BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This present invention relates to a handle attachment for a container. More particularly, the present invention relates to a handle attachment for a pre-used clamshell type container (i.e. a hamburger container) so as to reuse the container for a secondary purpose, i.e. for collecting pet waste.

Handle attachment devices for containers are known. These devices are commonly formed from sheet-like blanks having handle formations that are folded from the blank into an erected position, allowing a user's fingers to engage the handle formations. Generally, such devices are secured to a container through an adhesive applied to the body of the handle attachment device, as disclosed in US patent no. 5,647,624 and US patent application no. 201 1/0017815. These devices are generally attached to containers that are made for a single use before being discarded.

The prior art devices do have an inherent shortcoming, that is, after using the container with the handle attachment secured thereto, each container must be carried independently by the user until a suitable disposal point is reached. The shortcoming is partially overcome through the use of containers that are capable of being nested inside one another, this is only possible if the containers are empty and the containers are at least similar in shape and dimensions.

The problems posed by having to carry the containers independently until the user is able to dispose of them is further exacerbated when the attached container houses an item that is unsanitary i.e. pet waste.

It is an object of the present invention to address the problems associated with the existing devices. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a handle attachment for a container including: a handle attachment body; first and second handles, wherein each of handles are located near opposite ends of the handle attachment body; a means for securing the handle attachment to a container; and a bag secured to the handle attachment. The handle attachment may further include a hinge formation disposed between the two handles, wherein the handle attachment is operably securable by the securing means over a hinge end of the container, being in the form of a clamshell type container, such that the hinge formation of the handle attachment lies over and aligned with the hinge formation of the clamshell type container with the handles of the handle attachment lying on opposite sides of the hinge formations.

Generally, the securing means is an adhesive applied to a first side of the handle attachment, and further wherein one or more peel-away members, which are operably removable to expose the adhesive for securement to the container, conceal the adhesive.

Typically, the bag is adhesively secured to a second side of the handle attachment, with the bag being movable between a stowed condition and a deployed condition. In the stowed condition, the bag is folded and lies substantially flat on the handle attachment with first and second handles of the bag lying substantially over one another. In the deployed condition, the second handle of the bag is operably moved initially away from the first handle, about the handle attachment and/or the container to which it is operably secured and thereafter back towards the first handle thereby to cause the bag to turn inside-out with the handle attachment and/or container captured therein for disposal.

Preferably, the handle attachment is formed from a sheet-like blank.

More preferably, the invention extends to a clamshell type container having secured thereto a handle attachment as described above. Most preferably, the clamshell type container is a pre-used container, i.e. a hamburger container, such that the container is reusable for a secondary application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

Figure 1 is a first perspective view of a handle attachment for a container in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is second perspective view of the handle attachment of figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the handle attachment of figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the handle attachment of figure 1 being secured to a clamshell type container;

Figure 5 is a side view of the handle attachment of figure 1 secured to the clamshell type container, with the container opened by a user into an open condition;

Figure 6 is a side view of the handle attachment of figure 1 secured to the clamshell type container, with the container closed by the user into a closed condition; Figure 7 is a side view of the handle attachment of figure 1 secured to the clamshell type container, with the bag being moved into the deployed condition; and Figure 8 is a perspective view of the handle attachment of figure 1 secured to the clamshell type container, with the handle attachment and the container captured in the deployed bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A handle attachment for a container according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is designated generally in the accompanying figures with reference numeral 10. It will be appreciated that although the handle attachment 10 may be applied to many different containers, it is envisaged that it's main application lies in converting a pre-used clamshell type container 100, i.e. hamburger containers, into containers for a secondary use, such as collecting pet waste.

The handle attachment includes a handle attachment body 12, as well as first and second handle formations 14, 16 located at opposite ends of the handle attachment body 12 for, when folded into an erected form, forming handles 18, 20 as illustrated in figure 3.

With the handle attachment 10 being generally made from a sheet-like blank, it will be appreciated that unless specified to the contrary, the lighter weighted internal lines on the handle attachment 10 illustrated in the accompanying figures represent fold lines on which portions of the handle attachment 10 are folded so as to take an erected form as illustrated in figures 4 to 8. The handle attachment 10 further includes means 22A, 22B, 22C for securing the handle attachment 10 to the container 100. The securing means 22A, 22B, 22C is adhesive or adhesive strips applied to a first side 24 of the handle attachment 10. Although not shown, it is preferable that the handle attachment 10 includes one or more peel-away members that initially conceal the adhesive 22A, 22B, 22C, and which are operably removable to expose it for securement to the container 100. At each of the terminal ends of the handle attachment body 12, there are tabs 26, 28 that are operably foldable and locatable at least partially through handle formations apertures 30, 32 respectively thereby to be secured between the adhesive 22A, 22C and the container 100 thereby to retain the handle attachment in an erected condition. The handle attachment 10 further includes a bag 34 secured thereto, typically to a second side 36 of the handle attachment 10. The bag 34 is typically adhesively secured to the handle attachment and movable between a stowed condition, as illustrated in figures 4 to 6, and a deployed condition, as illustrated in figure 8. In the stowed condition, the bag is folded and lies substantially flat on the handle attachment 10 with first and second handles 38, 40 of the bag 34 lying substantially over one another. Preferably, the first and second handles 38, 40 of the bag 34 pass over the first handle 18 of the handle attachment 10. With reference now to figure 7 and figure 8, the bag 34 is deployable into the deployed condition by pulling the second handle 40 of the bag 34 initially away from the first handle 38, about the handle attachment 10 and the container 100 to which it is operably secured and thereafter back towards the first handle 38 thereby to cause the bag 34 to turn inside-out with the handle attachment 10 and the container 100 captured therein for disposal.

The handle attachment further includes a hinge formation 42 disposed between the two handles 18, 20. In use, the handle attachment 10 is operably securable by the securing means 22 over a hinge end 102 of the container 100 such that the hinge formation 42 of the handle attachment 10 lies over and aligned with the hinge formation 104 of the container 100 with the handles 18, 20 of the handle attachment 10 lying on opposite sides of the hinge formations 42, 104. Preferably, the hinge formation 42 of the handle attachment 10 is a perforated or scored hinge line. In use, the handle attachment 10 is secured to the container 100 without hindering the normal working thereof, with the first and second handles 18, 20 secured on opposing shells 106, 108 of the container 100, such that the opposing shells 106, 108 may be moved relative to one another by a user through engagement of the first and second handles 18, 20 with his/her fingers and thumb 200.

The user may open the container 100 into the open condition as illustrated in figure 5 for collecting pet waste. Once the pet waste is located between the opposing shells 106, 108, the user moves the container 100 into the closed condition as illustrated in figure 6, thereby to retain the pet waste inside the container 100.

Without the user having to come into direct contact with the soiled free ends of the container shells 106, 108, the bag 34 is deployable into the deployed condition for disposing the container 100 and the pet waste contained there inside.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated that many modifications or variations of the invention are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.