Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Processes – Bag filling
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-24
2001-03-20
Jacyna, J. Casimer (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Processes
Bag filling
C141S390000, C141S391000, C141S316000, C248S097000, C248S099000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202709
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to doing yard work around the house and more particularly concerns a method and apparatus for collecting fallen leaves, lawn clippings and trash when doing yard work and inserting such material into a trash bag which is fully open without being required to stand there and hold it open.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Anyone who has done yard work around their home is familiar with plastic trash bags. These bags are generally made from film ranging from 0.5 to 1.2 mil thickness. The common types available differ somewhat in diameter and length, but not by much. They are advertised as fitting into garbage cans up to thirty gallons, thirty-three gallons or thirty-nine gallons.
These bags are very handy and economical. The problem arises when it comes to filling them. An accepted technique is to place the open bag into a metal or plastic garbage can and fold the lip of the bag over the top edge of the can. This assumes that a can is available, the can is empty, and it is the correct shape to suit the bag.
Under ideal conditions, the bag in the can accepts leaves, grass clippings, pine needles, or whatever, without falling into the can with the trash. Once the bag is full; it must be lifted from the can. According to U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,463, which issued on Dec. 10, 1985, to Boyd, “The load in a trash bag may typically be as high as 30-50 lbs.” Column 1, lines 21-22.
To lift that weight itself not easy, but to add to the difficulty the lower portion of the bag is swelling and gripping the can like a cork in a bottle. Now the can, must be held down while the full bag is drawn out.
To fill a trash bag without using a can as an assist is also very difficult. It is almost impossible to lay a bag on the ground and arrange the opening to anywhere near its full extent. Bags having a hem top edge with a drawstring are somewhat better in this regard than bags with a simple sheared edge, but even the hemmed bags leave much to be desired.
As the prior art of making a bag opener includes some of the following references; In cases where elongated curved sheets of Williams (U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,339) of February 1993 and the double rings of Sobolik (U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,340) of May 1997, also the use of a stand and clamping devices of Navarro (U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,219) of August 1992 and the weaving of rod Steinmetz (U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,651) of April 1998, as well as Blair (U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,219) of January 1992, Hayes (U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,103) of April 1991, Boyd (U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,463) of December 1985, Washington (U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,701) of September 1981.
While all the above show advantages in the art of keeping bags open and allowing a person to fill them, there appears to be none as flexible and have the multiple quick locking attachment to a portable post as well as the given ability to form the shape when put to the ground to allow a person to rake directly into the bag being held opened and have the flexibility to instantly return to its circular shape when pressure applied to form the wide opening is released, as the invention being filed for herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
My inventive method and apparatus is intended to alleviate the foregoing problems. It includes a reusable flexible band with a handle attached; the invention is placed over the end of a plastic bag at the bags open end. As the bag edges are pulled over the band of the invention all the way around, it forms a circular opening in the bag, thus leaving the bag open to be filled.
When placed on the ground with the opening In a vertical position one can press down on the top of the invention and cause the opening to take a wide oval shape that allows a person to rake into the bag; as opposed to picking up and putting in the bag. The invention also allows the use of the opened bag to be filled by picking up and putting trash into bag if so desired using only one hand to perform the task of holding the bag.
While this invention may be used by itself or with the adjustable handle-locking device and post. The post is inserted into the ground by means of applying pressure to the foot tab attached to the post, sliding the adjustable handle locking device over the post to the desired height to accommodate the bag length. By attaching the handle of the invention onto the adjustable handle locking device it holds the plastic bag upright and open, with the bottom of the bag supported by the ground. As the bag fills, lowering the invention by means of the adjustable handle-locking device will keep the bag open while letting the ground support the weight thereof.
The invention may be made from one of many materials, such as plastic, metal or perhaps even wood. What I found that worked best for me was a plastic polycarbonate, it seamed to me to be the best because of its strength and memory. Once formed into a circle it will return instantly to that shape when depressed and released again. I used a strip of this polycarbonate plastic approximately one and one half inch wide by one eight inch thick and made the length sixty one and a half inches long. The handle is made of the same material, in the size of four inches by six inches, by attaching the two ends of the strip to the handle using a product for joining acrylic called, weld-on #16, made by I.P.S. corp, I had the desired invention. In the handle a cut out was made to allow a person to insert a hand into, at the same time an adjustable handle locking device was designed to match the cut out of the handle. The locking device is L shaped with a hole large enough to slide over the accommodating post, yet tight enough to lock when the weight of the handle causes it tilt. For the larger lawn bag, 39 gallon, I made the band length sixty nine inches. I made this even though the shorter band will work on larger bags.
The bag opener is flexible and can be turned inside out by twisting, taking the handle in one hand and the opposite side of the band in the other hand and twisting. This twisting also allows the invention to accommodate larger bags. The wide band of the invention, grabs the plastic bag when the ends are pulled over the band such as one would fold the edges over the mouth of a trash can, also larger bags can be used by this invention.
Insert the open end of a trash bag through the center of the invention and pull the edges over the band, just as one would for a smaller bag; then give the invention a twist and the bag edges will roll up onto the band and stay in place the bag is ready to be filled.
The band and handle combined form a circle of a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of an average trash bag. The invention herein, unlike most, goes on the outside of the bag; thus, avoiding contact with trash if need be.
The supporting post with the adjustable handle locking device and foot anchoring tab is not intended to support the weight of the bag, but rather allow a person to lower the open mouth of the bag as it becomes fuller. This allows the ground to support the bottom of the bag thus taking the stress off of the invention and still allowing a person to fill the bag until full. The supporting post is not a necessary application and a person may use the bag opener with or without it.
The post may be of a variety of materials. I used plastic, and attached a tab near the bottom close to the pointed end and used the tab to push the post into the ground by means of using the foot and body weight.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3532314 (1970-10-01), Vosbikian
patent: 4026340 (1977-05-01), Sobolik
patent: 4287701 (1981-09-01), Washington
patent: 4312489 (1982-01-01), Paetzold
patent: 4319726 (1982-03-01), Andersson
patent: 4708307 (1987-11-01), Daigle
patent: 5082219 (1992-01-01), Blair
patent: 5139219 (1992-08-01), Navarro
patent: 5183227 (1993-02-01), Wilhite
patent: 5588922 (1996-12-01), Gordon, Sr.
patent: 5735494 (1998-04-01), Kurk
patent: 5743651 (1998-04-01), Steinmetz
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