Laundry Product

Abstract

The present invention provides a multi-component laundry product. The laundry product preferably includes, a container having a main housing; and a plurality of fabric care products housed within the main housing. The plurality of fabric care products may include detergent, dryer sheets, fabric softener product, dryer balls, fabric treatment products, and/or other ancillary fabric care related products. The plurality of fabric care products may be dispensable from the main housing.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/604,708, filed on Feb. 29, 2012, entitled “Laundry Product” the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally related to a laundry product. Specifically, the present invention relates to a multi-component laundry product that may including more than one laundry product, such as, but not limited to, detergent, dryer sheets, stain treatment product, fabric softener, dryer balls, and/or other ancillary fabric care related products housed in a common container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cleaning and treating of a fabric article, such as clothing, by laundering it with laundry detergent, applying a pre-treatment to the fabric for stains, and/or treating the fabric with a dryer sheet during drying, are well known. Additionally, it is also known to employ other fabric treatments, such as treating with fabric softener and/or starch.

As a result, there exist many different laundry products that a consumer needs, or may need, to clean and treat their fabric articles, such as clothing, linen, etc. Each of these products is typically provided separately in their own containers. This requires a consumer to purchase and have on hand a number of different laundry products to meet their specific needs. This further requires a consumer to have to store all these products. Further, the quantity of product provided in the individual various products are not often proportional to one another other. For example, a consumer may run out of dryer sheets, but still have a half a bottle of laundry detergent remaining, so the consumer is left with having to continually replace their various laundry products at differing times, instead of being able to conveniently replace the individual various products in a single shopping trip, for example. In addition, as a result of a consumer needing several different individually packaged laundry products, a large amount of solid waste is generated on an annual basis, for example, millions of pounds of plastic bottles and other laundry product containers are being disposed of in landfills each year.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,531,493 discloses a kit for caring for a fabric article that includes multiple products such as a fabric treatment composition and a laundry detergent composition, a fabric conditioning composition, and/or a second fabric treatment composition. Each of the multiple products contains a coordinated element, such as a brand name, a characteristic ingredient, container graphics, containers, dosages per container, a dye, a perfume, a trade dress, a set of usage instructions, and a combination thereof. However, U.S. Pat. No. 7,531,493 requires each individual fabric treatment product to be provided within its own separate container.

Accordingly, the need exists for an improved laundry product. The need also exists for a laundry product that improves consumer convenience, improves a consumer's efficiency in their fabric care, and requires less storage space. Further, the need exists for a multi-component laundry product that is packaged in a common container that is more environmentally friendly and reduces solid waste.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a multi-component laundry product that may including more than one laundry product, such as, but not limited to, detergent, dryer sheets, stain treatment product, fabric softener, dryer balls, and/or other ancillary fabric care related products housed in a common container.

In one embodiment, a laundry product is provided. The laundry product includes, a container having a main housing; and a plurality of fabric care products housed within the main housing. The plurality of fabric care products may include detergent, dryer sheets, fabric softener product, and/or fabric treatment products, such as a stain treatment product, which may be a certified organic stain treatment product. The plurality of fabric care products may be dispensable from the main housing.

The laundry product may further include, a detergent dispenser located on a lower portion of a side wall of the main housing; a detergent storage area located in an interior area of the main housing and operatively connected to the detergent dispenser for dispensing detergent; a dryer sheet removal area formed in a side wall of the main housing; and a dryer sheet housing compartment located in an interior area of the main housing configured and aligned with the dryer sheet removal area such that a user can extract individual dryer sheets through the dryer sheet removal area. The laundry product container may be generally of a rectangular or square shape and be made of a cardboard material, which may include at least a percentage of recycled material.

The plurality of fabric care products may be housed behind perforated sealed or partially sealed areas of the main housing, and may each accessible by a user tearing along designated perforation areas for a particular fabric care product.

The detergent dispenser may be a spigot. The detergent storage area may be a bladder and may be made of a material having a percentage of recycled material. The detergent storage area may have a volume capacity in the range of about 200 oz. The 1 detergent may be a liquid or powder composition, and may be a certified organic detergent.

The laundry product container may include one or more handles, and the one or more handles may be formed on one or more side walls of the main housing, and may be a perforated “knock out” section formed on the main housing and of sufficient size and shape to allow insertion of at least a portion of a user's hand.

The laundry product may further include a fabric treatment holder for holding the fabric treatment product.

The laundry product may further include a measuring device. The measuring device may be housed behind a perforated sealed or partially sealed area of the main housing and may be accessible by a user tearing along designated perforation areas for the measuring device.

The plurality of fabric care products each preferably include a quantity of product to provide approximately a six (6) month supply of laundry products based on about one (1) high efficiency (HE) load per day.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B illustrates another perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 1C illustrates an inner region of an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention includes a multi-component laundry product that includes two or more laundry products housed in a common container. For example, such laundry products may include, but are not limited to, detergent, dryer sheets, a stain treatment product, fabric softener, dryer balls, and/or other ancillary fabric care related products housed in a common container. The multi-component laundry product preferably includes proportional amounts of each included laundry product, so that a user extinguishes the products at, or about, the same time, as a result the user does not have to continually shop for more. For example, the multi-component laundry product may contain a quantity of detergent for cleaning 200 HE loads of laundry and 200 dryer sheets. In one example, the multi-component laundry product contains laundry products in sufficient quantity to provide for approximately six (6) months of laundry needs, based on a user running about one (1) high efficiency (HE) load per day. However, user rates may vary and therefore the components of the laundry products may be used at a faster or slower rate, thus, the laundry products of the multi-component laundry product may last a shorter or longer duration than approximately six (6) months.

Referring now to FIGS. 1A-C, laundry product 100 of the present invention is shown having a main housing 105, which is preferably in a generally rectangular shape and is made of a cardboard material or other suitable material. However, laundry product container 100 may be in other suitable shapes, such as generally square in shape. In one embodiment main housing 105 may be made of a cardboard material composed of at least some percentage of recycled material. In one embodiment the of the laundry product components, for example, dryer sheets, stain treatment product, detergent dispenser, measuring device, and the like may be housed behind perforated sealed or partially sealed areas and are each accessible by a user tearing along designated perforation areas for a particular component.

A detergent dispenser 110 is preferably located on a lower portion of a side of main housing 105 and housed behind a detergent door 115. In use detergent dispenser 110 may be accessed through, or extracted from, detergent door 115 and may, in one example, protrude through detergent door 115. Detergent door 115 may be configured as a perforated sealed area and a user may access detergent dispenser 110 by tearing along the designated perforated areas. Detergent dispenser 110 is preferably configured to dispense detergent 160 from a detergent storage area 150, housed in main housing interior 145. In one example, detergent dispenser 110 may be configured as spigot. However, it is contemplated that detergent dispenser 110 may take other forms suitable to dispense liquid or powder detergent, examples of other detergent dispenser 110 configurations may include, but is not limited to, a scoop, pump, valve, gravity feed, or the like. In one embodiment detergent storage area 150 is in the form of a bladder; such a bladder may be made of plastic, or other suitable material, and may include some percentage of recycled material. In one example, detergent storage area 150 has a volume capable of holding approximately 200 oz of detergent 160; however, other suitable volumes are contemplated. For example, a suitable volume to provide for approximately six (6) months of laundry needs, based on a user running about one (1) high efficiency (HE) load per day. Further, detergent 160, stored in detergent storage area 150, may be of a liquid or powder composition. Further, in one embodiment detergent 160 may be a USDA certified organic laundry detergent.

Main housing 105 may further include a dryer sheet removal slit 120 formed in a side of main housing 105. Dryer sheet removal slit 120 is preferably positioned and configured to allow a user to extract individual dryer sheets 125 from a dryer sheet housing compartment 155 located in main housing interior 145. Dryer sheet removal slit 120, prior to initial use, is preferably a perforated sealed area and a user may tear along the designated perforated areas to initially access dryer sheets 125. In one embodiment, dryer sheet removal slit 120 and dryer sheet housing compartment 155 are located on an upper portion of the same side of main housing 105 as that of detergent dispenser 110.

With regard to FIG. 1B, main housing 105 may further include one or more handles 140. Handles 140 may be formed on any of one or more of the sides of main housing 105. In one embodiment, handle 140 may be located on a side of main housing 105 opposite of that of detergent dispenser 110 and dryer sheet removal slit 120. One or more handles 140 may be formed as a perforated “knock out” section of main housing 105 and configured of sufficient size and shape to permit a user's hand, or a portion thereof, to be inserted therein to, easily and securely, grip laundry product 100. Main housing 105 may further include a fabric treatment holder 130 configured to hold, for example, a fabric treatment product 135, such as a stain treatment stick. In one example, fabric treatment holder 130 may be formed at an upper portion of a side of main housing 105, and is configured to allow a user to easily remove fabric treatment product 135 and replace it after use. Fabric treatment holder 130, prior to initial use, is preferably a perforated sealed, or partially sealed, area and a user may tear along the designated perforated areas to initially access fabric treatment product 135. In one example, fabric treatment holder 130 may be a slot or tube structure formed as part of, or on, main housing 105. Fabric treatment product 135 may be a USDA certified organic fabric treatment product.

With regard to FIG. 1C, laundry product container 100 may include a main housing interior 145. Main housing interior 145 may further include detergent storage area 150 for storing detergent 160. Detergent storage area 150 is preferably in operative communication with detergent dispenser 110 to allow for detergent 160 to be dispensed exteriorly of main housing 105 via detergent dispenser 110. In one example, detergent storage area 150 has a volume capacity of approximately 200 oz of detergent 160. However, detergent storage area 150 may have other varying volume capacities based on the desired detergent quantity. Main housing interior 145 may further include dryer sheet housing compartment 155. Dryer sheet housing compartment 155 is configured to house a quantity of dryer sheets 125, and positioned to be in association with dryer sheet removal slit 120 such that a user can easily extract individual dryer sheets 125. In one embodiment, dryer sheet housing compartment 155 is adhered, or otherwise secured, to a side of main housing interior 145 and aligned with dryer sheet removal slit 120 such that a user can extract dryer sheets 125 one at a time through dryer sheet removal slit 120. In another example, dryer sheet housing compartment 155 may be supported by a shelf (not shown) formed in main housing interior 145 such that dryer sheet housing compartment 155 rests on top of the shelf such that it is aligned with dryer sheet removal slit 120 such that a user can extract dryer sheets 125 one at a time through dryer sheet removal slit 120.

Further laundry product container 100 may include a measuring device (not shown), such as a cup, scoop, or spoon for measuring detergent 160 or other laundry product. Such a measuring device may also be accessible from a side panel of main housing 105, and may be housed behind a perforated sealed, or partially sealed, area of main housing 105 prior to initial use, and a user may tear along the designated perforated areas to initially access the measuring device. In one example, the measuring device is housed in common with detergent dispenser 110 behind detergent door 115.

The above description discloses some non-limiting examples of laundry products that may be housed in laundry product container 100. It is contemplated that in other embodiments, laundry product container 100 may include other ancillary laundry products, such as fabric softener, wrinkle reducer, dryer balls, and/or other well known fabric care laundry products.

The present invention provides for a more convenient, user and environmentally friendly laundry product. The present invention allows for a user to purchase a single multi-component laundry product that includes multiple laundry products housed in a common container, with proportional quantities so a user does not continually have to shop for more products. In use, a user is not required to open laundry product 100, rather all the component laundry products are conveniently accessible and dispensable from one or more side panels of main housing 105. This allows not only for more user convenience, but allows the laundry product container to also act as the dispenser, thus reducing the number of separate containers previously needed to contain and dispense the multiple laundry products. This reduces the amount of consumer storage space, shelf space, and even shipping space required by eliminating the need for several different individually packaged laundry products. Further, the present invention provides a laundry product that contains laundry products in sufficient quantity to preferably provide for approximately six (6) months of laundry needs (based on a user running about one (1) high efficiency (HE) load per day). Further still, the present invention significantly reduce the amount of solid waste generated by having multiple laundry products packaged and dispensed from a common container, rather than having several different individually packaged laundry products.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The foregoing detailed description of embodiments refers to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate specific embodiments of the invention. Other embodiments having different structures and operations do not depart from the scope of the present invention. The term “the invention” or the like is used with reference to certain specific examples of the many alternative aspects or embodiments of the applicant's invention set forth in this specification, and neither its use nor its absence is intended to limit the scope of the applicant's invention or the scope of the claims. This specification is divided into sections for the convenience of the reader only. Headings should not be construed as limiting of the scope of the invention. The definitions are intended as a part of the description of the invention. It will be understood that various details of the present invention may be changed without departing from the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the foregoing description is for the purpose of illustration only, and not for the purpose of limitation, as the present invention is defined by the claims as set forth hereinafter.

Claims

1. A laundry product, comprising:

a. a container having a main housing; and

b. a plurality of fabric care products housed within the main housing.

2. The laundry product of claim 1 wherein the plurality of fabric care products comprises detergent and dryer sheets.

3. The laundry product of claim 1 wherein the plurality of fabric care products are dispensable from the main housing.

4. The laundry product of claim 2 wherein the plurality of fabric care products further comprises a fabric treatment product.

5. The laundry product of claim 4 wherein the fabric treatment product comprises a stain treatment product.

6. The laundry product of claim 5 wherein the stain treatment product comprises a certified organic stain treatment product.

7. The laundry product of claim 2 further comprising:

a. a detergent dispenser located on a lower portion of a side wall of the main housing;

b. a detergent storage area located in an interior area of the main housing and operatively connected to the detergent dispenser for dispensing detergent;

c. a dryer sheet removal area formed in a side wall of the main housing; and

d. a dryer sheet housing compartment located in an interior area of the main housing configured and aligned with the dryer sheet removal area such that a user can extract individual dryer sheets through the dryer sheet removal area.

8. The laundry product of claim 2 wherein the plurality of fabric care products further comprises a fabric softener product.

9. The laundry product of claim 1 wherein the container comprises a generally rectangular shape.

10. The laundry product of claim 1 wherein the container comprises a cardboard material.

11. The laundry product of claim 10 wherein the cardboard material comprising at least a percentage of recycled material.

12. The laundry product of claim 1 wherein the plurality of fabric care products are housed behind perforated sealed or partially sealed areas of the main housing.

13. The laundry product of claim 12 wherein the plurality of fabric care products housed behind perforated sealed or partially sealed areas of the main housing are each accessible by a user tearing along designated perforation areas for a particular fabric care product.

14. The laundry product of claim 2 wherein the detergent dispenser comprises a spigot.

15. The laundry product of claim 7 wherein the detergent storage area comprises a bladder.

16. The laundry product of claim 15 wherein the bladder is comprised of a material comprising a percentage of recycled material.

17. The laundry product of claim 7 wherein the detergent storage area has a volume capacity in the range of about 200 oz.

18. The laundry product of claim 2 wherein the detergent comprises a liquid composition.

19. The laundry product of claim 2 wherein the detergent comprises a powder composition.

20. The laundry product of claim 2 wherein the detergent comprises a certified organic detergent.

21. The laundry product of claim 1 wherein the container comprises one or more handles.

22. The laundry product of claim 21 wherein the one or more handles are formed on one or more side walls of the main housing.

23. The laundry product of claim 21 wherein the one or more handles comprise a perforated “knock out” section formed on the main housing and is of sufficient size and shape to allow insertion of at least a portion of a user's hand.

24. The laundry product of claim 4 further comprising a fabric treatment holder for holding the fabric treatment product.

25. The laundry product of claim 7 further comprising a measuring device.

26. The laundry product of claim 25 wherein the measuring device is housed behind a perforated sealed or partially sealed area of the main housing.

27. The laundry product of claim 26 wherein the measuring device housed behind perforated sealed or partially sealed area of the main housing is accessible by a user tearing along designated perforation areas for the measuring device.

28. The laundry product of claim 25 wherein the measuring device is housed in common with the detergent dispenser behind a perforated sealed or partially sealed area of the main housing.

29. The laundry product of claim 1 wherein the plurality of fabric care products comprise a quantity of product to provide approximately a six (6) month supply of laundry products based on about one (1) high efficiency (HE) load per day.