TOTABLE CONTAINER WITH ENHANCED CAPACITY LID

Abstract

A container includes a body having an interior and a lid hingedly coupled to and circumscribing a top opening of the body. When the lid is in its open configuration, the capacity of its interior is enhanced by the area above the top opening circumscribed by the lid. The lid includes front, rear, left and right panels. Handles are coupled to the front and rear panels of the lid. The left and right panels of the lid both include a plurality of triangular articulating regions. Drawing the handles of the lid together causes the triangular articulating regions to transition from a coplanar configuration to a folded configuration, draws the front and rear panels of the lid together, and causes the lid to transition from the open to a closed configuration. The relative dimensions of the container may in the form of a hamper, basket, bin or tote.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates, in general, to storage containers and, more particularly, to hampers, baskets, bins and tote bags for storing and transporting garments and other items.

2. General Background of the Invention

Laundry hampers, bins and baskets have been in use for some time. It is often desirable to use such hampers and baskets, not only to store soiled garments prior to laundering them, but also to transport soiled garments to and from washing and drying machines, which may be located in another part of the residence in which the soiled garments are stored, or outside the residence in a shared laundry room, a laundromat or other location.

One shortcoming of many prior art laundry hampers, bins and baskets is their relatively limited storage capacity. As these containers are typically positioned on the floor of a bedroom, closet, or laundry room of a residence, there is generally only a limited amount of floor space available for the containers, necessitating that they have a relatively small footprint. Their desired portability also tends to limit their size, as an overly large container may be difficult to carry or otherwise transport to a laundry room or facility, which may be either within another portion of the residence or external to the residence, such as a laundromat.

Accordingly, it an object of the present invention to provide laundry hampers, bins and baskets that have an increased storage capacity.

It is another object of the invention to provide laundry hampers, bins and baskets that are easy to transport, even when heavily laden with soiled garments.

It is another object of the present invention to provide laundry hampers, bins and baskets having a lid that, in its open configuration, serves to increase the storage volume of the container.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent in view of the following specification, drawings and claims.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention consists of containers such as garment hampers, bins, and baskets with a body portion and a lid portion. When the lid is in the open position, the capacity of the container is increased by the volume of the space circumscribed by the lid. The front, rear, and side surfaces of the container body and lid preferably angle outwardly from the bottom surface of the container, such that the perimeter area of the container progressively increases from bottom to top. In other words, the lid is generally inverted frusto-square pyramidal in shape. When the container's lid is in its open configuration, this outward angling continues vertically to the top opening of the lid, thereby providing further internal volume to the container than would be the case if the various panels of the container and its lid were not so angled.

When the lid is in its closed configuration, the laundry or other contents inside are securely retained therein, precluding the spilling of these contents or their being visible. The two shorter side panels of the lid have a plurality of articulating surfaces, enabling them to fold inwards as the lid is closed.

The two longer side panels of the lid are equipped with handles to facilitate the carrying of the containers, such that they can be easily carried about with only one hand. The containers may also be equipped with additional handles in the main body, on the front and rear panels beneath the lid, for carrying using two hands or by two people each using one hand.

The handles may be made of flexible fabric or other suitable material. The structure of the lid can be made of paperboard, plastic sheets, a combination of metal wires and fabric coverings, and other suitable materials. The lid does not need to be made of the same materials as the body of the container. The lid is hingedly coupled to the body, and may be attached to the body by stitching with thread, hook and loop fasteners, rivets, buttons, snaps or other suitable fastening method. Alternatively, the lid may be integrally formed with the body of the container, with a hinged region extending along the juncture of the lid and body. Decorative patterns can be printed on or otherwise applied to the body and lid of the container to make the container more appealing to the consumer.

When the lid is open, multiple instances of the containers may be stacked by nesting them within each other. This is a key benefit, as rigid framed structures with lids, such as hampers with lids, are not generally capable of nesting. This nesting feature greatly facilitates transportation of multiple units of the container between factory, warehouse and retail store. Nesting also optimizes the use of space and merchandising when positioning multiple units of the present containers on the retail shelf, enabling the consumer to make a “grab and go” purchase.

Containers embodying the present invention may be constructed in various sizes and relative dimensions, including those traditionally referred to as hampers, bins and baskets. In its smaller embodiments, the invention can operate as a general-purpose tote bag to be filled with clothing or other contents and carried by the user during shopping and many other activities.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevated front perspective view of a hamper embodying the present invention, shown in the closed configuration;

FIG. 2 is an elevated, rear perspective view of the hamper of FIG. 1, shown in the open configuration;

FIG. 3 is an elevated, front perspective view of the internal frame of the hamper of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevated top perspective view of an embodiment of a foldable panel insert of the hamper of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an elevated top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the foldable panel insert of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an elevated, front perspective view of a portion of the lid region of the hamper of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a portion of the lid region of the hamper of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, several specific embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is intended as an exemplification of the principles of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

An embodiment of the present container, in the form of a totable hamper 10, is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as comprising body region 20 and lid region 70. Body region 20 is generally cuboid and inverted frusto-square pyramidal in shape, and comprises front body panel 30, rear body panel 40, left body panel 50, and right body panel 60. Each body panel is preferably constructed of a relatively sturdy, natural or synthetic fabric material, such as nylon, and collectively surround an associated frame 150, shown in FIG. 3 as comprising bottom horizontal frame members 151, 152, 153 and 154; top horizontal frame members 155, 156, 157, and 158; and vertical members 160, 161, 162 and 163. Frame 150 supports the fabric body panels stretched about the frame to form the various surfaces of the body, and is preferably constructed of a rigid metal wire material, such as steel wire. Other sufficiently rigid materials may alternatively be used. Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, each of the frame members is square in cross section, although frame members that are rectangular or circular in cross section may alternatively be used.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, lid region 70 comprises front lid panel 80, rear lid panel 90, left lid panel 100, and right lid panel 120. Each lid panel is hingedly coupled on three of its respective sides, both to body region 20 and to two adjacent, opposing lid panels. Specifically, front lid panel 80 is hingedly attached to front body panel 30 at hinge line 81, to left lid panel 100, and to right lid panel 120. Rear lid panel 90 is hingedly coupled to rear body panel 40 at hinge line 91, to left lid panel 100, and to right lid panel 120. Left lid panel 100 is hingedly attached to left body panel 50 at hinge line 101, to front lid panel 80, and to rear lid panel 90. Right lid panel 120 is hingedly attached to right body panel 60 at hinge line 121, to front lid panel 80, and to rear lid panel 90.

As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, left lid panel 100 includes two rectangular, sealed pockets 108, 109, separated by seam, or stitch line 110, into which associated foldable panel inserts 140 are disposed. Right lid panel 120 likewise includes two rectangular sealed pockets, likewise separated by seam or stich line 130, into which associated foldable panel inserts 140 are likewise disposed. Referring to FIG. 4, each foldable panel insert 140 comprises two triangular stiffeners 141, which may be constructed of cardboard or other sufficiently rigid material, hingedly joined by adhesive tape 144 on their respective top surfaces to form hinge line 143. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, foldable panel insert 140′ may be formed by hingedly joining two triangular stiffeners 141 using fabric hinge 145 and stitching 146. Specifically, in this alternative embodiment, stitching 146 secures opposing sides of fabric hinge 145 to the respective top surfaces of two opposing triangular stiffeners 141 to form hinge line 143.

The positioning of foldable panel inserts 140 or 140′ within associated pockets of left lid panel 100 and right lid panel 120 serve to create four substantially ridged, articulating triangular regions within both left lid panel 100 and right lid panel 120. Specifically, as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, left lid panel 100 includes substantially rigid triangular regions 102, 103, 104 and 105. Substantially rigid triangular regions 102 and 103 are foldable relative to each other about fold line 106. Substantially rigid triangular regions 103 and 104 are foldable relative to each other about seam or stitch line 110. Substantially rigid triangular regions 104 and 105 are foldable relative to each other about fold line 107. Substantially rigid triangular regions 103 and 104 are foldable relative to left body panel 50 along hinge line 101.

Likewise, and as best seen in FIG. 2, right lid panel 120 includes substantially rigid triangular regions 122, 123, 124 and 125. Substantially rigid triangular regions 122 and 123 are foldable relative to each other about fold line 126. Substantially rigid triangular regions 123 and 124 are foldable relative to each other about seam or stitch line 130. Substantially rigid triangular regions 124 and 125 are foldable relative to each other about fold line 127. Substantially rigid triangular regions 123 and 124 are foldable relative to right body panel 60 along hinge line 121.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the present container 10 further includes front upper handle 82 and rear upper handle 92. Each upper handle preferably comprises a loop of natural or synthetic fabric material, which may be the same material from which the various panels of the container are constructed. In particular, front upper handle 82 is coupled at both of its opposing ends to front lid panel 80. Rear upper handle 92 is likewise coupled at both of its opposing ends to rear lid panel 90. Additional handles of similar construction, namely front lower handle 31 and rear lower handle 41, may optionally be coupled to lower regions of front body panel 30 and rear body panel 40, respectively. Instead of fabric, for each of the handles 82, 92, 31 and 41, other flexible or rigid materials may alternatively be used, or the handle may be integrally formed with the container, such as through the use of slots extending through the lid and/or body panels to form the handles.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 6, when in its open configuration, lid panels 80, 90, 100, and 120 are all substantially vertical in orientation (though angling slightly outwardly, from bottom to top, and both left lid panel 100 and right lid panel 120 are in substantially planar configurations. In this configuration, the substantially vertical orientation of lid region 70 serves to provide increased storage capacity, in addition to the capacity of the interior of body 20 of container 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, bringing front lid panel 80 and rear lid panel 90 towards each other (or one towards the other) causes container 10 to transition from its open lid configuration to its closed lid configuration. Bringing front lid panel 80 and rear lid panel 90 towards each other may be performed, for example, by manually grasping front lid handle 82 and rear lid handle 92, and then drawing the two lid handles towards each other. This transitioning of container 10 from its open to its closed configuration, in turn, causes left lid panel 100 and right lid panel 120 to both change from a substantially planar configuration to a folded configuration. In particular, during this transition to the closed lid configuration, substantially rigid triangular regions 102 and 103 fold toward each other along fold line 106; substantially rigid triangular regions 104 and 105 fold towards each other along fold line 107; substantially rigid triangular regions 103 and 104 fold inwardly along hinge line 101; and substantially rigid triangular regions 103 and 104 fold slightly towards each other along seam or stitch line 110.

Likewise, during this transition to the closed lid configuration, substantially rigid triangular regions 122 and 123 fold toward each other along fold line 126; substantially rigid triangular regions 124 and 125 fold towards each other along fold line 127; substantially rigid triangular regions 123 and 124 fold inwardly along hinge line 121; and substantially rigid triangular regions 123 and 124 fold slightly towards each other along seam or stitch line 130. Upon completing this transition to its closed lid configuration, the top edges of front lid panel 80 and rear lid panel 80 are brought into proximity with each other along their entire respective lengths, substantially covering the top opening of body 20, and substantially concealing from view any contents therein. Inasmuch as container 10 is generally employed to store compressible contents, such as articles of clothing awaiting laundering, transitioning lid region 70 to the closed configuration serves to press any container contents, or portions thereof, that are within the area circumscribed by lid region 70 downwards, into the interior of body 20.

Referring to FIG. 2, pulling front lid panel 80 and rear panel 90 away from each other causes lid region 70 of container 10 to transition back from its closed lid configuration to its open lid configuration. Pulling front lid panel 80 and rear panel 90 away from each other may be performed, for example, by manually grasping front lid handle 82 and rear lid handle 92, and then pulling the two lid handles away from each other.

Container 10 may be constructed in a variety of relative dimensions, without departing from the scope of the present invention. By way of example, in one embodiment of the present invention, container 10 is in the form of a hamper, having the approximate dimensions shown in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1
(Hamper)
	Overall height (open	658	millimeters
	configuration)
	Overall length (top edge	480	millimeters
	of front and rear lid panels)
	Overall width (top edge of	335	millimeters
	left and right lid panels)
	Overall height (closed	587	millimeters
	configuration)
	Frame height	460	millimeters
	Frame length	435	millimeters
	Frame width	315	millimeters
	Frame cross section, bottom	4.0	millimeters
	horizontal members
	Frame cross section, top	4.0	millimeters
	horizontal members
	Frame cross section, vertical	4.5	millimeters
	horizontal members

In another embodiment of the present invention, container 10 is in the form of a basket, having the approximate dimensions shown in Table 2 below:

TABLE 2
(Basket)
	Overall height (open	533	millimeters
	configuration)
	Overall length (top edge	540	millimeters
	of front and rear lid panels)
	Overall width (top edge of	410	millimeters
	left and right lid panels)
	Overall height (closed	440	millimeters
	configuration)
	Frame height	330	millimeters
	Frame length	470	millimeters
	Frame width	350	millimeters
	Frame cross section, bottom	4.0	millimeters
	horizontal members
	Frame cross section,	4.0	millimeters
	top horizontal members
	Frame cross section,	4.5	millimeters
	vertical members

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, container 10 is in the form of a bin, or tote, having the approximate dimensions shown in Table 3 below:

TABLE 3
(Bin or Tote)
	Overall height (open	410	millimeters
	configuration)
	Overall length (top edge	385	millimeters
	of front and rear lid panels)
	Overall width (top edge of	285	millimeters
	left and right lid panels)
	Overall height (closed	340	millimeters
	configuration)
	Frame height	254	millimeters
	Frame length	330	millimeters
	Frame width	254	millimeters
	Frame cross section, bottom	3.5	millimeters
	horizontal members
	Frame cross section,	3.5	millimeters
	top horizontal members
	Frame cross section,	3.5	millimeters
	vertical members

Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described. Various modifications, changes and variations may be made in the arrangement, operation and details of construction of the invention disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present disclosure is intended to exemplify and not limit the invention.

Claims

1. A container for the storage and transporting of laundry, comprising: a body having a top opening and an interior having a storage capacity;a lid substantially circumscribing the top opening, the lid having a height, an open configuration, a closed configuration, a first lid handle, and a second lid handle;the height of the lid adding to the storage capacity of the body when the lid is in the open configuration; andthe lid transitioning from the open configuration to the closed configuration upon drawing at least one of the first lid handle and the second lid handle towards the other of the first lid handle and the second lid handle.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the lid transitions from the closed configuration to the open configuration upon drawing at least one of the first lid handle and the second lid handle away from the other of the first lid handle and the second lid handle.

3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein lid comprises a front lid panel and a rear lid panel, both the front lid panel and the rear lid panel being hingedly coupled to a portion of the body of the container.

4. The invention according to claim 3, wherein the first lid handle is operably coupled to the front lid panel and the second lid handle is operable coupled to the rear lid panel.

5. The invention according to claim 3, wherein the first lid handle is integrally formed with the front lid panel and the second lid handle is integrally formed with the rear lid panel.

6. The invention according to claim 3, wherein the lid further comprises a left lid panel and a right lid panel, at least one of the left lid panel and the right lid panel being hingedly coupled to a portion of the body of the container.

7. The invention according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the left lid panel and the right lid panel comprises a plurality of articulating regions.

8. The invention according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the left lid panel and the right lid panel comprises a plurality of substantially triangular articulating regions.

9. The invention according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the left lid panel and the right lid panel comprises four substantially triangular articulating regions.

10. The invention according to claim 8, wherein each of the substantially triangular articulating regions is hingedly coupled to at least one adjacent substantially triangular articulating region.

11. The invention according to claim 9, wherein the four substantially triangular articulating regions include a first substantially triangular articulating region hingedly coupled to a second substantially triangular articulating region, and a third substantially triangular articulating region hingedly coupled to a fourth substantially triangular articulating region.

12. The invention according to claim 11, wherein the second and third substantially triangular articulating regions are hingedly coupled to each other.

13. The invention according to claim 8, wherein the substantially triangular articulating regions are substantially coplanar when the lid is in the open configuration.

14. The invention according to claim 11, wherein the first substantially triangular articulating region folds towards the second substantially triangular articulating region and the third substantially triangular articulating region folds towards the fourth substantially triangular articulating region as the lid transitions from the open configuration to the closed configuration.

15. The invention according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the body and the lid is constructed of a fabric material.

16. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the container further comprises a frame.

17. The invention according to claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the frame is constructed of a wire material.

18. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the container is a hamper.

19. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the container is a basket.

20. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the container is a tote.

21. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the lid is inverted frusto-square pyramidal in shape.