GB2039214A - Handle assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A handle assembly includes a handle support, such as a vacuum-flask casing 2, and a handle 8 having end portions 10 and 12. In one assembly the casing 2 has therein a rectangular aperture and an inverted U opening. The end portion 10 includes a T-shaped member arranged so that its cross-bar 14 is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle 8, and is longer than the minor dimension and shorter than the major dimension of the aperture. The end portion 12 includes a L-shaped lip having an upright stem 16, a base arm 18 and an inclined surface 20. To assemble, the handle 8 is held perpendicular to the casing 2, the cross-bar 14 is inserted through the aperture, the handle 8 is rotated through 90 DEG , and the stem 16 is pushed through the opening to make a snap fit therein. In an alternative construction, the casing 2 has two inverted U openings, and each handle end portion 10 and 12 includes an L-shaped lip which makes a snap fit in its respective opening. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A handle assembly The present invention relates to a handle assembly comprising a handle and a support on which the handle can be mounted. In this Specification, the term "support" is intended to include any member of structure suitable for supporting a handle. The invention is particularly concerned with, but not restricted to, the mounting of a handle on a container such as, for example, a vacuum flask.

An advantage of providing a vaccum flask with a handle is that it facilitates holding the flask and pouring the contents thereof.

In one previously proposed construction, the flask outer casing and handle are moulded in one piece. A disadvantage of this technique is that it increases the complexity, and hence the cost, of producing the flask mould.

In another construction, the flask casing and handle are produced separately, and the handle is secured to the casing by means of screws. These screws pass through holes in the handle and are retained in threaded holes in the flask casing. This method of manufacture entails tapping holes in the casing, and then screwing on each handle individually, thereby increasing the cost of manufacture.

It is an aim of the invention to provide an improved handle assembly, and according to one aspect of the invention there is provided a handle assembly comprising a handle support and a handle having two spaced portions adapted for attachment to the support so as to mount the handle, in which the support has therein an aperture possessing a major dimension and a minor dimension, and one of said handle portions has an elongate member of a length intermediate said major and minor dimensions and arranged to extend transversely of the major dimension when the handle is in its mounted position whereby the elongate member can enter the aperture, and the handle can then be rotated to its mounted position to prevent withdrawal of the elongate member through the aperture, and in which the other handle portion is adapted to make a snap fit with an associated part of the support to retain the handle in the mounted position.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a handle having two spaced portions adapted for attachment to a handle support having therein an aperture possessing a major dimension and a minor dimension, in which one of said handle port, ions has an elongate member of a length intermediate said major and minor dimensions and arranged to extend transversely of the major dimension when the handle is in its mounted position whereby the elongate member can enter the aperture, and the handle can then be rotated to its mounted position to prevent withdrawal of the elongate member through the aperture, and in which the other handle portion is adapted to make a snap fit with an associated part of the support to retain the handle in the mounted position.

The said two spaced portions of the handle can be located at the two ends of an elongate handle, and preferably the said elongate member is the cross-bar of a T-shaped member which comprises said one handle portion. The said aperture in the support can be of approximately rectangular shape, and preferably the elongate member extends perpendicularly to the said major dimension of the aperture when the handle is in its mounted position. The other handle portion can include a projection adapted to pass through an opening in the support to make a snap fit with said associated support part. Preferably, the opening may be of generally inverted U form.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a handle assembly comprising a handle support and a handle having two spaced portions adapted for attachment to the support so as to mount the handle, in which each of said handle portions is adapted to make a snap fit with an associated part of the support to retain the handle in the mounted position.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a handle having two spaced portions adapted for attachment to a handle support, in which each of said handle portions is adapted to make a snap fit with an associated part of the support to retain the handle in the mounted position.

Both the handle and the handle support can be manufactured from any suitable material, such as for example, a plastics material, and in a preferred embodiment of the invention the support is the outer casing of a vacuum flask.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one handle assembly of the invention, FIGURE 2 is a side view, partly in section, of the handle of the assembly of Figure 1, FIGURE 3 is a rear view of part of a vacuum flask casing included in the assembly of Figure 1, and FIGURE 4 is a side view, partly in section, of part of the handle of another handle assembly of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, one handle assembly of the invention includes a vacuum flask outer casing 2 constituting a handle support, the principal components of the vacuum flask being shown in Figure 1.

Referring particularly to Figure 3, the casing 2 has formed therein an aperture 4 and an opening 6. The aperture 4 has clearly defined major and minor axes, and is of approximately rectangular form with curved ends and side centre regions. The opening 6 is of generally inverted U-shape with an elongate wide base and comparatively short side arms. Referring particularly to Figure 3, the major axis of the aperture 4, and the side arms of the opening 6 are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the outer casing 2, and the opening 6 is located symmetrically above the aperture 4.

The handle 8 is elongate, and has two end portions 10 and 12 which are adapted to enter the aperture 4 and opening 6 respectively so as to mount the handle 8 on the casing 2. The end portion 10 includes a T-shaped member arranged so that the centre arm of the T projects inwardly from the main body of the handle, and the cross-bar 14 is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle. The T-shaped member is dimensioned so that it will pass through the aperture 4 only when the handle 8 is perpendiculay to the longitudinal axis of the outer casing 2.

When the handle is in its mounted position as illustrated in Figure 1, the cross-bar 14 cannot be withdrawn through the aperture 4 because the cross-bar 14 is longer than the minor dimension of the aper turn 4.

The end portion 12 of the handle 8 includes a generally L-shaped lip having an upright stem 16 and a base arm 18. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lip also includes an inclined surface 20 connecting the outer sides of the stem 16 and base arm 18, and a transverse recess 22 located at the join of the inner sides of the stem 16 and base arm 18.

The base and side arms of the opening 6 define a tongue 24. The base of the opening 6 and the L-shaped lip are dimensioned so that on presenting the stem 16 to the opening 6 with the top of the stem 16 level with the upper edge of the opening 6, the top of the tongue 24 abuts the upper part of the inclined surface 20.

To mount the handle 8 on the casing 2, the handle 8 is held perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the casing 2, and the cross-bar 14 is inserted through the aperture 4. The handle 8 is then rotated through 90" to bring it into its mounted position, and the stem 16 is pushed through the base of the opening 6 thereby bending the tongue 24 inwardly to allow the upper edge of the opening 6 to enter the recess 22 with the tongue 24 abutting the horizontal lower side of the base arm 18. The action of the tongue 24 on the lower side of the base arm 18 retains the upper edge of the opening 6 in the recess 22, and ensures that the lip makes a snap fit in the opening 6 so as to prevent the handle 8 from being detached from the outer casing 2.

The lip, the T-shaped member, the aperture 4 and the opening 6 are dimensioned and shaped so that the handle 8 is firmly and securely mounted on the casing 2 without any noticeable wobble. The casing 2 and handle 8 can be made of any suitable material, such as, for example, a suitable plastics material.

Another handle assembly of the invention is the same as the above described assembly except that the casing 2 has two opening 6 therein, and that each end portion 10 and 12 of the handle 8 is adapted to make a snap fit in a respective opening 6. For clarity, corresponding components of the two assemblies have been given the same reference numerals.

Referring to the drawings, each opening 6 is as described in the Specification and illustrated in Fig ure 3, with the bases of the openings 6 remote from one another, and with the opening side arms extend ing towards one another. Referring particularly to Figure 4, each end portion 10 and 12 of the handle 8 includes a generally L-shaped lip having an upright stem 16 and a base arm 18. The lip also includes an inclined surface 20 connecting the outer sides of the stem 16 and base arm 18, and a transverse recess 22 located at the join of the inner sides of the stem 16 and base arm 18.

The base and side arms of each opening 6 define a tongue 24, and the two tongues 24 extend away from one another. The base of each opening 6 and each L-shaped lip are dimensioned so that on presenting each stem 16 to its associated opening 6 with the top of the stem 16 level with the upper edge of its opening 6, the top of each tongue 24 abuts the upper part of its inclined surface 20.

To mount the handle 8 on the casing 2, the handle 8 is held parallel to the longitudinal axis of the casing 2, with the stems 16 aligned with their associated openings 6. One of the stems 16 is then pushed through its associated opening 6 thereby extending the tongue 24 inwardly to allow the outer edge of the opening 6 to enter the recess 22 with the tongue 24 abutting the horizontal outer side of the base arm 18.

The other stem 16 is then pushed through its associated opening 6 in a similar manner, and the action of the tongues 24 on their respective outer sides of the base arms 18 retains the outer edges of the openings 6 in their respective recesses 22, and ensures that the lips make a snap fit in the openings 6 so as to prevent the handle 8 from being detached from the outer casing 2.

As with the previously described handle assembly, the lips and the openings 6 are dimensioned and shaped so that the handle 8 is firmly and securely mounted on the casing 2 without any noticeable wobble. The casing 2 and handle 8 can be made of any suitable material, such as for example, a suitable plastics material.

Claims (21)

1. A handle assembly comprising a handle support and a handle having two spaced portions adapted for attachment to the support so as to mount the handle, in which the support has therein an aperture possessing a major dimension and a minor dimension, and one of said handle portions has an elongate member of a length intermediate said major and minor dimensions and arranged to extend transversely of the major dimensions when the handle is in its mounted position whereby the elongate member can enter the aperture, and the handle can then be rotated to its mounted position to prevent withdrawal of the elongate member through the aperture, and in which the other handle portion is adapted to make a snap fit with an associated part of the support to retain the handle in the mounted position.

2. A handle having two spaced portions adapted for attachment to a handle support having therein an aperture possessing a major dimension anda minor dimension, in which one of said handle portions has an elongate member of a length intermediate said major and minor dimensions and arranged to extend transversely of the major dimension when the handle is in its mounted position whereby the elongate member can enter the aperture, and the handle can then be rotated to its mounted position to prevent withdrawal of the elongate member through the aperture, and in which the other handle portion is adapted to make a snap fit with an associated part of the support to retain the handle in the mounted position.

3. A handle assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or a handle as claimed in Claim 2, in which the two spaced portions of the handle are located at the two ends of an elongate handle.

4. A handle assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 3 or a handle as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3 in which the elongate member is the cross bar of a T-shaped member which comprises said one handle portion.

5. A handle assembly as claimed in Claim 1, Claim 3 or Claim 4 or handle as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 4, in which the said aperture in the support is of approximately rectangular shape.

6. A handle assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or any one of Claims 3 to 5 or a handle as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 5, in which the elongate member extends perpendicularly to the said major dimension of the aperture when the handle is in its mounted position.

7. A handle assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or any one of Claims 3 to 6 or a handle as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 6, in which the other handle portion includes a projection adapted to pass through an opening in the support to make a snap fit with said associated support part.

8. A handle assembly or a handle as claimed in Claim 7, in which the opening is of generally inverted U form.

9. A handle assembly or a handle as claimed in Claim 8, in which the projection is of generally L form.

10. A handle assembly or a handle as claimed in Claim 9, in which the projection includes an inclined surface connecting the outer side of the L.

11. A handle assembly or a handle as claimed in Claim 10, in which the projection includes a transverse recess at the join of the inner sides of the L.

12. A handle assembly comprising a handle support and a handle having two spaced portions adapted for attachment to the support so as to mount the handle, in which each of said handle portions is adapted to make a snap fit with an associated part of the support to retain the handle in the mounted position.

13. A handle having two spaced portions adapted for attachment to a handle support, in which each of said handle portions is adapted to make a snap fit with an associated part of the support to retain the handle in the mounted position.

14. A handle assembly as claimed in Claim 12 or a handle as claimed in Claim 13, in which the two spaced portions of the handle are located at the two ends of an elongate handle.

15. A handle assembly as claimed in Claim 12 or Claim 14ore handle as claimed in Claim 13 or Claim 14, in which each handle portion includes a projection adapted to pass through a respective opening in the support to make a snap fit with said associated support part.

16. A handle assembly or a handle as claimed in Claim 15, in which each opening is of generally inverted U form.

17. A handle assembly or a handle as claimed in Claim 16, in which each projection is of generally L form.

18. A handle assembly or a handle as claimed in Claim 17, in which each projection includes an inclined surface connecting the outer sides of the L.

19. A handle assembly or a handle as claimed in Claim 18, in which each projection includes a transverse recess at the join of the inner sides of the L.

20. A handle assembly substantially as herein described and illustrated in and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. A handle substantially as herein described and illustrated in and with reference to the accompanying drawings.