Abstract:
An apparatus and method for interchanging the exterior cover of a purse or handbag having a carrying strap by providing a cover having a plurality of fasteners for engagement to the carrying strap.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority from provisional application 60/231,519 entitled “Interchangeable Purse Exterior” filed on Sep. 9. 2000. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for changing the exterior color and design of a purse or handbag.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,723 discloses a purse system comprising a purse housing having a plurality of fasteners on the exterior of the purse for engagement with a variety of cover members. U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,254 discloses a handbag assembly with separable inner and outer members to allow conversion into a variety of different styles and configurations.  
           [0006]    What is needed beyond the prior art is an affordable, convenient, shell for covering a purse or handbag that can be folded and carried inside the purse or handbag. Additionally, it is desirable to have a purse that comes with several optional exteriors that can be folded and carried inside the purse or handbag. Moreover, it is desirable to have a foldable shell that can be used without fasteners being visible. What is further needed beyond the prior art is shell that can fit purses with flaps.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention meets the needs and solves the problems identified above by providing an apparatus and method for interchanging the exterior cover of a purse or handbag having a carrying strap by providing a cover having a plurality of fasteners for engagement to the carrying strap.  
           [0008]    The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers represent like parts of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a left front perspective view of the cover;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a a left front perspective view of a handbag;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a left front perspective view of cover affixed to the handbag;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a left front perspective of alternate cover;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a left front perspective of an alternate handbag; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is a left front perspective of the alternate cover affixed to the alternate handbag. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]    In FIG. 1, cover  10  has front  12 , rear  14 , first end  16 , second end  18 , bottom  17  and a plurality of fasteners  20 . In the preferred embodiment, front  12 , rear  14 , first end  16 , second end  18  and bottom  17  are formed from two pieces of fabric that are joined together on the sides and bottom. Alternatively, one piece of fabric could be used and folded so that the center of the fabric would form the bottom of cover  10  and the sides would be joined together. Further in the alternative, front  12 , rear  14 , first end  16 , second end  18  and bottom  17  may be made of separate pieces of material. Also in the alternative, combinations of one or more of front  12 , rear  14 , first end  16 , second end  18  and bottom  17  could be made from a single piece of material.  
         [0016]    Additionally, each of front  12 , rear  14 , first end  16 , second end  18  and bottom  17  could be made from one or more pieces of material. As used herein the word fabric means any material capable of being joined together to form the desired shape of cover  10  or any alternate covers disclosed herein. The word fabric includes natural or artificial materials, waterproof or nonwaterproof, water resistant or non-water resistant, flexible or rigid or combinations of the foregoing. The word fabric shall also include materials that are reversible. Further in the alternative, a separate piece of fabric could be used for front  12 , rear  14 , first end  16 , second end  18  and bottom  17  with each piece being joined together. As used herein, the word join shall mean affixing two pieces together by sewing, heat pressing, adhesive, hook and loop fasteners such as velcro, zippers, button snaps, buttons, laces, or other suitable means. Cover  10  is open at the top having interior  26  which is an envelope formed by front  12 , rear  14 , bottom  17 , first end  16  and second end  18 . Front  12  has front top end  21 . Rear  14  has rear top end  22 . First end  16  has first end top  15 . Second end  18  has second end top  19 . Top edge  25  is made up of front top end  21 , rear top end  22 , first end top  15  and second end top  19 .  
         [0017]    Cover  10  may be formed in conjunction with material that is reversible so that cover  10  is reversible. As used herein, reversible means that each of front  12 , rear  14 , first end  16 , second end  18  and bottom  17  of cover  10  have a first side with a first color or design and a second side with a second color of design. Fasteners  20  are affixed to first end  16  and to second end  18 . Fasteners  20  have first fastener  22  and second fastener  24 . First fastener  22  and second fastener  24  may be hook and loop fasteners such as velcro, button snaps, buttons, laces or ribbons.  
         [0018]    In FIG. 2, purse  30  is shown having purse front  32 , purse rear  34 , purse first side  36  and purse second side  38  and purse bottom  37 . Purse  30  has strap  40  with strap first end  42  and strap second end  44 . Strap first end is affixed to purse first side  36  and strap second end is affixed to purse second side  38 . Purse  30  has top  42 . Top  42  may be open or may have a zippered opening. As used herein, the word purse shall mean a receptacle for carrying money and often other small objects and the word purse shall include handbags wherein the handbags are held in the hand or hung from a shoulder strap and used for carrying small personal articles and money.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 depicts cover  20  affixed over purse  30 . Fasteners  20  are engaged around first end  42  of strap  40  and second end  44  of strap  40  to secure cover  20  to purse  30 . Purse  30  now has an exterior of front  12 , rear  14 , bottom  17 , first end  16  and second end  18  of cover  10 . The interior of purse  30  may be accessed through top  42  which is at the top of cavity  26  of cover  20 . First end  16 , second end  18  may be made of material that will stretch to allow for expansion of purse  30  due to articles being placed inside purse  30 . Bottom  17  may also be made of material that will stretch to allow expansion of purse  30 . Further in the alternative, first end  16  or second end  18  may have a zipper for opening and closing the envelope of cover  10  to allow insertion ofpurse  30 . Additionally, in the alternative, first end  16 , second  18 , and bottom  17  may have a zipper running continuously throughout for separation of cover  20  into two halves so that purse  30  may be placed between the two halves and the two halves secured by the zipper around purse  30 . Cover  10  may be constructed with an elasticized top edge  25 , or in the alternative with a drawstring in top edge  25  for tightening top edge  25  of cover  10  around purse  30 .  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 depicts alternate cover  60  for use with a purse having a flap by adding cover flap  50  to cover  10 . Cover flap  50  includes top section  52  which is affixed to rear  14 . With the exception of top section  52  and cover flap  50  alternate cover  60  is the same as cover  10 .  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 depicts alternate purse  70  having purse flap  72  and purse top section  74 . Purse flap  72  and purse top section  74  are made from one piece of material and purse top section  74  is affixed to purse rear  34 .  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 depicts alternate cover  60  affixed to alternate purse  70 . Strap  40  of alternate purse  70  is visible. The exterior of alternate purse  70  is now made up of front  12 , first end  16 , second end  18 , bottom  17 , rear  14 , top section  52  and cover flap  50 . Cover flap  50  has a cover flap interior side and a cover flap exterior side. A stretch band may be affixed to the cover flap interior side so that the stretch band may be passed over purse flap  72  in order to hold cover flap  50  in place over purse flap  72 . Alternatively, cover flap  50  may be affixed to purse flap  72  by hooks, clips. Further in the alterative, cover flap  50  may be constructed with a elasticized and oversized outer edge for fitting over purse flap  72  and engaging therein.  
         [0023]    Cover  10  and alternate cover  60  may be folded and stored in the purse to which they are to be attached. Cover  10  and alternate cover  60  may be stored in a pouch for holding one or more covers  10  or alternate covers  60 . Purse  30  and alternate purse  70  may have interior compartments for holding one or more covers  10  or alternate covers  60 .  
         [0024]    Cover  10  and alternate cover  60  are made by determining the size of the purse to be covered, determining whether any sections (front  12 , first end  16 , second end  18 , bottom  17 , rear  14 , top section  52  and cover flap  50 ) will be made from the same piece of material, determining the material to be used, cutting the material into sections, selecting the method of joining the sections, joining the sections, affixing fasteners to the cover and adding any external trim or design that may be desired.  
         [0025]    With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.