Laundry hampers with accessible front loading regions

Abstract

Laundry hampers are disclosed that are front loading, in that they permit removal and replacement of individual laundry bags without requiring the bags to be raised significantly in order to remove the laundry bags from a supporting frame. Removable laundry bags are supported, at least in part, by support members, such as front vertical posts having cupped or saddle-shaped supports disposed atop the vertical posts. As a result, the requirement for a top front horizontal bar of the frame is eliminated, permitting the laundry bags to be removed and replaced in position using a substantially horizontal direction of movement. This, in turn, provides ergonomic benefit, as significantly less physical effort is required to both remove and replace the laundry bags.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A garment storage hamper, comprising:
 a frame having a top side having a top opening, a bottom side, a rear side, a left side, a right side, and a front side, a first outer support member disposed at the left side of the frame, a second outer support member disposed at the right side of the frame, and at least one front opening disposed between the first outer support member and the second outer support member and extending through the front side of the frame; and   at least one laundry bag removably supported by the frame, each of the first and second outer support members supporting a portion of at least one laundry bag;   wherein the frame does not include a top front horizontal support member extending from the first outer support member to the second outer support member across the front side of the frame and proximate the top side of the frame, thereby permitting at least one laundry bag to be pulled outward through the front side of the frame through a front opening of the frame and without requiring the at least one first laundry bag to be removed by raising the at least one laundry bag through the top opening of the frame.   
     
     
         2 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the frame includes a first inner support member disposed between the first outer support member and the second outer support member, and at least two front openings disposed between the first outer support member and the second outer support member and extending through the front side of the frame, including first and second front openings disposed on opposing sides of the first inner support member; and   at least two laundry bags are removably supported by the frame, each of the first and second outer support members supporting a portion of a laundry bag, the first inner support member supporting a first laundry bag on a first side of the first inner support member and a second laundry bag on a second, opposing side of the first inner support member;   wherein the frame does not include a top front horizontal support member extending from the first outer support member to the second outer support member across the front side of the frame and proximate the top side of the frame, the frame does not include a top front horizontal support member extending from the first outer support member to the first inner support member across the front side of the frame and proximate the top side of the frame, and the frame does not include a top front horizontal support member extending from the first inner support member to the second outer support member across the front side of the frame and proximate the top side of the frame, thereby permitting both the first laundry bag and the second laundry bag to be pulled outward through the front side of the frame through respective front openings without requiring either the first laundry bag or the second laundry bag to be removed by raising either the first laundry bag or the second laundry bag through the top opening of the frame.   
     
     
         3 . The invention according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the frame further includes a second inner support member disposed between the first inner support member and the second outer support member,   the at least two laundry bags comprise at least three laundry bags; and   the second inner support member supporting the second laundry bag on a first side of the second inner support member and a third laundry bag on a second, opposing side of the second inner support member,   wherein the frame does not include a top front horizontal support member extending from the first outer support member to the second inner support member across the front side of the frame and proximate the top side of the frame, the frame does not include a top front horizontal support member extending from the first inner support member to the second inner support member across the front side of the frame and proximate the top side of the frame, and the frame does not include a top front horizontal support member extending from the second inner support member to the second outer support member across the front side of the frame and proximate the top side of the frame, thereby permitting the first, second and third laundry bags to be pulled outward through the front side of the frame through respective front openings without requiring the first, second or third laundry bag to be removed by raising the first, second or third laundry bag through the top opening of the frame.   
     
     
         4 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the support members comprises a vertically oriented post. 
     
     
         5 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first outer support member and the second outer support member further includes at least one depression configured to support and releasably retain at least a portion of an associated laundry bag. 
     
     
         6 . The invention according to  claim 5 , at least one laundry bag includes a handle, and the at least one depression is configured to support and releasably retain at least a portion of the handle of the laundry bag. 
     
     
         7 . The invention according to  claim 5 , wherein at least one laundry bag includes a hook, and the at least one depression is configured to support and releasably retain the hook of the laundry bag. 
     
     
         8 . The invention according to  claim 2 , wherein the first inner support member further includes at least two depressions, each depression being configured to releasably retain at least a portion of a separate associated laundry bag. 
     
     
         9 . The invention according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first outer support member, second outer support member, and first inner support member further includes a saddle-shaped member. 
     
     
         10 . The invention according to  claim 9 , wherein the saddle-shaped member includes at least one depression configured to releasably retain at least a portion of an associated laundry bag. 
     
     
         11 . The invention according to  claim 9 , wherein the saddle-shaped member includes at least two depressions, each configured to releasably retain at least a portion of an associated laundry bag. 
     
     
         12 . A garment storage hamper, comprising:
 a support structure having a top side having a top opening, and a front side, a first outer support member disposed at a one side of the support structure, a second outer support member disposed at another side of the support structure, and at least one front opening disposed between the first outer support member and the second outer support member and extending through the front side of the support structure; and   at least one laundry bag removably supported by the support structure, each of the first and second outer support members supporting a portion of at least one laundry bag;   wherein the support structure does not include a top front horizontal support member extending from the first outer support member to the second outer support member across the front side of the support structure and proximate the top side of the support structure, thereby permitting at least one laundry bag to be pulled outward through the front side of the support structure through a front opening of the support structure and without requiring the at least one first laundry bag to be removed by raising the at least one laundry bag through the top opening of the support structure.   
     
     
         13 . The invention according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the support structure includes a first inner support member disposed between the first outer support member and the second outer support member, and at least two front openings disposed between the first outer support member and the second outer support member and extending through the front side of the support structure, including first and second front openings disposed on opposing sides of the first inner support member; and   at least two laundry bags are removably supported by the support structure, each of the first and second outer support members supporting a portion of a laundry bag, the first inner support member supporting a first laundry bag on a first side of the first inner support member and a second laundry bag on a second, opposing side of the first inner support member;   wherein the support structure does not include a top front horizontal support member extending from the first outer support member to the second outer support member across the front side of the support structure and proximate the top side of the support structure, the support structure does not include a top front horizontal support member extending from the first outer support member to the first inner support member across the front side of the support structure and proximate the top side of the support structure, and the support structure does not include a top front horizontal support member extending from the first inner support member to the second outer support member across the front side of the support structure and proximate the top side of the support structure, thereby permitting both the first laundry bag and the second laundry bag to be pulled outward through the front side of the support structure through respective front openings without requiring either the first laundry bag or the second laundry bag to be removed by raising either the first laundry bag or the second laundry bag through the top opening of the support structure.   
     
     
         14 . The invention according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the support structure further includes a second inner support member disposed between the first inner support member and the second outer support member,   the at least two laundry bags comprise at least three laundry bags; and   the second inner support member supporting the second laundry bag on a first side of the second inner support member and a third laundry bag on a second, opposing side of the second inner support member,   wherein the support structure does not include a top front horizontal support member extending from the first outer support member to the second inner support member across the front side of the support structure and proximate the top side of the support structure, the support structure does not include a top front horizontal support member extending from the first inner support member to the second inner support member across the front side of the support structure and proximate the top side of the support structure, and the support structure does not include a top front horizontal support member extending from the second inner support member to the second outer support member across the front side of the support structure and proximate the top side of the support structure, thereby permitting the first, second and third laundry bags to be pulled outward through the front side of the support structure through respective front openings without requiring the first, second or third laundry bag to be removed by raising the first, second or third laundry bag through the top opening of the support structure.   
     
     
         15 . The invention according to  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the support members comprises a vertically oriented post. 
     
     
         16 . The invention according to  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first outer support member and the second outer support member further includes at least one depression configured to support and releasably retain at least a portion of an associated laundry bag. 
     
     
         17 . The invention according to  claim 12 , wherein at least one laundry bag includes a handle, and the at least one depression is configured to support and releasably retain at least a portion of the handle of the laundry bag. 
     
     
         18 . The invention according to  claim 16 , wherein at least one laundry bag includes a hook, and the at least one depression is configured to support and releasably retain the hook of the laundry bag. 
     
     
         19 . The invention according to  claim 12 , wherein the first inner support member further includes at least two depressions, each depression being configured to releasably retain at least a portion of a separate associated laundry bag. 
     
     
         20 . The invention according to  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first outer support member, second outer support member, and first inner support member further includes a saddle-shaped member.