Assembly structured to support and display a plurality of garments including lingerie

Abstract

An assembly structured to support and display a plurality of lingerie and other type garments including a frame having an open configuration and including at least one but preferably a plurality of elongated support members. When in an operative position, the frame is connected in depending relation to any one of a plurality of support structures. A plurality of mounting members extend along a length of each of said support members preferably in a predetermined spaced relation to one another. A plurality of containers include a base and a handle assembly wherein the base is dimensioned and configured to contain at least one of the lingerie or other type garments therein. The structure of each of the plurality of containers is such as to facilitate viewing of the garments contained therein, wherein the containers may be formed of a washable, fluid permeable material so as to facilitate concurrent washing of the containers with the garments contained therein.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is directed to an assembly structured to concurrently support and display a plurality of lingerie or other type garments which are contained within a plurality of containers structured to facilitate the viewing and/or washing of the garments while contained within the containers. The assembly includes a frame which, when in an operative position, depends from a supporting structure and is capable of supporting a plurality of containers having the lingerie garments contained therein thereby facilitating the viewing of the contained garments and subsequent selection thereof for use.

2. Description of the Related Art

A common approach to the storage of various types of garments include the use of chests having at least one but more commonly a plurality of pull out drawers. When using such furniture to store various types of garments, the garments are arranged in a substantially stacked or otherwise appropriate array. As a result, when an individual searches for a specific garment, many if not all of the garments contained within the drawer are handled and possibly rearranged or repositioned relative to one another. This in turn, frequently requires a refolding and/or repositioning of the stored garments after the search has been completed.

An attempt to overcome disadvantages and problems of the type set forth above, it is known to provide organizing structures or assemblies which are specifically dimensioned and configured to store a plurality of a particular type or category of article, devices and garments. These known or conventional organizing assemblies typically include one or more pockets of a preferred size and configuration fixedly attached to some type of support base or sheet which may then be arranged or disposed in an orientation which facilitates access to the storage pockets. Examples of such organizing assemblies include structures which may be specifically intended to store a plurality of jewelry items, in that a majority of jewelry items such as earrings, rings, broaches, clips, watches, etc. are relatively small in size. Therefore, the small dimensioning of a typical jewelry item of the type set forth above, may result in any type of conventional or known organizing assembly having small pockets. Also, such pockets are typically made from a cloth like material which are permanently secured to a supporting base, as set forth above.

Larger items such as, but not limited to, shoes, toiletries, etc. may also be readily adaptable for storage in similar type organizing assemblies. One or more storage pockets structured to hold such larger or heavier items are considerably larger and as a result may require support of such organizing assemblies from a more stable support structure. Yet another category of organizing assemblies are drapes, hoods, sleeves or like structures being removably secured to a conventional coat hanger. Such storage sleeves or like structures also include a plurality of pockets therein which are dimensioned to store specific items.

While the organizing assemblies of the type described above, may be at least minimally functional for their intended purpose, there is still a need in this area for an assembly structured to store, support and effectively display garments and in particular, lingerie type garments in order that such garments may be quickly and easily selected from a larger plurality of garments of the same type. Therefore, a proposed assembly of the type required to overcome well known and existing disadvantages and problems of conventional organizing and storage assemblies should comprise a frame including various structural components associated therewith which may removably support a plurality of containers. As such, the proposed containers may be dimensioned and configured to removably retain the stored garments on the interior thereof. Further, structuring of the containers would allow for a clear viewing and efficient recognition of the stored garments from an exterior of the container without requiring an opening or otherwise manipulation of the containers. Yet additional features of such a proposed assembly would be the provision of the various containers being made from a washable material which is liquid permeable. Accordingly, any washing or cleaning liquid would pass into the interior of the container where the stored garments are retained. This structural feature would allow for a concurrent washing, cleaning, drying of both the container and the stored garments at the same time without requiring a removal of the garments from the interior of the container. Such washing, cleaning, drying, etc. could be accomplished by conventional washing and drying machines, which are well known and in common use.

Further, such an assembly should be of a durable, light weight construction so as to allow it to be disposed in an operative position in a variety of convenient locations. In addition, the plurality of containers associated with the proposed assembly should be such as to be made of a durable material having the above noted characteristics of washability and viewability, while being sufficiently long lasting to be operative over an extended period of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an assembly structured to support and display a plurality of garments, wherein the garments are removably contained within a plurality of containers. The assembly includes a frame having at least one but preferably a plurality of elongated support members. The support members are disposed in interconnecting relation with and between oppositely disposed peripheral side portions of the frame. In at least one embodiment, the outermost ones of the plurality of support members disposed on the frame are positioned to define an upper and lower peripheral portion of the frame, such as when the frame is disposed in an operative position.

Such an operative position is accomplished by the presence of a frame support connected to an upper portion or upper peripheral portion of the frame and being structured to mount, connect or support the frame in depending relation to any one of a plurality of different type support structures. By way of example only, the frame support may be in the form of a hook-type structure which may be dimensioned and configured to support the frame in depending relation. When so supported, the operative position it is defined by a substantially vertical orientation of the peripheral side portions and a vertical spacing between adjacent ones of the plurality of support members.

Additional structural features of the frame include the provision of a plurality of mounting members, each of which may be in the form of an outwardly projecting finger or a curved hook type structure. In either of these structural modifications, the plurality of mounting members are disposed along the length of each of the one or more of the support members in predetermined spaced relation to one another. The spaced relation between the plurality of mounting members secured to a common one of the plurality of support members is such as to facilitate a depending support of at least some of the plurality of containers when supported on one or more of the mounting members. As set forth in greater detail hereinafter, the predetermined spacing between the plurality of mounting members on a common one of the plurality of support members may be such as to dispose the plurality of support members in equally spaced relation to one another. Yet another embodiment of the assembly of the present invention includes the plurality of mounting members being disposed in spaced apart pairs, wherein the distance between adjacent pairs of mounting members may be greater than the distance between the mounting members of any one pair.

In either embodiment of the predetermined spacing, as set forth above, the removable mounting or connection of the plurality of containers to any one of the plurality of support members is facilitated due to the cooperative structuring and placement of the mounting members, the support members and the handle assembly associated with each of the plurality of containers.

More specifically, each or at least some of the plurality of containers include a base having an interior dimension configured to hold at least one of the lingerie or other type garments therein. In addition, the aforementioned handle assembly is such as to include a plurality of preferably two handle segments having one end fixedly secured to the containers and the opposite end being free, at least in terms of the free ends of the handle segments connected to the same base not being secured or connected to one another. This structuring of the handle assembly facilitates each handle segment being connected to a common one of the plurality of mounting members. Alternatively, the spacing of the mounting members on any one of the plurality of elongated support members may be such as to facilitate each of the preferably two handle segments being connected to a different one of the plurality of mounting members, such as each handle segment being connected to adjacent mounting members defining one of the aforementioned pairs of mounting members.

Accordingly, the frame may, at least initially, be structured to support and display a specific, predetermined number of containers thereon with the garments or garment sets disposed therein. However, due the structural versatility of the of the handle assembly of each of the containers in cooperation with the mounting members, the number of containers positionable on the support members may be significantly increased or even doubled. By way of example, when the handle segments of each container are each supported by a different mounting member and an additional number of containers need be added to the frame, the handle segments of each handle assembly can be repositioned so as to be supported on a common mounting member as described above. This will “free up” an additional number of mounting members for use, wherein more containers may be added to the frame without interfering with others of the containers supported thereon.

Other structural features of at least some of the plurality of containers include the entire container being formed of a washable material. As such, the container may be washed or cleaned using a conventional clothes washer and subsequently dried without causing damage or disfiguration thereto. Therefore, the material from which at least the base of at least some of the containers are formed comprises a liquid permeable material which allows the passage of the water or other cleaning fluid to pass into the interior of the base into contact with any garment contained therein. Therefore, at least some of the plurality of containers facilitates the concurrent washing, cleaning, drying, etc. of the container as well as the lingerie or other type garment, while such garments are contained within the interior of the base.

Also, at least some of the plurality of containers also have a structure which facilitates viewing of the interior of the base and therefore observation and determination of a particular garment(s) contained within the base including when the container and garments are supported on the aforementioned frame. Accordingly, prior to any original washing of the container end or garment, an individual will be able to view the interior of the base and observe which of a possible large number of garments owned by the individual are contained therein. The individual will thereby be able to select the garments for use or wear without physically handling and/or repositioning of the garments, such as when the garments are stored, most commonly in a stacked array within the interior of a drawer or like conventional storage facility.

Moreover, based on the structural and operative features of the frame, as well as the plurality of containers, a plurality of garments or garment sets may be disposed on the interior of different ones of the bases. The containers may thereafter be removably supported on any one of the plurality of support members by removable positioning the handle assembly on one or more of the mounting members in the manner described above. As such, when the frame is in an operative position, the containers will depend from the support member to which they are connected and be disposed in an orientation which facilitates viewing of the garments contained on the interior of the base. The plurality of containers on a common or adjacent support member are disposed in a non-overlapping relation to one another so as to facilitate viewing and determination of which garments are contained within the base of each of the plurality of containers. As such, the assembly of the present invention is structured for specific, but not exclusive, support and display of a plurality of lingerie garments wherein matching garments such as a brassiere and panties set may be contained in the same container which may be quickly and easily located by viewing of the various lingerie garment sets through the viewable portion of the base. However, it is emphasized that the containers of the present invention are not intended for the exclusive use with lingerie garments. In contrast, any type of garment which is appropriately sized for containment within the base of the plurality of containers may be stored for support and display, in the manner described above.

Accordingly, the versatility of the support and display assembly of the present invention is further demonstrated by the ability to organize the various containers so that the garments contained therein may be inspected, identified and independently selected. As such the various garments and or garment sets may be easily and quickly selected by an individual for packing for travel, independent storage, washing or cleaning, etc. while the garments or garment sets remain in the respective containers.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more clear when the drawings as well as the detailed description are taken into consideration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of at least one embodiment of the structure of one of a plurality of containers structured to removably contain lingerie or other type garments on the interior thereof.

FIG. 3 is another embodiment of the plurality of containers.

FIG. 4 is a front view in partial cutaway demonstrating a supported orientation of a container of the assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view in partial cutaway demonstrating a supported orientation of a container of the assembly of the present invention which differs from the embodiment of FIG. 4.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As represented in the accompanying Figures, the present invention is directed to an assembly generally indicated as 10 for the support and display of a plurality of garments such as, but not limited to, lingerie garments. The assembly 10 comprises a frame, generally indicated as 12, having a substantially open configuration defined by at least one but more preferably a plurality of spaced apart support members 14. The aforementioned open construction of the frame 10 is further defined by a spacing 16 between adjacent ones of the plurality of support members 14. Accordingly, when disposed in an operative position, as represented in FIG. 1, the frame 12 includes two oppositely disposed peripheral side portions 18 and 20 being substantially vertically oriented, wherein the plurality of support members 14 are disposed between and in interconnecting relation with the spaced apart, oppositely disposed side portions 18 and 20. Moreover, when in the operative position of FIG. 1, the plurality of mounting members are vertically spaced, as at 16.

The operative position is further defined by the plurality of support members 14 being substantially horizontally disposed while being interconnected with and between the side peripheral portions 18 and 20. Further, in at least one embodiment of the frame 12, an upper and lower most one of the plurality of support members as at 14′ and 14″ may define the upper and lower peripheral portions of the frame 12. Such an operative position is easily and quickly obtained by the presence of a frame support member generally indicated as 22. The frame support 22 is structured to be removably connected to or mounted on any one of a variety of different support structures such as a cloths rod, wall mounted structure or like support, etc. Therefore, the operative position of the frame 12 can be more specifically defined by the frame 12 disposed in a substantially vertically depending, supported relation thereby disposing the side portions 18 and 20 in the aforementioned vertical orientation and the plurality of support members 14 and a substantially horizontal, spaced apart relation to one another.

In addition to the above, the assembly 10 of the present invention comprises a plurality of containers generally indicated as 24 in FIG. 2. Each or at least some of a plurality of containers includes a base 26 having an interior portion which is dimensioned and configured to hold at least one, but in certain applications at least two garments, such as lingerie type garments, represented in phantom lines in FIG. 3 as 28 and 28′. Access to the garments 28, 28′ is facilitated through the provision of an access opening as at 30 which may be selectively closed or covered by the presence of a movable lid or flap type covering 32. It is emphasized that other types of structuring may be associated with the access opening 30 such as snap fasteners, hook and loop type fasteners, etc. in order to facilitate a selective opening or closing of the access opening 40.

Further, each or at least some of the containers 24 are formed from a washable material which is further structured to be liquid permeable. As such, water and other washing or cleaning fluid may pass into the interior of the base 34 into contact with the garments 28, 28′ contained therein. Accordingly, the plurality of garments 28, 28′ and the containers 24 in which they are disposed may be concurrently washed, while the garments 28, 28′ remain within the respective container. In addition may include, but not be limited to, an open mesh material generally represented as 50. In addition, the containers may also be formed of a material which allows viewing of the contents of the container. Such a “viewable” material may also comprise, but not be limited to, the open mesh material 50.

In addition, each or at least some of the plurality of containers 24, includes a handle assembly 34 preferably comprising a plurality of two handle segments 36. The handle segments 36 include one end 36′ fixedly connected to the base 26 and an opposite free end, as at 36″, A quick and easy removable connecting and support of the plurality of containers 24 to any one of a plurality of support members 14 is thereby facilitated. With primary reference to FIGS. 1 and 4, each of the plurality of support members 14 include a plurality of mounting members 38 fixedly secured thereto and disposable in a predetermined spaced relation to one another. Such predetermined spaced relation between the plurality of mounting members 38 facilitates the removable connection and support of the plurality of containers 24 to a selected one of the mounting members 14 and 14′.

With specific reference to FIG. 1, the predetermined spacing between the mounting members affixed to support member 14′ is such that they are arranged in adjacent, spaced apart pairs. This paired spacing as demonstrated by the array of mounting members 38′ in FIG. 1, is further defined by the spacing of the portion of the mounting member, as at 42, between adjacent pairs of mounting members 38′, is greater than the spacing 43 between the two mounting members defining each pair of mounting members 38. In contrast, the spacing between the plurality of mounting members 38 on the next adjacent support member 14 is substantially equal, along the entire or at least a majority of the length of the corresponding support member 14.

With primary reference to FIG. 5, the handle segments 36 of each of the handle assemblies 34 of each of the containers 24 are such that both handle segments 34 may be connected to a common one of the plurality of support members 38 as generally indicated by the reference numeral 24′. However, the versatility of the handle assembly 34 is demonstrated in FIG. 4, such that each of the handle segments 36 may be connected to a different one of the plurality of mounting members and preferably adjacent ones of the mounting members 38, especially, but not necessarily, when the mounting members 38, are located in the aforementioned and described paired spacing. More specifically, the paired spacing of the plurality of mounting members as connected to support member 14′ perhaps better facilitates the different handle segments 34 being connected to adjacent ones of the mounting members defining a single pair 38′. In contrast, the equal spacing of the plurality of mounting members 38, as connected to support member 14 may better facilitate each of the handle segments 34 being connected to common one of the plurality of mounting members 38, as demonstrated at 24′ in FIG. 4.

Therefore, the frame 12 may, at least initially, be structured to support and display a specific, predetermined number of containers 24 thereon with the garments or garment sets 28, 28′ disposed therein. However, due the structural versatility of the of the handle assembly 34 of each of the containers 24 in cooperation with the mounting members 38, the number of containers 24 positionable on the support members 14 may be significantly increased or even doubled. By way of example and as represented in FIG. 4, when the handle segments 36 of each container 24 are each supported by a different mounting member 38 and an additional number of containers need be added to the frame 12, the handle segments 36 of each handle assembly 34 can be repositioned so as to be supported on a common mounting member 38 as described above and represented in FIG. 5. This will “free up” an additional number of mounting members 38 for support of the additional number of containers to the frame, without interfering with others of the containers supported thereon.

Further with regard to the embodiment of FIG. 4, the vertical spacing between adjacent ones of the support members 14, 14′, 14″ is sufficient to dispose at least a majority of the length of each of the plurality of containers connected to an upper one of the support members between the adjacent support members and in a non-overlapping relation to one another. Such freely, spaced apart, non-overlapping relation to the plurality of containers 24 when removably connected in supported relation to any one of the support members 14, 14′, 14″ thereby further enhances the ability of an individual to review the lingerie contents of the interior of the base 26 and select lingerie garment(s) contained therein.

Moreover, based on the structural and operative features of the frame, as well as the plurality of containers, a plurality of garments or garment sets may be disposed on the interior of different ones of the bases. The containers may thereafter be removably supported on any one of the plurality of support members by removable positioning the handle assembly on one or more of the mounting members in the manner described above. As such, when the frame is in an operative position, the containers will depend from the support member to which they are connected and be disposed in an orientation which facilitates viewing of the garments contained on the interior of the base. Moreover, the plurality of containers on either a common or adjacent support member are disposed in a non-overlapping relation to one another so as to facilitate viewing and determination of which garments are contained within the base of each of the plurality of containers. As such, the assembly of the present invention is structured for specific, but not exclusive, support and display of a plurality of lingerie garments, wherein matching garments such as a brassiere and panties set may be contained in the same container which may be quickly and easily located by viewing of the various lingerie garment sets through the viewable portion 50 of the base. However, it is emphasized that the containers of the present invention are not intended for the exclusive use with lingerie garments. In contrast, any type of garment which is appropriately sized for containment within the base of the plurality of containers may be stored for support and display, in the manner described above.

Accordingly, the versatility of the support and display assembly 10 of the present invention is further demonstrated by the ability to organize the various containers 24 so that the garments 28, 28′ contained therein may be inspected, identified and independently selected. As such the various garments and or garment 28 and 28′ sets may be easily and quickly selected by an individual for packing for travel, independent storage, washing or cleaning, etc. while the garments or garment sets 28 and 28′ remain in the respective containers 24.

Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiment of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Now that the invention has been described,

Claims

1. An assembly structured to support and display a plurality of garments, said assembly comprising:

a frame including at least one elongated support member disposed in interconnecting relation with and between oppositely disposed peripheral side portions of said frame,

a plurality of mounting members disposed in spaced relation to one another and collectively extending along the length of said support member,

a plurality of containers dimensioned and configured to contain at least one of said plurality of garments, and

each of said plurality of containers structured to be removably connected to at least one of said plurality of mounting members in supported, depending relation to said support member.

2. An assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a frame support connected to said frame and disposed and structured to connect said frame in a depending, supported position on a supporting structure.

3. An assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein said depending, supported position is at least partially defined by said support member disposed in a substantially horizontal orientation.

4. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein at least some of said plurality of containers are formed of a washable, liquid permeable material structured to facilitate concurrent washing of said containers and the garments contained therein.

5. An assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein at least some of said plurality of garments are structured to facilitate the viewing of the garments contained therein.

6. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein at least some of said plurality of garments are structured to facilitate the viewing of the garments contained therein.

7. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein at least the majority of said containers comprise a base and a handle assembly connected to said base, said base including an interior portion dimensioned to removably contain the at least one garment therein.

8. An assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said handle assembly comprises a plurality of handle segments structured to be concurrently and removably connected to a common one of said plurality of said mounting members.

9. An assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein each of said plurality of said handle segments is structured to be concurrently and removably connected to a different one of said plurality of mounting members.

10. An assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein at least some of adjacent ones of said plurality of mounting members are disposed a predetermined spaced apart distance, said predetermined spaced apart distance being sufficient to connect each of said plurality of handle segments to a different one of said adjacent mounting members.

11. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of said mounting members comprise a plurality of pairs of mounting members, adjacent pairs of each of said plurality of pairs of mounting members disposed a greater spaced distance apart than that of said mounting members defining each of said plurality of pairs of mounting members.

12. An assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of elongated support members disposed in spaced relation to one another and in interconnecting relation with and between said peripheral side portions of said frame, said peripheral side portions disposed in a substantially vertical orientation when said frame is in an operative position.

13. An assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein a spaced distance between adjacent support members is sufficient to dispose at least a majority of each of said plurality of containers there between when said containers are connected to an uppermost one of said adjacent support members and said frame is in said operative position.

14. An assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein each of said plurality of said support members comprises a plurality of mounting members extending along the length thereof.

15. An assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein different ones of two of said plurality of support members respectively define an upper peripheral portion and a lower peripheral portion of said frame when said frame is in said operative position.

16. An assembly structured to support and display a plurality of lingerie garments, said assembly comprising:

a frame having an open configuration and comprising a plurality of elongated support members extending in interconnecting relation with and between opposite peripheral side portions of said frame,

said peripheral side portions being substantially vertically oriented and said support members disposed in vertically spaced relation to one another when said frame is in an operative position,

a plurality of mounting members extending along the length of each of said support members in predetermined spaced relation to one another,

a plurality of containers each dimensioned and configured to contain at least one of the lingerie garments therein,

each of said containers including a base and a handle assembly, said handle assembly structured to removably connect a corresponding one of said bases to any one of said plurality of mounting members, and

said plurality of containers cooperatively structured with said plurality of support members and said plurality of mounting members to be removably supported in depending relation from any one of said support members in non-overlapping relation to one another.

17. An assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein at least some of said plurality of containers are formed of a washable, liquid permeable material structured to facilitate concurrent washing of said containers and the garments contained therein.

18. An assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein at least some of said plurality of garments are structured to facilitate the viewing of the garments contained therein.

19. An assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein at least some of said containers are at least partially formed from an open mesh material.

20. An assembly as recited in claim 16 said handle assembly of each of said plurality of containers comprises a plurality of handle segments, said handle segments disposed and structured to be concurrently and removably connected to a common one of said plurality of mounting members.

21. An assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein said predetermined spaced apart distance is sufficient to connect each of said plurality of handle segments of a common container to a different one of said adjacent mounting members.

22. An assembly as recited in claim 20 wherein said plurality of said mounting members comprise a plurality of pairs of mounting members, adjacent ones of said pairs of mounting members disposed a greater spaced distance apart than that of said mounting members defining at least one of said plurality of pairs of mounting members.

23. An assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein a spaced distance between adjacent support members is sufficient to support at least a majority of at least some of said plurality of containers there between when said frame is in said operative position.