Protective bucket handle guard

Abstract

A guard is disclosed which aids in protecting animals and/or humans from contacting a body part or clothing on the handle of a bucket which could potentially cause injury. The guard is flexible and relatively puncture and tear resistant. The guard is wrapped around the region of the handle which is attached to the bucket, thereby covering that region. In another version, the handle guard is permanently engaged with the handle prior to attachment of the handle to the bucket. After attachment, the guard can then be positioned and secured directly over an end of the handle, thereby covering that end.

1 . A flexible and removable handle guard adapted and sized to prevent or reduce the potential for injuries resulting from a closed end region of a handle, of a handle and bucket assembly, the handle guard comprising: 
 a covering member having a first face and an oppositely directed second face; and    at least one fastener secured to the covering member, the fastener adapted to engage itself, the covering member, or both upon disposing the covering member about the closed end region of the handle, thereby preventing or reducing injuries resulting from the closed end region of the handle and bucket assembly.    
   
   
       2 . The handle guard of  claim 1  wherein the covering member comprises an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       3 . The handle guard of  claim 2  wherein the covering material comprises neoprene.  
   
   
       4 . The handle guard of  claim 1  wherein the handle guard comprises two fasteners, each secured to the covering member.  
   
   
       5 . The handle guard of  claim 1  wherein the at least one fastener includes a region of a hook component, and at least one of the covering member and the at least one fastener include a region of a loop component.  
   
   
       6 . The handle guard of  claim 1  wherein the at least one fastener includes a region of a loop component and at least one of the covering member and the at least one fastener include a region of a hook component.  
   
   
       7 . The handle guard of  claim 1  wherein the covering member defines an upper edge and an opposite lower edge extending parallel to the upper edge, the length of the lower edge being greater than the length of the upper edge.  
   
   
       8 . The handle guard of  claim 1  wherein the at least one fastener is secured to the covering member by stitching.  
   
   
       9 . A handle and pail assembly protected from imparting damage or injury resulting from a region of the handle at which the handle attaches to the pail, the assembly comprising: 
 a pail defining a bottom and a side wall, the side wall defining a pair of oppositely located apertures;    a handle defining two distal ends, the distal ends disposed through corresponding apertures, each distal end of the handle configured in a closed shape so as to retain the handle in the respective aperture and side wall, yet provide for pivotal movement of the handle with respect to the pail; and    two handle guards, each disposed about the distal end of the handle such that the handle ends are covered by the handle guards.    
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 9  wherein each handle guard comprises (i) a covering member, and (ii) at least one fastener secured to the covering member, the fastener adapted to engage itself, the covering member, or both upon the covering member being positioned about the region of the handle, thereby providing protection from the region of the handle at which the handle attaches to the pail.  
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 10  wherein the covering member comprises an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 11  wherein the elastomeric material is neoprene.  
   
   
       13 . The assembly of  claim 10  wherein each handle guard comprises two fasteners, each secured to the covering member.  
   
   
       14 . The assembly of  claim 10  wherein the at least one fastener includes a region of a hook component and at least one of the covering member and the at least one fastener includes a region of a loop component.  
   
   
       15 . The assembly of  claim 10  wherein the at least one fastener includes a region of a loop component and at least one of the covering member and the at least one fastener includes a region of a hook component.  
   
   
       16 . The assembly of  claim 10  wherein the at least one fastener is secured to the covering member by stitching.  
   
   
       17 . A method of protecting against injury or damage resulting from an end region of a handle of a bucket and handle assembly, the method comprising: 
 providing a handle guard including (i) a covering member, and (ii) at least one fastener secured to the covering member, the fastener adapted to engage itself, the covering member, or both;    positioning the covering member around the end region of the handle; and    engaging the at least one fastener with itself, the covering member, or both, to thereby retain the covering member around the end region of the handle.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the covering member includes a first region of one of a hook component and a loop component, and the at least one fastener includes a corresponding second region of one of a hook component and a loop component, and the operation of engaging is performed by contacting the first region and the second region.  
   
   
       19 . A handle and pail assembly, the assembly comprising: 
 a pail defining a bottom and a side wall, the pail including a pair of oppositely located attachment members;    a handle defining two distal ends, the distal ends moveably engaged with the pair of attachment members; and    at least one generally non-removable handle guard disposed about one of the distal ends of the handle, the handle guard serving to prevent or reduce the potential for injuries resulting from the distal end of the handle about which the handle guard is disposed.    
   
   
       20 . The handle and pail assembly of  claim 19  wherein the assembly comprises two handle guards, each disposed about one of the distal ends of the handle.  
   
   
       21 . The handle and pail assembly of  claim 19  wherein the handle guard is in the form of a closed ring and is positioned upon the handle prior to engagement of the handle to the bucket, by inserting a handle end through the closed ring guard.  
   
   
       22 . A method of producing a handle and pail assembly adapted to prevent or reduce the potential for injuries resulting from a closed end region of a handle of the handle and pail assembly, the method comprising: 
 providing a handle having two distal ends;    providing a pail having a pair of oppositely located regions adapted for engaging respective distal ends of the handle;    providing at least one handle guard in the shape of a closed ring;    inserting one of the distal ends of the handle through the at least one handle guard such that the at least one guard is slidably disposed about the handle;    engaging each of the distal ends of the handle to the respective oppositely located regions of the pail; and    positioning the at least one slidable handle guard about a distal end of the handle engaged to the pail.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein after positioning the handle guard about the distal end of the handle, the handle guard is secured to the distal end of the handle.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the handle guard is secured by the use of adhesive between the handle guard and the handle.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the handle guard is secured by heat shrinking the handle guard to the handle.