Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an improved handle device for boxes. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
       [0002]    Currently, boxes are provided with retractable handles, i.e. handles which protrude from the box during use facilitating the gripping thereof and which, when the box is not in use, can be folded limiting the overall dimensions of the box. 
         [0003]    Said handles consist of a strip of paper material enclosed between two sheets so as to partially overlap in a special slit made on one of the two sheets. 
         [0004]    At the moment of use, the user grasps the strip, pulls it out from the slit and folds it so as to define a handle of the box. 
         [0005]    The known technique cited above has some significant drawbacks. 
         [0006]    A first significant drawback is represented by the fact that the handle is particularly inconvenient to use. 
         [0007]    In fact when the handle is almost completely housed in the slot made on the box, the user encounters considerable difficulty in extracting and distending it due to the rigidity of the material constituting said handle. 
         [0008]    Another drawback is identifiable in that the handle is particularly uncomfortable especially if lifting heavy loads. A further drawback is the fact that the handles are not sufficiently resistant, and consequently tend to break frequently. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    In this situation the technical purpose of the present invention is to devise an improved handle device for boxes and the like able to substantially overcome the drawbacks mentioned above. 
         [0010]    Within the sphere of said technical purpose one important aim of the invention is to have a particularly practical handle, simple to use and which thus ensures a convenient and comfortable grip. 
         [0011]    Another important aim of the invention is to provide a resistant handle for boxes. 
         [0012]    The technical purpose and specified aims are achieved by an improved handle for boxes comprising two sheets of paper material overlapping and integrally bound to each other; at least one opening made on one of the sheets; a handle portion, made of fabric, interposed between the sheets and defining two ends opposite each other and a grip portion between the ends; the ends being integrally bound between the sheets placing the grip portion over the opening. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    The characteristics and advantages of the invention are clearly evident from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  shows the handle device for a box according to the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  shows the handle device in a different configuration; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  shows an exploded view of the handle device according to the invention; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  shows the production method of the handle device. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    With reference to said drawings, reference numeral  1  globally denotes the handle device for a box. 
         [0019]    It is suitable to be associated to a box or other packaging or similar container as to facilitate the operations of lifting and moving the box. 
         [0020]    The handle device  1  comprises a first sheet  2  and a second sheet  3  superposed and firmly attached to the first sheet  2 ; at least one opening  4  made on one of the sheets  2  and  3  and defining a preferred extension axis  4   a ; a handle portion  5  constrained between the sheets  2  and  3  so as to at least partially position itself over the opening  4 . Preferably, the handle device  1  has a single opening  4  made on the first sheet  2 . 
         [0021]    The sheets  2  and  3  are made of paper material and, preferably, of highly resistant paper material, more preferably, of kraft paper and, more preferably, of pure cellulose kraft paper. 
         [0022]    The handle portion  5  comprises two ends  5   a  opposite each other and constrained between the sheets  2  and  3  and a grip portion  5   b  of the handle device  1  enclosed between said ends  5   a . In detail, the handle portion  5 , as described in detail below, has only the ends  5   a  integrally constrained to the sheets  2  and  3 , while the grip portion  5   b  is movable relative to the sheets  2  and  3  so as to protrude almost entirely from them through the opening  4 , or alternatively, be at least partially housed therein. 
         [0023]    The handle portion  5  is made of fabric and, in particular, in a fabric made with a yarn appropriately selected from cotton, polyester, polypropylene, rayon, or hemp. More appropriately, it is cotton. 
         [0024]    The handle portion  5  and, in particular, the grip portion  5   b  are suitable to define a configuration of use ( FIG. 1 ) in which the grip portion  5   b  is raised with respect to the sheets  2  and  3  so as to protrude from the opening  4  and form a loop suitable to facilitate gripping by the user; a folded configuration ( FIG. 2 ) in which the grip portion  5   b  is folded back on itself so as to be housed at least partially in the opening  4 . 
         [0025]    It is therefore made of starched fabric, preferably, with a vinyl product and has, in correspondence with the grip portion  5   b , one or more folding lines  5   c  around which the grip portion  5   b  tends to flex and/or bend, varying its configuration. 
         [0026]    The handle portion  5  has a length, measured along the preferred extension axis  4   a , at least equal to the length of the opening  4  and, more precisely, at least equal to twice the length of the opening  4 . Furthermore, the handle portion  5  has a width, measured perpendicular to the preferred extension axis  4   a , not greater than the width of the opening  4 . 
         [0027]    In order to obtain a handle for a box and, in particular, the handle device  1  for a box described above structurally, a new production method  100  of a handle is introduced. 
         [0028]    The production method  100  comprises a movement step  200  in which a first roll  210  of first sheets  2  and a second roll  220  of second sheets  3  and a third roll  230  of handle portions  5  are unwound defining for the sheets  2  and  3  and the handle portions  5  feed directions  200   a  substantially parallel to each other. 
         [0029]    The first roll  210  and second roll  220  are made of paper material and the third roll  230  is made of fabric. In detail, the rolls  210  and  220  are made of kraft paper and the third roll  230  is made of cotton. 
         [0030]    Simultaneously with the movement step  200 , the method  100  provides for a cutting step  300  in which on at least one of the sheets  2  and  3  and, preferably, on the first sheet  2  at least one opening  4  is made; a preparation step  400  of the handle portion  5 ; an assembly step  500  in which the handle portion  5  is glued between the sheets  2  and  3 ; and a separation step  600  in which the sheets  2  and  3  and the handle portion  5  are cut thus obtaining the handle devices  1 . 
         [0031]    In the cutting step  300 , the opening  4  is made by means of a cutting die  310  and, more in particular, by means of a rotary cutting die  310  with a rotation axis almost perpendicular to the feed direction  200   a.    
         [0032]    The preparation step  400  is practically simultaneous to the step  300 , and comprises a sub-step of folding  410  of the fabric so as to form loops identifying the grip portions  5   b  and spaced by almost flat junction areas identifying the ends  5   a ; and, if the fabric is not already starched, a sub-step of starching  420  by means of a vinyl product of the handle portion  5 , and, in particular, at least of the grip portion  5   b.    
         [0033]    Alternatively, in the case in which the fabric has been starched before the method  100 , the preparation phase  400  comprises only the sub-step of folding  410 . 
         [0034]    Substantially at the end of the steps  300  and  400 , the production method  100  provides for the assembly step  500 . 
         [0035]    The assembly step  500  comprises a deposit sub-step  510  in which a glue  511 , preferably hot melt, is placed on the second sheet  3 ; a gluing sub-step  520  in which the fabric and, therefore, the handle portion  5  are glued to the second sheet  3 ; and a supplementary sub-step of gluing  530  in which the first sheet  2  is attached to the second sheet  3  enclosing the handle portion  5  between them. 
         [0036]    Appropriately, the gluing step  520  is prior to the possible starching sub-step  420  which in turn, is preferably prior to the supplementary gluing step  530  ( FIG. 4 ). 
         [0037]    The gluing sub-step  520  is performed by a pressure roller  521  having a housing cavity suitable to house the grip portion  5   b , i.e. the loop obtained in folding sub-step of  410 , so as to press and, therefore glue the ends  5   a  to the second sheet  3 . Appropriately, the pressure roller  521  is treated with non-stick material so as to avoid the presence of glue residues on said roller  521 . 
         [0038]    In addition to constraining the handle portion  5  to the second sheet  3 , the action of the pressure roller  521  causes the glue  511  to be absorbed by the ends  5   a  and, in particular, to pass through the fabric of the ends  5   a  making itself available for the gluing of the first sheet  2 . 
         [0039]    Once beyond the pressure roller  521  the supplementary gluing sub-step  530  starts in which the first sheet  2  is glued to the second sheet  3  and to the handle portion  5 . 
         [0040]    In this sub-step  530  the first sheet  2  is associated to the second sheet  3  inserting the grip portion  5   b  in the opening  4  and enclosing the ends  5   a  between the sheets  2  and  3 . It is then pressed and glued at the ends  5   a  and at the second sheet  3  by a supplementary pressure roller  531  having, similarly to the roller  521 , a supplementary housing cavity for the grip portion  5   b.    
         [0041]    It should be noted moreover that, if necessary, the assembly step  500  may provide for the gluing sub-steps  520  and  530  and, in particular, between the starching sub-step  420  and the supplementary gluing sub-step  530  a supplementary deposit sub-step  540  in which a supplementary glue  541  similar to that of the sub-step  510 , i.e. hot melt is deposited on the ends  5   a  and on the second sheet  3 . 
         [0042]    After completing the gluing of the sheets  2  and  3 , the separation step  600  takes place in which the sheets  2  and  3  and the fabric of the handle  5  are cut at the ends  5   a  separating the handle devices  1  from each other. 
         [0043]    The invention achieves important advantages. 
         [0044]    A first important advantage is represented by the fact that the handle device  1  is particularly convenient and practical to use. 
         [0045]    In fact, the handle portion  5 , being made of fabric, is easy to grip and extract from the opening  4  since it is easy to distend into a configuration for use. 
         [0046]    Another advantage is that the grip portion  5   b , and thus, the handle device  1  are extremely comfortable to use even in the case of particularly heavy objects/boxes to be lifted. 
         [0047]    This advantage is achieved thanks to the choice of using fabric and, in particular, cotton as construction material of the handle portion  5 . 
         [0048]    A further advantage is the high-resistance, and thus, durability of the handle devices  1 . 
         [0049]    This aspect has been achieved, by the choice of treating the fabric with vinyl starch as well as by the use of fabric to manufacture the handle. 
         [0050]    Furthermore, the starching, together with the presence of the folding lines  5   c , causes the grip portion  5   b , when not in use, to automatically return to the folded configuration and it thus closes into the opening  4  limiting the overall dimensions of the handle device  1 . 
         [0051]    Indeed, the presence of the folding lines  5   c  and the starching make the grip portion  5   b  deform elastically when it passes from the folded configuration to that of use, and it therefore tends to return to the folded configuration when the user&#39;s action on the said portion  5   b  ceases. 
         [0052]    The invention is susceptible to variation within the inventive concept. All the elements as described and claimed herein may be replaced with equivalent elements and the scope of the invention includes all other details, materials, shapes and dimensions.

Technology Category: 7