Abstract:
A disk storage unit (U) that houses a plurality of sheet-like protective sleeves ( 11 ), each for storing a disk ( 10 ) therein, enables storage of a great number of recording media disks, such as CD&#39;s, in a limited space. An edge ( 11   b ) of each of the plurality of protective sleeves ( 11 ) is removably attached to a case ( 1 ), by means of an adhesive, which can be peeled off, for example.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a disk storage unit, and particularly to a disk storage unit for storing recording media disks, such as CD&#39;s and DVD&#39;s.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     A conventional CD storage case which is commonly in use (hereinafter, referred to as “standard case”) comprises: a case main body, of which the entirety of one side is an open surface, for storing a disk; and a lid, which is linked to the case main body by a hinge so as to open and close the open surface. A circular disk clamper, for elastically engaging a central aperture of the disk to detachably hold the disk, is provided at the central portion of the inner surface of the case main body.  
         [0005]     However, the standard case is capable of holding only a single disk therein. Therefore, a problem is arising in that as the number of disks increases, storage space is difficult to secure.  
         [0006]     In response to this problem, pluralities of disks are stored in sheet-like protective sleeves made of nonwoven cloth, paper, plastic and the like, which are then stored within a single case. Thereby, space is saved and the cost of the case is reduced. However, if the number of disks further increases, the presence of the case becomes a barrier to space efficiency.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention has been developed in view of the above circumstances. It is an object of the present invention to provide a disk storage unit, which is capable of storing a great number of disks within a limited space.  
         [0008]     The disk storage unit of the present invention comprises: 
        a case; and     a plurality of sheet-like protective sleeves, each for storing a disk therein; characterized by:     each of the protective sleeves being removably attached to the case at one of the edges thereof.        
 
         [0012]     The manner in which the protective sleeves are removably attached to the case may be by: adhesive, which is capable of being peeled off; tearable perforations provided in the protective sleeves; or in a manner such that the protective sleeves can be cut away with scissors.  
         [0013]     An opening may be provided from the edge of each protective sleeve to the central portion of a disk stored therein. In this case, it is preferable that the opening extends diagonally from the corner of the protective sleeve.  
         [0014]     According to the disk storage unit of the present invention, the plurality of protective sleeves are stored within the case in a removable manner. Therefore, in the case that the number of disks increases, the disks can be removed from the case along with the protective sleeves and organized in a filing implement. Thereby, storage of a great number of disks in a limited space is enabled, as well as organization and filing of the disks according to users&#39; tastes.  
         [0015]     An opening may be provided from the edge of each protective sleeve to the central portion of a disk stored therein. In this case, removal of the disks from the protective sleeves is facilitated. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disk storage unit of the present invention, in a closed state.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of a protective sleeve, which is stored within a case illustrated in  FIG. 1 , holding a disk therein.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a plan view that illustrates the state in which the disk is removed from the protective sleeve of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the disk storage unit of  FIG. 1 , in an open state.  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view that illustrates a state in which the protective sleeve is removed from the case in the state illustrated in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view that illustrates a state in which the protective sleeve is filed within a binder.  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  is a plan view that illustrates an alternate embodiment of the protective sleeve.  
         [0023]      FIG. 8  is a plan view that illustrates another alternate embodiment of the protective sleeve.  
         [0024]      FIG. 9  is a plan view that illustrates an alternate embodiment of the protective sleeve of  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0025]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disk storage unit of the present invention, in a closed state.  FIG. 2  is a plan view of a protective sleeve, which is stored within a case illustrated in  FIG. 1 , holding a disk therein.  FIG. 3  is a plan view that illustrates the state in which the disk is removed from the protective sleeve of  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the disk storage unit of  FIG. 1 , in an open state.  
         [0026]     As illustrated in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , the disk storage unit U comprises a case  1 , constituted by: a substantially square case main body  2 ; and a lid  4 , which is linked to an edge of the case main body  2  via a spine portion  3  so as to be openable and closable. The inner surface of the spine portion  3  forms a protective sleeve attaching portion  5  (refer to  FIG. 4 ). The two substantially parallel edges of the spine portion  3  constitute hinges of the case main body  2  and the lid  4 . A plurality of sheet-like protective sleeves  11 , such as that illustrated in  FIG. 2 , each storing a disk  10  therein, are housed within the case  1 .  
         [0027]     The protective sleeves  11  storing the disks  10  therein are formed as substantially square sheets of nonwoven cloth. Each protective sleeve  11  comprises: an upper edge  11   a , a side edge  11   b , in which apertures  15 ,  15  to be described later are provided, a side edge lic opposite the side edge  11   b , and a lower edge.  
         [0028]     A linear cut  12   a  that extends toward the center of the protective sleeve  11  from the vicinity of the upper edge  11   a  and the side edge  11   b  is formed in the front side of the protective sleeve  11 . A cut  12   b  that extends from the tip of the cut  12   a  to the side edge  11   c  in a line substantially parallel to the upper edge  11   a  is formed continuously with the cut  12   a . Further, the upper portion of the side edge  11   c  is cut open. An upwardly opening trap door lid  13  that exposes the upper portion of the disk  10  is formed by the cuts  12   a ,  12   b , and the cut open upper portion of the side edge  11   c . The trap door lid  13  is opened by bending along a bend line L, which is parallel to the upper edge  11   a . A narrow band-like region  14  is formed between the upper edge  11   a  of the protective sleeve  11  and the bend line L. The band-like region  14  slightly overlaps the upper end of the disk  10 .  
         [0029]     When removing the disk  10  from the protective sleeve  11 , first, the trap door lid  13  is opened as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Next, the lid  13  is pulled upward and backward toward the rear side of the protective sleeve  11 , to move the region  14  from the front side of the disk  10  to the rear side thereof, thereby exposing the upper end of the disk  10 . Then, the upper end of the disk  10  is gripped with fingers and pulled diagonally upward toward the right, in the direction of arrow A of  FIG. 3 . That is, the disk  10  is pulled toward the corner between the upper edge  11   a  and the side edge  11   c , to remove the disk  10  from the protective sleeve  11 .  
         [0030]     Two apertures  15 ,  15  (punched apertures) are formed in the vicinity of the side edge  11   b , with a predetermined interval therebetween. The apertures  15 ,  15  enable the protective sleeve  11  to be filed in a binding filing implement (binder). The side edge  11   b  is attached to the protective sleeve attaching portion  5  at the inner surface of the spine portion  3  via an adhesive, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0031]     Accordingly, the protective sleeve  11  can be removed from the case  1 , by pulling the protective sleeve  11  in the direction indicated by arrow B of  FIG. 5 , to peel the side edge  11   b  off of the protective sleeve attaching portion  5 .  
         [0032]     The protective sleeve  11 , which has been removed from the case  1  and which stores a disk  10  therein, can be filed into a commercially available binder  20 , by feeding rings  21 ,  21  through the apertures  15 ,  15 , as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . In this case, commercially available labels  22  may be employed to attach tags  23  on to the protective sleeves  11 .  
         [0033]     In this manner, according to the present embodiment, a plurality of protective sleeves  11  are housed within the case  1  in a removable manner. In addition, the protective sleeves  11  are provided with the apertures  15 , which enable filing within the binder  20 . Therefore, in the case that the number of disks  10  increases, the disks  10  can be removed from the case  1  along with the protective sleeves  11 , and filed in the binder  20 . Thereby, storage of a great number of disks  10  within a limited space is enabled. Another advantageous effect, in that classification and filing according to users&#39; tastes is enabled, is also obtained.  
         [0034]     Note that in the embodiment described above, the side edge  11   b  of the protective sleeve  11  is removably attached to the case  1  with an adhesive. Alternatively, the side edge  11   b  of a protective sleeve  11 ′ may be permanently attached to the case  1 , while providing perforations  16  parallel to the side edge  11   b  in the vicinity thereof, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The case  1  and the protective sleeve  11 ′ may be separated by tearing along the perforations  16  as necessary. As a further alternative, the perforations  16  need not be provided, and the portion in the vicinity of the side edge  11   b  may be cut with scissors or the like.  
         [0035]     In addition, in the embodiment described above, the apertures  15 ,  15  are provided to enable filing of the protective sleeves  11  in the binder  20 . However, the apertures  15 ,  15  need not be provided, and the protective sleeves  11  may be bound in a filing implement by being sandwiched therein or the like.  
         [0036]      FIG. 8  is a plan view that illustrates an alternate embodiment of the protective sleeve. The front side of a protective sleeve  11 ″ is provided with an opening  17  that extends from the corner between the side edge  11   c  and the upper edge  11   a  toward the central portion of the disk  10 . The side edge  11   c  is opposite the side edge  11   b  which is removably attached to the case  1 . A central aperture  10   a  of the disk  10  is exposed through the opening  17 . In addition, the upper edge  11   a  and the side edge  11   c  are cut open from the edges of the opening  17  through the ranges denoted by  18   a  and  18   c , respectively. This construction enables a finger to be inserted into the central aperture  10   a  of the disk  10 , to draw the disk  10  out diagonally upward in the direction indicated by arrow C.  
         [0037]     Note that in this case, a bag portion  19  having a region  19  that slightly overlaps an edge of the disk  10  may be provided at the corner between the side edge  11   c  and the upper edge  11   a , as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . Thereby, inadvertent removal of the disk  10  from the protective sleeve  11 ″ can be prevented. In this case also, the bag portion  19  can be pulled upward and backward toward the rear side of the protective sleeve  11 ″, to move the region  19  from the front side of the disk  10  to the rear side thereof, thereby exposing the upper right end of the disk  10 . Then, the disk can be drawn out in the upper right direction indicated by arrow C.