Refuse bag with harness

A refuse bag container incorporates a harness and strap having a magnetic lid. At least one (1) portion of the bag is configured to removal retain a plurality of animal waste storage bags. At least one (1) portion of the bag is configured to retain an air deodorizing agent. The bag may have a walking light disposed adjacent the top lid. The bottom of the bag may have a plurality of holes disposed therein to increase air circulation.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a refuse bag with harness and more specifically refuse bags with harness utilized to collect animal droppings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The act of walking a dog or other pet is a pleasure enjoyed by many pet owners. The ability to get outside and experience nature and the surroundings is a simple joy. There are also great health benefits associated with exercise for both the pet and the human walker. However, one additional task associated with walking of a pet is the cleaning up of droppings. This act is not only the responsible thing to do, but it is the sanitary thing to do as well. The most common method of cleaning up utilizes a plastic bag in which the user grasps the droppings and turns the bag inside out.

While such a method is effective, the user must now carry the bag in his or her hand until they arrive back home or find a suitable refuse collection point. Since the walker is typically holding the leash in their other hand, this means that both hands are occupied. Thus, attending the dogs, perhaps using a cell phone, or even opening a door becomes a difficult proposition. Additionally, the feeling of the droppings next to one's hand separated by only a thin plastic bag make many squeamish and disgusted.

Accordingly, there is a need for a means by which one can quickly and effectively clean up pet droppings while enabling easy hands-free transport of the contained dropping to a suitable refuse collection point. The development of the pet dropping container with harness fulfills this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The principles of the present invention provide for a refuse bag comprising a bag assembly worn about a person's waist on a belt assembly. The belt assembly includes a belt first half with a buckle first half removable mating with a buckle second half of a belt second half. The bag assembly includes a main retention compartment with a pair of bag dispensing compartments located on each side of the belt assembly, each of the pair of bag dispensing compartments are provided with a top flap which are held in place via a fastener. The refuse bag also comprises a logo area which is provided on a front lower face of the main retention compartment and a light assembly which is located on a face of the top flaps. The light assembly is on the main retention compartment immediately above a magnetic catch for illumination purposes. The light assembly also includes a housing that contains a lens assembly and a maintained power switch.

The main retention compartment may be provided with a top flap that is held in place via the magnetic catch. The belt halves may mate with a quick-release buckle. The belt halves, the main retention compartment, and each of the pair of bag dispensing compartments may be each made of nylon. The belt halves may also be made of polyester. The main retention compartment may be made of plastic. The bag dispensing compartments may be shown on either side of the main retention compartment to accommodate either a right-handed person or a left-handed person.

The bag dispensing compartments may be used to each hold a plurality of dropping collection bags provided in a roll format and dispensed through a bottom slot. The top flaps of each of the bag dispensing compartments may be secured by the fastener to allow easy access for refilling of the dropping collection bags. The fastener may be a hook-and-loop fastener. The logo area may display an indicia selected from the group consisting of a product name, a piece of graphics, or a customized letter. The logo area may be produced using glow-in-the-dark ink which in turn may be produced by using glow-in-the-dark paint.

The top flap on the main retention compartment may be open to expose an interior retention area for temporary holding of one or more filled dropping collection bags. The interior retention area may be provided with a liner bag which remains in place to catch one or more spills, one or more drips, one or more leaks, or one or more breaks from the one or more filled dropping collection bags.

The bottom surface of the interior retention area may be provided with a plurality of vent holes to aid in removing foul odors. A side mounted interior storage compartment may be provided to hold a deodorizer. The light assembly may utilize one or more LED's at a high brightness level while utilizing low power supplied by one or more AAA batteries. The one or more AAA batteries may be accessed for replacement via a battery access door on the bottom of the plastic housing. The plastic housing may be made of an impact resistant plastic material.

DESCRIPTIVE KEY

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

1. Detailed Description of the Figures

Referring now toFIG. 1, a perspective view of the pet dropping container10, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. The pet dropping container (herein also described as the “container”)10, includes a bag assembly15worn about the waist on a belt assembly, which includes a belt first half20awith a buckle first half25acapable of removable mating with a buckle second half25bof a belt second half20b. The belt halves20a,20bare envisioned to be approximately one inch (1 in.) wide and manufactured from nylon and/or polyester. The buckle halves25a,25bare preferably mating features of a quick-release buckle25. A belt length adjustment means30to allow for utilization by users of all sizes.

The bag assembly15includes a center main retention compartment35with two (2) bag dispensing compartments40located on either side as shown. The main retention compartment35is manufactured from nylon and/or plastic and is approximately six inches (6 in.) wide, five inches (5 in.) tall, and five inches (5 in.) deep. Each of the two (2) bag dispensing compartments40are made of the same material as the main retention compartment35and are approximately three inches (3 in.) wide, three inches (3 in.) tall, and five inches (5 in.) deep. The main retention compartment35is provided with a top flap45that is held in place via a magnetic catch50(here shown by dashed lines due to its hidden nature). Each of the two (2) bag dispensing compartment)40are provided with a top flaps45as well which are held in place via a fastener55(not shown due to illustrative limitations). It is preferred the fastener55is a hook-and-loop-style of fastener.

The front lower face of the main retention compartment35is provided with a logo area60for display of product name, graphics, and/or customized letter. This logo area60may be produced using glow-in-the-dark inks or paints. A light assembly65is located on the face of the top flaps45on the main retention compartment35immediately above the magnetic catch50for illumination purposes. Further description of the light assembly65will be provided herein below. It is envisioned that the bag assembly15can be provided in different colors and styles to suit individual tastes. As such the use of any specific color or styling associated with the container10is not intended to be a limiting factor of the present invention.

Referring next toFIG. 2, a front view of the container10, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is depicted. The bag dispensing compartments40are shown on either side of the main retention compartment35to accommodate either right-handed or left-handed individuals as well as being worn on either side of the user's body. The bag dispensing compartments40are used to each hold dropping collection bags70, envisioned to be provided in a roll format and dispensed through a bottom slot75. The top flaps45of each bag dispensing compartment40is secured by the fastener55to allow easy access for refilling of the dropping collection bags70. The light assembly65includes a housing80which houses an impact resistant plastic material that contains a lens assembly85and a maintained power switch90. The light assembly65utilizes light emitting diodes (LED's) at a high brightness level but utilizing low power as supplied by AAA batteries. The batteries are accessed for replacement via a battery access door95on the bottom of the plastic housing80.

Referring now toFIG. 3, a top view of the container10with the top flaps45in an open state, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The top flaps45on the bag dispensing compartments40are open to expose a roll of dropping collection bags100. The top flap45on the main retention compartment35is open to expose an interior retention area105for the temporary holding of filled dropping collection bags110. The interior retention area105is provided with a liner bag115which remains in place for many uses to catch spill, drips, leaks or breaks from the filled dropping collection bags110should they occur. It is envisioned that the liner bag115will be removed and replaced or cleaned on a periodic, as needed, basis. The bottom surface of the interior retention area105is provided with a plurality of vent holes120(here shown by dashed lines due to their hidden nature by the liner bag115) to aid in removing foul odors. To further the odor-reducing effort, a side mounted interior storage compartment125is provided to hold user provided deodorizing means, which may or may not be used depending on the desires of the user. The top flap45for the main retention compartment35is provided with the magnetic catch50as aforementioned described, now visible in this figure, due to the open nature of the top flap45.

Referring next toFIG. 4, a sectional view of the container t10, as seen along a line I-I, as shown inFIG. 1, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. This figure provides additional clarification on the liner bag115which extends approximately one-half (½) way up the main retention compartment35. It is noted that that the liner bag115can hold multiple filled dropping collection bags110(only one (1) shown here for purposes of clarity). The vent holes120are visible in the bottom surface of the main retention compartment35. The roll of dropping collection bags100are visible in the bag dispensing compartments40on both sides with a single dropping collection bag70deployed from each bottom slot75. The interior storage compartment125is visible on the upper half of the interior retention area105of the main retention compartment35.

Referring toFIG. 5, an illustrative view container10, shown in a utilized state, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is depicted. A user130wears the container10about the waist135secured by the belt20while walking a pet140. Should the pet140defecate, the user130would pull a dropping collection bags70from either of the two (2) bag dispensing compartments40and pick up the droppings145in a conventional and well-known manner. Next, the user130would secure the opening of the dropping collection bags70via twisting, knotting, tying, or the like. The user130then lifts the top flap45on the main retention compartment35and drops the filled dropping collection bags110. This action frees both hands for other uses, such as holding a leash, holding a handrail, talking on a cell phone or the like. When arriving at a suitable disposal site, such as a trash can, the user130can retrieve of the filled dropping collection bags110and dispose of it, allowing the container10to be used over and over whenever a pet140is walked, assured that all necessary items for proper disposal of droppings145are at hand.

2. Operation of the Preferred Embodiment

The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. It is envisioned that the container10would be constructed in general accordance withFIG. 1throughFIG. 5. The user would procure the container10from conventional procurement sources such as pet stores, discount stores, mail order and internet supply houses. Special attention would be paid to items such as color and style of the container10.

After procurement and prior to utilization, the container10would be prepared in the following manner: the belt length adjustment means30would be manipulated to fit the waist135of the user130; roll of dropping collection bags100would be placed in the two (2) bag dispensing compartments40with the loose end extending out the bottom slot75; any deodorizing means would be placed in the interior storage compartment125, batteries would be placed in the light assembly65by removal of the battery access door95; and the container10placed and secure on the waist135of the user130.

During utilization of the container10, the following procedure would be initiated: the pet140would be walked in a normal and conventional manner; should the pet140defecate, the user130would pull a dropping collection bags70from either of the two (2) bag dispensing compartments40and pick up the droppings145as shown inFIG. 5. Next, the user130would secure the opening of the dropping collection bags70via twisting, knotting, tying, or the like. The user130then lifts the top flap45on the main retention compartment35and drops the filled dropping collection bags110into the interior retention area105. This action frees both hands for other uses, such as holding a leash, holding a handrail, talking on a cell phone or the like. When arriving at a suitable disposal site, such as a trash can, the user130can retrieve of the filled dropping collection bags110and dispose of it, allowing the container10to be used over and over whenever a pet140is walked, assured that all necessary items for proper disposal of droppings145are at hand.

After use of the container10, it is wiped clean if needed; the liner bag115, if used, can be replaced on an as needed basis; the deodorizing means as well as the batteries for the light assembly65can be replaced on an as needed basis as well. At this point in time, the container10is stored for use until needed again in a repeating and cyclical manner.