CONTAINER WITH HANDLE AND LID

Abstract

 A container has a body (10), two handles (20, 20a), a handle combination structure, and one lid (30). The body (10) has a body space (11) formed in the body (10). The handles (20, 20A) are connected with the body (10), and one of the handles (20, 20A) has two connecting portions (22) and two folding grooves (26). The connecting portions (22) are formed between the handle (20) and the body (10) and are bendable. The handle combination structure is formed on the handles (20, 20A) to selectively combine the two handles (20, 20A) with each other. The lid (30) is connected with the body (10) and has a connecting portion formed between the body (10) and the lid (30) and being bendable. The body (10) and the lid (30) are respectively located in spaces which are respectively formed by the handles (20, 20A).

Description

1. Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a container, and more particularly to a container which has a lid that can be opened without disassembling handles.

2. Description of Related Art

[0002] A conventional container, such as JP Patent No. 56-59510 (hereafter referred to as the 510 Patent), comprises a body, two lids, and two handles. The lids are connected respectively with two sides of the body along a first direction. The handles are connected respectively with opposite sides of the body along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. In use, the lids are folded toward and cover the body, and the handles are folded upward to form a grip.

[0003] However, the handles of the conventional container of the '510 Patent cannot be folded relative to the body after the handles are combined with each other, so the lids cannot be opened in this condition. To retrieve the objects in the body, the handles have to be disassembled from each other and the lids can then be opened. Thus, the use of the conventional container is inconvenient.

[0004] In addition, JP Patent No. 60-96237 (hereafter referred to as the '237 Patent) discloses another conventional container having a structure substantially same as that of the container of the '510 Patent except that the handles are connected respectively with opposite sides of the body along the first direction. The handles of the container of the '237 Patent cannot be folded relative to the body after the handles are combined with each other. The lids cannot be opened while the handles are combined with each other, so the container of the '237 Patent is not convenient in use.

[0005] JP Patent No. 3068824 (hereafter referred to as the '824 Patent) discloses another conventional container having a body, a lid, and two handles. Although the lid of the '824 Patent can be opened while the handles are combined with each other, the lid is an individual component not integrally connected with the body, and thus, two different molds for forming the lid and the body are needed, and the cost for manufacturing the conventional container of the '824 Patent will increase.

[0006] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide a container to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

[0007] The main objective of the present invention is to provide a container to overcome the afore-mentioned problems.

[0008] The container has a body, two handles, a handle combination structure, and one lid. The body has a body space formed in the body. The handles are connected with the body, and each handle has two connecting portions and two folding grooves. The connecting portions are formed between the handle and the body and are bendable. The handle combination structure is formed on the handles to selectively combine the two handles with each other. The lid is connected with the body and has a connecting portion formed between the body and the lid and being bendable. The body and the lid are respectively located in spaces which are respectively formed by the handles. The handles have different lengths and are defined respectively as a long handle and a short handle. The lid is located in a space which is formed by the long handle. The body is located in a space which is formed by the short handle.

[0009] Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the present utility model will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS

[0010] 

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a container in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container in Fig. 1 showing that the lid is closed relative to the body;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the container in Fig. 1 showing that the handles are combined with each other;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the container in Fig. 1 showing that the handles are folded relative to the body;

Fig. 5 is an operational perspective view of the container in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a container in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 7 is an operational perspective view of the container in Fig. 6 mounted on a cup;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross sectional side view of the container in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an operational perspective view of the container in Fig. 7 showing that the handles are combined with each other;

Fig. 10 is an operational perspective view of the container in Fig. 7 showing that the handles are folded relative to the body;

Fig. 11 is an operational perspective view of the container in Fig. 7 showing that the lid is opened relative to the body; and

Fig. 12 is an operational perspective view of the container in Fig. 7.

[0011] With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, a container in accordance with the present invention is formed as an integral form and comprises a body 10, two handles 20, 20A, and one lid 30.

[0012] The body 10 comprises a body space 11 formed in the body 10 and may have a circular or quadrangular cross section. In the first embodiment, the body has a bottom, such that objects, such as foods can be held in the body space 11 in the body 10. The handles 20 are U-shaped and are respectively connected with two sides of the body 10. Each handle 20, 20A has two connecting portions 22 formed between the handle 20 and the body 10 and the connecting portions 22 are bendable. The handles 20, 20A have different lengths and are defined respectively as a long handle 20 and a short handle 20A. A handle combination structure is formed on the two handles 20, 20A to selectively combine the two handles 20, 20A with each other. The handle combination structure comprises two pairs of protrusions and cavities. The protrusion and the cavity of each pair are formed respectively on the handles 20, 20A and are selectively tightly fitted with each other.

[0013] In addition, the long handle 20 further has two folding grooves 26 defined in the long handle 20 respectively at positions adjacent to the connecting portions 22 on the long handle 20. The folding grooves 26 are each located equidistantly from a respective corresponding one of the connecting portions 22. Accordingly, the long handle 20 can be bent relative to the body at the connecting portions 22 and can be further bent in reverse at the folding grooves 26. Furthermore, the two handles 20, 20A further have at least one pair of protrusion 27 and cavity 28 formed at positions adjacent respectively to at least one of the connecting portions 22 of the long handle 20. The protrusion 27 and the cavity 28 of each pair are located respectively at two sides of a corresponding one of the connecting portions 22 on the long handle 20. The protrusion 27 and the cavity 28 of each pair are located equidistantly from the corresponding connecting portion 22.

[0014] The lid 30 is connected with the body 10 and is located in the space which is formed by the long handle 20. The body 10 is located in the space which is formed by the short handle 20A. The lid 30 may have a circular or quadrangular shape corresponding to the cross section of the body 10. With such an arrangement, the waste material during manufacture will only occur at the spaces between the body 10, the lid 30, and the handles 20, 20A, so the amount of the waste material can be minimized.

[0015] In use, with reference to Figs. 3 and 4, food can be placed in the body space 11 in the body 10, and the lid 30 is folded to cover the body 10. The handles 20, 20A are then folded by the connecting portions 22, and the long handle 20 is bent in reverse at the folding grooves 26 to make the two handles 20, 20A have a substantially same length. The handles 20, 20A are then connected with each other by the handle combination structure to allow a user to grip the connected handles 20, 20A.

[0016] To take the food in the body 10, the handles 20, 20A can be folded to a horizontal position at the folding grooves 26 on the long handle 20. With reference to Fig. 4, at this time, the lid 30 can be opened directly relative to the body 10, and the food can be taken out of the body 10.

[0017] When the handles 20, 20A are folded at the horizontal position as shown in Fig. 4, multiple containers can be stacked with each other. Accordingly, the space for storing multiple containers can be saved. In addition, with reference to Fig. 5, when liquid food is placed in the body 10, a user can directly drink the liquid food from a side of the body 10 opposite the lid 30. Thus, the container in accordance with the present invention is convenient in use.

[0018] With reference to Figs. 6 to 8, in the second embodiment, the body 10A is a conical collar and has two opened ends. Accordingly, the body 10A can be mounted around a cup 40, and the lid 30A can be folded to cover the cup 40. With further reference to Fig. 9, the handles 20, 20A are then folded by the connecting portions 22, and the long handle 20 is bent in reverse at the folding grooves 26 to make the two handles 20, 20A have a substantially same length. The handles 20, 20A are then connected with each other by the handle combination structure to allow a user to grip the connected handles 20, 20A.

[0019] In addition, each handle 20, 20A may further have a notch 29 defined in an inner edge of the handle 20, 20A. With the arrangement of the notches 29 in the handles 20, 20A, the container with the cup 10 can he hung on a hook or a rod.

[0020] With reference to Figs. 10 and 11, the handles 20, 20A can be folded to a horizontal position at the folding grooves 26 on the long handle 20. Accordingly, the lid 30A can be opened directly relative to the body 10A, and objects in the cup 40 can be taken out of the cup 40. One of the handles 20, 20 A may further have a tab 25 formed on the inner edge of the handle 20, 20A. When the handles 20, 20A are folded to a horizontal position, the tab 25 abuts with a bottom of the connecting portions 22. Thus, the handles 20, 20A can be securely held in the horizontal position. With reference to Fig. 8, the lid 30A may further have an annular groove 34 defined in a side of the lid 30A and engaged with an opening edge of the cup 40 to close the opening of the cup 40 with the lid 30A.

[0021] With reference to Fig. 12, the lid 30A may further have a through hole 32 defined through the lid 30A. With the through hole 32, a straw 50 can be inserted through the through hole 32 and into the cup 40, such that a user can drink the liquid held in the cup 40 via the straw 50.

Claims

1. A container comprising:

a body (10) comprising a body space (11) formed in the body (10);

two handles (20, 20A) connected respectively with two sides of the body (10), and each handle (20, 20A) being U-shaped and having
two connecting portions (22) formed between the handle (20, 20A) and the body (10) and being bendable;

a handle combination structure formed on the two handles (20, 20A) to selectively combine the two handles (20, 20A) with each other; and

one lid (30) connected with the body and having a connecting portion formed between the body (10) and the lid (30) and being bendable, wherein the body (10) and the lid (30) are respectively located in spaces which are respectively formed by the handles (20, 20A), wherein

the handles (20, 20A) have different lengths and are defined respectively as a long handle (20) and a short handle (20A);

the lid (30) is located in a space which is formed by the long handle (20); and

the body (10) is located in a space which is formed by the short handle (20A).

2. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the long handle (20) further has two folding grooves (26) defined in the long handle (20) respectively at positions adjacent to the connecting portions (22) on the long handle (20); and
the folding grooves (26) are each located equidistantly from a respective corresponding one of the connecting portions (22).

3. The container as claimed in claim 2, wherein
the two handles (20, 20A) further have at least one pair of protrusion (27) and cavity (28) formed at positions adjacent respectively to at least one of the connecting portions (22) of the long handle (20); and
the protrusion (27) and the cavity (28) of each pair are located respectively at two sides of a corresponding one of the connecting portions (22) on the long handle (20); and
the protrusion (27) and the cavity (28) of each pair are each located equidistantly from the corresponding connecting portion (22).

4. The container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the handle combination structure comprises two pairs of protrusions and cavities; and
the protrusion and the cavity of each pair of the handle combination structure are formed respectively on the handles (20, 20A) and are selectively tightly fitted with each other.

5. The container as claimed in claim 4, wherein the body (10) has a bottom.

6. The container as claimed in claim 4, wherein the body (10A) is a collar and has two opened ends.

7. The container as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lid (30A) further has an annular groove (34) defined in a side of the lid (30A).

8. The container as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the lid (30A) has a through hole (32) defined through the lid (30A).

9. The container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein one of the handles (20, 20A) further has a tab (25) formed on an inner edge of the handle (20, 20A).

Drawing