Patent ID: 8297464

Claim:
A case, comprising: a top case shell having a front wall formed with a seat, a bottom case shell having a front wall formed with a ledge and a locking arm, said top and bottom case shells being pivotally connected to one another and movable between an open position and a closed position; a latch mechanism comprising: (i) a latch body pivotally mounted to said bottom case shell, said latch body being movable between a first position with respect to said front wall of said bottom case shell and a second position; (ii) a latch locking element formed with a hook member, said latch locking element being pivotally mounted to said latch body and movable between a locked position wherein said hook member engages said seat of said top case shell and an unlocked position wherein said hook member disengages said seat, said latch locking element being retained in said locked position except upon movement of said latch body to said second position; (iii) a latch release formed with a first locking member and a second locking member, said latch release being coupled to said latch body with a spring member connected between said latch release and said latch body, said latch release being positioned in a locked position with said latch body in said first position wherein said first locking member engages said ledge of said bottom case shell and said second locking member engages said locking arm of said bottom case shell, said latch release being moveable in a substantially linear direction against the force exerted by said spring member to a release position wherein said first locking member disengages said ledge and said second locking member disengages said locking arm to permit movement of said latch locking element to said unlocked position.