Protective case for stethoscope chestpiece

1. A protective case for a stethoscope chestpiece, comprising:

an enclosure with an open bottom and first and second side walls hingedly interconnected by a flexible top wall;

first and second jaws extending inwardly towards each other from the first and second side walls respectively, the jaws being urged toward each other by the flexible top wall acting as a spring when the jaws are moved apart;

a front wall comprising first and second front wall portions attached to the first and second side walls respectively;

a first separation slot running from the top wall to the open bottom of the enclosure between the first and second front wall portions; and

a first space between the jaws and the front wall that accommodates a first bell of a stethoscope chestpiece.

2. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the first and second jaws each comprise at least one fin extending inwardly from the first and second side walls respectively.

3. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the jaws comprise an open bottom end with converging insertion ramps that cause the jaws to part when a chestpiece body is pushed into the insertion ramps.

4. The protective case of claim 3 , the jaws further comprising:

a waist with less separation between the jaws than a separation of the bottom end of the jaws; and

a retention portion with greater separation between the jaws than at the waist;

wherein, upon insertion of the chestpiece body into the retention portion, the jaws retain the body of the chestpiece in the retention portion and hold the first bell thereof in the first space without the first bell contacting the front wall.

5. The protective case of claim 4 further comprising:

a back wall comprising first and second back wall portions attached to the first and second side walls respectively, the back wall separated into the first and second back wall portions by a second separation slot running from the top wall to the open bottom of the enclosure; and

a second space between the jaws and the back wall, wherein upon insertion of the chestpiece body into the retention portion, the jaws retain the body of the chestpiece in the retention portion and hold a second bell of the chestpiece in the second space without the second bell contacting the back wall.

6. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the first separation slot comprises an enlargement at a top end thereof adjacent the top wall.

7. The protective case of claim 6 , wherein the enlargement is shaped as a rounded base-up triangle or a bulb.

8. A protective case for a stethoscope chestpiece, comprising:

first and second pivotally separable case parts interconnected by a flexible top wall acting as a hinge and a spring that urges the two case parts toward each other when they are pivoted apart; and

first and second opposed jaws attached within the two respective parts of the case;

wherein the jaws comprise respective opposed insertion ramps that move the jaws apart upon insertion of a chestpiece therein, a retention portion between the jaws that retains the chestpiece, and respective opposed removal ramps that move the jaws apart upon pulling of the chestpiece from the retention portion;

wherein the chest piece is inserted into the protective case by pushing it into the insertion ramps, and is removed by pulling it outward against the removal ramps; and

wherein a first diaphragm of the chestpiece is protected within the case behind a front wall of the case.

9. The protective case of claim 8 , further comprising a back wall that protects a bell or second diaphragm of the chestpiece opposite the first diaphragm thereof.

10. A protective case for a stethoscope chestpiece, comprising:

pivotally separable left and right case parts;

a top wall acting as a hinge between the left and right case parts;

front and back walls attached to the top wall, each of the front and back walls comprising left and right wall portions separated by a separation slot running from the top wall to an open bottom of the case; and

left and right opposed jaws in the respective left and right parts of the case;

wherein the jaws comprise an open bottom end with converging insertion ramps that move the jaws apart when a chestpiece body is pushed into the ramps;

wherein the jaws further comprise opposed retention portions that retain the body of the chestpiece between the jaws with a bell of the chestpiece within the case;

wherein, the top wall acts as a spring allowing the left and right case parts and the jaws therein to elastically diverge to receive the chestpiece then close and hold it in the retention portions of the jaws.

11. The protective case of claim 10 , wherein each of the separation slots comprises an enlarged upper end adjacent the top wall.

12. The protective case of claim 10 , wherein each of the separation slots comprises an enlarged upper end adjacent the top wall, the enlarged upper end of each slot being shaped as a base-up triangle or a bulb.