U.S. patent application number 14/380242 was filed with the patent office on 2015-02-12 for handle.
The applicant listed for this patent is Crown Packaging Technology, Inc.. Invention is credited to Christopher Paul Ramsey.
Application Number | 20150041480 14/380242 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45939972 |
Filed Date | 2015-02-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150041480 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ramsey; Christopher Paul |
February 12, 2015 |
HANDLE
Abstract
A handle (50) for affixing to a container having a side-wall (5)
and a top (10) joined together by a seam (15), in which the handle
(50) has a grip (60) adapted to be held by a user, an attachment
ring (70) designed to fit around the top (10) of the container, a
main clip (75) aligned with the grip 60 and a retention clip (80)
positioned 180 degrees from the grip (60). The handle (50) clips
onto the container seam (15) in a robust, but easily detachable
fashion and allows a user to hold the container continuously
regardless of whether the contents of the container is hot or
cold.
Inventors: |
Ramsey; Christopher Paul;
(Oxfordshire, GB) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Crown Packaging Technology, Inc. |
Alsip |
IL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
45939972 |
Appl. No.: |
14/380242 |
Filed: |
February 22, 2013 |
PCT Filed: |
February 22, 2013 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2013/053561 |
371 Date: |
August 21, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/758 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 25/2817 20130101;
B65D 25/2832 20130101; B65D 51/007 20130101; A47G 23/0266
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/758 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/28 20060101
B65D025/28 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 22, 2012 |
GB |
1202999.7 |
Claims
1. A handle 50 for affixing to a container having a side-wall and a
top joined together by a seam, the handle having a grip adapted to
be held by a user, characterised in that a complete (360 degree)
attachment ring is designed to fit around the top of the container
that has a main clip aligned with the grip and a retention clip
positioned 180 degrees from the grip 60.
2. A handle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retention clip may
be removed from the container using a tab on the attachment
ring.
3. A handle as claimed in claim 2, wherein after removing the
retention clip, the attachment ring is rotated to remove the main
clip.
4. A handle as claimed in claim 1 that is injection moulded from
thermoplastic material.
5. A handle as claimed in claim 4, further including windows
positioned above the main clip and retention clip to allow moulding
in line of draw.
6. A handle as claimed in claim 1, further including a cover
plate.
7. A handle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the external surface of
the cover plate is used for product branding.
8. A handle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the cover plate may be
rotated to cover an aperture in the container and prevent access to
the contents of the container by a foreign body.
9. A multi-pack comprising a plurality of containers and one or
more handles according to claim 1, wherein the grip is located
between adjacent containers.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention provides a handle adapted to clip onto the
seam of a conventional beverage or food can. The handle makes the
can easier and more comfortable to hold as it is designed to fit
easily into the hand of a user. With the handle attached the
package may be held continuously by a user whilst being consumed,
for example over a 20 minute period.
[0002] Without the handle, a chilled can is too cold to be held
continuously, so has to put down. This is inconvenient and can lead
to spillages when used on-the-go, at parties, events etc. The same
issue arises if the can is heated, when the can may be too hot or
dangerous to be held by the user and often has to be put down on a
table or surface.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0003] The invention provides a can handle adapted to be securely
clipped to the seam provided at the top end of a beverage or food
can. The can handle is preferably injection moulded from
thermoplastic material, for example Polypropylene (PP) or High
Density Polyethylene (HDPE).
[0004] The handle increases the time that a chilled metal can stays
cool and therefore improves the drinking experience for the user
i.e. improves mouth feel and therefore the drinking experience. If
the consumer's hand is prevented from contacting the wall of the
can, the inventors have found that it takes over 50% longer for the
can to warm up by a set amount, for example from 6 to 12 degrees
C.
[0005] Furthermore, the plastic rim provided by the handle is
thicker than a conventional can seam and may be profiled to make
the drinking experience for the user more like drinking from a
glass.
[0006] The handle is designed to be reusable and therefore, if used
in a multi-pack only one handle is required in each multi-pack.
Also, the external surface of the handle provides space for product
branding e.g. on the cover plate, making it ideally suited for
product promotions and the like.
[0007] The handle design suits a full range of conventional can
sizes i.e. can diameters from 52 to 99 mm with large sizes being
particularly applicable as these larger sizes are often heavy and
more awkward for a user to grip. Furthermore, can heights from 60
to 250 mm can be accommodated by the handle and this equates to can
capacities from 150 to 1500 ml.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0008] The invention will now be described, by way of example only,
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a handle according to the
invention, before assembly onto a can;
[0010] FIG. 1A is a side, cross section view through the handle
according to the invention, as illustrated in FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a bottom view underneath the handle, showing the
position of the clips and the internal strengthening ribs on the
grip part of the handle;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a conventional beverage can,
onto which a handle as shown in FIG. 1 is assembled;
[0013] FIG. 3A is a side, cross section view through the beverage
can illustrated in FIG. 3, more clearly showing how the handle is
clipped to the seam between the side wall and top end of the
beverage can;
[0014] FIG. 4A is an enlarged side section view of the retention
clip of the handle shown in FIG. 3A;
[0015] FIG. 4B is an enlarged side section view of the handle shown
in FIG. 3A, at an angular position where there is no clip;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a multi-pack, with the handle
according to the invention assembled on one of the beverage
cans;
[0017] FIG. 6A is a plan view of an opened conventional beverage
can, onto which a handle as shown in FIG. 1 is assembled, so that
the drinking aperture remains unobstructed;
[0018] FIG. 6B is a plan view of an opened conventional beverage
can, onto which a handle as shown in FIG. 1 is assembled, so that
the drinking aperture is covered.
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a handle 50 according to the
invention has a grip 60, a complete (360 degree) attachment ring
70, a cover plate 72, a main clip 75 and a retention clip 80. The
position of main clip 80 is aligned with the grip 60 to give the
handle 50 strength. The retention clip 80 is positioned opposite
(180 degrees from) the grip 60 and this clip is removable using a
tab feature 90. As shown in FIG. 2, the grip 60 is further
strengthened by provision with a plurality of internal
strengthening ribs 65.
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the handle 50 is assembled onto
the top of a beverage can 1 having a side-wall 5, top 10 and base
20. As conventional, the top 10 and side-wall 5 of the beverage can
1 is seamed together by a double seam 15 and defines a drinking
aperture 12 that is opened using an opening tab 13, which presses
against a score (not shown). The beverage can 1 may be opened
before or after the handle 50 is fitted. The handle 50 has a
complete (360 degree) attachment ring 70, which is placed onto the
top 10 of the beverage can and the main clip 75 and retention clip
80 are fitted under the double seam 15. Cut out windows 85 are
positioned above the main clip 75 and retention clip 80, to allow
moulding in line of draw i.e. without creating re-entrant features
(see FIGS. 3A and 4A). FIG. 4B is an enlarged side view taken at an
angular position where there is no clip.
[0021] FIG. 5 shows the conventional arrangement of beverage cans
in a multi-pack. As shown, the grip 60 of the handle 50 locates in
the space between cans and no extra space is required in the
multi-pack. This provides a mechanism to allow distribution of the
handles 50, particularly where each multipack has one reusable
handle.
[0022] Finally, FIGS. 6A and 6B show the handle 50 attached to an
open beverage can. The main clip 75 and retention clip 80 are
securely fixed under the seam (not shown) of the beverage can and
the cover plate 72 extends over a portion of the top of the can. In
a first position (see FIG. 6A), the drinking aperture 12 is
available for a user to drink from the can, whilst holding the grip
60 of the handle. However, after opening the handle has a cover
plate 72, which acts a reclosure when the cover plate 72 is rotated
to cover the aperture 12 (see FIG. 6B). The cover plate 72 stops
access by insects and/or for liquids from being easily poured into
the can.
[0023] Although the handle proposed by the present invention has
been illustrated and described in relation to a chilled beverage
can, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art how a handle
according to the invention may also be applied to hot beverage and
food containers.
* * * * *