초록 ▼

A light weight, weather resistant document case which may be economically formed as a single piece by either vacuum forming or injection molding and shipped, in mass, in a nested configuration for final, simple assembly by the consumer. Due to the economies of production and shipping, the inventive

A light weight, weather resistant document case which may be economically formed as a single piece by either vacuum forming or injection molding and shipped, in mass, in a nested configuration for final, simple assembly by the consumer. Due to the economies of production and shipping, the inventive document case, while relatively durable, may be considered disposable and recyclable. The document case has a top cover and a bottom housing which matingly engages with one another by protruding notches and a corresponding recess. The protruding notches are arranged and configured such that draining recesses are formed when the document case is in a closed state. Specialized graphic and/or textual displays may be molded, printed, or adhered to the case.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A weather resistant document case comprising:a) a bottom housing, said bottom housing having a back wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and two side walls, said top wall, bottom wall and two side walls substantially normal to one another at their junctures and flaring at an angle substantially normal

1. A weather resistant document case comprising:a) a bottom housing, said bottom housing having a back wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and two side walls, said top wall, bottom wall and two side walls substantially normal to one another at their junctures and flaring at an angle substantially normal to said back wall, each of said top wall, bottom wall, and two side walls having a perimeter lip extending laterally therefrom in a plane perpendicular to said walls, a first sealing means incorporated within said perimeter lip for sealing the interior of said document case from the weather, draining means, formed within said perimeter lip, for providing drainage of fluid and ventilation of condensation accumulation within the document case; b) a top cover, said top cover being substantially flat forming a top wall and having a perimeter edge extending laterally therefrom, and having a second sealing means incorporated within said perimeter edge for sealing the interior of said document case from the weather; wherein said first sealing means and said second sealing means are adapted for coupling to one another thereby providing weather resistance when the document case is in a closed position, c) joining means for joining said bottom housing and said top cover, thereby forming an interior of said case when joined in a closed position. 2. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 1, wherein said case is comprised of materials from the group: vacuum formed polymers and injection molded polymers.3. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 1, wherein said bottom housing and said top cover are formed as a single element wherein said joining means comprises an integral hinge formed therebetween.4. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 1, wherein said bottom housing and said top cover are formed as separate elements wherein said joining means comprises a hinge formed separately from said bottom housing and said top cover.5. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 1, wherein said top cover further comprises a handle tab, said handle tab formed within and extending beyond the perimeter lip of said bottom housing.6. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 1, wherein:said draining means comprises a plurality of recesses formed within said perimeter lip of the bottom housing. 7. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 6 wherein:said plurality of recesses are located in spatial relations such that cross ventilation occurs due to convection currents. 8. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 1, wherein:said first sealing means comprises a plurality of protruding notches, and said second sealing means being comprised of a perimeter recess, wherein said plurality of notches frictionally engages the perimeter recess thereby providing secure closure of said top cover and bottom housing and providing additional weather seal. 9. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 8, wherein said bottom housing further comprises a tack board, said tack board adhered to an interior surface of said back wall and adapted to receive fastening devices for fastening documents to said tack board.10. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 9, wherein said tack board further comprises a retaining clip affixed to a front surface of said tack board proximate said top wall of said bottom housing.11. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 10, wherein said retaining clip comprises a friction clip whereby a document is retained by friction between said document and a front portion and a rear portion of said retaining clip.12. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 10, wherein said retaining clip comprises a spring loaded clip whereby a document is retained by pressure exerted upon said document by spring exerted pressure of a front portion of said retaining clip against said document and a rear portion of said retaining clip.13. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 8, further comprisinga restraint strap disposed between said perimeter lip on each of said two side walls of said bottom housing, said restraint strap adapted to restrain documents within said document case; and a handle bungee located in said perimeter lip proximate said bottom wall of the bottom housing, said handle bungee affixed to said perimeter lip via notches formed within the perimeter lip. 14. A weather resistant document case comprising:a bottom housing, said bottom housing having a back wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and two side walls, said top, bottom and two side walls all substantially normal to one another at their junctures and flaring at an angle exceeding 90° relative to said back wall, each of said top wall, bottom wall, and two side walls having a proximal lip extending laterally therefrom in a plane perpendicular to said walls, said perimeter lip having at least one protruding notch formed therein; a top cover forming a substantially flat top wall and having a perimeter edge extending laterally therefrom, said perimeter edge having a perimeter recess formed along each side, and wherein said at least one protruding notch of said bottom housing is adapted to matingly engage with said perimeter recess of said top cover, joining means for joining said bottom housing and said top cover, to thereby form an interior of said case when joined in a closed position; mounting means for mounting at least one document within said document case; and restraining means for restraining at least one document in said document case. 15. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 14, wherein:said mounting means comprising a tack board adhered to an interior surface of said back wall of said rear housing and adapted to receive fastening devices for fastening documents to said tack board, and said mounting means further comprising a retaining clip affixed to a front surface of said tack board proximate said top wall of said bottom housing. 16. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 14, wherein said document case is formed of materials from the group: vacuum formed polymers and injection molded polymers.17. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 14, wherein said bottom housing and said top cover are formed as a single element wherein said joining means comprises an integral hinge formed therebetween.18. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 14, wherein said bottom housing and said top cover are formed as separate elements wherein said joining means comprises a hinge formed separately from said bottom housing and said top cover.19. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 15, wherein said perimeter lip further comprises at least one drain recess formed therein, said drain notch adapted to allow condensate to drain from the interior of said document case.20. A weather resistant document case, as defined in claim 19, wherein said restraining means comprisesa restraint strap disposed between each of two side walls of said bottom housing, said restraint strap being affixed thereto by an end clip affixed at each of two ends of said restraint strap, each of said end clips disposed to matingly engage slots formed in said side walls; and a handle bungee located in said perimeter lip proximate said bottom wall of the bottom housing, said handle bungee affixed to said perimeter lip via notches formed within the perimeter lip.