Shopping bag handle

Abstract

A strap includes an elongate sheet of material with two end portions and a central portion. Each of the end portions is provided with a hook dimensioned and configured to receive the plastic handles of a shopping bag or the like. The strap may be plastic injection molded. The strap may be uniform thickness or may be selectively reduced in thickness to save material and weight in those regions where the extra material is not essential to the integrity of the strap. A hinge is provided between the central and end portions to allow the end portions to deflect or bend out of the plane of the central portion under the weight of supported bags. This allows the bad holder to respond to the weight of the bags while maintaining the central portion substantially flat to avoid excessive bending and possible compression and pain to the hand of the user.

I claim:  
     
         1 . Strap for carrying at least two shopping bags by hand comprises a relatively thin sheet of elongate material which defines a longitudinal axis in the flat condition of said elongate sheet of material including a substantially rigid central portion, dimensioned and configured to be gripped by the hand of a user, an end portion at each longitudinal or axial end of said central portion and having lateral edges spaced from said axis; a pair of spaced engaging members proximate to and along said lateral edges of each end portion for simultaneously engaging a handle of a pliable shopping bag by extending between said engaging members and transversely across at least a part of an associated end portion; and a pliable hinge between said central portion and each end portion that permits said end portions to be in the plane of said central portion or move out of said plane in response to loads applied to said engaging members, whereby supporting shopping bags on each end portion facilitates the carrying of the shopping bags with comfort by allowing said end portions to assume positions consistent with the weight of the bags while maintaining the central portion substantially flat so as to avoid compression forces on the hand of the user due to flexing or bending of the central portion.  
     
     
         2 . Strap as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said sheet material comprises solid plastic molded material.  
     
     
         3 . Strap as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said gripping means comprises a lateral hook at each end of central portion.  
     
     
         4 . Strap as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each hook defines an access opening substantially closed and provides minimal clearance for the handles of the plastic bags, whereby forced insertion of the handles of the plastic bags through said access openings into said hooks minimizes the risk of the handles from inadvertently separating from the strap.  
     
     
         5 . Strap as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each pliable hinge is integrally formed with said central portion and said end portions.  
     
     
         6 . Strap as defined in  claim 6 , wherein each hinge is a living hinge formed of the same material forming said central and end portions.  
     
     
         7 . Strap as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a cylindrical sleeve surrounding said central portion.  
     
     
         8 . Strap as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said sleeve is shrink-wrapped about said central portion.  
     
     
         9 . Strap as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said sleeve is imprinted with at least one advertisement.  
     
     
         10 . Strap as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said sleeve is transparent.  
     
     
         11 . Strap as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said sleeve is opaque.