Abstract:
An article storage display tower for storage, display and continuous easy access to the article is provided. The display tower has a top and a bottom with a cell structure having a plurality of cells positioned between the top and the bottom. Each of the cells of the tower can store and display a plurality of articles, such as compact discs, while allowing access to the articles. The cell structure is rotatably connected to a base that permits the cell structure to rotate about an axis perpendicular to the base, so that access to all cells is facilitated.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to article storage display towers, and more particularly to article storage display towers that provide for storage, organization and viewing of audio and/or video storage media. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Compact storage devices of various types are known in the art. Such devices are typically used by consumers to hold their audio and video disks in a safe and orderly manner. A constant challenge for consumers is the effective organization of their audio and video disks. A storage device for audio and video disks is typically used in a home near the home&#39;s central living area. The storage device should be attractive in appearance, easy to use, decorative, compact, durable and affordable. 
   Previous storage devices have some inherent disadvantages. One of the disadvantages with existing disk storage devices is that they do not allow for easy viewing of both the front and back covers of audio and video disks when the disks are in the storage unit. Further, existing storage devices do not display the disk&#39;s title, song titles, and artist information in an easy to view manner. 
   The present invention overcomes these and other problems inherent in existing audio and video disk storage devices. The present invention provides an article storage display tower for storage, organization and viewing of audio and/or video disks that holds disks so as to allow the user to view the front and back of selected disk covers. To achieve this, the present invention contains a plurality of cells that can accept, for example, compact disks or other media storage articles, such as for example, mini disks, video cassettes, audio cassettes, CD ROM&#39;s, digital video disks, etc. The storage display tower structure rests on a swivel base so that users can rotate the structure and display the decorative front cover as well as the back cover of select compact disks or other audio and/or video storage media. The invention, therefore, not only stores compact disks but the invention can be displayed as a piece of artwork. 
   The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved article storage display tower that can store a plurality of audio and/or video storage media. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved article storage display tower that can display substantially the entire front and back surfaces of audio and/or video storage media. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel article storage display tower that can rotate. 
   Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel article storage display tower that allows a user to arrange audio and/or visual storage media to display the graphics on the front and/or back of the storage media in a unique or aesthetic manner. 
   A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel article storage display tower that is free standing. 
   A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel article storage display tower that provides for visually appealing storage of audio and/or video storage media. 
   A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel article storage system that provides for easy accessibility of audio and/or video storage media. 
   A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel article storage display tower which is simple in design and inexpensive to construct, and is durable and rugged in structure. 
   Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings of the invention. 
   These and other objects are achieved by an article storage display tower of the present invention. In one form of the invention, an article storage display tower is provided which provides an article storage display for audio or visual storage media that allows the front and back surfaces of the articles to be displayed by the user in a visually selected manner. Further, the storage display tower can be rotated about a stationary base to allow for easy selection and viewing of the stored articles. Also, the articles are easily placed in, removed from and arranged in the storage display. The storage display along with the stored articles can be positioned in a room as a piece of artwork. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   These and other objects are achieved by an article storage display tower of the present invention. In one form of the invention, an article storage display tower is provided that has a top and a bottom with a cell structure having a plurality of cells positioned between the top and bottom. Each cell being capable of storing and displaying a plurality of articles, such as compact disks. The cell structure is rotatably connected to a base which is provided for the cell structure to rotate about an axis perpendicular to the base. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the article storage display tower of the present invention showing articles located in the storage display; 
       FIG. 2  is a partial view of top portion the back surface of the article storage display tower of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a partial view of the side portion of the article storage display tower of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the article storage display tower of  FIG. 1  along line  4 — 4 ; and 
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the article storage display tower of  FIG. 1  along line  5 — 5 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the article storage display tower  10  constructed in accordance with the present invention. In  FIG. 1 , the article storage display tower  10  comprises a storage display structure  16 , a shaft  36 , a knob  37 , a base  46  and connector assembly (not shown). 
   As best shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  5 , the storage display structure  16  may comprise outer horizontal members  18 , inner horizontal members  19 , outer vertical members  20 , inner vertical members  21 , cells  22 , cell side open end  34 , cell front opening  39 , cell rear opening  40 , a top  28  and a bottom  32 . Also, as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3  and  5 , are articles (i.e., compact disks)  12  placed in the storage display structure cells  22 . 
   In one embodiment, the display structure  16  may be formed by providing and joining, substantially as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  5 , outer horizontal members  18 , inner horizontal members  19 , outer vertical members  20 , inner vertical member  21  thereby forming cells  22 . Cells  22  may be sized to allow the particular audio and/or video media to be removably stored within the cells  22 . In this regard, cells  22  may be any dimensions required for particular media. Each cell  22  may be sized to hold one or more audio and/or video storage media. In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 3  for example, each cell  22  may be sized to hold six compact disks. Members  18 ,  19 ,  20  and  21  may be joined to each respective member by, for example, nails, screws, dowels and/or glue or any other type of fastening means that will provide for proper operation of storage display tower  10 . The storage display structure  16  may be constructed of wood, metal, and/or plastic or any other type of material(s) that will provide for proper operation of the article storage display  10 . 
   In other embodiments, top  28  and/or bottom  32  may be attached to structure  16 . Top  28  and/or bottom  32  may be joined to structure  16  by, for example, nails, screws, dowels and/or glue or any other type of fastening means that will provide for proper operation of storage display tower  10 . Top  28  and/or bottom  32  may be constructed of wood, metal, and/or plastic or any other type of material(s) that will provide for proper operation of article storage display  10 . 
   Shaft  36  may be located along the central axis of display structure  16  whereby shaft end  36 A passes through top  28  and shaft end  36 B passes through bottom  32  substantially as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  5 . Shaft  36  may be positioned within storage display  16  so as to allow display  16  to freely rotate about shaft  36  in a clockwise and/or counter clockwise direction with respect to shaft  36 . Shaft end  36 B may contain threads  36 C, as shown in  FIG. 4  and may extend through base  46 . Fastener  55  which may comprise a nut  60  and a washer  61 , for example, may maintain shaft  36  in a fixed position with respect to base  46  while allowing storage display structure  16  to rotate about shaft  36 . The base  46  may be constructed of wood, metal, and/or plastic or any other type of material(s) that will provide for proper operation of the storage display tower  10 . The shaft  36  may be constructed of wood, metal, and/or plastic or any other type of material(s) that will provide for proper operation of the storage display tower  10 . In yet other embodiments, storage display tower  10  may be constructed without shaft  36  and connector assembly  50  so as to provide a display  10  that does not swivel about base  46 . 
   Knob  37  may be fixed to top  28  so that when knob  37  is rotated by a user, the storage display structure  16  is rotated about shaft  36 . In other embodiments, knob  37  may be fixed to shaft  36  whereby when the storage display structure  16  is rotated about shaft  36 , the knob  37  does not rotate. 
   In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 4 , connector assembly  50  may comprise a device commonly refereed to as a turn table or lazy susan, for example, as sold by Shepherd® Hardware Products of Ontario, Canada. In one embodiment, one side of connector assembly  50  would be mounted to bottom  32  the opposite side of a connector assembly would be mounted to base  46  substantially as shown in  FIG. 4 . The connector assembly may be, for example, 3″, 4″, 5″ or 6″ in diameter or may be any other size required for proper operation of the article storage display  10 . 
   In alternate embodiments, the storage display structure  16  may be adapted to store and display articles such as, for example, digital video disks (DVDs), mini-disks, audio cassettes, video cassette tapes, book or virtually any other type of article that stores audio, video and/or text information. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , in one embodiment, storage display structure  16  may be comprised of seven rows  24  of cells  22 . In yet other embodiments, storage display structure  16  may be comprised of one or more rows of cells  22 . 
   In use, a user may place audio and/or video storage media into the article storage display. For example, if the user wants to store her compact disks, the user would place her compact disks through cell open end  34  until the compact disk was securely positioned inside cell  22 . The user may arrange the compact disks in any order she requires. For example, the compact disks may be arranged alphabetized by artist&#39;s last name as viewed through the cell open end  34 . The user may also choose to arrange the compact disks to create a visually appealing display. In this instance, the user would arrange the disks by viewing the disk front covers through the cell front opening  38  and/or the cell rear opening  40 . The user may also decide to display only the disk back covers for viewing through the cell front and rear openings  38  and  40  respectively. To select a compact disk, the user may view the front covers, rear cover or disk side cover and easily remove the disk from cell  22 . 
   Specific embodiments of novel methods and apparatus for construction of novel article storage display towers according to the present invention have been described for the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention is made and used. It should be understood that the implementation of other variations and modifications of the invention and its various aspects will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and that the invention is not limited by the specific embodiments described. Therefore, it is contemplated to cover the present invention any and all modifications, variations, or equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the basic underlying principles disclosed and claimed herein.