Abstract:
A laundry basket which includes a main body and a chute that extends from, and away from, the main body. The main body has an enclosing side portion and an end portion, the enclosing side portion and end portion cooperating to form an enclosure having an open end and a closed end defined by the end portion. The main body is totally enclosed by the enclosing side portion except for a slit in the enclosing side portion that extends from the open end towards the closed end of the main body.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The exemplary embodiments relate to a laundry basket and, more particularly, relate to a laundry basket having a dispensing chute for dispensing clothing articles from the laundry basket into, for example, a washing machine or dryer. 
     Current laundry baskets tend to be rectangular or round baskets which hold clothes needing to be laundered. These current laundry baskets may need to be placed on the floor or a surface immediately in front of a washing machine or dryer. 
     The clothing articles must then be lifted up into the washing machine or dryer from the laundry basket which may be an uncomfortable process for some individuals. The current laundry baskets do not facilitate the loading of clothing articles into a washing machine or dryer. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     The various advantages and purposes of the exemplary embodiments as described above and hereafter are achieved by providing, according to a first aspect of the exemplary embodiments, a laundry basket which includes a main body and a chute that extends from, and away from, the main body. The main body has an enclosing side portion and an end portion, the enclosing side portion and end portion cooperating to form an enclosure having an open end and a closed end defined by the end portion. The main body is totally enclosed by the enclosing side portion except for a slit in the enclosing side portion that extends from the open end towards the closed end of the main body. 
     According to a second aspect of the exemplary embodiments, there is provided a laundry basket which includes a main body having an enclosing side portion and an end portion, the enclosing side portion and end portion cooperating to form an enclosure having an open end and a closed end defined by the end portion, the main body further comprising a slit in the enclosing side portion that extends from the open end towards the closed end of the main body; and a chute integral with the side portion and extending from, and away from, the open end of the main body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The features of the exemplary embodiments believed to be novel and the elements characteristic of the exemplary embodiments are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The Figures are for illustration purposes only and are not drawn to scale. The exemplary embodiments, both as to organization and method of operation, may best be understood by reference to the detailed description which follows taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of the laundry basket. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the first exemplary embodiment of the laundry basket. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the first exemplary embodiment of the laundry basket. 
         FIG. 4  is an end perspective view of the first exemplary embodiment of the laundry basket. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the first exemplary embodiment of the laundry basket of  FIG. 3  in the direction of arrows  5 - 5 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view similar to  FIG. 5  showing a second exemplary embodiment of the laundry basket. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view similar to  FIG. 5  showing a third exemplary embodiment of the laundry basket. 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of a first modification of the first exemplary embodiment of the laundry basket. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view of the exemplary embodiment of the laundry basket of  FIG. 8  in the direction of arrows  9 - 9 . 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of a second modification of the first exemplary embodiment of the laundry basket. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view of the exemplary embodiment of the laundry basket of  FIG. 10  in the direction of arrows  11 - 11 . 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a fourth exemplary embodiment of the laundry basket. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A conventional laundry basket is made to hold clothing items but when it comes time to unload the clothing items, a user must reach down and lift the laundry items from the laundry basket and place the clothing items in a washing machine or dryer. 
     The exemplary embodiments are substantially different in that the user may simply lift the laundry basket and essentially “pour” the clothing items from the laundry basket into the washing machine or dryer. The exemplary embodiments are further improved by having a slit in the side of the laundry basket so that a user may place his/her hand through the slit and manually push the clothes out from the laundry basket and into the washing machine or dryer. The exemplary embodiments of the laundry basket may also be nested for convenient storage. 
     Referring to the Figures in more detail, and particularly referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , there is illustrated a first exemplary embodiment of a laundry basket  20 . The laundry basket  20  includes a main body  22  and a chute  24 . The main body  22  includes a side portion  32  which substantially encloses the space  26  within the laundry basket  20  and an end portion  28 , partially shown in phantom. The main body  22  further includes a slit  30  in the side portion  32 . It should be understood that when it is stated that the side portion  32  substantially encloses the space  26  within the laundry basket  20 , it is meant that the side portion  32  encloses the space  26  except for the opening caused by the slit  30 . 
     The end portion  28  closes off the main body  22  at one end. The other end  34  of the main body  22  is open. The slit  30  extends from the open end  34  of the main body towards the end portion  28  and, most preferably, extends entirely from the open end  34  to the end portion  28 . The slit should have a width sufficient for a user&#39;s hand to comfortably pass through the slit  30  without chafing the user&#39;s hand. For purposes of illustration and not limitation, the width may be 3 to 5 inches. In addition, the side portion  32  may have some flexibility so that when a user places his/her hand in the slit  30 , the slit  30  may expand so that the user&#39;s hand may comfortably pass through the slit  30 . In this latter instance when the side portion  32  may have some flexibility, the width of the slit may be just 1 to 3 inches. 
     As noted earlier, the laundry basket  20  includes a chute  24 . For added strength and functionality, the chute  24  may be integrally formed with the main body  22 . The chute  24  preferably has sides  36  which gradually decrease in size as the end  38  of the chute  24  is reached. The chute  24  has a curvature (best seen in  FIG. 4 ) which generally matches the curvature of the end portion  28  of the main body. It is preferred that the chute  24  be disposed so that it is opposite the slit  30  (as best seen in  FIG. 4 ). 
     For ease of handling the laundry basket, the side portion  32  may have one of more handles  40  formed in or added to the side portion  32 . The end portion  28  in addition may have a handle  42  (as best seen in  FIG. 4 ) formed in or added to the end portion  28 . The chute  24  may have an edge portion  44  (as best seen in  FIG. 2 ) which extends away from the chute  24 . Within the edge portion  44 , or added to it, may be another handle  46 . 
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 3  in the direction of arrows  5 - 5 . It can be seen that the side portion  32  has a circular cross section which encloses the space  26  except for slit  30  in the side portion  32 . 
     The side portion  32  may alternatively have an oval cross section such as side portion  32 A in  FIG. 6  or a rectangular cross section such as side portion  32 B in  FIG. 7 . 
     The laundry basket  20  may be conveniently made by injection molding but other manufacturing processes may be used as well. The laundry basket  20  may be made from any suitable material such as a plastic or polymeric material. 
     In use, the user may open the door of the washing machine or dryer and place the edge portion  44  of the chute  24  on the edge of, or in, the washing machine or dryer. The user may then tilt the end portion  28  up using anyone of the handles  40  or  42  and place a hand within the slit  30  and slide toward the edge portion  44  to push the clothing articles within the laundry basket  20  down the chute  24  and into the washing machine or dryer. 
     In addition to using a user&#39;s hand to assist in the unloading of the clothing articles, the laundry basket  20  may further include a sliding member (not shown) or secondary bottom (not shown) which may be moved to push the clothing articles from the laundry basket  20 . The sliding member or secondary bottom may cooperate with the slit  30 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , the laundry basket  20  of  FIGS. 1 to 4 , now referred to as laundry basket  50 , has been modified by adding a soft material  52  within the slit  30 . The soft material  52 , may be, for purposes of illustration and not limitation, a foam rubber. The soft material  52  may serve the dual purpose of covering the slit  30  to prevent small clothing articles from falling through the slit  30  and to protect the user&#39;s hand while passing through the slit  30 . 
       FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 8  in the direction of arrows  9 - 9  showing the soft material  52 . The soft material  52  may be formed integrally with the side portion  32  (as shown in  FIG. 9 ) or may be added to it later by adhering strips of soft material to the side portion  32 , such as by an adhesive or mechanical fasteners. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 10 , the laundry basket  20  of  FIGS. 1 to 4 , now referred to as laundry basket  60 , has been modified by adding a flexible material  62  within the slit  30 . The flexible material  62 , may be, for purposes of illustration and not limitation, soft brushes. The flexible material  62  may serve the dual purpose of covering the slit  30  to prevent small clothing articles from falling through the slit  30  and to protect the user&#39;s hand while passing through the slit  30 . 
       FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 10  in the direction of arrows  11 - 11  showing the flexible material  62 . The flexible material  62  may be formed integrally with the side portion  32  (as shown in  FIG. 11 ) or may be added to it later by adhering strips of brush material to the side portion  32 , such as by an adhesive or mechanical fasteners. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 12 , there is shown yet another exemplary embodiment. Laundry basket  70  shown in  FIG. 12  is similar to the laundry basket shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4  except that laundry basket  70  has a slit  72  which is not opposite the chute  24 . 
     Also shown in  FIG. 12  are perforations  74  in the laundry basket  70 . Perforations  74  may serve the purpose of ventilation to allow airflow through the laundry basket  70  to remove odors. Perforations  74  may also serve to reduce the weight of the laundry basket  70 . Perforations  74  are shown only on the main body  22  of the laundry basket  70  but may also be placed on the chute  24  if desired. It should be understood that while perforations  74  are only shown on the exemplary embodiment  70  in  FIG. 12 , perforations may be used in any of the exemplary embodiments. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art having regard to this disclosure that other modifications of the exemplary embodiments beyond those embodiments specifically described here may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, such modifications are considered within the scope of the invention as limited solely by the appended claims.