Jewelry case with invisible spring hinge

• US 6,530,498 B1
• Filed: 01/12/2001
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AeroScout Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Joseph Ovadia
• Inventors: Ovadia, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): HYLTON, ROBIN ANNETTE
• Application Number:
  US09/759,000
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 162/80, 162/86, 162/81, 206/566, 206/6.1, 220/4-1-, 220/811-813, 220/827, 220/829, 220/836, 220/838, 220/845, 220/847, 132/294, 132/295
• US Class Current: 220/829
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/16 Jewel boxes
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/007 with spring means

Abstract

A jewelry case includes a base having a bottom wall and a peripheral side wall; a top cover having a top wall and a peripheral side wall; a first retainer in a slot of a rear wall of the top cover so as not to be visible from an exterior of the case when the case is closed; a second retainer in a slot of a rear wall of the base so as not be visible from an exterior of the case when the case is closed; and a C-clip which is not visible from an exterior of the case when the case is closed and which connects together the first and second retainers to provide a combined pivoting and sliding movement of a rear edge of the top cover on the base during opening and closing of the top cover.

Claims

1. A case comprising:

a base including a bottom wall and a peripheral side wall connected to the bottom wall;

a top cover including a top wall and a peripheral side wall connected to the top wall such that a cavity is defined between the top wall and the peripheral side wall of the top cover and the bottom wall and the peripheral side wall of the base when the case is in a closed condition; and

a spring hinge which is not visible from an exterior of the case when the case is closed and which connects together the base and the top cover in such a manner so as to provide a combined pivoting movement and sliding movement of a rear edge of one of said top cover and said base on the other of said top cover and said base during opening and closing of said case,

wherein said spring hinge includes;

a first retainer connected with said one of said top cover and said base;

a second retainer connected with said other of said top cover and said base; and

a C-clip having a first end connected with said first retainer and a second end connected with said second retainer.

2. A case according to claim 1, wherein said first retainer is integrally formed as a one-piece structure with said one of said top cover and said base, and said second retainer is integrally formed as a one-piece structure with said other of said top cover and said base.

3. A case according to claim 1, wherein said first retainer has a first height and said second retainer has a second height, with said second height being less than said first height such that said rear edge of said one of said top cover and said base moves forwardly in said sliding movement on said other of said top cover and said base during opening of said case and moves rearwardly in said sliding movement on said other of said top cover and said base during closing of said case.

4. A case according to claim 3, wherein said first retainer has a first thickness at a position where the C-clip attaches thereto and said second retainer has a second thickness at a portion where the C-clip attaches thereto, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness, so that the one of the top cover and base slides and pivots on said other of the top cover and the base.

5. A case according to claim 1, wherein said first retainer has a first thickness at a position where the C-clip attaches thereto and said second retainer has a second thickness at a portion where the C-clip attaches thereto, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness, so that the one of the top cover and base slides and pivots on said other of the top cover and the base.

6. A case according to claim 1, wherein said first retainer has a first height and said second retainer has a second height, with said first and second heights being substantially equal.

7. A case according to claim 1, wherein:

said peripheral side wall of said top cover includes a lower exposed surface and a rear portion with a first slot extending in said rear portion through said lower exposed surface;

said peripheral side wall of said base includes an upper exposed surface and a rear portion with a second slot extending in said rear portion through said upper exposed surface;

said first retainer is mounted in one of said first and second slots; and

said second retainer is mounted in the other of said first and second slots.

8. A case according to claim 7, wherein said second retainer includes at least one stop that extends beyond the exposed surface of said other of said top cover and said base for limiting forward sliding movement of said one of said top cover and said base on said other of said top cover and said base during opening of said case.

9. A case according to claim 8, wherein said first retainer includes an extending section that extends beyond the exposed surface of said one of said top cover and said base, and said extending section extends into said second slot in said other of said top cover and said base when the case is closed and said at least one stop extends into said first slot in said one of said top cover and said base when the case is closed.

10. A case according to claim 7, wherein said rear portion of said top cover includes an opening in an inner surface thereof which provides communication between the cavity and the respective one of said first and second slots, and said base includes an opening in an inner surface thereof which provides communication between the cavity and the respective other one of said first and second slots.

11. A case according to claim 1, wherein each said retainer includes a central section and first and second end sections connected at opposite ends of said central section, said central section of said first retainer has a first height and said central section of said second retainer has a second height, with said first and second heights being different and said C-clip being connected between the central sections of said first and second retainers such that said rear edge of said one of said top cover and base connected with the retainer having a greater height moves forwardly in said sliding movement on said other of said top cover and base during opening of said case and moves rearwardly in said sliding movement on said other of said top cover and base during closing of said case.

12. A case according to claim 1, wherein each said retainer includes a central section and first and second end sections connected at opposite ends of said central section, said central section of said first retainer has a first height and said central section of said second retainer has a second height, with said first and second heights being substantially equal and said C-clip being connected between the central sections of said first and second retainers.

13. A case according to claim 1, wherein said C-clip has an arcuate shape with inturned ends for engaging said first and second retainers.

14. A case according to claim 1, wherein said first retainer is connected with said top cover and said second retainer is connected with said base.

15. A case according to claim 1, wherein:

said first retainer has a first height and a first thickness at a position where the C-clip attaches thereto,

said second retainer has a second height and a second thickness at a portion where the C-clip attaches thereto, and

at least one of the following conditions exists so that said top cover pivots and slides on said base during opening and closing operations of said case;

said second height is less than said first height, and

said second thickness is greater than said first thickness.