Abstract:
Discs are held locked in a tray by flex arms with disc-retaining extensions overlying inner peripheral areas adjacent the central opening of the uppermost disc. A push button is held within a disc-centering boss. Lock tab detents extending from the push button hold the push button above an inner edge of an annular shelf on the centering boss. The push button is connected to the flex arms with goose neck connectors. Pressing inward on the flex arms tends to move the goose necks to draw the push button downward. In the locked, tamper-evident position, the lock tabs prevent the push button from moving downward, and thus hold the disc-retaining extensions over inner surface areas of the disc.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/198,735, filed Apr. 21, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In the improved multiple disc package, a selected number of discs are held locked in a tray by flex arms with disc-retaining extensions overlying inner peripheral areas adjacent the central opening of the uppermost disc. A push button is held within a disc-centering boss. Lock tab detents extending from the push button hold the push button above an inner edge of an annular shelf on the centering boss. The push button is connected to the flex arms with goose neck connectors. Pressing inward on the flex arms tends to move the goose necks to draw the push button downward. In the locked, tamper-evident position, the lock tabs prevent the push button from moving downward, and thus hold the disc-retaining extensions over inner surface areas of the disc. 
     The goose necks are connected to the flex arms lower than the centers and load the goose necks in compression while the push button is held in the locked position. Trays are formed of a rigid, inexpensive resin such as crystal polystyrene, and have a central raised ledge around the centering boss which extends upward from the center of the tray. A less rigid resilient engineering resin insert snaps into the ledge. The insert is made in four different sizes with four distinct preference surfaces so that the assembled tray and insert hold selectively one to four discs. While snapping the reference surface extensions into the raised ledge under the tray, the locking button is forced upward, snapping its locking detents above the annular inward shoulder. 
     The bottom of the tray is assembled to the bottom panel of the cover, and the appropriate number of discs is pushed downward on the rounded upper surfaces of the flex arms. The flex arms have flex points above and below the goose neck connections. The flex points above the goose neck connections allow the upper portions of the flex arms to move inward as the discs are pressed downward over the rounded upper surfaces on the flex arm extensions. The ledges on the locking arms extend over the uppermost discs and prevent disc movement during shipping, and provide tamper-evident locking of the discs on the centering boss. When discs are intended to be removed, the push button is pressed downward below the annular shoulder of the boss, and the locking tabs hold the push button there in a neutral down position. That cams the flex arms slightly inward and angles the ledges with respect to the flat upper surfaces of the disc, which allows removal of the disc by camming the ledges and upper ends of the flex arms inward and drawing the button further downward as each disc is removed. Alternatively, the push button may be pushed further downward, pulling the goose neck connectors downward and pulling inward the upper ends of the flex arms, and drawing the ledges within the inner circular openings of the discs as the discs are removed. The discs may be removed all at once and placed in the arcuate depressions on the surface of the tray for sequential use. 
     The relatively rigid trays may be made and inventoried uniformly, and the engineering resin inserts may be inventoried in configurations to hold from one to four discs. The inserts may be snapped into the trays as they are used. 
     The inserts provide flexible arms with the retaining extensions, which will not crack, break or lose resilience on repeated uses. 
     The trays are identical irrespective of the numbers of discs held. Only the inserts are varied. 
     The inserts may be made in small specialized die areas rather than combining the inserts in the entire tray mold. 
     A preferred disc package has a rigid tray having a ledge and a central boss extending upward from the ledge for centering discs, an inward extending shoulder on an upper portion of the boss, a flexible insert snapped into the tray, having a body, and having reference surfaces for supporting a fixed number of discs. Flexible arms are connected to the flexible insert and extend upward along the boss. Disc-retaining extensions extend outward from tops of the flexible arms for retaining discs. Connectors extend inward from medial portions of the flexible arms. A push button within the boss is connected to the connectors for up and down movement in the boss. Lock tab detents extend outward from the push button for engaging the inward extending shoulder of the boss. 
     Preferably the inward extending shoulder has sloped walls for selectively holding the push button in an upward arm locking position and in a downward arm releasing position. 
     Goose-neck connectors have first flexible connections to medial portions of the arms and extend downward and inward, and having second connections to the push button. Preferably the second connections are flexible. 
     Outward and downward sloped surfaces on upper surfaces of the disc-retaining extensions and the goose-neck connectors permit inward movement of the arms without unlocking the push buttons when discs are pressed downward on the sloped upper surfaces of the disc-retaining extensions for loading discs on the trays. 
     Flexible portions of the arms connect to the flexible insert for allowing the arms to tip inward. 
     A preferred disc package apparatus has a flexible insert for connecting to a tray and having a body, and having reference surfaces for supporting a disc, flexible arms connected to the flexible insert for extending upward along a boss, and disc-retaining extensions extending outward from tops of the flexible arms for retaining discs. 
     Connectors extend inward from medial portions of the flexible arms, and a push button near the boss is connected to the connectors for up and down movement along the boss. 
     Lock tab detents extend outward from the push button for engaging an inward extending shoulder of the boss. 
     The detents have sloped outer walls for selectively holding the push button in an upward arm locking position or in a downward arm releasing position. 
     A method of holding discs on a tray includes pushing discs downward over sloped upper surfaces on outward extensions of flexible arms, and holding discs downward with lower horizontal surfaces on the extensions. Upper portions of the arms move inward by pushing downward with a first force on a central push button connected to the arms. Initially locking the push button upward in a locking position uses an inward shoulder on a centered boss on the tray. Overcoming a holding force of the shoulder, one pushes downward on the push button with a second force greater than the first force for releasing the locking. 
     The arms return outward with resilient force from the arms. 
     The push button returns upward with the resilient force which returns the arms outward. 
     The shoulder stops the pushing button and prevents its further upward travel beyond the shoulder into the initial locking position of the of the push button. 
     These and further and other objects and features of the invention are apparent in the disclosure, which includes the above and ongoing written specification, with the claims and the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows the top of a disc-retaining assembly with a push button in a locked position. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the retaining assembly of FIG. 1 showing the flex arms in a locked position with the center button is in a locked position. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 1 showing the push button snapped below a center ledge into an arm locked position, and drawing the retaining arms inward. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional detail through the centering boss showing the push button in an upward locked position. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional detail through the centering boss showing the push button in an unlocked position. 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional detail showing the push button in a lower unlocked position with the retaining arms drawn inward. 
     FIG. 7 is a detail of the insert portion made of engineering plastic with the lower circular insert base. The reference surfaces hold the lowermost disc and establish the number of discs held by the retaining extensions. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the engineering plastic insert shown in the perspective view of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 is an inverted partially cross-sectioned perspective view showing the swipe shut-off openings for forming the snaps to connect the insert to the premolded tray. 
     FIG. 10 is a partially cross-sectional view of the tray with the integrally formed boss and the engineering plastic insert. 
     FIG. 11 is a top view of the disc-centering boss, the retaining arms and retaining extensions, and the push button of the insert in its upper locked position. 
     FIG. 12 shows the tray and centering boss in a partially perspective and partially cross-sectional view, with the engineering plastic insert snapped into the tray and the push button in its upper locked position. 
     FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the insert positioned in the tray. 
     FIG. 14 is an overall perspective bottom view of the tray with the insert positioned in the tray. 
     FIG. 15 is an upper perspective view of the tray with the insert positioned in the boss. 
     FIG. 16 is an upper perspective view of the tray with the insert positioned in the boss and the push button in its upper locked position. 
     FIG. 17 is a top perspective view of the tray and insert showing four discs positioned on the centering boss and held in place by the retaining extensions. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, a disc-retaining assembly  150  for a tray has an upward extending boss  151  with laterally spaced segments  153 , with semi-cylindrical extensions  155  thereon for centering discs on the boss. The boss  151 , segments  153  and cylindrical extensions  155  have a total radius less than the radius of an internal opening in a compact disc or DVD. The boss has the function of centering the discs but not engaging the discs. The segmented sections  153  of the boss are joined by inward extensions  157  to a shelf  159 , with a taper  161  leading to an inner edge  163 , which forms a shaped opening, for example the circular opening shown in FIG.  1 . Centered within the circular edge  163  is a push button  165  with the legend “push”  167  engraved therein, and a number  169  to indicate the number of discs that are to be held on the assembly  150 . Lock tab detents  171  engage the sloped surface  161  of the boss shoulder  159  to hold the center button  165  in a forced up position. Flex arms  173 , which are connected by goose necks to push button  165 , have disc-retaining extensions  175 . Outer surfaces  177  are rounded to permit sliding over the discs. Upper surfaces  179  are sloped to urge the flex arms inward as discs are replaced on the assembly. The large surface  180  represents a disc, with  181  being the inner opening in the disc. The upper, locked position of the push button, as shown in FIG. 1, evidences tamper if the push button is on a downward position with the lock tab detents  171  beneath the inner edge  163  of the boss shoulder  159 . 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional representation of the assembly  150  taken through the flex arms  173 . The version shown in FIG. 2 is modified to hold four discs. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, when a force  183  is applied on the button  165  the button is pushed downward, releasing the flexed arms  173  from their outward disc-locking position, and bringing the outer surfaces  174  to a vertical position, as shown in FIG.  3 . At that position, discs may be pulled upward over the slightly inclined ledges  175  and over the rounded ends  177  of the locking arms. Discs may be returned by pushing the disc downward over the sloping upper surfaces  179  and forcing the upper ends of the flex arms  173  inward. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the flex arms are ready to release discs in contrast to FIG. 2, in which the flex arms are forced outward when the center button is on the locked position. As shown in FIG. 3, the center button is pushed inward so detents are snapped below the center boss shoulder. That unlocks the flex arms, allowing discs to be removed. The button can be pushed further downward to pull the flex arm ledges  175  further off the disc top surfaces for easier removal of a disc. 
     Once the button is down, it is unlocked and remains in the down position. In the down position, as shown in FIG. 3, the disc may be pulled past the flex arm ledges  175 , which are slightly inclined so that upward pulling on the disc forces the upper ends of the arms inward. The button remains in the unlocked position once pushed downward out of the locked position, providing evidence that the flex arms have been released for disc removal. If the package is being sold in that condition, that provides evidence of tamper. 
     Both FIGS. 2 and 3 show the engineering plastic insert inserted in the central boss  151  of the tray  190 . The bottom reference surface elements  185 , which control the number of discs stored on the central boss, have snaps  187  which overlie the upper surface  189  of the tray  190 . 
     As configured in FIGS. 3 and 4, the engineering plastic insert provides for four discs. In contrast the configuration shown in FIG. 1 would provide for one disc, since the number one  169  is indicated on the top surface. 
     FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the push button  165  in the upper locked position, and FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the push button  165  in the unlocked position. In the locked position shown in FIG. 4, the lock tab detents  171  rest on the upper sloped surfaces  161  of the shelf  159  of the boss. FIG. 4 shows the button  165  in the downward unlocked position in which upper surfaces  172  of the lock tab detents  171  are held beneath the sloped lower surface  162  of the boss shelf  159 . Once the button is pushed into the unlocked position shown in FIG. 5, it would be difficult to force the button back into the locked position since the bottom opening of the tray is closed by the cover on which the tray is mounted. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 also show the goose neck arms  191  to which the inner surface  193  of the flex arms  173  are attached, and to which also are attached the lower cylindrical extension  195  of the push button  165 . 
     The flex arms  173  and goose neck connectors  191  are shown in cross-section in FIG.  6 . The goose necks  191  are connected to the inner surfaces  193  of flex arms  173  with flex portions  192 , and the flex arms  191  are connected to the downward extensions  195  of push button  165  with flexing areas. Two flexing areas  196  and  197  are formed at the bottom of the flex arms  173 , where the flex arms connect with the bottom  199  of the engineering resin insert  200 . 
     FIG. 7 shows the engineering resin insert  200 , which may be made of a breakage- and impact-resistant resin such as polypropylene, acetyl, nylon, zylar or an acrylic crystal styrene blend with an additive to match the light-reflective index of the tray. The complexity of the insert  200  is made in a common smaller tool, taking it out of the larger tool which is used to mold the tray. The engineering resin insert  200  may be made of a particular color, which may be indicative of the source or content of the discs. The base  199 , flex arms  173 , goose necks  191  and push button  165  remain constant while the molds may be adjusted for the height of the reference surfaces  185  and the lengths of the side walls  186 , which control whether one, two, three or four discs are accommodated by the insert  200 . When the height of the reference surfaces  185  is changed, the number  169  on top of the push button is changed to indicate how many discs are held by the insert  200 . The advantages that common trays may be molded out of inexpensive crystal styrene material, which is relatively rigid as suitable for the tray and which resists and does not accept repeated bending and is subject to breakage. The trays may be made of the inexpensive material and stored separately, and the smaller flex inserts  200  made of more expensive engineering resins may be inserted in the trays according to the number of discs which will be sold in a set. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-section of the engineering plastic insert  200  showing the structure which is made without side actions. 
     FIG. 9 is an inverted, partially perspective and partially cross-sectional bottom view of the insert  200 . The openings  203  are used for insertion of the shut-offs which form the bottoms  205  of the reference surfaces and snaps  187 . 
     FIG. 10 shows the engineering resin insert  200  inserted in a central raised annular portion  207  of the tray bottom  190 , showing four discs positioned on top of the reference surface  185 . There is no contact between the inner openings  181  of the discs and the outer surface  174  of arm  173 , either in the locked or unlocked condition. 
     FIG. 11 is a top view detail of the push button  165  in the locked position on shelf  159  of the boss  151 . FIG. 11 shows that there is no contact between the outer surfaces of the boss  151  or the cylindrical extensions  155  with the inner surface  181  of the discs  180  which are held on the boss by the flexible arms. 
     FIG. 12 shows a sectional view of the tray and the engineering insert  200  showing how the snaps  187  overlie the annular central surface  209  of the raised portion  207  of the tray, and how the central annular surface  209  is formed integrally with the upstanding boss segments  153 . The push button  165  is shown in the locked position in FIG.  12 . 
     FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the engineering insert  200  inserted in the boss  151  of the tray. 
     FIG. 14 is a bottom view of the tray  190  with the engineering insert  200  inserted. The bottom of the tray has well  23  with side walls  29  for holding the disc, and finger access depressions  27  for enabling lifting of the disc. A booklet slides through opening  19  in one side of the tray and is guided by sides  45  and  47  and stop  46  to limit the booklet insertion. 
     Tabs  81  hold the bottom of a cover against the tray, and glue bosses  87  hold the cover in engagement with the tabs. Circular depressions  39  are provided to hold discs on edge. 
     FIG. 15 and 16 are top perspective views of the tray. 
     FIG. 17 shows four discs held within the well of the tray by the flex arms, with the push button in the locked position. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, modifications and variations of the invention may be constructed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the following claims.