Abstract:
A garbage bag system for providing an economical and disposable garbage bag then when opened maintains a freestanding shape. With a freestanding shape the garbage bag system does not require an additional container or frame to hold the garbage bag open. Deleting this requirement will significantly simplify lawn maintenance and janitorial work. A support ring at the top, and a support ring at the bottom, give shape and rigidity to the system. The sides are constructed using molded beveled flutes running vertically to provide structural support to the system. Openings in the top of the system provide access to a cinch strap used for drawing the garbage bag system closed. A second embodiment of the garbage system uses a plurality of telescopic side sections to provide additional support to the freestanding design.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    Not applicable to this application.  
         STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not applicable to this application.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0004]    The present invention relates generally to garbage bags and more specifically it relates to a garbage bag system for providing an economical and disposable garbage bag that when opened maintains a freestanding shape thereby simplifying lawn maintenance and janitorial work by deleting the need for a trash container to support the garbage bag.  
           [0005]    2. Description of the  
           [0006]    Garbage bags have been in use for years. Typically, garbage bags are made of plastic and are positioned within trash containers. The structure of the trash container facilitates keeping the bag open so that material can be deposited therein. The trash container also provides a structure that allows the garbage bag to maintain a tubular shape.  
           [0007]    Efforts have been made to design freestanding garbage containers. Designs have included bags having a rectangular shape to facilitate their staying in an open configuration. Typically, these bags are made from materials that more readily maintain their shape when opened. Folded paper bags are an example of this type of freestanding bag. Freestanding plastic garbage bag designs have historically included attempting to thicken the plastic to facilitate the garbage bag holding its shape. However, thickening the plastic is not a cost effective method to provide a freestanding garbage bag.  
           [0008]    Current garbage bags require the user to have a trash container to effectively use the bags. This can be cumbersome and difficult for users doing lawn maintenance and janitorial work. As the user travels to work from one location to another he has to transport the trash container. Often the user will desire having the garbage available without being required to locate and use a trash container.  
           [0009]    Examples of patented devices which may be related to the present invention include U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,767 to Cardulla; U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,930 to Williams; U.S. Pat. No. 3,249,286 to Palmer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,029 to Abblett; U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,371 to Moravek; U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,977 to Robbins, III; U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,497 to Bustin; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,087,702 to Van Patten.  
           [0010]    While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for providing an economical and disposable garbage bag that when opened maintains a freestanding shape without any supplemental support.  
           [0011]    Prior art systems often comprised elaborate mechanism and means to attempt to maintain a freestanding configuration. In addition, some prior art systems include materials that significantly increase the weight and cost of freestanding systems.  
           [0012]    In these respects, the garbage bag system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing an economical, disposable garbage bag that when opened maintains a freestanding shape thereby simplifying lawn maintenance and janitorial work by deleting the need for a trash container to support the garbage bag.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0013]    In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of garbage bags now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new garbage bag system construction wherein the same can be utilized for providing an economical, disposable garbage bag that when opened maintains a freestanding shape thereby simplifying lawn maintenance and janitorial work by deleting the need for a trash container to support the garbage bag.  
           [0014]    The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new garbage bag system that has many of the advantages of the garbage bags mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new garbage bag system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art garbage bags, either alone or in any combination thereof.  
           [0015]    To attain this, the present invention generally comprises two plastic support rings the smaller of which provides the shape to the bottom of the garbage bag and the larger ring providing the shape to the top of the garbage bag. Connecting these two rings and giving the garbage bag system its shape is a multi-ply plastic that is designed and manufactured to provide a sufficiently rigid structure to maintain the garbage bag system in a conical freestanding configuration. The garbage bag system can be stored in a collapsed state to minimize the overall storage volume of the garbage bag system.  
           [0016]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.  
           [0017]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.  
           [0018]    A primary object of the present invention is to provide a garbage bag system that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.  
           [0019]    A second object is to provide a garbage bag system for providing an economical, disposable garbage bag that when opened maintains a freestanding shape.  
           [0020]    An additional object is to provide a garbage bag system that is self-supporting.  
           [0021]    A further object is to provide a garbage bag system that simplifies lawn maintenance and janitorial work.  
           [0022]    Another object is to provide a garbage bag system that is economical.  
           [0023]    An additional object is to provide a garbage bag system that is easy to use.  
           [0024]    A further object is to provide a garbage bag system that can be cinched closed.  
           [0025]    Another object is to provide a garbage bag system that can be stored in a collapsed state.  
           [0026]    Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.  
           [0027]    To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0028]    Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view of the present invention.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 2 is an upper perspective view of the present invention cinched closed.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 3 is an upper perspective cutaway view of the present invention.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 4 is an upper perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention illustrating a telescopic configuration.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 5 is an upper perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention with the telescopic configuration cinched closed.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 6 is an upper perspective cutaway view of a second embodiment of the present invention illustrating a telescopic configuration.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention along line  7 - 7  of FIG. 6.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 8 is a top view of a second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 9 is a side view of a second embodiment of the present invention illustrating the telescopic configuration in a collapsed state.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0038]    Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, FIGS. 1 through 9 illustrate a garbage bag system  10 , which comprises a side covering  40  attached to a bottom covering  50 . The bottom of the side covering  40  includes a first ring  20  for giving the bottom of the side covering  40  a circular shape. The top of the side covering  40  includes a second ring  22  for giving the top of the side covering  40  a circular shape. A cinch strap  30  is used to draw the top of the garbage bag system  10  closed. The outer wall  42  and inner wall  44  are manufactured and designed to provide sufficient stiffness to maintain the shape of the freestanding garbage bag system  10 . In one embodiment the outer wall  42  and inner wall  44  are manufactured and designed in a telescopic configuration.  
         [0039]    The bottom covering  50  is preferably of a multi-ply construction comprised of a top layer  54  and a bottom layer  52 . The top layer  54  and the bottom layer  52  are preferably made of plastic however various other materials may be utilized. The bottom covering  50  preferably has a circular shape. The top layer  54  and the bottom layer  52  are preferably heat-sealed along the entire circumference of the bottom covering  50  for providing additional strength to the bottom of the freestanding garbage bag system  10 .  
         [0040]    As seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the side covering  40  is made of a multi-ply construction. The inner wall  44  and the outer wall  42  are preferably constructed in a conical shape with the bottom of the inner wall  44  and the outer wall  42  of a diameter equal to the diameter of the bottom covering  50 . However, it can be appreciated by one skilled in the art that shapes other than conical may be used. The diameter of the bottom covering  50  is preferably between ½ and ⅓ the diameter of the top ends of the inner wall  44  and the outer wall  42 . The bottom ends of the inner wall  44  and the outer wall  42  are heat-sealed to the top layer  54  and the bottom layer  52  to provide a watertight base to the garbage bag system  10 .  
         [0041]    The inner wall  44  and the outer wall  42  are preferably made of a heat-treated plastic that allows for the plastic to be molded into a semi-rigid beveled shape. The flutes of the bevels run vertically down the side covering  40  from the top of the side covering  40  to the bottom of the side covering  40 . The top ends of the inner wall  44  and the outer wall  42  are heat-sealed together. The inner wall  44  and the outer wall  42  are additionally heat-sealed at a distance from the top of the side covering  40  greater than the width of the cinch strap  30 . This additional heat-seal creates a channel  48  for the cinch strap  30  to rest in.  
         [0042]    The first ring  20  rests within the void  46  between the inner wall  44  and the outer wall  42 . The first ring  20  is preferably made from hardened plastic that will maintain its circular shape. The diameter of the first ring  20  is slightly larger than the diameter of the bottom covering  50  thereby providing a circular base to the garbage bag system  10 . Though the first ring  20  in the preferred embodiment is made of plastic it is obvious to one skilled in the art that the first ring  20  could be made from other materials capable of providing a rigid base to the garbage bag system  10 .  
         [0043]    The second ring  22  also rests within the void between the inner wall  44  and the outer wall  42 . Preferably the second ring  22  frictionally rests on the inside surface of the outer wall  42  below the channel  48  created for the cinch strap  30 . The second ring  22  is preferably made from hardened plastic that will maintain its circular shape. The diameter of the second ring  22  is preferably slightly smaller than the diameter of the top of the garbage bag system  10 . Though the second ring  22  in the preferred embodiment is made of plastic it is obvious to one skilled in the art that the second ring  22  could be made from other materials capable of providing a rigid circular shape to the top of the garbage bag system  10 .  
         [0044]    The cinch strap  30  rests within the channel  48  at the top of the side covering  40 . The cinch strap  30  is preferably a piece of pliable plastic formed into a circle and capable of being pulled and tied to close the top of the garbage bag system  10 . However, it can be appreciated by one skilled in the art that materials other than plastic could be utilized for the cinch strap  30 . A first opening  49   a  and a second opening  49   b  are located at the top of the side covering  40 . As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the first opening  49   a  and the second opening  49   b  are preferably located opposite each other to facilitate cinching the top of the garbage bag system  10  by drawing the cinch strap  30  out of the first opening  49   a  and the second opening  49   b.    
         [0045]    [0045]FIGS. 4 through 9 show a second embodiment of the garbage bag system  10 . In this embodiment the side covering  40  is telescopically shaped and is preferably comprised of a base side covering  62 , a plurality of upper side coverings  60  and a top side covering  64 . The base side covering  62 , the plurality of upper side coverings  60  and the top side covering  64  are preferably made of a multi-ply construction having an inner wall  44  and an outer wall  42  which are heat-sealed together at the top and the bottom of the base side covering  62 , each of the plurality of upper side coverings  60  and the top side covering  64 .  
         [0046]    The bottom end of the base side covering  62  is additionally heat-sealed to the bottom covering  50  to provide a watertight base to the garbage bag system  10 . The bottom end of each of the plurality of upper side coverings  60  is of a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the top end of the upper side covering  60  directly below it. The bottom end of the top side covering  64  is of a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the top end of the top-most upper side covering  60 . With this telescopic design, when the first of the upper side coverings  60  is extended away from the base side covering  62  the bottom end of the upper side covering  60  frictionally engages the top end of the base side covering  62 . Correspondingly, as each subsequent upper side covering  60  is extended away from the base side covering  62  each upper side covering  60  frictionally engages the upper side covering  60  directly below. Lastly, the top side covering  64  frictionally engages the upper side covering  60  directly below the top side covering  64 .  
         [0047]    Situated within the void  46  created between the inner wall  44  and the outer wall  42  of the base side covering is the first ring  20 . The first ring  20  is preferably made from hardened plastic that will maintain its circular shape. The diameter of the first ring  20  is slightly larger than the diameter of the bottom covering. Though the first ring  20  in this embodiment is made of plastic it is obvious to one skilled in the art that the first ring  20  could be made from other materials capable of providing a rigid base to the garbage bag system  10 .  
         [0048]    The inner wall  44  and the outer wall  42  of the top side covering  64  are additionally heat-sealed at a distance from the top of the top side covering  64  greater than the width of the cinch strap  30 . This heat-seal creates a channel  48  for the cinch strap  30  to rest in. Situated within the void  46  created between the inner wall  44  and the outer wall  42  and below the cinch strap  30  of the top side covering  64  is the second ring  22 .  
         [0049]    The second ring  22  preferably frictionally rests on the inside surface of the outer wall  42  below the channel  48  created for the cinch strap  30 . The second ring  22  is preferably made from hardened plastic that will maintain its circular shape. The diameter of the second ring  22  is preferably slightly smaller than the diameter of the top of the garbage bag system  10 . Though the second ring  22  in this embodiment is made of plastic it is obvious to one skilled in the art that the second ring  22  could be made from other materials capable of providing a rigid circular shape to the top of the garbage bag system  10 .  
         [0050]    In this second embodiment the cinch strap  30  rests within the channel  48  at the top of the top side covering  64 . The cinch strap  30  is preferably a piece of pliable plastic formed into a circle and capable of being pulled and tied to close the top of the garbage bag system  10 . However, it can be appreciated by one skilled in the art that materials other than plastic could be utilized for the cinch strap  30 . A first opening  49   a  and a second opening  49   b  are located at the top of the top side covering  64 . As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the first opening  49   a  and the second opening  49   b  are preferably located opposite each other to facilitate cinching the top of the garbage bag system  10  by drawing the cinch strap  30  out of the first opening  49   a  and the second opening  49   b.    
         [0051]    In use, a number of garbage bag systems  10  would be stored together. One garbage bag system  10  would be separated from the other garbage bag systems  10 . The garbage bag system  10  would be opened up from its stored configuration. The top-most section of the side covering  40  would be pulled away from the bottom-most section of the side covering  40 . The first ring  20  would provide a circular shape for the bottom covering, and the second ring  22  would provide a circular shape for the top-most section for the side covering  40 . The heat-treated beveled inner wall  44  and outer wall  42  would provide sufficient rigidity to the configuration so that the garbage bag system  10  will be usable without the need for additional support. To close the garbage bag system  10  the user pulls the cinch strap  30  out from first opening  49   a  and the second opening  49   b . By drawing up the exposed sections of the cinch strap  30 , the top-most section of the side covering  40  will be drawn together to close the garbage bag system  10 . The two sections of the cinch strap  30  that have been pulled through the first opening  49   a  and second opening  49   b  can be tied into a knot keeping the garbage bag system  10  closed.  
         [0052]    In another embodiment of the garbage bag system  10  the garbage bag systems  10  would be preferably stacked one on top of another as the garbage bag system&#39;s  10  telescopic configuration will best support this method of storing. However it can be appreciated by one skilled in the art that other methods of storing could be used. The top side covering  64  is drawn up from the garbage bag system  10 . The top side covering  64  then frictionally engages the outer-most upper side covering  60 , which then frictionally engages the next most upper side covering  60 . Each upper side covering  60  is drawn up by this method until the last upper side covering  60  frictionally engages the base side covering  62 . This telescopic configuration, along with the first ring  20 , and the second ring  22  would provide sufficient rigidity to the configuration so that the garbage bag system  10  will be usable without the need for additional support.  
         [0053]    As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.  
         [0054]    With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed to be within the expertise of those skilled in the art, and all equivalent structural variations and relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.  
         [0055]    Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.  
                                                               Index of Elements for Garbage Bag System                                    □   ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS           □           □           □           □           □           □           □           □           □           □                □   10.   Garbage Bag System           □   11.           □   12.           □   13.           □   14.           □   15.           □   16.           □   17.           □   18.           □   19.           □   20.   First Ring           □   21.           □   22.   Second Ring           □   23.           □   24.           □   25.           □   26.           □   27.           □   28.           □   29.           □   30.   Cinch Strap           □   31.           □   32.           □   33.           □   34.           □   35.           □   36.           □   37.           □   38.           □   39.           □   40.   Side Covering           □   41.   First Friction Stop           □   42.   Outer Wall           □   43.   Second Friction Stop           □   44.   Inner Wall           □   45.           □   46.   Void           □   47.           □   48.   Channel               49a.   First Opening               49b.   Second Opening           □   50.   Bottom Covering           □   51.           □   52.   Bottom           □   53.           □   54.   Top           □   55.           □   56.           □   57.           □   58.           □   59.           □   60.   Upper Side Covering           □   61.           □   62.   Base Side Coverings           □   63.           □   64.   Top Side Covering           □   65.           □   66.           □   67.           □   68.           □   69.           □   70.           □   71.           □   72.           □   73.           □   74.           □   75.           □   76.           □   77.           □   78.           □   79.