Cable carrying case

Abstract

A cable carrying case, in one embodiment, includes a first halve and a second halve that are coupled together by a fastener. The first and second halves pivot between an open and a closed position around the fastener. The cable carrying case has a releasable support member that is configured to support the weight of a spool of cable. The spool of cable may rotate about the support member to dispense the cable from within the case through a slot.

The following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A cable carrying case comprising:
 a first body portion having a first interior;   a second body portion having a second interior;   a fastener; and   a detachable support member extending along an axis, the detachable support member configured to be detached from the first body portion;   wherein the first body portion and the second body portion are configured to move between an open position, where at least one the first interior and the second interior is accessible, and a closed position, where the first interior and the second interior are enclosed;   wherein the detachable support member has a first end and a second end, the first end being detachably coupled to the interior of the first body portion; and   wherein the detachable support member is configured to:
 fit within and make contact with a spool of cable, the spool of cable being associated with a load; and 
 support the load of the spool of cable, the load being applied along the axis of the detachable support member. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cable carrying case of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first body portion and the second body portion defines an elongated slot, and wherein at least one of the first body portion and the second body portion has a cable securing portion defining an opening, wherein a loose end of the cable can be inserted through the elongated slot to allow the loose end of the cable to extend from within the cable carrying case to outside of the cable carrying case in response to the loose end being paid out from off of the spool of cable, and wherein the cable securing portion is configured to retain the loose end of the cable when not in use. 
     
     
         3 . The cable carrying case of  claim 2 , wherein the cable securing portion has an initial portion and an end portion, the initial portion being wider than a width of the cable and wider than the end portion, the end portion being narrower than the width of the cable, such that the width of the loose end of the cable is secured to the cable securing portion between the initial portion and the end portion. 
     
     
         4 . The cable carrying case of  claim 3 , wherein the cable securing portion further comprises a cable gripping edge having an uneven edge surface. 
     
     
         5 . The cable carrying case of  claim 1 , wherein at least one circular member on an inner surface of at least the first body portion is configured to reduce friction between the inner surface and the spool of cable. 
     
     
         6 . The cable carrying case of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an auxiliary member, wherein the auxiliary member is releasably coupled to an exterior surface of at least one of the first body portion and the second body portion, and the auxiliary member is structurally configured to create storage space outside an exterior surface of the cable carrying case, and between the exterior surface of at least one of the first body portion and second body portion and an interior surface of the auxiliary member.   
     
     
         7 . The cable carrying case of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an opening in an exterior surface of at least one of the first body portion and second body portion, the opening configured to enable a user of the cable carrying case to manually rotate the spool of cable within the cable carrying case while the cable carrying case resides in the closed position.   
     
     
         8 . The cable carrying case of  claim 1 , comprising a handle that is structurally configured to enable a user's fingers to wrap around the handle to grip the handle, the handle further comprising:
 a first part positioned on the first body portion; and   a second part positioned on the second body portion;   wherein the first part and second part of the handle each further comprise:
 a receiving port; and 
 a peg; 
   wherein the receiving port of the first part is structurally configured to receive the peg of the second part and the receiving port of the second part is structurally configured to receive the peg of the first part, the first part and the second part forming the handle; and   wherein the receiving ports and the pegs are hidden from view when the case resides in the closed position.   
     
     
         9 . A cable carrying case comprising:
 a first half portion having an inner surface;   a second half portion having an inner surface; and   a fastener;   wherein the first half portion and the second half portion are configured to be moved between an open position, where at least one of the inner surfaces is accessible, and a closed position, where the inner surfaces are enclosed within the cable carrying case;   wherein the fastener is configured to couple the first half portion to the second half portion;   wherein at least one of the first half portion and the second half portion defines an elongated slot configured to extend along a direction parallel to a spool axis;   wherein the elongated slot is configured to enable a section of the cable to be pulled through the elongated slot as a spool of the cable is rotated; and   wherein the elongated slot is configured to enable the section of the cable to be variably located along the spool axis and reduce a likelihood that the cable will bind when pulled through the elongated slot during rotation of the spool of the cable.   
     
     
         10 . The cable carrying case of  claim 9 , wherein the elongated slot has a substantially rectangular shape. 
     
     
         11 . The cable carrying case of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first half portion and the second half portion has a cable securing portion defining an opening, the cable securing portion having an initial portion and an end portion, the initial portion having a width being wider than a width of the cable and wider than the end portion, the end portion being narrower than the width of the cable, such that the width of a loose end of the cable is secured to the cable securing portion between the initial portion and the end portion. 
     
     
         12 . The cable carrying case of  claim 11 , wherein the cable securing portion further comprises a cable gripping edge that contacts the loose end of the cable when the cable is pressed into the cable securing portion, the cable gripping edge having an uneven surface. 
     
     
         13 . The cable carrying case of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one circular member on at least one of the inner surfaces, the at least one circular member configured to reduce friction between the inner surfaces and the spool of the cable. 
     
     
         14 . The cable carrying case of  claim 9 , further defining an opening in an exterior surface of at least one of the first half portion and the second half portion, the opening configured to enable a user of the case to manually rotate the spool of cable within the case while the case resides in the closed position. 
     
     
         15 . The cable carrying case of  claim 9 , further comprising an auxiliary member, the auxiliary member being releasably coupled to an exterior surface of at least one of the first half portion and the second half portion, the auxiliary member being structurally configured to create storage space outside the exterior surface of the cable carrying case, and between the exterior surface of at least one of the first half portion and the second half portion and an interior surface of the auxiliary member. 
     
     
         16 . A cable carrying system comprising:
 a refillable cable carrying case configured to be filled with a spool of cable, the refillable cable carrying case comprising:
 a first halve having a first inner surface; 
 a second halve having a second inner surface; and 
 a fastener, wherein the first halve and second halve are coupled together by the fastener so that the first halve and the second halve are moveable relative to one another to define an open position and a closed position, the first inner surface and the second inner surface defining an interior when the first halve and the second halve are in the closed position, the interior comprising a first port and a second port; 
   a releasable support member extending along an axis, the releasable support member configured to be detached from the refillable cable carrying case, the releasable support member having a first end and a second end, the first end configured to be attached to the first port, the second end configured to be attached to the second port;   wherein the releasable support member is configured to:
 fit within and make contact with a spool of cable, the spool of cable having a weight; 
 support the weight of the spool of cable, the weight being distributed along the axis of the releasable support member; 
   wherein at least one of the first halve and the second halve has an elongated slot configured to enable a portion of the cable to be dispensed through the elongated slot while the refillable cable carrying case is in the closed position; and   wherein the elongated slot is configured such that the portion of the cable may be variably located along the axis of the releasable support member as the cable is unwound so as to reduce a likelihood that the cable will bind when being dispensed through the elongated slot.   
     
     
         17 . The cable carrying system of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first halve and the second halve includes a cable securing portion defining an opening, the cable securing portion having an initial portion and an end portion, the initial portion being wider than a width of the cable and wider than the end portion, the end portion being narrower than the width of the cable, such that the width of a loose end of the cable is secured to the cable securing portion between the initial portion and the end portion; and
 wherein the cable securing portion has a cable gripping edge having an uneven surface.   
     
     
         18 . The cable carrying system of  claim 16 , comprising at least one circular member on at least one of the inner surfaces, the at least one circular member configured to reduce friction between the inner surface of the first halve and the inner surface of the second halve with respect to the spool of cable. 
     
     
         19 . The cable carrying system of  claim 16 , wherein an auxiliary member is releasably coupled to an exterior surface of at least one of the first halve and the second halve, the auxiliary member being structurally configured to create storage space outside the exterior surfaces of the refillable cable carrying case, and between the exterior surface of at least one of the first halve and the second halve, and an interior surface of the auxiliary member. 
     
     
         20 . The cable carrying system of  claim 16 , defining an opening in an exterior surface of at least one of the first halve and the second halve, the opening configured to enable a user of the refillable cable carrying case to manually rotate the spool of cable within the refillable cable carrying case while the refillable cable carrying case resides in the closed position.