Trash bag support and liner

Abstract

The present invention is a simple and inexpensive removable trash bag support and liner. The liner of the present invention is a single, generally rectangular piece of plastic, preferably about 1/16″ thick, about 32″ high, and with a width (which becomes the perimeter) about 68″. Also, the liner may have several hand holes near its upper and lower edges to facilitate lifting it out of the bag when the bag is full of debris. Also, the liner has a temporary locking mechanism for holding it in a set cylindrical position. When the lock is engaged, the bag liner may be set in a self-standing manner for its edge, and an empty garbage bag easily placed over the liner. Then, when the liner and bag are inverted to the upright position, releasing the locking mechanism lets the liner automatically expand to fit tightly within the plastic bag. Preferably, the locking mechanism is a combination tab near an outside edge of the liner, and a cooperating open slit near the center of the liner, for example, about 41″ toward the center and away from the tab.

1 . A device for opening and supporting a bag having an open mouth end, said device comprising: 
 an elongated sheet;    a transversely extending, generally rectangular slot defined within said sheet; and    a generally U-shaped slot defined within said sheet opposite and in alignment with said generally rectangular slot, said U-shaped slot defining a flange;    whereby said sheet is bendable so that said flange is insertable in said rectangular slot and said sheet is thereby lockable in cylindrical form for sleevable insertion into said open mouth end;    wherein a user can reach into said cylindrical form and bend said flange thereby releasing said flange from its insertion into said rectangular slot thereby allowing the sheet to unbend and hold open and support said bag.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said elongated sheet is generally flat.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said elongated sheet is comprised of plastic.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said sheet further defines at least one hand hole configured for grasping by a user.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said sheet has a pair of opposing ends defining a length and a pair of opposing sides extending along said length.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5 , comprising a plurality of crosswise extending hand holes configured for grasping by a user, at least one of said hand holes adjacent to each of said sides.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said U-shaped slot is defined by a pair of legs connected together by a base.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein said U-shaped slot is closer to said first end than said rectangular slot is to said first end.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein said U-shaped slot is oriented within said sheet so said legs are generally parallel to said length and said base is generally perpendicular to said length.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein said legs are closer to said first end than said base is to said first end.  
   
   
       11 . A device for opening and supporting a bag having an open mouth end, said device comprising: 
 an elongated, flat, plastic sheet, having a pair of opposing ends defining a length and a pair of opposing sides extending along said length;    a transversely extending, generally rectangular slot defined within said sheet; and    a generally U-shaped slot defined within said sheet opposite and in alignment with said generally rectangular slot, said U-shaped slot defining a flange, said U-shaped slot defined by a pair of legs connected together by a base, said U-shaped slot is closer said first end than said rectangular slot is to said first end, said U-shaped slot is oriented within said sheet so said legs are generally parallel to said length and said base is generally perpendicular to said length, wherein said legs are closer to said first end than said base is to said first end; and    a plurality of crosswise extending hand holes configured for grasping by a user, at least one of said hand holes adjacent each of said sides;    whereby said sheet is bendable so that said flange is insertable in said rectangular slot and said sheet is thereby lockable in cylindrical form for sleevable insertion into said open mouth end;    wherein a user can reach into said cylindrical form and bend said flange thereby releasing said flange from its insertion into said rectangular slot thereby allowing the sheet to unbend and hold open and support said bag.    
   
   
       12 . A method of opening and supporting a bag, said method comprising the step of: 
 providing an elongated sheet having:    a transversely extending, generally rectangular slot defined within said sheet; and    a generally U-shaped slot defined within said sheet opposite and in alignment with said generally rectangular slot, said U-shaped slot defining a flange;    bending said sheet into a cylindrical form;    inserting said flange in said rectangular slot;    locking said sheet in said cylindrical form;    inserting said cylindrical form into a bag's open end;    reaching into said cylindrical form; and    bending said flange thereby releasing said flange from its insertion into said rectangular slot thereby allowing the sheet to unbend and hold open and support said open end.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said elongated sheet is generally flat.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said elongated sheet is comprised of plastic.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said sheet has a pair of opposing ends defining a length and a pair of opposing sides extending along said length.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said sheet comprises a plurality of crosswise extending hand holes configured for grasping by a user, at least one of said hand holes adjacent to each of said sides.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said U-shaped slot is defined by a pair of legs connected together by a base.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said U-shaped slot is closer to said first end than said rectangular slot is to said first end.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said U-shaped slot is oriented within said sheet so said legs are generally parallel to said length and said base is generally perpendicular to said length.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said legs are closer to said first end than said base is to said first end.