Abstract:
The bottle handle system uses a bottle having horizontal recesses in its sidewalls. Handle structures are provided with engagement portions that extend into the recesses in the sides of the bottle and provide handle portions that enable a user to readily pick up the bottle.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the field of bottles for fluids, and especially for systems for providing removable handles to place on the bottles. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     Water coolers are usually provided with water by a bottle of water which is delivered to the site and replaced when empty. Normally, this bottle of water is fairly heavy, i.e., about 50 pounds, and presents a difficulty in handling due to the weight of the bottle and also its generally large dimensions. 
     A number of bottles exist in the prior art for transporting relatively large amounts of fluid, e.g., about 6 gallons or more. One such bottle is shown in U.S. design Pat. No. 264,942 to Schieser, et al, issued Jun. 15, 1982, which is herein incorporated by reference. Such bottles are quite good for delivery of water due to their stackable quality caused by their rectangular cross section, and are also reinforced by the series of corrugated ribs in the sides thereof. However, these bottles remain difficult to lift for the average person. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide for a removable handle system which can be placed on a water bottle having recesses in its sides, and which system allows the user to easily pick the water bottle up. 
     Such a system has a water bottle which has vertically spaced lateral recesses in its sides. The handle element applied to the bottle has a central support structure, and four engagement portions supported on the support structures. Each engagement portion enters into and engages the bottle in a respective recess. A handle portion is also provided which gives access such that a user can grasp the handle with his hand and lift the bottle. 
     It is further an object of this invention to provide a pair of handle elements which, together, allow for a handle system which lifts the bottle readily, possibly by two people. 
     It is also an object of this invention to provide a design of a bottle handle system which is efficient and economical to produce. 
     Other objects and advantages the present invention will become apparent in this specification, and the invention will be described in the claims. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows the bottle handle system of the present invention in a partially exploded form. 
     FIG. 2 shows a user making use of the bottle handle system to place a bottle in a water cooler. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the handle structures of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view of the handle structure in FIG. 3. 
     FIG. 5 is an end view of the handle structure of FIGS. 3 and 4. 
     FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the handle structure of FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As best shown in FIG. 1, the bottle handle system of the present invention is used with a bottle 3 containing fluid or some other pourable material of a relatively dense nature. The bottle of the preferred embodiment has a generally rectangular cross section in the horizontal plane, as defined by four walls 5. The walls have an outer surface 7 which defines a number of corrugations 9 and a number of vertically spaced horizontally extending recesses 11. These corrugations 9 help strengthen the bottle. In the preferred embodiment, the bottle holds about 6 gallons and weighs about 50 pounds. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the bottle handle system of the present invention comprises two handle structures 13. These handle structures 13 slide onto the bottle 3, and together, provide a handle system by which a user can readily lift the bottle. 
     Use of the handle system is shown in FIG. 2. In the preferred method of using the invention, an individual grasps the handle structures on both sides of the bottle 3 and then lifts the bottle and upends it to reload a water cooler indicated at 15. 
     The handle structures 13 are substantially identical so that there is no difficulty in placing them on the bottle 3. They are also symmetrical left to right and about a horizontal axis so that they can be used upside down or rightside up without any problems. 
     As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the handle structure 13 has a central support structure 17 formed of two horizontally extending support members 19. These support members 19 have two opposing ends at 21 and 23 each connected with a respective engagement portion 25. The engagement portions 25 are located so that they slide into recesses 11 on the sides of bottle 3 and engage the bottle 3 therein. Preferably, the engagement portions 25 are angled slightly inwardly from the connection with portions 19 so that there is a slight springing action that causes the handle structure 13 to squeeze or clamp onto the bottle, preventing it from falling off, but still permitting it to be slid off easily when desired. 
     The engagement portions 25 have two opposing ends, one of which is attached to the end 21, 23 of the associated support member 19. The other end 27 of the engagement portion 25 is connected with a generally U-shaped handle portion 29. The length of the engagement portion 25 is preferably such that both of the handle structure 13 can be pressed as far as possible onto the sides of the bottle, and the handle portions 29 of the two handle structure 13 will come together at approximately the midpoint of the side wall 7 of the bottle 3. This allows for a snug fit, and, as a consequence of the handles being adjacent, the user can readily grasp a handle portions 29 of each of the handle structures 13 with a single hand. 
     One advantage of the apparatus shown herein is that the handles on both sides of the bottle allow the bottle to be lifted by a single person, or alternatively by two people, one standing on each side of the bottle 3. In addition, the handle structures 13 of the present invention allow an individual to carry the bottle 3 in one hand by grasping the handle portions 29 on one side of the bottle. The bottle then gets carried like a suitcase. Also, in the event that the bottle is dropped, the handle portions 29 on the other side of the bottle act as a bumper to deflect impact on the bottle, which would otherwise possibly rupture it. 
     The handle portions of the present invention may be made in a variety of methods, as will be clear to one skilled in the art. One way of manufacturing the handle structure 13 using the present system is plastic injection molding. The preferred method is to manufacture each of the handle structure 13 from a single piece of stainless steel wire. Particularly preferred is stainless steel wire having a diameter of approximately 5/16 of an inch. Preferably, the handle structure 13 is formed into a unified structure by butt weld 31 between the two ends of the wire 33, as best shown in FIG. 4. 
     For the most commonly used bottles of the present invention, the length of the support from members 19 between the engagement portions is about 111/8 inches. The length of the engagement portions 25 is about 41/4 inches. The handle structures 24 are preferably 71/8 inches wide and extend about 2 to 3 inches away from the external surface 7 of the bottle 3, and most preferably about 21/4 inches from where they connect with the engagement portions. 
     Although the squeezing of the bottle 3 between the engagement portions 25 should be sufficient to retain the handle structures 13 on the bottle and with the handle portions 29 in close proximity to each other, optionally the two handle structures 13 may be secured to each other by a Velcro strap (not shown) or other securing structures, extending around and securing the handle portions 29 of each of the handle structures 13 to each other. 
     The handle structures of the present invention may be colored by a variety of finishes well known in the art. For instance, vinyl PVC may be used as a coating. Particularly preferred however, is a powder coat or a metal plating (e.g., anodizing) of the wire. 
     The terms used herein should be considered words of description rather than limitation, as those skilled in the art with this disclosure before them will be able to make modifications therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.