Abstract:
A protective case with a combination hinge and swivel connector for the lid. The lid opens in clamshell fashion and then swivels around and folds down over the back of the case so that the back of the shell nests in the lid. The lid, when folded back in this manner, provides a comfortable surface for holding the open case in the hand.

Description:
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to the field of storage cases or protective cases for devices. More particuarly the invention relates to a protective case with a hinged lid that folds back so as to allow unimpeded use of the device in the case. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   A user of an electronic handheld device often carries the device in a protective case. Typically, the protective case is constructed of a sturdy, rigid material that protects the handheld device from damage. Ideally, the case allows the user access to the device in a manner that makes it readily available for immediate use. A PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) and a cellphone are examples of handheld devices that a user may carry in a protective case. 
   Often, the handheld device must be removed from its case in order to be used. Many cases, however, have detachable lids that allow the device to be used in a case with the lid removed. Such cases have a disadvantage in that the user must keep track of the whereabouts of the lid and/or case. Some protective cases have a hinged lid so that the device can remain in the protective case while it is being used. These cases have a disadvantage in that the user must contend with the open lid and it may be difficult or cumbersome to operate the device in the case. Still other cases have a hinged lid that flips over the back of the case, but such cases are difficult or uncomfortable to hold in the hand because of the contour of the reversed lid. It is a further disadvantage that footprint of the case plus open lid may be twice the footprint of the case alone or with the lid closed. 
   What is needed, therefore, is a protective case that provides a lid that opens so that the device stored within it may be used in-situ. What is further needed is such a case in which the lid remains attached to the protective case. What is yet further needed is such a case with a lid that may be stored in such a way as to not encumber the use of the device. What is still yet further needed is such a case that allows the lid to be stored without significantly increasing the footprint of the case. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   For the reasons cited above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a protective case with an attached and hinged lid. It is a yet further object to provide a protective case that stores the open, attached lid behind the case. 
   The objects of the invention are achieved by providing a swivel-lid protective case. The case has a shell, a lid, and a strap that connects the lid to the shell. The lid is attached to the strap by means of a hinge and the strap attached to the shell by means of a swivel connector that is rotatable about a swivel point. The hinge means allows the protective case to open in a clam shell fashion. The swivel means allows the lid, after it has been raised up above the shell, to swivel about the swivel axis and fold down along the hinge means over the back of the shell. In this manner, access to the front operative surface of the device stored in the protective case is unimpeded, yet at the same time, the lid remains attached and does not increase the need for space when using the device. Furthermore, the lid, when folded back and nesting against the back of the shell, provides a comfortable surface when holding the open case in the hand. 
   The swivel-lid protective case according to the invention may be used to store any kind of device or item. The shape and contour of the case may be constructed to securely accommodate a particular device. Apertures may be provided in the protective case to provide access to connectors or buttons on the device and the case may be lined with shock absorbing material. 
   The swivel-lid protective case is constructed of a material that is suitable to provide the necessary protection for the device or item to be stored within. For example, if the device is a handheld electronic device, suitable material is a form rigid material, such as a metal, plastic, hard rubber, or other form-rigid material that has the necessary rigidity and strength to protect the device. For other types of items, the swivel-lid protective case may be constructed of a softer, more flexible material. The case may have a standard shape, for example, rectangular, in order to accommodate any number of items or devices or may be constructed to hold a specific device. Regardless of the shape or construction of the case, the inventive feature is the double-hinged lid that provides unimpeded access to whatever is stored within the case and allows the lid to be stored unobtrusively behind the shell, without first detaching the lid. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. 
       FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of protective case in the closed position. 
       FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of the protective case with the lid open in clamshell fashion. 
       FIG. 1C  is a perspective view of the protective case with the lid rotating about the swivel axis. 
       FIG. 1D  is a perspective view of the protective case with the lid in a stored position. 
       FIG. 2A  is a side planar view of the protective case. 
       FIG. 2B  is a top planar view of the protective case. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the swivel means. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a particular embodiment of the swivel-lid protective case according to the invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a top planar view of the swivel-lid protective case of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  is a bottom planar view of the swivel-lid protective case of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 7  is a first side elevational view of the swivel-lid protective case of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 8  is a front elevational view of the swivel-lid protective case of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 9  is a second side elevational view of the swivel-lid protective case of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 10  is a rear elevational view of the swivel-lid protective case of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 11  is bottom planar view of the swivel-lid protective case of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 12A  is a perspective view of the swivel-lid protective case according to the invention, illustrating a different shape of the case. 
       FIG. 12B  is a perspective view of the swivel-lid protective case of  FIG. 12A , showing the lid being folded to a storage position. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1A-1D  illustrate a swivel-lid protective case  100  according to the invention. The swivel-lid protective case  100  comprises a lid  110 , a shell  120 , and a swivel means  130 .  FIG. 1A  shows the swivel-lid protective case  100  in a closed position.  FIGS. 1B-1D  show the lid  110  being manipulated from an open position ( FIG. 1B ), swiveling about the top of the shell  120  ( FIG. 1C ) and then folded down into a storage position ( FIG. 1D ). In the storage position, a user has full access to the operative surface of a device held in the swivel-lid protective case  100 , yet the lid  110  remains attached to the swivel-lid protective case  100  and out of the way. A key feature of the invention is the ability of the lid  110  and to rotate in two directions relative to the shell  120 . The swivel-lid protective case  100  pivotally opens and closes in clam-shell fashion along the plane of a hinge  160 . The lid  110 , when open, is able to pivot rotationally 360 degrees in a plane about a swivel axis S relative to the shell  120 . The swivel axis S is best seen in  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B, and  3 . It is understood that the shape and size of the swivel-lid protective case  100  are based upon the intended use of the case and may vary widely. 
     FIGS. 2A , and  2 B illustrate, respectively, side and top planar views of a swivel-lid protective case  100  according to the invention. The swivel-lid protective case  100  has a closure means  123  for holding the lid  110  closed against the shell  120 . In the embodiment shown, the closure means  123  is a tab on the shell  120  that provides an interference fit against the inside of the lid  110 . Any suitable closure means may be used, such as snap pawls, snap buttons, latches, interference fits, etc. 
     FIG. 3  illustrates the swivel means  130  according to the invention. The swivel means  130  includes a strap  132  with the hinge  160  at one end and, at the other end, a swivel connector  134  that is attached to the shell  120  and that rotates about a swivel axis S. The swivel connector  134  includes a swivel plate  136  and a swivel post  138 . A through-bore  145  is provided in the shell  120 . The swivel post  138  is inserted through the swivel plate  136  and the through-bore  145  and fixedly attached to the swivel connector  134  so as to allow the swivel connector  134  to rotate freely about the swivel axis S, which, in this configuation, is provided by the swivel post  138 . The hinge  160  includes a hinge pin  162  that is mounted in the strap  132  and a hinge sleeve  114  on the lid  110  that couples with the hinge pin  162 . 
   The lid  110  is opened by rotating it upward about the hinge  160 . Referring again to  FIG. 1C and 1D , once the lid  110  is raised completely above the shell  120 , the lid  110  is freely rotatable about the swivel axis S. 
   It is understood that any suitable means of connecting the swivel connector  134  to the shell  120 , so that the strap  132  may rotate at least 180 degrees about a swivel axis S is included within the scope of the invention. In the embodiment shown, a boss  140  is formed on the outer surface of the shell  120  to provide additional strength to the shell  120  at this area of stress The through-bore  145  extends through the boss  140 . Depending on the shape, material, and intended use of the swivel-lid protective case  100 , additional strength  122  may be provided on the shell  120 . Depending on the shape of the swivel-lid protective case  100 , the boss  140  and through-bore  145  are dimensioned to allow the hinge strap  132  to rotate freely about the swivel connector  134  without interference from the shell  120 . 
     FIGS. 4-11  illustrate one particular embodiment of the swivel-lid protective case  100  according to the invention. The particular embodiment of the swivel-lid protective case  100  shown in these figures is a protective case for a TomTom® GPS, and is accordingly constructed to have a rounded shell  120  and a relatively flat lid  110 . It also has apertures on the back of the shell  120 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , that allow the user to connect cables or other devices to the GPS. According to the invention, other embodiments of the invention may have differently sized and shaped lids  110  and shells  120 . The case may include one or more differently sized cut-outs or apertures or have no apertures at all. 
     FIGS. 12A and 12B  show perspective views of a swivel-lid protective case  200  that is functionally identical to the swivel-lid protective case  100  described above, but has a different shape. The swivel-lid protective case  200  is a relatively flat, rectangular case with a lid  210 , and a shell  220 , and the swivel means  130  that was described above. The lid  210  is hinged to the shell  220  by the hinge  160 , which in turn is connected to the shell  220  by the swivel means  130 . As indicated by the lid  210  shown in dashed lines and then with solid lines in  FIG. 12B , the lid  210  swivels about the swivel point S and is foldable over the back of the shell  220  into a storage position in which the outer contour of the shell  220  nests within the inner contour of the lid  210 . In  FIG. 12B , the lid  210  has been opened, swiveled about the swivel point S and is in position to be folded down over the back of the shell  220 . 
   The swivel-lid protective case  100  is preferably constructed of a rigid material, such as a metal, plastic, or other form-rigid material that provides the necessary rigidity and strength to protect the device stored within the case. The inside of the swivel-lid protective case  100  may be lined with a material that cushions, supports, holds in place the device being held by the case and/or provides some shock absorption. 
   It is understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention. Variations in the construction of the swivel-lid protective case may be contemplated by one skilled in the art without limiting the intended scope of the invention herein disclosed and as defined by the following claims.