Abstract:
A storage compartment for storing a data storage disc and/or other items includes a side, and a post positionable relative to the side. With the positionable post, one may position the post to extend away from a bottom of the compartment to retain one or more discs in the storage compartment. Or one may recess the post to store other items, such as a camera and camera docking station, in the compartment. Thus, one can move the post out of the way when the compartment does not contain a storage disc, thus freeing up the compartment to better store other items.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCED APPLICATIONS 
   The following U.S. patent applications are herein incorporated by this reference: U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 10/800,234 titled STORAGE COMPARTMENT FOR STORING ITEMS, AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS, filed on 12 Mar. 2004; U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 10/800,235 titled HOUSING HAVING A CABLE CONDUIT AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS, filed on 12 Mar. 2004; U.S. Design Patent Application Ser. No. 29/201,340 titled PORTION OF A HOUSING FOR PROCESSING CIRCUITRY OR OTHER SIMILAR ITEM, filed on 12 Mar. 2004; and U.S. Design Patent Application Ser. No. 29/201,290 titled POWER SWITCH FOR PROCESSING CIRCUITRY OR OTHER SIMILAR ITEM, filed on 12 Mar. 2004. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Many computer systems have a processor that receives and generates data and executes instructions, and have one or more storage devices that are coupled to the processor, that read data stored on a removable storage medium, and that write data to the medium. The processor typically includes circuitry, such as a central processing unit, for performing various computing functions, such as executing programs to perform specific tasks, and the computer system typically includes a housing to protect the processor, the storage devices, and other components of the computer system. In addition to its protection function, the housing may include a storage region to store removable storage media when the media are not being used. 
   For example,  FIG. 1  shows a computer system  10  that includes a housing  12 . The housing  12  includes a storage compartment  14  to store a storage medium  16  such as, e.g., a compact disc or a dvd. The storage compartment  14  includes a shaft  18  to hold the compact disc  16  in an interior  20  that is formed by four side walls  22  and a bottom side  24 . The shaft  18  is fixed to the bottom  24 , and thus, may not be positioned relative to the bottom  24  in other positions. When storing the compact disc  16  in the compartment  14 , one first aligns the hole  26  in the disc  16  with the shaft  18 , and then guides the disc toward the bottom  24  such that the shaft  18  engages the hole  26 . 
   Unfortunately, storing other types of removable storage media, such as a magnetic disc and magnetic tape, or storing other items, such as a camera or camera docking station, in the storage compartment  14  can be difficult. Because the shaft  18  is not positionable relative to the bottom side  24 , one has to place the disc or camera between a sidewall  22  and the shaft to store the item in the storage compartment  14 . Because the distance between the shaft  18  and a sidewall  22  is approximately the radius of the compact disc  16 , a typical magnetic disc, camera, or camera docking station may not fit well in the storage compartment  14 . Thus, the storage compartment  14  does not easily and securely store items or removable storage media other than a compact disc or dvd. 
   SUMMARY 
   In one aspect of the invention, a storage compartment for storing a compact disc, and/or other items, includes a side, and a post positionable relative to the side. With the positionable post, one may position the post to extend away from the side to retain one or more compact discs in the storage compartment; or one may re-position the post to store other items, such as a camera docking station, in the compartment. Thus, in addition to storing a compact disc in the compartment, one can also more easily and more securely store other items in the storage compartment. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional storage compartment that includes a fixed shaft for engaging the center hole of a storage medium such as a compact disc or dvd. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a storage compartment that includes a positionable post according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the storage compartment in  FIG. 2  with the post positioned to place a camera docking station in the compartment according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded, perspective view of the storage compartment and post in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a storage compartment that includes a positionable post according to another embodiment of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a storage compartment  30  that includes a positionable post  32  according to an embodiment of the invention. The storage compartment  30  may be incorporated into a housing  34  of a computer system  36  as shown, or the storage compartment may be separate from the computer system. The post  32  includes a body  38  to hold one or more storage media (omitted for clarity but shown in  FIG. 5 ) and a coupling element (not shown in  FIG. 2  but discussed in greater detail in conjunction with  FIG. 4 ). The coupling element couples the body  38  with a side  40  (here, the bottom) of the storage compartment  30  and allows the body  38  to be positioned relative to the side  40  in at least two different positions. In one of the positions, the post  32  may be used to retain one or more circular storage media in the storage compartment  30 . In another position, the post  32  may be positioned to allow the storage compartment to store other items, for example a camera docking station (omitted for clarity but shown in FIG.  3 ), or other types of removable storage media such as a magnetic disc or tape. Thus, with the positionable post  32 , one can store storage media, and can also more easily and more securely store other items, as compared to the storage compartment  20  of  FIG. 1 . 
   Other embodiments of the storage compartment  30  are contemplated. For example, the positionable post  32  may be coupled to a sidewall  22  and positionable relative to the sidewall. In another example, the storage compartment  30  may include a top or lid, and the post  32  may be coupled to it. 
   Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the post  32  may include a locking element (not shown in  FIG. 2  but discussed in greater detail in conjunction with  FIG. 4 ) for retaining the body  38  at one or more positions where the body is angled relative to the bottom  40 . For example, the locking element may retain the body  38  at two different angular positions. The first position may be where the body  38  is substantially perpendicular to the bottom  40 . In the first position, the post  32  may be used to retain one or more storage media. The second position may be where the body  38  is substantially parallel to the side  40  and disposed in a receptacle  42  below a surface  44  of the bottom  40 . In this second position, the post  32  does not extend past the surface  44  into an interior  46  of the storage compartment  30 , and thus, allows one to store items other than a compact disc in the compartment. Alternatively, the locking element may retain the body  38  at more than two angular positions relative to the bottom  40 . 
   Other embodiments are contemplated. For example, the second position may include the body  38  remaining substantially perpendicular to the bottom  40  while disposed below the surface  44  of the bottom  40 . In another example, the second position may include the body disposed in a receptacle of the sidewall  22 . 
   Still referring to  FIG. 2 , in one embodiment, the body  38  includes a first component  48  and a second component  50  that each may be positioned independently of each other. This may be desirable to reduce the depth of the receptacle  42 . The coupling element may include a first coupling section (not shown in  FIG. 2  but discussed in greater detail in conjunction with  FIG. 4 ) to couple the first component  48  to the bottom  40  and to allow the first component  48  to be positioned relative to the bottom  40  in at least two different positions. The coupling element may also include a second coupling section (not shown in  FIG. 2  but discussed in greater detail in conjunction with  FIG. 4 ) to couple the second component  50  to the bottom  40 , and to allow the second component  50  to be positioned relative to the bottom in at least two different positions. 
   Other embodiments are contemplated. For example, the body  38  may include more or fewer than two components  48  and  50 . In another example, the body may be shaped differently. For example, the body may be triangular or rectangular shaped. 
   In operation, one may position the post  32  relative to the bottom  40  as desired to store one or more storage media, or other items in the storage compartment  30 . For example, in one embodiment, one may position the body  38  in a first position to store one or more compact discs by pivoting the first and second components  48  and  50 , respectively, to extend perpendicular to the bottom  40 . Then, one may place the center holes of the compact discs over the post  32  formed by the first and second components  48  and  50 . To store an item other than a storage disc, one may position the body  38  in a second position by pivoting the first and second components  48  and  50 , respectively, into the receptacle  42  below the surface  44  of the bottom  40 . Then, one may place the item in the storage compartment  30  unimpeded by the post  32 . 
     FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the storage compartment  30  in  FIG. 2  with the post  32  positioned to store a camera docking station  52  in the compartment  30  according to an embodiment of the invention. 
   The body  38  may be disposed in the storage compartment  30  in any desired manner that frees the interior  46  to store items other than storage discs. For example, in one embodiment, the first and second components  48  and  50 , respectively, of the body  38  may be disposed in the receptacle  42  and may lie below and substantially parallel to the surface  44 . Thus, when the camera docking station  52  is stored in the storage compartment  30 , the station can occupy the portion of the surface  44  over the recessed post  32 . 
     FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the storage compartment  30  and post  32  of  FIGS. 2 and 3 , according to an embodiment of the invention. The first component  48  of the body  38  is shown coupled to the bottom  40 , and the second component  50  of the body is shown separated from the bottom. Each component  48  and  50  may be similarly coupled to the bottom  40  as discussed below. Alternatively, each component  48  and  50  may be coupled differently to the bottom  40 , for example, the first component may be pivotally fastened and the second component may be slidably fastened. 
   The post  32  includes a coupling element  54  (not referenced on the first component  48  for clarity) to couple the body  38  to the bottom  40  of the storage compartment  30  and to allow the body to be positioned relative to the bottom in at least two different positions. The coupling element  54  may releasably fasten the body  38  to the bottom  40 . This may be desirable to replace the body  38  or one of the components  48  and  50  with a body or component that includes a different size and/or shape. For example, the replacement body or component may be longer than the respective body  38  or components  48  and  50 , and thus, able to retain more storage media. 
   In one embodiment, the coupling element  54  may include a protrusion  56  (not shown on the first component  48  for clarity) that may be inserted into a hole  58  in the receptacle  42 , and may include a first element (not referenced on the first component  48  for clarity) to couple the first component  48  to the bottom  40 , and a second element  54   a  to couple the second component  50  to the bottom  40 . The bottom  40  may include the receptacle  42  and four holes  58  (only two shown for clarity), and the first and second components  48  and  50 , respectively, each may include two protrusions  56 . Each protrusion  56  may be inserted into a respective hole  58  to couple the first and second components  48  and  50 , respectively, to the bottom  40 . To insert each protrusion  56  into a respective hole  58 , the two protrusions  56  of each component  48  and  50  may be forced toward each other to align them with their respective holes  58 , and then once aligned, released. With the protrusions  56  inserted into their respective holes  58 , the first and second components  48  and  50 , respectively, may be pivoted relative to the bottom  40  among different positions while remaining fastened to the bottom  40 . 
   Other embodiments are contemplated. For example, the coupling element  54  may include a hinge fastened to the first component  48  and the bottom  40 , and another hinge fastened to the second component  50  and the bottom  40 . In another example, each component  48  and  50  may be slidable relative to the bottom  40  among different positions. For example, one or both components  48  and  50  may be oriented substantially perpendicular to the bottom  40  and remain substantially perpendicular to the bottom  40  as each is retracted below or extended above the surface  44 . For example, the bottom  40  may include four tracks, and each protrusion  56  of the components  48  and  50  may be inserted into a respective one of the tracks and slide in their respective track when each component is extended or retracted. 
   Still referring to  FIG. 4 , the post  32  may also include a locking element  64  (not shown on the first component  48  for clarity) to retain the body  38  at one or more positions. In one embodiment, the locking element  64  includes a locking-element receptacle  66 , and a locking-element protrusion  68  that may engage the locking-element receptacle  66  when the body  38  is in a desired position. For example, the first and second components  48  and  50 , respectively, each may include two locking-element receptacles  66  (not shown on the first component  48  for clarity), and the bottom  40  may include two locking-element protrusions  68  (only one shown for clarity), each corresponding to a respective one of the components  48  and  50 . With each of the components  48  and  50  coupled to the bottom  40 , each locking-element receptacle  66  may be aligned with a respective one of the locking-element protrusions  68  by pivoting the components  48  and  50  to a predetermined position. When a locking-element receptacle  66  is aligned with a protrusion  68 , a cantilevered beam  70  urges the protrusion  68  toward the receptacle  66 . With both locking-element protrusions  68  inserted into a locking-element receptacle  66 , the locking element  64  retains the body  38  in the predetermined position. For example, one predetermined position may be when the components  48  and  50  are perpendicular to the bottom  40  and another predetermined position may be when the components  48  and  50  are in the receptacle  42  and parallel to the bottom  40 . 
   Other embodiments are contemplated. For example, the locking element  64  may include a setscrew to retain the body  38  at one or more predetermined positions. In another example, the locking element may include a bar that extends from the body  38  and is insertable into a hole in the bottom  40 , whose location is predetermined. 
   Still referring to  FIG. 4 , the storage compartment  30  and post  32  may be made of any desired material. For example, in one embodiment the storage compartment  30  and post  32  are formed by casting conventional plastic in a mold. 
     FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a storage compartment  72  that includes a positionable post  74  according to another embodiment of the invention. The post  74  is similar to the post  32  in  FIGS. 2-4 , except that the post  74  includes a support element  76  to support a storage disc  78  away from the bottom  80 . For example, in one embodiment the support element  76  includes a shoulder  82  that may be fastened to the components  84  using any conventional technique, or may be formed integral with the components  84  and  86 . It may also be desirable to make the shoulder  82  adjustable so that one can adjust the distance between the bottom  80  and the shoulder  82 . 
   The preceding discussion is presented to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.