Patent Publication Number: US-6338180-B1

Title: Assemblable handle for double strap bag

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The invention relates to double strap bags, for example roll bags made of a tubular pouch. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     In double strap bags, it is already known that the two straps can be joined by a removable band located in the gripping area of the straps to prevent this area from hurting the carrier&#39;s hand when the bag is heavily loaded. The band also has the advantage of facilitating gripping of the straps when the bag has been set down since, by bringing them together, it prevents them from dropping to either side of the bag. However, due to its removability, the band may go astray. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A goal of the present invention is to provide an assemblable handle that remains integral with the straps while improving contact with the hand, particularly when the bag is heavily loaded. 
     This assemblable handle is composed of two elements made of synthetic material, each handle fixed onto, preferably overmolded on, a strap. Namely the handle includes a male element whose cross section has the general shape of an inverted “T,” composed of a sole and a lengthwise rib, and a female element whose cross section has the general shape of an inverted “U”, whose inside cavity is able to fit elastically over the lengthwise rib of the male element. 
     Thus, each strap is integral with the corresponding handle element, and when the bag is carried, one need only fit the lengthwise rib of the male element into the inside cavity of the female element to form a rigid handle that improves the grip of the loops and the comfort of the hand. 
     In some embodiments, the male element is made of a synthetic material that differs from that of which the female element is made by a lower Shore hardness and a higher coefficient of friction. 
     This arrangement confers some softness on the lower part that comes in contact with the hand that carries the load, but also improves the grip so that, for example if the handle becomes dampened by rain, the hand will not slip on the handle. 
     Other characteristics and advantages will emerge from the description hereinbelow with reference to the attached schematic drawings which show exemplary embodiments of handles of the invention in the application case of a roll bag. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following drawings, wherein like numerals represent like elements and wherein: 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a roll bag with handle elements unassembled and assembled, respectively; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view showing two handle elements before they are assembled, according to the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view in cross section showing two handles assembled, according to the invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of male and female handle elements, unassembled, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along sectional line VI—VI of the female element, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along sectional line VII—VII of the male element, according to an embodiment of the invention; and 
     FIG. 8 is a lengthwise cross-sectional view along sectional line VIII—VIII of the female element, according to an embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, numerical reference  2  designates a roll bag with two straps  3  which may form loops. According to the invention, each of the straps is equipped with a handle element; in this case respectively with a male handle element  4  and a female handle element  5 . The two elements are fixed securely onto the corresponding straps  3 , preferably by overmolding synthetic material onto the corresponding straps  3 . 
     As shown in greater detail in FIG. 3, male element  4  may be made of a synthetic material with a lower Shore hardness and a higher coefficient of friction than the female handle element  5 . For example, the Shore hardness of male element  4  may be between 40 and 90 Shore while that of female element  5  may be greater than 90 Shore. The male element  4  has the general shape of an inverted “T” in cross section, composed of a sole  6  and a lengthwise rib  7 . 
     In the embodiment shown, lower face  5   a  of sole  6  is longitudinally concave and transversely convex in order to match the shape of the inside of the hand. Rib  7 , in the example shown, has parallel lengthwise faces and pyramidal lugs, namely end lugs  8  and a center lug  9 . These lugs serve as transverse and lengthwise positioning elements when the male element is joined to the female element. The end lugs  8  preferably project further from the sole  6  than the center lug  9 . 
     In variants not shown, the male element can have only a single central pyramidal lug  9 , or only two end lugs  8 , or other configurations. 
     Female element  5  has the general shape of an inverted “U” in cross section, namely it has two lengthwise walls  10  and preferably also two end transverse walls  12  delimiting a cavity  13  that has the same shape as lengthwise rib  7 . Walls  12 , if present, are preferably slotted at  11  to allow strap  3  of the other element to pass through. End cavities  14  and a center cavity  15 , which have complementary shapes to the shapes of the pyramidal lugs  8  and  9  that they are to receive, may be provided in cavity  13 . 
     In the embodiment shown, each of the side members  10  of female element  5  has a concave lower edge  10   a  matching the convex upper face  6   b  of sole  6  of the male element  4 . 
     The cavities  13 ,  14 ,  15  are preferably slightly smaller than rib  7  and lugs  8 ,  9 , so that they can be force-fitted, or press-fitted, onto the rib  7  and lugs  8 ,  9  when the male element  4  is joined to the female element  5  to form a compact handle. 
     When this force-fitting takes place, end lugs  8 , which are taller, first come in contact with sloping faces of cavities  14  to pre-position male element  4  with respect to female element  5 . When the lugs have completed the positioning of male element  4  with respect to female element  5 , and vice versa, the joining of the two elements is improved by bringing them together to the point that edges  10   a  contact convex face  6   b  of male element  4 . 
     FIG. 4 shows that the overmolded part of the strap of male element  4 , in the overmolding area, may be folded into the shape of an inverted “U” so that its core  3   a  is inserted into lengthwise rib  7  while the strap on which female element  5  is overmolded may be folded into the shape of an inverted “U” so that its two side members  3   c ,  3   d  are embedded in walls  10  that border center cavity  13  of the element. This being the case, straps  3 , which are preferably made of a synthetic fiber weave but may be made of other materials, undergo no creasing which might damage them and they reinforce each of the overmolded elements with respect to each other. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 3, when these elements emerge, they have no creases which could damage them when the handle is manipulated. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the assemblable handle has a male element  104  and a female element  105 . The male element  104  has the general shape of an inverted “T” in cross section, including a sole  106  and a lengthwise rib  107 . The lengthwise rib  107  receives a strap  103 ′. The lengthwise rib  107  has a plurality of elongated throughholes  117  formed therein, thus allowing the lengthwise rib  107  to more readily elastically deform when mated with the female element  105 . 
     The lengthwise rib  107  of this embodiment also includes a pair of pyramidal lugs  108 ,  109  protruding outward from each side of the lengthwise rib  107 . The lugs serve as transverse and lengthwise positioning elements when the male element is joined to the female element  105 . The male element can have only a single central pyramidal lug or any desired number of lugs. 
     Female element  105  has the general shape of an inverted “U” in cross section; namely it has two lengthwise walls  112  with a shape complementary to that of the lengthwise rib  107 . The walls  112  can include projections  120 ,  121  spaced from the walls  112  to receive a strap  103 . The projections  120 ,  121  extend inwardly from each of the walls  112  and delimit a cavity  113  for receiving the lengthwise rib  107  of the male element  104 . Spaces  114  are provided between adjacent projections in a lengthwise direction, and alignment spaces  115  may be dimensioned to receive the pyramidal lugs  108 . 
     In the embodiment shown, each of the walls  112  of the female element  105  has a concave lower edge  110  matching the convex upper face  116  of the sole  106  of the male element  104 . 
     The cavity  113  is preferably slightly narrower than the rib  107  so that the female element  105  can be force-fitted onto the rib  107  when the male element  104  is joined to the female element  105  to form a compact handle. 
     When this force-fitting takes place, the lugs  108 ,  109  can first come in contact with the projections forming the alignment spaces  115  to pre-position the male element  104  with respect to the female element  105 . When the lugs  108 ,  109  have completed the positioning of the male element  104  with respect to female element  105 , and vice versa, the joining of the two elements is improved by bringing them together to the point that edges  110  of the female element contact the convex face  116  of the male element  104 . 
     FIG. 2 shows that, when the two elements are assembled, the handle forms a one-piece assembly that can be readily gripped, facilitating the lifting of a heavily loaded bag  2 . 
     These same handle elements can be used when the bag is carried between two people, in which case, as shown in FIG. 1, concave edges  10   a  of female element  5  assist gripping without hurting the hand. 
     It emerges from the foregoing that the assembled handle according to the invention improves bag carrying comfort by means that exert no additional stress on the straps  3  from which the loops are formed. 
     It is evident that this type of handle can be used on any type of double strap bag, and generally on any package.