Abstract:
Adding a decorative panel in a display position about a handbag by positioning opposite panel side edges beneath straps that fold about outer edges over the panel side edges and are held against unfolding movement by the curvature of the outer edges.

Description:
The present invention relates generally to improvements for a handbag, the improvements more particularly are concerned generally with interchangeable display panels for appearance enhancement, a currently known prior art practice, but as herein practiced providing facilitated design panel attachment and obviating inadvertent detachment and instead requiring intended but nevertheless readily implemented detachment, to the end of contributing to display panel interchangeability. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Field of the Invention 
   It is already well known in the prior art, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,558 for “CREATIVE PURSE WITH INTERCHANGEABLE DECORATIVE COVERING” issued to Carey on Jul. 9, 1996, to enhance handbag appearance by screwing a decorative panel to a metal frame of the handbag, but the tradeoff in this and all other known patents is that the release of the thusly firmly attached decorative panel makes it difficult to exercise the option of using interchangeable decorative panels because achieving release requires undoing the firm attachment of the decorative panel to be replaced and again exerting the effort required to firmly attach the replacement decorative panel. What is lacking is a firm attachment technique, but one compatible with a facilitated release technique, and this conundrum remains unsolved. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. 
   More particularly, it is an object using a folding and unfolding of decorative panel-gripping components to attach by said folding and detach by said unfolding a selected decorative panel, to thereby significantly contribute to decorative panel interchangeability and other attendant benefits. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings should not be construed as limiting the invention to the example shown and described, because those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains will be able to devise other forms thereof within the ambit of the appended claims. 
       FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  are respectively front elevational views of a first, second and third selected appearance-enhancing decorative panel on a handbag article of manufacture according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a view, on an enlarged scale, in cross section and partially schematic and simplified, illustrating details, common to all the handbags as decorated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , of applying the decorative panel to the handbag; and 
       FIG. 5  is a front elevational view, similarly on an enlarged scale, illustrating details of maintaining in place a decorative panel applied to the handbag. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   As will be better understood as the description proceeds, the handbags, generally designated  10 ,  12  and  14  are of similar construction as articles of manufacture, wherein the construction contributes to establishing a detachable attachment of a decorative panel, as noted at  16 ,  18  and  20 , to cover a plain fabric body  22  (see  FIG. 4 ) and instead display to a viewer a more fashionable appearance in the specific nature of an ostrich appearance  24  ( FIG. 1 ), an embossment on leather  26  ( FIG. 2 ), or an imprinted and textured fabric  28  ( FIG. 3 ), to mention, but without limitation, and demonstrate interchangeability of display appearances provided by the noted decorative panels contemplated being used in accordance with the present invention. 
   As best understood from  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the construction and the structural features thereof common to all of the handbags  10 ,  12  and  14 , to achieve interchangeability of selected display or decorative panels exemplified by those noted, consists preferably of a semicircular horizontally oriented shaped handbag body  30  with a correspondingly shaped wall means  32  bounding an interior handbag compartment  34 , the opposite ends of which compartment are closed by opposite spaced apart circular side panels  36  and  38 , the spacing  40  therebetween determining the width size of the handbag. To be noted for their utility to be subsequently explained, are the circular peripheral edge  42  of the panels  36  and  38  which circumscribe their circular shapes. 
   A pair of adjacent edges  44  with a closure means (not shown) in their typical location along the top of each handbag, using handbag  14  of  FIGS. 4 ,  5  as an example, bounds an opening  46  into compartment  34 , and the handbag top is completed by a pair of two spaced apartment stiffened flaps  48  and  50  each connected at  52  to extend in outwardly divergent orientations, e.g., subtending an abtuse angle to the horizontal, are provided on opposite sides spaced from the compartment opening  46  for masking the presence of, and contributing to a neater appearance in the handbag top. 
   Of greater importance to appearance enhancement of the handbag  14  is a selected decorative panel  20  with opposite ends  54  and  56  having an operative position, as noted in  FIG. 4 , connected to a cooperating body flap  48 ,  50 , using patches  5 B of hook and loop fasteners adhesively secured to the panel ends  54 ,  56  and to inboard surfaces of the flaps  48 ,  50 , after which connections the display panel  20  is sized to extend in a taut condition in a position in encircling relation about the handbag body, as noted at  60 , thus covering the drab or plain appearance of the wall means  32  and instead displaying to a viewer an appearance of an imprinted and textured fabric  28 . 
   In maintaining the thusly positioned display panel  20 , use is made of two decorative or display panel-holding straps  62  and  64 , each of a linear extent circumscribed by an outer edge  66  and an inner edge  68  as viewed in their  FIG. 5  illustrated position attached to the handbag  14 , the outer edges  66  being attached by seams  70  to the curved peripheral edges  72  of the end circular side panels  36 ,  38  and thus at the sites of attachment assuming the curvature of the peripheral edges  72 . The strap inner edges  68  are unattached and consequently have a degree of movement through a pivotal traverse as depicted by arrow  74 , transposing the position of edges  68  from an outer initial position to a subsequent inner position, which in effect folds each strap  62 ,  64  over a peripheral edge  72  of a display panel  20 , as noted at  76 , it being understood that the width of each display panel is selected to be of an extent to receive in superposed relation a strap  62 ,  64  undergoing a manually implemented fold-over in the application to the handbag of the display panel. 
   In practice the folded straps  62 ,  64  exert a sufficient gripping pressure on the opposite sides of the display panel  20 , and there is obviated any inadvertent unfolding panel-releasing movement, because such movement is resisted by the curvature assumed by the outer strap edges  66  and to be overcome requires intended manual handling of the straps  62 ,  64 . 
   While the handbag construction affording interchangeable appearance enhancement 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.