Adjustable CD storage rack

This invention discloses an adjustable CD storage rack to hold a plurality of CDs such that a side edge and front face of the CDs are normally observable, with the storage rack formed by a pair of spaced end supports movable on rods with respect to each other to adjust the storage size of said rack. The rods slide through aligned apertures in the side edges to slidably yet fixably be set at any location along said rods. The rods form the support structure on which the CDs rest, preferably side-by-side.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a rack for storing compact disks ("CDs"), and 
more particularly, to such a rack which allows for a varied number of CDs 
to be stored in a manner which enables the contents of the CDs to be 
easily observed. 
CDs come in thin rectangular packages with thin side edges and a large 
front face. Information about the contents of the CD is generally carried 
along an edge as well as along the front and rear faces of the CD 
packages. CDs are stored generally standing on edge, side-by-side, with 
the user having to closely inspect the side edges to select the CD to be 
played. 
Since the CD as stored in thin plastic rectangular boxes, they tend to fall 
without side support. Generally, there have not been available CD storage 
racks which allow for CDs to be stored in a neat fashion and which also 
allows the CDs to be observed along their side edge and front faces, 
substantially simultaneously. Additionally, it is desirable to provide a 
storage rack for CDs which is adjustable, handling any number of CDs 
sought to be stored in the rack as desired. 
An object of this invention is to provide a CD storage rack system which 
can accommodate a large and varied number of CDs. 
Another object of this invention is to provide such a CD storage mechanism 
in which the edges and front surfaces of the CDs may be easily observed in 
order to determine the contents thereof. 
Yet another object of this invention is to provide such an adjustable CD 
support rack which is attractive, easy to use and will not mar surfaces on 
which the storage rack is placed. 
Still another object of this invention is to provide a flip through CD 
storage rack which can accommodate double albums which are twice the 
normal thickness of single CD albums. 
Another object of this invention is to provide such a CD storage rack which 
is attractive, readily usable, easily adjusted and susceptible to wide 
consumer use. 
Other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become more 
apparent from the following description. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the principles of this invention, the above objects are 
accomplished by providing an adjustable CD storage rack assembly 
comprising a pair of side supports angled outwardly with respect to each 
other approximately 50.degree. -70.degree.. with respect to a horizontal 
surface, the side supports comprising apertures therethrough and a 
plurality of connecting rods connecting the side supports through the 
apertures. The material forming the apertures is resilient, and a friction 
fit is employed between the rods and apertures so that the side supports 
may be slidably and fixably located along the rods with respect to each 
other to be able to adjust the size of the adjustable CD storage rack. 
The angle of the side supports is such that a side edge and front surface 
of a CD may be easily viewed in order to determine the contents thereof. 
The side supports comprise a rigid plate attached to a softer resilient 
rubber rest, with the rubber rest insuring that the resilient plate is 
located above the surface upon which the storage rack is placed. This 
prevents marring of such surfaces. Additionally, the rubber or resilient 
rest includes apertures aligned with apertures in the plate so that the 
connecting rods are frictionally held within the apertures of the side 
supports in order to achieve adjustability of the CD storage rack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
The adjustable CD storage rack of this invention utilizes well-known 
principles employed in a conventional linear Rolodex in which a plurality 
of cards are stored one behind the other with the ability to flip through 
each card sequentially, or as desired, to observe information on the card. 
FIGS. 1-8 are as described above and reference is made to those figures 
hereinafter. Numerals are used throughout the figures. The CDs form no 
part of the invention. 
The storage rack 10 of this invention holds a plurality of compact disks 12 
stored side-by-side. A storage rack comprises end supports 14 and 16 and a 
plurality of connecting rods 18, 20, 22, and 24. The end supports 14 and 
16 each have respective apertures 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 and 40, with 
respective pairs of apertures 26-34, 28-36, 30-38, 32-40 in the respective 
side supports aligned with each other to receive connecting rods 18, 20, 
22 and 24. 
The side supports are angled with respect to a horizontal plane at an angle 
of between 50.degree.-70.degree.. By providing such an angle for the side 
supports, the CDs may be stored such that the front face 42 and side edges 
44 and 46 of the centermost and separated CDs may be readily observable. 
This allows the user to have easy access and flip-through action in order 
to select the CD to be played. 
The overall storage rack is extremely efficient in that substantially most 
of the space of the storage rack is taken up with the stored CDs. 
A feature of this invention is that the apertures through which the 
connecting rods slide comprise, at least partially, resilient material so 
that side supports are able to be slid yet fixably held in position along 
the lengths of the connecting rods in order to adjust the spacing between 
the side supports and accommodate any desired number of CDs. 
Preferably, the connecting rods are anodized aluminum and the end supports 
14 and 16 could be made of a single material. At this point, FIG. 7 
illustrates an exploded perspective of the end supports which each 
comprise a rigid rectangular plastic plate 48 having a planar front 
surface 50 and a rearwardly extending L-shaped support member 52 
integrally formed therewith and a rubber rest 54 having an angled front 
surface 56 adapted to bear against the rear planar surface 58 of the 
plastic plate 48. The rubber rest further has a semi oval recess 60 
terminating in a support surface 62 complementary in shape to the L-shape 
of the support member 52. The rubber rest 54 is lifted onto support member 
52 of the rigid plate so as to connect the rubber rest 52 with the rigid 
plate 48 to provide the desired angle for the rigid plate to support the 
CDs. The rubber support has a plurality of apertures (designated with 
primed numerals) which align with the apertures in the rigid plate so that 
the connecting rods pass easily through the plastic plate and are 
resiliently and fixedly held by the apertures in the resilient rubber rest 
in order to achieve the slidable adjustable setting of the end supports 14 
and 16 with respect to each other to adjust the sides of the storage rack 
of this invention. 
Rubber rest 54 holds plate 48 above the bottom of the rubber rest to 
prevent the plastic plate from marring the surface on which the support 
rack rests. 
As stated above, the general principle of a linear Rolodex is employed in 
which the stored CDs can easily be flipped one after the other to 
determine which CD is desired. FIG. 9 illustrates yet another aspect of 
this invention in which a plurality of separators 90 is provided which are 
substantially of the same size as the CDs, but which include headers 92 
which can carry information such as alphabetical, indexing, categories or 
the like in order to store the CDs in any fashion desired. 
As a feature of this invention, double albums 62 of twice the normal 
thickness of a single CD can be accommodated with the storage rack 10 in 
which the flip through feature is still maintained. 
This invention illustrates a preferred embodiment of this invention, the 
scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.