Funnel and stand for bag

1. A bag stand comprising:

a hollow stand having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top end, and a bottom end, the hollow stand including four side panels, a relief punchout panel defined in a first side panel of the four side panels of the hollow stand, a bottom end of the relief punchout panel being defined along the corresponding bottom end of the first side panel, each side panel having two ends, each end of each side panel connected to an adjacent end of another side panel to form a substantially continuous hollow stand outer surface and a substantially continuous hollow stand inner surface, the substantially continuous hollow stand inner surface defining an opening along the top end of the hollow stand, the four side panels forming a rectangular cross-section of the hollow stand; and

a funnel having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top end, a bottom end, and at least two side ends, the funnel defining at least one slot along one side end, at least one side end including an insertable tab, the funnel defining an opening at each of the top end and the bottom end of the funnel, the top end of the funnel having a larger opening and the bottom end of the funnel having a smaller opening,

wherein the funnel and hollow stand may be configured so that the smaller opening of the funnel interfaces with the top end of the hollow stand.

2. The bag stand of claim 1 , wherein the hollow stand defines at least one connection cutout on at least one side panel.

3. The bag stand of claim 2 , wherein the funnel further includes at least one connecting fin.

4. The bag stand of claim 1 , wherein each side panel defines at least one punchout panel.

5. A blank formable into a hollow stand, the blank comprising:

at least two side panels, each said at least two side panels including an inner surface;

an outer surface;

a top end;

a bottom end;

a right end;

a left end; and

a relief punchout panel,

wherein the right end of each said at least two side panels is connectable to the left end of another side panel of the at least two side panels by an attachment panel to form a hollow stand including a top end, a bottom end, an inner surface, and an outer surface,

wherein a bottom end of the relief punchout panel is defined along the corresponding bottom end of each at least two side panels, and

where the hollow stand defines an opening along the top end of the hollow stand.

6. The blank of claim 5 , wherein at least one side panel defines at least one connection cutout.

7. The blank of claim 5 , the blank including a bend line between each side panel and each adjacent side panel.

8. The blank of claim 5 , wherein the blank is made from corrugated cardboard.

9. A method of assembling a bag stand comprising the steps of:

receiving a hollow stand having at least one side panel, each at least one side panel having a top end, a bottom end, a left end, a right end, and a connection cutout proximal to the top end, the right end of each at least one side panel connected to the left end of at least one adjacent side panel, a relief punchout panel defined in a first side panel of the at least one side panel, wherein a bottom end of the relief punchout panel is defined along the corresponding bottom end of the first side panel, the hollow stand in a flattened arrangement;

removing at least one relief punchout panel;

receiving a funnel having at least one upper funnel panel, at least one lower funnel panel, and at least one connecting fin, each at least one upper funnel panel connected to a lower funnel panel, each at least one upper funnel panel having a top end, a bottom end, a left end, and a right end, the funnel in a flattened arrangement;

unflattening the hollow stand to a shape sufficient to hold open a refuse bag, the shape defining a cross-sectional shape of the hollow stand;

unflattening the funnel;

inserting an insertable tab of the funnel into a slot of the funnel to form a funnel shape;

bending the funnel so that a cross-sectional shape of the funnel corresponds with the cross-sectional shape of the hollow stand;

placing the funnel onto the hollow stand so that the bottom ends of the at least one upper funnel panel correspond with the top end of the at least one side panel; and

inserting each at least one connecting fin into the connection cutout of a one of the at least one side panel, thereby forming a bag stand.