Abstract:
A purse has an illuminating device. The purse has a main storage area. A flap member is provided and has a first end permanently coupled to the main storage area and a second end removably coupled to the main storage area. A lighting device is coupled to the purse. The lighting device has a power supply and a light element coupled to the power supply. A housing unit is coupled to the flap member of the purse and holds the power supply and light element. A spring loaded switch is coupled to the flap member and automatically causes the lighting device to activate when the flap member is lifted.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to lights and, more specifically, to a light for a purse which automatically illuminates when the purse is opened. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     When opening up a purse or backpack, it is difficult to see the contents inside. For this reason, lighting devices have been designed to illuminate the inside of the purse or backpack. In general, most purse/backpack lights (hereinafter purse lights) are mounted to an inside compartment of the purse. The lights have a manual switch which must be moved by the user in order to activate the purse light. 
     There are several problems with these types of purse lights. First, as stated above, these types of lights require the user to activate the light. In dark rooms or areas, it is often difficult to locate the light switch. Thus, one will have to feel around in the purse to locate the light switch. This is both time consuming and bothersome to the user. 
     Another problem is that most purse lights are stationary. The purse light is often sewn into a section of the purse. Thus, only the area around the purse light is illuminated. For someone with a rather large purse, the majority of the interior section would not be illuminated when the purse light is activated. 
     Therefore, a need existed to provide an improved lighting device for a purse. The improved lighting device for the purse must be able to automatically activate once the purse has been opened. The improved lighting device for the purse must further be able to light all areas of the purse. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved lighting device for a purse. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved lighting device for a purse that will automatically activate once the purse has been opened. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved lighting device for a purse that is able to light all areas of the purse. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention a purse with an illuminating device is disclosed. The purse has a main storage area. A flap member is provided and has a first end permanently coupled to the main storage area and a second end removably coupled to the main storage area. A lighting device is coupled to the purse. The lighting device has a power supply and a light element coupled to the power supply. A housing unit is coupled to the flap member of the purse and holds the power supply and light element. A spring loaded switch is coupled to the flap member and automatically causes the lighting device to activate when the flap member is lifted. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention a purse with an illuminating device is disclosed. The purse has a main storage area. A flap member is provided and has a first end permanently coupled to the main storage area and a second end removably coupled to the main storage area. A lighting device is coupled to the purse. The lighting device has a power supply and a light element coupled to the power supply. A housing unit is coupled to an interior section of the main storage area of the purse and holds the power supply and light element. The housing may be permanently coupled to the interior section of the main storage area or the housing may be removably coupled to the interior section of the main storage area. A spring loaded switch is coupled to the flap member and automatically causes the lighting device to activate when the flap member is lifted. 
    
    
     The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a simplified electrical schematic of the illuminating device for a purse. 
     FIG. 2 is an elevated perspective view of one embodiment of the illuminating device for a purse. 
     FIG. 3 is an elevated perspective view of another embodiment of the illuminating device for a purse. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the illuminating device for a purse depicted in FIG. 3 taken along line  4 — 4 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a simplified electrical schematic of the purse light  10  of the present invention is shown. The purse light  10  has a light source  12 . The light source  12  is coupled to a power supply  14 . The power supply  14  is generally a battery. However, other small power supply devices  14  could be used. The power supply  14  and light source  12  are both coupled to a switch  16 . The switch  16  is used to activate and deactivate the purse light. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the switch  16  is a spring loaded switch  16 . The spring loaded switch  16  will allow for automatic activation of the purse light  10  when the purse is opened. The spring loaded switch  16  functions as follows. When the spring loaded switch  16  is allowed to extend, the spring loaded switch  16  will close the light circuit allowing the light source  12  to illuminate. When the purse is closed, the spring loaded switch  16  contracts thereby opening the light circuit. With the light circuit open, no current is allowed to flow to the light source  12 . Thus, the light source  12  will not be illuminated. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein like numerals and symbols represent like elements, one embodiment of the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, the purse light  10  has a housing  24 . The housing  24  is used to store and support the power source  14  and the light source  12 . In order to activate the purse light  10 , the spring loaded switch  16  is coupled to the housing  24 . 
     The purse light  10  is used with a purse  20 . The purse  20  has a main storage compartment  22 . A plurality of smaller storage compartments may be located in an interior section of the main storage compartment  22  or on the exterior section of the main storage compartment  22 . A carrying handle  26  is coupled to the main storage compartment  22 . The carrying handle  26  is used to carry the purse  20 . It should be noted that the carrying handle  26  can be of various lengths and widths. The carrying handle  26  may even be fairly long so as to allow the user to place the carrying handle  26  over the shoulder of the user. 
     The purse  20  also has a flap member  28 . The flap member  28  is used to open and close the main storage compartment  22 . The flap member  28  is coupled to the main storage compartment  22 . One end of the flap member  28  is permanently coupled to the main storage compartment  22 . The second end of the flap member  28  is removably coupled to the main storage compartment  22 . In order to removably couple the second end of the flap member  28  to the main storage compartment  22 , a fastener mechanism is used. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the fastener mechanism has two components. The first connector  30  is coupled to the flap member  28 . A second connector  32  is coupled to the main storage compartment  22 . The first and second connectors  30  and  32  may be any type of connectors that allows the flap member  28  to be removably coupled to the main storage compartment. For example, the first and second connectors  30  and  32  may be male/female connectors, hook and loop connectors, magnetic connectors or the like. 
     Located on the flap member  28  is the purse light  10 . The housing  24  which is used to store and support the power source  14  and the light source  12  is coupled to the flap member  28 . The housing  24  is coupled to the flap member  28  so that the light source  12  is exposed on the underside of the flap member  28 . By having the light source  12  coupled to the flap member  28 , one can move the flap member  28 , and thus the light source  12  around the interior section of the main storage compartment  22 . This allows the user to provide a source of light to the majority of areas within the main storage compartment  22 . 
     The spring loaded switch  16  is coupled to the flap member  28  and to the housing  24 . In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the spring loaded switch  16  is coupled to the first connector  30  of the fastener mechanism. When the user uncouples the first connector  30  from the second connector  32 , the spring loaded switch  16  will extend thereby closing the path on the light circuit. Current will then flow in the light circuit thereby illuminating the light source  12 . When the flap member  28  is closed so that the first connector  30  and second connector  32  are coupled together, the spring loaded switch  16  contracts thereby opening the light circuit. With the light circuit open, no current is allowed to flow to the light source  12 . Thus, the light source  12  will be turned off. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 3-4 wherein like numerals and symbols represent like element, another embodiment of the present invention is shown. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment shown in FIG.  2 . The main difference is the type of purse which is using the purse light  10  (FIG. 1) and the location of the purse light  10 . In this embodiment, the purse light  10  has a housing  40 . The housing  40  is used to store and support the power source  14  and the light source  12 . In order to activate the purse light  10 , the spring loaded switch  16  is coupled to the housing  40 . 
     The purse light  10  is used with a purse  50 . The purse  50  has a main storage compartment  52 . A plurality of smaller storage compartments may be located in an interior section of the main storage compartment  52  or on an exterior section of the main storage compartment  52 . A carrying handle  54  is coupled to the main storage compartment  52 . The carrying handle  54  is used to carry the purse  50 . It should be noted that the carrying handle  54  can be of various lengths and widths. The carrying handle  54  may even be fairly long so as to allow the user to place the carrying handle  54  over the shoulder of the user. 
     The purse  50  also has a flap member  56 . The flap member  56  is used to open and close the main storage compartment  52 . The flap member  56  is coupled to the main storage compartment  52 . One end of the flap member  56  is permanently coupled to the main storage compartment  52 . The second end of the flap member  56  is removably coupled to the main storage compartment  52 . In order to removably couple the second end of the flap member  56  to the main storage compartment  52 , a fastener mechanism is used. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 3-4, the fastener mechanism has two components. The first connector  58  is coupled to the flap member  56 . A second connector  60  is coupled to the main storage compartment  52 . The first and second connectors  58  and  60  may be any type of connectors that allows the flap member  56  to be removably coupled to the main storage compartment  52 . For example, the first and second connectors  58  and  60  may be male/female connectors, hook and loop connectors, magnetic connectors or the like. 
     Located in the interior section of the main storage compartment  52  is the purse light  10 . The housing  40  which is used to store and support the power source  14  and the light source  12  is coupled to the interior section. The housing  40  may be permanently or removably coupled to the interior of the main storage compartment  52 . If the housing  40  is removably coupled to the interior section, this would allow the user of the purse  50  to detach the housing when the light is illuminated to look within the interior section of the main storage compartment  52 . 
     The spring loaded switch  16  is coupled to the flap member  56  and to the housing  40 . In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the spring loaded switch  16  is coupled to the first connector  58  of the fastener mechanism. When the user uncouples the first connector  58  from the second connector  60 , the spring loaded switch  16  will extend thereby closing the path on the light circuit. Current will then flow in the light circuit thereby illuminating the light source  12 . When the flap member  56  is closed so that the first connector  58  and second connector  60  are coupled together, the spring loaded switch  16  contracts thereby opening the light circuit. With the light circuit open, no current is allowed to flow to the light source  13 . Thus, the light source  12  will be turned off. 
     It should be noted that other mechanism could also be used in conjunction with the flap to open and close the main compartment in both embodiments. For example, the main compartment could be closed by a zipper, a latch, a knob closure, or similar mechanisms. The flap would then be used in conjunction with the other closing mechanisms in a manner as shown in the embodiments depicted in the Figures. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.