Pocketbook With A Tail

Abstract

A novel pocketbook is disclosed, which comprises a pocket portion and a tail portion that is foldable. The pocket portion comprises a pocket and, optionally, a fastener to prevent the contents of the pocket portion from spilling out. Additionally, the pocket portion may contain a nested pocket to allow for better organization of the contents. As another option, the pocket portion may include a stiffener to allow for easier placement of the pocketbook in a pant pocket. The tail portion is comprised of foldable material and may also contain a split pocket that may be lined with a soft non-abrasive material. The tail portion may be used as a handkerchief and as an eyeglass cleaner. The tail portion may be designed fold over the lip of a pant pocket, thus resembling a bandana dangling from the pant pocket.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to pocketbooks, wallets and purses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A handkerchief or a bandana is commonly carried within one's pocket and may be used for hygiene. But sometimes these articles are used as fashion accessories. A wallet or a pocketbook is commonly carried within a pocket and is used to organize personal effects such as paper monney, credit cards, driver's license, coins, and keys. It is often not possible to carry both a pocketbook and a handkerchief because either the pocket is too small or the apparel simply does not have enough pockets. Even when the apparel does allow for it, it can be cumbersome (and even uncomfortable) to carry both.

Therefore, a need exists for a simple integrated device that can operate both as a pocketbook and a handkerchief or bandana.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a novel pocketbook. Specifically, the pocketbook comprises a pocket portion and a tail portion that is foldable. The pocket portion comprises a pocket. In one embodiment the pocket contains a fastener to prevent the contents of the pocket portion from spilling out. In another embodiment, the pocket portion comprises a nested pocket to allow for better organization of the contents, and the nested pocket may optionally contain a fastener. To allow for easier placement of the pocketbook in a pant pocket, the pocket portion may include a stiffener. The tail portion is comprised of foldable material and may optionally contain a split pocket that is lined with a soft non-abrasive material. In yet another embodiment, the tail portion may be designed fold over the lip of a pant pocket, thus resembling a bandana dangling from the pant pocket. The tail portion may be used as a handkerchief or as a eyeglass cleaner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a novel pocketbook with a nested pocket.

FIG. 2 illustrates a novel pocketbook when placed inside a pant pocket and the tail portion is exposed.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a novel pocketbook with a pocket portion and a tail portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

What is described below is a novel pocketbook. FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the pocketbook (5). The pocketbook is comprised of a pocket portion (10) and a tail portion (15) that is foldable. The pocket portion (10) comprises a pocket (12) which can contain various items such as paper money, credit cards, driver's license, coins, keys and a cell phone. The pocket (12) may optionally have a fastener (20), such as a zipper, button, clasp or Velcro, to prevent the contents from spilling out. Additionally, the pocket (12) may contain a nested pocket (25), which may allow better organization of the contents. The nested pocket (25) may also optionally comprise a fastener (28). In an embodiment the nested pocket (15) contains a zipper, such that the nested pocket (15) can be used to contain coins. In another embodiment, the nested pocket (25) may be a tightly fitted pocket adapted to contain credit cards, paper money and a driver's license, while the rest of the pocket portion (15) is spacious enough to contain keys and a cell phone.

The tail portion (15) of the pocketbook (5) is comprised of foldable material such as, but not limited to, fabric, cotton, polyester, leather, plastic, or microfiber. In one embodiment, the tail portion (15) is made from cotton and may be used as a handkerchief. The tail portion (15) may also contain a split pocket (30), which may be lined with a soft non-abrasive material (35) such as cotton or microfiber. The split pocket (30) may be used to clean eyeglasses. The entire pocketbook (5) may be constructed of washable material (either hand or machine washable) such that the pocketbook (5) may be cleaned by simply placing it in the washing machine, much like a conventional handkerchief.

Referring to FIG. 2, the tail portion (15) is designed to fold over the lip (40) of a pant pocket (42) and may be used to quickly and easily retrieve the pocketbook (5). In one embodiment, the tail portion (15) may be designed to look like a bandana dangling from the pant pocket (42).

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the pocketbook (5), with a pocket portion (10), a tail portion (15) and a split pocket (30). In one embodiment, the pocket portion (10) is stiffened with a stiffener to make it semi-rigid (or completely rigid) and the tail portion (15) is flexible. The stiffener may be made of any number of materials including, but not limited to, plastic, rubber or metal. A semi-rigid pocket portion (10) makes it easier to place the pocketbook (5) in a pant pocket. The transition between the pocket portion (10) and the tail portion (15) (shown with arrow 45) is designed to allow the tail portion (15) to fold over the lip of the pant pocket (see FIG. 2). While in some embodiments the entire tail portion (15) may be made of a flexible material, it would be apparent to one of skill in the art that the entire tail portion (15) need not be flexible; rather only a portion need be flexible to allow the tail portion (15) to fold over the lip of the pant pocket.

Having described the system in detail and by reference to several preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the following claims. Moreover, the applicant expressly does not intend that the following claims “and the embodiments in the specification to be strictly coextensive.” Phillips v. AHW Corp., 415 F.3d 1303, 1323 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (en banc).

Claims

1. A pocketbook comprising:

a pocket portion comprising a pocket; and

a tail portion connected to the pocket portion and wherein the tail portion is comprised of flexible material adapted to fold over the lip of a pant pocket.

2. The pocketbook of claim 1 wherein the pocket portion further comprises a fastener.

3. The pocketbook of claim 2 wherein the fastener is selected from a group consisting of a zipper, button, clasp, Velcro and combinations thereof.

4. The pocketbook of claim 1 wherein the pocket portion further comprises a nested pocket.

5. The pocketbook of claim 4 wherein the nested pocket further comprises a fastener.

6. The pocketbook of claim 5 wherein the fastener is selected from a group consisting of a zipper, button, clasp, Velcro and combinations thereof.

7. The pocketbook of claim 1 wherein the tail portion resembles a bandana.

8. The pocketbook of claim 1 wherein the tail portion is selected from a group consisting of fabric, cotton, polyester, leather, plastic, microfiber, or combinations thereof.

9. The pocketbook of claim 1 wherein the tail portion may be used as a handkerchief.

10. The pocketbook of claim 1 wherein the tail portion may be used as an eyeglass cleaner.

11. The pocketbook of claim 1 wherein the tail portion comprises a split pocket.

12. The pocketbook of claim 11 wherein the split pocket is lined.

13. The pocketbook of claim 12 wherein the lining is selected from a group consisting of cotton, microfiber, silk and combination thereof.

14. The pocketbook of claim 1 wherein the pocket portion comprises a stiffener that makes the pocket portion semi-rigid.

15. The pocketbook of claim 14 wherein the stiffener is selected from a group consisting of plastic, rubber, metal and combinations thereof.

16. The pocketbook of claim 1 wherein the pocket portion comprises a stiffener that makes the pocket portion rigid.

17. The pocketbook of claim 16 wherein the stiffener is selected from a group consisting of plastic, rubber, metal and combinations thereof.

18. A pocketbook comprising:

a pocket portion comprising a pocket, a nested pocket and a stiffener, wherein the pocket contains a first fastener and the nested pocket contains a second fastener; and

a tail portion connected to the pocket portion and wherein the tail portion is made from a flexible material adapted to fold over the lip of a pant pocket.

19. The pocketbook of claim 18 wherein the tail portion comprises a split pocket that is lined with a non-abrasive material.

20. The pocketbook of claim 18 wherein the pocket portion and tail portion are machine washable.