Purse Organizer

Abstract

A purse organizer that allows a purse or a handbag to be organized though the use of multiple modular containers that are each able to be separated and placed back together via a series of releasable fasteners in order to allow configuring the purse organizer to adapt to the size and shape of individual purses.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/252,339, filed Oct. 16, 2009, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a modular purse organizer for insertion into a conventional man's or woman's purse or handbag.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional man's or woman's purse typically includes a large interior compartment with perhaps a few smaller side compartments. In such a conventional purse, multiple items are placed in the purse and carried throughout the day and can include anything from wallets, keys, money/change, lipstick, baby or child items, writing instruments, food, and many other items. Because of the construction of a conventional purse, the above identified items are often simply stored in the large interior compartment. In such a circumstance, difficulty may arise when a person needs to quickly identify and retrieve certain items from a plurality of items in the large interior compartment of his or her purse.

In the case of a woman's purse, some women may prefer to have a compartment for their wallet or keys, while other women do not carry cosmetics and would rather have a compartment for writing instruments. Further, not all women carry the same size purse at all times. For example, some days a woman may carry a large handbag because she has the children with her and the amount of purse space she will require must increase accordingly. If the next day, however, she is going to work she may require only a smaller purse in which she carries a lesser number of items.

Many prior art purse organizers are made of various types of material and may be folded in various ways. Some of the prior art purse organizers use printed markers for keys, lipstick, or other items. Prior art attempts to organize the contents of a conventional purse include compartmented purses and compartmented purse organizer inserts such as those shown in Miceli U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,024 and Newton U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,293. Such prior art purse organizer inserts, however, are constructed with fixed exterior dimensions and fixed compartments. Consequently, such purse organizer inserts may fit in one particular purse owned by an individual but not fit in other purses owned by that individual. Further, the fixed compartments disclosed in the prior art purse organizer inserts do not lend themselves to a variety of items that an individual might want to carry in the purse at any given time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to overcome the difficulties associated with a conventional purse with a large interior compartment and to overcome the difficulties associated with prior art purse organizer inserts, the present invention comprises a purse organizer constructed from a plurality of modules or modular containers that can be connected together by releasable fasteners to create a purse organizer with a variety of configurations and exterior dimensions. Once the purse organizer has been configured with the plurality of modular containers, the purse organizer is inserted into a woman's or man's purse to organize the contents of the purse.

Each of the modular containers comprises a plurality of sidewalls, a back wall, which engages the sidewalls to form a container volume, and a lid, hinged to one of the sidewalls, to open and close the container volume. In one embodiment of the present invention, all of the sidewalls of the plurality of modular containers are the same height. The back wall and the lid of each modular container are of a regular geometric shape and are congruent. The shape of the back wall and the lid may be that of a square, a rectangle, a triangle, a hexagon, an octagon, or a cylindrical section. The number of sidewalls is selected to match the regular geometric shape of the back wall and the lid. For example, if the lid and the back wall are in the shape of a square, the modular container has four connected sidewalls, and the resulting container volume is cube shaped. If the lid and the back wall are in the shape of a rectangle, the modular container has four connected sidewalls, and the resulting container volume is a rectangular prism shape. If the lid and the back wall are in the shape of a hexagon, the modular container has six connected sidewalls, and the resulting container volume is a hexagonal prism shape.

Each of the sidewalls has one half of a releasable fastener. The releasable fasteners may include, but are not limited to, hook and loop fasteners, snap fasteners, magnetic fasteners, and zippers. The releasable fasteners allow the user to interconnect a variety of the modular containers together to form the purse organizer having a variety of configurations. The purse organizer may also be configured by starting with a basic core of modular containers to which additional auxiliary modular containers could be added. In addition, a fastener located on the back wall of each modular container could be used to attach smaller modular containers for holding change, paperclips, and other similar items. Because the purse organizer can be configured in a number of ways by means of the interconnection of the modular containers, the resulting purse organizer can be configured with exterior dimensions for easy insertion and removal from a variety of purses.

Each of the modular containers can be constructed of any suitable material, such as plastic, but using a velour type material on the outer surface of the modular containers will allow the purse organizer to stay in place within a conventional purse without much movement. Also configuring the purse organizer with its modular containers with a particular exterior dimension will produce a snug fit within a particular conventional purse so that the purse organizer will stay in place within the purse. By using modular containers with curved sides or corners, such as a modular container in the shape of a cylindrical section, the exterior portion of the purse organizer can be configured to fit a particular size purse better than a purse organizer with square external portions.

In one alteration of the purse organizer, a handle, having compatible fasteners to the fasteners used on the modular containers, can be attached to one or more of the modular containers to assist in the removal of the purse organizer from the purse.

Further objects, features and advantages will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a purse organizer in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the purse organizer in accordance with the present invention inserted into a conventional purse.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the first embodiment of the purse organizer in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a section view of the first embodiment of the purse organizer in accordance with the present invention as seen along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the purse organizer in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the second embodiment of the purse organizer in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a section view of the second embodiment of the purse organizer in accordance with the present invention as seen along line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning to FIGS. 1-3, a first embodiment of a purse organizer 10 is shown. As shown in FIG. 1A, the purse organizer 10 is inserted into a large interior compartment 15 of a conventional purse 12 in order to organize a variety of items to be carried in the purse 12. The purse organizer 10 comprises a plurality of interconnected modular containers 14a-h. Each of the modular containers 14 is of a regular geometric shape including, for example, cube shaped modular containers 14a-d, rectangular prism shaped modular containers 14e-f, and cylindrical section (or cylindroid/elliptical) shaped modular containers 14g-h. Each of the modular containers 14 has a plurality of sidewalls 16 and a back wall 18 (FIG. 3) interconnecting the sidewalls 16 to form a container volume 34. A container lid 20 may be hinged to one of the sidewalls 16 of each of the modular containers 14 to open and close the container volume 34. In some embodiments, the container lid 20 for one or more of the modular containers 14 is omitted to permit quick access to the modular container 14 without the need to open the container lid 20. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, all of the sidewalls 16 of the plurality of modular containers 14 are the same height. Because all of the sidewalls 16 of the modular containers 14 are of equal height, the resulting purse organizer 10 has a uniform thickness. Specialty modular containers 14, however, may be provided for the purse organizer 10 of the present invention to accommodate large items, small items, or odd shaped items.

In some embodiments, the sidewalls 16 of a modular container 14 can have different heights, thus resulting in a modular container 14 where the container lid 20 is not parallel to the back wall 18, thus producing a modular container 14 with a sloping container lid 20. In some embodiments, multiple modular containers 14 with sloping container lids 20 can be connected to one another in a geometric configuration to produce a purse organizer 10 with an overall sloping effect.

With respect to the cube shaped modular containers 14a-d shown in FIGS. 1-3, the back wall 18 and the container lid 20 are congruent and are square in shape. With respect to rectangular prism shaped modular containers 14e-f, the back wall 18 and the lid 20 are congruent and are rectangular in shape. With respect to the cylindrical section shaped modular containers 14g-h, the back wall 18 and the container lid 20 are congruent and are in the shape of a section of a circle or an ellipse. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other regular geometric shaped modular containers 14 can be created where the shape of the back wall 18 and of the lid 20 may include a triangle, a hexagon, or an octagon and the appropriate number of sidewalls 16 are connected to the edges of the back wall 18.

The modular containers 14 may be formed of any suitable material including, without limit, plastic, metal, fiber board, etc. In addition, the inside of the modular containers 14 may be lined with fabric to provide cushioning and to produce an aesthetic enhancement. The outside of the sidewalls 16, the back walls 18, and the lids 20 may be covered with fabric to provide cushioning and to produce an aesthetic enhancement. The fabric on the outside of the sidewalls 16, the back walls 18, and the lids 20 further may be selected to provide frictional engagement between the purse organizer 10 and the inside of the large interior compartment 15 of the purse 12. In that way, movement of the purse organizer 10 within the interior compartment 15 of the purse 12 can be minimized.

Each of the sidewalls 16 has one half of a releasable fastener 42. The releasable fasteners 42 may include, but are not limited to, hook and loop fasteners, snap fasteners, magnetic fasteners, and zippers. The releasable fasteners 42 allow the user to interconnect a variety of the modular containers 14 together to form the purse organizer 10. If discrete, individual fasteners, such as single snaps, are used, then the snaps must be spaced on the sidewalls 16 of the various modular containers 14 in such a way as to ensure alignment of the fasteners 42 between modular containers 14. For example, the spacing between fastener 42a on modular container 14a and fastener 42b on modular container 14b match the spacing between fasteners 42f on modular container 14f so that the fasteners 42a and 42b align with fasteners 42f. Alternatively, strips of hook and loop fasteners for fasteners 42a, 42b, and 42f provide more flexibility with respect to the alignment and connection of the modular containers 14a, 14b, and 14f with each other. In addition, a releasable fastener located (not shown) on the back wall 18 of each modular container 14 provides a point of attachment for smaller modular containers for holding change, paperclips, and other similar items.

In the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1-3, the purse organizer 10 is constructed about a starting basic core of modular containers 14, such as the four cube shaped modular containers 14a-d. Additional modular containers, such as modular containers 14e-h are then connected by fasteners 42 to the periphery of the basic core (cube shaped modular containers 14a-d) of the purse organizer 10. The basic core of modular containers provides an organizational starting point for the user in configuring the purse organizer 10. Alternatively, the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 4-6, represents a more random configuration for the purse organizer 100 with its modular containers 114a-h.

In both embodiments of the present invention, the modular containers 14 or 114 preferably have lids 20 or 120. The lids 20 or 120 close the modular container volume 34 or 134 to ensure that items placed in the modular containers 14 or 114 to not spill into the large interior compartment 15 of the purse 12. Each lid 20 or 120 is hinged to a sidewall 16 or 116 by means of a hinge 21 or 121. In the case of a plastic modular container 14 or 114, the hinge 21 or 121 constitutes a flexible plastic web extending between one edge of the lid 20 or 120 and the mating edge of the sidewall 16 or 116. In addition, to ensure that the items in the modular container 14 or 114 do not spill, the lid 20 or 120 is secured to the opposite sidewall 16 or 116 of the modular container 14 or 114 by a latch 22 or 122 at the edge of the lid 20 or 120 opposite the hinge 21 or 121. In the case of a plastic modular container 14 or 114, the latch 22 or 122 may constitute a downwardly extending lip to engage frictionally the inside of the sidewall 16 or 116. A person of ordinary skill in the art would be able to construct other latching arrangements for latching the lid 20 or 120 in place on the modular container 14 or 114.

In order to facilitate the insertion and removal of the purse organizer 10 or 100 from the large interior compartment 15 of the purse 12, a handle (not shown), having releasable handled fasteners compatible with the fasteners 42 or 142, can be attached to one or more of the modular containers 14 or 114.

Because the purse organizer 10 or 100 can be configured in a number of ways by means of the interconnection of the modular containers 14 or 114, the resulting purse organizer 10 or 100 can be configured with exterior dimensions for easy insertion and removal from the large interior compartment 15 of the purse 12. By configuring the purse organizer 10 or 100 with particular exterior dimensions, the purse organizer 10 or 100 will fit snugly within a particular purse so that the purse organizer 10 or 100 will remain in place. By using modular containers, such as modular containers 14g, 14h, and 114h with curved sides or corners, the exterior portion of the purse organizer 10 or 100 can in some cases fit a particular purse better than a purse organizer with square external portions.

While this invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that variations and modifications can be affected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein and as described in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A purse organizer for insertion into a purse with an interior compartment comprising: wherein the modular containers are adapted to be connected by the releasable fasteners in a variety of ways to construct the purse organizer with a plurality of configurations and exterior dimensions.

a. a plurality of modular containers, each container having sidewalls and a container back wall engaging the sidewalls to form a container volume; and

b. a plurality of releasable fasteners on the sidewalls to interconnect the modular containers to construct the purse organizer,

2. The purse organizer of claim 1, wherein all of the sidewalls are of equal height.

3. The purse organizer of claim 1, wherein a releasable fastener is provided on the back wall of the modular container for interconnecting modular containers.

4. The purse organizer of claim 1, wherein the modular container of the purse organizer has a container lid positioned opposite the container back wall and hinged to one of the sidewalls to close and open the container volume and wherein the lid includes a latch for securing the lid to the sidewalls and thereby securing the lid and closing the container volume.

5. The purse organizer of claim 1, wherein the releasable fasteners are selected from the group comprising hook and loop fasteners, snap fasteners, magnetic fasteners, and zippers.

6. The purse organizer of claim 1, wherein the back wall and the lid are congruent, and the shape of the back wall and the lid have a regular geometric shape selected from the group comprising a square, a rectangle, a triangle, a hexagon, an octagon, and a cylindrical section.

7. The purse organizer of claim 1, wherein a handle with a releasable fastener is attached to the purse organizer by means of at least one of the releasable fasteners on the sidewalls to facilitate removal of the purse organizer from the purse.

8. The purse organizer of claim 1, wherein each modular container has an outside surface that frictionally engages the internal compartment of the purse.