Patent Application
20100018968
The current invention relates in general to the handle of a container, and more particularly, to the handle of a collapsible container.
Collapsible containers are known that have four sides, a bottom and an open top. Twist-and-fold frames are contained in pockets around the periphery of each side panels so that opposing sides can be folded against each other, and then the flexible frames twisted into two or three overlapping loops or circles to form a collapsible hamper. The flexible frames contained in pockets are also used to make containers with curved sides. Such collapsible containers are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,971,188, 5,964,533, and 6,527,136 the complete contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The frames must be relatively small cross-section in order to allow the twisting-and-folding of the frame into small, portable packages. The flexible structures are also used for collapsible containers used to carry items. But when items are placed in the containers, the container must be lifted carefully, as the flexible nature of the container can make it difficult to hold. The small size of the frames coupled with enclosing the frames in pockets makes it difficult to pick up these containers by grabbing the frames directly. Handles have been provided with the containers, but they are attached to the fabric forming the top or the side panels and that fabric is thin and of insufficient strength to provide for a durable connection. A handle has been provided that encircles the frame at a location where the pocket ends and leaves the frame exposed, but it is costly to form the pocket to expose the frame in that manner. There is thus a need for an improved way to allow a person to grip and lift these collapsible containers.
A collapsible container having a plurality of frame members defining an enclosure is provided. Each of the frame members is contained in a pocket. The container is collapsible by twisting and folding the frame members. At least one handle is connected to the container. The handle has at least one, and preferably two distal ends, each end extending through two buttonholes formed in at least one of the pockets and fastened to the handle to encircle the frame member. The button holes are formed in opposing sides of the pocket and aligned with each other so the handle can pass through both button holes and encircle a portion of the frame and a portion of the pocket. The container further comprises a plurality of side panels each being encircled by the corresponding pocket and a bottom fastened to the side panels. Advantageous, the container has a top to at least partially enclose one end of the container. The edge of each of the buttonhole is preferably finished with a strengthening structure such as stitches.
In one embodiment, the pocket includes an inner facing surface and an outer facing surface of the pocket extending at two sides of the frame member contained therein. To form each of the buttonholes, a hole is formed in each of the inner and outer surfaces and aligned with each other. The edges of holes are finished with individual strengthening structure. Alternatively, the edges of aligned holes in each side of the pocket can be joined together to form the buttonhole, and the joined edges are then finished with the strengthening structure. Preferably, the handle includes a flat strap with the distal end so sized to extend through the buttonhole(s).
In a variation of the invention, a collapsible has a plurality of side panels, a plurality of pockets on the side panels, a plurality of flexible loop frame members in the pockets, a pair of first buttonholes opposite each other on one of the pockets, and a first handle. The side panels join together to define an enclosure. Each of the pockets extends around a periphery of the corresponding side panel. The flexible loop frame members are contained within the corresponding pockets. The first buttonholes are formed in at least one of the pockets between the corresponding frame member and side panel. The first buttonholes can be formed in opposing sides of the same pocket or adjacent pockets. Preferably, the buttonholes are formed at locations spaced apart from each other so there are two sets of button holes on the pocket of one side panel. The edges of the buttonholes are preferably finished with strengthening structures such as satin stitches. The first handle has two distal ends extending through one of the pockets via the first buttonholes and encircling the frame member contained in the pocket. Once extending through the buttonholes, the distal ends are fastened to the first handle. Preferably, the container further comprises a second pair of buttonholes formed in the pocket opposite the first pair of buttonholes and a second handle having two distal ends extending through the opposite pocket via the second buttonholes and encircling the frame member contained in the opposite pocket.
The invention further provides a collapsible container adapted to allow a person to manually carry items within the container by use of at least one handle connected to the container. The container has a plurality of flexible loop frames each contained in a pocket connected to form sides of the container in an expanded configuration. The handle comprises a first end extending through a buttonhole in at least one of the pockets and encircling the flexible frame and the pocket portion containing the flexible frame. The handle may further comprise a second end extending through another buttonhole in the same pocket on the same side panel or in an adjacent pocket on a different side panel and encircling the flexible frame and the pocket portion containing the flexible frame. The edge of the buttonholes is preferably finished with strengthening structure.
In a further variation of the invention, a collapsible object is provided. The collapsible has at least one panel, a pocket connected to a periphery of the panel, and a flexible loop frame extending around the panel and contained within the pocket. A first buttonhole is formed to perforating through the pocket. A handle is connected to the object. A first end of the object extends through the buttonhole and is fastened to the object to encircle a first part of the frame and the pocket covering the first part therein. Preferably but optionally, the pocket has a second buttonhole formed therein allowing a second end of the handle to extend through and encircle a second part of the frame and the pocket containing the second part therein. The panel may be configured to define an enclosure or into various geometries for various functions. Alternatively, the object may include additional panel to provide various utilities.
These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which:
Referring to
As shown in
As shown in
In the embodiment as shown in
Referring to
The handle 24 preferably comprises a flat strap of material that is sized so the distal ends 26 can extend through the buttonhole 28. The handle 24 advantageously comprises a flexible strap, preferably of a flat, flexible material such as nylon or leather, but the material and shape can vary. The handle 24 has two distal ends 26 extending through the pocket 20 via a pair of buttonholes 28 formed to perforate the pocket 20 between the frame member 22 and the side panel 12. The distal ends 26 of the handle 24 preferably connect the container 10 at spaced apart distances on the same pocket containing the same flexible frame 22 encircled by the handle 24. But the opposing ends of the handle 24 could be connected to adjacent or opposing frames 22. For frame member 22 used to form flat side panels, the distal ends 26 preferably join the frame adjacent opposing corers of the frame member 24. Because the frame member 22 is made of twist-and-fold flexible hoops, the corners are usually curved to varying degrees. Joining the handle 24 adjacent the opposing corners of either the same side panel 12 or adjacent panel 12 allows a more stable lifting force to be applied to the container 10. Other locations can be selected as desired.
The container 10 as illustrated in
The side panels 12 of the container are preferably covered with material including but not limited to solid fabric, mesh fabric, a polymer based material such as plastic, or other flexible materials that allow the folding of the container 10 from an expanded configuration to a folded, collapsed configuration. The side panels 12 can form flat panels, with three or more panels joined to form a container. The side panels 12 can be joined together directly using a common pocket 20, or by sewing adjacent pockets 20 together, or by placing a spacing strip intermediate the adjacent pockets 20 along the vertical sides of the panels 12. The bottom 14 is advantageously configured to provide a continuous juncture with the side panels 12 and will vary depending on how adjacent sides 12 are joined.
The handle 24 is described as fastened to a container, but the handle could be fastened to a single tension-loop frame and its associated panel, or it could be fastened to one or more frames in any structure or assembly using such tension loop frames 22.
In a further variation of the invention, a collapsible object 10 is provided as shown in
The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.
