Abstract:
A device for mounting a compact disc case on a wall or other surface. The compact disc case is held securely in a mounting area within the device using opposing retainers on both the top and bottom of the device. This design allows the user to view the entire front cover of the compact disc case when mounted in the device, and allows for the removal and replacement of the compact disc case as necessary. The device may be used individually or it may be joined to other such devices using interlocking connectors.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention is directed towards a device to store and display compact disc cases that can be mounted on a wall or other surface.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,799, to Simba, has an issue date of Sep. 10, 2002. The patent is directed towards a wall or vertically mounted frame for securely holding and displaying a single compact disc case. The frame is comprised of a swing-out holder pivoted to a fixed housing.  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,432, to Rohner, has an issue date of Sep. 12, 2000. The patent is directed towards a frame for mounting flat objects, such as compact disc cases. These frames can be secured adjacent to one another by suitable securing elements.  
         [0006]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,687, to Whittington, has an issue date of Aug. 20, 1991. The patent is directed towards a wall-mounted apparatus for the storage and display of containers for stored media, particularly for the storage of compact discs and the display of artwork and information regarding each of the compact discs that is located directly behind the container&#39;s front cover. The apparatus utilizes a hook-and-loop fastening means to selectively and “arrangeably” mount compact disc containers thereon and includes frame members adapted to surround each compact disc container and having grooves to provide space for a compact disc user&#39;s fingers to open the front cover of the mounted compact disc case in order to access the compact disc.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a device to store and display compact disc cases individually on a wall.  
         [0008]     This aspect can be attained by a system that includes a compact disc case mounting device. The device includes a mounting area to mount a compact disc case, capable of being removably attached to a surface, and a rectangular border around the mounting area having an inside perimeter and an outside perimeter and a hollow portion between the inside perimeter and outside perimeter. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a drawing illustrating a perspective view of a compact disc case storage and display device, according to an embodiment;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a drawing illustrating a rear view of a compact disc case storage and display device, according to an embodiment;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a drawing illustrating a side view of a retainer, according to an embodiment;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a drawing illustrating a perspective view of a retainer removably mounted onto a protrusion from the first rectangular border of a compact disc case storage and display device, according to an embodiment;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a drawing illustrating a perspective view of a connecter, according to an embodiment;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a drawing illustrating a rear view of two compact disc case storage and display devices joined by two connectors, according to an embodiment;  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a drawing illustrating a front view of two compact disc case storage and display devices joined by two connectors, according to an embodiment; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is a drawing illustrating a cutaway side view of a connector attached into the rectangular border of a compact disc case storage and display device, according to an embodiment. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]     Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.  
         [0019]     The present inventive concept relates to a compact disc case storage and display device capable of being mounted on a wall or other surface.  
         [0020]     A feature of this device is the ability to be connected with any number of other such devices in order to store a plurality of compact disc cases on a wall or other surface. The purpose of this device is to allow the user to store his or her compact disc cases in a way that displays the cover art featured on such cases.  
         [0021]     An additional feature of this device is its ability to store and display a double compact disc case, that has approximately twice the thickness of a single compact disc case. This device may also be able to store and display other compact disc cases that have the same length and width dimensions of a single compact disc case, but have any range of thicknesses.  
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a drawing illustrating a perspective view of a compact disc case storage and display device, according to an embodiment.  
         [0023]     A device  100  can be used to store and display compact disc cases on a wall or other surface. The device  100  can be made of plastic, wood, or other suitable material known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The device  100  can be comprised of a mounting area  102 , where compact disc cases can be stored and displayed, and a rectangular border  103  around a mounting area  102 . The rectangular border  103  can have an inside perimeter  104  and an outside perimeter  105 . The area between the inside perimeter  104  and the outside perimeter  105  can contain a hollow portion (not pictured).  
         [0024]     The device  100  can be capable of being mounted to a wall or other vertical surface using one or more fasteners. Circular openings  106  in the mounting area  102  can have suitable circumferences and tapers to receive standard wall screws, nails, or other fasteners known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Circular opening  107  in the mounting area  102  can have a suitable circumference and taper to receive a masonry screw, or any other type of fastener suitable to mount the device  100  onto masonry. Circular opening  108  in mounting area  102  can have a suitable circumference to receive a mounting hook or similar fastener.  
         [0025]     The compact disc case mounting device  100  can have four protrusions  101  extending laterally from the rectangular border  103 . Two of the four protrusions  101  can extend from the top side  109  of the rectangular border  103  and two protrusions  101  can extend from the bottom side  110  of the rectangular border  103 . Each protrusion  101  can contain a circular opening suitable to receive a retainer  111 , which can extend through the inside perimeter  104  of the rectangular border  103 . These protrusions  101  can provide adequate space on the inside perimeter  104  of the rectangular border  103  to add respective circular openings suitable to receive respective retainers  111 . Any number of protrusions  101  can be used, and these protrusions  101  can extend from the sides of the rectangular border  103 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 2  is a drawing illustrating the rear view of a compact disc case storage and display device, according to an embodiment.  
         [0027]     A hollow portion  202  can exist between an outside perimeter  201  and an inside perimeter  203 . The hollow portion can be used to receive a connecter (picture not provided). Circular openings  206  in a back portion of a mounting area  204  can be capable of receiving standard wall screws or other similar fasteners. Circular openings  206  in the back portion of a mounting area  204  can have four, or any number of raised support members  207  extending radially, at ninety-degree angles from one another, from the circular openings  206 . These raised support members  207  protect the plastic from breaking when pressure is applied by tightened standard wall screws. Circular opening  208  in the back portion of a mounting area  204  can have a suitable circumference to receive a masonry screw or other fastener. Circular opening  208  in the back portion of a mounting area  204  can have three support members  211  or any number of support members  211  extending from the top and sides of circular opening  208 . Circular opening  209  in the back portion of a mounting area  204  can have a suitable circumference to receive a mounting hook or similar fastener.  
         [0028]      FIG. 3  is a drawing illustrating a side view of a retainer  300 , according to an embodiment.  
         [0029]     The retainer  300  can create pressure points on a compact disc case, which can hold the case in the mounting area  102 . Each retainer  300  can comprise a head  301 , a notch  302  and a bottom  303  and can be made from Santoprene or any similar material known to one of ordinary skill in the art.  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is a drawing illustrating a perspective cutaway view of a retainer  400  depicted above where it can be removably mounted in an inside perimeter  401  of a rectangular border  402 , according to an embodiment.  
         [0031]     The retainer  400  can be mounted onto the first rectangular border  402  by inserting the bottom through the first inside perimeter  401 . A notch in the retainer  400  can be of a suitable width to receive the circular opening  403  in the inside perimeter  401 . The head of the retainer  400  can remain extended into the mounting area  404  when the retainer is mounted in the inside perimeter  401  of the rectangular border  402 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 5  is a drawing illustrating a perspective view of a connecter  500 , according to an embodiment.  
         [0033]     The connector  500  can be used to connect multiple compact disc case storage and display devices.  
         [0034]     The connector  500  can comprise a first extension  501  at a first end  506  and a second extension  503  at a second end  507  mounted in parallel to the first extension  501 . The connector  500  can also comprise a spacer  502  between the first extension  501  and the second extension  503  that can be mounted in parallel to both the first  501  and second  503  extensions.  
         [0035]     The first extension  501  can be made to securely fit inside the hollow portion in the rectangular border and the second extension  503  can be made to securely fit inside a second hollow portion in a second rectangular border on a second compact disc case storage and display device (not pictured).  
         [0036]      FIG. 6  is a drawing illustrating a rear view of two compact disc storage and display devices joined by two connectors  601 , according to an embodiment.  
         [0037]     A first compact disc case storage and display device  602  can be joined to a second compact disc case storage and display device  603  by two connectors  601 . Any two compact disc case storage and display devices can be joined by any number of connectors.  
         [0038]      FIG. 7  is a drawing illustrating a front view of two compact disc storage and display devices joined by two connectors, according to an embodiment.  
         [0039]     A first compact disc case storage and display device  702  can be joined to a second compact disc case storage and display device  703  by two connectors. A compact disc case  704  can be mounted into the first compact disc case storage and display device  702 . The two spacers  701  on the two connectors used to join the first and second compact disc case storage and display devices  702  and  703  are visible in this drawing. The purpose of the spacers  701  can be to provide a uniform gap between the first compact disc case storage and display device  702  and the second compact disc case storage and display device  703 .  
         [0040]     Retainers  705  in the first compact disc storage and display device  702  can be used to removably store and display a compact disc case  707 .  
         [0041]      FIG. 8  is a drawing illustrating a cut-away top view of a compact disc storage and display device with a connector removably mounted into it, according to an embodiment.  
         [0042]     A connector  801  can be removably attached to a compact disc storage and display device. The first extension  804  can be held in place by a clip  802 . The clip  802  can contain a ridge  806 , which can be received by a channel  807  located on a connector  801 . The clip  802  can be made of a material pliable enough to move the ridge  806  into or out of a channel  807 .  
         [0043]     The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification and, thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.