Claims
- 1. A laundry basket comprising:
- (a) a walled container having a peripheral rim about a substantial portion thereof;
- (b) a pair of opposing hand openings adjacent said peripheral rim; and
- (c) a pair of handle members extending, respectively, about said rim and through said hand opening, each of said handle members including a bottom portion positioned below said rim, said bottom portion having a first end and a second end, said bottom portion defining an upper boundary of one of said hand openings, said bottom portion further including a first rib at said first end and a second rib at said second end, said first and said second ribs each having an orifice therethrough, and a top portion, said top portion of said handle members including a curved exterior surface and an interior surface, said top portion being generally semicylindrical having a longitudinal axis therethrough, said top portion having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, wherein each said top portion of said handle members further includes two opposing end walls extending generally perpendicularly from said interior surface of said top portion, each of said end walls terminating in a hook configured to cooperate with said orifice of said rib of said bottom portion to matingly engaging with said orifice when lockingly joining said top portion to said bottom portion;
- wherein one of said top or bottom portions of each of said handle members is integrally formed to said peripheral rim.
- 2. The laundry basket of claim 1, wherein each said bottom portion of said handle members is integrally formed to and positioned below said peripheral rim.
- 3. The laundry basket of claim 2, wherein each said integral bottom portion of said handle members includes a curved exterior surface.
- 4. The laundry basket of claim 3, wherein each said integral bottom portion of said handle members is in the form of a generally semicylindrical shell having a longitudinal axis.
- 5. The laundry basket of claim 4, wherein each said integral bottom portion of said handle members terminates in an outwardly protruding lip substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis, said outwardly protruding lip forming a first hook-like member.
- 6. The laundry basket of claim 5, wherein each said top portion of said handle members includes at said first longitudinal end a second hook-like member, said second hook-like member configured to lockingly engage with said first hook-like member of said bottom handle portion so as to lockingly join said top portions of said handle members to said bottom portions of said handle members.
- 7. The laundry basket of claim 2, wherein said peripheral rim includes a generally horizontal portion and a downwardly extending portion opposing the exterior surface of said walled container, said bottom portions of said handle members each being positioned at least partially between the downwardly extending portion of the rim and the exterior surface of said walled container.
- 8. A handle assembly for a rimmed container such as a laundry basket or the like, comprising:
- (a) a bottom portion integrally formed to the rimmed container having an elongate, at least generally semicylindrical body said bottom portion having a longitudinal axis and a first end and a second end, said bottom portion further including a first rib at said first end and a second rib at said second end, said first and said second ribs each having an orifice therethrough;
- (b) a top portion having an elongate, at least generally semicylindrical body, said top portion further including two opposing end walls extending generally perpendicularly from said top portion, each of said end walls terminating in a hook configured to cooperate with said orifice of said rib of said bottom portion to matingly engaging with said orifice when said top portion is lockingly joined to said bottom portion; and
- (c) interlocking means for locking said top portion to said integral bottom portion;
- wherein said top portion is configured to engage the bottom portion.
- 9. The handle assembly of claim 8, wherein said integral bottom portion terminates in an outwardly protruding lip substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis, said outwardly protruding lip forming a first hook-like locking member.
- 10. The handle assembly of claim 9, wherein said top portion is of a generally C-shaped cross-sectional configuration having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, said first longitudinal end having a second hook-like locking member, said second hook-like locking member configured to lockingly engage with said first hook-like locking member of said integral bottom portion so as to lockingly join said bottom portion to said top portion, said first and second hook-like locking members comprising said interlocking means.
- 11. A molded thermoplastic laundry basket comprising:
- (a) a walled container including a peripheral rim, said rim including a generally horizontal portion;
- (b) a hand opening extending through a wall of said container and adjacent to said rim;
- (c) a handle member extending about said rim, said handle member including a curved exterior surface defining an upper boundary of said hand opening; and
- (d) means for securing said handle member to said basket, said means for securing said handle member to said rim includes a bottom handle member portion having a first end and a second end, said bottom handle member portion terminating in an outwardly protruding lip, said outwardly protruding lip forming a first hook-like locking member, and a top handle member portion, said top handle member portion having a generally C-shaped cross-sectional configuration having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, said first longitudinal end having a second hook-like locking member, said second hook-like locking member configured to lockingly engage said first hook-like locking member of said bottom handle member portion so as to lockingly join said bottom handle member portion to said top handle member portion, said first and second hook-like locking members comprising said securing means, said bottom handle member portion further including a first rib at said first end and a second rib at said second end, said first and said second ribs each having an orifice therethrough.
- 12. The thermoplastic laundry basket of claim 11, wherein said rim includes a downwardly extending portion in opposing relation to the walls of said container, said handle member positioned at least partially between the downwardly extending portion of said rim and the outer surface of said walled container.
- 13. The thermoplastic laundry of claim 12, wherein said top handle member portion further includes two opposing end walls extending generally perpendicularly from said top handle member portion, each of said end walls terminating in a hook configured to cooperate with said orifice of said rib of said bottom handle member portion to matingly engaging with said orifice when said top handle member portion is lockingly joined to said bottom handle member portion.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 07/920,945, filed on Jul. 28, 1992, which is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 07/606,213, filed on Oct. 31, 1990.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
920945 |
Jul 1992 |
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Parent |
606213 |
Oct 1990 |
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