Wrinkle reducing garment enclosure

Abstract

A garment enclosure is disclosed having top and bottom panels, first and second side panels, and first and second end panels. The enclosure has a longitudinal axis and an unfolded length. First and second cylindrical members are connected to the top panel and oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. First and second extensible panels are connected to the bottom panel at locations adjacent respective first and second cylindrical members. The extensible panels are extensible in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the garment enclosure. The extensible panels are not connected to the first and second side panels, so that when a garment is placed within the enclosure and the enclosure is folded about the first and second cylindrical members, the extensible panels extend longitudinally to prevent binding of the garment at the fold points. The elimination of binding substantially eliminates wrinkling of the garment. A method of using the garment enclosure is also disclosed.

1 . A wrinkle-reducing garment enclosure system, comprising:
 first and second side panels and top and bottom panels connected together to form a garment enclosure having an unfolded length and a longitudinal axis;   a first cylindrical member connected to the top panel, the cylindrical member disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the enclosure;   a first extensible panel connected to the bottom panel, the extensible panel disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the enclosure and adjacent to the cylindrical member, the extensible panel being extensible in a first direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the garment enclosure;   wherein when a garment is placed within the garment enclosure and the garment enclosure is folded about the cylindrical member the extensible panel extends in the first direction.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second cylindrical member connected to the top wall, the second cylindrical member disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the garment enclosure; and   a second extensible panel connected to the bottom wall, the second extensible panel oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the garment enclosure, the second extensible panel being extensible in a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the garment enclosure;   wherein the first and second cylindrical members are substantially flexible.   
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first cylindrical member is positioned at a distance from the second cylindrical member so that when a first end of the garment enclosure is folded about the first cylindrical member and a second end of the garment enclosure is folded about the second flexible cylindrical member, the folded garment enclosure has a folded length that is approximately one third the unfolded length. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first extensible panel is connected to the bottom panel along first and second seams oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the enclosure, and the first extensible panel is not directly connected to the first and second side panels. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second side panels comprises a closure member to enable access to an interior space of the garment enclosure when the closure member is in the opened configuration. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the closure member comprises a zipper. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first extensible panel has an extensibility of about 0.125 inches per 10 pounds of tensile force applied. 
   
   
       8 . A garment enclosure, comprising:
 first and second side panels and top and bottom panels connected together to form a garment enclosure having an unfolded length and a longitudinal axis;   the garment enclosure further having first and second flexible cylindrical members connected to the top wall, the flexible cylindrical members oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the enclosure;   first and second extensible panels connected to the bottom wall, the first and second extensible panels oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the enclosure, the first and second extensible panels disposed adjacent to respective ones of the first and second flexible cylindrical members, the first and second extensible panels being extensible in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the enclosure.   
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first flexible cylindrical member is positioned at a distance from the second flexible cylindrical member so that when a first end of the garment enclosure is folded about the flexible cylindrical member and a second end of the garment enclosure is folded about the second flexible cylindrical member, the folded garment enclosure has a folded length that is approximately one third the unfolded length. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second extensible panel members are connected to the bottom panel along seams oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the enclosure, and the first and second extensible panel members are not directly connected to the first and second side panels. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the top and bottom panels comprises a closure member to enable access to an interior space of the garment enclosure when the closure member is in the opened configuration. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the closure member comprises a zipper. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second extensible panel members have an extensibility of about 0.125 inches per 10 pounds of tensile force applied. 
   
   
       14 . A method for packing a garment in an enclosure to minimize wrinkling, comprising:
 providing a garment enclosure comprising:
 top and bottom panels, the garment enclosure having an unfolded length and a longitudinal axis; 
 first and second flexible cylindrical members connected to the top wall, the flexible cylindrical members oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the enclosure; 
 first and second extensible panels connected to the bottom wall, the extensible panels oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the enclosure, the first and second extensible panels disposed adjacent to respective ones of the first and second flexible cylindrical members, the first and second extensible panels being extensible in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the enclosure; 
   disposing a garment within the enclosure; and   folding the garment enclosure about the first and second flexible cylindrical members;   wherein the folding step causes each of the extensible panels to extend.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the garment enclosure further has first and second side panels connected to the top and bottom panels along respective seams, the first and second flexible panel members are connected to the bottom panel along seams oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the enclosure, and the first and second extensible panels are not connected to the first and second side panels. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the top and bottom panels comprises a closure member to allow access to an interior space of the garment enclosure when the closure member is in the opened configuration. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the closure member comprises a zipper. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second extensible panels have an extensibility of about 0.125 inches per 10 pounds of tensile force applied. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising disposing the garment enclosure within a suitcase or garment bag. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second extensible panels are substantially inextensible in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the garment enclosure.