Laundry tower hamper

Abstract

A single load laundry hamper configured to take up as little floor space as possible, allowing multiple hampers to be variably positioned as needed within a small to average laundry room for the purpose of sorting and storing dirty laundry, thus creating an uncluttered environment. A handle allows for ease of use whereby user is able to easily lift hamper full of luandry with one hand, without stooping, and lift it up to place it on the edge of the washing machine for unloading. An opening near the bottom allows for easy removal of oldest laundry items first to be placed into the washing machine. The various openings, having their own functions, also supply ventilation.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Provisional patent application No. 60/228,864 filed Aug. 30, 2000.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

[0003] Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention relates to containers and more particularly to laundry, or clothes, hampers.

[0005] It is commonly known that laundry hampers are designed to store dirty laundry until it could be washed. Often, the items of dirty laundry to be washed would then be sorted into piles on the floor, causing clutter. If prior known hampers are used in multiple to contain these sorted items, they take up too much floor space in a small to average sized laundry room. For example, an average family's laundry may require at least 7 different loads, which when sorted into currently available hampers or piled on the floor, leaves minimal, if any, room to walk.

[0006] The present invention, therefore, is configured to occupy a small amount of floor space so when used in multiple for sorting, will not overcrowd most laundry spaces. The present invention is primarily intended for, but not limited to, the laundry industry and the housekeeping needs of residential dwellings to help maintain an uncluttered and organized environment.

[0007] Prior laundry hampers which provide multiple compartments for sorting (U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,715 to Capelli, U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,416 to Smillie and U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,173 to Proctor and Erving) are configured with the compartments connected and therefore take up a defined space. Because this invention is a single load hamper intended to be used in multiple, the user can decide how many hampers are needed and place the hampers in various locations conforming to the user's unique laundry space.

[0008] In addition to accommodating space, the present invention has features which solve additional problems: 1. When laundry is piled on the floor it is difficult to determine how much will fit into the washing machine. Therefore, when an individual takes items from the top of the pile on the floor to place into the washing machine, the items on the bottom, which may have been there the longest, may not make it into the washing machine until a later load. 2. To use prior commonly known hampers, an individual must stoop to lift it. 3. Also, individuals who are not experienced in doing laundry are more apt to make errors which can ruin laundry. This invention addresses this problem as well.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] One object of the present invention is to contain approximately one single load of laundry in a small amount of floor space so that even when the present invention is used in multiple will still allow a less cluttered and better organized environment. Another purpose for this configuration would be to fit in a small space, such as a bedroom closet, where a hamper is desired, but space is limited. A second object is that it can be easily lifted by one hand without stooping. A third object is that the items stored at the bottom of the present invention can be removed first.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0010] In order for the present invention to be better understood, references will be made in the detailed description to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the front of the present invention, and

[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the back of the present invention.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a cut-away side view of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] As can be viewed in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the present invention is an elongated rectangular container 7, open at the top 1. The apparatus is comprised of a front panel 6, a back panel 9, and two side panels 2. These four panels are perpendicular to the bottom panel 8 and all are connected at sides and corners.

[0015] The front panel 6 shall have a cutout 5 to be used as a handle. The cutout should be of a shape comfortable to an average person's hand and be located in the center of the front panel from side to side and a distance from the top of the front panel so that, when the bottom panel 8 is resting on the floor, the handle is at about the same position as that of an average height person's hand when at rest at the person's side and that same person is standing straight up, to allow for minimal stooping for someone of average height when lifting the present invention. This handle allows the user to easily lift the present invention 7 without stooping and carry it to the washing machine with one hand. The user can then lift the current invention to, and set it on, the edge of the washing machine and hold it there while removing the laundry items through the removal opening 10 and placing them into the washing machine with the other hand. An optional identical cut-out 5 may be located on the back panel 9 in the same position as the cut-out 5 on the front panel 6 to aid in lifting, act as an alternate handle and to create additional ventilation.

[0016] The front panel 6 shall have a removal opening 10 near, but not directly at, the bottom 8. The space between the bottom edge of the hamper and the bottom rim of the opening 4 should be such that it acts as a lip to hold the laundry inside. The dimensions of the opening should be such that it accommodates removal of typical laundry items, yet does not weaken the structure of the hamper. This opening, along with the hamper's open top, allows for ventilation to reduce the incidence of mold and odor.

[0017] As represented in FIG. 3, it is recommended that the bottom panel 8 be weighted by thickness or material content for stability of the present invention, but not so weighted that it hinders lifting of the present invention with one hand when full of laundry items.

[0018] When used as intended, in multiple, for sorting laundry items, it would be advantageous to the user to write or attach detailed sorting, washing and drying instructions to the front panel 6 making it easier for persons inexperienced in laundering to be successful and not ruin clothing.

[0019] The present invention 7 is designed to accommodate an approximate single load of laundry and contain it using only a small amount of floor space to allow multiple hampers within a small to average sized laundry space for the purpose of sorting and containing several loads of laundry using a minimal and flexible amount of floor space, thus creating a less cluttered and better organized environment. Also, because of the single washing machine load internal capacity of the present invention, the user will be able to tell, at a glance, when a specific load of laundry has reached maximum washer capacity simply by glancing at the open top of the present invention.

[0020] The dimensions of this invention are determined by three factors:

[0021] 1. The internal capacity of a typical washing machine of a specific nature (i.e. apartment size, average size, large capacity, laundromat), as the internal capacity of the present invention should be approximately the same as a washing machine's capacity.

[0022] 2. The amount of floor space usage desired. For example, a size of 36″ high×12″ wide×8″ deep would allow 8 separate full loads of laundry (large capacity, residential washing machine) to occupy a total space equal to about 2.3 sq. ft.

[0023] 3. Ease of use. The dimensions would be determined by and, therefore, vary, according to the market desired. “Ease of use” limits the dimensions of the bottom panel to a size large enough so that the current invention is stable and so that the front panel can accommodate an opening large enough for the user to easily remove a variety of typical laundry items.

Claims

1. A single load laundry hamper comprising:

an elongated receptacle having four vertical side panels perpendicular to a weighted bottom panel and having an open top, whose dimensions require only minimal floor space;

2. A laundry hamper described in claim one having at least one cut out opening to be used as a handle positioned at a location centered side to side on at least the front panel in a location that is approximately at the same distance from the floor as the position of a hand of an average height person standing straight with said hand at their side so the above said elongated receptacle can be lifted, without stooping, and, with one hand, be lifted to the washing machine;

3. A laundry hamper described in claim one having an opening near the bottom of the front panel to allow removal of laundry items at the bottom of the laundry hamper first.