Patent Publication Number: US-2007119730-A1

Title: Case with simplified access to compact disks or similar disks

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention pertains to a case for carrying at least one optical disk or similar disk, wherein the disk or disks may be selectively and easily removed from the case.  
      2. Description of the Prior Art  
      Compact disks (CDs) and similar disks, such as digital video disks, digital versatile disks (DVDs) or optical disks have revolutionized the storage, delivery and sales of consumer music products, computer software and storage of both commercial and personal information. These disks further have the advantage that they are not significantly degraded by normal usage and repeated read operations. While these disks are likewise resistant to some extent to damage from ordinary handling, it is well known that these disks must be protected during storage and transportation as these disks are susceptible to physical surface damage which can render the disks unusable.  
      While the well-known “jewel box” and the many variations thereof have proven very satisfactory for the storage and transportation of single disks, further improvements are desired for making the disks easily removable from the case. Additionally, further improvements are desired for the transportation of multiple disks in a single container, in a compact configuration. Simply making the spindle and interior cylindrical walls of a prior art jewel box deeper, without more, in order to store and transport a plurality of disks has not proven entirely satisfactory in that the user must typically remove all the disks from the spindle and search for the desired disk. This process is unwieldy and leaves the disks susceptible to abrasion, dropping and similar damage.  
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for making compact disks or similar disks easily removable from a carrying case.  
      It is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for storing and transporting multiple compact disks or similar optical disks within a single container.  
      It is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for allowing one of multiple disks to be easily chosen from a single container, wherein the disks are protected from damage.  
      It is therefore a still further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for storing multiple disks that is aesthetically pleasing and attractive both in the visual and tactile aspects.  
      It is therefore a still further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method which achieves the above objects while maintaining a simple economical manufacturing process.  
      In a first aspect of this invention, these and other objects are attained by providing a folding case for at least one compact disk or similar disk. The case includes a spindle which is hinged and biased, along with a portion of the cylindrical wall surrounding the disk or disks, so as to pull away from the disk or disks when the folding case is opened, thereby making it simple to remove the disks from the case.  
      In a second aspect of this invention, these and other objects are attained by providing a folding case for compact disks or similar disks which includes a spindle and a partially cylindrical inner wall which are sufficiently deep to accommodate at least two disks. However, in order to provide further easy access to the disks, the case includes tab elements which are pivotably mounted so as to allow the user to pivot the tab elements through slots in the inner cylindrical wall in order to remove a selected disk from the case while leaving the other disk or disks in place. Additionally, the pivoting of the tab elements impinges against a tapered boss element in the rear of the disk retainer portion of the case, thereby urging the tapered boss element downward, thereby pulling a strap element so as to pull the hinge mounted spindle downwardly and away from the disks. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a top plan view of the open case of the present invention, shown without disks.  
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view along plane  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the slots at different heights to engage different disks held within the case of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the open case of the present invention, shown with one of the tab elements depressed so as to extend a tab element through one of the slots and to pull the spindle downward and away from the disk nest.  
       FIG. 4  is a first perspective view of the open case of the present invention, including disks, shown with the spindle inserted through the central apertures of the disks.  
       FIG. 5  is a second perspective view of the open case of the present invention, including disks, shown with the spindle pulled away from the central apertures of the disks, and the lower disk protruding from the nest.  
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view along plane  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 , showing the spindle pulled away from the central apertures of the disks.  
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the disk retainer portion of the case of the present invention.  
       FIG. 8  is a bottom plan view of the disk retainer portion of the case of the present invention.  
       FIG. 9  is a detailed portion of  FIG. 8 , showing the triangular boss against which the pivoting tabs press to pull the spindle away from the central apertures of the disks.  
       FIG. 10  is a lower end view of the disk retainer portion of the case of the present invention.  
       FIG. 11  is a side plan view of the disk retainer portion of the case of the present invention.  
       FIG. 12  is a upper perspective exploded view of the disk retainer portion of the case of the present invention.  
       FIG. 13  is a lower perspective exploded view of the disk retainer portion of the case of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views, one see that  FIGS. 1-13  illustrate a case  10  for holding compact disks, digital video disks, digital versatile disks or other optical disks. In particular, the illustrated case  10  is particularly adapted for becoming the inner plastic part of commonly-owned application Ser. No. 10/513,648, entitled “A Metal Packaging”, filed Nov. 5, 2004, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.  
      Case  10  includes front cover  12 , rear cover  14  and spine  16 , typically formed integrally as a single integral piece and adapted to open and close as does a book. First living hinge  18  is integrally formed between front cover  12  and spine  16  while second living hinge  20  is integrally formed between rear cover  14  and spine  16 . Front cover, rear cover  12  and spine  14  are all adapted to be secured to respective metal outer parts as described in the above-identified patent application Ser. No. 10/513,648.  
      Front cover  12  includes lip  22  formed around the periphery of the three exterior sides thereof (that is, the sides other than that where first living hinge  18  is formed). Likewise, rear cover  14  includes lip  24  formed around the periphery of the three exterior sides thereof (that is, the sides other than that where second living hinge  20  is formed). In the closed position, lip  22  abuts against lip  24  to form a flush alignment. Front and rear covers  12 ,  14  typically include either no lip adjacent to first and second living hinges  18 ,  20 , respectively, or a lip of reduced height  30 ,  32  in these locations. Additionally, indentations  34 ,  36  are formed on the forward edges  38 ,  40  of the periphery the front and rear covers  12 ,  14 , respectively, in order to create finger grips for the opening by the user of the closed case. The central interior of forward edge  38  of front cover  12  further includes latch  42  for engaging rear cover  14  and maintaining the front and rear covers  12 ,  14  in the closed position. Additionally, clips  50 ,  52  are formed inwardly adjacent from the ends of forward edge  38  on the interior of front cover  12 . Clips  50 ,  52  are typically used to secure printed material related to the disk—such as, but not limited to, game instructions, software installation instructions, biography of the musical performers, details of the musical performance, etc.  
      Disk retainer portion  54  has a lower edge  56  which includes rods  58 ,  60  (see  FIGS. 7, 8 ,  10  and  12 ) which are journaled for partial rotation within hinges  62 ,  64  which are formed on the interior of lip  24  of rear cover  14 . Disk retainer portion  54  further includes cylindrical disk well  66 , deep enough for at least two disks, which is formed from circular floor  68  and surrounded by partially cylindrical wall  70 . Partially cylindrical wall  70  is relatively fixed in position throughout 180° as bounded by edges  72 ,  74 . Additionally, partially circumferential clips  76 ,  78  are positioned at edges  72 ,  74 , respectively and each extends the cylindrical wall  70  by approximately twenty degrees in order to engage a disk. Additionally, clips  77 ,  79  are formed on the partially cylindrical wall  70  in order to inhibit the disks from moving perpendicularly away from rear cover  14  and out of cylindrical disk well  66 .  
      Circular floor  68  includes fixed portion  80  and hinged portion  82 . Fixed portion  80  forms a general C-shape in  FIG. 1  and is formed inwardly adjacent to partially cylindrical wall  70  and is in a fixed position in relation thereto. Hinged portion  82  is of a generally sideways T-shape in  FIG. 1  and is joined to fixed portion  80  by flexible hinged area  84 . Hinged portion  82  includes stem  87  which extends into fixed portion  80  and includes the flexible hinged area  84  therebetween. Moreover, spindle  86  is formed on stem  87 . Hinged portion  82  further includes head portion  88  which completes the circular shape of partially cylindrical wall  70 . The periphery of hinged portion  82  further includes clips  90 ,  92  which generally inhibit motion of the disks in directions both perpendicular and parallel to rear cover  14 . Flexible hinged area  84  may be biased so as to pull hinged portion  82  downward thereby pulling spindle  86  and clips  90 ,  92  away from the disks upon the opening of the case  10 , but to lie flat when the case  10  is closed thereby maintaining spindle  86  through the central apertures of the disks and clips  90 ,  92  engaging the disks.  
      As shown in  FIG. 8 , strap  94  is fastened to the rear of the head portion  88  and extends to the lower edge  56  of disk retainer portion  54 . Proximate to lower edge  56 , strap  94  includes edges  96 ,  98  of reduced thickness which are slidably engaged within cantilevered guides  102 ,  104  formed adjacent to lower edge  56 . A triangular portion of strap  94  is urged toward the front of disk retainer portion  54  (recalling that  FIG. 7  is the front of disk retainer portion  54  and  FIG. 8  is the rear of disk retainer portion  54 ) thereby forming triangular boss  106 . As will be explained hereinbelow, the urging of triangular boss  106  pulls strap  94  thereby further urging hinged portion  82  of circular floor  68  downwardly and urging disk retainer portion  54  to the configuration shown in  FIG. 6 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 2 , slots  107 ,  108  are formed in the side of partially cylindrical wall  70 . Slot  107  is formed at a level of a lower or first of two disks inserted into disk well  66  while slot  108  is formed at a level of an upper or second of two disks nested in disk well  66 .  
      As shown in the exploded drawings of  FIGS. 12 and 13 , disk retainer portion  54  further includes an upper plate  110  and a lower plate  112  which snap engage to each other. The snap engagement of upper and lower plates  110 ,  112  further provides the pivot points  114 ,  116  for pivot apertures  118 ,  120  of pivoting tabs  122 ,  124 . Pivoting tabs  122 ,  124  pass through slots  107 ,  108 . Moreover, finger apertures  126 ,  128  pass through both upper and lower plates  110 ,  112  thereby allowing the user to pivot tab  122  or tab  124  through slot  107  or  108 . This pivoting action of tab  122  or  124  causes finger  130  or  132  to urge against triangular boss  106  thereby pulling strap  94  and urging hinged portion  82  of circular floor  68  further downwardly and urging disk retainer portion  54  to the configuration shown in  FIG. 6 . This action further causes hinged portion  82 , including clips  90 ,  92  and spindle  86 , to disengage from the disks and disk retainer portion  54  to pivot slightly upwardly on hinges  62 ,  64 . Simultaneously, this action causes one of tabs  122  or  124  to urge against one of the disks  1000  or  1002  thereby spreading partially circumferential clips  76 ,  78  and pushing or displacing the disk  1000  or  1002  laterally to a position where it may be easily removed from the case  10 . This is illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . In  FIG. 4 , lower disk  1000  is not visible as it is below upper disk  1002 . Additionally, disk retainer portion  54  is in the flat or unpivoted configuration with respect to rear cover  14  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) such that the case  10  could be closed. However, in  FIG. 5 , pivoting tab  122 , shown in phantom, has been urged to extend through lower slot  107 . This movement of pivoting tab  122  performs two substantially simultaneous actions. Firstly, finger  130  is urged against triangular boss  106  thereby pulling strap  94  so that hinged portion  82  is pulled downwardly as described above. Secondly, pivoting tab  122  pushes lower disk  1000  so that lower disk  1000  is displaced and protrudes from behind upper disk  1002  thereby allowing the user to retrieve lower disk  1000  while leaving upper disk  1002  in place.  
      Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.