Abstract:
A device and method for storing and retrieving data storage discs, such as compact discs and computer discs. The device includes a carrousel that holds the data storage discs. The carrousel includes a continuous belt that turns when the carrousel is activated. Attached to the continuous belt are a plurality of suspension elements. The free end of each of the suspension elements is adapted to receive and retain a data storage disc. Consequently, as the continuous belt turns, the data storage discs supported by the belt also move. The path of movement for each of the data storage discs is specifically designed so that the face surface of each data storage disc can be readily viewed at at least one point.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    In general, the present invention relates to storage devices for compact discs, computer discs and other data storage discs. More particularly, the present invention relates to devices that hold data storage discs on a rotatable carrousel so as to provide storage to the discs in a space efficient manner.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    In today&#39;s society, it is not uncommon for a person to own and frequently utilize dozens of compact discs and/or dozens of computer discs. As such, a person is required to store the discs in a manner that is space efficient. Computer discs are often stored in catalog boxes located near the computer. In such boxes, the discs are stored side by side. Accordingly, the label on the side of the computer disc cannot be readily viewed. To view the label on the computer disc, the computer disc must be lifted out of the box or manually fanned within the box. Accordingly, it takes a significant amount of time to locate a desired disc.  
           [0005]    In the case of compact discs, these disc are often held in cases, called jewel case, that contain only a small identification label on its peripheral edge. Many people find it hard to read the small writing on the edge of a compact disc case. As such, people again are required to remove the compact disc from its storage device so that they can view the labeled face of the compact disc box.  
           [0006]    The prior art is replete with different storage devices for storing compact discs, computer discs and other data storage discs. In many of these prior art storage devices, the storage device contains a mechanism that enables a person to more easily view the side surface of the compact disc or computer disc. An example of such a prior art device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,015 to Neuman, entitled Storage Containers For Flat Objects. In this reference, computer discs are stored in a rack. The rack contains a mechanism that automatically fans the discs when a knob is turned, thereby enabling the face surface of the discs to be readily viewed. Another example of a prior art device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,743 to Gelardi, entitled, Recording Media Storage Apparatus. In this patent, compact discs are stored on sliding trays. As the trays are pulled out, the sides of the compact discs become viewable.  
           [0007]    In attempts to reduce the labor and time required to view discs in a storage device, storage devices have been developed that automatically retrieve discs from an indexed address. Such prior art devices are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,506 to Stefan, entitled Device For Storage And Retrieval Of Disc-Shaped Articles, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,449 to Bokstijn, entitled Storage Device. In each of these prior art patents, the disc being retrieved cannot be viewed prior to its retrieval. Rather, every disc in the storage device has to be indexed and the person retrieving discs must reference the index in order to know the location of the disc he/she wants.  
           [0008]    A need therefore exists in the art for a disc storage and retrieval system where discs can be automatically retrieved from storage, yet the discs can still be viewed while they are in storage. In such a device, a person would not have to manually turn through discs, nor would that person have to index a disc each time a disc is added to the storage device. Such a device is presented by the present invention as described and claimed below.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention is a device and method for storing and retrieving data storage discs, such as compact discs and computer discs. The device includes a carrousel that holds the data storage discs. The carrousel includes a continuous belt that turns when the carrousel is activated. Attached to the continuous belt are a plurality of suspension elements. The free end of each of the suspension elements is adapted to receive and retain a data storage disc. Consequently, as the continuous belt turns, the data storage discs supported by the belt also move. The path of movement for each of the data storage discs is specifically designed so that the face surface of the each data storage disc can be readily viewed at at least one point. Accordingly, as the data storage discs rotate on the carrousel, the face surfaces of the data storage discs can be viewed and the discs can be identified. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of exemplary embodiments thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a partially fragmented perspective view of a storage carrousel in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a suspension element retaining a compact disc in its jewel case;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is front view of an alternate embodiment of a storage carrousel in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a fragmented view of the continuous belt of the storage carrousel in FIG. 3, shown at the point where the orientation of suspension elements change. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    Although the present invention device and method can be used to store and retrieve many types of objects, the present invention device and method are particularly well suited for use in storing and retrieving data storage devices, such as compact discs and computer discs. Accordingly, the illustrated examples of the present invention device will show applications where it is being used to hold data storage discs, in order to set forth the best mode contemplated for the present invention.  
         [0016]    Referring to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of the present invention device is shown. The present invention device is a storage carrousel  10 . In the shown embodiment, the storage carrousel  10  has a plurality of compact discs  12  stored within its structure. The compact discs  12  being shown contain recorded music. Such compact discs  12  typically list the recordings contained on that compact disc on the front side surface of that compact disc.  
         [0017]    The storage carrousel  10  contains a main housing  14 . On at least one surface of the storage carrousel  10  is contained an access door  16 . The access door  16  is sized to enable the interior of the main housing  14  to be readily accessed by a person&#39;s hand. The access door  16  is preferably translucent or contains a translucent window so that the interior of the main housing  14  can be seen through the access door  16 .  
         [0018]    The main housing  14  itself can be made of any material that is either opaque or translucent. However, in a preferred embodiment, the side walls of the main housing  14  itself are translucent so that the contents of the main housing  14  can be viewed from outside the main housing  14 .  
         [0019]    Within the housing  14  is contained rotary belt  20 , which is suspended from the interior top surface of the main housing  14 . The rotary belt  20  can be either a chain or a flexible elastomeric belt. In the shown embodiment, a flexible elastomeric belt is utilized. The rotary belt  20  is driven by a drive pulley  22  which, in turn, is driven by an electrical motor  24 . If the rotary belt  20  were a chain, the drive pulley would be replaced with a pinion gear.  
         [0020]    The electric motor  24  is a selectively reversible motor. As the electric motor  24  turns, the rotary belt  20  turns. The direction in which the rotary belt  20  turns is dictated by the direction in which the electric motor  24  turns. The electric motor  24  is controlled by a control switch  26 , which is located on some external surface of the main housing  14 . The control switch  26  is bidirectional. When the control switch  26  is moved to the left, the electric motor  24  rotates in one direction and the rotary belt  20  moves to the left. When the control switch  26  is moved to the right, the electric motor  24  rotates in the opposite direction and the rotary belt  20  moves to the right.  
         [0021]    A plurality of suspension elements  30  extend downwardly from the rotary belt  20 . The suspension elements  30  have two opposing ends. One end of each suspension element is attached to the rotary belt  20 . As such, when the rotary belt  20  rotates, the suspension elements  30  are carried by the rotary belt  20  and rotate with the rotary belt  20 . The second end  32  of each of the suspension elements  30  is configured to hold a data storage disc. Accordingly, since there are numerous types of data storage discs, the second end  32  of the suspension elements may have numerous different configurations.  
         [0022]    In the shown embodiment, the storage carrousel  10  is being used to hold compact discs  12 . Accordingly, the second end  32  of the suspension elements  30  are configured to retain compact discs  12 . The embodiment selected uses a hooked configuration for the second end  32  of the suspension element. The hooked configuration is padded. As such, the hooked configuration is incapable of scratching the surfaces of the compact disc  12  that it contacts.  
         [0023]    The suspension elements  30  are arranged on the rotary belt  20  at a spacing and orientation so that when a suspension element  30  passes in front of the access door  16 , the front face surface of the compact disc  12  held by that suspension element  30  is parallel to the access door  16 . Accordingly, as the compact discs  12  are rotated around the rotary belt  20 , each and every compact disc  12  becomes displayed in front of the access door  16  as it passes the access door  16 . This enables a person to see the front face surface of all the compact discs  12  held within the storage carrousel  10  without having to refer to an index. As a specific compact disc  12  passes the access door  16 , a person can stop the rotation of the rotary belt  20  so that the selected compact disc  12  comes to rest in front of the access door  16 . A person can then open the access door  16  and retrieve that compact disc  12 . Similarly, by stopping an empty suspension element  30  in front of the access door  16 , a person can open the access door  16  and add a new compact disc to the storage carrousel  10 .  
         [0024]    Referring to FIG. 2, an alternate embodiment of a suspension element  40  is disclosed. The suspension element  40  has a first end that is affixed to the rotary belt  20  of the storage carrousel. However, the second end of the suspension element contains a padded clip mechanism  42 . The padded clip mechanism  42  is well suited for engaging and retaining cassette tapes, computer discs, and the like. In the shown embodiment, the clip mechanism  42  is retaining the case  44  of a compact disc, which is sometimes referred to as a jewel case in the terminology of the industry. The clip mechanism  42  engages the edge of a case  44  using friction. The jaws of the clip mechanism are spring loaded and are configured to the standard size of a compact disc case  44 . As a compact disk case  44  is inserted into a clip mechanism  42 , the clip mechanism  42  spreads and receives the edge of the compact disc case  44 . The clip mechanism  42  then retains the case  44  until the compact disc case  44  is pulled from the assembly.  
         [0025]    Referring to FIG. 3, an alternate embodiment of the storage carrousel  50  is shown. In this embodiment, no external housing is present. Rather, a rotary belt  52  is suspended above a base  54  by at least one support post  56 . The control switch  58 , which previously was shown on the exterior of the main housing in the other embodiment, is now located on the base  54 .  
         [0026]    By eliminating the housing around the storage carrousel  50 , there is no access door and there is no one place to add and remove compact discs to the rotary belt. To help a person focus on the different compact discs  12  as they rotate, a point on the rotary belt  52  can be caused to bulge. Normally, the suspension elements  54  that extend from the rotary belt  52  extend directly downwardly in the vertical plane. At the point of the bulge, the suspension elements  54  can be caused to momentarily extend sideways in the horizontal plane. Accordingly, at the point of the bulge, each compact disc  12  on the storage carrousel  50  will momentarily stick out from the rest of the compact discs  12 . As a compact disc  12  sticks out, the front face surface of that compact disc case  44  becomes visible. This gives a point of focus to a person operating the storage carrousel  50 . Additionally, by stopping the rotary belt  52  while one suspension element is at the bulge point, it becomes easy to remove or add a compact disc cases  44  to the storage carrousel  50  at the point of the bulge.  
         [0027]    Referring to FIG. 4, one exemplary configuration is shown of how the point of the bulge on the rotary belt  52  can be made. The rotary belt  52  typically is in a vertical orientation as it rotates. By providing a set of guide pulleys  60 , the rotary belt  52  can be caused to momentarily twist into a horizontal orientation. At that moment, any suspension element  54  will also be turned from a normal vertical orientation to a momentary horizontal orientation, thus producing the desired bulge point.  
         [0028]    It will be understood that the embodiments of the present invention system and method described and illustrated herein are merely exemplary and a person skilled in the art can make many variations to the embodiment shown without departing from the scope of the present invention. Elements from different embodiments can be mixed in manners not specifically described. All such variations, modifications and alternate embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.