GB2241161A

GB2241161A - Hand grip

Info

Publication number: GB2241161A
Application number: GB9003860A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martyn William Rissen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-02-21
Filing date: 1990-02-21
Publication date: 1991-08-28
Also published as: GB9003860D0

Abstract

A hand grip for a carrier bag comprises a channel portion (2) having a series of inwardly projecting offset lugs (3) for receiving and retaining the handle portions of one or more carrier bags. The grip may comprise resilient plastics, and may be longitudinally arcuate (see Fig 1, not shown). it may have a pivoting jaw-like action, serrated teeth, and two relatively hinged sides. <IMAGE>

Description

SUPPORT DEVICE This invention relates to a support device and in particular it relates to a device for supporting an article such as a plastics carrier bag in the hand when the article is heavily loaded.

Carrier bags made of a plastics material are common nowadays and are often supplied by supermarkets and other shops to carry purchases away from the shop. They are convenient and cheap and also have the advantage that it is easy to print labels, logos and other advertising material upon them. However, such bags, when heavily loaded, can produce a considerable strain upon the hand of a.user holding the bag and a preformed plastics handle or grip portion can tend to cut into a users hands and cause discomfort, numbness or pain if a bag is to be carried for any distance.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which can support the handle of the carrier bag when carried and reduce discomfort to the user.

According to the present invention there is provided a hand held support device for a carrier bag, the support device being shaped to be comfortably held in a hand and including a channel portion for receiving one or more handle portions of a carrier bag, and means for retaining the carrier bag with respect to the device.

Preferably the retaining means comprises a , w * plurality of lugs extending inwardly into the channel. * The handle portions of a pluraLity of carrier bags may be supported by the device, such that the plurality of bags can be carried together in one hand using just one support device.

The device is preferably arcuate in its elongate direction and is a one piece moulded article made of a plastics material.

Advantageously, the support device is adapted such that it can have matter printed upon one or more sides, such as advertising material, logos, etc and is also preferably biodegradeable.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a bag support device; Figure 2 shows a cross section through II-II of Figure 1; and Figure 7 shows a top view of a bag support device being held in a hand.

Referring to Figure 1, a bag support device comprises an elongate arcuate body 1 formed preferably of a plastics material. A longitudinal channel 2 extends throughout its length so that at any point the device has a generally U-shaped cross sectlon, as shown in Figure 2. The device is approximately 9 cm long in one particular embodiment although any length may of course be chosen. As shown in Figure 1, the device is generally tapered towards its ends. Mounted on respective surfaces of the channel 2 are a plurality of inwardly facing studs or lugs 3. In one example, two pairs of these studs are provided, one pair on either side of channel 2 and the pairs being off-set slightly from one another. The studs may extend any chosen distance inwards into the channel. They may be integral with the main body 1 and moulded therewith or made separately and subsequently affixed.

As shown in Figure 3, the device is such that it is comfortably hand held. It is also preferably resilient and deformable so as to fit most shapes and sizes of hands. Since the outward facing sides of the device present a reasonably extensive face, they may be printed or otherwise provided with advertising material, trade or service marks, shop or other logos, etc which may be otherwise affixed to their faces.

In use, the device is used to support the handles of a conventional plastics carrier bag of the type which is commonly either given free of charge or for a small consideration at supermarkets or other shops. Such bags include two handle portions which are generally held together by a user. These handle portions are inserted into the channel section 2 of the device such that they lie within the channel underneath the lugs or studs 3. This action is facilitated if the device and/or the lugs are resilient. Subsequently, by lifting the support device in a hand, as shown in Figure 3, the handles of the carrier bag, and hence the carrier bag itself, will be lifted. Since the bag is supported by the supporting device and the handles do not impinge directly upon the hand, it is much easier to hold the bag over long distances.If no device was present the handles of loaded carrier bag could cause pain and discomfort to a user by virtue of their nature and shape. The device, on the other hand is comfortably held and spreads the load into a portion of the hand which is best adapted to hold it. When the bag is subsequently lowered to the ground, the device stays in place due to the retaining lugs 3.

It can then be relifted. When the bag is taken to its final destination, it is a simple matter to extricate the handle portions of the bag from the device and to unload the bag. The device can then be reused or alternatively may be disposed of. The device is preferably made of material which can be safely disposed of and is not harmful or significantly harmful to the environment.

Instead of or in addition to lugs, the device may have a pivoting jaw-like action to hold a bag in place and may, for instance, have serrated teeth and have two sides which are hingeable with respect to another to include the handle portion of a bag. The device is usable with other types of bags or carrying means than plastics carrier bags.

Claims

1. A hand held support device for one or more carrier bags, comprising a channel portion for receiving one or more handle portions of a carrier bag, and means for retaining the carrier bag with respect to the device, the channel portion being shaped to be gripped by the hand of a user such that the user supports directly the channel portion of the device.

2. A support device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the retaining means comprises a plurality of lugs extending inwardly into the channel.

3. A support device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 which is longitudinally arcuate.

4. A support device as claimed in Claim 3 which is arcuate such that the channel portion is longitudinally convex.

5. A support device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which is of a moulded plastics material.

6. A support device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims bearing printed, or otherwise affixed, material thereon.

7. A hand held support device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims adapted to support a plurality of bags simultaneously.

8. A support device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the retaining means comprises jaws.

9. A hand held support device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the channel is of C or U section.

1C. A support devIce substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.