Carrier strap for bottles or jugs

Abstract

An integrally formed bottle or jug carrier strap for securely and comfortably carrying a pair of bottles or jugs by their neck. An elongate grip has rings at each end and a neck-retaining collar attached to the inner circumference of each ring. Scores on the underside of each ring cause the ring to break at the score when the rings are deformed, permitting the bottle or jug to easily be removed from the carrier strap.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A one-piece carrier strap for carrying a pair of containers, such as jugs, narrow-necked bottles or the like, that are of a type having an enlarged neck portion, said strap comprising: (a) an elongate grip having a pair of opposite ends;   (b) a pair of rings, each ring being fixedly attached to a respective one of said ends of said grip, each ring having a pair of scores formed therein; and   (c) a respective neck-retaining collar within each ring, each collar having at least a pair of resiliently yieldable portions that progressively approach each other toward an upper side of said strap for yieldably receiving and springably retaining the enlarged neck portion of a respective container of said type that is inserted through said collar toward said upper side, said yieldable portions of each collar being, apart from the corresponding ring, completely separated from each other by at least a pair of gaps such that if either ring is stressed and thereby broken along said scores, then at least a pair of the corresponding yieldable portions are fully disconnected from each other.   
     
     
       2. The carrier strap of claim 1 wherein each neck-retaining collar is generally of frustoconical shape. 
     
     
       3. The carrier strap of claim 1 wherein each ring .[.includes.]. .Iadd.has an interior circumference and an exterior circumference and .Iaddend.a tab portion .Iadd.is .Iaddend.infrangibly attached to .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.exterior circumference of .[.said.]. .Iadd.each .Iaddend.ring. 
     
     
       4. The carrier strap of claim 1 wherein said grip further includes longitudinal ribs so formed as to provide substantial rigidity to said grip, said ribs being formed at least in part, along said upper side of said strap. 
     
     
       5. The carrier strap of claim 1 wherein said at least a pair of .Iadd.the .Iaddend.corresponding yieldable portions are fully disconnected from each other in such a manner that the corresponding said collar is subsequently incapable of springably retaining the enlarged neck portion of a container of said type. 
     
     
       6. A one-piece carrier strap for carrying a pair of containers, such as jugs, narrow-necked bottles or the like, that are of a type having an enlarged neck portion, said strap comprising: (a) an elongate grip having a pair of opposite ends;   (b) a pair of rings, each ring being fixedly attached to a respective one of said ends, each ring including a pair of divisible portions delineated from each other by a pair of scores formed in said ring;   (c) a respective neck-retaining collar within each ring, each collar having at least a pair of resiliently yieldable portions that progressively approach each other toward an upper side of said strap for yieldably receiving and springably retaining the enlarged neck portion of a respective container of said type that is inserted through said collar toward said upper side; and   (d) at least a pair of said yieldable portions within each ring being independently connected to said ring such that if either ring is sufficiently stressed along said scores as to cause the corresponding said divisible portions to completely disconnect from each other, then the corresponding said at least a pair of said yieldable portions similarly are fully disconnected from each other.   
     
     
       7. The carrier strap of claim 6 wherein said at least a pair of said yieldable portions are fully disconnected from each other in such a manner that the corresponding said collar is subsequently incapable of springably retaining the enlarged neck portion of a container of said type. 
     
     
       8. The carrier strap of claim 6 .Iadd.wherein each ring has an interior circumference and an exterior circumference and .Iaddend.further including a respective tab portion infrangibly attached to .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.exterior circumference of each ring. 
     
     
       9. The carrier strap of claim 8 wherein each tab portion is located in circumferentially spaced position from the corresponding said pair of scores whereby, due to levering action, there is an increase in the maximum amount of stress imposed on each ring along each score when a predetermined amount of lifting force is applied to the corresponding said tab portion. 
     
     
       10. A one-piece carrier strap for carrying a pair of containers, such as jugs, narrow-necked bottles or the like, that are of a type having an enlarged neck portion, said strap comprising: (a) an elongate grip having a pair of opposite ends;   (b) a pair of rings, each ring being fixedly attached to a respective one of said ends, each ring including a pair of divisible portions delineated from each other by a pair of scores formed in said ring;   (c) a respective neck-retaining collar within each ring, each collar having at least a pair of resiliently yieldable portions that progressively approach each other toward an upper side of said strap for yieldably receiving and springably retaining the enlarged neck portion of a respective container of said type that is inserted through said collar toward said upper side; and   (d) said yieldable portions being so arranged within each ring that if either ring is sufficiently stressed along said scores as to cause permanent dislocation of the corresponding said divisible portions, then the corresponding said yieldable portions are subsequently incapable of springably retaining the enlarged neck portion of a container of said type.   
     
     
       11. The carrier strap of claim 10 .Iadd.wherein each ring has an interior circumference and an exterior circumference and .Iaddend.further including a respective tab portion infrangibly attached to .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.exterior circumference of each ring. 
     
     
       12. The carrier strap of claim 11 wherein each tab portion is located in circumferentially spaced position from the corresponding said pair of scores whereby, due to levering action, there is an increase in the maximum amount of stress imposed on each ring along each score when a predetermined amount of lifting force is applied to the corresponding said tab portion. 
     
     
       13. A one-piece carrier strap for carrying a pair of containers, such as jugs, narrow-necked bottles or the like, that are of a type having an enlarged neck portion, said strap comprising: (a) an elongate grip having a pair of opposite ends;   (b) a pair of outer supporting members, each member being fixedly attached to a respective one of said ends and including an arcuately extending inner edge;   (c) a pair of neck-retaining collars each of generally annular shape and having an exterior circumference, each collar being supported from the inner edge of a corresponding one of said supporting members by a plurality of bridging connections that extend radially outwardly from said exterior circumference, each collar including at least a pair of resiliently yieldable arcuate-shaped portions that progressively approach each other toward an upper side of said strap for yieldably receiving and springably retaining the enlarged neck portion of a respective container of said type that is inserted through said collar toward said upper side, each arcuate-shaped portion including a curved outside edge bordering said exterior circumference of the corresponding said collar; and   (d) an arcuately extending rib being formed along at least a major extent of said outside edge of at least one of said arcuate-shaped portions on each collar for resisting overstressing of each respective at least one arcuate-shaped portion by distributing any force applied to a minor portion of each respective at least one arcuate-shaped portion over a major portion thereof as when said minor portion is acted upon by the enlarged neck portion of a respective container of said type while said enlarged neck portion is tilted relative to the corresponding collar during insertion through said corresponding collar.