Cable Storage Case With Articulating Door

Abstract

A case can simultaneously enclose an object and restrain an associated cable, which can be attached to the object. The case has a base having an interior recess for storing the object and one or more peripheral recesses along the perimeter of the case that form winding areas for wrapping the associated cable. One or more doors are pivotably attached to the base so as to removably cover at least a portion of the winding areas to restrain the cable therein. One or more doors can be hinged on either side, bottom, or in the middle of the base. The one or more doors can also cover at least a portion of the interior recess to secure the object in the interior recess.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A case comprising:
 a base including a side surface having a peripheral recess that forms a cable winding area for receiving a cable; and   a door having a restraining portion contacting the peripheral recess of the base and rotatably mounted in the recess, the door being configured to rotate between a first position in which the restraining portion traverses at least a portion of the peripheral recess for restraining the cable in the winding area, and a second position in which the portion of the peripheral recess is unobstructed by the restraining portion so that the cable can be wrapped or unwrapped from the winding area.   
     
     
         2 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a top surface having an interior recess for storing an object attachable to the cable and a cable channel extending from the interior recess to a side of the base. 
     
     
         3 . The case of  claim 2 , wherein the interior recess has a contoured surface substantially corresponding to a shape of the object receivable therein, the contoured surface being configured to secure the object in the interior recess by an interference fit. 
     
     
         4 . The case of  claim 3 , wherein the door includes a top portion extending from the restraining portion, the top portion being configured to cover at least a portion of the interior recess when the door is rotated to the second position. 
     
     
         5 . The case of  claim 4 , wherein the top portion is configured to cover substantially the entirety of the interior recess when the door is rotated to the second position. 
     
     
         6 . The case of  claim 5 , wherein the top portion of the door has a planar surface. 
     
     
         7 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the door includes upper and lower portions that extend from respective opposite ends of the restraining portion, wherein the upper and lower portions and the restraining portion together form a C-shape in side view, wherein the upper and lower portions have respective upper and lower tapered ends that oppose each other, the tapered ends defining an opening through which the cable is permitted to pass into the peripheral recess when the door is in the second position,
 wherein, in the first position, the tapered ends face inwardly toward the base and the restraining portion faces outwardly traversing the portion of the peripheral recess, and   wherein, in the second position, the tapered ends face outwardly so that the portion of the peripheral recess is accessible through the opening defined by the tapered ends faces.   
     
     
         8 . The case of  claim 7 , wherein the upper and lower portions and the restraining portion forming the C-shape define an arcuate interior surface of the door, wherein the peripheral recess has an arcuate interior surface substantially corresponding to the arcuate interior surface of the door. 
     
     
         9 . The claims of  claim 8 , wherein the door is a latch that is configured to traverse only a portion of the peripheral recess for restraining the cable in the winding area. 
     
     
         10 . The case of  claim 8 , wherein the arcuate interior surface of the peripheral recess has a recessed track, and wherein the arcuate interior surface of the door has a rail extending into the recessed track, wherein the rail is moved along the recess track when the door is rotated between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         11 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the door has a second restraining portion laterally spaced apart from the first restraining portion, the second restraining portion contacting the peripheral recess of the base and rotatably mounted in the recess, the door having an elongated lateral portion connecting the first and second restraining portions together,
 wherein the door includes second upper and lower portions that extends from respective opposite ends of the second restraining portion, wherein the second upper and lower portions and the second restraining portion together form a C-shape in side view.   
     
     
         12 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the base has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side periphery including the side surface, wherein the side periphery defines all sides of the base extending between the top and bottom surfaces, wherein the peripheral recess extends along substantially the entirety of the side periphery. 
     
     
         13 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a second side surface having a second peripheral recess that forms a second cable winding area for receiving the cable. 
     
     
         14 . The case of  claim 13 , wherein the door has a second restraining portion spaced apart from the first restraining portion, the second restraining portion traversing at least a portion of the second peripheral recess for restraining the cable in the second winding area when the door is in the first position, and wherein the second peripheral recess is unobstructed by the second restraining portion when the door is in the second position. 
     
     
         15 . The case of  claim 14 , wherein the second side surface faces opposite of the first side surface such that the first and second peripheral recesses face away from each other, and
 wherein the first and second restraining portions extend vertically, wherein the door includes a top portion that extends horizontally from the first restraining portion to the second restraining portion.   
     
     
         16 . The case of  claim 14 , wherein the top surface of the base has an interior recess for storing an object attachable to the cable and a cable channel extending from the interior recess to a side of the base, and wherein top portion of the door is configured to cover at least a portion of the interior recess when the door is rotated to the second position. 
     
     
         17 . The case of  claim 13 , further comprising a second door having a second restraining portion contacting the second peripheral recess of the base and rotatably mounted in the second peripheral recess, the second door being configured to rotate between a first position in which the second restraining portion traverses at least a portion of the peripheral recess for restraining the cable in the second winding area, and a second position in which the portion of the second peripheral recess is unobstructed by the second restraining portion so that the cable can be wrapped or unwrapped from the second winding area. 
     
     
         18 . The case of  claim 17 , wherein the second side surface faces opposite of the first side surface such that the first and second peripheral recesses face away from each other. 
     
     
         19 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral recess includes an interior surface with an indentation having a shape substantially corresponding to a shape of an end of the cable, the indentation being configured to secure the end of the cable therein by an interference fit. 
     
     
         20 . A case comprising:
 a base including a first side surface and a second side surface that faces opposite of the first side surface, the first side surface having a first peripheral recess that forms a first cable winding area for receiving a cable, and the second side surface having a second peripheral recess that forms a second cable winding area for receiving the cable;   a first door having a restraining portion rotatably mounted on the base, the first door being configured to rotate between a first position in which the restraining portion of the first door traverses at least a portion of the first peripheral recess for restraining the cable in the first winding area, and a second position in which the portion of the first peripheral recess is unobstructed by the restraining portion of the first door so that the cable can be wrapped or unwrapped from the first winding area; and   a second door having a restraining portion rotatably mounted on the base, the second door being configured to rotate between a second position in which the restraining portion of the second door traverses at least a portion of the second peripheral recess for restraining the cable in the second winding area, and a second position in which the portion of the second peripheral recess is unobstructed by the restraining portion of the second door so that the cable can be wrapped or unwrapped from the second winding area.   
     
     
         21 . The case of  claim 20 , wherein each of the first and second doors includes upper and lower portions that extends from respective opposite ends of the restraining portion, wherein the upper and lower portions and the restraining portion together form a C-shape in side view. 
     
     
         22 . The case of  claim 21 , wherein each of the first and second doors has an elongated lateral portion and a second restraining portion laterally spaced apart from the first restraining portion and rotatably mounted on the base, the elongated lateral portion connecting the first and second restraining portions together,
 the second restraining portion of the first door traversing at least a portion of the first peripheral recess for restraining the cable in the first winding area when the door is in the first position, and wherein the first peripheral recess is unobstructed by the second restraining portion when the door is in the second position,   the second restraining portion of the second door traversing at least a portion of the second peripheral recess for restraining the cable in the second winding area when the door is in the first position, and wherein the second peripheral recess is unobstructed by the second restraining portion when the door is in the second position.   
     
     
         23 . The case of  claim 22 , wherein each of the first and second doors include second upper and lower portions that extends from respective opposite ends of the second restraining portion, wherein the second upper and lower portions and the second restraining portion together form a C-shape in side view. 
     
     
         24 . The case of  claim 23 , wherein the base includes a top surface having an interior recess for storing an object attachable to the cable and a cable channel extending from the interior recess to a side of the base. 
     
     
         25 . The case of  claim 24 , wherein the elongated lateral portion of each of the first and second doors includes a top portion extending from the restraining portion, the top portion being configured to cover at least a portion of the interior recess when the door is rotated to the second position. 
     
     
         26 . The case of  claim 20 , wherein the base includes a top surface having an interior recess for storing an object attachable to the cable and a cable channel extending from the interior recess to a side of the base, and wherein each of the first and second doors includes a top portion extending from the restraining portion, the top portion being configured to cover at least a portion of the interior recess when the door is rotated to the second position. 
     
     
         27 . The case of  claim 20 , wherein the second side surface faces opposite of the first side surface such that the first and second peripheral recesses face away from each other. 
     
     
         28 . A case comprising:
 a base including a first side surface and a second side surface that faces opposite of the first side surface, the first side surface having a first peripheral recess that forms a cable winding area for receiving a cable, and the second side surface having a second peripheral recess that forms a cable winding area for receiving the cable, wherein each of the first and second peripheral recesses has an arcuate interior surface, and wherein the second side surface faces opposite of the first side surface such that the first and second peripheral recesses face away from each other; and   a door connected to the base by a living hinge, the door having a restraining portion being configured to rotate between a first position in which the restraining portion traverses at least a portion of at least one of the first and second peripheral recesses for restraining the cable in the winding area formed by that peripheral recess, and a second position in which the at least one of the first and second peripheral recesses are unobstructed by the door so that the cable can be wrapped or unwrapped from the winding area of that peripheral recess.   
     
     
         29 . The case of  claim 28 , wherein the base, the door and the living hinge together form a monolithic structure. 
     
     
         30 . The case of  claim 28 , wherein the base includes a top surface having an interior recess for storing an object attachable to the cable and a cable channel extending from the interior recess to a side of the base, the interior recess being separate and distinct from the first and second peripheral recesses. 
     
     
         31 . The case of  claim 30 , wherein the restraining portion of the door includes a top portion configured to cover at least a portion of the interior recess when the door is rotated to the second position.