Combination garment bag, hamper, and duffle bag

The present device is a reusable bag for laundry and laundry hangers. The reusable bag includes an enclosure made from a flexible web material having an open end and a closed end. The open end has a closure means, while the closed end includes an aperture adapted to receive a portion of each laundry hanger therethrough. With the open end of the enclosure facing upward in a hamper configuration, dirty laundry may be collected and, when the bag is full, the open end of the enclosure may be selectively closed with the closure means. The reusable bag may be transported to a laundry cleaning facility by carrying with a handle strap, and returned with clean laundry hanging on the laundry hangers inside the enclosure. The closed end of the enclosure may be facing upward in a garment bag configuration for protecting the clean laundry.

Not Applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to garment bags, and more particularly to an environmentally-friendly reusable combination garment bag, hamper, and duffle bag.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

A wide variety of storage containers are used for the transportation of laundry. After clothes are worn, they are conventionally stored loosely with other unclean clothes in laundry baskets, duffle bags, hampers, and the like. Dirty laundry conventionally may be removed from such storage containers to be cleaned by professional cleaners, such as dry cleaning services, Laundromats, and the like. After the clothes are cleaned, they may be pressed and returned to a customer in one or more different, generally disposable bags. Such disposable bags are generally made of non-biodegradable materials and may be discarded by the customer after receiving the clothes, thereby taking up space in landfills and posing an environmental hazard, particularly to wildlife. Furthermore, in the conventional case, the customer must generally take the time to remove unclean clothes from the storage container before delivering them to the professional cleaner, which in addition to being time consuming may create a risk of the clothes not being cleaned (e.g., by dropping the clothes before taking them to the professional cleaner) or losing clothes at the professional cleaner's location.

Furthermore, clean clothes may be transported in garment bags in order to keep the clothes pressed and clean. A customer of a professional cleaner generally must remove the clean clothes from the disposable bag provided by the professional cleaner and place them in a separate garment bag to be transported. The process of transferring the clean clothes to the garment bag may be time-consuming, however, and may involve taking the risk of making the clean clothes dirty if a user is careless.

Reusable bags for transporting clothing are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,559 to Gendreau filed on Nov. 19, 1990 describes a reusable carrier bag for dry cleaning that is seemingly convertible between a duffle bag-like orientation for collecting and carrying dirty clothing and a reusable dry cleaner bag orientation for returning cleaned clothing to customers. However, the carrier bag uses the same compartment to hold dirty and clean laundry. Because dirt from dirty laundry may accumulate on the walls of the compartment, the dirt may subsequently attach to clean clothes, therefore requiring disposable bags to maintain cleanliness of clean laundry. Additionally, such a carrier bag may awkward to transport, because there is no practical way for a user to carry the carrier bag except by lifting the carrier bag from the bottom or carrying the carrier bag from the draw string. Carrying the carrier bag, especially when the interior compartment is full of dirty laundry, may be uncomfortable and/or difficult for the user.

Therefore, there is a need for a reusable storage bag that may be used to store and transport loose dirty clothes, that may also be used to provide protection for clean clothes from dirt and substantially maintain the clean clothes in a pressed state. The reusable storage bag would advantageously prevent clean clothes from coming into contact with dirt from dirty clothes. Such a reusable storage bag could also be transported by a user without having the user carry the reusable storage bag awkwardly carry the storage bag from the bottom of the bag (which may require both of the user's hands) or from the top (which may eventually lead to tearing in the walls of the bag if enough weight is present within the bag). The present invention accomplishes these objectives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present device is a reusable bag for laundry and laundry hangers. The reusable bag includes an enclosure made from a flexible web material having an open end and a closed end. The open end has a closure means, while the closed end includes an aperture adapted to receive a portion of each laundry hanger therethrough. The enclosure also includes an inside surface and an outside surface. The reusable bag also includes at least one handle strap for facilitating carrying of the bag.

With the open end of the enclosure facing upward in a hamper configuration, dirty laundry may be collected and, when the bag is full, the open end of the enclosure may be selectively closed with the closure means. The reusable bag may be transported to a laundry cleaning facility by carrying with the at least one handle strap, and returned with clean laundry hanging on the laundry hangers inside the enclosure, with each hanger traversing the aperture in the closed end of the enclosure. The closed end of the enclosure may be facing upward in a garment bag configuration for protecting the clean laundry.

In an exemplary embodiment, the enclosure includes a front sheet of the flexible web material, a back sheet of the flexible web material, and a gusset sheet of the flexible web material. A peripheral edge of the gusset sheet is sewn at least partially to each of the front and back sheets to form the enclosure, and the gusset sheet forms a peripheral edge thereof. Furthermore, in an exemplary embodiment, the enclosure may be divided into a dirty laundry compartment and a clean laundry compartment by a central sheet of the flexible web material sewn to the gusset sheet. The dirty laundry compartment may include the hem and the closure means, while the clean laundry compartment may be closed at both ends and may include a zipper in the peripheral edge thereof adapted to facilitate insertion of clean laundry into the clean laundry enclosure when the bag is in the garment bag configuration.

The present invention is a reusable storage bag that may be used to store and transport loose dirty clothes that may also be used to provide protection for clean clothes from dirt and substantially maintain the clean clothes in a pressed state. The reusable storage bag may advantageously prevent clean clothes from coming into contact with dirt from dirty clothes. The reusable storage bag may also be transported by a user without having the user carry the reusable storage bag awkwardly carry the storage bag from the bottom of the bag or from the top of the bag. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a reusable bag10for laundry20and laundry hangers25in a garment bag configuration14. Garment bag configuration14in the exemplary embodiment refers generally to a substantially pliable travel bag configuration, which may hang straight or fold double, and that may be used to carry suits, dresses, coats, or the like substantially without crushing or wrinkling thereof. The reusable bag10includes an enclosure30made from a flexible web material40, which may be any suitable flexible fabric, such as cotton, linen and polyester, or nylon, for example. The enclosure30may take any suitable shape for containing pressed clothing.

In an exemplary embodiment, the enclosure30may include a front sheet160of the flexible web material40and a back sheet170(FIG. 2) of the flexible web material40. Each sheet160,170may be at least partially sewn together along a peripheral edges165,175thereof. The flexible web material40in some embodiments may be a water resistant, air permeable material, such as nylon, for example.

The enclosure30has an open end38and a closed end32. The open end38includes a closure means50, which may be any structure that may substantially prevent clothes from falling out of the open end38(e.g., a zipper, snap buttons, hook-and-loop fasteners, etc.). As shown in the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 1, the closure means50may include a hem100around the open end38of the enclosure30through which a selectively cinchable drawstring110is slidably enclosed. The closed end32of the enclosure30includes an aperture60adapted to receive a portion27of each laundry hanger25therethrough (e.g., the hook portion27of the laundry hanger, or similar protruding portion used to hang the clothing). The enclosure30also includes an inside surface37(shown inFIG. 4) and an outside surface39.

FIG. 2is a side view of the invention in garment bag configuration14. While no laundry hangers25are shown inFIG. 2, the aperture60adapted to receive a portion27of each laundry hanger25therethrough is shown at the closed end32of the reusable bag10, thereby indicating that the bag10is in the garment bag configuration14. In the exemplary embodiment shown inFIG. 2, the enclosure30of the reusable bag10includes a front sheet160of the flexible web material40, a back sheet170of the flexible web material40, and a pair of gusset sheets180of the flexible web material40. As shown inFIG. 2, a peripheral edge185of each gusset sheet180may be sewn at least partially to each of the front and back sheets160,170to form the enclosure30, the gusset sheet180forming a peripheral edge35thereof. The gusset sheet180advantageously allows the reusable bag10to contain more laundry hangers25, and therefore more clean laundry22than if the peripheral edges165,175of the front and back sheets were directly attached to one another.

Also, in an exemplary embodiment, at least one of the gusset sheets180may include a zipper150adapted to facilitate insertion of clean laundry22into the enclosure30when the bag10is in the garment bag configuration14. By opening the zipper150, a user may insert clean laundry22into the enclosure30through the peripheral edge portion35instead of from the open end38as is done conventionally. Allowing the user to access the enclosure30to insert clean laundry from the peripheral edge portion35is advantageous because it is difficult and time consuming to insert clean laundry22from the open end38without wrinkling same (e.g., the user may have difficulty placing a portion27of each laundry hanger through the aperture60when inserting from the open end38because of the presence of clean laundry items in the enclosure30).

FIG. 3is a rear view of the invention in the garment bag configuration14. As shown inFIG. 3, reusable bag10also includes at least one handle strap90for facilitating carrying of the bag10. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 3, both handle straps90are shown on the back sheet170of the reusable bag10, but at least one handle strap90may be located on the front sheet160, a gusset sheet180, and/or on a peripheral edges165or175in other embodiments. As shown inFIG. 3, in an exemplary embodiment, the at least one handle strap90may include a pair of handle straps90, one each proximate the closed and open ends32and38, respectively, of the enclosure30.

Also, in an exemplary embodiment the at least one handle strap90may further include a shoulder strap140fixed at one end142to the outside surface39of the bag10proximate the closed end32of the enclosure30and at another end148to the outside surface39of the bag10proximate the open end38of the enclosure30. The shoulder strap140is advantageous because the shoulder strap140facilitates transportation of the reusable bag10when it is full of dirty laundry21, such as when it may otherwise be difficult for the user to carry the reusable bag10. In an alternate embodiment, the at least one handle strap90may further include a V-shaped shoulder strap (not shown) fixed at three points to the outside surface39of the bag10, and suitable for engaging both shoulders of a person for carrying the bag10as in a back-pack configuration.

FIG. 4is a perspective view of the invention in use as a hamper in an exemplary embodiment that may include a hamper frame220. Reusable bag10is shown inFIG. 4to be in a hamper configuration12, in which the reusable bag10takes the form of a receptacle to receive the dirty laundry21. As shown inFIG. 4, with the open end38of the enclosure30oriented upward in the hamper configuration12, dirty laundry21may be collected therein. When the bag10is full, the open end38of the enclosure30may be selectively closed with the closure means50(e.g., selectively cinchable drawstring110in the exemplary embodiment) and transported to a laundry cleaning facility by carrying with the at least one handle strap90or the shoulder strap140.

As shown in the exemplary embodiment inFIG. 4, the reusable bag10may also include a laundry hanger retaining means70fixed to the inside surface37of the enclosure30. The laundry hanger retaining means70may be any apparatus that may prevent laundry hangers25from being loose within the enclosure30, such as a strap made of the flexible web material40and fixed at either end thereof to the inside surface39of the enclosure30, a clip (not shown), or a pocket (not shown), for example. The laundry hanger retaining means70may permit the user to transport laundry hangers25to the laundry cleaning facility, thereby reducing or eliminating the need for the laundry cleaning facility to provide hangers25with the clean laundry22.

As shown inFIG. 5, a cross-sectional view of the invention in use as a garment bag, the reusable bag10may be returned with clean laundry22hanging on the laundry hangers25inside the enclosure30. Each hanger25traverses the aperture60in the closed end32of the enclosure30(e.g., using a hook portion27of the hanger25in the exemplary embodiment), while the closed end32of the enclosure30faces upward in the garment bag configuration14for protecting the clean laundry22(e.g., from dirt and/or wrinkling).

Returning toFIG. 4, the reusable bag10may, in an exemplary embodiment, further include a selectively closable pocket130fixed to the enclosure30. The selectively closable pocket130may advantageously be used to store items related to the cleaning of the laundry20, such as laundry hangers25, or identification materials to identify the owner of the reusable bag10, for example. While the selectively closable pocket130is fixed to the outside surface39of the enclosure30in the exemplary embodiment shown inFIG. 4, it may also clearly be located on the inside surface37in other embodiments.

The reusable bag10may also be used in an exemplary embodiment with the hamper frame220, which may be selectively attachable proximate the open end38of the enclosure30. The frame220may furthermore be adapted to support the enclosure30on a ground surface in the hamper configuration12with the open end38of the bag10open. The hamper frame220may be a rigid structure that is configured to substantially hold the open end38of the bag10open so dirty laundry21may be more easily inserted into the enclosure30. The hamper frame220may be selectively attachable to the open end38by any suitable means of attachment to the reusable bag10(e.g., by using one or more clips, a rigid lip having a closed shape over which the open end38may be placed substantially securely, using a fastening means, etc.). As stated above, hamper frame220may enhance the hamper functionality of the hamper configuration12by facilitating insertion of dirty laundry21into the reusable bag10.

FIGS. 4 and 5illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the reusable bag10wherein the enclosure30is divided into a dirty laundry compartment190and a clean laundry compartment200by a central sheet210of the flexible web material40sewn to each gusset sheet180. The dirty laundry compartment190may include the hem100and the closure means50in the exemplary embodiment, which may facilitate its use in the hamper configuration12. The clean laundry compartment200may be closed at both ends and may include a zipper150in the peripheral edge35thereof adapted to facilitate insertion of clean laundry22into the clean laundry enclosure200when the bag10is in the garment bag configuration14(e.g., seeFIG. 2). Such an embodiment may advantageously prevent clean clothes22from coming into contact with dirt from dirty clothes21by maintaining each in separate compartments as shown.

While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, as noted above, the at least one handle strap90may be located on the front sheet160instead of the rear sheet170as shown inFIG. 3. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.

The teachings provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the system described herein. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the above patents and applications and other references, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of the various references described above to provide yet further embodiments of the invention.

These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of the above Detailed Description. While the above description details certain embodiments of the invention and describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, the invention can be practiced in many ways. Details of the system may vary considerably in its implementation details, while still being encompassed by the invention disclosed herein.

In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the invention encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention under the claims.