Patent ID: 8333351

Claim:
A device for maintaining a mouth of a refuse bag in an open position, the device comprising: a generally-rectangular frame independent from the refuse bag, the generally-rectangular frame comprising: a pair of spaced apart, substantially-parallel, upwardly-curved members each having a proximal end and a distal end; and a pair of spaced apart, substantially-parallel downwardly-curved members, wherein one of the pair of downwardly-curved members is connected between the proximal ends of the upwardly-curved members and another one of the pair of downwardly-curved members is connected between the distal ends of the upwardly-curved members; wherein the generally-rectangular frame is capable of being compressed for insertion into and removal from the mouth of the refuse bag; wherein a portion of the generally-rectangular frame is capable of protruding from the mouth of the refuse bag when positioned in the mouth of the refuse bag to maintain the mouth of the refuse bag in an open position; and wherein when the generally-rectangular frame is positioned in the mouth of the refuse bag, the generally-rectangular shape of the resilient frame maintains the rectangular shape of the mouth of the refuse bag.