Eyeglass container with holder for elongated object

#The present invention is directed to the field of eyeglass containers and cases, and in particular, to eyeglass containers that perform a function in addition to holding and retaining eyeglasses, and in particular, to performing the function of holding and retaining an elongated object, which may be a writing instrument, a screwdriver, flashlight, or any of a large number of possibilities.

#Instruments having additional functionality have been disclosed in the art. The present applicant is the named inventor on several patent applications in which a case portion is provided to retain and hold eyeglasses and an additional structure is provided to retain an elongated object, such as a writing instrument. Those applications may include one or more of:

#U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/775,156 filed Feb. 1, 2001;

#FIGS. 1-5 show an embodiment of the present invention:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the embodiment;

#FIG. 2 is a view from the second end to the first end of the embodiment, with the elongated object removed from the retaining structure;

#Turning to the embodiments of FIGS. 1-5, the container 10 is comprised of a body 12 having sidewalls that define a hollow portion into which eyeglasses may be inserted. The body 12 has a first open end 11, providing the opening for inserting the eyeglasses, and a second end 15, which in some embodiments, may or may not have an opening, but in this disclosure shall be described and depicted as closed. A cap 14 engages with the open first end 11 of the body 12. Removal of the cap allows access to the hollow storage portion of the container. When the eyeglasses are place in the hollow portion and the cap is placed over the first open end of the body, the glasses are retained in the container. The cap may be provided with a skirt 23 (best seen in FIG. 6) that extend outward from the cap 14, and which is has a perimeter smaller than the perimeter of the cap at the opening. The perimeter of the skirt engages with the inner wall of the body 12 in a frictional engagement so that the cap is retained in place.

#Turning back to FIGS. 1-5, a hinge 16 may be employed to join the cap 14 to the body 12. The hinge is constructed of a pin 17 that extend through bores 19 and 21, provided in the body 12 and the cap 14, respectively, linking together the cap and body. In this embodiment, the cap is opened in a flip top arrangement.

#Structure is provided on the container 10 in order to hold and retain an elongated object. The structure may be a clamp 18 mounted on a side of the container 10, such as on the body 12, which frictionally engages the elongated object 20. As shown in FIGS. 1-5, the clamp 18 is U-shaped, however, in other embodiments the clamp is ring shaped. The clamp 18 may be sized to form a frictional engagement with the elongated object 20. One clamp may be provided, or as shown with respect to other embodiments, a plurality of clamps may be provided.