Abstract:
Storage container for holding a compact disk, either in its original commercial package or separately. The container is adapted for molding of a thermoplastic material. The container cover is provided with opposed tabs for engaging the cover flap of the commercial package such that the same is opened when the container is opened. A plurality of hinged tabs are molded on the base of the container which engage a separate disk receiving hub.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of containers and more importantly to an improved storage container for compact audio (CD), video (DVDI or game disks. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Prior to the present invention, the inventor herein developed a molded plastic storage container for commercially packaged compact video disks which is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,584, which issued to Charles Raucci, Jr. on Nov. 3, 1998. That container has enjoyed substantial commercial success in the application for which it was designed and represents the most pertinent prior art known to the applicant herein. 
     The applicant has found that, particularly in the rental market for various entertainment products contained on compact disks; i.e. DVD&#39;s, audio CD&#39;s, as well as video game CD&#39;s, there is a need for a container which will adequately protect a disk separately from its commercial packaging. 
     OBJECTIVES AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     From the preceding discussion, it will be understood that among the various objectives of the present invention are included the following: 
     the provision of an improved storage container for compact disks adapted to receive and retain a disk, without any other packaging, and the provision of a container of the above-described character wherein use of the disk receiving feature is optional, without degrading its utility as a container for a digital video disk in its original commercial package. 
     These and other objectives of the present invention are efficiently achieved by providing an integrally molded structure having a first substantially flat base surface with opposed outwardly stepped end walls and an outwardly stepped side wall extending along one edge between said end walls. A hinged spine extends along the edge of said base surface opposite the side wall. A second substantially flat cover surface hinged to the spine opposite the base surface and having inwardly stepped end walls and an inwardly stepped side wall extending along one edge between the end walls opposite the spine. When closed, the inwardly stepped walls of the cover surface engage the outwardly stepped walls of the base surface. The corners of the side walls may be provided with detents which, when engaged operate to frictionally lock the container in the closed position. 
     The improvement of the present invention is provided by integrally molding in the flat base surface a plurality of hinged tabs. A disk receiving hub is molded in the surface of a retainer plate having a plurality of slots therethrough adapted to engage the hinged tabs when the same extend inwardly from the base surface of the container. A disk may thus be retained on the hub, within the container and separately from any commercial packaging for the disk. 
     The foregoing, as well as other objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the various views of the appended drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an open container, in accordance with the prior art; 
     FIG. 2 is an end view of the prior art container shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the container of FIG. 1 improved, in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a partial cross-section view of the base surface of the container of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the retainer plate, in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a partial cross-section view of the retainer plate of FIG. 5 assembled with the base surface shown in FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a video disk container in accordance with the prior art is shown in top plan view and end view respectively, wherein like elements are identified by like reference characters. The illustrated container is of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,584 to the applicant herein. 
     A first, substantially flat base surface  10  is provided with opposed end walls  12  and  14  and a side wall  16 . The wall depth corresponds to the thickness of the disk retaining base portion of a commercial digital video disk package. The walls  12 ,  14  and  16  are outwardly stepped which is intended to mean that an inner portion of each is slightly higher than the outer portion thereof. 
     The side wall  16  is provided adjacent each end thereof with the female portion  18  of a locking detent, the operation of which will be more fully described hereinbelow. Retaining stops  20  are molded in the base surface  10  such that the base portion of a commercial digital video disk package fits snugly within the walls  12  and  14  and against the stops  20 . 
     A spine  22  is integrally molded to the edge of the base surface  10  by means of a so-called “living hinge”  24 . 
     A second, substantially flat cover surface  26  is molded to the opposite edge of the spine  22  also by means of a “living hinge”  28 . The cover surface is provided with end walls  30  and  32  and a side wall  34  each of which are inwardly stepped; i.e. the inner portion of each is slightly lower than the outer portion thereof. The side wall  34  is provided adjacent each end thereof with the male portion  36  of a locking detent aligned with the female portion  18  in the side wall  16  on the base surface  10 . 
     The inner surface of each end wall  30  and  32  are provided with retaining tabs  38  and  40  located sufficiently above the cover surface  26  to receive the cardboard cover flap of a commercial digital video disk package. 
     In the use of the prior art invention, a disk package cover flap is inserted into the container cover  26  beneath the retaining tabs  38  and  40 . The base portion of a disk package then is dropped into the container base  10  and is properly located by the retainer stops  20  and frictionally retained in place. When the cover  26  is closed, the inwardly stepped walls  30 ,  32  and  34  of the cover  26  engage the outwardly stepped walls  12 ,  14  and  16  of the base  10  to form a substantially dust proof container. The male and female portions,  36  and  18  of the locking detent engage to secure the cover  10  in the closed position. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates the improvement to the prior art container. A plurality (two being shown for illustrative purposes only) of tabs  60  are integrally molded in the flat base surface  10 . The tabs may be of any convenient shape, but are hinged along a major dimension to the base surface  10  such that they may be deflected inwardly with respect thereto as shown in the partial cross-section view of FIG.  4 . Each tab  60  may be provided with a detent  62  to enhance the engagement between the  10  tabs  60  and the retainer plate described below. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates in perspective a retainer plate  64  having a substantially flat base  66  provided with a plurality of slots  68  therethrough adapted to engage the tabs shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. An upstanding post or disk hub  70  is integrally molded on the upper surface of the retainer plate  64  and is adapted to frictionally engage the center opening of a compact disk. The post  70  may also be provided with a shoulder  72  at its base to prevent contact between the recorded surface of the compact disk and the retainer plate  64 . 
     FIG. 6 shows the retainer plate  64  assembled with the tabs  60  on the base surface  10  of the container. The retainer plate  64  is simply oriented to register the slots  68  with the tabs  60  and pressed down until the detents  62  of the tabs  60  engage the retainer plate. The container thus configured may receive and retain a compact disk without any other packaging. When, as preferred, the container is formed of a substantially transparent thermoplastic material any graphic or text material printed on the disk is readily visible without opening the container. 
     It will be understood that if the tabs  60  are left in their originally molded position flush with the flat base surface  10 , the container may still be used for its original purpose of containing commercially packaged compact video disks. 
     From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the applicant has provided a new and improved storage container for commercially packaged digital video disks which also has the capacity to hold compact disks, without the use of any other packaging, whereby the objectives set forth hereinabove are efficiently achieved. Since certain changes and modifications of the above-described invention will occur to those skilled in the art without departure from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the preceding description or shown in the appended drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.