Abstract:
A handle for a carpet sample board is described comprising two grommets, each with an outer flange to cover the hole cut in the sample board, an arcuate section defining an ovular hand opening and thereby provide a comfortable grip while simultaneously preventing fraying of the hole in the board. The grommets are joined about the hole in the sample board by mating male and female plugs.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a handle for carpet sample boards. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the carpet industry, it is necessary to show dealers and customers a wide variety of carpet samples due to the many different color, pattern, weight, yarn and tufting combinations that are available. One of the more popular methods of transporting and displaying carpet samples is by mounting the samples on a display board. These boards are typically eighteen inches wide and twenty-seven inches tall, made of one-fourth inch thick paper “chip board.” The board is laminated with a glossy printed advertisement and carpet swatches are glued or otherwise affixed to it. 
     Typical display boards can weigh as much as, or even in excess of, ten pounds. Sample boards typically have an oval hole punched near their top center for use as a handle. This “handle hole” can have sharp edges, tends to fray, and in general has an unprofessional and unfinished look. 
     Other options for transporting and displaying carpet samples have generally included: placing carpet sample boards in binder systems so that multiple sample pages can be carried and displayed in a book-like format; or attaching elaborate handle systems to the sample boards. 
     The present invention adapts the standard sample chip board with handle hole at very little cost or additional weight to create a finished appearance, prevent fraying around the hole, and eliminate the sharp handle edges. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A handle for carpet sample boards is provided by the present invention which can be installed in new sample boards and used to retrofit existing boards. The handle is provided by two identical grommet halves which meet in the handle hole and secure the chip board between them. The grommet halves are joined by a simple mechanical interlocking mechanism such as a male and female plug system. 
     The grommet halves are elegantly and economically formed to provide a finished appearance to the sample boards, to provide a comfortable handhold with no sharp edges, and to prevent fraying of the edges of the handle. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of a grommet which comprises a part of the handle of the present invention 
     FIG. 2 is a front plan view of the grommet of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the grommet of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a left side plan view of the grommet of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the grommet of FIG. 1 taken along line  5  shown in FIG. 3 
     FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the grommet of FIG. 1 taken along line  6  shown in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 7 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of a carpet sample board showing the use of top and bottom spacers. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of an assembled handle according to the present invention positioned through the hand hole of a sample board. 
     FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a spacer used on carpet sample boards in conjunction with the handle of the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 is a front plan view of the spacer of FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the spacer taken along line  11  shown in FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view of the spacer taken along line  12  shown in FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of the spacer taken along line  13  shown in FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 14 is a bottom plan view of the spacer of FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 15 is an exploded view of a carpet sample board utilizing the present handle invention and a spacer. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, wherein the referenced numerals represent like parts and assemblies throughout the views. Reference to the preferred embodiment does not limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims following. 
     Referring initially to FIG. 8, a cross sectional view of handle  10  is shown comprised of two identical grommets  20 . FIGS. 1 through 6 show the grommets  20  in complete detail. 
     FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of a grommet  20 . It will be seen that grommet  20  is comprised of a flange with bottom surface  22  and perimeter  33 . Interior of bottom flange surface  22  is a concave arcuate surface  24  which terminates in lip  29 . Within the arcuate surface  24  and lip  29  is defined a hand opening  32 . The grommet is preferably manufactured of injection melted plastic such as high impact polystyrene in a color that will not clash with the carpet sample boards. Black and white being the preferred colors. The typical thickness of the flange and arcuate portions is about 0.05 inches. The hand opening  32  is preferably almost one inch in height and almost four inches in length. The concavity of arcuate surface  24  generally results in defining channel  30  except for a male plug, such as post  25 , at a first end  40  of the grommet  20  and a female plug, such as cylinder  27  defining opening  28 , at an opposite second end  41  of grommet  20 . In the illustrated construction, a solid wall  26  provides additional support to post  25 . 
     FIG. 2 shows a side view of grommet  20  and more clearly depicts post  25  which extends for approximately 0.4 inches below the bottom surface  22  of the flange area. FIG. 2 also shows the top arcuate surface  23  which extends approximately 0.3 inches above the top surface  21  of the flange defined within perimeter  33 . The interior lip  29  is shown extending about 0.15 inches beneath the bottom side  21  of the flange. 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of grommet  20  showing the top flange surface  21  and the top arcuate surface  23  within which is defined the hand opening  32 . 
     FIG. 4 provides a side view. FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line A shown in FIG.  3 . Because this cross section intersects the support wall  26 , channel  30  is not clearly visible. However, in FIG. 6, a sectional view taken along line B of FIG. 3 channel  30  can be clearly seen. 
     FIG. 7 demostrates an alternative carpet sample board  15  composed of chip board  18 , glued on carpet sample  16 , and ungrommeted hand hole  17 . Upper carpet spacer  50 ′ and lower carpet spacer  50  are positioned above and below the carpet sample. 
     FIG. 8 shows the installation of a handle  10  according to the present invention comprised of grommet halves  20 . It will be seen that the first end  40  containing a male plug such as post  25  of the bottom grommet  20  is positioned to interfit with the second end  41  containing a female plug such as hollow cylinder  27  of the top grommet. Both the lip portions  29  and the connecting post and cylinder structures  25 ,  27  are positioned within the hand hole  17  of chip board  18 . The bottom flange surfaces  22  sandwich the chip board  18  and cover all of the hand hole  17  punched through the board. The result is a comfortable handgrip defined by outer arcuate surfaces  23  of the mated grommets  20 . The result is to protect users&#39; hands from sharp edges of the chip board  18 , to prevent fraying of edges of the hand hole  17 , and for the flange surfaces  21  to cover any irregularities in the hand hole  17 . 
     FIGS. 9-14 disclose a spacer  50  that is advantageously used in connection with the handle  10  of the present invention. These spacers  50  are also advantageously injection molded of high impact polystyrene and are preferably somewhat shorter than the width of the carpet sample boards upon which they are to be used. A typical spacer  50  length would be about fifteen inches. Spacers  50  come in a variety of heights depending upon the carpet samples with which they are intended to be used. A typical spacer height is about one-half(½) inch, while a very thin carpet might suggest the use of a shorter spacer  50  and a deep carpet might suggest the use of a taller spacer  50 . Spacers  50  have a top surface  53 , a first side  51  and an opposed side  52 . Spacers  50  also have a bottom surface  54  which advantageously defines a hollow channel  60 . Within the channel  60  may be lateral supports to give spacer  50  structural stability. Preferably, one such support may be combined with a male plug such as post  55 , the solid section  56  near the post  55  comprising the lateral support structure. A support may also be combined with hollow cylinder  57  forming a hole  58  which acts as a female plug. In the spacer  50  shown the male plug is located toward a first end  61  and the female plug is toward the second end  62 . 
     FIG. 15 shows an exploded view of a carpet sample board according to the present invention. A chip board  18  is shown with hand hole  17  and apertures  45  for spacers  50 . A carpet sample  16  is affixed to face of chip board  18 . A pair of grommets  20  are mated through hand hole  17  with the first ends  40  of the respective grommets  20  rotated 180 degrees from one another so that the male post  25  of the upper grommet  20  is received in the hole  28  of the lower grommet  20  through the hand hole  17 . Similarly, the upper spacer  50  is oriented with its first end  61  and plug  55  opposite the second end  62  and hole  58  of the lower spacer  50 . In this fashion the post  55  of each spacer  50  in received in the hole  58  of its paired spacer  50  and the two spacers are thereby joined about the chip board  18  to form an easily handled carpet sample board  15  with spacer  50  to protect carpet sample  16  from undue wear. 
     It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specifications.