BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     A. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The invention relates to the field of laundry hampers and household storage bins. More specifically, the invention relates to laundry hampers and storage bins that can be collapsed for convenient storage, shipment and merchandising.  
         [0003]     B. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     Laundry hampers and household storage bins are commonly used in the home to collect and store household items and laundry. Such hampers and bins disclosed in the prior art include two basic types: free-standing containers and support frame/bag designs. The free-standing containers typically are rectangular or oval in shape and are made of a hard, non-flexible material, such as plastic or wicker. With their rigid construction, these containers take up the same amount of space whether full or empty of laundry and, because they are not collapsible, they are not easily moved from one place to another. Because, heretofore, rigid wall hampers have not been collapsible, such hampers have been expensive to ship. Because of their bulky size, they required a large volume of merchandising space. Additionally, because of the large volume of merchandising space required, merchandisers were unwilling to keep large quantities of such products on shelves, thereby making sales of such products even more inefficient because items were frequently not available for purchase on shelves.  
         [0005]     In response to these portability and merchandising restrictions, attempts at laundry hampers have been made that generally comprise pivoting support structures with fabric bags attached thereto have been used. One example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,066 assigned to Seymour Housewares Corporation. However, these types of hampers are flimsy and are generally undesirable to consumers, who still prefer rigid laundry hampers.  
         [0006]     Additionally, structures have been employed that utilize panels made from a continuous frame member having a coilable steel wire sewn into a seam of a fabric panel along the periphery thereof. One example of such a structure is U.S. Pat. No. 6,073,643. However, these hampers also suffer from the fact that they are flimsy and light.  
         [0007]     Finally, other types of hampers are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,588,620 and 6,637938. However, these types of hampers still utilize flimsy fabric sidewalls to contain the dirty laundry. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a rigid sided laundry hamper that is easily collapsible for transportation and merchandising purposes.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     In a first aspect, the present invention comprises a rigid-walled collapsible bin having first, second, third and fourth rigid walls attached to form an open-ended rectangular box. The first and third rigid walls are opposite one another and the second and fourth rigid walls are opposite one another. The open ends define a top end and a bottom end of the box. A flexible material is attached over the bottom end of the open-ended rectangular box. The first and third rigid walls are inwardly bendable generally along a fold line such that, when bent, the second and fourth walls approach one another. A removable stiffness panel has outer dimensions substantially equal to the inner dimensions of the rectangular box when the stiffness panel is placed in a plane parallel to the plane of the bottom end of the rectangular box.  
         [0009]     In a second aspect, the present invention comprises a rigid-walled collapsible bin comprising first, second, third and fourth rigid walls attached to form an open-ended rectangular box. The first and third rigid walls are opposite one another and the second and fourth rigid walls are opposite one another. The open ends define a top end and a bottom end of the box. The first and third rigid walls are bendable along a generally vertical fold line such that, when bent, the second and fourth walls approach one another. A flexible material covers the bottom end of the open-ended rectangular box. The material comprises a first and a second closure. The first closure is diagonally situated from a point generally adjacent the fold line of the first wall to a point generally adjacent the attachment of the second wall with the third wall. The second closure is diagonally situated from a point generally adjacent the fold line of the third wall to a point generally adjacent the attachment of the fourth wall with the third wall. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a laundry hamper according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a top view of a laundry hamper with lid removed according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a top section view taken along lines A-A of  FIG. 1  with the thicknesses of the sides exaggerated;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of a laundry hamper having a lid according to an embodiment of the present invention;;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of a partially collapsed laundry hamper according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a bottom perspective view of a partially collapsed laundry hamper according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a bottom view of a fully collapsed laundry hamper according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of a stiffness panel according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  is a top perspective view of a laundry hamper according to a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 10  is bottom perspective view of a laundry hamper according to a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 11  is a bottom perspective view of a partially collapsed hamper according to a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 12  is a bottom view of a fully collapsed hamper according to a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 13  is a top perspective view of a hamper of the second embodiment of the present invention having a lid thereon;  
         [0023]      FIG. 14  is a front perspective view of a storage bin according to a third embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 15  is a front perspective view of a partially collapsed storage bin according to a third embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 16  is a top view of a fully collapsed storage bin according to a third embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 17  is a top perspective view of a storage bin according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 18  is a top plan view of a stiffness panel according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 19  is a top view of a partially collapsed storage bin according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0029]      FIG. 20  is a top view of a fully collapsed storage bin according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0030]     While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.  
         [0031]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 4 , there is shown a rigid-walled, collapsible laundry hamper  10 . For purposes of the present document, the term rigid or rigid wall refers to both rigid and semi-rigid walls, and such term is intended to exclude only walls that are completely flaccid and flexible, such as clothes walls. The laundry hamper  10  generally comprises a front sidewall  12 , a rear sidewall  14 , a left sidewall  16  and a right sidewall  18 . The sidewalls  12 - 18  each generally comprise a cardboard or extruded polymer sheet  20  covered by a fabric sheet  22  on an interior face and by a wicker weave material  24  on an exterior face. For the purposes of this patent application, the term “fabric” refers to a cloth produced especially by knitting, weaving, or felting fibers of any type. The sheets  20  of the right and left sidewalls  16 ,  18  are preferably divided vertically into two sheets such that the right and left sidewalls  16 ,  18  can each be folded in half. Rather than dividing the sheet vertically, the sheets could be creased or otherwise segmented to allow the otherwise rigid sheet  20  to fold upon the crease or segmentation line. Whether divided, creased or otherwise segmented, the imaginary line upon which the right and left sidewalls  16 ,  18  are folded shall be referred to as the “fold line”  17 ,  19  of each sidewall  16 ,  18 .  
         [0032]     The wicker weave  24  may be made from either woven wooden strips or woven polymer strips. Handles  30  made from rope are provided on the front sidewall  12  and the rear sidewall  14  by providing holes in the front and rear sidewalls  12 ,  14  and knotting the rope on either end after it has been fed through the hole. Metal reinforcements  32  may be attached to the front and rear sidewalls  12 ,  14  about the holes to prevent the sidewalls  12 ,  14  from tearing. Additionally, a lid  34  with an overlapping attachment portion  36  may optionally be provided on the hamper  10 . The lid  34  and overlapping attachment portion  36  are preferably constructed in the same manner as the sidewalls with a fabric layer, a cardboard or polymer sheet for the lid  34  and the overlapping attachment portion  36  and a wicker layer. As above, the lid  34  could employ a single sheet the has been creased or segmented to create the lid  34  and overlapping attachment portion  36  or be made from two cardboard or polymer sheets. The hamper  10 , if equipped with a lid, also includes a fastener  38 ,  38 ′, such as hook and loop material, to maintain the lid  34  in a closed position. While the above configuration contemplates a lid that is permanently attached to the hamper, the lid could employ a second overlapping attachment portion and be removably attached to the hamper with hook and loop material.  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the laundry hamper  10  also comprises a flexible fabric bottom  40  attached to all four sidewalls  12 - 18  and is shown partially collapsed. Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the hamper  10  is collapsed by folding the right and left sidewalls  16 ,  18  inwardly upon themselves which, in turn, brings the front and rear sidewalls  12 ,  14  nearer to one another. The flexible bottom  40  folds during collapse of the hamper  10  in a non-predetermined manner. As the hamper  10  is collapsed, the front and rear sidewalls  12 ,  14  eventually become generally adjacent one another, as shown in  FIG. 7 , and the hamper is completely collapsed and generally flat. As the front and rear sidewalls  12 ,  14  are separated, the hamper  10  is expanded back to the form of  FIG. 1 . To enable the hamper  10  to maintain the shape of  FIG. 1  so that it may be effectively used for holding laundry, a square stiffness panel  42  ( FIG. 8 ) is placed within the hamper  10  against the flexible fabric bottom, as seen m  FIG. 2 . The stiffness panel  42  is preferably made from cardboard or an extruded polymer sheet and covered by a fabric material on both sidewalls. While the stiffness panel  42  is within the hamper  10  and against the fabric bottom  40 , the right and left sidewalls  16 ,  18  are prevented from folding and the hamper  10  is thus not permitted to collapse. The stiffness panel  42  also includes a loop  44  attached to the stiffness panel  42 . By gripping the loop  44  when the stiffness panel  42  is inside the hamper  10 , a user may easily grasp the stiffness panel  42  to remove it from the hamper  10  in order to collapse the hamper  10  once again.  
         [0034]      FIG. 5  shows an alternative handle arrangement wherein the handles  30  are made from a strip of fabric and riveted to the front and rear sidewalls  12 ,  14 .  
         [0035]     Referring to  FIG. 9 , a second embodiment of the present invention comprises a laundry hamper  100  comprising a first bin  102  and a second bin  104 . The hamper  100  comprises a front sidewall  106 , a rear sidewall  108 , a right sidewall  110  and a left sidewall  112 . The sidewalls  106 - 112  preferably each comprise a cardboard or extruded polymer sheet covered by a wicker weave material on an exterior face and a fabric material on an interior face, as with the hamper  10 . The polymer sheet of the front sidewall  106  is vertically divided into two equal sized halves  114 ,  116  along a fold line  118  such that the front sidewall  106  is capable of being folded in half upon itself. The rear sidewall  108  is vertically divided into two equal sized halves  120 ,  122  along the intersection with the fold line  118  such that the rear sidewall  108  is capable of being folded in half upon itself also. Rather than dividing the sheet vertically, the sheets could be creased or otherwise segmented to allow the otherwise rigid sheet to fold upon a crease or segmentation line. A divider panel  124  is attached to the interior face of the front and rear sidewalls  106 ,  108  on or near the fold line  118 .  
         [0036]     Referring to the bottom perspective view of  FIG. 10 , the hamper  100  also comprises a flexible bottom portion  126 . The flexible bottom portion  126  is made from a sheet of fabric and is attached to the four sidewalls  106 - 112 . The bottom portion  126  further comprises two closures  128 ,  130 . The closures  128 ,  130  depicted are zippers, although other closures, such as snaps, buttons, hook and loop material, clasps or any other closure, can be used. The closures  128 ,  130  are arranged such that the bottom portion  126  can be divided diagonally along a length of the closure  128  from a point X near a center of the rear sidewall  108  to a point Y near the attachment of the right sidewall  110  to the front sidewall  106  and also diagonally along a length of the closure  130  from the point X near the center of the rear sidewall  108  to a point Z near the attachment of the left sidewall  112  to the front sidewall  106 .  
         [0037]     Referring to the bottom perspective view of  FIG. 11 , when the zippers that comprise the closures  128 ,  130  are not attached, the hamper  100  may be collapsed by urging the right and left sidewalls  110 ,  112  together. When doing so, the rectangular bins  102 ,  104  become shaped like an oblique-angled parallelogram, rather than the rectangular shape as in  FIG. 10 , with the unattached closures  128 ,  130  allowing for the increased distance between the corners A, B and the increased distance between the corners B, C of the parallelograms formed by the bins  102 ,  104 . Referring to  FIG. 12 , when the right and left sidewalls  110 ,  112  are brought completely together, the hamper  100  is collapsed entirely and requires only a fraction of the volume required when it is in the configuration of  FIG. 9 .  
         [0038]     To return the hamper  100  to the configuration of  FIG. 9 , the right and left sidewalls  110 ,  112  are separated from the position of  FIG. 12  to the position of  FIG. 9 . Next, closures  128 ,  130  are attached by, in the case of the embodiment of  FIGS. 9-13 , zipping the zippers. After the closures  128 ,  130  have been attached, the flexible bottom portion  126  and closures  128 ,  130  prevent the right and left sidewalls  110 ,  112  from approaching one another and allowing the bins  102 ,  104  to form the non-rectangular shape required for the right and left sidewalls  110 ,  112  to approach one another.  
         [0039]     Referring to  FIG. 13 , a lid  132  with a pair of overlapping attachment portions  134  are provided. The lid  132  is attached to the hamper  100  by an attachment  136 ,  136 ′, such as hook and loop material, fastened to the hamper and the overlapping attachment portions  134 .  
         [0040]     While it is described above that the hamper of  FIGS. 1-8  is a single bin hamper and the hamper of  FIGS. 9-13  is a double bin hamper, it will be readily appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the hamper of  FIGS. 1-8  could be a double or more bin hamper by merely altering its dimensions and using a flexible fabric divider and that the hamper of  FIGS. 9-13  could be implemented without a divider or with more than two dividers.  
         [0041]     Referring to  FIGS. 14-16 , a storage bin  200  is shown. The storage bin is similar in every respect to the laundry hamper of  FIGS. 1-8  except that the sidewall walls are shorter. The storage bin  200  may be used to store various items and may more easily fit in tight spaces when filled. The storage bin  200  may or may not have a lid attached, as with the hamper of  FIGS. 1-8 .  
         [0042]     Referring to  FIGS. 17-19 , an alternative storage bin  300  is shown. This storage bin  300  has a depth dimension D that is much larger than its width dimension W. It comprises a front rigid sidewall  302 , a rear rigid sidewall  304 , a right rigid sidewall  306  and a left rigid sidewall  308 . The sidewalls  302 - 308  are preferably a cloth covered polymer extruded sheet or cardboard panel. Attached to all four sidewalls  302 - 308  is a flexible fabric bottom  310 . The right and left sidewalls  306 ,  308  further comprise four equally sized panels  312 . Alternatively, the panels  312  may be attached to one another but defined by three equally spaced score lines. The panels  312  are pivotally attached by virtue of the panels being covered and attached by the cloth covering. At the attachment of each of the panels  312  are fold lines  318 . A stiffness panel  314  is placed against the fabric bottom  310  and prevents the storage bin  300  from collapsing, as described above with respect to the laundry hamper of  FIGS. 1-8 . The stiffness panel  314  also includes a loop  316  attached to the stiffness panel  314 . The bin  300  further includes handles  320  attached to the sidewalls  302 ,  304 .  
         [0043]     The stiffness panel  316  may be removed from the bin  300  in order to collapse the bin  300 . As seen in  FIG. 19 , once the stiffness panel  314  is removed, the front and rear sidewalls  302 ,  304  may be urged toward one another thereby causing the right and left sidewalls  306 ,  308  to bend along the fold lines  318 , as shown in  FIG. 19 , until the bin  300  is full collapsed as shown in  FIG. 20 . When the bin  300  is fully collapsed, it can be seen that the panels  312  from the right and left sidewalls  306 ,  308  overlap one another by a length L.  
         [0044]     In view of the above, it will be seen that several advantages of the present invention have been achieved and other advantageous results have been obtained.
Disclosed are rigid-walled collapsible bins having first, second, third and fourth rigid walls attached to form an open-ended rectangular box. The first and third rigid walls are opposite one another and the second and fourth rigid walls are opposite one another. The open ends define a top end and a bottom end of the box. A flexible material is attached over the bottom end of the open-ended rectangular box. The first and third rigid walls are inwardly bendable generally along a fold line such that, when bent, the second and fourth walls approach one another. A removable stiffness panel has outer dimensions substantially equal to the inner dimensions of the rectangular box when the stiffness panel is placed in a plane parallel to the plane of the bottom end of the rectangular box.