Patent ID: 7442875

Claim:
A protective sheath for receiving elongated items comprising: first and second elongated substrates connected to one another by a living hinge for relative movement between an open configuration wherein said first and second substrates are positioned substantially side by side adjacent to one another and a closed configuration wherein said first and second substrates overlie one another in a generally flat configuration; a first flap attached to said first substrate along an edge opposite said living hinge, said first flap being resiliently biased in overlying relation to said first substrate and engaging said second substrate when said first and second substrates are in said closed configuration wherein at least a portion of said second substrate is sandwiched between said first flap and said first substrate, said first flap resisting movement of said second substrate from said closed configuration and maintaining said second substrate in said closed configuration without aid of a fastener by engaging and holding said second substrate between said first substrate and said flap under said bias, said flap being resiliently deformable against said bias under an externally applied force to selectively release said second substrate from said closed configuration; and a second living hinge connecting said first flap and said first substrate to one another, wherein said first and second substrates and said first flap and said living hinges are further defined as being unitary and integrally formed from flexible, resilient polymer sheet materials selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyester, and nylon.