U.S. patent application number 13/424917 was filed with the patent office on 2013-03-07 for collapsible laundry container.
The applicant listed for this patent is Joseph Benson. Invention is credited to Joseph Benson.
Application Number | 20130056373 13/424917 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47752293 |
Filed Date | 2013-03-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130056373 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Benson; Joseph |
March 7, 2013 |
Collapsible Laundry Container
Abstract
A collapsible laundry container includes an outer bag portion
having a bottom and a plurality of sides extending upwardly from
the bottom. An inner bag portion includes a bottom wall and a
plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall.
The inner bag portion is situated in an interior area of the outer
bag portion. The bag portions are movable between a collapsed
configuration in which respective side walls are generally adjacent
respective bottom walls and an expanded configuration in which
respective side walls extend upwardly from respective bottom walls.
A cover member is removably coupled to one of the inner and outer
bag portions and configured to prevent access to the inner bag
portion interior area. The inner bag portion is permeable while the
outer bag portion is impermeable.
Inventors: |
Benson; Joseph; (Birmingham,
AL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Benson; Joseph |
Birmingham |
AL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
47752293 |
Appl. No.: |
13/424917 |
Filed: |
March 20, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61531915 |
Sep 7, 2011 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/278 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C 7/0077 20130101;
A45C 2013/026 20130101; D06F 95/002 20130101; A45C 7/0036
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/278 |
International
Class: |
B65D 85/18 20060101
B65D085/18; B65D 30/20 20060101 B65D030/20; B65D 33/06 20060101
B65D033/06 |
Claims
1. A laundry container, comprising: an outer bag portion having a
bottom and a plurality of sides extending upwardly from said
bottom, said outer bag portion bottom and said plurality of sides
defining an interior area and an open top; wherein said outer bag
portion sides are movable between a collapsed configuration
adjacent said outer bag portion bottom and an expanded
configuration extending upwardly from the outer bag portion bottom;
and a cover member removably coupled to an upper end of said outer
bag member and movable between a closed configuration covering said
outer bag member open top and an open configuration not covering
said outer bag member open top.
2. The laundry container as in claim 1, further comprising: an
inner bag portion having a bottom wall and a plurality of side
walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall, said inner bag
portion bottom wall and said plurality of side walls defining an
interior area and an open top; wherein said inner bag portion is
positioned in said outer bag portion interior area and configured
such that said inner bag portion open top is immediately adjacent
said outer bag portion open top; and wherein said inner bag portion
side walls are movable between a collapsed configuration adjacent
said inner bag portion bottom wall and an expanded configuration
extending upwardly from said inner bag portion bottom wall.
3. The laundry container as in claim 2, wherein: said outer bag
portion is constructed of an impermeable material; and said inner
bag portion is constructed of a permeable material.
4. The laundry container as in claim 1, wherein said outer bag
portion is constructed of an impermeable material.
5. The laundry container as in claim 3, wherein said permeable
material is mesh.
6. The laundry container as in claim 2, wherein said inner bag
portion is a mesh material.
7. The laundry container as in claim 1, wherein each side of said
outer bag portion includes a plurality of lines of weakness, each
line of weakness defining a horizontal axis spaced apart from an
adjacent line of weakness such that said plurality of lines of
weakness cause said outer bag portion sides to fold down to said
collapsed configuration.
8. The laundry container as in claim 2, wherein each side wall of
said inner bag portion includes a plurality of lines of weakness,
each line of weakness defining a horizontal axis spaced apart from
an adjacent line of weakness such that said plurality of lines of
weakness cause said inner bag portion side walls to fold down to
said collapsed configuration.
9. The laundry container as in claim 2, wherein said inner bag is
porous.
10. The laundry container as in claim 2, wherein said cover member
is removably coupled to said inner bag portion with a fastener
taken from a group including a zipper, latch, snap, and hook and
loop fastener combination.
11. The laundry container as in claim 10, wherein said cover member
includes a handle member coupled to an upper surface thereof so
that said inner and said outer bag portions may be carried when
said cover member is coupled to said inner bag portion.
12. The laundry container as in claim 7, further comprising a
closure member having a first portion coupled to said cover member
and a second portion coupled to said outer bag portion bottom, said
first portion being operatively coupled to said second portion when
said outer bag portion sides are at said collapsed configuration.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the
benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/531,915,
filed Sep. 7, 2011, titled Luggage Buddy.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to laundry containers and,
more particularly, to a collapsible laundry container configured to
separate clean clothing from dirty clothing in a traveler's
luggage.
[0002] Travelers often attempt to keep clothing needing to be
laundered separate from clean clothing in their suitcases. The
traveler may attempt to keep already worn clothing on one side of
the suitcase and clean clothing on the other. Unfortunately, clean
and dirty clothing are often not kept completely separated and the
clean clothing may still have to be laundered even though it was
not worn. Some travelers may place their worn clothing in a plastic
bag and then attempt to fit the bag into their suitcase.
Unfortunately, one or more plastic bags of worn clothing may not
fit well in the suitcase. In addition, placing wet clothing--such
as swimsuits--in plastic bags may not prevent wet clothing from
transferring moisture to clean clothing in the suitcase.
[0003] Therefore, it would be desirable to have a collapsible
laundry container that separates clothing in need of laundering
from clean clothing in a suitcase. Further, it would be desirable
to have a collapsible laundry container that may be expanded for
insertion of clothing and collapsed to fit in a suitcase. In
addition, it would be desirable to have a collapsible laundry
container that prevents moisture from dirty or wet clothing to be
transferred to adjacent clean clothing within a suitcase.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A collapsible laundry container according to the present
invention includes an outer bag portion having a bottom and a
plurality of sides extending upwardly from the bottom. An inner bag
portion includes a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls
extending upwardly from the bottom wall. The inner bag portion is
situated in an interior area of the outer bag portion. The bag
portions are movable between a collapsed configuration in which
respective side walls are generally adjacent respective bottom
walls and an expanded configuration in which respective side walls
extend upwardly from respective bottom walls. A cover member is
removably coupled to one of the inner and outer bag portions and
configured to prevent access to the inner bag portion interior
area.
[0005] Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide
a collapsible laundry container that segregates clothing that needs
to be laundered from clean clothing within a user's suitcase.
[0006] Another object of this invention is to provide a collapsible
laundry container, as aforesaid, that may be expanded to insert
laundry and collapsed for transport in a suitcase.
[0007] Still another object of this invention is to provide a
collapsible laundry container, as aforesaid, that is impermeable
such that moisture from laundry therein does not mix with clean
garments outside the container.
[0008] Yet another object of this invention is to provide a
collapsible laundry container, as aforesaid, that is easy to use
and economical to manufacture.
[0009] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following description taken in connection
with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of
illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a laundry container
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention
illustrated in an expanded configuration;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the laundry container as in
FIG. 1 shown in a partially collapsed configuration;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the laundry container as in
FIG. 1 shown in a fully collapsed configuration;
[0013] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the laundry container as in
FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the laundry container as in
FIG. 2;
[0015] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the laundry container as in
FIG. 3; and
[0016] FIG. 7 is an isolated view on an enlarged scale taken from
FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] A laundry container according to a preferred embodiment of
the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.
1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings. The laundry container 10
includes an outer bag portion 20, an inner bag portion 30, and a
cover member 40.
[0018] The outer bag portion 20 includes a bottom 22 and a
plurality of sides 24 extending upwardly from the bottom 22. The
bottom 22 and sides 24 of the outer bag portion 20 together define
an interior area 26. The sides 24 include respective upper edges
that define an open top 28. The bottom 22 and sides 24 of the outer
bag portion 20 are constructed of an impermeable material, such as
a thin, flexible plastic material that is impermeable to water,
such as moisture from wet garments placed in the interior area.
[0019] The outer bag portion 20 includes a construction that is
movable between a collapsed configuration (FIG. 3) generally
adjacent the outer bag portion bottom 22, a partially collapsed
configuration (FIG. 2), and an extended/expanded configuration
(FIG. 3) in which the outer bag portion sides 24 extend upwardly
from the outer bag portion bottom 22. The sides 24 of the outer bag
portion 20 are foldable so as to selectively collapse and expand.
More particularly, each side 24 of the outer bag portion 20
includes a plurality of lines of weakness 29 that are each
generally parallel to and separated from a next adjacent line of
weakness 29. Further, each line of weakness 29 defines an imaginary
horizontal axis about which the outer bag portion side 24 may fold
when moving toward the collapsed configuration (FIG. 3).
[0020] The inner bag portion 30 includes a bottom wall 32 and a
plurality of side walls 34 extending upwardly from the bottom wall
32. The bottom wall 32 and side walls 34 of the inner bag portion
30 together define an interior area 36. The side walls 34 include
respective upper edges that define an open top 38. In some
embodiments, the inner bag portion 30 may be constructed of a
porous material that is permeable by liquid. For instance, the
inner bag portion 30 may be a mesh material or a thin nylon or
plastic material having a plurality of holes.
[0021] The inner bag portion 30 also includes a configuration that
is movable between a collapsed configuration (FIG. 3) and an
expanded configuration. In one embodiment, the inner bag portion 30
may be constructed of a thin plastic material having a plurality of
lines of weakness 39 that are substantially similar in
configuration and function as the lines of weakness 29 described
above. In another embodiment, the inner bag portion 30 may include
a mesh construction that is similarly movable between collapsed and
expanded configurations.
[0022] The outer bag portion 20 is configured to receive the inner
bag portion 30 into the outer bag portion interior area 26. In some
embodiments, the inner bag portion 30 may be removable from the
outer bag portion 20, such as when laundry is being loaded into or
removed from the interior area 36 of the inner bag portion 30.
However, when the inner bag portion 30 is situated in the interior
area 26 of the outer bag portion 20, the respective open tops 38,
28 of the inner and outer bag portions 30, 20 are immediately
adjacent one another or, as perhaps best understood, form a single
or integrated top opening.
[0023] In some embodiments, the cover member 40 is removably
coupled to an upper end of the outer bag member 20 and movable
between a closed configuration covering the outer bag portion open
top and an open configuration displaced from the outer bag open top
and, therefore, not covering the open top. In some embodiments, the
cover member 40 may actually be coupled to upper edges of the inner
bag portion side walls 34 with a fastener 44 (FIGS. 2 and 4). The
fastener 44 may be a zipper, a latch, a snap, a hook and loop
fastener combination, or the like. It is understood that when the
inner and outer bag portions are coupled together, the cover member
40 is configured to cover or expose the open top 38 of the inner
bag portion 30 and corresponding interior area. A handle 42 may be
attached to an upper surface of the cover member 40 such that the
cover member 40 and bag portions may be carried by a user when the
cover member 40 is selectively fastened to a respective bag portion
as described above.
[0024] The laundry container 10 may also include at least one
closure member 46 configured to releasably secure the bag portions
in a collapsed configuration. Preferably, the present invention
includes a plurality of closure members, as shown in the drawings.
Each closure member 46 may include a first portion 47 coupled to
the cover member 40 and a second portion 48 coupled to the outer
bag portion bottom 22. The first 47 and second 48 portions may
include female and male configurations, respectively, so as to be
operatively coupled together when the outer bag portion 20 is at
the collapsed configuration but that are not coupled together at
the expanded configuration. It is understood that the closure
members 46 enable the laundry container 10 to be secured in the
collapsed configuration when being stored or transported, such as
in luggage as will be described below.
[0025] In use, the laundry container 10 may be stored or
transported in the collapsed configuration (FIG. 3). The laundry
container 10 may be transported in luggage, such as on a business
trip or vacation. As garments are worn, they may be deposited into
the laundry container 10 by first removing the cover member 40 and
inserting the garments into the interior area 36 of the inner bag
portion 30 through its open top 38. The inner and outer bag
portions may be manually expanded upwardly as garments are inserted
therein so that no garments are allowed to fall therefrom. The
cover member 40 may then be re-fastened to cover the interior area
as described above. The outer bag portion 20 is impermeable to
moisture so that dirty clothing or wet clothing, e.g. swimsuits, do
not cause clean clothing in one's luggage to also require
laundering.
[0026] It is understood that while certain forms of this invention
have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto
except insofar as such limitations are included in the following
claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.
* * * * *