Partitioned Handbag

Abstract

This partitionable bag is capable of being reversibly partitioned. The bag includes a vertical divider with one fixed edge and one movable edge. A securement component on the vertical divider is positioned on or near the movable edge. The securement component is reversibly connectable to a first fastening component and a second fastening component. The first and second fastening components are positioned on an interior surface of the bag and spatially separated from each other. In a first configuration, the securement component is attached to the first fastening component, making the vertical divider taut and causing it to divide the interior space into two storage compartments. In a second configuration, the securement component is attached to the closer, second fastening component, making the vertical divider go slack. In this second configuration, the vertical divider lies along the interior surface and does not divide the interior space of the bag.

Description

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The disclosure is directed to the field of bags. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a bag with a movable divider that creates an adjustable partition within the bag.

Description of the Related Art

A good handbag is a staple item in many wardrobes. This handbag needs to provide organized access to carried items. Many products exist to address this need for organization. However, these products often ignore a key item that needs to be carried in a handbag: shoes.

When wearing dress shoes, such as high heels, it can be painful to stand, work, or dance for long periods of time. A common sight at a wedding is the parade of tired individuals at the night's end carrying their dress shoes in their hands. These individuals are often also juggling a handbag and other items. Whether it is a working professional wearing sneakers on the subway before switching into dress shoes at work, a church goer, a party goer, or a wedding guest, many people need the ability to conveniently carry dress shoes or other second pair of shoes while keeping those shoes protected in their bags until they are ready to wear them. Further, there is a need to keep the two shoes in a pair separated from each other when in the bag so that the heel of one shoe does not damage the other shoe as the bag gets jostled in daily use and so any dirt on the sole of one shoe does not rub off onto the other shoe.

Attempts have been made to include shoe compartments in handbags. However, these attempts fail to offer a stylish solution that can easily and conveniently transform a bag from a traditional handbag to a partitioned handbag for shoes.

There is a need for an improved bag, such as a handbag, that is adjustably configured to hold and protect shoes when necessary.

SUMMARY

The disclosure relates to improved bags and methods of using a bag that fulfill one or more of the needs identified above.

One aspect of the disclosure relates to a partitionable bag comprising an outer wall that defines an interior space. The outer wall has an interior surface and an exterior surface. The partitionable bag further includes a first fastening component and a second fastening component both positioned on the interior surface, the first fastening component and the second fastening component being spatially separated from each other. The partionable bag also includes a vertical divider having a first border and a second border. The first border of the vertical divider is attached to the interior surface, and the second border includes a securement component that is interchangeably attachable to the first fastening component and the second fastening component. The partitionable bag is convertible between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the securement component is attached to the first fastening component, making the vertical divider taut. In the first configuration, the vertical divider divides the interior space, creating two storage compartments within the interior space of the bag. In the second configuration, the securement component is attached to the second fastening component, making the vertical divider slack. In the second configuration, the vertical divider lies flush with the interior surface so that it does not divide the interior space of the bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a front view of one embodiment of a partionable bag in a closed configuration.

FIG. 2 depicts a front view of one embodiment of a partionable bag in a closed configuration with a detachable strap attached.

FIG. 3 depicts a rear perspective view of one embodiment of a partionable bag in an open configuration.

FIG. 4 depicts a side perspective view of one embodiment of a partionable bag in an open configuration.

FIG. 5 depicts a top view of one embodiment of a partionable bag in a closed configuration.

FIG. 6 depicts a bottom view of one embodiment of a partionable bag.

FIG. 7 depicts a top view of one embodiment of a partionable bag in an open configuration.

FIG. 8 depicts a right cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a partionable bag.

FIG. 9 depicts a left cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a partionable bag.

FIG. 10A schematically depicts a top view of one embodiment of a partionable bag in an open and partitioned configuration.

FIG. 10B schematically depicts a top view of one embodiment of a partionable bag in an open but non-partitioned configuration.

FIG. 11 depicts a partial top perspective view of one embodiment of a partionable bag with shoes being placed on opposing sides of a partition.

The embodiments depicted in the drawings and described below are intended to serve as examples and are not limiting. Various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the described technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The bag 10 described herein has several features that alone or combined may address the various needs identified above. As used herein, the term “bag” refers to any container that has an opening, is made of flexible material, and is intended for carrying things. The term “bag” includes, for example, any handbag, shoulder bag, purse, satchel, bucket bag, travel bag, tote bag, carryall, knapsack, or duffel bag. For ease of description, the bag of various depicted embodiments may be referred to as a handbag, but it should be recognized that all varieties of bags are contemplated herein.

The bag 10 is composed of an outer wall 11 that defines an interior space. The outer wall 11 may be made of any material, size, and shape suitable for carrying personal items, shoes, clothing, office supplies, or other objects within the interior space. In some embodiments, the outer wall 11 is formed of a single piece of material, for example, as is often the case with bindle bags. In other embodiments, the outer wall is composed of two, three, four, five, or more walls attached together. In one example, the outer wall is composed of a circular bottom wall and a single cylindrical side wall. In another example, the outer wall is composed of a bottom wall and two side walls. In another example, the outer wall is composed of a left side wall, a right side wall, a front wall, a rear wall, and a bottom wall. In some embodiments, the outer wall 11 is formed of two or more pieces of material layered on and coupled to each other. For example, in one embodiment, the exterior surface of the outer wall 11 comprises leather or other premium bag material and the interior surface comprises nylon or other wear-resistant material.

The bag 10 includes an opening to facilitate access to the interior space defined by the outer wall 11. In at least some embodiments, the opening is located at an upper portion 13 of the bag 10. As shown, for example, in FIGS. 1-5, the opening of the bag 10 is selectively and reversibly closable. The bag 10 may include one or more closure features known to those skilled in the art, for example, the bag 10 may have an upper portion 13 that includes one or more closure features such as one or more zippers, buttons, snaps, hooks, ties, or drawstrings. In FIGS. 1-5, the bag 10 is a bucket bag with an upper portion 13 that is closable with a drawstring 14. It is further closeable with a snap closure 17. In FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, the bag 10 is in a closed configuration. This closed configuration is achieved by pulling tight the drawstring 14, which is woven through a plurality of grommets 15 fixed into an upper portion 13 of the bag 10. In FIGS. 3-4, the bag 10 is in an open configuration achieved by pulling on the snap closure and loosening the drawstring.

The bag 10 of various embodiments is selectively and reversibly partitionable. As used herein, the term “partitionable” means having features configured to divide a compartment into a plurality of compartments. In some embodiments, a bag 10 with a single interior space has features enabling the bag 10 to convert into a bag 10 with two or more divided interior spaces (also referred to as compartments).

As shown, for example, in FIG. 7, the bag 10 has a vertical divider 30 with features that enable the divider 30 to be adjusted and moved between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the divider extends from one side of the bag 10 to another side of the bag 10, separating an interior space into two compartments. In the second configuration, the divider is positioned along an interior surface of the outer wall so as to create one interior storage space. The first configuration with two compartments may be useful, for example, to store both shoes and other travel needs, in that the shoes can be kept separate from the other travel needs. As another example, having two compartments as in the first configuration may be useful to keep two shoes separated from each other so the heel or sole of one does not damage the other shoe. In such an example, when an individual is not carrying around a pair of shoes, the individual may want one large compartment in the bag 10. The movable partition 30 makes for a versatile bag 10.

The vertical divider 30 has a first border 31 and a second border 32. As used herein, the first border 31 and the second border 32 refer to regions near opposing vertical ends of the vertical divider 30. Herein, a border includes a vertical edge of the vertical divider 30 as well as a portion of the vertical divider 30 substantially near to the vertical edge, for example, within half an inch, an inch, two inches, or three inches of the edge.

The first border 31 of the vertical divider 30 is attached at a location on the interior surface 12 of the bag 10. In some embodiments described herein, the first border 31 of the vertical divider 30 is sewn-in along one location of the interior surface 12 of the bag 10. In other embodiments, the first border 31 of vertical divider 30 is integrally connected to the interior surface 12 of the bag 10 or otherwise fixedly attached to the interior surface 12 of the bag 10. Advantageously, in such embodiments, the first border 31 is fixedly secured to the interior surface 12 so that the vertical divider 30 cannot be fully removed from the bag eliminating the risk of the vertical divider 30 being left behind or misplaced. In other embodiments, the first border 31 of the vertical divider 30 may be removably attached to the interior surface 12 of the handbag 10 via one or more snaps, buttons, zippers, clasps, or other securement mechanisms.

The second border 32 of the vertical divider 30 is freely movable (as shown, for example, in FIG. 8, a cross-sectional drawing where the second border 32 is not attached to any portion of the interior surface 12). The second border 32 has a securement component 33 disposed on or coupled to it. The securement component 33 is selectively, interchangeably, and removably attachable to at least two fastening components 40 disposed on or coupled to the interior surface 12 of the bag 10. The fastening components are spatially separated from each other on the interior surface 12. The securement component 33 is complementary to each of the fastening components 40, such that the securement component 33 is securely connectable to each of the at least two fastening components 40. Together, the securement component 33 and any of the fastening components 40 form a complete fastening mechanism. For example, the securement component 33 and a fastening component 40 may together comprise a complete snap closure, a hook and loop fastener, a hook and eye fastener, a button and loop closure, a toggle and loop closure, a tie closure, a zipper, or any other fastener known to those skilled in the art. As shown for example in FIGS. 7 and 8, in some embodiments, the securement component 33 comprises a snap component affixed to an upper portion of the second border 32 of the vertical divider 30, and each of the fastening components 40 comprises a snap component complementary to the securement component 33. For example, the securement component 33 may be a stud and each of the fastening components 40 may be a socket or vice versa.

With the at least two fastening components 40, the partitionable bag is convertible between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the securement component 33 is attached to the first fastening component 41. The first fastening component 41 is spaced sufficiently far from the first border 31 such that connecting the securement component 33 to the first fastening component 41 causes the vertical divider 30 to be pulled taut. In at least some embodiments, a distance between the first border 31 and the first fastening component 41 is equal to or substantially equal to the length of the vertical divider 30. In the first configuration, the first border 31 and the second border 32 are attached to opposing portions of the interior surface 12, and the vertical divider 30 divides the interior space, creating two storage compartments within the interior space of the bag 10 (see, e.g., FIG. 10A).

In the second configuration, the securement component 33 is attached to the second fastening component 42. In at least some embodiments, the first fastening component 41 and the second fastening component 42 are matching (e.g., identical components). In at least some embodiments, the first fastening component 41 and the second fastening component 42 are at an equal or substantially equal vertical position within the bag 10 but are spatially separated horizontally (i.e., along a horizontal plane), with the second fastening component 42 being positioned closer to the first border 31 than the first fastening component 41 is. As a result, in the second configuration, the vertical divider 30 is slack. In various embodiments, the vertical divider 30 is made of a flexible, non-rigid material, and going slack causes the vertical divider 30 to rest against, lie flush with, or otherwise be positioned along the interior surface 12 of the outer wall 11 (see, e.g., FIG. 10B). In the second configuration, the vertical divider 30 does not divide the interior space of the bag 10.

While one securement component 33 is shown here, in some embodiments, a plurality of securement components 33 are provided. For example, the vertical divider of some embodiments includes two, three, or more securement components 33 along the second border 32 at different vertical positions (i.e., at different heights). In such embodiments, each securement component 33 is configured to reversibly couple to a unique pair of first fastening components 41 and second fastening components 42. For example, in one embodiment, there is at least a first securement component 33 near a top portion of the vertical divider 30 and a second securement component 33 near a middle or bottom portion of the vertical divider 30. In such an embodiment, a first pair of first and second fastening components 41, 42 are at a vertical position equal to or substantially equal to the vertical position of the first securement component 33, and a second pair of first and second fastening components 41, 42 are at a vertical position equal to or substantially equal to the vertical position of the second securement component 33.

In one embodiment, the first fastening component 41 is positioned on the interior surface 12 directly opposite the location at which the first border 31 attaches to the interior surface 12, such that the vertical divider 30 divides the interior space of the handbag in half, creating two equally sized compartments. The second fastening component 42 is spatially offset horizontally from the first fastening component 41 along the interior surface 12, such that the vertical divider 30 lies flush with the interior surface 12 of the handbag when coupled to the second fastening component 42. Operationally, this second fastening component 42 holds the divider 30 in place against the interior wall 12 of the handbag and allows the handbag to function as if there were no partition present. In other embodiments, additional fastening components may be present on the interior surface 12 and spatially separated horizontally from the first and second fastening components 41, 42. In such embodiments, the second border 32 of the vertical divider 30 can be selectively and movably attached to the various fastening components to create compartment arrangements of various sizes and shapes.

The bag 10 may further include one or more additional features present in bags known to those skilled in the art. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the bag 10 of some embodiments includes one or more handles or shoulder straps 20. The shoulder strap 20 may be permanently affixed or fully detachable. The bag 10 of some embodiments includes a bottom wall or base 16. The base 16 of some embodiments is reinforced with a coating or materials to increase durability, for example, a water-resistant coating or material. The base 16 of some embodiments includes additional features to enhance durability and/or to help the bag 10 remain upright, such as a plurality of feet, studs, or rivets 18. The bag 10 of FIG. 6 is shown with four feet 18. In other embodiments, the bag 10 may include two, three, four, five, six, or more feet or rivets. The base 16 of some embodiments includes features to enhance transport of the bag 10, such as wheels. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, in some embodiments, the bag 10 includes one or more pockets 19. The pockets 19 may be attached to or integrated into the outer wall 11 and may be accessible from an exterior surface or an interior surface of the bag 10. The pockets 19 may include one or more of hidden pockets, seam pockets, patch pockets, zippered pockets, or any other pocket known to those skilled in the art.

In various embodiments, this partitionable bag 10 is capable of being reversibly partitioned. The bag 10 includes a vertical divider 30 with one fixed edge (e.g., the first border 31) and one movable edge (e.g., the second border 32). A securement component 33 on the vertical divider 30 is positioned on or near the movable edge 32. The securement component 33 is reversibly connectable to a first fastening component 41 and a second fastening component 42. The first and second fastening components are positioned on an interior surface 12 of the bag 10 and spatially separated from each other. In a first configuration, the securement component 33 is attached to the first fastening component 41, pulling the vertical divider 30 tight and causing it to divide the interior space into two storage compartments. In a second configuration, the securement component 33 is attached to the closer second fastening component 42, making the vertical divider 30 go relatively slack. In this second configuration, the vertical divider 30 lies against or in close proximity to the interior surface 12 and does not divide the interior space of the bag 10 into separate storage compartments.

Also contemplated within this disclosure is a method of using a partionable bag, such as embodiment of the partionable bag 10 described above. The method includes connecting the securement component 33 to the first fastening component 41 when a bag with a plurality of storage compartments is desired. The step of connecting may include, as non-limiting examples, snapping, buttoning, hooking, tying, or zipping the securement component 33 to the first fastening component 41. Doing so pulls the vertical divider 30 taut and causes the vertical divider 30 to span across the bag 10 from one portion of the interior surface 12 of the outer wall 11 to another portion of the interior surface 12 of the outer wall 11. In this first configuration, the outer wall 10 and the vertical divider 30 together define a first compartment and a second compartment. The method may further include placing a first object into a first compartment and a second object into a second compartment. In some embodiments, the first object is a first shoe and the second object is a second shoe (as shown, for example, in FIG. 11). In another embodiment, the first object is a pair of shoes and the second object is one or more personal items. The method of using a partitionable bag 10 further includes disconnecting the securement component 33 from the first fastening component 41 and connecting the securement component 33 to the second fastening component 42 when one, larger compartment is desired. Connecting the securement component 33 to the second fastening component 42 causes the vertical divider 30 to go slack. In this configuration, the vertical divider 30 does not create a division within the interior space, and instead, the outer wall 11 and the vertical divider 30 together define a larger, unified storage compartment. The method may further include placing one or more objects into the unified storage compartment.

Unless otherwise defined, each technical or scientific term has the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the relevant art.

As used in the specification and claims, the singular form “a”, “an” and “the” include both singular and plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, the term “a vertical divider” is contemplated to include a plurality of vertical dividers. At times, the claims and disclosure may include terms such as “a plurality,” “one or more,” or “at least one;” however, the absence of such terms is not intended to mean, and should not be interpreted to mean, that a plurality is not conceived.

As used in the specification and claims, the term “comprising” or “comprises” is intended to mean that the devices, systems, and methods include the recited elements and may additionally include any other elements. Terms such as “including” and “having” are intended to be open terms synonymous with “comprising” and should be interpreted to respectively mean, for example, “including but not limited to” and “having at least.”

The foregoing has included detailed descriptions of some features of the technology. Features of the various embodiments can be arranged, combined, and designed in a variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and form part of this disclosure. For example, any of the components described or depicted in one embodiment may be combined or interchanged with components, or excluded, from other embodiments. In light of the provided illustrations and examples, it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A partitionable bag, comprising:

an outer wall defining an interior space, the outer wall having an interior surface and an exterior surface;

a first fastening component and a second fastening component on the interior surface, the first fastening component and the second fastening component being spatially separated from each other; and

a vertical divider having a first border and a second border, wherein the first border is attached to the interior surface of the bag and the second border comprises a securement component that is interchangeably attachable to the first fastening component and the second fastening component, wherein the partitionable bag is convertible between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein, in the first configuration, the securement component is attached to the first fastening component and the vertical divider divides the interior space, creating two storage compartments within the interior space, and wherein, in the second configuration, the securement component is attached to the second fastening component and the vertical divider is positioned along the interior surface.

2. The partitionable bag of claim 1, wherein the outer wall comprises a plurality of walls that together define the interior space.

3. The partitionable bag of claim 1, wherein the outer wall comprises a base and at least one side wall.

4. The partitionable bag of claim 1, wherein the securement component is complementary and securely but reversibly connectable to the first fastening component and to the second fastening component.

5. The partitionable bag of claim 1, wherein together the securement component and any of the first fastening component and the second fastening component form a complete fastening mechanism.

6. The partitionable bag of claim 5, wherein the complete fastening mechanism comprises a snap closure, a hook and loop fastener, a hook and eye fastener, a button and loop closure, a toggle and loop closure, a tie closure, or a zipper.

7. The partitionable bag of claim 1, wherein the first fastening component and the second fastening component are spatially separated from each other horizontally.

8. The partitionable bag of claim 1, wherein the first border is fixedly secured to the interior surface.

9. The partitionable bag of claim 1, wherein the first fastening component is coupled to the interior surface of the outer wall at a position opposing a location where the first border is attached to the interior surface.

10. The partitionable bag of claim 1, wherein the securement component comprises a snap component affixed to an upper portion of the second border.

11. The partitionable bag of claim 1, wherein the vertical divider is flexible, and wherein, in the first configuration, the vertical divider is taut, and in the second configuration, the vertical divider is slack.

12. The partitionable bag of claim 1, further comprising a strap.

13. The partitionable bag of claim 1, further comprising a storage pocket.