Abstract:
A portable storage and display case for valuable items such as military decorations and jewelry having a rigid front member, and a rigid rear member, a spine joining the front member with the rear member, and an interior surface having first and second interior pockets, capable of holding an insert capable of slidably connecting into the first and second interior pockets. A portfolio further comprising at least one sheet of a recoverable plastic portfolio sheet capable of receiving pins and folded into halves. A padded protector panel having at least one pocket therein, and disposed between the two halves of the recoverable plastic portfolio sheet so that the two halves do not come into contact with one another.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 60/884,480, filed Jan. 11, 2007, entitled “Portable Storage Case for Military Decorations, Jewelry and the Like.” 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to the field of portable storage cases and, more specifically, to a portable storage case for military decorations, medals awards and jewelry. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Military and uniformed services personnel often must take their uniforms with them when traveling. These persons are often confronted with the problem of how to best transport their insignia pins and awards without losing them and without damaging them. If these pins are left attached to a uniform, they can catch the fabric during travel as a uniform is redistributed in a suitcase when being carried and during baggage handling. This can cause the pins to catch the fabric and snag the uniform material. If the pins are removed from the uniform, there is no suitable way of carrying them. Service personnel have relied on such methods as wrapping the metals in tissue paper and carrying them in plastic containers or plastic bags. This method is time consuming and subject to loss. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel way of carrying military insignia and decorations for traveling service personnel that will prevent the decorations from becoming marred or otherwise damaged. This case has the added advantage of being able to stand upright so that pins and decorations may be displayed on a desk or counter, when the owner is not traveling. In addition, the present carrying and display case provides a means of travel storage for civilians, who may use such a storage case for jewelry, tie tacks, or pins when traveling or simply as a convenient way to store these items. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating various embodiments of the present invention, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a view of an open portable storage and display case showing the major components such as the portfolio support panels, portfolio sheets, and padded separator as they would be used to display military decorations according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a view of a closed portable storage case showing indicia of ownership and an exterior pocket for carrying papers as it would appear in use according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a open view of the portable storage case showing the front support panel slidably engaging the front retention pocket; 
       FIG. 4  is an open view of the portable storage case showing a separator pad disposed between the two halves of a portfolio sheet; 
       FIG. 5  is an open view of the portable storage case showing a separator pad disposed between the two halves of a portfolio sheet the separator pad including two horizontal pockets for storing epaulets; and 
       FIG. 6  is an open view of the portable storage case showing a separator pad disposed between the two halves of a portfolio sheet the separator pad including a central pocket. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and prime notation is used to indicate similar elements in alternate embodiments. 
   Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a portable storage and display case  10  for valuable items, such as military decorations and jewelry, includes a rigid front member  12  having an inside surface  14  opposed to an outside surface  16 . The rigid front member  12  has a top edge  18  opposed to a bottom edge  20 , and opposing front  22  and rear edges  24 . In addition, a rigid rear member  26  has an inside surface  28  opposed to an outside surface  30 . The rigid rear member  26  has a top edge  32  opposed to a bottom edge  34 , and opposing front  36  and rear (not shown) edges. A spine  40  joins the front member  12  with the rear member  26  along their respective rear edges, creating a unitary exterior cover  42 . An optional fastener  44 , such as a zipper or Velcro®, surrounding the front and rear members  12 ,  26  can be used for closing the case. In embodiments where a two-way zipper is used, a lock  45  may also be advantageously used to protect the contents inside. Those skilled in the art will also recognize that where the rigid members  12 ,  26  are made of composite or metal, other closure means, such as a key lock and metal rim, a hasp lock or even a combination lock, for example, may be preferably used. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the cover  42  may be made of any material suitable for the application including cloth, GOR-TEX®, plastics, vinyl, leather and metals, for example. The exterior cover  42  surface is preferably suitable for carrying indicia  46  of ownership. Such indicia  46  may include military service insignia, commercial logos and trademarks, herald crests, monograms, and other personalized identifying indicia. The indicia  46  may be added to the cover using embroidery, appliqués, patches, all forms of printing techniques, pad prints, for example. A pocket  48  may be optionally included on the exterior surface of either the front member  12 , the rear member  26 , or both to be used for holding tickets, travel orders, or other important papers. In addition, a fastener  50 , such as a zipper or Velcro, for example, may be optionally included at the opening of the pocket  48 , to secure and to prevent the loss of the contents. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , a pair of retention pockets  52 ,  54  is located on the inside surfaces  56 ,  58  of the front and rear members  12 ,  26 , respectively. Each pocket  52 ,  54  extends longitudinally between the top edge  18 ,  32  and the bottom edge  20 ,  34  of its respective member  12 ,  26 ; and laterally between the front edge  22 ,  36  and the spine  40  along the inside surface  56 ,  58 . The retention pockets  52 ,  54  may be made from the same material as the front and rear members  12 ,  26 , or they may be made of a different material so long as the material of the pocket is rigid enough to contain and support a portfolio support  60 , therein. 
   A portfolio support  60  formed of a sheet having a first panel  62  and a second panel  64 , the first panel capable of slidably engaging the retention pocket  52  in the front member  12 . The second panel  64  should also be capable of slidably engaging the retention pocket  54  in the rear member  26 . A portion  66  of the portfolio support  60  between the two panels  62 ,  64  is placed in abutment with the spine  40 . 
   Attached to the portfolio support  60 , is a recoverable plastic portfolio sheet  68 . The portfolio sheet  68  extends laterally across the portfolio support  60  and is attached thereto by stitching or by a plurality of connectors  70 , as shown as in  FIG. 1  as two covered brads, for example. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the connectors  70  of the plurality may be of other types including bolts, bonnets, brads, grommets, pins, rivets, pop rivets, screws, solder, stitching, and welds, for example. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the portfolio sheet  68  is adapted to receive and hold military decorations and jewelry and the like by permitting a pin or tack that is part of the item to be displayed to pierce the sheet and to be held in place with a corresponding clasp, pin or earring back or tie tack. An optional soft outer edging  72 , such as ribbon or piping, for example, may preferably be attached to the outer rim of the portfolio sheet  68 , to prevent the portfolio sheet from tearing and to improve its overall appearance. 
   A padded separator  74  is fitted to an inside surface  75  of the portfolio sheet  68  along an attachment line  76  generally parallel with the spine  40 . In a preferred embodiment, the padded separator  74  may be a single sheet of a soft padded fabric that simply prevents the contents displayed on one half the portfolio sheet  68  from becoming scratched or otherwise damaged by rubbing against the contents on the facing half of the portfolio sheet. Referring to  FIG. 5 , the padded separator  74  may optionally include a pair of pockets  78  that run from top edge  80  of the padded separator to a bottom edge  81 . An optional fold-over flap  82  near the top edge  80  of these pockets  78  can be used to close them and prevent their contents from shifting, and potentially becoming marred during use. 
   Referring to  FIG. 6 , still another configuration of the padded separator  74  may include a pocket opening  84  along a top edge  86  of the padded separator. This large pocket  84  is ideally suited for larger pieces of jewelry, such as necklaces or bracelets, or for uniform braids, for example. A closing mechanism  88 , such as a zipper or Velcro™, for example, can protect the contents. 
   A method of carrying military decorations when traveling using this novel portable storage and display case is also contemplated. Upon obtaining portable storage and display case, the traveler arranges the decorations in the order they are worn on the left side of the uniform on a front half  90  of a portfolio sheet  68  of the portable storage and display case  10 . The traveler then secures the decorations to the left sheet of a portfolio sheet  68  as arranged. 
   Then the traveler arranges the decorations in the order they are worn on the right side of the uniform on a rear half  92  of the portfolio sheet  68  located on the right side of the portable storage and display case  10 . The traveler then secures the decorations to the right side of a portfolio sheet as arranged. The traveler may then place epaulets in each of the optional epaulet pockets  78 , if he is of a rank to have them. The traveler then closes the portable storage and display case  10 , and zips it shut, and locks it. 
   Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.