Foldable support for limp plastic bags

Claim 2

Foldable support for a limp plastic bag to keep the mouth of the bag open and erect comprising: a unitary elongated flat strip-like element of thermoplastic material having transverse living hinges (23, 24; 33, 34), the hinges subdividing said strip-like element into a central base portion (20) and a pair of substantially similar support portions (21, 22) located at either side of the central base portion; stop means (35, 36; 70, 71) formed on at least one of said portions adjacent the living hinges and bearing against an adjacent other portion when said support portions are swung to project approximately perpendicularly to said base portion and to support a bag between the erected support portions; and engageable connecting means (37, 38; 67, 68; 107, 108) to connect adjacent portions and hold said adjacent portions in position such that the support portions extend approximately perpendicularly from the base portion.

Claim 3

Support according to claim 1 wherein the connecting means includes latching means interengaging the base portion and at least one of said support portions to lock said portions together.

Claim 4

Support according to claim 2 wherein the latching means comprises an opening formed in one of said portions and a matching projection formed on the other portion and fitting into said opening.

Claim 5

Support according to claim 3 wherein said projection includes a pin fitting into the opening with an interference fit.

Claim 6

Support according to claim 4 wherein the opening is straight and the pin extends towards the opening and projects from the tangent of the circle having the hinge line of the living hinge as the center by an amount sufficient to present an interference fit to the pin upon entering the opening.

Claim 7

Support according to claim 2 wherein the latching means comprises a projecting tab formed on one of said portions; and matching recess and projections formed on the other of said portions and said tab, respectively.

Claim 8

Support according to claim 1 wherein the connEcting means includes interengaging latching means formed on the base adjacent the hinge and on one of said support portions and locking said portions together in position to provide for approximately right angle extension of said support portions from said base portion.

Claim 9

Support according to claim 1 in combination with a bag of limp material, said support portions extending substantially parallel to each other, and perpendicularly to the base portion, said bag having bottom and side walls and an open mouth, the material adjacent said open mouth of said bag being folded over the free edges of said upstanding support portions; the bottom of said bag bearing against said base portions of the strip-like element; and two side walls of said bag being confined by said support portions.

Claim 10

Support according to claim 8 wherein said bag has a zone of weakened material adjacent the mouth thereof and forming a tear line; and the length of said side walls of the bag is sufficiently longer than the length of the support portions to permit folding of the side walls of the bag over the support portions and beyond the region of said tear line.

Claim 11

Support according to claim 1 wherein the stop means comprises a region of flattened material and located adjacent said hinges, said flattened material being complementarily angled to provide a stop at an angle of about 90* between adjacent portions.

Claim 12

Support according to claim 1 wherein the material is sheet-like and formed with longitudinal ribs to provide stiffness, said ribs being offset transversely with respect to each other to permit flat folding of said portions against each other.

Claim 13

Support according to claim 1 wherein said strip-like element comprises a strip of material formed to provide a plurality of open frames of predetermined thickness; and one of said portions is formed with an offset adjacent the hinge at least as deep as the thickness of said material to provide, when folded, a step to accomodate the thickness of the material of an opposed support portion and enable flat storage and folding of said support structure.

Claim 14

Support according to claim 12 wherein said strip of material is cut to provide frame-like portions.

Claim 15

Support according to claim 1 wherein one of said support portions has its surface adjacent the hinge line offset with respect to the hinge by a distance at least equal to the thickness of the other support portion to permit flat folding of said support portions against, and nested into each other.

Claim 16

Folder support for a limp plastic bag to keep the bag open and erect comprising: a unitary elongated strip of thermoplastic material having transverse living hinges and subdividing said strip into a central base portion and a pair of support portions; and stop means formed on at least one of said portions adjacent the hinges and bearing against an adjacent other portion when said support portions are swung to project approximately perpendicular to said base portion and to support a bag between the erected support portions; said support being further characterized in that said material is flat, the lateral edges of all said portions being formed with bent-over angles to provide stiffness for said flat material; the distance between said angles being different on the different portions of said support to enable folding of said portions within each other without interference of said angles; and said stop means comprising a strip of material located on one of said portions to bear against the end face of an angle on an adjacent portion.

Claim 17

Folder support for a limp plastic bag to keep the bag open and erect comprising: a unitary elongated strip of thermoplastic material having transverse living hinges and subdividing said strip into a central base portion and a pair of support portions; and stop means formed on at least one of said portions adjacent the hinges and bearing against an adjacent other portion when said support portions are swung to project approximately perpendicular to said base portion and to support a bag between the erected support portions; said support being further characterized in that said material is flat, the lateral edges of all said portions being formed with bent-over angles to provide stiffness for said flat material; the distance between said angles being different on the different portions of said support to enable folding of said portions within each other without interference of said angles; and said stop means comprising a strip of material located on one of said portions to bear against the end face of an angle on an adjacent portion.

Claim 18

Support according to claim 15 wherein said material is formed with mesh openings.