Case for eyeglasses

Abstract

A case for retaining eyeglasses of the locking hinge type, has a front side and a rear side joined to form a closed bottom of the case. The top portions of each side are separate from each other, and rest against each other when the case is in a resting, closed position. At least one of the sides has a generally convex outer surface and a corresponding concave inner surface to form a hollow portion within the case. The top perimeters and the bottom perimeters meet to form two junctions at opposite side edges of the case, such that when inward pressure is applied at each junction, the top perimeters move away from each other to open the case, and upon release of said pressure, the top perimeters return to the closed position.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A case for retaining eyeglasses, the case comprising: 
 a front side and a rear side joined along a bottom perimeter thereof to form a closed bottom of the case;    a top perimeter of the front side and a top perimeter of the back side being separate from each other, and resting against each other when the case is in a resting, closed position;    wherein at least one of the front side and rear side has a generally convex outer surface and a corresponding concave inner surface to form a hollow portion within the case; and    wherein the top perimeters and the bottom perimeters meet to form two junctions at opposite side edges of the case, such that when pressure is applied in a region of each junction in a direction toward the opposite junction, the top perimeters move away from each other to open the case, and upon release of said pressure, the top perimeters return to the closed position.    
     
     
         2 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the rear side has a retaining cut-out notch formed out of the top perimeter thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the front side and the rear side each have a convex outer face and a concave inner face.  
     
     
         4 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the front side and the rear side are of generally uniform thickness throughout.  
     
     
         5 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the case is formed of a material which is generally rigid, but flexes when pressure is applied thereto.  
     
     
         6 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the material is polyethylene teraphthalate.  
     
     
         7 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the junctions includes a pressure dissipating cut-out notch.  
     
     
         8 . The case of  claim 2 , wherein the retaining cut-out notch is generally centered along the top perimeter between the two junctions.  
     
     
         9 . The case of  claim 8 , wherein the rear side has on its outer face a means for restricting a generally side-to-side movement of eyeglass temples which rest against the outer face when the eyeglasses are placed within the case.  
     
     
         10 . The case of  claim 9 , wherein the means for restricting movement comprises a longitudinal channel formed on the outer surface of the rear side.  
     
     
         11 . The case of  claim 9 , wherein the means for restricting movement includes a longitudinally extending projection formed on the outer surface of the rear side and defining two longitudinal channels.  
     
     
         12 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the top perimeter is of arcuate shape.  
     
     
         13 . The case of  claim 12 , wherein the front and rear sides have an overall perimeter generally circular in shape.  
     
     
         14 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the front and rear sides have an overall perimeter generally rectangular in shape.  
     
     
         15 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the rear side defines first and second cut-outs at the top perimeter thereof and spaced a predetermined distance from each other.  
     
     
         16 . A combination of eyeglasses and a case for retaining the eyeglasses, the case comprising: 
 a front side and a rear side joined along a bottom perimeter thereof to form a closed bottom of the case;    a top perimeter of the front side and a top perimeter of the back side being separate from each other, and resting against each other when the case is in a resting, closed position;    at least one of the front side and rear side having a generally convex outer surface and a corresponding concave inner surface to form a hollow portion within the case;    wherein the top perimeters and the bottom perimeters meet to form two junctions at opposite side edges of the case, such that when pressure is applied in a region of each junction in a direction toward the opposite junction, the top perimeters move away from each other to open the case, and upon release of said pressure, the top perimeters return to the closed position; and    wherein when the eyeglasses are folded at a hinge region of at least one temple arm and placed within the case, at least one of the at least one temple arms of the eyeglasses resides outside of the case, and the retaining notch acts to retain the eyeglasses against downward movement by abutting against the hinge region of said at least one temple arm.    
     
     
         17 . The combination of  claim 16 , wherein the hinges of the eyeglasses at the temple arms lock when the temple arms are folded, whereby when the eyeglasses are folded and placed within the case, the at least one temple arm resides against the outside face of the rear side, and thereby retains the eyeglasses against movement away from the rear side and toward the front side.  
     
     
         18 . The combination of  claim 17 , wherein the rear side and front side of the case define a hollow volume such that when the eyeglasses are folded and placed within the hollow volume, each front face of a lens of the eyeglasses is prevented from contacting an inside surface of the front side of the case.  
     
     
         19 . The combination of  claim 17 , wherein the outer surface of the rear side conforms to a surface of an inside of the at least one temple arm, at least at a portion of the outer surface that is in contact with the temple arm when the eyeglasses are folded and placed within the case.  
     
     
         20 . The combination of  claim 16 , wherein the front side and the rear side each have a convex outer face and a concave inner face.  
     
     
         21 . The combination of  claim 16 , wherein the front side and the rear side are of generally uniform thickness throughout.  
     
     
         22 . The combination of  claim 16 , wherein the case is formed of a material which is generally rigid, but flexes when pressure is applied thereto.  
     
     
         23 . The combination of  claim 16 , wherein the material is polyethylene teraphthalate.  
     
     
         24 . The combination of  claim 16 , wherein at least one the top perimeters is of an arcuate shape.  
     
     
         25 . The combination of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the junctions includes a pressure dissipating cut-out notch.  
     
     
         26 . The combination of  claim 16 , wherein the retaining cut-out notch is generally centered along the top perimeter between the two junctions.  
     
     
         27 . The combination of  claim 16 , wherein the rear side has on its outer face a means for restricting a generally side-to-side movement of the at least one temple arm when the eyeglasses are folded and placed within the case.  
     
     
         28 . The combination of  claim 27 , wherein the means for restricting movement comprises a longitudinal channel formed on the outer surface of the rear side, the at least one temple arm residing retainingly within the channel when the eyeglasses are folded and placed within the case.  
     
     
         29 . The combination of  claim 27 , wherein the means for restricting movement includes a longitudinally extending projection formed on the outer surface of the rear side and defining two longitudinal channels, the at least one temple arm residing retainingly within one of the channels when the eyeglasses are folded and placed within the case.  
     
     
         30 . The combination of  claim 26 , wherein a bottom surface of the longitudinal channel conforms to an inside surface of the at least one temple arm.  
     
     
         31 . The combination of  claim 18 , wherein the eyeglasses further comprise dual locking hinges at a bridge of the eyeglasses, which permit the lens frames to be folded rotatingly toward each other in a plane of the lenses, and the temple arms are side-by-side in a folded and locked position.  
     
     
         32 . The combination of  claim 31 , wherein when the eyeglasses are fully folded, both temple arms reside outside of the case.  
     
     
         33 . The combination of  claim 28 , wherein the rear and front sides define an overall perimeter having a circular shape.  
     
     
         34 . The combination of  claim 26 , wherein the rear and front sides define an overall perimeter having a rectangular shape.  
     
     
         35 . The combination of  claim 16 , wherein the rear side defines first and second cut-outs at the top perimeter thereof and spaced a predetermined distance from each other.