Patent ID: 7377568

Claim:
Strap for carrying at least two shopping bags by hand comprises a relatively thin sheet of elongate material which defines a plane and a longitudinal axis within said plane in a flat unloaded condition of said elongate sheet of material including a substantially rigid central portion, dimensioned and configured to be gripped by the hand of a user; a pair of spaced engaging members initially arranged within said plane in the unloaded condition and including receiving means substantially co-extensive with said axis for receiving handles of a pliable shopping bag from a predetermined position offset from said axis to a point substantially co-extensive with said axis, said plane defining a substantially vertical plane during an initial loading phase when shopping bag handles are introduced into said receiving means of said engaging members, and defining a substantially horizontal plane during a carrying phase prior to deformation by loads applied to said engaging members by bags; and a pliable hinge between said central portion and each engaging member that permits said engaging members to be in said plane of said central portion before loads are applied or move out of said plane relative to said central portion in said carrying phase in response to loads applied to said engaging members, said pliable hinge comprising a generally flat flexible portion having a thickness less than the thickness of said central portion that defines a radius on bending smaller than a radius defined by said central portion upon application of a load on said engaging members in said carrying phase, said pliable hinge including a guide edge inclined relative to a longitudinal axis for guiding a shopping bag handle from said offset position along said central portion towards said axis during said initial loading phase to facilitate insertion of said shopping bag handle into said receiving means, whereby supporting shopping bags on each engaging member facilitates the carrying of the shopping bags with comfort by allowing said engaging members to assume positions during said carrying phase consistent with the weight of the bags while maintaining the central portion relatively flat so as to avoid compressive or squeezing forces on the hand of the user due to excessive flexing or bending of the central portion.