Patent Publication Number: US-2006000726-A1

Title: Multimedia storage tray and method of making the same

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to storage structures, and more particularly, to a storage tray that is adapted to support and store a variety of multimedia, alone or in conventional packaging, having a plurality of different sizes.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Storage structures for supporting and storing multimedia such as CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, and cassette tapes are known, and these structures have been provided with storage compartments configured to the dimensions and contours of the object to be supported and stored. However, with the increase and popularity of packaged multimedia, new unfilled needs for multimedia storage structures, such as storage trays, have arisen including the need for fewer parts and easier assembly thereof. These storage trays, accordingly, should be adapted to provide storage and support for packaged as well as unpackaged multimedia having a plurality of different sizes.  
      Unfortunately, today&#39;s multimedia storage trays appear to have failed to meet these needs. Most notably, current storage trays include multiple parts that must be manufactured, supplied, tracked, shipped, inventoried and eventually assembled to form the complete product. These multiple part assemblies lead to significant administrative and labor costs, which increases the overall costs of production and, ultimately, the cost of the end product. In addition, multimedia storage trays that are available for purchase as after-market kits for do-it-yourself consumers tend to discourage consumers if they contain too many parts.  
      Accordingly, there remains a need for an improved storage tray that includes a reduced number of parts, is easily manufactured and assembled, and is adapted to provide storage and support for a variety of multimedia, alone or packaged, having a plurality of different sizes.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention provides an improved storage tray having a reduced number of parts that is easily manufactured and assembled, and adapted to store and support a variety of multimedia, alone or packaged, having a plurality of different sizes.  
      To this end, the multimedia storage tray includes at least two support rails that are independent or separate, i.e. not directly connected. The support rails advantageously are identical in shape with each generally including a top surface having a lower surface and a raised ledge having an edge, and a plurality of divider walls. The support rails are adapted to be attached to a furniture surface by a securing means. The means for securing may include a nail, screw, tack, staple, adhesive such as tape or glue, or combinations thereof, and the like. Notably, the divider walls are in parallel, spaced apart relationship substantially along the length of each support rail and cooperate with the top surface to provide storage spaces that accommodate different sized multimedia.  
      The storage trays of the present invention may be easily manufactured by methods commonly known in the art and may be sold pre-assembled in a furniture piece or to the do-it-yourself consumer as an after-market kit. As indicated above, the support rails of the storage tray are adapted to be secured to a piece of furniture, such as the upper surface of a drawer or shelf of an entertainment center. To assemble, two independent support rails, advantageously, are equally spaced apart at a desired width and in opposing parallel relationship and simply attached to a furniture surface using the means for securing, such as by inserting a screw within each of two spaced-apart apertures of each of the support rails and into the upper furniture surface. Accordingly, the attached support rails are devoid of an interconnecting framework, i.e. extra parts, and further cooperate to support and store a variety of packaged or unpackaged multimedia, e.g. CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, cassette tapes, and the like, having a plurality of different sizes.  
      By virtue of the foregoing, there is thus provided an improved storage tray having a reduced number of parts that is easily manufactured and assembled, and adapted to store and support packaged or unpackaged multimedia having a plurality of different sizes. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the invention.  
       FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the multimedia storage tray of the present invention, incorporating two identical tray components in spaced parallel relationship.  
       FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the multimedia storage tray of  FIG. 1  showing assembly thereof onto an upper surface of a retractable shelf.  
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the assembled tray of  FIG. 1  showing a variety of multimedia being stored therein having different widths measured in a direction transverse to the length of the identical tray components.  
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 3  taken along the line  4 - 4 .  
       FIG. 5  is a partial cross-sectional view of  FIG. 3  taken along the line  5 - 5 .  
       FIG. 6  is a partial cross-sectional view of  FIG. 3  taken along the line  6 - 6 .  
       FIG. 7  is a partial cross-sectional view of  FIG. 3  taken along the line  7 - 7 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      With reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , there is shown an embodiment of the multimedia storage tray  10  of the present invention. The storage tray  10  includes at least two support rails  12  and  14  that are independent or separate, i.e. not directly physically connected to each other. As best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , these support rails  12 ,  14  are adapted to be attached by a securing means, advantageously, to an upper surface  18  of a shelf  19  or drawer of a furniture piece (not shown) in spaced apart, parallel, physically non-contacting relationship to each other to support and store a variety of multimedia, alone or packaged, having a plurality of different sizes. The means for securing may include a screw  20 , nail, tack, staple, adhesive such as tape or glue, or combinations thereof, and the like. The furniture piece may be of any variety such as an entertainment center, desk, table, bookshelf, armoire, and the like, and the shelf  19  or drawer may be retractable such that the storage tray  10  may be moved from a first storage position to a second position. The multimedia may include CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, cassette tapes, and the like, and advantageously includes packaged CDs  21 , DVDs  22 , and/or VHS tapes  23  and  24  (See  FIG. 3 ), and the like.  
      As best shown in  FIG. 1 , the two support rails  12 ,  14  include an elongated base  26  having a length (L) and a width (W), first and second laterally spaced side edges  28  and  30 , first and second longitudinal ends  34  and  36 , and a top surface  38 . Although the length (L) and width (W) of the base  26  may vary, the length (L) of the base  26  advantageously is 335.0 to 345.0 mm, more advantageously, 340.0 to 343 mm, and most advantageously 341.5 mm, and the width (W) of the base  26  advantageously is 35 to 45 mm, more advantageously, 40 to 43 mm, and most advantageously 41 mm. As best shown in  FIG. 4 , the top surface  38  includes a lower surface  40  and a raised ledge  42  having an edge  44 . Returning again to  FIGS. 1-3 , the raised ledge  42  of the top surface  40  is shown to further extend along the first side edge  28  between the first and second longitudinal ends  34 ,  36 . The lower surface  40  and raised ledge  42  advantageously are flat. The height of the raised ledge  42  advantageously is no greater than 6 mm.  
      A side wall  48  is disposed adjacent the first side edge  28  of the base  26  and extends therealong in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base  26 . The height of the side wall  48  advantageously is 26 to 29 mm, more advantageously, 27 to 28 mm, and most advantageously 27.5 mm. The raised ledge  42  further projects inwardly from the side wall  48  such that the edge  44  of the ledge  42  is situated between the first and second side edges  28 ,  30 . The width of the raised ledge  42  advantageously is 15 to 18 mm, more advantageously, 16 to 17 mm, and most advantageously 16.7 mm. A beveled edge region  30 A is situated adjacent the second side edge  30 , intermediate the second edge  30  and lower surface  40 , and extends the length (L) of each rail  12 ,  14 . The beveled edge region  30 A shapes downwardly toward the second edge  30 , i.e. downwardly and inwardly toward the opposite rail when the storage tray  10  is assembled.  
      As further shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , a plurality of alternating first and second divider walls  54  and  56 , advantageously, are spaced equally apart along the length (L) of the base  26 . Although spacing may vary, the spacing between each of the divider walls  54 ,  56  advantageously is 14 to 17 mm, more advantageously, 15 to 16 mm, and most advantageously 15.5 mm. The first divider walls  54  extend inwardly and in a transverse direction from the side wall  48  and terminate between the raised ledge  42  and second side edge  30 . The first divider walls  54  further extend away from the top surface  38 . The width of the first divider walls  54  advantageously is 9 to 11 mm, and most advantageously 10 mm. The second divider walls  56  similarly extend inwardly and in a transverse direction from the side wall  48  and terminate between the edge  44  of the ledge  42  and the first side edge  28 . The second divider walls  56  further extend away from the raised ledge  42 . The width of the second divider walls  56  advantageously is 33 to 41 mm, and most advantageously 35.5 to 39.5 mm. With respect to height and thickness, the height of the first and second divider walls  54 ,  56  advantageously is 26 to 29 mm, more advantageously, 27 to 28 mm, and most advantageously 27.5 mm wherein the thickness of each is advantageously 1 to 2 mm, and most advantageously 1.5 mm. The plurality of divider walls  54 ,  56  cooperate with the top surface  38  of the base  26  to provide storage space  58  that accommodates multimedia  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  (See  FIG. 3 ) having different sizes including different thickness (t) and widths (w).  
      With continuing reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , two of the plurality of divider walls  54 ,  56  define first and second end walls  62  and  64  that are disposed on the first and second longitudinal ends  34 ,  36  of the base  26 . These first and second end walls  62 ,  64  further extend substantially perpendicularly from the first and second ends  34 ,  36 , adjacent the side wall  48 , with each  62 ,  64  having a side edge  66  joined to the side wall  48  to form a corner  68 . Advantageously, the end walls  62 ,  64  include first divider walls  54 . In addition, all of the second divider walls  56  advantageously are the same size, all of the first divider walls  54  are the same size, and the first and second divider walls  54 ,  56  and side wall  48  are equal in height. While  FIGS. 1-3  show each of the support rails  12 ,  14  including twenty-one total divider walls  54 ,  56  being equally spaced apart and each of the first and the second divider walls  54 ,  56  being similar in size, it is understood that one may provide any number of divider walls  54 ,  56  having a variety of equal or unequal spacing and/or having the same or different sizes.  
      The support rails  12 ,  14  of the storage tray  10  of the present invention are formed of a relatively rigid material such as plastic, advantageously polypropylene, and may be manufactured by methods commonly known in the art including suitable thermoplastic molding or forming processes such as injection molding, compression molding, thermoforming or the like. The storage tray  10  may be sold to the public already assembled in a furniture piece (not shown) or sold directly to the do-it-your consumer as an after-market kit which may include two or more support rails  12 ,  14  and, optionally, one or more securing means such as screws  20 , nails, tacks, staples adhesives such as tape or glue, or combinations thereof, and the like.  
      As best shown in  FIG. 2 , to assemble the support tray  10 , the two independent support rails  12 ,  14 , advantageously, are equally spaced apart at a desired width and in opposing parallel relationship and attached to the upper surface  18  of the shelf  19  of the furniture piece (not shown) using the means for securing. Specifically, the base  26  of the support rails  12 ,  14 , shown in  FIG. 2 , includes two apertures  72  adapted to receive the screw  20 . The support rails  12 ,  14  are easily attached by inserting the screw  20  within the apertures  72  of each of the support rails  12 ,  14  and into the shelf surface  18 . It is understood that the support rails  12 ,  14  may include any number of apertures  72  or may include no apertures  72  and still be capable of being secured to the furniture piece by the securing means. Accordingly, the attached support rails  12 ,  14  are devoid of an interconnecting framework, i.e. extra parts, and further cooperate to support and store a variety of packaged  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  (See  FIG. 3 ) or unpackaged multimedia having variable thicknesses t 1 , t 2  and t 3  and/or widths w 1 , w 2  and w 3 .  
      While it is understood that the support rails  12 ,  14  may be of different shapes and/or sizes, advantageously, the support rails  12 ,  14  are identical. It is further understood that more than two support rails  12 ,  14  may be provided for attaching to a furniture piece. For example, three support rails could be provided wherein two support rails placed end-to-end have a total length which is equal in length to a third support rail. Accordingly, these two rails may be adjacently attached to a furniture surface in a spaced-apart and opposing parallel relation to the third support rail.  
      As further shown in  FIG. 3 , the assembled support rails  12 ,  14  cooperate to store and support packaged multimedia  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  having a plurality of different sizes including different thicknesses t 1 , t 2  and t 3  and/or widths w 1 , w 2  and w 3 .  FIG. 3  specifically shows packaged CD  21  and packaged DVD  22  wherein the packaging includes a conventional jewel case, and further shows packaged VHS tapes  23  and  24  wherein the packaging respectively includes a cardboard box and a plastic cartridge.  
      As best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the packaged CD  21  and DVD  22  are supported in a substantially upright position between opposing first and second dividers  54 ,  56  of the support rails  12 ,  14  with opposing ends  84  of the CD  21  and DVD  22  resting atop the raised ledge  42  of the support rails  12 ,  14  and substantially adjacent the side wall  48 .  
      As best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the boxed VHS tape  23  is supported in a substantially upright position between opposing first dividers  54  of the support rails  12 ,  14  with opposing ends  88  of the VHS tape  23  resting atop the lower surface  40  thereof and substantially adjacent the edge  44  of the ledge  42 .  
      As best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 7 , the boxed VHS tape  24  similarly is supported in a substantially upright position between opposing first dividers  54  of the support rails  12 ,  14  with opposing ends  90  of the VHS tape  24  resting atop the raised ledge  42  thereof and substantially adjacent a second divider wall  56 . It should be understood that the multimedia may include unpackaged as well as packaged CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, cassette tapes, and the like, having a plurality of sizes.  
      Accordingly, the storage tray  10  is adapted to accommodate each variety of packaged multimedia  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  wherein each multimedia  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  extends and is supported therebetween to allow for storage thereof.  
      By virtue of the foregoing, there is thus provided an improved storage tray  10  having a reduced number of parts that is easily manufactured and assembled, and adapted to store and support a variety of multimedia, alone or packaged, having a plurality of different sizes.  
      While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of one or more embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, they are not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and method and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the scope or spirit of the general inventive concept.