Abstract:
A device for holding open the mouth of a drawstring trash bag is disclosed. The device rests on top of the partially closed mouth of the trash bag and is secured in place by the bag&#39;s drawstrings. Ideally, the bag will be hanging to create the necessary tension in the drawstrings to keep the device in place. The device comprises a rigid plate with a hole, and notches for receiving the drawstrings. The hole is sized to receive disposable beverage cans or other similar waste. A portion of the upper surface of the plate may be dedicated to the display of promotional indicia. A holder for hanging the trash bag by its drawstrings is also disclosed. The holder may be mounted to the rear bumper of an automobile or other similar location.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to the field of waste disposal, and more particularly to a device that can be used to hold open the mouth of a drawstring trash bag to receive waste in situations where the trash bag is used without a trash can. 
         [0003]    2. Background &amp; Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    When people engage in outdoor recreational activities away from their home, they frequently do not have access to a trashcan or other waste receptacle when needing to dispose of waste. To address this problem, people commonly use drawstring trash bags for waste disposal during such activities. One benefit of using a drawstring trash bag is that, when the bag is not in use, the mouth may be easily closed by cinching the drawstrings. This allows the bag and its contents to be easily transported to a permanent waste receptacle without fear of trash spilling out of the bag. Another benefit is that the bag may be hung by its drawstrings in a visible and easily accessible location, while keeping it elevated and away from obstacles on the ground. 
         [0005]    It can be difficult, however, to use a drawstring trash bag in the manner described above because the mouth of the bag tends to close when the bag is hanging. The weight of the bag and its contents often has a tendency to cinch the drawstrings thus causing the mouth of the bag to close when the bag is hanging by its drawstrings. 
         [0006]    What is needed is a device that will allow the bag to hang by its drawstrings in a convenient location and at the same time keep the mouth of the bag open so that the bag is always ready to receive waste. Other devices have attempted to do this by creating a rigid support rim around the perimeter of the mouth of the trash bag. None, however, have been as compact, portable, and easy to use as the current invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention comprises a flat, rigid plate with a trash receiving hole or opening extending therethrough. The rigid plate can be placed on top of a drawstring trash bag to keep the mouth of the bag open an amount sufficient to accept small waste such as disposable beverage cans and bottles which first pass through the hole in the plate. The rigid plate rests on top of the mouth of the bag and is held in place by the trash bag drawstrings. The plate has a plurality of receivers formed in and extending inward from a periphery of the rigid plate for receiving the drawstrings. A hook or holder from which the bag can hang from its drawstrings may also be used in combination with the rigid plate. 
         [0008]    The weight of the hanging bag and its contents creates a downward force on the drawstrings. This downward force tends to move the drawstrings closer together and creates a cinching motion which closes the mouth of the trash bag. The motion of the drawstrings coming together as the trash bag mouth closes creates a force that is applied to the plate by the drawstrings within the receivers, thus keeping the plate from moving. Abutment of the drawstrings against the plate, within the receivers, prevents the drawstrings from cinching the opening or mouth of the bag smaller than the trash receiving opening or hole through the plate thereby keeping the mouth of the bag open an amount sufficient to allow waste dropped through the opening in the plate to pass through the mouth of the bag. 
         [0009]    The plate also provides a nominal amount of weight to the bag thus allowing it to hang vertically and minimizing horizontal movement of the bag that may be caused by wind or drafts. The flat upper surface of the plate may be used for the printing of logos or other promotional indicia thereon. This feature allows businesses, sports teams, or other such entities to advertise in a place that is regularly seen by individuals using the trash bag opening plate. 
         [0010]    The holder for hanging the trash bag may be temporarily mounted to the rear bumper of an automobile, the sidewall of a pick-up truck or another similar mounting surface that is likely to be present at outdoor activities away from the home. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the preferred embodiment of the invention comprising a rigid plate installed on a drawstring trash bag for the primary purpose of keeping the bag open to accept waste in combination with a hook for supporting the trash bag from the drawstrings. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the rigid plate from  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged and fragmentary cross-sectional view of the rigid plate and trash bag taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the rigid plate. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the rigid plate. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of a fourth embodiment of the rigid plate. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a top plan view of a fifth embodiment of the rigid plate. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    As required, detail embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. The term “rectangular” as used in this patent is meant to include both square and non-square rectangular shapes. 
         [0019]    Referring to the drawings in more detail, the reference numeral  1  refers to a trash bag opening device  1  for keeping a drawstring trash bag  2  sufficiently open to allow trash, such as a disposable metal beverage can  3 , to be deposited into the bag  2  when the bag is hanging by a drawstring  4 . The bag  2  may be suspended from a hook  8  with the drawstring  4  supported by the hook  8 . The hook  8  is sized and adapted to be mounted on the rear bumper of an automobile or on the side wall of a pick-up truck. 
         [0020]    A drawstring trash bag  2  of the type with which the rigid plate  1  may be used is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . The trash bag  2  is formed from a thin plastic sheet or film with an upper portion of the plastic sheet material forming the bag  2  rolled over on itself to form a sleeve  11  surrounding a mouth  12  of the bag  2  around an upper edge  13  of the bag  2 . The draw string  4  is positioned within the sleeve  11 . In a typical draw string trash bag  2  the drawstring  4  extends around the entire mouth  12  within the sleeve  11 . The drawstring  4  is generally continuous, but may be formed from two elongated plastic strands welded together at their ends and to the material forming the bag  2  and sleeve  11  at welds  16  formed along the outer edges of the bag  2 . Welds  16  act as anchor points between the body of the trash bag and the drawstring  4 . 
         [0021]    Outlet openings or exit openings  17  are formed in the sleeve  11  to allow portions of the draw string  4  to be withdrawn therethrough. In a typical draw string trash bag  2 , there are two such outlet openings  17 , each located midway between both anchor points or welds  16  securing the drawstring  4  to the bag  2  along the edges. Portions or strands  21  and  22  of the drawstring  4  are pulled out of the sleeve  11  through the drawstring outlet openings  17  and pulled upward relative to the rest of the bag  2 . Drawing the strands  21  and  22  while holding the bag down manually or through the weight of trash in the bag  2  draws the mouth  12  of trash bag  2  inward, decreasing its size until the bag is sufficiently closed. When the strands  21  and  22  of the drawstring  4  are drawn from the bag  2 , two segments or legs  21   a  and  21   b  and  22   a  and  22   b  are generally formed along each strand  21  and  22  respectively. 
         [0022]    Referring back to  FIGS. 1-3  a preferred embodiment of the trash bag opening device  1  and is shown installed on a drawstring trash bag  2  in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . The device  1  is formed from a square shaped rigid plate or panel  24  which rests on top of an upper edge of the sleeve  11  or mouth  12  of trash bag  2 . The rigid plate  24  may be formed of any suitable material, including a rigid plastic, resin impregnated fiberglass, metal or composite material and includes opposed planar surfaces  26  and  27  and a peripheral edge  29 . The rigid plate  24  in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  is generally square in shape with a width and height of approximately five to seven inches. 
         [0023]    A trash receiving hole  31  extends through the center of the rigid plate  24  between the opposed planar surfaces  26  and  27  to allow trash to pass therethrough and into the bag  2  as described in more detail hereafter. Hole  31  is sized to accept trash at least as wide as a conventional twelve ounce disposable aluminum beverage, such as can  3 , or a disposable water bottle, or sports drink bottle or the like. Such a can  3  is approximately two and one half inches in diameter. The hole  31 , which may be round, preferably has a diameter or width of between approximately two and three quarter inches to four inches so that a can  3  may be dropped axially through the hole  31 . It is foreseen that hole  31  may be larger or smaller depending on the type of trash being disposed. For example, the hole  31  may be sized larger to allow bottles for sports drinks to pass therethrough and which tend to have a larger diameter. It is also foreseen that hole  31  may be shaped in a variety of geometries, however circular and square will likely perform best. 
         [0024]    Four draw string receivers  34  are formed in the rigid plate  2 . The receivers  34  in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-3  are formed as slots  38  extending inward into the plate  2  from its peripheral edge  29  near corners thereof. Each of the slots  38  includes a relatively narrow channel  44  and a rounded inner end  46 . A first pair of the slots  38   a  and  38   b  are formed in spaced relation in one side of the rigid plate  24  and a second pair of the slots  38   c  and  38   d  are formed in spaced relation in a second, opposite side of the rigid plate  24 . Channels  44  of slots  38   a  and  38   b  curve toward each other from the peripheral edge  29  of the plate  24  toward the inner ends  46  of the slots  38   a  and  38   b.  Similarly, channels  44  of slots  38   c  and  38   d  curve toward each other from the peripheral edge  29  of the plate  24  toward the inner ends  46  of the slots  38   c  and  38   d.  The slots  38   a - d  are approximately one half inch to one inch long and the channels are approximately a sixteenth of an inch wide with the rounded inner ends  46  approximately a quarter inch in diameter. 
         [0025]    The rigid plate  24  is secured in place on top of the trash bag  2  by inserting the segments  21   a,    21   b,    22   a  and  22   b  of drawstring  2  in slots  38   a - d.  With the drawstring strands  21  and  22  supported on the hook  8 , the weight of trash in the bag  2 , pulls the drawstring segments  21   a - b  and  22   a - b  inward under tension, exerting pressure inward against the rigid plate  24  within the slots  38   a - d.  The tension on the strand segments  21   a - b  and  22   a - b  produces both normal and tangential forces exerted by the segments  21   a - b  and  22   a - b  on the respective drawstring receivers  34  securing the rigid plate  24  in place. All of the edges of the plate that may come into contact with the drawstring  2  are preferably beveled or rounded to deduce damage to the drawstring  2 . 
         [0026]    Rigid plate  24  prevents the mouth  12  of trash bag  2  from fully closing. Because the drawstring receiving slots  38   a - d  forming receivers  34  are spaced outward from the trash receiving hole  31 , the drawstring receivers  34  maintain a minimum distance between the drawstring segments  21   a - b  and  22   a - b  received therein sufficient to keep the mouth  12  open wider than the trash receiving hole  31 . 
         [0027]    As noted previously, the trash bag  2  can hang by drawstrings  4  from trash bag hook  8 . Trash bag hook  8  includes a downwardly opening, hooked mounting end  51  sized to mount on or over a sidewall of a truck or a bumper. Trash bag hook  8  further includes an upwardly opening, hooked support end  52  sized to receive and support said drawstring strands  21  and  22  therein. Drawstring strands  21  and  22  may be placed in the inverted hooked support end such that the trash bag  2  hangs therebelow from the drawstring strands  21  and  22 . 
         [0028]    As discussed previously, it is foreseen that trash receiving hole  31  through plate  24  may be of varying geometries and sizes. It is also foreseen that the periphery of plate  24  may be of varying geometries and sizes.  FIGS. 4 through 7  are illustrative of some of the contemplated variations of the trash bag opening device  1  showing varying geometries. 
         [0029]      FIG. 4  shows an alternative embodiment of a rigid plate  61  forming the trash bag opening device  1 . Rigid plate  61  is generally formed as a square plate, but instead of forming the drawstring receivers as slots, in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the receivers are formed as cut-outs or notches  63   a - d  formed in each corner of the plate  61 . The drawstring segments  21   a - b  and  22   a - b  are then received in notches  63   a - d  respectively generally supported against an inner corner  65  of each notch  63   a - d.  The same forces caused by tension in the drawstring segments  21   a - b  and  22   a - b  that are present in the first disclosed embodiment are also present in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 . These forces are exerted on the notch corners  65  thus keeping the rigid plate  61  in place. It is also noted that rigid plate  61  includes a trash receiving hole  67  extending through the plate  61  that is square. The width and height of the square are preferably sized to be at least slightly larger than the diameter of a conventional twelve ounce beverage can or a disposable water bottle or sports drink bottle. 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  shows a rigid plate  71  forming the trash bag opening device  1  that is similar in construction to rigid plate  24  shown in  FIG. 2  except that rigid plate  71  is of circular in shape instead of square. As shown in  FIG. 5 , indicia  75  such as text or trademarks including team names, product names and logos may be printed on either or both of the opposed planar surfaces  26  and  27  of the plate  71  generally in the area between the trash receiving opening extending therethrough and the outer periphery of the plate  71 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 6  shows a rigid plate  81  forming the trash bag opening device  1  that is similar in construction to the rigid plate  71  shown in  FIG. 5  except that the trash receiving hole  83  of rigid plate  81  is square instead of round. 
         [0032]      FIG. 7  shows a rigid plate  91  forming the trash bag opening device  1  that similar in construction to the rigid plate  61  shown in  FIG. 4  except that rigid plate  91  is circular in shape instead of square and the trash receiving hole  93  is of round instead of square. 
         [0033]    It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of the parts described and shown.