Handbag having credit card holder insert

A handbag is disclosed having an enclosure which defines a major compartment for receiving and retaining articles, a credit card holder for holding at least one credit card, a minor compartment defined within the major compartment for reception of the credit card holder, and a connecting member for attaching the credit card holder with respect to the minor compartment in a manner which permits insertion of the credit card holder into the minor compartment and withdrawal of the credit card holder upwardly with respect to the minor compartment up to a predetermined distance as limited by the connecting member. When the credit card holder is moved upwardly, such movement provides user access to the credit cards, while preventing outward movement of the credit card holder from the minor compartment a distance greater than said predetermined distance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to handbags and other portable personal carrying 
containers, and more particularly, to a handbag having a separate 
compartment for reception and retention of a credit card holder, the 
credit card holder being permanently attached to the handbag to prevent 
separation movement relative to the separate compartment in excess of a 
predetermined distance. 
2. Background of Related Art 
The structure and usage of handbags, pocketbooks and other portable 
carrying containers is well known. Handbags and luggage are commonly 
constructed of one or more interior compartments configured to retain 
cosmetics, toiletries and other items for ready access by the user. In 
such known structures, handbags often contain inner distinct compartments 
for reception of articles or other items. 
In handbags, a separate compartment for containing a bill fold, a coin 
purse, or the like has often been incorporated by structuring the 
compartment in either a permanently open condition or with a latching 
mechanism which permits closure of the compartment. Some examples of these 
types of structures can also be found in the patent literature. 
With increasing use of credit cards, consumers have found the need to carry 
an increasing number of credit cards on a regular basis. In order to 
facilitate carrying such credit cards, wallet and handbag manufacturers 
have provided a number of vehicles for the consumers use whereby credit 
cards can be inserted into pocket-like compartments or the like for 
storage and ready access. 
The increasing use of such credit cards has also given rise to an 
increasing loss of the credit cards either by accidental cause or theft. 
Thus, in the case of a handbag, although an individually separable 
container for carrying credit cards may be provided by the manufacturer, 
the credit card holder may become separated and be lost either through 
inadvertence or by theft when the consumer removes it from the carrying 
container for use of a credit card. Accordingly, there is a need for a 
carrying container having provisions for storage and retention of credit 
cards with means to prevent permanent physical separation of the credit 
cards from the container more than a predetermined distance. 
The prior art includes a number of examples of handbags and the like having 
separate storage containers or devices for containing articles. For 
example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,538,518 to Marymount relates to a pocketbook or 
handbag having an identification card holder and mirror attached to the 
handbag by a suitable band 29. Marymount also discloses a secret pocket 16 
attached to a flexible band 17. U.S. Pat. No. 1,564,967 to Kulick 
discloses a handbag having a bill folder 17 connected within a compartment 
by a connecting strip 22. U.S. Pat. No. 1,863,270 to Goldsmith discloses a 
handbag having a safety pocket 23 formed in the central portion. U.S. Pat. 
No. 1,998,798 to Welch discloses a handbag having a coin purse 19 
connected with the handbag by a rigid connecting member 24. U.S. Pat. No. 
2,061,293 to Stember relates to a ladies' handbag having a billfold 17 
connected to the handbag by a connecting member 21. 
Although the portable personal carrying containers disclosed in the prior 
art relate generally to handbags having items such as identification card 
holders, mirrors, coin purses, bill folders or the like associated with 
the handbag in some fashion, there is no disclosure of a handbag adapted 
for permanent reception of a device capable of holding at least one credit 
card, wherein a safe and secure place is provided within the handbag for 
storage of credit cards in a manner where they are readily accessed by the 
user, and which also facilitates such storage in a manner which prevents 
loss by theft or otherwise of the credit cards from the handbag and the 
user. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a handbag which 
avoids the problems prevalent with known handbags. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to a handbag which comprises an enclosure 
defining a major compartment for receiving and retaining articles, means 
for holding at least one credit card, a minor compartment within the major 
compartment for reception of the credit card holding means. Means is also 
provided for attaching the credit card holding means with respect to the 
minor compartment in a manner which permits insertion of the credit card 
holding means into the minor compartment and withdrawing movement of the 
credit card holding means with respect to the minor compartment up to a 
predetermined distance to provide user access to the credit card holding 
means. Thus, outward movement of the credit card holding means from the 
minor compartment a distance greater than the predetermined distance. The 
enclosure comprises opposed front and rear wall portions, opposed side 
wall portions, and respective bottom wall portions. The minor compartment 
is preferably formed by a pair of wall portions positioned adjacent each 
other in face-to-face relationship and extending between the opposed side 
wall portions. Further, credit card holding means is preferably structured 
to receive and retain a plurality of credit cards. 
In a preferred embodiment, the means to attach the credit card holding 
means to the minor compartment comprises a material fabric connector 
attached at a first end portion to a lower portion of said credit card 
holding means and at a second end portion to a lower marginal portion of 
the minor compartment. Furthermore, the credit card holding means 
preferably comprises a credit card holder having a pair of panels 
positioned in face-to-face relation and attached to each other along 
marginal portions thereof, each panel defining a plurality of slits for 
reception of a corresponding plurality of credit cards. Each of the slits 
is associated with a fabric pocket extending therebelow for reception and 
support of at least a portion of a respective credit card, and each of 
said panels of said credit card holder comprises a synthetic or natural 
leather material. 
In the present handbag, each adjacent pair of slits of the panels of the 
credit card holder defines a corresponding synthetic or natural leather 
material strip which separate the credit card from each other. More 
particularly, the panels of the credit card holder each comprise at least 
five adjacent parallel material strips defined by four of said parallel 
slits, each adjacent pair of the material strips having associated 
therewith one of the fabric pockets. 
In the handbag disclosed herein, each of the panels are stitched together 
along the marginal edge portions thereof and each fabric pocket is formed 
of a material fabric portion attached to rear surface portions of adjacent 
material strips. The pocket is preferably comprised of a fabric liner 
material and extends downwardly from a rear surface portion of a material 
strip and is folded to extend upwardly to a rear surface portion of the 
next lower material strip to form the credit card receiving pocket. 
The material fabric connector is attached to the panels by stitches at a 
lower marginal end portion thereof, and the connector is attached at the 
opposite end to a lower portion of the minor compartment by stitches. 
Furthermore, the minor compartment subdivides the major compartment into 
two separate compartments for receiving and retaining articles. 
The handbag preferably includes a closure flap extending from an upper 
marginal portion of the rear wall and dimensioned for selective movement 
over an access opening of the major compartment, the flap having means 
such as a magnetic or mechanical clasp for releasable attachment thereof 
to an opposite wall portion so as to protectively cover the access opening 
of the major compartment. A second compartment structured and adapted for 
reception of articles may be attached to the front wall portion of the 
enclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now in detail to the drawings wherein like reference numerals 
identify similar structural elements of the invention disclosed herein, 
there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a handbag constructed in accordance with a 
preferred embodiment of the subject invention and designated generally by 
reference numeral 10. The handbag will normally be made of natural or 
synthetic leather. However, suitable alternative materials such as cloth 
or cloth-like materials, with appropriate supportive rigid or semi-rigid 
backing materials may be used. In each instance, the materials utilized 
are connected to each other by known techniques, such as stitches, 
adhesives, or combinations thereof. Optional shoulder or carry strap 11 is 
shown. 
The construction of handbag 10 is unique among those known in the art in 
that the handbag includes a major compartment in which is contained a 
minor compartment for receiving and supporting a credit card holder in a 
particular manner as will be described hereinbelow. 
Referring to FIG. 2, handbag 10 defines a major compartment 12 for 
reception and retention of articles. Major compartment 12 is in turn 
subdivided by minor compartment 14 into two separate and distinct 
subcompartments including rear subcompartment 16 and front subcompartment 
18. These subcompartments 16, 18 may be used separately for reception and 
retention of articles. 
Referring to FIG. 2 in conjunction with FIG. 4, major compartment 12 is 
defined by front wall 20, rear wall 22, side walls 24, 26, and bottom wall 
29, best shown in FIG. 4. In the embodiment shown, minor compartment 14 is 
actually formed by panels 28, 30 as shown, which are actually continuous 
with front side wall portions 24b, 26b and rear side wall portions 24a, 
26a, respectively. However, panels 28, 30 may alternatively be in the form 
of separate panels individually attached to side wall panels, per se. 
As shown, the various structural compartments are assembled by stitches 
and/or adhesive, or combinations thereof. Optional front compartment 32 is 
attached to front wall 20 and is formed of front wall 34, rear wall 36 and 
side walls 38, 40. Cover flap 42 is attached to rear wall 22 and is 
flexible for movement between the open position shown in FIG. 1 and the 
closed position in FIG. 2 whereby flap 42 is secured by magnetic or other 
type clasp 44. Alternatively, the side wall portions and bottom wall 
portions may be in the form of flat leather panels suitably attached to 
the front, rear and bottom wall portions in a known manner and flap 42 may 
be hinged. 
Referring again to FIG. 2 in conjunction with FIGS. 3 and 4, minor 
compartment 14 is formed by a pair of panels 28, 30 of a suitably rigid 
material. In the embodiment shown, panels 28, 30 are constructed of a 
semirigid cardboard backing covered by a complementary fabric material. 
Alternatively, these panels may be made of natural or synthetic leather, 
used either as a panel per se, or used as a covering for a semi-rigid 
cardboard panel. Panels 28, 30 are attached together by stitches, but are 
left separate from each other in the mid-region to define minor 
compartment 14 which is structured to receive and retain credit card 
holder 46 in snug relation as shown. 
Referring to FIG. 2 in conjunction with FIGS. 3-8, credit card holder 46 is 
formed of a combination of rigid or semi-rigid panels 48, 50, each of 
which contains a plurality of slits 48a, 50a, respectively, to receive a 
corresponding plurality of credit cards, shown typically for illustration 
purposes at 52 in FIGS. 5, 7 and 9. The credit card holder 46 is attached 
to minor compartment 14 by fabric ribbon 54 attached to the lower edge of 
compartment 14 by stitches 56. As viewed in FIGS. 2 and 8, the credit card 
holder 46 has a widthwise dimension (i.e., as measured from left to right) 
less than the corresponding widthwise dimension (i.e., as measured from 
left to right) of the major compartment 12. 
The upper end of ribbon 54 is attached to the lower marginal portion of 
credit card holder 46 as best shown in FIG. 6 by stitches 62. Thus by 
selecting the length of fabric ribbon 54, the amount of upward movement 
permitted credit card holder 46 with respect to minor compartment 14 can 
be selectively limited as seen for example in FIGS. 5 and 7. Connective 
ribbon 54 is preferably made of a fabric liner material such as silk, 
nylon, acetate or the like, which provides flexibility and strength, yet 
can be folded in compact fashion as shown in FIG. 4. 
Preferably, when the ribbon 54 is dimensioned relative to the handbag 10 as 
shown, the credit card holder 46 is movable only between the positions 
shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 7, respectively. In FIG. 2, the credit card holder 
46 is snugly contained substantially entirely within minor compartment 14, 
whereas in the withdrawn position shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, only about 25 
percent of the credit card holder 46 remains within the minor compartment 
14, thus providing user access to the credit cards. 
As noted, it will be appreciated that the limitations placed upon the 
movement of the credit card holder 46 as described, provide ready access 
to the user of the credit card holder and the credit cards contained 
therein, while preventing total separation of the credit card and credit 
cards either by inadvertence or theft. However, it should be understood 
that the relative dimensions may be varied to accommodate individual needs 
or tastes. For example, the ribbon 54 may be made shorter or longer as 
desired, whereby the position of the credit card holder 46 will otherwise 
be determined. Also, credit card holder 46 can be alternatively structured 
as a checkbook holder, a purse or wallet, or the like (not shown), having 
the structure capable of holding one or more credit cards similar to the 
manner shown. 
Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, the construction of the credit card holder 
46 will be described. For convenience of illustration, the cover materials 
are shown in enlarged separated sections, whereas they are actually part 
of the same material layer. Credit card holder 46 is formed of front panel 
50 and rear panel 48 constructed as shown in FIG. 9. Preferably, a pair of 
relatively rigid backing panels 58, 60 are attached in face-to-face 
relation as shown in FIG. 9 and provided with natural or synthetic leather 
cover layers as shown to form front panel 50 and rear panel 48, 
respectively. Each cover layer is secured in position to panels 58, 60 by 
stitches 62, 64. Panels 58, 60 may be formed of any relatively rigid or 
semi-rigid backing material such as cardboard, vinyl, or the like. 
Alternatively, panels 58, 60 may also be leather. 
Each leather cover layer 66, 68 has a plurality of slits 48a, 50a, as 
described previously, which define five separate parallel strips of 
leather material on each side, namely strips 66a, 66b, 66c, 66d, 66e on 
the front side and strips 68a, 68b, 68c, 68d and 68e on the rear side. In 
addition, a plurality of credit card pockets 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 
84 are formed as shown of a convenient flexible liner material such as 
woven silk or other similar synthetic material such as acetate or nylon. 
Typical construction of these pockets may be described for example with 
reference to pockets 76 and 74. 
Pocket 76 is formed of a liner material such as silk, nylon, acetate, etc., 
which is folded twice upon itself at 76a and positioned and held between 
panel 60 and leather strip 66e by an adhesive layer 86. The fabric extends 
downwardly and then turns upwardly to form pocket 76 with upper marginal 
portion 76b being attached to the upper rear surface portion of leather 
strip 66d by adhesive layer 88. 
The next adjacent pocket 74 is formed by attaching upper marginal portion 
74b of the pocket liner material to a lower rear surface portion of 
leather strip 66d by adhesive layer 90. The opposite upper marginal 
portion 74b of pocket 74 is attached to the upper rear surface portion of 
next adjacent leather strip 66c by adhesive layer 92. The remaining credit 
card pockets are similarly constructed as shown in the drawings at FIG. 9. 
Credit card holder 46 constructed as described is attached to the minor 
compartment 14 by connective ribbon 54 such that when the major 
compartment 12 is exposed by lifting cover flap 42 the user may simply 
grasp credit holder 46 with the thumb and fore-finger, and lift it out of 
compartment 14 thereby providing access to major portions of both front 
and rear credit card holder panels. Thus, in the embodiment shown up to 
eight credit cards may be held in the credit card holder, with four cards 
on each side. However, as noted, the credit card holder may be 
alternatively constructed, such as being part of another type of container 
such as a checkbook holder, a purse or wallet, etc., with provision on at 
least one side thereof to hold a credit card. As noted, the upward 
movement of the credit card holder relative to minor compartment 14 is 
limited by the lengthwise direction of fabric ribbon 54. 
Although the subject invention has been described with reference to 
preferred embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary 
skill in the art to which it appertains that changes and modifications may 
be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject 
invention as defined by the appended claims.