Food ingredients bag holder

Abstract

The invention generally describes a method an apparatus for supporting a flexible plastic bag in an open position to facilitate filing the bag. More particularly, the invention provides a bag support comprising an adjustable bag support member configured to receive a bag and a first and second vertical support assembly coupled to the adjustable bag support member for adjusting the height of said assembly. The bag support places a plastic bag in an open position to facilitate the introduction of liquids and/or solids to the interior of the bag.

1 . A bag support comprising:
 an adjustable bag support member configured to receive varying sized bags, said adjustable bag support member comprising,
 an outer support member having a hollow interior and a first and second outer support member end portion, said outer support member having a first plurality of adjustment holes disposed on the surface of the outer support member on said first outer support member end portion, said outer support member having a second plurality of adjustment holes disposed on the surface of the outer support member on said second outer support member end portion, and 
 an inner support member having a first and second inner support member end portion, said first and second inner support member end portions being configured to mate with the hollow interior of said first and second outer support member end portions, said inner support member having a first adjustment button disposed on a surface of said first inner support member end portion sized to fit and engage one of said first plurality of adjustment holes, said inner support member having a second adjustment button disposed on a surface of said second inner support member end portion sized to fit and engage one of said second plurality of adjustment holes, 
   a first vertical support assembly coupled to said adjustable bag support member, said first vertical support assembly having a first vertical support member pivotally coupled to said adjustable bag support member and a first vertical base member coupled to said first vertical support member, wherein said first vertical support member and said first vertical base member are configured to vary the height of said first vertical support assembly, and wherein said first vertical support assembly is inwardly collapsible towards said adjustable bag support member; and   a second vertical support assembly coupled to said adjustable bag support member, said second vertical support assembly having a second vertical support member pivotally coupled to said adjustable bag support and a second vertical base member coupled to said second vertical support member, wherein said second vertical support member and said second vertical base member are configured to vary the height of said second vertical support assembly, and wherein said second vertical support assembly is inwardly collapsible towards said adjustable bag support member.   
   
   
       2 . The bag support member of  claim 1 , wherein said first vertical support member has a hollow interior and first and second vertical support member end portions, said first vertical support member pivotally coupled to said adjustable bag support at said first vertical support member end portion, said first vertical support member having a third plurality of adjustment holes disposed on the surface of said first vertical support member on said second vertical support member end portion, wherein said first vertical base member has first and second base member end portions, said first vertical base member having a third adjustment button disposed on a surface of said second base member end portion sized to fit and engage one of said third plurality of adjustment holes of said first vertical support member. 
   
   
       3 . The bag support member of  claim 2 , wherein said second vertical support member has a hollow interior and third and fourth vertical support member end portions, said second vertical support member pivotally coupled to said adjustable bag support at said third vertical support member end portion, said second vertical support member having a fourth plurality of adjustment holes disposed on said fourth vertical support member end portion, wherein said second vertical base member has third and fourth base member end portions, said second vertical base member having a fourth adjustment button disposed on said fourth base member end portion sized to fit and engage one of said fourth plurality of adjustment holes of said second vertical support member. 
   
   
       4 . A bag support comprising:
 an adjustable bag support member configured to receive a bag, said bag support member having a means for selectively adjusting the size of said support to accommodate an opening to varying sized bags;   a first vertical support assembly pivotally coupled to said adjustable bag support member, said first vertical support assembly having a first means for adjusting the height of said assembly, wherein said first vertical support assembly is inwardly collapsible towards said adjustable bag support member; and   a second vertical support assembly pivotally coupled to said adjustable bag support member, said second vertical support assembly having a second means for adjusting the height of said assembly, wherein said second vertical support assembly is inwardly collapsible towards said adjustable bag support member.   
   
   
       5 . The bag support of  claim 4 , further comprising a first base member pivotally coupled to said first vertical support assembly and a second base member pivotally coupled to said second vertical support assembly. 
   
   
       6 . The bag support of  claim 4 , wherein said adjustable bag support further comprises:
 an outer support member having a hollow interior and a first and second outer support member end portion, said outer support member having a first plurality of adjustment holes disposed on the surface of the outer support member on said first outer support member end portion, said outer support member having a second plurality of adjustment holes disposed on the surface of the outer support member on said second outer support member end portion; and   an inner support member having a first and second inner support member end portion, said first and second inner support member end portions being configured to mate with the hollow interior of said first and second outer support member end portions, said inner support member having a first adjustment button disposed on a surface of said first inner support member end portion sized to fit and engage one of said plurality of adjustment holes, said inner support member having a second adjustment button disposed on a surface of said second inner support member end portion sized to fit and engage one of said second plurality of adjustment holes.   
   
   
       7 . The bag support of  claim 6 , wherein said outer support member is approximately semi-circular in shape and said inner support member is approximately semi-circular in shape. 
   
   
       8 . The bag support of  claim 6 , wherein said outer support member is approximately u-shaped and said inner support member is approximately u-shaped such that the combination creates an approximate rectangular shape when said outer support member is engaged with said inner support member. 
   
   
       9 . The bag support of  claim 4 , wherein said first vertical support assembly further comprises a first vertical support member pivotally coupled to said adjustable bag support member and a first vertical base member coupled to said first vertical support member, wherein said first vertical support member and said first vertical base member are configured to vary the height of said first vertical support assembly; and
 wherein said second first vertical support assembly further comprises a second vertical support member pivotally coupled to said adjustable bag support member and a second vertical base member coupled to said second vertical support member, wherein said second vertical support member and said second vertical base member are configured to vary the height of said second vertical support assembly.   
   
   
       10 . The bag support member of  claim 9 , wherein said first vertical support member has a hollow interior and first and second vertical support member end portions, said first vertical support member pivotally coupled to said adjustable bag support at said first end, said first vertical support member having a first plurality of adjustment holes disposed on the surface of said first vertical support member on said second vertical support member end portion, wherein said first vertical base member has first and second base member end portions, said first vertical base member having a first adjustment button disposed on the surface of the said second base member end portion sized to fit and engage one of said first plurality of adjustment holes of said first vertical support member. 
   
   
       11 . The bag support member of  claim 10 , wherein said second vertical support member has a hollow interior and a first and second support member end portion, said second vertical support member pivotally coupled to said adjustable bag support at said first end, said second vertical support member having a second plurality of adjustment holes disposed on a surface of said second vertical support member end portion, wherein said second vertical base member has a first and second base member end portion, said second base member having a second adjustment button disposed on the surface of said second vertical base member end portion sized to fit and engage one of said plurality of adjustment holes on the surface of said second vertical support member. 
   
   
       12 . A bag support comprising:
 an adjustable bag support member configured to receive varying sized bags, said adjustable bag support member comprising,
 an inner support member having a first and second inner support member end portion, and 
 an outer support member having a hollow interior and a first and second outer support member end portion, said outer support member being adapted to receive at least a portion of said first and second inner support member end portions, said outer support member configured to move relative to said inner support member to vary the size of said adjustable bag support member so as to receive said varying sized bags; 
   a first vertical support assembly coupled to said adjustable bag support member, said first vertical support assembly having a first vertical support member pivotally coupled to said adjustable bag support and a first vertical base member coupled to said first vertical support member, wherein said first vertical support member and said first vertical base member are configured to vary the height of said first vertical support assembly, and wherein said first vertical support assembly is inwardly collapsible towards said adjustable bag support member; and   a second vertical support assembly coupled to said adjustable bag support member, said second vertical support assembly having a second vertical support member pivotally coupled to said adjustable bag support member and a second vertical base member coupled to said second vertical support member, wherein said second vertical support member and said second vertical base member are configured to vary the height of said second vertical support assembly, and wherein said second vertical support assembly is inwardly collapsible towards said adjustable bag support member.   
   
   
       13 . The bag support of  claim 12 , wherein said adjustable bag support further comprises:
 an outer support member having a hollow interior and a first and second outer support member end portion, said outer support member having a first plurality of adjustment holes disposed on the surface of the outer support member on said first outer support member end portion, said outer support member having a second plurality of adjustment holes disposed on the surface of the outer support member on said second outer support member end portion; and   an inner support member having a first and second inner support member end portion, said first and second inner support member end portions being configured to mate with the hollow interior of said first and second outer support member end portions, said inner support member having a first adjustment button disposed on a surface of said first inner support member end portion sized to fit and engage one of said plurality of adjustment holes, said inner support member having a second adjustment button disposed on a surface of said second inner support member end portion sized to fit and engage one of said second plurality of adjustment holes.   
   
   
       14 . The bag support member of  claim 12 , wherein said first vertical support member has a hollow interior and first and second vertical support member end portions, said first vertical support member pivotally coupled to said adjustable bag support member at said first vertical support member end portion, said first vertical support member having a first plurality of adjustment holes disposed on the surface of said first vertical support member on said second vertical support member end portion, wherein said first vertical base member has first and second base member end portions, said first vertical base member having a first adjustment button disposed on the surface of said second base member end portion sized to fit and engage one of said first plurality of adjustment holes of said first vertical support member. 
   
   
       15 . The bag support member of  claim 14 , wherein said second vertical support member has a hollow interior and a first and second support member end portion, said second vertical support member pivotally coupled to said adjustable bag support at said first end, said second vertical support member having a second plurality of adjustment holes disposed on a surface of said second vertical support member end portion, wherein said second vertical base member has a first and second base member end portion, said second base member having a second adjustment button disposed on the surface of said second vertical base member end portion sized to fit and engage one of said plurality of adjustment holes on the surface of said second vertical support member. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein each of said adjustable bag support member, first vertical support assembly and a second vertical support assembly are made from aluminum. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein each of said adjustable bag support member, first vertical support assembly and a second vertical support assembly are made from stainless steel. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein each of said adjustable bag support member, first vertical support assembly and a second vertical support assembly are made from plastic.