Suspension Device for Containers

Abstract

The suspension device is formed: by a ring incorporating two opposite radial pins and being ascendingly seated and locked against an external peripheral rib of the body of the container; and by a U-shaped handle having end portions articulated in the radial pins and being angularly displaced between inoperative and operative positions. The ring incorporates a lock means to retain the handle in the inoperative position. Each end portion of the handle has a through opening, supporting a radial pin and presenting a width, in the direction transversal to the extension of the handle, sufficient to tightly support, in said direction, the radial pin, and a length, in the longitudinal direction of the handle, sufficient to support the radial pin, both with the handle in the inoperative position, and with the handle in angular displacement from the inoperative position to the operative position.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to a suspension device to be applied to several containers such as, for example, metal sheet cans presenting a prismatic shape with cylindrical or polygonal bases and being provided with a radially projecting external peripheral rib and which can be defined by the double-seam provided between the upper and lateral walls of the container, or by deforming said lateral wall in a region which is close to an upper edge of the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are known from the prior art the suspension devices for the type of container mentioned above, said devices comprising a ring, to be applied around the container body and axially and ascendingly seated and locked against the external peripheral rib of the container, and at least one generally U-shaped handle, having its ends affixed in diametrically opposite regions of the ring, so as to be displaced between an inoperative position, in which it occupies a position substantially coplanar to the ring, and an operative position, which is elevated and generally orthogonal to the seating plane of the ring.

In the inoperative position, the handle is positioned laterally and externally to a respective lateral extension of the container body, generally corresponding to half the perimeter. In the operative position, the handle is diametrically positioned over the container, with a vertical gap sufficient to allow the user's hand to be positioned under the handle and, thus, to allow the suspension of the container, carrying or not carrying an upper lid.

In some known constructions, the handle has its opposite ends incorporated, in a single piece, to the ring, the junction region being constructed to allow, by means of its elastic deformation, the angular movement of the handle between its inoperative and operative positions. Constructions of this type are disclosed in Brazilian documents PI 9700128-7 and MU 8000935-2, the first of them presenting two diametrically opposite handles.

Since the suspension devices in a single piece are generally molded in an elastically deformable plastic material, they present the inconvenience of requiring a larger mold, more complex and more costly, which is capable of producing, in a single piece, the ring and the handle connected to each other by diametrically opposite bending regions. The bending or elastic deformation regions are frequently exposed to shear forces sufficient to provoke rupture of the junctions between the ring and the handle. This known construction in a single piece presents load limitations in the junction regions to be submitted to deformation upon the movement of the suspension rod, and prevents the ring and the handle from being produced in different materials.

There are also known the suspension devices in which the ring and the handle are constructed in separate pieces, with the handle ends being articulated to the ring, in opposite regions of the container body, so that the handle can be moved between the inoperative and operative positions. Examples of these previous constructions may be observed in patent documents U.S. Pat. No. 3,093,257 and BR MU 74902442-6.

In these constructions using separate pieces, one of the parts of ring and handle carries a pair of articulating radial pins, to be fitted and supported in respective housings provided in the other of said parts.

Although eliminating the inconveniences regarding the single piece constructions and their strength limitations, the constructions with the handle in a separate piece also present the inconveniences of not guaranteeing a reliable retention of the handle, in its inoperative position, substantially coplanar to the plane of the ring and externally adjacent to an extension of the periphery of the latter, and not allowing mounting the ring to a container body circumferential region axially spaced from the upper edge region of said container body.

The lack of a means for retaining the handle in the inoperative position allows said handle to be involuntarily and undesirably upwardly moved towards its operative position, during the movement of the container in the filling line, causing different problems which can paralyze said filling line.

These known solutions also do not present a retention means which actuates on the handle, so as to maintain it stabilized in its elevated operative position. In these solutions, when the handle is released, by the user, in the elevated operative position, it tends to move descendingly, by gravity force, to a position lateral to the container body, which position can be diametrically opposite to that inoperative position in which the retention means can actuate on the handle, retaining it in this condition.

Other aspect to be considered in the construction of the present suspension devices refers to the feeding of said devices into a magazine of a machine for mounting them around the container bodies. In this condition, the devices must be stably stacked in the magazine, so as to allow each device to be individually released. The known solutions do not refer to this problem.

The impossibility of mounting the ring spaced from the upper edge of the container prevents this construction in a single piece from being mounted to containers in which the finishing of their upper edge is not sufficient to provide the external peripheral rib which retains the ring. In these cases, the external peripheral rib is provided in the container body, in a region thereof axially spaced from the upper edge, making the upper region of the container impair (or interfere in) the angular displacement path of the handle, preventing it from reaching its operative position or, when in said operative position, remaining very little spaced from the upper wall of the container, making the handling uncomfortable or even impairing the adequate gripping of the handle by the user's hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As a function of the inconveniences of the known solutions provided in a single piece or in separate pieces, the invention has, as one of its objects the provision of a suspension device in two pieces, with a simple and cost-effective construction which can be easily mounted to the container, and which can have its handle reliably maintained in an inoperative position and also taken to an operative position, adequately spaced from the upper wall of the container, independently of the axial distance between the external peripheral rib and the upper edge of the container.

The inventions has also the object of providing a suspension device as mentioned above and which can have its handle reliably stabilized in the operative position elevated over the container.

As already mentioned, the present device is applied to a container having a body provided with a surrounding lateral wall, an upper edge and an external peripheral rib, the device being formed: by a ring incorporating two opposite external radial pins and which is ascendingly seated and locked against the external peripheral rib, around the body; and by a U-shaped handle, having a median portion and end portions, each articulated in one of the radial pins, said handle being angularly displaced, around the radial pins, between an inoperative position, lateral and external to the body, and an elevated operative position, disposed over the body.

According to the invention, the ring further incorporates, externally, a lock means which actuates against an adjacent portion of the handle and which stabilizes the latter in an inoperative position, each end portion of the handle being provided with a through opening, through which is supported a respective radial pin, said through opening presenting a width, in the direction transversal to the handle extension, sufficient to tightly support, in said direction, the radial pin, and a length, in the longitudinal direction of the handle, sufficient to support the radial pin, both with the handle in the inoperative position and stabilized by the lock means and with the handle in an angular displacement from the inoperative position to the operative position.

The construction proposed herein allows obtaining a suspension device which can have its two component parts constructed in different materials and which can have its ring retained to the container body in a position spaced from the upper edge of the latter, without impairing the correct angular movement of the handle between its inoperative and operative positions.

The provision of the lock means allows the handle to be reliably retained in its inoperative position, without the risk of being involuntarily and undesirable displaced to its operative position elevated above the container.

In a way of carrying out the invention, the lock means Ls constructed to actuate on the handle not only in the inoperative position of the latter, but also in the elevated operative position of the handle, allowing the latter to be stabilized also in its elevated position.

Further according to another possible way of carrying out the invention, the ring has an upper edge and a lower edge which are configured to allow not only the correct ascending seating of the ring against the external peripheral rib of the container body, but also the stable stacking of the rings in a magazine of a machine for mounting a suspension device around a container body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described below, with reference to the enclosed drawings, given by way of example of possible embodiments of the present suspension device and in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial top plan view of a container deprived of the upper double seam and of its lid, but already carrying the device constructed according to a first embodiment for the lock means for the handle;

FIG. 1A is a partial front plan view of the handle used in the construction of FIG. 1, further illustrating, in dashed lines and in the through opening of each of the end portions of the handle, the cross section and the relative positioning of each of the radial pins, corresponding to the inoperative and operative positions of the handle, when said handle must have its through openings displaced in relation to the radial pins, when moved between its inoperative and operative positions;

FIG. 2 is a partial diametrical sectional view of the container, taken according to line II-II in FIG. 1 and illustrating only the upper portion of the container in which is incorporated a respective articulating radial pin of the handle;

FIG. 3 is a partial diametrical sectional view of the container, taken according to line III-III in FIG. 1 and illustrating only the upper portion of the container in which is incorporated a lock means in the form of an external radial pin for retention of the handle;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are partial lateral views of the container of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, with the handle in the inoperative and operative positions, respectively;

FIG. 6 is a partial top plan view of a container deprived of the upper double seam and of its lid, but already carrying the device constructed according to a second embodiment of the lock means for the handle;

FIG. 7 is a partial diametrical sectional view of the container, taken according to line VII-VII in FIG. 6 and illustrating only the upper portion of the container in which is incorporated a lock means in the form of a radial projection for retaining the handle;

FIG. 8 is a partial top plan view of a container deprived of the upper double seam and of its lid, but already carrying the device constructed according to a third embodiment of the lock means for the handle;

FIG. 8A is a partial front plan view of the handle used in the construction of FIG. 8, further illustrating, in dashed lines and in the through opening of one of the end portions of the handle, the cross section and the relative positioning of each one of the radial pins, corresponding to the inoperative and operative positions of the handle when it is moved between its inoperative and operative positions;

FIG. 8B is a perspective view of an end portion of the handle of FIGS. 8 and 8A, when in the inoperative position and with the respective radial pin being medianly and transversally sectioned;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are partial lateral views of the container, illustrating the device with the third embodiment of the lock means, with the handle being in its inoperative and operative positions, respectively;

FIG. 11 is a partial diametrical sectional view, similar to that of FIGS. 2 and 7 and illustrating a container provided with an annular upper wall peripherally double seamed to its lateral wall and carrying a suspension device constructed according to any of the three embodiments of the lock means for the handle; and

FIG. 12 is a partial diametrical sectional view of a stack of suspending devices to be fed into the magazine of a machine for mounting said devices around the container bodies.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As already mentioned and illustrated in the enclosed drawings, the present suspension device is applied to containers which comprise a body 10 generally formed in metal sheet or in any other adequate laminar material, presenting a prismatic shape with cylindrical or polygonal bases.

The body 10 includes a surrounding lateral wall 11, presenting only one cylindrical face or a plurality of faces with polygonal contour, being superiorly limited by an upper edge 12 and, inferiorly, by a lower edge (not illustrated).

The surrounding lateral wall 11 incorporates an external peripheral rib 14, which can be defined by deforming a circumferential region of the surrounding lateral wall 11 of the body 10 of the container, axially spaced from the upper edge 12 of said body 10. This constructive variant of the container is that represented in FIGS. 1 to 10 of the enclosed drawings.

FIG. 11 illustrates a construction of a container provided with an upper wall 10a which, in the present example, presents an annular shape to define a seat for seating a lid (not illustrated). The upper wall 10a is peripherally double seamed to the upper edge 12 of the surrounding lateral wall 11, said double seaming of the upper wall 10a to the surrounding lateral wall 11 defining the external peripheral rib 14 of the body 10.

The suspension device A considered in the present invention is of the type formed by a ring 20, preferably continuous and formed in a plastic material or any other material which allows obtaining an element, in the form of a belt, to be relatively tightly mounted around the body 10 of the container, in order to be ascendingly seated and locked against the peripheral rib 14 of the body 10 of the container, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 5 and 9 to 11.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 7 and 9 to 12, the ring 20 comprises: an upper edge 20a, which is cutout so as to define an inner annular step 27, turned upwards and recessed in relation to said upper edge 20a and to be ascendingly seated and locked against the peripheral rib 14 of the body 10; and a lower edge 20b, which is cutout so as to define an outer annular step 28, turned downwards and recessed in relation to said lower edge 20b, which is seated on the inner annular step 27 of other ring 20 disposed immediately below, in a stack of rings 20. This construction guarantees an adequate stability for stacking the rings in a magazine, facilitating mounting the devices around the body of the containers.

The ring 20 incorporates, externally, in opposite regions and generally in a single piece, two radial pins 21, each preferably provided with a respective enlarged head 22.

The suspension device A further comprises a generally U-shaped handle 30, formed in any suitable material, such as plastic, having end portions 31 respectively articulated in the radial pins 21, and a median portion 32, the handle being angularly displaced, around the axis common to the two radial pins 21, between an inoperative position, in which it is positioned laterally and externally to a respective lateral extension of the body 10 of the container and of the ring 20, generally corresponding to half the perimeter of the container and of the ring, and an operative position, in which it is positioned over the container. The operational positions of the handle are illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, 9 and 10.

According to the invention, the ring 20 also incorporates, externally, a lock means 40, which actuates against an adjacent portion of the handle 30, to stabilize the latter in its inoperative position. The lock means 40 prevents the handle 30 from being involuntarily displaced from its inoperative position to its elevated operative position.

According to a first constructive embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, preferably enlarged median portion 32 of the handle 30 is provided with a through hole 32a, the lock means 40 comprising a lock pin 25, radially and externally incorporated to the ring 20, provided with an enlarged head 25a and to be fitted through the through hole 32a of the median portion 32, by elastic deformation of at least one of the parts defined by the handle 30 and by the enlarged head 25a of the lock pin 25. This construction allows the handle 30 to be reliably locked in its inoperative position during the handling, transport, filling and storage operations of the container, preventing the involuntary elevation of the handle from causing any inconvenience to the use of said suspension device A.

According to a second constructive embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 7, and using a handle 30 equal to that illustrated in FIG. 1A, but deprived of the through hole 32a in the median portion 32, the lock means 40 comprises a radial projection 26, which is superiorly and externally incorporated to the ring 20, generally in a single piece and provided with an end lower projection 26a, preferably in the form of a descending flange, the median portion 32 of the handle 30, in the inoperative position of the latter, being fitted and retained under the radial projection 26, with all the benefits mentioned above for reliably locking the handle 30 in the inoperative position.

Each end portion 31, preferably enlarged, of the handle 30, is provided with a through opening 33, through which is supported a respective radial pin 21 of the ring 20. The through opening 33 presents a width, in the direction transversal to the extension of the handle 30, sufficient to tightly support, in said direction, the radial pin 21, and a length, in the longitudinal direction of the handle 30, sufficient to support the radial pin 21, both with the handle 30 in the inoperative position and stabilized by the lock means 40, and with the handle 30 in angular displacement from the inoperative position to the operative position.

In the first and second embodiments of the invention, in which the lock means 40 takes the form of the lock pin 25 or of the radial projection 26, so as to actuate in the median portion 32 of the handle 30 when in the inoperative position, the through opening 33 of each end portion 31 of the handle 30 presents opposite lateral edges 33a, which are parallel and rectilinear and against which are tightly seated opposite regions of the generally circular cross section of the respective radial pin 21.

In these embodiments, the through opening 33 further presents an outer end edge 33b, against which is seated the respective radial pin 21, when the handle 30 is in the operative position and suspending the container, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

In order to operate in an adequate manner, each radial pin 21 incorporates an enlarged head 22 with the contour larger than the width of the through openings 33, each of the latter presenting an inner end, opposite to the outer end edge 33b and opened to an enlarged hole 34 with a contour dimensioned to allow the passage of the enlarged head 22 of the radial pin 21, generally with a small elastic deformation of the enlarged head 22 or of the through opening 33.

According to a third embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10, the through opening 33 of each end portion 31 of the handle 30 presents opposite lateral edges 33a, which are parallel and rectilinear, each radial pin 21 presenting a polygonal cross section, comprising: two first faces 21a, opposite to each other, according to the axis direction of the ring 20 and each being tightly seated on one of the opposite lateral edges 33a of the respective through opening 33, when the handle 30 is in the inoperative position. With this construction, the first faces 21a of each radial pin 21 are seated against the opposite lateral edges of the through opening 33, defining the lock means 40 which stabilizes the handle 30 in its inoperative position. The polygonal cross section of the radial pins 21 makes the handle 30 be rotatively locked thereby, when in its inoperative position, as illustrated in FIG. 9.

Further according to said third embodiment of the invention, the polygonal cross section of each radial pin 21 can also comprise two second faces 21b, opposite to each other, according to a direction orthogonal to that of the axis of the ring 20 and each being tightly seated on one of the opposite lateral edges 33a of the respective through opening 33, when the handle 30 is in the operative position, as illustrated in FIG. 10. In this construction, the second faces 21b of each radial pin 21 define a lock means 40, capable of stabilizing the handle 30 also in its operative position.

As already described in relation to the two first embodiments, the through opening 33, of each end portion 31 of the handle 30, also presents an outer end edge 33b, against which is seated one of the first faces 21a of the polygonal cross section of the respective radial pin 21, when the handle 30 is in the operative position and suspending the container, as illustrated in FIG. 10.

In the constructive form illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10, the polygonal cross section of the radial pins 21 is square and the outer end edge 33b of the through openings 33 is rectilinear and orthogonal to the opposite lateral edges 33a of the latter.

Also in said third embodiment of the invention, each radial pin 21 incorporates an enlarged head 22 with a contour larger than the width of the through openings 33, each of the latter presenting an inner end, opposite to the outer end edge 33b and opened to an enlarged hole 34 with a contour dimensioned to allow the passage of the enlarged head 22 of the radial pin 21, generally with the elastic deformation of at least one of the parts involved in this mounting arrangement.

Although not illustrated in the enclosed drawings, when the external peripheral rib 14 is defined close to the upper edge 12 of the container, which generally occurs when the external peripheral rib 14 is defined by double seaming the upper wall 10a to the surrounding lateral wall 11 of the body 10, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the through opening 33, in each end portion 31 of the handle 30, can have its length reduced to define a hole with its cross section corresponding to that of the radial pin 21, for tightly supporting the latter, since the handle 30 can be angularly displaced between its inoperative and operative positions, without interfering with the contour of the container, mainly with the contour of the upper edge 12 of the latter.

However, when the external peripheral rib 14 is defined in a region of the surrounding lateral wall 11 of the body 10 axially spaced from the upper edge 12 of the body 10, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 10, the through opening 33, in each end portion 31 of the handle 30, takes the form of an oblong slot longitudinally disposed in the handle 30, so as to allow the latter to be displaced radially in relation to the axis of the two radial pins 21, in order to increase its angular displacement radius, avoiding any interference contact with the upper edge 12 of the body 10, when said handle is moved between the inoperative and operative positions.

In order to prevent an inadvertent displacement of the handle 30, in relation to the radial pins 21, from positioning any of said pins 21 aligned with the respective enlarged holes 34 of the end portions 31 of the handle 30, the opposite lateral edges 33a, of each through opening 33, can be provided, with respective projections 36 for limiting the free displacement of the radial pins 21 towards the enlarged hole 34 of the respective through opening 33, as better illustrated in FIG. 8A.

While only three constructive embodiments for the present suspension device have been illustrated herein, it should be understood that the component parts of said suspension device can have different forms, without departing from the constructive concept defined in the claims which accompany the present specification.

Claims

1. A suspension device for containers, comprising a body having a surrounding lateral wall, an upper edge and an external peripheral rib, the device being formed: by a ring which incorporates a pair of external and opposite radial pins and which is ascendingly seated and locked against the external peripheral rib, around the body; and by a U-shaped handle having a median portion and end portions respectively articulated around the radial pins, so as to be displaced, around the radial pins, between an inoperative position, lateral to the body, and an elevated operative position, disposed over the body, the device being characterized in that the ring further incorporates a lock means actuating against an adjacent portion of the handle and stabilizing the latter in its inoperative position, each end portion of the handle being provided with a through opening through which is supported a respective radial pin, said through opening presenting a width, in the direction transversal to the extension of the handle, sufficient to tightly support, in said direction, the radial pin, and a length, in the longitudinal direction of the handle, sufficient to support the radial pin, both with the handle in the inoperative position and stabilized by the lock means, and with the handle in angular displacement from the inoperative position to the operative position.

2. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the median portion of the handle is provided with a through hole, the lock means comprising a lock pin, radially and externally incorporated to the ring, provided with an enlarged head and to be fitted through the through hole of the median portion, by elastic deformation of at least one of the parts defined by the handle, and by the enlarged head of the lock pin, locking the handle in its inoperative position.

3. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the lock means comprises a radial projection, superiorly and externally incorporated to the ring and provided with an end lower projection, the median portion of the handle, in the inoperative position of the latter, being fitted and locked under the radial projection.

4. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that the through opening, of each end portion of the handle, presents opposite lateral edges, parallel and rectilinear, against which are tightly seated opposite regions of the cross section of the respective radial pin, said through opening also presenting an outer end edge, against which is seated the respective radial pin, when the handle is in the operative position and suspending the container.

5. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that each radial pin incorporates an enlarged head with the contour larger than the width of the through openings, each of the latter presenting an inner end opposite to the outer end edge and opened to an enlarged hole with a contour dimensioned to allow the passage of the enlarged head of the radial pin.

6. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the through opening of each end portion of the handle presents opposite lateral edges, parallel and rectilinear, each radial pin presenting a polygonal cross section, comprising: two first faces, opposite to each other, according to the axis direction of the ring and each being tightly seated on one of the opposite lateral edges of the respective through opening when the handle is in the inoperative position, the first faces of each radial pin defining the lock means which stabilizes the handle in its inoperative position.

7. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 6, characterized in that the polygonal cross section of each radial pin also comprises two second faces, opposite to each other, according to a direction orthogonal to that of the axis of the ring, and each being tightly seated on one of the opposite lateral edges of the respective through opening when the handle is in the operative position, the second faces of each radial pin defining the lock means which stabilizes the handle in its operative position.

8. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 6, characterized in that the through opening, of each end portion of the handle, also presents an outer end edge, against which is seated one of the first faces of the polygonal cross section of the respective radial pin, when the handle is in the operative position and suspending the container.

9. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 8, characterized in that the polygonal cross section of the radial pins is square and that the outer end edge of the through openings is rectilinear and orthogonal to the opposite lateral edges.

10. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 8, characterized in that each radial pin incorporates an enlarged head with the contour larger than the width of the through openings, each of the latter presenting an inner end, opposite to the outer end edge and opened to an enlarged hole with a contour dimensioned to allow the passage of the enlarged head of the radial pin.

11. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that the opposite lateral edges, of each through opening, are provided of respective projections so as to limit the free displacement of the radial pins towards the enlarged hole of the respective through opening.

12. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the ring comprises: an upper edge which is cutout so as to define an inner annular step, turned upwards and recessed in relation to said upper edge and to be ascendingly seated and locked against the peripheral rib of the body; and a lower edge which is cutout so as to define an outer annular step, turned downwards and recessed in relation to said lower edge, which is seated on the inner annular step of other ring disposed immediately below, in a stack of rings.

13. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the external peripheral rib is defined by deforming a circumferential region of the body of the container, axially spaced from the upper edge of the body.

14. The suspension device, as set forth in claim 1, the body being provided with an upper wall peripherally double seamed to the upper edge of the surrounding lateral wall, the device being characterized in that the external peripheral rib is defined by double seaming the upper wall to the surrounding lateral wall of said body.