Patent Application
20130167989
The present invention relates, in general, to purses having a soft body portion and, more particularly, this invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for minimizing the soft body portion from collapsing inwardly on itself, if not completely full, thereby giving the purse the appearance of being substantially full.
As is generally well known, prior to the conception and development of the present invention, most women have a passion for purses. Today these purses come in many sizes and shapes as well as with soft and hard body portions. Purses with soft body portions, when they are not substantially full, have a tendency to collapse inwardly toward opposing side and end walls. Such collapsing of the side and end wall portions of the purse gives them a relatively unattractive appearance. In order to overcome this unattractive appearance many women stuff their purse with wadded up paper.
It is also well known, in the prior art, that today's modern purses have at least one pocket which is formed adjacent at least one of their outer side walls in order to accommodate various pre-selected items such as, by way of example, cell phones, credit cards, pens, etc. Usually, these purses will have a number of such pockets formed adjacent their outer side walls.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides in combination with a pre-selected ladies purse having soft side wall and end wall portions which tend to collapse inwardly toward each other when such purse is insufficiently full, the improvement comprising an apparatus which substantially minimizes collapsing of the soft side wall and end wall portions when such purse is not full. The apparatus includes a flexible member. The flexible member has each of a predetermined length, a predetermined width, and a predetermined thickness.
According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing and using an apparatus which will substantially minimize a ladies purse having soft side and end walls from collapsing inwardly toward a respective opposing side wall and end wall portion when the purse is insufficiently full. The method comprising the steps of selecting a ladies purse which will utilize such apparatus and determining a size and shape of an interior portion of the ladies purse selected.
It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for substantially minimizing a purse having soft side and/or end walls from collapsing inwardly toward a respective opposing side wall and/or end wall portions when such purse is not sufficiently full.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for substantially minimizing a purse having soft side and end walls from collapsing inwardly toward a respective opposing side wall and/or end wall portions which is relatively inexpensive to produce.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for substantially minimizing a purse having soft side and end walls from collapsing inwardly toward a respective opposing side wall and/or end wall portions which includes cutout portions adjacent any side pockets formed adjacent such purse's side walls.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for substantially minimizing a purse having soft side and end walls from collapsing inwardly toward a respective opposing side wall and/or end wall portions which can be produced in a variety of sizes and shapes.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for substantially minimizing a purse having soft side and end walls from collapsing inwardly toward a respective opposing side wall and/or end wall portions which can be manufactured from a variety of different materials.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for substantially minimizing a purse having soft side and end walls from collapsing inwardly toward a respective opposing side wall and/or end wall portions which is relatively easy to use.
In addition to the various objects and advantages of the present invention which have been described with some degree of specificity above it should be obvious that additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures and the appended claims.
Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present invention, it should be noted that identical components having identical functions have been identified with identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the attached drawing figures.
Reference is now made, more particularly, to drawing
The apparatus 10, which substantially minimizes collapsing of said soft side wall and end wall portions when said purse is not full, is having a flexible member 12. Flexible member 12 has each of a predetermined length, a predetermined width, and a predetermined thickness. The flexible member 12 is configured to be formed into a generally U-shaped member, as best shown in
The flexible member 12 further includes, in a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one notch 14 formed adjacent a pre-selected end of such flexible member 12. It should be understood that flexible member 12 may further includes a plurality of notches 14 formed adjacent such pre-selected end or even each end of the flexible member 12.
Additionally, the flexible member 12 may further includes a ladies purse manufactures logo 16 positioned on a surface 18 of the flexible member 12.
The first step of the process, according to the present invention, is to select a ladies purse 2 which will use the apparatus 10. Thereafter, determining the size and shape of the interior of the ladies purse 2 selected. It is also presently preferred that the method will include the step of determining the size, shape and location of any pockets that may be formed adjacent the side walls of such ladies purse 2 selected.
Another step in the process is selecting the material to be used to manufacture the apparatus 10. The material selected will have a predetermined flexibility which is at least sufficient to maintain the side and end walls of the ladies purse 2 in their desired uncollapsed position. Such material may be plastic, fiber board, etc.
Thereafter, the method includes the step of cutting the material selected above into a predetermined length L and a predetermined width W which depends on the ladies purse selected. The method may further include determining the number, length and location of any pockets formed adjacent the side walls of the ladies purse 2 selected so that notches 14 can be cut in the ends of the apparatus 10 to allow access to such pockets.
It is further within the scope of the present invention to include in the method the provision of adding ladies purse designer logos on the exterior of the apparatus 10.
While both a presently preferred and several alternative embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above in sufficient detail to enable a person skilled in the relevant art to practice the invention, it should be understood that various other arrangements of the apparatus taught herein can be envisioned by those persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61569432 | Dec 2011 | US |
