GB1573373A

GB1573373A - Container handle

Info

Publication number: GB1573373A
Application number: GB2414377A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1977-06-09
Filing date: 1977-06-09
Publication date: 1980-08-20

Description

(54) CONTAINER HANDLE (71) I, WOLFGANG GEISINGER, a citizen of Canada, of 180, rue Paradis, Rosemere P.Q. Canada, do hereby declared the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates generally to handles; more particularly, the invention pertains to a handle for ensuring the vertical positioning of inverted suspended bottles.

The control of the vertical positioning of pharmaceutical bottles, for example, used in the administering of intravenous solutions to patients is a continuing problem. At present, the only device, known to the inventor, which will provide an effective and true vertical positioning of these bottles is a metallic two-piece assembly, consisting of a bail and a collar by which the bail is attached to the bottle.

To reduce costs and to avoid rust problems, one piece molded plastic handles have been made to overcome the problems associated with metal assemblies. One piece molded plastic handles, however, are formed (molded or stamped) with the bail and band disposed in the same plane. Hence, when a bottle, provided with a band made of elastomeric material, is suspended vertically, the characteristics of the plastic material provide an inherent tendency to return the bail in the same plane is the band. Therefore, as the solution inside the bottle is gradually administered, there is less gravity force opposing this tendency in the plastic material. As a result, when the solution level inside the bottle is low, the bottle is slightly tilted from its vertical dispensing plane thereby risking the introduction air in the intravenous solution being administered to the patient.

The present invention provides a handle for suspending an inverted bottle having an external circumferential groove adjacent the bottom end thereof, the handle comprising: an endless band of thermoplastics material, said material being resiliently stretchable; a bail moulded integrally with said band to form a unitary structure, said bail including a pair of arm portions initially generally coplanar with the band, and flat connecting portions joined respectively at the end of each arm portion to generally diametrically opposed portions of said band, each said flat connecting portion extending radially outwardly from the band generally co-planar to the plane of said band, the flat connecting portion having a reduced cross-section compared to the cross-section of the arm portion, the reduced cross-section being such as to provide a twistable hinge at the junction between the bail and the band wherein two parts of the reduced cross-section can be placed at 90" to each other when the arm portions are rotated 90" relative to the plane of the band.

The present invention will be better understood from the detailed description given hereinafter with reference to the drawinns; it should be understood however, that the detailed description, while indicating a preferred embodiment of the invention, is given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. In the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevational view of a pharmaceutical bottle of the type used to contain intravenous solutions and on which a handle constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown in two positions; Figure 2 is a top plane view of the handle; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of Fig. 2; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of Fig. 2; and Figure 5 is an enlarged top cross-sectional view of the connecting portion between the bail and band.

Referring now to the drawings, one embodiment of the invention will be described as applied to the bottom portion of an intravenous solution bottle 10. The bottle 10 includes a generally cylindrical body portion which terminates at one end in a neck opening 12 and which terminates at the other end in a closed bottom portion 14. Adjacent the end portion 14, a circumferential groove 16 is formed on the exterior of the bottle; this groove is adapted to receive a handle, generally noted 18.

The handle 18 is formed of a thermoplastic material that is resilient, flexible and elastic; the handle consists of two portions: an endless band 20 and a bail 22. The band and the bail are formed together as a unitary assembly by means of a plastics forming operation, such as injection molding. Although polyethylene is a preferred example of a suitable thermoplastic material which is resistant to tearing, other functionally similar materials could be used satisfactorially for the handle 18.

The material of the handle must be resiliently stretchable for allowing the passage of the band 20 over the end 14 of the bottle in order to be received in the groove 16 firmly.

Referring to Fig. 3, the inside wall 24 of the band may include at least one tapered edge, such as upper and lower edges 26 and 28, to allow easy insertion of the band in the groove. Also, once band 20 is received in groove 16, these edges correspondingly contact the sloping surfaces of the groove.

Bail 22 includes two arm portions 30 and 32, see Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 3, these arm portions may have an H-shaped crosssection. At an intermediate point of the arm portions, a notch 34 may be provided on the inner wall of the bail to provide a seating arrangement for a support from which the bottle is to be suspended while at the same time insuring a relatively unshiftable bearing.

The arm portions 30 and 32 of the bail are connected to generally diametrically opposed portions of the band by means of flat connecting portions 36, 38, respectively.

Referring to Fig. 4, the portions 36 and 38 are flat and extend in a plane parallel to the plane of the endless band 20. The crosssection of these portions 36 and 38 are reduced compared to the cross-section of the arm portions 30 and 32, as well as to the cross-section of the endless band 20. This reduced portion (see Figure 5) allows a hinge action when the bail 22 is rotated relative to the band 20. With this reduced cross-section in the flat connecting portions 36, 38, the inherent resiliency in the plastic material tending to return the bail in its original position, i.e. in the same plane as the band, is considerably reduced and no longer affects the vertical positioning of the suspended bottle even if the level of intravenous solution in the bottle is low. Satisfactory results have been obtained where the ratio of thickness between the overall cross-section of the arm portions and that of the connecting portion is 3:1.

The disclosure herein describes a handle made of thermoplastic material and consisting of an endless band and of a bail unitarily connected to the band. The bail includes a pair of arm portions having at each end thereof a flat connecting portion joined to generally diametrically opposed portions of the band and having a reduced cross-section compared to the cross-section of the remaining portion of the arm portion. The handle is used principally to suspend bottles for administering intravenous solution to patients and the particular construction of the handle insures that, when the bottle is in an inverted suspended position, it is in an accurate vertical position. This control for the vertical positioning of the bottle is obtained by a hinge action at the reduced cross-section portion of each arm.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A handle for suspending an inverted bottle having an external circumferential groove adjacent the bottom end thereof, the handle comprising: an endless band of thermoplastics material, said material being resiliently stretchable; a bail moulded integrally with said band to form a unitary structure, said bail including a pair of arm portions initially generally co-planar with the band, and flat connecting portions joined respectively at the end of each arm portion to generally diametrically opposed portions of said band, each said flat connecting portion extending radially outwardly from the band generally co-planar to the plane of said band, the flat connecting portion having a reduced cross-section compared to the cross-section of the arm portion, the reduced cross-section being such as to provide a twistable hinge at the junction between the bail and the band wherein two parts of the reduced crosssection can be placed at 900 to each other when the arm portions are rotated 90" relative the plane of the band.

2. A handle as defined in claim 1, wherein said bail has a notch at an intermediate point thereof to assist the positioning of said handle on a support from which it is to be suspended.

3. A handle as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the arm portions have a cross-section of H-shape.

4. A handle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Referring now to the drawings, one embodiment of the invention will be described as applied to the bottom portion of an intravenous solution bottle 10. The bottle 10 includes a generally cylindrical body portion which terminates at one end in a neck opening 12 and which terminates at the other end in a closed bottom portion 14. Adjacent the end portion 14, a circumferential groove 16 is formed on the exterior of the bottle; this groove is adapted to receive a handle, generally noted 18. The handle 18 is formed of a thermoplastic material that is resilient, flexible and elastic; the handle consists of two portions: an endless band 20 and a bail 22. The band and the bail are formed together as a unitary assembly by means of a plastics forming operation, such as injection molding. Although polyethylene is a preferred example of a suitable thermoplastic material which is resistant to tearing, other functionally similar materials could be used satisfactorially for the handle 18. The material of the handle must be resiliently stretchable for allowing the passage of the band 20 over the end 14 of the bottle in order to be received in the groove 16 firmly. Referring to Fig. 3, the inside wall 24 of the band may include at least one tapered edge, such as upper and lower edges 26 and 28, to allow easy insertion of the band in the groove. Also, once band 20 is received in groove 16, these edges correspondingly contact the sloping surfaces of the groove. Bail 22 includes two arm portions 30 and 32, see Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 3, these arm portions may have an H-shaped crosssection. At an intermediate point of the arm portions, a notch 34 may be provided on the inner wall of the bail to provide a seating arrangement for a support from which the bottle is to be suspended while at the same time insuring a relatively unshiftable bearing. The arm portions 30 and 32 of the bail are connected to generally diametrically opposed portions of the band by means of flat connecting portions 36, 38, respectively. Referring to Fig. 4, the portions 36 and 38 are flat and extend in a plane parallel to the plane of the endless band 20. The crosssection of these portions 36 and 38 are reduced compared to the cross-section of the arm portions 30 and 32, as well as to the cross-section of the endless band 20. This reduced portion (see Figure 5) allows a hinge action when the bail 22 is rotated relative to the band 20. With this reduced cross-section in the flat connecting portions 36, 38, the inherent resiliency in the plastic material tending to return the bail in its original position, i.e. in the same plane as the band, is considerably reduced and no longer affects the vertical positioning of the suspended bottle even if the level of intravenous solution in the bottle is low. Satisfactory results have been obtained where the ratio of thickness between the overall cross-section of the arm portions and that of the connecting portion is 3:1. The disclosure herein describes a handle made of thermoplastic material and consisting of an endless band and of a bail unitarily connected to the band. The bail includes a pair of arm portions having at each end thereof a flat connecting portion joined to generally diametrically opposed portions of the band and having a reduced cross-section compared to the cross-section of the remaining portion of the arm portion. The handle is used principally to suspend bottles for administering intravenous solution to patients and the particular construction of the handle insures that, when the bottle is in an inverted suspended position, it is in an accurate vertical position. This control for the vertical positioning of the bottle is obtained by a hinge action at the reduced cross-section portion of each arm. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A handle for suspending an inverted bottle having an external circumferential groove adjacent the bottom end thereof, the handle comprising: an endless band of thermoplastics material, said material being resiliently stretchable; a bail moulded integrally with said band to form a unitary structure, said bail including a pair of arm portions initially generally co-planar with the band, and flat connecting portions joined respectively at the end of each arm portion to generally diametrically opposed portions of said band, each said flat connecting portion extending radially outwardly from the band generally co-planar to the plane of said band, the flat connecting portion having a reduced cross-section compared to the cross-section of the arm portion, the reduced cross-section being such as to provide a twistable hinge at the junction between the bail and the band wherein two parts of the reduced crosssection can be placed at 900 to each other when the arm portions are rotated 90" relative the plane of the band.