Storage case

Abstract

A storage case is provided suitable for supporting an article such as a mobile electronics device in a viewing configuration in which the article is presented to a user for viewing. The case comprises a body portion 12 and a lid portion 14 configured to store one or more objects therebetween. The body portion and the lid portion each have a front end 16 / 20 defining a respective article-supporting region 17 / 21, and a rear end 18 opposite the front end. The body portion and lid portion are coupled at their respective rear ends by a hinge 24 configured to allow relative rotational movement between the body portion and the lid portion between a closed configuration of the storage case, and an article-supporting configuration of the storage case, in which the front ends of the lid portion and body portion define a first spacing SP therebetween, such that the article-supporting regions can accommodate an article therebetween in a viewing configuration. The storage case further comprises a first movement stop 26 / 44 arranged on the lid portion or the body portion and configured to restrict movement of the article away from the article-supporting region, to hold the article in the viewing configuration. The case may be used to store eyeglasses or eyewear.

Description

Field of the Invention The invention relates to a storage case, in particular a case for eyeglasses, which is also suitable for supporting an article such as a mobile device in a viewing configuration in which the article is presented to a user for viewing. Background to the Invention Mobile devices such as a mobile phone, a tablet, or an e-reading device are commonly used by many people in every day life. Increasingly, these mobile devices are used for viewing video content, for example by streaming films or TV shows, and for reading materials such as books, documents or online resources. When viewing such content, or when otherwise using the device, it may be desirable to support the mobile device in a hands-free manner in a position which enables easy viewing of the device screen for long periods of time. Many existing mobile phone supports are bulky, single-function items which can be inconvenient to store and transport. It is against the above background that the invention has been devised. Statements of Invention The invention resides in a storage case suitable for supporting an article such as a mobile device in a viewing configuration in which the article is presented to a user for viewing. The case comprises a body portion and a lid portion configured to store one or more objects therebetween. The body portion and the lid portion each have a front end defining a respective article-supporting region, and a rear end opposite the front end. The body portion and lid portion are coupled at their respective rear ends by a hinge configured to allow relative rotational movement between the body portion and the lid portion between a closed configuration of the storage case, and an article-supporting configuration of the storage case, in which the front ends of the lid portion and body portion define a first spacing therebetween, such that the article-supporting regions can accommodate an article therebetween in a viewing configuration. The storage case further comprises a first movement stop arranged on the lid portion or the body portion and configured to restrict movement of the article away from the article-supporting region, to hold the article in the viewing configuration. The first movement stop may be arranged on the lid portion to restrict movement of the article away from the article-supporting region of the lid portion. The storage case may further comprise a second movement stop arranged on the body portion, to restrict movement of the article away from the article-supporting region on the body portion. The first movement stop and / or the second movement stop may comprise an abutment surface arranged such that movement of the article away from the article-supporting region causes the article to abut against the abutment surface. The article-supporting region of the lid and / or body portion may be defined by a channel or recess defined in an interior of the respective lid and / or body portion. The channel or recess may be defined between the abutment surface and at least a portion of an end wall of the respective lid and / or body portion. The channel may define a curved base. The abutment surface may extend along a length of the respective lid and / or body portion. The abutment surface may be defined by a projecting element that projects from the lid portion towards the body portion, or from the body portion towards the lid portion. The projecting element may be a wail. The hinge may be further configured to allow relative rotational movement between the body portion and the lid portion between the article-supporting configuration, and a fully open configuration, in which the front ends of the lid portion and body portion define a second spacing therebetween, the second spacing being greater than the first spacing. The hinge may be configured such that when a spacing between the front ends of the lid portion and the body portion is greater than the first spacing, the hinge drives the case towards the article-supporting configuration, to clamp the article between the front ends of the lid portion and the body portion in the viewing configuration. The hinge may comprise an elastic element which drives the case towards the article-supporting configuration. The elastic element may be a spring. The body portion may comprise a base wall which connects the front and rear ends. At least a portion of the base wall may be substantially flat. The body portion may further comprise left and right sides walls which each extend from the rear end of the body portion to the front end of the body portion. A length of the rear end of the body portion may be less than a length of a front end of the body portion, such that at least one of the left or right side walls tapers outwardly from the rear end to the front end. At least a portion of the at least one of the left or right side walls may be substantially flat The storage case may be deeper at the rear ends than the front ends. Brief Description of the Drawings Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a storage case according to an embodiment of the invention, in an article-supporting configuration; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the storage case of Figure 1, in a closed position, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the storage case of Figure 1, in an article-supporting configuration and supporting a mobile device in landscape mode when in use; Figure 4 is a front view of the storage case of Figure 1, in an article-supporting configuration and supporting a mobile device in portrait mode when in use; Figure 5 is a side view of the storage case of Figure 1, in an article-supporting configuration and supporting a mobile device in portrait mode when in use; Figure 6a is a side view of the storage case of Figure 1, in a closed position; Figure 6b is a side view of the storage case of Figure 1, in an article-supporting configuration; Figure 6c is a side view of the storage case of Figure 1, in a fully open configuration; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a storage case according to a further embodiment of the invention; and Figure 8 is a perspective view of a storage case according to a further embodiment of the invention. Description of Embodiments of the Invention Figures 1 to 3 illustrate a storage case 10 which is suitable for supporting an article such as a mobile device 50 (shown in Figure 3) in a viewing configuration in which the article is presented to a user for viewing. Throughout this application, references are made to “viewing configuration” and “article-supporting configuration”. It should be noted that the “article-supporting configuration” is one specific configuration of the storage case 10 which is appropriate for supporting a mobile device in a “viewing configuration”. However, the storage case 10 may be positioned in other ways, which may also be appropriate for supporting a mobile device in a “viewing configuration”, depending on the dimensions of the device to be supported. The storage case 10 comprises a body portion 12 and a lid portion 14 which Is configured to cover the body portion 12. The body portion 12 and iid portion 14 are configured to store one or more objects therebetween (not shown). In this example, the storage case 10 is intended for storage of eyeglasses or sunglasses, and is of suitable dimensions to store such articles; however, any other suitable item may be stored within the storage case 10. As can be seen from Figure 1, the body portion 12 and the lid portion 14 are of a generally “clamshell” structure. They are each concave, such that when the storage case 10 is closed (as is shown in Figure 2), the body portion 12 and the lid portion 14 together define an internal cavity for storing the eyeglasses. The eyeglasses can also rest inside body portion 12 when the storage case 10 is open. The example shown in Figure 1 is largely symmetrical, such that the eyeglasses could instead rest inside the lid portion 14 when the storage case 10 is open, if the storage case 10 were inverted from the position shown in Figure 1. As such, the lid 14 and body portion 12 may be interchangeable depending on the orientation of the case 10. Embodiments are also envisaged in which the body portion 12 and lid portion 14 are not symmetrical: for example the lid portion 14 may be shallower than the body portion 12, or may even be substantially flat. The body portion 12 has a front end 16, and a rear end 18 which is opposite the front end 16. Similarly, the lid portion has a front end 20, and a rear end 22 which is opposite the front end 20. The body portion also has a base 28, a left side wall 30, and a right side wall 32, while the lid portion has a top 34, a left side wall 36, and a right side wall 38. The front end 20 of the lid portion 14 terminates in an end wall 15, which in this embodiment curves downwards and towards the front end 16 of the body portion 12, while the front end 16 of the body portion 12 terminates in an end wall 19, which in this embodiment curves upwards and towards the lid portion 14. Figures 1 and 3 in particular show this curvature. The front ends 16, 20 of the respective body and lid portions 12, 14 each define an articlesupporting region 17, 21. In use, as shown in Figure 3, the article-supporting regions 17, 21 support an article, for example a mobile device 50, therebetween, with the article arranged in a viewing configuration. Where the article is a mobile device, or another device that comprises a screen, in the viewing configuration, the device is arranged so that the screen faces outwardly towards a user, for viewing. The lid portion 14 and body portion 12 are coupled at their respective rear ends 18, 22 by a hinge 24. The hinge 24 is configured to allow relative rotational movement between the body portion 12 and the lid portion 14 at least between a closed configuration and an article-supporting configuration. The hinge, and movement of the lid portion 14 and body portion 12, will be described in further detail below. In Figure 1, the storage case 10 is shown in the article-supporting configuration, where the front end 20 of the lid portion 14 and the front end 16 of the body portion 12 define a first spacing SPi therebetween. Figure 2 shows the storage case 10 in the closed configuration. In the closed configuration the spacing between the front ends is zero. The storage case 10 further comprises a first movement stop 26 that is arranged at a front end 20 of the lid portion 14. The first movement stop 26 is configured to restrict movement of the device 50 away from the article-supporting region 21 when the device is supported in the viewing configuration. In this way, when the storage case 10 is in the article supporting configuration as is shown in Figures 1 and 3, the device 50 may be supported in the viewing configuration between the article-supporting regions 17, 21 and by the first movement stop 26. In this example, the first movement stop 26 has a first abutment surface 40 which is arranged to face forwards, towards the article-supporting region 21 and the end wall 15 of the lid portion 14. in this way, the abutment surface 40 is arranged such that any movement of the device 50 away from the article-supporting region 21 of the lid portion 14 in a rearward direction causes the device 50 to abut against the abutment surface 40, thereby limiting movement. The abutment surface 40 is defined by a surface of a first projecting element 41 that projects from an inner surface of the lid portion 14 towards the body portion 12. In this instance the first projecting element 41 is a wall, though other configurations are possible. In this example, the wall 41, and hence the first abutment surface 40, extends downwards and away from the inner surface of the lid portion 14 until it is flush with the left and right sides 36, 38 of the lid portion 14. The wall 41, and hence the first abutment surface 40 also extends along the full length of the front end 20 of the lid portion 14, and is continuous between the left and right sides 36, 38 of the lid portion 14. In other examples, it is possible for the first projecting element, and hence the first abutment surface, to only extend partially down the left and right sides 36, 38 of the lid portion 14, such that the first abutment surface creates a smaller ‘lip’ than what is shown in Figure 1. It is also possible for the first projecting element, and hence the first abutment surface, to extend along only part of the length of the front end 20 of the lid portion 14, and / or to be discontinuous along this length. In the example shown, the article-supporting region 21 of the lid portion 14 is defined by a channel or a recess, in this instance an upper internal channel 42, which is defined in an interior of the lid portion 14. The upper internal channel 42 is defined between the first abutment surface 40 and the end wall 15 of the lid portion 14. In this example, the upper internal channel 42 defines a curved base surface 43. The channel 42, or at least the base surface 43 of the channel 42, may also be lined with a cushioning material, such as a foam, or another suitable soft or compressible material. The channel 42, and hence the article-supporting region 21, preferably has dimensions that are particuiady suitable for supporting a mobile device 50. For example, a width of the article-supporting region 21, defined by a spacing between the end wall 15 and the abutment surface 40, may be slightly greater than the width of most standard mobile devices. A particularly suitable width is, for example, between 10 mm and 20 mm, and is preferably between approximately 12 mm and approximately 18 mm. In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lid portion 14 and body portion 12 are largely symmetrical. A second movement stop 44 is therefore also provided on the body portion 12, which has a substantially identical structure to the first movement stop 40. In particular, the second movement stop 44 has a second abutment surface 46 which is defined by a second projecting element 47, and in this instance the second projecting element 47 is a wall that projects from an interior surface of the body portion 12 towards the lid portion 14. The second projecting element 47, and hence the second abutment surface 46, extends upwards and away from the base 28 of the body portion 12 until it is flush with the left and right sides 30, 32 of the body portion 12, though similarly to the first abutment surface 40, in other examples, it is possible for the second projecting element 47, and hence the second abutment surface 46 to only extend partially up the left and right sides 30, 32 of the body portion 12 such that the second abutment surface 46 creates a smaller ‘lip’ than what is shown in Figure 1. The second projecting element 47, and hence the second abutment surface 46 also extends continuously along the length of the front end 16 of the body portion 12, and is continuous between the left and right sides 30, 32 of the body portion 12. However, similarly to the first abutment surface 40, it is also possible for the second projecting element 47, and hence the second abutment surface 46 to extend along only part of the length of the front end 16 of the body portion 12, and / or to be discontinuous along this length. Also in the same manner as the lid portion 14, the article-supporting region 17 of the body portion 12 is defined by a channel or a recess, in this instance a lower internal channel 48, which is defined in an interior of the body portion 12. The tower internal channel 48 is defined between the second abutment surface 46 and at toast a portion of the end wall 19 of the body portion 12, and the lower internal channel 48 defines a curved base surface 49. The channel 48, or at least the base surface 49 of the channel 48, may be lined with a cushioning material as described above. Figures 3 and 4 each show the storage case 10 supporting a mobile device 50 in a viewing configuration, with the case arranged in different viewing orientations. In Figure 3, the storage case 10 is oriented in a “landscape” orientation such that the mobile device 50 is shown in a “landscape mode” viewing orientation, whereas in Figure 4, the storage case 10 is oriented in a “portrait” orientation such that the device 50 is shown in a “portrait mode” viewing orientation. The externa! shape of the storage case 10 enables the case 10 to rest open on a flat surface such as a table in either the landscape or portrait orientation. The case 10 shown in Figures 3 and 4 is intended to be reversible i.e., having either the body portion 12 or the lid portion 14 able to rest stably on a table, and so the following description for the base 28 of the body portion 12 also applies to the top 34 of the lid portion 14. Likewise, the following description for the left sides 30, 36 of the body and lid portions 12, 14 also applies to the right sides 32, 38. Referring in particular to Figures 5 and Figures 6a to 6c, at least a portion of the base 28 of the body portion 12 of this example is substantially flat to allow the case 10 to rest stably open in the “landscape” position, as shown in Figure 3. In some embodiments the entire base 28 of the body portion 12 may be fiat, but this need not be the case, in alternative embodiments, if the case 10 is not intended to be reversible, then the top 34 of the lid portion 14 may be curved or otherwise shaped or decorated. The end walls 15, 19 of the lid and body portions 14, 12 at the front end of the storage case 10 are substantially the same length, and are preferably slightly longer than the length of most standard mobile devices. For example, the end walls 15,19 may measure between approximately 150 mm and approximately 200 mm, preferably between approximately 160 mm and approximately 175 mm, such that the article-supporting regions 17, 21 can an accommodate a mobile device of corresponding length. The rear ends 18, 22 of the body and lid portions 12, 14 are substantially the same length as each other. Figure 5 shows that the front ends 16, 20 are slightly longer than the rear ends 18, 22, such that the case 10 tapers slightly from its front to its rear. This tapering of the case 10, combined with the left side 30 of the body portion 12 and the left side 36 of the lid portion 14 each being substantially flat, allows the case 10 to rest stably open in the “portrait” position, as shown in Figure 4, with the mobile device 50 at a slight backwards inclination to optimise the viewing angie. The storage case 10 in this example is shown as being deeper at the rear ends 18, 22 of the lid and body portions 10, 12 than the front ends 16, 20 of the lid and body portions 10, 12. In this sense, the ‘depth’ is defined as the distance between the uppermost surface of the lid portion 10 and the lowermost surface of the body portion 12. In this example, the depth tapers continuously and substantially linearly between the rear ends 18, 22 and the front ends 16,20, though other configurations are possible. This distribution of height along the width of the storage case 10 acts to provide stability for the case 10 when it is supporting a device 50 and the case 10 is oriented in a "portrait” orientation. Additionally, this distribution of height also helps to accommodate the shape of most eyeglasses. Alternative cases 10 may instead have substantially the same height at both the rear end 18, 22 and the front ends 16, 20. Other variations in height of the storage case 10 are possible. Turning to the hinge 24, as noted above the hinge 24 is configured to allow relative rotational movement between the body portion 12 and the lid portion 14 between the closed configuration, shown in Figures 2 and 6a and the article-supporting configuration shown in Figures 1 and 6b. As also noted above, a first spacing SPi is defined between the front ends 16, 20 of the body portion 12 and the lid portion 14 when the case 10 is in the article-supporting configuration. The spacing SPi may be approximately the width of most standard mobile devices, for example between approximately 60 mm and approximately 90mm, preferably between approximately 70 mm and approximately 85 mm. The hinge 24 is also configured to allow further relative rotational movement between the body portion 12 and the lid portion 14 between the article-supporting configuration and a fully open configuration, shown in Figure 6c. In the fully open configuration, the front end 20 of the fid portion 14 and the front end 16 of the body portion 12 define a second spacing SP2 therebetween. As can be seen from the Figures, the second spacing SP2 is greater than the first spacing SPi. The hinge 24 may be configured to drive the storage case 10 from the fully open configuration towards the article-supporting configuration. This means that when the storage case 10 is opened such that there is a spacing greater than SPi between the front ends 16, 20 of the body and lid portions 12, 14, the front ends 16, 20 will be urged towards each other. The hinge 24 may also be configured to drive the case 10 towards the article-supporting configuration when the case 10 is being opened, and likewise drive the case 10 towards the closed configuration when the case 10 is being closed, in a “snap-open” and “snap-closed” manner. To drive the hinge 24 in the manner described, the hinge 24 may comprise one or more elastic elements (not shown), such as springs, that drive the case towards particular configurations. This elastic element may, for example, be a spring. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the storage case 10 in use when supporting a mobile device 50. To insert a mobile device 50 into the case 10 for viewing, a user first opens the case 10 to the article-supporting configuration of Figure 1, with a spacing SPi between the front ends 20, 16 of the lid portion 14 and the body portion 12. In this configuration, the user may also access the contents of the storage case 10. If the width of the mobile device 50 is the same as, or similar to, the spacing SPi, the user may immediately insert the mobile device 50 into the case 10 with the longitudinal edges of the device 50 supported by the article-supporting regions 17, 21. The movement stops 26, 44 restrict movement of the device 50 away from the article-supporting regions 17, 21, so that the device 50 is retained in a viewing configuration, and does not slip backwards into the case 10. If the width of the mobile device 50 is larger than the spacing SPi, the user urges the case 10 further open by a small extent, towards the fully open configuration, so that the spacing between the front ends 20, 16 of the lid portion 14 and the body portion 12 is greater than the spacing SPi, and greater than a width of the mobile device 50. In this configuration, the mobile device 50 can be inserted into the case 10 with its longitudinal edges supported by the article-supporting regions 17, 21. The user then releases the case 10, upon which the front ends 20, 16 of the lid portion 14 and the body portion 12 are urged towards each other, thereby clamping down on the mobile device 50. The movement stops 26, 44 restrict movement of the device 50 away from the article-supporting regions 17, 21, in the manner already described, so that the device 50 is retained in a viewing configuration, and does not slip backwards into the case 10. In this situation, when the device 50 is supported in the storage case 10 in the viewing configuration, the spacing between the lid portion 14 and the body portion 12 may be greater than the spacing SPi, and the case 10 may be in a configuration that is between the article-supporting configuration and the fully open configuration. It will be appreciated that any configuration between the article-supporting configuration and the fully open configuration may therefore be appropriate for supporting a device, depending on the dimensions of the device. In some situations, the width of the mobile device may be less than the spacing SPi. In these circumstances, the user can arrange the mobile device between front ends 16, 20 of the lid portion 14 and body portion 12 when the case 10 is in the viewing configuration, and can move the front ends 16, 20 towards each other until they meet the mobile device, thereby clamping the mobile device between the article-supporting regions 17, 21. Thus, any configuration between the closed configuration and the article-supporting configuration may also be appropriate for supporting a device, depending on the dimensions of the device. When the mobile device 50 is supported in the viewing configuration by the case 10, if there are buttons (not shown) located on the sides of the mobile device 50 then it is desirable to prevent the possibility for these buttons to be pressed by the lid portion 14 and / or body portion 12 due to the weight of the case 10 and / or a force driving the case 10 towards the closed position. The curved base 43, 49 of the channels 42, 48 means that the surface of the channel 42, 48 curves away from any such buttons. In this way, the edges of the sides of the mobile device 50 rest against the inner surfaces of the upper and lower internal channels 42, 48, with a clearance provided between the buttons and the inner surfaces of the upper and lower internal channels 42, 48. If any cushioning material is present as described above, then the cushioning material may also provide a cushioning effect and prevent the buttons from being pressed by the case 10. With the mobile device 50 in place in the viewing configuration, the user may rest the storage case 10 on a surface such as a desk or table for hands-free viewing. If the user wishes to view the device 50 in landscape orientation, the user may rest the case 10 on its flat base 28. If the user wishes to view the device 50 in portrait orientation, the user may rest the case 10 on its flat side, either the left sides 30, 36 or the right sides 32, 38 of the body and lid portions 12, 14, where the inclination of the side 30, 36, 32, 38 will cause the device 50 to be presented at a slight inclination, to aid viewing. It will be appreciated that the storage case 10 may be moved between the portrait and landscape orientations either before or after insertion of the device 50. The storage case 10 may be made from any suitable material including, for example, a plastic material, a metal such as aluminium, or a natural material such as wood, etc. The external surfaces of the storage case 10 may be covered by fabric, leather, plastic, or other material to hide the hinge 24 and provide decoration for the case 10. it is also possible for the hinge 24 to be located in a small, raised ridge (not shown) formed at the back of the storage case 10. The front ends 16, 20, of the body and lid portions 12, 14 may also each have a grip (not shown), such as a ridged portion of the case 10 or similar, to provide somewhere for the user to grip the front of the case 10 when opening it. Other variations of the storage cases described above are possible without deviating from the inventive concept. For example, Figure 7 shows another embodiment of the storage case 110 wherein the first movement stop 126 has a first abutment surface 140 which extends only partially along the length of the front end 120 of the lid portion 114, and between the left and right sides 136,138 of the lid portion 114, to define a “tab-like” structure. While this embodiment only shows the “tab-like” first abutment surface 140, it is possible for other embodiments to also have a similar “tab-like” second abutment surface located on the body portion 112. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 6, the lid portion 14 and the body portion 12 both have movement stops 26, 44 which have abutment surfaces 40,46. However, it is possible for a storage case to only have a first movement stop on the lid portion. Alternatively, it is possible for a storage case to only have a first movement stop on the body portion. In any of the embodiments described, the movement stop may take other suitable forms: for example a post, a series of projections, or a linear divot made in the body of the case, which the side of a mobile device may be inserted into to provide stability for the mobile device when in a viewing configuration. A further alternative movement stop is a material provided on an inner surface of the lid portion and / or the body portion and inside of the storage case at least in the article-supporting region, the material having a high level of friction when interacting with the mobile device. This high-friction material helps to prevent the mobile device from slipping out of the viewing configuration when it is between the front ends of the lid and body portions. Suitable materials for this friction material includes, for example, rubber. An alternative storage case may also be provided with such a friction material on the inside of the front end of the base portion, or on the inside of the front ends of both the base and lid portions. The skilled person will appreciate that such a friction material may be provided as well as movement stops. The embodiments of the storage case shown in the Figures have rounded corners, however the storage cases may instead have more angular corners without impacting the functions of the case which have been described in this application. Other aspects of the shape may be altered, particularly to accommodate and store articles of different shapes and sizes. The storage case may also be provided with a fabric liner and / or with an additional insert which offers protection for eyeglasses. Figure 8, for example, shows the body portion 220 of a storage case 210 that has an additional curved insert which broadly mimics the footprint of a pair of folded eyegiasses to prevent the eyeglasses from too much movement when they are stored in the case 210, which can help to protect the eyeglasses from damage. This insert may be formed integrally with the body portion 220 of the storage case 210, or it may be a separate component which can be inserted and removed by the user if larger objects are to be stored in the case 210. While the embodiments of the storage case shown in the Figures are all broadly directed to storing smaller articles such as eyeglasses, and supporting articles such as mobile devices, other dimensions of the storage case are envisaged which allow items of other sizes to be stored, such as pens, workbooks, paperwork, etc, and which allow articles of other sizes to be supported in a viewing configuration, such as books, e-readers, tablets, etc. A storage case may even be sized to be able to both store and support the same article, such as a mobile device. Other modifications and variations will be apparent to the skilled person without deviating from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A storage case suitable for supporting an article such as a mobile device in a viewing configuration in which the article is presented to a user for viewing, the case comprising:a body portion and a lid portion configured to store one or more objects therebetween;the body portion and the lid portion each having a front end defining a respective article-supporting region, and a rear end opposite the front end;the body portion and lid portion being coupled at their respective rear ends by a hinge configured to allow relative rotational movement between the body portion and the lid portion between:a closed configuration of the storage case; andan article-supporting configuration of the storage case, in which the front ends of the lid portion and body portion define a first spacing therebetween, such that the article-supporting regions can accommodate an article therebetween in a viewing configuration;wherein the storage case further comprises a first movement stop arranged on the lid portion or the body portion and configured to restrict movement of the article away from the article-supporting region, to hold the article in the viewing configuration.

2. The storage case of Claim 1, wherein the first movement stop is arranged on the lid portion to restrict movement of the article away from the article-supporting region of the lid portion, and wherein the storage case further comprises a second movement stop arranged on the body portion, to restrict movement of the article away from the article-supporting region on the body portion.

3. The storage case of any preceding claim, wherein the first movement stop and / or the second movement stop comprises an abutment surface arranged such that movement of the article away from the article-supporting region causes the article to abut against the abutment surface.

4. The storage case of any preceding claim, wherein the article-supporting region of the lid and / or body portion is defined by a channel or recess defined in an interior of the respective lid and / or body portion.

5. The storage case of Claim 4 when dependent on Claim 3, wherein the channel or recess is defined between the abutment surface and at least a portion of an end wail of the respective lid and / or body portion.

6. The storage case of Claim 3 or any claim dependent thereon, wherein the abutment surface extends along a length of the respective lid and / or body portion.

7. The storage case of Claim 3 or any claim dependent thereon, wherein the abutment surface is defined by a projecting element that projects from the lid portion towards the body portion, or from the body portion towards the lid portion.

8. The storage case of Claim 7, wherein the projecting element is a wall.

9. The storage case of Claim 4 or any claim dependent thereon, wherein the channel defines a curved base.

10. The storage case of any preceding claim, wherein the hinge is further configured to allow relative rotational movement between the body portion and the lid portion between:the article-supporting configuration; anda fully open configuration in which the front ends of the lid portion and body portion define a second spacing therebetween, the second spacing being greater than the first spacing.

11. The storage case of Claim 10, wherein the hinge is configured such that when a spacing between the front ends of the lid portion and the body portion is greater than the first spacing, the hinge drives the case towards the article-supporting configuration, to clamp the article between the front ends of the lid portion and the body portion in the viewing configuration.

12. The storage case of Claim 11, wherein the hinge comprises an elastic element which drives the case towards the article-supporting configuration.

13. The storage case of Claim 12, wherein the elastic element is a spring.

14. The storage case of any preceding claim, wherein the body portion comprises a base wall which connects the front and rear ends, and wherein at least a portion of the base wall is substantially flat.5 15. The storage case of any preceding claim, wherein the body portion furthercomprises left and right sides walls which each extend from the rear end of the body portion to the front end of the body portion, and wherein a length of the rear end of the body portion is less than a length of a front end of the body portion, such that at least one of the left or right side walls tapers outwardly from the rear end to 10 the front end.

16. The storage case of Claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the at least one of the left or right side walls is substantially flat.15 17. The storage case of any preceding claim, wherein the storage case is deeper atthe rear ends than the front ends.17

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