Patent Application
20070228055
The present invention relates to a protective member for covering the ends of handles used with buckets, pails, and other items typically used in association with horses and other animals. The members cover the handle ends to thereby prevent the ends from contacting the animal or handler, and potentially causing injury.
Animals such as livestock or horses can have significant monetary value, particularly if used for show, racing, or breeding purposes. Accordingly, great measures are frequently undertaken to ensure the animal's safety and to guard against hazards that may impact the animal's value, such as injuries. Even relatively minor cuts or lacerations to the animal can result in dramatic reductions in the market value of the animal, particularly if the cut or laceration leads to infection or disease.
Nearly all buckets, pails, or other similar containers include a handle, typically in the form of a semi-circle and attached along its ends to opposing sides of the bucket. In the interests of economy and durability, handles are frequently formed from metal. Often, the ends of the metal handle are inserted through holes or other apertured components along the sides of the bucket, to provide a simple configuration that secures the handle to the bucket yet allows the handle to be moved or pivoted to a position that allows free access to the contents of the bucket.
A common end configuration for bucket handles is to simply form a hook or otherwise closed or nearly closed end, after the handle end has been attached to the bucket. The closed end prevents removal of the handle from the bucket. Although such configuration is simple and can be readily assembled, the configuration produces hooked or outwardly projecting handle ends.
Handle ends that project outward or which are hooked, particularly if formed from metal and especially if such metal subsequently rusts, can present a danger to not only animals which may contact the bucket, but also to people, and particularly when carrying such buckets that may contain water or animal feed. When buckets are heavily loaded, it is difficult to carry the bucket away from the person's body such that no contact occurs between the bucket and/or handle and the person. Thus, the bucket and often the projecting ends of the handle may contact, scrape, or otherwise injure the person.
Another hazard associated with buckets having handles, can occur if the bucket is left in a stall or other feeding area for an animal. Frequently, buckets are also used as in-stall containers for animal feed or water. Injury or other unwanted contact between the handle ends and the animal can occur. The ends of the bucket handle can catch or otherwise snag the animal's tail or mane, even an eye, ear, nostril, lip, or tongue, particularly if the ends are looped or curved to attach the handle to the bucket. In addition, bored or curious animals may rub against the bucket, thereby increasing the chances of contacting the handle ends.
In view of the foregoing, it would be beneficial to provide a bucket and handle having provisions such that the handle ends or other portions of the handle were safe guarded from potentially causing injury. In addition, it would be desirable to provide a component that could be readily attached to a conventional bucket and handle assembly to guard against such hazards.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a flexible and removable handle guard adapted and sized to prevent or reduce the potential for injuries resulting from a closed end region of a handle and bucket assembly. The handle guard comprises a covering member having a first face and an oppositely directed second face. The handle guard also comprises at least one fastener secured to the covering member. The fastener is adapted to engage itself, the covering member, or both, upon disposing the covering member about the closed end region of the handle thereby preventing or reducing injuries resulting from the closed end region of the handle and bucket assembly.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a handle and pail assembly protected from imparting damage or injury resulting from a region of the handle at which the handle attaches to the pail. The assembly comprises a pail defining a bottom and a sidewall. The sidewall defines a pair of oppositely located apertures. The assembly also comprises a handle defining two distal ends. The distal ends are disposed through the corresponding apertures. Each distal end of the handle is configured in a closed shape so as to retain the handle and the respective aperture and sidewall, yet provide for pivotal movement of the handle with respect to the pail. The assembly also comprises two handle guards, each disposed about the distal end of the handle such that the handle ends are covered by the handle guards.
The present invention also provides in another aspect, a method of protecting against injury or damage resulting from an end region of a handle of a bucket and handle assembly. The method comprises providing a handle guard including a covering member and a least one fastener secured to the covering member. The fastener is adapted to engage itself, the covering member, or both. The method also comprises positioning the covering member around the end region of the handle. And, the method comprises engaging the at least one fastener with itself, the covering member, or both to thereby retain the covering member around the end region of the handle.
The present invention also provides, in yet another aspect, a handle and pail assembly comprising a pail defining a bottom and a side wall, the pail including a pair of oppositely located attachment members. The assembly also comprises a handle having two distal ends. The distal ends are movably engaged with the pair of attachment members. The assembly also comprises at least one generally non-removable handle guard disposed about one of the distal ends of the handle. Generally, two guards are used. The handle guard serves to prevent or reduce the potential for injuries resulting from the distal end of the handle.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method of producing a handle and pail assembly adapted to prevent or reduce the potential for injuries otherwise resulting from a closed end region of a handle of the handle and pail assembly. The method comprises providing a handle having two distal ends. The method also comprises providing a pail having a pair of oppositely located regions adapted for engaging respective distal ends of the handle. The method further comprises providing at least one handle guard in the shape of a closed ring or loop. The method further comprises inserting one of the distal ends of the handle through the handle guard such that the guard is slidably disposed on the handle. The method further comprises engaging each of the distal ends of the handle to the respective oppositely located regions of the pail. And, the method comprises positioning the slidable handle guard about a distal end of the handle engaged to the pail.
It will be appreciated that the various figures are merely exemplary and are not necessarily to scale.
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a device that covers the end or region of a bucket handle which attaches the handle to a bucket. In a most preferred embodiment, the guard is adapted for buckets that employ handles having ends formed in a hook or loop configuration. However, the present invention is not limited to such configurations. In another preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method of reducing or preventing injury from contact with the exposed end of a handle, by use of the device or handle guard as described herein. It will be understood that the term “handle” as used herein includes the term “bail” as is also used to refer to a handle or loop utilized in conjunction with a bucket or other container.
Generally, the handle guard of the present invention comprises a flexible covering member that is relatively tear-resistant and rupture-resistant, and one or more fastener components. The handle guard is preferably adapted such that it can be readily attached to, and removed from, a handle and bucket assembly. The fastener components are preferably attached or integral with the flexible covering member, however, the present invention includes versions in which some or all of the fastener components are separate from the covering member.
The covering member of the handle guard serves to provide a barrier between a potentially dangerous handle end, and the environment, in which an animal or human may otherwise contact the handle end. In addition to protecting an animal or human from injury, the handle guard can serve to prevent or at least significantly reduce the potential for snagging or catching clothing such as jackets, shirts, gloves, scarves; or animal accessories such as blankets, halters, and lead ropes. The covering member is sufficiently flexible so that the handle guard can be readily wrapped around, or otherwise disposed about, a handle end. The covering member should also be sufficiently strong, durable, and wear-resistant so that the exposed handle end does not puncture or otherwise tear or damage the handle guard when placed thereon. Preferably, the covering member exhibits attractive properties of being relatively tear-resistant and rupture-resistant.
Examples of suitable materials for use as the covering member include, but are not limited to, relatively thin layers of elastomers such as natural and synthetic rubbers including neoprene, polyisoprene, polybutadiene, polychloroprene, styrene-butadiene rubber, buna rubber, silicone-based rubbers including silicone room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) rubbers, Hypalon®, Viton®, Santoprene™, fluorosilicone rubbers, EPDM rubbers, polyurethane rubbers, nitrile rubbers, resin-based materials, and combinations thereof; woven materials such as fabric including canvas; and laminates including combinations of one or more of these materials. The fabric can be a textile made from synthetic fiber forming polymers, naturally occurring fibers and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the covering member comprises neoprene. The covering member may also include the use of one or more layers of a non-woven material. Synthetic fibers can be used from the group consisting of polyolefins and copolymers, polyvinyls, polyesters, polyamides, polurethanes, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl alcohol, and viscose rayon. Natural fibers used for fabrics can include jute, hemp cotton and wool. These fibers can be used in physically mixed or constituent mixed systems. Examples of woven materials include a scrim made from polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon or polyester. The nonwoven materials may comprise, for example, fibers of polyethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene terepthalate and other fiber forming polymers either continuous spun bond or needled punched. Fiber properties can be enhanced using additives known to those in the art including fire retardants, colorants, ultra violet absorbers and stabilizers and antioxidants.
It is also contemplated that the covering member may be in the form of a laminate of multiple layers of different materials. For example, it may in certain applications be useful to utilize an elastomeric intermediate or base layer in combination with a fabric layer that has a waterproof or water-resistant coating formed on its exposed face. The present invention includes the use of nearly any combination of two or more layers of materials for the covering member. The covering member may also include one or more cushioning layers. An example of such a layer is a layer of a foamed material. The selection of materials is generally dictated by the end properties and characteristics desired. Typically, an elastomeric material is desired to provide elastic properties and limited stretch and return characteristics. As noted, neoprene is an example of a preferred material for use in the covering member. Most preferably, the elastomeric material, e.g. neoprene, is a multi-directional stretch material such that the material exhibits equal, or substantially equal elastic properties independent of the direction of deformation.
The one or more fastener components are used to secure and assist in retaining the covering member once the member is in a desired position with respect to the handle end. The fastener can be in a variety of forms such as flaps, strings, laces, male-female connectors, hook and loop connectors, buttons, snap-type connectors, and combinations of these. Preferably, the fastener components are in the form of flexible straps or sections of hook and loop connectors or regions of such connectors available under the designation Velcro® or Velcro®-like materials. Most preferably, the straps are attached to the covering member by sewing, stitching, or by an effective amount of adhesive.
Preferably, the fasteners use a region of hook and loop components. Specifically, hook and loop fasteners consist of two layers: a “hook” side, which can be in the form of fabric covered with small hooks, and a “loop” side, which provides a corresponding collection of relatively small loops. There are many variations to this configuration which include hooks on both sides, for example. When the two components are pressed or otherwise contacted together, the hooks become engaged in the loops and hold or otherwise retain the components together. When the layers are separated, the components generate a characteristic ripping sound. Generic terminology for these fasteners includes “hook and loop” and “touch fasteners.” As noted, these fasteners are commercially available under the designation Velcro® and were first described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,717,437 herein incorporated by reference.
The one or more fasteners can also be in the form of laminates of different materials. The materials for use in the fasteners can be selected from the listing of materials previously noted in association with the covering member. However, it is preferred that at least one face of the fasteners includes a region of either hooks or loops, and that one or both of (i) the opposite face of the fasteners or (ii) an outer region of the covering member includes a region of the corresponding mating component for the hooks or loops used on the fastener face. Therefore, in this preferred arrangement, one face of the fasteners includes a region of hooks and a corresponding mating face of the covering member includes a region of loops.
The preferred embodiment handle guard 150 also includes a plurality of fasteners such as fasteners 110 and 120 shown in
Regions of hook and loop components can be provided on faces of the fasteners and covering member by techniques known to those skilled in the art. Regions of hook and loop fasteners are commercially available and can be secured to the fasteners and/or covering member by adhesives, heating, stitching, and the like.
The handle guard preferably utilizes a covering member having upper and lower edges that are parallel to each other, or substantially so. In certain embodiments, the lower edge is longer than the upper edge. Referring to
The fasteners used in the preferred embodiment handle guard are in the form of two rectangular sets of hook and loop type fasteners, each measuring about 1 inch in length and about 0.5 inch in width. Each fastener or region of fastener is attached to a flexible strap or if sufficiently flexible by itself, is directly attached to the covering member.
The thickness of the covering member and the fasteners is not critical. However, the thickness of each component should be sufficiently great such that the fasteners and covering member do not rip, tear, or puncture when in use, or when being attached to a handle and bucket assembly. As will be appreciated, the thickness should not be so great that the handle guard is unwieldy or difficult to manipulate. Generally, the thickness of the fasteners and the covering member is from about 0.1 to about 1 inch, and preferably about 0.125 inch in thickness.
A preferred embodiment protective bucket handle guard was constructed out of a 0.125 inch thick, four-way stretch neoprene with a soft, hook-compatible outer covering. The neoprene portion of the bucket guard had the following measurements: top measurement of 1.25 inch, bottom measurement of 2.5 inch, and height measurement of 3 inch, with arched sides. These measurements allow for the guard to be wider at the bottom in order to accommodate the rounded or closed end region of the handle. The bucket guard fastens to itself with two, 1 inch by 0.5 inch hook and loop upper and lower tabs, that are sewn onto the neoprene. The upper tab is positioned about 0.45 inch from the top edge of the neoprene covering member and is sewn 0.5 inches in from the arched edge at the top measurement and 0.875″ in from the arched edge at the bottom measurement. There is a 0.375 inch space between tabs one and two. The lower tab is positioned 0.25 inch from the bottom of the neoprene covering member and is sewn 0.5 inch in from the arched edge at both top and bottom measurements. The upper and lower tabs are designed in such a fashion that the upper tab secures solely around the bucket handle whereas the lower tab secures solely around the bucket handle hook.
The handle guard 150 is secured about the region 32, by wrapping or otherwise folding a lateral edge such as edge 107 of the covering member 100 around the handle 30 such that a portion of the covering member 100 defining edge 107 overlaps a region of the covering member, and preferably, a region defining an opposite lateral edge such as edge 105. As previously explained, in a preferred form, the outer surface 102 of the covering member 100 includes a plurality of hook components 101. Thus, once the covering member has been appropriately wrapped around the region 32 of the handle 30, the fasteners 110 and 120 are secured to the outer surface 102 of the member 100 by pulling the fasteners in the direction of arrows C and D and contacting the undersides 114 and 124, containing a plurality of hook components, to the loop components 101 on the outer surface 102 of the covering member.
It will be appreciated that although, the handle guard in
It is possible that the device could also be constructed for specific bucket designs. Possible alternative constructions may include, but are not limited to, the handle guard being constructed out of a molded plastic, a heavy nylon or Kevlar type of material, or a heavier rubber material. In some applications, the handle guard device could be constructed in such a way that the device is slipped onto the handle prior to assembly of the handle to the bucket so that the device is not removable from the handle. Other non-removable configurations are encompassed by the present invention.
The present invention handle guard is not limited to use with buckets or handles having a circular cross section. Instead, the handle guard can be used with containers that have near-circular cross sections, oval cross sections, rectangular cross sections, square cross sections, or nearly any other cross-sectional shape.
Although the present invention has been described primarily in association with horses or livestock, the invention is applicable to a wide array of other applications such as for containers used in pet kennels, shows, breeding facilities, and retail stores; zoos; veterinarian facilities; parks; public, governmental, or municipal animal shelters; and containers intended for residential, home or personal use.
It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.
