DE8708328U1 - Plastic bucket with a handle - Google Patents

Description

Beäehreibünq

The invention relates to a plastic bucket with a handle»
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Plastic buckets are often used for packaging liquid or pasty products, e.g. food or industrial products .

Buckets of the type in question here are also those that have their own locking device for tight closure, as well as basket-like, perforated buckets that are used to form cheese and which are then in turn placed in pots that are "tightly closed with lids"

In the latter case in particular, it is difficult to grasp the basket-like bucket in order to pull it out of the planter.

A first solution to this problem consists in producing a bucket in moulding form, having an upper edge from which two claws protrude in diametrically opposed regions, in which holes are provided to enable an independent metal handle to be fitted. Such a bucket is described in FR-PS 1 346 309.

The disadvantage of this solution is the presence of two separate elements that must be connected together and the difficulty of grasping the handle to lift it from the bucket when the latter is in a planter.

Another known basket-like bucket is described in FR-PS 2 447 142. This bucket has two

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Eyelets that protrude from the top edge. These eyelets are flexible and disappear when they come into contact with the top edge of the planter and its cover. In order to pull the basket-like bucket out of the planter, the user inserts two fingers into the two eyelets. Since these are two fingers of the same hand, this leads to the two eyelets coming closer together and the bucket

&idiagr;&idiagr;&KHgr;&Igr;&iacgr;&egr;&idiagr; WVCtJ-C IT V-LiU CIl III .1.1IUlI U / WVUUi. Uli OUXH the pot is hindered* Furthermore, the two eyelets protruding from the sides of the basket bucket are a hindrance during various handling operations after production, during packaging of the cheese, in particular during the scraping and closing of the outer pot. In fact, if an eyelet becomes deformed during the preceding handling operations, it will hinder the correct and tight fitting of the lid.

The invention is based on the object of eliminating these disadvantages. This object is achieved by a bucket with an essentially circular cross-section, which is characterized in that it has a circumferential collar near its upper edge, in the interior of which a continuous slot is formed over a circumference of approximately 180°, which runs parallel to the upper edge and approximately at the middle distance between the actual edge of the bucket bowl and the outer edge of the collar,

It should be noted that such a plastic bucket can be manufactured as a single piece using a simply designed mould.

To be able to grasp the bucket, the user simply needs to grasp the part of the collar outside the slot, which forms a handle, and turn it around

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90° upwards. This pivoting is easily possible due to the softness of the material if the wall thickness is not too great or if, in the event that the material thickness is greater, a material weakening is provided at each end of a slot.

The collar associated with the upper edge advantageously comprises a slit which extends over approximately 180° of its circumference, while the remainder of the collar is fully formed.

The non-slotted part of the collar ensures good rigidity of the upper edge of the bucket pot and thus prevents it from becoming oval when the user carries it by the handle.

A bucket of this type has numerous advantages. In addition to the already mentioned ease of manufacture as a one-piece part and the rigidity of the upper edge,

.20 The advantage is that the handle is located in the upper level or close to it and is not a part which protrudes locally, so that it does not constitute ^{an obstacle} to the stacking of the buckets prior to the manufacture and packaging of the product to be contained in them. Furthermore, because of its position, the handle does not constitute an obstacle to the filling of the product, even if it is necessary to scrape off the upper edge, as is the case with certain dairy products. Finally, for these reasons, the handle does not constitute an obstacle to the filling of the buckets.

SQ For the same reasons, it is not necessary to attach the lid and does not affect the tightness of the closure. It is also possible to attach the lid mechanically.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the bucket, the outer edge of the cantilever has the shape of a rod with

approximately cylindrical cross-section, with the slot provided for the slider ending in the middle of this rod.

This arrangement gives the handle outstanding rigidity and also improves handling by the user, as the handle has no sharp edges on which the user can catch his fingers .

In the latter case, provided that only one handle is provided, the slot extends over a length equal to 180° of the circumference of the collar plus the diameter of the rod. This allows the handle to be placed in a diametrical position on the bucket when the latter is gripped.

According to another feature of the invention, each handle has a molded-on tab halfway along its length which is directed upwards and slightly outwards, approximately parallel to the side wall of the bucket, when the handle is in the plane of the collar.

Such a rag is useful when the bucket is housed in an outdoor pot, as it allows the user to swing the handle into the carrying position without having to insert his fingers deeply into the pot.

According to another embodiment and in the case where the bucket is intended to be inserted into an external pot, the width of each handle, viewed in the plane of the collar, is greater in its central region than in the region of the zones in which it is hinged to the bucket, while the external pot has, above the plane of the collar, a peripheral shoulder on which the widened part of the collar rests when

-&dgr;-the bucket is in the outer pot.

This has the effect that the handle is pivoted slightly upwards when the bucket is inserted into the outer pot, making it easier for the user to grasp the handle when they want to pull the bucket out of the outer pot.

In the latter case, it is no longer necessary to provide the above-mentioned flaps, since the handle is already raised from the upper level of the bucket.

The invention is explained in more detail below using two exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the bucket according to the invention in the position of use;

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the bucket of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale;

Figures show, in a further enlarged scale, three transverse sections of the upper edge of the bucket of

Figure 1 corresponding to lines III-III, IV-IV and V-V in Figure 2;

Figure 6 shows a longitudinal section of the bucket when it is placed in an outer pot;

Figure 7 shows a plan view of a second bucket according to the invention;

PigUJ? 8 2§igt a &iacgr;/longitudinal section of the upper part of the

ßimeliß From PigUl? 7, if it is placed in an outside pot.

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The bucket 2 shown in the drawings is made as a plastic molded part. It has an overall conventional shape, i.e. a base 3 which is delimited by a generally truncated cone-shaped side wall 4, the cross-section of which increases from the base 3 towards the upper edge 5.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the upper edge 5 has an outward-facing, circumferential collar 6, the outer edge of which forms a rod-shaped bead 7 with a circular cross-section.

At approximately 180° of the circumference of this collar, a slot 8 is provided in it, adjacent to the rod 7. From Figure 2 it can be seen that the length of the slot 8 corresponds to 180° of the circumference of the collar, plus the diameter of the rod 7. Halfway along the length of the part 9 forming a handle, which lies outside the slot 8, an integrally formed tab 10 is provided, which is directed upwards and slightly outwards, so that its inclination corresponds essentially to that of the side wall 4 of the bucket.

As can be seen from Figure 6, the bucket 2 can be inserted into an outer pot 12, which in turn is provided with a lid (not shown), without the handle 9 and its flap 10 being in any way obstructive.

In practice, the bucket is manufactured as an injection-moulded part with the handle 9 lying in the plane of the collar 6. As a result, this bucket can be stacked with other buckets of the same type and thus transported to the places where the product it is intended to contain is

is filled in. '- ■

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The handle 9 does not represent any obstacle when filling the product or when placing the buckets in the outer pots 12 and when closing these outer pots.

When the user wants to remove the bucket, all he has to do is, after removing the lid, grasp the tab 10 and pull it upwards. This movement causes the handle to pivot, bringing it into a position in which it is perpendicular to the upper plane of the bucket. The user can then pull the bucket out of the outer pot by grasping the handle. Due to the good rigidity of the handle and the upper part of the bucket, the bucket is not deformed during this operation. The good rigidity is due to the fact that part of the collar is not slotted.

Figures 7 and 8 show a variant of the bucket in which the handle has no gripping tab. In this embodiment, two slots 8a are provided in the collar 6a, each of which extends over slightly less than 180°. This forms two handles 9a, the articulation points of which on the bucket are adjacent to one another.

As can be seen from Figure 7, the width of the collar is greater in the central part 13 of each handle 9a than in the zone 14 in which the handles 9a are hinged to the bucket.

The outer pot 12a has a circumferential shoulder 15 which is located above the level of the collar 6a when the bucket is accommodated in the outer pot. The widened parts 13 of the collar 8 rest on this shoulder 15, but not the narrower parts 14 of the same. As can be seen from Figure 8, the

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Both handles are pivoted upwards when the bucket is inserted into the outer pot, with the widened parts 13 of the collar resting on the circumferential shoulder 15 of the pot.

As is clear from the foregoing description, the invention represents a significant improvement over the state of the art by providing a bucket of simple design, equipped with integrated gripping means which do not in any way hinder its handling and the introduction and use of the product it is intended to contain.

The invention is of course not limited to the embodiments described above by way of example, but encompasses all conceivable implementation variants.

Thus, the bucket according to the invention can in particular also be a sealed bucket and not be intended for inclusion in an external pot. In this case, the peripheral collar, in which at least one handle is formed, can also be above the level of the upper edge of the bucket, whereby this upper edge can be equipped with means for hooking a lid. It is also possible for the bucket corresponding to the first embodiment to be equipped with two handles and the bucket corresponding to the second embodiment to be equipped with only one handle, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

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Claims (5)

Expectations 1. Bucket made of plastic and equipped with a handle and having a substantially circular cross-section, characterized in that it has a circumferential collar (6) near its upper edge (5), in the interior of which a continuous slot (8) is formed over a circumference of approximately 180°, which runs parallel to the upper edge and approximately at the middle distance between the actual edge (5) of the bucket bowl and the outer edge of the collar (6). 2. Bucket according to claim 1, characterized in that the collar (6) associated with the upper edge (5) has a slot (8) which extends over approximately 180° of the circumference and that the remaining part of the collar is fully formed. 3. Bucket according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the outer edge of the collar (6) has the shape of a rod with an approximately cylindrical cross-section and that the slot (8) made in the collar is located near this rod. 4. Bucket according to claim 3, characterized in that the slot (8), in the case where only a single handle (9) is provided, extends over a length which corresponds to 180° of the circumference of the collar (6), plus the diameter of the rod (7). 5. Bucket according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each handle (9) has a molded-on tab (10) halfway along its length, which is directed upwards and slightly outwards, approximately parallel to the side wall (4) of the bucket, when the handle (9) is in the plane of the collar (6). (see bucket according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in the event that the bucket is to be inserted into 2 - an outer pot (12a), the width of each handle, viewed in the plane of the collar (6a), in its central f len part is larger than in the area of the zones (14) in which - it is connected to the bucket by a hinge, and that the outer 5 pot has a circumferential shoulder (15) above the level of the collar (6) on which the widened part of the collar (6) rests when the bucket is in the pot. 10 15 20 25 30 t > Uli I I Il 1 I I I · > ,· &bull; IIIII t IIII K Il IM I ₁ ,· ,· «II I I * * * . * ■ Il · Il Il M iIII I