AU2011100480A4 - A storage bag for bed linen - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION Invention Title: A STORAGE BAG FOR BED LINEN Applicant: RITA WERDEN The invention is described in the following statement: I A STORAGE BAG FOR BED LINEN FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a storage bag for storing bed linen or the like. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of storage bags for containing items to be stored, such as clothes, linen and other soft items around the home is generally known in the art. Such storage bags are available in various sizes and are usually made from non-breathable polyester or plastic material. Typically, bed linen sets in retail stores are packed neatly into plastic packaging, however once unpacked, washed and used, it is impossible to re-pack the bed linen set into the original packaging to keep the set together and organised as in the stores. It's easy to accumulate several bed linen sets per bed, so it is not uncommon to find that most linen cupboards are untidy and disorganised due to the absence of a suitable storage bag especially designed to store bed linen. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage bag for bed linen or the like comprising: a rectangular base structure having front and rear and two opposing side walls sewn together defining a box-like cavity with a complementary cover/lid that is sewn to the rear end wall of the base structure. The remaining edges of the cover/lid are connected to the front and two opposing side walls of the base structure with a double pull zip that is also used to open and close the storage bag. The outside and inside lining of the storage bag are made from a breathable cotton fabric in a range of colours. All outside external edges of the storage bag are finished with cotton binding that give the corners/edges a rounded appearance. The storage bag has a horizontal handle attached to the outside front wall with a transparent plastic label holder connected to it to hold and display a label. Flexible plastic labels with decorative borders will be made available to slide into the transparent plastic label holder to help the user indicate the contents of the storage bag. The storage bag also has an internal zip pocket sewn into the lining of the cover/lid purposely designed to hold a scented sachet that will scent the contents of the linen bag. Mini scented sachets will be made available in a variety of scents to use in the storage bag. Silica gel packs will be made available for use in the storage bag to help prevent dampness. The storage bag is stackable and folds flat when not in use. Some embodiments provide an improved way to store bed linen by keeping the contents neatly together, scented, protected from dust and dampness, organised, easily identified 2 with the use of the external label and removed with ease from the storage area when needed without disrupting other items in the linen press. The "one size fits all" storage bag is specifically designed and configured to accommodate all individual bed sheet sets or quilt cover sets with matching pillow cases in all bed sizes. When bed linen is packed into the storage bag, it also hides any "folding" imperfections. The contents of the storage bag are fully concealed and no longer visible. Regardless of how bed linen is folded, neatly or roughly, the tailored exterior of the linen bag with its decorative label is all that is seen. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Linen, in the context of this specification, should be understood to mean or describe a class of woven or knitted bed, bath, table and kitchen textiles. Storing linen in the modern household has a number of problems. Particularly, very few households have dedicated lined cupboards with plenty of space for air to circulate freely around it to prevent dampness. Even for households with linen cupboards, convenience products such as fitted sheets, which have elasticated edges and/or corners, cannot easily be folded and can be unstable to stack on a shelf. There is also a need to conveniently keep certain linen items together, such as bed clothes of the same size or pattern, so that they can be quickly and easily retrieved. Furthermore, where space is at a premium, compacting bed linen as in the stores and keeping linen smelling fresh when stored is a particular issue. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a storage bag 10 that has a top 60 and base panel 70 (not shown), front 50 and rear end wall 40 (not shown). Top panel 60 connected to other panels with a double pull zip 62. A horizontal handle 52 is attached to the centre of the outside front end wall 50. The handle 52 also has a label holder 54 attached to it with an opening either side of the label holder 56 and 58 to hold and display a label. Preferably, the label holder 54 includes a transparent plastic window for viewing a label. The label holder may be placed in multiple locations on the storage bag 10, but is most preferably located on the handle 52. The edges of the storage bag are finished with cotton binding 22. Figure 2 shows the storage bag 10 with the top 60 in an open position, such that the zip 62 has been unfastened. An internal lining 66 of the top 60 has a pocket 64 which holds a replaceable scented item. Preferably, the pocket 64 is a zipped pocket and the replaceable scented item is a replaceable scented sachet. An internal view of lined rear end wall 40 is also shown. Front panel 50, handle 52, opening either side of label cover 56 and 58, two opposing side walls 20 & 30. Base panel 70 is not shown. Figure 3 is a close up of handle 52 on the outside of the front end wall 50 of the storage bag 10. The handle 52 has a transparent plastic label cover 54 attached to it with an opening either side of the label cover 56 and 58 to hold and display a label. Top panel 60 connected to other panels with a double pull zip 62 and base panel 70 (not shown). The front end wall includes two opposing side panels 20 and 30 in addition to the handle section.

3 Figure 4 is a side view of the storage bag 10 showing the top panel 60 and the side wall 20 with edges finished with cotton binding 22. Rear end wall 40 and base panel 70 (not shown). The storage bag 10 is, preferably, constructed of woven material permeable to air to allow air circulation, such as cotton or linen material (as in the actual linen material made from flax). Further preferably, one embodiment (not shown) includes mesh patches in one or more panels of the bag 10 to allow increased air circulation. Where dampness in the storage area is an issue, the use of a silica gel pack in the storage bag may also assist. It is also preferable that the construction material is of sufficient thickness such that the bag 10 is self-supporting. If the material is not self-supporting and that property is required, rigid or semi-rigid inserts may be included in one or more of the panels. The storage bag 10 enables linen to be folded and stored within the bag itself. The bag 10 can then be stored in a convenient location such as in a wardrobe, in a drawer or in a "typical" linen cupboard. Multiple storage bags 10 can be stacked one on top of each other, regardless of how well the items within are folded, as the bag 10 is capable of being self-supporting. Also, where there are different matching linen products, the storage bag 10 allows all of the matching products to be stored in the bag 10 with an appropriate label placed inside the label cover 56. The matching linen products can then be quickly located in a cupboard or elsewhere by examining the labels and pulling the storage bag 10 out by the handle 52. Although the present invention has been illustrated and described in conjunction with a number of embodiments, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that further modifications, alterations and variations may also occur and all such are deemed to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims, such as, but not limited to: 1. The storage bag for bed linen made in a range of patterned/decorative cotton fabrics and with different materials, such as, but not limited to, felt and leather; 2. The addition of a feature mesh window in one of the panels of the storage bag that allows for better air circulation; 3. The internal zip pocket of the storage bag made from mesh material to allow better scent release and circulation; 4. Expand the storage bag range to store different sized items in the linen press such as blankets, doonas, mattress protectors, etc; 5. Individual storage bags for bed linen in all bed sizes not just the "one size fits all" option; 6. Expand the storage bag range to store other items such as clothing and delicates.

Claims (5)

1. A storage bag for bed linen or the like including: a rectangular base structure having front, rear and two opposing side walls defining a box-like cavity with a complementary cover/lid that is attached to at least one of the walls and is closeable over the box-like cavity, an internal pocket for retaining a replaceable scented item and a label holder for holding and displaying a label.

2. A storage bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bag includes a handle positioned on the outside front wall that includes the label holder.

3. A storage bag as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein the internal pocket includes a zip pocket sewn on the inside lining of the complimentary cover/lid and the scented item is a scented sachet.

4. A storage bag according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the bag is made from cotton fabric.

5. A linen bag substantially as herein before described with reference to figures 1 - 4 of the accompanying figures. RITA WERDEN 28 APRIL 2011