Laser disk carrying case

Disclosed is a laser disk carrying case including two outer shells connected together to hold a disk holder, which can be conveniently turned out of the shells for storing an individual laser disk or retrieving it from the case, and then turned into the shells and locked in place. A wedge block is made on one shell, which is engaged into an opening on the base of the disk holder to lock it inside the shells. The disk holder has spring pawls on a center hole thereof to hold a laser disk on a circular mat thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a laser disk carrying case for carrying a 
laser disk which comprises a housing formed of two symmetrical shells, and 
a disk holder pivoted to one shell and turned in or out of the shells for 
storing a laser disk or retrieving it from the case. 
Various laser disk carrying cases have been proposed for carrying 
individual laser disks, and have been appeared on the market. These laser 
disk carrying cases are commonly comprised of a cover shell hinged to a 
bottom shell and locked by lock means. When opening the cover shell, one 
may have to try several times to find the correct direction. Another 
disadvantage of the prior art laser disk carrying cases is that the cover 
shell may get stuck easily, and one shell have to apply more labor in 
opening the case. Further, the individual laser disk may fall out of place 
as the cover shell is opened. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention eliminates the aforesaid disadvantages. It is 
therefore an object of the present invention to provide a laser disk 
carrying case which is simple in structure and durable in use. It is 
another object of the present invention to provide a laser disk carrying 
case which is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to assemble. It is still 
another object of the present invention to provide a laser disk carrying 
case which is easy to open. It is still another object of the present 
invention to provide a laser disk carrying case which can hold a laser 
disk firmly in place when opened. 
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the laser 
disk carrying case is generally comprised of two outer shells connected 
together to hold a disk holder, which can be turned out of the shells for 
storing or retrieving an individual laser disk, and then turned into the 
shells and locked in place by a wedge block on one shell. The shells are 
connected by hooking the hooks of a first shell on the respective 
retaining slots on the other shell and engaging the raised portions on the 
first shell into the respective round holes on the second shell. The disk 
holder has spring pawls on the center of a circular mat thereof for 
holding an individual laser disk in place, and a finger strip for moving 
with the hand.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIG. 1, a laser disk carrying case in accordance with the 
present invention is made in the shape of a flat, rectangular container. 
Referring to FIG. 2, the laser disk case is generally comprised of a first 
shell 1, a second shell 2, and a protective disk holder 3. The first shell 
1 is made from a flat rectangular plate having two vertical side walls 
11,12 raised from two opposite sides thereof in the same direction, a 
center wedge block 14 and a lateral projecting plate 15 respectively 
raised from a third side thereof. One vertical side wall, namely, the left 
vertical side wall 11 has a front end cut off, and therefore a gap 113 is 
formed. The left vertical side wall 11 comprises a hook 111 and a small 
raised portion 112 on the inside at two opposite ends, and an elongated 
recessed portion 114 on its top edge. The other vertical side wall, namely 
the right vertical side wall 12 comprises a hook 121 and a small raised 
portion 122 on the inside at two opposite ends, and an elongated recessed 
portion 123 on its top edge. The lateral projecting plate 15 is spaced 
from the right vertical side wall 12 by a gap 151. 
The second shell 2 is made from a flat rectangular plate having three 
vertical side walls, namely, the left vertical side wall 21, right 
vertical side wall 22 and rear vertical side wall 23 respectively raised 
from three contiguous sides thereof in the same direction and connected 
into a continuous peripheral wall, two small raised portions 25 spaced on 
the inside along the border between the left and right vertical side walls 
21,22, and angle block 24,241 raised from the other side thereof and 
connected to the right vertical side wall 22, and a pin 26 on the inside 
adjacent to the angle block 24,241 and the right vertical side wall 22. 
The left vertical side wall 21 comprises a recessed portion 211 on its top 
edge, an outer small raised portion 214 at a location corresponding to the 
gap 113 on the left vertical side wall 11 of the first shell 1, a 
retaining slot 212 and a small round hole 213 at locations corresponding 
to the hook 111 and raised portion 112 on the left vertical side wall 11 
of the first shell 1, and an elongated outside rail 215 in size and at 
location corresponding to the recessed portion 114 on the left vertical 
side wall 11 of the first shell 1. The right vertical side wall 22 
comprises a recessed portion 221 on its top edge, a retaining slot 222 and 
a small round hole 223 at locations corresponding to the hook 121 and 
raised portion 122 on the right vertical side wall 12 of the first shell 
1, and an elongated outside rail 224 in size and at location corresponding 
to the recessed portion 123 on the right vertical side wall 12 of the 
first shell 1. The recessed portions 211,221 on the left and right 
vertical side walls 21,22 of the second shell 2 are simply to reduce the 
material cost. 
The protective disk holder 3 comprises a circular mat 32 perpendicularly 
connected to an elongated base plate 31 by connecting strips 33, 34. The 
elongated base plate 31 comprises an opening 314 at a location 
corresponding to the center wedge block 14 of the first shell 1, a finger 
strip 313 on one end, a projecting plate 311 perpendicularly extended 
inwards from the finger strip 313, and a small round hole 312 on the 
projecting plate 311, into which the raised portion 214 may be engaged. 
One connecting strip 34 has an axle hole 35 adjacent to a bottom notch 37 
thereof. The outside surface of the elongated base plate 31 may be 
embossed with decorative stripes. The circular mat 32 is made to hold an 
individual laser disk, having a laser disk retainer 36 at the center, 
which has two symmetrical spring pawls 362, 363 on an elongated center 
hole 361 thereof. 
The assembly process of the laser disk carrying case is simple and outlined 
hereinafter. The protective disk holder 3 is connected to the second shell 
2 by inserting the pin 26 into the axle hole 35. The first shell 1 is then 
connected to the second shell 2 by: fitting the angle block 24,241 into 
the gap 151, then hooking the hooks 111, 121 on the retaining slots 
212,222 respectively and engaging the raised portions 112,122 into the 
round holes 213,223, and then fitting the projecting plate 311 into the 
gap 113 for permitting the raised portion 214 to be engaged into the round 
hole 312. When assembled, the projecting plate 311 covers over the left 
vertical side wall 21 of the second shell 2, and the finger strip 313 is 
extended outwards for moving with the hand. FIG. 1 illustrates the laser 
disk carrying case assembled and closed up. 
Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the first shell 1 is covered on the second 
shell 2 with the protective disk holder 3 retained on the inside. By means 
of the spring pawls 36, a laser disk A is retained to the circular mat 32 
of the protective disk holder 3 and held inside the first and second 
shells 1,2. 
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, pulling the finger strip 313 of the base plate 
31 of the protective disk holder 3 outwards causes rotation of the 
protective disk holder 3 on the pin 26, and therefore the protective disk 
holder 3 can be turned out of the shells 1,2. As the circular mat 32 of 
the protective disk holder 3 has been completely moved out of the shells 
1,2, the angle block 24,241 is automatically engaged into the bottom notch 
37 of the connecting strip 34 to stop the protective disk holder 3 in 
position, and therefore the laser disk A can be conveniently removed from 
the protective disk holder 3. Further, a directional mark 17 is made on 
the first shell 1 adjacent to the finger strip 313 of the base plate 31 of 
the protective disk holder 3 to indicate the direction in opening the 
protective disk holder 3.