U.S. patent application number 09/739169 was filed with the patent office on 2001-06-07 for support frame for plastic bag with handles having reservoir bag attachment.
Invention is credited to Rosky, Gregory C..
Application Number | 20010002690 09/739169 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26762553 |
Filed Date | 2001-06-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010002690 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rosky, Gregory C. |
June 7, 2001 |
Support frame for plastic bag with handles having reservoir bag
attachment
Abstract
A support frame for a plastic bag with opposite handles has a
horizontal rectangular base member in the form of a tray with four
upstanding struts extending from sockets in the corners of the
tray. Horizontal braces are frictionally secured between two each
of the struts. The upper end of the struts terminate in U-shaped
hooks that extend inwardly in a direction towards the space over
the base member to permit a bag with separate upper handles and a
body portion to have one each of its handles supported on opposite
pairs of the hooks with the body portion suspended therebetween. A
fresh bag reservoir is detachably secured to one of the pair of end
most struts, and has an open top, and which does not enlarge the
profile of the unit.
Inventors: |
Rosky, Gregory C.; (Des
Moines, IA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Donald H. Zarley
Zarley, McKee, Thomte, Voorhees & Sease
Suite 3200
801 Grand Avenue
Des Moines
IA
50309-2721
US
|
Family ID: |
26762553 |
Appl. No.: |
09/739169 |
Filed: |
December 18, 2000 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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09739169 |
Dec 18, 2000 |
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09647440 |
Sep 28, 2000 |
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09647440 |
Sep 28, 2000 |
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PCT/US99/06757 |
Mar 29, 1999 |
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60079905 |
Mar 30, 1998 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
248/99 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 67/1227
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/99 |
International
Class: |
B65B 067/04 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A support frame for a plastic bag, comprising, a horizontal
rectangular base member with four upstanding struts, means for
suspending a bag in an open position between the struts, and a
fresh replacement bag reservoir attached to at least two of the
struts to house replacement bags for subsequent mounting on the
structure.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the bag has an open top, and has
hollow retention strips receiving the upper ends of the struts upon
which it is mounted.
3. The device of claim 2 wherein a cross brace extends between the
struts supports the bag and being located below the lower ends of
the strips.
4. The device of claim 3 wherein the struts are detachably secured
to the base member, and the cross brace is detachably secured to
the struts that support the bag.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Ser. No.
09/647,440 filed Sep. 28, 2000 based upon PCT Application
PCT/US99/06757 filed Mar. 29, 1999 which is a conversion of
Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/079,905 filed Mar. 30,
1998.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Plastic bags with handles are fast replacing conventional
paper bags for carrying groceries and other goods from supermarkets
and other retail stores. The plastic bags have further use in homes
after their primary use is finished in that the bags have further
utility as containers for trash. Frames such as that shown in U.S.
Application Ser. No. 09/647,440 are useful for supporting the bags
as trash receptacles. However, it is sometimes a nuisance not to
have a supply of fresh bags readily available for trash usage on
the frames. It is therefore a principal object of this invention to
provide a support frame for such trash bags which will include a
reservoir for fresh bags.
[0003] A further object of the invention is to provide a support
frame for such bags where the trash bag reservoir is easy to use
and easy to attach to the frame, and is space efficient, and is
inexpensive to construct, and refined in appearance.
[0004] These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in
the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] A support frame for a plastic bag with opposite handles has
a horizontal rectangular base member in the form of a tray with
four upstanding struts extending from sockets in the corners of the
tray. Horizontal braces are frictionally secured between two each
of the struts. The upper end of the struts terminate in U-shaped
hooks that extend inwardly in a direction towards the space over
the base member to permit a bag with separate upper handles and a
body portion to have one each of its handles supported on opposite
pairs of the hooks with the body portion suspended therebetween. A
fresh bag reservoir is detachably secured to one of the pair of
end-most struts, and has an open top, and which does not enlarge
the profile of the unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the support frame;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the support frame with
a plastic bag shown in dotted lines supported by the frame;
[0008] FIG. 3 is an end elevational view thereof;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a top plan view thereof;
[0010] FIG. 5 is an enlarged scale perspective view of a hook on
the frame for supporting the bag;
[0011] FIG. 6 is an enlarged scale sectional view taken on line 6-6
of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 7 is an exploded partial perspective view of a strut
that receives a cross brace;
[0013] FIG. 8 is an inner side elevational view of the fresh bag
reservoir;
[0014] FIG. 9 is an edge elevational view of the fresh bag
reservoir;
[0015] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the device of the invention
with the fresh bag reservoir attached; and
[0016] FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of FIG. 10.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] The support frame 10 (FIG. 1) has duplicate spaced opposite
sides 12 which have upwardly and outwardly extending end portions
14 and 16 terminating in hooks 18. The U-shaped hooks are open at
the top and extend inwardly in a direction towards the space
between the end portions to permit a bag with separate upper
handles and a body portion to have one each of its handles
supported on opposite pairs of the hooks with the body portion
suspended therebetween.
[0018] Braces 20 secure sides 12 together. A fresh bag reservoir 22
is mounted on one end pair of struts 12A and braces 20. Frame 10 is
comprised of stiff but resilient plastic material (struts 12A and
braces 20). The ends of the braces 20 have U-shaped snap connectors
23 to detachably but frictionally engage struts 12 A (FIG. 6). The
snap connections 23 are nested between annular rings 12B in area
12C (FIG. 7).
[0019] The lower square ends 12D of struts 12A are detachably
frictionally inserted into the sockets 24 of the four sided tray
25. An annular ring 12A is also located above the end 12D.
[0020] It should also be noted that the square lower ends 12D of
the struts 12A are normally received in a vertical configuration
within the sockets 24. The strut however is then bent slightly
outwardly from the square ends 12D as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and
7.
[0021] A bag 26 has opposite loop handles 28. The handles are
draped over the hooks 18 as shown by the dotted lines in FIGS. 2
and 5. The top opening 30 of the bag is thereby held in an open
condition (FIG. 3).
[0022] It should be noted that the length of the struts 12A is such
that when the bag 26 is suspended on hooks 18, the bottom of the
bags 26 can rest on the bottom of the tray 25.
[0023] For shipping and packaging purposes, the struts 12A are
removed from the sockets 24, and the braces 20 and 22 are
detachably removed from the struts by means of the U-shaped snap
connectors 23. The support frame 10 is thereupon easily assembled
by inserting the struts 12A into the sockets 24, and then placing
the braces 20 and 22 in connection with the struts 12A as described
above through the use of the U-shaped snap connectors 23. The frame
in operation is therefore very sturdy, but the frame 10 does has
some slight resiliency to slightly flex depending upon the degree
to which the bag 26 is filled with trash or the like. When the bag
is full, it is easily removed from the hooks 18, and replaced with
another disposable bag.
[0024] The reservoir bag 22 has a body 28 with an open top 30, and
a height substantially equal to that of frame 10. It has an inner
side 32 and an outer side 34, and side edges 36 and 38. Two
elongated strips 40 are stitched to the upper side edges 30 on the
inner side 32 to slidably receive the struts 12A when the frame 10
is disassembled. The lower ends of disassembled struts 12A are
inserted downwardly through the hollow interiors of straps 40 so
that the open top 30 is located just below the hooks 18 (FIG. 10).
The brace 20 is then snapped onto the strips 12A so that the bag 22
assumes the position shown in FIG. 11. It should be noted that the
bottom of the bag 22 normally dwells inside a vertical plane
passing downwardly through the upper end of struts 12A so as not to
increase the over length of the unit. (FIG. 9). The lower ends of
the struts 12A are then assembled into the corners of tray 25 as
described above. The strips 40 encompass the portion of struts 12A
from braces 20 upwardly to the bottom of hooks 18.
[0025] Fresh replacement bags 26 can be easily inserted into the
bag 22 for use and quick accessibility after the mounted bag 26 of
FIGS. 2 and 3 are filled and removed.
[0026] Thus, it is seen that the device of this invention is easily
assembled; requires little space, and enhances the utility of the
basic frame 10.
[0027] It is therefore seen that this invention will achieve at
least all of its stated objectives.
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