Abstract:
An apparatus for storing, retrieving and organizing disk-like data recording medium and a manufacture method of the apparatus are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes an apparatus that comprises a base cover, a top cover, a middle slide for carrying one or more disks and a control component for operating the apparatus. The top and base cover include a set of clasping elements and a set of stacking elements that allows the top cover and the base to clasp into each other to form a containing case and allows one case stack onto another in vertical direction or sideway. The control component is spring automated to allow the case to be opened via a light press on a button located at a front cover connected to the disk-carrying middle slide.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of a U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/847,067, filed on Sep. 25, 2006; the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The subject matter described herein relates to a stackable apparatus for storing, retrieving and organizing disk-like data recording medium such as CD, CD-R, CD-RW, CD-ROM, MO, MD DVD and the like and a production method of the apparatus. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0003]    To store a CD, one of the most often used method is a simple hard-surface case that protects the medium from scratch and contact with hard surface of other objects. One difficulty associated with this method is a lack of a mechanism that makes it easy to retrieve and store a CD in a case. Most often a user needs to use force to pry open a cover of the case to gain access to a CD inside the case. Then force is needed to press the cover back to store a CD. Moreover, at a minimum, a space equal to the height of the cover is required in order to fully open the case. To store and organize multiple CDs in CD cases, a CD case container is often used. Currently available on the market are various types of CD containers in which a number of CD cases can be stored, retrieved and organized. The container may take a variety of shapes and some common forms include shelves with one shelf per CD case, boxes and towers. There are several difficulties associated with this scheme of organizing CD cases. First, each container has a fixed size to hold a fixed number of CD cases and thus CDs. Thus the total space taken is fixed at the number of cases that a container may have. Often it is the case that the container is not filled up and unused space is wasted. Second, as the number of CD cases grows, the stackable containers can be stacked only in one direction, that is, the vertical direction. This may not work well for a situation where available space allows for the growth of stackable space in a direction different than the one in which CD case containers need to be stacked. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, in light of these difficulties associated with the current scheme of storing, retrieving and organizing CD cases, there exists a need for an improved apparatus for storing, retrieving and organizing disk-like data recording medium and a production method for the apparatus. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    A disk-like data recording medium is normally stored in a case to protect the medium from scratch and contact with hard surface of other objects. The term disk or compact disk (CD) is used hereafter to refer to the generic disk-like medium that include but not limited to regular CD, CD-R, CD-RW, variety of DVD and the like. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein comprises an apparatus for storing, retrieving and organizing CDs that has a spring-based automatic mechanism and the stackable property on CD case itself. This apparatus allows CD cases to stack upon one another for efficient storage and organization without a CD case container. For efficient retrieval, each CD case is spring automated that allows a CD to be pushed open via a light press on a front button. 
         [0006]    According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus operates as follows. When a CD-carrying middle slide is pushed in, the slide presses against a leaf spring and causes a locking notch on the slide to lock into a locking block on a control component and hold the middle slide tight in place. To retrieve a CD from the case, a press on the front button shall cause the switch on the control component to slide back and cause the locking block to disengage from the lock notch and the leaf spring to project the CD-carrying middle slide out, making the CD on the slide accessible. To stack one CD case on top of or next to another CD case, a number of stacking elements on one cover of a first CD case are fitted into the matching stacking elements on a cover of a second CD case. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Aspects of the present disclosure are best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, as may be in accordance with standard or common industry practices, various features may or may not be drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. Preferred embodiments of the subject matter described herein will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of CD case components with the four components taken apart according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of CD case components with the middle drawer component resting on a base cover according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a top view of middle slide sitting on the base cover according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a top view of a middle slide pulled out of the base cover according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a view of stacked CD cases according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]      FIG. 1  shows an exploded view of the stackable CD case with 4 major components. At bottom of the figure is a base cover ( 10 ) with a front side of the cover opening out ( 12 ). Opposite and parallel to the open, front side ( 12 ) is a back side with two holding blocks ( 13 ) and a gap ( 19 ) between each holding block ( 13 ) and the edge of the back side with sufficient space to hold a leaf spring ( 25 ) in place without free movement, as also shown in  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 . On two sides adjacent to the open, front side are one or more clasping tracks ( 14 ) and connecting elements ( 15 ). For one embodiment, there are two clasping tracks ( 14 ) on the inward side of the base cover, one on each side adjacent to the front side and four connecting elements ( 15 ), three of which are located at three corners and one is located near a front corner. Each clasping track ( 14 ) may be either a receiving clasping track or inserting clasping track. Each connecting element ( 15 ) may be an inserting connecting element or a receiving connecting element. A receiving connecting element may be a flute and an inserting connecting element may be a location pin. At one corner of the base cover is a jag-shaped cut-out opening ( 16 ) to house a control component ( 21 ). On the outward side of the base cover is a plurality of stacking elements ( 18 ,  FIG. 2 ) located at or near the corner of the cover. A stacking element can be a receiving stacking element or an inserting stacking element so that a matching pair of stacking elements fit into each to achieve stacking property. 
         [0014]    A top cover ( 30 ) as shown in  FIG. 1 , has a matching structure that closely mirrors the structure of the base cover in shape, and in components. That is, the shape and sides of the top cover ( 30 ) exactly matches that of the base cover ( 10 ). Opposite and parallel to the open, front side ( 32 ) is a back side ( 30 ) with two holding blocks ( 33 ) that mirror the holding blocks ( 13 ) of the base cover. On an outward side of the top cover is a plurality of stacking elements ( 37 ) matching the stacking elements ( 18 ) on the base cover ( 10 ). A matching stacking element on the top cover is opposite in the direction of its mate stacking element on the base cover. For example, if a stacking element is an inserting stacking element, then its matching stacking element must be a receiving stacking element, or vice versa, so the pair would fit into each other. On an inward side of the top cover is a plurality of clasping tracks ( 34 ) that match the clasping track ( 14 ) of the base cover ( 10 ). A matching clasping track ( 34 ) on the top cover is opposite in the direction of its mate clasping track ( 14 ) on the base cover. For example, if a clasping track is an inserting one, then the matching clasping track must be a receiving one or vice versa, so a pair of matching clasping tracks would fit into each other to achieve the function of clasping the top cover and the base cove together to form a case. Also on the top cover is a plurality of connecting elements ( 35 ) exactly matching the connecting elements ( 15 ) on the base cover ( 10 ). A matching connecting element ( 35 ) on the top cover is opposite in the direction of its mate connecting element ( 15 ) on the base cover. For example, if a connecting element is an inserting one, then the matching connecting element must be a receiving one or vice versa, so a pair of matching connecting element would fit into each other to achieve the function of binding the top cover and the base cove together to form a case. It is a normal implementation that all connecting element on one side of a cover are either all receiving connecting elements or inserting ones, without mixing the two on the same side. The same is true for those clasping tracks and stacking elements. There is a cut-out house ( 16 ) at the corner adjacent to the front side of both the base cover ( 10 ) and the top cover ( 30 ) to house a control component ( 21 ), which is described in a later section. 
         [0015]    A CD-carrying slide ( 40 ) is placed between the top cover ( 30 ) and the base cover ( 10 ) that is configured with a cylindrical rod in the center of the slide and to slide in and out of the opening between the front end ( 12 ) of the base cover ( 10 ) and the front end ( 32 ) of the top cover. The slide has a covering front ( 42 ) that seals the opening when the slide is fully pushed in the case. The center rod has a plurality of latching leaves to hold a CD tightly in place. The slide may be configured with multiple holes on its surface to save material without weakening its strength. At one side of the slide is a carved latching notch ( 43 ) that shall locks the slide into a control component without any free movement when the slide is fully pushed in. 
         [0016]    A control component ( 21 ) is locked into a cut-out house ( 16 ,  36 ) between the base cover ( 10 ) and the top cover ( 30 ). It comprises a push button ( 24 ) at the opening side of the base cover, a locking block ( 22 ) to latch into a latching notch ( 43 ) of the CD-carrying slide ( 40 ) via an opening ( 17 ) in the cut-out house ( 16 ), and a small spring ( 26 ) housed in a hole ( 23 ) on the control component ( 21 ) that is pressed against a side of the base cover to hold the control component tightly in the cut-out house. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  through  FIG. 3  together show how the components of the present invention as shown in  FIG. 1  may fit together into an auto-spring activated, stackable CD case. First, the control component ( 21 ) is fitted into the cut-out house ( 16 ) on the base cover ( 10 ) by pressing a small spring ( 26 ) into a hosting hole ( 23 ). Once released, the spring ( 23 ) presses against one side of the base cover ( 10 ) and holds the control component ( 21 ) tightly in place in the cut-out house ( 16 ).  FIG. 2  shows the control component fitted into a cut-out house on the base cover. The top cover ( 30 ) and base cover ( 10 ) may form a containing case appropriate for one or more CD by fitting each clasping track ( 34 ) on the top cover into its matching clasping track ( 14 ) on the base cover, each connecting element ( 35 ) into its matching connecting element ( 15 ) on the base cover ( 10 ). The resulting case has a front opening that is formed by a gap between the opening side ( 12 ) of the base cover ( 10 ) and the opening side ( 32 ) of the top cover ( 30 ) that allows the CD-carrying middle slide to move in and out of the gap. 
         [0018]    All components as shown in  FIG. 1  may be made of variety of materials. At least in one embodiment, transparent plastic is used for the top cover and the base cover to allow a CD on the middle slide to be viewable without opening the case. 
         [0019]    The operation of storing a CD may be shown in  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 4 . Once a CD is placed on the middle slide and the slide is pushed in, the latching notch ( 43 ) of the middle slide ( 40 ) locks into the locking block ( 22 ) of the control component ( 21 ), makes the middle slide press against the leaf spring ( 25 ) in the back of the base cover ( 10 ) and keeps the middle slide locked in without any free movement.  FIG. 2  shows a middle slide ( 40 ) locked in the base cover ( 10 ) with the locking block ( 22 ) latched in the latching notch and the far-end edge of the middle slide ( 40 ) pressed against the leaf spring ( 25 ) of the base cover.  FIG. 3  shows a top view of an assembled CD case with the middle slide fully pushed in. In one embodiment of the invention, a user may choose to store more than one CD on the middle slide so multiple CDs may be stored and retrieved together. 
         [0020]    The operation of ejecting the middle CD-carrying slide ( 4 ) can be shown in  FIG. 1  though  FIG. 4 . To eject a CD out, a light push on the front button ( 24 ) of the control block ( 21 ) toward the direction of the leave spring ( 25 ) will disengage the locking block ( 22 ) from the latching notch ( 43 ) and the middle slide is pushed out of the opening ( 12 ) ( 32 ) automatically by the bouncing force of the leaf spring ( 25 ). The CD on the middle slide becomes easily accessible to a user once the carrying slide is pushed out of the opening.  FIG. 4  shows a pushed-out middle slide with the locking block ( 22 ) disengaged from the latching notch ( 43 ) and the leaf spring ( 25 ) reverted back to its un-pressed position. 
         [0021]    The operation of organizing CD cases can be shown in a  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5 . A set of CD cases can be stacked on top of one another either in vertical direction or in a horizontal direction to fit into any available space of a user.  FIG. 5  shows a set of vertically stacked CD cases. Stacking operation includes fitting each stacking element ( 37 ) on the outward cover of the top cover ( 30 ) of one CD case into its match stacking element ( 18 ,  FIG. 2 ) of the base cover ( 10 ) of another CD case and positioning the front side of the case toward the user with the push button ( 24 ) in front easily accessible. A plurality of cases may be stacked together vertically or side-way to fit into available space.