Storage device for recording media, particularly compact disks, magnetic tape cassettes and the like

The storage device includes slider members, each having a resilient clasp element for receiving and holding a recording medium housing. Each of the slider members is spring-loaded and slidable between a storage position in the storage device housing and an unloading position contained completely within the housing. In the unloading position a recording medium housing held by the slider member projects from a housing opening in the storage device housing so that it can be removed from the slider member but the slider member need not be pushed back. The storage device has a locking device for each slider member including a resilient blade attached to the storage device housing at one end and having a latching element at the other end so that, when a recording medium housing is put into a housing opening and received by a slider member in the unloading position, it can be pushed into the housing and secured in the storage position. An unlocking device including a push button mounted on the housing next to each housing opening is provided so the slider member can be released from the storage position to slide into the unloading position simply and reliably.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a storage device for recording media, 
particularly compact disks, magnetic tape cassettes and the like. 
A storage device for recording media is known comprising a slider member 
slidable into a storage position against a spring force, which is held by 
a locking device in a storage (locked) position. The locking device can be 
unlocked by a push button to bring the slider member into a unloading 
position projecting from the front side of the storage device, in which it 
can receive a recording medium housing, i.e. a disk housing, tape cassette 
housing or the like. 
Storage devices for recording media such as music tape cassettes, compact 
disks or the like are known, in which one or more slider member are 
located in a storage device housing which is open on one side. Each slider 
member can hold a recording medium housing, i.e. including a music tape 
cassette, a compact disk or the like, and is slidable against a spring 
force in the housing. The slider member is held in the pushed-in position 
by a locking device and can be unlocked again by pressing a push button. 
The unlocked slider member is moved by action of the spring force in the 
direction of the housing opening so that the slider member with the 
recording medium housing on it projects from the front side of the housing 
far enough so that the recording media unit can conveniently be taken from 
it. 
In the known storage device in the unloading position a portion of the 
slider member projects from the housing. The locking device in the slider 
member is also moved from the interior of the housing to the outside. 
After removal of the recording medium housing the slider member must again 
be put in its locked storage position, so that the adjacent slider member 
are again accessible. If now, for example, a compact disk housing is to be 
put in the storage device, before the compact disk housing can be 
deposited on the slider member and the slidable holding pushed back into 
the storage device, the slider member must be put in the unloading 
position by operation of the push button. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage device which 
does not have the above described disadvantages. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage device of the 
above-described type in which the slider member does not need to be pushed 
back into the storage position after the recording medium housing, e.g. 
containing compact disk or the like, is taken from it. 
According to the invention, the storage device for recording media 
comprises a storage device housing with a front side; at least one slider 
member held slidably in the storage device housing so as to be slidable 
into a storage position against a spring force and being formed to hold a 
recording medium housing; a locking device for each of the slider members 
for locking the slider members in the storage position, the locking device 
including means for engaging and holding the recording medium housing and 
unlocking means including a push button for releasing the slider member 
from the storage position so that the slider member can slide into an 
unloading position with the recording medium housing projecting from the 
front side. The slider member and the locking device associated therewith 
are structured so that each of the slider members is contained within the 
housing in the unloading position as well as in the storage position. 
The locking device is advantageously located in the storage device housing 
and engages in the storage position in a locking recess or groove or the 
like in the recording medium housing held on the slider member. If the 
locking device is now released, the slider member located in the storage 
device housing slides under action of the spring force and the recording 
medium housing on it, e.g. a Minidisk housing, is forced out of the front 
side of the housing. The recording medium housing can then be removed from 
the slider member. However the slider member in the unloading position 
remains completely contained within the housing of the storage device. 
After removal of the Minidisk housing in the storage device of the 
invention it is no longer necessary to push the slider member back into 
the housing. As soon as a recording medium housing is put on the empty 
slider member again, it is pushed into the storage device against the 
spring force of a slider spring engaged with the slider member until the 
locking device acts to lock the slider member in the storage position. 
Furthermore the slider member does not need to be made accessible first 
prior to depositing a recording medium housing on it, as is the case in 
the known storage device. The storage device of the invention has an 
additional advantage, because the slider member remains contained within 
the housing of the storage device. Then the housing openings on the front 
panel of the housing can be as small as the recording medium housing, 
which is comparatively small in the case of a compact disk housing. An 
opening big enough for a protruding slider part is not necessary in the 
storage device of the invention, so that a largely closed front panel can 
include the openings for the recording medium housing. 
It is particularly advantageous to provide at least one resilient clasp 
element on each slider member, which secures a recording medium housing on 
the slider member against unintended slipping during motion. The resilient 
clasp elements can engage resiliently in notches in the housing of the 
recording medium. Thus also horizontal or level orientation of the storage 
device is possible without a problem. When the slider member is moved into 
the unloading position, the resilient clasp element prevents catapulting 
of the recording medium housing from the storage device. 
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention a release element is 
provided on each slider member so that the locking device is held open at 
least over a portion of the motion path of the slider member during motion 
of the slider member from the unloading position to the storage position. 
By this feature contact between a latching element of the locking device 
and the housing of the recording medium is avoided during insertion and 
removal of the recording medium housing. Otherwise during frequent sliding 
in and out of the recording medium housing scratch marks could arise on 
the recording medium housing and wear on the latching element could make 
the locking device eventually unusable. 
Advantageously the release element is a lug extending from the slider 
member in the direction of the housing opening and attached to the slider 
member, which engages slidably over a resilient blade fixed in the housing 
on whose free end a latching element of the locking device is located. As 
long as the lug is located over the resilient blade, the latching element 
of the locking device is pressed down so that and engagement of the 
latching element with the recording medium housing is avoided. When the 
resilient blade does not hold the latching element down, by the spring 
action of the resilient blade the latching element rises, engages and 
holds the recording medium housing in the storage device housing and locks 
the slider member in the storage position. 
In a preferred embodiment of the invention a resilient wire held fixed in 
the storage device housing is connected laterally to the latching element 
and can be depressed by an inclined surface formed on the push button when 
the push button is pressed in so that the latching element is deflected 
into the unlocked position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The storage device shown in FIG. 1 has four housing openings 1 to 4, in 
each of which a Minidisk housing 23 containing a so-called Minidisk is 
insertable. A front panel 5 closes the housing 6 on a front side of it. 
Push buttons 7 to 10 for operation of the latching elements 11 to 14 of 
the locking device shown in the drawing are arranged staggered on the 
front panel 5. In FIG. 1 the latching elements 11 to 14 are however shown 
with the locking device in a locking state protruding in the interior of 
the housing. With a recording media (Minidisk) housing not pushed in the 
storage device housing 6 the slider members, which are not shown in FIG. 1 
in the storage device housing 6, are in the unloading position and 
actually press the latching elements 11 to 14 downward. A recording medium 
(Minidisk) housing now, for example housing 23 shown in FIG. 2, can be 
pushed into the housing opening 1 far enough until latching element 11 
engages in it--without that happening, the latching element 11 rests 
underneath the recording medium housing 23. 
FIG. 2 shows that the slider members 15 to 18 cooperate with the associated 
locking devices 19 to 22. 
A Minidisk housing 23 (the recording medium housing) rests and is held on 
the slider member 15, which is located in the storage position as shown in 
FIG. 2. The latching element 11 is in the locking state and engages in a 
recess 24 in the Minidisk housing 23. The latching element 11 is located 
at the free end of resilient blade 25 held fixed in the housing and is 
moved downward by pressing on the push button 7. 
When the push button 7 is operated, a slider spring 26 urges the slider 
member 15 into an unloading position, which the slider member 16 shown in 
FIG. 2 already has reached. In this unloading position the Minidisk 
housing 30 held on the slider member 16 clearly protrudes from the front 
panel 5 and can be conveniently removed from it. A resilient clasp element 
31 prevents the Minidisk housing 30 from being catapulted from the storage 
device as it is moved from the storage position to the unloading position. 
The resilient clasp element 31 engages in notches 32 in the Minidisk 
housing 30 provided for that purpose and is attached to the slider member. 
Lugs 33 directed toward the locking devices 19 to 22 are attached to the 
slider member 15 to 18. The lug 33 of the slider member 16 presses the 
resilient blade 25 downward in the unloading position so that the latching 
element 11 of the locking device 20 does not contact the bottom of the 
Minidisk housing 30. 
Since the resilient blade 25 is upwardly inclined in the locking position, 
as is shown in FIG. 2 with the locking device 19, pushing the slider 
member 15 in the direction of the unloading position a short distance 
already results in depression of the resilient blade 25 and thus a return 
of the latching element to the position shown in locking devices 20 to 22. 
When a Minidisk housing is put in the storage device, the associated slider 
member is pushed back against the spring force of the appropriate one of 
the slider springs 26 to 29 into the storage(locked) position, so that the 
associated latching element 11 locks in the recess 24 of the Minidisk 
housing. 
In FIGS. 3 and 4 details of the locking device 19 are seen from below. The 
push button 7 is shown in the rest position in FIG. 3, while in FIG. 4 the 
push button 7 is depressed. A slanting surface 34 is provided on the push 
button 7, which in the position shown in FIG. 4 deflects a resilient wire 
35 from the plane of the figure. Because of that, simultaneously the 
latching element 11 attached to the end 36 of the resilient wire 35 is 
moved out from the plane of the figure. The latching element 11 then is 
moved into the unlocked position. 
The base plate 37, in which the locking device 19 is located, is formed so 
that the push button 7 can be located right or left of the latching 
element 11. 
FIG. 5 shows a simplified plan view of the preferred embodiment of the 
storage device in the vicinity of the slider member 15. The slider spring 
26 contacts on the rear side of the slider member 15 and urges it from the 
locked or storage position to the unloading position. The unloading 
position is reached as soon as the slider member 15 contacts with its 
front edge 38 on the rear side 39 of the base plate 37. The lug 33 slides 
over the resilient blade 25 and presses this down together with the 
latching element 11 attached to it. In the locking configuration the 
latching element 11 projects out from a base plate opening 40 in the base 
plate 37. 
In FIG. 6 the operation of the locking device 19 is particularly clearly 
illustrated. The inclined surface 34 and its operation are particularly 
easy to understand from this figure. If the push button 7 is moved in the 
direction of the arrow 41 in FIG. 6, the inclined surface 34 forces the 
resilient wire 35 downward. The latching element 11 is deflected down 
because of that in like measure in the direction of the arrow 42. Thus the 
latching element 11 is moved into the unlocked configuration. 
The resilient blade 25 is held fixed at its end 43 and the resilient wire 
35 is held fixed at its end 44 in the storage device housing 6. 
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or 
more together, may also find a useful application in other types of 
constructions differing from the types described above. 
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a 
storage device for recording media, particularly magnetic tape cassettes, 
compact disks and the like, it is not intended to be limited to the 
details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be 
made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present 
invention. 
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of 
the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, 
readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, 
from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential 
characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention. 
What is claimed is new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set 
forth in the appended claims.