R.W."Charlie" Chadwick is the inventor of the folding double bass (US patent 7696419 - filed in 2007). The folding bass was designed to help the transportation of double basses: standard hard shell cases will not fit in some cars and are certainly not allowed as carry-on airline luggage. Chadwick's clever design has a folding neck and removable fingerboard. A door in the back of the instrument opens to stow the folded neck and fingerboard away safely and neatly during transportation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK_F6LhrqDI