GB2555781A

GB2555781A - Apparatus and methods for folding clothing

Info

Publication number: GB2555781A
Application number: GB1618514.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mao Hui
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-11-02
Filing date: 2016-11-02
Publication date: 2018-05-16
Also published as: GB201618514D0

Abstract

A tool for folding articles comprising at least one substantially stiff planar body and at least one retaining means to retain the folded article(s) on the tool. Allows articles such as clothing, bedding to be folded compactly and reducing creasing when stored or during transit. Preferably the body is frame shaped with a central void. The retaining means may be in the form of a deformable band or strap, and may be integral to the frame, permanently or detachably attached e.g. via a clip, lugs, and may move along the edge of the frame. Alternatively the retaining means are hinged rigid arms. Alternative embodiments have two planar bodies that may be joined together, and include an additional body with apertures to secure buttons and jewellery. In use the body of the tool may be place on an unfolded article such as clothing, with part of the body and the strap positioned outside of the clothing, and the clothing folded around the body, and retained by the strap. Alternatively the body is positioned on an article that is folded into a long strip, and the article is rolled up onto the body and retained by the strap.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: Apparatus and methods for folding clothing

Abstract Title: A tool for folding articles and a means of retaining the folded articles on the tool (57) A tool for folding articles comprising at least one substantially stiff planar body and at least one retaining means to retain the folded article(s) on the tool. Allows articles such as clothing, bedding to be folded compactly and reducing creasing when stored or during transit. Preferably the body is frame shaped with a central void. The retaining means may be in the form of a deformable band or strap, and may be integral to the frame, permanently or detachably attached e.g. via a clip, lugs, and may move along the edge of the frame. Alternatively the retaining means are hinged rigid arms. Alternative embodiments have two planar bodies that may be joined together, and include an additional body with apertures to secure buttons and jewellery. In use the body of the tool may be place on an unfolded article such as clothing, with part of the body and the strap positioned outside of the clothing, and the clothing folded around the body, and retained by the strap. Alternatively the body is positioned on an article that is folded into a long strip, and the article is rolled up onto the body and retained by the strap.

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Apparatus and methods for folding clothing

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method which offers fast and flexible ways to organize things like clothing, towels, bed sheet and other type of fabric articles. It is particularly applicable, but in no way limited, to facilitate folding and tidying up various article of clothing made from soft materials.

Background to the Invention

It is a useful way of saving space to store articles of clothing folded up in drawers, closets, cases or other containers instead of hanging them up on hangers. However, it is difficult to keep even well organised folded clothes in neat state over a long period of time if any one or a few of the clothes are taken out from a pile, especially from the middle or bottom of a pile. The remaining items gradually become disorganised or creased. It is then time consuming to iron, re-fold and organise them again and again. There is therefore a need for some folding aid to maintain the stored clothing in a good organised status and to avoid unnecessary creasing.

Furthermore, many travellers find it is hard to keep clothes free from creases during travelling. Garments may be wrapped during transport to prevent them wrinkling or rumpling. Some special apparatus are already available to protect the clothes during transit, but these are relatively heavy and take up a considerable amount of space inside the suitcase, where space is already limited.

In shops, it is also desirable to have a packing or folding tool to permit clothes to be stacked easily and quickly to make maximum use of the limited shelf space available. The packing tool itself should not take up too much space and must be light in weight as shop storage and shelf space can be expensive and is limited. It is also desirable that the tool is economical to manufacture and ideally it should be easily to manufacture from recycled or environmental friendly material.

Due to the soft nature of most clothes, it is normally hard to store a number of folded clothes vertically without some form of package or packaging around them. In addition, it would be much easier for a customer to find the required size of clothes if the clothes were stored with a size label on the outward facing edge showing the size of each garment, especially if the clothes are displayed vertically.

When clothing is stacked flat and displayed in piles on shelves, it is preferable that all the articles are kept separately and folded in a good order showing their most appealing status, and it is also desirable to allow customers to see and touch the product by having limited, controlled contact with the product. Some customers prefer to unfold the clothing or remove it from a sealed package to try or check the clothing and more often than not do not put the clothing back into the packaging. It is generally too difficult or too time consuming for a customer to re-fold the clothes, especially to the same that store staff do, so often they do not even bother. As a result, store staff have to spend significant time to re-fold those clothes and stack them together neatly over and over again during the day or working week.

Frequently, garments are stacked flat and displayed in piles on shelves in shops. The item that a customer wants to see or buy is not always on the top of the pile of garments. It is desirable to give customers access to a specific item of clothing without disturbing other clothing stacked up on the top of the clothing the customer wants.

Dry cleaning and laundry services could also offer a better service to their customers, as well as saving a lot of space if they could clean, iron and fold most clothes with an easy to use tool.

It is an advantage to stack clothes of different sizes in a series of items of similar shape and size. However, folding different kinds of clothes into a similar shape and size can be very challenging because of the limitation of the clothes' material, size and style. It would be helpful if there were a tool or method to guide the folding process in order to achieve uniformity.

In view of the above, it is apparent that there exists an unmet need for an improved apparatus of folding clothing, organising folded clothing in an easier, inexpensive manner, and keeping folded clothing in a neat and consistent shape and size.

Certain prior art clothing folding and packing devices are known. However, the devices disclosed in the prior art all have various drawbacks. For example, U.S. patent Publication Number US2013/0001261 A1 disclosed a method and system for arranging and storing clothing. The apparatus itself is relatively large and heavy and it is hard to keep the folded clothing in a neat and folded status during transportation, as the apparatus does not have gripping or retaining mechanism to secure the folded item.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate or at least mitigate some or all of the problems set out above. The invention facilitates the folding of clothing into a regular sized compact bundle which is more suitable for packing in suitcases or into drawers without generating unnecessary creases. When used properly it will reduce the winkles or creases in the fabric. Clothing folded with the aid of the invention can be stacked easily like books. Using the present invention means that taking any one or few articles of clothing out of a stack or pile of folded clothes will not cause the remaining clothing to become unfolded or disorganised.

Summary of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use, flexible to expand packing tool for folding one or a few clothing together into the same shape with similar size and preventing unnecessary creases to be formed during travelling and storing.

Two packing methods but not limited to, are also provided to fully use the advantage of the present invention.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an easy fast flexible way of folding and organising clothing with an apparatus, comprising:

(i) At least one generally planar part through which an article of clothing or a piece of fabric is guided to be folded;

(ii) At least one retaining member to grip and retain the folded status of the item.

Preferably, the planar part(s) is a frame shape which saves material and space. For clothes with sleeves, folded sleeves can be placed in the frame to avoid bumps in general.

Preferably, the retaining member is made from elastic band.

Preferably, the length of the retaining member can be adjusted. This may need to be achieved with the help of a buckle.

Preferably, the retaining member can form a closed loop itself or with other parts to secure and lock the folded clothing.

Preferably, the retaining member can move along the edge of the planar part for more flexibility.

Preferably, the retaining member is attached to the planar part through sewing

In the alternative preferred embodiment, the retaining member is attached to the planar part via another part.

In another alternative preferred embodiment, the retaining member and the planar part are joined through multi shot injection moulding.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there are provided two methods of packing clothing or fabric. The first method includes the step of:1) Providing a folding tool according to the present invention;

2) placing the folding tool with retaining strap open in the middle of unfolded clothing; part of the folding tool and the strap are outside of the clothing while the rest of the folding tool is overplayed on the clothing;

3) fold both sides of the clothes with sleeves towards to the middle of the clothing where the folding tool is placed in the line with the edge of the folding tool;

4) rolling the clothing up with the support of the folding tool; The tail of the clothing can be tucked into the space between the top of the clothing already folded and the main frame body in certain situations (FIG.20f);

5) securing the folded clothing with the retaining strap.

The second method includes the step of:1) Providing a folding tool according to the present invention

2) Folding a piece of clothing into a long strap the width of which is suggested to be the same or smaller than the folding tool;

3) Placing the folding tool on the top of the strap of folded clothing;

4) Rolling the clothing up using the folding tool as a guide;

5) Securing the whole bundle with the retaining strap.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG.1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the folding tool of the present invention;

FIG.2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the folding tool showing an accessory on the edge;

FIG.3 is a top view of one embodiment of the folding tool;

FIG.4 is a side view of one embodiment of the folding tool;

FIG.5 is a perspective view of the folding tool showing the retaining strap in an open configuration;

FIG.6 shows an enlarged view of the securing means for attaching the retaining strap to the folding tool body using a clip;

FIG.7 is a perspective cross-sectional view showing one half of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG.8 is a perspective view of the clip with the clothes size on it;

FIG.9 is a section view of a further embodiment of the folding tool;

FIG.10 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the folding tool of the present invention;

FIG.11 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the folding tool with one side of the strap separated or detached from the main folding tool body;

FIG.12 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the folding tool with both ends of the strap separated from the main former frame;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged, detailed view of the feature on the folding tool body to hold the retaining strap;

FIG.14 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the folding tool of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the folding tool of the present invention showing an accessory which can be a shirt collar fender attached to the folding tool body;

FIG.16 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the folding tool of the present Invention;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the folding tool of the present invention showing another type of accessory attached to the former body;

FIG. 18 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the folding tool of the present invention showing anther type of accessory attached to the former body;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of two folding tools joined together by two accessories; FIG.20a through to FIG20i illustrate one clothing folding method using one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 21 shows the perspective view of a stacked of T shirts folded using the present invention showing different sizes of the T shirt folded into a uniform size;

FIG.22 shows an enlarged view of the stacked t shirt showing different sizes;

FIG.23a through to FIG. 23h illustrate another clothing folding method using one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG.24 is a perspective view of a folded T shirt folded with one embodiment of the invention using the process illustrated in Fig 23a to 23h;

FIG.25 shows a stack of folded clothes with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG.26 shows stacks of folded clothes being displayed both vertically and horizontally;

FIG.27 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a folding tool of the present invention;

FIG.28 is a top view of the further embodiment of a folding tool of the present invention;

FIG.29 is an exploded view of the further embodiment of the folding tool of the present invention.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

The present invention is a tool for quickly folding clothing into a stable shape which is easy to stack and access while permitting better use of space in a storage volume Use of these tools also decreases unnecessary creasing or wrinkling of the clothing. The invention extends to cover methods of folding articles using these folding tools.

All embodiments of the present invention can be suitably sized for different kinds of clothing or different articles for the purpose of storing or displaying the clothing.

Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the folding tool 5 comprises a folding tool body or former part 1 and a retaining strap 2. The folding tool body 1 can be made from any suitable material, or combination of different materials, as determined by the materials specialist, such as cardboard, plywood, plastics materials such as polycarbonate. Formed to be a substantially rectangular frame, the folding tool body 1 is preferably relatively light weight and there is preferably a void or aperture in the centre of the rectangle. This void not only saves weight but the void can have other uses. For example for clothes with sleeves, the folded sleeves can be placed within the frame to avoid bumps in general. In this embodiment the retaining strap 2 is elastic or adjustable with a buckle (not shown) to hold folded clothing around and against the folding tool body. Strap 2 is free to move along the edge of the frame to secure folded clothing in a flexible way. The surface 3 of the folding tool body 1 can be textured to increase the friction with the clothing and enhance capture of the clothing when it is folded. The folding tool body 1 can be printed or marked with patterns for decoration. It also can be covered with soft fabric (not shown).

The retaining strap 2 may be attached to the main folding tool body 1 by a variety of attachment means. Where the retaining strap is made from an elastic material this can be done using stitches or with a suitable technology that complements the materials that the folding tool is made of. For example, the folding tool body and the retaining strap can also be attached together with a clip as shown in FIG. 3, FIG 7 and FIG 8. The clip can advantageously be marked with a size, so that customers can easily find the right sizes when they are looking at a stack of clothing, as shown in FIG. 21 and FIG.22. The clip can take various different forms whilst performing the same function. It is important that the retaining strap 2 can move along the edge of the folding tool body 1.

In another embodiment according to FIG.10, FIG11, FIG 12, the retaining strap is not closed a closed loop but rather extends across substantially just one side of the folding frame body. In this example the retaining strap is held captive across the folding tool body by lugs on opposing edges of the folding tool body, thus holding a garment or other article firmly in place. The retaining strap preferably has a degree of flexibility such that it can accommodate varying amounts of fabric, depending on the size of the item to be folded and the thickness of the fabric concerned.

In another embodiment shown in FIG. 14, the retaining straps are joined with two buckles of the type commonly found inside suitcases to keep items in place.

In another embodiment shown in FIG. 27, FIG. 28, FIG. 29, the retaining means are two substantially rigid parts 31 and 32 which are hinged on the main body 30. Part 31 and 32 can also support a clothing collar while holding the clothing up.

Referring to FIG. 15, an accessory, in this case a collar fender 17 can be attached to the folding tool body 18. Other types of accessory, like a planar sheet with holes 21 can be attached and used to keep buttons, matching jewellery etc. together with the clothing.

Referring to FIG. 19, two folding tools can be joined into one using joining accessories 22.

FIG.20a through to FIG20i illustrate one clothing folding method using one embodiment of the present invention. The steps of the method are as follows:1) Place a folding tool with the retaining strap open in the middle of unfolded article of clothing; part of the folding tool and the strap are outside of the clothing while the rest of the folding tool is placed over the clothing (FIG.20a);

2) Fold both sides of the clothes with sleeves towards to the middle of the clothing where the folding tool is placed in line with the edge of the folding tool (FIG.20b, FIG.20c, FIG.20d);

3) Fold the clothing up such that is supported by the folding tool (FIG.20e, FIG.20f, and FIG.20g):

4) Secure the folded clothing with the retaining strap (FIG.20h).

FIG.24 is a perspective view of a folded T-shirt using one embodiment of the invention through the process shown in FIG. 23a to FIG. 23h. the steps of this method are as follows:1) Fold a piece of clothing into a long strip or band whose width is substantially the same or smaller than the folding tool (FIG. 23a,FIG. 23b,and FIG. 23c);

2) Place a folding tool on the top of the strip of folded clothing (FIG. 23d);

3) Fold the clothing up using the folding tool as a guide (Figures. 23e, 23f, & 23g );

4) Secure the folded item around the folding tool with the strap (FIG. 23h).

FIG. 25 illustrates a stack of folded clothing folded using the folding tools according to the present invention. FIG. 26 shows the stack of clothing folded using the present invention in accordance with the method introduced from FIG. 23a to FIG.23h. The stack of clothing can be placed vertically or horizontally. The vertical placement of articles of clothing provides a more convenient way for users to pick up specific clothes like picking up a book from a bookshelf, without lifting up other clothes on its top.

While the folding tools described are particularly well suited for use with a T-shirts, blouses, and shirts etc. as has so far been described herein, these folding tools are equally well suited for folding and storing other articles such as scarves, ties, tights, sheets, pillowcases etc.

From the above description it will be appreciated that the folding tools described are very simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Claims

1. A folding tool comprising at least one substantially stiff, planar folding tool body around which an article may be folded, and at least one retaining means adapted to retain a folded article around the folding tool body.

2. A folding tool according to Claim 1 wherein the central region of the folding tool body is substantially open, such that the folding tool body comprises a ring of material with a central void.

3. A folding tool according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the retaining means is elastically deformable.

4. A folding tool according to any preceding claim wherein the retaining means is moveable around the perimeter of the folding tool body.

5. A folding tool according to any preceding claim wherein the retaining means is held captive on or by the folding tool body.

6. A folding tool according to any preceding claim comprising:(i) at least one generally planar member, which will offer the guidance to fold clothes;

(ii) at least one retaining strap which will keep the fabric article staying with the planar member.

7. A folding tool according to Claim 6 wherein the strap is attached to the planar member directly or with the aid of another part.

8. A method of folding an article comprising the steps of:a) Providing a folding tool according to any of Claims 1 to 7 inclusive;

b) Placing the folding tool with the retaining strap open in the middle of an unfolded article of clothing with part of the folding tool and the strap outside of the clothing while the rest of the folding tool is placed over the clothing;

c) Folding both sides of the clothes with sleeves towards to the middle of the clothing where the folding tool is placed and in line with the edge of the folding tool;

d) Folding the clothing up such that it is supported by the folding tool;

e) Securing the folded clothing around the folding tool with the retaining strap.

9. A method of folding an article comprising the steps of:a) Providing a folding tool according to any of Claims 1 to 7 inclusive;

5 b) Folding a piece of clothing into a long strap the width of which is suggested to be the same or smaller than the folding tool;

c) Placing the folding tool on the top of the strap of folded clothing;

d) Rolling the clothing up using the folding tool as a guide;

e) Securing the whole bundle with the retaining strap.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1618514.2 Examiner: Sally Vaughan