Nestable hamper with multi-segmented lid

Abstract

A nestable hamper has a multi-segmented lid. The body of the hamper includes a wire frame with a fabric material stretched across the frame to form the bottom and side surfaces of the hamper. The hamper has a narrower base and a wider top, thereby allowing multiple instances of the hamper to be vertically stacked, with each hamper being nested within the similarly-constructed hamper immediately below. A flexible periphery of the lid permits the lid to be insertable through a top opening of the hamper that is smaller in dimension that that of the lid, enabling the lid to rest adjacent a back interior surface of the hamper, thereby permitting multiple instances of the hamper to be stacked and nested compactly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable laundry storage container, multiple instances of which are stackable in nested fashion relative to each other, comprising:
 a body having an exterior surface, an interior surface, and an opening having a perimeter;   a lid pivotably coupled to body, the lid being sized and positioned to overly and completely cover the opening when the lid is in a closed position;   a first strengthening member having a perimeter and operably coupled to the lid, the first strengthening member being smaller than and positionable through the opening;   the lid having a peripheral region extending outwardly beyond at least a portion of the perimeter of the first strengthening member and being bendable relative to an adjacent region of the lid, at least a portion of the peripheral region extending beyond the perimeter of the opening when the lid is in the closed position;   at least a portion of the lid being insertable through the opening of the body and positionable adjacent the interior surface of the body only upon bending at least a portion of the peripheral region of the lid towards the first strengthening member.   
     
     
         2 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the lid further includes a second strengthening member having a perimeter and being operably coupled to the lid, the first strengthening member being associated with a first segment of the lid, the second strengthening member being associated with a second segment of the lid, the second segment of the lid being movable relative to the first segment of the lid. 
     
     
         3 . The invention according to  claim 2 , wherein the peripheral region further extends beyond a portion of the perimeter of the second strengthening member, at least a portion of the peripheral region extending outwardly beyond at least a portion of the perimeter of the second strengthening member. 
     
     
         4 . The invention according to  claim 2 , wherein the first segment completely overlies and covers the opening of the body when the lid is in the closed position. 
     
     
         5 . The invention according to  claim 2 , wherein the second segment comprises a front flap of the lid, the second segment being positionable adjacent an outer front surface of the body when the lid is in the closed position. 
     
     
         6 . The invention according to  claim 3 , wherein the first segment and the second segment are both insertable through the opening of the body and positionable adjacent the interior surface of the body upon bending at least a first portion of the peripheral region of the lid towards the first strengthening member and upon further bending a second portion of the peripheral region of the lid towards the second strengthening member. 
     
     
         7 . The invention according to  claim 2 , wherein the first segment and the second segment are both insertable through the opening of the body and positionable adjacent the interior surface of the body upon bending at least a portion of the peripheral region of the lid towards the second strengthening member. 
     
     
         8 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the body is substantially rectangular in cross-section and has a rear inner surface, at least a portion of the lid being positionable adjacent the rear inner surface of the body. 
     
     
         9 . The invention according to  claim 2 , wherein the body is substantially rectangular in cross-section and has a rear inner surface, the first segment of the lid and the second segment of the lid both being insertable through the opening of the body and positionable adjacent the rear inner surface of the body. 
     
     
         10 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the first strengthening member is disposed within an interior of the lid. 
     
     
         11 . The invention according to  claim 2 , wherein the second strengthening member is disposed within an interior of the lid. 
     
     
         12 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a bottom surface smaller in dimension than the opening, and wherein the body tapers progressively in size from the opening to the bottom surface. 
     
     
         13 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a frame over which a fabric material is stretched. 
     
     
         14 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the lid comprises a fabric material. 
     
     
         15 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the lid is hingedly coupled to a rear panel of the body. 
     
     
         16 . The invention according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one handle operably coupled to the body.