US20070183691A1 - Hanging Laundry Basket - Google Patents

Abstract

A hanging laundry bag comprising foldable enclosure having hanger sleeves attached to the longer sides thereof accepting conventional wire or wood hangers and suspending the bag from a hanger rod. The bag also includes two straps for suspending the bag from hooks or for easily transporting the bag when it is full of laundry. The bag may further include magnetic fasteners for retaining the bag in a closed position. The bag may also include a removable liner for segregating damp laundry from the remaining portions of the bag, and any number of pockets within the compartment for securing smaller items.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/764,799, filed Feb. 3, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention
• The present invention relates to storage articles and, more particularly, toward an hanging apparatus for storing and transporting laundry.
• 2. Description of the Related Art
• Dirty laundry, when not simply left on the floor or deposited into a hamper, is often placed into a conventional laundry bag formed by stitching together two pieces of fabric to form an enclosure having an opening at one end, and a drawstring provided in the hemline of the opening. These laundry bags are difficult to use because the drawstring is difficult to manipulate as it is subject to twisting, knotting, or breaking. In addition, the drawstring is often painful to a user trying to tote a full bag of laundry, particular if the laundry is damp or wet. The laundry bags are also difficult to store, as the drawstring will automatically close the opening of the bag if it is placed on a hook. These conventional systems also lack the ability to be suspended from a closet hanging rod, and thus must be placed on the floor. Finally, these laundry bags are usually far from aesthetically pleasing.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• It is therefore a principal object and advantage of the present invention to provide a laundry bag that is easily suspended from a hook or closet rod.
• It is a further object and advantage of the present invention to provide a laundry bag that is easy to use.
• It is an additional object and advantage of the present invention to provide a laundry bag that is easy to transport.
• It is another object and advantage of the present invention to provide a laundry bag that is aesthetically pleasing.
• It is yet a further object and advantage of the present invention to provide a laundry bag that remains in an open position.
• In accordance with the foregoing objects and advantages, the present invention provides a hanging laundry bag comprising a laundry enclosure having hanger sleeves attached thereto for accepting conventional hangers and suspending the bag from a hanger rod. In addition, the hanger sleeves allow the bag to be placed in an open configuration while the bag is suspended from a rod via the hangers. The bag may further include fasteners for retaining the bag in a closed position, and straps for easily transporting the bag. The bag may also include a removable liner for segregating damp laundry from the remaining portions of the bag, and any number of pockets within the compartment for securing smaller items.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
• FIG. 1 is perspective view of an embodiment of present invention in the open position with the hanger sleeves in upward position and the tote straps placed around hanger neck opening.
• FIG. 2 is a side view of another embodiment of the present invention in the open position with internal pocket and magnetic snap closures visible.
• FIG. 3 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention in the closed position with one hanger sleeve in upward position and tote straps placed around hanger neck opening, and second hanger sleeve in downward position.
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in the closed position with both hanger sleeves in downward position and the tote straps in use.
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a removable liner for a hanging bag according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, there is seen inFIG. 1 a handinglaundry bag10 according to the present invention.Bag10 provides a stylish and discreet way to store and transport clothing, such as for laundering.Bag10 is adapted to be hanging in a closet via a standard clothes hanger or on a hook.
• Bag10 generally comprises abody12 formed from a flexible material, such as fabric, which may be printed with pleasing designs.Body12 preferably comprises afront14 and aback16 attached together using abottom seam18 and twoseams20 and22 and folded to form planar sides, although separate panels may be used in lieu ofseams18,20 and22 to form discrete sides. Along theselines front14,back16,bottom18, and any sides may be formed from separate pieces of fabric that are stitched together, or (to the extent possible) fewer pieces that includes folds rather than seams.Front14,back16,bottom seam18, andside seams20 and22 thus form anenclosure24 that is accessible via a bag opening26 or mouth at the top ofbody12.Side seams20 and22 are preferably positioned at an intermediate location to encourage easy folding of the material used to constructbag10.
• Bag10 further comprises twohanger sleeves28 and30 interconnected to the upper edge offront14 andback16, respectively, proximate to opening26.Hanger sleeves28 and30 comprise triangularly shapedfirst members32 and34 that are each attached along one side to the upper edge offront14 andback16, respectively, to form a pouch. Hanger sleeves28 and30 further comprise triangularly shapedsecond members36 and38 that are attached to the remaining sides offirst members32 and34, thereby leaving a first,wide aperture40 between each of first andsecond members32 and36 and first andsecond members34 and38 along the upper edge ofenclosure24. Each ofhanger sleeves28 and30 also include a second,narrow aperture42 at their free, pointed ends. Those of skill in the art will instantly recognize thathanger sleeves28 and30 should be dimensioned to accommodate conventional wire or wood hangers that are inserted throughwide aperture40 and positioned such that the hook portion of the hanger extends throughnarrow aperture42. As a result, as seen inFIG. 2,bag10 may be suspended from a closet hanger pole44 byconventional hangers46 and48 positioned withinhanger sleeves28 and30, respectively.
• Bag further comprises twostraps50 and52, each of which are attached at both ends to each offront14 andback16, respectively, proximate to bag opening26, thereby forming handles for carryingbag10. In addition,bag10 may be suspended from a pole or hook using one or both ofstraps50 and52, as seen inFIG. 4.
• Referring toFIG. 2,bag10 further comprises two sets offasteners54 and56 attached along the inner surfaces offront14 and back16 proximate to bag opening26. Fasteners preferably comprise magnetized snaps that may be repeatedly engaged and disengaged, thereby allowing bag opening26 to be selectively opened or closed by a user, and held firmly closed whenfasteners54 and56 are in magnetic and/or snap engagement.Bag10 may also include one ormore pockets60 attached withinenclosure24 to the inner surface offront14 orback16.
• Aremovable support sleeve62 comprised of two layers of fabric attached to each other along their peripheral edges to form a pouch containing arigid member64 therein, such as a piece of plastic or cardboard.Sleeve62 may be provided separately or affixed insidebag10. Those of skill in the art will recognize thatsleeve62 may also be formed using the bottom offront14 orback16 as one of the layers of fabric, thereby forming a permanent support positioned in the bottom ofbag10. Alternatively, only three sides ofsleeve62 may be closed to allow removal ofrigid member64 as desired.
• Bag10 may additionally comprise aremovable insert66 having afront68, aback70, twosides72 and74, and twohandles76 and78 that correspond to those elements ofbag10. Insert66 is preferably formed from a water-resilient or waterproof material, such as coated nylon, thereby providing a moisture barrier between and damp laundry placed inbag10 and the fabric from whichbag10 is constructed. Insert66 may be provided with nearly the same dimension asbag10, or with less height to allow for additional laundry to be placed inbag10 underinsert66. Insert66 may also includefasteners80 and82 corresponding tofasteners54 and56 to allowinsert66 to be selectively affixed within or disengaged frombag10.
• In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,bag10 is provided a width of eighteen inches and a depth of six inches to easily fit into standard closets. The height ofbag10 may preferably vary from ten inches to eighteen inches.First members32 and34 ofhanger sleeves28 and30 are preferably ten and a half inches betweennarrow aperture42 andwide aperture40, whilesecond members36 and38 ofhanger sleeves28 and30 are eight and a half inches fromnarrow aperture42 andwide aperture40 to accommodate standard wire clothes hangers.
• Bag10 may be assembled by separately assemblingbody12,hangar sleeves28 and30, and supportsleeve62, and joining the elements together. For example,support sleeve62 is formed by attaching two layers of fabric along three sides, insertingrigid member64, and then attaching to the bottom edge ofback16. With respect to the formation ofbody12, anypocket50 is attached to inside ofback16.Front14 and back16 are then attached together alongbottom seam18 andside seams20 and22. Squared edges for bottom ofbag10 may be created by stitchingbottom seam18 toside seams20 and22. The upper edge ofbody12 is then folded over to form a hemline, and straps50 and52 are attached to the hemline. Asupport band84 may further be attached to the hemline to strengthen the attachment ofstraps50 and52. With respect tohanger sleeves28 and30,first members32 and34 are preferably formed by stitching together two layers of material such that any printed sides face outwardly in both directions. Those of skill in the art should recognize that the various elements ofbag10 may be formed from one or more layers of material. For example, when printed fabric is used to constructbag10, multiple plies will likely be desired forfirst members32 and34 ofhanger sleeves28 and30, as both sides ofhanger sleeves28 and30 may be visible pending on the configuration ofbag10.Second members36 and38 are then stitched tofirst members32 and34, leavingwide aperture40 andnarrow aperture42.Hanger sleeves28 and30 are then individually stitched tofront14 and back16 viafirst members32 and34, respectively, being careful to leavewide aperture40 free.Fasteners54 and56 may then be attached at the designated locations.
• When using two hangers, each hanger should be slid into each ofhanger sleeves28 and30.Straps50 and52 may be looped over the hook of each hanger to keep them out of the way whenbag10 is hanged in a closet or on a rod.Bag opening26 may then be placed in the open position or closed position by engagingfasteners54 and56. Alternatively, one hanger may be slid into one ofhanger sleeves28 or30, and bothstraps50 and52 looped over the hook of the single hanger to keep them out of the way whenbag10 is hanged in a closet or on a rod. If hanging in place using one ofstraps50 or52,bag10 may be in the open or closed position. If both straps50 or52 are used,bag10 will likely be in the closed position.
• Bag10 thus allows a user to simply drop laundry therein for storage and, when the laundry is ready for transportation,bag10 may be closed and used to transport the laundry.Bag10 may also be easily transported empty, such as when traveling, as it may be easily folded and placed in a suitcase for later used.

Claims (20)

1. A hanging laundry bag, comprising:

a first side;

a second side interconnected to said first side to form an enclosure having a opening; and

at least one hanger sleeve comprising a triangularly shaped pouch having a cavity therein, a first aperture permitting access to said cavity positioned formed along one edge of said sleeve, and a second aperture permitting access to said cavity formed at the apex of said sleeve, wherein said sleeve is interconnected to said first side proximate to said opening.

2. The bag ofclaim 1, further comprising at least one set of fasteners interconnected to said enclosure.

3. The bag ofclaim 2, further comprising at least one strap interconnected to said enclosure.

4. The bag ofclaim 3, wherein said at lease one hanger sleeve is dimensioned to accept a hanger.

5. The bag ofclaim 4, wherein said first aperture is wider than said second aperture.

6. The bag ofclaim 5, wherein said first and second sides are interconnected together along three sides by a single seam.

7. The bag ofclaim 6, further comprising a pocket positioned within said enclosure.

8. The bag ofclaim 1, further comprising a liner that is adapted for selective engagement with said enclosure.

9. The bag ofclaim 1, further comprising a rigid member positioned in the bottom of said enclosure.

10. A hanging laundry bag, comprising:

a first side;

a second side interconnected to said first side to form an enclosure having a opening;

a first hanger sleeve interconnected to said first side;

a second hanger sleeve interconnected to said second side;

a first strap interconnected to said first side;

a second strap interconnected to said second side;

at least one set of fasteners interconnected to said first side and said second side for releasably closing said opening of said enclosure; and

a rigid member positioned in the bottom of said enclosure.

11. The bag ofclaim 10, further comprising a pocket positioned within said enclosure.

12. The bag ofclaim 11, wherein said at least one set of fasteners are magnetic.

13. The bag ofclaim 10, wherein said first hanger sleeve comprises a triangularly shaped pouch having a cavity therein, a first aperture permitting access to said cavity positioned formed along one edge of said sleeve, and a second aperture permitting access to said cavity formed at the apex of said sleeve.

14. The bag ofclaim 13, wherein said first hanger sleeve is interconnected to said first side along one edge of said pouch.

15. The bag ofclaim 14, wherein said apex of said first hanger sleeve is opposite said edge of said pouch that is interconnected to said first side.

16. The bag ofclaim 15, wherein said first hanger sleeve is dimensioned to accept a hanger.

17. The bag ofclaim 16, wherein said second hanger sleeve comprises a triangularly shaped pouch having a cavity therein, a first aperture permitting access to said cavity positioned formed along one edge of said sleeve, and a second aperture permitting access to said cavity formed at the apex of said sleeve.

18. The bag ofclaim 17, wherein said second hanger sleeve is interconnected to said second side along one edge of said pouch.

19. The bag ofclaim 18, wherein said apex of said second hanger sleeve is opposite said edge of said pouch that is interconnected to said second side.

20. The bag ofclaim 19, wherein said second hanger sleeve is dimensioned to accept a hanger.

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