Carrying case for personal articles

Abstract

A carrying case system comprising: a wallet-sized carrying case for holding personal items, the wallet-sized carrying case comprising: a substantially rigid front panel comprising a four-sided planar body and an upstanding rim extending along three sides of the four-sided planar body; a substantially rigid rear panel comprising a four-sided planar body and an upstanding rim extending along three sides of the four-sided planar body; and a lid; wherein the front panel is hingedly connected to the rear panel such that their respective rims can be brought into engagement with one another so as to form an enclosure with an open face; and wherein the lid is hingedly connected to the rear panel such that the lid can be brought into engagement with the front panel so as to close off the open face of the enclosure.

1 . A carrying case system comprising:
 a wallet-sized carrying case for holding personal items, the wallet-sized carrying case comprising:
 a substantially rigid front panel comprising a four-sided planar body and an upstanding rim extending along three sides of the four-sided planar body; 
 a substantially rigid rear panel comprising a four-sided planar body and an upstanding rim extending along three sides of the four-sided planar body; and 
 a lid; 
 wherein the front panel is hingedly connected to the rear panel such that their respective rims can be brought into engagement with one another so as to form an enclosure with an open face; and 
 wherein the lid is hingedly connected to the rear panel such that the lid can be brought into engagement with the front panel so as to close off the open face of the enclosure. 
   
   
   
       2 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the carrying case is translucent. 
   
   
       3 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the carrying case is transparent. 
   
   
       4 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the carrying case is splashproof when the lid engages the front panel. 
   
   
       5 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the carrying case is waterproof when the lid engages the front panel. 
   
   
       6 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the front panel is hingedly connected to the rear panel with a living hinge. 
   
   
       7 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the lid is hingedly connected to the rear panel with a living hinge. 
   
   
       8 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the lid comprises a hole for connecting the carrying case to another article. 
   
   
       9 . A system according to  claim 8  wherein the article comprises a loop connected to one from the group consisting of: a neck attachment, wrist attachment, clothing attachment and keyring. 
   
   
       10 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the lid locks the front panel to the rear panel when the lid engages the front panel. 
   
   
       11 . A system according to  claim 10  wherein the front panel comprise a tongue and the lid comprises a tongue-receiving opening, and further wherein the lid is locked to the front panel when the tongue is received in the tongue-receiving opening. 
   
   
       12 . A system according to  claim 11  wherein at least one of the front panel and rear panel is sufficiently flexible to release the tongue from the tongue-receiving opening when the front panel is pushed toward the rear panel. 
   
   
       13 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the respective rims lock to one another when they are brought into engagement. 
   
   
       14 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the system further comprises a money clip element, and further wherein the money clip element is attached to one of the front panel and the rear panel. 
   
   
       15 . A system according to  claim 14  wherein the money clip element is releasably attached to one of the front panel and the rear panel. 
   
   
       16 . A system according to  claim 15  wherein the money clip element comprises a planar frame and a tongue flexibly mounted to the planar frame, wherein the front panel or rear panel comprises guides, and further wherein the planar frame is mounted to the panel by sliding the planar frame under the guides. 
   
   
       17 . A system according to  claim 15  wherein at least a portion of the money clip element is translucent whereby to render visible an identification card attached thereto. 
   
   
       18 . A system according to  claim 15  wherein the money clip element comprises a hole for connecting the money clip element to another article. 
   
   
       19 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the system further comprises a cardholder element, and further wherein the cardholder element is attached to one of the front panel and the rear panel. 
   
   
       20 . A system according to  claim 19  wherein the cardholder element is releasably attached to one of the front panel and the rear panel. 
   
   
       21 . A system according to  claim 20  wherein the cardholder element comprises a planar frame with an upstanding rim extending along at least two opposing sides of the planar frame, with the upstanding rim comprising rails, wherein the front panel or rear panel comprises guides, and further wherein the planar frame is mounted to the panel by sliding the rails under the guides so that the planar frame is displaced from the planar body of the panel. 
   
   
       22 . A system according to  claim 21  wherein the planar frame comprises a hole for providing access to a card disposed in the cardholder element. 
   
   
       23 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the system further comprises an element for attachment to one of the front panel and the rear panel, wherein the element comprises one from the group consisting of: electronic still image photo displays, electronic moving image photo displays, mirrors, snowboard tools, skateboard tools, digital media/memory, bike tools, darts, mini CDs, mini hard drives, videogame cards, golf accessories, credit card sized tools, smart cards, MP3 players, other audio players, televisions, cellular telephones, other communication devices, cameras, video cameras, GPS navigators/receivers, compasses, clocks, personal protection devices, lights, videogames, waterproof containers, cards, cosmetics and speakers. 
   
   
       24 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the system further comprises an electronic tracking device. 
   
   
       25 . A system according to  claim 24  wherein the electronic tracking device comprises a Radio Frequency ID element.