Clothing receptacle

Abstract

A clothing receptacle is provided which includes an interactive feature calculated to generate an interest among children inducing them to place their dirty clothing into a bag. The bag may be closed after it is filled with dirty clothes and transported to the laundry room where it may be placed into both the washer and dryer while the clothes remain in its interior throughout the laundering process.

1 . A clothing receptacle, comprising:
 a bag having a hollow interior and being formed with an open end;   at least a portion of a toy character including a head with a mouth movable between a closed position and an open position, said toy character being releasably mounted to said bag at said open end thereof in position to permit access to said hollow interior of said bag through said mouth of said head when in said open position;   an electrical circuit mounted to said toy character, said electrical circuit including a controller coupled to a loudspeaker and to a switch, said switch being operated in response to movement of said mouth to said open position thereby causing said controller to operate said loudspeaker which sounds a message, said hollow interior of said bag receiving clothing when said mouth is in said open position.   
   
   
       2 . The clothing receptacle of  claim 1  in which said bag includes a closure device located at said open end to permit opening and closing of said bag. 
   
   
       3 . The clothing receptacle of  claim 2  in which said closure device is a zipper. 
   
   
       4 . The clothing receptacle of  claim 1  further including mounting structure for releasably mounting said toy character to said bag. 
   
   
       5 . The clothing receptacle of  claim 4  in which said mounting structure is a number of snaps connected between said toy character and said bag. 
   
   
       6 . The clothing receptacle of  claim 4  in which said mounting structure permits detachment of said bag from said toy character, said bag having items of clothing in said hollow interior being adapted to be placed in a clothes washer and dryer for laundering of the clothing items therein. 
   
   
       7 . The clothing receptacle of  claim 1  further including a strap connected to one of said bag and said toy character to permit hanging of said bag and said toy character on a doorknob. 
   
   
       8 . The clothing receptacle of  claim 1  in which said bag is formed of a fabric material having a plurality of holes. 
   
   
       9 . The clothing receptacle of  claim 8  in which said bag is formed of nylon mesh material. 
   
   
       10 . A clothing receptacle, comprising:
 a bag having a hollow interior and being formed with an open end, said bag including a closure device for opening and closing said open end thereof;   at least a portion of a toy character including a head having a mouth movable between a closed position and an open position;   mounting structure for securing said toy character to said open end of said bag so that said toy character may be detached from said bag, said head of said toy character being positioned relative to said open end of said bag to permit access to said hollow interior thereof through said mouth of said head;   an electrical circuit mounted to said toy character, said electrical circuit including a controller coupled to a loudspeaker and to a switch, said switch being operated in response to movement of said mouth to said open position thereby causing said controller to operate said loudspeaker which sounds a message, said hollow interior of said bag receiving clothing when said mouth is in said open position;   said bag being detached by operation of said mounting structure from said toy character after having received clothing within its interior, said closure device being operated to close said open end of said bag, said bag being insertable into a clothes washer and dryer while maintaining the clothing within said hollow interior thereof throughout the laundering process.   
   
   
       11 . The clothing receptacle of  claim 10  further including a strap connected to one of said bag and said toy character to permit hanging of said bag and said toy character on a doorknob. 
   
   
       12 . The clothing receptacle of  claim 10  in which said bag is formed of nylon mesh material.