Universal handle attachment tool for manipulating different containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11034485-B2
Application number	US-201916425823-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2019
Priority date	May 29, 2019
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A universal handle attachment tool comprises a body having a plurality of tool sides each having a container interface surface operable to engage a face of a particular container, and having a container handle interface slot operable to receive a handle of the container. The slot can comprise a keyed profile operable to interface and lock the handle attachment tool to the container. The container interface surface extends in opposing directions beyond the slot to facilitate distribution of one or more loads acting between the face of the container and the handle attachment tool to facilitate manipulation of the container. A container for storage of at least one object comprises a container body defined by a plurality of sidewalls, and a recessed portion formed a sidewall defining a recessed cavity. The container has a handle spanning the recessed cavity, whereby the recessed cavity facilitates clearance of at least one finger of a user upon grasping the handle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A handle attachment tool operable to engage a container to facilitate manipulation of the container, the handle attachment tool comprising:
a body shaped and sized to be grasped by a user, the body comprising:
a container interface surface operable to engage a face of the container;
a container handle interface slot formed through the container interface surface of the body, and operable to receive a handle of the container, the container handle interface slot comprising a keyed profile defined by a plurality of slot surfaces oriented in different directions, and operable to interface with the handle of the container, wherein the keyed profile is operable to lock the handle attachment tool to the container, wherein the container interface surface extends in opposing directions beyond the container handle interface slot to facilitate distribution of one or more loads acting between the face of the container and the handle attachment tool to facilitate manipulation of the container; and

a second container handle interface slot formed through another container interface surface of the body, such that the handle attachment tool operates as a universal handle attachment tool to manipulate the container and a different container.

2. The handle attachment tool of claim 1 , wherein the keyed profile comprises a T-shaped cross sectional area sized to correspond to a T-shaped profile of the handle of the container.

3. The handle attachment tool of claim 1 , wherein the keyed profile is defined by a rear vertical slot volume, an upper horizontal slot volume, and a lower horizontal slot volume, wherein each slot volume is sized according to a portion of the handle of the container.

4. The handle attachment tool of claim 1 , wherein the container handle interface slot is further formed through an upper surface of the body.

5. The handle attachment tool of claim 1 , further comprising a bottom stop surface at least partially defining the container handle interface slot, and having a surface area corresponding to a lower surface area of the handle of the container, such that the bottom stop surface operates to interface with a lower surface of the handle.

6. The handle attachment tool of claim 1 , wherein the container interface surface has a surface configuration corresponding to a surface configuration of the face of the container, such that the container interface is shaped to be biased to the face of the container.

7. The handle attachment tool of claim 1 , wherein the container interface surface has a curved surface profile.

8. The handle attachment tool of claim 1 , wherein body comprises an upper surface and an opposing lower surface, and wherein the container interface surface extends from the upper surface to the lower surface, and wherein the container handle interface slot is further formed through the upper surface.

9. The handle attachment tool of claim 8 , wherein the container handle interface slot is shaped and sized such that the handle attachment tool is operable to be vertically moved upwardly relative to the container, wherein a top opening of the container handle interface slot operates to receive a lower end of the handle of the container to facilitate locking the handle attachment tool to the container.

10. A universal handle attachment tool operable to engage different sizes of containers to facilitate manipulation of respective containers, the universal handle attachment tool comprising:
a body shaped and sized to be grasped by a user, the body comprising a first tool side and a second tool side, wherein each tool side comprises:
a container interface surface operable to engage a face of a container; and
a container handle interface slot formed through the container interface surface, and operable to receive a handle of the container, the container handle interface slot comprising a keyed profile defined by a plurality of slot surfaces oriented in different directions, and operable interface with the handle of the container, wherein the keyed profile is operable to lock the handle attachment tool to the container,

wherein the container interface surface of the first tool side has a surface configuration different than a surface configuration of the container interface surface of the second tool side, such that the first and second tool sides are operable with different containers to facilitate manipulation of the respective containers.

11. The universal handle attachment tool of claim 10 , wherein the surface configuration of the first tool side comprises a first surface profile, and wherein the surface configuration of the second tool side comprises a second surface profile different than the first surface profile.

12. The universal handle attachment tool of claim 10 , wherein the container interface surface of the first tool side comprises a width that is different than a width of the container interface surface of the second tool side.

13. The universal handle attachment tool of claim 10 , wherein the first tool side is formed about a different side than the second tool side.

14. The universal handle attachment tool of claim 10 , wherein the second tool side comprises a second container handle interface slot formed through the container interface surface.

15. The universal handle attachment tool of claim 10 , further comprising a third tool side comprising a container interface surface operable to engage a face of a third container, and comprising a container handle interface slot formed through the container interface surface and having a keyed profile operable to lock the universal handle attachment tool to the different container.

16. The universal handle attachment tool of claim 10 , further comprising third and fourth tool sides each comprising a container handle interface slot comprising a keyed profile operable to lock the universal handle attachment tool to the container, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth tool sides are each situated on different sides of the universal handle attachment tool from each other, such that the universal handle attachment tool is operable to selectively manipulate at least four different sizes of containers.

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Grella Joseph E

Classifications

• B65D23/102

  Gripping means formed in the walls, e.g. roughening, cavities, projections · CPC title

• B65D15/22

  of polygonal cross-section · CPC title

• B65D21/0201 Primary

  stackable or joined together side-by-side · CPC title

• B65D25/2805 Primary

  provided on a local area of the side walls · CPC title

• A45F2005/1073

  Retaining means for controlled release of the carrying element · CPC title