Abstract:
An audio/video media package storage structure is formed using side rails, partition rails and spacer tubes. The side rail inner surface contains: a bottom flange; a row of interleaved long and short posts; a shelf beneath the posts and above the bottom flange, the shelf having notches centered between adjacent long posts. The rail can support packages of up to three different sizes at one time. Thin packages are supported between adjacent long and short posts and rest on the shelf. Thick packages are supported between adjacent long posts and rest on the bottom flange. Medium-sized packages fit within the notch on the shelf and rest on the bottom flange. The shelf and the bottom flange have protuberances centered between adjacent long and short posts and adjacent posts, respectively, to allow the packages to shift from a forwardly to a rearwardly-oriented display position. Each end of the side rail has a tunnel adjoining the bottom flange for inserting a spacer tube. Two side rails attached to common spacer tubes form a single row of package support clusters. Other variations are possible with use of a partition rail, which is essentially two side rails in back-to-back configuration. Two side rails and an intermediate partition rail attached to spacer tubes form two rows of package support clusters. The side rails may be attached to roller-type slide brackets to mount the structure to cabinetry. The rails are injection molded.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of organized package storage support, and more particularly it relates to a versatile structure for organized near-upright storage and display support of an intermixture of several different sized packages containing audio/video home media such as compact discs, audio tape cassettes and video tape cassettes. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The popularity of packaged audio-video media such as CD&#39;s (compact discs), audio tape cassettes and videotape cassettes has resulted in new unfilled needs for storage support facilities for such packages both in the home and at point-of-sale marketing locations. In particular there is widespread need for lightweight, easily manufactured, economical structure that can provide intermixed storage and display of several different sized media packages in columns, supported from the base of the package in a nearly upright inclined disposition that is made bistable to facilitate inspection of information on the front or rear of any package by &#34;flipping back&#34; a portion of a column. 
     DISCUSSION OF RELATED KNOWN ART 
     A basic bulk storage approach is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,984 to Kennedy, where bookend members are slidably attached by four rods that provide side and bottom constraint, however this approach does not provide individual support cells for each item and thus would tend to become disorderly; also the lateral constraint is restricted to a single width size. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,949 to Berkman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,169 to Mastronardo, U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,900 to Fink, U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,205 to Wang and U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,481 to Berkman exemplify the common practice of forming individual compartments that constrain each article in a single fixed location by full or partial partitions, and fails to provide the bistable tilted support capability sought in the present invention. Simply making the compartments larger in the thickness dimension fails to provide this capability in a satisfactory manner since there are special difficulties with the bottom shape required to achieve smooth transition in shifting an item between the two bistable support positions. Thus there have been efforts to configure the support cells in special shapes to accomplish satisfactory bistable support, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,198 to Sutton, U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,813 to Schubert, U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,027 to Pavlik et al and U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,769 to Merzon. These have found it necessary to utilize a solid base structure with support cells formed as specially-shaped identical parallel transverse cavities in the solid base block which is typically flanked by separate side strips. Generally the complex shapes required in this approach have made this type of support structure heavy, costly and hard to produce: typically requiring assembly of several individual parts some of which may have to be machined since the complexity of the cavities precludes any economical molded method of manufacture. 
     Easily molded one-piece tray configurations are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,205 to Wang and U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,679 to Lowe. This style can be made to support packages by two lower corners rather than across the entire bottom, and in some instances multi size cell support has been provided; however the cited art and other known art of this style, teaching fixed, single-position support structure, have failed to provide a satisfactory solution for bistable tilted multi-size support structure due to geometric limitations imposed by the molding process. Furthermore a one-piece structure lacks the versatility required in the marketplace addressed by the present invention: a different costly molding tool is required for different overall sizes, widths, etc. Versatility of the storage support structure is required for coping with the variety of audio/video media package sizes found presently in the marketplace, and particularly to avoid obsolescence in view of new package sizes being introduced in the marketplace at an increasing rate. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a versatile structural system for assembling columnar-organized storage racks for audio/video media that can accommodate a mixture of up to three different sized packages within a storage column. 
     It is a further object to provide the capability of assembling racks with single or multiple columns. 
     It is a further object to provide a rack structure wherein the column widths may be easily preselected or changed. 
     It is a further object to define a small number of easily manufacturable basic parts from which a large variety of storage racks can be assembled. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The abovementioned objects have been accomplished in the storage rack system of the present invention wherein organized storage of a mixture of all major present day audio/video home media packaging formats is provided by rigid racks easily assembled from three basic building blocks: side rails with support structure formed on one side, central rails with support structure formed on both sides for forming multiple side-by-side columns, and spacer means removably attached to the rails. The rails are articulated in a repetitive pattern of identical storage support clusters each offering support cells of three sizes to hold rectangular media packages of mixed sizes in a near-upright position, supported at lower corners of the packages. The two styles of rails, side and partition, can be economically injection molded from plastic. The spacer means may be a pair of metal tubes, typically of black anodized aluminum. They are removably attached to a pair of side rails by a snap action and are retained frictionally to form a rigid support frame that can be made to provide any desired column width. Multiple side-by-side support columns can be formed by snapping central rails onto the tubes between a pair of side rails. The side rails may be fitted with roller type slide brackets such as Euro-rails for attachment to cabinetry, or with other innovative roller mechanism. Alternatively, the support frame may be fitted with special end members on the tubes, secured onto a mounting plate such as a wooden cabinet shelf. Many other combinations can be formed for accommodating various media packages, present and future. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a side rail of the present invention. 
     FIG. 1A is an enlarged view of an end portion of the side rail shown in FIG. 1. 
     FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are cross-sections taken through axes 2A-2A&#39;, 2B-2B&#39; and 2C-2C&#39; of FIG. 1A. 
     FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C, similar to FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C, show the side rail supporting packages of different thickness. 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view of a portion of a side rail (as in FIG. 1) mounted on a baseplate and cooperating with a simple angle bracket to support a mixture or choice of two different sized packages: an audiotape package and a VHS videotape package. 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of a portion of a pair of side rails (as in FIG. 1) joined by tubular spacers to form a frame, supporting two different sized packages: a CD (compact disc) package and a VHS videotape package. 
     FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a single column storage frame of the present invention assembled from a pair of tubular spacers and a pair of side rails fitted with metal roller slide brackets. 
     FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a single column storage frame of the present invention assembled from a pair of tubular spacers and a pair of side rails molded with integral slide roller tracks. 
     FIG. 8 is an isometric view of two-column storage frame of the present invention assembled from a pair of side rails and a central rail snapped onto a pair of tubular spacers mounted on a baseplate. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an injection molded plastic side rail 10 which is the main component in a preferred embodiment of the invention. Side rail 10 is symmetrical end-to-end, and is formed basically as an angle bracket with a sidewall 12 having an inner side articulated to form a package support structure pattern to provide the required support at lower corners of rectangular media packages, the wall 12 forming the outer boundary of the media storage area. 
     Wall 12, having a nominal thickness of 0.125&#34; in its main lower portion, may be stiffened by increased thickness, nominally 0.21&#34;, in an upper portion 12A, where a row of eleven long posts 14 are uniformly interleaved with ten short posts 16, all formed integrally. Beneath the posts 14 and 16, a shelf 18 disposed at about half way up the wall 12 extends inwardly. A bottom flange 20, also extends inwardly, typically beyond the end of the long posts 14, and extends longitudinally past the two outer long posts 14 to join a lower edge of tunnels 24 at each end. 
     Posts 14 and 16, shelf 18 and flange 20 are configured in a repetitive pattern of ten identical storage support clusters as typified by cluster 22. 
     FIG. 1A is an enlarged view of an end segment of side rail 10 of FIG. 1, showing the following features of a typical support cluster 22: a short post 16 centered between a pair of long posts 14, a narrow shelf region 18A flanked by full width shelf regions 18B forming a notch 18E defining a support cell, a pair of minor support ribs 18C spanning the narrow shelf region 18A (one is concealed in this view), a web 18D running vertically down from the underside of each long post to shelf at a full width region 18B, and a major support rib 20A formed in bottom flange 20. 
     A tunnel 24, formed integrally near each end of side rail 10 adjoining the bottom flange 20 and wall 12, is configured with three internal bearing ridges 24A running laterally the full length of its inside surface, spaced radially about 120 degrees apart. An end cap 26, formed at each end of side rail 10, is integrally attached to wall 12 and to a bottom edge of tunnel 24. 
     FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view taken through axis 2a-2A&#39; of FIG. 1A showing typical support cluster 22 with a short post 16 centered between a pair of long posts 14, a major support rib 20A beneath short post 16, and the pair of minor support ribs 18C formed on shelf 18 midway beneath posts 14 and 16. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the long posts 14 are made to have a diameter D1=0.216&#34; and a length L1=0.75&#34;, the short posts 16 are made to have a diameter D2=0.192&#34; and a length L2=0.20&#34;, all posts are positioned to have a center-to-center spacing C=0.688&#34;, thus the opening between posts defines a support cell thickness dimension T1=C-(D1+D2)/2=0.688&#34;-(0.216+0,192)/2&#34;=0.456&#34;. The minor support ribs 18C each provide a partial cylindrical surface with a radius of 0.156&#34; and their uppermost surfaces are spaced 0.252&#34; below the center line of posts 14 and 16, the major support ribs 20A are made with a radius of 0.386&#34; and their uppermost surfaces are spaced 0.675&#34; below the center line of posts 14 and 16. 
     FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken through axis 2B-2B&#39; of FIG. 1A showing that in cell 22, only the long posts 14, wide shelf segments 18B, webs 18D and bottom flange 20 extend inwardly beyond this plane of axis 2B-2B&#39;. In the preferred embodiment, each notch formed between full width segments 18B defines a support cell thickness dimension T3=0.756&#34;. 
     FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view taken through axis 3C-3C&#39; of FIG. 1A showing that only the long posts 14 and bottom flange 20 extend inwardly beyond this plane of axis 2C-2C&#39;. The space between long posts 14 defines a support cell thickness dimension T2=2*C-D1=1.376&#34;-0.216&#34;=1.16&#34;. 
     FIG. 3A, similar to FIG. 2A, shows side rail 10 supporting a package 48 of a first thickness, typically a compact disc package that is nominally 0.412&#34; thick, supported at a designated angle of inclination in the 0.456&#34; support cell opening (T1, FIG. 2A) between two adjacent posts: a long post 14 and a short post 16. The bottom of package 48 rests on support rib 18C, which serves as a glide surface to facilitate shifting the package 48 to its alternative stable position shown in dashed outline 48A, inclined at the designated angle in the opposite direction. At each end of the side rail 10, end cap 26 is utilized to provide an extra cell to hold a package 48B shown in dashed outline, resting at the bottom on a support ridge 24B formed on the top of tunnel 24, and inclined at the designated angle. A spacer tube 36 is shown within tunnel 24, gripped by the three ridges 24A. 
     FIG. 3B, similar to FIG. 2B, shows side rail 10 supporting a package 50 of a second thickness, typically an audiotape cassette package that is nominally 0.67&#34; thick, retained in a notch 18E whose 0.756&#34; length (T3, FIG. 2B) defines a support cell thickness dimension that supports the package at the designated 0 inclined angle as shown. Dashed outline 50A shows the alternative supported position of package 50. 
     FIG. 3C, similar to FIG. 2C, shows side rail 10 supporting a package 52 of a third thickness, typically a VHS videotape cassette package that is nominally 1.02&#34; thick, retained between adjacent long posts 14 which form a support cell having a thickness dimension 1.16&#34; (T2, FIG. 2C) that supports the VHS package 52 at the designated inclined angle, resting on a major arched surface 20A as shown. Dashed outline 52A shows the alternative supported position of package 52. 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view of side rail 10 acting in combination with a simple angle bracket 54 that provides a horizontal bottom support surface 54A and a vertical surface 54B for lateral constraint of packages. Bracket 54 is located parallel to side rail 10 and both are secured directly or indirectly to the base plate 44 to provide a wall spacing dimension S as indicated. The dashed outlines indicate base regions of two packages of different sizes; they are held in upright disposition, at the designated angle of inclination, by support received at the lower left hand corner region of the package engaged in support cells articulated in side rail 10. 
     In the preferred embodiment, shelf 18 is made to have a full width W1=0.375&#34; at full width regions 18B and a reduced width W2=0.2&#34; at reduced width regions 18A, referenced to the thick upper portion 12A of wall 12 (FIG. 1). 
     Audiotape package 50 in landscape (sideways) orientation has a nominal base size 0.67&#34; by 4.29&#34;, and is supported in the 0.756&#34; length of the notch 18E in shelf 20 of the side rail 10, receiving lateral constraint from shelf 20 in the notch region where the reduced width W2 is 0.2&#34;, thus the minimum wall spacing S required is 4.29&#34;+0.2&#34;=4.49&#34;. 
     VHS videotape package 52 in portrait (upright) orientation has a nominal base size 1.02&#34; by 4.135&#34;, and is supported in the 1.16&#34; space between long posts 14, with lateral constraint at the left received from shelf 20 at a region of full shelf width (W1=0.3825&#34;). Thus the minimum required wall spacing S required between the wall of side rail 10 and vertical surface 54 is 4.135&#34;+W1=4.135+0.375=4.51&#34;. 
     Thus the single side rail configuration of FIG. 4, adjusted to make the wall spacing S=4.52&#34;, enables intermixed storage of VHS and audiotape packages, providing 0.03&#34; and 0.01&#34; lateral clearance respectively. 
     Lateral constraint surfaces for the three packages of different thickness are located at three different lateral positions: the wall, the reduced width portion of the shelf 18 at a notch 18E, and the full width portion of the shelf 18, respectively. As an option to providing an angle bracket 54, the lateral constraining vertical surface 54B could be provided by any vertical surface located parallel to the side rail 10, e.g. the side of a drawer, cabinet or other wall surface. 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of a portion of a pair of side rails 10 assembled into a frame utilizing a pair of metal spacer tubes 36 (one at each end,of which only one is visible in drawing) to provide required wall spacing S. 
     Package 48 is a CD package in portrait orientation having a nominal base size 0.412&#34; by 4.9&#34; supported in the 0.456&#34; space between adjacent posts 14 and 16 and constrained laterally between the walls of side rails 10, thus requiring a minimum wall spacing S=4.9&#34;. 
     Package 52 is a VHS videotape package in portrait orientation having a nominal base size 1.02&#34; by 4.135&#34;, supported in the 1.16&#34; space between long posts 14. Lateral constraint is received from the full width (W1=0.375&#34;) of shelf 20 on both sides, thus requiring a minimum wall spacing S=4.135+2*W1=4.135&#34;+2*0.375&#34;=4.135&#34;+0.75&#34;=4.885&#34;. 
     Thus in the dual rail configuration of FIG. 5, making the wall spacing S=4.92&#34; enables intermixed storage of CD and VHS packages, providing 0.02&#34; and 0.035&#34; lateral clearance respectively. Many CD&#39;s have a square picture insert that is upright in landscape orientation of the package; this insert can be rotated 90 degrees in the package if desired for storing in portrait orientation. This same spacing dimension (S=4.885&#34;+clearance) can also provide support for audiotape packages in landscape orientation (0.67&#34; by 4.29&#34;), however the support will engage only one corner of the package due to excessive lateral clearance. 
     FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a storage frame 34A of the present invention assembled from a pair of spacer tubes 36, typically black anodized aluminum tubing, whose ends are attached by screws 38 to a pair of roller type slide brackets 40 to form a rigid framework to which a pair of side rails 10 are attached via tunnels 24. The actual engagement to tubes 36 is accomplished by bearing ridges 14A (FIG. 1A) which act to provide snap action assembly and firm frictional attachment of the side rails 10 to the tubes 36 in the rigid frame. Thus, the two side rails 10 may be located as shown located against brackets 40; the rails 10 can be easily removed with a moderate twisting action and relocated elsewhere on tubes 36 if desired. 
     Brackets 40 are available as standard hardware items, e.g. Euro-Slides, supplied with mating slide channels that are typically attached to associated cabinetry so as to enable frame 34A to be slid in and out with roller action in the manner of a drawer. 
     FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a single column storage frame of the present invention assembled from a pair of tubular spacers 36 (as in FIG. 6) and a pair of side rails 56 that are specially formed in the molding process with integral flange 56A extending outwardly away from the storage column from around the periphery of the sidewall as shown. Flanges 56A cooperate with a group of roller units 58 that are secured to adjacent associated cabinetry so as to form a slide roller track. Typically three roller units 58 are utilized on each side of the frame 34B, and are located in the pattern as shown, the frame 34B being shown located at the in-cabinet end of its slide travel. Each roller unit 58 includes a rotating roller 58A, a fixed guide washer 58B and a mounting screw 58C which serves as a fixed bearing shaft for roller 58A, and which secures the roller unit 58 to adjacent associated cabinetry. An extension portion 56B is formed at one end of each side rail 56: in each extension portion 56B an opening is provided in the flange 56A, as shown, to facilitate removal and replacement of the frame 34B from the roller units 58 installed in the cabinetry. 
     FIG. 8 shows an two column storage unit 42 assembled from components of the present invention. A frame is formed initially from pair of tubes 36 and a pair of side rails; the frame could be configured as in FIG. 4, 5, 6 or 7, however in this example the tubes 36 are secured onto a mounting plate 44, which may be a slidable or fixed wooden cabinet shelf. Tubes 36 are fitted to end caps 46 that are screwed down onto mounting plate 44 thus retaining tubes 36 in place. Snapped into place on tubes 36, in addition to the side rails 10 is a central partition rail 10A that is molded in a single part to provide in effect the support patterns of two side rails 10 back-to-back. Partition rail 10A is molded as a single part having a central wall that is typically 0.26&#34; thick at the top. The downward-facing tunnels at each end traverse the entire partition rail 10A so that it can be snapped in place onto tubes 36 of a frame, where it is frictionally retained and can be readily adjusted to provide required wall spacings S1 and S2, and can removed in a twisting action in the same manner as the side rails 10. 
     The end caps 46 are flanged to act as end stops to constrain the side rails 10 at the end of tubes 36. The side rails 10 are typically but not necessarily located fully at the limit of their travel range toward the ends of tubes 36. 
     The introduction of a central partition rail 10A forms two side-by-side storage columns as shown. The tubes 36 may be made any desired length and any number of additional storage columns of any desired equal or unequal spacings S1 and S2 can be provided by inserting one or more additional partition rails 10A at selected locations. 
     In an alternate frame mounting arrangement where a baseplate 44 is utilized and only non-adjustable fixed spacings S1 and S2 are required in respective columns, the spacer tubes 36 could be eliminated, being replaced by short cylinders, designed to each engage a corresponding tunnel 24, each screwed down onto the base plate 44 at the tunnel regions to provide the desired rail locations. For such configurations where a baseplate 44 is utilized, e.g. as shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, the base flange 20 on side rail 10 could be eliminated and the side rail fastened to baseplate 44 by alternative means, since the baseplate 44 can provide bottom support of packages in lieu of the base flange 20. 
     This invention makes possible the support of other combinations of two or three different sized media packages in the same storage column by selecting the spacing, as well as support of a single media per column; and adjacent storage columns can be made to support like or unlike media packages, in portrait or landscape orientation. 
     The provision of major and minor support ribs, 20A and 18C respectively in FIG. 1A, represents a refinement of the invention by providing a sliding bottom support interface that ensures smooth &#34;flipping&#34; of packages between their two stable inclined upright supported positions: the support ribs are not essential to the invention, which could be practiced in an alternative embodiment with the support ribs of either or both types eliminated. 
     Similarly, configuring the shelf 18A (FIG. 1A) to have a notch such as notch 18E in each support cluster as shown and described is an improvement that provides three different sizes of package support cells: the invention could be practiced with these notches eliminated in an alternative embodiment that would provide only two different sizes of package support cells. A further simplified form of the invention is possible in an alternative embodiment wherein the shelf 18A is eliminated, thus providing two different sizes of package support cells with only a single bottom support level. 
     The invention may be embodied and practiced in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description; and all variations, substitutions and changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.