Abstract:
A box that is held and opened with one hand includes: a first lid; a second lid; a hinge that rotatably connects the first lid to the second lid so that the box is transitionable between an open orientation, where the lids are apart, and a closed orientation, where the lids are together; a biasing member to urge the first lid and second lid apart, thereby transitioning the box into the open orientation; and a closure to releasably hold the first lid and second lid together, thereby retaining the box in the closed orientation, the first lid and second lid thereby forming a cavity for storing the item. When the closure is released, the biasing member transitions the box into the open orientation. Boxes may be for fishing flies or lures, or for jewelry such as earrings.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Patent Application No. 61/152,048, filed Feb. 12, 2009. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to receptacles and more specifically to a box that is held and opened with one hand. 
         [0003]    When the need arises to quickly change a fly while fly-fishing, fisher folk experience difficulty handling a traditional two-handed manual fly box. One must hold the rod, line, snips, old and new fly, keep a good footing in the water, and carry a net, vest, etc. all at the same time. 
         [0004]    Current fly boxes require two hands to easily open and close. This causes difficulty in holding the rod, line, snips and storing the old fly, lures or hooks while searching for a new fly, lure or hook, many times in very cold or windy weather. This may cause a loss in flies, fumbling of flies, or dropping of equipment at a time when expedience is paramount. 
         [0005]    A similar need may arise regarding jewelry, such as earrings. Current jewelry boxes cannot be conveniently opened with one hand. 
         [0006]    It would be desirable to have a box for storing fishing flies, lures, earrings, other jewelry, or other small items, that can be opened with one hand. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In one aspect of the present invention, a box for storing an item includes: a first lid; a second lid; a hinge that rotatably connects the first lid to the second lid so that the box is transitionable between an open orientation, where the lids are apart, and a closed orientation, where the lids are together; a biasing member to urge the first lid and second lid apart, thereby transitioning the box into the open orientation; and a closure to releasably hold the first lid and second lid together, thereby retaining the box in the closed orientation, the first lid and second lid thereby forming a cavity for storing the item; wherein, when the closure is released, the biasing member transitions the box into the open orientation. 
         [0008]    In another aspect of the present invention, a box for storing an item includes a first lid having a latch transitionable between an engaged orientation and a released orientation; a second lid having an engaging element; a hinge that rotatably connects the first lid to the second lid so that the box is transitionable between an open orientation, where the lids are apart and the item is accessible, and a closed orientation, where the lids are together thereby forming a cavity for storing the item; and a spring having coils that are encapsulated by the hinge and extensions that apply rotational force to urge the first lid and second lid apart, thereby transitioning the box into the open orientation; wherein the latch releasably engages with the engaging element to hold the box closed, and when the latch is released, the spring urges the box to open. 
         [0009]    In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of storing and allowing access to an item includes: providing a box having a first lid rotatably connected to a second lid; urging the first lid and second lid apart; retaining the lids together in a closed orientation utilizing a closure, thereby storing the item; releasing the closure; and under the urging, rotating the first lid and second lid apart into an open orientation, thereby allowing access to the item. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  depicts an embodiment of the present invention in a closed orientation; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  depicts an embodiment of the present invention in an open orientation; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  depicts an exploded view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  depicts an bottom view of the present invention; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  depicts a side of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    The preferred embodiment and other embodiments, including the best mode of carrying out the invention, are hereby described in detail with reference to the drawings. Further embodiments, features and advantages will become apparent from the ensuing description or may be learned without undue experimentation. The figures are not drawn to scale, except where otherwise indicated. The following description of embodiments, even if phrased in terms of “the invention,” is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but describes the manner and process of making and using the invention. The coverage of this patent will be described in the claims. The order in which steps are listed in the claims does not indicate that the steps must be performed in that order. 
         [0016]    An embodiment of the invention is a box that opens with one hand, to hold items including fishing equipment such as flies or lures, or jewelry such as earrings or chains, etc. 
         [0017]    An embodiment of the invention provides a durable spring actuated hinge with a secure latch allowing one-hand operation both for opening and closing the box, thereby freeing the other hand to either access the contents of the box or be utilized in some other way. 
         [0018]    In an embodiment of the invention, a fly box or jewelry box is a device to allow a human person to automatically open, then remove, attach, or store fishing flies, lures, hooks, or jewelry such as earrings. There may be a single automatically opening top lid attached to a bottom lid of the box by a hinge, and held shut with a push button latch. Other embodiments include two automatically opening top lids, side by side, on either side of the bottom, to form two sections that may be opened independently. The lids may “automatically open” in that, once the push button latch is depressed, the force of a hinge spring under torque helps open the box. The hinge may include a hinge pin that rungs along the side of each lid, each lid with a hinge collar or a number of interlocking hinge collars along its inner side, so that the collars and lids rotate about the hinge pin. The spring may be wrapped around the pin, with extensions at the ends of the spring to press upon the lids and urge them to rotate apart. The box may be closed by pressing the lids together with the fingers, restoring torque to the spring. The box may be made of any hard supportive material, including but not limited to plastic, wood or metal. The size of the box could be available in multiple sizes, including but not limited to 4⅝″ long by 3⅜″ wide, with either a ⅞″ or 1¼″ depth. Embodiments may have lids having dimensions 4″ to 12″ long, 3″ to 8″ wide, and ⅞″ to 4″ deep. 
         [0019]    In an embodiment, inside the box both inside the top lid and bottom lid may be a pad of material, designed to attach or receive items for storage, such as multiple fishing flies hooks or items of jewelry, including but not limited a foam, plastic, metal or magnetic insert. The first lid (or both) may have a well, and the pad may be an insert that is attached in the well, such as permanently with an adhesive, or in a releasable way, such as with a magnet. Springs, such as those for the hinge and the latch, may be made of metal wire, such as stainless or alloyed steel. 
         [0020]    As depicted in  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of the present invention includes a box  10  with a top lid  12  and a bottom lid  14 , and a push button latch  16  to open the box with one hand. The latch  16  may be located on either the top lid  12  or bottom lid  14 , but if the bottom lid  14  is larger, then that may be the preferred place to locate the moveable mechanism of the latch. An embodiment of a fly box may be made of waterproof extruded plastic, with rounded corners. 
         [0021]    As depicted in  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of the present invention includes box  10  with top lid  12  and bottom lid  14 . The lids  12 ,  14  are rotatably connected together with a hinge  18  including a hinge spring  20 . Hinge spring  20  has coils that are encapsulated by hinge  18 , and is under torque or tension so that it helps urge the box  10  open. The push button latch  16  is attached to bottom lid  14  on the side or edge of the lid  14  that is opposite the hinge  18 . Top lid  12  includes a latch receiver  22  on the side or edge of the lid  12  that is opposite the hinge  18 , so that when the lids are pressed together, the latch  16  and latch receiver  22  line up with each other, and engage together to secure the box  10  closed. When push button latch  16  is depressed, the latch  16  and latch receiver  22  disengage and the hinge spring  20  applies a force that rotates the lids  12 ,  14  away from each other, thereby opening the box  10 . 
         [0022]    In an embodiment, the lids  12 ,  14  have wells for storage pads  24  adapted to retain the item or items being stored  26 . The storage pads  24  may include a foam surface upon which fishing flies or lures could be hooked, retaining apertures or clips upon which jewelry may be held, or other retaining elements or surfaces for otherwise holding the items to be stored  26  and keeping them secure within the box. The storage pads  24  may be integrated with the lids, may be permanently affixed such as with an adhesive, or may be removably attached so that the pads are replaceable. 
         [0023]    In an embodiment, the push button latch  16  with a constant pressure stainless encapsulated hinge spring  20  may be designed for one-handed operation with thumb or finger pressure and once pressed (released) allows the box lid to open automatically by virtue of the hinge spring  20  encapsulated in a secure molded hinge  18 . Once the top lid  14  and bottom lid  12  of the box  10  are closed with the palm or fingers of the hand, the latch  16  may make an audible sound indicating a secure lock between the lids  12 ,  14 . 
         [0024]    As depicted in the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , the hinge  18  includes hinge collars  30  on the lids  12 ,  14 , and a pin  32  that rotatably connects the hinge collars  30  so that the lids  12 ,  14  can rotate about the hinge  18  relative to each other. The spring  20  includes spring extensions  34  at or near the ends that press upon the lids  12 ,  14  to urge them to rotate apart. The spring  20  is wrapped around the pin  32 , and may be encapsulated within the hinge  18  so collars  30  are located on either side of the coils of the spring. A latch spring  36  urges the push button latch  16  so that it engages with the latch receiver  22 . The user presses upon the latch  16  to compress the latch spring  36  and disengage the latch  16  from the latch receiver  22 , which allows the box  10  to upon under force of the spring extensions  34  against the lids  12 ,  14 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  depicts the underside of an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 5  depicts a side view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0026]    In an embodiment, the hinge or hinge elements may be made of the same material as the box or other durable materials, not limited to plastic, wood, or metal, and may be hollow allowing for securely encapsulating the stainless steel hinge spring or springs to be stored and secured under torque to automatically open the top lid of a single side fly box or both sides of a fly box designed to open with two tops lids on either side of the bottom lid. 
         [0027]    An embodiment of a fly box includes a top (lid) and bottom or two tops (lids) located on either sides of the bottom. There is a connecting hinge with an encapsulated torqued hinge spring on one side of the fly box (when the fly box is closed) and a push button latch with its constant pressure stainless latch spring on an opposite side of the fly box that secures the top (lid) and bottom of the box closed together. The box, latch, latch spring, hinge and torqued spring together enable the box to function as a storage facility for flies, lures, or hooks; and together function as a one-hand opening unit. Other embodiments may be for jewelry, such as earrings. The top (lid) of the fly box springs automatically open from the hinged bottom of the box once the latch is released on an opposite side of the box, with the thumb or finger of one hand. The fly box may be closed with the palm and fingers of one hand, and a securing latch locks the top and bottom halves of the box together with an audible sound. 
         [0028]    An embodiment may be called a one-hand opening fly box, lure box, earring or jewelry box, tool box, pocket buddy, midge buddy, or other designation for easy one-hand opening, whether for convenience or for the disabled. 
         [0029]    In an embodiment of the invention, a closed box with its contents may be held with the palm and fingers one hand. A thumb or finger presses the latch that, due to a torqued spring hinge, automatically opens the fly box with one hand, thereby exposing the contents of the fly box. The contents may be composed of fishing flies, lures or hooks, may be composed of jewelry, earrings, chains, etc., or may include any item that a person would keep in a box that could be opened with one hand. Closing the fly box with one hand comprises the use of the palm and fingers to overcome the light pressure of the torqued hinge, squeezing the top (lid) so that it mates with the bottom of the fly box on the opposite side of the hinge and thus the latch automatically secures the top (lid) and bottom side of the fly box together. 
         [0030]    To make an embodiment of the present invention, the box hinge and latching mechanism could be made with moulds by the manufacturer, and the spring could be a stainless steel spring purchased from outside sources and then assembled by the manufacturer. 
         [0031]    An embodiment of a double-sided fly box may be connected by a double hinge/spring or a single hinge/spring. The top/s (lid/s) and bottom may be clear or opaque molded plastic or ABS or of wood or metal or composite construction. 
         [0032]    In an embodiment, the automatic opening one-hand fly box can be made of a size which allows it to be stored in a shirt or jacket or vest pocket. Fishing dry or wet flies, lures or hooks may be stored within the box. Once the opportunity or need for a different fly, lure or hook arises during an on-water fishing trip with hands full of rod, reel, line, snips, scissors, knife, etc., instead of a typical standard hinged fly/lure/hook box which requires two hands to operate, an embodiment of the automatic fly box can be opened and closed with one hand. 
         [0033]    An embodiment of a box may be withdrawn from a pocket with one hand, held in with the palm and fingers of the one hand, and a thumb or finger presses the latch. The fly box opens automatically, so the contents may be withdrawn or added to using the opposite, free hand. The fly box may then be closed or squeezed shut with the fingers and palm of one hand holding the fly box until the audible latch secures the top and bottom of the box together. The box may then be returned to the pocket of the shirt, vest or jacket with the same one hand. 
         [0034]    An embodiment of the invention is a storage box that enables the user to have the advantage of a one-hand operation. If the user is only able to use one hand and the other is an amputee or holding other objects or otherwise occupied, embodiments of the invention in multiple sizes will enable the contents to be utilized by the possessor.