Claims
- 1. A strap handle capable of being attached to and used to transport a package having a sidewall and a top, comprising: a unitary piece of flexible material in the form of a strap having top and bottom edges and first and second outer ends, a first longitudinal slit in said strap having a first end spaced from said first outer end and a second end spaced from said second outer end, said slit having a sufficient length to divide said strap into a lower attachment portion which is capable of being secured to the sidewall of the package and a free upper ribbon which is capable of being pulled away from the sidewall and lifted over the top of the package for transport, said strap handle further including a second slit located intermediate said first longitudinal slit and said bottom edge of said strap and extending longitudinally from said first outer end of said strap, a first hinge located between said top edge of said strap and said second slit and in the space between said first outer end of said strap and said first end of said first longitudinal slit, a third slit located intermediate said first longitudinal slit and the bottom edge of said strap and extending longitudinally from said second outer end of said strap, a second hinge located between the top edge of said strap and said third slit and in the space between said second outer end of said strap and second end of said first longitudinal slit, said first and second hinges providing improved movement of said free upper ribbon relative to said lower attachment portion and, first and second attachment wings continuous with said lower attachment portion and extending longitudinally from said first and second outer ends, respectively, a portion of each of said wings extending transversely from said bottom edge in the direction of said top edge and said portion of each of said wings being separated from said first and second outer ends, respectively.
- 2. The strap handle of claim 1 wherein said flexible material comprises a plastic, a laminate of said plastic or a composite of said plastic.
- 3. The strap handle of claim 1 wherein said flexible material comprises a film or sheet of plastic, plastic laminate or plastic composite and having a thickness of from about 3 to about 50 mils.
- 4. The strap handle of claim 2 wherein said flexible material is transparent.
- 5. The strap handle of claim 3 wherein said film or sheet is transparent.
- 6. The strap handle of claim 1 wherein said first and second attachment wings extend transversely from said bottom edge toward said top edge to a location intermediate said top edge and said second and third slits, respectively.
- 7. The strap handle of claim 1 further including a fourth slit being located at and continuous with said first end of said first longitudinal slit, a fifth slit being located at and continuous with said second end of said first longitudinal slit, said fourth and fifth slits each extending in a downwardly direction so as to reduce tear initiation of said strap at said first and second ends of said first longitudinal slit.
- 8. The strap handle of claim 7 wherein said fourth and fifth slits are substantially circular slits.
- 9. The strap handle of claim 1 wherein said second and third slits extend longitudinally from the respective first and second outer ends of said strap for a length approximate the length of the respective space between said first and second outer ends of said strap and said first and second ends of said first longitudinal slit.
- 10. The strap handle of claim 1 including sixth and seventh slits being continuous with said second and third slits, respectively, and extending in a downwardly direction from said second and third slits so as to prevent tear initiation of the strap at the ends of said second and third slits, respectively.
- 11. A strap handle capable of being attached to and used to transport a package having a sidewall and a top, comprising: a unitary piece of flexible material in the form of a strap having top and bottom edges and first and second outer ends, a first longitudinal slit in said strap having a first end spaced from said first outer end and a second end spaced from said second outer end, said slit having a sufficient length to divide said strap into a lower attachment portion which is capable of being secured to the sidewall of the package and a free upper ribbon which is capable of being pulled away from the sidewall and lifted over the top of the package for transport, said lower attachment portion comprising first and second spaced portions contiguous with said first and second outer ends, respectively, said strap handle further including a second slit located intermediate said first longitudinal slit and said bottom edge of said strap and extending longitudinally from said first outer end of said strap, a first hinge located between said top edge of said strap and said second slit and in the space between said first outer end of said strap and said first end of said first longitudinal slit, a third slit located intermediate said first longitudinal slit and the bottom edge of said strap and extending longitudinally from said second outer end of said strap, a second hinge located between the top edge of said strap and said third slit and in the space between said second outer end of said strap and second end of said first longitudinal slit, said first and second hinges providing improved movement of said free upper ribbon relative to said lower attachment portion.
- 12. The strap handle of claim 11 wherein said flexible material comprises a plastic, a laminate of said plastic or a composite of said plastic.
- 13. The strap handle of claim 11 wherein said flexible material comprises a film or sheet of plastic, plastic laminate or plastic composite and having a thickness of from about 3 to about 50 mils.
- 14. The strap handle of claim 12 wherein said flexible material is transparent.
- 15. The strap handle of claim 13 wherein said film or sheet is transparent.
- 16. The strap handle of claim 11 further including first and second attachment wings continuous with said first and second spaced attachment portions, respectively, and extending longitudinally from said first and second outer ends, respectively, and transversely from said bottom edge in the direction of said top edge.
- 17. The strap handle of claim 16 wherein said first and second attachment wings extend transversely from said bottom edge toward said top edge to a location intermediate said top edge and said second and third slits, respectively.
- 18. The strap handle of claim 11 further including a fourth slit being located at and continuous with said first end of said first longitudinal slit, a fifth slit being located at and continuous with said second end of said first longitudinal slit, sixth and seventh slits being continuous with said second and third slits, respectively, said fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh slits each extending in a downwardly direction so as to reduce tear initiation of said strap at said first and second ends of said first longitudinal slit.
- 19. The strap handle of claim 18 wherein said fourth and fifth slits are substantially circular slits.
- 20. The strap handle of claim 11 wherein said second and third slits extend longitudinally from the respective first and second outer ends of said strap for a length approximate the length of the respective space between said first and second outer ends of said strap and said first and second ends of said first longitudinal slit.
Parent Case Info
This is a Continuation in-Part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/024,418, filed Mar. 1, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,359 issued Jan. 11, 1994.
US Referenced Citations (12)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
135156 |
Dec 1945 |
AUX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
24418 |
Mar 1993 |
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