HEAVY DUTY PACK HANDLE AND METHOD

Abstract

A handle for a container comprising a first handle member and a second handle member that together include spaced protruding connector pegs and spaced peg receivers that mate with each other to clamp the handle onto the container, each of the spaced protruding connector pegs including a terminal end, and the first handle member and the second handle member including a front surface, the front surface of one of the first handle member and the second handle member being flush with the terminal end of the spaced protruding connector pegs extending from an opposite of the first handle member and the second handle member.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to heavy duty retail packaging and/or a heavy duty pack handle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the invention involves a heavy duty pack comprising a main body including a front, a rear, a bottom, and opposite sides that join the front, the rear, and the bottom; a top section including a flat flange with a front panel and a back panel, and angled sections that join the main body to the flat flange, wherein the flat flange includes opposite ends with respective seals adjacent thereto securing the front panel and the back panel together adjacent to the opposite ends.

One or more implementations of the aspect of the invention described above includes one or more of the following: the seals are vertically elongated seals; the seals are oval seals; both the front panel and the back panel of the flat flange include a first outer ply and a second inner ply, the second inner ply of both the front panel and the back panel of the flat flange include holes where the seals are formed between the first outer ply of both the front panel and the back panel; the seals are laser welded seals; the top section includes a two-piece plastic handle within the flat flange; the two-piece plastic handle includes an oval configuration; the two-piece plastic handle includes a grip section with four finger recesses; the two-piece plastic handle includes a first handle member and a second handle member that together include spaced protruding connector pegs and spaced peg receivers that mate with each other to clamp the handle onto the front panel and the back panel of the top section; both the front panel and the back panel of the flat flange include a first outer ply and a second inner ply, and the pegs extend through both the first outer ply and a second inner ply of the front panel and the first outer ply and a second inner ply of the back panel; and/or the first handle member and the second handle member include rear sides that are affixed to the front panel and the back panel of the top section to additionally secure the handle to the top section.

Another aspect of the invention involves a method of manufacturing the heavy duty pack of the aspect of the invention described above, wherein both the front panel and the back panel of the flat flange include a first outer ply and a second inner ply, the second inner ply of both the front panel and the back panel of the flat flange include holes, and the method comprises aligning the holes of the first outer ply and the second inner ply of the flat flange; and sealing the first outer ply of both the front panel and the back panel together through the aligned holes of the first outer ply and the second inner ply.

One or more implementations of the aspect of the invention described immediately above includes one or more of the following: sealing includes laser welding the first outer ply of both the front panel and the back panel together through the aligned holes of the first outer ply and the second inner ply; the seals are vertically elongated seals; the seals are oval seals; the top section includes a two-piece plastic handle within the flat flange, and the method further comprises adding the two-piece plastic handle within the flat flange; the two-piece plastic handle includes an oval configuration; the two-piece plastic handle includes a grip section with four finger recesses; the two-piece plastic handle includes a first handle member and a second handle member that together include spaced protruding connector pegs and spaced peg receivers, and the method further comprises mating the spaced protruding connector pegs and spaced peg receivers with each other, through the front panel and the back panel of the flat flange, to clamp the handle onto the front panel and the back panel of the top section; and/or the first handle member and the second handle member include rear sides, and the method further comprises affixing the rear sides of the first handle member and the second handle member to the front panel and the back panel of the top section to additionally secure the handle to the top section.

A further aspect of the invention involves a handle for a container comprising a first handle member and a second handle member that together include spaced protruding connector pegs and spaced peg receivers that mate with each other to clamp the handle onto the container, each of the spaced protruding connector pegs including a terminal end, and the first handle member and the second handle member including a front surface, the front surface of one of the first handle member and the second handle member being flush with the terminal end of the spaced protruding connector pegs extending from an opposite of the first handle member and the second handle member.

One or more implementations of the aspect of the invention described immediately above includes one or more of the following: the spaced protruding connector pegs include a body with a height H and a diameter W, and the ratio of the width W to diameter W is at least 1.2; the spaced protruding connector pegs include a head with a diameter and a body with a diameter, and the diameter of the head is greater than the diameter of the body; the spaced peg receivers each include beveled receiver projections configured to be urged outwardly by each of the pegs when the first handle member and the second handle member are connected together; the handle is a two-piece plastic handle having an oval configuration; the handle includes a grip section with four finger recesses; and/or the first handle member includes ten spaced protruding connector pegs and the second handle member includes ten spaced peg receivers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a heavy duty pack;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the heavy duty pack of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the heavy duty pack of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a left side elevational view of the heavy duty pack of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a right side elevational view of the heavy duty pack of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the adjustable cyclic device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the heavy duty pack of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a front-elevational view of an embodiment of a template for the heavy duty pack shown in FIGS. 1-7.

FIG. 9 is a rear elevational view of an embodiment of a first handle member for the heavy duty pack shown in FIGS. 1-8.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the first handle member of FIG. 9 taken along lines 10-10.

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the first handle member of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the first handle member of FIG. 9 taken along lines 12-12.

FIG. 13 is a rear elevational view of an embodiment of a second handle member for the heavy duty pack shown in FIGS. 1-8

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the second handle member of FIG. 13 taken along lines 14-14.

FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of the second handle member of FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the second handle member of FIG. 13 taken along lines 16-16.

FIG. 17 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of a handle for the heavy duty pack shown in FIGS. 1-8.

FIG. 18 is a rear perspective view of the handle of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a front elevational view of the handle of FIG. 17.

FIG. 20 is a rear elevational view of the handle of FIG. 17.

FIG. 21 is a left elevational view of the handle of FIG. 17, the right elevational view being a mirror image thereof.

FIG. 22 is a top plan view of the handle of FIG. 17.

FIG. 23 is a bottom plan view of the handle of FIG. 17.

FIG. 24 is a rear elevational view of a second handle member of the handle of FIG. 17.

FIG. 25 is a rear elevational view of a first handle member of the handle of FIG. 17.

FIG. 26 is a cross sectional view of the second handle member of the handle of FIG. 17.

FIG. 27 is a cross sectional view of the second handle member of the handle of FIG. 17.

FIG. 28 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a receiver recess of the second handle member of the handle of FIG. 17.

FIG. 29 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a peg of the first handle member of the handle of FIG. 17.

FIG. 30 is another cross sectional view of the second handle member of the handle of FIG. 17.

FIG. 31 is another cross sectional view of the second handle member of the handle of FIG. 17.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIGS. 1-16, an embodiment of a heavy duty pack (“pack”) 110 will be described. The pack 110 may be used, for example, but not by way of limitation, as retail packaging for water softener salt bars.

The pack 110 includes a front panel 120, a back panel 130, side panels 140, 150, and a bottom 160 that are dual plied and are laser welded at edges to form the pack 110. The pack 110 includes an internal cavity that holds for example, but not by way of limitation, the water softener salt bars. The pack 110 includes a main body 180 and a top section 190 with a flat flange 192 and angled sections 194.

The top section 190 includes vertically elongated oval seals 200 to affix the front panel 120 and the back panel 130 of the top section 190 together, giving the top section 190 the appearance shown and strengthening the top section 190. FIG. 8 shows vertically elongated punch outs/cutouts 210 that, because the top section 190 is dual-plied, form openings in side gussets 220 of the top section 190 behind the front panel/layer 120 and back panel/layer 130 to allow front panel/layer 120 and back panel/layer 130 to bond during laser welding to form the vertically elongated oval seals 200.

The top section 190 further includes two-piece plastic handle 230 in flat flange 192. The plastic handle 230 includes a first handle member 240 and a second handle member 250. The first handle member 240 and a second handle member 250 have a generally oval configuration, and include a grip section 260 with four finger recesses 270 along with a main recess 280 for hand grip by a user. The first handle member 240 includes a rear 290 with eight spaced rearwardly protruding connector pegs 300 that mate with eight spaced peg receivers 310 along a rear 320 of the second handle member 250 to clamp the handle 230 onto the front panel 120 and the back panel 130 of the top section 200. The pegs 300 extend through the 2×2 plies of the front panel 120 and the back panel 130 of the top section 200 with a cut-out in the front panel 120 and the back panel 130 for the finger recesses 270 and the main recess 280 of the handle 230. The rears 290, 320 of the first handle member 240 and the second handle member 250 may also be affixed to the front panel 120 and the back panel 130 of the top section 200 to additionally secure the handle 230 to the top section 200.

With reference to FIGS. 17-31, another embodiment of a handle 400 for use in the top section 190 of the pack 110 (or other containers) will be described. Similar elements in the handle 400 to those shown and/or described herein with respect to handle 230 will be identified with the same reference number, but with an “a” suffix. The description of the handle 230 is incorporated herein. The handle 400 is similar to the handle 230, but a first handle member 240a includes a rear 290a with ten spaced rearwardly protruding connector pegs 410 instead of eight spaced rearwardly protruding connector pegs 300, and a second handle member 250a includes a rear 320a with ten spaced peg receivers 420 instead of eight spaced peg receivers 310 along a rear 320. Further, the pegs 410 are wider and shorter than the pegs 300 so that terminal ends 430 of the pegs 300 are flush with a front surface 440 of the second handle member 250a. The pegs 410 includes a nail-like cross section with an annular head 450 that is wider (has a greater diameter) than a width/diameter W of a body 460 and wider than a neck 470 of peg receiver(s) 420 so when snapping the peg(s) 410 into the peg receiver(s) 420, the annular head 450 contacts resilient chamfered/beveled receiver projections 480, urging them outwardly so that head 450 snaps into recess 490 of the receiver(s) 420. The body 460 of the pegs 410 includes a height H, and the ratio of the width/diameter W to the height H is at least 1.2. Upper shelf 500 of the projections 480 locks the head 450 into position so that the terminal ends 430 of the pegs 410 are flush with a front surface 440 of the second handle member 250a and the pegs 410 are prevented from accidentally sliding out of the receiver(s) 420. The wider pegs 410 (ratio of the width/diameter W to the height H of at least 1.2) and greater number of pegs 410 enables the handle 400 to not require adhesive, as used with handle 230, when clamping the handle 400 onto the front panel 120 and the back panel 130 of the top section 200.

The figures may depict exemplary configurations for the invention, which is done to aid in understanding the features and functionality that can be included in the invention. The invention is not restricted to the illustrated architectures or configurations, but can be implemented using a variety of alternative architectures and configurations. Additionally, although the invention is described above in terms of various exemplary embodiments and implementations, it should be understood that the various features and functionality described in one or more of the individual embodiments with which they are described, but instead can be applied, alone or in some combination, to one or more of the other embodiments of the invention, whether or not such embodiments are described and whether or not such features are presented as being a part of a described embodiment. Thus the breadth and scope of the present invention, especially in the following claims, should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments.

Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposed to limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” should be read as mean “including, without limitation” or the like; the term “example” is used to provide exemplary instances of the item in discussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; and adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “standard,” “known” and terms of similar meaning should not be construed as limiting the item described to a given time period or to an item available as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that may be available or known now or at any time in the future. Likewise, a group of items linked with the conjunction “and” should not be read as requiring that each and every one of those items be present in the grouping, but rather should be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly, a group of items linked with the conjunction “or” should not be read as requiring mutual exclusivity among that group, but rather should also be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, although item, elements or components of the disclosure may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated to be within the scope thereof unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated. The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases may be absent.

Claims

1. A handle for a container, comprising: a first handle member and a second handle member that together include spaced protruding connector pegs and spaced peg receivers that mate with each other to clamp the handle onto the container, each of the spaced protruding connector pegs including a terminal end, and the first handle member and the second handle member including a front surface, the front surface of one of the first handle member and the second handle member being flush with the terminal end of the spaced protruding connector pegs extending from an opposite of the first handle member and the second handle member.

2. The handle of claim 1, wherein the spaced protruding connector pegs include a body with a height H and a diameter W, and the ratio of the width W to diameter W is at least 1.2.

3. The handle of claim 1, wherein the spaced protruding connector pegs include a head with a diameter and a body with a diameter, and the diameter of the head is greater than the diameter of the body.

4. The handle of claim 1, wherein the spaced peg receivers each include beveled receiver projections configured to be urged outwardly by each of the pegs when the first handle member and the second handle member are connected together.

5. The handle of claim 1, wherein the handle is a two-piece plastic handle having an oval configuration.

6. The handle of claim 1, wherein the handle includes a grip section with four finger recesses.

7. The handle of claim 1, wherein the first handle member includes ten spaced protruding connector pegs and the second handle member includes ten spaced peg receivers.