CASE FOR CARRYING ARTICLES

Abstract

A carrying case and pouches for articles is described. The case includes a plurality of panels joined at the spine of the case, and may include a fastener to keep the case closed. The case may be opened to expose the panels. The pouches may be removably attached to the panels, with several pouches per panel, using a hook-and-loop fastening system.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to carrying cases, and more particularly to cases having removable storage pouches.

2. Discussion of the Background

Many people accumulate many articles that, for various reasons, need to be organized, protected or separated from one another. Thus, for example, it is not uncommon for a person to possess many sets of earrings, necklaces, or other pieces jewelry. The earrings form matched sets that may get separated, the necklaces may get tangled with other objects, and the pieces may become damaged from contact with other pieces.

Prior art solutions to the problem of sorting articles include placing individual articles in separate closable pouches or containers, and in containers with fixed compartments or individual positions for the articles. These solutions are rather limited, as they do not permit a person to readily arrange or organize the contents of the fixed pouches or compartments for later use.

Thus there is a need in the art for an apparatus that permits a person with a great number of articles, such as jewelry, to easily view each piece and arrange or organize the articles. Such an apparatus should be portable, easy to use, and allow a user to arrange pieces at will.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of prior art by providing a system having panels on which the users may place, according to their own organizational system, closable pouches.

In one embodiment, an article holder is provided including a closable case having one or more panels, one or more pouches, and a fastening system to removably attach at least one of the one or more pouches to one of the one or more panels.

In one embodiment, an article holder is provided including a case having a front, a back, a spine joining the front and back, and one or more panels each attached to the spine. The article holder further includes one or more pouches, and a fastening system to removably attach at least one of the one or more pouches to one of the one or more panels.

These features together with the various ancillary provisions and features which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, are attained by the article holder of the present invention, preferred embodiments thereof being shown with reference to the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the case system of the present invention in a closed configuration;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the case system of the present invention in an open configuration; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing several panels;

FIG. 3A is a detailed view 3A-3A of FIG. 3 showing the panels and covers attached to the spine; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view 4-4 of FIG. 2 showing the placement of a plurality of pouches on the panels.

Reference symbols are used in the Figures to indicate certain components, aspects or features shown therein, with reference symbols common to more than one Figure indicating like components, aspects or features shown therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a case system 100 of the present invention in a closed configuration, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the case system in an open configuration. As shown in the Figures, case system 100 includes a case 110 that may contain one or more removable pouches 120. Case 110 includes a front cover 111 and a back cover 113 that are joined at a spine 115, and a fastener 117 attached to the covers. Fastener 117 can be closed, as shown in FIG. 1, securing covers 111 and 113, and can be opened, as shown in FIG. 2, exposing one or more panels 119. As described subsequently, panels 119 are configured to removably accept pouches 120. Each pouch 120 may be used to store articles A.

The number, shape or construction of the one or more panels 119 is not intended to limited by the illustrative drawings. In various embodiments, case 110 includes one or more panels 119. Thus, for example and without limitation, case 110 may include 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or more panels 119. In certain embodiments, each panel 119 is identical. In other embodiments, there may be differences between different panels, as discussed subsequently.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing several panels 119 attached to spine 115, FIG. 3A is a detailed view 3A-3A of FIG. 3 showing the panels and covers 111 and 113 attached to the spine; and FIG. 4 is a sectional view 4-4 showing the placement of a plurality of pouches 120 on the panels.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A, one embodiment of panel 119, having a side 119a and a side 119b, includes a stiffening element 301 covered with a surface 112. Stiffening element 301 may be, for example, cardboard, and surface 112 may be a surface that accepts pouches 120. Surface 112 is joined to spine 115 by stitches 303. Each panel 119 may thus open, in book fashion, and have two sides (119a and 119b) which may be provided with removable pouches 120, as shown in FIG. 4.

In another embodiment, only part of a panel side, or only one of the panel's sides, may include surface 112. Thus, for example, the inside of the case or and one or more sides 119a or 119b may include surface 112. Alternatively, only a portion of one or both panel sides 119a and 119b of a particular panel may include surface 112.

In various embodiments, case 110 can is generally a foot or less on each side, but which may be as large as two or three feet on a side. In certain embodiments, for example and without limitation, case 110 may have dimension that may be 13 inches by 12 inches, 9 inches by 6 inches, 4 inches by 4 inches. In certain other embodiments, panels 119 are ½ inch to 1 inch shorter in each dimension.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, each pouch 120 includes a pocket 121 having a closure 123 and a strip of fastening element 125 near the open end of the pouch. As shown in FIG. 2, articles A may be placed within pouch 120, which may then be sealed. In one embodiment, pocket 121 is formed from a plastic, such as a polyethylene plastic. In another embodiment, pocket 121 is formed from a cloth. In one embodiment, closure 123 is a re-sealable zipper. One such zipper is, for example and without limitation, a reusable, re-sealable system such as is found on Ziploc brand zipper storage bags. In another embodiment, closure 123 is a snap closure. In yet another embodiment, closure 123 includes a draw string.

In one embodiment, each pouch 120 has may vary one inch on a side to being the size of panel 119.

As shown in FIG. 4, a fastening system 130 is provided to attach pouch 120 to case 110. Thus, for example and without limitation, fastening system 130 is a hook-and-loop fastening system including a loop surface 112 and a matching hook surface 122. Thus, for example, panel 119 may be formed from, or covered by, a material having a loop surface 112, and fastening element 125 may include a hook surface 122. Pouches 120 may thus be held in place on panels 119 using fastening system 130. Examples of a loop surface 112 and matching hook surface 122 are well known in the field, and are manufactured for example by VELCRO® (VELCRO INDUSTRIES).

In one embodiment, fastening elements 125 for a small strip or patch on pouch 120, permitting the placement of one or many pouches on each panel 119.

Case system 100 may thus be used as follows. A user is provided with a plurality of pouches 120. One or more articles A may be placed in pouch 120. Articles A may be organized by pouch 120, for example with each pouch containing a pair or earrings, or individual necklaces. With case system 100 open, as in FIG. 2, pouches 120 may be place on panel 119, such as side 119a or 119b, using fastening system 130. Pouches 120 may be organized on panels 119, if desired, by placing, for example, earrings on one panel, rings on another panel, and necklaces on a third panel, or by grouping objects that are related on separate panels. Case 110 may then be folded and fastener 117 secured, as in FIG. 1.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

Thus, while there has been described what is believed to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An article holder comprising: a closable case having one or more panels,one or more pouches, anda fastening system to removably attach at least one of said one or more pouches to one of said one or more panels.

2. The article holder of claim 1, wherein said fastening system includes a first surface on at least one side of at least one of said one or more panels and a second surface on at least one of said one or more pouches

3. The article holder of claim 2, where said fastening system is a hook-and-loop fastening system.

4. The article holder of claim 3, where said first surface is a hook surface of said fastening system and wherein said second surface is a loop surface of said fastening system.

5. The article holder of claim 1, wherein said case further includes a front and a back, and a fastener to attach said front and back, such that said one or more panels are contained within said case.

6. The article holder of claim 1, where one of said one or more pouches includes a pouch closure.

7. The article holder of claim 6, wherein said pouch closure is a re-sealable zipper.

8. The article holder of claim 6, wherein said pouch closure is a snap closure.

9. The article holder of claim 1, wherein at least one panel of said one or more panels has two opposing sides, and where said fastening system removably attaches at least one of said one or more pouches to one of said two opposing sides.

10. The article holder of claim 1, wherein at least one panel of said one or more panels has two opposing sides, and where said fastening system removably attaches at least one of said one or more pouches to one or the other of said two opposing sides.

11. An article holder comprising: a case having a front,a back,a spine joining said front and back, andone or more panels each attached to said spine,one or more pouches, anda fastening system to removably attach at least one of said one or more pouches to one of said one or more panels.

12. The article holder of claim 11, wherein said fastening system includes a first surface on at least one side of at least one of said one or more panels and a second surface on at least one of said one or more pouches

13. The article holder of claim 12, where said fastening system is a hook-and-loop fastening system.

14. The article holder of claim 13, where said first surface is a hook surface of said fastening system and wherein said second surface is a loop surface of said fastening system.

15. The article holder of claim 11, wherein said case further includes a fastener to attach said front and back, such that said one or more panels are contained within said case.

16. The article holder of claim 11, where one of said one or more pouches includes a pouch closure.

17. The article holder of claim 16, wherein said pouch closure is a re-sealable zipper.

18. The article holder of claim 16, wherein said pouch closure is a snap closure.

19. The article holder of claim 11, wherein at least one panel of said one or more panels has two opposing sides, and where said fastening system removably attaches at least one of said one or more pouches to one of said two opposing sides.

20. The article holder of claim 11, wherein at least one panel of said one or more panels has two opposing sides, and where said fastening system removably attaches at least one of said one or more pouches to one or the other of said two opposing sides.