Method and Device to Reduce and Eliminate Wrinkles in Clothing in a Suitcase, and to Change in Suitcase Structure
The invention is a device and method to allow a user to minimize wrinkles in the transportation of garments. In a main embodiment, the invention consists of folding folds with a hanging means with two holding bars (or “arms”), one over the connecting area between the top fold and middle fold, and one over the connecting area between the middle fold and the bottom fold, with a top and bottom edge where clothes are attached to said device through the use of flexible clips with a tension means. Alternative embodiments, and suitcase structure change, are described to decrease wrinkling, and increase available volume within suitcases. The device is designed to be folded and contained with a standard suitcase, or is built in as part of a suitcase.
The present invention relates to the fields of garments, suitcases, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for minimizing wrinkles in the transportation of garments, and to suitcase structure.
1. Background
To the dismay of travelers, clothes that are placed in luggage or similar devices can become wrinkled over a period of time. This can present problems for a business traveler as the clothes can look like they were “slept in.”
Many approaches have been used, such as the use of cardboard partitions or wrapping clothing in various types of plastic or the use of stiff plastic. None of these have completely solved the problem.
What is needed is a lightweight, inexpensive, convenient, and versatile method and apparatus to minimize or reduce wrinkles in clothes. There is still room for improvement in the art.
2. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,950 by Scicluna and issued on Jul. 15, 2003, is for a multiple expansion luggage item. It discloses an item of expandable luggage that includes a multiple expansion capability, including an expandable main compartment and an expandable external pocket. The luggage item also includes a pair of internal tie-down panels for better holding of clothes within the item and for providing additional storage pockets. A low-profile clothes hanger bracket is provided which is useful with either wire or wooden clothes hangers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,505,736 by Donovan and issued on Jan. 14, 2003, is for a garment storage apparatus and system. It discloses a garment storage apparatus that includes a housing having a first portion, a second portion, and a central portion. The first portion and the second portion are dimensioned to fold about the central portion and fasten together to form an interior compartment of the apparatus. The combination of a clamp plate, a clamping means, a central rod assembly and a second rod assembly holds a garment in tension when the first portion of the housing and the second portion of the housing are folded about the central portion of the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,574 by Anthony and issued on Dec. 31, 2002, is for a vacuum-packed luggage and method of manufacture. It discloses a vacuum-packed suitcase with specially arranged sealable compartments for vacuum sealing of articles of travel such as clothing and makeup accessories, the suitcase including a top cover and a more rigidly constructed bottom receptacle, the bottom receptacle having one or more separate article compartments separated by vertical or horizontal walls for organizing the articles of travel, the top cover and bottom receptacle being airtight when sealed over each other so that after packing the articles of travel the air in the compartments can be removed separately or collectively by means of a vacuum pump, thereby reducing the volume of the articles of travel to a minimum and thus increasing storage efficiency.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,063 by Wallace III, et al. and issued on Nov. 16, 1999, is for a method and apparatus of minimizing wrinkles during the transportation and storage of garments. It discloses a garment separator having a generally rectangularly shaped section of taffeta, the taffeta having an upper strip of nylon tape and a lower strip of nylon tape, and the upper strip of nylon tape fitted to mate with a nylon tape affixed to a receptor zone of a garment carrier. A method of reducing wrinkling of garments in a garment carrying device including the steps of adapting the garment carrying device with a nylon tape in a receptor zone, placing a first garment in the garment carrying device, placing a generally rectangularly shaped taffeta section over the first garment, the taffeta section having a strip of nylon tape, attaching the taffeta section to the receptor zone by engaging the nylon tape of the receptor zone with the nylon tape of the taffeta section, placing a second garment over the taffeta section, and closing the garment carrying device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,038 by Lyon and issued on Jan. 14, 1997, is for a wrinkle-preventing method of packing garments for transportation or storage. It discloses a method of packing garments for transportation or storage in which each garment is enclosed unfolded inside its own garment cover, the garment cover commensurate in size with the garment and the garment cover formed from a low-friction fabric material. The garment covers are packed adjacent to one another in luggage, thereby reducing friction between the garments so that fewer wrinkles in the garments occur when they are transported or stored.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,297 by Myers and issued on Apr. 9, 1996, is for a garment bag construction to minimize wrinkling. It discloses a garment bag of the type having an elongated body substantially formed of flexible fabric or sheet material, and defining a cavity with a hanger support at the top for receiving hanging clothes on hangers. The bag folds double on itself for transport, and includes a pair of rigid wall portions which when the bag is folded double on itself are urged forcefully together. These rigid wall portions substantially immobilize the clothing items there between to greatly reduce creasing and wrinkling of the clothing items which would otherwise result from their shifting about in transit. The garment bag also includes features preserving the efforts of careful packing during folding and unfolding of the bag to further reduce clothes wrinkling.
United States Patent Application 20040173427 by Chemoff and published on Sep. 9, 2004, is for a wheeled suitcase with detachable garment holder. It discloses an apparatus for transporting clothing comprising a wheeled rolling suitcase and a detachable garment holder where the garment holder wraps around the outside of the suitcase and is held against the suitcase by attachment means. By wrapping the garment holder around the perimeter of the suitcase it does not require folding. The result is that clothes in the garment holder do not crease or wrinkle as they do in conventional luggage.
United States Patent Application 20020084199 by Donovan and published on Jul. 4, 2002, is for a garment storage apparatus and system. It discloses a garment storage apparatus that includes a housing having a first portion made up of a first end and a first pair of sides, a second portion made up of a second end and a second pair of sides, and a central portion. Each of the first portion, the second portion and the central portion have an interior surface and an exterior surface, with the first portion and the second portion being dimensioned to fold about the central portion and fasten together to form an interior compartment of the apparatus. A clamp plate is rotatably attached to the first end of the interior surface of the first portion of the housing and clamping means are provided for releasably engaging the clamp plate with the interior surface of the first portion of the housing. A central rod assembly is attached to the interior surface of the central portion of the housing and includes a central rod that is disposed in substantially parallel relation with the ends of the housing. A second rod assembly is attached to the interior surface of the second portion and includes a second rod disposed in substantially parallel relation with the second end of the second portion of the housing. The central and second rods are manufactured of a material that allows the rods to hold a garment in tension when the first portion and the second portion are folded about the central portion.
There is still room for improvement in the art.
SUMMARY OF INVENTIONThe invention is a device and method to allow a user to minimize wrinkles in the transportation of garments. In a main embodiment, the invention consists of folding folds with a hanging means with two holding bars (or “arms”), one over the connecting area between the top fold and middle fold, and one over the connecting area between the middle fold and the bottom fold, with a top and bottom edge where clothes are attached to said device through the use of flexible clips with a tension means. Alternative embodiments, and suitcase structure change, are described to decrease wrinkling, and increase available volume within suitcases. The device is designed to be folded and contained with a standard suitcase, or is built in as part of a suitcase.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGSWithout restricting the full scope of this invention, the preferred form of this invention is illustrated in the following drawings:
The following description is demonstrative in nature and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention or its application of uses.
There are a number of significant design features and improvements incorporated within the invention.
The invention is a device and method to allow a user to minimize wrinkles in the transportation of garments. In a main embodiment, the invention consists of folding folds with a hanging means with two holding bars (or “arms”) 10, one over the connecting area between the top fold and middle fold, and one over the connecting area between the middle fold and the bottom fold, with a top and bottom edge where clothes are attached to said device through the use of flexible clips with a tension means. In an alternative embodiment, the invention consists of folding folds with a hanging means with two holding bars 10, one on the top fold and one on the bottom fold with a top and bottom edge where clothes are attached to said device through the use of flexible clips with a tension means. The device is designed to be folded and contained with a standard suitcase.
As one embodiment (
In a preferred embodiment, the bars 10 will be covered in a cloth material. The cloth covering will extend beyond the said bars 10 and be sewn into said connecting area between folds such that the bars 10 fit tightly against the surface of said folds to hold down clothing 40 that are placed between said bars 10 and the surface of the folds. The bars 10 will also be rigid enough to hold clasp 60 and elastic bands 50.
As alternative embodiments, such as for use with smaller clothing, the connecting area between folds could have zippers, so that the folds could be separated, so if people needed just 1 fold, they could use that to have clothes on 1 side of 1 fold, or wrap clothes over both sides of the 1 fold, or use the 1st and 2nd folds, but not the 3rd fold, or use the second and third folds, but not the first fold if a hanger is attached top the first fold, etc. In addition, there could be covered foam or other soft material where the edges and connecting areas are for clothes wrapping over those areas.
Furthermore, the bars 10 may be attachable to the main folds by releasable clamps or Velcro, or other means of attachment. In addition, the bars 10, could be clothe, or other material, covered soft foam at the junction of the folds, or at the connecting area between fold. At the top would be an attaching hanger 305 that attaches to the top edge of the top fold, and that may run in front of the folds. The clothes would be hung over the hanger, run down in front of the folds, and may be held to the folds by flaps, such as is shown for going across the first fold, but there could be flaps going across all 3 folds. The clothes could just be running over the soft foam at the fold junctions, or there could be bars holding the clothes down at the junctions, Elastic straps 50 from the bottom of the 3rd fold, or the junction of the 2nd and 3rd folds could attach to the ends of various size clothing to provide tension. Finally another embodiment would be for the bars to be over the 2nd and 3rd junction between the folds, and the third fold could wrap within, between the first and second folds, or back over the second or first fold.
The folds 25 and 26 and 27 are made of a thin rigid (or semi-rigid or semi-soft) material such as a hard plastic, wood or cardboard which can be covered by a covering material like cloth or plastic. They can be of any height and width. In one embodiment, they would be of a width of 35 inches and a height of 23 inches so that they would fit in a standard size suitcase 407. In another preferred embodiment, the width and height of the folds are such that when 25 is folded over 26 and 27 is folded over 25 or under 26 the device fits within standard measurement suitcases designed for aircraft carry-on. In one embodiment of the device 1, a single covering material will cover the folds.
The device can have plastic pouches 39 along the side edges and at edge between the folds or at the bottom or top, with elastic straps 50 inside, that when the pouches are unzipped, or otherwise opened, can be used to apply tension. These straps can be attached at specific locations along the edges, or could be free straps, that attach to clothing and to anywhere along the edges as needed. The arms of clothing can cross to the opposite side to be attached on the opposite side (i.e L->R or R->L), so that there is better tension (or attach on the same side (i.e. L->L or R->R)). The straps and clasps can also be separate from the device. The straps 50 can be attached to the top edge 15 and the bottom edge 15.
In one embodiment,
To describe this embodiment somewhat differently to clarify the embodiment, an individual after hanging the clothes on the hanger, would have the hanger attach to the folds, in front of the folds, and would have the clothes run down along the first fold (25), go under the bar (10), fold the clothes running in front of the second fold (26) back to above the hanger area, and then fold the clothes running in front of the third fold (27) back in the other direction above the second layer of clothes. Then the person would form the rectangle/parallelogram, and take the bar 10 at the upper right, and gently insert it between the clothes where it folds from going to the upper right and toward the upper left. Then elastic straps 51 are placed from the upper left edge to attach to the end of the clothes to apply traction.
The corner edges in the device in
In operation there is an embodiment whereby the clothes that come from the hanger in the lower left corner, goes under the bar 10 at the lower left corner and can attach to elastic straps from the area under the bar, or from the bar, at the upper right corner of the drawing.
Different embodiments can reflect different arrangements for different length clothes: some clothes may only need to fold back once, some 2 times, and really long clothing may need to fold back 3 times.
Another embodiment as shown in
In another embodiment the clothes going under the bar at the lower left corner, then under the bar at the upper right corner, then under the bar at the upper left corner, then attaching to elastic straps connecting to the corner between the third and fourth folds.
Another embodiment is to, when hanging shirts or other items with sleeves over the hanger 305, is to place the inner level of clothing's sleeves within the outer level of sleeves as one puts more articles of clothing on the hanger 305. That in effect reduces the wrinkling. Then the left “sleeve” (containing all of the left sleeves), can be held down by tension to an edge between folds, or the right side of the folds, etc. And the right “sleeve” (containing all of the right sleeves) could be attached to an edge between folds, or the left side (alternatively, the L “sleeve” can attach to L side, and R “sleeve” to R side).
In a preferred embodiment as shown in
Alternatively, the shirt could hang over the folds from the hanger, whose bottom is the edge of the top fold (
The entire folding device or top of hanger can be attached to a suitcase edge, such as a reinforcing edge running along the inside of the suitcase, or the edge of the zipper closing area, to connect it to the body of the suitcase, if that is so desired. Alternatively, the folding unit could attach by means of Velcro connecting to a Velcro strip attached by adhesive, or otherwise, to the inside of the suitcase, or it could built into the structure of the suitcase.
An alternative embodiment is shown in
An additional embodiment is to have spring action and/or air (or other means) expandable and/or retractable shoulder pads. This works by when a user puts a sport coat over the hanger, then presses a button on or near the hanger, and the padding gently expands by an expanding means such as air, or by the padding having padded plastic or metal inside that gently springs open. That would provide better, smoother rounding of the shoulders of the clothing. Another embodiment would be to have the entire folding device closable, where air could be pumped in to provide a more wrinkle free environment, or where a spring action device could be used to maintain a firm shape of the device so that clothing within is less wrinkled.
This change to suitcase structure, itself of value as noted above, could also allow for the folding wrinkle reduction device to be placed at the “bottom” of the interior of the suitcase (i.e near the back wall of the suitcase). This could be within the main interior body of the suitcase, or in a separate compartment at the “back” or “bottom” of the suitcase interior with it's own zipper around the suitcase for that compartment. One alternative embodiment would be for the clothes hanger to be attached to an inside bottom border of the suitcase, with clothes running along the inside of the back wall of suitcase and then folding back over top padded edge of a first fold of 2 fold device and running in opposite direction over that first fold, and then under a bar at the connecting area between the first and second fold, and running back under the second fold in the opposite direction. (That is, the back of the suitcase would serve as the first fold of a “3 fold device”, with the 2 fold device serving as the “second and third folds”).
The device 1 in the preferred embodiment will fit within carry-ons of various sizes such as dimensions of 23*12*10 inches, and 22*14*12 inches. All embodiments in this patent can accommodate many types of clothing, including, but not limited to suits, shirts, blouses, skirts, dresses, etc.
In other embodiments, which would provide more protection against wrinkles, there could be 2 sheets of folds 1, 2 and 3, on either side of a main sheet of folds 1, 2 and 3 over which the clothing has been hung over the hanger and where the clothes thus goes on both sides of the main sheet of folds. If there are 2 sheets of folds 1, 2 and 3, or 3 sheets, then the 2nd or, 2nd and 3rd sheets, might also clip/attach to the hanger from the first sheet in some manner, that allows separation for the clothing in between, but attaches the 2nd, or 2nd and 3rd sheets at the top (i.e., only the first sheet of folds 1, 2 and 3 might have a hanger at it's top). The other sheet(s) of folds could also be attached at the bottom and/or the sides.
In further description of the 2 layer of folds design, there is a sheet of folds 1, 2 and 3. Connecting on the right or left edge by clothe, padded edge, or adjustable connecting edge, is another equivalent sheet of folds 1, 2 and 3. The clothes are laid over the first sheet of folds 1, 2 and 3 as in figure one. The clothes may have tension applied as with the elastic straps. Then the other sheet of folds 1, 2 and 3 is brought over the clothing over the first sheet of folds 1, 2 and 3. The clothes are in between the 2 sheets of folds. In various embodiments, the connecting edge between the 2 sheets of 3 folds could be of various materials, such as clothe, a padded edge, or separated by fixed height or adjustable height fixed sides so the clothes have some space to rest between the 2 sheets of folds. Finally, the unconnected edge could be tied together, zipped closed, or otherwise connected, to form a closed clothing container that can be put in the suitcase, or is part of the suitcase. In addition, the elastic straps could alternatively come from the edges of the second sheet of folds.
As different embodiments, the sides between the 2 sheets of folds could be padded edges, or could be fixed or adjustable sides so that the clothes have some space to rest between the 2 sheets of folds. The three levels of folds of the 2 sheets of folds can be attached. That is the edge of the 2 sheets' 1,1 folds can be attached to the 2 sheets' 2,2 folds, and 2,2, to 3,3, or 1,1 to 3,3.
As shown in
The device 1 can use several different hanging means as shown in
In additional embodiments, there could be pants clips on the hanger 305, or a bar over the bottom bar of the hanger, in which pants go between, or where the pants actually fold around, if all of the clothes reside on 1 side of the sheet of folds. There could also be “firm grip” clothe on the hanger 305 to prevent sliding off of clothing. The hanger part can be shaped like a regular hanger, or a more square edge, more rounded edge, or any other hanger configuration.
As referred to above, the folding device could be placed free-floating within a suitcase. Alternatively, it could be attached to an edge or inner (or outer) side of the suitcase. When in the suitcase a pump 355 can be attached to the outside of the suitcase through to the device 1 and remove air to create a vacuum to reduce wrinkles in the closes. This is shown in
The bars 10 of the device 1 can be hinged to swing out so that the clothing can be placed in and then swung closed holding the clothing in place. The hinging means in the preferred embodiment in made out of cloth with the end that swings out being attached to the folds through an attachment means such as a hook and latch means.
The device 1 will have numerous pockets with closing means such as a zipper or buttons. These pockets 225 can be positioned on the edges of each of the folds including between two connected folds. These pockets can hold the bindings 60 and elastic 50. The straps 50 can extend from the pockets 225 as shown in
The device 1 can have a turn hanging means, as shown in
A butterfly clasp can be used as the end of the binding method used to bind and hold tension on the clothing. This is shown in
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the point and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. As an example for illustrative purposes: clips, snaps or other methods of attachment can be used in place of clasps, and other tension producing elements can be used in place of elastic bands.
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.
With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A device for containing a plurality of clothes in a reduced wrinkle condition comprising:
- a). a top fold attached to a bottom fold so that said top fold and said bottom fold can fold in on each other where said cloths are attached to the fold with an attachment means where said attachment means applies tension to said clothes; or b), a top fold attached to a middle fold attached to a bottom fold so that said top fold and said bottom fold can fold over a middle fold where said cloths are attached to the fold with an attachment means where said attachment means applies tension to said clothes; or c), there can be 4 (or other number of) folds, with a larger first fold, a smaller second fold, a third fold of approximate same size as first fold, and a fourth fold of approximate same size as second fold, so that when the bottom edge of fold 4 is brought back to touch top of fold 1, it forms and rectangle or parallelogram. The folds could be rigid, semi-rigid, or semi-soft but keeping their form (e.g. for example, made from processes such as ABS molding or Polypro, or connected by zipper, but not limited to those methods). In one embodiment, folds 1 and 4 can be attached, and an equivalent folds 2 and 3 can be attached. The top of the a hanger can be attached to the top of fold 1, bottom of fold 4, or stick out of enclosure at an opening in the edge of connection of folds 1 and folds 4, or attach to other aspects of the device. A user could lay the clothes from the right lower corner on the hanger attached at the edge of folds 1 and 4, or from a hanger that goes through an opening in the edge of 1 and 4, and have the clothes wrap back when the clothes reaches the lower end of fold 1, to the upper end of fold one, and if the clothes are long enough to wrap back above that last layer toward what will be the upper left corner. Then the half of rectangle/parallelogram of connected folds “2 and 3” can be placed over the clothes to form the rectangle/parallelogram, then slide a bar through area of clothing where the clothing moves from going down the first fold up to back up above fold one, slide the second bar through where the clothes then loops back down fold one but above the other levels of clothing. Then two elastic straps 50 can be attached to the 2 ends of bar 1, and two elastic straps can be attached to the 2 ends of bar 2 to hold them, with 1 strap connected to folds 1/4, and the other strap connected to folds 2/3, so as to firmly bring the 2 halves of the rectangle/parallelogram together. Also, the lower end of the clothing can be attached to the edge between folds 2 and 3 by elastic straps. The rectangle/parallelogram might be more of an upright rectangle if there was a lot of clothes in between, but more of a flatter parallelogram if there were few clothing in between. Elastic straps can be placed from edges of the device to attach to the end of the clothes to apply traction.
2. A device according to claim 1 further comprising having said top fold having a top edge and said bottom fold having a bottom edge.
3. A device according to claim 1 further comprising having a hanging means attached to said top fold.
4. A device according to claim 1 further comprising having a plurality of bars attached to said folds.
5. A device according to claim 4 further comprising having said bars fitting tightly to said folds.
6. A device according to claim 4 where said bars are covered in a covering material.
7. A device according to claim 6 where said material can be made of various types of clothe or plastic or other materials.
8. A device according to claim 4 where said cloths are placed between said bars and said folds.
9. A device according to claim 1 where said tension means are elastic bars or other elastic straps, or other clothe or materials.
10. A device according to claim 1 where said tension means are clasps.
11. A device according to claim 1 where said tension means are clasps that are attached to elastic bands or bars.
12. A device according to claim 1 where said tension means are elastic bands with clasps on one end and hooks on the other end.
13. A device according to claim 1 where said tension means consists of a plurality of clasps and elastic bands that attach to the edges and to said bars.
14. A device according to claim 1 where clips, snaps or other methods of attachment are used in place of clasps, and other tension producing elements are used in place of elastic bands.
15. A device according to claim 1 where said top fold has shoulder pad contours.
16. A device according to claim 1 where said hanging means can be rotated to fit flat against said top fold.
17. A device according to claim 16 further comprising a flap attached to said top fold covering the hanging means.
18. A device according to claim 1 which folds to fit into a suitcase.
19. A device for containing a plurality of clothes in a reduced wrinkle condition comprising:
- a plurality of folds attached to each other linearly with said folds folding in on each other where said cloths are attached to said folds with an attachment means where said attachment means applies tension to said clothes and having a plurality of bars attached to said folds.
20. A device according to claim 19 which folds to fit into a suitcase.
21. A device according to claim 19 where said tension means consists of a plurality of clasps and elastic bans that attach to the edges and to said bars.
22. A device according to claim 1 where said connects to a piece of luggage through an attachment means.
23. A device according to claim 1 where said attachment means is a hook and latch method.
24. A device according to claim 1 wherein there are pouches attached to hold items.
25. A device according to claim 1 wherein said folds are detachable and re-attachable to each other through an attaching means.
26. A device for containing a plurality of clothes in a reduced wrinkle condition, or increase interior volume by eliminating space taken up by tubes within the body of suitcase, or reduce breakage of flat or other objects within the body of the suitcase comprising:
- a suitcase with an extending handle attached to a plurality of bars where said bars slide out of tubes at a set of corners, or within the interior of the set of corners of said suitcase.
27. A device according to claim 1 wherein there is employed spring action and/or air (or other means) expandable and/or retractable shoulder pads. One embodiment can work by when a user puts a sport coat over the hanger, then presses a button on or near the hanger, and the padding gently expands by an expanding means such as air, or by the padding having padded plastic or metal inside that gently springs open.
28. A device according to claim 1 wherein the entire folding device is closable, where air can be pumped in to provide a more wrinkle free environment, or where a spring action device could be used to maintain a firm shape of the device so that clothing within is less wrinkled
29. A device according to claim 1, which could provide another means of protection against wrinkles, in which there could be 2 sheets of folds 1, 2 and 3 (or other number of folds), on either side of a main sheet of folds 1, 2 and 3 (or other number of folds) over which the clothing has been hung over the hanger and where the clothes thus goes on both sides of the main sheet of folds. If there are 2 sheets of folds 1, 2 and 3, or 3 sheets, then the 2nd or, 2nd and 3rd sheets, might also clip/attach to the hanger from the first sheet in some manner, that allows separation for the clothing in between, but attaches the 2nd, or 2nd and 3rd sheets at the top (i.e., only the first sheet of folds 1, 2 and 3 might have a hanger at it's top; or alternatively, the other sheet(s) could have its(their) own hanger(s)). The other sheet(s) of folds could also be attached at the bottom and/or the sides.
- (In further description of the 2 layer of folds design, there is a sheet of folds 1, 2 and 3. Connecting on the right or left edge by clothe, padded edge, or adjustable connecting edge, is another equivalent sheet of folds 1, 2 and 3. The clothes are laid over the first sheet of folds 1, 2 and 3 as in figure one. The clothes may have tension applied as with the elastic straps. Then the other sheet of folds 1, 2 and 3 is brought over the clothing over the first sheet of folds 1, 2 and 3. The clothes are in between the 2 sheets of folds. Finally, the unconnected edge could be tied together, zipped closed, or otherwise connected, to form a closed clothing container that can be put in the suitcase, or is part of the suitcase. In addition, the elastic straps could alternatively come from the edges of the second sheet of folds. As different embodiments, the sides between the 2 sheets of folds could be padded edges, or could be fixed or adjustable sides so that the clothes have some space to rest between the 2 sheets of folds. The three levels of folds of the 2 sheets of folds can be attached. That is the edge of the 2 sheets' 1,1 folds can be attached to the 2 sheets' 2,2 folds, and 2,2, to 3,3, or 1,1 to 3,3.).
30. A device according to claim 1, whereby the folding device could be placed free-floating within a suitcase. Alternatively, it could be attached to an edge or inner (or outer) side of the suitcase.
31. A device according to claim 1, whereby the connecting areas between folds may be made of various materials, and also which may have methods for separation and attachment of the folds, such as through use of Velcro or zippers or snaps or clasps or ties, but not be limited to those methods.
32. A device according to claim 1, whereby some clothes may hang down, or be attached, in front of, or over, the folds, but other clothing may be connected or otherwise attached to the folds in different orientations, such as, but not limited to, wrapping around one or more folds.
33. A device according to claim 26, whereby the folding wrinkle reduction device can be placed at the “bottom” of the interior of the suitcase (i.e near the back wall of the suitcase). This could be within the main interior body of the suitcase, or in a separate compartment at the “back” or “bottom” of the suitcase interior with it's own zipper around the suitcase for that compartment.
34. A device according to claim 31, whereby a clothes hanger could attach to an inside bottom border of the suitcase, or be “free-floating”, with clothes on the hanger running along the inside of the back wall of suitcase and then folding back over top padded edge of a first fold of 2 fold device and running in opposite direction over that first fold, and then under a bar at the connecting area between the first and second fold, and running back under the second fold in the opposite direction. (That is, the back of the suitcase could serve as the first fold of a “3 fold device”, with the 2 fold device serving as the “second and third folds”).
35. A device according to claim 1, whereby an additional embodiment would have the hanger from the sheet of folds attach to a connecting bar built within an enclosing garment bag, or otherwise connect to the top inside of the garment bag, such as with clasps, snaps, straps, ties, or other methods, thus having the clothes hang within the garment bag.
36. A device according to claim 29, whereby whether the 2nd, or 2nd and 3rd, sheet(s) attach to the hanger of the 1st sheet, or have their own hanger(s), where an additional embodiment would have the hanger(s) attach to 1). a connecting apparatus attached to edge or side of suitcase; or 2). a connecting bar built within an enclosing garment bag, or otherwise connect to the top inside of the garment bag, such as with clasps, snaps, straps, ties, or other methods, thus having the clothes hang within the garment bag.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 5, 2007
Publication Date: Nov 15, 2007
Inventor: Michael Rabinoff (San Jose, CA)
Application Number: 11/682,254
International Classification: B65D 85/18 (20060101);