Abstract:
An improved device for holding refuse bags and accessories. This device has nine bends forming a top section and a bottom section. The top section is connected to the bottom section with two legs. Another embodiment has a bottom section and a top section. The bottom section is larger than the top section and four legs connect each section. The four legs extend outward from the top section as they connect to the bottom section. Each device has a funnel or tabletop accessory that connects to the top section.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. Application No. 60/711,852, which was filed on Aug. 26, 2005. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention is generally related to lawn or gardening devices for home or business, and more particularly to a lightweight and portable self-supporting framework and system for retaining collapsible bags, such as paper or plastic leaf and lawn bags, in an open and extended position.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     When collecting and disposing of yard waste, such as lawn clippings or fallen leaves, and other refuse or debris, home or business owners use collapsible plastic or paper bags. There are several inherent difficulties in using such collapsible bags. Primarily, it is difficult to retain the mouth of the bag in an open position so as to be able to fill it with yard waste. It is equally difficult to retain the bag in an extended position so that yard waste already deposited into the bag does not fall out or the bag itself does not tip over and have its contents strewn everywhere.  
         [0004]     A variety of concepts have been developed that attempt to address the problems associated with supporting such yard refuse bags. For example, a holder using a hoop for retaining the mouth of a trash bag in a fully open position has been developed.  
         [0005]     Such holder uses a pair of axially spaced hoops connected by a series of flat metal strips arcuately bent around the hoops. The hoops are used in combination with an externally applied circumferentially applied coil spring band nested therebetween designed to overlay and retain the edge of the mouth of an open bag placed over the hoop structure. This, however, does not address the problems with holding the bag in an upright position and preventing it from falling over onto itself.  
         [0006]     Another system involves a conical rigid pipe frame structure in the form of a rack for supporting garbage or trash cans. The can is retained by its own weight. Side handles are captured beneath the top hook to lock the can in the frame. This, however, requires a hard-shelled trashcan. It does not support a bag.  
         [0007]     None of the present devices provides the combined attributes of a self-contained, light portable and self-supporting system for both supporting a bag and maintaining the mouth of the bag in an open position for filling. Such a device, particularly one that is inexpensive and easily fabricated would be very practical. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     Objects and advantages together with the operation of the invention may be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the following illustrations, wherein:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatical front view of an embodiment of a lawn refuse bag holder of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatical view of an accessory used with the lawn refuse bag holder of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatical top view of an embodiment of the lawn refuse bag holder of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a diagrammatical side view of an accessory used with the lawn refuse bag holder of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatical top view of the accessory used with the lawn refuse bag holder of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a diagrammatical side view of a second accessory used with the lawn refuse bag holder of the present invention; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a diagrammatical top view of a second accessory used with the lawn refuse bag holder of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is a diagrammatical side view of an embodiment of the lawn refuse bag holder of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIGS. 9-10  are diagrammatical views of the accessory used with the lawn refuse bag holder of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIGS. 11-13  are diagrammatical view of a second accessory used with the lawn refuse bag holder of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]     While the present invention is described with reference to the embodiments described herein, it should be clear that the present invention should not be limited to such embodiments. Therefore, the description of the embodiments herein is illustrative of the present invention and should not limit the scope of the invention as claimed.  
         [0020]     Reference will now be made in detail to one of the embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In accordance with the present embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , there is provided a lawn refuse bag holder  10 . The lawn refuse bag holder  10  comprises a top section  20  and a bottom support section  30 . The bottom support section  30  has a larger perimeter than does the top section  20 . In an embodiment of the lawn refuse bag holder  10 , the perimeter of the bottom support section  30  is 20-50% larger than the perimeter of the top section  20 . This permits that lawn refuse bag holder  10  to stand upright. Additionally, it makes the lawn refuse bag holder  10  difficult to tip over. This in turn allows a user to fill bags attached to the lawn refuse bag holder  10  without requiring them to balance the load in the bag. This makes it much simpler to use.  
         [0021]     The lawn refuse bag holder  10  further comprises a pair of legs  40  that support the top section  20 . The legs  40  are sufficiently rigid to hold the top section  20  in place. The legs  40  are sufficiently tall to allow for all different length bags to be attached to the lawn refuse bag holder  10  to be filled. Additionally, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the legs  40  angle toward one another from the bottom section  30  to the top section  20 . This also aids in the stability of the lawn refuse bag holder  10 , making it more difficult to tip.  
         [0022]     The lawn refuse bag holder  10  may be made of metal, such as steel, stainless steel, aluminum, etc. or another material, such as plastic or hard rubber. In one embodiment, the lawn refuse bag holder  10  may be a single-continuous piece that is bent into shape to form the refuse bag holder  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 8 . More specifically, three approximately ninety degree bends are made to form the top section  20 . Then another approximately ninety degree bend is made that is perpendicular to the first three bends to form the first leg  41  of the pair of legs  40 . Then a fifth approximately ninety-degree bend is made to end the leg  41  and begin the bottom support section  30  formation. Two more approximately ninety degree bends are made to create the bottom support section  30 . These bends are perpendicular to the bend for the leg  41  and parallel to the bends for the top section  20 . Finally, an eighth approximately ninety-degree bend is made to finish the second leg  42  of the pair of legs  40 . This bend is perpendicular to the fifth bend and parallel to the bend for the other leg  41 . Finally, the second end of the metal piece ends at the top section  20  to form the lawn refuse bag holder  10 .  
         [0023]     Alternatively, the lawn refuse bag holder  10  may be made from a plurality of components. These components would be attached together by, for example, welding, bolting, fusing, or otherwise attaching. Therefore, several pieces could be welded together to form the top section  20 , the bottom section  30 , and the legs  40 .  
         [0024]     In another embodiment, the lawn refuse bag holder  10  may have four separate legs  61 ,  63 ,  65 ,  67 . This is shown in  FIG. 3 . In this embodiment, the legs  61 ,  63 ,  65 ,  67  are attached to the top section  20  by such processes as welding, fusing, bolting, or otherwise attached. The legs  61 ,  63 ,  65 ,  67  extend from the top section  20  similar to the legs  40  of the previous embodiment. That is, they are angled outward so as to create a very stable base that keeps the lawn refuse bag holder  10  in an upright position and prevents it from tipping over. The bottom of the legs  61 ,  63 ,  65 ,  67  are attached to the bottom section  30  in a manner similar to the attachment to the top section  20 .  
         [0025]     Alternatively, the lawn refuse bag holder  10  may merely use the legs  61 ,  63 ,  65 ,  67  without the bottom section  30 . Everything previously described would be the same, i.e., the legs  61 ,  63 ,  65 ,  67  attach to the top section  30 . The legs  61 ,  63 ,  65 ,  67  would angle outward as previously described. They would, however, rest directly upon the ground to create four contact points to keep the lawn refuse bag  10  upright.  
         [0026]     Regardless of which embodiment is used, the lawn refuse bag holder  10  is structured so that it is easily stackable. This makes it very easy to store and transport the lawn refuse bag holder  10 . As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , the top section  20  is smaller than the bottom section  30 . The bottom section  30 , therefore, can easily fit over the top section  20  so as to make the lawn refuse bag holder  10  easily stackable. Additionally, with the legs  61 ,  63 ,  65 ,  67  angled outward, this area is larger than the top section  20 . Again, this makes the lawn refuse bag holder  10  easily stackable. Therefore, regardless of which embodiment is used, the lawn refuse bag holder  10  is stackable.  
         [0027]     In yet another embodiment, the legs  40  or the legs  61 ,  63 ,  65 ,  67  may include wheels. The wheels will make it even easier for an operator to move the lawn refuse bag holder  10  from place to place. The user can lean the lawn refuse bag holder  10  a bit to operate the wheels and can use a portion of the top section  20  as a handle to move the lawn refuse bag holder  10 .  
         [0028]     As shown in  FIGS. 2, 4 ,  5 ,  9 , and  10 , the lawn refuse bag holder  10  may include a refuse funnel  80 . The refuse funnel  80  comprises a top section  83  that has sloping walls  84  that angle inward toward a bottom section  85 . The top section  83 , therefore, includes a wide mouth  87  and an exit aperture  89 . The wide mouth  87  is much wider than the bottom section  85  as well as the top section  20  of the lawn refuse bag holder  10 . This makes it easier for a user to insert refuse into the lawn refuse bag holder  10  as the user has more surface area in which to insert refuse. The inserted refuse will merely slide down the sloped walls  84  of the refuse funnel  80  and through the exit aperture  89  into the bag held by the lawn refuse bag holder  10 .  
         [0029]     The bottom section  85  of the refuse funnel  80  is sized and shaped to mate with the top section  20  of the lawn refuse bag holder  10 . This permits the refuse funnel  80  to securely fit on top of the lawn refuse bag holder  10 , while also allowing it to be easily removable therefrom.  
         [0030]     The refuse funnel  80  may be made of any material, such as metal, rubber, or even plastic. It is most preferably made from plastic because this makes it very light and easily useable.  
         [0031]     A second accessory is shown in  FIGS. 6-7  and  11 - 13 . This second accessory is a tabletop accessory  90 . The table top accessory  90  includes a table top portion  92 , which can also include a drink holder  92  formed therein, and a bottom section  94  that matingly fits with the top section  20  of the lawn refuse bag holder  10 , similar to the refuse funnel  80 . When the tabletop accessory  90  is positioned on the lawn refuse bag holder  10 , the combination can be used as a table that is particularly useful when gardening. It allows a user to not only store and place tools, but also to pot plants, prepare garden plans, and even eat lunch. In order to use the lawn refuse bag holder  10  to gather refuse, a user merely needs to lift off the table top accessory  90  and store it.  
         [0032]     The tabletop accessory  90  may be made of wood, rubber, metal, or plastic. It is preferably made of plastic as plastic is light and easily useable.  
         [0033]     To use the lawn refuse bag holder  10 , a user puts a bag in the center of the top section  20  allowing it to fall through. As seen in  FIGS. 2, 9 , and  10 , the bag can be a plastic bag  13 , a paper bag  12 , or even a canvas bag. Next, the user can: fold the bag over the top section  20 ; tie the bag to the top section  20 ; or can attach it to the top section  20  by another means. The user can now fill the bag with lawn refuse.  
         [0034]     Alternatively, the refuse funnel  80  may be placed on the top section  20  of the lawn refuse bag holder  10 . In this case, the user merely inserts the refuse, such as the leaves seen in  FIG. 9 , into the larger cross-sectional area of the refuse funnel  80  and it falls into the bag held by the lawn refuse bag holder  10 .  
         [0035]     The invention has been described above and, obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of this specification. The claims as follows are intended to include all modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the claims or the equivalent thereof.