Removable Integrated Handle For Containers

Abstract

A removable plastic handle assembly for use with containers such as tins or cans, wherein the handle assembly is constituted by a hoop which connects to the mouth of the container and a handle formed integrally with the hoop; the hoop has an internal slot which serves as a housing for the seam of the mouth and also has one or more gripping collets arranged, for preference, in a form equidistant around the hoop; the handle is found on the same plane as the hoop and is joined to it by two thick opposed points of attachment, corresponding to the ends of the handle, and also they are joined by one or more thinner points of attachment which keep the handle on the plane of the hoop before its use, guaranteeing its permanence in the plane and it's appropriate stacking but at the moment the handle is used, the thin points of attachment break to turn the handle during transport; the hoop moreover has projections which function as guides during the stacking.

1 . A removable handle assembly to be used with a container of the kind which has a mouth on the upper edge that defines a central opening end, which is designed to receive a lid for closing said opening, the mouth being seamed at the top edge of the wall of the container, in the said part of the seam the top edge of the wall is bent outwards forming an inversed curved rim similar to the profile of an inverted “U”, which finalizes in an upper flange pointing downwards, the marginal border of the mouth is inserted in the top flange, going round to form a first “U”-shaped rim, which is subsequently bent inwards and downwards to form a second rim in the form of an inverted “U”, this second rim goes round the upper curved rim of the wall and points downwards and subsequently points inwards forming a step, from the horizontal surface of the step a “U”-shaped curved rim extends downwards,
 wherein the internal faces of the said curved rim define two vertical friction walls, at the same time the lid has on the edge a “U”-shaped curved rim, wherein the walls of the said rim also constitute friction walls which interact with the friction walls of the mouth;   the assembly is characterized in that it is formed from a hoop and a handle, both of which constitute a single piece, wherein the handle is integrated into the hoop without protruding said hoop in the horizontal plane, the handle is joined to the hoop in at least two points by means of thick fastening elements facing at  180  degrees, corresponding with the two ends of the handle; the hoop internally defines a profile similar in form to a letter “C”, wherein the hollow of the “C” constitutes a slot for the accommodation of the seamed portion of the container, the hoop is delimited by: a) an upper face on the horizontal plane; b) an upper internal vertical face pointing towards the centre of the hoop, adjacent and at right angles to the interior edge of the upper horizontal face; c) an upper vertical external face directed towards the outside of the hoop, adjacent and at right angles to the exterior edge of the upper horizontal face, the said second upper vertical face descending to a level below the first upper vertical face; d) an inclined face adjacent to the external vertical face and extending below the said external vertical face; e) a lower horizontal face which is a continuation of the inclined face; and f) an internal vertical lower surface which is approximately below and on the same plane as the upper internal vertical face; the internal upper internal vertical face and the lower internal vertical face are joined by the inner development of the slot;   the hoop has also one or more gripping collets which hold the hoop to the container, each collet is an extension of the upper horizontal face and of the internal upper vertical face towards the centre of the hoop and downwards until the slot finalizes, each collet is delimited by:   an upper horizontal face;   an internal vertical face;   an horizontal lower face and a second vertical face which is oriented in front of the slot, in such a manner that during the joining of the hoop with the mouth, the internal lower vertical face of the hoop remains in contact with the vertical wall of the container, whereas the slot serves as a housing for the seam of the container, and the lower horizontal face of the collet stays in contact with the step of the mouth, in such a way that the collet acts as a hook with the step of the mouth, exerting resistance to support the weight of the contents of the tin; the hoop also has a number of guides to centralize the receptacle, each guide is a projection which points upwards, elongated, the guides constitute a limit or boundary which, during the stacking of the similar containers, delimits the displacement of a first upper container with respect to the hoop of a second lower container.   
   
   
       2 . The handle assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the hoop of the assembly is circular and is used with a cylindrical container, the hoop has a diameter similar to the upper edge of the container. 
   
   
       3 . The handle assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the assembly is used with a container such as a can or a tin. 
   
   
       4 . The handle assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the container and the lid can be made of plastic, metal or even compressed cardboard, while the mouth can be metal, plastic or any other resistant material. 
   
   
       5 . The handle assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the wall of the container and the bottom are made of a single piece of a plastic material. 
   
   
       6 . The handle assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the bottom is seamed to the wall of the container. 
   
   
       7 . The handle assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the assembly is made of plastic. 
   
   
       8 . The handle assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle has notches in the middle which adapt anatomically to the hand's fingers. 
   
   
       9 . The handle assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the handle has four notches. 
   
   
       10 . The handle assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle is also joined to the hoop by one or more thin points of attachment which keep the handle in the plane of the hoop before using it to load the container, the said thin points of attachment can be broken when the handle is used, in such a manner that the handle can be turned upwards for allowing the user to transport the container. 
   
   
       11 . The handle assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle has a pronounced curve next to each one of the ends of the thick points of attachment, the said curve acts as a spring to support the weight of the product without which having a twist in the handle due to fatigue could break it. 
   
   
       12 . The handle assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle has a straight outlet from each one of the thick points of attachment to support the weight of light products. 
   
   
       13 . The handle assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the hoop has eight gripping collets. 
   
   
       14 . The handle assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the hoop furthermore has two collets fused with the handle, the said collets also have a vertical face which faces the slot and the handle properly starts from what would be the interior vertical face of the collet, in such a manner that the handle originates from the upper horizontal face of the collet and from the lower horizontal face of the collet. 
   
   
       15 . The handle assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the hoop has only a single continuous collet. 
   
   
       16 . The handle assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each guide is shaped to follow the contour of the hoop. 
   
   
       17 . The handle assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each guide is associated with a collet. 
   
   
       18 . The handle assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein each guide is found between the upper circular face of the hoop and the collet. 
   
   
       19 . The handle assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein each guide is located on the external edge of the hoop. 
   
   
       20 . The handle assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the body of the container has a form selected from one of the following: cylindrical, rectangular prism, cubic and oval column, and has a lid either having a shape that corresponds to the main body, or with any other shape and number of sides that the container and geometry may permit.