Collapsible laundry hamper

Abstract

The present invention relates to a collapsible laundry hamper, including a plurality of ring frames and a plurality of elongated links. The ring frames are pivotally connected with the links in a manner that the ring frames are parallel to and spaced from each other. The links are pivotable with respect to the ring frames between an upright position, at which the links are substantially perpendicular to the ring frames so that the collapsible laundry hamper is unfolded into an upright state, and a collapsed position, at which the links are substantially parallel to the ring frames so that the collapsible laundry is folded or collapsed into a collapsed state. The laundry hamper further includes at least one fastener for keeping the laundry hamper in the upright state.

1 . A collapsible laundry hamper, comprising:
 a plurality of ring frames;   a plurality of elongated links, the ring frames being pivotally connected with the links in a manner that the ring frames are parallel to and spaced from each other, and the links being pivotable with respect to the ring frames between an upright position, at which the links are substantially perpendicular to the ring frames so that the collapsible laundry hamper is unfolded into an upright state, and a collapsed position, at which the links are substantially parallel to the ring frames so that the collapsible laundry is folded or collapsed into a collapsed state; and   at least one fastener, pivotally mounted to one of the ring frames for securing the links, preventing the links from pivotally rotating with respect to the ring frames and keeping the laundry hamper in the upright state by pivotally rotating the fastener to a locking position when the laundry hamper is unfolded into the upright state.   
   
   
       2 . The collapsible laundry hamper as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the fastener is mounted to a top one of the ring frames, and one of the ring frames next to the top ring frame serves as a stopper to prevent the fastener from escaping out of the locking position when the fastener is positioned at the locking position. 
   
   
       3 . The collapsible laundry hamper as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein each of the ring frames is provided with two parallel angle bars, the ring frames are pivotally connected with the links through the angle bars. 
   
   
       4 . The collapsible laundry hamper as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the angle bars provided on the top ring frame is formed with two tabs with a hole for pivotally mounting the fastener. 
   
   
       5 . The collapsible laundry hamper as set forth in  claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of casters mounted to a bottom one of the ring frames. 
   
   
       6 . The collapsible laundry hamper as set forth in  claim 3 , further comprising a mating bag detachably mating with the laundry hamper. 
   
   
       7 . The collapsible laundry hamper as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the ring frames increase in size in an bottom-to-top order so that the laundry hamper kept in the upright state has a cylindrical shape gradually enlarged in a bottom-to-top direction. 
   
   
       8 . The collapsible laundry hamper as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the ring frames have identical sizes so that the laundry hamper kept in the upright state has a cylindrical shape. 
   
   
       9 . A collapsible laundry hamper, comprising:
 a plurality of ring frames, each having two sections parallel to each other;   four elongated links, one of the two parallel sections being pivotally connected with two of the four links and the other parallel section being pivotally connected with another two of the four links, whereby the ring frames are pivotally connected with the links in a manner that the ring frames are parallel to and spaced from each other, and the links are pivotable with respect to the ring frames between an upright position, at which the links are substantially perpendicular to the ring frames so that the collapsible laundry hamper is unfolded into an upright state, and a collapsed position, at which the links are substantially parallel to the ring frames so that the collapsible laundry is folded or collapsed into a collapsed state; and   two fasteners, pivotally mounted to the two parallel sections of one of the ring frames respectively for securing the links and capable of pivotally rotating about the respective section, the fasteners preventing the links from pivotally rotating with respect to the ring frames and keeping the laundry hamper in the upright state by pivotally rotating the fasteners to a locking position when the laundry hamper is unfolded into the upright state.   
   
   
       10 . The collapsible laundry hamper as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the fasteners are mounted to a top one of the ring frames, and one of the ring frames next to the top ring frame serves as a stopper to prevent the fasteners from escaping out of the locking position when the fasteners is positioned at the locking position. 
   
   
       11 . The collapsible laundry hamper as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein portions located on the ring frames and pivotally connected with the links are flattened, and portions on the links and pivotally connected with the ring frames are flattened. 
   
   
       12 . The collapsible laundry hamper as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the top ring frame is provided with two tubes on the parallel sections respectively for pivotally mounting the fasteners. 
   
   
       13 . The collapsible laundry hamper as set forth in  claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of casters mounted to a bottom one of the ring frames. 
   
   
       14 . The collapsible laundry hamper as set forth in  claim 10 , further comprising a mating bag detachably mating with laundry hamper.