Abstract:
A bag holder has a mounting ring and a base. The mounting ring has an outer perimeter, an inner perimeter, and a width that together are shaped to frictionally engage a perimeter of a plastic bag on the mounting ring when the perimeter is stretched over the mounting ring, which results in the plastic bag being removably hung from the mounting ring. The base supports the mounting ring above a surface, and has a height such that the plastic bag is held substantially above the surface when the perimeter of the plastic bag is stretched over the mounting ring, but the bottom portion of the plastic bag rests partially on the surface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application for a utility patent claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/829,954, filed May 31, 2013. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to holders, and more particularly to a bag holder for holding a resealable bag. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The prior art teaches various forms of holders for holding bags. In particular, Magnifico, U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,567, teaches a bag holder that includes a base structure that includes two stanchions that support clips. The clips may be attached to either side of the bag, for holding the bag upright. One problem with this device is that the device holds the bag entirely off the counter, so that the entire weight of the bag and contents are supported by the holder. This weight is often too much for the device, and the clip structure slips, dropping the bag and spilling the contents of the bag. Another problem is that the bag is not properly held open, and the contents (often food) can contaminate the zipper structure of the bag. 
     The prior art teaches clip-type bag holders. However, the prior art does not teach a bag holder having the structure and advantages of the present invention. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further advantages as described in the following summary. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below. 
     The present invention provides a bag holder for holding a plastic bag. The bag holder includes a mounting ring, and a base for supporting the mounting ring. The mounting ring has an outer perimeter, an inner perimeter, and a width that enables the plastic bag to be inserted through the mounting ring and wrapped over the mounting ring for removably hanging the plastic bag from the mounting ring. The base supports the mounting ring above the surface, the base having a height such that the plastic bag is held substantially above the surface but rests partially on the surface. 
     A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a bag holder having advantages not taught by the prior art. 
     Another objective is to provide a bag holder that holds the plastic bag open in a convenient manner that enables items to be inserted into the plastic bag quickly and easily. 
     Another objective is to provide a bag holder that holds the perimeter of the plastic bag in a folded position so that the contents of the plastic bag do not contaminate the resealable zipper of the plastic bag. 
     Another objective is to provide a bag holder that is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use. 
     A further objective is to provide a bag holder that supports the plastic bag substantially above the surface but rests partially on the surface so that the weight of the items in the plastic bag is partially supported by the surface. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bag holder according to one embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a plastic bag being mounted on a mounting ring having an oval shape; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the bag holder, illustrating components of the bag holder, including a vertical handle portion and a leg structure; 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of another embodiment of the bag holder, wherein the mounting ring is round in shape; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an assortment of mounting rings having different shapes for holding the plastic bag in different configurations; 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of the plastic bag mounted on the mounting ring, and the mounting ring mounted on the vertical handle portion, but the vertical handle portion being separated from the leg structure; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the bag holder of  FIG. 1 , wherein the mounting ring has been replaced with a hanging hook; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the bag holder in an upright configuration; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view thereof illustrating the plastic bag mounted thereupon; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the bag holder of  FIG. 7  in a collapsed configuration; and 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the bag holder of  FIG. 7  with extender panels clipped thereupon. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The above-described drawing figures illustrate the invention, a bag holder  10  for holding a bag  12  in an open position for inserting items into the bag  12 . The bag holder  10  may be used with any form of bag (e.g., food storage bag, trash bag, etc.), but is particularly adapted for use with resealable plastic bags (e.g., ZIPLOCK® bags), and the like. While the bag  12  is typically referred to as a plastic bag, this term is hereby defined to include any form of bag, regardless of its material. The bag holder  10  is particularly suited for use in the kitchen, inserting foods (e.g., sandwiches, soups, leftovers, etc.), but may be used in any other manner (e.g., in the garage inserting nuts and bolts into bags, etc.). 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the bag holder  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the plastic bag  12  being mounted on a mounting ring  20  of the bag holder  10 .  FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the bag holder  10 , illustrating further components of the base  22 , which is adapted for supporting the mounting ring  20  above a surface  18  (e.g., a countertop, floor, or other surface or structure). As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-2 , the bag holder  10  may include multiple components that may be assembled into the final product, although in an alternative embodiment it may have a one-piece construction. 
     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-2 , the mounting ring  20  has an oval construction, and the base  22  includes a vertical handle portion  24  and a leg structure  26 . The mounting ring  20  has an outer perimeter OP, an inner perimeter IP, and a width W. The width W and the outer perimeter OP of the mounting ring  20  are sized and shaped to frictionally engage the perimeter  14  of the plastic bag  12  when the perimeter  14  is wrapped around the mounting ring  20 , so that the resealable zipper  15  is facing outwardly, and the plastic bag  12  hangs from the mounting ring  20 . The plastic bag  12  includes a bag body  16  that includes a bottom portion  17 . In the preferred embodiment, the bottom portion  17  of the plastic bag  12  is supported by the surface  18  while the plastic bag  12  is being filled (as shown in  FIG. 8 ). The mounting ring  20  may have any suitable shape, including round, oval, rectangular, or any other shape that may be desired that functions as described herein. Some examples of alternative shapes are provided below. 
     The base  22  may be of any construction and configuration that supports the bag  12 , and the base  22  has a height H that supports the plastic bag  12  at supported substantially above the surface  18  when mounted on the mounting ring  20 , at a height H that is great enough to facilitate filling the plastic bag  12 , but preferably at a low enough height that the plastic bag  12  is at least somewhat supported by the surface  18 . For purposes of this application, the term “substantially above the surface” is hereby defined to mean that the plastic bag  12  is at least mostly above the surface  18  (more than 50%), and preferably at least 80-90%, or more, so that the plastic bag  12  may be substantially filled, while at least some of the weight may be borne by the surface  18 , reducing the strain placed upon the bag holder  10 . 
     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-2 , the base  22  includes a vertical handle portion  24  and a leg structure  26  that supports the vertical handle portion  24  upright. The vertical handle portion  24  may have an elongate body, a top end  28 , and a bottom end  30 . The elongate body may include an outer surface having contours that are suitable for grasping by the human hand, but other shapes may also be used. 
     The top end  28  includes an upper engaging structure  32  shaped to lockingly engage the mounting ring  20 , and wherein the bottom end  30  includes a lower engaging structure  34  that engages another engaging structure  36  of the leg structure  26 . In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-2 , the upper engaging structure  32  of the vertical handle portion  24  may include a pair of upwardly extending portions  38  separated by a slot  39 , the slot  39  being sized and shaped to frictionally engage on either side of the mounting ring  20 . The upper engaging structure  32  may, in this embodiment, engage a niche area  42  of the mounting ring  20 , discussed in greater detail below. 
     The lower engaging structure  34  is shaped to engage another engaging structure  36  of the base  22 . In this embodiment, the lower engaging structure  34  includes a flange, and the other engaging structure  36  of the base  22  includes a receiver, and the flange slidably interlocks with the receiver to removably mount the vertical handle portion  24  on the base  22 . 
     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-2 , the leg structure  26  may include a traverse body having two legs that are spaced wide enough to provide solid support. In this embodiment, the leg structure  26  is generally U-shaped. Obviously alternative constructions may also be used, and should be considered within the scope of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of another embodiment of the bag holder  10 , illustrating a second embodiment of the mounting ring  20 , which is round.  FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an assortment of various alternative mounting rings  40  having different shapes for holding the plastic bag  12  in different configurations. As illustrated in  FIGS. 3-4 , the mounting ring  20  of the bag holder  10  may have a variety of shapes. In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , the round shape enables the easier insertion of certain items. For purposes of this application, the term “items” is defined to include any form of items, materials, liquids, or anything else that one might want to store in this type of plastic bag  12  (e.g., food items, sandwiches, leftovers of any kind, and any non-food items, such as nuts/bolts, craft supplies, and anything else that may be desired). This invention is particularly useful in assisting in the storing of leftover foods, including any forms of soups, casseroles, and other items that might otherwise be difficult to insert into the plastic bag  12 . 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the different shapes of the mounting rings  20  nest within each other for storage, and yet enable a wide selection of configurations that facilitate storing different items. Also illustrated in  FIG. 4 , in one embodiment, each of the mounting rings  20  includes a niche area  42  that traverses the mounting ring  20  and is defined by two raised portions  44 , one on either side of the niche area  42 . As discussed above, the niche area  42  is used to removably mount the mounting ring  20  on the vertical handle portion  24 . 
       FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of the plastic bag  12  mounted on the mounting ring  20 , and the mounting ring  20  mounted on the vertical handle portion  24 , but the vertical handle portion  24  being separated from the leg structure  26 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , once the plastic bag  12  has been mounted on the mounting ring  20 , the perimeter  14  of the plastic bag  12  wraps around and frictionally engages with the mounting ring  20 . This also places the resealable zipper  15  facing outwardly, so that it remains clean of any materials (e.g., food) inserted into the plastic bag  12  during the filling process. The vertical handle portion  24  can be used as a handle to easily carry the plastic bag  12  and position it for filling. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the bag holder  10  of  FIG. 1 , wherein the mounting ring  20  has been replaced with a hanging hook  46 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a receiver  47  of the hanging hook  46  engages the upper engaging structure  32  for mounting the hanging hook  46  on the base  22 . The hanging hook  46  extends horizontally outward (i.e., in the direction of the two legs  26  of the base  22 ) for hanging fruit or other items on the base  22 , when the bag holder  10  is not being used for filling plastic bags. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the bag holder  50  in an upright configuration.  FIG. 8  is a perspective view thereof illustrating the plastic bag  12  mounted thereupon.  FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the bag holder  50  of  FIG. 7  in a folded configuration. This embodiment includes two hinged elements  52  that each includes a lateral bar  54  with legs  56  at either end. The legs  56  of the hinged elements  52  are joined with a connecting hinge  58 . The legs  56  are each connected to the lateral bar  54  via a folding hinge  60  to enable the folding of the holder  50  down to a very small size for storage and shipping. 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the bag holder  50  of  FIG. 7  with extender panels  62  clipped thereupon. The extender panels  62  clip on to the bag holder  10  with a clip portion  64 , and extend outwardly a distance DI. A width WI of the extender panel  62  is less that the width of the bag holder  10 , enabling smaller bags to be attached to the bag holder  10  via the extender panels  62 . 
     As used in this application, the words “a,” “an,” and “one” are defined to include one or more of the referenced item unless specifically stated otherwise. Also, the terms “have,” “include,” “contain,” and similar terms are defined to mean “comprising” unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, the terminology used in the specification provided above is hereby defined to include similar and/or equivalent terms, and/or alternative embodiments that would be considered obvious to one skilled in the art given the teachings of the present patent application.