Abstract:
A reinforcement device for reinforcing the hand-hold of a box is provided. The box has a top edge, a bottom edge, an inside surface, and an outside surface. The hand-hold is formed between the top edge and the bottom edge and has a first hand-hold edge, a second hand-hold edge substantially opposite the first hand-hold edge, a third hand-hold edge between the first hand-hold edge and the second hand-hold edge, and a fourth hand-hold edge opposite the third hand-hold edge. The reinforcement device comprises a handle member positionable about the first hand-hold edge and at least a portion of the third hand-hold edge and the fourth hand-hold edge. A securing mechanism secures the handle to the box between the hand-hold and the top edge of the box.

Description:
[0001]    The present application is a continuation of pending U.S. provisional patent application Serial No. 60/360,925, filed on Feb. 28, 2002, entitled “Hand-Hold Reinforcement Device for Boxes and the Like”. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    This invention relates generally to a reinforcement device for boxes and the like and, more particularly, the invention relates to a reinforcement device for boxes and the like which can be added about a hand-hold or slot formed on any box to reinforce the area of the box around the hand-hold and slot increasing the strength of the area about the reinforcement device and extending the usable life of the box.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0005]    On many types of boxes, hand-holds are formed in the side walls adjacent the top of the box to assist a person in lifting the box. The hand-holds are preferably sized to receive a substantially portion of the fingers and/or the hand of the person lifting the box. By positioning the hand-holds adjacent the top of the box, the person can more easily lift the box without having to bend completely over to support the bottom of the box. In addition, carrying more than one box is easier with box hand-holds since the center of gravity for the boxes is more evenly distributed.  
           [0006]    In addition, for garment boxes, opposing slots are typically formed in or near the top edge of the box for receiving a wardrobe bar. The wardrobe bar is designed and constructed for carrying hanging clothes or other items. The amount of force and weight created by the hanging clothes on the box is tremendous thereby requiring manufacturers to use a heavier box material to prevent collapse of the side walls of the box from the weight of the hanging clothes.  
           [0007]    Most cardboard boxes are constructed with cardboard flutes surrounded by a paper layer. When the box is constructed, the cardboard flutes are arranged to extend in a substantially vertical manner, i.e., extending between the top and the bottom of the box. By extending the cardboard flutes in a generally vertical manner, the box has greater strength when a load is applied to the top of the box, i.e., when stacking boxes. Unfortunately, when lifting the loaded box using the hand-holds or applying weight with hanging clothes, the box has reduced strength in the vertical direction. In fact, unless constructed from a more expensive cardboard material, the hand-holds tend to break out along the flute line under even moderate loads thereby rendering the box hand-holds unusable.  
           [0008]    Accordingly, there exists a need for a reinforcement device for boxes and the like which provides additional strength to inhibit failure of the hand-hold formed in the box or the wardrobe bar in a garment box. Additionally, a need exists for a reinforcement device for boxes and the like which is easy to manufacture and can be applied to the box by the manufacturer or the consumer user. Furthermore, there exists a need for a reinforcement device for boxes and the like which is inexpensive to manufacture and easily installed on any type of box.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0009]    The present invention is a reinforcement device for reinforcing the hand-hold of a box. The box has a top edge, a bottom edge, an inside surface, and an outside surface. The hand-hold is formed between the top edge and the bottom edge and has a first hand-hold edge, a second hand-hold edge substantially opposite the first hand-hold edge, a third hand-hold edge between the first hand-hold edge and the second hand-hold edge, and a fourth hand-hold edge opposite the third hand-hold edge. The reinforcement device comprises a handle member positionable about the first hand-hold edge and at least a portion of the third hand-hold edge and the fourth hand-hold edge. A securing mechanism secures the handle to the box between the hand-hold and the top edge of the box.  
           [0010]    In addition, the present invention includes a system for reinforcing a box in the direction of a force with the box having a side surface and a top edge. The system comprises a first reinforcement device having a first side and a second side. An adhesive layer is applied on either the first side or the second side of the first reinforcement device with the first reinforcement device securable to the box adjacent the top edge with the adhesive layer.  
           [0011]    The present invention further includes a method for reinforcing an opening in a box. The method comprises providing a reinforcement member, surrounding at least a portion of the opening of the box, and securing the reinforcement member to the box. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a reinforcement device for boxes and the like, constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is an elevational side view illustrating the reinforcement device of FIG. 1, constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a front view illustrating the reinforcement device of FIG. 1, constructed in accordance with the present invention, with the reinforcement device being secured to the box about a hand-hold formed in the box;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a rear view illustrating a method of constructing the reinforcement device, constructed in accordance with the present invention, with two reinforcement devices being constructed together prior to being separated; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is an elevational side view illustrating the reinforcement device, constructed in accordance with the present invention, with the reinforcement device being secured to a garment box with a wardrobe bar. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]    As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and  3 , the present invention is a reinforcement device, indicated generally at  10 , for boxes  12  and the like. For purposes of discussion, the box  12  will be described as being constructed from a cardboard material. The box can have at least one hand-hold  14  formed in at least one of the side walls  16  of the box  12  or a slot  72  formed in the box for holding a wardrobe bar  62  (FIG. 5). In addition, however, the box  12 , which can be used with the reinforcement device  10  of the present invention, can be any type of box  12  constructed from a variety of materials having a variety of shapes and sizes.  
         [0018]    Referring to FIG. 3, the box  12  has a top edge  42 , a bottom edge  44  substantially opposite the top edge  42 , a first side edge  46  between the top edge  42  and the bottom edge  44 , and a second side edge  48  substantially opposite the first side edge  46 . The hand-hold  14  is formed in side wall  16  of the box  12  between the top edge  42 , the bottom edge  44 , the first side edge  46 , and the second side edge  48 . Preferably, the hand-hold  14  is formed nearingly adjacent the top edge  42  to further assist the user in lifting the box  12 . It should be noted that the hand-hold  14  can be formed in the side wall  16  centered between the first side edge  46  and the second side edge  48  or nearingly adjacent between the first side edge  46  of the second side edge  48 .  
         [0019]    Referring back to FIGS. 1, 2, and  3 , the reinforcement device  10  is preferably constructed from a cardboard material although constructing the reinforcement device  10  from other materials including, but not limited to, plastic, wood, metal, etc., is within the scope of the present invention. For purposes of discussion in the present application, the reinforcement device  10  will be described as being constructed from a cardboard material having flutes (not shown) surrounded by a first layer (not shown) and a second layer (not shown).  
         [0020]    The reinforcement device  10  of the present invention has a front side  18 , a back side  20  opposite the front side  18 , a first side edge  22 , a second side edge  24  substantially opposite the first side edge  22 , a top edge  26  between the first side edge  22  and the second side edge  24 , and a bottom edge  28  substantially opposite the top edge  26  and between the first side edge  22  and the second side edge  24 . Preferably, the first side edge  22 , the second side edge  24 , and the top edge  26  are substantially linear although having the first side edge  22 , the second side edge  24 , and the top edge  26  be non-linear is within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0021]    The bottom edge  26  of the reinforcement device  10  has a first linear portion  30 , a second linear portion  32 , and a curve portion  34  between the first linear portion  30  and the second linear portion  32 . The actual amount of curve of the curved portion  34  can be any degree or size, but should be sufficient to adjacently surround at least a portion of the box&#39;s hand-hold  14  in a position generally above the box&#39;s hand-hold  14  when mounted to the box  12 , as will be described further below.  
         [0022]    The reinforcement device  10  of the present invention further includes attachment means  36  for attaching the reinforcement device  10  to the box  12  to reinforce the box&#39;s hand-hold  14 . The preferred attachment means  36  of the present invention is a layer of adhesive  38  applied to the back side  20  of the reinforcement device  10 . A releasable liner  40  can be positioned over the adhesive layer  38  and removed at a predetermined time thereby exposing the adhesive layer  38 . Once the releasable liner  40  is removed from the adhesive layer  38 , the reinforcement device  10  can be applied to the box  12 , as will be discussed in further detail below.  
         [0023]    While the attachment means  36  has been described as being an adhesive layer  38  applied to the back side  20  of the reinforcement device  10  with a releasable liner  40  releasably positioned upon the adhesive layer  38 , the attachment means  36  can be any type of securing device including, but not limited to, any type of adhesive, tape, staples, clips, other mechanical fasteners, etc.  
         [0024]    Referring now to FIG. 3, the reinforcement device  10  of the present invention is secured to the side wall  16  of the box  12  above and adjacent the box&#39;s hand-hold  14 . It should be noted that the reinforcement device  10  can be applied to either the outside surface of the side wall  16  of the box  12  or the inside surface (not shown) of the side wall  16  of the box  12 . Furthermore, it will be understood by those persons skilled in the art that the reinforcement device  10  can be formed and/or constructed in the appropriate location on the box  12  adjacent the box&#39;s hand-hold  14  during manufacture and construction of the box  12 .  
         [0025]    As illustrated, the curved portion  34  of the bottom edge  28  of the reinforcement device  10  curves about the box&#39;s hand-hold  14 . It is within the scope of the present invention that the curved portion  34  of the bottom edge  28  actually be substantially rectangular or any other shape to correspond to the curve and/or shape of the box&#39;s hand-hold hold  14  so long as the bottom edge  28  does not substantially overlap or otherwise substantially interfere with a user inserting his or her hand into the box&#39;s hand-hold  14 .  
         [0026]    Preferably, the flutes of the reinforcement device  10  extend in a substantially horizontal direction when the reinforcement device  10  is secured to the box  12 . It should be noted that with the box&#39;s flutes typically extending in a substantially vertical direction and the flutes of the reinforcement device  10  extending in a substantially horizontal direction, the reinforcement device  10  strengthens the box  12  about the box&#39;s hand-hold  14 . Therefore, the addition of the reinforcement device  10  surrounding at least a portion of the box&#39;s hand-hold  14  provides additional strength to the box  12  in the area of the box&#39;s hand-hold  14  thereby inhibiting breaking of the box&#39;s hand-hold  14  when the loaded box  12  is lifted.  
         [0027]    Referring to FIG. 4, a method of manufacturing the reinforcement device  10  of the present invention is presented. It should be noted that this is only one manner of manufacturing the reinforcement device  10  and, as understood by those persons skilled in the art, other methods are within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0028]    In this embodiment, two reinforcement devices  10  are constructed from a single sheet of material. The adhesive layer  38  is applied to the sheet of material and the releasable liner  40  is positioned on the adhesive layer  38 . A portion  49  of the sheet is then removed adjacent the bottom edge  28  of each of the reinforcement devices  10 . A score line or perforation  50  is formed in the sheet of material to allow each of the reinforcement devices  10  to be separated from each other. Application of one reinforcement device  10  to both side walls  16  of the box  12  can then be accomplished as described above.  
         [0029]    Referring now to FIG. 5, the reinforcement device  10  can be secured to a garment box  60  for supporting a wardrobe bar  62 . The wardrobe box  60  has a first side edge  64 , a second side edge  66  substantially opposite the first side edge  64 , a top edge  68  between the first side edge  64  and the second side edge  66 , and a bottom edge  70  substantially opposite the top edge  68  and between the first side edge  64  and the second side edge  66 . A slot  72  is formed adjacent the top edge  68  for receiving the wardrobe bar  62 .  
         [0030]    In the past, the garment box  60  was constructed with a 350 pound test material in order to support the weight or force of the clothes (not shown) supported by the wardrobe bar  62 . With the reinforcement device  10  of the present invention, the garment box  60  can be constructed from 200 pound test material and still adequately support the clothing load thereby reducing manufacturing costs associated with constructing the garment box  60 .  
         [0031]    The reinforcement device  10  of the present invention provides a novel device for increasing the longevity of the box&#39;s hand-hold  14  and allowing a user to lift heavier objects. If fact, the inventors of the present invention have determined that the reinforcement device  10  allows a person to lift approximately twice as much load as compared to a box  12  without the reinforcement device  10  positioned about the box&#39;s hand-hold  14 . Furthermore, the reinforcement device  10  provides additional safety for the user by inhibiting failure of the box&#39;s hand-hold  14  and accidental injury if the falling box  12  should contact the user.  
         [0032]    The foregoing exemplary descriptions and the illustrative preferred embodiments of the present invention have been explained in the drawings and described in detail, with varying modifications and alternative embodiments being taught. While the invention has been so shown, described and illustrated, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, and that the scope of the present invention is to be limited only to the claims except as precluded by the prior art. Moreover, the invention as disclosed herein, may be suitably practiced in the absence of the specific elements which are disclosed herein.