide a carrier which enables bags to be carried so that the weight of the items is distributed evenly across the person's shoulders. It is a further non-exclusive object of the invention to provide a carrier in the form of a yoke which enables bags to be carried whilst leaving the person's hands free to hold onto larger items.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a carrier for carrying bags or to hang items upon to be carried, the carrier comprising a shoulder support, a carrier strap and a handle receptacle attached by an adjustable fastening means to the carrier strap whereby the shoulder support provides a lateral balance in use across a user's shoulders adjusted by the position of the handle receptacle upon the adjustable fastening means.

Other features and aspects of the present invention are described, outlined and defined in the claims below.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a yoke according to one embodiment of the invention with a should strap, supporting straps, handle receptacles and handles;

FIG. 2 is a view of a handle receptacle of FIG. 1 without a handle attached;

FIG. 3 is a view of a handle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a yoke according to one embodiment of the invention, showing the ergonomically designed handle fitted to the handle receptacle;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a yoke according to an alternative embodiment of the invention, showing the ergonomically designed handle fitted to the handle receptacle;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a yoke according to one embodiment of the invention showing handles attached to the handle receptacles;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a yoke according to one embodiment of the invention showing handles attached to the handle receptacles; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a yoke according to an alternative embodiment of the invention showing handles attached to the handle receptacles.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a carrier 1 in the form of a yoke including a shoulder support 2, supporting carrier straps 3, joints 4 to which handle receptacles 5 are attached via adjustable fasteners 6 illustrated in form of an overlapping loop of the straps 3 secured by a hook and fleece (Velcro®) or press stud or buckle engagement or similar alone or in combination.

Each handle receptacle 5 generally comprises a coupling portion 17 and a bag handle retainer 7. The coupling portion 17 as will be described latter normally has rectangular aperture to receive a fold of the loop forming part of the fastener 6. The coupling portion 17 includes a connecter part typically in the form a rebated slot into which handle retainer 7 may be slotted. The slot may taper so that with greater weight/mass in bags the engagement between the coupling portion 17 and the bag handle retainer 7 improves.

The bag handle retainer 7 and the coupling portion 17 of the receptacle 5 may be separable as illustrated at least upon initial assembly so that an appropriate retainer 7 and coupling portion 17 for a user's requirement or personal preferences can be assembled when required. It will be appreciate that carriers in accordance with aspects of the present invention to a certain extent may be a fashion item and/or utilitarian so colour, style/shape, type of bag to be carried and possibly carriers may be given away or sold at a heavy discount by merchants so the retainer 7 and/or the coupling portion may have store logos etc. so having separable retainers 7 and coupling portions 17 may be advantageous. Alternatively, the handle receptacle may be an integral unit formed by one moulding which may add strength but may have problems during manufacture of the receptacle.

The bag handle retainer 7 as illustrated will generally include an upstanding hook 8. In use, bags, small items of luggage or other items of merchandise may be hung over the hooks 8 and be retained by the mass in the item. The depth of the hook 8 will be such that swing of the item as a user walks will not result release of an item or bag hung on the hook 8. Furthermore, the distal end of the hook 8 may have an inward to tow or an inner surface of the hook rendered to have a tactile effect by material type, ribs or stippling.

The shoulder support 2 is arranged to extend laterally across a user's shoulders in use with the straps 3 extending down either side of a user's chest. The support 2 and straps 3 will normally be formed from a flexible material so the carrier can be easily bundled, folded and stowed when not in use. The support creates a lateral balance generally cross-wise in the direction of arrows X but the nature of the mass/load secured by hanging on the hooks 8 will possibly create an inward inclination in the direction of arrowheads Y in use to provide some stability and balance. Such stability and balance is more easily achieved if the length and configuration of the straps 3, receptacle 5 adjusted by the fastening means 6 is appropriately set. Adjustment will generally be through defining the length of loop of each fastener 6, through the joint 4 and the strap 3. The length of each strap 3 may be fixed so all adjustment is through the loop of the fastener 6 or the strap 3, joint 4 and fastener 6 may all be one so that the loop length is then set by adjustment of them all or some other means of adjustment may be provided such a cord loop/ring between the joint 4 and the receptacle 5. Furthermore, although possibly uncomfortable the straps 3 either side of the support 2 may be linked or an continuous so that there can be slip or slide through the support 2 in the direction of arrowheads Z dependent upon weight/load differentials either side of the support 2. Thus, the strap 3 may pass through a sleeve or slip bands in the support 2 to facilitate balance in load within reason.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown the coupling portion 17 of a handle receptacle 5 comprising a slot 9 into which the handle retainer 7 (FIG. 1—not shown) may be releasably attached. The slot 9 is rebated and has a width for lateral engagement to resist turning of the handle retainer 7 in use. Such lateral engagement should aid stability and balance. The slot 9 may also taper from one end to the other so improve interference engagement with a load in use and so ‘jump dis-engagement’ as a result of jostling in use.

An aperture 19 is provided to receive the loop of the fastener adjustment 6 (FIG. 1—not shown). The aperture 19 is again wide to give a lateral aspect for stability with the width of the adjustable fastener 6 so that there is less swing about a fulcrum defined by the fastener 6 to coupling portion 17 about the aperture 19 as well as described below to help form a more rigid multiple bag carrying handle when detached from the carrier 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a handle retainer 7 secured over a coupling portion 17 to form a receptacle 5. The hook 8 is presented upstanding to retain bag handles or hung articles (not shown in use). The receptacle 5 as formed can be associated with the adjustable fastener 6/joint 4/strap 3 combination in a carrier or used as a bag/item carrying handle in its own right with an opening 10 for a person's hand and the hook 8 over which bags, small items of luggage or other items of merchandise may be hung.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, there are shown a side view of different embodiments of a carrier 1 in the form of a yoke including a shoulder support 2, supporting straps 3, joints 4 to which handle receptacles 5 are attached via adjustable loop fasteners 6 and into which handles 7 may be slotted. In use, bags, small items of luggage or other items of merchandise may be hung over the hooks 8.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a top view of a carrier 1 in the form of a yoke including a shoulder support 2, supporting straps 3, handle receptacles 5 into which handles 7 may be slotted. In use, bags, small items of luggage or other items of merchandise may be hung over the hooks 8. As can be seen there is gap 21 between the handle retainer 7 and the coupling portion 17 so that in use the loop of the fastener 6 can pass through the gap 21 and be fed through the aperture 19 (FIG. 2) and returned for overlap and retention of the adjustment by hook/fleece (Velcro®) or press stud or other retention as required.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, there are shown perspective views of different embodiments of a carrier 1 in the form of a yoke including a shoulder support 2, supporting straps 3, joints 4 to which handle receptacles 5 are attached via adjustable loop fasteners 6 and into which handles 7 may be slotted. In use, bags, small items of luggage or other items of merchandise may be hung over the hooks 8. In FIG. 7 the shoulder support 2 and straps 3 along with adjustable fastener loop 6 are all formed from flexible material fro stowage whilst in FIG. 8 these parts 2, 3, 6 along with other components 4, 5 are more rigid for bag presentation in use.

The shoulder support 2 enables the weight of any bags hanging from the handles to be distributed evenly across a person's shoulders, thus reducing the pain or discomfort experience by the person.

The handle receptacles are attached to the supporting straps by a hook and loop fastener so that they are adjustable for height to ensure maximum comfort for the person wearing the yoke.

The handles to which bags and items of merchandise may be hung are releasably attached to the handle receptacles.

A second aspect of the invention provides a handle to which bags and items of merchandise may be hung to make it easier for them to be carried by a person.

A carrier in accordance with aspects of the present invention can be used to carry a range of loads at a supermarket, beach, park or small travel luggage without encumbering hands and causing arm strain.

It will be understood the shoulder support 2 generally takes the form of a yoke with an arch at each end. Thus, as illustrated the arch formed has spaced ends fore 31 and aft 32 to which parts of the respective strap 3 are secured. Such an arrangement provides location upon a user for stability and balance. The arch of the yoke form of shoulder support may also provide some comfort cushioning and/or defection ‘grip’ about a user's shoulders as a load is added to again facilitate stability and balance but also rubbing about a user which may result in soreness.

The carrier can be formed from a range of suitable materials as appreciated by persons skilled in the technology. Thus, the shoulder support can be made of sturdy silicone rubber. The carrier straps made from woven nylon material with a PVC joint 4. The handle receptacle may also be moulded from a plastics material such as PVC, ABS or silicone rubber or a light metal such as aluminium. The fastener loop may be formed from a nylon woven material.

Although clearly the carrier in accordance with aspects of the present invention will mostly be used with bags/articles/items hung either side for balance it will be understood it may be possible to use only one side of the carrier or shoulder support in a sling like arrangement if the other side of the shoulder support is retained by a retainer loop from the strap 3 or support 2 around the opposite side arm of a user. This would be uncomfortable but may be acceptable for short carrying distances.

It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any number of combinations of the aforementioned features and/or those shown in the appended drawings provide clear advantages over the prior art and are therefore within the scope of the invention described herein.

Claims

1. A carrier for carrying bags or to hang items upon to be carried, the carrier comprising a shoulder support, a carrier strap and a handle receptacle attached by an adjustable fastening means to the carrier strap whereby the shoulder support provides a lateral balance in use across a users shoulders adjusted by the position of the handle receptacle upon the adjustable fastening means.

2. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are two handle receptacles with a respective strap.

3. A carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein each handle receptacle comprises a coupling portion and a handle retainer.

4. A carrier as claimed in claim 3 wherein the coupling portion and the handle retainer are separable.

5. A carrier as claimed in claim 4 wherein the coupling portion and the handle retainer interlock with a gap between them for part of the adjustable fastening means.

6. A carrier as claimed in claim 3 wherein the coupling portion and the handle retainer are integral with each other to form a unitary assembly.

7. A carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling portion includes an aperture for the adjustable fastening means.

8. A carrier as claimed in claim 7 wherein the aperture forms pa a handle with the handle retainer in the handle receptacle.

9. A carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handle retainer includes a hook.

10. A carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustable fastening means comprises an overlapping loop.

11. A carrier as claimed in claim 10 wherein the overlapping loop is secured by a hook and fleece engagement and/or a press-stud and/or a buckle.

12. A carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handle retainer is configured to provide an association with the strap having a width to inhibit definition of a fulcrum for point pivot rotation thereabout.

13. A carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier strap is connected across the shoulder support

14. A carrier as claimed in claim 13 wherein the carrier strap can slide or slip across the shoulder support.

15. A carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shoulder support comprises a yoke with an arch at each end and the carrier strap has respective parts which are secured to either side of the arch.