UPRIGHT ACCESS OF HYBRID CASES FOR PROTECTING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Cases are disclosed in which insertion and/or removal of an instrument occurs with the case in an upright orientation. Cases have a body with upper access and lower enveloping portions and the body has a sidewall defining a front edge with a first elongated side in the upper access portion, a second elongated side in the upper access portion and extending into the enveloping portion, and a bottom portion extending along the enveloping portion between the first and second sides. The sidewall further defines a back edge and the front/back edges are spaced apart. The body has a back affixed to the sidewall. A cover is releaseably fastened to the sidewall along the elongated sides and fixedly attached along the bottom of the sidewall. The cover is hinged where it will open when the cover is released from the sidewall and the case is upright.
1 . A hybrid case for the protection of at least one musical instrument with an elongated neck and a body in which insertion and removal of the instrument occurs with the case in an upright orientation on a surface, the case comprising:
a case body having an elongated upper access portion for receiving the instrument neck and a lower enveloping portion for receiving the instrument body, wherein a far end of the lower enveloping portion rests on the surface with the case in the upright orientation, the case body comprising:
a semi-rigid sidewall defining a front edge with a first elongated side in the upper access portion, a second elongated side in the upper access portion and partially extending into the lower enveloping portion, and a bottom portion extending along the lower enveloping portion of the case body between the first and second elongated sides, the sidewall further defining a back edge that forms a perimeter, wherein the front and back edges of the sidewall are spaced apart from one another; and
a semi-rigid back affixed to the sidewall along the perimeter of the back edge of the sidewall; and
a front cover releaseably fastened to the front edge of the sidewall along the first and second elongated sides, wherein the front cover further comprises a hinge extending across the cover whereby the cover will open along the hinge when the front cover is at least partially released from the front edge of the sidewall and the case is in the upright orientation.
2 . The hybrid case of claim 1 , wherein the hinge comprises a diagonal puff pattern seam line extending across the cover between the first and second elongated sides.
3 . The hybrid case of claim 1 , wherein the front cover hinge extends across the cover from the first elongated side to the second elongated side.
4 . The hybrid case of claim 1 , wherein the front cover is at least partially formed of a semi-rigid material and the hinge comprises an elongated weakened region in the semi-rigid material extending across the cover between the first and second elongated sides.
5 . The hybrid case of claim 1 , wherein the cover is at least partially formed of two pieces of semi-rigid material and the hinge comprises an interface between adjacent edges of the two pieces of semi-rigid material.
6 . The hybrid case of claim 1 , wherein the front cover further comprises a storage compartment fixedly attached along the bottom portion of the front edge of the sidewall and releaseably fastened between the first and second elongated sides at least generally coincident with the hinge.
7 . The hybrid case of claim 1 , wherein the far end of the lower enveloping portion comprises a central region disposed between a pair of opposing regions, the central region comprising means for transferring less shock to the instrument than the opposing regions.
8 . (canceled)
9 . The hybrid case of claim 1 , wherein the instrument body further comprises a far end with a strap button extending therefrom, wherein the far end of the lower enveloping portion includes means for transferring less shock to the instrument comprising a recess sized, shaped and positioned to at least partially receive the instrument strap button therein.
10 . The hybrid case of claim 1 , further comprising a zipper for releaseably fastening the front cover to the front edge of the sidewall along the first and second elongated sides, wherein the zipper does not extend along the bottom portion of the sidewall.
11 . A hybrid case for the protection of at least one musical instrument with an elongated neck and a body in which insertion and removal of the musical instrument occurs with the case in an upright orientation on a surface, the case comprising:
a body having an elongated upper access portion for receiving the instrument neck and a lower enveloping portion for receiving the instrument body, the body comprising:
a generally planar and semi-rigid back defining a back perimeter;
a generally planar and semi-rigid front spaced apart from the semi-rigid back and defining a front perimeter; and
a semi-rigid sidewall fixedly attached to the front and back along the lower enveloping portion and fixedly attached to the front and back along a portion of the upper access portion, the sidewall also being releaseably fastened to the front and back along another part of the upper access portion; and
a hinge extending across the sidewall whereby the portion of the sidewall will open along the hinge when the sidewall is released from the front and back and the case is in the upright orientation on the surface.
12 . The hybrid case of claim 12 , further comprising a handle fixedly attached to the portion of the sidewall that is releaseably fastened between the front and the back of the body.
13 . The hybrid case of claim 11 , wherein the sidewall is releaseably fastened to the front and back of the body by one or more fasteners selected from the group consisting of a zipper, a hook and loop fastener, and a snap fastener.
14 . The hybrid case of claim 11 , wherein the hinge comprises an elongated weakened region in the sidewall extending between the front and back of the body.
15 . The hybrid case of claim 11 , wherein the lower enveloping portion of the case body comprises a central region disposed between a pair of opposing regions and wherein the central region comprises means for absorbing shock more readily than the opposing regions.
16 . A hybrid case for the protection of at least one musical instrument with an elongated neck and a body in which insertion of and removal of the musical instrument occurs with the case in an upright orientation on a surface, the case having an elongated upper access portion for receiving the instrument neck and a lower enveloping portion for receiving the instrument body, wherein a far end of the lower enveloping portion rests on the surface with the case in the upright orientation, the case comprising:
a semi-rigid sidewall defining a front edge with a first elongated side in the upper access portion, a second elongated side in the upper access portion and partially extending into the lower enveloping portion, and a bottom portion extending along the lower enveloping portion of the case body between the first and second elongated sides, the sidewall further defining a back edge that is spaced apart from the front edge of the sidewall,
a semi-rigid back affixed to the back edge of the sidewall,
a front cover releaseably fastened to the front edge of the sidewall along the first and second elongated sides, and
means for hinging disposed on the front cover to permit the musical instrument to be inserted into and removed from the case through the upper access portion with the case in an upright orientation, wherein the cover will open along the means for hinging when the front cover is at least partially released from the front edge of the sidewall.
17 . The hybrid case of claim 16 , wherein the means for hinging extends across the cover from the first elongated side to the second elongated side.
18 . The hybrid case of claim 16 , wherein the front cover is at least partially formed of two pieces of semi-rigid material and the means for hinging comprises an interface between adjacent edges of the two pieces of semi-rigid material.
19 . The hybrid case of claim 16 , wherein the means for hinging comprises a diagonal puff pattern seam line extending across the cover between the first and second elongated sides.
20 . The hybrid case of claim 16 , wherein the front cover is at least partially formed of a semi-rigid material and the means for hinging comprises an elongated weakened region in the semi-rigid material extending across the cover between the first and second elongated sides.
21 . The hybrid case of claim 16 , wherein the front cover further comprises a storage compartment fixedly attached along the bottom portion of the front edge of the sidewall and releaseably fastened between the first and second elongated sides at least generally coincident with the means for hinging.
22 . A hybrid case for the protection of one musical instrument, with an elongated neck and a body, in which insertion of and removal of the musical instrument occurs with the case in an upright orientation on a surface, the case comprising:
a case body having an elongated upper access portion for receiving the instrument neck and a lower enveloping portion for receiving the instrument body, wherein a far end of the lower enveloping portion rests on the surface with the case in the upright orientation, the case body comprising:
a semi-rigid back defining a perimeter with a first elongated side in the upper access portion, a second elongated side in the upper access portion and partially extending into the lower enveloping portion, and a bottom portion extending along the lower enveloping portion of the case body between the first and second elongated sides; and
a semi-rigid front cover releaseably fastened to the perimeter of the semi-rigid back along the first and second elongated sides and not releasably fastened to the perimeter of the semi-rigid back along the bottom portion of the perimeter of the semi-rigid back, the cover further comprising a hinge extending across the cover to permit the musical instrument to be inserted into and removed from the case through the upper access portion with the case in an upright orientation on the surface and with the front cover released from the semi-rigid back.
23 . The hybrid case of claim 22 , wherein the front cover hinge comprises a diagonal puff pattern seam line extending across the cover between the first and second elongated sides.
24 . The hybrid case of claim 22 , wherein the hinge comprises a weakened region in the semi-rigid material extending across the cover between the first and second elongated sides.
25 . The hybrid case of claim 22 , wherein the hinge consists essentially of a weakened region in the semi-rigid material extending across the cover between the first and second elongated sides.
26 . The hybrid case of claim 22 , wherein the hinge consists essentially of a diagonal puff pattern seam line extending across the cover between the first and second elongated sides.
27 . The hybrid case of claim 1 , wherein the front cover is fixedly attached along the bottom portion of the front edge of the sidewall between the first and second elongated sides.
28 . The hybrid case of claim 16 , wherein the front cover is fixedly attached along the bottom portion of the front edge of the sidewall.