Patent Publication Number: US-2015070880-A1

Title: Bag equipped with a lighting and power system

Description:
The present invention relates to a handbag provided with an illumination and power supply system. In particular, the invention relates to a handbag provided with means adapted to illuminate its inside to facilitate the search for items contained therein. The handbag according to the invention is also provided with an electrical supply device to charge battery operated electronic devices. 
     A common problem in the use of ladies&#39; bags or handbags is that of distinguishing a specific item to be removed from the handbag from others contained therein. This is particularly tiresome in conditions of poor light, as it is necessary to identify an item only by its shape, especially when there are items of similar shape inside the handbag (such as two different sets of keys). 
     To overcome these drawbacks, handbags, purses or the like have been produced provided with illumination devices adapted to illuminate the inner compartment of the handbag, supplied by batteries or the like, and which can be activated through switches connected to the closure of the handbag. 
     An example of handbag with this configuration is described in the German patent application DE10338905. 
     Another example of a handbag provided with means adapted to illuminate the items inserted therein is described in the United Kingdom patent application GB2082898. 
     These prior art objects are nonetheless subject to further improvement. 
     In fact, bags with this configuration are generally more complicated to produce than a conventional handbag, due to the presence of various electrical or electronic components that must be inserted therein. 
     In particular, these components must be integrated in the body of the handbag so that they do not alter either its normal usability and functionality, or its physical appearance, very important in this type of product. 
     However, at the same time the components must be designed and arranged so that they are easily accessible to facilitate any maintenance operations in the event of faults. 
     The present invention relates to this field, proposing a handbag provided with an improved illumination and power supply system to make up for the shortcomings of prior art devices. 
     In particular, an object of the invention is to propose a handbag provided with an illumination and power supply system that enables easy installation of the various components therein and therefore simple and quick maintenance in the event of a fault in one of the components. 
     Another object of the invention is to propose a handbag provided with an illumination and power supply system that offers the user maximum practicality of use, comparable to that of a conventional handbag. 
     In detail, an object of the present invention is to propose a handbag provided with an illumination and power supply system supplied by a battery that can be charged easily without the use of cables. 
     A further object of the present invention is to propose a handbag provided with an illumination and power supply system, which enables the capacity of the battery to be used to charge electronic devices contained therein. 
     The above objects are substantially achieved by a handbag according to one or more of the appended claims. 
     In particular, these objects are achieved by a handbag comprising a casing defining a compartment with an opening produced in the upper part and provided with closing means, illumination devices placed inside said compartment close to said opening, a battery adapted to supply said illumination devices, a switch operably connected to said closing means of the compartment, a connection device configured to connect to an external charging device, a control unit configured to control at least said illumination devices and said connection means, at least said battery, said connection means and said control unit being placed on the bottom of the handbag. 
    
    
     
       Further characteristics and advantages will be more apparent from the indicative, and therefore non-limiting, description of an example of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the invention, as shown in the accompanying figures wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a sectional front view of a handbag according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is to sectional side view of the handbag of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic representation of the components of the illumination and power supply system according to the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a charging device of the handbag according to the invention; 
     
    
    
     With reference to the accompanying figures, the handbag comprises a casing  2  defining an inner compartment  3  adapted to contain items O. 
     Said casing can be made of any material compatible with the use of a handbag, for example fabric, leather, hide, plastic materials and the like. 
     Said casing can comprise, for example, at least one bottom  4 , one or more lateral walls  5  and an upper wall  6 . 
     The external shape of the casing is not binding for the purposes of the invention; for example, said bottom  4  could be produced in one piece with the lateral wall or walls  5 , just as said walls could be produced in one piece with the upper wall  6 . 
     Preferably, in the upper part of said casing  2 , and more specifically in the upper wall  6 , an opening  7  is produced to enable access to the inner compartment  3  to remove or insert items O. 
     However, according to the shape of the casing, said opening can also be provided laterally or, in any other position on the casing  2 . 
     The casing also comprises closing means  8  adapted to partially or completely close said opening  7 . Said closing means can comprise a zip, buttons, clips or in general any type of known closure. 
     According to the invention, the handbag is provided with illumination devices  9  adapted to illuminate the inner compartment  3  and the items contained therein. 
     For this purpose said illumination devices are preferably located in the upper part of the casing and more specifically close to the opening  7 . 
     According to a preferred embodiment, said illumination devices comprise a plurality of LEDs arranged along the perimeter of the opening  7 . 
     More in detail, said illumination devices comprise at least one “LED strip”, i.e. a strip of flexible material provided with a plurality of LEDs, all supplied through a single external connection. 
     For example, in a handbag provided with zip closure, such as the one shown in the figure, it is possible to install a pair of “LED strips” inside the casing, each at one edge of the opening  7 . 
     For example, said “LED strips” can be housed in specific tubular compartments  22  produced with a textile capable of allowing light to pass through (thin or perforated), or with a transparent plastic material. 
     The power supply for said illumination devices  9  is provided with a battery  10 , preferably a rechargeable battery. 
     To ensure maximum practicality of use for the user, activation and deactivation of the illumination devices  9  is controlled by a switch  11  operably connected to the closing means  8  of the opening  7 . 
     In detail, said switch enables the lighting device to be switched on automatically when the casing  2  is opened by means of the closing means  8 , and vice versa switched off once the casing is closed. 
     According to the invention, said switch  11  comprises at least one magnet  12  and one reed contact  13 . 
     Preferably, said magnet  12  is positioned on a moving portion of said closing means, while the reed contact  13  is in a fixed position on the casing of the handbag. 
     When the casing is closed the magnet  12  and the contact  13  are moved together so that the magnetic field of the magnet can energize the reed contact, maintaining the illumination devices switched off. 
     Instead, when the casing  2  is open, the magnet  12  is moved away from the reed contact  13 , which deactivates to enable said illumination devices  9  to switch on. 
     Even more in detail, said reed contact  13  is connected to a switch control circuit  18 , interposed between the battery  10  and the illumination devices  9 , capable of perceiving the open or closed state of the reed contact and of enabling or preventing passage of the current towards said lighting devices ( FIG. 3 ). 
     According to the invention, the handbag is also provided with a connection device, indicated as a whole with  14 , which enables the battery  10  to be charged through an external charging device, indicated as a whole with  15 . 
     Advantageously, said connection device  14  enables the battery  10  to be charged without the aid of cables or the like connected to the handbag ( FIG. 3 ). 
     More specifically, said connection means  14  comprise at least one coil  16 , configured to pick up a magnetic field emitted by the charging device  10  and transform it into an electric signal, and a transformer circuit  17 , connected to said coil, capable of modulating said signal with a voltage and current value compatible with those of the battery  10 . 
     The number and the dimension of the coils  16  can be varied according to the capacity of the battery to be charged, and to the specifications of the charging device  15 . 
     Said transformer circuit  17 , said switch control device  18  and said battery  10  are connected to a charge and supply control circuit  19  and managed by it. 
     In detail, said charge and supply control circuit  19  is configured to receive from the switch control device  18  a signal indicating opening or closing of the casing  2  and, according to this, to enable or prevent the passage of current from the battery  10  towards the illumination devices  9 . 
     Said charge and supply control circuit  19  is also configured to receive from the transformer circuit  17  a modulated current and transfer it to the battery  10  to charge it. When the battery  10  is completely charged, said circuit  19  interrupts the supply and the charge. 
     When the handbag is connected to the charging device  15 , the charge and supply control circuit  19  bypasses the battery  10  and in the event of opening of the casing  2 , supplies the illumination devices  9  directly through the transformer circuit  17 . 
     According to the invention, said transformer circuit  17 , said switch control circuit  18  and said charge and supply control circuit  19  are comprised in a single control unit, indicated as a whole with  20 . 
     Advantageously, said control unit  20 , said battery  10  and said coil  16  are placed on the bottom  4  of the handbag in such a manner that they do not create any inconvenience to the user or reduce the capacity of the inner compartment  3 . 
     According to a preferred embodiment, said battery  10 , said control unit  20  and said coil  16  are produced in a single preassembled and sealed body  21 . 
     Due to the configuration of the various components, said body can assume a thin flat shape which is well suited to arrangement on the bottom  4  of the casing. 
     For this purpose, the bottom  4  of the casing is provided with a pocket, closed by a zip or by a hook and loop closure, which enables easy and quick insertion or removal of the body  21  therein or therefrom. 
     Advantageously, said body is produced at least partly in a soft material, capable of absorbing impacts and protecting the various components, and preferably waterproof to prevent them from getting wet. Materials such as expanded polyethylene or the like are well suited for this use. 
     To facilitate maintenance operations, said body  21  is provided with quick release connections  23  on a connection cable  24  with the reed contact  13  and on the connection cables  25  with the illumination devices  9 . 
     Said cables are preferably positioned under an inner lining of the casing, not visible in the figure, in such a manner as to be totally hidden from view. 
     In this way, in the event of a fault of one of the aforesaid components, it is sufficient to uncouple the connections and replace the component. 
     Likewise, in the event of a breakage of one of the components inside the body  21  (control unit  20 , battery  10  or coils  16 ) it can be quickly and easily disconnected from the reed contact  13  and from the illumination devices  9 , and replaced with a new one. 
     This solution enables the user to restore all the devices of the handbag to working order almost immediately, without having to leave the handbag at stores or with service centres to be repaired. 
     The replaced body  21  can subsequently be re-used, after the damaged component has been repaired or restored at service centres, in the same way as many other electronic devices. 
     Preferably, according to the invention the handbag is also provided with a power supply system to charge battery-operated electronic devices such as phones, smartphones, MP3 players, electronic planners or the like. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, said power supply system comprises a power supply cable  26 , connected to the charge and supply circuit  19  of the control unit  20 , provided at one end with a connector  27  for connection of an electronic device. 
     Said connector  27  can be of standard type (USB, mini-USB, micro-USB) or of proprietary type and dedicated to devices of a given manufacturer. 
     Advantageously, said power supply cable  26  is also provided with a quick release connection  23  to be uncoupled from the body  21 . 
     Said power supply cable  26  can reach a housing  27 , such as a pocket  36  or the like, in which the electronic device to be charged can be placed. 
     According to another embodiment, said power supply system can comprise a coil  35  connected to the charge and supply circuit  19  of the control unit  20  through a power supply cable  38 , adapted to generate a magnetic field that can interact with an electronic device to charge it. Also in this case, the coil  35  can be placed in a pocket  37  of the bag; in this way it is sufficient to place the electronic device in the pocket to start charging. 
     According to the invention, the handbag can be provided in a kit comprising a charging device  15  illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     Said device comprises a support  30  with a substantially flat body provided with means  31  configured to generate a magnetic field adapted to interact with the connection device  14  of the handbag. 
     More in detail, said means comprise at least one coil, buried inside said support  30 , supplied by a driving circuit  32  in turn connected to the electricity network through a transformer (not visible in the figure). 
     In this way when the charging device is active, it is sufficient to place the handbag on the support  31  for the magnetic field generated by the coil  31  to interact with the coil  16  of the connection device  14  of the handbag and enable charging of the battery  10 . 
     This charging system, without the aid of cables or the like, ensures maximum practicality for the user and does not involve substantial variations in the habitual uses of a conventional handbag. 
     Preferably, the device comprises a plurality of coils  31  arranged on a matrix that extends substantially for the entire surface of the support. 
     This enables the handbag to be placed on the support  30  in a more or less random manner, however ensuring interaction between at least one emitting coil  31  of the charging device and the coil  16  of the handbag. 
     Said support  30  is preferably made of a light, strong and deformable material, such as rubber, cardboard or corrugated plastic. 
     Preferably, if the charging device  15  is provided in a kit, said support  30  can be covered with the same material as the casing of the bag or with a material decorated in a manner that matches its design elements. 
     Advantageously, inside the compartment  3 , and preferably in an upper area of the casing, the handbag can be provided with a small panel (not shown in the figure), connected to the control, charge and supply unit  19 , with some LEDs indicating the charge status of the battery. 
     According to an alternative variant, the connection device configured to connect to an external charging device can comprise a further connector (not shown in the figure) connected to the control unit  20  through which it is possible to charge the battery  10  by means of a power supply cable. 
     Said further connector can be placed beside the connection device comprising the coil ( 14 ), as they can be used selectively, or can replace it. 
     This connector can, for example, be a standard female USB, mini USB or micro USB connector, in other words compatible with the majority of transformers with which electronic devices are currently equipped. In this way it is also possible to charge the battery  10  when the charging device  15  is available. 
     Said connector is preferably placed on the casing  2  and accessible from the outside; for this reason, it can be camouflaged as desired using decorations or studs present on the handbag. 
     The present innovation, as described and illustrated, is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants all included in the scope of the inventive concept; moreover, all details can be substituted by other technically equivalent elements.