Laundry apparatus

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for protecting a garment from wrinkling, stretching or abrasion during washing, drying and storing of the garment. Permeable sections has mesh stretched over them. A garment is folded about and within each section. The garment maximizes the flow of fluids through the garment while minimizing the wrinkling, stretching or abrasion of the garment during washing, drying and storing.

Claims

1. An apparatus for protecting a garment during washing, drying and storing comprising: a first rectangular section having a front surface, a back surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge and a right edge; and a second rectangular section having a front surface, a back surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge and a right edge; and a third rectangular section having a front surface, a back surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge and a right edge; and a fourth rectangular section having a front surface, a back surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge and a right edge; and the first rectangular section hingedly engaged along its top edge with the bottom edge of said second rectangular section; and the first rectangular section hingedly engaged along its right edge with said left edge of the third rectangular section; and the first rectangular section hingedly engaged along its bottom edge with said top edge of the fourth rectangular section; wherein wherein all of the hinges are spring-tension hinges; and a garment placed on the apparatus is held fast when the second rectangular section is closed over it, and the garment is folded over the second rectangular section, and the third rectangular section is closed over the garment, and the garment and fourth rectangular section are folded and closed over the first rectangular section, encasing the garment within the first, second, third and fourth rectangular sections; and the first rectangular section is hingedly engaged with an offset hinge along its right edge with said left edge of the third rectangular section; and as each rectangular section is closed about said garment, each rectangular section flexes the spring under tension until each rectangular section is moved to the closed position wherein the spring tension holds the rectangular section in a closed position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first rectangular section is hingedly engaged with an offset hinge along its bottom edge and with said bottom edge of the fourth rectangular section.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a fastener to hold the assembled apparatus and garment closed.

4. An apparatus for protecting a garment during washing, drying and storing comprising: a first rectangular section having a front surface, a back surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge and a right edge; and a fluid-permeable material stretched over said first rectangular section; and a second rectangular section having a front surface, a back surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge and a right edge; and a fluid-permeable material stretched over said second rectangular section; and a third rectangular section having a front surface, a back surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge and a right edge; and a fluid-permeable material stretched over said third rectangular section; and a fourth rectangular section having a front surface, a back surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge and a right edge; and a fluid-permeable material stretched over said fourth rectangular section; and the first rectangular section hingedly engaged along its top edge with the bottom edge of said second rectangular section; and the first rectangular section hingedly engaged along its right edge with said left edge of the third rectangular section; and the first rectangular section hingedly engaged along its bottom edge with said top edge of the fourth rectangular section; wherein a garment placed on the apparatus is held fast when the second rectangular section is closed over it, and the garment is folded over the second rectangular section, and the third rectangular section is closed over the garment, and the garment and fourth rectangular section are folded and closed over the first rectangular section, encasing the garment within the first, second, third and fourth rectangular sections; wherein said permeable material further comprises portions of the surface of the material embedded with castable elastomeric material; wherein said castable elastomeric material is configured to allow fluid to pass through said permeable material while providing a gripping surface for holding said garment fast.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an example embodiment.

(2) FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of an example embodiment with a provided garment.

(3) FIG. 3 is a plan view of the embodiment with a provided shirt laid atop, ready for folding with the embodiment.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the first step of the method, in which a garment is folded into the embodiment.

(5) FIG. 5 is a plan view of the embodiment showing the top panel of the embodiment folded over a provided shirt.

(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the garment partially folded with the embodiment.

(7) FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the embodiment partially folded under a garment.

(8) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the embodiment, with a garment partially folded over the partially closed embodiment.

(9) FIG. 9 is a plan view of the embodiment closed over the partially folded garment.

(10) FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the embodiment in a closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(11) In FIG. 1 an example embodiment is unfolded and ready to use. A four-part rectangular apparatus 100 is depicted in the illustration. Each section has a permeable membrane 124, 126, 128, 130 across it. The first rectangular section 110 is connected by a hinge 118 to a second rectangular section 112. The first rectangular section 110 is also connected by a right-side hinge 120 to a third rectangular section 116. The first rectangular section is further connected by a hinge 122 to a fourth rectangular section 114. Hinges may be of any sort, including living, sprung-type, or fabric. In some embodiments hinge 120 and hinge 122 are offset hinges such that they close over other sections as demonstrated in FIGS. 9 and 10.

(12) In FIGS. 2. and 3., the embodiment 100 is shown in perspective view and plan view, respectively, with a garment 132 laid over the open embodiment. In the illustration the first rectangular section 110 is under the garment, as is the fourth rectangular section 114. Portions of the garment 132 rest atop the third rectangular section 116 and the second rectangular section 112 resides adjacent to and above the garment 132.

(13) In FIGS. 4 and 5, the embodiment 100 is shown in a perspective view and plan view respectively, with a garment 132 laid over the embodiment. In FIG. 4 the second rectangular section 112 with permeable surface 126 is shown partially rotated about hinge 118. In FIG. 5 the second rectangular section is shown fully rotated about hinge 118 and closed over the garment 132 with the permeable surface 126 residing atop the garment 132.

(14) In FIGS. 6 and 7, the embodiment 100 is shown in perspective view and plan view respectively, with a garment 132 partially folded over the partially closed embodiment. The second rectangular section 112 remains closed about hinge 118. The permeable surface 126 (FIG. 5) is omitted for clarity. The garment 132 is folded about the second rectangular section 112 and remains resting atop the fourth rectangular section 114. The third rectangular section 116 is shown for reference.

(15) In FIGS. 8 and 9, the embodiment 100 is shown in a perspective view and plan view, respectively, with the lateral parts of the garment 132 folded inward around panels 1 and 4 (FIG. 1) of the embodiment, and the third panel of the embodiment 116, (FIGS. 8 and 9), folded over the folded shirt. A permeable surface 128 of the third panel 116 resides atop the partially folded garment 132.

(16) FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of the embodiment with the fourth rectangular section 114 rotated about the bottom-edge hinge 122 to a closed position, and the garment 132 folded along the hinge 122. A permeable surface 130 resides atop the garment 132. The spring-tension hinges serve to keep the embodiment closed, or a fastening means (not shown) might be placed across the embodiment. One skilled in the art understands fastening means such as Velcro straps and the like.