Portable soft case for eyeglasses

Abstract

There is provided a portable soft case for storing, transporting, and protecting eyeglasses. The case includes a body portion having a semi rigid skin defining an interior cavity for storing the eyeglasses. The body further includes a front side and a second side which define the interior cavity. A mouth is positioned at the top of the body portion; and the mouth defines an open position and a closed position such that the human user can pass the pair of eyeglasses through the mouth when the mouth is in the open position, into the interior cavity, and such that mouth holds the glasses in the interior cavity when the mouth is in the closed position. The mouth may also define a first lip and a second lip which can sealingly engage so as to close the mouth and so as to provide a substantial level of water resistant protection. The case and mouth are advantageously formed of a flexible semi-rigid material such as silicone rubber such that the human user opens the mouth by manual pressure on the two edges. Releasing manual pressure allows the case to revert to its natural closed position. A bottom is connected to the body portion, and it can be substantially planar and aligned with the body portion such that the glasses case can stand erect on its bottom. The case may further be provided with eyelets positioned on a first edge and a second edge of the body. A strap can be positioned on the eyelets. The human user can then hang the strap around his neck thereby carrying the glasses case in a comfortable hands free manner and without the need for pockets.

1 . A case for a human user to store a pair of eyeglasses comprising:
 a body portion having a semi rigid skin defining an interior cavity for storing the eyeglasses;   the body portion comprising a front side and a rear side; and   a mouth affixed to the body portion, the mouth having a first lip and a second lip, and the mouth defining an open position and a closed position such that the human user can pass the pair of eyeglasses through the mouth when the mouth is in the open position, into the interior cavity, and such that mouth holds the glasses in the interior cavity when the mouth is in the closed position.   
     
     
         2 . The case according to  claim 1  further comprising a bottom connected to the body portion. 
     
     
         3 . The case according to  claim 2  wherein the bottom is substantially planar and aligned with the body portion such that the glasses case can stand on the bottom. 
     
     
         4 . The case according to  claim 1  further comprising a clip attached to the body portion. 
     
     
         5 . The glasses case according to  claim 1  further comprising a pocket attached to the body portion. 
     
     
         6 . The case according to  claim 1  wherein the first lip and the second lip have reciprocally engaging closure means positioned thereon. 
     
     
         7 . The case according to  claim 6  wherein the closure means comprises a tongue and groove. 
     
     
         8 . The case according to  claim 6  such that the first lip and the second lip close so as to provide a substantially water resistant seal. 
     
     
         9 . The case according to  claim 1  wherein the semi rigid skin comprises a material selected from the group consisting of thermal plastic rubber, thermal plastic elastomer, and silicone rubber. 
     
     
         10 . The case according to  claim 1  further comprising a cutaway region on a front side and a cutaway region on a rear side. 
     
     
         11 . The case according to  claim 1  further comprising at least one magnet positioned in the first lip and at least one magnet positioned in the second lip wherein the magnet of the first lip substantially aligns with the magnet of the second lip when the case is in the closed position. 
     
     
         12 . The case according to  claim 11  wherein the first lip and the second lip each have substantially planar surfaces that are held in proximity by the magnets in the closed position. 
     
     
         13 . A portable case for a human user storing and transporting eyeglasses comprising:
 a body portion defining an interior cavity for storing the eyeglasses;   the body portion comprising a front side and a rear side so as to define a left edge and a right edge;   a mouth affixed to the body portion, the mouth defining an open position and a closed position such that the pair of eyeglass; and   a strap affixed to the eyelets such that the strap can pass around the neck of the human user.   
     
     
         14 . The portable case according to  claim 13  further comprising a first eyelet positioned on the left edge and a second eyelet positioned on the right edge and wherein the strap comprises a first end and a second end such that the first end attaches to the first eyelet and the second end attaches to the second eyelet. 
     
     
         15 . The portable case according to  claim 14  wherein the first end and the second end of the strap define a tear drop end which rests against the eyelet. 
     
     
         16 . The portable case according to  claim 13  wherein the mouth further defines a first lip having at least one magnet disposed within the first lip, and a second lip having at least one magnet disposed within the second lip, and wherein the magnet of the first lip substantially aligns with the magnet of the second lip when in the closed position. 
     
     
         17 . The portable case according to  claim 16  wherein the first lip and the second lip each comprises a substantially planar surface that is held in close contact in the closed position. 
     
     
         18 . A method for opening and closing a soft case for a pair of eyeglasses comprising the steps of:
 providing a soft case having a front side and a rear side and a first edge and a second edge and a mouth of the soft case that provides access to an internal cavity such that the mouth of the soft case is in the closed position when free from external forces; and   applying manual pressure on a first edge and second edge of the case so as to transition the mouth of the case from the closed position to the open position.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18  further comprising the steps of:
 passing the pair of eyeglasses through the mouth into the internal cavity; and 
 releasing manual pressure on the case such that the mouth of the case reverts to the closed position thereby holding the glasses within the case. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18  further comprising the steps of providing a mouth of the soft case having at least one magnet positioned within a first lip and at least one magnet positioned within the second lip, and the step of applying manual pressure to the first edge and the second edge of the case so as to cause magnets positioned in the first lip to disengage with magnets positioned in the second lip.