Abstract:
A carrying case including a first container having a first perimeter around a first opening and a second container comprising a second perimeter around a second opening, a first portion of the second perimeter being coupled to a first portion of the first perimeter to form a foldable interface between the first container and the second container; and a handle coupled to the foldable interface, a second portion of the first perimeter being configured to removably couple to a second portion of the second perimeter to enclose the handle of the first and second containers.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     This disclosure relates generally to the field of carrying cases. More particularly, the disclosure relates to carrying cases for storage, transport and display of hair styling and other cosmetology equipment. 
     2. Background Art 
     Professional hair stylists spend significant sums of money on their cosmetology equipment. They frequently carry this expensive equipment around. Independent stylists generally bring their cosmetology equipment to and from their client&#39;s work sites each day. Even stylists who work at a station in a salon generally carry their equipment back and forth each day because they do not want to leave their expensive equipment at the salon overnight. 
     Some stylists use a gym bag to carry their equipment. Gym bags generally do not have sufficient cushioning to protect the individual pieces from each other and from external impact. Additionally, gym bags generally do not have sufficient partitioning to allow for organization of the equipment for easy storage and retrieval. Furthermore, gym bags do not project the professional and sophisticated image that cosmetologists generally want to convey to their clientele. 
     It is desirable for bags to provide convenient transportation of cosmetology equipment, efficient access to that equipment, and protection of that equipment from damage or breakage. 
     SUMMARY 
     A carrying case including a first container having a first perimeter around a first opening and a second container comprising a second perimeter around a second opening, a first portion of the second perimeter being coupled to a first portion of the first perimeter to form a foldable interface between the first container and the second container; and a handle coupled to the foldable interface, a second portion of the first perimeter being configured to removably couple to a second portion of the second perimeter to enclose the handle of the first and second containers. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of carrying case. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment of the carrying case. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a bottom view of one embodiment of the carrying case. 
         FIG. 4  shows an exploded view of a portion of the carrying case. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various examples of embodiments of a carrying case will be described below with reference to the drawings. These exemplary embodiments are illustrative and are not to be construed as limiting. 
     In some embodiments, the carrying case is adapted to be used in at least two configurations. In a closed configuration, the carrying case contains and protects the contents for storage or transport. In an open configuration, the carrying case provides access to the contents. The illustrated embodiments of the carrying case are described with reference to contents that include brushes, combs and other incidentals for professional hair stylists. In other embodiments, the carrying case may be adapted to store other contents and can be used for other personal and professional applications. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a carrying case  100 . The carrying case  100  is approximately 11 inches wide, 8 inches long and 4 inches deep. The carrying case  100  includes a container  141  and a container  142  foldably coupled to each other along a first portion of the perimeters (not shown) and removably coupled using zipper teeth  147  and zipper teeth  148  along a second portion of the perimeters. An ornamental buckle  140  is fixed on the surface of the carrying case  100  and a leather strap  180  wraps the carrying case  100 . A strap  150  is sewn to the container  141  to allow someone to carry the carrying case  100  by the strap  150 . Zipper teeth  147  and zipper teeth  148  along a portion of the perimeter of the container  141  and the container  142 . The zipper teeth  147  and the zipper teeth  148  are removably coupled to each other using a zipper slider  151  and a zipper slider  152 . 
     The container  141  and the container  142  are formed by sewing an outer shell (illustrated) and inner shell (opposite side, not shown in  FIG. 1 ). The outer shell is formed of 1000 denier nylon and the inner shell is formed of polyester lining. In some embodiments, the containers are formed of panel sections and layers of material are inserted in between the outer and inner shell in each panel section. These layers may include a stiffener material such as polyethylene to maintain the shape of the carrying case  100  and a foam layer such as polyurethane to protect the contents from external forces. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of the carrying case  100  in an open configuration. The container  141  and the container  142  are foldably coupled at an interface  160  between a first portion of the perimeter of an opening in the container  141  and a first portion of the perimeter of an opening in the container  142 . In some embodiments, the containers are foldably coupled together by sewing the pieces together. In other embodiments, hinges may be used to foldably couple the container  141  and the container  142 . Other methods of foldably coupling the container  141  and the container  142  may be used. 
     The container  141  and the container  142  are removably coupled between a second portion of the perimeter of an opening in the container  141  and a second portion of the perimeter of an opening in the container  142 . The second portions of the perimeters of the openings of the container  141  and the container  142  are removably coupled using a zipper sliders (not shown) sliding along zipper teeth  147  and zipper teeth  148 . In other embodiments the second portions of the perimeters of the container  141  and the container  142  are removably coupled using one or more buttons. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that other methods of removably coupling the second portions of the perimeters of the container  141  and the container  142  may be used. 
     A handle  110  is coupled to the interface  160 . In some embodiments, a flap  120  and a flap  130  are coupled to the interface  160 . The flaps contain one or more pouches formed by clear plastic enclosed with a zipper. In some embodiments, the carrying case  100  is used to carry brushes and the flap  120  and the flap  130  are used to store smaller items such as combs and bobby pins. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that other contents may be stored in the carrying case  100 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a bottom view of one embodiment of the carrying case  100 . 
     A first portion of the perimeters of the container  141  and the container  142  are foldably coupled to each other at the interface  160 . The leather strap  180  crosses over the interface  160 . In some embodiments, the containers are foldably coupled together by sewing the container  141  and the container  142  together. In other embodiments, hinges may be used to foldably couple the container  141  and the container  142 . Other methods of foldably coupling the container  141  and the container  142  may be used. A second portion of the perimeters of the container  141  and the container  142  are removably coupled to each other using the zipper teeth  147  and the zipper teeth  148 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an exploded view of the interface between the container  141  and the container  142  to illustrate an exemplary assembly. 
     A lip  145  along a first portion of the perimeter of the opening of the container  142  is aligned flat with a lip  146  along a first portion of the perimeter of the opening of the container  141 . A lip  121  of the flap  120  is aligned flat with the lip  145 . A lip  131  of the flap  130  is aligned flat with the lip  146 . 
     The handle  110  is formed of leather having a y-shaped end  111  and a y-shaped end  112 . A cover  170  is inserted over the y-ends of  111  and the y-ends of  112  such that the handle  110  is laterally centered along the cover  170 . The extreme ends of the y-shaped end  111  and the y-shaped end  112  are wrapper under the cover  170 . The cover  170  is then wrapped around the four lips and the cover and handle are sewn together with the lips to form the interface  160 . The interface  160  foldably couples the container  142  and the container  141 . 
     A second portion of the perimeter of the opening in the container  142  has zipper teeth  147 . A second portion of the perimeter of the opening in the container  141  has zipper teeth  148 . A zipper slider (not shown) is used to removably couple the second portion of the perimeter of the openings in the top and containers together. 
     The above description introduces numerous specific details, such as measurements and materials, to provide a thorough understanding of, and enabling description for, the illustrated embodiments of the carrying case. One skilled in the art will recognize that these embodiments can be practiced without one or more of these specific details, or with other components. In some instances well known components are not described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the disclosed embodiments. 
     For example, the embodiments are described holding brushes, combs and bobby pins, but other objects may be stored, transported or retrieved from the carrying case. For example, the objects may include other hair styling tools, hair styling products or cosmetics. 
     The embodiments are described with reference to pouches on the flaps, but other means for storing objects may be used. The means for storing objects can include pockets, hooks, and loops. For example a loop may be formed on a flap to allow the handle of a brush to be slid into it. The means for storing objects can include Velcro strips configured to interface with corresponding Velcro strips on the objects to be stored. 
     It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the embodiments are not limited to any particular type of contents and that the means for storing the objects on the flaps are to be interpreted broadly to include all well-known means for storing objects. The means for storing objects may be implemented in various types, layouts and sizes depending on the intended application and the corresponding objects to be stored.