Consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale incorporating vacuum-sealable bag reusable by consumers

Abstract

A consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale includes a vacuum-resealable bag, one or more textile soft goods located within the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag, retail packaging in which the vacuum-resealable bag containing the textile soft goods is contained; and printed media for viewing by a consumer at retail sale identifying the one or more textile soft goods contained in the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag and identifying the reusability of the vacuum-resealable bag. The retail packaging may include a case, and an insert contained with the vacuum-resealable bag within the case may comprise the printed media. Alternatively, the retail packaging may comprise a box within which the vacuum-resealable bag is contained. The vacuum-resealable bag includes air impermeable walls; a one-way valve assembly; and a closure mechanism configured to seal a mouth of the vacuum-resealable bag in an airtight manner.

1 . A consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale, comprising:
 (a) a vacuum-resealable bag having,
 (i) air impermeable walls defining an interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag, 
 (ii) a one-way valve assembly configured to permit air to be evacuated through the one-way valve assembly from the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag but to preclude air from entering the interior space of the vacuum sealable bag through the one-way valve assembly, and 
 (iii) a closure mechanism configured to seal a mouth of the vacuum-resealable bag in an airtight manner, 
 (iv) wherein the vacuum-resealable bag is configured to maintain a vacuum condition within the interior space when the closure mechanism seals the mouth of the vacuum-resealable bag and air is evacuated through the one-way valve assembly from the interior space defined by the vacuum-resealable bag, and 
 (v) wherein the vacuum-resealable bag is configured to be opened and then reclosed such that the vacuum-resealable bag is reusable by a consumer for vacuum-packing after the one or more textile soft goods have been removed from the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag; 
   (b) one or more textile soft goods located within the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag;   (c) retail packaging comprising a case in which the vacuum-resealable bag containing the textile soft goods is contained; and   (d) an insert contained with the vacuum-resealable bag within the case for viewing by a consumer at retail sale, the insert comprising printed media identifying the one or more textile soft goods contained in the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag, and identifying the reusability of the vacuum-resealable bag.   
     
     
         2 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 1 , wherein the case does not include an airtight seal closing off an interior containment space in which the vacuum-resealable bag is contained. 
     
     
         3 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 1 , wherein a hoop strength of the sides, front, and rear panels of the case is sufficient to maintain the textile soft goods in a compressed condition within the vacuum-resealable bag contained therein upon equalization of the pressure in the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag and a pressure exterior to the vacuum-resealable bag. 
     
     
         4 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 1 , wherein the case is configured to be opened and then reclosed such that the case is reusable by a consumer after the vacuum-resealable bag containing the bedding set has been removed therefrom by the consumer. 
     
     
         5 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 1 , wherein the one-way valve assembly is located in a wall of the vacuum-resealable bag and is configured to receive a nozzle of a vacuum cleaner hose, whereby the air within the interior space may be evacuated using a vacuum cleaner by a consumer post retail purchase. 
     
     
         6 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 1 , wherein none of the textile soft goods within the vacuum-resealable bag are individually packaged. 
     
     
         7 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 6 , wherein the textile soft goods are compressed prior to being sealed within the vacuum-sealable bag for retail sale to a consumer. 
     
     
         8 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the case is transparent such that one or more contents of the case are viewable there through. 
     
     
         9 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the vacuum-resealable bag is transparent such that one or more contents of the vacuum-resealable bag are viewable there through, and wherein one or more contents of the vacuum-resealable bag are viewable through the transparent portion of the case. 
     
     
         10 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 8 , wherein the case comprises a pocket, the pocket including a transparent panel through which contents of the pocket are viewable from an exterior of the case, and wherein the insert is retained within the pocket of the case. 
     
     
         11 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 10 , wherein the pocket includes opposing front and rear transparent panels whereby contents of the pocket are viewable through both the front and rear transparent panels. 
     
     
         12 . A consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale, comprising:
 (a) a vacuum-resealable bag having,
 (i) air impermeable walls defining an interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag, 
 (ii) a one-way valve assembly configured to permit air to be evacuated through the one-way valve assembly from the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag but to preclude air from entering the interior space of the vacuum sealable bag through the one-way valve assembly, and 
 (iii) a closure mechanism configured to seal a mouth of the vacuum-resealable bag in an airtight manner, 
 (iv) wherein the vacuum-resealable bag is configured to maintain a vacuum condition within the interior space when the closure mechanism seals the mouth of the vacuum-resealable bag and air is evacuated through the one-way valve assembly from the interior space defined by the vacuum-resealable bag, and 
 (v) wherein the vacuum-resealable bag is configured to be opened and then reclosed such that the vacuum-resealable bag is reusable by a consumer for vacuum-packing after the one or more textile soft goods have been removed from the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag; 
   (b) one or more textile soft goods located within the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag;   (c) retail packaging comprising a case in which the vacuum-resealable bag containing the textile soft goods is contained; and   (d) an insert contained with the vacuum-resealable bag within the case for viewing by a consumer at retail sale, the insert comprising printed media identifying the one or more textile soft goods contained in the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag, and identifying the reusability of the vacuum-resealable bag;   (e) wherein at least a portion of the case is transparent such that one or more contents of the case are viewable there through; and   (f) wherein the case further includes a piece of fabric exemplary of the fabric of at least one of the textile soft goods contained within the vacuum-resealable bag, the piece of fabric being located within the case outside of the vacuum-resealable bag for viewing by a customer at retail.   
     
     
         13 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 12 , wherein the case further includes a closure mechanism configured to be opened and closed at retail, whereby a customer at retail can touch and feel the exemplary piece of fabric. 
     
     
         14 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 12 , wherein a hoop strength of the sides, front, and rear panels of the case is sufficient to maintain the textile soft goods in a compressed condition within the vacuum-resealable bag contained therein upon equalization of the pressure in the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag and a pressure exterior to the vacuum-resealable bag. 
     
     
         15 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 12 , wherein the case does not include an airtight seal closing off an interior containment space in which the vacuum-resealable bag is contained. 
     
     
         16 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 12 , wherein the textile soft goods are compressed prior to being sealed within the vacuum-sealable bag for retail sale to a consumer. 
     
     
         17 . A consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale, comprising:
 (a) a vacuum-resealable bag having,
 (i) air impermeable walls defining an interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag, 
 (ii) a one-way valve assembly configured to permit air to be evacuated through the one-way valve assembly from the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag but to preclude air from entering the interior space of the vacuum sealable bag through the one-way valve assembly, and 
 (iii) a closure mechanism configured to seal a mouth of the vacuum-resealable bag in an airtight manner, 
 (iv) wherein the vacuum-resealable bag is configured to maintain a vacuum condition within the interior space when the closure mechanism seals the mouth of the vacuum-resealable bag and air is evacuated through the one-way valve assembly from the interior space defined by the vacuum-resealable bag, and 
 (v) wherein the vacuum-resealable bag is configured to be opened and then reclosed such that the vacuum-resealable bag is reusable by a consumer for vacuum-packing after the one or more textile soft goods have been removed from the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag; 
   (b) one or more textile soft goods located within the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag;   (c) retail packaging comprising a box in which the vacuum-resealable bag containing the textile soft goods is contained; and   (d) printed media identifying the one or more textile soft goods contained in the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag, and identifying the reusability of the vacuum-resealable bag;   (e) wherein the box further includes contained therein a piece of fabric exemplary of the fabric of at least one of the textile soft goods contained within the vacuum-resealable bag, the piece of fabric being located within the box outside of the vacuum-resealable bag; and   (f) wherein the box includes an opening through which the piece of fabric may be viewed, touched and felt by a customer at retail.   
     
     
         18 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 17 , wherein a hoop strength of the sides, front, and rear panels of the box is sufficient to maintain the textile soft goods in a compressed condition within the vacuum-resealable bag contained therein upon equalization of the pressure in the interior space of the vacuum-resealable bag and a pressure exterior to the vacuum-resealable bag. 
     
     
         19 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 17 , wherein the box does not include an airtight seal closing off an interior containment space in which the vacuum-resealable bag is contained. 
     
     
         20 . The consumer textile soft goods product for retail sale of  claim 17 , wherein the textile soft goods are compressed prior to being sealed within the vacuum-sealable bag for retail sale to a consumer.