Patent Publication Number: US-6670536-B2

Title: Musical instrument case

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to protection cases. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a musical instrument case. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Musical instrument cases are widely used to store, protect and/or carry musical instruments. For example, in the case of stringed musical instruments such as guitars, the cases are usually constructed according to the structure illustrated in a sectional view in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a multi-layer structure of different materials forming a conventional guitar case  10 . First, the structure of the case  10  is ensured by a wood material layer  12  which may be, for example, plywood. This wood material layer  12  is covered with an external layer  14 , for example made of leather, or other weather resistant material. This layer  14  is required since the wood layer  12  cannot adequately protect the instrument against adverse weather conditions. It is also usually preferable for aesthetic purposes. 
     Internally, the conventional guitar case includes a relatively soft foam layer  16  entirely covering the internal surface of the wood layer  12  to protect the instrument when the case is moved. A final soft fabric layer  18  is provided to entirely cover the foam layer so as to protect the relatively weak foam and to provide an improved internal case aesthetic. 
     As will be understood by one skilled in the art, the production of a guitar case using a multi-layer structure as described hereinabove is very labour intensive and therefore yields a relatively expensive case. 
     Furthermore, the use of a wood material layer increases the weight of the finished musical instrument case and complexities the construction since the shape of the case must generally conform to the shape of the musical instrument and wood material is not particularly well suited for such rounded shapes in an industrial setting. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved musical instrument case. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a musical instrument case comprising: 
     a body made of rigid foam material; the body defining an outer surface and an inner surface; and 
     a cover made of rigid foam material; the cover being hingedly mounted to the body so as to be movable between a closed position and an open position; the cover defining an outer surface and an inner surface; wherein both the outer surfaces of the body and the cover define an outer surface of the musical instrument case. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a musical instrument case comprising: 
     a body having an inner surface; 
     a cover hingedly mounted to said body so as to be movable between a closed position and an open position; said cover defining having an inner surface; and 
     a plurality of padding elements so mounted to said body and cover as to allow a musical instrument to be suspended in said case. 
     It is to be noted that the expression “rigid foam material” is to be construed herein as any foam material that is sufficiently durable and rigid to be molded to yield a suitable musical instrument case and as any composite of more than one such foam material to obtain the desirable features. 
    
    
     Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following nonrestrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the appended drawings: 
     FIG. 1, which is labeled “Prior Art” is a sectional view of a multi-layer structure of a conventional musical instrument case; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a guitar case constructed according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown upside down with the cover in its closed position; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the guitar case of FIG. 2, shown with the cover in its open position; 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the guitar case of FIG. 2 shown in an open position; and 
     FIG. 7 is a top plan view very similar to FIG. 6 but illustrating another embodiment of a guitar case constructed according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Generally stated a musical instrument case according to the present invention is made of a body and a cover, both made of rigid foam material, such as for example, polypropylene foam, that has been molded so that its internal dimensions are similar to the external dimensions of a musical instrument. By using a rigid foam material to construct the body and the cover, it is possible to forego the required multi-layer structure of the cases of the prior art requiring many construction steps since the outside surface of the body and cover may be used as an outer surface for the case and the inner surfaces of the body and cover may directly receive a musical instrument. 
     According to another aspect of the musical instrument case of the present invention, a series of padding elements are provided at the periphery of the body and cover to allow the suspension of the instrument within the case so that the most fragile components of the instruments are not in contact with the case. 
     Turning now to FIGS. 2 to  6 , a guitar case  20  according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. 
     The guitar case  20  is made of two main parts, a generally concave body  22  provided with a peripheral edge  23  and a corresponding concave cover  24  provided with a peripheral edge  25 . Both parts are made of polypropylene foam. An external securing assembly  26  is provided to keep the cover closed and to help the user to carry the case. 
     The cover  24  is mounted to the body  22  via two identical hinges  27  and  28 . Each hinge is made of plastic and has a double-T profile. Indeed, a first T-shape portion  30  is mounted to the edge  23  of the body and a second T-shape portion  32  is mounted to the edge  25  of the cover  24 . A thinner portion  34  is integrally provided between the first and second T-shape portions  30  and  32 . As can be better seen from FIG. 3, the first and second T-shape portions  30  and  32  are respectively partially embedded in rectangular depressions in the peripheral edges  23  and  25 , respectively. 
     As can be better seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, the edge  23  of the body  22  is provided with tongues  36  and the edge  25  of the cover  25  is provided with corresponding grooves  38 . This tongue and groove arrangement increases the structural integrity of the musical instrument case  20  when it is in the closed position shown in FIGS. 2 to  4 . Also it advantageously ensures symetrical positioning of the body  22  and the cover  25  and improves the sealing of the case  20  when it is closed. As can be seen from FIG. 6, the edge  23  is not provided with a tongue on its entire periphery, but has a plurality of tongue portions. Accordingly, the edge  25  is not provided with a groove on its entire periphery, but has a plurality of groove portions. 
     As discussed hereinabove, an external securing assembly  26  is provided to selectively maintain the case  20  in a closed position. The external securing assembly  26  includes a first neck strap  40  and a second body strap  42 , interconnected via an adjustable shoulder strap  44 . As can be better seen from FIG. 5, the neck strap  40  includes a ring  46  and a hook and lop portion  48  configured to enter the ring  46  and to maintain the case  20  closed. Similarly, the body strap  42  includes a ring  50  and a hook and lop portion  52  configured to enter the ring  50  and to maintain the case  20  closed. Furthermore, two hook portions  54  and  56  part of the assembly  26  are designed to respectively contact two loop portions  55  and  57  (FIG. 6) secured to the cover  24 . 
     Turning now more specifically to FIG. 6, the body and cover  22  and  24  include corresponding handle portions  58  and  60 , respectively. These portions form, when the cover is in its closed position, a handle allowing the carrying of the case  20  by a user. As can be seen from this figure, the handle portions  58  and  60  include respective inserts  62  and  64 , embedded in the rigid foam material forming the body and cover to strengthen these portions. Indeed, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art, the handle portions are advantageously solidified to prevent premature breakage. The inserts  62  and  64  are advantageously made of a lightweight material such as plastic. 
     The body  22  of the musical instrument case  20  includes a compartment  66  (see FIG. 3) closed by a compartment cover  68  having a first end  70  hingedly mounted to the body  22  and a second end provided with an aperture  72  to help the user to open the cover  68 . The cover  24  is provided with a projection  74  so positioned as to prevent the compartment cover  68  from opening when the cover  24  is in its closed position. 
     The proximate and distal walls  76  and  78  of the compartment  66  are provided with respective concave depressions  80  and  82  to conventionally receive the neck of the instrument (not shown). 
     The cover  24  further includes two reinforcing projections  84  and  86  configured, positioned and sized to respectively contact the walls  76  and  78  to improve the structural integrity of the case  20 , once closed. 
     Turning now more specifically to FIG. 6 of the appended drawings, the case  20  also optionally includes discrete padding elements provided in the concave body  22  and in the concave cover  24  to further protect the instrument (not shown) to be placed in the case  20 . Indeed, it may be advantageous to strategically place soft padding elements to decrease the contact surface area between the instrument and the case. 
     More specifically, the body  22  includes five body padding elements  88 ,  90 ,  92 ,  94 , and  96 , four side padding elements  90 ′,  92 ′,  94 ′ and  96 ′ and two neck padding elements  98  and  100  mounted to the concave depressions  80  and  82 , respectively. It is to be noted that the neck padding elements  98  and  100  have been removed from FIG. 5 for clarity purposes. 
     The cover  24 , on the other hand, includes four cover padding elements  102 ,  104 ,  106 , and  108 , four side padding elements  102 ′,  104 ′,  106 ′ and  108 ′, and one neck padding element  110 . 
     As can be seen on FIGS. 5 and 6, the padding elements  88 - 108 ,  90 ′- 96 ′ and  102 ′- 106 ′ are advantageously positioned on the periphery of the body  22  and cover  24  so as to prevent most parts of a guitar being carried in the case  20  from contacting the body  22  and the cover  24 . The padding elements  88 - 108 ,  90 ′- 96 ′ and  102 ′- 106 ′ allows the carried musical instrument to be suspended in the case  20 . Compared to musical instrument cases from the prior art, this offers a better protection for the musical intrument against impact on the case  20 . Moreover, it is to be noted that the structural strength of a guitar is greater on its periphery and is also free of parts more keen to break, such as the strings and the soundboard. As illustrated in these Figures, the bottom and side portions of the concave body and cover are provided with padding elements. 
     The term &lt;&lt; suspended &gt;&gt; is therefore to be construed herein and in the appended claims as meaning that the periphery of the object that is suspended is in contact with the case. 
     The structural composition of the padding elements  88 - 108 ,  90 ′- 96 ′ and  102 ′- 106 ′ is so chosen as to be resilient under impact on the case  20  when a musical instrument is carried therein but also as to be sufficiently rigid to prevent impact of the instrument on the case  20  under impact on the case  20 . 
     Each padding element is advantageously multi-layered so as to provide the following additional characteristics: easily mounting in the case  20 , resistant and soft contact on the musical instrument. 
     The following multi-layered structure of the padding elements provides the above-mentionned characteristics: textile fabric laminated on a relatively thick polyether that is laminated on a thinner polyesther foam, and that is finally laminated on a double sided adhesive tape. 
     The above-described structure is advantageous since the textile fabric brings a nice looking finish on the padding elements and is also more wear resistant than foam, the polyesther foam renders the padding element resilient, the adhesive allows mounting of the padding elements in the body  22  or in the cover  24 , while the polyether foam allows adhesion of the tape unto the multi-layered foam structure. 
     Of course, the nature, composition and density of the padding elements may vary according to the musical instrument that is to be carried in the case  20 . The means to mount the padding elements in the case  20  may also vary without departing from the spirit and nature of the present invention. For example, glue or rivet embedded in the padding element may also be used. 
     Turning now to FIG. 7 of the appended drawings, a musical instrument case  200  according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. It is to be noted that since the case  200  is very similar to the case  20  of FIGS. 2-6, and for concision purposes, only the differences between these two cases will be described hereinbelow. 
     A first difference between the cases  20  and  200  is that the body  202  of the case  200  includes an optional soft fabric covering  204  to cover the soft body padding elements. Similarly, the cover  206  of the case  200  includes an optional soft fabric covering  208  to cover the soft cover padding elements. 
     Another difference resides in the complementary channels and tongues provided on the peripheral edges of the body  202  and cover  206 . Indeed, the cover  206  includes three channels  210 ,  212  and  214  while the body  202  includes three complementary tongues  216 ,  218  and  220 . The almost continuous nature of the channel and tongue further improves the structural integrity and better prevents water from entering the case when the case is carried in the rain, for example. 
     Finally, the case  200  does not include side padding elements of the case  20 . 
     Even though the invention as been described by reference to a guitar case, other cases, it can be modified to create musical case suitable for other musical instruments. Of course, the number, positions and nature of the padding elements may be modified depending on the nature of the musical instrument to be carried to provide adequate protection thereof. 
     As will easily be understood by one skilled in the art, the body and cover of the musical instrument case of the present invention may be manufactured following injection molding procedures, blow molding procedures or vacuum molding procedures, for example. 
     It will also be noted by one skilled in the art that the outer surfaces of the body and cover may be textured during the molding process to improve the aesthetic of the musical instrument case. 
     Finally, it is to be noted that the use of a rigid foam material for the case of the present invention is advantageous since it is a light material that dissipates at least a portion the energy imparted to the case when the case is inadvertently brought into forceful contact with other objects, thereby decreasing the portion of this energy transferred to the musical instrument. Furthermore, the nature of the rigid foam material is such that the internal volume created by the body and cover is thermally insulated. 
     Although the present invention has been described hereinabove by way of preferred embodiments thereof, it can be modified, without departing from the spirit and nature of the subject invention as defined in the appended claims.