HAND GRIP APPARATUS FOR USE IN STEERING A ROLL CAGE

Abstract

Hand grip apparatus (2) for use in steering a roll cage (4), the hand grip apparatus (2) comprising: (i) a hand grip (6); and (ii) releasable connector means (8) for enabling the hand grip (6) to be attached to and removed from the roll cage (4), wherein the hand grip (6) comprises: (iii) a hand grip portion (10), and wherein the releasable connector means (8) comprises: (iv) first and second connector parts (16, 18) which releasably connect together; (v) the hand grip portion (10) comprises the first connector part (16); and (vi) the second connector part (18) is mounted in use on the roll cage (4).

Claims

1. Hand grip apparatus for use in steering a roll cage, the hand grip apparatus comprising: (i) a hand grip; and (ii) releasable connector means for enabling the hand grip to be attached to and removed from the roll cage, wherein the hand grip comprises: (iii) a hand grip portion, and wherein the releasable connector means comprises: (iv) first and second connector parts which releasably connect together; (v) the hand grip portion comprises the first connector part; and (vi) the second connector part is mounted in use on the roll cage.

2. Hand grip apparatus according to claim 1 in which the first connector part is a male first connector part, and in which the second connector part is a female second connector part.

3. Hand grip apparatus according to claim 2 in which the male first connector part comprises a hook, and in which the female second connector part comprises a socket.

4. Hand grip apparatus according to claim 1 in which the hand grip portion is D-shaped.

5. Hand grip apparatus according to claim 1 in which the hand grip portion comprises: (i) at least one guide slot in the hand grip portion; (ii) at least one slide portion which extends into the guide slot; (iii) the guide slot is curved; and (iv) the slide portion is retained in the guide slot and is slideable backwards and forwards in the guide slot.

6. Hand grip apparatus according to claim 5 in which the guide slot is part circular.

7. Hand grip apparatus according to claim 5 in which the guide slot is in excess of one half of a circle.

8. Hand grip apparatus according to claim 5 which the slide portion comprises a curved formation which has a curve which is complementary to the curve of the guide slot.

9. Hand grip apparatus according to claim 5 in which there is one of the guide slots.

10. Hand grip apparatus according to claim 9 in which the guide slot has a retainer formation for retaining the slide portion in the guide slot.

11. Hand grip apparatus according to claim 10 in which the retainer formation is a pair of inwardly extending lips.

12. Hand grip apparatus according to claim 5 in which there are two of the guide slots and two of the slide portions, in which there is one of the guide slots on each of opposite sides of the hand grip portion, and in which the slide portions are formed by a C-shaped aperture in one end of the connecting portion.

13. A roll cage comprising hand grip apparatus according to claim 1.

14. A roll cage according to claim 13 in which there are two of the hand grip apparatus.

Description

[0029] Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0030] FIG. 1 is a view from one side and the front of first apparatus of the present invention;

[0031] FIG. 2 is a view like FIG. 1 but with the hand grip having been rotated to a different position to that shown in FIG. 1;

[0032] FIG. 3 is a view like FIG. 1 but with hand grip having been rotated to a different position to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0033] FIG. 4 shows the hand grip apparatus of FIG. 1 being positioned for use;

[0034] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of part of FIG. 1 and shows in detail part of releasable connector means forming part of the hand grip apparatus;

[0035] FIG. 6 is a view from above, the front and one side of part of the releasable connector means shown in FIG. 1;

[0036] FIG. 7 is a view from the side and slightly to the front of second hand grip apparatus of the present invention;

[0037] FIG. 8 is a view like FIG. 7 but from the other side of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 7 and slightly more to the front;

[0038] FIG. 9 is a view from one side and above of part of releasable connector means forming part of the hand grip apparatus shown in FIG. 7;

[0039] FIG. 10 is a view from one side and the front of part of the releasable connector means shown in the hand grip apparatus of FIG. 7;

[0040] FIGS. 11 and 12 show how a hand grip portion of the hand grip apparatus is able to be removed from releasable connector means forming part of the hand grip apparatus; and

[0041] FIG. 13(a)-(e) shown hand grips of different shapes.

[0042] Referring to FIGS. 1-6, there is shown first hand grip apparatus 2 for use in steering a roll cage 4. The hand grip apparatus 2 comprises a hand grip 6 and releasable connector means 8 for enabling the hand grip 6 to be attached to and removed from the roll cage 4.

[0043] The hand grip 6 comprises a hand grip portion 10. There is at least one guide slot 12 in the hand grip portion 10. There is at least one slide portion 14 which extends into the guide slot 12. The guide slot 12 is curved as shown. The slide portion 14 and the guide slot 12 are configured such that the slide portion 14 is retained in the guide slot 12 and is slidable backwards and forwards in the guide slot 12.

[0044] The releasable connector means 8 comprises a first connector part 16 and a second connector part 18. The first and second connector parts 16, 18 releasably connect together.

[0045] The hand grip portion 10 comprises the first connector part 16. The second connector part 18 is mounted in use on the roll cage 4. The first connector part 16 is a male first connector part having a hook as shown. The second connector part 18 is a female second connector part 18 having a socket for receiving the first connector part 16.

[0046] The hand grip portion 6 is D-shaped. The guide slot 12 is curved by being part circular as shown. More specifically, the guide slot 12 is in excess of one half of a circle.

[0047] The slide portion 14 comprises a curved formation 20 which has a curve which is complementary to the curve of the guide slot 12. As shown, the hand grip apparatus 2 is such that there is one of the guide slots 12. The guide slot 12 may have a pair of inwardly extending lips which are at positions 22 and which act to retain the slide portion 14 in the guide slot 12. Retainer formations other than inwardly extending lips may be employed. If desired, there may be two of the guide slots 12 and two of the slide portions 14. In this case, the guide slots 12 may be one on each of opposite sides of the hand grip portion 10. The slide portions 14 may be formed by a C-shaped aperture in one end of the connecting portion.

[0048] The hand grip 6 may be such that the hand grip portion 10, the guide slot 12 and the slide portion 14 may be generally as disclosed in our International Patent Application No. WO 2018/078310 A1.

[0049] The first and second connector parts 16, 18 connect together as shown in FIGS. 1-6. The hand grip 6 may be rotated relative to the second connector part 18 as can be appreciated from a comparison of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The first connector part 16 is easily inserted into the second connector part 18 as can best be appreciated from FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.

[0050] In the hand grip apparatus 2, the second connector part 18 is welded to a connector tube 24 which slides over an upright tube 26 forming part of a frame 28 of the roll cage 4. The weld between the second connector part 18 and the connector tube 24 is shown as weld 30. The connector tube 24 may be secured at a desired position along the upright tube 26 by screws, rivets or other fixing means, The first connector part 16 may be similarly connected to a male extension member extending from the hand grip 6 by screws, rivets or other fixing means. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the fixing means is a screw 32 having a flat-sided recess 34 for receiving a tightening tool such as an Allen key.

[0051] Referring now to FIGS. 7-10, there is shown second hand grip apparatus 36. Similar parts as in the first hand grip apparatus 2 have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding.

[0052] It will be seen that the hand grip apparatus 36 comprises releasable connector means 38. The releasable connector means 38 has a first connector part 16 which is like the first connector part 16 in the hand grip apparatus 2. The releasable connector means 38 has a second connector part 40 which includes a clip 42 as shown. The clip 42 may be any desired type of clip. Thus, for example, the clip 42 may be a jubilee clip, a hose clip, a worm drive clip, or a clamp clip. The second connector part 40 still uses the square tube 44 which forms a part of the second connector part 40. The clip 42 can be welded, or attached by fixing means such as screws or bolts to the square tube 44. The clip 42 is easily fixed to the upright tube 26 of the frame 28. Thus the clip 42 provides a convenient way of enabling the hand grip apparatus 40 to be connected to the roll cage 4. This enables the hand grip apparatus of the present invention easily to be secured to existing roll cages, and at any required height. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the hand grip apparatus may be formed as part of original equipment manufacture for new roll cages.

[0053] FIGS. 11 and 12 show how the hand grip apparatus of the present invention, for example the hand grip apparatus 2, 36, is able to be provided with a removable closure member 46 which closes one end of the guide slot 12. As shown, the removable closure member 46 can easily be slid upwardly and out of the hand grip portion 10 so that the hand grip portion 10 can then be rotated relative to the releasable connector means 8 and removed from the releasable connector means 8. If desired, the releasable connector means 8 can be left in position on the roll cage 2 and the hand grip portion 10 can be removed for cleaning and/or sanitising.

[0054] FIG. 13 shows different types of hand grip portions for the hand grip. More specifically, FIG. 13(a) shows a hand grip portion 48 which is D-shaped. FIG. 13(b) shows a hand grip portion 50 which is circular in shape. FIG. 13(c) shows a hand grip portion 52 which is triangular in shape. FIG. 13(d) shows a hand grip portion 54 which is of a right angled shape. FIG. 13(e) shows a hand grip portion 56 which is T-shaped. Each hand grip portion 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 extends into a first connector part 58 of releasable connector means. The first connector part 58 is of a square cross sectional shape and it is for releasably connecting to the second connector part 18 which is also of a square cross sectional shape and which is mounted on the roll cage 4. The first connector part 58 and the second connector part 18 can be of a wide variety of complementary cross sectional shapes, for example rectangular, triangular, hexagonal, multi-pointed star shaped or oval. Such shapes cause the first connector part 58 to be fixed against rotational movement in the second connector part 18. If the first connector part 58 is of a circular cross sectional shape, then it will rotate in a second connector part 18 which is also of a circular cross sectional shape. If this rotation is not required, then the first connector part 58 can be secured against rotation in the second connector part 18 by any suitable fixing means, for example a locking screw. The hand grip portions 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 are of a simpler construction than the hand grip portion 10 of the hand grip 6. Thus the hand grip portions 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 do not vertically rotate with respect to the first connector part 16 and the second connector part 18. Thus the hand grip portions 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 are able to be manufactured more cheaply than the hand grip portion 10 if required.

[0055] The hand grip apparatus of the present invention may be such that the hand grip portion, for example the hand grip portions 10, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, may be inwardly offset, for example by a crank, a bend or another configuration, with respect to the second connector part, for example the second connector part 18. This may help to ensure that parts of a person's hand gripping the hand grip portion do not extend beyond the width of the roll cage and thereby possibly get knocked and injured during parking of the roll cage, for example the roll cage 4, adjacent other roll cages or during steering the roll cage in narrow spaces, for example in narrow isles between stacked shelves of products.

[0056] The hand grip apparatus of the present invention enables roll cages to be pushed as required. The hand grip apparatus ensures that the roll cages are always pushed from the correct side. Good steering is optimised and sudden stopping or tipping of roll cages is minimised. During manoeuvres in confined spaces, for example in the back of a lorry or in a bay in a warehouse, a person can push a trolley in comfort.

[0057] It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, various types of roll cages 4 may be employed. The roll cages 4 may be assembled and collapsed in the same manner as known roll cages. Other types of hand grip 6 and other types of releasable connector means 8 may be employed. Individual components shown in the drawings are not limited to use in their drawings and they may be used in other drawings and in all aspects of the invention. The invention also extends to the individual components mentioned and/or shown above, taken singly or in any combination.