Abstract:
A protective enclosure for a cartridge for holding a data storage medium (such as an optical disk) includes a mating cover and base connected to one another with a live hinge having an axis of rotation. The cover contains a lip which surrounds all or part of an enclosure space within the enclosure. The lip mates with a recess in the base to keep dust and debris out of the protective enclosure. Clasps which extend from the cover and base, respectively, mate with each other to maintain the enclosure closed. A number of protrusions extend into the enclosure space and make contact with a data storage cartridge, thereby holding the cartridge in a defined position within the enclosure.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to protective enclosures for data storage cartridge such as a cartridge for holding an optical data storage disk.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    Cartridges for holding optical disks and other data storage media (sometimes referred to herein as “data storage cartridges”) may be susceptible to damage or loss when stored or transported. An example of a data storage cartridge is described in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/548,128, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. To protect against such damage or loss, the cartridge may be kept in a case when not in use. However, such cases do not always provide adequate protection for the cartridge and the data storage medium inside, and may be awkward or difficult to transport.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0003]    A protective enclosure for a data storage cartridge provides a secure container for the cartridge and protects the cartridge and the data storage media from damage.  
           [0004]    In one aspect of the invention, a protective enclosure for the cartridge includes a mating cover and base connected by a live hinge. The cover and/or base have a domelike shape, providing resistance to deformation under load to protect the storage medium within.  
           [0005]    In another aspect of the invention, one clasp extends from the cover of the enclosure and one clasp extends from the base of the enclosure. One clasp includes a lip, and the other clasp includes an interlocking feature that engages the lip when the enclosure is closed. The clasps may be disengaged from one another with a one-handed motion to provide for easy access to the storage medium within the enclosure.  
           [0006]    In another aspect of the invention, at least one of the clasps has a passage therethrough. A lanyard, keychain, rod, or other strand of material may be threaded through the passage. In this way, the enclosure may be easily carried by a user. Further, two or more cases may easily be strung together for convenience in transporting them.  
           [0007]    In another aspect of the invention, an offset lip extends around at least a portion of the cover of the enclosure, and a corresponding recess is formed in the base. If desired, the offset lip may be provided on the base, and the recess may be provided on the cover. The offset lip and corresponding recess provide for registration of the cover to the base, and provide a seal against external dust and debris.  
           [0008]    In another aspect of the invention, a feature for machine registrability is provided on at least one side of the enclosure. Such a feature may be a flat facet having a protruding lip. Different features may be provided on different sides of the enclosure. The orientation of the enclosure thus can be determined by a machine, and the enclosure can be position-registered and manipulated to specific positions and orientations as desired.  
           [0009]    In another aspect of the invention, the enclosure space is shaped to allow the cartridge to be placed therein in more than one orientation.  
           [0010]    In another aspect of the invention, at least one protrusion extends into the enclosure space that contacts the cartridge within to provide a friction fit. In this way, the cartridge is held in place even when the enclosure is open, in order to prevent the cartridge from falling out of the enclosure and being damaged or lost. Further, if the cartridge is loaded into the enclosure in an automatic handling environment, the cartridge can be pressed into the enclosure space and into affirmative engagement with the at least one protrusion by a robot or other device. The cartridge is thus protected in a secure and consistent manner.  
           [0011]    The invention will be more fully understood upon consideration of the detailed description below, taken together with the accompanying drawings.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the enclosure in a partially-open position and a data storage cartridge within the enclosure.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the enclosure in a fully open position and a data storage cartridge within the enclosure.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the enclosure in a closed position.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the empty enclosure in a fully-open position.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the enclosure in a fully-open position, showing the outer surfaces of the enclosure.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a data storage cartridge and the enclosure in a partially-open position. 
     
    
       [0018]    Use of the same reference symbols in different figures indicates similar or identical items.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 6 , a protective enclosure  2  is shown. The protective enclosure  2  receives and protects a cartridge  100  for holding a data storage media such as an optical disk (sometimes referred to herein as a “data storage cartridge”). The protective enclosure  2  can be manufactured from polypropylene. Polypropylene provides a degree of flexibility for the protective enclosure  2  to enhance its durability. Further, polypropylene is an inert material, thereby providing protection against contamination of the storage medium  100  from outgassing of the protective enclosure  2 . Additionally, polypropylene is durable and provides a relatively long life expectancy for the protective enclosure  2 . Alternatively, another substantially inert and flexible material may be used to construct the protective enclosure  2 . The storage medium  100  may be a removable optical disk cartridge. Alternatively, the storage medium  100  may be any structure or mechanism useful for storing data or other information, such as a removable hard disk, a video game cartridge, flash memory, or any other form of memory storage device.  
         [0020]    The protective enclosure  2  includes a cover  4  connected to a base  6  by a live hinge  8 . A live hinge is a flexible portion of a unitary structure that acts as a hinge, as is known to those skilled in the art. The live hinge  8  has an axis of rotation  28  about which the cover  4  and/or the base  6  rotate relative to one another when the protective enclosure  2  is opened or closed. The cover  4  has a dome-shaped upper surface  5 . That is, the upper surface  5  of the cover  4  bows outward towards its center. When the protective enclosure  2  is closed, and force is exerted on the upper surface  5  of the cover  4 , the upper surface  5  flexes, then stiffens as the upper surface  5  is deflected into a flattened shape. In this way, the cover  4  provides additional resistance to deformation under load, protecting the storage medium  100  within. The base  6  has a substantially flat lower surface  7 . Alternatively, the lower surface  7  of the base  6  also has a dome-like shape as described above with regard to the upper surface  5 . Alternatively, the upper surface  5  is substantially flat and the lower surface  7  has a dome-like configuration.  
         [0021]    A first clasp  10  extends outward from the front portion of the cover  4 . Correspondingly, a second clasp  12  extends from the front portion of the base  6 . Alternatively, the first clasp  10  and the second clasp  12  extend from a different portion of the cover  4  and the base  6 , respectively. A lip  16  is connected to the first clasp  10  and a corresponding interlocking feature  26  is provided in the second clasp  12 . Alternately, the lip  16  extends from the second clasp  12  and the interlocking feature  26  is provided in the first clasp  10 . The interlocking feature  26  is a recessed area sized and shaped to engage the lip  16  when the protective enclosure  2  is in the closed position, thereby holding the protective enclosure  2  closed. The lip  16  is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation  28  of the live hinge  8 . Correspondingly, the interlocking feature  26  is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation  28  as well. The lip  16  and the interlocking feature  26  may be oriented in another direction, if desired. When the protective enclosure  2  is in the closed position, the lip  16  engages the interlocking feature  26 . This engagement provides for positive closure of the protective enclosure  2 . Force must be exerted upon the first clasp  10  and second clasp  12  to overcome resistance provided by the interface between the lip  16  and the corresponding interlocking feature  26 , either to open the protective enclosure  2  or to close it completely. The clasps  10 ,  12  may be sized and shaped to facilitate the opening of the protective enclosure  2  with one hand.  
         [0022]    A passage  14  is provided through the second clasp  12 . Alternatively, the passage  14  is provided through the first clasp  10 , or a separate passage  14  is provided through each clasp  12 ,  14 . The passage  14  passes completely through the second clasp  12  in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation  28  of the live hinge  8 . The passage  14  may be oriented in a different direction, if desired. A lanyard, keychain, rod, or other structure or mechanism (not shown) can pass through the passage  14 . The protective enclosure  2  may be connected to another structure or mechanism, and/or to one or more other protective enclosures  2 , via such a lanyard, keychain, rod or other structure or mechanism passing through the passage  14  in the second clasp  12 . By connecting the protective enclosure  2  to another structure or mechanism, its storage and transport may be facilitated. For example, if the protective enclosure  2  is relatively small, it can be better tracked and retained by connecting it to a number of other protective enclosures  2  via a lanyard or other item that passes through a number of different passages  14  on different protective enclosures  2 . As another example, the protective enclosure  2  may be connected to a key chain or key ring that passes through the passage  14 . In this way, a particular storage medium  100  that is frequently used by an individual may be stored in that protective enclosure  2  and kept close at hand.  
         [0023]    A registration feature may be provided on the base  6  of the protective enclosure  2 . In one embodiment, the registration feature is a flat facet  22  on one side of the base  6 . By providing the flat facet  22  on a single side of the base  6 , the protective enclosure  2  may be oriented, or the orientation of the protective enclosure  2  may be detected, by a machine that senses the flat facet  22 . Thus, the protective enclosure  2  may be oriented, position-registered, and manipulated accurately by automatic handling equipment. The flat facet  22  may be provided on one or more additional sides of the base  6 , if desired.  
         [0024]    A lip  23  also extends outward from the cover  4 , as another registration feature. When the protective enclosure  2  is in a closed position, the lip  23  substantially corresponds to the position of the flat facet  22 , such that the lip  23  extends outward from and above the flat facet  22  to assist in orienting and registering the protective enclosure  2 . Alternatively, the lip  23  may be located in another region of the cover  4 , or one or more additional lips  23  may be provided on the cover  4 . In another embodiment, the flat facet  22  is provided on the cover  4 , and the lip  23  is provided on the base  6 . Alternatively, one or more other registration features may be provided on the protective enclosure  2  instead of or in addition to the flat facet  22  and/or the lip  23 . Alternatively, the lip  23  is not provided.  
         [0025]    An offset lip  18  extends downward from and around at least a portion of the cover  4 . A corresponding recess  20  is defined in the base  6 . Alternatively, the offset lip  18  extends upward from and around at least a portion of the base  6 , and the corresponding recess  20  is defined in the cover  4 . When the protective enclosure  2  is closed, the offset lip  18  interfaces with the corresponding recess  20 . In this way, the cover  4  is stabilized against the base  6 , and dust and debris is substantially kept out of the protective enclosure  2 . The offset lip  18  is offset slightly from the edge of the cover  4 . The offset lip  18 , and the corresponding recess  20 , extend around the protective enclosure  2 , except that there is a gap  27  in lip  18  in the vicinity of the live hinge  8 . However, the offset lip  18  underlaps the live hinge  8  (i.e., gap  27  is not as wide as live hinge  8 ), such that the seal is substantially maintained around the entire perimeter of the protective enclosure  2 . In other embodiments, lip  18  extends entirely around the enclosure space  30 .  
         [0026]    Referring in particular to FIGS. 2 and 4, protrusions  24  extend from the base  6  into an enclosure space  30 . The enclosure space  30  is the space formed within the base  6  in which the storage medium  100  is stored, defined by a wall  32  of the base  6 , where that wall  32  extends around the perimeter of the base  6 . The recess  20  is defined in the wall  32 . One or more protrusions  24  extend from the wall  32 . In one embodiment, four protrusions  24  are symmetrically spaced on the wall  32 , two each on opposite sides of the enclosure space  30 . Alternatively, more or fewer protrusions  24  may be provided. The protrusions  24  provide for a friction fit with the storage medium  100 . When the storage medium  100  is inserted into the enclosure space  300 , the storage medium  100  frictionally engages the protrusions  24 , such that the protrusions  24  assist in holding the storage medium  100  within the protective enclosure  2 . The protrusions  24  are substantially semi-cylindrical solids extending substantially vertically on the wall  32 . The protrusions  24  may also include rectangular solids placed behind the hemispherical solids such that the hemispherical solids are placed further into the enclosure space  30 . The protrusions  24  may be shaped or oriented differently, if desired. The enclosure space  30  may be sized and shaped, and the protrusions  24  may be positioned, such that the storage medium  100  may be placed into the enclosure space  30  in more than one orientation. In another embodiment, the protrusions  24  may be present in the cover  4  of the protective enclosure  2 , such that the storage medium  100  is stored within the cover  4 . Alternatively, protrusions  24  may be provided in both the cover  4  and the base  6 , depending on the particular configuration of the storage medium  100  and of the protective enclosure  2 .  
         [0027]    Although the invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, this description is only exemplary of the invention and should not be taken as limiting. Various adaptations and combinations of features of the embodiments disclosed are within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and their legal equivalents.