Patent Publication Number: US-8117971-B1

Title: Table cloth and trash bag combination

Description:
This non-provisional patent application claims the benefit of an earlier provisional patent application No. 61/279,343 filed on Oct. 21, 2009, by the subject inventors, and having a title of “Combination Table Cloth and Trash Bag”. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (a) Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a table cloth and trash bag for receipt on top of a table during a meal or party and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a table cloth and trash bag combination used for picnics, parties and outdoor events and having a table cloth upper portion used for receipt on top of the table made of thin sheet paper or plastic and a trash bag lower portion made of thin sheet plastic and used for receiving trash items therein from the table cloth upper portion. 
     (b) Discussion of Prior Art 
     Heretofore, a table at an outdoor or indoor event is typically covered with a table cloth prior to serving food items. Upon completion of the event, throw away items are gathered and placed inside a trash bag or carried to a park&#39;s nearby trash barrel. The subject invention eliminates the need of having to bring an individual table cloth along with several trash bags to a picnic or party. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing, it is a primary objective of the subject invention to provide an inexpensive, table cloth that can be quickly converted into a large trash bag for receiving trash and throw away items at the end of an outdoor event. 
     Another object of the invention is the table cloth and trash bag combination can be used for a variety of outdoor events and can be used equally well for indoor events, mess halls, and the like for quickly disposing of throw away trash items. 
     The subject table cloth and trash bag combination includes a table cloth upper portion dimensioned to be laid on top of a picnic table or other types of outdoor and indoor tables and made of thin sheet paper, plastic and like material. The upper portion includes decorative designs of toys, animals, birthday cakes, logos, and like festive items for birthdays, anniversary, and other party events. On opposite corners of the upper portion are pull strings received through seams disposed along sides of a length and a width of the table cloth upper portion. In the center of the table cloth upper portion and parallel to the length is an elongated opening having sides attached to the sides of a top of a folded trash bag lower portion. The opening provides access into the folded trash bag lower portion. The lower portion is made of thin sheet plastic for receiving trash items placed on top of the upper portion and picnic table. Also, the thin sheet upper portion can be folded and stuffed into the trash bag lower portion. These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those familiar with picnic table cloths and plastic trash bags when reviewing the following detailed description, showing novel construction, combination, and elements as herein described, and more particularly defined by the claims, it being understood that changes in the embodiments to the herein disclosed invention are meant to be included as coming within the scope of the claims, except insofar as they may be precluded by the prior art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate complete preferred embodiments in the present invention according to the best modes presently devised for the practical application of the table cloth and trash bag combination, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of the subject table cloth and trash bag combination disposed on top of a picnic table with party plates and cups disposed thereon. 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the table cloth and trash bag combination with corners of a table cloth upper portion folded upwardly for receiving trash items inside an unfolded trash bag lower portion and after the meal or party is completed. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the table cloth and trash bag combination with an open top in the bag combination closed using pull strings and a cord tie. The trash bag is now ready for receipt in a trash barrel. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of the subject table cloth and trash bag combination is shown having a general reference numeral  10 . The table cloth and trash bag combination  10  includes a table cloth upper portion  12  dimensioned to be laid on top of a picnic table  14  or other types of outdoor and indoor tables and made of thin sheet paper, thin sheet plastic and similar material. The table cloth upper portion  12  typically has a length “L” in a range of 6 to 8 feet and a width “W” in a range of 4 to 6 feet. Also, the table cloth upper portion can be round and other geometric shapes for different sizes and designs of table tops. The upper portion  12  includes decorative designs of toys, animals, birthday cakes, logos, and like festive items for birthdays, anniversary, and other party events. 
     On opposite corners  16  of the upper portion  12  is a first portion of pull strings  18  extending outwardly therefrom. The pull strings  18  can be made of plastic, cord and the like. A second portion of the pull strings  18  is received through heat sealed seams  20 , shown in dashed lines and disposed along sides  21  of the length “L” and the width “W” of the table cloth upper portion  12 . 
     In the center of the table cloth upper portion  12  and parallel to the length “L” is an elongated bag opening  22 . A length of the bag opening  22  can be in a range of 2 to 4 feet. The opening  22  includes sides  23 , which can be heat sealed to a top  25  of a folded trash bag lower portion  24 . The bag opening  22  provides access into the folded trash bag lower portion  24 , shown in dashed lines and laying flush on top of the table  14 . The lower portion  24  is made of thin sheet plastic and is shown unfolded in  FIGS. 2 and 3  for receiving trash items placed on top of the upper portion  12  and the picnic table  14 . Also, the top  25  of the trash bag lower portion  24  includes plastic, pull strings  27  received inside heat sealed seams, shown in dashed lines  29 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , the subject invention  10  is now used as a trash bag by folding the corners  16  of the table cloth upper portion  12  upwardly, as indicated by arrows  26 , and spreading apart the elongated opening  22  and unfolding the trash bag lower portion  22 . The upper portion  12  is now used to funnel trash items  28  into the opening  22 . The various trash items  28  are shown in solid and dashed lines. When all of the throw away items  28  are received inside the trash bag lower portion  24 , the pull strings  18  are pulled upwardly and an open top  30  in the table cloth and trash bag  10  is formed. By continuing to pull on the pull strings  18 , the opposite corners  16  of the upper portion  22  are drawn together. 
     Also, another embodiment of the table cloth and trash bag combination  10  is the use of the pull strings  27  of the trash bag lower portion  24 . In this embodiment, the table cloth upper portion  12  is folded into the lower portion  24 , along with the trash items  28 . The pull strings  27  are then pulled tight for closing the top of the lower portion  24 . 
     In  FIG. 3 , the open top  30  is closed using the pull strings  18  and a cord tie  32  is wrapped around the upper portion  16  next to the open top  30  for securing the trash items  28  inside the table cloth and trash bag  10 . The bag is now ready for disposable in a trash barrel or other trash receptacle. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown, described and illustrated in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments and modifications thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as claimed except as precluded by the prior art.