Collapsible trash bag stand with punch tab bag retainers

What is this patent about?

’407 is related to the field of portable refuse management and structural supports for flexible liners. Specifically, it addresses the practical difficulties of using lightweight, disposable trash bags without a rigid container, where the bag opening often collapses or the edges slip inside the receptacle during loading. The invention provides a low-cost, space-saving alternative to traditional heavy trashcans by utilizing a flat-packable geometry that can be quickly deployed into a self-supporting structure.

The underlying idea behind ’407 is the integration of mechanical fasteners directly into the walls of a collapsible sleeve through a specific die-cut geometry. Rather than relying on separate clips or friction alone, the invention uses the material of the stand itself to create integrated, multi-hinged tabs. These tabs are designed to be punched out and folded upward to lock into corresponding slots, creating a physical pinch-point that traps the bag liner against the rim of the stand.

The claims of ’407 focus on a sleeve-shaped body constructed from a semi-rigid sheet material that features a plurality of integrated retainer tabs and corresponding slots. The structural focus is on the specific arrangement of these punch-out tabs, which are positioned near the top rim to allow a user to secure the fringe of a trash bag. By snapping these tabs into position, the stand creates a tensioned opening that prevents the bag from sliding downward under the weight of refuse.

In practice, the stand is manufactured from a single rectangular sheet of material like corrugated plastic or heavy cardboard, which is scored with vertical lines to allow it to fold flat or pop open into a polygonal cylinder. The retainer tabs are engineered with multiple horizontal score lines, acting as a finger that folds out, up, and then back through a slot. This creates a secure mechanical lock that can accommodate multiple layers of bags, allowing a user to pull away a full bag and immediately have a fresh liner ready underneath.

This approach differentiates itself from prior art by eliminating the need for expensive molded parts or separate hardware to secure the bag. By using a malleable sleeve design, the footprint of the stand can be manually adjusted to fit into various spaces, such as narrow galleys or corners, while remaining rigid enough to stand upright. The innovation lies in the simplicity of the punch-out mechanism, which transforms a simple flat sheet into a functional, multi-load trash receptacle without increasing manufacturing complexity.