Abstract:
A self-storing battery handle including a handle which may be selectively raised from a first position, where the handle is flush with, or below, a rim of the battery case, to a second position in which the handle extends above the rim of the battery case. The handle assembly further includes at least one stationary bracket extending outwardly from the battery case securing the handle to the battery case and guiding the handle&#39;s movement between the first and second positions.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to handles for carrying batteries. More particularly, the invention relates to a battery handle that may be lowered into a storage position such that the handle need not be removed from the battery after installation thereof.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The use of handles for lifting and transporting unwieldy objects is well known. Starting, lighting, and ignition batteries used in automotive, recreational, and other applications, are heavy, cumbersome, and generally require two hands for carrying. As a result, many carrying devices or handles have been developed to facilitate the transport and installation of such batteries.  
           [0003]    Existing battery handles are of several types such as plastic strap, molded and rope, each with inherent limitations. The plastic strap type of battery handle is generally a molded plastic strap that fits into holders molded into the battery case. This type of handle can slide into a rest position. The handle portion of the strap, however, is always located across the top of the battery. The location of the handle can limit access to the terminal areas and can interfere with the electrical wiring that is connected to the battery. For complete and unimpeded access, the handle must be removed. Removing this type of handle can be difficult due to the compact size of most battery installations. An example of a plastic strap type of battery handle can be found in a patent to Forrer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,274).  
           [0004]    Molded handles are built into the cover of the battery. They are generally designed such that the handle folds down to a flush fit when the handle is stored. Molded handles provide access to the top of the battery and are generally fairly easy to install. However, the use of molded handles is limited to battery styles that have sufficient room in length, width, and depth of the battery cover to allow the handle to move to a stored position. Additionally, manufacturing molded handles involves a significant cost due to the assembly required during the cover manufacture. An example of a molded battery handle can be found in a patent to McCartney (U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,625).  
           [0005]    Rope handles are attached to the outside of the battery cell. They operate as an aid in lifting the battery into or out of position. Rope handles, however, are not easily stored and can cause electrical problems if the handles are saturated with a conductive material and come into contact with a battery terminal. Additionally, removing a rope handle is a difficult task and, once removed, such handles can be difficult to reinstall. A patent to Buskirk (U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,520) discloses a rope battery handle.  
           [0006]    Therefore a need exists for a movable battery handle that is easily stored, that allows a battery to be easily and quickly installed, and that is compact in size and inexpensive to manufacture.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    An object of the present invention is to provide a handle that does not need to be removed from a battery after installation of the battery.  
           [0008]    A further object of the present invention is to provide a handle that is easily stored after installation of the battery and does not require a cover.  
           [0009]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a handle that is low in cost and does not interfere with the battery electrically or mechanically.  
           [0010]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a handle that is compact such that the battery may easily be placed into and removed from the installation space.  
           [0011]    An additional object of the present invention is to provide a handle that can be retrofitted to an existing battery case.  
           [0012]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a handle that can be easily colored or decorated for marketing and brand identification purposes.  
           [0013]    The above objects are realized by the present invention, which is a self-storing handle assembly in which the handle may be easily moved from an operative position to a stored, inoperative position upon installation of the battery. In one embodiment, the handle assembly generally comprises at least one handle which may be selectively raised from a first position, where said handle is flush with or below a rim of the battery case, to a second position in which the handle extends above the rim of the battery case. The handle assembly further comprises a plurality of stationary brackets which extend outwardly from the battery case securing the handle to the battery case and guiding the handle&#39;s movement between the first and second positions.  
           [0014]    The above discussed and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery case with the cover removed depicting the handle of the present invention in its inoperative position.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the handle of the present invention in its operative position.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the handle of the present invention in its operative position.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the handle of the present invention in its inoperative position.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is a top view of the handle of the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is a side view of the handle of the present invention in its inoperative position.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 7 is a side view of the handle of the present invention in its operative position.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the handle of the present invention 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]    Referring to FIG.1, the preferred embodiment of the self-storing handle assembly  10  according to the present invention is shown. The handle assembly  10  comprises two stationery brackets  12  integrated into or molded to a side wall  14  of a battery case  2 . As shown in FIG. 1 the battery case  2  has an edge or rim  3  along its upper surface. The handle assembly further comprises a movable handle  16  which is connected to the stationary brackets  12 . The movable handle moves vertically from an inoperative or stored position, as shown in FIG. 1, to an operative position, as shown in FIG. 2, in which the handle is raised above the rim  3  of the battery case  2 . As shown in FIGS. 1,2 and  5  the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes two handle assemblies  10 , one per side wall  14  of the battery case  2 , such that one may easily transport the battery.  
         [0024]    Referring to FIGS. 1-8, the movable handle  16  is a one-piece design with a gripping portion  20  adapted to be comfortably gripped by a user&#39;s hand. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the movable handle further comprises convex side portions  28  and a bottom portion  30 . The movable handle  16  also includes a protruding lip or stop member  24  on the outer surface of the gripping portion  20 . As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the stop member  24  abuttingly engages the upper surfaces  22  of the stationary brackets  12  and functions as a stop to limit the vertical movement of the handle when it is lowered to its stored, inoperative position.  
         [0025]    As shown in FIG. 4, the handle has an upper portion  30  which forms the gripping portion  20  of the handle and a lower portion  32 . Preferably, the upper portion  30  is wider than the lower portion. The upper portion  30  is wider such that a user&#39;s hand may comfortably fit into the handle. The lower portion  32  is narrower so that it may fit within and be guided by the stationary brackets  12 . Again referring to FIG. 4, the wider, upper portion  30  gradually narrows and then widens again forming convex inner handle surfaces  26 .  
         [0026]    Again referring to FIG. 4, the inner surfaces of the handle  16  also contain attachment or arresting means, such as notches,  38  molded into the inner surface. The notches  38  of the handle  16  function to secure the handle in its operative position. This is accomplished by an edge portion  40  of the stationary brackets  12  fitting into and engaging the notches  38 .  
         [0027]    Referring again to FIG. 4, the handle&#39;s  16  notches  38  are located on the inner surfaces of the handle which are of a width less than the handle surfaces directly adjacent to the inner surfaces. The varying widths of the surfaces give the handle a low profile and make it compact.  
         [0028]    Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the stationary brackets  12  of the present invention are shown. The stationary brackets are permanently fixed to the battery case  2 . In a preferred embodiment, the stationary brackets are integral to the battery case and part of the mold used to manufacture the case.  
         [0029]    As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the stationary brackets  12  have arm or guide portions  18  which secure the handle  16  to the bracket  12  and guide its vertical movement. The guide portions  18  extend horizontally in an outward direction away from the opposite stationary bracket  12 . Referring to FIG. 4, the stationary brackets  12  have a space  28  between the brackets such that when the handle is in its stored or inoperative position, as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 4, a user may place his fingers on the underside of the gripping portion  20  of the handle  16 . The user may then raise the handle  16  to its operative position and remove and/or transport the battery.  
         [0030]    Referring again to FIG. 4, the stationary brackets  12  have a bottom surface  50 . The bottom surface is shaped such that it may fit into an inversely shaped mating surface  52  of the movable handle  16 . The engagement of the bottom surfaces  50  with the mating surfaces  52  facilitates the secure fit of the edge portions  40  of the stationary brackets  12  within the notches  38  of the movable handle  16 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 8 depicts an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the handle assemblies  10  are located on the front and back walls  114  of the battery case  2  as opposed to the side walls  14  of the battery case  2 .  
         [0032]    To use the handle of the present invention, one must first raise the movable handle  16  from a stored, inoperative position. This is accomplished by placing one&#39;s hand in the space  28  between the stationary brackets  12  and lifting up on the gripping portion  20  of the handle  16 . One must then raise the handle  16  along its vertical path a (FIGS. 3 and 4). Near the top of the movable handle&#39;s vertical path the edge portions  40  of the stationary brackets  12  fit into and engage the notches  38  of the inner surface of the handle  16 . The handle  16  is now fixed in its operative position and the battery may be lifted and carried.  
         [0033]    Once the battery has been installed, the user must lower the handle  16  to its stored, inoperative position. To accomplish this, the user must push down on the handle  16  forcing the edge portions  40  of the stationary brackets  12  out of the notches  38  in the inner surface of the handle  16 . The user must then lower the handle  16  along a vertical path a, until the stop member  24  of the handle  16  contacts and abuttingly engages the upper surfaces  22  of the stationary brackets  12  (FIGS. 3 and 4). The handle  16  is now in its stored, inoperative position.  
         [0034]    To attach or remove the movable handle  16  to or from the brackets  12 , the handle  16  is rotated approximately 45 degrees such that one of the stationary brackets aligns with the wider, upper portion  30  and the other bracket is situated near the narrower, lower portion  32 . In this position, the handle  16  it may fit over the stationary brackets  12 .  
         [0035]    As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment of the present invention features a battery case containing two handles, one on each side wall  14  of the case. Thus, to transport and install a battery, the user would raise and lower two handles.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 5 shows a top view of the handle assembly  10 . Referring to FIG. 5, the thickness of the handle assembly  10  should be such that the assembly does not protrude into the engine compartment or other installation space such that the battery may not easily be removed from or placed into the space. Preferably, there should be enough room on either side of the battery for a user to grasp the movable handle  16  and lower or raise the battery from the installation space.  
         [0037]    The stationary brackets  12  and movable handle  16  may be manufactured in any battery Group Size and may be retrofitted to existing batteries by changing the mold used to manufacture the case of such batteries.  
         [0038]    The stationary brackets  12  and the movable handle  16  may be made from a variety of materials, including but not limited to, polypropylene or any high strength thermoplastic material. Additionally, both the stationery brackets  12  and movable handle  16  may be manufactured by conventional molding processes suitable for use with thermoplastic materials.  
         [0039]    The foregoing description is intended primarily for purposes of illustration. This invention may be embodied in other forms or carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Modifications and variations still falling within the spirit and scope of the invention will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art.