Patent Publication Number: US-2012031286-A1

Title: Yard waste bundle frame

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable. 
     SEQUENCE LISTING 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention relates to yard waste collection devices, and specifically to yard waste collection devices that aid in bundling limbs and twigs. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Yard waste is an issue for most people. Unless one lives in an apartment or condominium, plant matter in the form of leaves, weeds, twigs, and branches from trimmings must be routinely collected and disposed of Small-sized waste matter, such as leaves and weeds, can be collected in plastic bags, but this is inconvenient with longer material such as twigs, branches, or shrubbery trimmings. In order to fit into a plastic bag, this lengthy waste must be bent or broken into smaller portions, often a time-consuming and arduous task. 
     Instead, twigs, branches, and trimmings are usually bundled together for disposal, using lengths of twine. Since natural-fiber twine is bio-degradable, the entire bundle, twine and all, can be delivered directly to reclamation sites. Although small amounts of twigs and branches are relatively easy to tie into a bundle, larger quantities can present difficulties. Attempting to slide twine underneath a carefully stacked bundle often results in the pile collapsing and spreading, while laying unsecured lengths of twine on the ground beforehand presents it&#39;s own problems since balled twine tends to curl, resisting lying in a straight line. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,911,463, 6,901,733, and 5,744,212 all teach means that could be used for collecting and carrying twigs, branches, or trimmings, but none include means for applying twine for creating a bundle. 
     The problem of tying together a bundle of yard waste was addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,862. Here is disclosed a frame with cradling arms within which limbs cut to pre-determined sizes can be laid and then tied into a portable bundle with twine. Although effective in limited circumstances, this invention presents several inconveniences for the user. Firstly, although described as a foldable frame, in fact, folding the apparatus is neither trivial nor is the volume substantially reduced once completed, since folding occurs in only one of three dimensions, and even in that one dimension, the final reduction is only perhaps half of the unfolded position. Thus, even in its folded configuration, this device requires considerable storage space, a premium resource in a typical garage or small yard shed. Also, as evidenced by the inclusion of optional castor wheels, the apparatus is large enough to be somewhat cumbersome in use, not readily transported from location to location on a property, particularly over uneven ground where the castor wheels would be nearly useless. Finally, the limbs to be bundled are required to be of a limited range of lengths: too short and they fall out within the cradle, and too long, and one end or the other would tend to tilt out of the cradle. 
     Two inventions, U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,642 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,765, both disclose means that aid in attaching a single binding loop around a pile of branches or trimmings. Both are used after a pile of yard waste has been collected and stacked in a parallel orientation. As such, as has been already observed, feeding a binding loop beneath a stacked pile is undesirable, as disturbing the stack can easily cause it to collapse and spread apart. Additionally, both means result in a single loop of binding to secure the bundle. A single loop is highly undesirable, since, unless precisely centered, each individual bundled piece will tend to fall to one side or the other. Although U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,642 could conceivably be applied twice, once at each end of the bundle, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,765 could be used to hold the bundle together while two additional bindings are applied, both present significant inconvenience. Finally, both inventions prescribe the use of twine packaged in dimensions that fit into the twine container of the apparatus, thus limiting the selection of purchased packaged twine. 
     Advantageous to homeowners would be an uncomplicated yet effective means to hold secure two pieces of cut twine, positioned so that lengthy yard debris can be piled directly for bundling. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, a means is provided for configuring and retaining pieces of twine flat relative to the ground, and parallel to each other such that lengthy yard debris such as branches and trimmings can piled for bundling. The parallel pieces of twine are located at a distance from each other such that, once the debris is piled perpendicularly between them, they are positioned for convenient wrapping and tying around the debris to form a bundle for transporting and disposal. Each piece of cut twine is held in place at two points sufficiently separated to be accessible once the debris is formed into a pile. The twine is temporarily secured in place by an angled grasping mechanism that serves to pinch the twine, thus holding it secure enough to withstand the disturbances of debris being piled, yet not so constraining that the twine can&#39;t be easily removed for wrapping and tying. 
     The grasping mechanisms are mounted on a frame of proper dimensions to hold the cut twine in position just described for easy bundling. The frame lies flat on the ground so that debris can be piled on top of it, and is of sufficient strength to endure compaction of the debris by the user&#39;s foot as the bundle is wrapped and tied. The two dimensional frame can be folded into a substantially one dimensional form for storage. 
     An optional twine cutting blade can be included on the frame for convenient severing of the twine from its packaged source. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
     Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are: 
     a) to provide a means to aid in the bundling of yard waste by holding pieces of twine in advantageous positions; 
     b) to provide such a yard waste bundling means whereby the retained pieces of twine are easily attached and removed, yet secure enough to allow debris bundling; 
     c) to provide such a yard waste bundling means on a durable frame that folds so as to be easy to store; 
     d) to provide such a yard waste bundling means that is inexpensive; 
     e) to provide such a yard waste bundling means that can be used with twine of any type of acquired packaging. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1   a  is an illustration of the preferred bundle frame embodiment unfolded for operation; 
         FIG. 1   b  is an illustration of the same showing the device folded for storage; 
         FIG. 2   a  illustrates an expanded and exploded view of the twine grasping mechanism; 
         FIG. 2   b  illustrates a close-up view of the assembled twine grasping mechanism; 
         FIG. 3   a  illustrates an expanded and exploded view of the optional twine cutting blade mechanism; 
         FIG. 3   b  illustrates the same twine cutting blade mechanism as in  FIG. 3   a , but with the blade moved to its operating position on the bundle frame; 
         FIG. 3   c  illustrates the same twine cutting blade mechanism as in  FIG. 3   b , but with the protective hood moved to its operating position on the bundle frame; 
         FIG. 3   d  illustrates the completely assembled twine cutting blade mechanism, here shown from a side view; 
         FIG. 4  shows an example of the preferred bundle frame embodiment as it would be used with the twine placed in position and ready to receive yard waste; 
         FIG. 5  shows an example of yard wasted placed on the preferred bundle frame embodiment with the twine now removed from the grasping mechanisms and tied around the waste to create a bundle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Bundle Frame,  FIGS. 1   a ,  1   b    
       FIG. 1   a  shows the preferred embodiment bundle frame tool  10  unfolded for operation. Side bars  20  and  22  include twine grasping tabs  26 , and side bar  22  additionally includes twine cutting mechanism  30 . Cross bracing members  36  and  38  serve to stabilize side bars  20  and  22 , holding them in position when the frame is unfolded for operation. The cross brace members swivel around hinge pins  42 , allowing side bars  20  and  22  to move together for storage. Slot  46  allows the upper hinge pin of cross brace member  38  to slide towards the bottom of side bar  20  when the frame is folded, thus allowing side bar  22  to fold in and down for storage. When opened for operation, detent lip  50  (more clearly visible in  FIG. 1   b ) serves to hold cross brace member  38  firmly in place, thus preventing inadvertent folding of the frame. 
     Cross brace member  36  swivels within side bar mounting ears  56 , while cross brace member  38  swivels on top of side bar mounting tabs  58 . This allows the two cross brace members to rotate within separate planes, avoiding interference between them, yet allows the side bars to lie evenly and unobstructed on the ground when in use. 
       FIG. 1   b  shows the preferred embodiment bundle frame tool  10  folded for storage. The upper hinge pin  42  of cross brace member  38  has here been lifted from detent lip  50  and allowed to slide down along slot  46  to enable cross brace member  38  to lift up and in as side bars  20  and  22  move together into their folded positions. 
     Twine Grasping Mechanism,  FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b    
       FIG. 2   a  illustrates an expanded and exploded view of the twine grasping mechanism. Twine grasping tab  26  is held securely in place by bolt  60  and nut  62 . Grasping tab  26  is formed from a material that has pliable strength, such as plastic or thin metal. Grasping tab  26  lies snugly inside indentation  66  of side bar  22 , and nut  62  is positioned between the two bent sections of tab  26  so that bolt  60  can access nut  62  from beneath side bar  22 . Bolt  60  is of a length such that when firmly screwed into nut  62 , the tip does not extend beyond the upper surface of nut  62 . Additionally, indentation  66  is of sufficient depth so that the combination of the bottom bent section of tab  26  and nut  62  do not extend above the top surface of side bar  22 . 
       FIG. 2   b  shows the twine grasping mechanism assembled with an example section of twine  68  placed in position to be grasped. In operation, the user simply slides the twine in direction  70  along the surface of side bar  22  with a slight tug until it is pinched between the upper bent section of grasping tab  26  and the upper surface of side bar  22 . In this position, the pliable tension of tab  26  holds the twine relatively secure while yard waste is piled into the middle of bundle frame tool  10 . Once completed, the user can easily pull the twine free by pulling with a slight tug in a direction opposite of  70 . 
     Here in  FIG. 2   b  can be seen the advantage of having the assembly nut and bolt beneath the surface of side bar  22 , since otherwise, they could catch and interfere with the twine. 
     Twine Cutting Mechanism,  FIGS. 3   a - 3   d    
       FIG. 3   a  illustrates an expanded and exploded view of the twine cutting mechanism  30 . Cutting blade support block  80  is permanently attached to the top face of side bar  22 , and includes threaded hole  82 . Cutting blade  84 , a commonly available type of blade used in craft knives, mounts snugly between support block  80  and the inside portion (i.e., away from the viewer) of protective cover  86  that extends in towards the top face of side bar  22 . Note that the left outer portion (i.e., towards the viewer) of protective cover  86  lies over the top of support block  80 , covering it from view when the pieces are assembled. Bolt  88  passes through the hole  90  in the inside portion of protective cover  86 , through the hole  92  in cutting blade  84 , and screws into the threaded receiving hole  82  in support block  80 , thus binding the assembly firmly together. 
       FIGS. 3   b  through  3   d  illustrate different stages of the assembly of the twine cutting mechanism  30 .  FIG. 3   b  shows cutting blade  84  moved into its assembled position against support block  80 .  FIG. 3   c  continues the assembly with protective cover  86  also moved into its assembled position above the support block, now hidden below it. Finally,  FIG. 3   d  shows the completely assembled twine cutting mechanism  30 , here rotated to reveal a side view where the mounted cutting blade  84  can be seen in position to sever twine that would be pulled down over it in the direction shown with arrow  94 . 
     Bundle Frame With Example Twine Attached,  FIG. 4   
       FIG. 4  shows an example of the preferred embodiment bundle frame tool  10  with twine temporarily retained in grasping tabs  26 , thus configuring the twine in a favorable orientation in preparation for creating a bundle of yard waste. Note that the frame would be lying flat on the ground. Twine from a packaged ball can be severed by pulling the twine down over cutting mechanism  30  and separating the severed pieces in the directions shown with arrows  96 . 
     Completed Bundle of Yard Waste,  FIG. 5   
       FIG. 5  shows an example of a bundle of yard waste created using the preferred embodiment invention. Here the two pieces of twine have been detached from the bundle frame and tied around example yard waste consisting of limbs and branches. Although the yard waste is shown spread apart for clarity in this example figure, in actual practice, the twine would be pulled tightly around the collection of yard waste creating a much more compacted bundle. 
     CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE 
     A yard tool is substantially only as useful as it is convenient to use. Since the present invention can be easily folded into a compact form and hung from a hook or leaned in a corner of a garage or tool shed, it would be readily accessible for a homeowner to retrieve in times when they have trimmings or cuttings to bundle. The inventive bundle tool is unfolded and locked into it&#39;s open position easily by pulling the side bars apart until the hinge pin falls into the locking detent position of the cross brace member. The user folds the tool again by simply grasping the side bars at the bottom and tilting the unfolded frame up so that the locked cross brace member falls down out of the detent position. Then, with the frame still tilted upwards, the user pulls the side bars together and the previously locked hinge ping slides down the slot in the cross brace member. 
     Since piles of yard waste about to be bundled can be bulky and cumbersome, a user might find it convenient to place their feet on the side bars to hold the inventive bundle frame tool down while extracting the twine pieces from the grasping mechanisms. This is facilitated by the configuration of the two cross brace members, since neither have portions or segments that lie under the side bars. If they did, the cross brace members would be vulnerable to bending or breaking from the weight of the user. 
     Although heretofore described as using twine, the present invention is equally useful when using any sort of string.