Supports – Bag holders – Mouth holding frames
Reexamination Certificate
1998-01-16
2001-03-13
King, Anita M. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Bag holders
Mouth holding frames
C297S188080, C248S100000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199803
ABSTRACT:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is directed to the same subject matter as the design patent application entitled “Trash Container System” being filed concurrently herewith, the disclosure and drawings of which are incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to trash bag systems and more particularly to a trash containment system for disposing of refuse comprising a trash bag holding device and a trash receptacle having at its top area a resilient, elastomeric inlet mouth, couplable to the trash bag holding device, and at its bottom area a sealable refuse expelling outlet. The resilient elastomeric inlet mouth functions to (1) securely couple the trash receptacle to the trash bag holding device via the collapsible elastomeric properties of the resilient elastomeric inlet mouth; (2) hold refuse in the trash receptacle; and (3) expand, easily and effortlessly, to receive therethrough refuse having a myriad of dimensions. In the preferred embodiment, the main body of the trash receptacle is made of mesh. Although useable elsewhere as well, the preferred application for the invention is in a marine environment, such as, for example, a pleasure boat.
BACKGROUND ART
While boating, soft drinks, food and snacks are consumed from time to time. In some instances, containers, wrappings, etc., are thrown on the flooring of the boat or disposed of in a plastic trash bag. However, the wind and the agitation of the boat from hitting waves can cause the trash bag and its contents to fly away if not secured in some manner to the boat. Furthermore, refuse can, on occasion, fly out of the open mouth of the trash bag or out of the boat and litter the waterway. A list of prior patents, which may be of interest, is provided below:
PAT. NO.
Inventor
Date
D286,217
Waun et al.
10/14/1986
D303,305
Deacon
09/05/1989
D341,236
Gasca-Salas
11/09/1993
960,451
Vicary
06/07/1910
4,669,689
Jones
06/02/1987
4,705,249
Edwards
11/10/1987
4,984,759
Perlant
01/15/1991
5,201,446
Martin
04/13/1993
5,362,153
Lu
11/08/1994
5,524,762
Shafram et al.
06/11/1996
5,639,051
Surbeck
06/17/1997
Several devices have been patented which are directed to trash bag holding devices for plastic bags having hand loops wherein the trash bag holding devices are designed to attach the hand loops to the trash bag holding device for securing the plastic bags thereto, such as, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,051, by Surbeck, entitled “TRASH BAG HOLDING DEVICE FOR PLASTIC GROCERY BAGS WITH LOOPED HANDLES”; U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,759, by Perlant, entitled “CONTAINER SUPPORT WITH IMPROVED BAG HOLDING MEANS”; and, U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,689, by Jones, entitled “BAG HOLDER.” U.S. Des. Pat. No. 303,305, by Deacon, entitled “BAG HOLDER HOOK” illustrates an ornamental design of a bag holder hook which supports a bag from the hand loops. Most of the aforementioned trash bag holding devices, which couple thereto trash bags, stretch open the mouth of the plastic trash bag.
U.S. Des. Pat. No. 341,236, by Gasca-Salas, entitled “BAG HOLDER” and U.S. Des. Pat. No. 286,217, by Waun et al., entitled “REFUSE BAG HOLDER” illustrate an ornamental design of a bag holder wherein the bag hold maintains the mouth of the bag open.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,762, by Shafram et al., entitled “DISPOSABLE LITTER BAG SYSTEM” discloses a bag holder having a clip for holding a bundle of tear-off bags. Each bag of the bundle has a flap adjacent the opening of the bag wherein the clip receives such flap for holding the bundle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,249, by Edwards, entitled “TRASH BAG HOLDING DEVICE” discloses a trash bag holding device which clamps to a wall of the trash bag wherein the mouth of the bag remains open.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,153, by Lu, entitled “LITTER BAG FOR AUTOMOBILES” discloses a litter bag for receiving therein a plastic bag. The litter bag has a zippered compartment for storing therein a roll of plastic bags. The litter bag has coupled thereto a strap which is secured under the seat of an automobile and another strap shown coupled around the support rods of a head rest. Thereby, the litter bag is supported on the back surface of the seat. The upper edges of the litter bag are resilient to maintain the mouth of the litter bag normally closed. In operation, an upper edge of the plastic bag is clipped between the upper edge of the litter bag and a side flap.
Although generally pertinent to the invention, the “resilient” upper edges of the mouth of the litter bag of Lu is quite different in structure from the resilient elastomeric inlet mouth of the trash receptacle of the present invention. More specifically, the resilient mouth of the litter bag is not disclosed as being resiliently elastomeric. Furthermore, the resilient mouth is not designed to securely couple the litter bag to a trash bag holding device via the collapsible elastomeric properties of a resilient elastomeric inlet mouth.
U.S. Pat. No. 960,451, by Vicary, entitled “BAG HOLDER” discloses a bag holder which serves to hold the mouth of the bag open by means of an adjustably held expansible bag receiving member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,446, by Martin, entitled “FRUIT PICKER'S SUPPORTED CONTAINER” discloses a container supported against the user's body. The container comprises an unfolding skirt which is released via two straps for opening the bottom of the container. Thereby, the fruit in the container may be emptied from the container.
As will be seen more fully below, the present invention is substantially different in structure, methodology and approach from that of the prior art trash holding devices and trash receptacles coupled thereto.
GENERAL SUMMARY DISCUSSION OF INVENTION
The trash container system is uniquely designed to prevent refuse from littering, for example, the waterways while boating, wherein the trash container and emptying system is securable to a vertical surface of the boat and the resilient elastomeric inlet mouth of the trash receptacle of the trash container and emptying system functions to hold refuse in the trash receptacle even in the presence of high winds and the forceful agitation of the boat when the boat hits waves.
Furthermore, the trash container and emptying system of the present invention is uniquely designed to be attached to a vertical surface or near vertical surface in any environment, such as in bathrooms, closets, galley cabinets, etc.
While the trash container and emptying system of the present invention is designed for placing refuse therein, the trash container and emptying system may be used to hold therein items and containers other than refuse which are not intended to be thrown away.
More specifically, the trash container and emptying system for disposing of refuse of the present invention, comprises a trash bag holding device and a trash receptacle having a resilient elastomeric inlet, upper mouth, couplable to the trash bag holding device, and a sealable, refuse expelling outlet at its bottom area. The resilient elastomeric inlet mouth functions to (1) securely couple the trash receptacle to the trash bag holding device via the collapsible elastomeric properties of the resilient elastomeric inlet mouth; (2) hold refuse in the trash receptacle; and (3) expand to receive therethrough refuse having a myriad of dimensions and shapes. The refuse container and emptying capability of the trash container and emptying system serves to allow the trash container and emptying system to be used in environments where maintaining refuse in trash systems which maintain the mouth of the trash receptacle open has proven to be a problem.
The trash bag holding device of the trash container and emptying system preferably comprises a vertical wall support plate, a horizontal plate coupled perpendicularly to a bottom edge of the vertical wall support plate, a vertical member perpendicularly coupled to an opposite edge of the horizontal plate wherein the vertical member extends downwardly. The bottom portion of the vertical member provides first and second flanges which laterally flare from the right and left sides of t
King Anita M.
Pugh C. Emmett
Pugh/Associates, Patent & Trademark Attorneys
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