Musical instrument case

Claim 2

A musical instrument case for storage of an instrument having a bell at one end thereof comprising: a body forming a storage compartment therein, said storage compartment forming a mouth, a portion of said instrument for total insertion in said storage compartment with said bell residing proximate to said mouth, said mouth being dimensioned to substantially conform in size to the portion of said bell disposed adjacent thereto when said musical instrument is disposed in said storage compartment, said mouth being the sole opening for insertion of said instrument in said storage compartment; and a lid for selectively opening and closing said mouth of said storage compartment, said lid being shaped to fit substantially within said bell of said instrument when said lid closes said mouth.

Claim 3

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 1, wherein said lid forms a storage chamber therein, access to said storage chamber being selectively provided.

Claim 4

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 2, wherein said lid comprises a hollow body portion shaped to fit substantially within said bell of said instrument and a cover portion, said body portion forming said storage chamber therein, said access to said storage chamber being provided by separation of said cover portion from said body portion.

Claim 5

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 3 further comprising means for selectively securing said body portion to said cover portion.

Claim 6

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 4, wherein said selective securing means comprises a zipper.

Claim 7

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 3, wherein said body portion is divided into two sections, said sections being selectively separable to aid in said access to said storage chamber, said body portion further comprising means for selectively joining said sections.

Claim 8

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 1, wherein said body is unitary in construction.

Claim 9

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 7, wherein said storage compartment is contoured and shaped to conform substantially to the shape of said instrument to be disposed therein.

Claim 10

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 2, wherein said body is constructed of a shock absorbing material, the exterior thereof and the exterior of said lid being covered in a durable soft material.

Claim 11

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 1, wherein said body forms at least one additional storage compartment, each of said at least one additional storage compartments opening into said mouth of said body.

Claim 12

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 10, wherein each of said at least one additional storage compartments are contoured and shaped to conform substantially to the shape of said instrument to be disposed therein.

Claim 13

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 1 further comprising means for selectively mounting said lid to said body over said mouth.

Claim 14

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 12, wherein said selective mounting means comprises at least one fastener.

Claim 15

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 13, wherein said fastener comprises a zipper having two sets of complementary teeth, one set of complementary teeth being operably disposed about the peripheral edge of said lid, the other set of complementary teeth being operably disposed about the mouth of said body.

Claim 16

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 13, wherein said selective mounting means further comprises hinge means for hingedly affixing said lid to said body.

Claim 17

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a strap fixedly secured on the ends thereof to said case.

Claim 18

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 1, wherein the exterior of said body is contoured and shaped to approximate the general shape of the instrument to be contained therein.

Claim 19

A musical instrument case for storage of an instrument having a bell at one end thereof comprising: a body forming a storage compartment therein, said storage compartment forming a mouth, a portion of said instrument for total insertion in said storage compartment with said bell residing proximate to said mouth, said storage compartment being contoured and shaped to conform substantially to said instrument to be disposed therein, the exterior of said body being contoured and shaped to approximate the general shape of the instrument to be contained therein; a lid for selectively opening and closing the mouth of said storage compartment, said lid comprising a hollow body portion and a cover portion, said hollow body portion being shaped to fit substantially within said bell of said instrument when said lid closed said mouth, said body portion forming a storage chamber therein, access to said storage chamber being selectively provided; and means for selectively mounting said cover portion of said lid to said body over said mouth thereof, said selective mounting means comprising at least one fastener and hinge means for hingedly affixing said lid to said body.

Claim 20

A musical instrument case for storage of an instrument having a bell at one end thereof comprising: a body forming a storage compartment therein, said storage compartment forming a mouth, a portion of said instrument for total insertion in said storage compartment with said bell residing proximate to said mouth, said storage compartment being contoured and shaped to conform substantially to said instrument to be disposed therein, the exterior of said body being contoured and shaped to approximate the general shape of the instrument to be contained therein; a lid for selectively opening and closing the mouth of said storage compartment, said lid comprising a hollow body portion and a cover portion, said hollow body portion being shaped to fit substantially within said bell of said instrument when said lid closed said mouth, said body portion forming a storage chamber therein, access to said storage chamber being selectively provided; and means for selectively mounting said cover portion of said lid to said body over said mouth thereof, said selective mounting means comprising at least one fastener and hinge means for hingedly affixing said lid to said body.

Claim 21

A musical instrument case for storage of an instrument having a bell at one end thereof comprising: a body forming a storage compartment therein, said storage compartment forming a mouth, a portion of said instrument for total insertion in said storage compartment with said bell residing proximate to said mouth; and a lid for selectively opening and closing said mouth of said storage compartment, said lid being shaped to fit substantially within said bell of said instrument when said lid closes said mouth, said lid forming a storage chamber therein, said lid including a hollow body portion shaped to fit substantially within said bell of said instrument and a cover portion, said body portion forming said storage chamber therein, access to said storage chamber being selectively provided.

Claim 22

A musical instrument case for storage of an instrument having a bell at one end thereof comprising: a body forming a storage compartment therein, said storage compartment forming a mouth, a portion of said instrument for total insertion in said storage compartment with said bell residing proximate to said mouth; and a lid for selectively opening and closing said mouth of said storage compartment, said lid being shaped to fit substantially within said bell of said instrument when said lid closes said mouth, said lid forming a storage chamber therein, said lid including a hollow body portion shaped to fit substantially within said bell of said instrument and a cover portion, said body portion forming said storage chamber therein, access to said storage chamber being selectively provided.

Claim 23

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 19, further comprising means for selectively securing said body portion to said cover portion.

Claim 24

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 20, wherein said selective securing means comprises a zipper.

Claim 25

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 19, wherein said body portion is divided into two sections, said sections being selectively separable to aid in said access to said storage chamber, said body portion further comprising means for selectively joining said sections.

Claim 26

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 19, wherein said body is unitary in construction.

Claim 27

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 23, wherein said storage compartment is contoured and shaped to conform substantially to the shape of said instrument to be disposed therein.

Claim 28

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 19, wherein said body is constructed of a shock absorbing material, the exterior thereof and the exterior of said lid being covered in a durable soft material.

Claim 29

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 19, wherein said body forms at least one additional storage compartment, each of said at least one additional storage compartments opening into said mouth of said body.

Claim 30

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 26, wherein each of said at least one additional storage compartments are contoured and shaped to conform substantially to the shape of said instrument to be disposed therein.

Claim 31

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 19, further comprising means for selectively mounting said lid to said body over said mouth.

Claim 32

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 28, wherein said selective mounting means comprises at least one fastener.

Claim 33

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 29, wherein said fastener comprises a zipper having two sets of complementary teeth, one set of complementary teeth being operably disposed about the peripheral edge of said lid, the other set of complementary teeth being operably disposed about the mouth of said body.

Claim 34

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 29, wherein said selective mounting means further comprises hinge means for hingedly affixing said lid to said body.

Claim 35

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 19, further comprising a strap fixedly secured on the ends thereof to said case.

Claim 36

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 19, wherein the exterior of said body is contoured and shaped to approximate the general shape of the instrument to be contained therein.

Claim 37

A musical instrument case for storage of an instrument having a bell at one end thereof comprising: a body forming a storage compartment therein, said storage compartment forming a mouth, a portion of said instrument for total insertion in said storage compartment with said bell residing proximate to said mouth, said body being constructed of a shock absorbing material, the exterior thereof and the exterior of said lid being covered in a durable soft material; and a lid for selectively opening and closing said mouth of said storage compartment, said lid being shaped to fit substantially within said bell of said instrument when said lid closes said mouth, said lid forming a storage chamber therein, access to said storage chamber being selectively provided.

Claim 38

A musical instrument case for storage of an instrument having a bell at one end thereof comprising: a body forming a storage compartment therein, said storage compartment forming a mouth, a portion of said instrument for total insertion in said storage compartment with said bell residing proximate to said mouth, said body being constructed of a shock absorbing material, the exterior thereof and the exterior of said lid being covered in a durable soft material; and a lid for selectively opening and closing said mouth of said storage compartment, said lid being shaped to fit substantially within said bell of said instrument when said lid closes said mouth, said lid forming a storage chamber therein, access to said storage chamber being selectively provided.

Claim 39

A musical instrument case in accordance with claim 34, wherein said lid comprises a hollow body portion shaped to fit substantially within said bell of said instrument and a cover portion, said body portion forming said storage chamber therein, said access to said storage chamber being provided by separation of said cover portion from said body portion.