Handbag system

• US 6,047,752 A
• Filed: 04/21/1998
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Linda S. Southwick
• Original Assignee: Linda S. Southwick
• Inventors: Southwick, Linda S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weaver, Sue A.
• Application Number:
  US09/063,522
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 150/102, 150/106, 150/112, 150/113, 150/117, 150/118, 190/116, 190/117, 190/902, 206/90, 206/320, 224/914
• US Class Current: 150/117
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/02 Interior fittings; Means, e.g. inserts, for holding and packing articles
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 15/00 Purses, bags, luggage or other receptacles covered by groups A45C1/00 - A45C11/00, combined with other objects or articles A45C1/08, A45C3/14, A45C11/321, A45C13/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 3/00 Flexible luggage; Handbags collapsible or extensible luggage, bags or the like A45C7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 190/902 with closure flap

Abstract

Disclosed is a handbag system having a substantially rectangular body with an open middle compartment. Within the middle compartment are a plurality of sub-compartments sized for holding various personal safety items such as mace, a wireless phone and a pager. A closure flap is provided for partially covering the middle compartment. The closure flap is sized and arranged to allow unrestricted access to those personal safety items which are adjacent to the sides of the body when the closure flap is in a closed position. A closeable front and rear compartment are provided to store other miscellaneous personal items.

Claims

1. A handbag for permitting easy access to a choice among a personal wireless telephone, a mace container, a pager and other personal-safety items comprising, in combination:

(a) a rectangular-box-like body having a rear compartment, an open-top middle compartment, and a front compartment, each said compartment extending longitudinally essentially along the full length of said body from a first side of said body to a second side of said body;

(b) said middle compartment having multiple transverse dividers providing multiple sub-compartments within said middle compartment;

(c) said sub-compartments comprising;

(i) a first sub-compartment at a said first side of said body, said first sub-compartment being structured and arranged to hold a personal-safety item, and

(ii) a second sub-compartment at a said second side of said body, said second sub-compartment being structured and arranged to hold a personal-safety item; and

(d) an outside transversely-extending closure flap structured and arranged, when in a closed position, to be placed generally centrally over said body;

(e) said flap having a width of substantially less distance than a length of said middle compartment, and said flap being structured and arranged so that said first sub-compartment and said second sub-compartment remain exposed when said flap is in said closed position;

(f) wherein said first sub-compartment is structured and arranged for holding an item having dimensions of at least the size of the wireless telephone.

2. The handbag of claim 1 wherein said rear compartment and said front compartment are each zipper-closable.

3. The handbag of claim 2 wherein at least one said zipper-closable compartment comprises a perimeter zipper extending around said compartment for at least about three-fourths of a perimeter of said compartment.

4. The handbag of claim 3 wherein at least one of said zipper-closable compartments is structured and arranged for holding briefcase-type business materials.

5. The handbag of claim 4 wherein at least one of said zipper-closable compartments is structured and arranged for holding credit-card and banking materials.

6. The handbag of claim 5 further comprising a short, briefcase-style handle, said handle being detachable from said body.

7. The handbag of claim 5 further comprising a detachable, adjustable handle comprising a shoulder-strap-style handle.

8. A handbag permitting easy access to a choice among a personal wireless telephone, a mace container, a pager and other personal-safety items comprising, in combination:

(a) a rectangular-box-like body having a rear compartment, an open-top middle compartment, and a front compartment, each said compartment extending longitudinally essentially along the full length of said body from a first side of said body to a second side of said body;

(b) said middle compartment having multiple transverse dividers providing multiple sub-compartments within said middle compartment;

(c) said sub-compartments comprising;

(i) a first sub-compartment at a said first side of said body, said first sub-compartment being structured and arranged to hold a personal-safety item, and

(ii) a second sub-compartment at a said second side of said body, said second sub-compartment being structured and arranged to hold a personal-safety item;

(d) an outside transversely-extending closure flap structured and arranged, when in a closed position, to be placed generally centrally over said body;

(e) said flap having a width of substantially less distance than a length of said middle compartment, and said flap being structured and arranged so that said first sub-compartment and said second sub-compartment remain exposed when said flap is in said closed position;

(f) a center sub-compartment disposed within said body between said first sub-compartment and said second sub-compartment;

(g) a logo indicia attached to a front surface of said closure flap; and

(h) a detachable, adjustable handle for said body means, said handle being user-selectable from a group comprising a first handle and a second handle;

(i) wherein said rear compartment and said front compartment are each zipper-closable;

(j) wherein at least one said zipper-closable compartment comprises a perimeter zipper extending around said compartment for at least about three-fourths of a perimeter of said compartment;

(k) wherein said first handle comprising a shorter briefcase-style handle, and said second handle comprising a longer shoulder-strap-style handle; and

(l) wherein said first sub-compartment is structured and arranged for holding an item having dimensions of at least the size of the wireless telephone.

9. The handbag of claim 8 wherein said rectangular-box-like body is made of leather.

10. The handbag of claim 9 wherein:

(a) said rectangular-box-like body has a length dimension of about thirteen inches and a height dimension of about ten inches; and

(b) said flap has a said width of at least about two inches less than a said length of said middle compartment, whereby said flap, when in said closed position, does not restrict user access to said first sub-compartment and said second sub-compartment.

11. A handbag permitting easy access to a choice among a personal wireless telephone, a mace container, a pager and other personal-safety items comprising, in combination:

(a) a rectangular-box-like body having a rear compartment, an open-top middle compartment, and a front compartment, each said compartment extending longitudinally essentially along the full length of said body from a first side of said body to a second side of said body;

(b) said middle compartment having multiple transverse dividers providing multiple sub-compartments within said middle compartment;

(c) said sub-compartments comprising;

(i) a first sub-compartment at a said first side of said body, said first sub-compartment being structured and arranged to hold a personal-safety item, and

(ii) a second sub-compartment at a said second side of said body, said second sub-compartment being structured and arranged to hold a personal-safety item;

(d) an outside transversely-extending closure flap structured and arranged, when in a closed position, to be placed generally centrally over said body;

(e) said flap having a width of substantially less distance than a length of said middle compartment, and said flap being structured and arranged, when in said closed position, so as to not restrict user access to said first sub-compartment and said second sub-compartment;

(f) a center sub-compartment disposed within said body between said first sub-compartment and said second sub-compartment;

(g) a logo indicia attached to a front surface of said closure flap; and

(h) a detachable, adjustable handle for said body means, said handle being user-selectable from a group comprising a first handle and a second handle;

(i) wherein said rear compartment and said front compartment are each zipper-closable;

(j) wherein at least one said zipper-closable compartment comprises a perimeter zipper extending around said compartment for at least about three-fourths of a perimeter of said compartment;

(k) wherein said first handle comprising a shorter briefcase-style handle, and said second handle comprising a longer shoulder-strap-style handle;

(l) wherein said rectangular-box-like body is made of leather;

(m) wherein said rectangular-box-like body has a length dimension of about thirteen inches and a height dimension of about ten inches; and

(n) wherein said flap has a said width of at least about two inches less than a said length of said middle compartment, whereby said flap, when in said closed position, does not restrict user access to said first sub-compartment and said second sub-compartment.