Disposable leaf and debris collection bag system

Abstract

A disposable lawn bag providing for easy pick-up and removal of leaves and lawn debris, thus eliminating the need for constant bending and handling of leaves and lawn debris. The bag is held open when the two ends of the enclosed stakes are pulled apart and pushed into the ground. This opens the bag and allows it to sit flush against the ground, so that leaves and debris can be directly raked into the open bag. No bending or handling of leaves and debris is necessary. Once the bag is filled, the ends of the stakes are removed from the ground. The bag may then be closed with any type of closure and then disposed of, using the takes as handles.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/210,948, filed on Jun. 12, 2000, entitled DISPOSABLE LEAF AND DEBRIS COLLECTION BAG SYSTEM

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention is a disposable lawn bag providing for easy pick up and removal of leaves and lawn debris. This invention eliminates the need for constant bending and handling of leaves and lawn debris when it is desired to remove them. The present invention provides a means whereby the leaves and other debris are removed directly from e.g. the lawn into the container, such that the debris will be stored within and removed from the lawn with the container. The container will be a disposable plastic bag, other materials can be used to satisfy the requirements of removal, e.g., paper, nylon and other materials to hold the collected matter within the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The invention uses a disposable plastic bag of sufficient strength to hold the material desired to be removed. The open end of the bag will include a support to maintain the bag in an open position when the bag is on the ground thereby allowing the leaves and other debris to be pushed or directed directly into the open end of the bag. Preferably the support to maintain the bag in an open position at its open end would be a pair of elongated stakes. These stakes can be parallel to one another e.g. forming an opening at the open end of the bag in a square or rectangular arrangement. In this arrangement one edge of the open end is parallel to the ground and preferably flat on the ground and the sides of the opening will be perpendicular to the ground. The open end will be supported by the parallel stakes that are put in the ground, to maintain the open end of the bag in a generally open position. Likewise a trapezoidal arrangement can be made at the open end and a triangular arrangement as well. In addition, the stakes can be connected end to end to create a flexible continuous stake greater than half the circumference of the open end of the plastic bag, to form a half circle opening. Likewise, a single stake having a length greater than half the circumference can be used.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the present invention having parallel opposed supports for the open end of the bag.

[0005] FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, however, the supports are angled such that the base of the open end is greater than the top portion of the opening creating a trapezoidal effect for the opening. This embodiment provides an advantage in that the base portion of the open end of the plastic bag adjacent to the ground is wider to allow a larger amount of debris that is close to the ground to be swept into the open end of the bag.

[0006] FIG. 3 shows the support stakes arranged in a triangular arrangement to create a triangular arrangement at the open end.

[0007] FIG. 4 is a similar arrangement to the prior views described above whereby there is one stake or more than one stake connected end to end creating a half circle.

[0008] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the bag of the present invention of FIG. 1; however, by varying the size of the bags or the stakes, the user can modify the size of the opening and if desired increase or decrease the size of the opening.

[0009] FIG. 6 shows an arrangement whereby the stakes are generally parallel. In this arrangement, when the open end of the bag is open, the stakes can be brought together in side by side relationship to provide a closure of the bag using the length of the stakes to draw the two sides of the open end of the bag toward one another. A tying means such as a twist, rubber bands or adhesive strips along each side of the stakes can be used to maintain the stakes in close relationship to form a closure of the open end of the bag. Likewise, tape can be used to hold the stakes to one another.

[0010] FIG. 7 is a partial view of stakes 14 and 15 showing use with an adhesive strip along the length of one stake to adhere against the length of the second stake.

[0011] FIG. 7a is a partial view of stacks 14 and 15 showing an alternative use with tape, whereby one or more pieces of tape are attached to one stake which are wrapped around the other stake to hold both stakes together.

[0012] FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective schematic diagrams of the bag 10 of the present invention showing the arrangement of stakes 14 and 15 where the top portion of each stake is with the bag. FIG. 8 shows the top halves of each stake in phantom so that they can be seen inside a looped overlapped portion of the bag that secures the stakes to the bag.

[0013] FIG. 10 is a section view of the top of bag 10 taken along lines 10-10 of FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1 the present disposable lawn bag 10 includes a plastic container bag 11 having a closed end 12 and an open end 13. As shown in FIG. 1, the open end 13 is supported in a rectangular position in the open position by a first stake 14 and a second stake 15. Open end 13 includes a base side 16 adjacent the ground and a top side 17 spaced apart from the ground and parallel to open base side 16. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 1, the opening 13 of bag 10 is maintained in a generally rectangular configuration as supported by opposed parallel stakes 14 and 15. Though the ground is not shown, the tops 14V and 15B of stakes 14 and 15 are in the ground such that side 16 is adjacent to the ground.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, open end 13 includes stakes 14 and 15 supporting bag 11 in an open position. Also shown in FIG. 2 and preferably in the event there is wind in the location where the debris is being picked up, open end 13 would face the oncoming wind either directly or at an angle or a portion thereof such that bag 11 would be maintained by the wind in a full open position along its length, preferably in a full open position along the entire length of bag 11. In FIG. 2 stakes 14 and 15 are angled in such a way that base side 16 of opening 13 is wider than top side 17 of opening 13.

[0016] In FIG. 3 is a similar arrangement of bag 11 as described herein with or without wind stakes 14 and 15 are in close proximity at their upper ends 14A and 15A such that stakes 14 and 15 form a triangular opening for open end 13 of bag 11. Similar to FIG. 2 base side 16 of opening 13 forms a wide portion of opening 13. This allows debris to be easily swept into the inside of bag 11. In FIG. 4, a single continuous stake 18 supports open end 13 in an open position with base side 16 flush to the ground. In FIG. 5, it can be seen that stakes 14 and 15 are preferably sufficiently long such that base ends 14B and 15B of stakes 14 and 15 are long enough to be driven into the ground and still allow base side 16 to be flush with the ground. As shown in FIG. 6, when use of the bag is completed, stakes 14 and 15 can be removed from the ground. In addition, stakes 14 and 15 can be drawn together in a parallel arrangement so as to first seal or generally close opening 13 and second to create a handle to support and carry bag 11 when it contains debris. In addition, rubber bands 19 and 20 can be used to hold the opposed ends of stakes 14 and 15 in close arrangement, at the ends of each stake 14 and 15, so that bag 11 and opening 13 will remain in a closed position. Alternatively, an adhesive strip 21 along either stake 14 or 15 can be used to hold the stakes together. Preferably the adhesive would have a reasonable cover (see FIG. 7). As shown in FIG. 7A, one or more adhesive strips 21, attached to one of said stakes 14 can be wrapped around the other stake to hold the two stakes together.

[0017] In general, the present invention is a disposable lawn bag 10 designed for easy removal of leaves and other lawn debris. The invention includes a flexible garbage bag 11 that contains stakes 14 and 15, that when spread apart with their ends inserted into the ground, will hold bag 11 flush to the ground and in an open position for ease in raking leaves and lawn debris into the bag. Bag 11 can be made of various thickness of plastic or other disposable material and can come in a variety of sizes and thickness and materials depending on the job it is being used for.

[0018] In an alternate embodiment bag 11 will contain slots on opposite sides of opening 13 which allow for the support stakes to be held prior to use and allow the protruding ends to be exposed and then be placed in the ground. When the ends of the stakes are spread apart tautly and inserted into the ground, the bag will be held open and one side of the opening will sit flush against the ground. The stakes can be made out of a variety of materials including, but not limited to: plastic, wood, metal, cardboard, aluminum, rubber, paper materials, and can be straight, hinged, collapsible and telescoping. The stakes may vary in length depending upon the size of the bag used and the size and shape of opening that is desired.

[0019] A single stake can also form a U-shape such that its two ends can be inserted into the ground, to hold the bag flush to the ground and have a semicircular opening for ease in raking leaves and lawn debris into the bag.

[0020] The present invention is a disposable lawn bag designed for easy removal of leaves and other lawn debris comprising a flexible bag that with enclosed stakes can form a square, rectangular or trapezoidal shape when the stakes are inserted into the ground, which will hold the bag flush to the ground and open for ease in raking leaves and lawn debris into the bag. The flexible bag with enclosed stakes can form a triangular shape when the two ends are inserted into the ground, and will hold the bag flush to the ground and open for ease in raking leaves and lawn debris into the bag.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 8, bag 10 at its open end 13 includes a wrap-over or fold-over portion whereby the top of the bag is folded over onto itself along the entire top portion or the top portion containing the stake and sealed at location 22 (see FIG. 10). The sealing can be by adhesive or by heat, both well known in the art. Within the fold-over portion is one or more stakes. Referring to FIG. 8, it can be seen that stake 14 and stake 15 protrude from within the foldover portion and out of the fold-over portion at points 15C and 14C. When the stakes, as shown in FIG. 8, are placed into the ground, bottom portion 16 will be parallel and close to and secured to the ground by the force of the stakes 14 and 15 in the ground and bag 13 will be held in an open position supported by stakes 14 and 15. Bottom portion 16 in RIG. 8 may or may not include the fold over portion just discussed, depending on the manufacturing process.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 9, when the operation is completed the stakes 14 and 15 will be drawn close to each other in parallel fashion and tape 19 can be used to secure the top portion of the bag and hold the two stakes close to one another. Tape 19 would be adhered on one end 19A on the exterior of bag 10 and its other end 19B on the side adjacent plastic bag 10, and would have a peel off strip protecting an adhesive layer so that when the two stakes 14 and 15 are close to one another, the strip (not shown) would be pulled off and the 19B end of tape 19 would be wrapped around the plastic adjacent the opposite stake 14.

[0023] In an alternate embodiment it is possible that two openings in the bag such as 14C and 15C would come with the bag so that stakes not within the bag could be inserted at those locations into the wrap-around portion of the bag. In the preferred embodiment, the bag as shown in FIG. 8 would be sold with the stakes in the top fold-over portion of the bag. The stakes could be adhered within the fold-over portion by adhesive or other means, with a portion thereof, ends 14b and 15b, extending therefrom. The bag would be folded in such a manner that it could be conveniently removed from its packaging with the bottom end of each stake 14 and 15 ready to be put into the ground. It is also possible to sell the stakes separately or the stakes can come with and/or within the plastic bag when it is packaged. Additionally, the stakes can be molded or otherwise attached as a part of the bag.

Claims

1. A disposable lawn bag designed for easy removal of leaves and other law debris comprising:

a flexible garbage bag, said bag having a closed end and an open end, one or more stakes for supporting said open end of said bag in an open portion, such that when said stakes are spread apart tautly and the ends of said stakes are inserted into the ground, said bag is flush to the ground and its open end is held open for ease in raking leave and lawn debris into said bag.

2. The disposable bag described in claim 1 wherein:

said bag is made of various thickness of disposable plastic material and is in a variety of sizes depending on the job it is being used for.

3. The disposable bag described in claim 1 wherein:

each said bag includes a slot on opposite borders of its opening which allows for support stakes to be held, when the ends of said stakes are spread apart tautly and inserted into the ground, said bag will be held o pen and sit flush against the ground.

4. The disposable bag described in claim 1 wherein:

said stakes can be made out of a variety of materials including, plastic, wood, metal, cardboard, aluminum, rubber and paper.

5. The disposable bag described in claim 1 wherein:

said stakes are straight, hinged, collapsible or telescopic.

6. A disposable bag described in claim 1 wherein:

said bag has an enclosed stake, said stake can form a U-shape when the two ends of said stake are inserted into the ground to hold said bag flush to the ground and in an open position for ease in raking leave and law debris.

7. A disposable bag described in claim 1 wherein:

said opening of said bag is in the form of a square, rectangular, or trapezoidal shape when the two ends of said stakes are inserted into the ground, and will hold the bag flush to the ground and open for ease in raking leaves and lawn debris.

8. A disposable bag described in claim 1 wherein:

said flexible gag has one or more enclosed stakes to form a triangular shape when the two ends of said stakes are inserted into the ground to hold the bag flush to the ground and open for ease in raking leaves and lawn debris.