Molded paint can with knit-free handle

Abstract

A paint can has a molded plastic bucket and cover which are releasably engageable with one another at a seal. The bucket has an integrally-formed, knit-free handle. The anchors for the handle are knit to the side wall or reinforcing ring of the bucket.

1 . A molded bucket, comprising a floor, a wall attached to the floor and extending therefrom to an upper end, a pair of handle anchors connected to the upper end of the bucket wall, and a knit free handle extending from the handle anchors, the handle anchors being connected to the upper end of the wall at knit zones which are remote from the handle.  
   
   
       2 . The molded bucket of  claim 1  wherein the upper end of the wall further comprises a reinforcing ring extending at least partially around the wall with the handle anchors being attached to the reinforcing ring.  
   
   
       3 . A bucket having a floor, a wall having an upper end, and an arcuate handle attached at two anchors to the upper end of the wall, the bucket being formed by the process of: 
 forming handle, anchor, floor and wall cavities in a mold with the handle and wall cavities being in fluid communication with the anchor cavities and the floor and wall cavities being in fluid communication with one another;    feeding molten material into the mold cavity for the handle;    feeding molten material into one of the mold cavities for the floor and wall;    controlling the feeding of molten material such that the anchor cavities are filled from the handle cavity;    solidifying the molten material in the mold cavities; and    releasing the finished bucket from the mold cavities.    
   
   
       4 . A method of making a bucket having a floor, a wall having an upper end, and an arcuate handle attached at two anchors to the wall, the method comprising the steps of: 
 forming handle, anchor, floor and wall cavities in a mold with the handle and wall cavities being in fluid communication with the anchor cavities and the floor and wall cavities being in fluid communication with one another;    feeding molten material into the mold cavity for the handle;    feeding molten material into one of the mold cavities for the floor and wall;    controlling the feeding of molten material such that the anchor cavities are filled from the handle cavity;    solidifying the molten material in the mold cavities; and    releasing the finished bucket from the mold cavities.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the controlling step is further characterized by feeding the molten material such that material fed into the handle cavity extends at least partially from the anchor cavities into the wall cavity.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the forming step is further characterized by forming the wall cavity to include a reinforcing ring cavity near the upper end.