Circumferential bellows purse with internal light

A hand bag, comprising:

• axle means;
• at least three arched support ribs each having a first rib end and a second rib end and being rotatably mounted at said first and second rib ends to said axle means and bowing outwardly between said first and second rib ends;
• flexible sheet material laterally interconnecting said support ribs which folds and unfolds in accordion fashion as said support ribs rotate about said axle means, said flexible sheet material having an opening defining a hand bag access opening, said at least three support ribs being collapsed toward each other when said access opening is open and thus when said hand bag is open, and said at least three support ribs being spread away from each other to define substantially a sphere when said access opening is closed and thus when said hand bag is closed;
• handle means for carrying said hand bag;
• and hand bag internal lighting means.

A hand bag, comprising:

• axle means;
• at least five arched support ribs each having a first rib end and a second rib end and being rotatably mounted at said first rib end and said second rib end to said axle means and bowing outwardly between said first rib end and said second rib end;
• flexible sheet material laterally interconnecting said support ribs which folds and unfolds in accordion fashion as said ribs rotate about said axle means, said at least five arched support ribs comprising two immediately adjacent opening ribs between which is located an opening in said flexible sheet material defining a hand bag access opening, said opening ribs being spaced apart from each other, and the remaining said at least five support ribs being collapsed toward each other, when said access opening is open and thus when said hand bag is open, and said opening ribs being in substantial lateral abutment with each other, and the remaining said at least five support ribs being spread away from each other to define substantially a spheroid, when said access opening is closed and thus when said hand bag is closed;
• and handle means for carrying said hand bag.

A hand bag, comprising:

• axle means;
• at least five arched support ribs each having a first rib end and a second rib end and being rotatably mounted at said first rib end and said second rib end to said axle means and bowing outwardly between said first rib end and said second rib end;
• flexible sheet material laterally interconnecting said support ribs which folds and unfolds in accordion fashion as said ribs rotate about said axle means, said at least five arched support ribs comprising two immediately adjacent opening ribs between which is located an opening in said flexible sheet material defining a hand bag access opening, said opening ribs being spaced apart from each other, and the remaining said at least five support ribs being collapsed toward each other, when said access opening is open and thus when said hand bag is open, and said opening ribs being in substantial lateral abutment with each other, and the remaining said at least five support ribs being spread away from each other to define substantially a spheroid, when said access opening is closed and thus when said hand bag is closed;
• handle means for carrying said hand bag;
• and hand bag internal lighting means comprising a light source within said hand bag and means for automatically activating said light source upon opening said hand bag access opening and for automatically deactivating said light source upon closing said hand bag access opening;
• wherein said hand bag internal lighting means comprises a light circuit comprising said light source, a power source and an automatic light switch secured to one said opening rib and oriented such that pivoting said opening ribs together to close said access opening causes a portion of said hand bag to bear against and thus actuate said automatic switch and thereby deactivate said light source, and separating and pivoting apart said opening ribs to open said hand bag access opening causes said portion of said hand bag to move out of contact with said automatic switch and thereby causes said automatic switch to close said circuit and activate said light source;
• wherein said axle means comprises substantially co-linear and longitudinally spaced apart first and second half axles, each said half axle having an axle outwardly directed end and an axle inwardly directed end, comprising one said head structure on said circuit and at each said half axle outwardly directed end, each said head structure having a head structure outer face which includes ornamental design elements;
• wherein said sheet material has an outer surface, and wherein said at least one head structure extends over the outer surface of said sheet material and said ribs, said head structure being concave and opening toward the interior of said hand bag to define a concave region within said head structure;
• and wherein said power source is at least partly contained within said concave region.