Patent ID: 8079487

Claim:
A case for packaging individual objects that have a fracture risk portion and a shank portion, said case comprising: a holder that defines a groove along a longitudinal axis, said holder laterally receiving the entire length of one of said objects in said groove, said holder including; a. a base that defines an upward-pointing receiving bore that is located on a longitudinal axis, said receiving bore adapted to receive the shank end of said object such that the remaining portion of said shank protrudes from said upward-pointing, receiving bore, b. an upper part that defines an open groove along a longitudinal axis, said open groove adapted to laterally receive the fracture risk portion of said object and also to laterally receive part of the shank of said object that protrudes from the receiving bore of said base, and c. a pivotal connection that is attached to one end of said upper part and to the end of said base that opens to said upward-pointing, receiving bore, said pivotal connection having a pivotal axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the receiving bore and to the longitudinal axis of the groove of said upper part such that said base and said upper part are pivotal between a closed position wherein the longitudinal axis of the groove of said upper part is in line with the longitudinal axis of the receiving bore of said base and an open position wherein the longitudinal axis of the groove of said upper part is pivoted away from the longitudinal axis of the receiving bore of said base; a first clamping fixture that is located in said receiving bore of said base, said first clamping fixture holding said shank portion in said upward-facing bore defined by said base; a second clamping fixture that is located in said open groove that is defined by said upper part, said second clamping fixture laterally receiving said object and holding said object in said open groove defined by said upper part; and a protective cover that slides over said upper part and unto at least a portion of said base at times when said base and said upper part are in said closed position, said protective cover extending over all of said receiving groove whenever it covers at least a portion of said base.