Patent Publication Number: US-6659273-B1

Title: Laundry tote

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates generally to laundry bags, and more particularly to a tote for holding and transporting laundry. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE RELATED ART 
     Various devices for holding and transporting laundry are well known in the art. These laundry totes, bags and/or hampers take any of a number of forms, including for example the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,608 to Branco, U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,585 to Lehrman, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,476 to Hamdan. 
     All of the laundry bags disclosed in the above-identified patents are designed to hold and transport laundry, for example to a Laundromat or dry cleaner. The Branco patent discloses a laundry bag which has a portable “hamper-like” configuration. The bag includes a base which allows the bag to sit in a hamper-like fashion on the floor, a zippered opening in the top to deposit laundry, a zipper on the side of the bag for removal of the laundry and transfer to a washing machine, and a strap to carry the bag. The Branco device further includes a plurality of support members which maintain the bag in the shape of the hamper during use. The support members, or rods, may be removed to launder the bag. 
     The Lehrman patent discloses a laundry bag which may, likewise, be used as a “clothes hamper” and which is suspended from a removable hanger and frame, which frames the bag opening during use as a hamper. The hanger and frame can be removed when the bag is full, and the bag includes a drawcord to permit closure of the top of the bag once the hanger is removed, in order to facilitate transport of the bag to a Laundromat, or the like. The bag may also be partitioned to separate the clothes within the bag, and may include a zippered bottom to facilitate removal of soiled laundry from the bag. 
     The Hamdan patent discloses a bag designed to presort laundry prior to washing. The bag preferably includes a pair of interior compartments defined by a separation panel. A closure apparatus  60 , including a closure strap  66  may be provided for closing rear panel  62  over entrance aperture  20  of compartments  14  and  16 . The closure panel includes an opening for hanging the bag, or a hanger can be received in loops attached to the bag for hanging. The bag also preferably includes a plurality of pockets for holding laundry related items. 
     While laundry bags of the aforementioned type are useful in holding and transporting laundry, they do not always do so in the most convenient or secure manner. In addition, some of the devices are relatively complex in their design both in terms of manufacture and use. Therefore, there is a continued need in the art for a laundry bag which can hold and transport laundry in a convenient manner, while being easy to use and manufacture. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is an object of the laundry tote disclosed herein to provide a device which can be used to hold and transport laundry in a convenient manner, which is simple in both construction and use, and which securely holds laundry therein, even when full. The tote also preferably includes at least one rotatable support member for hanging the tote, if desired. The support member is rotatably supported such that they may be enclosed within the bag when not in use, and thereafter rotated to engage a support member, for example a rod. In one embodiment, the tote further includes a bottom or base, a pair of side walls, a front wall, a back wall and an opening defined by the upper edges of the walls, through which laundry is deposited and removed. In this embodiment, a pair of support members, or hangers, are supported adjacent the top edge of both the front and back walls for hanging the tote. The tote may also include a cover which can be secured over the top to prevent laundry from inadvertently falling out of the tote, and a pocket for receiving a label or the like for identification purposes. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     It should be understood that the drawings are provided for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to define the limits of the invention. The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the embodiments described herein will become apparent with reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the laundry tote of the present invention in a closed position; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tote of FIG. 1 in an open position; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tote of FIG. 1 in an open position and ready for hanging; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of the hanger of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along lines  5 — 5  of FIG. 4; and 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the tote of FIG. 1 in an open and hung position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1-6, a tote  10  designed to hold and transport laundry and including at least one support member  12  for hanging the tote is illustrated. The tote  10  also preferably includes a bottom  14 , and at least one wall having a lower edge adjacent the bottom and an opposite, upper edge. In the present embodiment, the tote preferably has a rectangular shape and includes a pair of end or side walls  16 , a front wall  18 , and a back wall  20 , as illustrated. The side walls, front wall and back wall all include an upper edge  22  which defines an opening through which laundry may be deposited into an interior cavity  24  of the tote  10  and removed therefrom. Alternatively other shapes may be utilized, for example cylindrical, as would be known to those of skill in the art. In such a case, the side walls, front and back wall would be replaced by a single wall. A cover  26  is also preferably provided to cover the opening of the bag in order to secure the laundry within cavity  24 , for example during travel. The cover  26  may be secured over the opening in any known manner, for example by snaps, Velcro® material, or the like. In the present embodiment, a zipper  28  is used to secure the cover in a closed position over the opening. A strap, or handle  30  may be supported on an outer surface  32  of the cover in order to facilitate moving the tote. The handle may, alternatively, be supported on the side walls  16  of the tote in the form of a shoulder strap (not shown), as would be known in the art. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2-6, the tote  10  further includes at least one support member  12  pivotally or rotatably supported on the tote for hanging the tote from a support member such as rod  34 , as desired. For example, the tote may be hung in a closet when being filled with soiled laundry, or may be hung while at a Laundromat. In the present embodiment, the at least one support member  12  includes a pair of hangers supported for rotation adjacent the upper edge of both the front wall  18  and back wall  20 . As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a sleeve  36  may be supported on an inner surface  38  of each of the front and back walls for receiving an arm  40  of each hanger. The arm  40  extends from within the sleeve and terminates in an engagement member, for example a hook  42 , in the present embodiment. The arms  40  of each hanger are inserted within their corresponding sleeve  36  such that the arms are rotatable within the sleeves in order to move the hooks  42  from a first, non-engaged position where the hangers are positioned downward (“D” FIG. 2) and are substantially disposed within the interior cavity so that they may be enclosed within the bag. The hanger may thereafter be rotated in the direction of arrow “A” to a second, upward position (“U” FIG. 2) such that a portion of the hangers extend from within the cavity  24 , and beyond the upper edge  22 , so that they may engage the support member for example rod  34  (FIG.  6 ). The sleeves may be secured to the interior of the tote in any known manner, for example, by stitching, and may extend along substantially the length of the front and back walls. Although a pair of sleeves are illustrated, other devices for rotatably supporting the arms may be utilized, for example one or more straps. By positioning a pair of support members  12  adjacent the upper edge of both the front and back walls, the hangers are substantially parallel to each other and the tote can be hung such that the opening is fully accessible and the bottom of the tote remains substantially flat while being filled. 
     The tote may further include a pocket  44  for receiving a label  48  therein for identification purposes. The pocket may preferably be transparent and the label is preferably removable. Dividers (not shown) may also be provided within the interior cavity  24  for sorting clothes, as is known in the art. Other features may also be included on the bag, for example outer pockets for holding laundry items, as also known in the art. 
     Use of the laundry tote  10  will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1-6. In use, the cover  26  is opened and the support members  12  may be rotated into the upward position and hung from a rod, for example a closet rod, as shown in FIG.  6 . In this position the opening  23  is fully open and ready to receive soiled laundry. When the user is ready to have his or her clothes washed, the support members  14  are rotated into the downward position, such that they extend below the upper edge  22  of the tote. When the support members are in this position, the cover may be positioned over the opening and secured, for example by closing the zipper (FIG.  1 ). Once the cover is secured, the tote may be carried to its destination by the handle  30 . The cover may thereafter be opened, the support members rotated back into their upward position, and the tote may be again hung from a support. 
     As will be appreciated, the laundry tote disclosed herein may be used to hold and transport laundry in a convenient manner, is simple in both construction and use, and securely holds laundry therein, even when full. 
     It will be understood that various modifications may be made to the embodiment disclosed herein. For example, the size and shape of the bag may be varied, as would be known to those of skill in the art. Also, the cover may or may not be provided, and the cover may be removable from the bag. In addition, other features may be included within the basic design of the bag having rotatable support members, as known in the art. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of a preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope, spirit and intent of the invention.