U.S. patent number RE35,288 [Application Number 08/356,862] was granted by the patent office on 1996-07-02 for carrier strap for bottles or jugs.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Oregon Precision Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to James C. Borg.
United States Patent |
RE35,288 |
Borg |
July 2, 1996 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Carrier strap for bottles or jugs
Abstract
An integrally formed bottle or jug carrier strap for securely
and comfortably carrying a pair of bottles or jugs by their neck.
An elongate grip has rings at each end and a neck-retaining collar
attached to the inner circumference of each ring. Scores on the
underside of each ring cause the ring to break at the score when
the rings are deformed, permitting the bottle or jug to easily be
removed from the carrier strap.
Inventors: |
Borg; James C. (Eugene,
OR) |
Assignee: |
Oregon Precision Industries,
Inc. (Eugene, OR)
|
Family
ID: |
27383230 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/356,862 |
Filed: |
December 15, 1994 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
919213 |
Jul 24, 1992 |
|
|
|
|
914691 |
Jul 6, 1992 |
Des. 349459 |
|
|
Reissue of: |
125352 |
Sep 22, 1993 |
05306060 |
Apr 26, 1994 |
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
294/87.2;
206/151; 206/199 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
71/50 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
71/50 (20060101); B65D 071/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;294/31.2,87.2-87.28,159,160,167,169,170
;206/139,140,142-145,147,148,150,151,153,158,159,161-163,192,199,201,427,428
;215/1A |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
436107 |
|
Jul 1991 |
|
EP |
|
2195218 |
|
Mar 1974 |
|
FR |
|
2049653 |
|
Mar 1973 |
|
DE |
|
2144335 |
|
Mar 1973 |
|
DE |
|
77893 |
|
Jan 1951 |
|
NO |
|
478697 |
|
Nov 1969 |
|
CH |
|
Primary Examiner: Cherry; Johnny D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Chernoff, Vilhauer, McClung &
Stenzel
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATIONS
This .Iadd.is a reissue of U.S. application, Ser. No. 08/125,352,
now U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,060 which .Iaddend.is a continuation of
U.S. application, Ser. No. 07/919,213 filed on Jul. 24, 1992 now
abandoned; which is a continuation-in-part of a U.S. design patent
application, Ser. No. 07/914,691 filed on Jul. 6, 1992.Iadd., now
U.S. Design Pat. No. D. 349,459, .Iaddend.entitled Carrier Strap
for Milk Jug Containers.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A one-piece carrier strap for carrying a pair of containers,
such as jugs, narrow-necked bottles or the like, that are of a type
having an enlarged neck portion, said strap comprising:
(a) an elongate grip having a pair of opposite ends;
(b) a pair of rings, each ring being fixedly attached to a
respective one of said ends of said grip, each ring having a pair
of scores formed therein; and
(c) a respective neck-retaining collar within each ring, each
collar having at least a pair of resiliently yieldable portions
that progressively approach each other toward an upper side of said
strap for yieldably receiving and springably retaining the enlarged
neck portion of a respective container of said type that is
inserted through said collar toward said upper side, said yieldable
portions of each collar being, apart from the corresponding ring,
completely separated from each other by at least a pair of gaps
such that if either ring is stressed and thereby broken along said
scores, then at least a pair of the corresponding yieldable
portions are fully disconnected from each other.
2. The carrier strap of claim 1 wherein each neck-retaining collar
is generally of frustoconical shape.
3. The carrier strap of claim 1 wherein each ring .[.includes.].
.Iadd.has an interior circumference and an exterior circumference
and .Iaddend.a tab portion .Iadd.is .Iaddend.infrangibly attached
to .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.exterior circumference of
.[.said.]. .Iadd.each .Iaddend.ring.
4. The carrier strap of claim 1 wherein said grip further includes
longitudinal ribs so formed as to provide substantial rigidity to
said grip, said ribs being formed at least in part, along said
upper side of said strap.
5. The carrier strap of claim 1 wherein said at least a pair of
.Iadd.the .Iaddend.corresponding yieldable portions are fully
disconnected from each other in such a manner that the
corresponding said collar is subsequently incapable of springably
retaining the enlarged neck portion of a container of said
type.
6. A one-piece carrier strap for carrying a pair of containers,
such as jugs, narrow-necked bottles or the like, that are of a type
having an enlarged neck portion, said strap comprising:
(a) an elongate grip having a pair of opposite ends;
(b) a pair of rings, each ring being fixedly attached to a
respective one of said ends, each ring including a pair of
divisible portions delineated from each other by a pair of scores
formed in said ring;
(c) a respective neck-retaining collar within each ring, each
collar having at least a pair of resiliently yieldable portions
that progressively approach each other toward an upper side of said
strap for yieldably receiving and springably retaining the enlarged
neck portion of a respective container of said type that is
inserted through said collar toward said upper side; and
(d) at least a pair of said yieldable portions within each ring
being independently connected to said ring such that if either ring
is sufficiently stressed along said scores as to cause the
corresponding said divisible portions to completely disconnect from
each other, then the corresponding said at least a pair of said
yieldable portions similarly are fully disconnected from each
other.
7. The carrier strap of claim 6 wherein said at least a pair of
said yieldable portions are fully disconnected from each other in
such a manner that the corresponding said collar is subsequently
incapable of springably retaining the enlarged neck portion of a
container of said type.
8. The carrier strap of claim 6 .Iadd.wherein each ring has an
interior circumference and an exterior circumference and
.Iaddend.further including a respective tab portion infrangibly
attached to .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.exterior circumference of
each ring.
9. The carrier strap of claim 8 wherein each tab portion is located
in circumferentially spaced position from the corresponding said
pair of scores whereby, due to levering action, there is an
increase in the maximum amount of stress imposed on each ring along
each score when a predetermined amount of lifting force is applied
to the corresponding said tab portion.
10. A one-piece carrier strap for carrying a pair of containers,
such as jugs, narrow-necked bottles or the like, that are of a type
having an enlarged neck portion, said strap comprising:
(a) an elongate grip having a pair of opposite ends;
(b) a pair of rings, each ring being fixedly attached to a
respective one of said ends, each ring including a pair of
divisible portions delineated from each other by a pair of scores
formed in said ring;
(c) a respective neck-retaining collar within each ring, each
collar having at least a pair of resiliently yieldable portions
that progressively approach each other toward an upper side of said
strap for yieldably receiving and springably retaining the enlarged
neck portion of a respective container of said type that is
inserted through said collar toward said upper side; and
(d) said yieldable portions being so arranged within each ring that
if either ring is sufficiently stressed along said scores as to
cause permanent dislocation of the corresponding said divisible
portions, then the corresponding said yieldable portions are
subsequently incapable of springably retaining the enlarged neck
portion of a container of said type.
11. The carrier strap of claim 10 .Iadd.wherein each ring has an
interior circumference and an exterior circumference and
.Iaddend.further including a respective tab portion infrangibly
attached to .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.exterior circumference of
each ring.
12. The carrier strap of claim 11 wherein each tab portion is
located in circumferentially spaced position from the corresponding
said pair of scores whereby, due to levering action, there is an
increase in the maximum amount of stress imposed on each ring along
each score when a predetermined amount of lifting force is applied
to the corresponding said tab portion.
13. A one-piece carrier strap for carrying a pair of containers,
such as jugs, narrow-necked bottles or the like, that are of a type
having an enlarged neck portion, said strap comprising:
(a) an elongate grip having a pair of opposite ends;
(b) a pair of outer supporting members, each member being fixedly
attached to a respective one of said ends and including an
arcuately extending inner edge;
(c) a pair of neck-retaining collars each of generally annular
shape and having an exterior circumference, each collar being
supported from the inner edge of a corresponding one of said
supporting members by a plurality of bridging connections that
extend radially outwardly from said exterior circumference, each
collar including at least a pair of resiliently yieldable
arcuate-shaped portions that progressively approach each other
toward an upper side of said strap for yieldably receiving and
springably retaining the enlarged neck portion of a respective
container of said type that is inserted through said collar toward
said upper side, each arcuate-shaped portion including a curved
outside edge bordering said exterior circumference of the
corresponding said collar; and
(d) an arcuately extending rib being formed along at least a major
extent of said outside edge of at least one of said arcuate-shaped
portions on each collar for resisting overstressing of each
respective at least one arcuate-shaped portion by distributing any
force applied to a minor portion of each respective at least one
arcuate-shaped portion over a major portion thereof as when said
minor portion is acted upon by the enlarged neck portion of a
respective container of said type while said enlarged neck portion
is tilted relative to the corresponding collar during insertion
through said corresponding collar.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an inexpensive, integrally formed bottle
or jug carrier strap for securely and comfortably carrying a pair
of bottles or jugs by their neck.
Bottles and other liquid containers, in particular gallon
containers, weigh a substantial amount. For example, a filled one
gallon milk jug weighs approximately 8.3 pounds. Shoppers wishing
to purchase multiple one gallon containers generally must use each
hand to carry each container.
Bottle carriers which enable bottles to be carried by their neck
are well known in the art, as shown by the following:
Erickson U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,468 discloses an integrally formed
bottle carrier wherein the bottle necks are engaged in and
supported by a substantially keyhole shaped opening. The bodies of
the bottles themselves are clustered and secured by a plurality of
integrally formed depending supports.
Erickson U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,987 describes and claims a bottle
carder capable of carrying a plurality of bottles in a close
cluster using a connecting band which is separated and apart from a
bottle-engaging means mounted around the necks of the bottle.
Erickson U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,766 describes a two-element strapping
mechanism, comprising a connecting band which is separated and
apart from a bottle-engaging means around the bottle necks for
carrying the bottles.
Erickson U.S. Pat. No. 4,093,295 describes an integrally-formed
bottle carrier for carrying a row of bottles side by side by their
necks. The bottles are locked into and removed from a plurality of
uniformly based split collars which are mounted within individual
frames interconnected in a single row by one or more longitudinally
extending rigid bridging bars. The split collar is substantially
keyhole shaped having splits in longitudinal direction. Oppositely
disposed handles are also provided for.
Erickson U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,729 describes a strap for carrying a
single bottle by the neck within a split ring opening within a
frame member.
The above-mentioned prior art devices each rely upon a
substantially keyhole-shaped split collar. Insertion and removal of
a bottle is made by forcing open the angular portion of the collar.
The bottle carriers are lifted by various means, including finger
openings in the top of the device or handles which are pivotable
upwardly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an inexpensive integrally formed
bottle or jug carrying strap that enables the user to securely and
comfortably carry a pair of bottles or jugs.
In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes an elongate grip
with a ring fixedly attached to each end of the grip. Within each
ring is a neck retaining collar attached to the inner circumference
of the ring. The neck retaining collars are separated by laterally
positioned gaps, forming a distal portion and a proximate portion.
Radially aligned with the gaps are scores on the underside of the
rings. Removal of the bottle or jug from the carrier strap is
accomplished by deforming the ring slightly upward which will break
the ring at the score, permitting the collar portions to move
longitudinally relative to each other and permit the bottle or jug
to be easily removed.
A principal benefit of the carrier strap of this invention is that
there is no need to provide any additional structural elements to
enable a pair of bottles or jugs to be securely and comfortably
carried. The elongate grip allows the user's whole hand to grasp
the loaded carrier mid-point between the load, resulting in a
balanced, secure and comfortable hold.
Another important advantage of the carrier strap of this invention
is that the neck retaining collars may be made quite stiff because
removal of the bottle or jug does not require that the collar be
designed to flex so as to allow the bottle or jug neck to be pulled
back through the neck retaining collar.
The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the
invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the
following detailed description of the invention, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the
bottle/jug carrying strap of the present invention showing two jugs
mounted in the bottle or jug carrying strap.
FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the bottle/jug carrying strap
showing the neck of a jug held within the neck retaining
collar.
FIG. 3 is a top elevation view of the bottle/jug carrying
strap.
FIG. 4 is a bottom elevation view of the bottle/jug carrying
strap.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing the bottle/jug carrying strap 10
holding a pair of jugs 12 by the neck 14 thereof. When the jugs are
inserted into carrying strap 10, they are held in close proximity
side-by-side and the carrying strap 10 and jugs may be comfortably
lifted and carried with one hand by holding the elongate grip
16.
The carrying strap 10 is inexpensive and easy to manufacture, being
suitable for conventional plastic injection molding techniques.
Recycled post-consumer polypropylene would be adequate as the major
constituent material together with virgin material for the
remainder.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen that a pair of jugs
12 may easily be installed in the carrying strap 10 by placing the
neck 14 of each jug 12 through the neck-retaining collar 20 in the
ring 18 and pressing downward. Because the neck-retaining rings 18
conically taper upwards and are resilient, the respective
neck-retaining collar 20 travels over the protruding ridge 22 of
the neck 14 of the jug 12, snapping into place once it passes over
the ridge 22, thereby holding the jug by nesting firmly under the
lip 24 thereof.
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, it can be seen that the elongate
grip 16 includes ribbing 26 on both the top side 40 (FIG. 3) and
bottom side 42 (FIG. 4) which provide rigidity to the carrying
strap 10, while minimizing the amount of plastic needed.
Fixedly attached at each end of the elongate grip 16 are the rings
18. Attached to the inner circumference of each ring 18 is a
neck-retaining collar 20 having a proximate portion 28 and a distal
portion 30 formed by gaps 32.
The attachment of the proximate portion 28 of the neck-retaining
collar 20 is substantially contiguous with the associated inner
circumference of the ring 18.
On the top side 40 of the carrier strap 10, bridging connections 34
radiate inward from the inner circumference of the ring 18 and
connect both the proximate portion 28 and the distal portion 30 of
the neck-retaining collar 20 to their associated inner
circumference of the ring 18. Unlike the proximate portion 28 which
is substantially contiguously connected to the inner circumference
of ring 18, the points of connection between the distal portion 30
and the ring 18 are bridging connections 34 only.
On the bottom side 42 of the rings 18, radially aligned with the
gaps 32, are scores 36. Also located on the outer circumference of
the rings 18 are tabs 38. If desired, instructions may be imprinted
on the top of the tabs 38 instructing the user to "lift to remove".
Lifting the tab 38 causes the ring 18 to deform and break at the
scores 36, thereby releasing the jug from the neck retaining collar
20.
The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing
specification are used therein as terms of description and not of
limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and
expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and
described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope
of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which
follow.
* * * * *