Totable container with enhanced capacity lid

Abstract

A container includes a body having an interior and a lid hingedly coupled to and circumscribing a top opening of the body. When the lid is in its open configuration, the capacity of its interior is enhanced by the area above the top opening circumscribed by the lid. The lid includes front, rear, left and right panels. Handles are coupled to the front and rear panels of the lid. The left and right panels of the lid both include a plurality of triangular articulating regions. Drawing the handles of the lid together causes the triangular articulating regions to transition from a coplanar configuration to a folded configuration, draws the front and rear panels of the lid together, and causes the lid to transition from the open to a closed configuration. The relative dimensions of the container may in the form of a hamper, basket, bin or tote.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container for the storage and transporting of laundry, comprising:
 a body having a top opening and an interior having a storage capacity;   a lid substantially circumscribing the top opening, the lid having a height, an open configuration, a closed configuration, a first lid handle, and a second lid handle;   the height of the lid adding to the storage capacity of the body when the lid is in the open configuration; and   the lid transitioning from the open configuration to the closed configuration upon drawing at least one of the first lid handle and the second lid handle towards the other of the first lid handle and the second lid handle.   
     
     
         2 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the lid transitions from the closed configuration to the open configuration upon drawing at least one of the first lid handle and the second lid handle away from the other of the first lid handle and the second lid handle. 
     
     
         3 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein lid comprises a front lid panel and a rear lid panel, both the front lid panel and the rear lid panel being hingedly coupled to a portion of the body of the container. 
     
     
         4 . The invention according to  claim 3 , wherein the first lid handle is operably coupled to the front lid panel and the second lid handle is operable coupled to the rear lid panel. 
     
     
         5 . The invention according to  claim 3 , wherein the first lid handle is integrally formed with the front lid panel and the second lid handle is integrally formed with the rear lid panel. 
     
     
         6 . The invention according to  claim 3 , wherein the lid further comprises a left lid panel and a right lid panel, at least one of the left lid panel and the right lid panel being hingedly coupled to a portion of the body of the container. 
     
     
         7 . The invention according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the left lid panel and the right lid panel comprises a plurality of articulating regions. 
     
     
         8 . The invention according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the left lid panel and the right lid panel comprises a plurality of substantially triangular articulating regions. 
     
     
         9 . The invention according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the left lid panel and the right lid panel comprises four substantially triangular articulating regions. 
     
     
         10 . The invention according to  claim 8 , wherein each of the substantially triangular articulating regions is hingedly coupled to at least one adjacent substantially triangular articulating region. 
     
     
         11 . The invention according to  claim 9 , wherein the four substantially triangular articulating regions include a first substantially triangular articulating region hingedly coupled to a second substantially triangular articulating region, and a third substantially triangular articulating region hingedly coupled to a fourth substantially triangular articulating region. 
     
     
         12 . The invention according to  claim 11 , wherein the second and third substantially triangular articulating regions are hingedly coupled to each other. 
     
     
         13 . The invention according to  claim 8 , wherein the substantially triangular articulating regions are substantially coplanar when the lid is in the open configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The invention according to  claim 11 , wherein the first substantially triangular articulating region folds towards the second substantially triangular articulating region and the third substantially triangular articulating region folds towards the fourth substantially triangular articulating region as the lid transitions from the open configuration to the closed configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the body and the lid is constructed of a fabric material. 
     
     
         16 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the container further comprises a frame. 
     
     
         17 . The invention according to  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the frame is constructed of a wire material. 
     
     
         18 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is a hamper. 
     
     
         19 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is a basket. 
     
     
         20 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is a tote. 
     
     
         21 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the lid is inverted frusto-square pyramidal in shape.