Patent ID: 6454091
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A storage case for protectively containing a disc therein, wherein the disc includes a central opening, an outer periphery and upper and lower surfaces, the storage case comprising:a top cover including a top panel; a bottom cover including a base panel with an inner face; hinge means for allowing hinged movement of said top and bottom covers relative to one another between an open position and a closed position to enclose an interior storage area of the case; disc holder means on said base panel for releasably holding the disc within the interior storage area, said disc holder means comprising: a pair of finger actuated tabs extending upwardly from said inner face of said base panel in diametrically opposing relation to one another and said tabs being structured to receive a radially inward directed force applied by the thumb and one other finger of the same hand of a user, wherein the thumb engages a first one of said pair of tabs and the other finger engages a second one of said pair of tabs; disc retainer means positioned and disposed between said tabs for releasably holding the disc and including a plurality of flexible fingers extending upwardly from said inner face of said base panel and terminating at barbed distal ends, said barbed distal ends each having a retaining lip for engaging the upper surface of the disc proximate the central opening when said plurality of fingers are in a relaxed position, and said plurality of fingers being structured and disposed to flex radially inward from said relaxed position to a compressed position to remove said retaining lip from the disc and to permit passage of said barbed distal ends through the central opening of the disc; arm members extending between each of said tabs and said plurality of fingers for transmitting the radially inward directed force to said plurality of fingers to urge said plurality of fingers to said compressed position; and means for urging the disc upward relative to said base panel upon applying said radially inward directed force to said pair of tabs so that said barbed distal ends of said plurality of fingers pass through the central opening and the periphery of the disc moves into grasped engagement between the thumb and the other finger of the user, thereby releasing the disc from said disc holder means and into the grasp of the user.