ONE-PIECE CONTAINER HANDLE

1 . A one-piece handle comprising:

a strap having a first end portion, a second end portion and a middle portion;

a pair of clip members for attaching the one-piece handle to a container, wherein one clip member is formed on the first end portion of the strap and the other clip member is formed on the second end portion of the strap; and

a gripping member formed in the middle portion of the strap, wherein the gripping member has a closed side, an open side, and an interior portion with an exposed internal support structure, wherein the closed side is formed so as to be on a load bearing side of the gripping member and the internal support structure comprises at least one horizontal rib extending in a lengthwise direction and at least one cross-sectional rib intersecting the at least one horizontal rib to form a plurality of hollow recesses in the interior portion of the gripping member;

wherein the strap, the pair of clip members, and the gripping member are unitary.

2 . The one-piece handle according to claim 1 wherein the strap, the pair of clip members, and gripping member are made from plastic.

3 . The one-piece handle according to claim 1 wherein the strap is flexible.

4 . The one-piece handle according to claim 1 wherein each clip member comprises:

a stem portion; and

a head portion.

5 . The one-piece handle according to claim 4 wherein the stem portion extends from the strap in a perpendicular direction and the head portion extends from the stem portion in a direction parallel to the strap.

6 . The one-piece handle according to claim 1 wherein the closed side of the gripping member is a smooth surface.

7 . The one-piece handle according to claim 1 wherein the closed side of the gripping member comprises 50% of a circumferential area of the gripping member.

8 . The one-piece handle according to claim 1 wherein the closed side of the gripping member comprises more than 50% of a circumferential area of the gripping member.

9 . The one-piece handle according to claim 1 wherein the strap has a cross-sectional area that is substantially uniform throughout the length of the strap.

10 . The one-piece handle according to claim 1 wherein the strap has a cross-sectional area that gradually increases along the length of the strap from each end portion to the middle portion.

11 . A one-piece handle comprising:

a flexible bail having a first end portion, a second end portion and a middle section; and

a gripping member formed on the middle section of the bail, wherein the gripping member has a closed side and an opened side with an interior support structure comprising a horizontal rib extending in a lengthwise direction and a plurality of cross-sectional ribs spaced apart from each other and formed perpendicular to the horizontal rib, wherein the plurality of cross-sectional ribs intersect the horizontal rib to form a plurality of hollow recesses in an interior space of the gripping member;

wherein the bail and the gripping member are unitary.

12 . The one-piece handle according to claim 11 wherein the closed side of the gripping member is on the load bearing side of the gripping member and has a smooth surface.

13 . The one-piece handle according to claim 11 wherein the closed side of the gripping member comprises 50% of a circumferential area of the gripping member.

14 . The one-piece handle according to claim 11 wherein the closed side of the gripping member comprises more than 50% of a circumferential area of the gripping member.

15 . The one-piece handle according to claim 11 wherein the bail has a cross-sectional area that is substantially uniform throughout the length of the bail.

16 . The one-piece handle according to claim 11 wherein the bail has a cross-sectional area that gradually increases along the length of the bail from each end portion to the middle portion.

17 . The one-piece handle according to claim 11 further comprising:

a pair of clip members, wherein one clip member is formed on the first end portion of the bail and the other clip member is formed on the second end portion of the bail, wherein each clip member has a neck portion and a head portion.

18 . The one-piece handle according to claim 17 wherein the neck portion extends from the bail in a perpendicular direction and the head portion extends from the neck portion in a direction parallel to the bail.

19 . A one-piece handle comprising:

an elongated flexible strap having a first end portion, a second end portion and a middle section,

a pair of clip members for pivotally attaching the one-piece handle to a container, wherein one clip member is formed on the first end portion of the strap and the other clip member is formed on the second end portion of the strap, wherein each clip member comprises:

a stem portion extending from the strap; and

a tab portion extending from the stem portion, wherein the stem portion extends from the strap in a perpendicular direction and the head portion extends from the stem in a direction parallel to the strap; and

a generally cylindrical gripping member formed on the middle section of the strap with a closed side, an open side, and an internal support structure,

wherein the closed side is a smooth surface for engaging with a user's hand on a load bearing side of the gripping member and comprises at least 50% of a circumferential area of the gripping member, and wherein the internal support structure comprises:

a horizontal stiffening rib extending generally parallel to a lengthwise axis of the strap; and

a plurality of circular cross-sectional ribs extending orthogonally to and intersecting with the horizontal rib, wherein the horizontal stiffening rib and the plurality of circular cross-sectional ribs form a plurality of hollow recesses in the gripping member;

wherein the strap, the pair of clip members, and the gripping member are formed from an injection molded plastic to create the one-piece handle.

20 . The one-piece handle according to claim 19 wherein the strap has a cross-sectional area that gradually increases along the length of the strap from each end portion to the middle portion.