Laundry sock/garment snare

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing laundry devices fail to efficiently and effectively hold and separate multiple pairs of socks, caps, gloves, and other lightweight clothing items during washing and drying, especially when laundering multiple individuals' clothing together, leading to loss and mismatch issues.

Innovation Solution

A garment snare constructed from cording with secure ends and intermediate stoppers, allowing for adjustable loading regions with cordlock fasteners or serrated jaw clamps to securely hold items in an elongated or looped configuration, either standalone or attached to a laundry device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a fixed-dimension laundry device is used to hold socks and lightweight clothing items, then the device structure is simple, but the device cannot be adequately adjusted when a large number of socks are to be washed or when only one or a few pairs of lightweight socks are to be washed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustability of sock holding deviceVSAvoidstructure complexity of laundry device

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the cord length adjustable rather than fixed. The cord can be extended or shortened to accommodate different numbers of socks and different washing scenarios, transforming a static structure into a dynamic one that adapts to varying needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides the sock holding device into modular components: multiple cords that can be individually adjusted, a separate cordlock fastener mechanism, and distinct loading regions. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and combined in flexible configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If a significant area of socks and lightweight clothing items is enclosed by the device to hold them securely, then the holding security is improved, but the effectiveness in washing and drying the enclosed garments is minimized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveholding security of garmentsVSAvoidwashing and drying effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The device divides garments into separate loading regions along the cord, with each region holding individual items or small groups of items. This segmentation prevents overcrowding and ensures that water and air can circulate effectively around each item while maintaining secure holding through the distributed cordlock fasteners.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cordlock fasteners are positioned at specific intervals along the cord, creating localized securing points rather than enclosing the entire load. This allows different parts of the garment to have different degrees of freedom - secured at critical points but exposed for washing and drying effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If multiple pairs of socks are cinched together tightly using a cordlock fastener to hold them securely, then the holding security is improved, but the socks fail to get adequately cleaned and dried

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveholding security of multiple socksVSAvoidcleaning and drying effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of cinching multiple socks into a single tight bundle, the device creates multiple separate loading regions along the cord, each holding a small number of socks. The cordlock fasteners are distributed at intervals, securing socks in separate locations rather than compressing them all together, which maintains washing and drying effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of operation

If clothing items are held together in a compact configuration to save space, then the device portability is improved, but the items become tangled and mismatched during laundering

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice portability and storageVSAvoidprevention of tangling and mismatching

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The device maintains segmentation of clothing items into separate loading regions even when collapsed for storage. The cord structure and distributed cordlock fasteners keep items separated in a linear arrangement, preventing tangling. When portable needs arise, the entire cord can be coiled or folded compactly while maintaining the separated configuration of items.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The device performs preliminary separation of clothing items into distinct loading regions before laundering begins. This preliminary organization prevents tangling and mismatching during the washing process, and the same separated structure can be collapsed into a compact form for portable storage without causing items to become entangled.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10501886B2Laundry sock/garment snare

Publication Date: 2019.12.10 LAUNDRY LOOPS

AI summary

A laundry holding snare device for holding multiple clothing items, particularly clothing items without full openings, is provided. The snare device can include two cord sections secured together at at least one end by an end stopper. The two cord sections can also be secured together at various locations along the length of the snare by intermediate stoppers in order to create several loading regions. Within the loading regions and attached to the cord sections can be a cordlock fastener that can be used to secure the clothing items between the cord sections at each loading region. The snare device can be configured for use as a stand-alone laundry device and the snare device can be configured for use with a laundry strap holder.