Abstract:
A transportable carrying cases for toiletries, cosmetics and personal hygiene items, for use in both wet and dry environments is disclosed. The carrying case has a main body portion with a top opening, and a perforate floor, a bottom portion configured to receive a lower portion of the main body portion in nesting or contiguous relationship, whereby excess moisture shed from articles contained in the main body portion is drained through the perforate floor into a reservoir provided in the bottom portion spaced below the perforate floor.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is a Continuation-in-Part of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/572,753 filed May 16, 2000. 
     
    
     
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not applicable.  
         FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to transportable carrying cases for toiletries, cosmetics, personal hygiene and other personal articles and clothing, and more particularly to a transportable carrying case for use therewith in both wet and dry environments.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The use of portable carrying cases for transporting toiletry, personal hygiene and other personal articles and clothing is well known in the related art. In general such portable carrying cases are designed to accommodate a random selection of toiletry or other personal hygiene items such as shampoos and conditioners, hair treatments, deodorants, shaving cream and razors, toothbrushes, toothpastes, soaps, lotions, spray containers, deodorants, and other tonics and preparations. Additionally, some portable carrying cases are known for carrying damp items resulting from use of the above-described articles, including gym clothing, towels, toiletry or other personal hygiene items, or other articles that have been exposed to a damp or wet environment but which must be transported without benefit of on-site laundering or drying before transport. Often, those portable carrying cases may provide one or more air vents as the sole means for venting some excess moisture carried and retained within the carrying case by the damp articles. It is well known that damp environments provide fertile breeding grounds for bacterial and fungal growth, and closed or minimally air-vented containers such as related art cosmetics cases, gym bags, conventional luggage, and portable lockers fail to provide means for positive displacement of excess moisture. Thus, the related art fails to address the long felt but unsolved need to separate wet or damp items from dry items, or to allow wet or damp items to drain a residual liquid away from the other items.  
           [0005]    Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a portable carrying case for accommodating transport of the type of articles described above, among others, especially when the articles have been dampened through use, and moreover, it is desirable to remove the dampened items from the wet environment to a dry environment in a secure case as may be used during transport between, for example, home and gymnasium. Related art carrying cases further fail to provide means for allowing expansion to accommodate an overload, within a secured carrying case, while also allowing for positive draining.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention is a carrying case having a main body portion including a base with a perforate floor, a bottom portion having an imperforate floor adapted to receive in nesting relationship the base of the main body portion, the perforate floor spaced above the imperforate floor to define a reservoir therebetween for receiving drainage through the perforate floor. A lid is removably affixed to the top opening of the main body portion by a handle secured for articulation to the main body portion, the handle including a gripping device for gripping one of a plurality of securement points provided on the lid, for securing the lid in a closed configuration in one of a plurality of telescoped positions relative to the top opening when the handle is articulated to a secured position.  
           [0007]    According to another embodiment of the invention, the lid is secured in a closed configuration at a fixed telescoped position via a singular set of securement points or tabs provided on the lid. According to another feature, the base is secured to the main body portion of the carrying case with an integral living hinge connected therebetween. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the carrying case of the present invention, showing the carrying case in a telescoped but closed and locked position.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the carrying case shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a top plan of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the main body portion of the carrying case shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the main body portion shown in FIG. 4.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of FIG. 5.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the handle of the carrying case shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the lid of the carrying case shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the lid shown in FIG. 8.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the bottom portion of the carrying case shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the bottom portion shown in FIG. 10.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the bottom portion shown in FIG. 11.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line  13 - 13  of FIG. 11.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along line  14 - 14  of FIG. 11.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 15 is a detail view of the like-numbered aspect shown in FIG. 14.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 16 is a side elevational view taken along line  16 - 16  of FIG. 11.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 17 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the carrying case of the present invention, showing the lid of the carrying case in a closed and locked position using a single set of engagement points tabs for a single telescoped position of the lid relative to the main body of the carrying case.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the bottom portion of the carrying case shown in FIG. 17, further showing partial elongated portions of a pair of integral living hinges securing the main body portion of the carrying case to the base portion. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0026]    With reference now to the drawings, according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIGS.  1 - 3  shows a transportable carrying case  10  having a main body portion  12 , a lid  14 , and a bottom portion  16  for receiving a bottom portion of main body portion  12  in nesting relationship. A handle  18  is provided for supporting and carrying the case  10 , as well as for locking the lid to the main body portion  12  in the manner to be more fully described below.  
         [0027]    With reference to FIGS.  4 - 6 , main body portion  12  according to one embodiment includes a plurality of upstanding walls  20  defining a top opening  22  providing access to a cavity  24 , and a floor  26 . A lower portion  13  of main body portion  12  is reduced in width and depth to accommodate the bottom portion  16  with a contiguous, streamlined shape in the fully assembled condition. It will be understood that walls  20  are contiguously formed between main body portion  12  and lower portion  13 . Floor  26  is perforate, with a plurality of openings  28 , shown in an evenly spaced array, although it will be apparent to the skilled artisan that other patterns of openings  28  as well as sizes and shapes may be employed to accommodate drainage rates and flows. Openings  28  provide a drainage path for residual moisture or other liquids draining from articles (not shown) being carried or supported within cavity  24 . That drainage is received by bottom portion  16  as will be more fully described below. Main body portion  12  further includes one or more receptacles  30  of varying width and length for receiving and retaining personal toiletry articles (not shown). Each receptacle  30  further extends to floor  26 , and is contiguous with at least one opening  28  to enable drainage of moisture carried by the article, or to assist in drainage of fluids inadvertently spilled from the article. As will be appreciated by the skilled artisan, each receptacle  30  may be further modified individually or together with other receptacles  30  to receive a specific type of article, family of articles, or otherwise related articles as may be determined, for example, by size or shape. Alternatively, the receptacles may be formed with one or more shoulders or other contours to receive and retain articles in suspension at a preselected depth for uniform accessibility. Yet alternatively, such contours may be employed to receive preselected or uniquely shaped articles in connection with brand-name promotions.  
         [0028]    In addition to the receptacles  30  provided for various articles, a shelf  32  may be optionally provided, supported within cavity  24  by a plurality of lips or other protuberances  34  mounted to and extending inwardly from inner surfaces of walls  20 . Optionally, the shelf  32  may be configured to complement the existent receptacles  30  by providing a continuous and contiguous article receiving area across the width and/or depth of the main body portion  12  in the installed condition, while being readily removable to provide access to the underlying cavity in which additional articles may be received. The present invention contemplates that such lips or protuberances  34  may be either molded in place or selectively adjustable within corresponding recesses or fixtures (not shown) supported by the walls  20 . The shelf  32  includes one or more recesses  36  for receiving and retaining additional articles, some or all of which include drain openings to facilitate drainage to the openings  28  provided in the floor of the main body portion  12 . The main body portion  12 , as well as the optional shelf  32  and all other components of the invention further described herein are constructed of injection molded polypropylene, although other lightweight but strong materials may be utilized to achieve the objectives of the invention. It is desired that such plastics materials be employed for their chemically inert, non-rotting, and easily-cleaned and sterilized characteristics in view of the hostile environments in which the invention is intended to be used.  
         [0029]    A pair of hubs  38  are mounted to and extend outwardly from opposite walls of main body portion  12  for supporting for rotation handle  18 . With reference to FIG. 7, handle  18  includes a pair of opposing arms  40  bridged by cross-piece  42 . A recess  44  is integrally formed at the midpoint of cross-piece  42  for receiving a suspending protrusion selected from the group including a door knob, handle, shower head, and clothing hook. It will be apparent to the skilled artisan that additional recesses  44  may be provided along the length of the cross-piece  42  to provide additional support options, or to distribute the weight of the carrying case over plural suspending protrusions. Additionally, a fillet  46  may be molded in place to provide additional structural rigidity and strength. Knuckles  48  are provided at the opposite ends of arms  40  to be supported by corresponding hubs  38 . The handle  18  may be simple affixed to the hubs  38  by simple installing the knuckles  48  over the hubs  38 , the U-shaped handle  18  being retained in place by a compression fit therebetween. Extending from and integrally formed with the handle  18  and knuckles  48  are radially extending arms  50  terminating at open hooks  52 . The concavity  54  defined by each open hook  52  is generally perpendicular to the arm  40 , and engages with prongs or protrusions (FIGS. 8, 9) to be more fully described below.  
         [0030]    The lid  14  removably affixed to the top opening  22  of the main body portion  12 . Lid  14  includes a plurality of walls  56  joined to a roof  58  shown with a slightly bulbous convexity, although other shapes are contemplated by the present invention as necessary and desired to accommodate articles having extended dimensions. A pair of arcuate shaped recesses  60  are formed in a pair of opposing walls  56  to accommodate hubs  38  when the lid  14  is installed in overlapping relationship with the top opening  22 . As will be apparent, and according to the invention, the lid  14  may be engaged with the main body portion  12  in telescoping relationship at a plurality of extensions therefrom, and the arcuate shaped recesses  60  are dimensioned to adequately accommodate the hubs  38  without interference at the fully contracted position.  
         [0031]    A plurality of tabs or protrusions  62  are spaced along wall  56  of the lid adjacent recesses, with a spacing of value A (FIG. 9). With such spacing, each tab  62  defines a telescoped position of the lid  14  relative to the top opening  22  of the main body portion  12 . Although three tabs  62  are shown, a greater or lesser number of tabs  62  with equal or unequal spacing (dimension A) therebetween may be selected as required by the nature of the articles to be carried by carrying case  10 . In operation, when the handle  18  is rotated in a first direction X (FIG. 1) to lock the lid  14  to the main body portion  12 , the pair of hooks  52  engage the corresponding selected pair of tabs  62  to lock the lid  14  in that position. Optionally, in the fully locked position, edge  18   a  slides over and engages with a raised fillet  19  protruding along a longitudinal extent of the main body portion  12 , to cause the edge  18   a  to be retained against edge  19   a  in locking engagement. Edge  18   a  may be provided on an upper or lower extending edge of the structural element defining recess  44 . It will be apparent to the skilled artisan that other locking arrangements may be provided to provide a suitable secondary locking feature. Rotation of the handle  18  in the opposite direction causes the hooks  52  to disengage from the tab  62  to thereby enable removal of the lid  14  from the main body portion  12 , as well as to enable use of the handle  18  for carrying purposes.  
         [0032]    With reference now to FIGS.  10 - 16 , there is shown therein a bottom portion  16  for use as a drain pan or reservoir to receive drainage such as moisture or other fluids flowed through openings  28  of main body portion  12 . Alternatively, bottom portion  16  may also be used to transport or store wet or dry articles. Bottom portion  16  includes a plurality of walls  64  joined by a floor  66  to form a reservoir cavity  68 . A pair of hinges  70  are provided at the upper edge of one wall  64 , and a catch  72  extends from an opposite wall  64 . A plurality of stand-offs  74  secured to the floor  66  extend upwardly to a generally uniformly height. In use, the lower portion  13  (FIG. 4) of main body portion  12  is received in nesting relationship within bottom portion  16 , supported at a predetermined height by stand-offs  74 , while allowing hinges  70  to engage in complementary-shaped slots  76  opening upwardly into walls  20  of the main body portion  12  (FIG. 4). When the bottom portion  16  is fully engaged to the main body portion  12 , an upper portion of each stand-off  74  is engaged with a snap-fit within a corresponding opening  28  provided in the main body portion  12 , while catch  72  engages with a lower lip  78  formed at the lower edge of an opposing wall  20  (FIG. 3). Each hinge  70  may be a “living hinge” that is self-supporting and is sufficiently flexible to engage with but allow for flexibility when the main body portion  12  is articulated to opened and closed positions relative to the bottom portion  16  from time to time to allow for evacuation of accumulated moisture and liquid residue. A spear shaped prong  80  is removably engaged with its corresponding cavity provided in slot  76 . Hinges  70  may be formed of an elastomeric material that will withstand harsh environments and rugged usage.  
         [0033]    Referring now to FIGS. 17 and 18 which show another embodiment of the present invention, a transportable carrying case  100  has a main body portion  12 , a lid  14 , and a bottom portion  16  for receiving a bottom portion of main body portion  12  in nesting relationship. A handle  18  is provided for supporting and carrying the case  10 , as well as for locking the lid to the main body portion  12  in the manner described above. According to this embodiment, however, a single pair of engagement points such as tabs or protrusions  62  are spaced along opposite walls  56  to secure the lid in a closed configuration at a fixed telescoped position relative to the main body portion  12 . It will be appreciated that the tabs  62  may be coaxially aligned or offset as desired to operationally cooperate with corresponding receiving hooks  52  or other suitable slots or latches provided in handle  18  in the manner previously described. No matter which latching configuration is selected, in the closed and latched position, a substantially complete sealing arrangement may be optionally achieved by line or surface contact between an inner surface of the lid and an opposing outer edge of the main body portion  12 , and secured in that condition when the handle  18  is moved to a closed position.  
         [0034]    With reference now to FIG. 18, one or more hinges  102  may be provided as an integral part of the construction for joining the main body portion of the carrying case with the lid in the orientations previously described, in the manner known as a “living hinge”, to maintain the main body portion and lid as a conjoined unit. Accordingly, each hinge  102  is sufficiently flexible to enable articulation of the lid relative to the main body portion  12  between opened and closed positions relative to the bottom portion  16  to provide access as desired. Each hinge  102  may be formed of an elastomeric material that will withstand harsh environments and rugged usage. It will be further appreciated that a combination of one or more integral hinges  102  and two-part hinges  70  may be employed in a single carrying case to provide necessary or desired structural characteristics, either on a common edge, or by implementation of a combination thereof on opposite or adjacent edges/walls of the carrying case  100  to provide additional structural or securement benefits. Furthermore, hinge  102  may extend across a substantial width of the wall to which it is mounted, with either a single integral web portion, or with two or more hinge portions as described above (two shown), as will be appreciated by the skilled artisan.  
         [0035]    Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the teachings of the present invention. The terms used in describing the invention are used in their descriptive sense and not as terms of limitation, it being intended that all equivalents thereof be included within the scope of the appended claims.