Collapsible Hamper for Storage of Laundry and Other Items

This invention relates to hampers for the storage of items, particularly for the storage of laundry, which can easily be assembled, disassembled and folded to provide the advantages of convenient storage, use and ease of display and also provide a decorative hamper that is attractive to the eye when assembled for use.

To date, a variety of laundry basket and container designs for use in the storage and carrying of laundry have been made to promote various aspects relating to the convenience of use and storage of such containers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,300 discloses a laundry basket with hinged rigid side walls and U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,077 discloses a foldable basket assembly on a laundry buggy. However, none of the prior art designs possesses the combination of features disclosed and claimed herein, namely a decorative hamper with a woven flexible side wall structure that can be easily disassembled and collapsed for convenience of storage, transport and display.

The side wall of the hamper constituting the invention is fabricated from a sheet of weavable material and is secured about the circumference of an upper and a lower rigid frame to define a decorative storage structure. The side wall is preferably fabricated from thin polypropylene strips or fabric strips, to provide a flexible woven wall structure which is collapsible when the hamper is disassembled for transport or storage, yet appears as a uniform woven surface when the hamper is assembled for use. The upper and lower rigid frames are preferably made from a moldable plastic such as commercial grade polypropylene or polyethylene, but can also be fabricated from other structural materials such as wood or lightweight aluminum, to provide a rigid thin walled frame structure upon which the flexible side wall can be circumferentially secured by staples, screws or other common fastening methods. The upper and lower frames define the particular circumferential shape of the assembled hamper. The lid or cover of the hamper is also movably attached, preferably with hinges, to the upper rigid frame which can be opened and closed as laundry or other items are stored or removed from the internal space of the assembled hamper. The lid is also preferably fabricated of a planar rigid plastic or particleboard material with padding secured thereupon, both of which are covered by a sheet of woven material that matches the woven material of the flexible aide wall to achieve a uniform woven surface for the hamper lid. The rectangular upper and lower rigid frames are also constructed to provide raised flanges or cavities in the frame structure to accommodate a number of supporting rods, which are removably installed between the lower and upper surfaces of the upper and lower frame, respectively, to define a three dimensional internal storage space and uniform external structure of the flexible side wall of the assembled hamper. Each supporting rod extending between the upper and lower frames is of sufficient length so that, when each said rod is installed within the flanges or cavities provided in said upper and lower rigid frames, the flexible woven side wall is stretched and extended to achieve the appearance of a solid uniform wall. Each supporting rod may be fabricated from any lightweight structural material, such as wood, aluminum or a moldable plastic and is preferably fabricated of a semi-circular cross-section. The rounded surface of each supporting rod, as installed, is preferably in contact with the flexible woven side wall to form rounded corners in the flexible side wall extending between the upper and lower frames when the hamper is assembled. Several evenly or randomly spaced slots or perforations are also provided in the lower rigid frame to promote the ventilation of air into and out of the internal hamper storage space to prevent an excessive accumulation of undesirable odors due to the storage of soiled laundry or other such items. Leg members are also provided for in the lower frame extending downwardly from the bottom surface thereof to provide a satisfactory space between the floor and the perforations of said lower rigid frame to accommodate the ventilation of air through the internal storage space of said hamper.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a collapsible hamper or container, the side wall of which has the appearance of a uniform wicker or woven fabric, is easy to assemble or disassemble, can consequently be conveniently stored, displayed and transported, and yet is pleasing to the eye when assembled for use so that it is particularly suitable for decorative interior applications.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a collapsible hamper or container wherein the flexible side wall is fabricated from a plurality of strips of flexible material, such as thin strips of polypropylene or natural or synthetic fabric material, giving the appearance of a wicker or woven side wall, which is easy to clean and provides a smooth surface which prevents damage to delicate clothing or other items that are stored within and removed from the internal storage space of the hamper. Such a flexible woven side wall also allows the ventilation of air into and out of the inside storage space to reduce the undesirable odor of soiled clothes or other items that may be stored within the container space.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a light-weight collapsible hamper that is very economical to manufacture and assemble.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled hamper;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the disassembled hamper as collapsed for storage;

FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view of a front elevation of the as assembled hamper;

FIG. 4 illustrates the bottom view of the hamper which depicts the slotted perforations and leg members of the lower rigid frame;

FIG. 5 illustrates a close-up sectional view of one of the supporting rods as installed into one of the cavities provided in the lower rigid frame when the hamper is assembled for use;

FIG. 6 illustrates a close-up sectional view of one of the supporting rods as installed into one of the cavities provided in the upper rigid frame when the hamper is assembled for use.

With reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows an overall perspective view of the assembled hamper or container with the movable lid 5 in an opened position. The assembled hamper comprises a flexible side wall 1, a rectangular rigid upper frame 2, a rectangular rigid lower frame 3, four supporting rods 4 removably secured and extending between said upper and lower rigid frames and a lid 5 hingably secured to the rigid upper frame 2. The flexible side wall 1 constitutes a sheet of flexible material preferably fabricated from a plurality of polypropylene strips made through the extrusion process, but can also be made of natural or synthetic fabric strips or other flexible material. The physical properties of the flexible side wall enable the user to fold the hamper for storage upon disassembly thereof into a conveniently storable size when not in use or when transporting said hamper. This feature additionally promotes economy of packaging, shipping and display in retail outlets, as the disassembled hampers can be packaged in a compact carton for shipping and display. Each supporting rod 4 is removably secured between each corner of said rectangular upper and lower rigid frames so that an ample internal storage space and an external appearance of a solid uniform woven side wall structure, such as wicker, is achieved.

FIG. 2 illustrates the hamper when disassembled and collapsed for storage. The supporting rods 4 are removed from the cavities provided in the upper and lower rigid frames enabling the flexible side wall 1 to collapse, allowing the upper rigid frame 2 to drop down upon the lower rigid frame 3.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional elevation of the assembled hamper. The supporting rods 4 are removably installed between the lower rigid frame 3 and the upper rigid frame 2 so that each supporting rod 4 remains in a substantially vertical position when the hamper is assembled. This cross-section also illustrates the preferred construction of the upper rigid frame 2 as a thin-walled molded plastic part 7 and the lower rigid frame 3 as a thin-walled molded plastic part having structural ribs 6 for additional strength and rigidity.

FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom view of said hamper which depicts the bottom surface of the lower rigid frame 3. Uniform slots or perforations 8 are provided in the lower rigid frame to promote air flow into and out of the internal hamper space. Downwardly extending legs 10 and 11 are further provided at each corner of said frame to provide for a satisfactory space between the slots or perforations 8 and the floor.

FIG. 5 illustrates a close-up cross-sectional view of the supporting rod 4 as installed in its removably fixed position between upwardly extending flanges or tabs 12 & 13 molded into the lower rigid frame 3. The cross-section also depicts one of the downwardly extending tabs 10 which serves as a leg for the hamper.

FIG. 6 illustrates a close-up cross-sectional view of one of the supporting rods 4 removably installed within one of the cavities 14 provided for in the molded upper rigid frame 2.

The above description has been set forth with reference to the preferred embodiment. However, modifications, alterations and other applications of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification.