Waterproof carrying case assembly

Abstract

A waterproof carrying case for an electronic device, such as for instance a tablet PC has a moisture-impermeable bag with an interlocking top closure and a shoulder strap. The bag has a front panel formed with a transparent portion configured to allow viewing of the screen of the tablet PC. A sturdy shock- and impact-absorbing removable insert is provided for supporting the tablet PC in a fixed position relative to the transparent portion. A user can operate the tablet PC by touching the transparent portion in the areas corresponding to standard icons used in the tablet PC.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A carrying case assembly comprising:
 a moisture-impermeable bag having a back panel and a front panel provided with a transparent portion; and   a supporting insert removeably positioned in the bag, said insert being configured for supporting an electronic device in a pre-determined position relative to the transparent portion when positioned inside the bag.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , said back panel being fixedly attached to the front panel to define a top opening, said top opening carrying a waterproof closure member secured to and extending along a top edge of the front panel and the back panel. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , said closure member comprises an interlocking closure member. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 2 , said bag further comprising a flap member secured to the back panel and extending over the closure member and the transparent portion of the front panel. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , said back panel and said front panel being secured along respective bottom edges by a bottom hem. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , said flap member comprises a bottom edge and opposing sides, and a hem extending over the bottom edge and the opposing sides. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , said bottom hem carrying a first locking member, said hem of the flap member carrying a second locking member configured for mating engagement with the first locking member. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , said insert comprising a shape-retaining shell having a front part and a back part, and wherein an indentation is formed in the front part. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said indentation defines a support area for supporting the electronic device, said indentation being configured to substantially follow peripheral dimensions of the electronic device. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 9 , said indentation has a sufficient depth to accommodate at least one-half thickness of the electronic device. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 8 , said shell comprising a high-density padding core encased in a flexible cover configured for protecting the electronic device positioned in the bag from shock and impact forces. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 8 , said back part carrying a pocket extending over at least a portion of the back part. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12 , said pocket being defined at least in part by a mesh fabric. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 1 , said insert being configured for supporting a tablet PC. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 2 , said closure member comprising a first interlocking mating portion having a downwardly extending band and a second interlocking mating portion having a downwardly extending band, said interlocking mating portions being configured to interlock and close the top opening. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 15 , at least a part of each of the front panel and the back panel being configured to overlap the band of respective first interlocking mating portion and the second interlocking mating portion. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising a first opening member secured to an exterior surface of the front panel opposite the band and a second opening member secured to exterior surface of the back panel opposite the band, said first and said second opening members extending outwardly and upwardly from the top opening. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 17 , said first opening member and said second opening member being secured in misaligned position relative to each other. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 17 , wherein said first opening member and said second opening member are each adapted for grasping by user's hands and pulling in opposing directions to facilitate opening of the interlocking closure member. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising a means for sealing a line of attachment of the closure member to the bag to prevent seeping of moisture into interior of the bag. 
     
     
         21 . The assembly of  claim 20 , wherein said sealing means comprises a pair of sealing sleeves mounted about respective ends of the closure member and configured to overlap at least a portion of an adjacent corner of the bag. 
     
     
         22 . The assembly of  claim 21 , wherein each of said sealing sleeves is fused to the main body and to the bands of the closure member. 
     
     
         23 . The assembly of  claim 22 , comprising a shoulder strap secured to sealing sleeves by connecting members. 
     
     
         24 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said bag is formed from a flexible moisture-impermeable material capable of being welded by dielectric welding. 
     
     
         25 . A carrying case assembly comprising:
 a moisture-impermeable bag having a front panel provided with a transparent portion, a back panel attached to the front panel and defining a top opening, and an interlocking waterproof closure member positioned in said top opening for closing the bag; and   a supporting insert removeably positioned in the bag, said insert being configured for supporting a tablet PC in a pre-determined position relative to the transparent portion when positioned inside the bag.   
     
     
         26 . The assembly of  claim 25 , further comprising a means for sealing a line of attachment of the closure member to the bag to prevent seeping of moisture into interior of the bag, said sealing means comprising a pair of sealing sleeves mounted about respective ends of the closure member and configured to overlap at least a portion of an adjacent corner of the bag, 
     
     
         27 . The assembly of  claim 26 , comprising a shoulder strap secured to the sealing sleeves by connecting members. 
     
     
         28 . The assembly of  claim 25 , said closure member comprising a first interlocking mating portion having a downwardly extending band and a second interlocking mating portion having a downwardly extending band, said interlocking mating portions being configured to interlock and close the top opening. 
     
     
         29 . The assembly of  claim 28 , at least a part of each of the front panel and the back panel being configured to overlap the band of respective first interlocking mating portion and the second interlocking mating portion. 
     
     
         30 . The assembly of  claim 29 , further comprising a first opening member secured to an exterior surface of the front panel opposite the band and a second opening member secured to exterior surface of the back panel opposite the band, said first and said second opening members extending outwardly and upwardly from the top opening. 
     
     
         31 . The assembly of  claim 30 , wherein said first opening member and said second opening member are each adapted for grasping by user's hands and pulling in opposing directions to facilitate opening of the interlocking closure member. 
     
     
         32 . The assembly of  claim 25 , said bag further comprising a flap member secured to the back panel and extending over the closure member and the transparent portion of the front panel. 
     
     
         33 . The assembly of  claim 32 , said back panel and said front panel being secured along respective bottom edges by a bottom hem. 
     
     
         34 . The assembly of  claim 33 , said flap member comprises a bottom edge and opposing sides, and a hem extending over the bottom edge and the opposing sides. 
     
     
         35 . The assembly of  claim 34 , said bottom hem carrying a first locking member, said hem of the flap member carrying a second locking member configured for mating engagement with the first locking member. 
     
     
         36 . The assembly of  claim 25 , said insert comprising a shape-retaining shell having a front part and a back part, and wherein an indentation is formed in the front part, said indentation defining a support area for supporting the tablet PC, while substantially following peripheral dimensions of the tablet PC. 
     
     
         37 . The assembly of  claim 36 , said indentation has a sufficient depth to accommodate at least one-half thickness of the electronic device. 
     
     
         38 . The assembly of  claim 36 , said shell comprising a high-density padding core encased in a flexible cover configured for protecting the tablet PC positioned in the bag from shock and impact forces. 
     
     
         39 . The assembly of  claim 36 , said back part carrying a pocket extending over at least a portion of the back part, said pocket being defined at least in part by a mesh fabric.