Handbag with changeable outer component

Abstract

A handbag including a body defining an interior region for carrying various articles, a strap extending from the body and a closure flap or lid removably connected to one side wall of the handbag body, extending in a closing manner over the opening in the handbag body and extending further along and over the opposite side wall of the handbag body in a manner covering the side wall. When the handbag is carried on the arm of a user by means of the strap, the surface of the closure flap or lid covering the bag side wall is exposed to view by others. The closure flap or lid can be disconnected from the one side wall, inverted and reconnected to the one side wall to exposure the opposite surface to view. Thus, variations in appearance of the handbag can be provided by different colors, designs, textures and/or materials on opposite surfaces of the closure lid or flap.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

Applicant claims priority based on Provisional Application No. 60/650,444 filed Feb. 4, 2005 entitled “Handbag With Changeable Outer Component”, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Handbags are used by persons to transport a variety of items such as wallets, cosmetics, keys, eyeglasses and the like. Handbags are available in a wide variety of styles, shapes, designs, colors and materials. Persons desire handbags having different outer appearances for use with different outfits and for use in different situations. This, in turn, can give rise to several issues creating a need for improvement. One is the cost of maintaining a large number of handbags dictated by a number of different outfits, occasions and situations. Another is the consumption of time and risk of misplacing or losing items when transferring them from one handbag to another.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a handbag which allows the user to change the handbag's outer appearance. This capability should be provided in a manner which is easy for the user to perform and which does not compromise secure closing of the handbag to protect its contents and ease of opening the handbag during use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises a handbag including a body defining an interior region for carrying various articles, a strap extending from the body and a closure flap or lid removably connected to one side wall of the handbag body, extending in a closing manner over the opening in the handbag body and extending further along and over the opposite side wall of the handbag body in a manner covering the side wall. When the handbag is carried on the arm of a user by means of the strap, the surface of the closure flap or lid covering the bag side wall is exposed to view by others. The closure flap or lid can be disconnected from the one side wall, inverted and reconnected to the one side wall to expose the opposite surface to view. Thus, variations in appearance of the handbag can be provided by different colors, designs, textures and/or materials on opposite surfaces of the closure lid or flap.

The following detailed description of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, is in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a handbag according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the handbag of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of one end of the handbag of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the opposite end of the handbag of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the handbag of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the handbag of FIG. 1 with the closure flap or lid removed;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the handbag of FIG. 1 with the closure flap or lid removed.

FIG. 8 is a rear elevational view of the handbag of FIG. 1 with the closure flap or lid removed;

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of the handbag of FIG. 1 with the closure flap or lid inverted to give the handbag a different outer appearance;

FIG. 10 is a rear elevational view of the handbag of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an elevational view of one side of the closure flap or lid removed from the handbag of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 12 is an elevational view of the opposite side of the closure flap or lid shown in FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The handbag of the invention is generally designated 10 in FIGS. 1-4. It includes a substantially rectangular shaped body 12 with a strap 14 extending therefrom. While the illustrative handbag 10 is shown in generally rectangular shape, the body 12 can have other shapes as well.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the handbag body 12 comprises a bottom wall or base 20, a first end wall 22 extending therefrom and terminating in an edge 24, a second or opposite end wall 26 also extending from bottom wall 20 and terminating in an edge 28, a first or front side wall 30 extending from bottom 20 and terminating in an edge 32 and a second or rear side wall 34 extending from bottom 20 and terminating in an edge 36. By front is meant the side of handbag 10 exposed to view by others when the handbag is worn on the user's arm. The spaced-apart end walls 22, 26 and spaced-apart side walls 30, 34 define with bottom wall 20 the interior of the handbag in which various items are carried. Access to the interior of handbag 10 is through the opening outlined by the end wall edges 24, 28 and side wall edges 32, 36. Strap 14 is joined such as by sewing at its opposite ends to end walls 22 and 26 adjacent edges 24 and 28, respectively. While cloth material for handbag body 12 and strap 14 is shown in the present illustration, other materials can be employed.

The interior of handbag 10 can include a number of different types and arrangements of pockets and compartments, depending on the desired style of the handbag. In the illustrative handbag 10 there is provided a central, double wall divider 40 extending between end walls 22, 26 and providing the additional function of a pocket closed by a zipper 42. Divider 40 and the side walls 30, 34 define therebetween two separate regions or compartments of the handbag interior. On the inner surface of either or both side walls 30, 34 a pocket (not shown) with zipper closure or the like can be provided. Also, exterior, open top pockets 44, 46 can be provided on the outer surface of front wall 30, and an exterior, open top pocket 48 can be provided on one of the end walls, for example end wall 22. The foregoing description of the interior of handbag 10 and external pockets is merely by way of example and illustration. Many other structural arrangements can be provided.

In accordance with the invention, handbag 10 includes a reversible closure lid or flap 50 which provides the ability to change the outer appearance of handbag 10. Flap 50 extends from rear side wall 34 in the neighborhood of edge 36 over the opening of the handbag interior and then along and over the front side wall 30. Flap 50 can be held against front side wall 30, for purposes of enhancing both closure of the handbag and appearance, by a weight 52 being located in flap 50 near the edge thereof. The closure flap or lid 50 has opposite surfaces 56 and 58, and in the position of flap 50 shown in FIGS. 1-8 surface 56 is exposed to view. As shown in FIG. 1, flap 50 on the outer or exposed surface 56 thereof is one color, in particular white, thereby giving handbag 10 predominantly the appearance of a white or light-colored handbag. Flap 50 can be removed, in a manner which will be described, inverted and re-attached to expose the opposite surface 58 and present a black or dark color for handbag 10 as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9.

In the illustrative handbag shown, flap 50 is provided with different colors on the opposite surfaces 56, 58 thereof. Alternatively, flap 50 could be provided with different patterns or designs on the opposite surfaces. Also, one surface can have a certain color and the other surface can have a design. Furthermore, the surfaces can have different materials, for example suede on one surface and cloth on the other. Thus, a large number of variations in appearance are possible.

Considering the changeable closure flap or lid 50 in more detail, it is removably attached or connected to rear side wall 34 by a pair of fasteners and preferably at the location near the edge 36 of wall 34. In the illustrative handbag shown, the fasteners each can comprise a bar or tab 60 extending from a stub or shaft rotatably joined to wall 34 and extending outwardly therefrom and an eyelet 62 provided in flap 50. Eyelet 62 is elongated and sized to receive tab 60 in one rotational position thereof and to abut an edge of tab 60 in another rotational position thereof. Such manually-operated tab/eyelet fasteners are readily commercially available and well-known. Other types of fasteners can of course be employed.

The closure lid or flap 50 is shown in further detail in FIGS. 10 and 11. It is generally rectangular in shape having a pair of side edges 70 and 72 which are joined by a pair of end edges 74 and 76. Eyelets 62 are located near the one edge 74. The opposite edge 76 is slightly longer than edge 74 whereby side edges 70 and 72 flare slightly outwardly in a direction from edge 74 to edge 76 to conform to the overall shape of handbag 10. Flap 50 thus is of a size and configuration such that when attached to rear wall 34 it extends over the opening in handbag 10 and covers the front wall 30. In the illustrative handbag shown, flap 50 is formed by two sheets of cloth material, in this example one white and the other black, sewn together around the periphery of the combination.

The weight 52 can comprise a metal strip or rod and can be held between the layers of cloth or other material comprising flap 50 at a location near or adjacent edge 76. Other arrangements for weighting the flap 50 can of course be employed.

It is therefore apparent that the invention accomplishes its intended objectives. Handbag 10 has the capability of allowing the user to change its outer appearance simply by the convenient inverting of the closure flap or lid 50. This capability is provided in a manner which is easy for the user to perform. Closure flap or lid 50 is removably connected to the handbag rear wall 34 by a pair of fasteners which are easy to manipulate. This capability of changing the handbag outer appearance does not compromise secure closing of the handbag to protect its contents and ease of wearing the handbag during use. Closure flap or lid 50 extends over the entire region of the opening to the handbag interior and then depends downwardly to the bottom of the handbag along the outer wall. Maintaining this closed condition can be enhanced by providing a weight along the lower edge at closure flap or lid 50. Opening of handbag 10 is facilitated by the lightweight and flexible nature of the material of closure lid or flap 50.

While an embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, that has been done for the purpose of illustration, not limitation.

Claims

1. A handbag comprising:

a) a body defined by a base, a first sidewall extending from the base and terminating in an edge, a second sidewall extending from the base and terminating in an edge, and a pair of endwalls each extending from the base and each joined to the respective sidewalls and each terminating in an edge, the body having an interior region and an opening circumscribed by the edges of the sidewalls and endwalls;

b) the first sidewall having an outer surface;

c) a flexible flap releasably connected to the second sidewall and extending over the edge of the second sidewall and extending across the opening and extending over the edge of the first sidewall and extending along and over the outer surface of the first sidewall, the flap being of a size sufficient to cover substantially the entire opening and to cover substantially the entire outer surface of the first sidewall; and

d) the flap having opposite outer surfaces having different visual appearances;

e) so that one outer surface of the flap gives the handbag a particular visual appearance and when the flap is disconnected from the second sidewall, inverted, reconnected to the second sidewall and extended over the opening and over the outer surface of the first sidewall the opposite outer surface of the flap gives the handbag a different visual appearance.

2. A handbag according to claim 1, further including a strap extending from the body so that the handbag can be worn on the arm of a user.

3. A handbag according to claim 1, further including a weight incorporated in the flap to enhance positioning of the flap closely against the outer surface of the first sidewall.

4. A handbag according to claim 1, wherein the opposite outer surfaces of the flap are of different color.

5. A handbag according to claim 1, wherein the opposite outer surfaces of the flap have different designs thereon.

6. A handbag according to claim 1, wherein the opposite outer surfaces of the flap have different textures.

7. A handbag according to claim 1, wherein the opposite outer surfaces of the flap are of different material.

8. A handbag according to claim 1, wherein the flap is releasably connected to the second sidewall by at least one manually operable fastener.

9. A handbag according to claim 1, wherein the flap is releasably connected to the second sidewall by a pair of manually operable fasteners.