Abstract:
A handle assembly for holding together a pair of bulky fluid supply containers, such as liquid foam reaction product containers is provided that has a unique force exerting characteristic. The two containers are encircled by a flexible band capable of tightening, while a wire form member is provided that attaches to the supply container handles. This wire form member may serve as a handle and it has two diverging leg portions with free ends that engage the handles of the supply containers. The leg portions exert an outward force due to their divergence on the supply containers to bias them outwardly against the band.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the transport of bulk fluid containers, and more particularly, to handle assemblies that facilitate the carrying of bulk fluid containers used in fluid dispensing systems. 
     Polyurethane foams are well known in the art and may be formed either as a single component foam or as the reaction product between two reactive foam components. Both such foams may be used as adhesives or for insulating purposes. In the use of two component foams, each distinct foam component must be maintained in a separate supply container. The supply containers are linked together with supply tubes that interconnect with a dispensing gun to provide a conduit, mixing chamber and dispenser for the foam components and mixed together. These supply containers take the form of relatively bulky tanks about 11 to 12 inches high by about 8 inches in diameter. When used in an application, the supply tanks can be typically carried by a user, one in each hand. 
     In order to facilitate the transport of these containers, boxes or cartons have been developed to hold the two containers together as a unit in a single package. A handle is formed either as part of the box or as a separate component that is engaged with the carton. Due to the weight of the containers, these cartons had to be made from heavyweight thick and durable cardboard in order to hold the foam component supply tanks. 
     A number of problems exist with these boxed structures. For example, when a separate handle component is used with the carton, it has a tendency to at least partially disengage during shipping and transport, so that when a user picks up the carton, the handle may come free forcing him to drop the carton, resulting sometimes in sore shins and feet. In wet weather, water may work itself into the walls of the box, weakening the corrugated cardboard from which it is made. With the cardboard weakened by the water, the supply tanks will often break through the carton due to their weight. Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved device for holding the two foam component supply tanks together during operation, storage and transport. The present invention is directed to such a device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a carrying assembly for use with fluid supply tanks that overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art. 
     It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved assembly for carrying a pair of fluid supply tanks that is weather-resistant and inexpensive. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a handle assembly for a pair of foam component supply tanks that holds the two supply tanks together as a unit and which can be easily grasped with one hand. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide an assembly that holds two supply containers together in an arrangement that facilitates the storage, carrying and transport of the container the assembly holding the containers together as a unit and including first means for holding the two tanks together at one location thereof and second means for holding the two tanks together at a second location spaced apart from the first location, the second means also serving as a handle so that a user may hold the two tanks together as a unit. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a handle that is adopted to engage the flanges of two foam component supply tanks, the handle having a flat gripping portion and at least two free ends depending down from the gripping portion, the free ends each having engagement ends extending outwardly therefrom to engage portions of two supply tanks, the handle further having means for flexibly adjusting to engage the supply containers 
     The present invention accomplishes these objects by way of its unique structure. As exemplified by a first embodiment of the invention, a first holding means, such as a binding strap is provided of sufficient length for wrapping around the two supply tanks. The strap is tightened so as to hold the two tanks together, preferably at or slightly below the midsection of the supply tanks. A second holding means in the form of a holding member is also provided to hold the two supply tanks together, at a second location spaced from the first location. This second holding member is a flexible wire form that includes two free ends that fit into holes formed in collars of the supply tank. The second member not only engages the supply tanks, but also has a horizontal portion that spans the space between the supply tank collars and which has openings that receive a flexible handle member attached thereto. 
     In a second embodiment of the invention, the second member includes larger leg portions which have a loop formed therein that increases the flexibility of this second member so that it flexes between different orientations adaptable to all sizes of tanks. With this assembly, the need for a carton as a structural package is eliminated, and the task of carrying the supply tanks becomes independent of the carton structure. The bulkiness of the carton is eliminated as are the failures due to moisture. The second member is a wire form member that provides a slight spring bias outwardly, which opposes the inward force which the first member applies to the supply tanks. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, the second holding member has a multi-part construction that includes a handle and two leg members. The leg members engage the supply tanks and extend upwardly and outwardly therefrom at a preselected angle. The leg members mate with a handle member that has a pair of free ends that rotatably mate with corresponding free ends of the leg members. In this manner, the handle member may be rotated sideways to nest adjacent the supply tanks so as to facilitate packing, storage and stacking of the packaged supply tanks. 
     These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be clearly understood through consideration of the following detailed description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the course of this description, reference will be made to the attached drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a first embodiment of the present invention installed in place upon a pair of foam component supply tanks to form a supply tank assembly; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the supply tank assembly of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the assembly of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the wire form member used in the assembly of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the wire form member of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a second embodiment of the wire form installed upon two supply tanks with the outer straps removed; 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the wire form member of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the wire form member of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a third embodiment of a wire form member used in the assembly of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the wire form member of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a supply tank assembly using the wire form member of FIG. 9 shown stored as an entire assembly within a packaging box; 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating how the assembly of FIG. 11 is carried by a user. 
     FIG. 13 is an elevational view of another embodiment of a handle assembly constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a the handle of FIG. 13 in place on a pair of fluid supply containers and folded into a down position; and, 
     FIG. 15 is an enlarged detail view of the handle of FIG. 13 in place on a pair of fluid supply containers; 
     FIG. 16 is an elevational view of a gripping member with an alternate carrying strap; 
     FIG. 17 is an elevational view of another gripping member with a similar carrying strap as in FIG. 16; 
     FIG. 18 is an elevational view of another gripping member used with the present invention; 
     FIG. 19 is an elevational view of an alternate embodiment of a carrying assembly constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 20 is a perspective view of one of the components of the carrying assembly of FIG. 19; 
     FIG. 21 is an elevational view of a variation of the carrying assembly of FIG. 19; and, 
     FIG. 22 is a top plan view of one of the components of the carrying assembly of FIG.  21 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a handle assembly  20  constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and utilized in association with a pair of fluid supply containers  22 . Each of the fluid supply containers  22  is formed from metal and is used to hold a supply of a dispensable fluid which typically will be a reactive foam component. The two foam components are maintained in the containers  22  under pressure and are selectively dispensed from the containers  22  through valve assemblies  23  that project from the top exterior surface  24  of the containers  22 . Each valve assembly  23  has a manually operated valve member  25  which may be operated by a user so that the fluids travel through dispensing hoses  26  (FIG. 11) that lead to a dispensing gun  27  similar to the type illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,051, owned by the assignee of the present invention. 
     The supply containers  22  commonly have handle, or collar portions,  29  illustrated as upstanding flanges  30 . As seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, these flanges are curved and are seen to include top and bottom portions  32 ,  33  and side portions  34  that encompass an opening  35 . The handle portions  29  may be formed from a single sheet of metal, such as by stamping and then subsequently welded to the body portion of the containers  22 . 
     Previously, both of the supply containers  22  were either carried individually or held within a heavyweight corrugated carton or cardboard box. One problem complained of with these structures was that in inclement weather, the walls of the carton would become thoroughly soaked and weakened to the point that the supply containers  22  would break through the walls of the carton which was troublesome. The present invention provides an improved handle assembly that overcomes these problems and which is strong, lightweight and easy to manufacture. 
     In one aspect, the present invention includes the entire structure of the handle assembly and the supply containers  22 . FIG. 1 illustrates the overall assembly  20  in place upon two supply containers  22 , while FIG. 2 illustrates the assembly  20  and supply containers  22  in an exploded view to show the constituent parts. Each of the containers  22  shown is generally cylindrical and as such, the assembly  20  first includes a band  38  that extends around, or encompasses, the two containers  22  and holds them together as a unit. A cushion, in the form of a pad  39 , preferably one with a self-adhesive coating  40  on one side thereof may be provided to prevent the two containers  22  from banging into each other or bearing against each other. The band  38  is illustrated as a plastic cable tie  42  having an elongated tail portion  43  and a head portion  44  at one end thereof. As is known in the art, the tail portion  43  is inserted into the head portion  44  and down therethrough to apply a restraining force to the containers  22  and placing the tie  42  under tension. Alternatively, the band  38  may include a steel strap and locking member in place of the cable tie illustrated, as well as other structures. The band  38  serves to maintain the body portions of the containers  22  together. Other straps, such as a plastic welded strap may be utilized as well. 
     In one important aspect of the present invention, another member is provided to maintain the handle portions  29  of the containers  22  together. This other member serves as a gripping and connecting member  45  that, as illustrated, may utilize a wire form member that is best depicted in FIG.  4 . This member  45  has a flat portion  46  and at least two leg portions  47  extending therefrom in a downward direction. The leg portions  47  define two free ends  48  of the gripping member  45  that engage the container handle portions  29  through holes  29   a  formed therein. As shown, these free ends  48  extend or diverge from the leg portions  47  at an angle ⊖ 1 . They also partially extend along an imaginary line at an angle ⊖ 2  relative to the gripping member flat portion  46 . The leg portions  47  may themselves be bent between the flat portion  46  and the free ends  48  such that the leg portions  47 , in the embodiment shown do not necessarily extend along a straight path. This bend  49  adds a measure of flexibility to the gripping member  45  by creating a directed spring force S 1  with the leg portions  47 , that will, in turn, exert the same force on the supply containers  22  as it does against the band  38 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the free ends  48  of the gripping member  45  engage the container flanges  30  at their bottom portions  33 , preferably by extending through holes  29   a  formed therein. The wire from which the gripping member  45  is formed is bent into what may be aptly characterized as an open loop  50  (shown in FIG. 5) at the top thereof to form the flat portion  46 . It is desirable to form this loop  50  in a common plane so that the flat portion  46  may serve as a handle for the overall assembly. However, as shown in the preferred embodiments, the ends  51  of the loop  50  may themselves include additional loops, or circular openings  52 . These openings  52  may receive the ends  53  of a flexible carrying strap  54  that further facilitates the carrying of the two containers  22  by a user. 
     FIGS. 6-8 illustrate another embodiment of a gripping member  55  used in conjunction with the handle assembly of the invention. In this embodiment, a pair of spring coils  56  are formed as part of the leg portions  57  near the flat portion  58  of the gripping member  55 . These spring coils  56  are formed by bending the wire from which the gripping member  55  is formed around and upon itself as illustrated. It can be appreciated that these spring coils  56  are wound in a clockwise direction so as to provide an opposing spring force S 2  to the leg portions  57  as shown in FIG.  7 . Again, this spring force will tend to urge the container flanges  30  and the containers  22  outwardly against the binding strap  38  and hence, will be characterized in this description as an “outward” spring force. The leg portions of this gripping member  55  may be intertwined into place on the container handles  30 , with the leg portions  57  extending inside of the top portion  32  of the flanges through the opening  34  and outside of the bottom portion  33 , as shown in FIG.  6 . 
     This gripping member  55  also has an open loop  59  formed along its flat portion  58  that terminates in two smaller loops  60 . (FIG. 8) These smaller loops  60  are provided to receive the ends  53  of a handle strap  54 . As mentioned previously, the spring coils  56  provide a spring force to the leg portions  57  so that when they are pushed toward each other, an inherent opposing spring force S 2  urges the leg portions  57  outwardly. In this regard, the distance D between the leg portions  57  (FIG. 7) is preferably greater than the final distance D 1  between the two supply containers handle portions  29  (FIG. 1) when they are brought together and encircled the band  38 . As intimated earlier, a unique force arrangement is presented with the present invention. The band  38  draws the containers  22  toward each other, while the gripping member, through its leg portions, tends to urge the containers against band  38 , to ensure that the overall assembly acts as a single unit. 
     FIGS. 9-11 illustrate yet another embodiment of a gripping member  65  having leg portions  66  extending down from a flat portion  67 . In this embodiment, spring coils  68  are formed in the body of the leg portions  66 , between the free ends and the flat portion  67 . They are also located at a bend  70  in the leg portions  66  and are wound in a counter clockwise fashion. Not only do the spring coils  68  add an outward spring force S 3  to their gripping members, but they also provide a measure of flexibility of attachment to the free end portions  69  so that the leg portions  66  may be manipulated to engage the holes in the container flanges  30  where the engagement holes may have been formed at different locations thereon. The handle, or flat portion  67  is also formed as an open loop like the aforementioned embodiments. 
     The spring coils or the bends in the gripping member leg portions provide the desired spring force required by the gripping member to exert an opposing force on the supply containers  22  that the band  38  may resist to keep the containers banded together and to reduce the likelihood the containers  22  will work themselves loose. The intervening pad  39  is optional and may be provided not only to serve as a cushion between the containers  22 , but also to slightly urge the containers outwardly along their body portions against the band  38 , or in other words, to serve as a compressible member that can be compressed by the containers  22  under the influence of the band  38 , when it is tightened. 
     As mentioned above, the assembly  20  may include an additional handle member  54  that engages the gripping members to facilitate carrying of the assembly  20 . (FIG. 2) This handle  54  also may serve as a handle when the entire unit is packaged such as within the carton  170  of FIGS. 11 and 12. In this regard, the top panel  71  of the carton  170  may be folded to serve as an end flap and may have a slot  72  through which the handle  54  may extend. This carton  170  may also include side slots  75  that are formed by bendable tab portions  76  that may be folded in an up position. In this position, the two tabs  76  will serve to retain the foam supply component hoses  26  in place. The rest of the components may be held within the interior of the carton. 
     Still another embodiment of a handle assembly constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention is shown generally at  100  in FIG.  13 . This embodiment differs from the previous embodiments in that the gripping member  102  has a rotatable flat portion that may be rotated about a centerline R of the pair of supply containers  22  so that it may lie substantially flat to facilitate packing of the overall assembly into cartons as shown in FIG. 14 as well to facilitate stacking of the cartons upon each other with greater stability. In order to accomplish this, the handle assembly  100  preferably is assembled from a plurality of individual components. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 13, the handle assembly  100  includes a gripping member  102  having a general “U” or “C” shape, with a backbone portion  104  extending between two free end portions  105 . Preferably, the free end portions  105  extend inwardly towards each other and are aligned with each other as illustrated. A resilient cover member  106  may be applied to the gripping member backbone portion  104  to facilitate gripping by a user. 
     In order to effect the rotating nature of the handle  102 , the handle assembly  100  includes a pair of leg members  108 , each of which also may be aptly characterized as having an overall U- or C-shape. Each leg portion  108  has two free ends  110 ,  111 , each of which is bent at angles ⊖ 3 , ⊖ 4 . Angle ⊖ 4  is preferably chosen to approximately match the angle at which the supply container flange  29  extends from the supply container  22 . Angle ⊖ 3  is similarly preferably chosen so that the free end  111  of the leg member  108  is oriented level or in a horizontal plane. 
     The gripping member  102  is provided with a pair of hollow openings  120  at its free ends which are sized to receive therein, the upper free ends  111  of the two leg members  108  in a manner such that the gripping member  102  is free to rotate when urged by a user. In this regard, the gripping member  102  may be formed from a length of hollow tubing so that the opening  120  therein extends for the length of the gripping member  102 . Alternatively, the gripping member  102  may be formed from an extent of solid wire of a given diameter and the end openings  120  thereof may be drilled therein to receive the upper free ends  111  of the two leg members  108 . The fit of the leg member free ends  111  in these openings is preferably a frictional fit offering some measure of resistance so that the user may orient the gripping member  102  of the handle assembly to most any desired position, such as the generally vertical orientation illustrated in FIG. 15, the generally horizontal orientation illustrated in FIG. 14, or at various points therebetween. The gripping member  102  also serves to orient the leg members  108  in their preferred angular orientation and thereby provide a spring-like bias to them. 
     The holes  121  in the flanges  29  receive and hold the leg members  108  in place on the supply containers  22 . The leg members  108  are, in essence, “intertwined” through the flange  29  in that their lower ends  110  lie along the outer radial surface of the flange lower part  33 , while their upper ends  111  lie against the inner radial surfaces. The leg members  108  are further held in this position by the gripping member  102 . 
     FIG. 11 illustrates the use of a flexible, plastic carrying strap  54  as a handle portion. Other suitable means may also be used. For example as illustrated in FIG. 16, the carrying strap  200  may include a length of rope  201 , the ends  202 ,  203  of which are threaded through the opening  52  formed in the upper open loop of the gripping member  65 . The rope  201  may be moved up and down within the gripping member openings  52  so as to facilitate stacking and/or insertion of the supply tanks into a packaging carton in the manner illustrated in FIG.  11 . Both the rope  201  and the carrying strap  200  have length greater than the spacing between the open loop, or slotted ends of the gripping member so that they may bow or have an extent that is spaced away from the gripping member so as to be easily grasped by a user. 
     The same type of carrying strap  200  may be used with the gripping member  45  illustrated in FIG.  17 . In this application, the rope  201  is inserted through the upper openings of the griping member  45  and the rope  201  may have its ends  202 ,  203  knotted to prevent the pull out of the rope from the gripping member  45 . A cover member in the form of a hollow sleeve  210  may be placed over the rope  201  to provide a defined gripping surface thereto. 
     Similarly, as illustrated in FIG. 18, a gripping member  300  may be provided that has its leg portions  301  formed integrally with a handle portion  302  that is spaced apart from the leg portions  301  to define a space  304  into which a user can insert a hand in order to carry the entire assembly. A resilient cover, or sleeve  305 , may be formed on the upper flat or backbone portion  306  of the gripping member  300 . 
     FIG. 19 illustrates another embodiment of a carrier assembly  400  constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. In this embodiment, the gripping member  401  has a generally inverted V-shape with the free ends  448  engaging openings  29   a  formed in the bottom part of the supply tank flanges  30 . The legs  449  of the gripping member are intertwined between the top and bottom portions of the flanges  30 . The legs  449  are interconnected together at  450  at a level that is just above the tops of the flanges  30  and which is centered between the free ends  448  so that the legs  449  rise up at an angle. In order to facilitate carrying of the overall assembly, a handle  420  may be provided that is formed from a C-shaped extent of wire  421  having arm portions  422  that terminate in open loop ends  423 . These open loop ends  423  have slots  424  that permit the open loop ends  423  to be slid around the gripping member legs  449  as illustrated best in FIG.  20 . By virtue of this slotted engagement, the handle  420  may be slid up and down on the gripping member  401  between the positions shown in solid and dashed lines of FIG.  19 . In its down position, the handle  420  extends flat across the flanges  30  of the supply tanks. The upward movement of the handle  420  is limited by interference with the inner edges of the top portions  32  of the flanges, and the extent of the handle arms  422 ,  423  through the flange major openings  34 . 
     FIGS. 21-22 illustrate a similar embodiment to that in FIG.  19 . In this embodiment, the gripping member  401  is essentially the same, but the carrying strap differs. FIG. 22 illustrates a strap  500  with a center gripping sleeve  502  positioned over a durable cloth strap  504 . The strap  500  has a pair of free ends  506  that terminate in engagement means, illustrated as clips members  508 . The free ends  506  of the strap  500  are run through the flange openings  34  and the clip members  508  are clipped to the legs  449  of the gripping member  401  located opposite the flange opening through while the strap extends. The free ends also are run on opposite sides of the legs  449 . In this manner the clips  508  permit the strap  500  to slide up and down the gripping member legs  449 . As with the other embodiment the top flange portion  32  limits the upward travel of the clips on the gripping member legs  449 . 
     While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims. For example, the structure of the gripping member may change as well as the spring coils or bends to apply the desired outward spring force that will at least apply a slight bias to the fluid containers against their outer band.