Portable trash receptacle

[0001] This application is closely related to and claims benefit from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/652,398 filed Feb. 10, 2005.

[0002] The present invention relates, in general, to a trash receptacle, and, more specifically the present invention relates to a portable trash receptacle that provides for the re-use of plastic grocery bags for trash disposal for home or office.

[0003] There are a variety of trash bag holders that are presently available on he market. The majority of these trash bag holders are primarily garbage type cans in which plastic bags fit into the can, are filled and then disposed of.

[0004] Presently most groceries are purchased and are carried home from the supermarket packed in plastic bags. The number of these bags that a typical home acquires in a weekly shopping order can be significant. It would be highly desirable if these bags could be used as trash bags and in that way these bags would essentially be recycled by serving another purpose.

[0005] Thus, the present invention provides a portable apparatus for holding a plastic bag. The portable apparatus comprises a base member, such base member includes at least two substantially parallel and substantially horizontally disposed support members. There is a pair of upstanding leg members connected closely adjacent a first end thereof to the base member closely adjacent a back portion thereof and at least one brace member disposed substantially horizontally and connected closely adjacent a second end of the pair of upstanding leg members. There is at least two substantially parallel and substantially horizontally disposed arm members connected at a first end thereof closely adjacent one of a second end of a respective one of such pair of upstanding leg members and closely adjacent each end of such at least one brace member. Further, there is a means engageable with at least one of the at least two substantially parallel and substantially horizontally disposed arm members and the second end of such pair of upstanding leg members for holding such plastic bag.

[0006] It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide an apparatus for using grocery bags for a trash receptacle.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that is portable.

[0008] Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that is easy to construct.

[0009] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a portable apparatus that is inexpensive to manufacture.

[0010] These and various other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent after a full reading of the following detailed description, particularly, when read in conjunction with the attached drawings as described below and the appended claims.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the portable apparatus as it would be configured holding a grocery bag according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the portable apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0013] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the apparatus show in FIG. 2 showing the parts of the apparatus.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the portable apparatus according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0015] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the apparatus show in FIG. 4 showing the parts of the apparatus.

[0016] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the portable apparatus according to yet another embodiment of the invention.

[0017] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the apparatus show in FIG. 6 showing the parts of the apparatus.

[0018] Prior to proceeding with the more detailed description of the present invention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity, identical components which have identical functions have been designated by identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawings.

[0019] Thus, the present invention provides a portable apparatus, generally designated as 10, for holding a plastic bag, such as a grocery bag. The portable apparatus comprises a base member, generally designated 20, such base member 20 includes at least two substantially parallel and substantially horizontally disposed support members 2. There is a pair of upstanding leg members 4 connected closely adjacent a first end thereof to the base member 20 closely adjacent a back portion thereof and at least one brace member 6 disposed substantially horizontally and connected closely adjacent a second end of the pair of upstanding leg members 4. There is at least two substantially parallel and substantially horizontally disposed arm members 8 connected at a first end thereof closely adjacent one of a second end of a respective one of such pair of upstanding leg members 4 and closely adjacent each end of such at least one brace member 6. Further, there is a means, generally designated 30, engageable with at least one of the at least two substantially parallel and substantially horizontally disposed arm members 8 and the second end of such pair of upstanding leg members 4 for holding such plastic bag.

[0020] Such portable apparatus 10 can be formed of a variety of materials such as plastic, steel, aluminum or tinplate. Such portable apparatus can also be formed in a variety of configurations such as being tubular or square or a variety of different shapes for the parts of the apparatus 10.

[0021] In one embodiment, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, such portable apparatus 10 is tubular. In this embodiment each of the pair of upstanding leg members 4 are formed to include a portion of the brace member 6. The pair of upstanding leg members 4 with the portion of the brace member 6 formed therein are telescopically secured to each other as a single unit.

[0022] The at least two substantially parallel and substantially horizontally disposed arm members 8 are engageable with the pair of upstanding leg members 4 with the portion of the brace member 6 formed therewith closely adjacent an arcuate corner thereof. The means 30 consists of projections 12 extending outwardly from each of a first end and a second end of the at least two substantially parallel and substantially horizontally disposed arm members 8.

[0023] In this embodiment each of the at least two substantially parallel and substantially horizontally disposed support members 2 of the base member 20 further include a pad member 14. Such pad member 14 is used to sit on the floor and is formed of one of plastic, wood and rubber so as to not mar the floor. Such pad member 14 is secured to said each of the at least two substantially parallel and substantially horizontally disposed support members 2 by means of one of bolts and screws. Such bolts and or screw would be recessed so as to not mar the floor.

[0024] In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, such base member 20 of such portable apparatus 10 further includes two horizontally disposed substantially parallel support members 16 disposed substantially perpendicular to each end of the at least two substantially horizontally disposed support members 2 thereby forming a substantially rectangular base member 20.

[0025] The substantially rectangular base member 20 further includes a pair of upright posts 18. Each of the pair of upright posts 18 are disposed closely adjacent a corner on a same length side of the substantially rectangular base member 20. Such pair of upright posts 18 are for engagement with the pair of upstanding leg members 4. The pair of upstanding leg members 4 having a hollow portion formed therein for engagement with the pair of upright posts 18.

[0026] In this embodiment the at least two substantially parallel and substantially horizontally disposed arm members 8 have an aperture disposed closely adjacent a first end thereof for securing the at least two substantially parallel and substantially horizontally disposed arm members 8 to a second end of the pair of upstanding leg members 4. Further, in this embodiment the brace member 6 is formed as part of at least two substantially parallel and substantially horizontally disposed arm members 8.

[0027] The means 30 consist of projections 12 that extend outwardly from the second end of the pair of upstanding leg members 4 and from a second end of the at least two substantially parallel and substantially horizontally disposed arm members 8.

[0028] In yet another embodiment of the invention, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, such base member 20 of such portable apparatus 10 further includes a foot member 22 disposed substantially perpendicular and engageable with a back end of the at least two substantially horizontally disposed support members 2. Such foot member 22 further includes an aperture formed on each end of such foot member 22 closely adjacent a corner engagement with the back end of the at least two substantially horizontally disposed support members 2.

[0029] Such pair of upstanding leg members 4 further include a projection 24 disposed on a first end thereof for engagement with the aperture formed in foot member 22 of the base member 20. In this embodiment it is preferred that such at least two upstanding leg members 4, such two arm members 8 and such at least one brace member 6 are formed as a single unit.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows the portable apparatus 10 with a grocery bag connected thereto for use as a trash receptacle. Such portable apparatus 10 with such grocery bag attached has been tested to easily hold up to 10 pounds of trash.

[0031] While a presently preferred embodiment and alternate embodiments of the present invention has been described in detail above, it should be understood that various other adaptations and/or modifications of the invention can be made by those persons who are particularly skilled in the art without departing from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.