Patent Publication Number: US-2005129337-A1

Title: Laundry bag

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of provisional application Ser. No. 60/508,814, filed Oct. 3, 2003, the complete contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates to laundry bags, including laundry bags used for accumulating soiled laundry as well as for holding laundry during washing.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Laundry bags are used to hold soiled clothing and other items and transport them to the Laundromat for washing. But when the laundry is removed from the laundry bag it sometimes falls on the floor of the Laundromat and acquires undesirable matter which further contaminates laundry being washed. There is thus a need for an improved way to transport soiled laundry to a washer while minimizing the soiling of the laundry contained in the laundry bag.  
      After being washed and/or dried, the cleaned laundry is often placed back in to the same laundry bags in which the soiled laundry was previously transported. The laundry bag may accumulate dirt from the soiled laundry and redeposit it on the freshly cleaned laundry. There is thus a need for a laundry bag that is as clean as the clothes contained therein, or cleaner.  
      Small containers are sold so that delicate items which are more easily damaged, such as nylon stockings, can be placed in the containers for washing, with the small container protecting the delicate item from damage during washing. These containers are placed in the washer with the other clothing. But the small containers can become entwined with larger items such as sheets, and be inadequately washed or be damaged. There is a need for an improved way to wash such delicate items, and to wash other items.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Soiled laundry is placed in a bag. The bag is fastened to the spindle of a washing machine so that the location of the bag is restrained relative to the spindle. The spindle can be inserted through the laundry bag by locating two openings on opposite walls of the bag, preferably so the spindle passes through the center of the bag, and through or close to the center of gravity of the laundry in the bag.  
      The spinning causes these openings to enlarge, and it is advantageous, but optional, to restrain them from enlarging enough so that clothing can slip out of the bag between the opening and the spindle. Releasable closures can be used to restrict the openings from enlarging. A drawstring in a hem around the opening is believed suitable, as is an elastic member around one or more of the openings. Releasable locks or knots can be used to restrain drawstrings from opening.  
      Access to the inside of the laundry bag can be through the same openings which allow passage of the spindle. Alternatively, a separate access opening could be provided to insert and remove laundry.  
      In a further embodiment, the laundry bag has an annular shape, like a donut, with the central opening fitting around the spindle. In this, and the other configurations, more than one laundry bag can be fastened to the spindle at the same time, and other clothing can be placed loosely in the tub of the washing machine along with the laundry bags.  
      This laundry bag and its method of use allow delicate garments to be washed safely. By placing garments from separate persons in separate laundry bags, it also allows the laundry of several persons to be simultaneous washed, while still keeping the laundry separate during washing, and making for easier identification after washing.  
      Thus, one embodiment of this invention includes a laundry bag for washing laundry in a washing machine having a spindle with a base and a shaft perpendicular to the base, the shaft having a diameter. The bag is made of a porous material and has at least one spindle opening forming a spindle passage that extends through opposing walls of the bag. The spindle opening is sized to allow the shaft to pass through the opening during use of the bag in washing. The bag has an access opening sized to allow laundry to be inserted into and removed from the bag. The bag has a releasable closure around at least a portion of the access opening to vary the size of the access opening.  
      Preferably, but optionally, the bag has two spindle openings on opposing sides of the bag with the spindle openings being sized about the same diameter as the shaft adjacent the material of the bag defining the openings when the bag is mounted on the shaft. Preferably, but optionally, at least one of the spindle openings has a releasable closure around it. Preferably, but optionally, a strengthening member extends around the at least one spindle opening. Preferably, but optionally, each of the spindle openings has a releasable closure around it, and at least one of the spindle openings has a lock to restrain the size of that at lest one spindle opening. Preferably, but optionally, the bag has an annular shape with the annular shape defining the spindle opening and spindle passage.  
      In a further embodiment, a laundry bag is provided for washing clothes in a washing machine having a spindle. The bag is a mesh bag having at least one spindle opening defining the location of a spindle passageway through the bag at about the center of the bag. The spindle opening is about the same size as the spindle which is immediately adjacent the portions of the bag defining the at least one spindle opening during washing when the bag is placed on the spindle for washing. The bag preferably, but optionally has an access opening in the bag, preferably with a releasable closure to restrict the size of the access opening during washing. In one embodiment the passageway is defined by an inner wall of an annulus. In another embodiment, the passageway is defined by two opposing spindle openings formed in walls of the bag. In a variation of this embodiment, one of the two spindle openings is weighted to better hold the adjacent portion of the bag against the spindle during washing. A strengthening member is preferably placed around at least one of the spindle openings.  
      In a further embodiment a laundry bag is provided formed of a mesh bag having spindle opening means for allowing passage of a spindle through the bag. The bag also has means for releasably closing the spindle opening means. The bag can optionally have lock means for releasably locking the size of the spindle opening means. The bag also optionally has means for strengthening the spindle opening means. The bag can further optionally have access means for placing laundry into and removing laundry from the bag.  
      There is also advantageously provided a method of washing clothing in water in a washing machine having a rotating spindle. The method includes placing laundry to be washed in a bag made of mesh material with sufficient porosity to allow the water to freely pass through the mesh during washing. The bag is placed over the spindle by passing the spindle through one or more openings in the bag. The bag and the laundry within the bag are washed by rotating the spindle. After washing the bag is removed from the spindle.  
      The method further optionally includes removing the laundry from the bag and drying the laundry out of the bag (or in the bag). The method also optionally includes restraining enlargement of the at least one opening during rotation of the spindle by placing a strengthening member around the opening. Restraining enlargement of the opening can include attaching opposing sides of the bag with an annular wall, or placing a strengthening member around two opposing openings which surround the spindle to restrain the size of the two openings during rotation, or placing an elastic member around the at least one opening to restrain the size of the opening during rotation, or placing a drawstring around the at least one opening, tightening the drawstring and locking the drawstring to define the size of the opening at least one opening during rotation. In a further embodiment, the method can also optionally include placing more than one such bag containing laundry on the same spindle during washing. In a still further embodiment the method can include placing more than one such bag containing laundry on the same spindle during washing and placing indicia on each such bag that is associated with a person whose laundry is in the bag.  
      These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a laundry bag of this invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a washing machine partially cut away to show the spindle and laundry bag of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view as in  FIG. 3 , showing a further embodiment;  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the laundry bag on a spindle;  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the laundry bag on a spindle;  
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along  7 - 7  of  FIG. 8 , but showing a spindle;  
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the laundry bag of  FIG. 1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , a laundry bag  10  is provided. The bag is preferably, but optionally made of a flexible material. The material is preferably a mesh material through which water or other cleaning fluids can freely flow to wash the items in the bag  10 . The term mesh includes spaced-apart strands defining openings between the strands that are larger than the size of the strand, perforated materials, and cloth woven to form openings between adjacent strands which form the cloth. By making the mesh smaller or finer, water still flows freely through the bag during washing but at a slower rate with less agitation of the items  30  in the bag  10 , so that more delicate items can be washed more gently. A bag  10  has a body  12  made of flexible fabric mesh or nylon mesh is believed suitable. The mesh is advantageously small enough to prevent the items contained in the bag  10  from falling out and from protruding outside the bag  10  where the items could be snagged or damaged. A mesh with open spaces of about 0.1 inches or smaller between the strands forming the openings is believed preferable for clothing, but larger and smaller open spaces could be used. An elastic or stretchable material such as Lycra could be used for the bag  10 . The laundry bag  10  can vary in size and shape. A bag about 24-36 inches high with a bottom  14  and a first spindle opening  16  opposite the bottom  14  is believed suitable. Soiled laundry and other items  30  can be placed into the bag  10  through the spindle opening  16 , in which case the opening  16  also functions as an access opening.  
      A first releasable closure device  18  such as a drawstring, zipper, snaps, toggles, zip-locks, elastic member or other releasable closures are preferably provided around the spindle opening  16 . The closure device  18  allows the size of the opening  16  to vary, but does not completely close the opening as a washing machine spindle extends through the opening as described later.  FIG. 1  shows the closure device as comprising a drawstring  18 . The spindle opening  16  is advantageously, but optionally, strengthened by a strengthening member  20  such as a hem or collar to which the material forming the bag  10  is fastened. In the illustrated embodiment the drawstring is also placed within a hem which comprises the strengthening member  20 .  
      Opposite the spindle opening  16  is a second spindle opening  22 , preferably defined by a second strengthening member  24 . A second releasable closure device  26  is preferably, but optionally located on or around the second spindle opening  22 . The second closure  26  can comprise a drawstring, zipper, snaps, toggles, zip-locks, elastic member or other releasable closures.  FIG. 1  shows the second closure  26  as comprising a drawstring  26 . The drawstrings  18 ,  26  could be of cord, or of elastic material. Soiled laundry can be placed into the bag  10  through the spindle opening  22 , in which case the opening  22  also functions as an access opening. Preferably, the opening  22  located on the bottom of the bag  10  has a diameter that is fixed to correspond to the diameter of shaft  44  of spindle  32  which is engaged by the opening during washing. The opening  22  thus preferably, but optionally, has a maximum size smaller than the opening  16 . That makes it easier to close off the bottom of the bag either by a smaller diameter opening or by using a smaller closure  26 , such as a smaller elastic member or drawstring, and it makes it easier to prevent items  30  from falling out the bottom opening  22 .  
      Preferably, but optionally, a locking device  28  is on one or more of the closures  18 ,  26 . A cord lock device is believed suitable for the locking device  28  when drawstrings are used for the closure. When drawstrings are used, the drawstring could be knotted to form the locking device. Preferably though, a device that clamps the drawstring to prevent movement of the drawstring relative to the clamp is preferred, and a variety of such clamping devices are known and available.  
      The spindle openings  16 ,  22  define a spindle passageway through the bag  10 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , in use an item  30  to be cleaned, such as soiled laundry, clothing, undergarments, nylons, silks, knitted sweaters, shirts, pants, towels, fabrics, etc. are placed in the bag  10  through one or more of the access openings  16 ,  22 . Preferably the items  30  are placed in the bag using only one of the openings  16 ,  22 , preferably the spindle opening  16  in the top of the bag  10 . The bag  10  containing the items  30  is then fitted onto a spindle  32  inside a wash tub  34  of a washing machine  36 . The spindle  32  is rotated by a motor  38 . The spindle openings  16 ,  22  allow the spindle  32  to pass through the bag  10  along the spindle passageway, shown by line  39 . The spindle passageway through the bag  10  coincides with the spindle rotational axis during washing when the bag is place don the spindle  32 .  
      By moving the bag  10  and items  30  as the spindle  32  is inserted into the bag, the items  30  will move aside and allow passage of the spindle through the items contained in the bag. The washing machine is then activated and the entire bag  30  and its contents such as items  30  are washed, preferably going through a rinse, spin, wash, spin, rinse and spin-dry cycle, or combinations thereof. The bag  10  and its contents may be washed alone, or washed with other items in the washing machine. When the wash cycle is completed, the bag  10  and items within the bag are removed by pulling the bag off the spindle  32 . The items in the bag  10  can then be removed for drying, or the entire bag  10  and some or all of its contents can be placed in a dryer. To allow such drying, the material from which the bag  10  is made must be suitable for repeated placement in a dryer without harming the garments or items  10  inside the bag  10 .  
      The strengthening members  20 ,  24  encircle the spindle  32  and help keep the bag  10  on the spindle  32 . Fixing the bag  10  around the spindle  32  helps prevent the weight in the bag  10  centered around the spindle, and helps prevent the tub  34  from becoming off-centered as the spindle rotates during spin cycles. The strengthening members  20 ,  24  also preferably help keep the spindle openings  16 ,  22  from tearing or breaking during rotation of the spindle  32 . The closure member  18 ,  26  also preferably, but optionally helps keep the bag on the spindle  32 . Advantageously the spindle openings  16 ,  22  are centered on a symmetrical axis of the bag  10  so the bag  10  and its contained items  30  are centered and distributed evenly around the spindle  32 . But the spindle openings  16 ,  22  need not be symmetrically located and need not be diametrically opposite one another. Advantageously the openings  16 ,  22  in the bag  10  are located so that the spindle passes close enough to the center of gravity of the bag, and presumably of the bag when filled with laundry, that the spinning of the spindle does not create an unbalance sufficient to cause the washing machine to shut off.  
      Advantageously one or more of the closures  18 ,  24  are cinched snugly around the spindle  32  and fastened by lock(s)  28 . The spindle openings  16 ,  22  could be tight around the spindle so as to cause the edge of the bag defining the openings  16 ,  22  to move with the spindle as it oscillates during wash cycles. But preferably the edges of the openings are slightly away from the spindle a distance such that items  30  in the bag  10  do not readily leave the bag through the openings  26 ,  22  during washing and rinsing in the washing machine. As the spindle  32  rotates the bag  10  and items  30  within the bag will move away from the spindle because of centrifugal force, and that will cause the spindle openings  16 ,  22  to want to enlarge. If the spindle opening  16  enlarge sufficiently items  30  could leave the bag partially or entirely or become lodged between the spindle and the bag. All of these various relative dimensions that prevent damage to the laundry are best described by describing the openings  16 ,  22  as preferably being about the same size as the diameter of the spindle which is immediately adjacent the portions of the bag  10  defining the openings during washing.  
      Preferably, but optionally, at least one of the closures  18 ,  26  and the strengthening members  20 ,  24  helps restrain the size of the spindle openings  16 ,  22  from enlarging during the various wash cycles. Advantageously the spindle openings  16 ,  22  are restrained sufficiently so that the items  30  do not pass through the spindle openings  16 ,  22  during the wash cycles. Forming the closure members  18 ,  26  of a drawstring with a lock  28  is one way of restraining this enlargement of spindle openings  16 ,  22 . Surrounding one or both spindle openings  16 ,  22  with an elastic member is also believed suitable. Making the closure member  18 ,  22  or the strengthening member  20 ,  24  of elastic material is believed possible as the elastic members will expand as the bag  10  is placed on the spindle  32 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 4 , it is preferable, but optional to have a restraint  40  on the spindle  32  in order to help ensure the bag  10  does not come off the spindle during washing while allowing the bag to be placed on the spindle during loading of the washing machine  36 . The spindle  32  typically has a large diameter, disc shaped bottom or base  42  and a cylindrical shaft  44  extending vertically from the base. The spindle  32  has a distal end or top  46  opposite the base. The restraint  40  is preferably placed adjacent the top  46 .  
      The restraint  32  can take various forms such as a collar on the spindle  32  or a flange mounted to the distal end  46  of the spindle. A resilient ring (e.g., an O ring) made of elastomeric material cold be fit over the distal end  46  of the spindle  32  and resiliently engage the spindle to form the restraint  32 . The restraint could comprise one or more discrete projections or posts extending radially outward from the spindle  32  and configured to engage the edge of the opening  16  or engage the strengthening member  18  to limit movement of the bag  10  along the spindle  32 .  
      In order to help restrain movement of the bag  10  along the spindle  32 , the bottom spindle opening  22  could be weighted, as by using a heavy, resilient material in the bottom strengthening member  24  to form a weighted ring that would rest against the base  42  of the spindle. Various versions of the restraint  40  could be used together. These restraints  40  are preferred, but optional. The restraints  40  are preferably removable from spindle  32 , but could be permanently attached to the spindle.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , further embodiments are shown having more than two openings. In these further embodiments the bag  10  takes the form of an elongated cylinder ( FIG. 5 ) and a thick disk or short, fat cylinder ( FIG. 6 ). The first, top spindle opening  16  is shown along with strengthening member  20 , but the second, bottom spindle opening  22  and its strengthening member  24  are not shown in the illustrated views as they are concealed from view. The spindle  32  fits through these openings. A third opening  48  is provided in the bag  30 , preferably, but optionally on a radially outward facing side of the bag  30 . A closure member  18  surrounds the opening  48  to open and close the opening, and preferably a lock  28  is provided on the closure member to limit the size of the opening  48 . In these embodiments the strengthening members  20 ,  24  are not required, but could be provided if desired.  
      The third opening  48  allows items  30  to be inserted into and removed from bag  30 , while the first and second openings  16 ,  20  allow the spindle  24  to pass through the bag  10 . In these embodiments the first and second openings  16 ,  20  are preferably surrounded by an elastic material so that the openings are generally closed so that soiled laundry or items  30  do not fall out of the bag  10  when the bag is not on the spindle  32 . The third opening  48  forms the preferred access opening through which items  30  are place into and removed from the bag  10 .  
      The embodiment of  FIG. 5  resembles an elongated duffle bag in shape, with spindle openings  16 ,  22  located at about the middle of the bag  10 , where the center of gravity would be if items  30  were evenly distributed within the bag  10 . The bag of  FIG. 5  has the items  30  distributed along a line along the longitudinal axis of the elongated bag  10  because of the elongated shape of the bag  10 . The embodiment of  FIG. 6  has the spindle openings  16 ,  22  near the center of the disk shaped bag  10 , so that items  30  are generally evenly dispersed entirely about the rotational axis of the spindle  32  extending through the spindle openings  16 ,  22 . The spindle openings  16 ,  22  are preferably at or near the center of gravity of the bag  10  when the bag  10  is placed on the spindle and items  30  evenly dispersed within the bag. Because the spindle  32  rotates during washing, the center of gravity should be centered about the spindle and thus the first and second spindle openings  16 ,  22  are located at or near the envisioned center of gravity of the bag. The location will vary with the shape of the bag  10 .  
      A further embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 7-8  in which the bag  10  comprises an annular body which resembles a short cylinder having a central, cylindrical opening  54 . It resembles a donut. The single opening  54  fits over the spindle  32 , preferably snuggly and is thus sized about the same size as a washing machine spindle. Such spindles typically have diameters of about 3-5, and preferably about 3-5 inches, so the axial hole or opening  54  is similarly sized. The diameter of the opening  54  may be slightly smaller if the material used to make the bag  10  is elastic. One or more access openings  48  are provided on one or more sides of the bag  10 . The access opening  48  is shown on a radially outward side of the annular bag  10 , but it could be located on the top side of the bag, or elsewhere. The depicted access opening  48  is not located or configured to engage the spindle  32 , and is only an access opening.  
      In the annular or disc configurations of  FIGS. 6 and 7 - 8 , the bags  10  have opposing top and bottom panels  54  that are generally planar. During the spin portion of the wash cycle the bag  10  rotates about spindle  10  and the top and bottom panels  54  must restrain the centrifugal force seeking to enlarge the diameter of the bag  10 . Thus, the panels  54  are preferably, but optionally, strengthened by using a heaver material than the other portions of the bag  10 . An inner, cylindrical wall  58  ( FIGS. 7-8 ) can be provided to help restrain radially outward movement of the bag  10  by centering the bag on the spindle  32  during rotation. Preferably, but optionally, the inner wall  58  is of a strong material to resist enlarging the opening  54  during rotation of the bag  10  during the spin portions of the washing cycle. The inner wall  58  can be viewed as the strengthening member  20 , whether of stronger material than the other portions of the bag, because it defines the opening  54  and restrains enlargement of that opening.  
      The bag  10  thus provides a means for containing items  30  to be washed within a washing machine  36 . The spindle openings  16 ,  22 ,  54  provide means for allowing a spindle  32  to pass through the bag  10  to mount the bag on the spindle. Means for restraining the spindle openings  16 ,  22  are provided by the strengthening members  20 ,  24  and inner wall  58 . Access opening means are provided by the first, second and third spindle openings  16 ,  22  and  48 . When the bag  10  has access spindle openings  16 ,  22  opposite each other, the openings allow easy removal of the items  30  from the bag  10  by opening whichever opening is lowest so gravity urges the items out of the bag. Otherwise, the bag  10  can be inverted to place the selected opening downward so items  30  may be urged by gravity out of the bag, or a person can reach inside the bag  10  with hands or other grasping instruments to remove the items from the bag  10 .  
      The bags  10  may be of various sizes and shapes. Thus, more than one bag  10  may be placed on a spindle  32  and washed at the same time. This allows simultaneous washing of several bags  10  of laundry in the same washing machine  36 . That makes it easier to sort the laundry associated with each person. For example, a son&#39;s garments may be placed in one bag  10 , a daughter&#39;s laundry placed in a second bag  10 , and a father&#39;s laundry placed in yet a third bag  10 , all of which are placed on the same spindle  32  and all of which are washed simultaneously. The bags can be color coded with a different color or color pattern or otherwise marked with visible indicia to help associate the laundry within a particular bag with the person whose laundry is in each bag  10 .  
      Moreover, the use of plural bags  10  allows easy separation of various garments for commercial cleaning. Thus, for example, the washable items for a single customer or person could be placed in a separate bag  30  marked or otherwise identified with indicia associated with the customer whose clothes are in the bag. Bar codes that are electronically scan able could be placed on the bags for repeated use and association with a plurality of different persons on successive uses. The bag and its garments can thus be separately washed along with other bags of garments, making it easier to sort the laundry and associate it with appropriate customer or owner.  
      There are thus provide a method and apparatus for washing delicate laundry in a washing machine, while maintaining the balance of the washing machine, and while separating the delicate laundry from other items in the washing machine.  
      The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention. Thus, for example, while the embodiments are described for washing laundry, the construction is not so limited and the apparatus and method could be used with non-laundry items. Further, the various features of this invention can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the invention is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments but is to be defined by the following claims when read in the broadest reasonable manner to preserve the validity of the claims.