A RACK SYSTEM FOR COMPACT DISCS, DRAWERS, ETC.

Abstract: A rack system for compact discs, drawers, etc. built up of modular units. Each module (1) is a single piece having at least two side members and an end member, and each side member and optionally the end member have attachment means which interact with an underlying and/or optionally overlying module. The modules for racks or drawers are formed of a plane piece of material having folding lines for the side members and the end members.

Description: A RACK SYSTEM FOR COMPACT DISCS, DRAWERS ETC. The present invention relates to a rack system for compact discs, drawers etc, as disclosed in the preamble in Claim 1. Today compact discs are usually kept in racks which are produced as a unit for a certain number of compact discs . These storage units are found in the form of cases or trays for a certain number of discs which can be placed on a rack, or as columns where there are insertion compartments for compact discs in large numbers. These known rack systems are not very flexible, as the available space for compact discs and the number of compact discs which it is desired to store are often not commensurate with one another, such that if an existing compact disc storage system is full, the user has to buy a new, larger unit just to store one more compact disc. Moreover, these stands take up a lot of storage space at the dealer's and are expensive to transport from the manufacturer to the dealer because most of these previously known compact disc stands are assembled whilst in the hands of the producer. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a compact disc stand which costs little to transport from the producer to the dealer and at the same time makes for simple and straightforward stockholding for the wholesaler and the dealer. It is a further object of the invention to provide flexible storage for both single and double compact discs. Furthermore, it is a desire not to have more stands in use than one has compact discs for, whilst the storage space can be expanded when required. The above-mentioned is provided by means of a rack system of the afor entioned type, the characteristic features of which are disclosed in Claim 1. Additional features of the invention can be seen from the remaining dependent claims. By means of the modular unit according to the present invention, a rack system is thus provided which can be assembled as a compact disc stand corresponding to the number of compact discs the user has. It is thus possible, moreover, to keep in a drawer extra racks which can be added onto the compact disc stand unit according to need. By varying the colours of the individual modular units, these can be assembled according to a filing system, whilst also providing a decorative appearance. Instead of compact discs, a drawer unit could also be inserted and then in particular the rack system for double compact discs would be suitable. These drawers can be used to store small items such as screws, etc. A flexible system is thus provided which cannot only be used for compact discs, but also for other appropriate storage purposes. The invention shall be described in detail below with reference to the drawings, wherein: Figure 1 illustrates a modular unit for a rack unit; Figure 2 shows a variant of the rack unit illustrated in Fig. 1 and shown from the opposite side of that shown in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of the assembly of a rack unit and rack, with the parts taken apart. Fig. 1 illustrates a modular unit 1 for a single compact disc. The individual modular units are manufactured in one piece by, e.g., injection moulding of a plastic material suitable for the purpose. Other methods of manufacture and other materials will, however, be possible. The modular units 1 consist of a central portion 3, which in the unit illustrated in Fig. 1, forms the top surface of the upper side of the rack and the bottom on the underside of the next rack unit mounted thereon. Side members 17 and end members 18 of the rack are hinged to the rack bottom or rack top 3. The hinging is provided by means of, e.g., scored lines in the material, as indicated by means of folding lines 2 on Fig. 1. When assembling the rack unit, the members 17 and 18 are thus folded about the folding lines 2, as indicated by means of the arrow A in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a rack unit 1 folded and ready for attachment to a base plate 13,14. The attachment means may be in the form of pins or lugs 7, 7' which interact with holes 6, 6' in the underlying base plate 14 or underlying rack section. The attachment means 7, 7' may be of the same design as any previously known locking mechanism where there is interaction between pins and holes. A spacer strip 11 may be provided on the side members 17 so that when a compact disc or drawer is introduced into the rack section it is prevented from ramming against any attachment means 7, 7' which project from the hole 6 or 6' . In Fig. 1, this spacer strip 11 is shown as a part of the modular unit. In Fig. 2 a variant is shown where the spacer strip 11 has been omitted, but if necessary spacer strips can be adhered to the unit. Moreover, these spacer strips can be made in other suitable ways without this having any consequence for the main concept behind the invention. The modular unit 1 is, moreover, provided with resilient members 4 projecting upwards from the central portion 3, which on the insertion of a drawer or compact disc will press said compact disc or drawer down against the bottom of the rack so that a fully inserted compact disc or drawer will remain locked behind the projections 10 on the central portion 3. When the compact disc or drawer is to be removed from the rack, this is done in that it is gently pushed in and lifted up free from the projection 10, and will then be capable of being removed. To simplify removal, projecting springs 5 are provided in the end member 18, cf. Fig. 1. These resilient projections 5 will on insertion give a small amount of resistance which on depressing the compact disc will press this against the projection 10 and retain it further. On pressing in and lifting the compact disc or drawer with a finger, the compact disc or drawer will spring out so that it may readily be gripped. To simplify access to the bottom compact disc or rack there is provided in the base plate 14 a recess 15 in the front thereof. The retaining projections in the base plate are shown in Fig. 3 and indicated by means of reference numeral 16. In Fig. 2, the end member 18 is shown without the springs 5. This is to show that it is also possible to make the module without springs of this kind, or optionally to affix a resilient spacer to the end member 18 after actual manufacture where this resilient piece will be capable of functioning in the same way as the resilient projections 5. In Fig. 3 a top plate is shown which can be placed on the uppermost modular unit to provide a uniform and aesthetic exterior. This top plate 12 is provided with only downward projecting surfaces having pins which interact with the holes in the underlying modular rack unit. In the illustrated example, it is shown having only one downward projecting pin with attachment means on each side member and each end member, in that this is considered to be sufficient to provide a stable and robust structure. But there is of course nothing to prevent there being provided several attachment means of this kind on each side and possibly on the end member. In the illustrated embodiment, the side and end members are made in a continuous piece, but it will also be possible to split the side members or the end members, where one or all the pieces are made having attachment means. In this way one member will be capable of being released from the side, without this having an negative effect on the stability, to be able to have access to possible marking or, for example, can be torn off along the scored line to gain access to the coupling holes in order to couple together several rack units in the lateral direction. The pins 7 will also be capable of being made to have a hollow interior so that these can accommodate locking pins which are coupled between adjacent racks. The back wall could also be made with holes for screw attachment to the wall so that the rack units can be secured to a wall. The base plate can to advantage be equipped with a skid-proof mat 13.

Claims: P a t e n t c l a i m s 1. A rack system for compact discs, drawers, etc. built up of modular units, characterised in that each module (1) is a plane piece having folding lines for at least two side members (17) and an end member (18) , and that each side member (17) and optionally the end member (18) have attachment means (6, 7; 6' , 7') which interact with an underlying and/or optionally overlying module (1) . 2. The system according to Claim 1, characterised in that the part of the module (1) which forms the top surface in the rack has at least one downward projecting spring (4) . 3. The system according to Claims 1-2, characterised in that the end member (18) has at least one spring (5) projecting into the rack. 4. The system according to Claims 2-3, characterised in that the side members (17) have inward facing spacer strips (11) . 5. The system according to Claims 3-4, characterised in that the springs (4, 5) form a single piece with respective members (17,18) . 6. The system according to Claims 1-5, characterised in that the springs (4, 5) are resilient elements mounted on respective members (17, 18) .

Inventors: FRIIS RUBEN, FRIIS, RUBEN
Applicants: FRIIS RUBEN, FRIIS, RUBEN
Application year: 1995
Main classification: A47B87
IPC codes: A47B67, A47B81, A47B87, B65D85, G11B33