Gas-Cushioned Musical Instrument Case System

Abstract

A musical instrument case and a guitar case and a drum case with a pliable outer shell ( 5 ) and with an inflatable bladder system ( 22 ) permit protected storage and transportation of the items. The outer shell ( 5 ) may be made of woven ballistic fabric ( 7 ) with an inflator ( 21 ) and a deflator ( 38 ) internal to the outer shell ( 5 ) and may have a surface protective liner ( 34 ) between the inflatable bladder system ( 22 ) and the item for protection.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A device storage and transportation case system comprising:
 a pliable substantially closable topology device conforming outer shell defining an interior space and having an outer surface;   an oppositional inflatable bladder system situated within said interior space of said pliable substantially closable topology device conforming outer shell and having at least two oppositional interior surfaces;   a device protective liner positioned over at least a portion of said oppositional interior surfaces of said oppositional inflatable bladder system and capable of defining a size-alterable device shaped topology containment;   an inflator to which said oppositional inflatable bladder system is fluidically responsive;   an openable access for said pliable substantially closable topology device conforming outer shell configured accessible to said size-alterable device shaped topology containment;   a detachable closure system situated to restrict operability of said openable access affixed to said pliable substantially closable topology device conforming outer shell;   a deflator fluidically connected to said oppositional inflatable bladder system of said pliable substantially closable topology device conforming outer shell; and   at least one grip attached at some location on said outer surface of said pliable substantially closable topology device conforming outer shell.   
     
     
         18 . A device storage and transportation case system as described in  claim 17  and further comprising an automatic pneumatic pressure release to which said oppositional inflatable bladder system is pneumatically responsive. 
     
     
         19 . A device storage and transportation case system as described in  claim 17  wherein said pliable fabric substantially closable topology device conforming outer shell comprises a woven ballistic fabric. 
     
     
         20 . A device storage and transportation case system as described in  claim 19  wherein said openable access comprises a nearly direct flexure end point openable access that substantially splits said pliable closable topology device conforming outer shell about a line into mirror image components, said mirror image components comprising:
 a larger pliable main compartment device conforming outer shell bottom; and   a smaller mirror image pliable device conforming outer shell top.   
     
     
         21 . A device storage and transportation case system as described in  claim 17  wherein said oppositional inflatable bladder system comprises adjacent chambers. 
     
     
         22 . A device storage and transportation case system as described in  claim 21  wherein said adjacent chambers comprise:
 a plurality of parallely adjacent top tubular chambers; and   a plurality of parallely adjacent bottom tubular chambers,   and wherein said device protective liner comprises:   at least one top cover liner which covers a plurality of said parallely adjacent top tubular chambers; and   at least one bottom cover liner at least one of which covers a plurality of said parallely adjacent bottom tubular chambers.   
     
     
         23 . A device storage and transportation case system as described in  claim 22  wherein said parallely adjacent tubular chambers comprise linear row chambers. 
     
     
         24 . A device storage and transportation case system as described in  claim 23  wherein said parallely adjacent tubular chambers comprise concentrically arranged chambers. 
     
     
         25 . A device storage and transportation case system as described in  claim 17  wherein said inflator comprises an exhale activated inflator selected from a group consisting of: an inflation tube, a manual valve system, a stopper valve, a check valve, a flap valve, a pincher flap valve, a turn lock valve, a valve stem system, and any permutations or combinations of the above. 
     
     
         26 . A device storage and transportation case system as described in  claim 17  wherein said inflator comprises an alternative inflation element. 
     
     
         27 . A device storage and transportation case system as described in  claim 17  wherein said inflator comprises an inflator selected from a group consisting essentially of: an electrical pump and a pressurized canister inflator. 
     
     
         28 . A device storage and transportation case system as described in  claim 17  and further comprising an automatic operation switch to which said inflatable bladder system is fluidically responsive. 
     
     
         29 . A device storage and transportation case system as described in  claim 17  wherein said size-alterable topology device shaped containment is conformationally configured to device protectively accommodate a together with a device accessory product. 
     
     
         30 - 108 . (canceled) 
     
     
         109 . A method of storing and transporting a device comprising the steps of:
 opening an at least minimally access dimensioned openable access integral to a pliable substantially closable topology outer shell;   pliably encasing said device in said pliable substantially closable topology outer shell;   oppositionally surrounding at least a portion of said device by an oppositional inflatable bladder within said pliable substantially closable topology outer shell;   liner protecting at least a portion of said device adjacent said inflatable bladder by a surface protective liner positioned over at least a portion of said inflatable bladder and between said inflatable bladder and said device and that defines a size-alterable topology containment having a minimal access dimension within said surface protective liner;   detachably closing said at least minimally access dimensioned openable access integral to said pliable substantially closable topology outer shell;   fluidically inflating said oppositional inflatable bladder system;   reducibly altering said size-alterable topology containment within said surface protective liner to conform to an exterior shape of said device as a result of said step of fluidically inflating said oppositional inflatable bladder system;   manually engaging said pliable substantially closable topology outer shell by at least one grip attached at some location on an outer surface of said pliable substantially closable topology outer shell;   moving said device within said pliable substantially closable topology outer shell through action of said at least one grip;   deflating said oppositional inflatable bladder system;   expansively altering said size-alterable topology containment within said surface protective liner as a result of said step of deflating said oppositional inflatable bladder system; and   accessing said device from said size-alterable topology containment within said pliable substantially closable topology outer shell through said minimally access dimensioned openable access integral to said pliable substantially closable topology outer shell.   
     
     
         110 . A method of storing and transporting a device as described in  claim 109  wherein said step of fluidically inflating said oppositional inflatable bladder system comprises the step of pneumatically inflating said oppositional inflatable bladder system, and further comprising the step of automatically pressure relieving said oppositional inflatable bladder system. 
     
     
         111 . A method of storing and transporting a device as described in  claim 109  wherein said step of pliably encasing said device in said pliable substantially closable topology outer shell comprises the step of utilizing a woven ballistic fabric. 
     
     
         112 . A method of storing and transporting a device as described in  claim 111  wherein said step of opening an at least minimally access dimensioned openable access integral to a pliable substantially closable topology outer shell comprises the step of parting a nearly direct flexure end point openable access that substantially splits said pliable closable topology outer shell about a line into mirror image components comprises the step of parting a larger pliable main compartment outer shell bottom and a smaller mirror image pliable outer shell top. 
     
     
         113 . A method of storing and transporting a device as described in  claim 109  wherein said step of oppositionally surrounding at least a portion of said device by an oppositional inflatable bladder within said pliable substantially closable topology outer shell comprises the step of oppositionally surrounding at least a portion of said device by adjacent chambers in an oppositional inflatable bladder. 
     
     
         114 . A method of storing and transporting a device as described in  claim 113  wherein said step of liner protecting at least a portion of said device comprises the steps of:
 establishing a top cover liner at least part of which covers a plurality of said parallely adjacent tubular chambers; and   establishing a bottom cover liner at least part of which covers a plurality of said parallely adjacent tubular chambers.   
     
     
         115 . A method of storing and transporting a device for use as described in  claim 114  wherein said step of oppositionally surrounding at least a portion of said device by parallely adjacent tubular chambers comprises the step of oppositionally surrounding at least a portion of said device by linear row chambers. 
     
     
         116 . A method of storing and transporting a device as described in  claim 115  wherein said step of oppositionally surrounding at least a portion of said device by parallely adjacent tubular chambers comprises the step of oppositionally surrounding at least a portion of said device by concentrically arranged chambers. 
     
     
         117 . A method of storing and transporting a device as described in  claim 109  wherein said step of fluidically inflating said oppositional inflatable bladder system comprises the step of exhaling into an inflator selected from a group consisting of: an inflation tube, a manual valve system, a stopper valve, a check valve, a flap valve, a pincher flap valve, a turn lock valve, a valve stem system, and any permutations or combinations of the above. 
     
     
         118 . A method of storing and transporting a device as described in  claim 109  and further comprising the step of providing an alternative inflation element. 
     
     
         119 . A method of storing and transporting a device as described in  claim 109  and further comprising steps selected from a group consisting of:
 providing an electrical pump; and   providing an exhale activated inflator, and   providing pressurized canister inflator; and   providing an exhale activated inflator.   
     
     
         120 . A method of storing and transporting a device as described in  claim 109  and further comprising the step of automatically operating a switch to which said inflatable bladder system is fluidically responsive. 
     
     
         121 . A method of storing and transporting a device as described in  claim 109  wherein said step of reducibly altering said size-alterable topology containment within said surface protective liner to conform to an exterior shape of said device comprises the step of reducibly altering said size-alterable topology containment within said surface protective liner to conform to an exterior shape of said device together with a device accessory product. 
     
     
         122 - 185 . (canceled) 
     
     
         186 . A device storage and transportation case system as described in  claim 17  wherein said device is a musical instrument. 
     
     
         187 . A device storage and transportation case system as described in  claim 186  wherein said musical instrument is a guitar. 
     
     
         188 . A device storage and transportation case system as described in  claim 186  wherein said musical instrument is a drum. 
     
     
         189 . A method of storing and transporting a device as described in  claim 109  wherein said device is a musical instrument. 
     
     
         190 . A method of storing and transporting a device as described in  claim 189  wherein said musical instrument is a guitar. 
     
     
         191 . A method of storing and transporting a device as described in  claim 189  wherein said musical instrument is a drum.