Protective book carrying case

Abstract

A protective book carrying case for carrying a book and protecting the book from external forces includes a back case member with a bottom wall and a perimeter wall. The perimeter wall is coupled to and extends away from the bottom wall. The perimeter wall and the bottom wall define a book-receiving cavity with a rectangular shape that has a size for accommodating a book. The perimeter wall and the bottom wall comprise a back member rigid material such that the back case member is configured to protect the book from impacts experienced by the back case member when the back case member contains the book. A front case member is pivotally coupled to the back case member and is movable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the book-receiving cavity.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A protective book carrying case comprising:
 a back case member comprising:
 a bottom wall; and 
 a perimeter wall being coupled to and extending away from the bottom wall, the perimeter wall and the bottom wall defining a book-receiving cavity, the book-receiving cavity having a rectangular shape, the book-receiving cavity having a size such that the book-receiving cavity is configured to accommodate a book, the perimeter wall and the bottom wall comprising a back member rigid material such that the back case member is configured to protect the book from impacts experienced by the back case member when the back case member contains the book; and 
   a front case member being pivotally coupled to the back case member, the front case member being movable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the book-receiving cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the front case member comprises:
 a base wall; and   a peripheral wall being coupled to and extending away from the base wall, the peripheral wall and the base wall comprising a front member rigid material such that the front case member is configured to protect the book from impacts experienced by the front case member when the front case member covers the book.   
     
     
         3 . The case of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the back case member further comprises a covering enclosing the bottom wall and the perimeter wall, the covering abutting the bottom wall and the perimeter wall; and   the front case member further comprises a casing enclosing the base wall and the peripheral wall, the casing abutting the base wall and the peripheral wall.   
     
     
         4 . The case of  claim 3 , wherein the covering comprises a back member fabric material and the casing comprises a front member fabric material. 
     
     
         5 . The case of  claim 4 , further comprising a hinge being coupled to the back case member and the front case member, the hinge being positioned adjacent to a rim of the perimeter wall of the back case member and adjacent to a rim of the peripheral wall of the front case member, the hinge comprising a living hinge, the living hinge being integrally formed with the covering of the back case member and the casing of the front case member. 
     
     
         6 . The case of  claim 1 , further comprising a cushion being coupled to the front case member, the cushion being surrounded by the peripheral wall of the front case member, the cushion comprising a resiliently compressible material. 
     
     
         7 . The case of  claim 6 , wherein the resiliently compressible material comprises a polymer foam. 
     
     
         8 . The case of  claim 1 , further comprising a closure being coupled to the back case member and the front case member, the closure being operable to secure the front case member in the closed position. 
     
     
         9 . The case of  claim 8 , wherein the closure comprises a zipper. 
     
     
         10 . The case of  claim 1 , further comprising a pen pocket being mounted in the front case member, the pen pocket comprising an elongated flap, the elongated flap defining a pen-receiving space, the pen pocket defining an opening to the pen-receiving space between an edge of the flap and the cushion, the pen-receiving space having a size and shape such that the pen pocket is configured for holding a writing instrument. 
     
     
         11 . The case of  claim 1 , further comprising a paper goods pocket being mounted in the front case member, the paper goods pocket comprising a panel, the panel defining a paper goods-receiving space, the panel having a pair of lateral edges and a bottom edge which extend along an inner side of the peripheral wall of the front case member, a top edge of the panel defining an aperture to the paper goods-receiving space. 
     
     
         12 . The case of  claim 11 , wherein the paper goods pocket comprises an elastic band embedded in the panel adjacent to the top edge, the elastic band being biased to close the aperture. 
     
     
         13 . The case of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle being coupled to an exterior of the back case member. 
     
     
         14 . A protective book carrying case comprising:
 a back case member comprising:
 a bottom wall; 
 a perimeter wall being coupled to and extending away from the bottom wall, the perimeter wall and the bottom wall defining a book-receiving cavity, the book-receiving cavity having a rectangular shape, the book-receiving cavity having a size such that the book-receiving cavity is configured to accommodate a book, the perimeter wall and the bottom wall comprising a back member rigid material such that the back case member is configured to protect the book from impacts experienced by the back case member when the back case member contains the book; and 
 a covering enclosing the bottom wall and the perimeter wall, the covering abutting the bottom wall and the perimeter wall, the covering comprising a back member fabric material; 
   a front case member being pivotally coupled to the back case member, the front case member being movable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the book-receiving cavity, the front case member comprising:
 a base wall; 
 a peripheral wall being coupled to and extending away from the base wall, the peripheral wall and the base wall comprising a front member rigid material such that the front case member is configured to protect the book from impacts experienced by the front case member when the front case member covers the book; and 
 a casing enclosing the base wall and the peripheral wall, the casing abutting the base wall and the peripheral wall, the casing comprising a front member fabric material; 
   a hinge being coupled to the back case member and the front case member, the hinge being positioned adjacent to a rim of the perimeter wall of the back case member and adjacent to a rim of the peripheral wall of the front case member, the hinge comprising a living hinge, the living hinge being integrally formed with the covering of the back case member and the casing of the front case member;   wherein the back case member and the front case member are elongated in a direction parallel to the hinge;   a cushion being coupled to the front case member, the cushion being surrounded by the peripheral wall of the front case member, the cushion comprising a resiliently compressible material, the resiliently compressible material comprising a polymer foam;   a closure being coupled to the perimeter wall of the back case member and the peripheral wall of the front case member, the closure being operable to secure the front case member in the closed position, the closure comprising a zipper;   a pen pocket being coupled to the cushion, the pen pocket comprising an elongated flap, the elongated flap defining a pen-receiving space between the elongated flap and the cushion, the pen pocket defining an opening to the pen-receiving space between an edge of the flap and the cushion, the pen-receiving space having a size and shape such that the pen pocket is configured for holding a writing instrument, the pen pocket being oriented parallel to the hinge;   a paper goods pocket being coupled to the cushion, the paper goods pocket comprising a panel, the panel defining a paper goods-receiving space between the panel and the cushion, the panel having a pair of lateral edges and a bottom edge coupled to the cushion, the pair of lateral edges and the bottom edge extending along an inner side of the peripheral wall of the front case member, a top edge of the panel defining an aperture to the paper goods-receiving space, the aperture facing way from the hinge, the paper goods pocket comprising an elastic band embedded in the panel adjacent to the top edge, the elastic band being biased to draw the top edge toward the cushion; and   a handle being coupled to an exterior of the back case member adjacent to the hinge.