U.S. patent application number 11/083872 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-21 for trash bag holder.
Invention is credited to Faramarz Mikanikian.
Application Number | 20060210200 11/083872 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37010418 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060210200 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mikanikian; Faramarz |
September 21, 2006 |
Trash bag holder
Abstract
A sleeve for supporting the inside surface of a collapsible bag
during the process of filling the collapsible bag includes at least
two elongated panels connected together at a fold line so that one
of the at least two elongated panels rotate to open the collapsible
bag, an edge of the collapsible bag being folded over a top edge of
the two elongated panels and a clip having arms to hold the edge of
the collapsible bag over the top edge of one the two elongated
panels.
Inventors: |
Mikanikian; Faramarz; (Troy,
MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Wilson Daniel Swayze,Jr
3804 Clearwater Ct.
Plano
TX
75025
US
|
Family ID: |
37010418 |
Appl. No.: |
11/083872 |
Filed: |
March 18, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/33 ;
220/495.11; 383/34 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65F 1/1468 20130101;
B65F 1/1415 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/033 ;
220/495.11; 383/034 |
International
Class: |
B65D 33/00 20060101
B65D033/00; B65D 33/02 20060101 B65D033/02; B65D 25/14 20060101
B65D025/14 |
Claims
1. A sleeve for supporting the inside surface of a collapsible bag
during the process of filling the collapsible bag, comprising: at
least two elongated panels connected together at a fold line so
that one of said at least two elongated panels rotate to open the
collapsible bag; an edge of said collapsible bag being folded over
a top edge of said two elongated panels; a clip having arms to hold
said edge of said collapsible bag over said top edge of one of said
two elongated panels.
2. A sleeve for supporting the inside surface of a collapsible bag
during the process of filling the collapsible bag as in claim 1,
wherein one of said panels is coated with a moisture resistant
agent on only one side.
3. A sleeve for supporting the inside surface of a collapsible bag
during the process of filling the collapsible bag as in claim 2,
wherein one of said panels includes a hand hold cut out having a
folded portion being folded towards said moisture resistant agent
side.
4. A sleeve for supporting the inside surface of a collapsible bag
during the process of filling the collapsible bag as in claim 3,
wherein said hand held cut out includes a cutout portion from said
panel.
5. A sleeve for supporting the inside surface of a collapsible bag
during the process of filling the collapsible bag as in claim 1,
wherein said clip is substantially U-shaped.
6. A sleeve for supporting the inside surface of a collapsible bag
during the process of filling the collapsible bag as in claim 1,
wherein said clip includes an arm for holding said collapsible
bag.
7. A method for forming a sleeve for supporting the inside surface
of a collapsible bag during the process of filling the collapsible
bag, comprising the steps of: forming at least two elongated panels
connected together at a fold line so that one of said at least two
elongated panels rotate to open the collapsible bag; folding an
edge of said collapsible bag over a top edge of said two elongated
panels; forming a clip having arms to hold said edge of said
collapsible bag over said top edge of one of said two elongated
panels.
8. A method for forming a sleeve for supporting the inside surface
of a collapsible bag during the process of filling the collapsible
bag as in claim 7, wherein the method include the step of coating
one of said panels with a moisture resistant agent on only one
side.
9. A method for forming a sleeve for supporting the inside surface
of a collapsible bag during the process of filling the collapsible
bag as in claim 8, wherein the method includes forming one of said
panels to include a hand hold cut out having a folded portion
towards said moisture resistant agent side.
10. A method for forming a sleeve for supporting the inside surface
of a collapsible bag during the process of filling the collapsible
bag as in claim 9, wherein the method includes forming said
handheld cut out with a cutout portion from said panel.
11. A method for forming a sleeve for supporting the inside surface
of a collapsible bag during the process of filling the collapsible
bag as in claim 7, wherein the method includes forming said clip
substantially U-shaped.
12. A method for forming a sleeve for supporting the inside surface
of a collapsible bag during the process of filling the collapsible
bag as in claim 7, wherein the method includes forming said clip
with an arm for holding said collapsible bag.
13. A sleeve for supporting the inside surface of a collapsible bag
during the process of filling the collapsible bag as in claim 2,
wherein one of said panels includes a hand hold cut out having a
cut out portion and a folded portion, said cut out portion being
U-shaped.
14. A sleeve for supporting the inside surface of a collapsible bag
during the process of filling the collapsible bag as in claim 13,
wherein said cut out portion extends beyond the top of said panel
when folded along said fold line.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to devices and methods for
making same and for supporting trash bags.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A problem known to any users of collapsible bags is to keep
the bag open while filling the bag. One such apparatus is described
in U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,652 to Hoerner. One solution is to have one
user hold the bag open while another user fills the bag. However,
this solution is inefficient in requiring two users. A typical bag
as flexible sides so that a great number of a bags can be stored in
a one relatively small package. However, these flexible sides
create problems in that the bag will not remain upright without
additional support. This support can take many forms, but should
solve several problems. First, the support should be lightweight so
that it can be easily carried by the user. The support should
maintain a firm attachment to the bag so that the support does not
allow the bag to collapse as debris is being placed in the bag.
Additionally, the support should easily be movable so that the bag
can be moved from place to place.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The structure of the present invention provides an apparatus
for maintaining a collapsible bag in a fully open condition and for
holding the top edges of the bag during the filling process. The
edges are easily released from the bag, and the apparatus is easily
removed from the bag, leaving the debris in the bag. The apparatus
includes a sleeve of several interconnected panels, which are
adapted to fold upon each other to form a flat rectangular
structure in the stored condition. The panels are arranged to be
positioned substantially parallel to some but not all of the sides
of the bag. As a result of this feature, the sleeve will
accommodate differing sized bags. Grips are used to releasable
secure the panel to the bag. After the debris has been collected
and placed in the bag, the grips are released or removed from the
panel and the bag so that the sleeve can be removed from the bag
and reused with another bag. When the sleeve being is to be
removed, the user grasps handles in the panel to aid in the removal
of the sleeve. The sleeve is coated with moisture resistant agent
such as wax or other suitable material to prevent moisture from
degrading the material of the sleeve.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of the sleeve of the present
invention;
[0005] FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the clip of the present
invention;
[0006] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the sleeve being
inserted into a bag;
[0007] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the bag being
folded over the sleeve;
[0008] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of clips being
inserted over the sleeve and bag;
[0009] FIG. 6 illustrates a front view of the sleeve with U-shaped
handles;
[0010] FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the U-shaped
handles.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the sleeve 100 is formed of
substantially rigid material of lightweight and sufficient
thickness. The sleeve could be made from corrugated board material
for example the ones used to manufacture packaging boxes or any
other suitable material including REDID material. The sleeve 100
may be reusable or disposable, and a material may be untreated or
may be coated with a moisture resistant agent such as wax, plastic
or any other suitable material to assist in making the sleeve 100
waterproof to make it more long-lasting or more slippery.
[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, only one side of
the sleeve is coated with a moisture resistant agent such as wax,
plastic or any other suitable material. This allows the sleeve 100
to be waterproof, yet saving manufacturing costs in that coating
with wax on a single side saves wax and a manufacturing step.
[0013] FIG. 1 shows sleeve 100 to include elongated panels 104, 106
and 108. Additional or fewer panels are within the scope of the
invention. Using panel 104 as an example, the longitudinal edges of
panel 104 are substantially parallel to the longitudinal sides of
the bag, and the traverse edge of panel 104 is adjacent to the
bottom of the bag.
[0014] The sleeve may be formed with hand-hold cut outs 102; FIG. 1
shows a single hand-hold cut out 102 in each panel. The sleeve
could be manufactured without the hand-hold cut outs in each panel,
or multiple hand-hole cut outs could be formed in a single panel.
The sleeve is formed with the hand-hold cut outs 102 being
typically cut on the arc and folded across the straight-line. The
hand held cut out 102 could be manufactured so that the hand held
cut out 102 opens toward the side of the sleeve 100 with the wax
coating.
[0015] Continuing with FIG. 1, panel 104 is at one end of sleeve
100; and panel 108 is at another end of sleeve 100 while panel 106
is positioned between panel 104 and panel 108.
[0016] FIG. 1 additionally illustrates fold lines 110, 112 to
define panel 104, panel 106 and panel 108. These fold lines 110,
112 should be sufficiently wide to allow the folding of panel 104
upon panel 106 and panel 108 upon either panel 106 or folded panel
104 to permit the panels 104, 106 and 108 to be stored and the
panels to lie flat. In this manner, it is contemplated that the
panels in the folded condition could be packaged by shrink-wrapping
or stretch wrapping or any other suitable type of packaging.
[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates a clip 200 to hold the bag to the sleeve
100. FIG. 1 shows that the clip 200 is substantially U-shaped and
that the clip 200 is used on each of the panels 104, 106 and 108.
The use of the clip 200 on each panel allows the bag to be securely
held to the sleeve 100. However, more or fewer clips 200 could be
used to hold the bag in place. Continuing now with FIG. 2, the clip
200 includes two arms 202 to hold the bag to the sleeve 100. The
two arms 202 are attached to a base 204. The clip 200 could be made
from a flexible material such as a plastic material or any other
suitable material. This flexible material allows the arms 202 to be
expanded so that the arms 202 can be easily placed around the bag
and screen 100, and then when the arms 202 are released to return
to their original positions, the arms 202 firmly grasps the bag and
holds the bag against the panel 100. The distance between arms 202
should correspond approximately to the thickness of the sleeve 100
so that the bag is firmly grasped.
[0018] When the user is ready to use the sleeve 100, the user takes
the sleeve 100 out of the packaging and keeps panels 104, 106 and
108 folded upon each other. The trash bag is selected to be filled
with trash. The sleeve 100 with the panels 104, 106 and 108 being
fold upon each other is inserted into the trash bag to be filled
with trash. The panels 104, 106 and 108 are rotated along the fold
lines 110 and 112 respectively as shown in FIG. 3 to open the bag.
The trash bag being longer than the longitudinal dimension of
panels 104,106 and 108 has a top edge of the trash bag folded over
the panels 104,106 and 108 as shown in FIG. 4. After the top edges
of a bag are folded over the panels 104, 106 and 108, the clips 200
are placed over the edges of the trash bag and the panels 104, 106,
and 108 as shown in FIG. 5.
[0019] FIG. 6 shows a sleeve 600 with U-shaped handles. More
particularly, handles 602 include in panel 608 a U-shaped cut out
portion 612 shown in phantom line and a fold line 610. In panel
604, the handle 602 has been cut out and folded along the fold line
610 leaving a hole 614. The handle 602 extends beyond the top of
panel 604 to allow the handle 602 to be easily grasped.
[0020] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the handle 602.
[0021] While the present invention has been described in terms of
specific embodiments, modifications to the above-described features
are considered to be within the scope of the present invention as
defined by the claims.
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