Abstract:
A bag holder is provided in the form of a hoop which receives a bag and holds the top of the bag open at all times, thus allowing a person to deposit trash or other articles therein without having to repeatedly open the top of the bag. The bag is placed within the hoop with the top lip of the bag draped over the hoop rim, and the bag is held in place by a number of spring clips.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The invention relates generally to the field of bag holders, and, more particularly, relates to portable bag holders which maintain the bag in an open condition so that items can be easily deposited in the bag.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Bag holders are known to exist which hold a bag in a stationary, open position. The simplest of these would be a trash can which receives a bag as a liner in an attempt to keep the internal walls of the trash can clean to reduce the frequency of cleaning needed. This, however, is not the purpose or structure of the present invention. Also, holders are known which comprise wire frames which receive a bag and hold it open for leaf disposal purposes.  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,086,022; 5,718,400; 5,016,844; and 4,940,201 are representative of holders for bags which are known to exist.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,022 provides a “Shoulder-Mounted Trash Bag Holder” which utilizes an interlocking dual ring and a shoulder strap for transport of a bag.  
           [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,400 provides a “Trash Bag Holder With Handle” which employs a frame and handle member for transport of a bag.  
           [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,201 provides a “Yard Plastic Bag Holder” utilizing a vertical bag support post which is driven into the ground to hold the bag stationary in a vertical position.  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,844 provides an “Open Top Trash Bag Holder” having ground engaging legs for supporting the trash bag at a selected location.  
           [0010]    No solution is known to provide a simple, light-weight device which holds a bag open so as to be carried around by a person while being held on or against the person&#39;s hip by one of the person&#39;s hands, thus allowing the person to work with his free hand.  
           [0011]    Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bag holder which receives a bag in a manner such that the top of the bag is held in an open condition at all times.  
           [0012]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a bag holder which allows a person to have at least one hand free at all times to pick up material, litter, etc. to be deposited in the bag.  
           [0013]    Additional advantages, features and objects of the present invention will become apparent through the description which follows, and is particularly pointed out in the appended claims.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0014]    According to the present invention, a bag holder is provided in the form of a hoop which receives a bag and holds the top of the bag open. The hoop includes a handle which extends inwardly from the hoop and to which cords are attached. Each cord has several spring clips connected along its length. When a bag is placed in the hoop, the top of the bag is draped over the hoop and the clips are attached to hold the bag to the hoop at various intervals.  
           [0015]    The person will hold the hoop with one side of the hoop resting against the person&#39;s hip or body, and the other side is held by the person&#39;s hand, thereby positioning the bag conveniently with its top open for inserting trash or the like.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    In order for the invention to become more clearly understood, it will be disclosed in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the invention bag holder, with a bag being secured thereto by bag holder clips and the invention being used by a person picking up trash, the person being shown in dashed lines.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the invention bag holder without a bag and with the spring clips shown attached at intervals along a pair of cords.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary detail section view showing the hoop, handle, and cord, taken substantially along line  3 - 3  of FIG. 2. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 illustrates the manner of use of the present invention bag holder  10 , with a bag  20  mounted thereto. A grounds maintenance person  15  is illustrated in dashed lines. Bag holder  10  is comprised of a hoop  25  which, in this embodiment, is formed as a substantially circular ring of approximately 18 inches in diameter, “D”, (see FIG. 2). The diameter of hoop  25  is selected so that the person&#39;s arm  16  can easily reach across hoop  25  to a handle  30 .  
         [0021]    Referring now to FIG. 2, the rim of hoop  25  is approximately {fraction (5/16)} inch in thickness, “T”, in the preferred embodiment. Hoop  25  is preferably formed from a lightweight material or it could alternatively be formed from a metal material for greater strength, as long as the weight thereof is not excessive. A suitable lightweight material is polyvinyl plastic resin. Hoop  25  could also be alternatively formed as a hollow tubular ring.  
         [0022]    Handle  30  is fixedly connected to and depends from hoop  25  along a portion of the inner edge of hoop  25  to provide a thin, substantially flat member that is easily grasped by one hand  16  of person  15 . Handle  30  is connected to hoop  25  by welding, screws, or other convenient means. As seen in FIG. 1, hoop  25  is held in a secure relationship resting on or against the hip of person  15  with a first hand  16  on handle  30  thereby leaving the other hand  17  free. Free hand  17  can be used to manipulate a trash pick up stick  18 , or other means to pick up items for deposit in bag  20 .  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 clearly illustrates a top view of bag holder  10  of the present invention. Handle  30  receives a pair of cords  45 ,  46  of predetermined length, each of which is passed through a respective one of holes  40 ,  41  in handle  30 . As more clearly seen in the enlarged, fragmentary detail section view of FIG. 3, a first end of typical cord  46  passes through respective hole  41  in handle  30 . Knot  50 , or other suitable means, is formed at the end of cord  46  for preventing cord  46  from being pulled through hole  41 .  
         [0024]    Cords  45 ,  46  are of sufficient length for each cord to reach approximately half way around the circumference of hoop  25 . Cords  45 ,  46  are located on opposed ends of handle  30 . A predetermined number (typically three per cord) of commercially available spring clips  55  are fixedly secured along the length of cords  45 ,  46 . When not in use to secure bag  20  to hoop  25 , cords  45 ,  46  and spring clips  55  hang from handle  30 . Spring clips  55  are of sufficient size to clamp bag  20  to hoop  25  when invention bag holder  10  is in use.  
         [0025]    Referring again to FIG. 1, in using bag holder  10 , a person  15  will insert a bag  20  through the center of hoop  25  and fold a lip portion  20 a thereof over hoop  25 . Lip portion  20   a  is typically folded over hoop  25  by a length of three to ten inches. This three to ten inch lip, once bag  20  is filled and removed from hoop  25 , is used to close bag  20 . Bag  20  can be knotted, closed with a tie, or closed with drawstrings provided in the mouth thereof for closing of bag  20 . Once bag  20  has been mounted on hoop  25  so that three to ten inches laps over hoop  25 , cords  45 ,  46  are situated and clips  55  are utilized to clip bag  20  to hoop  25  in several separated locations (see FIG. 1).  
         [0026]    Referring again to FIG. 1, person  15  will now hold bag holder  10  and bag  20  against his body and the other side, preferably at handle  30 , in his hand  16 . Such positioning will situate bag  20  conveniently with an open top for inserting trash, yard debris, or other items being collected therein. Once bag  20  is filled or the pick up job is completed, clips  55  are removed and remain suspended by cords  45 ,  46  from handle  30 , and the top of bag  20  is then closed by conventional means.  
         [0027]    While not shown, it is within the scope of the invention to make hoop  25  with a larger or smaller diameter so that various size bags  20  can be accommodated. Also, hoop  25 , rather than being circular in shape, could be formed elliptical, rectangular, or square, as long as a conventional bag could be mounted thereon as previously described.  
         [0028]    The above detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the bag holder invention has set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the invention at the time of filing this application and is provided by way of example and not as a limitation. Accordingly, various modifications and variations, obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to which it pertains, are deemed to lie within the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.