A pull-up handle

Abstract

 A pull up handle comprising a substantially rectangular strip (2) of flexible material which is affixed at opposite ends, by a hot melt adhesive, to a base (12). The strip being movable between two positions namely a first position in which the strip is folded flat and lies substantially in contact with the base and a second position in which the strip is unfolded and extended away from and is substantially not in contact with the base. In this way the handle can be used in conjunction with a flat pack container providing a handle which folds flat when not in use and is unfolded, when required.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a pull-up handle suitable for use with flat-pack containers and to a flat-pack container comprising such a pull-up handle.

[0002] The use of flat-pack containers is becoming more and more commonplace for the packaging of everything from beer cans to household furniture.

[0003] The use of flat-pack containers provides considerable benefits such as convenience and a reduction in the storage space required for packaging. However, there is a difficulty inherent in the use of many of the available flat-packs, in that many of them do not comprise a handle and are consequently relatively awkward to carry.

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a pull-up handle suitable for use with flat-pack containers, and a flat-pack container comprising such a pull-up handle which is folded flat when not in use.

[0005] According to the present invention there is provided a pull-­up handle comprising a substantially rectangular strip of flexible material which is attached at opposite ends to a base so that the strip can move between two positions, namely a first position wherein the strip is folded substantially flat and in contact with the base and a second position wherein the strip is away from and is substantially not in contact with the base, except at its respective ends, thereby providing a space between the strip and the base to accommodate a user's hand.

[0006] Preferably, the base is made of cardboard, reinforced paper or a plastics material.

[0007] Preferably, the strip is affixed to the base by the use of a hot melt adhesive.

[0008] Preferably, part of the surface of the base is also coated with a hot melt adhesive, enabling the base to be affixed to a container.

[0009] From another aspect the present invention provides a flat-­pack container comprising a pull-up handle comprising a substantially rectangular strip of flexible material which is attached at opposite ends to a base so that the strip can move between two positions, namely a first position wherein the strip is folded substantially flat and in contact with the base and a second position wherein the strip is away from and is substantially not in contact with the base, except at its respective ends, thereby providing a space between the strip and the base to accommodate a user's hand.

[0010] Preferably, a hole is cut in a surface of the container to receive the strip.

[0011] Preferably, the pull-up handle base will be affixed to the underside of a surface of the flat-pack container enabling the strip to be received by the said hole in the surface of the flat-pack container.

[0012] An embodiment of the present invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the folding box comprising a pull-up handle in accordance with the present invention, in the folded position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the folding box comprising a pull-up handle of Fig. 1, in the extended position; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a pull-up handle in accordance with the present invention.

[0013] Fig. 1 illustrates both the manner in which the box 1 folds into a substantially flat position and the manner in which the strip 2 folds into a substantially flat position 33 in a recess 3 in the top surface of the box 1.

[0014] The top surface of the box 1 is comprised of two substantially rectangular cardboard flaps 4 and 5 which are placed one on top of the other and affixed to each other by a hot melt adhesive.

[0015] A rectangular section is cut out of the centre of both flaps 4 and 5 providing a recess 3 into which the strip 2 folds.

[0016] The box 1 is constructed, as illustrated in Fig. 2 by affixing end flaps 6 and 7, connected to the top 8 and bottom 9 surface sections of the box respectively, to side flaps 10 and 11 connected to repective sides of the box 1 so as to enclose the ends of the box 1.

[0017] The side flaps 10 and 11 and top and bottom end flaps 6 and 7 are affixed by using a hot melt adhesive.

[0018] The strip 2 is attached to a base 12 in the form of a rectangular piece of card, which is of slightly larger dimensions than the hole 3 in the top surface of the box 1 by the use of a hot melt adhesive, at opposite ends 15 and 16 of the strip 2.

[0019] The handle is attached to the box 1 by affixing said base 12 to the underside of the top surface of the box 1, positioned so as to enable the strip 2 to be received by the rectangular hole 3 in the top surface of the box 1.

[0020] The base 12 and through it the strip 2 is affixed to the box 1 by the use of a hot melt adhesive.

[0021] When not in use the strip 2 is folded into said recess 3 in the top surface of the box 1; thus reducing the space required to store each such folding box 1. However, when the box 1 is in use the handle 2 can be easily and quickly extended out of the folded position 33, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

[0022] The strip is suitably of a plastics coated open mesh textile material such as PVC coated nylon.

[0023] In an alternative embodiment part of either or both sides of the box can be cut away to display the contents.

[0024] Modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing form the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A pull-up handle comprising a substantially rectangular strip of flexible material which is attached at opposite ends to a base so that the strip can move between two positions, namely a first position wherein the strip is folded substantially flat and in contact with the base and a second position wherein the strip is away from and is substantially not in contact with the base, except at its respective ends, thereby providing a space between the strip and the base to accommodate a user's hand.

2. A pull-up handle according to Claim 1, in which the base is made of cardboard, reinforced paper or a plastics material.

3. A pull-up handle according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the strip is affixed to the base by the use of a hot melt adhesive.

4. A pull-up handle according to any preceding Claims, in which part of the surface of the base is coated with a hot melt adhesive, enabling the base to be attached to a container.

5. A flat-pack container comprising a pull-up handle comprising a substantially rectangular strip of flexible material which is attached at opposite ends to a base so that the strip can move between two positions, namely a first position wherein the strip is folded substantially flat and in contact with the base and a second position wherein the strip is away from and is substantially not in contact with the base, except at its respective ends, thereby providing a space between the strip and the base to accommodate a user's hand.

6. A flat-pack container according to Claim 5, in which a hole is cut in a surface of the container to receive the strip.

7. A flat-pack container according to Claim 6 in which the pull-up handle base is affixed to an underside of a surface of the flat-pack container enabling the strip to be received by the said hole in the surface of the said flat-pack container.

Drawing