A clamshell style utensil carrying case includes a pair of housing members coupled together by a double hinge and latch. Each housing member has a support arranged to hold an associated utensil in place with the utensil heads facing in opposite directions. A support stand that projects from the doub
A clamshell style utensil carrying case includes a pair of housing members coupled together by a double hinge and latch. Each housing member has a support arranged to hold an associated utensil in place with the utensil heads facing in opposite directions. A support stand that projects from the double hinge spine holds a third utensil. In a closed position, the housing members encase the utensils. In an open position the utensils are displayed side by side with the third utensil optionally being elevated relative to the others. To help minimize the visual thickness of the case, the interior surface of each housing member may include a depression in the region adjacent the head end of its held utensil. The depressions form corresponding bulges in the exterior surfaces of their associated housing members. The bulges—which are located on opposite ends and opposite sides of the case—provide additional room for the utensil heads without unduly impacting the visual height of the case.
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1. A utensil set comprising a utensil carrying case and first, second and third eating utensils, the utensil carrying case comprising: a first housing member having a first utensil support, the first utensil support securing and positioning the first eating utensil relative to the first housing memb
1. A utensil set comprising a utensil carrying case and first, second and third eating utensils, the utensil carrying case comprising: a first housing member having a first utensil support, the first utensil support securing and positioning the first eating utensil relative to the first housing member;a second housing member having a second utensil support, the second utensil support securing and positioning the second eating utensil relative to the second housing member;a double hinge that pivotally couples the first and second housing members together, the double hinge including a web, a first hinge portion that pivotally couples the web to the first housing member and a second hinge portion that pivotally couples the web to the second housing member;a utensil support stand carried by and projecting from the web, the utensil support stand securing and positioning the third eating utensil;a casing latch for releasably securing a free side of the first housing member to a free side of the second housing member;wherein the first and second housing members of the utensil carrying case are arranged to be moved between, (i) a closed position in which the casing latch secures the free sides of the first and second housing members together to form an enclosure capable of enclosing the first, second and third eating utensils, and (ii) an open position capable of displaying the first second and third eating utensils substantially side by side. 2. A utensil set as recited in claim 1 wherein the utensil supports are arranged to hold the first and second eating utensils such that head portions of the first and second utensils are located at opposite ends of the carrying case. 3. A utensil set as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second housing members each include an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface including a depression that forms a corresponding bulge in the exterior surface, the depression being arranged to receive a portion of a head portion of a eating utensil held by the associated utensil support. 4. A utensil set as recited in claim 3 wherein the bulges in the first and second housing members are offset such that they are located at different ends of the utensil carrying case and the first and second utensil supports are arranged such that the head portions of the first and second eating utensils face in opposite directions. 5. A utensil set as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second utensil supports each include fittings arranged to hold the handle of an associated retained utensil to secure the retained utensil to the carrying case and to longitudinally constrain an end portion of a handle of the associated retained utensil. 6. A utensil set as recited in claim 1 wherein the utensil support stand holds the third eating utensil in an elevated position relative to the first and second eating utensils when the case is in the open position. 7. A utensil set as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second hinge portions are living hinges. 8. A utensil set as recited in claim 1 wherein the casing latch is located opposite the double hinge to facilitate securing the first and second housing members in a closed position. 9. A utensil set as recited in claim 1 wherein the utensil support stand includes a pair of projecting side walls arranged to hold the third eating utensil in place. 10. A utensil set as recited in claim 9 wherein the utensil support stand further comprises a registration nub located between the projecting side walls and arranged to position the third eating utensil relative to the utensil support stand. 11. A utensil set as recited in claim 10 wherein the utensil support stand is arranged to hold a knife having an integrated bottle opener feature between a handle portion of the knife and a blade portion of the knife, and wherein the registration nub is arranged to mate with the bottle opener feature. 12. A utensil set as recited in claim 1 wherein the utensil support stand further includes a toothpick holder arranged to hold a toothpick. 13. A utensil set as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second housings each have a base and a sidewall that projects from the base, and wherein each sidewall includes an integrally formed utensil head stop that projects further from the base than other portions of the sidewall, the utensil head stops being arranged to longitudinally constrain a head portion of an associated retained utensil. 14. A utensil set as recited in claim 1 wherein the utensil carrying case is formed from polypropylene. 15. A utensil set comprising a clamshell utensil style carrying case, a spoon, a fork, and a knife, and wherein the clamshell style utensil carrying case comprises: a first housing member having a first utensil support, the first utensil support being arranged to secure and position the spoon relative to the first housing member;a second housing member having a second utensil support, the second utensil support being arranged to secure and position the fork relative to the second housing member;a double hinge that pivotally couples the first and second housing members together, the double hinge including a web, a first hinge portion that pivotally couples the web to the first housing member and a second hinge portion that pivotally couples the web to the second housing member;a utensil support stand carried by and projecting from the web, the utensil support stand being arranged to hold the knife;a casing latch for releasably securing a free side of the first housing member to a free side of the second housing member;wherein the first and second housing members of the clamshell style utensil carrying case are arranged to be moved between, (i) a closed position in which the casing latch secures the free sides of the first and second housing members together to form an enclosure capable of enclosing the spoon, fork and knife, and (ii) an open position capable of displaying the spoon, fork and knife substantially side by side. 16. A utensil set comprising a utensil carrying case and first and second eating utensils, the utensil carrying case comprising: a first housing member having a first utensil support, the first utensil support securing and positioning the first eating utensil relative to the first housing member;a second housing member having a second utensil support, the second utensil support securing and positioning the second eating utensil relative to the second housing member, wherein the first and second utensil supports are arranged to hold the first and second eating utensils such that head portions of the first and second eating utensils are respectively located at opposite ends of the carrying case;a hinge that pivotally couples the first and second housing members together;a casing latch for releasably securing a free side of the first housing member to a free side of the second housing member; andwherein the first and second housing members of the utensil carrying case are arranged to be moved between, (i) a closed position in which the casing latch secures the free sides of the first and second housing members together to form an enclosure capable of enclosing the first and second eating utensils, and (ii) an open position capable of displaying the first and second eating utensils substantially side by side; andwherein the first and second housing members each include an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface including a depression that forms a corresponding bulge in the exterior surface, the depression being arranged to receive a portion of a head portion of a utensil held by the associated utensil support, the bulges in the first and second housing members being offset such that they are located at different ends of the utensil carrying case and on different sides of the utensil carrying case when the case is in the closed position. 17. A utensil set as recited in claim 16 wherein the first and second utensil supports each include fittings arranged to hold the handle of an associated retained utensil to secure the retained utensil to the carrying case and to longitudinally constrain an end portion of a handle of the associated retained utensil. 18. A utensil set as recited in claim 16 wherein the hinge is a double hinge having a web, a first hinge portion that pivotally couples the web to the first housing member and a second hinge portion that pivotally couples the web to the second housing member, the first and second hinge portions being living hinges. 19. A utensil set as recited in claim 16 wherein the first and second housings each have a base and a sidewall that projects from the base, and wherein each sidewall includes an integrally formed utensil head stop that projects further from the base than other portions of the sidewall, the utensil head stops being arranged to longitudinally constrain a head portion of an associated retained utensil. 20. A utensil set comprising a spoon having a spoon handle and a spoon head, a fork having a fork handle and a fork end, a knife, and a utensil carrying case comprising: first and second housing members, each housing member having an associated utensil support, each utensil support being arranged to secure and position the spoon or fork relative to the associated housing member;a double hinge that pivotally couples the first and second housing members together, the double hinge including a spine, a first hinge that pivotally couples the spine to the first housing member and a second hinge that pivotally couples the spine to the second housing member;a knife support stand carried by and projecting from the double hinge spine, the knife support stand being arranged to hold the knife;a casing latch located opposite the double hinge for releasably securing a free side of the first housing member to a free side of the second housing member to facilitate securing the first and second housing members in a closed position; andwherein the first and second housings of the utensil carrying case are arranged to be moved between, (i) a closed position in which the casing latch secures the free sides of the first and second housing members together to form an enclosure capable of enclosing the knife, spoon and fork, and (ii) an open position in capable of displaying the knife, spoon and fork first substantially side by side, with the knife support stand holding the knife held in an elevated position relative to the spoon and fork. 21. A utensil set as recited in claim 20 wherein: the utensil supports are arranged to hold the spoon and fork such that the head portions of the spoon and fork are located at opposite ends of the carrying case; andthe first and second hinge portions are living hinges. 22. A utensil set as recited in claim 21 wherein: the first and second housing members each include an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface including a depression that forms a corresponding bulge in the exterior surface, the depression being arranged to receive a portion of a head portion of the spoon or fork held by the associated utensil support, wherein the bulges in the first and second housing members are offset such that they are located at opposite ends of the utensil carrying case; andthe first and second utensil supports each include (i) snap fittings arranged to hold the handle of the associated retained spoon or fork to secure the retained spoon or fork to the carrying case, and (ii) a handle stop arranged to longitudinally constrain an end portion of a handle of the held spoon or fork. 23. A utensil set as recited in claim 20 wherein the knife support stand includes: a pair of projecting side walls arranged to hold the knife in place; anda registration nub located between the projecting side walls and arranged to engage a mating recess structure on the knife to position the knife relative to the utensil support stand. 24. A utensil set as recited in claim 23 wherein the knife is formed from plastic and includes an integrated metal bottle opener feature between a handle portion of the knife and a blade portion of the knife, and wherein the registration nub is arranged to mate with the metal bottle opener feature.
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