Support for a non-self supporting container

A device for supporting a container, such as a plastic trash bag, which is generally incapable of supporting itself in an open, upright position comprising,

• a support formed from a unitary, sheet-like blank, having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the blank including at least a first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth scoring to form a series of at least six axially-extending, generally parallel fold lines, including a first, second, third, fourth fifth and sixth fold line, the at least six fold lines, defining at least six panels, including a first panel, a last panel, and at least four intermediate panels, each of the panels including a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge portion, a second side edge portion, an interior surface, and an exterior surface, the at least six panels being hingedly connected along the at least six fold lines to place the at least six panels in a side-by-side relation, the first scoring being made on the exterior surface to permit the exterior surfaces of the first panel and one of the intermediate panels to be placed in an opposed, adjacent relation, the fourth scoring being made on the exterior surface to permit the exterior surfaces of two intermediate panels to be placed in an opposed adjacent relation, and the third and sixth scoring comprising double scorings made on the interior surface to permit the third scoring to interiorly receive the portion of the blank adjacent to the first fold line, and to permit the sixth scoring to interiorly receive the portion of the blank adjacent to the fourth fold line, and
• affixing means for permanently affixing the first side edge portion of the first panel to the second side edge portion of the last panel,
• the panels and affixing means being configured to permit the support to move between
• a storage position wherein the interior surfaces of each of the first panel, at least four intermediate panels, and last panel are disposed in generally parallel planes, and a use position wherein the panels form a generally endless, hollow tube having an open bottom and top and being capable of supporting itself in an upright position, and
• having an interior defined by the interior surfaces of the first panel, the at least four panels and the last panel, for receiving the container.

A process for forming a support for a container, such as a plastic trash bag, which is generally incapable of supporting itself in an upright position, the process comprising:

• providing a generally rectangular, sheet-like blank having an interior surface and an exterior surface,
• scoring the blank on the exterior surface in at least two places to form first and fourth generally parallel fold lines,
• single scoring the blank in at least two places to form second and fifth generally parallel fold lines, the second and fifth parallel fold lines being generally parallel to the first and fourth fold lines,
• double scoring the blank on at least two places to form third and sixth generally parallel fold lines, the third and sixth fold lines being generally parallel to first and fourth fold lines,
• the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth fold lines defining six panels including a first panel, second panel, third panel, fourth panel, fifth panel, and sixth panel, and a flap portion, the panels and flap portion being disposed in a side by side relation, and hingedly connected together at the fold lines,
• permanently affixing together the flap portion and the first panel to hingedly coupled the first and sixth panel, to create an endless support movable between
• a storage position wherein the interior surfaces of each of the panels are disposed in a generally parallel plane, and the exterior surfaces of the first and second panels, and the exterior surfaces of the fourth and fifth panels are disposed in an opposed adjacent relation, and
• a use position wherein the panels form a generally endless tube capable of supporting itself in an upright position.