Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a handle device, and more particularly to a handle device that will hold several small plastic bags commonly used at grocery stores and other convenience markets. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is common for individuals to attempt to transport many articles it one time; often this is accomplished by placing several articles in bags. These bags most often have handles attached to them for ease of transport. However, in many instances an individual will attempt to carry several bags at a time. 
     One example includes trips to the local grocery store where purchases are placed into plastic bags for the customer to transport home. Though the bags are convenient for carrying several articles, generally more than one bag is necessary to include all purchases made. This necessitates the customer attempting to carry several plastic bags, often weighted down with many items. Attempting to hold these bag in the user&#39;s bare hands can be painful and difficult. 
     It is known in the art to use a holder or handle upon which several bags may be placed. These handles are ergonomically designed so as to allow for ease of use and reduce strain on the user&#39;s hand. One type of prior art holders simply provides a space which may contain the bags and which is then grasped by the band. U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,575 discloses such device; however, devices similar to these are not very ergonomic and are bulky and provide little additional comfort. Another method includes attaching a hook to a larger handle such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,306. Though these devices provide a slight increase in ease of use, they are limited as to the amount that they can carry and provide little in the way of securing the bags onto the handle. A final device provides a locking mechanism as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,323. This final locking handle, however, is no longer one continuous piece. Rather, the locking mechanism is a separate ring that is not permanently integrated into the device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that creates a platform into which bag handles may be securely locked. It is an additional object of the present invention to reduce stress on the user&#39;s hands when carrying several bags. Additionally, the present invention provides the device in a unitary construction of a durable medium that is long wearing yet flexible enough to allow a fully integrated interlocking mechanism. 
     Further area of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood however that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention in its unlocked position. 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of the present invention in its locked position. 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of the present invention in its unlocked position. 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view of the present invention in an unlocked position with bags placed in the device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1 the handle device  10  can be seen to be a continuous piece of material with two distinct regions  16  and  18 , later described. A first end  26  of the handle device  10 , includes a boss  12 . A second end  22  of the handle device  10  includes a boss receiving recess  14 . The material from which the handle device  10  is manufactured from allows for enough flexibility to enable a user to bias the first end  26  relative to the second end  22 . By moving the first end  26  in the direction of arrow A and the second end  22  in the direction of arrow B, the boss  12  may be removed from or moved into the boss receiving recess  14 . The design of the handle device  10  and the properties of the material are such that when the handle device  10  is in the unlocked position, a gap between the first end  26  and the second end  22  of the handle device is formed, to insert of remove the loop handles of bags between the first end  26  and the second end  22 . 
     With continuing reference to FIG.  1  and further reference to FIG. 2, the locked handle device  10  may be described. When the boss  12  is received in the boss receiving recess  14 , the handle device is locked. When the handle device  10  is in the locked position, both regions  16  and  18  of the handle device  10  are fully enclosed and more definitely circumscribed. The hand region  16  allows for the user to place his hand in the handle device  10 , for carrying articles. Finger indentations  28  are formed in the upper portion of the handle device  10  in the hand region  16 , providing additional the comfort during use. Furthermore, the shoulders  24  are also abuttingly engaged when handle device  10  is in the locked position. The shoulders  24 , when abutted form the bottom portion of the hand region  16 . Loop handles  30 , of bags may be placed in the article carrying region  18 , as shown in FIG.  4 . The boss  12  is then placed within the boss receiving recess  14  thus locking the handle device  10  closed. The article carrying region  18  is also closed. 
     Turning reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the handle device  10  while open may be examined. From the closed position the first end  26  may be moved in the direction of arrow A and the second end  22  may be moved in the direction of arrow B to allow for the handle device  10  to be opened and more particularly directly opening the hand region  16 . In doing this, the shoulders  24  are also separated thus opening the article carrying region  18 . In the open position, loop handles of bags may be introduced to or removed from the article carrying region  18 . Once loop handles  30  are introduced into the article carrying region  18 , as seen in FIG. 4, the handle device  10  may then be re-closed, as in FIG. 2, following the reverse procedure outlined above. 
     As previously mentioned, the device  10  is of a one piece monolithic structure which can be fabricated by well known plastic injection molding technology. If desired, a suitable name, logo, or advertising indicia can be molded directly on the device  10  adjacent the boss  12  and boss receiving recess  14 . 
     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

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