Abstract:
A media storage system and method for use in a cabinet in which a rail member is mounted to at least one of the walls of the cabinet. A side panel is pivotally connected to the rail member for pivotal movement relative thereto, and one or more additional panels are connected to the side panel one to form a storage area. The side panel can be pivoted relative to the rail member between a first position in which the storage area is closed and a second position in which the storage area is open.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates, in general, to a media storage system and method and, more particularly, to such a system and method for storing objects, such as entertainment and/or computer media. 
     The dramatic increase in the amount of entertainment and computer media now available, such as CD ROMs, compact discs, video tapes, video discs, and computer discs such as ZIP™ discs, floppy discs, JAZ™ discs, etc. causes a corresponding increase in storage requirements for the media. Although relative large storage systems, such as hutches, cabinets, armoires, and the like are available for both an office and a home environment, they are less than completely satisfactory for storing this type of media. For example, most people prefer not to store their media on an exposed shelf of the cabinet but rather in a drawer, or the like, so that they are out of sight when not in use. Also, the capacity and dimensions of cabinet drawers are often not compatible with storing a relatively large quantity of media of the above type. Further, even if the media is stored on a shelf, and the shelf has a depth that would accommodate two or more rows of the media, it is difficult to access the media on one of the back rows. 
     Therefore, what is needed is a storage system and a method for storing entertainment and/or computer media in a cabinet, or the like, according to which the media is normally not exposed and yet is easily accessible. 
     SUMMARY 
     To this end, according to an embodiment of the invention, a rail member is mounted to at least one of two side walls of a cabinet and a side panel is pivotally connected to the rail member for pivotal movement relative thereto. One or more additional panels are connected to the side panel to form a storage area. The side panel can be pivoted relative to the rail member between a first position in which the storage area is closed and a second position in which the storage area is open. 
     Significant advantages are achieved with the above embodiment since the stored objects are normally not exposed and yet are easily accessible. Also, the objects can be stored in two rows with the back row being easily accessible. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a cabinet, or hutch, incorporating an embodiment of the media storage system of the present invention which is shown in an open position. 
     FIG. 2 is a reduced-scale view, similar to FIG. 1 but depicting the storage system in a closed position. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged, exploded view of the storage system of FIG. 1 in its closed position. 
     FIGS. 4-6 are schematic views taken along the line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3  and depicting the movement of the storage system of FIGS. 1-3 from a closed position to a open position. 
     FIG. 7 is a view, similar to FIG. 3 but depicting the storage system in an open position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the reference numeral  10  refers to a cabinet, or hutch, having a pair of spaced, parallel, vertically-extending, side walls  12   a  and  12   b , and two horizontally extending panels  14   a  and  14   b  extending perpendicular to the side walls, and forming the top panel and the bottom panel, respectively. A vertically-extending panel  16  extends from the top panel  14  and two spaced, horizontally-extending shelves  18   a  and  18   b  extend between the panel  16  and the side wall  12   b . It is understood that the panels  14   a  and  14   b  are connected to the side walls  12   a  and  12   b , that the panel  16  is connected to the panel  14   a , and that the shelves  18   a  and  18   b  are connected to the panel  16  and to the side wall  12   b  in any conventional manner. 
     A video monitor  20  rests on the panel  14   b  and the panels  14   a  and  16 , the shelves  18   a  and  18   b , and the side wall  12   a  form two compartments for receiving computer or home entertainment components commonly found in an office or home environment. The entire cabinet, or hutch  10  rests on a desktop  22 . 
     A horizontally-extending shelf  24  extends between the upper portion of the side wall  12   a  and the panel  16 . The depth of the shelf  24  is approximately one-half the depth of the cabinet  10  and extends to the rear of the cabinet, for reasons to be described. The shelf  24  is adapted to store a plurality of discs  26  such as CD ROMs, compact discs, video discs, and computer discs such as ZIP™ discs, floppy discs, JAZ™ discs, etc. It is also understood that one or more doors (not shown) can be provided that close to cover the interior, or portions of the interior, of the cabinet in a conventional manner. 
     The storage system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, in general, by the reference numeral  30 . The system  30  extends below the top panel  14   a  and between the upper portion of the side wall  12   a , and the panel  16 , and is located in front of the shelf  24 . The system  30  is also adapted to store objects, such as the discs  26 , and, in the open position shown, permits easy access to the latter discs and to the discs on the shelf  24 . The system  30  is shown in a closed position in FIG. 2 in which it covers the shelf  24  and the discs  26 . 
     FIG. 3 depicts the system  30  in its closed position in greater detail. The system  30  comprises a front panel  32  and a rear panel  34  extending in a spaced, parallel relationship. A horizontally extending panel  36  extends perpendicular to the panels  32  and  34  and is connected thereto in a conventional manner. In the closed position of the system  30  as shown, the panel  36  forms an extension of the shelf  24 . 
     A pair of side panels  40  and  42  are connected to the respective end portions of the front panel  32  by fasteners (not shown), and the corresponding end portions of the panels  34  and  36  extend in corresponding grooves formed in the side panels  40  and  42  and are affixed to the latter panels in any known manner. The panels  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  40  and  42  thus form a storage compartment for additional objects, such as additional discs  26 . 
     Two rails  46  and  48  are mounted to the inner surfaces of the side wall  12   a  and the panel  16 , respectively in any conventional manner. The height of each rail  46  and  48  increases from front to back, as viewed in FIG. 3, so that its upper surface forms a ramp. A pair of slots  46   a  and  48   a  are formed in the rails  46  and  48 , respectively, at the back ends of their corresponding ramps. 
     The side panels  40  and  42  have bosses  40   a  and  42   a , respectively, extending from their outer surfaces which extend in the slots  46   a  and  48   a , respectively. This permits translational and rotational movement of the side panels  40  and  42 , respectively, and therefore the system  30 , relative to the cabinet  10 , under conditions to be described. 
     A pair of tabs  42   b  and  42   c  are also provided on the outer surface of the side panel  42  for reasons to be described, and, although not shown in FIG. 3, it is understood that identical tabs are provided on the side panel  40 . 
     A divider  50  is provided that has a hook portion  50   a  extending over the upper edge portion of the panel  34 , and an extension  50   b  that extends into the storage compartment defined by the panels  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  40  and  42 . The extension engages the discs  26  to maintain them in the vertical position shown, and/or to divide the discs into different groups. 
     Preferably, the side panels  40  and  42 , the slides  46  and  48  and the divider are fabricated from a hard plastic material and the remaining components of the cabinet  10  and the system  30  are made of wood. 
     To install the system  30  in the cabinet  10 , the system is inserted between the side wall  12   a  and the panel  16  so that the bosses  40   a  and  42   a  engage the ramps defined by the upper surfaces of the rails  46  and  48 , respectively. As better shown in FIG. 4 in connection with the side panel  42  and the rail  48 , the system  30  is then pushed into the cabinet  10  in the direction of the arrow A until the bosses  40   a  and  42   a  enter the slots  46   a  and  48   a , respectively. The system  30  is then pulled towards the front of the cabinet  10  until the bosses  40   a  and  42   a  reach the front ends of the slots  46   a  and  48   a , respectively, and the front panel  32  is lifted upwardly. When the front panel  32  is approximately parallel with the front of the cabinet  10 , the system  30  is pushed back until the bosses  40   a  and  42   a  reach the back end of the slots  46   a  and  48   a , respectively, as shown in FIG. 5 in connection with the side panel  42  and the rail  48 . In this position, the tab  42   b , and the corresponding tab on the side panel  40 , engage the respective upper surfaces of the rails  46  and  48 , to secure the system  30  in this position which is the closed position. Thus, the discs  26 , or any other objects on the shelf  24  and the panel  32  are enclosed. 
     With reference to FIG. 6, in the event access to the discs  26 , or other objects, is desired, the system  30  is initially pulled from its closed position shown by the solid lines in FIG. 6 forward in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 6 until the bosses  40   a  and  42   a  reach the front end of their respective slots  46   a  and  48   a . In this position, the tab  42   b  clears the front end of the rail  48 , and the corresponding tab on the side panel  40  clears the front end of the rail  46 . The system  30  is then rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 6 about the bosses  40   a  and  42   a , respectively, to the intermediate position shown by the phantom lines and then to the final open position shown by the dashed lines. In the last position, the tab  42   c  and the corresponding tab formed on the side panel  40 , engage the upper surfaces of the rails  46  and  48 , respectively to maintain the system  30  in this open position. 
     As shown in FIG. 7, when the system is in its open position described above, the discs  26 , or other objects stored on the shelf  24  and the panel  32  are easily accessible. 
     Thus, the above embodiment enjoys the advantages of storage objects that are normally not exposed and yet are easily accessible. Also, the objects can be stored on a back shelf or row yet are also easily accessible. 
     It is understood that several variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the cabinet  10  and the system  30  are not limited for use with computer and/or home entertainment equipment and the design of each, including their respective dimensions, as well as the number of shelves, etc. can be varied within the scope of the present invention. In this context, the system  30  can extend for the complete width of the cabinet and can be for the purpose of storing objects other than computer and/or entertainment media. Also, rather than rest on the desktop  22 , the cabinet  10  can be designed to rest on the floor in which case it would be of a greater length and contain additional shelves and panels. Further, the spatial references, such as “upper”, “lower”, “side”, “front”, “rear”, “horizontal”, and “vertical” are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to limit the specific orientation or location of the structure described above. 
     Since other modifications, changes, and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.