Abstract:
The invention comprises a storage system that facilitates the adjustment and rearrangement of vertically-stacked components comprising two oppositely-faced panels and a plurality of carriers having opposing side walls and a rear wall to provide a cavity for holding a unit to be stored, the carriers being stacked between the oppositely-faced panels in vertical array and being positioned relative to the oppositely-faced panels such that the carriers may be slidably moved in a vertical direction relative to the panels but positioned against removal from between the panels through the combination of a protuberance and recess interlock between the panels and each carrier, said protuberance being retractable from the recess to allow entry and egress of each carrier from the panels.

Description:
This invention is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/016,006, filed Jan. 30, 1998, now abandoned which application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/036,070, filed Jan. 30, 1997. 
    
    
     This invention relates to a system for storing vertically stacked units, such as, for example, compact discs (CD) and digital versatile discs (DVD), wherein a pre-determined positional placement of an added unit(s) within the stacked units is facilitated. 
     While reference is made hereafter to CD&#39;s in explaining and illustrating the invention, it should be understood that the invention is applicable to storage systems of vertically stacked media generally wherein the media is stored in a carrier which is positioned in the vertical stack of the storage system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Currently, the most popular storage system for CD&#39;s relies on fixed tracks or slots in which the CD&#39;s, within their respective cases, are inserted into a fixed track unit or slot and removed from the track for use. 
     In a CD storage system wherein a system of organization such as alphabetizing or grouping is to be maintained, the prior art unitary track or slot system creates a problem when additional CD&#39;s are sought to be added to the system. In order to create an open track or slot at a particular position in the vertical stack, each and every CD above or below the track or slot to be voided for insertion of the additional CD must be moved one track or slot, up or down. Such a system is inconvenient and time consuming and tends to direct the person storing the CD&#39;s away from an organized storage system. 
     A further problem is that some CD&#39;s come in a double CD case which requires the physical space of two tracks or slots without any partition between them. In this situation, it is impossible to store a double CD case in a storage system unless the system provides a double space track. Where a double space track is provided, its location is fixed, thus, not permitting a system of organization. 
     Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are the ease in which a specific track or slot may be made available for an additional CD, assuming, of course, that the storage system is not at full capacity. There is no need to remove each CD as required by a fixed track/slot system, blocks of CD&#39;s being moved up or down without need for removal of each and every CD as in the prior art. 
     Another object and advantage is the ability to insert different size CD cases anywhere within the storage unit. This allows double CD cases to be stored anywhere in the storage unit by simply removing two single storage carriers and replacing them with a single double carrier. 
     Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In its broadest aspect, the invention comprises a storage system that facilitates the adjustment and rearrangement of vertically-stacked components comprising two oppositely-faced panels and a plurality of carriers having opposing side walls and a rear wall to provide a cavity for holding a unit to be stored, the carriers being stacked in vertical array between the oppositely-faced panels and being positioned relative to the oppositely-faced panels such that the carriers may be slidably moved in a vertical direction relative to the panels but positioned against removal from between the panels through the combination of a protuberance and recess interlock between the panels and each carrier, said protuberance being retractable from the recess to allow entry and egress of each carrier from the panels. 
     In one embodiment, the invention comprises a storage system having oppositely facing storage panels each with a recess or track along its length and a carrier for the units to be stored having on each side thereof a retractable protuberance which is positioned on the carrier so as to be received in the recess of each panel when the carrier is fully inserted into the storage system. 
     In a particular embodiment of the carrier of this invention, the carrier is a three-sided member, rectangular in shape, and having two side members joined to a back member and having an open end for receiving the media unit to be stored; each side wall of the carrier having a protuberance positioned so as to be received in the recess of each oppositely faced panel, the joinder of each side wall with the back wall being sufficiently flexible to permit clearing the protuberance from the respective panel recesses when the side walls are flexed toward each other. 
     In a further embodiment of the panels and the carrier, the recess of each panel has a series of scallop-shaped undulations along its length and the protuberances on the carrier are shaped to have the most extended portion of the protuberance received within the deepest portion of the scallop-shaped undulation on the oppositely facing panels. The advantages of this embodiment will be explained hereafter. 
     As an improvement to the broadest aspect of the invention, a further protuberance and recess interlock in the path of egress of the carrier from the oppositely-faced panels is provided such that movement of the carrier to the second interlock position precludes slidable movement in a vertical direction of the carrier positioned at the second interlock thereby providing a support against vertical descent of the carriers arrayed above the carrier at the second interlock position. 
     As an improvement to the embodiment having a panel recess and protuberances on the outer side walls of the carrier, a panel and carrier configuration is provided that stabilizes in place all carriers above a desired location, thus permitting only carriers below the desired position to descend when a carrier below the desired position is removed. In the preferred form of the panel configuration of the improvement, each panel has a plurality of horizontal slots for receiving the retractable protuberance on the opposing side walls of a carrier, the slot extending a limited distance beyond the boundary of the panel recess nearest the carrier exit. In a preferred form of the panels and carriers of the improvement, each of said slots and the protuberances on the opposing side walls of the carrier have a mating locking surface that stabilizes the carrier in a locked-out position between the panels. In said locked-out position, the rearward portion of the carrier is disposed across the width of the panel recess and acts to support all overlying carriers. 
    
    
     IN THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a CD stand having an embodiment of the panels and carrier of this invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a first embodiment of a single carrier of this invention disposed within a segment of the recess or track of the panels of this invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of an embodiment of a single carrier of this invention partially withdrawn from the panel of this invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a storage unit showing an embodiment of a panel of this invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of an embodiment of a carrier of this invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a front view of the carrier of FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of the carrier of FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of a further embodiment of the panel of this invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a partial plan view of a further embodiment of the carrier of this invention. 
     FIG. 10 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional front view of the carrier of FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 11 is a partial schematic of the preferred panel of the CD stand showing carriers in the open and locked positions. 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a panel of this invention showing the panel of the schematic of FIG.  11 . 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a CD stand having the panels of FIG.  12  and carriers in open and locked positions in the CD stand. 
     FIG. 14 is a plan view of a preferred form of the carrier of this invention. 
     FIG. 14A is a side view of the carrier of FIG.  14 . 
     FIG. 14B is a front view of the carrier of FIG.  14 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In FIG. 1, the storage unit, generally designated as  10 , comprises a stand  12  having top, bottom, back (not shown) and side walls,  14 ,  16 ,  18  and  20 , respectively. Best shown in FIG. 4, mounted on opposing side walls  20  of the stand  12  are panels  22 , which panels  22  have a centrally disposed recess  24  transversing the length of the panel  22 . Stacked within the stand  12  is a plurality of carriers  26 ; each carrier (best shown in FIGS. 5-7) being configured to receive a CD in its opening  33 . A protuberance  30  is disposed on each side wall  27  of the carrier  26  that is sized to fit within the recess  24  in each of the panels  22 ; the protuberance  30  functioning to foreclose the removal of the carrier  26  from the panels  22  when the protuberance  30  is positioned within the recess  24  of the panels  22 . 
     In FIG. 2, an embodiment of the carrier  26  is shown fully inserted into the panels  22  with the protuberances  30  positioned within the recess  24  of each of panels  22 . Not shown in FIG. 2 are a plurality of vertically stacked carriers beneath the carrier  26 . 
     In FIG. 3, the carrier  26  is shown partially removed from the panels  22 . This is accomplished by the inward flexure of the side walls  27  of the carrier  26  so as to deliver the protuberance  30  in each side wall  27  of the carrier  26  out of registry with the recess  24  in each of the panels  22 . The carrier may be fully removed from the panels by forwardly pulling the carrier from the stand while the carrier is in a flexed position. 
     In FIG. 4, the stand  12  comprises a top wall  14 , a bottom wall  16 , back wall  18  and two oppositely facing side walls  20 . Disposed on each side wall  20  is a panel  22 , the panel on the right side wall being shown in phantom by dotted lines. Each panel  22  extends the full height of the side wall  20  and comprises raised portions  23  defining a recess  24 , which recess functions as a track for the carrier (not shown) to move in an up or down direction along the panels  22 . 
     It should be understood that the panel of this invention need not be used with the stand  12  shown in FIG. 4 but the panels  22  could be affixed to any parallel and spaced surfaces and, together with the carrier of this invention, function as a storage system that facilitates the organized placement of the carriers of this invention. 
     In FIG. 5 is shown an embodiment of a carrier of this invention. The carrier, generally designated as  26 , has flexible side walls  27  terminating in a rear wall  29 ; the side walls  27  and rear wall  29  having upper and lower extensions  31  and  32  (see FIG.  6 ), respectively, disposed normal to the side and back walls, which side wall and its extensions and the back wall and its extensions define a channel  33 , the channel  33  serving to isolate and support a CD inserted therein. Each of the side walls  27  has a protuberance  30  disposed approximately mid-way along the length of the side wall that is sized so as to be received in the recess  24  of the panels  22 . Additionally, the forward portion  34  of the side walls  27  extends beyond the front edge of the panels  22  and terminates in a gripping surface  35 , which may be gripped to inwardly flex the side walls of the carrier  26 . Further, the outwardly extending portion  35  provides a means for grabbing the carrier, squeezing the side walls of the carrier toward each other to de-register the protuberances on the side wall of the carrier from the recess in each of the panels and thereby facilitate removal of the carrier from the panels. 
     In using the panels/carrier of this invention to selectively place a CD at a predetermined position in a vertical stack of CD&#39;s, the following steps are taken: 
     1) an empty carrier, that is, a carrier without an encased CD, is removed from the panel, such removal causing all carriers above the removed carrier to fall one position; 
     2) the fore retention means of the carrier positioned at the site where a new carrier/CD is desired is elevated sufficiently to create an opening in the stack to receive the new carrier/CD; 
     3) the new carrier/CD is then inserted in the vertical stack at the opening. 
     Thus, it is seen that the storage system of this invention allows for the organizational placement of CD&#39;s by the removal of a single carrier. 
     FIGS. 8-10 show a second embodiment of the panels/carrier of this invention wherein one or more carriers may be removed from the panel without having the carriers above the removed carrier(s) drop. 
     In FIG. 8, the panel  22  has a recess  24  wherein the bottom  50  of the recess comprises a series of scallop-shaped undulations  52 , the distance between the points of furthest radially inward projection of successive scallop-shaped undulations being set so as to receive in a mating relation semi-circular shaped protuberances  62  positioned on the side walls of each carrier. FIG. 10 best shows the shape of the protuberances  62 . 
     In using the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9, the mating of the surfaces of the recess of the panels and the protuberances on the carrier will provide a sufficient interlock force such that removal of a carrier from the vertical stack will not result in the collapse of the stack above the removed carrier; yet the interlocking force is sufficiently weak to allow for collapsing the vertical stack upon the application of a manual force. 
     To positionally insert a carrier (for ultimate acceptance of a CD) in a system having the panels/carrier embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9, the following steps are taken: 
     1. Assuming a full stack of CD&#39;s totalling twenty (20) in number wherein the user wishes to dispose a new carrier in the fifth position from the top and wherein there is an empty carrier (no CD) in the tenth position from the top; 
     2. Remove the empty carrier from the tenth position; 
     3. Exert a downward force on the carrier in the fifth position; 
     4. The downward force will cause the carriers in the fifth through ninth position to move one position downward creating an opening in the fifth position for insertion of the empty carrier. After positioning the empty carrier, insert the CD. 
     5. Conversely, if the empty carrier is positioned above the position where it is desired to insert a carrier, the empty carrier is removed, the carriers at and above the position 
     wherein the carrier is sought to be placed are moved upwardly and the carrier is inserted in the desired position created by the upwardly moved carriers. 
     In FIG. 11, there is shown a panel, generally designated as  70 , having a recess portion  72  and two raised portions  74 , forward portion  74 A and rearward portion  74 B. As thus disclosed, the panel  70  is identical to the panels of FIGS. 1 and 4, except that the rearward portion  74 B is narrower than in FIGS. 1 and 4. Extending from the recess  72  toward the forward end  80  of the panel  70  is a slot  82 , the bottom surface  84  defining the slot  82  having a C-shaped depression  86 . Further shown in FIG. 11 is a carrier  76 , having a protuberance  78  (Carrier Position “A”) residing in the recess  72 . The bottom surface of the protuberance  78  has a C-shaped protuberance  79 . The partial schematic panel of FIG. 11 is disposed within a housing  92 , best shown in FIG.  13 . 
     Drill hole  90  is shown. FIG. 12 shows the complete panel of FIG. 11 with a series of drill holes  90  for affixing the panel to an outer housing shown best in FIG. 13 at  92 . 
     As shown in Carrier Position “B”, (See FIG. 11) the carrier  76  has been moved toward the forward end  80  so that the protuberance  78  resides in the slot  82 . By mating the C-shaped depression  86  and the C-shaped protuberance  79 , the carrier  76  is stabilized against forward and rearward motion between the panels. The carrier  76  may be returned to its stored position (Carrier Position “A”) between the panels by simply applying rearward pressure against the portion of the carrier extending forwardly beyond the panel. Alternatively, the carrier  76  may be completely removed from Carrier Position “B” by moving the side walls of the carrier  76  toward each other to thereby de-register the protuberance/recess interlock and release the carrier from the storage unit. Moreover, such positioning of the carrier  76  (Carrier Position “B”) provides a supporting platform for all carriers in vertical array above the carrier at Carrier Position “B.” 
     FIGS. 14,  14 A and  14 B show the most preferred embodiment of the carrier of this invention. In FIG. 14, the carrier generally designated as  50 , has flexible side walls  52  terminating in a rear wall  54 . Traversing the space between the respective side walls  52  is a semi-circular arc portion  56  which is integral to the side walls  52 . Each of the side walls has a protuberance  58  disposed approximately mid-way along the length of the side wall that is sized so as to be received in the recess  72  (See FIG. 12) of the panels  70 . At the forward terminus of the side walls  52  and positioned at the lower portion  54  of the side walls  52  is an extended portion  60  which acts as a gripping surface and serves the purpose described above. 
     With the embodiment of the CD stack shown in FIGS. 11-13, the alphabetizing or other desired repositioning of the carriers in the CD stand may be carried out as follows: 
     Assume, for example, a 50 carrier capacity unit which has spaces  1 - 40  occupied with CD-bearing carriers and the user would like to insert a new CD in the 25th position, the user would perform the following steps: 
     1. Locate the position directly above the point in which a space is needed. In this case it would be the 24th position. 
     2. Pull the 24th carrier (with the CD still in place) outward until it clicks into the lock-out position. 
     3. Remove an empty media carrier from the bottom of the unit. At this point all other media carriers below the 24th position will drop one position creating an empty space in the 25th position. 
     4. Insert the empty media carrier in the 25th position. 
     5. Push the 24th carrier back into the unlocked position. 
     Operation is now complete. 
     Having the benefit of the disclosure herein, it will be obvious that multiple carriers, e.g., a double carrier, may be accommodated in the storage system of this invention by the initial removal of the double carrier and following the steps outlined above for both embodiments of the carriers of this invention. 
     The carriers of this invention may be made of any material having the inherent property of being flexible, e.g., plastic or metal alloys. The stand, including the panels, may be manufactured from wood, metal alloy or plastic materials. 
     Many possible embodiments may be made without departing from the scope hereof; it is to be understood that all description herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.