Attache case with transparent side walls

Claim 2

A carrying case comprising a housing consisting of mating box-like members hingedly connected at bottom edge walls; latch means at the top edge walls of said housing members for closIng said housing members; at least one of said housing members having a transparent side wall; an opaque side wall cover hingedly attached to said one housing member at the exterior thereof, to overlie said transparent side wall; closure means acting between said one housing member and said side wall cover for retaining said side wall cover in the closed position; release means disposed in said one housing member for effecting release of said closure means and separation of said cover from said member; said release means including at least one actuator lever readily engageable by the carrying case user for effecting release of said side wall cover.

Claim 3

A carrying case as set forth in claim 1 said side wall cover being hingedly attached at the bottom edge wall of said one housing member; and said release means being disposed in the top edge wall of said one housing member.

Claim 4

A carrying case as set forth in claim 2 said one housing member having magnet means fixed at the exterior face of the side wall adjacent to the top wall thereof; and said side wall cover having magnetic means fixed at least along the upper edge thereof positioned to be disposed in confronting relation with said housing magnet means when said side wall cover is in closed position.

Claim 5

A carrying case as set forth in claim 3 said housing magnet means comprising a strip of resilient material having magnet particles embedded therein.

Claim 6

A carrying case as set forth in claim 1 a carrying handle fixed to at least one of said housing members at the top edge wall thereof; and said actuator lever projecting from said one housing member top wall in position to be operated by the user''s thumb while carrying the case by said carrying handle.

Claim 7

A carrying case as set forth in claim 1 said closure means comprising coacting magnetic means acting between said one housing member and said side wall cover; and said release means comprising means for separating said coacting magnetic means.

Claim 8

A carrying case as set forth in claim 3 said release means comprising a plurality of pins mounted in the top edge wall of said one housing member for reciprocating movement in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said side wall, and disposed to be extended outward from said housing member into engagement with said side wall cover; spring means urging said pins to an enclosed position within said housing member; cam means for engaging and moving said pins to an extended position; and means coupling said actuator lever to said cam means for selectively moving said cam means to extend said pins.

Claim 9

A carrying case as set forth in claim 7 said cam means comprising an elongated bar mounted in the top edge wall of said one housing member for reciprocating movement in an endwise direction.

Claim 10

A carrying case as set forth in claim 8 spring means urging said cam bar in one direction to effect retraction of said pins within said housing member; and said cam bar being movable against the force of said cam bar spring means for extending said pins from said housing member.

Claim 11

A carrying case as set forth in claim 1 each of said housing members having a transparent side wall; an opaque side wall cover hingedly attached to each of said side wall members at the bottom edge wall thereof; a handle mounted on the top edge wall of one housing member; coacting magnetic closure means acting between each of said housing members and its respective side wall cover, including magnet means mounted on said side walls at the upper edges thereof and coacting magnetic means on the upper edges of said side wall covers; separate release mechanisms for each of said housing members; each release mechanism comprising a plurality of pins mounted in the top edge wall of a member for reciprocating movement in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said side wall, and disposed to be extended outward from said housing member into engagement with the side wall cover; sprIng means urging said pins to an enclosed position within said housing member; reciprocating cam means mounted in the housing top edge wall member for selectively extending said pins; a separate actuator lever coupled to the respective cam means for each of said housing members; and said separate actuator levers projecting from the top walls of the respective housing members and being disposed adjacent to each other and adjacent to the carrying case handle when said carrying case is closed.

Claim 12

A carrying case as set forth in claim 1 the outer face of said one housing member side wall having a top rib and end ribs defining a recess for said side wall cover.