AU2017100648A4 - A Bag - Google Patents

Abstract

-9 A bag (such as a handbag, purse or clutch purse), comprising: a bag body; at least one accessory; and at least one fastener for detachably attaching the accessory to the bag 5 body. The at least one fastener comprises at least one eyelet and at least one toggle. The invention also provides an accessory for use with such a bag, the accessory comprising: i) a flexible or member adapted to detachably engage the bag, or ii) at least one eyelet for facilitating detachably engagement with the bag by a flexible or member adapted to detachably engage the accessory and the bag. 9130901_1 (GHMafems) PI 06080.AJ 30a 32a 28a 28b 126b 26a 20a 36a 20b 32b 30b 22b 22a 12 3, Figure 1

Description

- 1 - 2017100648 02 Jun2017 A Bag

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a bag, and is of particular but by no means exclusive 5 application as a handbag.

Background of the Invention

An existing handbag has a shoulder strap that is detachably attachable to the body of the handbag. The shoulder strap may be attachable (such as with clips or buckles) to ίο tabs that are in turn sewn or riveted to the body of the handbag.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bag (such as a handbag, purse or clutch purse), comprising: 15 a bag body; at least one accessory; and at least one fastener for detachably attaching the accessory to the bag body; wherein the at least one fastener comprises at least one eyelet and at least one toggle. 20

The at least one eyelet may be a reinforced eyelet, such as reinforced with a ring, such as a metal ring. The at least one eyelet may be located in the bag body, such as a wall of the bag body or a flap of the bag body. 25 The fastener may comprise a flexible or articulated member (which may be elongate and comprise, for example, a strap or chain) provided with the at least one toggle releasably retainable by either the at least one eyelet of the bag.

It should be appreciated that the term toggle should be understood to embrace, or to 30 be a proxy for, any element that, in cooperation with an eyelet, implements the fastener, such an element and the eyelet resisting unintended unfastening in normal use. The element may be in the form, for example, of a ‘t-bar’, a button, or have a grooved shank; likewise, the eyelet may be tailored to the element, such as by having a slotted or keyed shape to better engage the element. 35

In some embodiments, the fastener comprises a flexible or articulated member that 2/06/17

9130901 _1 (GHMatters) P106080.AU -2- 2017100648 02 Jun2017 comprises at least first and a second toggles and the accessory comprises at least one eyelet, wherein the accessory can be attached to the bag body by: i) engagement of the first and a second toggles of the flexible or articulated member with the at least one eyelet of the bag body and the at least one eyelet of the accessory, ii) engagement of 5 the first and a second toggles of the flexible or articulated member with first and second eyelets of the bag body and the flexible or articulated member with a portion of a wall of the accessory, or ii) engagement of the first and a second toggles of the flexible or articulated member with first and second eyelets of the accessory and the flexible or articulated member with a portion of a wall of the bag. 10

The accessory may comprise, for example, a pocket, a pouch, a purse, or an ornament (such as one or more artificial flowers or tassels).

Thus, the bag may be modified through the attachment of the accessory, and through is the replacement of the accessory when desired. For example, a decorative accessory (e.g. an ornament) may be substituted for a practical accessory.

The bag body may include a plurality of eyelets (each of which may be reinforced with a ring, such as a metal ring) such that the accessory may be detachably attached to 20 the bag body in a plurality of locations and/or another accessory of a different configuration may be detachably attached to the bag body.

The bag body may be provided with more than two eyelets. Thus, the location of attachment of the accessory may be changed by a user. 25

According to a second broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided an accessory for use with a bag of the first aspect, the accessory comprising: i) a flexible or articulated member (which may be elongate) adapted to detachably engage the bag, or ii) at least one eyelet for facilitating detachably engagement with the handbag by a 30 flexible or articulated member (which may be elongate) adapted to detachably engage the accessory and the bag.

It should be understood that, in this aspect, the accessory may comprise both the flexible or articulated member adapted to detachably engage the bag, and the at least 35 one eyelet for facilitating detachably engagement with the bag by a flexible or articulated member adapted to detachably engage the accessory and the bag. 2/06/17

9130901 _1 (GHMatters) P106080.AU -3- 2017100648 02 Jun2017

It should be noted that any of the various individual features of the above aspect of the invention, and any of the various individual features of the embodiments described herein including in the claims, can be combined as suitable and desired. 5

Brief Description of the Drawing

In order that the invention may be more clearly ascertained, embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a handbag (in closed configuration) according 10 to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the handbag of figure 1 (in open configuration), with detachable shoulder strap and detachable pouch omitted for clarity;

Figure 3 is a front view of the pouch of the handbag of figure 1 in closed configuration; 15 Figure 4 is a front view of the pouch of the handbag of figure 1 in open configuration;

Figure 5 is a view of the pouch attachment chain of the handbag of figure 1; Figure 6A illustrates an exemplary method of attaching the pouch to the handbag front wall of the handbag of figure 1; 20 Figure 6B illustrates the method of attaching the pouch to the handbag front wall of the handbag of figure 1, once completed;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a handbag (in closed configuration) according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 25 Detailed Description of Embodiments

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bag in the form of a handbag 10 (in closed configuration) according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of handbag 10 (in open configuration), with detachable shoulder strap and detachable pouch omitted for clarity. 30

Handbag 10 includes a bag body 12 and a detachable shoulder strap 14. Bag body 12 includes a wall 16 with a wall front portion 18. Bag body 12 also includes first and second of upwardly extending members 20a, 20b for engaging shoulder strap 14. First and second upwardly extending members 20a, 20b include respective circular eyelets 35 22a, 22b (each of which is reinforced with a metal ring). Shoulder strap 14 comprises three segments: a central strap segment 24 of leather and first and second end strap 2/06/17

9130901 1 (GHMatters) P106080.AU -4- 2017100648 02 Jun2017 segments 26a, 26b. Central strap segment 24 has first and second circular eyelets 28a, 28b (each of which is reinforced with a metal ring) located towards its ends. First end strap segment 26a has first and second toggles in the form of t-bars 30a, 30b located towards its ends, and second end strap segment 26b has first and second 5 toggles in the form of t-bars 32a, 32b located towards its ends. First end strap segment 26a detachably engages central strap segment 24 by passing first t-bar 30a of first end strap segment 26a through first eyelet 28a of central strap segment 24; second end strap segment 26b detachably engages central strap segment 24 by passing first t-bar 32a of second end strap segment 26b through second eyelet 28b of ίο central strap segment 24. Likewise, shoulder strap 14 detachably engages gag body 12 by passing second t-bar 30b of first end strap segment 26a through eyelet 22a of first upwardly extending member 20a, and by passing second t-bar 32b of second end strap segment 26b through eyelet 22b of second upwardly extending member 20b. 15 Bag body 12 also includes a closure in the form of a flap 34 depending from an upper periphery 36 of wall 16. Flap 34 includes a female portion 38a of a press stud (also termed a ‘snap fastener’). Handbag 10 also includes a detachable accessory in the form of, in this embodiment, a pouch 40; pouch 40 is only partially visible in the view of figure 1 and is described in greater detail below. 20

Wall front portion 18 of wall 16 includes a press stud male portion 38b corresponding to female portion 38a and located so that, when pouch 40 is omitted and flap 34 is closed, male portion 38b can engage female portion 38a in known manner. Wall front portion 18 of wall 16 also includes first and second circular eyelets 42a, 42b (each of 25 which is reinforced with a metal ring). It will be appreciated that, although this embodiment includes two eyelets 42a, 42b, in other embodiments there may be provided a single eyelet or indeed more than two.

Figure 3 is a front view of pouch 40 in closed configuration, while figure 4 is a front 30 view of pouch 40 in open configuration. Pouch 40 includes a pouch body 50 having a wall 52 with a wall front portion 54a. Pouch 40 also includes a closure in the form of a flap 56 depending from an upper periphery 58 of pouch wall 52. Flap 34 includes a female portion 60a of a press stud, and wall front portion 54a of pouch wall 52 includes a press stud male portion 60b corresponding to female portion 60a and located so that, 35 when pouch flap 56 is closed (cf. figure 3), male portion 60b can engage female portion 60a in known manner. Wall front portion 54a of pouch wall 52 also includes a 2/06/17

9130901 1 (GHMatters) P106080.AU -5- 2017100648 02 Jun2017 press stud male portion 38c, which is identical to press stud male portion 38b of handbag wall front portion 18, that is corresponding to female portion 38a and located so that, when pouch 40 is attached to handbag wall front portion 18 and flap 34 is closed (cf. figure 1), male portion 38c can engage female portion 38a in known 5 manner.

Referring to figure 4, pouch wall 52 includes a wall rear portion 54b, which is provided with four circular eyelets 62a to 62d arranged across wall rear portion 54b, each of which is essentially identical to eyelets 42a, 42b of handbag wall front portion 18. Left-10 and right-most eyelets 62a, 62d in pouch wall rear wall 54b are separated by the same distance as are eyelets 42a, 42b of handbag wall front portion 18, to facilitate—as described below—the attachment of pouch 40 to handbag wall front portion 18.

Figure 5 is a view of a flexible elongate member in the form of a pouch attachment 15 chain 70 of handbag 10 of figure 1. Pouch attachment chain 70 includes a length 72 of chain links and, at each end, respective toggles in the form of t-bars 74a, 74b.

Pouch attachment chain 70 is comparable to first and second end strap segments 26a, 26b of shoulder strap 14, but is used to facilitate the attaching of pouch 40 to handbag 20 wall front portion 18 of the handbag 10. Figures 6A and 6B illustrate an exemplary method of attaching pouch 40 to handbag wall front portion 18 of handbag 10 of figure 1. Referring to figure 6A, to attach pouch 40 to handbag wall front portion 18, pouch 40 is first located against handbag wall front portion 18 with left- and right-most eyelets 62a, 62d in pouch wall rear portion 54b in approximate registration with eyelets 42a, 25 42b of handbag wall front portion 18. First t-bar 74a of pouch attachment chain 70 is passed through left-most eyelet 62a in pouch wall rear portion 54b and then through first eyelet 42a of wall front portion 18: the method up to this point is illustrated in figure 6A. Next, second t-bar 74b of pouch attachment chain 70 is passed through 76 rightmost eyelet 62d in pouch wall rear portion 54b and then through second eyelet 42b of 30 wall front portion 18. Figure 6B illustrates this method once completed, with first t-bar 74a of pouch attachment chain 70 through both left-most eyelet 62a in pouch wall rear portion 54b and first eyelet 42a of wall front portion 18, and with second t-bar 74b of pouch attachment chain 70 through right-most eyelet 62d in pouch wall rear portion 54b and second eyelet 42b of wall front portion 18. 35

In another exemplary method of attaching pouch 40 to handbag wall front portion 18 of 2/06/17

9130901 1 (GHMatters) P106080.AU -6- 2017100648 02 Jun2017 handbag 10, pouch attachment chain 70 is located within handbag 10, first t-bar 74a of pouch attachment chain 70 is passed through first eyelet 42a of wall front portion 18 and then through left-most eyelet 62a in pouch wall rear portion 54b; next, second t-bar 74b of pouch attachment chain 70 is passed through second eyelet 42b of wall front 5 portion 18 and then through right-most eyelet 62d in pouch wall rear portion 54b.

It will be noted that, in these examples, pouch attachment chain 70 engages a wall of either pouch 40 or of bag body 16. ίο It will be appreciated that the other eyelets 62b and 62c of pouch wall rear portion 54b are not used in this method. These eyelets 62b, 62c may be used for a number of other purposes. For example, they allow pouch 40 to be similarly attached to another handbag according to the invention with eyelets in its wall front portion with a different spacing from that of eyelets 42a, 42b of handbag wall front portion 18 of handbag 10 of 15 figure 1 (but comparable to the spacing of eyelets 62b, 62c). Thus, eyelets 62b, 62c are optional in this embodiment.

Pouch 40 is described as an accessory because it is fully detachable from bag body 12, and because—if desired—it may be replaced with one or more other accessories. 20 Such other accessories may be in the form of, for example, a pocket, a purse or an ornament (such as one or more artificial flowers or tassels). It will be appreciated that such accessories may assume many forms. In each case, it or they are detachably attached to handbag 10 with either an elongate member comparable to pouch attachment chain 70 (i.e. with toggles for engaging one or more eyelets of handbag 25 10), or with such an elongate member integral with or otherwise attached to the accessory, with a toggle at the distal end of that elongate member for engaging one or more eyelets of handbag 10.

An example of such an alternative is shown in figure 7, which is a perspective view of a 30 handbag 80 (in closed configuration) according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Handbag 80 is, in many respects, comparable to handbag 10 of figure 1 — as are the views of figures 1 and 7; like reference numerals have been used to identify like features. Handbag 80 also includes a first accessory in the form of a pouch 40, detachably attached to wall front portion 18 of wall 16 of handbag 80. However, 35 handbag 80 includes a second accessory in the form of an ornament 82, which includes a tassel 84, an ornament attachment chain 86 and a toggle in the form of a t- 2/06/17

9130901 _1 (GHMatters) P106080.AU -7- 2017100648 02 Jun2017 bar 88. Ornament attachment chain 86 essentially permanently attaches tassel 84 to t-bar 88. In order to detachably attach ornament 82 to wall front portion 18 of wall 16 of handbag 80, t-bar 88 is passed though eyelet 22b of second upwardly extending member 20b. 5

In the above embodiment, all of the eyelets are of essentially the same diameter and the toggles are correspondingly of essentially the same size. It will be appreciated by the skilled person, however, that these diameters may differ and that in such cases, the corresponding toggles may likewise be sized accordingly. 10

Modifications within the scope of the invention may be readily effected by those skilled in the art. It is to be understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described by way of example hereinabove. For example, while the embodiments described in detail above relate to communication cables, it will 15 be apparent that the invention may also be applied to other types of cable, including for electrical power transmission.

In the claims that follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise owing to express language or necessary implication, the 20 word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, that is, to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention. 25 Further, any reference herein to prior art is not intended to imply that such prior art forms or formed a part of the common general knowledge in any country. 2/06/17

9130901 _1 (GHMatters) P106080.AU

Claims (5)

1. CLAIMS:

   1. A bag, comprising: a bag body; at least one accessory; and at least one fastener for detachably attaching the accessory to the bag body; wherein the at least one fastener comprises at least one eyelet and at least one toggle.
2. 2. A bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastener comprises a flexible or articulated member that comprises at least first and a second toggles and the accessory comprises at least one eyelet, wherein the accessory can be attached to the bag body by: i) engagement of the first and a second toggles of the flexible or articulated member with the at least one eyelet of the bag body and the at least one eyelet of the accessory, ii) engagement of the first and a second toggles of the flexible or articulated member with first and second eyelets of the bag body and the flexible or articulated member with a portion of a wall of the accessory, or ii) engagement of the first and a second toggles of the flexible or articulated member with first and second eyelets of the accessory and the flexible or articulated member with a portion of a wall of the bag.
3. 3. A bag as claimed in either claim 1 or 2, wherein the accessory comprises a pocket, a pouch, a purse, or an ornament.
4. 4. A bag as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bag body includes a plurality of eyelets such that the accessory can be detachably attached to the bag body in a plurality of locations and/or another accessory of a different configuration can be detachably attached to the bag body.
5. 5. An accessory for use with a bag as claimed in claim 1, the accessory comprising: i) a flexible or articulated member adapted to detachably engage the bag, or ii) at least one eyelet for facilitating detachably engagement with the bag by a flexible or articulated member adapted to detachably engage the accessory and the bag.