GB2493218A - A container for holding a garment - Google Patents

Abstract

A container 10 suitable for carrying a garment (334, fig.3a) comprises an elongate housing 12 having a longitudinal axis 14. An enclosed space in which the garment 354 is located when in use is defined by at least one wall 16. An attachment 24 is provided, from which the garment 334 can be hung so as to be suspended generally parallel to the longitudinal axis when in use. The lateral rigidity of the housing 12 is substantially greater than the axial rigidity with respect to the longitudinal axis. The frame which supports the housing is preferably a helical wire. The container may be collapsible for storage. The container is especially useful for cyclists who want to carry e.g. a shirt to work without it being creased.

Description

A Container This invention relates to a garment carrying device. In particular, but not exclusively, this device relates to a garment carrying device for use with a bicycle.

Cycling to work is becoming increasingly popular. It is a common practice to wear a separate set of clothing for cycling to avoid soiling what are often more formal work place clothing. However, transporting work clothing to and from a place of work on a bicycle in a bag or pannier often leads to creased clothing which is undesirable and

often unacceptable.

This invention seeks to address problems with transporting clothes so as to preserve them in wearable state.

In a first aspect the present invention provides a container for carrying a garment, comprising: an elongate housing having a longitudinal axis and an enclosed space defined by at least one wall in which the garment is located when in use; and, an attachment from which the garment can be hung so as to be suspended along the longitudinal axis when in use, wherein the lateral ridigity of the housing is substantially greater than the axial rigidity with respect to the longitudinal axis.

Providing a container which is has an increased lateral rigidity compared to a longitudinal rigidity allows the container to withstand a degree of lateral compression so as to maintain the enclosed space and preventing any garments suspended therein from being squashed and creased.

The housing may comprise a wire frame. The at least one wall may comprise a flexible material supported by the wire frame. Providing a wire frame construction in this way allows the container to be light weight. Being light weight makes the container easier to transport.

The wire frame may comprise a helical member. The helical member may extend substantially along the entire length of the container. The pitch of the helix may be in the range bounded by the values of 50mm to 200 mm.

The wire frame may be attached to the flexible material of the housing either inside the enclosed space or outside. The wire frame may be detachably attached to the housing.

The wire frame may be attached to the flexible material using clips, hooks or loops of material. The clips, hooks or loops may be permanently attached to the flexible material. The wire frame may be at least partially enclosed within a pocket of material which is attached to or part of the flexible material of the housing. The clips, hooks loops or pocket may restrain the wire so as to form the helix.

The at least one wall may be a tube of flexible material. The tube of flexible material may include several panels or portions of material.

The cross section of the housing may be curved. For example, the cross section may be circular, oval or convex or concave curved portions. The housing may be polygonal in cross section. For example, the cross section may square, rectangular or octagonal.

The housing may have a regular or irregular cross section.

The maximum cross sectional dimension may be any in the range bounded by the values included in the group comprising 350mm, 300mm, 250mm, 200mm and 150mm.

For example the maximum cross sectional dimension may be in the range 350mm to 250mm, or 300mm to 150mm.

The minimum cross sectional dimension may be any range bounded by the values included in the group comprising 350mm, 300mm, 250mm, 200mm and 150mm. For example, the minimum cross sectional dimension may be in the range 350mm to 250mm, or 300mm to 150mm.

The expanded length of the container may be in the range bounded by the values included in the group comprising 1000mm, 800mm, 600mm and 500mm.

The attachment may comprise a two pad system. The first part may be integral to the housing. The first part may be one or more loops. The one or more loops may be formed from a strip of material which is attached to the housing at two or more locations. The two or more locations may be distributed around the circumference of the housing wall.

The second pad may be detachably attachable to the first part. The second part may include a hook configured to engage with and be suspended from one or more loops.

The housing may further comprise at least one hatch which can be opened to expose the first part such that the second part can be attached thereto. The first part, second pad and hatch may be configured so as to prevent the separation of the first and second parts when the hatch is attached to the housing. The at least one hatch may be attached to the housing using any suitable attachment, such as a zip or hook and loop fastener.

The at least one hatch may be a lid for providing access to the enclosed space.

The contained may further comprise at least one strap for attaching the container to another body for transport. The strap may be a shoulder strap. There may be two or more straps. The two or more straps may be configured to allow a user to carry the container as a rucksack. The one or more straps may be configured to allow the container to be attached or lashed to another object or body such as a rucksack or pannier. The one or more strap may be attached towards one end of the housing. The one or more strap may be configured to allow the container to be attached to an underside of a saddle.

The container may further comprise feet portions for resting against a body during transport. Portions of the wire frame may provide the feet. The feet may be provided by pads attached to the feet. The feet may form part of a separate structure which attachable to the container.

The container may be resiliently compressible along the longitudinal axis so as to reduce the length of the container for storage.

The container may further comprise a retention device for retaining the container in a compressed state.

Embodiments of the invention defined by the claims will now be described with the aid of: Figure 1 which shows a side view of a container for transporting garments.

Figure 2 which shows a side view of a container for transporting garments.

is Figure 3a which shows a plan view of a container with the lid removed and having a garment therein.

Figure 3b which shows a detailed cross-section of a container with an attachment device from which a garment is suspended.

Figure 5 which shows a container on a wearers back, the container including feet portions to provide a distance between the wearer and the container housing.

Figure 1 shows a container 10 for carrying a garment. The container 10 comprises an elongate housing 12 having a longitudinal axis 14 and an enclosed space defined by a wall 16 of the housing 12. The enclosed space is suitable for suspending a garment within it and from the housing 12 such that it can loosely hang without being compressed and creased in normal use.

The housing 12 is substantially cylindrical having first 18 and second 20 ends and is constructed from a frame which supports the wall 16 which is in the form of a flexible tube of material. The frame is in the form of a helical wire which is attached to the tube of material. In this embodiment, the attachment is provided via an elongate helical pocket 22 which is integral with the wall 16 and in which the wire is housed. The relationship between the wire and pocket 22 is such that the wire is restricted by the pocket 22 and acts to bias the housing 12 into an open or extended configuration, thereby providing the enclosed space.

The generally circular configuration of helical wire provides the housing 12 with a lateral rigidity which is greater than the rigidity along the longitudinal axis. Thus, the wire frame provides light weight carrier which can withstand a degree of lateral compression whilst protecting the enclosed space in which a garment is suspended. Further, the helical wire provides a biasing force to keep the housing 12 in an expanded configuration.

Hence, a person can transport items of clothing in a suspended fashion within the enclosed space without fear of squashing and creasing the clothing.

In use, the clothing is suspended from an attachment 24 which is located towards the first end 18 of the housing 12. The attachment 24 can be any suitable device such as hook or a clip which is attached or attachable to the housing 12. An exemplary embodiment of such an attachment 24 is described below with regard to Figures 3 and 4.

The first end 18 of the housing 12 includes a hatch 26 to provide access to the enclosed space. The hatch 26 is in the form of a flap of material which is fixed to the housing 12 to form a hinged joint. The hatch 26 is releasably attached around the circumference of the housing 12 using a zip. Hence, the hatch provides a lid which substantially seals the enclosed space. The second end 20 housing is sealed with an end cap of material joined to the wall 16 using any suitable technique as dependant on the material. In the case of a fabric, this may include adhesion of stitching.

A strap 28 is attached to the exterior housing and extends from the first end 18 to the second end 20. The strap 28 is suitable for a person to carry the container 10 over their shoulder.

As described above the container 10 includes a wire frame which biases the housing 12 in an expanded configuration. However, the container 10 includes a retention device in the form of pairs of corresponding tabs 28, 30 located towards the first end 18 and second end 20 of the housing 12, respectively. The tabs 28, 30 each include one part of a two part fastener, for example, a hook and loop system. Thus, the corresponding pairs of tabs 28, 30 can be mateably attached to one another when the container is compressed flat along its longitudinal axis. In this way, the container can be reduced for storage purposes.

Figure 2 shows an alternative arrangement of the container 210 in which straps 228 are arranged around the circumference of the housing 212 and attached thereto with free ends 229 for attaching to another body, such as a rucksack or panniers or the like.

The free ends 229 of the straps 228 include an attachment mechanism such as a hook and loop system. However, they could be bare straps or strings of material for tying around another body. In this embodiment, the straps 228 are attached to the housing 212 around the circumference to provide sufficient strength, although this is optional and only an end of the straps 228 may be attached in some embodiments.

Figure 2 also shows a pair of strings 232 attached to the first end of the housing, specifically the hatch 226. The strings 232 can be used to attach the container 210 to the underside of a bicycle saddle for example, thereby allow the housing 212 to be draped over a parcel rack or mud guard which is suspended above the rear wheel.

Figures 3a and 3b a plan view of a container 310 with the hatch 326 removed and a cross section of an attachment from which a garment 334 can be suspended, respectively. In this embodiment, the housing 312 is substantially similar to that described in the embodiment of Figure 1. Hence, the cylindrical wall 316 a flexible tube of material and wire frame 336 located within a helical pocket 322 and a strap 328.

The attachment 312 comprises a two part system. The first part is a strip of material 338 which has been attached to the housing wall at discrete intervals 338 thereby forming several loops 340. The second part of the attachment includes a hook 344 and a clamp 346. The hook 344 can be fed into and suspended from one of the loops 340 of material. The clamp 346 is operable to detachably attach to the garment 334. The clamp 346 includes a pair of jaws which pivot around a pin 348. A thumb plate 350 is provided which, in combination with the hook 344, can be used to open the jaws by hand and attach to a garment prior to placing the hook 344 on the loop 342 of material.

The dimensions of the hook 344 and the position of the loop 342 in relation to the hatch 326 means that the hook 344 is retained on the loop 342 when the hatch 326 has been zipped into place. In this way, there is provided a simple attachment mechanism which can be easily put together and yet which is prevented from becoming detached in normal use.

To use the container 10, 210, 310 a person would detach the retention tabs 28, 30 from one another allowing the wire frame to expand the tube of material and create the enclosed space. The hatch 26 226 326 could then be unzipped and the clamp 346 attachment unhooked from the loop 342 of material. Once the garment 334 has been securely fixed within the jaws of the clamp 346, it can be fed into the enclosed space 354 and the hook 344 reattached on the loop 342 and the hatch zipped closed. Thus, assuming the container 10, 210, 310 is placed in a predominantly vertical orientation, the garment 334 is freely suspended within the enclosed space 354 and can be transported in whichever manner is desired.

After use, the process described above can be reversed to remove the garment 344 and store the container 10, 210, 310.

Another embodiment is shown in Figure 4, in which the container 410 is provided with feet 452 that are configured to rest against a wearer's back 454 or other object during transportation, thereby creating a space 456 for air to flow through. In the described embodiment the feet 452 are formed out of portions of the wire frame 436 which are exposed from the elongate pocket. Hence, the frame 436 may provide a plurality of feet 452 which are distributed along the length of the housing 412. Although the cross section of the housing 412 is not circular in this case, it will be appreciated that the wire frame 436 may still have a helical form. However, in another embodiment, the feet 452 may be part of a separate structure which is releasably attachable to the housing 412.

The container 410 is primarily designed to carry a few items of clothing at any onetime.

Hence, the weight which is to be distributed by the feet 452 will be minimal and the bare wire frame 436 will not inconvenience the wearer. However, it will be appreciated that attachments to make the surface area of the feet greater may be used.

All elements of the containers described above may be made from suitable materials which would fulfil the functional requirements as explicitly and implicitly described above. In addition, it will be apparent to the skilled person that the container may be made water resistant or otherwise, depending on the desired use.

Claims (1)

1. <claim-text>CLAIMS1. A container for carrying a garment, comprising: an elongate housing having a longitudinal axis and an enclosed space defined by at least one wall in which the garment is located when in use; and, an attachment from which the garment can be hung so as to be suspended generally parallel to the longitudinal axis when in use, wherein the lateral ridigity of the housing is substantially greater than the axial rigidity with respect to the longitudinal axis.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a wire frame and wherein the at least one wall comprises flexible material supported by the wire frame.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein the wire frame comprises a helical member.5. A container as claimed in either of claims 2 or 3 wherein the wire frame is at least partially enclosed within a pocket of the material which is attached to or part of the flexible material of the housing.6. A container as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the at least one wall is a tube of flexible material.7. A container as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the attachment comprises a two part system, wherein the first part is integral to the housing and the second part is detachably attachable to the first part.8. A container as claimed in claim 7 wherein the first part is at least one loop and the second part includes a hook configured to engage with and be suspended from the at least one hoop.9. A container as claimed in claim 8 wherein the housing further comprises at least one hatch which can be opened to expose the first part such that the second part can be attached thereto, wherein first part, second part and hatch are configured so as to prevent the separation of the first and second parts when the hatch is attached to the housing.10. A container as claimed in claim 9 wherein the at least one hatch is a lid for providing access to the enclosed space.11. A container as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising at least one strap for attaching the container to another body for transport.12. A container as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the housing is cylindrical.13. A container as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the housing includes feet portions for resting against a body during transport.14. A container as claimed in any preceding claim wherein portions of the wire frame provide the feet.15. A container as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a device for attaching the container to the saddle of a bicycle.16. A container as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the container is resiliently compressible along the longitudinal axis so as to reduce the length of the container for storage.17. A container as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a retention device for retaining the container in a compressed state.</claim-text>