Patent Publication Number: US-2003231810-A1

Title: Laundry holder with attached bag with adjustable closing

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001] Not applicable.  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002] Not applicable.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003] The present invention relates to group laundering management. More specifically, the invention relates to a device for grouping an individual&#39;s garments together when laundering multiple individuals&#39; garments at the same time. The device includes a loop for holding garments with openings, which is attached to a bag for holding undergarments and/or garments without openings, such as socks.  
       [0004] Group laundry management has been and continues to be an issue in laundry services. Several devices have been used to keep track of an individual&#39;s garments when multiple individuals&#39; garments are laundered together. Although past devices have been met with limited success, a device which provides effective cleaning, security, and privacy has not been developed.  
       [0005] Mesh laundry bags have been commonly used to keep track of an individual&#39;s garments when multiple individuals&#39; garments are laundered together in a single load. Garments to be laundered are placed inside the mesh bag, which is then secured at the top before being placed in the washer. Mesh laundry bags provide a private and secure method for group laundering. However, several problems are associated with the use of mesh laundry bags. Specifically, garments become “wadded up” inside the bag, and this dense mass of clothing prevents garments from being thoroughly cleaned and significantly increases the time required to dry garments completely. Also, upon completion of the drying cycle and removal of garments from the laundry bag, garments may be severely wrinkled.  
       [0006] The problems associated with mesh laundry bags have been addressed by several laundry holding devices, including the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,128 to Townsend, U.S. Pat. No. 2,953,822 to Hockman, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,748 to Durney, et al (“Durney”). Durney provides a loop for holding garments with openings, such as blouses, t-shirts, shorts and pants, and an attached adjustable cord loop for holding garments without openings, such as socks. The loop is a strap with a fastener at each end. Garments are threaded through the unfastened strap and then the strap is fastened, forming a loop with garments to be laundered. The adjustable cord is attached to the loop. Socks and other garments are placed within the adjustable cord and it is adjusted to maintain the garments within the adjustable cord. Although the use of the loop and adjustable band addresses the problems associated with mesh laundry bags, several problems still exist. First, the adjustable band is capable of loosening, releasing the garments placed within it. The loop and adjustable band also do not provide protection for delicate garments during washing and drying. In addition, certain users prefer a more “private” means of turning in their personal garments and most laundry room personnel prefer a laundering device that protects the laundry room personnel from having to handle personal garments for hygiene reasons. These issues have not been corrected by current devices used in group laundering situations.  
       [0007] In order to overcome the disadvantages associated with the options currently available for group laundering, an improved device for holding laundry is needed that addresses these problems and provide an efficient and effective way to wash multiple individuals&#39; garments at the same time.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel laundry holding device for holding an individual&#39;s garments that may be used in group laundering situations, which provides privacy when turning in personal garments and protects laundry personnel from handling personal garments.  
       [0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide a laundry holding device that allows for effective and efficient washing and drying of an individual&#39;s garments when washed and dried in loads with other individual&#39;s garments.  
       [0010] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a laundry holding device that keeps an individual&#39;s garments together when several individuals&#39; garments are laundered in a single load while protecting delicate garments.  
       [0011] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a secure manner of keeping an individual&#39;s garments together in group laundering situations.  
       [0012] According to the present invention, the foregoing and other objects are achieved by a device for holding laundry, comprising a strap with a fastener for attaching the ends of the strap coupled to a relatively small mesh bag with an adjustable opening.  
       [0013] Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned from the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
     [0014] In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, a preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:  
     [0015]FIG. 1 is an elevation view of an unbuckled, laundry holder with the strap broken away;  
     [0016]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a buckled, laundry holder; and  
     [0017]FIG. 3 is a cut-away view of a mesh bag hem with a cord threaded through the hem. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0018] The present invention is a laundry holding device. The device includes, but is not limited to, a strap with a fastener for attaching the ends of the strap coupled to a mesh bag with an adjustable opening.  
     [0019] Durney describes a laundry loop with a sock snare in U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,748. Durney provides for a strap with a fastener coupled to a cord loop with a releasable cordlock. The structure of the device is similar, in part, to the present invention. Durney is hereby incorporated by reference.  
     [0020] A laundry holder  10  is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Laundry holder  10  includes an elongated strap  16  having a conventional female buckle  18  secured to one end of strap  16 , and a mating, conventional, male buckle  20  secured to the other end of strap  16 . Buckles  18  and  20  comprise a strap fastener  22  (shown in FIG. 2) which in the preferred embodiment is a side-squeeze buckle manufactured by National Molding Corp. Each of buckles  18  and  20  has a strap receiving loop,  19  and  21 , respectively, through which the respective ends of strap  16  are threaded. Strap  16  is then folded back onto itself and sewn together in a conventional manner to secure the buckles to the respective ends of strap  16 .  
     [0021] Cord  24  is knotted at its midpoint and its tag ends are threaded through cordlock  32 . Cord lock  32  is positioned as close as possible to the knotted midpoint  26 . Cord  24  is threaded through hem  31  around opening  34  of mesh bag  28 . Hem  31  can be seen in FIGS. 1, 2, and  3 . The two tag ends of the cording are placed side by side, thereby forming a loop of cording. The tag ends of the cording are attached by sewing them to strap  16  as shown in FIG  1 . In a preferred embodiment, nylon cordlock with a spring biased plunger  32  is available from Dale Nielsen Ltd. Knot  26  prevents cordlock  30  from slipping off cording  24 . Preferably, cordlock  30  is located between knot  26  and mesh bag  28 , on the side of mesh bag  28  furthest from strap  16 . When plunger  32  is depressed, cordlock  30  may be slidably moved on cord  24  to adjust the size of opening  34  of mesh bag  28 , and when plunger  32  is released, cordlock  30  is secured at its position.  
     [0022] As shown in FIG. 2, in operation, one end of strap  16  is led through the openings of garments  12 . The openings include sleeves of shirts, necks of t-shirts, legs of pants, or waists of shirts or shorts. Male buckle  20  is joined to female buckle  18  to buckle the ends of strap  16  together. Strap  16 , which has its ends joined by fastener  22 , holds the garments together in one bundle. In loading mesh bag  28 , a user positions cordlock  30  against knot  26  tied in cording  24 , as far away as possible from strap  16 . By positioning cordlock  30  against knot  26 , the user is able to form the largest possible loop in cording  24 , thus forming the largest possible opening  34  in the bag  28 . Garments lacking an opening, which would include socks and personal garments are placed in the mesh bag  28 . Plunger  32  of cordlock  30  is then depressed, and cordlock  30  is moved toward strap  16  and fit snugly against mesh bag  28 .  
     [0023] When the loading process of the laundry holder  10  has been completed, the bundle of garments may be washed and dried with the bundle being held together as one unit, separate from other bundles or garments being laundered at the same time.  
     [0024] The above description is by way of example only. It is contemplated that garments having openings could also be loaded in the mesh bag  28 . It is also contemplated that garments held in mesh bag  28  could be loaded first, prior to loading the garments in the loop formed by strap  16 . It makes no difference which is loaded first. Further, rather than placing mesh bag  28  between cordlock  30  and strap  16 , it is contemplated that the components could be rearranged. For example, mesh bag  28  could be placed between cordlock  30  and knot  26 . In addition, it is contemplated that cord  24  could be two cords which form a single loop by way of a single half-hitch knot tying the end of the two cords together. The present invention is highly adaptable to cover many different situations.  
     [0025] It will be seen from the foregoing that this invention is one well adapted to attain the ends and objects set forth above, and to attain other advantages which are obvious and inherent in the device. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and within the scope of the invention. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the device of the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather, all matter herein set forth is to be interpreted as illustrative and not limiting.