Handbag Support Article

Abstract

A handbag support has a resiliently flexible cylindrical core with an inner surface and an outer surface. A first cylindrical padding layer is concentric with the resiliently flexible cylindrical core and adjacent to its outer surface. An outer fabric layer completely encases the resiliently flexible cylindrical core and the first cylindrical padding layer. The adjacent core and padding layers are inside the outer fabric layer, such that the handbag support article as a whole forms a flexibly resilient padded cylinder. Enveloping the handbag support article may be an outer skin layer of a luxurious material such as silk, which may have a zippered opening so as to be removable. A method of manufacturing a handbag support article includes providing sheets of materials for the resiliently flexible core and the padding layer, forming them into cylinders, and encasing them within an outer fabric layer and optionally an outer skin layer.

1 . A handbag support article having a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration, the handbag support article comprising:
 a resiliently flexible cylindrical core having an inner surface and an outer surface;   a first cylindrical padding layer concentric with the resiliently flexible cylindrical core and adjacent to the outer surface of the resiliently flexible cylindrical core;   an outer fabric layer completely encasing the resiliently flexible cylindrical core and the first cylindrical padding layer inside the outer fabric layer;   wherein the handbag support article in the compressed configuration fits inside a handbag having lateral walls, and wherein the resiliently flexible cylindrical core causes the handbag support article to expand from the compressed configuration to the expanded configuration and urge the lateral walls of the handbag into a supported upright position.   
   
   
       2 . The handbag support article of  claim 1 , wherein the first cylindrical padding layer is immediately adjacent to the outer surface of the resiliently flexible cylindrical core. 
   
   
       3 . The handbag support article of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the first cylindrical padding layer is directly bonded to the outer surface of the resiliently flexible cylindrical core. 
   
   
       4 . The handbag support article of  claim 1 , wherein the resiliently flexible cylindrical core and the first cylindrical padding layer are substantially round cylinders. 
   
   
       5 . The handbag support article of  claim 1 , wherein the resiliently flexible cylindrical core and the first cylindrical padding layer are substantially elliptical cylinders. 
   
   
       6 . The handbag support article of  claim 1 , further comprising a second cylindrical padding layer concentric with the resiliently flexible cylindrical core and adjacent to the inner surface of the resiliently flexible cylindrical core, wherein the outer fabric layer further completely encases the second cylindrical padding layer inside the outer fabric layer. 
   
   
       7 . The handbag support article of  claim 1 , further comprising a flexible bottom surface covering a bottom end of the handbag support article. 
   
   
       8 . The handbag support article of  claim 1 , wherein the resiliently flexible cylindrical core is a polymer. 
   
   
       9 . The handbag support article of  claim 1 , wherein the first cylindrical padding layer is foam rubber. 
   
   
       10 . The handbag support article of  claim 1 , further comprising a silk skin layer enveloping the outer fabric layer, the resiliently flexible core, and the first padding layer. 
   
   
       11 . The handbag support article of  claim 10 , further comprising a zippered opening in the silk skin layer, whereby the silk skin layer is removable from the outer fabric layer, the resiliently flexible core, and the first padding layer. 
   
   
       12 . The handbag support article of  claim 1 , wherein the resiliently flexible core and the first padding layer are integrally formed together. 
   
   
       13 . The handbag support article of  claim 12 , wherein the resiliently flexible core and the first padding layer are injection molded. 
   
   
       14 . A method of manufacturing a handbag support article, the method comprising:
 providing a sheet of resiliently flexible material having a first length, a first width and a first aspect ratio;   providing a soft padding material having a second length, a second width and a second aspect ratio, wherein the second length is greater than the first length, the second width is greater than the first width, and the second aspect ratio is less than the first aspect ratio;   providing a fabric material having a third length, a third width and a third aspect ratio, wherein the third length is greater than the second length, the third width is greater than double the second width, and the third aspect ratio is less than the second aspect ratio;   forming the sheet of resiliently flexible material into a first cylinder;   forming the soft padding material into a second cylinder concentric with and outside of the first cylinder;   encasing the sheet of resiliently flexible material and the soft padding material within the fabric material by wrapping the fabric material around the sheet of resiliently flexible material and the soft padding material and joining opposite edges of the fabric material to each other.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 providing a second soft padding material having a fourth length, wherein the fourth length is less than the first length; and   forming the second soft padding material into a third cylinder concentric with and inside of the first cylinder.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the sheet of resiliently flexible material is a polymer. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the soft padding material is foam rubber. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first cylinder is formed by joining together opposite ends of the sheet of resiliently flexible material. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first cylinder is formed by bonding opposite ends of the sheet of resiliently flexible material. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first cylinder is formed by fastening opposite ends of the sheet of resiliently flexible material with at least one fastener. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the second cylinder is formed by joining together opposite ends of the soft padding material. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising at least partially joining the first cylinder to the second cylinder. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first cylinder is at least partially joined to the second cylinder by adhering the first cylinder to the second cylinder. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first cylinder is at least partially joined to the second cylinder by heat welding the first cylinder to the second cylinder. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising joining a fabric bottom layer to a lower edge of the handbag support article, thereby closing a bottom end of the handbag support article and forming a receptacle. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising providing a silk outer skin layer eveloping the sheet of resiliently flexible material, the soft padding material and the fabric material. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising providing a zippered opening in the silk outer skin layer, whereby the silk outer skin layer is removable from the sheet of resiliently flexible material, the soft padding material and the fabric material.