Patent Application
20200354882
Embodiments of the present invention encompass systems and methods for coupling one section of a laundry item with another portion of the laundry item, so as to prevent or inhibit the laundry item from twisting, tangling, balling, and/or wadding in the clothing washer and/or dryer. Particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to the laundering of bedding such as sheets, duvet covers, blankets, quilts, and/or comforters, as well as tablecloths, sleeping bags, shower curtains, and shower curtain liners. More particularly, either one or multiple large laundry items can be laundered alone or together and still not twist, tangle, ball or wad with itself or other large articles throughout the process allowing all articles to clean and dry efficiently. Embodiments of the present invention additionally reduce the likelihood of small articles becoming lodged in the larger articles throughout the washing and drying process. Further, embodiments of the present invention relate to a device for preventing the twisting, tangling, balling, and wadding of long-sleeve shirts and long pants in the clothing washer.
Large laundry items often twist, tangle, ball, and/or wad with themselves or each other in either or both the washing machine or the clothing dryer, preventing the articles from getting as clean as possible and/or from drying properly, resulting in wrinkled articles and/or wet spots. Consumers must often manually manipulate their laundry loads to eliminate the twists, tangles, balls, and wads. Often the consumer's washing machine becomes off-balance due to a large mass of large articles getting twisted, tangled, balled and/or wadded, and the large articles must be repositioned for the washing cycle to complete. Often the consumer has to stop the dryer several times per load in order to manipulate the articles before their articles will fully dry. The load often takes several cycles to completely dry. The consumer spends time, energy, and money on these maneuvers in order to ultimately achieve clean and dry articles.
Some consumers additionally have a problem with their long-sleeve shirts and long pants twisting, tangling, balling, and wadding in the clothing washer, which can send the load off balance as well as set in wrinkles in the clothes.
As appliance manufactures have increased the capacity of dryers, consumers are experiencing greater problems with twisting, tangling, balling and wadding. Additionally, consumers are reporting increased problems with high-efficiency washing machines going off-balance. Varied and contradictory advice reduces the problem sporadically; however, an effective solution to wash and dry these articles consistently without twisting, tangling, balling and wadding does not exist. Conflicting advice for addressing these issues ranges from laundering the bedding alone, to laundering the bedding with other articles, to laundering the bedding one sheet at a time, to laundering the bedding with tennis balls, and/or laundering the bedding with dryer balls. There is no available method to effectively prevent the problem in the washing machine. Currently, the only known method that is guaranteed to solve the problem in drying sheets is to hang the articles on a clothes line, which many modern consumers cannot or will not do.
In order to reduce wadding, many consumers have taken to running smaller loads, equating to more total loads of laundry. More laundry loads consumes more water, more energy, more detergent, more bleach, more fabric softener, more dryer sheets, and more time. More loads also leads to more wear-and-tear on the appliances, resulting in more frequent service calls and decreased life-span of appliances. Additionally, off-balance washer loads create great stress on the appliance, creating greater wear-and-tear, increasing service calls, and decreasing the life of the washer.
Therefore, a need exists for novel systems and methods that will prevent large articles from becoming twisted, tangled, balled, or wadded throughout the entire laundering process. A need also exists for novel systems and methods that will prevent long-sleeve shirts and long pants from becoming twisted, tangled, balled, or wadded in the washing machine. There is also a need for the systems and methods to be simple, easy to use and/or operate, affordable, gentle on the fabric, gentle on the appliances, easily stored, tolerant of hot and cold water, tolerant of hot and cold air, tolerant of a tumbling action, tolerant of common laundry detergents, tolerant of common laundry stain removers, and tolerant of common laundry disinfectants. Finally, there is a need for the systems and methods to be effective on a variety of fabrics, sizes, and thicknesses of large laundry articles, and to be effective for preventing or inhibiting smaller articles from becoming lodged in the larger articles during the laundry process. Embodiments of the present invention provide solutions for at least some of these outstanding needs.
Embodiments of the present invention encompass a novel laundry device having a center base with an attachment system to gather, contain, and hold a number of corners (e.g. up to four) and/or portions (e.g. sides) of a large laundry article such as a sheet. In some cases, a novel laundry device can include a center base with an attachment system to gather, contain, and hold a number of points (e.g. up to three or more) and/or portions (e.g. sides) of a sheet or any other laundry article. For example, an attachment system can operate to secure three points (e.g. two sleeves/legs and the bottom hem/waistband) for long-sleeve shirts and long pants. Based on the physics and mathematics of knot theory, the probability of large laundry items twisting, tangling, balling and wadding is greatly reduced in this configuration. The probability of long-sleeve shirts and long pants is also reduced when in this configuration. Laundry devices disclosed herein can also operate to prevent or inhibit smaller laundry articles from becoming lodged in the larger laundry articles during the laundering process.
In some cases, laundry devices for use with large laundry items such as sheets, blankets, and duvet covers, may include an attachment system having four to eight evenly spaced male elements configured to press into corresponding female elements with the large laundry article draped between the male and female elements, then the male element can be slid into a channel in the female element in order to lock, capture, and contain or secure the fabric of the laundry item. A similar male/female configuration can be provided for three points of contact for long-sleeve shirts and long pants. A laundry device's attachment system may also or alternatively include gripper clasps, clips, elastics, bands, or cords to help accomplish the goal of gathering and containing the corners and/or edges or other portions of the large laundry article to a center base. The device's attachment system may be permanently affixed to the center base, or may be separate until clipped through the large laundry article.
In one aspect, embodiments of the present invention encompass laundry devices for attaching large articles of bedding such as bed sheets, blankets, duvet covers, comforters, and quilts, as well as other machine-washable large items such as sleeping bags, tablecloths, shower curtains, and shower curtain liners, in order to prevent or greatly reduce said articles from twisting, tangling, balling and/or wadding either independently or with each other in either or both the automatic washing machine or automatic clothes dryer. In some embodiments, laundry devices include an attachment system to affix the laundry articles to a center base structure made of silicone, plastic, rubber, nylon, fabric, mesh, or a combination of these, by buttons, clips, bands and/or cords made of silicone, plastic, nylon, rubber, elastic, fabric, mesh, and/or metal or a combination of these, which are either mounted directly on the device or as separate pieces designed to work with the center base of the device. In some embodiments, laundry devices include a center base structure and buttons, clips, bands, and/or cords constructed of materials that withstand hot and cold water, hot and cold temperatures, the tumbling of the laundering process, and common laundry cleaning agents. In some cases, laundry devices include a center base structure and buttons, clips, bands, and/or cords that will be gentle on the laundry articles so as not to cause damage to them. In some cases, laundry devices include a center base structure and buttons, clips, bands, and/or cords that will be gentle on the washing machine and dryer so as not to cause damage to them. In some cases, laundry devices include a center base structure and buttons, clips, bands, and/or cords that will be colorfast so as not to alter the color of the laundry articles. In some cases, laundry devices include a center base structure and buttons, clips, bands, and/or cords which will be reusable.
In another aspect, embodiments of the present invention encompass laundry devices for attaching large articles of bedding such as bed sheets, blankets, duvet covers, comforters, and quilts, as well as other machine-washable large items such as sleeping bags, tablecloths, shower curtains, and shower curtain liners, in order to prevent or greatly reduce said articles from twisting, tangling, balling, and/or wadding either independently or with each other in either or both the automatic washing machine or automatic clothes dryer as well as reducing the likelihood that smaller laundry articles become lodged in the larger laundry articles in either or both the automatic washing machine or automatic clothes dryer. Embodiments also encompass laundry devices for attaching long-sleeve shirts and long pants in order to prevent or greatly reduce said articles from twisting, tangling, balling and/or wadding in the automatic washing machine. In some embodiments, laundry devices include an an attachment system to affix the long-sleeve shirts and long pants to a center base structure made of silicone, plastic, rubber, nylon, fabric, mesh, or a combination of these, by buttons, clips, bands and/or cords made of silicone, plastic, nylon, rubber, elastic, fabric, mesh, and/or metal or a combination of these, which are either mounted directly on the device or as separate pieces designed to work with the center base of the device. In some embodiments, laundry devices include a center base structure and buttons, clips, bands, and/or cords constructed of materials that withstand hot and cold water, hot and cold temperatures, the tumbling of the laundering process, and common laundry cleaning agents. In some embodiments, laundry devices include a center base structure and buttons, clips, bands, and/or cords will be gentle on the laundry articles so as not to cause damage to them. In some embodiments, laundry devices include a center base structure and buttons, clips, bands, and/or cords will be gentle on the washing machine so as not to cause damage to it. In some embodiments, laundry devices include an a center base structure and buttons, clips, bands, and/or cords will be colorfast so as not to alter the color of the long-sleeve shirts and long pants. In some embodiments, laundry devices include a center base structure and buttons, clips, bands, and/or cords which will be reusable. Embodiments also encompass laundry devices for attaching long-sleeve shirts and long pants in order to prevent or greatly reduce said articles from twisting, tangling, balling, and/or wadding either independently or with each other in the automatic washing machine reducing the likelihood that small laundry articles become lodged in the long-sleeve shirts and long pants.
In still another aspect, embodiments of the present invention encompass fabric securing devices and methods. An exemplary fabric securing device includes a rigid base having a first keyhole, a first slit-hole located next to the first keyhole, a second keyhole, and a second slit-hole located next to the second keyhole, a first flexible tongue having a neck, a crescent-shaped beveled edge, a top surface, a bottom surface, a hollow post protruding from the top surface, and an opening in the bottom surface opposite the hollow post, and a second flexible tongue having a neck, a crescent-shaped beveled edge, a top surface, a bottom surface, a hollow post protruding from the top surface, and an opening in the bottom surface opposite the hollow post. The first keyhole is configured to receive the hollow post of the first tongue and the first slit-hole is configured to receive the beveled edge of the first tongue, thereby providing a reversible coupling between the base and the first tongue. The keyhole is configured to receive the hollow post of the second tongue and the second slit-hole is configured to receive the beveled edge of the second tongue, thereby providing a coupling between the base and the second tongue. The fabric securing device is configured to attach with an article of fabric when the hollow post of the first tongue is located in the first keyhole of the base and a first section of the article of fabric is positioned between the hollow post of the first tongue and the first keyhole of the base, and when the hollow post of the second tongue is located in the second keyhole of the base and a second section of the article of fabric is positioned between the hollow post of the second tongue and the second keyhole of the base. In some cases, the first keyhole of the base has a circular portion and a narrow portion, wherein the narrow portion is connected to the circular portion and is most narrow where the circular portion and narrow portion join and the width increases from where the circular portion and narrow portion join to the end of the narrow portion. In some cases, the hollow post of the first tongue is configured to compress when sliding from the circular portion into the narrow portion of the first keyhole of the base and expand when sliding along the narrow portion away from the circular portion of the first keyhole of the base. In some cases, the hollow post of the second tongue is configured to compress when sliding from the circular portion into the narrow portion of the second keyhole of the base and expand when sliding along the narrow portion away from the circular portion of the second keyhole of the base. In some cases, a fabric securing device further includes a third flexible tongue having a neck, a crescent-shaped beveled edge, a top surface, a bottom surface, a hollow post protruding from the top surface, and an opening in the bottom surface opposite the hollow post. The rigid base further includes a third keyhole, and a third slit-hole located next to the third keyhole. The third keyhole is configured to receive the hollow post of the third tongue and the third slit-hole is configured to receive the beveled edge of the third tongue, thereby providing a reversible coupling between the base and the third tongue. The fabric securing device is configured to further attach with the article of fabric when the hollow post of the third tongue is located in the third keyhole of the base and a third section of the article of fabric is positioned between the hollow post of the third tongue and the third keyhole of the base. In some cases, the third keyhole of the base has a circular portion and a narrow portion, wherein the narrow portion is connected to the circular portion and is most narrow where the circular portion and narrow portion join and the width increases from where the circular portion and narrow portion join to the end of the narrow portion. In some cases, the hollow post of the third tongue is configured to compress when sliding from the circular portion into the narrow portion of the third keyhole of the base and expand when sliding along the narrow portion away from the circular portion of the third keyhole of the base. In some case, the fabric securing device further includes a fourth flexible tongue having a neck, a crescent-shaped beveled edge, a top surface, a bottom surface, a hollow post protruding from the top surface, and an opening in the bottom surface opposite the hollow post. The rigid base further includes a fourth keyhole, and a fourth slit-hole located next to the fourth keyhole. The fourth keyhole is configured to receive the hollow post of the fourth tongue and the fourth slit-hole is configured to receive the beveled edge of the fourth tongue, thereby providing a reversible coupling between the base and the fourth tongue. The fabric securing device is configured to further attach with the article of fabric when the hollow post of the fourth tongue is located in the fourth keyhole of the base and a fourth section of the article of fabric is positioned between the hollow post of the fourth tongue and the fourth keyhole of the base. In some cases, the fourth keyhole of the base has a circular portion and a narrow portion, wherein the narrow portion is connected to the circular portion and is most narrow where the circular portion and narrow portion join and the width increases from where the circular portion and narrow portion join to the end of the narrow portion. In some cases, the hollow post of the fourth tongue is configured to compress when sliding from the circular portion into the narrow portion of the fourth keyhole of the base and expand when sliding along the narrow portion away from the circular portion of the fourth keyhole of the base. In some cases, the hollow post of the first tongue has an indented bowl-shaped top. In some cases, the hollow post of the second tongue has an indented bowl-shaped top. In some cases, the hollow post of the third tongue has an indented bowl-shaped top. In some cases, the hollow post of the fourth tongue has an indented bowl-shaped top. In some cases, a cap of the hollow post of the first flexible tongue has a peripheral face that is flush with a peripheral face of a stem of the hollow post of the first flexible tongue, and the stem of the hollow post of the first flexible tongue has an inner face that is disposed peripherally to an inner face of the cap of the hollow post of the first flexible tongue. In some cases, a cap of the hollow post of the second flexible tongue has a peripheral face that is flush with a peripheral face of a stem of the hollow post of the second flexible tongue, and the stem of the hollow post of the second flexible tongue has an inner face that is disposed peripherally to an inner face of the cap of the hollow post of the second flexible tongue. In some cases, a cap of the hollow post of the third flexible tongue has a peripheral face that is flush with a peripheral face of a stem of the hollow post of the third flexible tongue, and the stem of the hollow post of the third flexible tongue has an inner face that is disposed peripherally to an inner face of the cap of the hollow post of the third flexible tongue. In some cases, a cap of the hollow post of the fourth flexible tongue has a peripheral face that is flush with a peripheral face of a stem of the hollow post of the fourth flexible tongue, and the stem of the hollow post of the fourth flexible tongue has an inner face that is disposed peripherally to an inner face of the cap of the hollow post of the fourth flexible tongue.
Some embodiments of the present invention are illustrated as an example and are not limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references may indicate similar elements and in which:
All illustrations of the drawings are to be describing selected embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. All references of user or users pertain to either individual or individuals who would utilize embodiments of the present invention.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising” when used in this specification, specially the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
A laundry device for preventing twisting, tangling, balling, and wadding of large articles in the clothes washer and/or dryer is discussed herein. A laundry device for preventing twisting, tangling, balling, and wadding of long-sleeve shirts and long pants in the clothes washer is also discussed herein.
The present disclosure is provided for purposes of exemplification of the invention only, and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments, materials, or processes illustrated by the figures or description contained herein.
The present invention will now be described by referencing the appended figures. Turning now to the drawings,
In some embodiments, a system or fabric securing device includes a rigid base keyholes and slits, such as the base shown in
With reference to
Hence, the male elements and female elements are able to temporarily secure to each other through a laundry article by a slider key hole design that engages or disengages upon a sliding motion depicted by the arrows in
For example, to begin, male attachment element 1552 is disposed in a locked position at a first end 1522A of an aperture 1521 of female attachment element 1522. The female element or clip 1522 can then be moved in a direction indicated by arrow A, so that the male element 1522 is subsequently positioned at a second end 1522B of the aperture 1521. The male/female element combination 1554/1524 depicts the subsequent configuration, where the male element 1524 is positioned at a second end 1524B of an aperture 1523 of the female element 1524.
The male/female element combination 1556/1526 depicts the following configuration, where a portion 1591 of a piece of fabric 1590 is draped over or placed in contact with the male element 1556, and the male element 1556 is positioned at the second end 1526B of an aperture 1525 of the female element 1526. The female element or clip 1526 can then be moved in a direction indicated by arrow B, so that the male element 1526 is subsequently positioned at a first end 1526A of the aperture 1525. In this way, for example, a portion of a bed sheet can be placed on the center base 1510, the clip 1526 can be placed on the bed sheet, and then the clip can be moved, so that the male element or button 1556 slides up the channel or opening 1525 of the clip to lock therein.
The male/female element combination 1558/1528 depicts the subsequent configuration, where the male element 1558 is positioned at a second end 1528B of an aperture 1527 of the female element 1528. In this way, the portion 1591 of the piece of fabric 1590 can be pinched between the male element 1558 and the first end 1528A of the aperture 1527 of the female element 1528. In this way, for example, a portion of a bed sheet can be placed on the center base 1510, and the clip 1528 can be moved so that the button 1558 slides up the channel of the clip opening 1527, so as to lock the bed sheet to the center base 1510. With a sheet having four corners, each corner can be coupled or attached with a respective male/female element combination (1552/1522, 1554/1524, 1556/1526, 1558/1528). Hence, one or more clips can be used to mount a large laundry article, such as a sheet, to a center base.
After the laundering is finished, the piece of fabric can be released from the system 1500 by removing the clips in the opposite sequence (e.g. change from configuration 1558/1528 to configuration 1556/1526) and then removing the piece of fabric. The system can the be reassembled for storage (without the piece of fabric) by reattaching the clips to the base, for example by placing each clip in the 1554/1524 configuration (e.g. a clip placed on the center base before being slid up the channel to lock) and then moving each clip to the 1552/1522 configuration (e.g. a clip placed on the center base after being slid up the channel to lock).
In some instances, a user may wish to leave a laundry system or fabric securing device attached with an article of fabric (e.g. bedsheet, blanket, or the like) while the article of fabric is in use (e.g. bedsheet placed on bed). In this way, the device can be left attached to one bottom corner and tucked in when making the bed so that the user does not have to go looking for the device then next time they are going to wash their sheets.
In some instances, a user may wish to use a fabric securing device to secure two articles of fabric together. For example, with a four point attachment system such as that depicted in
In some instances, one or more pieces of a fabric securing device can be replaceable. For example, a male attachment member can be replaceable, if one wears out during use.
All features of the described systems and devices are applicable to the described methods mutatis mutandis, and vice versa. Embodiments of the present invention encompass kits having systems for coupling or attaching with laundry articles as disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the kit includes one or more systems for coupling or attaching with laundry articles, along with instructions for using the system for example according to any of the methods disclosed herein.
Although the present invention has been illustrated and described herein with reference to preferred embodiments and specific examples thereof, it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments and examples may perform similar functions and/or achieve like results, and that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such equivalent embodiments and examples are within the spirit and scope of the present invention, are contemplated thereby, and are intended to be covered by the following claims.
Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, one of skill in the art will appreciate that certain changes, modifications, alternate constructions, and/or equivalents may be practiced or employed as desired, and within the scope of the appended claims. In addition, each reference provided herein in incorporated by reference in its entirety to the same extent as if each reference was individually incorporated by reference. Relatedly, all publications, patents, patent applications, journal articles, books, technical references, and the like mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent, patent application, journal article, book, technical reference, or the like was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/844,041 filed May 6, 2019 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/949,403 filed Dec. 17, 2019, the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62844041 | May 2019 | US | |
| 62949403 | Dec 2019 | US |
