Abstract:
An adjustable length strap for a bag has strap ends received and concealed within an interior space for an aesthetic appearance in which dangling strap ends, buckles and bulky, folded strap portions are avoided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention generally relates to a bag for carrying various articles and, more particularly, to an adjustable length strap by which the bag is carried.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Shoulder-worn bags for carrying various articles are well known, and each bag typically includes at least one shoulder strap attached by clips, buckles and like fasteners to opposite ends of the bag. People who carry such bags come in all sizes, and it is also known to adjust the length of the shoulder strap to accommodate the size of each person. The shoulder strap is typically adjusted by folding it over onto itself, and using a buckle to hold the folded strap portions together. Another adjustment technique involves fastening a selected region on the strap to the bag, and allowing an end of the strap to dangle freely. Although these are generally satisfactory expedients, experience has shown that it is unaesthetic, especially for fashion bags, to have dangling strap ends, buckles and bulky, folded strap portions.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    One object of this invention is to provide a strap for a bag that is easy to adjust and aesthetic in appearance.  
           [0006]    Another object of this invention is to eliminate the need for dangling strap ends, buckles and bulky, folded strap portions to adjust a strap for a bag.  
         FEATURES OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    In keeping with these objects, and others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of this invention resides, briefly stated, in a carrying bag comprising an outer container having a pair of container wall portions spaced apart of each other, and an inner liner within the container and bounding an interior space therewith. Preferably, the outer container is constituted of a flexible, non-rigid material, such as leather, vinyl, fabric and like materials commonly used in the construction of bags or purses. The inner liner is also preferably made of a flexible, non-rigid material, such as a fabric of natural or synthetic materials.  
           [0008]    In accordance with this invention, a pair of first fasteners is respectively mounted on the container wall portions. Preferably, each first fastener is a projection or prong having an enlarged head. A succession of second fasteners, such as holes, is spaced longitudinally along a strap that extends longitudinally between opposite strap ends. Each hole is sized to receive a respective prong.  
           [0009]    The strap is adjustable in length by selection of two of the holes due to their longitudinal spacing apart from each other. These two selected holes are the ones that receive the prongs on the bag. The spacing between the two selected holes represents the desired length for the strap to carry the bag. The strap ends are received and concealed in the interior space between the liner and the container.  
           [0010]    Thus, the receipt of the strap ends in the interior space avoids the problem of dangling strap ends. There are no folded-over or bulky strap portions, or buckles, thereby imparting a high aesthetic appearance to the bag.  
           [0011]    The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bag carried by a strap in accordance with this invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a broken-away, enlarged, sectional view taken on line  2 - 2  of FIG. 1;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a broken-away, enlarged, sectional view taken on line  3 - 3  of FIG. 1;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a perspective view analogous to FIG. 1, but showing the strap adjusted to be longer in length in accordance with this invention; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a broken-away, enlarged, sectional view taken on line  5 - 5  of FIG. 4. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]    Reference numeral  10  generally identifies a bag or purse carried by a strap  12  having a length adjustable between a shorter length depicted in FIG. 1 and a longer length depicted in FIG. 4.  
         [0018]    The bag  10  includes an outer shell or container  14 , and an inner liner  16  located within the container  14  and bounding an interior space  18  therewith. The container  14  may have any shape and, as shown, the shape of the container  14  is a parallelepiped having spaced-apart end walls  20 ,  22 ; spaced-apart side walls  24 ,  26 ; a bottom wall  28 ; and a top wall  30  openable and closeable by a zipper  32 . The container walls may be constructed of leather, vinyl, fabric, or any other flexible, non-rigid material commonly used in the art of making bags. The container walls are conventionally sewn or fused together.  
         [0019]    The liner  16  is preferably also made of flexible, non-rigid material such as cloth or plastic material and covers the interior surfaces of the end, side and bottom walls of the container. The liner  16  is preferably sewn in place.  
         [0020]    As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, a pair of first fasteners or prongs  34 ,  36  is mounted on wall portions of the container that are spaced apart of each other. The prongs  34 ,  36  extend outwardly of the end walls  20 ,  22  and have enlarged heads  38 ,  40 .  
         [0021]    The strap  12  extends longitudinally between opposite strap ends  42 ,  44  and has a succession of second fasteners or holes  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  spaced longitudinally along the strap. The holes  46 ,  48  are spaced apart by a shorter distance as compared to the spacing between the holes  50 ,  52 . If a user wishes to carry the bag with a shorter strap, as shown in FIG. 1, then the holes  46 ,  48  are selected to mate with the prongs  34 ,  36 . Otherwise, if the user wishes to use the longer strap of FIG. 4, then the holes  50 ,  52  are selected to mate with the prongs  34 ,  36 .  
         [0022]    Each head  38 ,  40  is slightly larger in cross-section than a respective hole so that the head must be forced through the respective hole. The material surrounding each hole yields to permit entry of the head. The strap is made of yieldable material such as leather, vinyl and the like. Once through, the hole freely receives the prong. The head insures that the strap will stay in place on the prong unless forcibly pulled in the opposite direction through the hole to make another adjustment.  
         [0023]    The aforementioned strap ends  42 ,  44  are not left dangling from the prongs. Instead, the strap ends  42 ,  44  are inserted into openings  54  (see FIG. 3) into the interior space  18  between the container and the liner. FIG. 2 depicts how the longer strap ends  42 ,  44  extend along the end walls  20 ,  22  and along the bottom wall  28 . FIG. 5 depicts how the shorter strap ends  42 ,  44  extend only partially along the end walls  20 ,  22 . In either case, the strap ends are received in the interior space and concealed from view.  
         [0024]    In alternate embodiments, more than two pairs of holes can be provided along the strap for greater adjustment versatility.  
         [0025]    It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, also may find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.  
         [0026]    While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a bag with adjustable carrying strap, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the first and second fasteners can be replaced by hook and loop fasteners, or by magnetic fasteners.  
         [0027]    Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.