Self-captivating handle

Claim 2

A stop for locking one end of the strap into an opening in a housing, said opening having a predetermined width and a predetermined height, the stop including in combination: a strap made of resilient polypropylene homopolymer plastic and having a width and thickness of such dimensions as to permit passage of the strap through said opening in the housing; a projection integrally formed with and carried on one end of the strap substantially at right angles thereto and having a length greater than the thickness of the strap, and having a width narrower than the width of the strap, the projection being undercut near its end to form a shoulder and having an integrally formed resilient locking tab opposite the shoulder; a hinge portion in the form of a thin web extending substantially across the strap at a predetermined distance from the projection; and the strap having a slot said same predetermined distance on the other side of the hinge portion for accommodating the projection so that the projection may be bent back at the hinge portion and inserted into the slot to form an enlarged portion, the total thickness of at least a part of the enlarged portion being greater than a corresponding dimension of said opening, the shoulder extending over the surface of the strap after the end of the projection is passed through the slot, with the locking tab being compressed against the projection and readily passing through the slot with the projection and thereafter extending from the projection to impede removal of the projection from the slot.

Claim 3

The combination according to claim 1 further including a second hinge portion in the form of a thin web extending substantially across the strap and located adjacent the projection and between the projection and the first hinge portion, the second hinge portion permitting rotation of the projection from a plane substantially at right angles to the strap to a position substantially as an extension of the strap to facilitate passage of the end of the strap with the projection through said opening.

Claim 4

A handle to be retained between a pair of spaced openings in a housing, said openings having a predetermined width and a predetermined height, the handle including in combination: a body portion made of resilient material and having a length exceeding the distance between the openings and having a width and thickness permitting passage of the body portion through the openings in the housing; a first enlarged portion attached to one end of the body portion, at least one dimension of the first enlarged portion being greater than the corresponding dimension of the openings; a projection on the other end of the body portion at substantially right angles to the body portion and having a width narrower than the body portion and having a predetermined length which is greater than the thickness of the body portion, the projection carrying at least one surface-engaging locking extension on one side thereof and having a resilient locking tab on the other side thereof; first hinge means across the body portion at a predetermined distance from the projections; and the body portion having a slot located said predetermined distance from the hinge means and twice said predetermined distance from the projection, the dimensions of the slot substantially conforming to the external dimensions of the projection so that when said other end of the body portion is bent back at the first hinge means the projection enters the slot with the locking tab readily passing through the slot in the body portion in a first direction when the projection is passed through the slot with the projection extending through the slot so that the locking extension thereon engages the surface of the body portion and the locking tab extends from the projection to impede removal oF the projection in a second direction from the slot.

Claim 5

A handle to be retained between a pair of spaced openings in a housing, said openings having a predetermined width and a predetermined height, the handle including in combination: a body portion made of resilient material and having a length exceeding the distance between the openings and having a width and thickness permitting passage of the body portion through the openings in the housing; a first enlarged portion attached to one end of the body portion, at least one dimension of the first enlarged portion being greater than the corresponding dimension of the openings; a projection on the other end of the body portion at substantially right angles to the body portion and having a width narrower than the body portion and having a predetermined length which is greater than the thickness of the body portion, the projection carrying at least one surface-engaging locking extension on one side thereof and having a resilient locking tab on the other side thereof; first hinge means across the body portion at a predetermined distance from the projections; and the body portion having a slot located said predetermined distance from the hinge means and twice said predetermined distance from the projection, the dimensions of the slot substantially conforming to the external dimensions of the projection so that when said other end of the body portion is bent back at the first hinge means the projection enters the slot with the locking tab readily passing through the slot in the body portion in a first direction when the projection is passed through the slot with the projection extending through the slot so that the locking extension thereon engages the surface of the body portion and the locking tab extends from the projection to impede removal oF the projection in a second direction from the slot.

Claim 6

The combination according to claim 3 wherein the tab is integrally formed on the projection, has a thickness substantially less than the thickness of the projection, and extends at an acute angle from the projection toward the surface of the body portion after the projection is passed through the slot.

Claim 7

A stop for locking one end of a strap into an opening in a housing, said opening having a predetermined width and a predetermined height, the stop including in combination: a strap made of resilient material and having a width and thickness of such dimensions as to permit passage of the strap through said opening in the housing; a projection carried on one end of the strap substantially at right angles thereto and having a length at least equal to the thickness of the strap and having a width narrower than the width of the strap; first hinge means across the strap at a predetermined distance from the projection; second hinge means across the strap and located adjacent the projection and between the projection and the first hinge means, the second hinge means permitting rotation of the projection from a plane substantially at right angles to the strap to a position extending generally along the strap to facilitate passage of said one end of the strap and the projection through said opening in the housing; and the strap having a slot said predetermined distance on the other side of the first hinge means for accommodating the projection so that the projection may be bent back at the first hinge means and inserted into the slot to form an enlarged portion, the total thickness of at least a part of the enlarged portion being greater than the corresponding dimension of said opening.

Claim 8

A stop for locking one end of a strap into an opening in a housing, said opening having a predetermined width and a predetermined height, the stop including in combination: a strap made of resilient material and having a width and thickness of such dimensions as to permit passage of the strap through said opening in the housing; a projection carried on one end of the strap substantially at right angles thereto and having a length at least equal to the thickness of the strap and having a width narrower than the width of the strap; first hinge means across the strap at a predetermined distance from the projection; second hinge means across the strap and located adjacent the projection and between the projection and the first hinge means, the second hinge means permitting rotation of the projection from a plane substantially at right angles to the strap to a position extending generally along the strap to facilitate passage of said one end of the strap and the projection through said opening in the housing; and the strap having a slot said predetermined distance on the other side of the first hinge means for accommodating the projection so that the projection may be bent back at the first hinge means and inserted into the slot to form an enlarged portion, the total thickness of at least a part of the enlarged portion being greater than the corresponding dimension of said opening.

Claim 9

The combination according to claim 5 wherein the strap comprises a handle to be retained between a pair of spaced openings in a housing and wherein the strap further has an enlarged portion attached to the other end thereof.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 5 wherein the strap, the first and second hinge means, and the projection are formed of a single piece of molded polypropylene homopolymer plastic, with the hinge means being in the form of thin webs extending across the strap the thickness of the webs being substantially less than the thickness of the strap.

Claim 11

The combination according to claim 7 wherein the projection includes a locking tab thereon, the locking tab extending at an acute angle from the projection and readily passing through the slot when the projection is passed therethrough and thereafter impeding removal of the projection from the slot.

Claim 12

The combination according to claim 6 further including an additional integral spring means located at said opposite end of said strap and engaging a portion of the housing when the handle is in a carrying position to facilitate return of the handle to a substantially straight noncarrying position when the handle is released.