Combination garment bag, hamper, and duffel bag

Abstract

A reusable bag for laundry and laundry hangers includes an enclosure made from a flexible web material having an open end and a closed end. The open end has a closure means, while the closed end includes an aperture adapted to receive a portion of each laundry hanger therethrough. With the open end of the enclosure facing upward in a hamper configuration, dirty laundry may be collected and, when the bag is full, the open end of the enclosure may be selectively closed with the closure means. The reusable bag may be transported to a laundry cleaning facility by carrying with a handle strap, and returned with clean laundry hanging on the laundry hangers inside the enclosure. The closed end of the enclosure may be facing upward in a garment bag configuration for protecting the clean laundry.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reusable bag for laundry and laundry hangers, comprising:
 an enclosure made from a flexible material and having an open end and a closed end, the open end having a closure, the closed end including an aperture adapted to receive a portion of each laundry hanger therethrough, the enclosure including an inside surface and an outside surface;   at least one shoulder strap configured and arranged to facilitate the carrying of the bag, the at least one shoulder strap coupled at one end of the strap to the outside surface of the bag, proximate one end of the enclosure, and extending away from the one end of the enclosure and at least partially across the outside surface of the bag towards the other end of the enclosure and coupled at another end of the strap to the outside surface of the bag; and   wherein the at least one shoulder strap is configured and arranged to enable a user to carry soiled clothes to a drycleaner while in a duffel bag configuration, and while in a garment bag configuration, substantially maintain the press and crispness of the drycleaned clothes while carrying the bag from the drycleaner; and   wherein the enclosure comprises a front sheet of the flexible material, a back sheet of the flexible material, and a gusset sheet of the flexible material, a peripheral edge of the gusset sheet sewn at least partially to each of the front and back sheets to form the enclosure and allow for multiple garments to be placed and stored inside; and   a zipper positioned down the center of the bag or coupled to the gusset and extending at least a partial length of the gusset, the zipper configured and arranged to selectively form a second aperture when at least partially unzipped.   
     
     
         2 . The reusable bag of  claim 1 , wherein the closure includes a hem around the open end of the enclosure through which a selectively cinchable drawstring is slidably enclosed. 
     
     
         3 . The reusable bag of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible material comprises an air-permeable polypropylene material. 
     
     
         4 . The reusable bag of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible material comprises an air-permeable cotton web material. 
     
     
         5 . The reusable bag of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible material comprises an air-permeable linen web material. 
     
     
         6 . The reusable bag of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible material comprises a polyester material. 
     
     
         7 . The reusable bag of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible material comprises a non-woven nylon material. 
     
     
         8 . The reusable bag of  claim 1  further including a selectively closable pocket coupled to the outside surface of the enclosure. 
     
     
         9 . The reusable bag of  claim 1  further including at least one handle strap coupled to a back sheet of the bag, proximate the open end, running substantially parallel to the opening, the at least one handle strap substantially centrally disposed between sides of the back sheet. 
     
     
         10 . The reusable bag of  claim 1  further comprising a pair of handle straps, one each proximate the closed and open ends of the enclosure; and
 wherein each handle strap is affixed on a back sheet of the bag, running substantially parallel to the opening, and substantially centrally disposed between sides of the back sheet; and 
 wherein the handle straps are configured and arranged to enable the bag to be carried by the user by the handle straps when used as a duffel bag. 
 
     
     
         11 . The reusable bag of  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is divided into a dirty laundry compartment and a clean laundry compartment by a central sheet of the flexible web material sewn to the gusset sheet, the dirty laundry compartment including the hem and a closure means; and wherein the second aperture is configured and arranged to facilitate insertion of clean laundry into the clean laundry compartment when the bag is in the garment bag configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The reusable bag of  claim 1 , further including a hamper frame selectively attachable proximate the open end of the enclosure, the frame configured to support the enclosure on a ground surface in a hamper configuration with the open end of the bag open. 
     
     
         13 . The reusable bag of  claim 1 , further including a laundry hanger retaining means coupled to the inside surface of the enclosure. 
     
     
         14 . A reusable laundry bag comprising:
 an enclosure comprising a flexible material and having an open end and a closed end, the enclosure including a front sheet of the flexible material, a back sheet of the flexible material, and a gusset sheet of the flexible material, a peripheral edge of the gusset sheet sewn at least partially to each of the front and back sheets to form the enclosure; and   wherein the open end includes a size-adjustable first aperture coupled to a closure means; and   at least one shoulder strap configured and arranged to facilitate carrying of the bag either while carrying soiled clothes in a duffel bag construction, and in a garment bag construction, substantially maintaining the press and crispness of the clean clothes, the at least one shoulder strap coupled at one end of the strap to the outside surface of the bag, proximate one end of the enclosure, and extending away from the one end of the enclosure and at least partially across the outside surface of the bag towards the other end of the enclosure and coupled at another end of the strap to the outside surface of the bag; and   wherein the gusset sheet forms a size-adjustable second aperture configured and arranged to facilitate the insertion and storage of multiple garments of clean laundry into the enclosure when the bag is in a garment bag configuration.   
     
     
         15 . The reusable laundry bag of  claim 14 , wherein the closed end comprises a third aperture configured to receive at least a portion of a laundry hanger therethrough. 
     
     
         16 . The reusable laundry bag of  claim 14 , wherein the closure means includes a hem around the open end of the enclosure through which the selectively cinchable drawstring is slidably enclosed. 
     
     
         17 . A reusable laundry bag comprising:
 an enclosure comprising a flexible material and having an open end and a closed end, the enclosure comprising a front sheet of the flexible material, a back sheet of the flexible material, and a gusset sheet of the flexible material, a peripheral edge of the gusset sheet sewn at least partially to each of the front and back sheets to form the enclosure; and   wherein the open end includes a size-adjustable first aperture coupled to a closure means, the closure means comprising a selectively cinchable drawstring; and   wherein the size of the first aperture can be selectively adjusted using the selectively cinchable drawstring; and   a peripheral edge portion including a selectively closable second aperture extending from one end of the bag proximate the selectively cinchable drawstring, and extending towards the closed end of the enclosure, the second aperture configured to selectively facilitate insertion of clean laundry into the enclosure when the bag is in a garment bag configuration; and   at least one shoulder strap configured and arranged for facilitating carrying of the bag, the at least one shoulder strap coupled at one end of the strap to the outside surface of the bag, proximate one end of the enclosure, and extending away from the one end of the enclosure and at least partially across the outside surface of the bag towards the other end of the enclosure and coupled at another end of the strap to the outside surface of the bag; and   wherein the at least one shoulder strap is configured and arranged to facilitate carrying soiled clothes in a duffel bag configuration, and maintain the press and crispness of the drycleaned clothes while being carried in the bag by a user using the at least one shoulder strap.   
     
     
         18 . The reusable laundry bag of  claim 17 , further comprising a zipper coupled to the peripheral edge portion and positioned at one end proximate the selectively cinchable drawstring, and extending towards the closed end of the enclosure, the zipper configured and arranged to selectively form the second aperture.