Patent Publication Number: US-2006008182-A1

Title: Flat debris bag

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      Not Applicable  
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
      Not Applicable  
     DESCRIPTION OF ATTACHED APPENDIX  
      Not Applicable  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates generally to the field of plastic debris and garbage bags and more specifically to the Flat Debris Bag made of bag material such as plastic and having a pull string in the outer edge of the bag material that collapses the bag around the debris when pulled, transforming from flat to standard bag form.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention discloses a flat debris bag with one string or pull tie in the complete outer edge of the bag material, that lays flat on the ground having plastic stakes that secure the bag material to the ground. The debris is then raked,placed or thrown into the middle of the flat debris bag. The stakes are then pulled out of the ground. The pull string is then pulled collapsing the bag material around the debris transforming the flat bag material into a standard bag. The pull strings are then tied,and the bag can be thrown out.  
      The primary object of the invention is to provide a flat debris bag that lays flat on the ground and operates without having to bend over and touch or pickup up debris,conforming to the debris when the pull string is pulled tight.  
      Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.  
      In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed The Flat Debris Bag comprising: a bag material that lays flat on the ground, a pull string in the outer edge, allowing you to collapse the bag material around the debris, and small stakes that hold the bag material to the ground.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which:  
       FIG. 1  is a view of the present invention empty, spread out flat on the ground with the stakes holding the bag material securely to the ground surface. The pull string is in the outer edge of the bag material.  
       FIG. 2  is a view of the present invention with debris on the bag. The bag is ready to be collapsed around the debris.  
       FIG. 3  is a view of the present invention with the stakes taken out of the ground. The pull strings are starting to be pulled and the bag material is starting to collapse around the debris.  
       FIG. 4 .is a view of the present invention with the pull strings almost completely pulled tight. The invention is starting to create a bag like form.  
       FIG. 5  is a view of the present invention with the bag now completely closed. The pull strings are ready to be tied. The bag is ready to be thrown out.  
    
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS  
     
         
           10 —present invention  
           12 —bag material  
           14 —stakes  
           16 —pull string  
       
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART  
      There are other bag material apparatus designed for debris disposal. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,743 issued to John R Hollowell on Jun. 8, 1976.  
      Another patent was issued to Edison V. Hoey on Aug. 12, 2003 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,716. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,139 was issued to Norbert L. Gawedzinski on Jun. 26, 1979 and still yet another was issued on Sep. 23, 2003 to Locke, White II and Keith J. Jones as U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,428 and Giorgio I. Spadaro was issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,230 on Apr. 24, 1984. 
      U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,743     Inventor John R. Hollowell     Issued: Jun. 8, 1976    

      A series of plastic bags are manufactured by extruding the plastic in tubular form and heat-sealing and perforating the flattened tube at spaced intervals. The shape of the heat seal and perforation is such that long ears are formed at opposite ends of the top of each bag. These ears can be tied together to close the bag and form a grasping handle. 
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,716     Inventor: Edison V. Hoey     Issued: Aug. 12, 2003    

      A lawn and leaf bag holder of one piece, wire rod construction including a triangular frame for positioning the mouth of a plastic lawn or leaf bag, a handle extending upwardly from an apex of the triangular frame to form a handle for the bag holder and a pair of anchoring loops on each side of the frame adjacent the frame apex. The open mouth of the bag is stretched or tensioned around the triangular frame and secured with one or both of the anchoring loops. One segment of the triangular frame and bag can be positioned against or adjacent a ground surface to enable leaves, lawn debris and the like to be raked or swept into the open end of the bag while the frame and the open end of the bag are oriented in a vertical plane by a user grasping the handle to support the frame and open end of the bag in the vertical position and also enabling the bag to be moved to new positions as desired. 
      U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,139     Inventor Norbert L. Gawedzinski     Issued: Jun. 26, 1979    

      A device for holding and supporting the mouth or open end of a flexible bag such as a plastic trash bag or the like in an open condition, which includes relatively rigid elongated members, one of which is pivotally connected to the other at an intermediate location, projections on the members in position to engage a bag adjacent to the mouth thereof to the open the bag mouth, and a device connecting said elongated members operable to maintain the projections engaged with the mouth of the bag under tension to maintain the bag in an open position. 
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,428     Inventor Locke White II/John Keith Jones     Issued: Sep. 23, 2003    

      A method of containing organic debris such as leaves in piles or layers is disclosed. The method comprises the utilization of a chemical composition for coating the generally upward facing leaves in order to bond them together into large sections. Once the separate leaves are bonded together by the coating, the larger sections provide a protective covering that keeps the wind from disturbing the pile or layer. 
      U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,230     Inventor Giorgio I. Spadaro     Issued: Apr. 24, 1984    

      A bag construction with integral tie means is provided cut from an elongated flattened tube of bag material, such as a thin walled plastic sheath. The flattened tube of material is cut with lazy-U cut that extends across the entire width thereof to provide a pair of diametrically located elongated ties at, and extending from, adjacent the open end of the bag body, while the other end of the bag is sealed to provide a closed bag end. The bag body is pierced, or cut, to provide pairs of slits through the open end of the bag to effect a closure of the bag, and to be tied together to retain the contents of the bag therein.  
      While these may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.  
     Preferred Embodiments  
      In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which  FIGS. 1 through 5  illustrate the present invention being a flat debris bag.  
      Turning to  FIG. 1 , shown is a view of the present invention  10  with the bag material  12  spread out on the ground surface. The stakes  14  are holding the bag material  12  securely to the ground. The pull string  16  is in the outer edge of the bag material  12 .  
      Turning to  FIG. 2 , shown therein is a view of the present invention  10  with the debris on the bag material  12 . The flat bag material  12  is ready to be collapsed around the debris.  
      Turning to  FIG. 3 , shown therein is view of the present invention  10  with the stakes  14  taken out of the ground. The pull string  16  is starting to be pulled and the bag material  12  is starting to collapse around the debris.  
      Turning to  FIG. 4 , shown therein is a view of the present invention  10  with the pull string  16  almost completely pulled tight. The bag material  12  is starting to create a bag form.  
      Turning to  FIG. 5 , shown therein is a view of the present invention  10  with the bag material  12  completely closed. The pull string  16  are ready to be tied. The Flat Debris Bag is ready to be thrown out.  
      While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary,it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications,and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.