MESH LAUNDRY BAG

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a mesh laundry bag, particularly a mesh laundry bag designed for use in a washing machine, aimed at addressing the technical problems associated with the opening and closing mechanisms of existing mesh laundry bags.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic diagram illustrates a of the prior art mesh laundry bag 10. The mesh laundry bag 10 includes a mesh bag 11 and a closure unit 12. In the prior art, the closure unit 12 commonly featured a zipper structure, although it can also be a Velcro or drawstring enclosure. The important common point of the above structures is their requirement for the use of both hands in operating the opening/closing mechanism of the mesh laundry bag 10. The following are the operational scenarios of the prior art mesh laundry bag 10:

The first scenario involves placing clothes into the mesh laundry bag. First, one hand holds the opened mesh laundry bag while the other hand puts the clothes in. Then, both hands are required to close the mesh laundry bag (zipping up the zipper or fastening the Velcro). The second scenario involves removing clothes from the mesh laundry bag. First, both hands are used to open the mesh laundry bag (unzipping the zipper or detaching the Velcro), following which the clothes are taken out from the mesh laundry bag.

Due to the relatively soft nature of the mesh laundry bag itself, and the need to pull the zipper or Velcro straight (similar to how a coat hangs vertically due to gravity or the zipper on a structured leather bag maintains its shape through support) to optimize the operation, users are required to use both hands to open and close the bag's opening.

In addition, zippers and Velcro are susceptible to causing damage to clothing by snagging or adhering to them.

Therefore, there are technical problems in the prior art: 1. The existing closure methods necessitate the use of both hands to open and close the mesh laundry bag; 2. Zippers and Velcro, due to their inherent structures, have the potential to damage clothes.

Hence, it is necessary to propose an innovative mesh laundry bag that addresses the aforementioned technical problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To address the technical problem, the present invention introduces a mesh laundry bag that utilizes an elastic closure unit to replace the conventional closure unit such as zipper. This innovative design enables users to open and close the mesh laundry bag using just one hand, leaving the other hand free to place clothes into the bag. Additionally, eliminating the use of zippers or similar closure units significantly reduces the risk of clothing damage.

To overcome the technical problems of the conventional art, the objective of the present invention is to provide a mesh laundry bag, which comprises a mesh container and an elastic closure unit. The mesh container comprises an opening. The elastic closure unit is disposed on the opening to securely keep the opening closed.

In one preferred embodiment, the elastic closure unit comprises at least one elastic plate.

In one preferred embodiment, the at least one elastic plate comprises a first elastic plate and a second elastic plate, with both ends of the first elastic plate and the second elastic plate fixed to each other.

In one preferred embodiment, the at least one elastic plate comprises a pair of force-bearing parts capable of receiving a pair of external force to open the opening.

In one preferred embodiment, the pair of force-bearing parts are selected from the group consisting of bump, hole, groove, pull ring, and pull rod.

In one preferred embodiment, the at least one elastic plate comprises a holding part, disposed between the pair of force-bearing parts.

In one preferred embodiment, the pair of force-bearing parts are disposed symmetrically to the holding part.

In one preferred embodiment, the pair of force-bearing parts are selected from the group consisting of bump, hole and groove.

In one preferred embodiment, the pair of force-bearing parts are spaced apart at a specific distance; the specific distance ranging from 1 cm to cm.

In one preferred embodiment, the pair of force-bearing parts are spaced apart at a specific distance; the specific distance ranging from 8 cm to cm.

In one preferred embodiment, at least one blocking member is disposed on the at least one elastic plate, positioned in a direction from the at least one elastic plate to the opening when the opening is in the open state.

In one preferred embodiment, the at least one elastic plate comprises a first elastic plate, a second elastic plate, and a pair of elongated parts. The first elastic plate and the second elastic plate are disposed on each of the pair of elongated parts, with both ends of the pair of elongated parts fixed to each other.

Compared to the conventional arts, the present invention introduces a mesh laundry bag that replaces the existing closure unit (such as a zipper or hook and loop buckles) with an elastic closure unit. This enables the bag to be opened and closed using just one hand, while the other hand can put clothes into the bag. At the same time, the removal of zippers or other closure units reduces the risk of clothing damage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DIAGRAMS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the mesh laundry bag in the prior art;

FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the mesh laundry bag of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a top view schematic diagram from the opening of the mesh laundry bag of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a top view schematic diagram of the opening of the first preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag of the present invention when opened;

FIG. 5 shows a top view schematic diagram from the opening of the second preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the third preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the fourth preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag of the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows a top view schematic diagram from the opening of the fifth preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag of the present invention;

FIG. 9 shows a top view schematic diagram from the opening of the sixth preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag of the present invention;

FIG. 10 shows a top view schematic diagram from the opening of the seventh preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag of the present invention;

FIG. 11 shows a top view schematic diagram from the opening of the eighth preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 shows an exploded top view schematic diagram of the eighth preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description presents the embodiments of the illustration, referring to specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. Terms such as “up”, “down”, “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, “inside”, “outside”, “side”, etc., are used in relation to the orientation depicted in the diagram. These directional terms are used to facilitate understanding of the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention.

Please refer to FIGS. 2-4, FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the mesh laundry bag 100 of the present invention; FIG. 3 shows a top view schematic diagram from the opening 110 of the mesh laundry bag 100 of the present invention; FIG. 4 shows a top view schematic diagram from the opening 110 of the first preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag 100 of the present invention when it is opened. The mesh laundry bag 100 comprises a mesh container 11, an elastic closure unit 120, a pair of force-bearing parts 130, a holding part 140, and at least one buckle 150. The mesh container 11 comprises an opening 110, and the elastic closure unit 120 is disposed on the opening 110 and to keep it closed. In this embodiment, the elastic closure unit 120 includes a first elastic plate 122 and a second elastic plate 124. The opening 110 is remains closed state through the inherent elasticity of the elastic plates themselves, preforming (as in this preferred embodiment), or by using elastic plates of varying lengths. Specifically, the two ends of the first elastic plate 122 and the second elastic plate 124 are fixed to each other (sewing or bonding can be used). Preferred, a hinge can be used for fixation. However, other coupling methods, such as using pins, can also be used as long as the opening 110 can naturally remain closed through elasticity. The described methods are not exhaustive and other suitable methods can be employed as well.

It should be noted that in this preferred embodiment, due to the presence of the holding part 140, the opening 110 will not be fully closed. This closing situation is similar to the mesh container 11, where although there are holes, clothes will not fall out through these holes. In other words, the term “closing” of the opening 110 in the present invention refers to preventing clothes inside the mesh container 11 from falling out and does not require complete closure. Clothes can only be removed when the opening 110 is opened.

Preferably, the length of the first elastic plate 122 and the second elastic plate 124 is less than or equal to a circumference of the opening 110.

The holding part 140 is mainly designed to work in conjunction with the pair of force-bearing parts 130. Here, taking the first elastic plate 122 as an example, in terms of ergonomics, an average person can use their thumb and index finger to press on the pair of application's portions 130 respectively, which can cause the first elastic plate 122 to deform (and also affect the deformation of the second elastic plate 124, as shown in FIG. 4) and open the opening 110. However, if the holding part 140 is provided, it can further enhance the user experience. When user applies an external force to the pair of force-bearing parts 130 with the thumb and index finger (or other combination of fingers), if the index finger touches the holding part 140, it can stabilize the first elastic plate 122 and apply force to the pair of force-bearing parts 130, further deforming the elastic plates. It should be noted that the pair of force-bearing parts 130 are selected from a group consisting of bulges, holes, grooves, pull rings, and pull rods, and are not limited to bulges as in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the holding part 140 is a circular hole, but it can also be a group selected from bulges, holes, or grooves, and is not limited to this.

It should be noted that in this preferred embodiment, the holding part 140 is slightly biased towards one of the pair of force-bearing parts 130 to allow users to freely operate with either their left or right hand, so that when the opening 110 is opened, it tilts slightly to one side as shown in FIG. 4.

As mentioned earlier, the main purpose of the present invention is to allow users to operate the mesh laundry bag with one hand when opening/closing it. Therefore, the pair of force-bearing parts 130 are located at a specific distance, and the specific distance is between 1 cm and 20 cm. As a result, most people can operate it with one hand. Ideally, the specific distance between 8 cm and 15 cm is suitable for general use. Generally speaking, the specific distance will to some extent affect the size of the opening 110. However, after repeated experiments by the inventor, it was found that when the specific distance is between 8 cm and 15 cm, users can achieve a better balance between ease of use and the degree to which the opening 110 is opened (the ease of putting clothes into the mesh laundry bag) while also requiring less effort to use. This allows users to easily put clothes into the opening 110 without having to use too much force.

In the preferred embodiment, to enhance the effectiveness of the closure unit 120 in closing the opening 110, a buckle 150 has been incorporated onto the holding part 140. This additional feature is aimed at reducing the elasticity of the closure unit 120 and preventing the opening 110 from opening during operation in a washing machine.

In actual operation, the user's index finger and thumb apply external forces 132, 134 to the force-bearing parts 130, and the second elastic plate 124 also naturally opens in the opposite direction to make the opening 110 naturally open.

Referring to FIG. 5, the present invention's second preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag 11 is depicted in a top view schematic diagram from the opening 110. The component symbols referred to in this preferred embodiment are illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 and will not be reiterated. The key distinction between this preferred embodiment and the first preferred embodiment is the elimination of the buckle 150. By removing the buckle 150, the production difficulty and user experience can be further simplified provided that the elasticity of the closure unit 120 is sufficient.

Referring to FIG. 6, which depicts a schematic diagram of the third preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag 11 of the present invention, the component symbols mentioned in this embodiment can be referred to in FIGS. 2 to 4 and will not be repeated here. The third preferred embodiment differs from the second preferred embodiment in that the holding parts 140 now overlap laterally. Due to the overlap of the two holding parts 140 (shown as dashed lines) of the first plate 122 and the second plate 124, the two pairs of force-bearing parts 130 can now be symmetrically positioned relative to the center of the first plate 122 and the second plate 124. This ensures that the opening 110 can be symmetrically opened to allow for easy putting in of clothes, as the force distribution is even. In contrast, the first preferred embodiment necessitated the two holding parts 140 of the first elastic plate 122 and the second elastic plate 124 to be staggered, which precluded them from being positioned at the center. As a result, the two pairs of application's portions 130 were not symmetrically positioned.

FIG. 7 depicts a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag, with reference to component symbols shown in FIGS. 2-4. The present embodiment differs from the first preferred embodiment by featuring an elastic closure unit 120 which comprises only a first elastic plate 122 and a second elastic plate 124. The opening 110 in the present embodiment is size-variable, not limited to the illustration. Advantageously, the user can directly place laundry into the mesh container 11 without having to use both hands to open/close the bag, as is required by existing technologies. Instead, the elasticity of the closure unit 120 keeps the opening 110 closed, preventing the clothes from falling out, except when a force is applied or when the bag is in the washing machine.

FIG. 8 shows a top view schematic diagram from the opening of the fifth preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag of the present invention. The component symbols referenced in this embodiment are described in FIGS. 2 to 7, and will not be reiterated here. Unlike the first preferred embodiment, the second elastic plate 124 does not feature the pair of application's portions 130 and gripping portion 140. The embodiment does not include a buckle 150; however, the buckle 150 may be provided in other embodiments to accomplish the same function as described above to close the opening 110.

Preferred, the buckle 150 could be disposed on the first elastic plate 122 and the second elastic plate 124 in the present embodiment.

Additionally, the first elastic plate 122 and the second elastic plate 124 mentioned in the present invention can be fixed to the opening 110 by sewing or adhesive bonding, but the present invention does not limit the above fixing methods. Any method that can achieve the function of deforming the first elastic plate 122 and the second elastic plate 124 and simultaneously opening the opening 110 is within the scope of protection of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a top view schematic diagram from the opening of the sixth preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag of the present invention. The component symbols mentioned in this preferred embodiment can be referred to in FIGS. 2 through 9 and henceforth will not be repeated. The difference between this preferred embodiment and the first preferred embodiment is that the elastic closure unit 120 is moved to the center of the mesh container 11, that is, it is not limited to being set on one side of the mesh container 11, and can be adjusted according to usage requirements.

FIG. 10 shows a top view schematic diagram of the seventh preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag of the present invention from its opening. Please refer to FIGS. 2 to 8 for the component symbols mentioned in this preferred embodiment, which will not be repeated here. The difference between this preferred embodiment and the first preferred embodiment is that the elastic closure unit 120 only includes the first elastic plate 122. It should be noted that the first elastic member 122 is sewn or glued to a portion of the opening 110, and under the action of elasticity, the opening 110 will still remain closed.

Please note that although in the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the first elastic plate 122 and the second elastic plate 124 are curved in the closed state, it does not limit them to change shape when subject to different shapes of the elastic closure unit 120. The first elastic plate 122 and the second elastic plate 124 can have different shapes (such as S-shaped or U-shaped, etc.), as long as they still have the function of closing the opening 110 as described above, which falls within the scope of protection of the present invention.

FIG. 11 depicts a top view schematic diagram illustrating the eighth preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag of the present invention from the opening. The component symbols mentioned in this preferred embodiment can be referred to in FIGS. 2 to 9 and will not be repeated here. The difference between the preferred embodiment and the first preferred embodiment is that at least one blocking member 160 is additionally provided. The at least one blocking member 160 is disposed on the first elastic plate 122 and the second elastic plate 124, and the at least one blocking member 160 is disposed from the first tab 122 and the second tab 124 toward the opening. In detail, in the preferred embodiment, the at least one blocking member 160 is a sheet-like structure, which can further prevent laundry from falling out when the opening 110 is closed. The shape of the at least one blocking member 160 can be changed according to actual usage requirements, and is not limited thereto.

FIG. 12 depicts an exploded top view schematic diagram illustrating the eighth preferred embodiment of the mesh laundry bag 900 of the present invention. Reference may be made to FIGS. 2 through 9 for the component symbols mentioned in this preferred embodiment, which are not repeated here for the sake of brevity.

In this preferred embodiment, a pair of elongated parts 170 is additionally provided, which distinguishes it from the first preferred embodiment. In this embodiment, the two ends of the first elastic plate 122 and the second elastic plate 124 are not fixed to each other but are each attached to one of the pair of elongated parts 170. The two ends of the pair of elongated parts 170 are fixed to each other. Each extension member 170 in this embodiment comprises two pieces (or one complete piece, not limited to this), fixed at the two ends of the first elastic plate 122 and the two ends of the second elastic plate 124, respectively. It is important to note that the two ends of the extension member shown in the figure are fixed to each other after assembly. This preferred embodiment offers the advantage of a fixed size for the elastic closure unit 120, while the size of the opening 110 can be increased to fit different mesh laundry bags by adjusting the length of the pair of elongated parts 170.

It should be noted that the various technical features of the preferred embodiments mentioned in this invention can be combined with one another. For example, the buckle 150 in the present invention is provided on the holding part 140, but can also be directly provided on the first elastic plate 122 and the second elastic plate 124 in an embodiment without the holding part 140. As long as the following important functions are present: 1. The opening and closing of the opening 110 can be achieved using only one hand; 2. The closing position of the opening 110 can be maintained by elastic force, and is not limited to the embodiments described above.

As described above, although the present invention comprises been described with the preferred embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions, and substitutions are possible without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to be defined only by reference to the claims.

MESH LAUNDRY BAG

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