Disposable bucket liner

Abstract

The disclosure provides apparatus and methods of use pertaining to disposable bucket liners for storing solid or liquid content. One embodiment provides a flexible bag configured to conform to an interior of a common painting bucket and overlap an open top end of the bucket so as to provide stability for the bag and protection for the bucket. The bag includes a reusable closing member that allows the bag to be removed from the bucket and stored to facilitate repeated use before disposal. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of applying paint contained within a painting bucket having a bottom surface, inner and outer sidewalls, and an open top end, the method comprising:
 providing a liner system comprising a disposable bag having flexible walls disposed between a bottom seam and a top periphery, and a reusable closure member configured to move between open and closed positions;   moving the reusable closure member to the open position;   placing the disposable bag within the bucket such that the bottom seam connects with the bottom surface of the bucket and the top periphery folds over the open top end of the bucket such that the reusable closure member abuts the outer sidewall of the bucket;   filling the disposable bag with a desired amount of paint;   applying the paint to a surface;   moving the reusable closure member to the closed position;   removing the disposable bag from the bucket for storage outside the bucket;   replacing the disposable bag back within the bucket; and   moving the reusable closure member to the open position.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disposable bag further comprises a stability aperture located between the top periphery and the reusable closure member when the reusable closure member is in the closed position, and wherein the liner system further comprises a stability hanger having a first hook configured to interlock with the stability aperture and a second hook configured to engage with a fixed external surface, the method further comprising:
 after the step of removing the disposable bag from the bucket, engaging the first hook of the stability hanger with the stability aperture; and   engaging the second hook of the stability hanger with the fixed external surface such that the disposable bag is supported in an upright position.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the fixed external surface is a doorknob. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disposable bag further comprises:
 two side seams; and   a perforated tear-away portion for draining the paint from the disposable bag.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the perforated tear-away portion comprises a perforated seam extending from a first one of the side seams to the bottom seam, thereby forming a triangular tear-away portion that encompasses a limited portion of each of the first one of the side seams and the bottom seam. 
     
     
         6 . A method of storing paint contained within a bucket-and-liner system including (a) a five-gallon bucket having a bottom surface, inner and outer sidewalls, and an open top end, and (b) a re-sealable liner sized to fit the bottom surface and the inner sidewall of the bucket and extend beyond the open top end of the bucket, the re-sealable liner having a reusable closure member configured to move between open and closed positions, the method comprising:
 pouring an amount of paint into the re-sealable liner;   moving the reusable closure member from the open position to the closed position; and   removing the re-sealable liner from the bucket.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the moving the reusable closure member from the open position to the closed position comprises generating a sealed and removable module formed by the liner together with the amount of the paint contained within the re-sealable liner. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the removing the re-sealable liner from the bucket comprises removing the sealed and removable module from the bucket. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the bucket-and-liner system further comprises a stability hanger and the re-sealable liner further comprises a stability aperture, the method further comprising:
 engaging a first end of the stability hanger with the stability aperture; and   engaging a second end of the stability hanger with a fixed external surface such that the re-sealable liner is supported in an upright position.   
     
     
         10 . A bucket-and-liner system, comprising:
 a bucket having a bottom surface, inner and outer sidewalls, and an open top end; and   a flexible bag, comprising:
 a bottom seam; 
 a top periphery; and 
 an integrated reusable closure member configured to move between open and closed positions, wherein: 
   the bottom seam is configured to rest on the bottom surface of the bucket and the top periphery is configured to fold over the top end of the bucket;   when the flexible bag is filled with content, placed within the bucket, and the reusable closure member is placed in the open position, the bottom seam contacts the bottom surface of the bucket and the top periphery folds over the open top end of the bucket such that the reusable closure member abuts the outer sidewall of the bucket; and   when the reusable closure member is placed in the closed position, the flexible bag together with the content form a sealed and removable module.   
     
     
         11 . The bucket-and-liner system of  claim 10 , wherein the content comprises paint. 
     
     
         12 . The bucket-and-liner system of  claim 11 , wherein the content further comprises one or more painting tools. 
     
     
         13 . The bucket-and-liner system of  claim 10 , wherein the flexible bag is formed from first and second sheets, each having top and bottom ends and first and second sides, wherein the first and the second sheets are permanently mated along the first and the second sides and the bottom ends, and wherein the reusable closure member is offset from the top ends. 
     
     
         14 . The bucket-and-liner system of  claim 13 , wherein the reusable closure member comprises a zip lock formed of interlocking grooved and ridged tracks. 
     
     
         15 . The bucket-and-liner system of  claim 13 , wherein the first sheet includes a first aperture between the top end of said first sheet and the reusable closure member and the second sheet includes a second aperture between the top end of the second sheet and the reusable closure member, and wherein the first and the second apertures align to form a stability aperture when the reusable closure member is in the closed position. 
     
     
         16 . The bucket-and-liner system of  claim 15 , wherein the stability aperture is sized to receive a stability hanger, the stability hanger configured to support the flexible bag in an upright position when the reusable closure member is in the closed position and the flexible bag is removed from the bucket. 
     
     
         17 . The bucket-and-liner system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the stability hanger comprises a first hook and a second hook;   the first hook of the stability hanger is configured to engage with the stability aperture; and   the second hook of the stability hanger is configured to engage with a fixed external surface such that the flexible liner is supported in the upright position.   
     
     
         18 . The bucket-and-liner system of  claim 17 , wherein the fixed external surface comprises a doorknob. 
     
     
         19 . The bucket-and-liner system of  claim 10 , wherein the flexible bag further comprises:
 two side seams; and   a perforated tear-away portion for draining the paint from the disposable bag.   
     
     
         20 . The bucket-and-liner system of  claim 19 , wherein the perforated tear-away portion comprises a perforated seam extending from a first one of the side seams to the bottom seam, thereby forming a triangular tear-away portion that encompasses a limited portion of each of the first one of the side seams and the bottom seam.