Disc case

A case allows a disc to be inserted and removed smoothly without the case being opened, and also inhibits the accumulation of dust on the disc. The case has a movable holder and a fixed holder arranged inside, both of which individually define a circular arc. The movable holder is rotatable about its middle, and the rear of the fixed holder is fixed to the case so that the front portion of the fixed holder can flex. With the lever on the movable holder moved towards the bottom of the case so that the movable holder is rotated towards the front opening, a disc can be stored by inserting it through the front opening and causing the movable holder to rotate backwards and the front portion of the fixed holder to flex away. A stored disc can be removed by moving the lever towards the bottom of the case and causing the movable holder to rotate towards the front opening so that the disc is pushed by the rear portion of the movable holder, causing the front portion of the fixed holder to flex away as the disc emerges from the front opening.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a case for storing discs used as storage media for computer software, CDs, DVDs and so forth.

2. Description of the Related Art

Disc cases, typically, are flat and rectangular in shape, and are commonly divided down the center of the longitudinal edges so that one layer forms a cover while the opposing layer forms a housing case (See Kokai (Jpn. unexamined patent publication) No. 2003-63585, FIG. 5).

However, the disc cannot be removed from these common types of disc cases unless the cover is opened. These types of disc cases are generally stored in an upright position. Therefore, in order to retrieve a required disc, the disc case is removed from its storage position, the cover is opened, and the disc is removed. Removing these types of disc cases from their storage position, opening the cover and removing the disc is a difficult operation.

Insertion type cases are available that allow a disc to be inserted and removed from the side of the case. These insertion type disc cases have an elastic stopper installed on the interior of the case. A disc is stored in the case by causing the stopper to recede, and a disc is removed from the disc case by holding the disc by its central hole with a finger placed through the access gap in the side of the case and pulling it against said stopper (See Kokai (Jpn. unexamined patent publication No. 2003-63585), paragraphs 0010 and 0011, and FIG. 2)).

In the insertion type disc cases described above, the insertion slot (front opening) and the access gap are open and exposed, and dust enters the case through these points, and therefore dust readily accumulates on the disc.

Furthermore, there is no guide to aid insertion and removal, and there is therefore the risk of the disc being damaged or scratched.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to facilitate the smooth insertion and removal of discs, and another object is to inhibit the accumulation of dust or other foreign particles on the disc.

In order to achieve the first object described above, the present invention uses a pair of holders to hold the disc and guide it into the storage position.

This has the effect of inhibiting damage to or scratching of the disc upon insertion or removal, and also facilitates smooth insertion and removal.

In order to achieve the second object described above, the present invention has a lid attached at the insertion slot (front opening).

The lid inhibits the infiltration of dust.

The present invention uses a pair of holders to hold the disc and guide it into the storage position, and this inhibits damage to and scratching of the disc upon insertion and removal, and also facilitates smooth insertion and removal of discs. Furthermore, the lid attached at the disc gate inhibits the infiltration of dust into the case, and inhibits the accumulation of dust on the disc.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention comprises, for example, a flat rectangular shaped case with a front opening along one of its sides to permit insertion and removal of a disc; a movable holder and a fixed holder arranged in the interior of the case spanning the space from the front opening to the rear of the case in a position facing each other on either side of the front opening. The movable holder has a lever that protrudes from the front opening and is shaped so that when the disc is in the storage position it forms a circular arc from the lever around the periphery of the disc to its rear. The movable holder is fixed to the case so as to be rotatable about its middle. The fixed holder forms a circular arc from the rear portion of the disc around its periphery to the front portion of the disc, and is fixed to the case at the rear in such a manner that the front portion is able to flex.

In this configuration, with the lever of the movable holder moved towards a corner of the case so that the movable holder rotates towards the front opening, a disc is stored in the case by inserting it through the front opening and rotating the movable holder backwards while at the same time causing the front portion of the fixed holder to flex away. From this storage position, the disc is removed by moving the lever towards a corner of the case, causing the movable holder to rotate towards the front opening so that the rear portion of the movable holder brings the disc forward while at the same time causing the front portion of the fixed holder to flex away.

A lid is fitted to the front opening so that the lid opens by rotating about the lengthwise axis of the case. The lever has an angled face that contacts with the leading edge of the lid, and this angled face is angled gradually towards the lid and rear of the case so that when the lever is moved towards a corner of the case the angled face pushes the lid open. With the case formed so that the lid opens and closes according to the movement of the lever, the disc can be smoothly inserted and removed.

Furthermore, with grooves set into the movable holder and fixed holder so that the periphery of the disc fits into the grooves, the lateral surface (recorded surface) of the disc is prevented from touching the case.

In addition, the flat rectangular case of the current invention is also comprised of two layers, a base layer (the storage layer) and a cover layer that divide the case lengthwise about its center and which can be folded open. The enclosing case is formed when these layers are closed together. A plate portion is cut and opened out from the cover layer like the page of a book and fixed at the point where the cover layer meets the base layer. With the movable holder and fixed holder supported by this plate and the base layer, the holders remain supported even when the case is opened by separating the cover layer from the base layer. Thus, when storing a disc, insertion and removal is still possible when the case is in the open position. Therefore, storage of the disc is not impeded by opening the case to view a booklet (slip) stored within the cover layer that may describe the recorded contents of the disc (such as music or stories for example).

FIGS. 1 to 8show one embodiment of the present invention, and the case body10in this embodiment is made of transparent plastic, and comprised of a cover layer10aand base layer10bas shown inFIG. 3. The cover layer10aand base layer10bare joined along crease lines10dto the spine10cwhich forms the rear surface of the case. Furthermore, there are lateral walls10faround the periphery of the case body10excluding the spine10cthat sits between the cover layer10aand base layer10b. Therefore, as shown inFIG. 1, a flat rectangular case (or case body) is formed when the cover layer10aand base layer10bare folded together about the crease lines10b. The cover layer10aand base layer10bare joined together by an appropriate bonding, sealing or adhesion method to form a single body.

The lateral walls10fof the cover layer10aand base layer10bon the side of the case opposing the spine10chave a lengthwise indentation along their edges so that they form the front opening11for inserting and removing the disc D when brought together (i.e. when the case body is closed). A lid12is set at the opening11and attached to bearings11bat each end of the opening so that it can rotate about the lengthwise axis of the case1. The bearings11bof the lid12may be attached to either the cover layer10aor the base layer10b, however it is preferable that they be attached to the layer on which the movable holder15and fixed holder16, detailed below, remain, and in which the disc D is held when the cover layer10aand base layer10bare folded into the open position (refer toFIG. 13).

There are convex portions13arranged at each of the four corners of the cover layer10aof the case body10, and concave portions14at each of the four corners of the base layer10binto which said convex portions13fit. Therefore, as shown inFIG. 5, when such cases1are stacked together or set side by side, the position of each case1is guided according to the convex portions13meeting and fitting into the concave portions14.

The case1has a movable holder15and a fixed holder16, both made of plastic and arranged in opposing positions so as the span the space between each end of the front opening11and the rear of the case1. The movable holder15has a lever15athat protrudes from the front opening11and is shaped so that when the disc D is in the storage position it forms a circular arc from said lever15aaround the periphery of the disc D to the rear. The movable holder15is fixed to the case1so as to be rotatable about its middle. The pivot pin15dmay be attached to the holder15or to the case1(case body10).

The fixed holder16forms a circular arc from the rear portion of a stored disc D around its periphery to the front portion of the disc D, and is fixed to the case1at the rear in such a manner that the front portion is able to flex. The fixed holder16is fixed to the case1(case body10) by pins16dat two points. The pins16dmay be attached to the holder15or to the case1(case body10).

Now, referring to the Figures,11ais a guide protrusion for the lid12and is attached to the front opening11.15eand16eare guide pins attached to each holder,15and16, respectively, and slide across the interior surface of the case body10so that the holders15and16move smoothly. Further,10eshown inFIG. 3depicts holes into which the pivot pin15dand the pins16dfit so as to be fixed in a rotatable fashion.

Guide grooves15aand16aare formed on the inner opposing surfaces of the movable holder15and the fixed holder16, respectively, so that the periphery of the disc D fits thereinto. When a disc D is stored between the two holders15and16, the periphery of the disc D fits into these grooves15aand16aso that the lateral surface (recorded surface) of the disc does not come into contact with the case1, preventing damage to the recorded surface of the disc.

The lever15aprotrudes from the front opening11through a lengthwise indentation12anear the center of the edge of the lid12, and due to the elasticity of the movable holder15, the lever is locked in place by the indentation12aso that it does not move excessively.

One side of the indentation12ahas a tapered edge12bthat slopes downward towards one of the corners (the lower right corner inFIG. 2) of the case1. When the lever15ais moved towards that particular corner of the case1, the lever15ais guided by the tapered edge12bfrom the indentation12aonto the leading edge of the lid12, and from there it moves smoothly along the leading edge towards said corner.

Further, the lever15ahas an angled face15cthat contacts with the leading edge of the lid12, and this angled face15cis angled gradually towards the lid and rear of the case (as shown inFIG. 4). Therefore, when the lever15ais moved towards a corner of the case1the angled face15cpushes the lid12so that it rotates open (inFIG. 1it rotates towards the lower side), and the front opening1opens sufficiently (this progression is shown inFIGS. 6A,6B and6C) for the disc D to be inserted or removed. With the case1formed so that the lid12opens and closes according to the movement of the lever15a, the disc D can be smoothly inserted and removed.

The structure of this embodiment of the disc case1has been described above, and now its operation will be described. With the lever15ain a position moved towards a corner of the case1, as shown in the progression fromFIG. 7AtoFIG. 7B, storage of the disc D is accomplished by first inserting it into the case1through the front opening11, as shown by the chain-dash line inFIG. 7B. With the disc D fitted into the grooves,15band16b, of the holders,15and16respectively, as shown by the chain-double-dash line inFIG. 7B, the front portion of the fixed holder16is made to bend while the movable holder15is rotated. Then finally, as shown inFIG. 7C, the disc D reaches the storage position inside the case1so that it is held firmly between the holders,15and16. Insertion of the disc D into the case1may be accomplished by pushing directly on the disc D, however insertion may also be achieved by gripping the lever15aand moving it to a position around the center of the front opening11so that the rotation of the movable holder15pushes the disc D inwards.

To remove a disc D from the storage position, the lever15ais moved towards a corner of the case1so that the movable holder15rotates and pushes the disc D outwards with its rear portion in the direction indicated by the arrow inFIG. 8A. In this manner, as the disc D is pushed outwards through the front opening11, it pushes the front portion of the fixed holder16upwards as shown inFIG. 8B, and finally the disc is removed from the case.

As described above, a disc D can be inserted and removed from the case1by moving the lever15a, and therefore when a plurality of cases1are placed together, and in particular when they are set side by side in an upright position, discs D can be inserted and removed from the cases1without the need for the case1itself to be taken out of its storage location.

Fitting projections17can be arranged around the side or at the corners of the cover layer10aor the base layer10bof the case1. Booklets or slips E such as lyric sheets, bromide prints or photographs can be stored in the face of the case1and held there by the fitting projections17. The convex portions13and concave portions14described above may also be present in this configuration.

Further, as shown inFIG. 10andFIG. 11, the cover layer10aand base layer10bof the case1may be fastened together by fastening projections18band receiving holes18aset into the cover layer11aand base layer11bwhich fit together and are fastened together.

Further, as shown inFIG. 12andFIG. 13, the flat rectangular case1is comprised of two layers, the cover layer10aand the base layer10b, that divide the case lengthwise about its center and that fold open, and an enclosing case1is formed when the cover layer10aand base layer10bare closed together. A plate portion19is cut and opened out from the cover layer10alike the page of a book and fixed at the point (i.e., line) where the cover layer10ameets the base layer10b, and the movable holder15and fixed holder16can be supported by said plate19and the base layer10b.

With this configuration, even if the cover layer10aand base layer10bare separated and folded open as shown inFIG. 13, the movable holder15and fixed holder16are supported by the plate19and the base layer10b, and so insertion, removal and storage of a disc D is still possible. Therefore, storage of the disc D is not impeded by opening the cover layer10ato view booklets E (slips) such as lyrics cards, bromide prints or photographs stored within said cover layer10a. Hooks20set into the interior surface of the cover layer10awill hold the booklets E in position.21inFIG. 13indicates the void in the cover layer10aproduced by cutting out the plate portion19.

The outer surface of these embodiments of each case1(the cover layer10aand base layer10b) are wrapped with a transparent film22. Each side (the sides that run parallel to the front opening11) of said transparent film22is fixed to the longitudinal sides of the cover layer10aand base layer10bso that a disc D title sheet or the like can be inserted between said film22and the case1.