Abstract:
A bag support system is designed to universally support plastic shopping bags with integrated loop handles in an upright and open position for re-use as trash bags or receptacles to store and/or sort other materials or components.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of support systems and more particularly to a bag support system for bags with integrated loop handles. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Every year, Americans throw away more than 100 billion plastic shopping bags after they&#39;ve been used to transport goods home from grocery stores and other retail and commercial establishments. Only 1 percent of plastic bags worldwide and approximately 2 percent on plastic bags in the United States are recycled. The remaining bags are simply discarded. 
         [0003]    The environmental impact of such ubiquitous discarding of shopping bap has a detrimental environmental impact. 
         [0004]    The negative environmental impact of plastic bags can be substantially reduced by encouraging the re-use of plastic bags for a variety of functions. For example, items may be sorted, stored, processed and labeled using plastic bags as receptacles. 
         [0005]    To be used effectively for these uses, it is advantageous for the plastic bags to be stably supported in an open position. Additionally, it is important that a device that supports plastic bags in an open position be lightweight, low cost, and efficiently packaged to be marketed as a consumer impulse item at the point of purchase and to fully encourage environmentally responsible behavior. 
         [0006]    Devices for supporting plastic bags in an open position are known in the art. One example of a bag support is illustrated in U.S. Design Patent No. Des. 428,544 (Moffitt &#39;544). 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,802 (Scheibe &#39;802) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,942 (Yardly &#39;942) disclose collapsible devices for supporting a plastic bag. Both Scheibe &#39;802 and Yardly &#39;942 have a ring or hoop that is used to support the mouth of the plastic bag and a plurality of legs to support the ring or hoop above the ground. 
         [0008]    Scheibe &#39;802 secures the plastic bag inside the ring using a plurality of clips, while the outside of the hoop taught by Yardley &#39;942 contains a plurality of tabs to engage and retain the bag mouth by friction. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    The present invention is a bag support system that includes a plurality of crossbars, legs, and lateral supports. Each crossbar includes at least one elongated portion. The elongated portions include a plurality of protruding components that are used to secure the loop handles of a plastic bag with integral loop handles inside the bag support system. Each crossbar may removably attach a plurality of lateral supports and legs. When a lateral support has a crossbar attached at each end, the crossbars are offset a pre-determined distance from each other. The legs are adapted to position the crossbars at a pre-determined distance from a surface on which the bag support system stands that is adequate to allow a bag to hang from the crossbars. 
         [0010]    It is desirable to have a bag support system that is capable of accommodating plastic bags with varying sizes of loop handles commonly used by retailers. 
         [0011]    It is desirable to have a bag support system for bags with integral loop handles that minimizes the amount of space required for storage or transport of the support system. 
         [0012]    It is desirable to have a bag support system that is sturdy on surfaces that are not perfectly flat. 
         [0013]    It is desirable to have a lightweight, durable, easy to assemble and disassemble, and inexpensive support system for positioning a plastic bag with integral loop handles in an upright and open configuration. 
         [0014]    It is further desirable to have a bag support system that is collapsible in a way that allows it to be broken down and stored in a bag to be sold on a hanging display. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of one embodiment of a bag support system in accordance with the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the bag support system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the bag support system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the bag support system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the bag support system of  FIG. 1 , showing how a bag may be supported by the bag support system. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of another embodiment of a bag support system in accordance with the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the bag support system of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a front view of the bag support system of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the bag support system of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the bag support system of  FIG. 6 , showing how a bag may be supported by the bag support system. 
           [0025]      FIG. 11  is a section view of the bag support system of  FIG. 6  taken generally along the line  11 - 11  in  FIG. 10 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 12  is a detail view of the bag support system of  FIG. 6  showing an alternate method of supporting a bag. 
           [0027]      FIG. 13  is another detail view of the bag support system of  FIG. 6  showing another alternate method of supporting a bag. 
           [0028]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a bag support system in accordance with the invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 15  is a section view of the bag support system of  FIG. 14  taken generally along the line  17 - 17  in  FIG. 14 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]      FIG. 1  shows an exploded view of one embodiment of a bag support system  100 . In the embodiment shown, bag support system  100  includes legs  110 , lateral supports  120 , upper crossbars  130 , and lower crossbars  140 . 
         [0031]    Legs  110  include tubular members  115  connected by a coupling  118 . Lateral supports  120  include tubular members  125  connected by a coupling  128 . In various other embodiments, legs  110  and/or lateral supports  120  may include less than two tubular members. 
         [0032]    In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1-6 , tubular members  115  and tubular members  125  are identical and can be used interchangeably. Likewise, couplings  118  and couplings  128  are identical and can be used interchangeably. Tubular members  115 ,  125  are tubular shaped with round apertures; however, in other embodiments, tubular members  115 ,  125  may be square, rectangular or of another shape that facilitates easy assembly and disassembly of the bag support system  100  and is capable of supporting the weight of a bag and its contents. 
         [0033]    In an exemplary embodiment, the openings of couplings  118 ,  128  include draft, with the opening having a slightly larger diameter, facilitating insertion of and engaging of the tubular members  115 ,  125  by couplings  118 ,  128 . In various other embodiments, another means for ensuring correct assembly may be used such as threading or markings on the tubular members. 
         [0034]    Upper crossbars  130  include an elongated horizontal portion  132 , horizontal connectors  134  for receiving lateral supports  120 , vertical connecters  136  for receiving insertion members  148  of lower crossbars  140 . 
         [0035]    Lower crossbars  140  include an elongated horizontal portion  142 , horizontal connectors  144  for receiving lateral supports  120 , vertical connectors  146  for receiving legs  110 , and insertion members  140  for attaching lower crossbars  140  to upper crossbars  130 . 
         [0036]    In the embodiment shown, elongated horizontal portions  132 ,  142  are hollow and have three sides. The sides of elongated horizontal portions  132 ,  142  that face outward when bag support system  100  is assembled include a plurality of support knobs  150  for securing the handles of a plastic bag (see  FIG. 5 ). 
         [0037]    In the embodiment shown, elongated horizontal portions  132 ,  142  have a square cross-section. In various other embodiments, the dimensions and/or shape of the cross section of elongated horizontal portions  132 ,  142  may vary. In various embodiments, all four sides of elongated horizontal portions  132 ,  142  may be enclosed and/or elongated horizontal portions  132 ,  142  may be solid. 
         [0038]    Each support knob  150  preferably includes a neck portion and a larger head portion. Support knobs  150  extend outward from elongated horizontal portions  132 ,  142 . In the embodiment shown, each crossbar  130 ,  140  has six support knobs  150 . In alternative embodiments, elongated horizontal portions  132 ,  142  may have more or fewer support knobs  150  and/or have differently shaped support knobs  150 , including but not limited to hexagon-shaped, square, triangular, diamond-shaped; polygonal or of another shape that is capable of securing a plastic bag without making it difficult to remove the bag when it is full. In still other embodiments, there may be more than two rows of support knobs, the configuration of which may be varied. 
         [0039]    In the embodiment shown, horizontal connectors  134 ,  144  and vertical connectors  136 ,  146  have a diameter of approximately 0.5 inches and include sufficient draft to facilitate insertion of lateral supports  120 , and legs  110 , respectively. 
         [0040]    Vertical connectors  146  are angled slightly outward causing legs  110  to be angled slightly outward, which results in more stability on various uneven or soft surfaces, such as grass or sand. 
         [0041]    In the embodiment shown, the cross-sections of insertion members  148  are cross-shaped and include a draft. In various embodiments, the shape and/or length of insertion members may vary. For example, insertion members may be tubular, triangular, hex-shaped, or star-shaped. 
         [0042]    In the embodiment shown, components are made of plastic, but may be made from any other material known in the art to provide a suitably rigid structure, including, but not limited to, wood and metal. 
         [0043]      FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the embodiment of a bag support system  100  shown in  FIG. 1  assembled. When upper crossbars and lower crossbars  130 ,  140  are connected by lateral supports  120 , a rectangular-shaped frame is formed. In alternative embodiments, a square may be formed. 
         [0044]      FIG. 3  illustrates a front view of an exemplary embodiment of bag support system  100 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of an exemplary embodiment of bag support system  100 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of a plastic bag  170  supported by an embodiment of bag support system  100 . Bag handles  180  are looped around the four middle support knobs  150  on elongated portions  142  on lower crossbars  140 . In various embodiments, bag handles  180  may be looped around more or fewer support knobs  150  and/or may be looped around support knobs  150  on elongated portions  132  on upper crossbars  130 , allowing bag support system  100  to accommodate bags of varying sizes with varying sizes and styles of loop handles. 
         [0047]    When plastic bag  170  is supported by bag support system  100 , any logo printed on the bag will be displayed providing additional brand exposure when plastic bags  170  are reused. 
         [0048]    Turning now to  FIGS. 6-15 , another embodiment of a bag support system  200  is shown in accordance with the present invention. The bag support system  200  includes legs  210 , lateral supports  220 , upper crossbars  230 , and lower crossbars  240 . The upper and lower crossbars  230 ,  240  are formed as one piece, with upper and lower crossbars  230 ,  240  displaced from one another by uprights  236 . Also present on each piece are a series of insertion members  234 ,  246 , the cross section of each of which is cross-shaped in this embodiment and includes sufficient draft to allow attachment of legs  210  and lateral supports  220 . 
         [0049]    Legs  210  are adapted to removably receive vertical insertion members  246 . Meanwhile, lateral supports  220  are adapted to removably receive horizontal insertion members  234 . 
         [0050]    As in the previously described embodiment, the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6-13  includes a plurality of support knobs  250 , each of which includes a neck portion  252  and a larger head portion  254 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6-13 , the support knobs  250  extend vertically, with three support knobs projecting upwardly, and four support knobs projecting downwardly, the downwardly projecting support knobs being staggered with respect to the upwardly projecting support knobs. 
         [0051]    Turning now to  FIGS. 10-13 ; the bag support system  200  is shown with a bag  270  mounted to the bag support system  200 . The bag  270  includes handles  280  that, as shown, may engage with the support knobs  250  to securely support the bag  270 . As shown, the bag handles  280  are wrapped over the top of the upper crossbars  230 , then under the lower crossbars  240 , and finally over the top of the lower crossbars  240 . The support knobs  250  provide a multitude of mounting points, allowing bags of different sizes with corresponding handles of varying sizes to be securely mounted to the bag support system  200 . 
         [0052]    Referring now to  FIGS. 14-15 , a third embodiment of a bag support system  300  in accordance with the invention is shown. The bag support system  300  may be expanded upward to provide mounting points for additional bags (not visible) at once, in the embodiment shown, three bags. In order to accommodate three bags, bag support system  300  includes vertical expanders  315  that offset second and third crossbars  330 ,  340  and horizontal support members  320 . In the embodiment shown, the vertical expanders  315  are hollow tubes that engage vertical insertion members  338  on both the bottom and top of uprights  336  that offset the crossbars  330 ,  340 . As described above with respect to the other embodiments, the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 14-15  includes a plurality of support knobs  350 , each of which includes a neck portion and a larger head portion. Also present are a series of insertion members, the cross-section of each of which is cross-shaped and includes sufficient draft to allow insertion of legs  310 , lateral supports  320 , and vertical expanders  315 . 
         [0053]    Although the invention has been herein described in what is perceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments set forth above. Rather, it is recognized that modifications may be made by one of skill in the art of the invention without departing from the spirit or intent of the invention and, therefore, the invention is to be taken as including all reasonable equivalents to the subject matter of the appended claims and the description of the invention herein.