Patent ID: 7407139

Claim:
An apparatus for assisting a user to maintain a trash bag at a selected position, said apparatus comprising: a flexible and unitary body adaptable between linear and arcuate positions, said body being sized and shaped for being removably insertable into a trash bag and engageable with an inner surface thereof for creating a generally annular top opening so that a user can readily fill the trash bag with debris without the necessity of handling the trash bag, said body having a centrally disposed latitudinal axis and opposed end portions equally spaced therefrom, said body including a top portion integral with said end portions and extending along a longitudinal length of said apparatus, said body further including a plurality of elongated leg portions integrally disposed with said top portion and extending downwardly therefrom along a vertical plane substantially parallel to the axis, said leg portions being provided with lower edge portions terminating below said top portion and for assisting a user to maintain the trash bag at an open position, said leg portions defining a plurality of channels therebetween wherein said channels extend upwardly along the vertical plane and terminate subjacent said top portion respectively; each of said leg portions having a longitudinal length at least twice as long as a distance between said top and end portions, wherein said leg portions comprise first, second and third leg portions, each of said first and third leg portions having an inner edge extending parallel to adjacent edges of said second leg portion, wherein said end portions laterally extend beyond outer edges of said first and third leg portions.