Storage case and a disc holding part for storage cases for round data discs

A compact storage case for circular data carriers, comprising a base part, a lid part and a disk holding part. The base part and the lid part are pivotally interconnected along a common edge by a first hinge device. The disk holding part and the base part are pivotally interconnected by a second hinge device arranged on the edge of the base part opposite the first hinge device. The disk holding part has a holder on either side for one circular data carrier per side.

This application is a continuation of PCT/EP89/00741 filed Jun. 29, 1989. 
The invention concerns a storage case and a disc holding part for storage 
cases for round data discs, particularly optically readable videodiscs and 
digital circuit discs, also known as CD's, consisting of a bottom part, a 
lid part, and a disc holding part. In this case, the disc holding part is 
arranged between the lid part in the bottom part. Two hinge devices 
control pivoting motions between the three parts. 
It is known (European Patent 0,272,042 A2), e.g., to store and also to sell 
compact discs (CD's) in storage cases of this type. These types of cases 
are stored in display cases or similar display or storage furniture 
Customarily, in addition to the CD they also contain information about the 
CD. The initially mentioned storage cases are very widely used. As a rule, 
an information sheet printed on one side is inserted in the bottom part; 
this sheet is folded on two opposing edges so that the folded areas can be 
labeled as on the spine of a book. For this purpose, the bottom parts are 
produced from transparent plastic. The lid parts accept an information 
pamphlet printed on several sides or also a so-called booklet. These form 
the cover For this purpose, the lid part also consists of transparent 
plastic. Therefore, the CD in these known storage cases is visible after 
opening, i.e. after swinging out the bottom part or lid part. These known 
storage cases have the disadvantage of having a relatively large volume. 
A storage case for two or more CD's is known from the West German patent 
3,301,644 A1 in which a center part forming a partition with surrounding 
end panels is provided for receipt of a CD on each side of the partition. 
In each case, a bottom part is positioned pivotable by use of hinges on 
the upper side and the lower side of this center part. Each of these 
bottom parts can receive an additional CD. The two hinge devices are 
located on the same edge of the center part. This known storage case is 
only practical with use for three or four CD's since it has a 
comparatively large volume. In addition, it has the disadvantage that 
information can be applied to the end panels of the storage case as on a 
book spine only with increased cost since the outsides of the two bottom 
parts are only suitable for the receipt of nonremovable descriptive 
information when additional disc holding parts are inserted in the two 
bottom parts; this causes the storage case to have even larger volume. The 
partition (disc holding part) exhibits circular recesses on both sides for 
receipt of an index plate with a notch arrangement for one CD. This causes 
high labor costs and enlarges the volume. 
A similar storage case is known from est German Patent 3,414,903 A1 and 
from the previously specified West German Patent 3,301,644 A1, in which, 
i.e., the center part is completely encased by the base and lid part 
and--except for the unstipulated spines--the information areas known for 
storage cases for single CD's remain usable; however this has other 
disadvantages. In these known storage cases, i.e., two hinge devices are 
not arranged parallel to each other but rather are arranged essentially 
coaxially. Both the bottom part and the disc holding parts, called disc 
carriers there, of these cases must be provided with longitudinal holes on 
each side, in which pins engage that are arranged coaxially on the lid 
part. In these known storage cases, therefore not only exclusively 
pivoting motions are necessary for opening, but rather pivoting/pushing 
motions. In this case, jamming of the parts pivoted against each other can 
easily occur. If it is attempted to reverse this process in case of such a 
jamming, the danger exists that this is accomplished jerkily and the CD's 
stored in the cases drop out, become scratched, or undergo other types of 
damage. The center part (disc holding part) exhibits a central opening 
that is surrounded on both sides by several pins aligning with each other 
for receipt and clamping of the CD. It has been shown that this known 
receipt of the disc is not sufficiently secure against an unintentional 
loosening of the CD's and is expensive with respect to process 
engineering. 
Proceeding from this, it is the goal of the invention to create a storage 
case and a disc holding part for storage cases of the initially mentioned 
type that is designed as a space-saving arrangement that is secure during 
use. In such a storage case in accordance with the present invention, it 
has been proven as advantageous to provide the bottom part with end panels 
on opposite edges that preferably are usable as spines End panels arranged 
in this manner increase the operational safety of the hinge devices and 
also facilitate keeping of the sealed storage case dustfree. Likewise, for 
an operationally safe use of the storage case a limiting device for the 
pivoting path for the disc holding part in its swung out state has been 
proven as advantageous since in this manner an unintentional complete 
tilting out of the disc holding part and the damages of the round 
information disc resulting therefrom are suppressed effectively. 
Advantages achieved by the invention include the following: 
protection against the round information carrier, particularly CD's, from 
falling out of the storage case upon opening or use in the opened state is 
considerably improved by the novel hinge arrangement; 
protection against falling out is improved further by limitation of the 
opening angle; 
the storage case likewise is dusttight, just as the known, commercial 
storage cases for single CD's; 
the storage case comprises only three parts, all of which can be 
manufactured simply; 
these same lid parts can be used in the same manner as for known storage 
cases for only a single CD; also, only slight change, i.e. two holes as 
hinge parts, are necessary at the bottom part of these known storage 
cases; 
adjustable furniture for display or private storage of storage cases 
according to the invention, as used previously for individual cases can be 
used further without limitation; 
now two CD's can be introduced in the same space in which previously only a 
single CD or other round information disc could be introduced; 
in addition, a fourth area that can be provided with information is created 
in the storage case that is as large as approximately the entire front or 
back side of the storage case. 
Suitable designs in accordance with the present invention ensure a simple 
production modification and storage of the individual parts as well as an 
advantageous handling of the storage case or the disc holding part and the 
best possible protection of the information discs stored therein. 
The structural parts used according to the invention are not subject to any 
special exceptional limitations with respect to their size, design, 
material selection and engineering concept so that selection criteria 
known for the respective application area can be used without limitation. 
Further details, characteristics and advantages of the subject of the 
invention are shown from the following description of the accompanying 
drawings in which a preferred practical form of a storage case having disc 
holding parts according to the invention is depicted as example. The 
drawings show:

In FIG. 1, a storage case is designated overall by 1; the case comprises a 
bottom part 2, a lid part 3 and a disc holding part 4. 
The bottom part 2 in horizontal projection exhibits an essentially 
rectangular, not completely square base plate 5 that is connected on the 
narrower edges 6 and 7 of the bottom part 2 in one piece with end panels 8 
and 9. At least in the areas of edges 6 and 7, the base plate 5 exhibits 
flanges 10 and 11 forming the sidewalls along the edges of the relatively 
longer sides. Holes or circular recesses 12 that form the bottom part 2 of 
a hinge device are provided in the flanges 10 lying opposite one another 
(the second flange 10 is covered by the first flange 10) and close to the 
edge 6 of the base depicted to the left in the drawing. 
Lid part 3 exhibits a cover plate 13 that is approximately square in 
horizontal projection or deviates slightly from the square form and is 
connected on two opposite edges in one piece with sidewalls 14 or (as the 
individual parts of the bottom part) is formed as one piece with this. In 
the depicted practical example, the sidewalls 14 exhibit grooves 15 and 
recesses 16. The grooves 15 are primarily provided for optical reasons. 
The recesses 16 are provided at their upper boundary on the backside 
(inside) of the sidewalls 14 with approximately semicircular bars (not 
depicted), which serve among other things as spacers in sealed storage 
cases and that in addition, between the spacers and the inside surface of 
the base plate 13, can hold descriptive information (not depicted) 
insertable laterally between the sidewalls 14. In the area of the right 
edge of the lid part 3 in the drawing, which essentially is coincident 
with the edge 6 of the bottom part 2 (seen in horizontal projection), the 
sidewalls 14 of the lid part 3 exhibit hinge pins 17 projecting to the 
inside which engage in the holes 12 with the formation of a hinge and 
whose dimensions correspond to those of hole 12. The hinges 12, 17 on both 
sides (lying behind one another in the drawing) of the bottom part 2 and 
the lid part 3 jointly form a hinge device by which the lid part is 
pivotable with respect to the bottom part preferably by an angle of 
approximately 180.degree.. 
Thus far, the bottom part 2, the lid part 3 and the hinge device 12, 17, 
which as a whole are produced from transparent plastic and form in the 
sealed state a storage case, preferably for compact discs, in which the 
two end panels 8 and 9 of the bottom part 2 by insertion of appropriately 
printed leaflets take over the function of a spine, are generally known 
and are widely used for the receipt of one CD per storage case. 
While the plastic holding part 4 presently is clipped tightly into the 
bottom part 2 in the known storage cases in such manner that it cannot be 
withdrawn for all practical purposes without damaging the storage case, a 
disc holding part according to the invention is pivotable by approximately 
90.degree. with respect to bottom part 2 by a second hinge device 18, 19. 
In each case, the hinge device comprises a hinge pin 19 on each side, which 
is arranged on the disc holding part 4 and is combined with it as one 
piece in the direct vicinity of the edge 7 of bottom part 2, and also a 
hole 18 for receipt of a hinge pin 19. Such a hole is provided close to 
edge 7 in each of the two flanges 11 approximately parallel to the edge. 
When the disc holding part in the bottom part 2 is swung completely out, 
the storage case for all practical purposes cannot be distinguished from a 
conventional storage case for a single CD. 
The disc holding part differs from a holder case used widely for the 
receipt of a single CD in that it is provided with the aforementioned 
hinge pins and, at the edge of the disc holding part bearing the hinge 
pins as depicted in top view in FIG. 2, is free of the edges that to some 
extent prevent the pivoting motion. In this case, the disc holding part in 
the area of the edge 4A bearing the second hinge device is shaped in such 
manner that, e.g., the end panel 9 of the bottom part 2 serves as limiting 
device for the pivoting path of the disc holding part. This is apparent 
from FIG. 1. 
On the edge 4B lying opposite the edge 4A of the disc holding part 4, on 
which the second hinge device 18, 19 is provided, a grab strip 20 is 
provided that exhibits a groove 21 on its underside (see FIG. 3), with 
which the edge 4B can be engaged from below, e.g. with a fingernail, and 
thus the disc holding part 4 can be lifted off from the bottom part 2 at 
this edge. In addition, the disc holding part 4 in the area of its 
upperside depicted in FIG. 2 is designed in similar manner as the known 
disc holding part for a single CD, i.e. an approximately round indentation 
22 is incorporated into the surface and a support ring 23 for the CD and a 
multipart clamp ring 24 are provided in the central area. The indentation 
22 of course is not as deep as in the known storage cases for a single CD. 
The clamp ring 24 is provided slightly oversized so that with light 
pressure the central hole of a CD can be shifted over the clamp ring and 
the CD is then held clamped in this position by the clamp ring. The 
underside 25 of the disc holding part 4 preferably exhibits a circular 
indentation 26 for protective receipt of a CD, a further support ring 25 
[sic], and a further clamp ring 24 in the same manner as the corresponding 
appliance on the opposite (upper) side of the disc holding part. The space 
for the indentation 26 is created by reduction of the depth of the 
indentation 22. 
The disc holding part 4 is preferably manufactured from plastic. For 
obtaining a clamping force adapted well for the central receipt of two 
CD's on opposite sides, the arrangement represented schematically in FIG. 
4 is recommended. According to arrangement in cross-sectional view, bent 
tabs 27 are arranged on the circumference of a central opening 28 of the 
disc holding part 4 alternately in such manner that bent tabs project 
alternately to above and to below with tab ends 27A projecting into the 
opening 28 (observed in top view). A tab arrangement of this type is not 
only very effective, but also can be manufactured with simple injection 
molding tools without mold slides or the like. Nevertheless, the CD's 29 
arranged on both sides of the disc holding part can be held equally 
secure. Also a frequent removal and reinsertion of the CD's is possible 
with no problem. 
A bent tab 27 in an alternative design to that of FIG. 4 can be seen in 
FIG. 5. In behalf of simplicity, this figure merely shows a highly 
enlarged section of the disk holding part 4 and clamp ring 24. While the 
horizontal leg 27C extending into the plane of the disc holding part 4 
corresponds to the practical form according to FIG. 4, the vertical leg 
27B is merely provided with a reverse taper, not however with a bent tab 
end 27A. The reverse taper 27D is not recognizable in FIG. 4 due to the 
smaller scale of the figure; above all, with clamped CD 29 it [the 
vertical leg] can be lifted partially or totally by spring action since 
the tabs 27 are tension-loaded radially to the inside. 
In the practical form according to FIG. 4, the additional bent tab ends 27A 
serve in known manner for relief of the clamping tension acting on the CD. 
Further alternatives to FIGS. 4 and 5 are depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7. 
According to FIG. 6, the size (thickness) of the material of leg 27B (in 
contrast to FIG. 5) is constant over the leg length with the angles formed 
by legs 27B and 27C in each case amounting to less than 90.degree.. 
When compared to FIG. 6, an additional leg (27A) is provided for the 
approximately Z-shaped tab 27 according to FIG. 7. 
Double arrows in FIGS. 5 to 7 indicate the directions of the spring action 
of the legs 27A, 27B, and 27C; in behalf of simplicity, the CD's 29 below 
and clamp ring 24 are represented only by dotted lines. 
List of Reference Numbers: 
1 Storage case 
2 Bottom part 
3 Lid part 
4 Disc holding part 
4A Edge 
4B Edge 
5 Base plate 
6 Edge 
7 Edge 
8 End panel 
9 End panel 
10 Flange 
11 Flange 
12 Hole 
13 Cover plate 
14 End panel 
15 Grooving 
16 Recess 
17 Hinge pin 
18 Hole 
19 Hinge pin 
20 Grab strip 
21 Recess 
22 Indentation 
23 Support ring 
24 Clamp ring 
25 Underside 
26 Indentation 
27 Tabs 
27A Tab ends 
28 Openings 
29 CD 
A View 
B View