Patent Publication Number: US-2007102311-A1

Title: Media storage container with media cartridge page

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/725,005 filed Oct. 8, 2005; the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Technical Field  
      The present invention generally relates to media storage containers and, more particularly, to a media storage container adapted to hold a media cartridge in combination with a media disc such as a CD or a DVD. Specifically, the invention relates to a media storage container that holds a media cartridge in a position wherein the hub that holds the media disc engages at least a portion of the media cartridge when the container is closed.  
      2. Background Information  
      Media cartridges such as different video game cartridges and Universal Media Discs (RTM) are growing in popularity in the recorded media art. In certain situations, there is a desire to package such new recorded media in combination with a traditional item of recorded media such as a CD or a DVD. The art thus desires a media storage container adapted to retain both types of recorded media.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The invention generally provides a media storage container adapted to hold a disc-shaped item of recorded media in combination with a media cartridge.  
      The invention generally provides a configuration of a media storage container wherein the disc retaining hub of the media storage container at least partially passes through an opening in another portion of the media storage container when the media stage container is closed.  
      In one configuration, the invention provides a media storage container for holding a media cartridge and a media disc. The media disc is held on a hub. The cartridge is held in a position that allows the media disc hub to engage the cartridge when the container is closed. In one configuration, the cartridge is carried by an internal page of the media container. In another configuration, the cartridge is carried by the lid of the container.  
      In another configuration, the invention provides an add-on page that is selectively connected to a media storage container. The add-on page is adapted to hold a media cartridge such as that sold under the trademark Universal Media Disc (RTM) or UMD. The page is configured to hold the media cartridge in a configuration that allows the page and cartridge to fit within a media storage container configured to hold a media disc such as a CD or DVD.  
      In an exemplary configuration, the invention provides a media storage container having a base that supports a push button-style disc hub. A hinge wall is hingedly connected to the base with a lid hingedly connected to the hinge wall. A media holding page is snap fit into holders extending from the hinge wall. The page has a structure adapted to retain a media cartridge. The page defines an opening disposed inside the structure. When the page is disposed over the base and the lid is closed, a portion of the disc hub extends into the opening of the page and may engage the media cartridge carried by the page.  
      The features of these configurations may be used alone or in combination. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a top plan view of an open media storage container with the add-on page disposed on the lid side of the container.  
       FIG. 2  is a top plan view the media storage container with the add-on page disposed over the base with a portion of the disc hub exposed through the opening in the page.  
       FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 2  with a media cartridge retained by the nest of the page.  
       FIG. 4  is a section view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
    
    
      Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the specification.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      The media storage container of the present invention is indicated generally by the numeral  2  in the accompanying drawings. Container  2  generally includes a container body having at least a base  4  and a lid  6 . Lid  6  is movable between open and closed configurations. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, a hinge wall  8  is used to connect lid  6  to base  4  with a pair of living hinges. In other configurations, lid  6  may be detachable from base  4  or lid  6  may slide with respect to base  4 . Base  4  generally includes a bottom wall  10 , a pair of sidewalls  12  projecting up from bottom wall  10 , and a front wall  14  projecting up from bottom wall  10 . Front wall is generally perpendicular to both sidewalls  12 . A hub  16  projects upwardly from bottom wall  10  in a manner that allows hub  16  to project through the center opening of a media disc  18  such as a CD or DVD to position or retain media disc  18  with respect to base  4 . Any of a variety of other items of media discs having a hub opening may be used in place of a CD or DVD. Base  4  may also include a nest  20  configured to be disposed adjacent to the outer peripheral edge of media disc  18  when disc  18  is disposed on hub  8 . Lid  6  generally includes a top wall  22 , a pair of sidewalls  24  projecting from top wall  22 , and a front wall  26  projecting from top wall  22 . Lid  6  is configured to cooperate with base  4  to enclose media disc  18  when lid is closed with respect to base  6 . Base  4 , lid  6 , and hinge wall  8  may be integrally formed with living hinges connecting hinge wall  8  to base  4  and lid  6 . In other embodiments of the invention, the elements of container  2  may be separately formed and connected together. The walls of lid and base may abut each other or overlap as is known in the art. Hub  16  may be a push button hub such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,068 or a fixed hub such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,470; these patents are incorporated by reference. The hubs disclosed in these patents are exemplary of a variety of media disc holding hubs that may be used in this storage container. The invention may be configured with a wide variety of media disc hubs known in the art.  
      Container  2  is also configured to hold a second item of recorded media in a location causing hub  16  to interact with the second item of recorded media. In one configuration, container  2  also includes an add-on page  50  configured to hold a cartridge-type item of recorded media such as the one sold under the Universal Media Disc® trademark (also known as UMD™) or any of a variety of media cartridges having internal media discs. In another configuration, the second item of recorded media may be carried by the lid  6 . In the following description, the elements provided on page  50  to hold the second item of recorded media may be provided on the inside of lid  6 .  
      A media cartridge generally includes an outer case  52  with a media disc  54  rotatably disposed inside case  52 . Case  52  defines an opening  56  that allows a drive from a player or recorder to engage and drive disc  54 .  
      A plurality of retainers are carried by page  50  to hold case  52  on page  50 . The retainers may be disposed about a nest  58  configured to surround case  52 . An opening  60  is defined intermediate the retainers and may be defined inside nest  58  by the base wall  62  of page  50 . Opening  60  is disposed in a location that aligns opening  60  with hub  16  when page  50  is in a “closed” position. The “closed” position of page  50  is a typical position where page  50  comes to rest when container  2  is closed. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the closed position is depicted in  FIG. 3  wherein hinge wall  8  is disposed perpendicular to bottom wall  10 . In the closed position of page  50 , a portion of hub  16  projects into opening  60 .  
      Page  50  may be connected to base  4 , lid  6 , or hinge wall  8  with a permanent hinge, a living hinge or the releasable snap-fit hinge configuration shown in the drawings. The exemplary embodiment of the invention has page  50  connected to hinge wall  8  with a snap-fit connection.  
      Page  50  may hold case  52  in a configuration that positions the surface of case  52  defining opening  56  adjacent page  50  such that a portion of hub  16  may project into opening  56  when page  50  is in the closed position ( FIG. 4 ). Hub  16  may also engage media disc  54 . This configuration may stabilize disc  54  when container  2  is closed. This configuration also allows page  50  to fit within a standard-sized 15 mm thick media container by allowing hub  16  to overlap with page  50  and case  52 . In the configuration of the invention depicted as an example in this application, the bottom of page  50  is flat and is disposed against the top of nest  20  when page  50  is in the closed position. In other embodiments, the central area of page  50  may be inset to fit within nest  20 .  
      In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.  
      Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.