Abstract:
A holder ( 10 ) for CDs, DVDs (D) and the like includes a plastic molded container ( 12 ) sized to accommodate the discs. Along one side ( 16 ) of the container, on an inner wall thereof, a living hinge ( 22 ) is formed. The opposite side ( 14 ) of the container has an interlocking surface. At one end (E) of the container, a slit (S) is formed which extends between the two sides of the container. By pressing against the sides of the container the slit widens into a gap (G) sufficiently wide for a disc to be removed from or inserted into the holder. A truncated cone ( 60 ) is molded into an inside surface ( 58 ) of one cover ( 18 ) of the holder and rings ( 52, 56 ) are molded into this surface and the inside surface ( 54 ) of the opposite cover ( 20 ). This cone/ring assembly holds the seated disc it in place. Guide rails ( 64, 66 ) are formed on the same side of the cover as the living hinge to guide the disc during its insertion and removal. The holder allows the user to extract a disc for play or store it after play using only one hand.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to containers for holding small, generally flat articles such as compact discs (CD&#39;s) or digital video discs (DVD&#39;s), and more particularly, to a such a container for such discs. The container is advantageous in that while it securely holds a stored disc, it can also be operated with one hand to release the disc. 
     CD&#39;s and DVD&#39;s are generally flat, circular plates which, when inserted in an appropriate player, play music or a video. For maximum playability, the discs are kept in a holder which protects them from damage if dropped, dirt and dust, and scratching. The holder is typically an injection molded plastic piece with a crease or indentation formed therein as a fold line about which the two sides of the holder are formed. Since CD&#39;s and DVD&#39;s are of a standard size, the interior of the sidewalls of the holder can be appropriately formed to seat the disc when placed in the holder. 
     There are a number of different holder constructions which have been used to secure a disc within the holder. While these holders protect the disc and reduce their susceptibility to damage from scratching or other misuse, the holders are not necessarily “user friendly” so that one can readily remove a disc from holder or replace it. In particular, there are certain instances when it would be helpful to be able to remove or replace the disc without having to open the holder cover to retrieve of replace the disc. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Among the several objects of the present invention may be noted the provision of a holder for CDs and DVDs which not only protects the disc but allows it to be easily retrieved for play and replaced for storage; 
     the provision of such a holder made of a plastic material and employing a “living” hinge formed along one inside edge of the holder, the living hinge making it easy to open and close the holder to retrieve and replace discs; 
     the provision of such a holder by which a CD or DVD is extracted by pushing on the sides of the holder thereby causing a gap to open along one side of the holder, the gap being sufficiently wide to remove the disc from the holder or to replace it in the holder; 
     the provision of such a holder which enables the user to remove and replace discs using only one hand, the holder including an internal guide structure which facilitates movement of the disc into and out of the holder; 
     the provision of such a holder in which a disc is firmly held in place when fitted into the holder, the holder having a ring and truncated cone assembly integrally molded onto opposed inside surfaces of the holder, the ring and cone bearing against respective surfaces of the disc to hold it firmly in place; 
     the provision of such a holder to be encased in a cover bearing graphics and text relating to the disc and its contents, the cover not effecting the ability of a user to open and close the holder; 
     the provision of such a holder which can be round or rectangular in shape and is available in different sizes; and, 
     the provision of such a holder which is low cost and relatively easy to manufacture. 
     In accordance with the invention, generally stated, a holder for CDs, DVDs and the like includes a plastic molded container sized to accommodate the discs. Along one side of the container, on an inner wall thereof, a living hinge is formed. The opposite side of the container has an interlocking surface. At one end of the container, a slit is formed which extends between the two above described sides. By pressing against the sides of the container this slit forms a gap sufficiently wide for a disc to be removed from or inserted into the holder. A truncated cone is molded into the inside surface of one cover of the holder and a ring is molded into the inside surface of the opposite cover. The cone/ring assembly compress against opposite sides of a disc seated in the holder to hold it in place. Guide rails are formed on the same side of the cover as the living hinge to guide the disc during its insertion and removal. The holder allows the user to extract a disc for play or store it after play using only one hand. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a plan view of CD/DVD disc; 
     FIG. 2 is a view of a holder of the present invention encased in a cover; 
     FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the holder in its closed position; 
     FIG. 4 is a similar view of the holder in which the sides are compressed to form a gap in the end of the holder to remove or insert a disc; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the holder; 
     FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of one side of the holder showing a living hinge and disc guide assembly; 
     FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of an opposite side of the holder; 
     FIGS. 8 and 8B are respective top and bottom plan views of a second embodiment of the holder; 
     FIGS. 9A and 9B are front and rear elevational views of the holder; 
     FIGS. 10A are  10 B are respective side elevational views of holder; 
     FIG. 11 is an enlarged partial elevational view of a locking mechanism of the holder; 
     FIG. 12 is a plan view of the holder with a metal cover installed on it; 
     FIG. 13A is a side elevational view of the holder with the cover installed and FIG. 13B is an enlarged partial elevational view of the holder showing how the cover attaches to the holder; 
     FIGS. 14A and 14B are respective top and bottom plan views of a third embodiment of the holder; 
     FIGS. 15A and 15B are front and rear elevational views of the holder; 
     FIGS. 16A ad  1 B are respective side elevational views of holder; 
     FIG. 17 is a plan view of the holder with a metal cover installed on it; and, 
     FIG. 18 is a side elevational view of the holder with the cover installed. 
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings, a disc D shown in FIG. 1, is representative of a compact disc (CD) or a digital video disc (DVD). A DVD is typically larger in diameter than a CD, but both discs need to be properly stored in order to prevent damage to them. Both discs also include a central, circular area C on which there is no data or information. This areas does have usually have a label L applied to it containing information about the contents of the disc. The disc also has a central opening O which is ½ inch in diameter. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, a holder  10  of the present invention is for conveniently discs D and for enabling the disc user to easily remove discs for play or insert them for storage. Holder  10  is available in different sizes to accommodate the different size discs. As described hereinafter, the design and construction of holder  10  makes it very useful for use in a car or in walking and other activities such as biking or sailing. Holder  10  includes a box or container  12  which is made of a molded plastic material forming opposed cover plates between which a disc is placed for storage. While the container  12  shown in FIG. 2 is generally rectangular in shape, the container can also be circular or of other shapes. As shown in the enlarged sectional views of FIGS. 6 and 7, sidewalls  14 ,  16  of container  12  are formed by interlocking sides of the respective cover plates  18 ,  20  of the container. Each cover is generally U-shaped when viewed in elevation having a large, flat center section and upwardly (or downwardly) turned side sections which form the sidewalls. The ends of these side sections are matingly contoured as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 so the covers interfit with each other to form the sidewalls of the container. 
     It is a feature of holder  10  that it is designed and constructed to open at one end E of the container only and by as small a gap G as {fraction (1/16)} inch, so a user can insert or take out a disc D by sliding it out of the holder. As shown in FIG. 3, a slit is formed in end E of container  12  and extends the width of holder  10 . As shown in FIG. 4, the user presses on the sides of the holder between two fingers F of one hand. This allows the user to slide the CD or DVD out of the holder into the user&#39;s lap or on another surface without the user having to use their other hand. This is possible by use of a “living” hinge indicated generally  22  formed on the inside of container  12  and particularly shown in FIG.  6 . As shown therein, the upwardly turned end section of cover  18  has an inward extension  24 . The upper end of this extension forms a generally flat surface  26 . At the inner end of this surface is formed an arcuate shaped flap  28 . The downwardly turned end section of cover  20  has an inward extension  30 . At the outer end of extension  30  is a notch  32  extending the length of sidewall  16 . A flange  34  of the end section of cover  18  fits in this notch to form the interlocking arrangement by which covers  18 ,  20  interfit with each other. As shown in FIG. 7, on the opposite side of the container, the upwardly turned end section of cover  18  has a notch  36  formed adjacent its inner surface, and a flange  38  outwardly thereof. The downwardly turned end section of cover  20  has the opposite construction with an inner flange  40  that fits in notch  36 , and an outer notch  42  in which flange  38  fits; this construction forming a latching arrangement for the container. 
     Referring again to FIG. 6, the lower end of extension  30  defines a canted or sloped surface  44 . This creates a gap between surface  44  of cover  20  and surface  26  of cover  18 . At the inner end of surface  44  a notch  46  is formed in which a distal end  48  of flap  28  is received. When pressure is placed on the covers  18 ,  20  of the container, as when a user squeezes the covers, cover  20  rotates about the hinge formed by the flap  28 , notch  46  arrangement. This allows the center section of the covers to flex away from each other forming the gap G shown in FIG.  4 . As noted, the gap is sufficiently wide that a stored disc readily slides out of the holder or a disc can be slid into the holder. 
     Although not shown in the drawings, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that hinge  22  can also be located on the outside of the container. Further, while hinge  22  extends the full length of container  12  along the inner surface of sidewall  16  of the container, the length of the hinge does not have to be this long in order to effect the desired operation above described. 
     Referring to FIG. 5, holder  10  further includes means indicated generally  50  for holding a disc in place when stored in the container. When stored in holder  10 , the CD or DVD rests inside container  12  at a position approximately one- half the inside height of the holder. Means  50  includes a ring-shaped projection  52  formed on the inside surface  54  of cover  20 . The ring surrounds the opening O formed in the center of the disc. As noted, this area is generally blank and does not have any music or video on it. An identical ring  56  is integrally molded on inner surface  58  of cover  18  so the two rings sandwich the disc between them to hold the disc firmly in position. To further insure that the disc is completely secure and cannot move around in the container, a projection  60 , also integrally molded into the inner surface of a cover, is in the shape of a truncated cone. Cone  60  extends through opening O in the center of the disc when the disc is in place to hold it in position. 
     Referring again to FIG. 6, holder  10  further includes a guide means  62  for guiding movement of the disc into and out of the holder. Means  62  includes first and second guide rails  64 ,  66  which are respectively formed on the inner ends of projections  24  and  30  and extend inwardly into container  12 . These fingers extend inwardly at an angle to a horizontal centerline through the container to facilitate movement of the disc. The fingers can extend the length of sidewall  16 , or they can extend only partially along the length of the sidewall, beginning at the end of the container where gap G is formed and extending toward the other end of the container. 
     Holder  10  fits in a sleeve  68 . The sleeve can be of flexible metal or plastic material. Graphic or textual material can be printed on the sleeve to indicate the contents of the disc. As shown in FIG. 4, when a user wishes to open the holder, they press against the sides of the sleeve in order to flex the sidewalls of holder  10  and open gap G so a disc can be removed from the holder or inserted into it. 
     FIGS. 8A-13B illustrate a second embodiment of the holder indicated generally  100 . Holder  100  comprises a generally circular container  102  for holding CD&#39;s, for example. The container includes a living hinge  104  formed between cover plates forming top and bottom sides  106 ,  108  of the container. Hinge  104  is formed at the outer end of a tongue  109  which extends outwardly from the backside of the container. The living hinge in this embodiment has two sections indicated  104   a ,  104   b  respectively. Container  102  is preferably formed of a plastic material and a central portion  114  of the plastic material between hinge sections  104   a ,  104   b  forms a hollow, compressible section  110  integrally molded in the top portion of the tongue and a hollow, compressible section  112  integrally molded in the bottom portion of the tongue. As shown in FIG. 9A, sections  104   a ,  104   b  of the living hinge do not extend through central portion  114  of tongue  109 . The hollow sections  110  and  112  formed in tongue  109  are compressible by a user of the holder to flex the living hinge and open the container to extract a CD. Importantly, the user can compress this portion of the container using only one hand so the other hand is free to grasp the disc to remove it from, or insert it back into the holder. Opening of the container is facilitated by lips  115   a ,  115   b  formed in the respective upper and lower halves of container  102  at the front of the container opposite tongue  109 . 
     Besides the lips  115   a ,  115   b  formed in the upper and lower halves of the container, the container further has locking elements indicated generally  116 ,  118  integrally formed along opposite sides of the container. As shown in FIGS. 10A,  10 B, and  11 , locking elements  116 ,  118  each include a tab  120  and a notch  122 . On the one side of the container shown in FIG. 10A, a generally rectangularly shaped tab  120   a  projects upwardly from side  108  of the container and fits into a correspondingly shaped notch  122   a  formed in side  106 . On the opposite side of the container shown in FIGS. 10B and 11, a generally rectangularly shaped tab  120   b  projects downwardly from side  106  of the container and fits into a correspondingly shaped notch  122   b  formed in side  108 . Lips  115   a  and  115   b  aid in opening container  102  with both hands as an alternate method of removing and replacing a CD or DVD. Locking elements  116  and  118  prevent the container from opening if it falls. 
     Support of a CD or DVD within container  102  is by pins  124 ,  126 , and  128 . Each pin includes an upper and lower pin section respectively molded in the top and bottom sections  106 ,  108  of the container. The pins are located 120° apart from each other and there is a space between the outer ends of the respective posts corresponding to the thickness of the CD. As indicated by the dashed line circle in FIG. 8A, the pins are positioned radially outwardly from the center of the container a distance R. This distance is greater than the radius of the center opening in the CD, but less than the distance between this opening and the working area of the CD. 
     As noted, when a user pinches the center section of tongue  109 , areas  110 ,  112  are compressed, and the upper and lower halves  106 ,  108  of the container open about hinge sections  104   a ,  104   b . This causes the tabs  120   a ,  120   b  to move with respect to their associated notches  122   a ,  122   b , unlocking the container. A gap is now formed between the two halves of the container, this gap being, for example, ⅛ th  inch. This allows a CD to be removed from, or replaced in the container. Releasing the pressure on the areas  110 ,  112  now allows the container to close when pressed in the center or over the locking tabs. 
     FIGS. 12,  13 A and  13 B, illustrate container  102  with metal covers  124 ,  126  attached to the respective halves  106 ,  108  of the container. Each container half has a groove  128 ,  130  respectively which extends generally about the periphery of the container. The size of the grooves are such that an end curl portion  132  of the respective metal covers  124 ,  126  frictionally fit within the grooves to hold the metal covers in place when the outer curl end of the covers are pushed into the grooves. 
     FIGS. 14A-18 disclose another embodiment of a CD/DVD holder of the present invention, this embodiment indicated generally  200  in the drawings. Holder  200  includes a container  202  which is basically similar in design to the container  102  previously described. That is, container  202  includes a living hinge  204  formed between cover plates  206 ,  208  of the container, the hinge being formed at the outer end of a tongue  209  which extends outwardly from the backside of the container. Container  202 , like containers  12  and  102  is made of a plastic material. Container  202  differs from container  102  in that center rear section  214  of tongue  209  does include lips such as are found in the other embodiment. Rather, when the holder is being molded, upper and lower dome shaped protrusions  210 ,  212  are formed in the body of the tongue. These dome shaped protrusions are opposed to each other as shown in the drawings. When a user presses his fingers against these protrusions to compress them, the upper and lower halves of container  202  separate from each other. The resulting gap now allows the user to extract a CD/DVD from the container, or replace the disc in the container. Again, opening the container only requires the use of one hand. Opening of the container is facilitated by lips  215   a ,  215   b  formed in the respective upper and lower halves of container  202  when one opens the container using both hands. 
     Container  202  includes locking elements  216 ,  218  integrally formed along opposite sides of the container. As before, the locking elements each include a tab  220  and notch  222 . The tabs and notches are formed in the same manner as previously described with respect to container  102  and will not be described in detail. The locking elements again aid in opening container  202  with both hands as an alternate method of removing and replacing a CD or DVD. 
     Support of a CD or DVD within container  202  is by pins  224 ,  226 , and  228  each of which includes an upper and lower pin section respectively molded in the top and bottom sections  206 ,  208  of the container. As in container  102 , the pins are located 120° apart from each other and there is a space between the outer ends of the respective posts corresponding to the thickness of the CD/DVD. As shown by the dashed line circle in FIG. 14A, the pins are positioned radially outwardly from the center of the container a distance R; this distance being greater than the radius of the center opening in the CD, but less than the distance between this opening and the working area of the CD. 
     Finally, metal covers  224 ,  226  attach to respective halves  206 ,  208  of the container. Each container half has a groove  228 ,  230  respectively extending about the periphery of the container. The size of the grooves are such that an end curl portion  232  of the respective metal covers frictionally fit within the grooves to hold the metal covers in place when the outer curl end of the covers are pushed into the grooves. 
     In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results are obtained. 
     As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.