Expandable handbag

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an expandable bag system comprising a main bag and a plurality of accessory bags of various sizes which are releasably attachable to the exterior surface of the main bag by a means for releasably attaching the accessory bags to the main bag. The means for releasably attaching the accessory bags to the main bag comprises at least one sleeve arrangement having a pocket attached to a surface of the main bag and at least one spring clip attached to a back surface of the accessory bag, the spring clip being sized to slide within the pocket of the sleeve arrangement.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An expandable bag system comprising a main bag and a plurality of accessory bags of various sizes which are releasably attachable to the exterior surface of the main bag by a means for releasably attaching the accessory bags to the main bag, the means for releasably attaching the accessory bags to the main bag comprising at least one sleeve arrangement having a pocket attached to a surface of the main bag and at least one spring clip attached to a back surface of the accessory bag, the spring clip being sized to slide within the pocket of the sleeve arrangement. 
     
     
         2 . An expandable bag system according to  claim 1  wherein more than one row of a plurality of sleeve arrangements are provided on a surface of the main bag. 
     
     
         3 . An expandable bag system according to  claim 2  wherein the sleeve arrangements are provided by quilting a cover material onto a surface of the main bag by sewing or other suitable means of attachment to a surface of the main bag, forming a plurality of sleeve arrangements across a surface of the main bag. 
     
     
         4 . An expandable bag system according to  claim 3  wherein the sleeve arrangements are spaced at regular intervals across a surface of the main bag, the spacing between the sleeve arrangements is between about 4 cm and about 12 cm. 
     
     
         5 . An expandable bag system according to  claim 4  wherein the spacing between the sleeve arrangements is between about 6 cm and about 10 cm. 
     
     
         6 . An expandable bag system according to  claim 5  wherein the spacing between the sleeve arrangements is about 8 cm. 
     
     
         7 . An expandable bag system according to  claim 1  wherein each spring clip comprises an elongated exterior engaging portion extending downwardly from the top of a back surface of the accessory bag until it contacts the back surface of the accessory bag at a point just above lower end of the exterior engaging portion, the lower end of the exterior engaging portion flaring slightly outwardly of the back surface of the accessory bag so that it is spaced slightly away from the back surface of the accessory bag to allows the lower end of the engaging portion to be easily placed within the pocket of the sleeve arrangement and slid downwardly until it is completely engaged within the sleeve arrangement. 
     
     
         8 . An expandable bag system according to  claim 7  wherein each spring clip has an interior portion which is connected at its top end to the top of the exterior engaging portion by a bight region which helps provide the biasing properties of the spring clip, interior portion being attached to the back surface of the accessory bag by a suitable means. 
     
     
         9 . An expandable bag system according to  claim 8  wherein each spring clip is constructed of a suitable material which provides the biasing properties to hold the sleeve arrangement in a mild clamping configuration against the back of the accessory bag. 
     
     
         10 . An expandable bag system according to  claim 9  wherein each spring clip is constructed of a light gauge spring steel. 
     
     
         11 . An expandable bag system according to  claim 10  wherein each of the accessory bags are provided with two spring clips on a back surface adjacent each side to provide two areas of attachment of the accessory bag to the main bag and thus hold the accessory bag tightly against the main bag and prevent side to side movement of the accessory bag.