Patent ID: 7299920

Claim:
A protective case for storing an information storage medium, said protective case comprising: a base member having: a generally rectangular lower panel; a generally perimetric wall adjacent the outer edges of said lower panel, said perimetric wall being generally perpendicular to and unitary with said bottom panel; and a pair of hinge alcoves positioned at adjacent corners of the bottom panel and at opposite ends of a rear portion of the perimetric wall, each hinge alcove having a first pivot element that is axially aligned with the first pivot element of the other hinge alcove, each hinge alcove being recessed from an adjacent outer edge at said lower panel that is perpendicular to said rear portion of the perirnetric wall an amount that is at least five times the average thickness of said perimetric wall; a lid member having: a generally rectangular upper panel; top and bottom lateral walls adjacent top and bottom outer edges of said upper panel, said lateral walls being generally perpendicular to and unitary with said upper panel; a pair of hinge arms positioned at adjacent corners along a rear edge thereof, each hinge arm having a second pivot element that is axially aligned with the second pivot element of the other hinge arm the second pivot element of each of said hinge arms engaging the first pivot element of one of the hinge alcoves so as to hingeably interconnect said lid member to said base member, each hinge arm being unitary with said upper panel, having a width measured along an axis of pivot alignment that is about equal to the amount that each hinge alcove is recessed, each hinge arm being solid from side to side through said axis of pivot alignment, and each hinge arm fitting within a hinge recess when said lid member is closed over said base member; and an information storage medium tray that snaps into space within said base member.