Patent Publication Number: US-2022227533-A1

Title: Bi-stable handle for a container

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/138,134, filed Jan. 15, 2021, the entire content of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to plastic containers. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a handle of a plastic container that has an improved attachment configuration to provide for easier installation without an adverse impact on retention performance. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Plastic containers are an alternative to glass or metal containers. The present disclosure relates to plastic containers. A common plastic used in the manufacture of plastic containers is polyethylene terephthalate (or PET). Containers made of PET are generally transparent, thin walled, and can maintain their shape in response to force exerted on the walls by the contents of the container. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment, a bottle handle assembly includes a neck engagement portion including a neck ring defining a central aperture, a handle portion coupled to the neck engagement portion, and a plurality of tabs extending radially inward from the neck ring. The plurality of tabs includes a first grouping of tabs separated from a second grouping of tabs, each tab of the plurality of tabs having a width that is approximately five millimeters to approximately six millimeters. 
     In another embodiment, a bottle handle assembly includes a neck engagement portion including a neck ring defining a central aperture, a handle portion coupled to the neck engagement portion, and a plurality of tabs extending radially inward from the neck ring. The plurality of tabs includes a first grouping of tabs separated by a second grouping of tabs, wherein the first grouping of tabs includes seven total tabs, and the second grouping of tabs includes seven total tabs. 
     In another embodiment, a bottle handle assembly includes a neck engagement portion including a neck ring defining a central aperture, a handle portion coupled to the neck engagement portion, and a plurality of tabs extending radially inward from the neck ring, wherein the plurality of tabs includes at least ten tabs. 
     Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of an example of an embodiment of a handle for a bottle. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the handle shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the handle shown in  FIG. 1  coupled to a bottle. 
         FIG. 4  is a close-up perspective view of the handle coupled to the bottle shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     Before embodiments of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The disclosure is capable of supporting other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure illustrates a handle assembly  100  for a container  200 . The container  200  illustrated in the figures is a bottle  200 , and further an approximately one-gallon bottle. It should be appreciated that a bottle  200 , and specifically a one-gallon bottle is provided for purposes of illustration and is not limiting. The handle assembly  100  can be used in association with any type of suitable container or vessel, or any size of suitable bottle that benefits from being carried by the handle assembly  100 . 
       FIGS. 1-2  illustrate an example of an embodiment of a handle assembly  100 . The handle assembly  100  includes a neck engagement portion  104  and a handle portion  108 . 
     The neck engagement portion  104  includes a neck ring  112  that defines a central aperture  116 . The neck ring  112  is illustrated as an annular ring, but in other embodiments can be any suitable shape (e.g., triangular, square, rectangular, etc.). The neck ring  112  includes a first, outer circumference  120  (or an outer perimeter  120 ) and a second, inner circumference  124  (or an inner perimeter  124 ). The central aperture  116  is bordered by the inner circumference  124  such that the inner circumference defines a boundary of the central aperture  116 . A plurality of tabs  128  are positioned on the neck ring  112 . The tabs  128  radially extend from the neck ring  112  into a portion of the central aperture  116  (or towards the central aperture  116 ). The tabs  128  are positioned around a portion of the neck ring  112 . Stated another way, the tabs  128  are not positioned around the entire inner circumference  124 . 
     With specific reference to  FIG. 2 , a first grouping of tabs  132  is separated (or spaced) from a second grouping of tabs  136 . Each grouping of tabs  132 ,  136  includes a plurality of tabs  128 . More specifically, each grouping of tabs  132 ,  136  includes seven tabs  128 . Thus, the total number of tabs  128  in the illustrated embodiment includes at least fourteen total tabs  128 . The groupings of tabs  132 ,  136  are positioned on opposing sides of the neck ring  112 . Each grouping of tabs  132 ,  136  is spaced by a portion of the inner circumference  124  of the neck ring  112  that does not include any tabs  128  (or is tabless). Providing at least fourteen total tabs  128  results in a desirable application force when the handle  100  is applied to the bottle  200 . However, in other embodiments, each grouping of tabs  132 ,  136  can include any suitable number of tabs  128  suitable to form a plurality of tabs  128 . In addition, in other embodiments, the neck ring  112  can include a plurality of groupings of tabs (e.g., at least two, three, or four or more groupings). In other examples of embodiments, the neck ring  112  can include at least ten tabs  128 , at least twelve tabs  128 , at least fourteen tabs  128 , or fourteen or more tabs  128 . 
     With reference back to  FIG. 1 , each tab  128  includes a width W. The width W is defined by the distance of opposing sides of each tab  128  in a circumferential direction of the neck ring  112 . In the illustrated embodiment, the tabs  128  can have different widths W. For example, tabs  128  can include a first width W 1  and a second width W 2 . The first width W 1  is approximately six millimeters (mm), while the second width W 2  is approximately five mm. Providing tabs with a width W between approximately five mm and approximately six mm results in a desirable application force when the handle  100  is applied to the bottle  200 , while also sufficiently retaining the bottle  200  once applied to prevent handle failure. In other embodiments, each tab  128  can include the same width W, which can be five mm, six mm, less than five mm, greater than five mm, approximately between five mm and six mm, or any suitable of desired width. 
     Each tab  128  also includes opposing shoulders  140 . Each shoulder  140  defines a transition portion between a side of the tab  128  and a connecting face that extends between the opposing sides of the tab  128 . In the illustrated embodiment, some tabs  128  include one shoulder  140  that is curved (or arcuate) and one shoulder that is angled. The angled shoulders generally form a right angle (or are orthogonal). In other examples of embodiments, both shoulders  140  of each tab  128  define an orthogonal angle, and further all of the tabs  128  include shoulders  140  that form an orthogonal angle. In other embodiments, the shoulders  140  of each tab  128  can define an arcuate angle, and further all the tabs  128  include shoulders  140  that form an arcuate angle. In yet other embodiments, the neck ring  112  can include at least one tab  128  that includes shoulders  140  that define orthogonal angles, and at least one tab  128  that includes arcuate angles. In yet other embodiments, the neck ring  112  can include a plurality of tabs  128 , at least one of the tabs  128  (a first tab  128 ) includes shoulders  140  that define orthogonal angles, arcuate angles, or both an orthogonal angle and an arcuate angle, at least one other of the tabs  128  (a second tab  128 ) includes shoulders  140  that define orthogonal angles, arcuate angles, or both an orthogonal angle and an arcuate angle, and at least one other of the tabs  128  (a third tab  128 ) includes shoulders  140  that define orthogonal angles, arcuate angles, or both an orthogonal angle and an arcuate angle. 
     With reference back to  FIGS. 1-2 , the handle portion  108  is coupled to the neck engagement portion  104 . The handle position  108  includes a first elongated arm  144  and a second elongated arm  148 . The elongated arms  144 ,  148  are each coupled to the neck ring  112 , and more specifically to opposing ends of the neck ring  112 . A cross-member  152  connects the elongated arms  144 ,  148 . The cross-member  152  is coupled to the elongated arms  144 ,  148  at an end opposite to where the arms  144 ,  148  each connect to the neck ring  112 . The opposing elongated arms  144 ,  148  and the cross-member  152 , with a portion of the neck ring  112 , collectively define a handle aperture  156 . A user can utilize the handle portion  108  to grasp and carry an attached bottle  200 . For example, the user can grasp the cross-member  152  alone, or in combination with a portion of one of the arms  144 ,  148 . The user can then position fingers and a portion of a hand through the handle aperture  156 . In other embodiments, a user can grasp one of the arms  144 ,  148  alone, or in combination with a portion of the cross-member  152 . 
     The handle assembly  100  can be formed of high-density polyethylene (or HDPE). The HDPE can be the same grade used to form a bottle closure. In other embodiments, the HDPE can be a different grade than the bottle closure. For example, the HDPE can have improved strength properties, such as a greater tensile strength in order to provide improved strength and durability while a user grasps and carries an associated bottle  200  by the handle portion  108 . In other embodiments, the handle assembly  100  can be formed of any suitable thermoplastic polymer, any suitable material, or can be formed of a plurality of materials (e.g., by multi-material injection molding, etc.) 
     The handle assembly  100  can be manufactured by die cutting (or punch cutting). In these embodiments, the handle assembly  100  can be die cut as a unitary assembly including all the described components. In other embodiments, the handle assembly  100  can be injection molded. In these embodiments, the handle assembly  100  can be molded as a unitary assembly including all the described components. In yet other embodiments, the handle assembly  100  can be manufactured using multiple-step injection molding, can molded by multi-material injection molding, or can be manufactured by any other suitable production process. 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 3-4 , the handle assembly  100  is shown attached to the bottle  200 . With specific reference to  FIG. 4 , the bottle  200  includes a closure  204  coupled to a finish (not shown). A neck  208  is coupled to the finish (not shown). A transfer bead  212  (or a support ledge  212 ) circumferentially extends around the neck  208  and is positioned between the finish (not shown) and the neck  208 . 
     The handle assembly  100  is configured to slide over closure  204  and the transfer bead  212  to engage the neck  208 . For example, the closure  204  is received by the central aperture  116  of the neck engagement portion  104  of the handle  100 . A downward force is applied to the handle  100 , for example by equipment designed to install the handle  100  onto the bottle  200 . The neck engagement portion  104  slides along closure  204  such that the closure  204  is received by the central aperture  116 . The plurality of tabs  128  are configured to bend relative to the neck ring  112  to allow the transfer bead  212  pass through the central aperture  116 . The neck  208  is then received by the central aperture  116 . The plurality of tabs  128  actuate back to an unbent position to engage the neck  208 . The transfer bead  212  is positioned on a closure  204  side of the neck engagement portion  104 . The transfer bead  212  contacts a portion of the plurality of tabs  128  to assist with maintaining engagement of the tabs  128  with the neck  208 . Stated another way, the transfer bead  212  assists to restrict sliding disengagement of the tabs  128  from the neck  208 . 
     While  FIGS. 1-4  illustrate one embodiment of the handle assembly  100 , in other embodiments the handle assembly can include alternative configurations. For example, the handle assembly can include a configuration with a plurality of neck engagement portions  104 . In one embodiment, the handle assembly can include a first neck engagement portion  104  spaced from a second neck engagement portion  104  by the handle portion  108 . In this embodiment, the handle assembly can be configured to facilitate carrying of a plurality of bottles  200 , as each neck engagement portion  104  can engage a separate bottle  200 . In another embodiment, the handle assembly can include four neck engagement portions  104  interconnected by the handle portion  108 . The four neck engagement portions  104  can be arranged in a row, can be arranged in a square arrangement, can be arranged in a rectangular arrangement, or can be arranged in any suitable or desired arrangement. Each neck engagement portion  104  can engage a separate bottle  200 . In another embodiment, the handle assembly can include six neck engagement portions  104  interconnected by the handle portion  108 . The six neck engagement portions  104  can be arranged in a row, can be arranged in a hexagon arrangement, can be arranged in a rectangular arrangement, or can be arranged in any suitable or desired arrangement. In other embodiments, the handle assembly can include two, three, four, five, six, or seven or more neck engagement portions  104  to facilitate carrying of a plurality of bottles  200 . The neck engagement portions  104  are connected (or interconnected) to at least one handle portion  108  (or a plurality of handle portions  108 ) to facilitate the carrying of the plurality of bottles  200 . The neck engagement portions  104  can be arranged in any suitable or desired orientation relative to the handle portion  108 , or to each other. 
     One or more aspects of the handle assembly  100  provides certain advantages. For example, the unique geometry, numbering, and/or positioning of the tabs  128  of the neck ring  112  assist with providing easier installation of the handle assembly  100  onto the bottle  200 . More specifically, less force is required to install the handle assembly  100  onto the bottle  200 , as the plurality of tabs  128  more readily bend as the closure  204  and transfer bead  212  pass through the central aperture  116 . In addition, the unique geometry, numbering, and/or positioning of the tabs  128  maintains retention and performance attributes to facilitate operation of the handle assembly  100  when installed on the bottle  200 . These and other advantages are realized by the disclosure provided herein. 
     Various features of the disclosure are set forth in the following claims.