Laundry hamper with rotating handle and grip

Abstract

A laundry hamper is adapted to contain articles of clothing in transit. The laundry hamper includes a basin with a bottom and four sides connected to a rounded upper lip. A first handle connection point is attached to the rounded upper lip proximate the first side. A second handle connection point is attached to the upper lip proximate the third side. A handle includes a first handle rotation attachment point is rotationally attached to the first handle connection point. A first handle riser portion is joined to the first handle rotation attachment point and a first handle rounded portion. A handle crossing portion is joined to the first and second handle rounded portions. A second handle riser portion is joined to the handle crossing portion and a second handle rotation attachment point. The second handle rotation attachment point is rotationally coupled to the second handle rotation attachment point.

Claims

1. A laundry hamper, adapted to contain articles of clothing in transit; the laundry hamper comprising: a basin, further comprising: a bottom side, smoothly joined to a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side; a rounded upper lip is smoothly joined to the first side, the second side, the third side and the fourth side; a first handle connection point, attached to the rounded upper lip, proximate the first side; a second handle connection point, attached to the upper lip, proximate the third side; a handle, further comprising: a first handle rotation attachment point, rotationally attached to the first handle connection point; a first handle riser portion, joined to the first handle rotation attachment point and a first handle rounded portion; a handle crossing portion, joined to the first handle rounded portion and a second handle rounded portion; a second handle riser portion, joined to the handle crossing portion and a second handle rotation attachment point; wherein the second handle rotation attachment point is rotationally coupled to the second handle rotation attachment point; a handle grip, joined to the handle crossing portion and further comprising: a generally cylindrical portion, joined to a first end conical portion and a second end conical portion; and an inner concave portion and an outer concave portion, formed within the generally cylindrical portion; wherein the inner concave portion extends a depth measured from a line drawn between the first end conical portion and the second end conical portion to a point on the inner concave portion which is most proximate a central axis of the generally cylindrical portion.

2. The laundry hamper, of claim 1, wherein the depth is at least three times as large as a corresponding depth on the outer concave portion.

3. A laundry hamper, adapted to contain articles of clothing in transit; the laundry hamper comprising: a basin, further comprising: a bottom side, smoothly joined to a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side; a rounded upper lip is smoothly joined to the first side, the second side, the third side and the fourth side; a first handle connection point, attached to the rounded upper lip, proximate the first side; a second handle connection point, attached to the upper lip, proximate the third side; a handle, further comprising: a first handle rotation attachment point, rotationally attached to the first handle connection point; a first handle riser portion, joined to the first handle rotation attachment point and a first handle rounded portion; a handle crossing portion, joined to the first handle rounded portion and a second handle rounded portion; a second handle riser portion, joined to the handle crossing portion and a second handle rotation attachment point; wherein the second handle rotation attachment point is rotationally coupled to the second handle rotation attachment point; wherein the handle further comprises a handle length, measured from a basin center line that bisects the first side and the first handle connection point to a handle grip distal point; wherein the basin further comprises a basin segment length, measured from the basin center line to a distal point on the rounded upper lip furthest from the second side; wherein the basin segment length is at least twenty percent greater than the handle length.

4. The laundry hamper of claim 3, further comprising: a first handle stop formed on the first handle rotation attachment point; a second handle stop formed on the second handle rotation attachment point; wherein rotating the handle from the fourth side to the second side causes the first handle stop and the second handle stop to contact the rounded upper lip such that the first handle riser portion and the second handle riser portion are parallel to the basin center line.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The detailed description of some embodiments of the invention is made below with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein like numerals represent corresponding parts of the figures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a front view of one embodiment of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a rear view of one embodiment of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a first side view of one embodiment of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 5 shows an opposite side view of one embodiment of the present invention;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a top view of one embodiment of the present invention;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of one embodiment of the present invention; and

(9) FIG. 8 shows a detail section view of one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

(10) By way of example, and referring to FIGS. 1-7, one embodiment of a laundry hamper 10 further comprises a basin 12 that is adapted to contain articles of clothing (not shown). The basin further comprises a bottom 14 which is smoothly joined to a first side 16, a second side 18, a third side 20 and a fourth side 22. A rounded upper lip 24 is further smoothly joined to the first side 16, the second side 18, the third side 20 and the fourth side 22.

(11) The rounded upper lip 24, proximate the first side 16, is attached to a first handle connection point 26. The rounded upper lip 24, proximate the third side 20, is attached to a second handle connection point 28.

(12) A handle 30 further comprise a first handle rotation attachment point 32 which is rotationally attached to the first handle connection point 26. The first handle rotation attachment point 32 is joined to a first handle riser portion 34. The first handle riser portion 34 is joined to a first handle rounded portion 36. The first handle rounded portion 36 is joined to a handle crossing portion 38. The handle crossing portion 38 is joined to a second handle rounded portion 40. The second handle rounded portion 40 is joined to a second handle riser portion 42. The second handle riser portion 42 is rotationally connected to the second handle connection point 28 with a second handle rotation attachment point 44.

(13) The handle crossing portion 38 is joined to a handle grip 46. The handle grip 46 further comprises a generally cylindrical portion 48 joined to a first end conical portion 50 and a second end conical portion 52. The generally cylindrical portion 48 further comprises an inner concave portion 54 and an outer concave portion 56. The inner concave portion 54 extends a depth 58 that can be measured from a line 60 drawn between the first end conical portion 50 and the second end conical portion 52 to a point 64 on the inner concave portion 54 which is most proximate a central axis 62 of the generally cylindrical portion 48. The depth 58 should be at least three times as large as a corresponding depth on the outer concave portion 56.

(14) The handle 30 further comprises a handle length 64 which can be measured from a basin center line 66 that bisects the first side 16 and the first handle connection point 26 to handle grip distal point 68. The basin 12 further comprises a basin segment length that can be measured from the basin center line 66 to a distal point 70 on the lip furthest from the second side 18. The basin segment length should be at least twenty percent larger than the handle length

(15) The first handle rotation attachment point 32 can further comprise a first handle stop 72. The second handle rotation attachment point 34 can further comprise a second handle stop 74. When a user rotates the handle 30 from the fourth side 22 to the second side 18, the first handle stop 72 and the second handle stop 74 contact the upper lip 24 such that the first handle riser portion 34 and the second handle riser portion 34 are parallel to the basin center line 66.

(16) In some embodiments, the inner concave portion 54 can further comprise a first inner angled portion 76 and a second inner angled portion 78 with a substantially planer portion 80 therebetween.

(17) As used in this application, the term a or an means at least one or one or more.

(18) As used in this application, the term about or approximately refers to a range of values within plus or minus 10% of the specified number.

(19) As used in this application, the term substantially means that the actual value is within about 10% of the actual desired value, particularly within about 5% of the actual desired value and especially within about 1% of the actual desired value of any variable, element or limit set forth herein.

(20) As used in this application smooth means smooth enough to accomplish the inventor's purpose. Therefore, smoothly connected means connected with a rounded portion without a deformity that would cause an injury to a human user.

(21) All references throughout this application, for example patent documents including issued or granted patents or equivalents, patent application publications, and non-patent literature documents or other source material, are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties, as though individually incorporated by reference, to the extent each reference is at least partially not inconsistent with the disclosure in the present application (for example, a reference that is partially inconsistent is incorporated by reference except for the partially inconsistent portion of the reference).

(22) A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

(23) Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state means for performing a specified function, or step for performing a specified function, is not to be interpreted as a means or step clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. 112, 6. In particular, any use of step of in the claims is not intended to invoke the provision of 35 U.S.C. 112, 6.

(24) Persons of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate that numerous design configurations may be possible to enjoy the functional benefits of the inventive systems. Thus, given the wide variety of configurations and arrangements of embodiments of the present invention the scope of the invention is reflected by the breadth of the claims below rather than narrowed by the embodiments described above.