Patent Publication Number: US-2010116701-A1

Title: Collapsible Garment Bag

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of garment bags. In particular, it relates to an adjustable, reusable garment bag. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Garment bags, and similar products such as dry-cleaning bags, are designed to fill a dual role of protecting an article of clothing, often a suit or dress, while additionally enabling easy transportation of the article. The most common and basic version of the garment bag, which is in widespread use at dry cleaners, consists of a thin plastic bag, with an open bottom and a substantially closed top, generally with a small opening to permit passage of the end of a clothes hanger. These bags are considered to be cost effective and easy to manufacture, however, they provide limited protection to the clothing within, due to the open bottom, and no assistance in transportation. In addition, such bags are generally discarded after a single use. With the drive towards more environmentally friendly products and the reusable articles, for example, as provided in grocery stores with reusable bags, there is a need in the art for an environmentally friendly and reusable dry cleaning, or other garment carrying bag. 
     Furthermore, access to multiple articles in a single bag is difficult, due to the closed top inhibiting access to the hangers and preventing easy separation of the articles of clothing. 
     Other garment bags include suit storage bags that are typically elongated bags with a zipper providing an opening within which an entire suit may be hung. Such bags may be convenient for transporting single suits or suit jackets, but are cumbersome when transporting clothes to a drycleaners. Furthermore, they are bulky and otherwise awkward to transport when there are no hangers within them from which to carry the bag. 
     There is a need for a garment bag that provides for easier transportation and carrying by the user. There is also a need for a garment bag that provides easier access to multiple garments stored within the bag. Ideally, such a garment bag should be durable and reusable. 
     Additionally, there is a need for a garment bag that requires a minimum of space for storage and use. 
     It is an object of this invention to partially or completely fulfill one or more of the above-mentioned needs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a garment bag including a base portion having a closed bottom and one or more sidewalls extending from the closed bottom to a top region to define an interior space, a collapsible portion having an open bottom end, the bottom end attached to the one or more sidewalls around a perimeter thereof and proximate the top region of the base portion. The collapsible portion is formed from a flexible material and includes an opening means. The collapsible portion is positionable in a first position in which the collapsible portion is collapsed into the interior space and a second position in which the collapsible portion extends away from the top region of the base portion such that the opening means provides access to the interior space. Preferably, the collapsible portion further includes a generally enclosed top end and said opening means is formed on a portion of the generally enclosed top end. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, a handle means is connected to the base portion proximate the top region, and arranged such that when the upper potion is collapsed into the interior space, the garment bag can be carried by the handle means. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the base portion is formed from a flexible material and further includes a rigid internal frame to maintain a predetermined shape. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, an opening is provided on a top surface of the collapsible portion. The opening is preferably sized and dimensioned to permit a hanger to extend therethrough such that a garment positioned on the hanger may be enclosed within the garment bag, with a hook portion of the hanger extending out of the opening such that the garment bag may be hung when in the second position. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, a reinforcing ring is provided around the opening. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, a pocket is formed on an exterior surface of the base portion. 
     Other and further advantages and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the according to the present invention, as to its structure, organization, use and method of operation, together with further objectives and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following drawings in which a presently preferred embodiment of the invention will now be illustrated by way of example. It is expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. In the accompanying drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an unfolded garment bag according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the garment bag of  FIG. 1  in a collapsed position; and 
         FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of an internal frame structure for use with the garment bag of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a garment bag  100  according to one embodiment of the present invention. Garment bag  100  includes a base portion  110  preferably having a closed bottom  112  and one or more sidewalls  116  extending from the closed bottom  112  to a top region  114 . The sidewalls  116  and closed bottom  112  together define an interior space  118  (see  FIG. 2 ) accessible via top region  114 . 
     A collapsible portion  120 , preferably includes a generally enclosed top end  122  and an open bottom end  124  is attached to the one or more sidewalls  116  around a perimeter of the sidewalls and proximate the top region  114 . The collapsible portion  120  is preferably formed from a flexible material and has an opening means  170  adapted to provide access to an interior area of the collapsible portion, and to provide access to the interior space  118  when the garment bag  100  is arranged as shown in  FIG. 1 . Preferably, the collapsible portion  120  is stitched to the base portion  110  along an entire perimeter, proximate the top region  114 . The opening means  170  preferably provides access to the interior space  118 , at least partially, along a portion of the generally enclosed top end  122 . 
     Accordingly, the garment bag  100  is formed of a, preferably, semi-rigid base  110  and a flexible collapsible portion  120  such that the collapsible portion  120  and the base  110  each have open ends  114 ,  124  where they are connected to each other. The collapsible portion  120  is preferably positionable in a first position, as shown in  FIG. 2 , in which the collapsible portion  120  is collapsed into the interior space  118  and a second position, shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the collapsible portion  120  extends away from the top region  114  of the base portion  110  such that the opening means  170  is capable of providing access to the interior space  118 . 
     The opening means  170  may, optionally, comprise a zipper extending along a sufficient portion of the collapsible portion  120  to allow access to the interior space and to allow positioning therein a garment mounted on a hanger. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that opening means  170  may comprise any device adaptable to open a generally flexible material, including, but not limited to, the aforementioned zipper, hook and loop fasteners, a drawstring as will be further described below, belts, buckles, clips and any other devices that may operatively be attached to two adjacent portions of a flexible material to generally adjoin and disjoin them to form an opening means. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that adjoin and disjoin may include devices that being the two portions into close proximity or contact, such that they are not directly adjoined, but do function to allow for an access point to the interior space  118 . 
     In this manner, when the garment bag  100  is arranged as shown in  FIG. 2 , the collapsible portion  120  is folded, or collapsed, into the interior space  118  in a manner that allows the garment bag  100  to be carried like a suitcase, or handbag. To this end, handle means  150  are connected to the base  110  proximate the top region  114 . In the preferred embodiment, handle means  150  are shown to be handles formed as loops, preferably out of a fabric material. Alternatively, any handle as would be known to one skilled in the art may be used, including but not limited to, a rigid-material loop, cut-outs formed in the base  110  adjacent a top perimeter  114 , and other shapes and orientations of fabrics, or other flexible materials, that can facilitate holding or lifting of the garment bag. 
     When the garment bag  100  is arranged as shown in the second position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the collapsible portion  120  is unfolded from the interior space  118  and extends outwardly therefrom, thereby forming an elongated space on an interior portion of both the collapsible portion  120  and the base  110 . Preferably, the collapsible portion  120  will only be extended as shown in  FIG. 1  when a tension is applied to the flexible material from which the collapsible portion is formed. As will be described in more detail below, this is possible, for example, when a garment (not shown) mounted on a hanger is positioned within the garment bag  100  in the second position, such that a hook portion of the hanger extends outside the garment bag  100  such that the hanger may be hung, or otherwise carried. When operating in this manner, the garment bag  100  serves as a protective enclosure to the garment within. 
     Optionally, the base  110  of the garment bag  100  may include internal sleeves  130  for retaining a generally rigid internal frame structure  150  therein (show in  FIG. 3 ). In this alternative, the base  110  may be manufactured from a fabric material and have such internal sleeves  130  sewn, or otherwise attached, to the internal surfaces of the base  110 . The internal frame structure  150  may be formed from a plastic, metal, or other semi-rigid material, and placed in appropriately positioned internal sleeves  130  to provide a frame for the base  110 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , elongated portions  140  of the internal frame structure  150  may be placed in sleeves  130  (shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ), and ring portion  135  will support a top perimeter  114  portion of the base  110 . In this manner, the internal frame structure  150  may be easily removed. The internal frame structure  150  thus forms a removable insert that may be removed for ease of storage or for washing the garment bag  100 , for example, in a laundry machine. 
     Referring back now to  FIG. 1 , the garment bag  100  may include an opening  180  on a top surface  122  of the collapsible portion  120 . The opening  180  is preferably sized and otherwise dimensioned to permit the hook portion of a hanger (not shown) to extend therethrough, such that a garment positioned on the hanger may be enclosed within the garment bag, with a hook portion of the hanger extending out of the opening  180  such that the garment bag  100  may be hung when in the second position. Optionally, the opening  180  may be reinforced, for example, by way of a reinforcing ring, or a grommet,  182  positioned about the perimeter of the opening  180 . Such a reinforcing ring  182  may be formed from a metal, plastic, or other material capable of providing protection to the collapsible portion from the wear arising from interaction of the material on the collapsible portion  120  interacting with the portion of the hanger extending out of the opening  180 . The present invention further contemplates the inclusion of additional attaching devices positioned on the top surface  122  to hang the garment bag from a hook, a hanger, or other similar devices. 
     Optionally, the garment bag  100  may further include one or more pockets  160  formed on an exterior surface of the base  110 . A pocket  160  may be used to store items associated with transporting garments within the bag, for example, hangers when the collapsible portion  120  is folded into the base  110 . Such a pocket  160 , may be sewn directly onto the base  100 , or attached via other means known to a person skilled in the art. Pocket  160  may include a closure clip  162  attached to the base  110  and adapted to engage a top portion of the pocket  160  to hold it closed. Alternatively, other closure means may be used, such as a hook and loop fastening system, buttons, and others commonly known to one skilled in the art. Furthermore, the closure means may be omitted and the pocket  160  attached in a sufficiently taught manner that items stored within the pocket  160  do not easily fall out. 
     In one preferred operation, the user has the bag  100  in the folded position shown in  FIG. 2 , and preferably uses the bag  100  to store soiled clothes (laundry) that are to be taken for cleaning. When ready, the user takes the entire bag  100 , with the clothes, to the cleaners and deposits the bag  100  at the cleaners along with the clothes. Upon return, the user receives the bag  100  in the unfolded position, with the cleaned clothes inside, for example, hanging from a hanger with the hook portion extending outside of the bag  100 . Thus, the cleaned clothes can be readily carried and transported by the user and accessed within the bag  100 . Once home, the user can remove the cleaned clothes for hanging in a closet, for example. Subsequently, the bag  100  may be collapsed again and stored, or placed to conveniently hold soiled clothes, and thereby act as a laundry hamper for clothes to be taken to the cleaners. This may be particularly applicable to shirts or dresses that can be placed into the garment bag when it is in the collapsed position, taken to a cleaning facility and returned with the cleaned shirts or dresses hung properly and protected within the garment bag. 
     According to an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the opening means  170  comprises a drawstring (not shown) operatively attached to a perimeter portion of an opening formed in the collapsible portion. Preferably, in this embodiment, the internal frame structure  150  does not form part of the garment bag. Accordingly, the entirety of the garment bag may be generally flexible. The collapsible portion is then opened by loosening the drawstring, placing garments, such as dresses, inside, and pulling the drawstring taught around a hanger extending outside of the opening. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that a garment bag thus formed is easier to construct and ideally suited for female garments, such as dresses. The garment bag of this embodiment is especially helpful in inserting and withdrawing a plurality of dresses into and out of the garment bag at the same time. 
     This concludes the description of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention. The foregoing description has been presented for the purpose of illustration and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It is intended the scope of the invention be limited not by this description but by the claims that follow.