Abstract:
A container for holding storage media is provided which contains an image carrying member, an upper and lower case member and a storage media holding member. Display flanges are provided for displaying the mage carrying is removed from the container.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to flat storage and display boxes and, more particularly to an optical arrangement for providing enhanced viewing of textual, graphic, and/or other symbolically coded information located on the inside of flat, transparent storage and display boxes for compact discs, audio tapes or the like. 
     Compact discs, which were first developed by Phillips and Sony in the early 1980&#39;s, are now a well established form of medium for recording a variety of retrievable information. Their popularity and success stem from their compactness, convenience, competitive cost, and information storing capacity. 
     Such thin, flat, circular objects are stored in flat containers referred to as “jewel” boxes. Such boxes are generally made of durable, transparent plastic such as polycarbonate or styrene and have been designed to occupy a minimal amount of space consistent with their protective function. The current technique for informing CD users about the contents of recorded CD information is to provide the information in the form of a thin paper booklet or sheet that is visible through the flat, transparent panel of the jewel boxes front cover or base, or both. In addition, uses also made of the edge of the box for display information about the title and author or artist of the CD. Many forms of CD case artwork have been incorporated into CD cases. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,221 shows the display of a “pop-up” display within the case. 
     The limited exterior surface of the conventional CD box, limits the amount of information that can be seen through any one surface thus requiring relevant information to be distributed among available surfaces. This forces a respective buyer to flip through stacks of CDs while scanning the front covers in search of the identity of a particular CD, usually by title and/or artist, and may be of interest and then turning the box around to examine the rear surface for information about the detailed contents. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,913 entitled “Compliant Image Carrying Printed Insert”, issued on Dec. 22, 1998 discloses the use of horizontally and vertically oriented lenticulated panels in combination with interlaced images to convey different views by physically manipulating the angle of observance of the box. The lenticulated panels are formed into the outer covers of the display box and focus on an interlaced image in the thin paper booklet or CD below. 
     While optical approaches have been used in the past for using parallax effects to increase the amount of visible information within a jewel box, these systems require the molding of complex shapes into the CD case as well as precise positioning of the paper or booklet insert. 
     As the artwork provided in CD cases becomes more sophisticated, collectors and appreciators of album cover artwork are need of a simple mechanism for display the artwork shown in the paper booklets or sheets. Hence, there is a need for a solution to the foregoing problems, and it is a primary object of this invention to provide a solution through the use of optical arrangements which enhance the viewing opportunities and amount of information that can be visually detected by a perspective CD owner. 
     In view of the known art, there continues to be a demonstrable need for more efficient ways to provide significantly improved visual access to flat containers and display boxes for the purpose of informing perspective users about the contents of the containers. Further, there continues to be a need for improved ways to improve the attractiveness and facilitate the display of the album cover artwork and therefore induced increased sales of these products. It is a primary objective of this invention to fulfill this need. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide flange or stand means within the jewel box for attachment to the CD artwork to provide an easy means for displaying the artwork. 
     Other benefits of the invention will be apparent and will appear hereinafter in the following detailed description when read with the appended drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings where like reference numerals are used to indicate identical components in the various figures: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment; 
     FIG. 2 is a view of a CD artwork carrying member of the current invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the current invention; 
     FIGS. 4 a-c  represent alternative display means for the CD artwork carrying member; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a multi CD holding case; 
     FIG. 6 shows the storage of the display flanged members within the multi CD holding case; 
     FIGS. 7 a  and  7   b  depict uses of the current invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating the principle of and operation of the lenticulated surfaces of the invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a diagram of the lenticulated panels tracing the paths various light rays take in traveling to different segments of interlaced images formed within the dynamic image holding member. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Depicted in FIG. 1 is a exploded view of the CD case of the referred embodiment. The CD case is shown having a CD artwork arrying member  16 , an upper case member  14 , a lower case member  12  and a storage media holding member  26 . The upper case member  24  has a plurality of flanges  24  for holding the CD artwork carrying member  16  within the CD case. The upper and lower case members are joined by a hinge  13  disposed therebetween. Disposed within the case, the storage media holding member  26  has an outer flange  27 , display flange  30  and a mounting portion  29  for mounting a CD  10 . 
     As seen in FIGS. 1,  3 , and  6 , the CD artwork holder has a forward surface  8  and a ridgidized backing layer  2 . The artwork on the surface can be pictorial, holographic, pop-up, a dynamic image, or any other type of artistic rendering. 
     Shown in FIG. 2, when the artwork carrying member  16  carries a dynamic image, the dynamic image carrying member  17  has a forward lens portion  18  and a rearward image holding portion  20 . Flange member  30  is shown disposed on the image carrying portion  20 . Optionally, this flange  30  can be further attached to the image holding member  20  by a plurality of members  31 ,  32 . 
     FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the upper case member  14  holding a dynamic image carrying member  17 . The CD artwork carrying member  16  is held in the upper case member  14  by the plurality of flanges  24 . As shown, the forward surface  18  of the CD artwork carrying member  16  is adjacent to the intersurface  15  of the upper case member  14 . The image carrying member  20  is held adjacent to the plurality of flanges  24 . 
     FIGS. 4 a-c  depict various optional display flanges. FIG. 4 a  depicts a second display flange  36  having a hole  38  for mounting a dynamic image carrying member  17  onto a wall. FIG. 4 c  displays optional display flanges mounted to the media carrying member  26 . It should be noted, that the flanges in FIG. 4 c  are shown to be joined to the dynamic image carrying member  17  by use of adhesive. As known in the art, many equivalents and fastening options are possible including adhesive layers, staples, toy tabs and screws. 
     FIG. 5 depicts a CD case modified to hold a pair of CD&#39;s  10 ,  10 ′ depicted, is the upper case member  14 , lower case member  12  and media holding member  26  connected by hinge  13 . Shown are mounting flange members  30 ,  30 ′ disposed on the storage media holding member  26 . As shown in FIG. 5, these mounting flange members can be removed from the media storage member and disposed onto the back surface  2  of the CD artwork carrying member  16 . 
     A dynamic image carrying member  17  can present different observable messages or depict the illusion of a moving object. As depicted in FIGS. 7 a  and  7   b,  graphic artwork of any type as well as a description of the musical features within the CD are possible. 
     FIG. 8 depicts a cross-section of a dynamic image carrying member  16 . The front surface  18  has a plurality of lenses  40  to project the images stored on the rearward image holding portion  20 . FIG. 8 shows a pair of images stored in the rearward image holding portion  20  along lines  42  and  46 . As better depicted in FIG. 9, light from the rear images is reflected through the lens  40  to the viewer. By changing the observation angle of the dynamic image carrying member  16 , another image is reflected toward the observer. 
     While in the foregoing specification this invention has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof and many details have been set forth for the purpose of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can vary considerably without departing from the basic principles of the invention.