GB2245880A

GB2245880A - Auxiliary handle for container with pivotable handle

Info

Publication number: GB2245880A
Application number: GB9015127A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rolf Harris
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-07-09
Filing date: 1990-07-09
Publication date: 1992-01-15
Anticipated expiration: 2010-07-09
Also published as: AU8031991A; GB9015127D0; GB2245880B

Abstract

An auxiliary handle 2 for use in conjunction with a container 8 comprising a container body 10 fitted with a pivotable primary handle 12 comprises a handle engagement portion 5 for engagement with the primary handle 12, a container support portion 6 for engaging and supporting the container body 10, and a grip portion 4. When the grip portion 4 is gripped and has a lifting force applied thereto, a first surface 16 of the handle engagement portion 5 acts as a pivoting surface such that the effective moment of the container support portion 6 about the primary handle 12 causes an inner surface of the container support portion 6 to act upon an outer surface of the container body 10 thus allowing the container to be lifted. The auxiliary handle support portion may have laterally extending wings (50, 51, Figure 7) and the grip portion may be T-shaped. The auxiliary handle may be of moulded plastics, metal or wood, solid or hollow, and have internal or external strengthening members. The container may contain paint, <IMAGE>

Description

AUXILIARY HANDLE This invention relates to an auxiliary handle for use in conjunction with containers which comprise a container body fitted with a primary handle; and particularly for use in conjunction with paint cans and the like.

Conventionally, paint cans are carried by the handle with which they are fitted. Such a handle, generally, takes the form of an arcuate strip pivotably attached, at each of its ends, to respective attachment points on the outer surface of the can. In this arrangement, the can itself is the container body and the handle is the primary handle. One of the problems associated with this arrangement, is that the container body is free to swing about the, typically diametrically opposed, attachment points of the primary handle. Due to the position of the handle above the centre of the container, it can be rather uncomfortable to dip a brush into the paint within the container, whilst carrying the container by means of the primary handle. This is because it is not possible to hold the container body at an inclined angle simply by use of the primary handle.

Furthermore, whilst using such a known container it is quite common for paint to run down the outer surface of the container body. When the container is placed upon some rest surface, the primary handle will typically pivot about its points of attachment and come to rest against the outer surface of the container body. The result is that some of the handle becomes covered in paint. This is undesirable, because the paint will subsequently become transferred to the user' s hand when the container is picked up again.

In addition, such primary handles are typically made from a length of wire or a strip having a narrow width.

Such handles are very uncomfortable for supporting the container, often cutting into the user' s hand after a period of use.

According to the present invention, there is provided an auxiliary handle for use in conjunction with a container comprising a container body fitted with a primary handle, the primary handle being pivotable with respect to the container body, the auxiliary handle comprising a handle engagement portion for engagement with the primary handle, a container support portion for engaging and supporting the container body, and a grip portion to be gripped in the hand, the handle engagement portion being disposed between the container support portion and the grip portion, said auxiliary handle being so configured that, when said grip portion is gripped and has a lifting force applied thereto, a first surface of said handle engagement portion acts as a pivoting surface to pivot about, or to be pivoted about, the primary handle of the container, in such a manner that the effective moment of the container support portion about the primary handle causes an inner surface of said container support portion to act upon an outer surface of the container body in such a manner as to hold the container body in a substantially fixed position in relation to the container support portion, thereby allowing the container to be lifted by means of the auxiliary handle.

It is, therefore, possible by means of one embodiment of the present invention to carry a known container fitted with a pivotable primary handle, in such a way that the contents thereof may be easily accessed whilst the container is being carried. Furthermore, the container body is held stable in use, allowing far greater control of the container body, whilst maintaining a more efficient and clean use of the hands than previously possible, and providing a more secure and comfortable means for supporting the container.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like references refer to like parts unless the context requires otherwise and wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of an auxiliary handle according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the auxiliary handle shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a container; Figure 4 is a perspective view, showing front and right hand side, of the auxiliary handle shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a side view, partly in section, of the auxiliary handle of Figure 1 in use with a container; Figure 6 is a perspective view, showing rear and left hand side, of an auxiliary handle according to a second embodiment of the invention; and Figure 7 is a perspective view, showing front and left hand side, of the auxiliary handle shown in figure 6.

The illustrated first embodiment of the auxiliary handle, shown in figure 1 and generally designated 2, comprises three main portions. These portions are the grip portion 4, the handle engagement portion 5 and the container support portion 6. In this embodiment of the present invention, the three portions are integral with each other and the auxiliary handle is, therefore, a one-piece article.

The auxiliary handle 2 is for use in conjunction with a containers such as the one shown in Figures 3 and 5. The container 8 comprises a container body 10 and a primary handle 12. The primary handle 12 is pivotable, in the direction of the arrows A, about two diametrically opposed points of attachment 24. When in use, the auxiliary handle 2 is threaded between the primary handle 12 and the rim 26 of the container body 10. The container support portion 6 is then brought downwards so as to be disposed outside of the container body 10, with the wall of the container body 10 being inserted between the inner surface 14 of the container support portion 6 and a stabilising means 30.

During the process of fitting the auxiliary handle 2 to the container 8, the primary handle 12 of the container 8 becomes confined in its movement about the points of attachment 24 by the projections 20, 22 on the first surface 16 of the handle engagement portion 5. The projections 20 and 22, which serve to form a detent means 18, prevent the primary handle 12 from moving too far across the first surface 16 of the handle engagement portion 5 at all times that the auxiliary handle 2 is in use. Once fitted in this manner, the container 8 and the auxiliary handle 2 are in a rest position. From this position, the container 8 can be readily lifted by means of the auxiliary handle 2.

In order to lift the container 8 in this way, the grip portion 4, which comprises a stem 32 and a grip part 34, is lifted by means of the grip part 34. The grip part 34 has a cross-sectional diameter which is generally much greater than that of the primary handle 12. Accordingly, the grip part 34 is much more comfortable to hold, than the primary handle 12, and also more easily held in a secure manner. Lifting the grip part has the effect of causing the first surface 16 of the handle engagement portion 5 to act as a pivoting surface which pivots about the inner surface 36 of the primary handle 12.

This has the result of bringing the inner surface 14 of the container support portion 6 into stabilised contact with the outer surface 28 of the container body 10. As the grip part 34 is lifted, the inner surface 14 of the container support portion 6 exerts a force on the outer surface 28 of the container body 10. The action of this force is countered by the action of the first surface 16 of the handle engagement portion 5 upon the inner surface 36 of the primary handle 12 and the force exerted in lifting the grip part 34. As a result, pressure is maintained upon the outer surface 28 of the container body 10 and the inner surface 36 of the primary handle 12; thereby enabling the container to be lifted in a stable manner by means of the auxiliary handle 2.When the lifting force applied to the grip part 34 is relaxed, the stabilising means 30 prevents the auxiliary handle 2 from pivoting about the rim 26 of the container body 10 and falling thereinto.

The junction between the handle engagement 5, the container support portion 6 and the stabilising means 30 further includes a hollow groove 40. This groove facilitates the fitting of the auxiliary handle 2 to the container body 10, and further allows for the provision of a lip around the rim 26 of the container body 10.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the longitudinal axes of the handle engagement portion 5 and the container support portion 6 are inclined with respect to each other to provide for a more efficient use of the auxiliary handle.

Figure 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention which is similar to the first embodiment described above. However, in this embodiment, the container support portion 6 is further provided with support wings 50, 51 which have arcuate inner surfaces, and which provide additional support to the container body by extending the reach of the inner surface 14 of the container support portion 6 further around perimeter of the container body 10. The purpose of including the support wings 50, 51 is to prevent the container body 10 from slipping in a direction to the left hand side or the right hand side of the auxiliary handle 2, which prevents the container body 10 from slipping from engagement with the container support portion 6.The wings further serve to spread the load of the container body 10 over a greater surface area of an inner surface 14 of the container support portion 6. This serves to reduce any disfiguration of the container body 10 which could occur if the container body 10 were made from a resilient material, such as, for example, a plastics material.

The second embodiment of the invention, as shown in figures 5 and 6, also comprises a detent means 18 which is different to that of the first embodiment. In the second embodiment of the invention the projection 20 is replaced by a groove 21 and the first surface 16 is inclined at an angle which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the container support portion 6.

It should, however, be noted that the detent means 18 of the second embodiment is not restricted for use in conjunction with the support wings 50, 51 mentioned above, but may be used in any desired embodiment of the present invention, where practical. The actual configuration of the detent means 18 will obvously be selected to maximise the effectiveness of the particular embodiment, with reference to the types of container 8 with which the auxiliary handle 2 is intended to be used.

These embodiments of the present invention are moulded from a plastics material. However, it is possible to manufacture further embodiments from, for example, light metal alloys or wood. Furthermore, it is possible to manufacture an embodiment having either a hollow or a solid internal cops tucti on; it may also be desirable to make borings, for the purpose of weight reduction, or to provide additional strengthening or supporting means, either on the outside of, or within, the main structure of the auxiliary handle. It may be particularly beneficial to provide additional internal strengthening members within the additional support means; this would be advantageous where the auxiliary handle is manufactured predominantly from a plastics material. The internal strengthening members could be made from a metal, metal alloy or the like.

The present invention, therefore, provides solutions to the aforementioned problems known in the art. However, the foregoing description of the present invention has been given by way of example only, and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An auxiliary handle for use in conjunction with a container comprising a container body fitted with a primary handle, the primary handle being pivotable with respect to the container body, the auxiliary handle comprising a handle engagement portion for engagement with the primary handle, a container support portion for engaging and supporting the container body, and a grip portion to be gripped in the hand, the handle engagement portion being disposed between the container support portion and the grip portion, said auxiliary handle being so configured that, when said grip portion is gripped and has a lifting force applied thereto, a first surface of said handle engagement portion acts as a pivoting surface to pivot about, or to be pivoted about, the primary handle of the container, in such a manner that the effective moment of the container support portion about the primary handle causes an inner surface of said container support portion to act upon an outer surface of the container body in such a manner as to hold the container body in a substantially fixed position in relation to the container support portion, thereby allowing the container to be lifted by means of the auxiliary handle.

2. An auxiliary handle according to claim 1; wherein said first surface of said handle engagement portion further comprises detent means which prevent movement of said primary handle over more than a predetermined distance in a direction perpendicular to a lateral axis of said handle engagement portion.

3. An auxiliary handle according to claim 2; wherein said detent means comprises a projection disposed at an end of said first surface adjacent said grip portion.

4. An auxiliary handle according to claim 2 or 3; wherein said detent means comprises a groove cut in said pivoting surface.

5. An auxiliary handle according to claim 2, 3 or 4; wherein said detent means comprises a projection disposed at an end of said first surface adjacent said container support portion.

6. An auxiliary handle according to any preceding claim; wherein said auxiliary handle further comprises stabilising means, which stabilising means has the effect of reducing rotational movement of said auxiliary handle about a rim of said container body, thereby reducing the movement of said inner surface away from the outer surface of said container body.

7. An auxiliary handle according to claim 6; wherein said stabilising means is disposed upon an inner surface of either said handle engagement portion or said container support portion.

8. An auxiliary handle according to claim 6 or 7; wherein said stabilising means is a projection which acts against an inner surface of said container body.

9. An auxiliary handle according to any preceding claim; wherein the respective longitudinal axes of said container support portion and said handle engagement portion are obliquely disposed in relation to each other

10. An auxiliary handle according to claim 9; wherein the respective longitudinal axes of said container support portion and said handle engagement portion are obtusely disposed in relation to each other.

11. An auxiliary handle according to any preceding claim; wherein said container support portion comprises a laterally aligned groove disposed at one end of its inner surface.

12. An auxiliary handle according to claim 10; wherein said groove is part-circular in cross-section.

13. An auxiliary handle according to any preceding claim; wherein said grip portion is substantially T-shaped, having a stem part and grip part, a first end of said stem part being joined to said handle engagement portion and a second end of said stem part having said grip part disposed thereat.

14. An auxiliary handle according to any preceding claim; wherein said container support portion further comprises lateral support means, so as to restrict the movement of said container body, relative to the auxiliary handle, in a direction sideways of the auxiliary handle.

15. An auxiliary handle according to claim 14; wherein said lateral support means comprises a pair of wings which extend laterally from said container support portion, the inner surface of said wings being substantially arcuate in section.

16. An auxiliary handle according to claim 14, or 15; wherein said lateral support means further comprises means for establishing releasable fixation between said lateral support means and the outer surface of said container body.

17. An auxiliary handle according to any preceding claim; wherein said grip portion, said handle engagement portion and said container support portion are all integral with each other.

18. An auxiliary handle according to any preceding claim; wherein said auxiliary handle is a one-piece article.

19. An auxiliary handle according to any preceding claim; wherein said auxiliary handle further comprises at least one internal strengthening member disposed substantially within the body of said auxiliary handle.

20. An auxiliary handle according to claim 19; wherein at least one said internal strengthening member is disposed substantially within said wings and serves to strengthen said wings.

21. An auxiliary handle according to any preceding claim; wherein said auxiliary handle further comprises at least one external strengthening member disposed substantially on an outer surface of said auxiliary handle.

22. An auxiliary handle according to claim 21; wherein at least one said external strengthening member is disposed on an outer surface of said wings.

23. An auxiliary handle according to any preceding claim; wherein said auxiliary handle has at least one indentation therein, or at least one hole therethrough.

24. An auxiliary handle according to any preceding claim; wherein said auxiliary handle is at least partially hollow.

25. An auxiliary handle according to any preceding claim; wherein a portion of said grip portion has a sectional diameter substantially greater than that of said primary handle.

26. An auxiliary handle substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying flrawings.