Forming, packaging, storing, displaying, and selling clothing articles

• US 6,021,626 A
• Filed: 07/31/1997
• Issued: 02/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Goodvest Corporation
• Original Assignee: Goodvest Corporation
• Inventors: Goodman, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moon, Daniel B.
• Application Number:
  US08/904,317
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 206/278, 206/457, 206/524.8, 53/436, 53/430, 53/438, 53/429, 53/442, 53/449
• US Class Current: 53/438
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 25/20 Packaging garments, e.g. socks, stockings, shirts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 17/00 Rigid or semi-rigid containers specially constructed to be opened by cutting or piercing, or by tearing of frangible members or portions containers made of paper B65D3/00, B65D5/00; frangible inner closure members associated with caps, lids or covers B65D51/20
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/18 for wearing apparel, headwear or footwear
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00

Abstract

Clothing apparel is vended by forming the clothing apparel into a compact shape, inserting the clothing apparel and a container, and vending the clothing material and container from a standard beverage vending machine.

Claims

1. A method for packaging and vending clothing apparel, comprising:

forming the clothing apparel into a compact shape;

inserting the clothing apparel into a cylindrical container; and

vending the clothing apparel and container from a vending machine.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical container is of a size and shape to house approximately twelve fluid ounces.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical container is of a size and shape to house approximately twelve fluid ounces and has a removable top.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical container is of a size and shape to house approximately twelve fluid ounces, and the vending machine includes a purchase card processor, and the vending step includes making the clothing apparel and container available in response to processing a purchase card.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the clothing apparel includes a visored cap.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the clothing apparel includes a visored cap and wherein the forming step includes forming the visored cap into a rolled shape.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical container is of a size and shape to house approximately twelve fluid ounces, wherein the clothing apparel includes a visored cap, and wherein the forming step includes forming the visored cap into a rolled shape.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical container is of a size and shape to house approximately sixteen fluid ounces, wherein the clothing apparel includes a visored cap, and wherein the forming step includes forming the visored cap into a rolled shape.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the container is made of a material including steel.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the container includes a pull ring top.

11. The method of claim 1 including prepackaging the clothing apparel before inserting the clothing apparel into the container.

12. The method of claim 1 including prepackaging the clothing apparel before inserting the clothing apparel into the container by shrink wrapping the clothing apparel.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the clothing apparel includes a visored cap, wherein the forming step includes forming the visored cap into a rolled shape, and including inserting another article into the container in addition to the rolled visored cap.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the clothing apparel includes a visored cap having a visor and a rear strap diametrically opposite the visor, and the forming includes moving the strap to extend forward of the visor and forming the visored cap into a rolled shape.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the clothing apparel includes a visored cap having a visor and a rear strap diametrically opposite the visor, wherein the forming includes moving the strap to extend forward of the visor and forming the visored cap into a rolled shape, and wherein the inserting includes inserting the rolled visored cap into the container with the strap end facing out of an openable end of the container.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the clothing apparel includes a visored cap having a visor with a front edge and a rear edge, a crown having a front portion, a center, and a rear portion;

and wherein the forming includes moving the front portion of the crown to a backward position behind the visor, making a laterally extending fold area in the crown halfway between the center of the crown and the rear edge of the visor, moving the center of the crown to a forward position over the visor of the cap, making a laterally extending fold area at the center of the crown, and subsequently rolling the visored cap into a rolled shape.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the clothing apparel includes a visored cap having a visor with a front edge and a rear edge, a crown having a front portion, a center, and a rear portion;

and wherein the forming includes moving the front portion of the crown over the visor, making a laterally extending fold area between the front portion of the crown and the rear edge of the visor, making a laterally extending fold area in the crown halfway between the center of the crown and the rear edge of the visor, and rolling the visored cap into a rolled shape.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the container is a can and the forming step includes highly compressing the clothing apparel into the cylindrical shape of the can.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the container is a steel can and the forming step includes highly compressing the clothing apparel into the cylindrical shape of the can.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the container is an aluminum can and the forming step includes highly compressing the clothing apparel into the cylindrical shape of the can.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein clothing apparel is a T-shirt, the container is a can and the forming step includes highly compressing the clothing apparel into the cylindrical shape of the can.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the vending machine is located at a movie theater.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the vending machine is located at a restaurant.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the vending machine is located at a hotel.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the vending machine is located at a stadium.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the vending machine is located at an airport.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein the vending machine is located at a train station.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the vending machine is located at a shopping mall.