Expandable handbag

Abstract

An expandable handbag that includes a plurality of sides, a bottom, and a main interior compartment formed by the plurality of sides and the bottom. The main interior compartment is configured to contain items. The handbag includes a flap capable of being removably secured to a side of the plurality of sides to aid in preventing the items from falling out of the main interior compartment. The handbag also includes an expansion mechanism configured to cause a size of at least one of the bottom and the plurality of sides to increase.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A handbag comprising:
 a plurality of sides;   a bottom;   a main interior compartment formed by the plurality of sides and the bottom and configured to contain items;   a flap capable of being removably secured to a side of the plurality of sides to aid in preventing the items from falling out of the main interior compartment; and,   an expansion mechanism configured to cause a size of at least one of the bottom and the plurality of sides to increase.   
     
     
         2 . The handbag of  claim 1 , wherein the expansion mechanism includes a zipper with additional material attached to opposing ends of the zipper, the additional material becoming part of at least one of the bottom and the plurality of sides when the zipper is opened to cause the size of at least one of the bottom and the plurality of sides to increase. 
     
     
         3 . The handbag of  claim 1 , further comprising an additional compartment within the main interior compartment and configured to contain additional items separately from the main interior compartment. 
     
     
         4 . The handbag of  claim 3 , wherein the additional compartment is a pocket within a side of the main interior compartment. 
     
     
         5 . The handbag of  claim 3 , wherein the additional compartment includes a closing mechanism to aid in preventing the additional items from falling out of the additional compartment. 
     
     
         6 . The handbag of  claim 1 , wherein the main interior compartment is lined with a liquid resistant material. 
     
     
         7 . The handbag of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastening mechanism configured to removably secure the flap to the side. 
     
     
         8 . The handbag of  claim 1 , wherein the fastening mechanism is a magnetic clasp. 
     
     
         9 . The handbag of  claim 1 , further comprising a removable insert configured to separate the main interior compartment into portions. 
     
     
         10 . The handbag of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the main interior compartment and the removable insert include a fastening mechanism for removably securing the removable insert within the main interior compartment. 
     
     
         11 . The handbag of  claim 9 , wherein the removable insert includes furrows configured to allow the removable insert to expand in size. 
     
     
         12 . The handbag of  claim 1 , wherein the flap includes an additional interior compartment formed within the flap. 
     
     
         13 . The handbag of  claim 12 , wherein the flap is a pocket with an opening at the end of the flap. 
     
     
         14 . The handbag of  claim 13 , wherein the flap includes a closing mechanism for closing at least a portion of the opening and aiding in preventing contained items from falling out of the additional interior compartment. 
     
     
         15 . The handbag of  claim 13 , wherein the items contained within the main interior compartment include shoes and the expansion mechanism configured to increase the size of the main interior compartment to a size large enough to contain the shoes.