Patent Publication Number: US-7213284-B2

Title: Optic disk pack opener

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to a device for facilitating removal of a plastic wrapping film out of an optic disk pack, and in particular to a combination of an optic disk pack opener with a writing implement to facilitate operation effectiveness of the optic disk pack opener. 
   2. The Prior Arts 
   Optic disks, such as compact disks and video compact disks, are commonly stored in a rigid plastic case that has a small thickness as compared to length and width thereof. The optic disk case is wrapped with a plastic film for protection and burglary-proof purposes. The plastic film must be removed before the general consumers may access the disk contained in the plastic case. Often a sharp article, such as a knife or a sharp-ended pin, must be used to break and thus remove the film. This is to some extents troublesome to the general users. 
   The present invention is aimed to provide an optic disk pack opener that breaks and thus helps removing the plastic film from the optic disk pack. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Thus, an objective of the present invention is to provide an optic disk pack opener that comprises guide flanges to guide the movement of a sharp blade along an edge of the optic disk pack to break the plastic wrapping film of the optic disk pack thereby helping removing the film out of the pack. 
   Another objective of the present invention is to provide an optic disk opener in combination with a writing implement to facilitate the effectiveness of the optic disk pack opener. 
   A further objective of the present invention is to provide an optic disk pack opener in combination with an optic disk surface cleaning member, which wipes and cleans the surfaces of an optic disk. 
   In accordance with the present invention, to realize the above objectives, an optic disk pack opener is provided, comprising an elongate stem having an end defining an interior space receiving a spring-biased sharp member that is extendible out of the space by being manually driven, against the biasing force, to physically engaging an optic disk pack that is wrapped with a plastic film, whereby when the opener is moved along an edge of the optic disk pack, the sharp blade breaks the film. Two spaced flanges are formed on the first end to receive the edge of the optic disk pack and guide the movement of the opener. An elongate member is pivoted to the first end and movable between an operation position where a soft layer attached to a surface of the elongate member is exposed to wipe and clean an optic disk and a stowed position where the elongate member overlaps the stem to shield the soft layer. The stem has an opposite end that forms a writing implement, which may be selectively capped. 
   The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. In the drawings: 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an optic disk pack opener constructed in accordance with the present invention in a closed condition; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the optic disk pack opener in such an operation condition that a cap is removed to expose a writing implement and an optic disk surface cleaning member is extended for cleaning the surface of an optic disk; 
       FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the optic disk pack opener, taken in a direction opposite to that of  FIG. 2 , with the writing implement capped but the optic disk surface cleaner extended, a sharp blade slot being visible; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 3 , with an optic disk to be cleaned by the optic disk surface cleaning member of the present invention shown in phantom lines to illustrate the operation of optic disk surface cleaning member of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of the optic disk pack opener of the present invention, partially cross-sectioned to illustrate inside details of the opener, together with an optic disk pack shown in phantom lines; and 
       FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5 , showing the operation of the opener of the present invention in breaking a packing film of the optic disk pack. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   With reference to the drawings, and in particular to  FIG. 1 , an optic disk pack opener constructed in accordance with the present invention, generally designated with reference numeral  10 , comprises a body  12  forming an elongate stem  14  for hand holding by a user. The elongate stem  14  has a first end  16  and an opposite second end  18 . 
   Also referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the first end  16  of the stem  14  has two spaced flanges  20  substantially parallel to each other and defining therebetween a slot (not labeled) having a width substantially corresponding to the thickness of an edge  22  of an optic disk pack  24  whereby the edge  22  of the pack  24  can be snugly received in the slot and interposed between the flanges  20  with a small clearance between the flanges  20  and the pack  22 , which clearance allows the opener  10  to slide along the edge  22  of the pack  24  under the guidance of the flanges  20 , as indicated by arrow A of  FIG. 6 . 
   Preferably, the slot has a flat bottom  26  to slide along the edge  22  of the pack  24 . An opening  28 , also see  FIG. 3 , preferably in the form of an elongate slot parallel to the sliding direction of the opener  10  with respect to the optic disk pack  24 , is defined in the bottom  26 . The first end  16  of the stem  14  defines an interior space  30  in communication with the opening  28 . A sharp blade  32  is received in the interior space  30  and is biased by a resilient member  34  to be completely accommodated in the interior space  30  for safety purposes. The resilient member  34  can be made of any suitable material and in any proper form provided a force biasing the sharp blade  32  within the interior space  30  is induced on the sharp blade  32 . In a preferred embodiment, the resilient member  34  is a U-shaped or multi-folded leaf spring made of plastic injection molding. The leaf spring comprises a mounting portion  36  to support the sharp blade  32 . 
   A button  37  is integrally formed with or mounted to the mounting portion  36  and extending beyond the first end  16  of the stem  14  through another opening  18  defined in the first end  16  of the stem  14  and in communication with the interior space  30 . The button  37  is arranged to be accessible to and depressed by a user, as indicated by arrow B of  FIG. 6 , to counteract the spring force of the resilient member  34  thereby extending the sharp blade  32  out of the opening  28  to physically engage the packing film of the optic disk pack  24  received between the flanges  20 . The engagement between the sharp blade  32  and the packing film of the optic disk pack  24  allows the sharp blade  32  to break and thus help removing the film out of the optic disk pack  24 . 
   Also referring to  FIG. 2 , the second end  18  is provided with a writing implement  40 , whereby the stem  14  also serves as a holding barrel for the writing implement  40 . Preferably, a cap  42  is selectively attachable to the second end  18  of the stem  14  to shield and protect the writing implement  40 . This arrangement allows the opener  10  to also serve as a pen when not used to open an optic disk pack. 
   Also referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an elongate member  50  having a flat surface  52  serving as an optic disk surface cleaning member is pivoted to the first end  16  of the stem  14  by a pivot pin  54  and has a length that substantially overlaps the stem  14  except the writing implement  40  and the cap  42 . Preferably, the first end  16  is a circular expansion of the stem  14  and the pivot pin  52  coincides the center of the circular expansion. The flat surface  52  is provided with a layer  54  of soft material or fabric that is commonly used to wipe and clean the surface of an optic disk  90  (see  FIG. 4 ). The pivotal joint between the optic disk surface cleaning member  50  and the stem  14  allows the optic disk surface cleaning member  50  to be movable between an operation position, as shown in  FIGS. 2-4 , where the optic disk surface cleaning member  50  is extended and the soft layer  54  exposed for cleaning the surface of the optic disk  90  as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , and a stowed position as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , where the optic disk cleaning member  50  overlaps the stem  14  with the soft layer  54  shielded by the stem  14 . 
   Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made, for example replacing the bowl with a fork, without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.