Special receptacle or package – For plate or sheet – Fragile or sensitive
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-15
2001-05-15
Sewell, Paul T. (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
For plate or sheet
Fragile or sensitive
C206S710000, C206S493000, C206S509000, C206S303000, C211S041180
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230891
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a container and supporting member for memory disks, and in particular to a container and supporting member for memory disks, which are designed to securely retaining memory disks therein even on the occasion of transporting the memory disks provided with a central hole.
According to the conventional container for memory disks which is designed to retain or transport the memory disks, each memory disk is generally retained therein by allowing its outer circumferential portion to be held in place in the container consisting of an upper case and a bottom case.
For example, as seen from
FIGS. 29 and 30
, the aforementioned conventional container
9
is comprised of an upper case
7
and a bottom case
8
, wherein a memory disk
2
is placed in the bottom case
8
at first and then the bottom case
8
is covered by the upper case
7
so as to retain the memory disk.
FIG. 29
shows a state where the upper case
7
of the container
9
is separated from the bottom case
8
. This upper case
7
is constructed such that it comprises an L-shaped rim
72
, a pair of recessed portions
71
formed along the inner circumference of the rim
72
, and a pair of tongues
73
suspended down from the opposite end portions of the rim
72
.
The tongue
73
is formed of a brim portion
732
having a flat surface, and an inwardly projected central portion
731
surrounded by the brim portion
732
. Each of the tongues
73
is tapered toward the distal end thereof. On the other hand, the bottom case
8
is provided near the upper edge thereof with a rim
82
surrounding the opening of the bottom case
8
. Further, the bottom case
8
is provided on both sidewalls
84
thereof with U-shaped cut-off portions
83
, and on the inner wall thereof with a large number of grooves
81
for allowing a large number of memory disks to be inserted and retained therein.
FIG. 30
illustrates a state of the container
9
wherein the memory disks
2
are retained therein by means of the upper case
7
and the bottom case
8
which are shown in FIG.
29
. In this case, the memory disks
2
can be retained therein as follows. Namely, after a desired number of memory disks
2
are introduced into the bottom case
8
, the upper case
7
is placed over the bottom case
8
in such a manner that the tongues
73
of the upper case
7
are respectively fitted in the U-shaped cut-off portions
83
of the bottom case
8
, thereby allowing the rim
72
to be engaged with the rim
82
. As a result, the upper case
7
is integrally coupled with the bottom case
8
, and at the same time, the outer peripheral portions of memory disks
2
are pressed down by the inner wall of the recessed portions
71
of the upper case
7
, thereby keeping the memory disks
2
retained in the grooves
81
of the bottom case
8
.
However, since the memory disks are retained in the container with the outer peripheral portions thereof being held under pressure between the inner surface of the upper case and the grooves of the bottom case in the aforementioned memory disk container, the outer peripheral portions of the memory disks are likely to be abraded due to the vibration and shock during the transportation of the container, thereby generating fine dust and hence giving a damage to the outer peripheral portions of the memory disks. Additionally, there is also a problem that when the upper case is disengaged from the bottom case, the outer peripheral surfaces of the memory disks are inadvertently caused to contact with the upper case.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a container for memory disks, which enables the memory disks to be retained in the container consisting of an upper case and a bottom case without giving a damage to the outer peripheral surface of the memory disks.
To realize the aforementioned objects, the present invention provides a container for memory disks, which comprises; an upper case; a bottom case; and a supporting member which is adapted to be held between the upper case and bottom case and to be inserted into each central hole of the memory disks so as to retain the memory disks, thus rendering the outer peripheral portions thereof free in said container.
According to a preferable embodiment of the container for memory disks of the present invention, the upper case is provided at the top portion thereof with a raised flat portion, and the bottom case is provided with a raised flat bottom surface.
According to another preferable embodiment of the container for memory disks of the present invention, these upper and bottom cases are coupled through a hinge mechanism, whereby these cases are rotatable relative to each other.
According to another preferable embodiment of the container for memory disks of the present invention, the upper case is provided with a pressing surface for pressing the supporting member, while the bottom case is provided with a recessed portion for allowing the supporting member to be fitted therein, whereby the supporting member is retained between the recessed portion and the pressing surface.
The supporting member for the memory disks that can be employed in a memory disk container according to the present invention comprises a pair of wide short strips each having notched sides for retaining the memory disks, and a pair of narrow long strips each having a notched side for retaining the memory disks, these short strips and long strips being interconnected with each other through their sides, thereby forming a collapsible loop, wherein the pair of narrow long strips are enabled to be folded into a space between the pair of wide short strips and are made engageable with each other through the sides opposite the notched sides.
According to still another preferable embodiment of a supporting member for the memory disks that can be employed in a memory disk container according to the present invention, a pair of strips each having notched sides for retaining the memory disks are collapsibly hinged to each other through a spring, thereby enabling the opening degree of the pair of strips to be reduced by pressing the strips to each other against the urging force of the spring.
According to a further preferable embodiment of supporting member for the memory disks that can be employed in a memory disk container according to the present invention, there is provided a sheet, and a pair of rods attached to the opposite sides of the sheet. The sheet is provided with elongated grooves extending in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the rods, and the sheet is enabled to be wound around the rods by the rotation of the rods.
The container for memory disks as well as the supporting member for memory disks which are constructed as mentioned above according to the present invention are designed such that the memory disks are retained through the central hole formed in each memory disk, while keeping the supporting member held between the upper case and the bottom case, so that the peripheral portions of the memory disks can be left free, thus making it possible to prevent the peripheral portions or memory portions of the memory disks from being damaged through the contact thereof with the container. Therefore, the container for memory disks as well as the supporting member for memory disks according to the present invention are very suited for use in handling and transporting the memory disks.
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Abiko Takahide
Kikuchi Mitsuhiro
Sekihara Shigeru
Usui Kazuo
Lowe Hauptman Gilman & Berner LLP.
Luong Shian
Sakurai Co., Ltd.
Sewell Paul T.
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