Handbag with interchangeable decorative display panels

Adding a decorative panel in a display position about a handbag by positioning opposite panel edges beneath front and rear fold-down flaps, the contacting surfaces of the flaps and panel edges being firmly secured to each other to an extent obviating inadvertent release of a flap during use as might result from snagging, and yet manual release is well within the strength of the user preparatory to changing a display panel.

The present invention relates generally to improvements, using a selected 
one of available decorative panels, in the practice of a known method of 
adding the selected panel in a display position about the handbag, the 
improvements more particularly obviating inadvertent release of the 
decorative panel during normal use of the handbag, and also contributing 
to the ease of substituting or interexchanging one panel for another, as 
required by the fashion objective of the handbag user. 
EXAMPLES OF THE PRIOR ART 
To satisfy a range of fashion objectives in the use of a handbag, i.e., to 
provide the handbag with an appearance or look that is sporty, or formal, 
or coordinated with shoes or clothing accessories, and the like, it is 
already known from numerous prior patents that these fashion possibilities 
can be achieved using a selected one of available decorative panels 
attached to the handbag, these prior patents being exemplified by U.S. 
Pat. No. 2,627,885 issued to S. L. Cassell for "Lady's Handbag" on Feb. 
10, 1953, U.S. Pat. No. 2,000,538 issued to M. H. Resnick for "Hand Bag 
and Reversible Cover therefore" on May 7, 1935, U.S. Pat. No. 2,131,382 
issued to R. Lobel for "Handbag" on Sep. 27, 1938, and U.S. Pat. No. 
3,182,701 issued to A. Ginsburg for "Multiple Face Handbag" on May 11, 
1965, to mention but a few. 
Singled out from the above and all other known prior patents is U.S. Pat. 
No. 1,990,360 issued to A. Anish for "Lady's Hand Bag" on Feb. 5, 1935, in 
which the method of positioning the decorative panel for display about the 
handbag contemplates the use of front and rear fold-down flaps over the 
upper edges of the display panel and a connection therebetween using snap 
fasteners on the underside of the flaps, and cooperating snap fasteners on 
the decorative panel. 
In the '360 method of decorating the handbag, each folded-down flap is 
vulnerable to inadvertent release, as might result from snagging 
particularly in locations between the snap fasteners. Also, the folding 
down of a flap to achieve interconnection of the cooperating snap 
fasteners results in a position of movement of the flap which masks from 
view the snap fasteners on the handbag thus correspondingly making 
alignment therebetween difficult. Still further, finger pressure is 
required to snap the fasteners together, and inadvertently the finger 
pressure makes undesirable marks or impressions on the exterior surfaces 
of the flaps. 
Underlying the present invention is the recognition that an interconnection 
between the contacting surfaces of the flaps and of the decorative panel 
can be achieved to an extent of firmness that obviates inadvertent 
release, and that such firmness nevertheless does not interfere with 
removal and substituting a decorative panel because a manual force 
appropriate for release is readily applied by the user. Stated somewhat 
differently, the flap opened by a manually applied force occurs during a 
change of decorative panel and thus the open condition thereof does not 
adversely affect the appearance or use of the handbag, which is not the 
case of a flap which is snagged open. 
Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of 
decorating a handbag using a selected decorative panel overcoming the 
foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. 
More particularly, it is an object to provide a firm enough connection 
extending the width of the handbag between the flaps and decorative panel, 
and yet well within the strength of a typical user to manually release, 
all as will be better understood as the description proceeds.

A solution to a long unsolved problem is the described method which follows 
of attaching a selected one of many decorative panels, of which panel 10 
is to be understood to be only exemplary, in a U-shaped or encircling 
relation, as generally noted at 12, about a front panel 14, bottom panel 
16, and rear panel 18 of a handbag generally designated 20. 
Obviated in the problem-solving method is any unintentional release of the 
selected panel 10 during normal use of the handbag 20 and contributing to 
the ease of substituting or interexchanging one panel 10 for another, as 
required by the fashion objective of the purchaser, i.e., to have a 
handbag with a look that is sporty, formal, color coordinated with shoes 
or clothing accessories, and the like. 
In the manufacture of the handbag 20 there is extending from upper edges 
22, 24 of the front and rear panels 14, 18 by an added dimension or 
otherwise in any appropriate manner a front flap 26 and a rear flap 28, 
the flaps' attachment being coincident with the respective top edges of 
the front and rear panels 30, 32, and also establishing by a reverse in 
curvature, aptly denominated positioning sites 34 and 36. Each flap 26 and 
28 extends from a cooperating site 34, 36 and is adapted to partake of a 
closing pivotal movement 38 over the tops of the panels 14 and 18, and 
also in an opposite pivotal movement 40 in which it assumes an open 
position, in which position the established positioning sites 34 and 36 
are exposed. 
Each panel 10 is designed and/or styled as a separate article of 
manufacture, having a rectangular shape, in a preferred embodiment being 
83/4".times.17", delimited by a top edge 42, a bottom or opposite edge 44, 
and opposite side edges 46 and 48. An outwardly facing surface 50 of panel 
10 is embodied with a design 52 providing the desired fashion look of the 
panel 10. 
Along the top and bottom edges 42 and 44 of panel 10, there is sewn in 
place under folded down hems, individually and collectively designated 54, 
by top stitching 56, VELCRO strips of hook and loop-type fasteners 58. It 
is to be noted that the hook and loop-type fastener strips 58 are 
rectangular in shape and that the long dimension 60 thereof is oriented 
widthwise of the handbag front and rear panel edges 30 and 32. 
Cooperating with the VELCRO strips 58 on the underside of flaps 26, 28 are 
selected cooperating rectangular VELCRO hook and loop-type fastener strips 
62 (FIG. 4) sewn in place at location 64 by top stitching 66, or adhesive 
attachment, the selected dimensions of strips 62 being the same or 
substantially the same as the strips 58. Also as to be noted, each strip 
58, 62 is oriented widthwise of the handbag 20. Thus the strips 58 and 62 
correspondingly are to adapted attach to each other across the entire or 
substantially the entire width of the handbag 20. 
The front top and rear top edges 42, 44 are positioned beneath a 
cooperating front and rear flap 26, 28 and to guide these edges 42, 44 
into a desired position preparatory to use, the panel 10 is projected 
beneath an open flap 26, 28 until assuming close operative positions 
adjacent the respective positioning sites 34 and 36. The panel 10 is then 
in a desired U-shape configuration 12 about the handbag 20 and by "eye" is 
readily centered between the opposite sides, individually and collectively 
designated 68 of the front and rear panels 14, 18. The attachment method 
is then completed by closing movement 38 of the flaps 26 and 28 upon the 
panel edges 42, 44 seated at their positioning sites 34, 36, and bringing 
into engagement with each other the strips 58 and 62 for the full extent 
of the width of the handbag 20. This fall width of a flap 26, 28 upon the 
seated top edges 42 and 44 of a display panel 10 has been found in 
practice to obviate, during normal use of the handbag 20, any inadvertent 
opening of a flap 26, 28 due to snagging, particularly along a medial 
location, generally designated 70, of a flap edge 72, and this is 
undoubtedly due to the firmness of the attachment to each other of the 
VELCRO strips 58 and 62. 
This firmness of the attachment or securement of the closed flaps 26, 28 
however is readily within the strength of the handbag user to manually 
release, preparatory to removing the panel 10 from its display position 
and repeating the aforesaid positioning method for a substitute display 
panel 10. 
For completeness sake it is noted that handbag 20 includes an inner 
compartment 74 bounded by inner front and rear panels 76 and 78 having 
upper edges 80 and 82 which are crimped into metal frames 84 and 86 which 
move apart from their illustrated position to provide an access opening 
into the compartment 74. 
While the apparatus for practicing the within inventive method, as well as 
said method herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of 
attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it 
is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently 
preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended 
to the detail of construction or design herein shown other than as defined 
in the appended claims.