Game carrying and storage system
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to storage and carrying case. More particularly, it relates to a system for conveniently carrying and storing games. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Carrying cases are well known in the prior art and have been used for a wide variety of items. Some carrying cases are used for transporting items while others are used for storing items. Some cases merely enclose items for organizational purposes. Depending on the articles enclosed within the case, a variety of structural elements can be employed with the case for maintaining he articles in a fixed position. If one wants to transport the case, the use of elements to maintain the articles in a fixed position is desirable. 
     Many U. S. Patents have been issued for carrying cases enclose a wide variety of items. U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,081 discloses a case for carrying phonograph albums, while U. S. Pat. No. 4,913,283 discloses a case for drawing boards. Each of these devices has developed to solve a specific problem with a specific article. 
     Recently a number of U.S. Patents have been used devices for enclosing carrying, and storing magnetic media in an effort to keep magnetic media organized and away from damaging elements. Some of these devices can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,588,321, 4,778,047, and 5,193,681. All of the devices disclosed in these patents are specifically used with magnetic media. All of these devices have been developed to solve yet another specific problem; namely, maintaining magnetic media in an organized and safe state. 
     One soon realizes that individuals are continually inventing new carrying cases for enclosing and storing numerous different articles. There exists a need for new carrying cases for enclosing, storing, and transporting articles that do not yet have a carrying case. One example is a carrying case for games. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     I have invented a unique carrying case and storage system for games. My system allows for compact storage of numerous games and game pieces and the subsequent transporting of those games through the use of a single carrying case. My system encloses the games and game pieces in an organized and fixed position. 
     The system carrying case has a front and rear cover, integrally attached skirts extending from peripheral edges of the front and rear covers providing side walls, and a binder portion attached to the front and rear covers by hinges. The front and rear covers pivot along the hinges permitting the case to open and close. The carrying case is completely sealed when it is closed. A lockable ring mechanism attaches along an inside surface of the binder for retaining game pages. The pages are formed from a molded bottom plate having cavities for retaining pieces of the games and a top sheet covering the bottom plate. A closure mechanism disposed along an inner end of the game page secures the top sheet over the bottom plate in a fixed position prohibiting any of the game pieces from falling out of the cavities. Specific plates can be provided for retaining specific games wherein cavities in the molded bottom plate frictionally retain specific game pieces. Likewise, generic plates can be provided having a plurality of cavities formed therein for retaining game pieces of a multiplicity of different games. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention may be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of a carrying case employed in the system of the present invention shown in a closed position; 
     FIG. 2 is a right side elevational view of the carrying case in an closed position; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the carrying case in an open position; 
     FIG. 4 is a right side elevational view of the carrying case in an open position; 
     FIG. 5 is a partial top plan view of a score sheet game page employed with the system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional right side elevational view of the carrying case, the cross-sectional view taken along line 6 of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a storage case employed with the system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a game page along lines 8--8 of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a game page employed with the carrying case of the present invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a left side elevational view of the carrying case in an closed position; and 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an alternate game page having a removable molded insert positionable within the game page bottom plate. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a carrying case 10 of the present invention is shown in a closed position from a front view. Referring to FIG. 3, case 10 is shown in an open position from a top plan view. Further to FIG. 3, case 10 has a front and rear cover 12 and 14 respectively. A binder portion 16 is attached intermediate front and rear covers 12 and 14 by hinges 18 along opposed inner edges 20 and 22 of front and rear covers 12 and 14 respectively. Hinges 18 permit front and rear covers 12 and 14 to fold over so that case 10 can be closed. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, case 10 is shown in a right side elevational view illustrating how case 10 is completely sealed when closed. Referring to FIG. 4, case 10 is shown in an open position from a right elevational view. Case 10 has a plurality of upwardly extending skirts integrally attached along peripheral edges of front and rear covers 12 and 14 which permit case 10 to be completely sealed. As shown in FIG. 3, a first right skirt 24 attaches along a first right peripheral edge 26 of front cover 12, a first left skirt 28 attaches along a first left peripheral edge 30 of front cover 12, and a first top skirt 32 attaches along a first top peripheral edge 34 of front cover 12. Further to FIG. 3, a second right skirt 36 attaches along a second right peripheral edge 38 of rear cover 14, a second left skirt 40 attaches along a second left peripheral edge 42 of rear cover 14, and a second top skirt 44 attaches along a second top peripheral edge 46 of rear cover 14. 
     When case 10 is closed, first and second right skirts 24 and 36 meet at opposed rims 48 and 50 respectively to provide a right side wall 52 to case 10 when closed, as shown in FIG. 2; the first and second right skirts 24 and 36 each represent one half of case right side wall 52. First and second left skirts 28 and 40 meet at opposed rims 54 and 56 respectively to provide a left side wall 58 to case 10 when closed, as shown in FIG. 10.; the first and second left skirts 28 and 40 each represent one half of case left side wall 58. First and second top skirts 32 and 44 meet at opposed rims 60 and 62 respectively to provide a top wall 64 when case 10 is closed, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 10; first and second top skirts 32 and 44 each represent one half of case top wall 64. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, a game page 66 used with the present invention is shown. Referring to FIG. 9, game page 66 has a top sheet 68 pivotly attached to a bottom plate 70 by an outer hinge 69 and a lip portion 72 pivotly attached to bottom plate 70 by an inner hinge 74. The preferred embodiment of FIG. 9 employs a living hinge for inner hinge 74. Lip portion 72 has three first generally oblong holes 76 formed therein and positioned perpendicular to an axis parallel to inner hinge 74. Further, lip portion 72 has a pair of second generally oblong holes 78 formed therein and positioned parallel to an axis parallel to inner hinge 74 providing a grasping means for game page 66. A plurality of cavities 80 are positioned within bottom plate 70 for retaining game pieces. The material remaining after cavities 80 have been formed constitutes a cavity frame 81. In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 9, the cavities 80 are formed in bottom plate 70. In an alternate embodiment, depicted in FIG. 11, a plurality of cavities 80a are formed in an removable insert 82 having a cavity frame 81a positioned within a bottom plate 70a of an alternate game page 66a. All remaining elements of alternate game page 66a are identical to preferred game page 66. 
     The system of the present invention provides for cavities 80 to be formed specifically for certain games. For example, the system can be provided with game pages 66 which have the exact number and the appropriate sized cavities for retaining games such as Monopoly®, Trivial Pursuit®, Pictionary®, Scrabble®, Scattergories®, as well as games with a known set of pieces such as checkers, chess, backgammon, and darts. Further, the system of the present invention can be marketed with a game pre-packaged within the game pages 66. Therefore, upon purchasing the game, the buyer simply inserts the game page 66 retaining the game into the carrying case 10. Still further, the system of the present invention can provide game pages 66 for retaining pieces of games that include compact discs, cassettes, and video tapes. Still even further, game page 66 can provide a plurality of cavities 80 formed for retaining a plurality of playing cards. Different types of playing cards can be retained, including a traditional set of 52 playing cards, Fish®, Old Maid®, and other card games using a proprietary set of cards as its game pieces. 
     Referring to FIG. 9, a plurality of downwardly extending flanges of top sheet 68 communicate with a plurality of upwardly extending walls of bottom sheet 70 to provide a closure means for closing game page 66. A right downwardly extending flange 84 integrally attaches along a first right side edge 86 of top sheet 68, a left downwardly extending flange 88 integrally attaches along a first left side edge 90 of top sheet 68, and a top downwardly extending flange 92 integrally attaches along a first top side edge 94 of top sheet 68. A right upwardly extending wall 96 integrally attaches along a second right side edge 98 of bottom plate 70, a left upwardly extending wall 100 integrally attaches along a second left side edge 102 of bottom plate 70, and a top upwardly extending wall 104 integrally attaches along a second top side edge 106 of bottom plate 70, proximal to inner hinge 74. 
     Referring to FIG. 9, top sheet 68 is folded down upon bottom sheet 70 to close game page 66 such that an outer surface 108 of right downwardly extending flange 84 lays juxtaposed to an inner surface 110 of right upwardly extending wall 96, an outer surface 112 of left downwardly extending flange 88 lays juxtaposed to an inner surface 114 of left upwardly extending wall 100, and an inner surface 116 of top downwardly extending flange 92 lays juxtaposed to an outer surface 118 of top upwardly extending wall 104. Further, a channel 140 formed between an outer portion 142 of cavity frame 81 and inner surfaces 110 and 114 of right and left upwardly extending walls 96 and 100 respectively receives flanges 84 and 88 such that pressure exerted outwardly by flanges 84 and 88 against walls 96 and 100 respectively permits game page 66 to remain generally closed. Referring to FIG. 8, a cross-sectional view along lines 8--8 of FIG. 5, illustrates the positioning of right downwardly extending flange 84 within channel 140 between cavity frame 81 and inner surface 110 of right upwardly extending wall 96. 
     Referring to FIG. 6, a detent lock 120 is provided for fixedly securing top sheet 68 to bottom plate 70. Once game page 66 is securely locked by detent lock 120, game pieces are prevented from escaping therefrom as well as the game pieces being retained within their respective cavity 80. Detent lock 120 has a ridge 122 integrally attached to outer surface 118 of top upwardly extending wall 104 for frictionally engaging a groove 124 formed in inner surface 116 of top downwardly flange 92. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, a ring binder 126 mechanism is mounted on an inside surface 128 of binder 16 of carrying case 10. Ring binder 126 has three lockable rings 130 inserting through the three first generally oblong holes 76 respectively formed in the lip portion 72 of game page 66 for maintaining game page 66 within carrying case 10. Referring to FIG. 6, each ring 130 has a bar 132, a broken section 134, a threaded portion 136 positioned proximal to broken section 134 and in axial alignment with bar 132, and a threaded nut 138 slidable along bar 132 for engaging threaded portion 136 thereby covering broken section 134. Broken section 134 permits game page 66 to be inserted and removed from ring binder 126. The preferred embodiment employs rings 130 of sufficient size to retain four game pages 66, as shown in FIG. 4. Other rings of different sizes can be used to retain more than four game pages. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, carrying case 10 is provided with a handle 160 for facilitating movement of carrying case 10 such that it can he carried like a suitcase. Referring to FIG. 7, an alternate storage case 144 is provided. Storage case 144 permits an individual to possess more game pages than can fit within carrying case 10. Accordingly, game pages 66 can be removed and stored with storage case 144. Storage case 144 has a bottom portion 162, a pair of opposed left and right side portions 164 and 166 respectively, opposed front and rear portions 168 and 170 respectively, an open top portion 172, and a set of outwardly projecting tabs 146 mounted along an inner surface 148 permitting game pages 66 to slide in and out of case 144 while remaining in an aligned and fixed position. Removal of a game page will not cause other remaining game pages to fall within case 144. The pair of generally oblong holes 78 formed in lip portion 72 of game page 66, shown in FIG. 9, permit an individual to grasp game page 66 with both hands. A label 150 affixed along an outer surface 152 of top downwardly extending flange 92 permits a user of the system to label his or her games for easy categorizing. 
     Referring to FIG. 5, a second alternate game page 66b is provided having game scoring materials inserted therein. All elements of second alternate game page 66B are identical to preferred game page 66 except for the following elements set forth below. Second alternate game page 66b has an electronic scoring machine 154 inserted in a cavity 80b formed in a bottom plate 70b. Electronic scoring machine can provide electronic dice, an electronic pad, an electronic calculator, and an electronic timer. The preferred manner to insert electronic scoring machine 154 is by friction although it can be permanently embedded. Additionally provided in second alternate game page 66b are a writing implement 156, a writing pad 158, and spare cavities 80b for retaining other useful game pieces such as dice and playing cards. 
     Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above to achieve the same results in the same manner.