In accordance with the invention, a landscaping lawn tarpaulin and system is provided which boasts the ability to provide a unique way of loading and transporting landscaping debris and other objects by utilizing one or more compact sized tarpaulins in which the user can easily load, pick up, transport, and dump objects. The invention generally comprises a loading surface formed by a flexible substantially rectangular sheet of material having four corners; and a flexible handle extending laterally outward and integral with the loading surface at each corner. The tarpaulin is fabricated from a flexible material such as a shade mesh or a shade cloth which enables the tarpaulin to flex into a unique pod shape while transporting its content.

Systems, methods and devices are provided for transporting, tracking and managing waste or recyclable materials, which may include one or more devices for transporting waste or recyclable material, such a via a bin that comprises a base; and a collapsible sleeve movable between an open state and a collapsed state, wherein the collapsible sleeve in the open state interfaces in a nesting manner with the base to form a bin for receiving and transporting waste material.

A subpanel for a bag stand includes: a first side panel and a second side panel, each of the first side panel and the second side panel including a top end, a bottom end, two side ends, an inner surface, an outer surface, and a thickness defined from the inner surface to the outer surface. The first side panel additionally includes a connection finger, the connection finger connected to a first side end of the two side ends of the first side panel, the connection finger including a clearance portion and a clasp portion. The second side panel is at least indirectly connected to the first side panel and defines a connection recess in a first side end of the two side ends of the second side panel distal from the first side panel, the connection recess including a clearance portion and a lock portion.

Knock down yard tools are provided which are made of flexible heavy duty sheet material joined to form a container for handling yard waste. Included are a truck bed carrier container, a skid container, a bagging container and a hand held carrier. In one embodiment, struts are provided which can be readily assembled to and disassembled from the sheet material to help hold the shape of the container. Preferably the struts are collapsible, and most preferably comprise sections held together and biased to assembly by elastic cord. In a preferred embodiment, a collection of such knock down yard tools are provided along with auxiliary tools for manipulating the yard waste and facilitate its placement in the knock down containers. The auxiliary tools include hand scoops a leaf press, and a gripper.

An apparatus for maintaining a bag in an open configuration has a base with a forward end and a rearward end, a first arm pivotally mounted to the adjacent to the rearward end of the base, and a second arm pivotally mounted adjacent to the rearward end of the base in spaced relation to the first arm. The first arm is movable between a generally horizontal first position and a second position extending at an obtuse angle with respect to said base. The second arm is movable between a generally horizontal first position and a second position extending at an obtuse angle with respect to the base. The first and second arms are adapted to receive an open end of the bag thereon. The base has a top surface that is inclined upwardly from the forward end toward the rearward end.

A bag holder is capable of holding a bag in an upright position with the use of expanding arms and a unique two stage hinge and clamp mechanism, which allows the expanding arm apparatus to enter and clamp a refuse bag quickly and efficiently. The operation utilizes a hook mechanism and a clamp, which allows the operator to use one hand to manipulate the expanding arm apparatus and the other hand to position the refuse bag. In addition, the bag holder functions as transport cart for refuse bags. Also, the unique cart structure, allows storing of two garden tools and multiple refuse bags. The bag holder is able to fold onto itself and be stored on a hook, by the unique handle. The bag expander and clamp mechanism is detachable which can be adapted to existing dolly's or hand truck.

An apparatus for collecting material is provided. The apparatus may include a flexible support structure having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface including a material collection area. The apparatus may further include a closure system including a first fastener member disposed on the first surface and a second fastener member disposed on the second surface. At least a portion of the closure system may be spaced from a peripheral edge of the support structure and/or may be configured to releaseably join the first surface and the second surface together. The support structure may include an open configuration and a rolled configuration, wherein in the rolled configuration the closure system may releaseably join the first surface and the second surface together and/or funnel shapes may be formed on either side of the material collection area.

A subpanel for a bag stand includes: a first side panel and a second side panel, each of the first side panel and the second side panel including a top end, a bottom end, two side ends, an inner surface, an outer surface, and a thickness defined from the inner surface to the outer surface. The first side panel additionally includes a connection finger, the connection finger connected to a first side end of the two side ends of the first side panel, the connection finger including a clearance portion and a clasp portion. The second side panel is at least indirectly connected to the first side panel and defines a connection recess in a first side end of the two side ends of the second side panel distal from the first side panel, the connection recess including a clearance portion and a lock portion.

Systems and methods for determining shrinkage of a commodity sold by a store are provided which may include: identifying data indicative of a volume of the commodity, associating a label with a container that holds the commodity, collecting the label information with a reader and transmitting collected label information to at least one server, automatically determining data characterizing the material in the container, associating the label information and the data characterizing the material in the container, and determining performance data related to the commodity by comparing the data indicative of the volume of the commodity supplied to the store, the data indicative of the volume of the commodity sold by the store, and the data characterizing the material in the container.

Large, pliable/flexible bags are widely used for collecting and discarding garden and lawn debris. Unfortunately, these bags alone make it very difficult for a single worker to both hold open the bag and deposit debris into the bag at the same time. Attempts have been made to provide frames for supporting an open bag to help a single user rake leaves and debris into a bag by him/herself; none have ever been created to blow leaves and other debris directly into a bag with a powered leaf blowerthe device in this patent application is designed to do just that. Very significantly, the present invention is a foldable/collapsible self-contained fully assembled frame (hereinafter the frame) for the attachment of a perforated bag thereby requiring no additional add-on or separate frame parts to both fully function and to fold up for convenient storage, packaging, and transportability.