Yard Waste Bag Holding Apparatus

Abstract

A yard waste bag holding apparatus includes a rectangular-shaped frame, two foldable arm assemblies, and a ring with a flange for abutting the top of the arm assemblies. A bag may be attached to the ring, holding the bag open and upright and preventing it from collapsing, folding in on itself, or blowing or tipping over. The user may insert a greater volume of yard waste into the bag at one time, thus increasing efficiency. An insert for engaging a hose of a vacuum to the ring may be added. Further, a wheel attachment may be coupled to the frame to place the apparatus at a given angle. Placing the apparatus at an angle prevents the apparatus from tipping during use with a vacuum and reduces the stress at the joining of the hose and the apparatus.

1 . A yard waste bag holding apparatus comprising:
 a frame, comprising: a first top bar; a first bottom bar; and a first side bars coupled to the first top bar and the first bottom bar to form a rectangular-shaped frame;   a first arm assembly, comprising: a second top bar; a second bottom bar; and a second side bar coupled to the second top bar and the second bottom bar at an end of the second top and bottom bars distal to the frame;   a second arm assembly, comprising: a third top bar; a third bottom bar; and a third side bar coupled to the third top bar and the third bottom bar at an end of the third top and bottom bars distal to the frame; and   a ring, comprising: a flange for abutting the second top bar and the third top bar; a wall to reside within a yard waste bag; and a plurality of clips for securing the yard waste bag to the ring.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first top bracket assembly coupled to the second top bar at an end of the second top bar proximate to the frame, and coupled to a first end of the first top bar;   a second top bracket assembly coupled to the third top bar at an end of the third top bar proximate to the frame, and coupled to a second end of the first top bar opposite to the first end of the first top bar;   a first bottom bracket assembly coupled to the second bottom bar at an end of the second bottom bar proximate to the frame, and coupled to a first end of the first bottom bar; and   a second bottom bracket assembly coupled to the third bottom bar at an end of the third bottom bar proximate to the frame, and coupled to a second end of the first bottom bar opposite to the first end of the first bottom bar.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein when the ring is engaged with the yard waste bag, the wall resides within a lip of the yard waste bag without the lip folding over the flange. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the ring further comprises a plurality of notches residing in the wall and an insert detachably coupled to the wall, wherein the insert comprises:
 a plate comprising an opening for engaging a hose to a vacuum;   one or more screened openings; and   a plurality of tabs for engaging with the plurality of notches.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a wheel attachment coupled to the frame, wherein the wheel attachment comprises:
 a first wheel bar and a second wheel bar;   a first wheel coupled to a first end of the first wheel bar; and   a second wheel coupled to a first end of the second wheel bar, wherein a second end of the first wheel bar and a second end of the second wheel bar are each coupled to the frame.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the wheel attachment further comprises:
 a first cross bar coupled to the first wheel bar and the second wheel bar, wherein the first wheel bar and the second wheel bar are approximately parallel;   a second cross bar coupled to the first wheel bar and the frame;   a third cross bar coupled to the second wheel bar and the frame,   wherein the second cross bar and the third cross bar place the first wheel bar and the second wheel bar at a given angle away from the frame.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first top bracket assembly further comprises:
 a first bracket coupled to the first top bar and to the second top bar at the end of the second top bar proximate to the frame, and 
 a first locking mechanism; 
   wherein the second top bracket assembly further comprises:
 a second bracket coupled to the first top bar and to the third top bar at the end of the third top bar proximate to the frame, and 
 a second locking mechanism; 
   wherein when the first locking mechanism is in a first unlocked position, the first arm assembly is capable of folding along a first pivot point of the first top bracket assembly and a second pivot point of the first bottom bracket assembly,   wherein when the second locking mechanism is in a second unlocked position, the second arm assembly is capable of folding along a third pivot point of the second top bracket assembly and a fourth pivot point of the second bottom bracket assembly.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the first locking mechanism comprises:
 a first flexible plate coupled to the first bracket at a first end of the first flexible plate; 
 a first pin traversing the first flexible plate at a second end of the first flexible plate, wherein disengagement of the first pin from a first corresponding hole in the second top bar places the first locking mechanism in the first unlocked position; 
   wherein the second locking mechanism comprises:
 a second flexible plate coupled to the second bracket at a first end of the second flexible plate; 
 a second pin traversing the second flexible plate at a second end of the second flexible plate, wherein disengagement of the second pin from a second corresponding hole in the third top bar places the second locking mechanism in the second unlocked position. 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second pivot points are more distal from the frame than the third and fourth pivot points.