Liner for a refuse bag

Abstract

A rigid refuse bag liner for insertion into a yard refuse bag for supporting the yard refuse bag in an open condition. The rigid yard refuse bag liner is an elongated enclosure having an open bottom and having a tapered construction such that its bottom portion is wider than its top portion, which facilitates the removal of the rigid liner once the refuse bag liner/refuse bag are filled with yard refuse. To further facilitate this removal, air vents running through the enclosure permit the passage of air as the rigid liner is lifted upward, out of the yard bag. A compactor is associated with the rigid liner whereby the compactor is a planar surface coupled to a handle that the user can grasp and apply pressure to in order to compact the yard refuse that has already been collected. The rigid refuse bag liner can be inserted into a yard refuse bag and that combination can then be used on a bagger attachment device coupled to a riding lawn mower for automatically collecting grass cuttings therein. Also, the filled liner/yard refuse bag can be wheeled to a trash pick-up location using a cart.

1 . An apparatus for facilitating the collection of yard refuse into a yard refuse bag, said apparatus comprising an elongated enclosure having an open bottom and open top, said elongated enclosure comprising sides and a plurality of air vents, each of said air vents forming a passageway contained in a corner joining two adjacent sides or contained in a side, said passageway having an opening disposed in said open top and an opening disposed in said open bottom of said elongated enclosure, said apparatus being adapted to be positioned inside the yard refuse bag and for supporting the yard refuse bag along its length during filling.  
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said elongated enclosure is tapered along a longitudinal axis such that the bottom of said enclosure is wider than the top of said enclosure.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said air vents are aligned with a longitudinal axis of said enclosure.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said enclosure comprises at least two apertures near the top of said enclosure to form handles.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said elongated enclosure comprises plastic.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said plastic is polyethylene.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said plastic is poly vinyl chloride.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said enclosure comprises four sides.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said elongated enclosure is tapered along a longitudinal axis such that the bottom of said enclosure is wider than the top of said enclosure.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said air vents are aligned with a longitudinal axis of said enclosure.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said air vents are positioned in each corner of said enclosure.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein each of said corners are rounded inside said enclosure.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus for facilitating the collection of yard refuse into a yard refuse bag, said apparatus comprising an elongated enclosure having an open bottom and open top, said elongated enclosure being tapered along a longitudinal axis such that the bottom of said enclosure is wider than the top of said enclosure  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said enclosure comprises at least two apertures near the top of said enclosure to form handles.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said elongated enclosure comprises plastic.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said plastic is polyethylene.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said plastic is poly vinyl chloride.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said enclosure comprises four sides.