Special receptacle or package – For holding a machine readable recording medium – For holding an optical disc
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-25
2001-05-22
Fidei, David T. (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
For holding a machine readable recording medium
For holding an optical disc
C312S009160, C312S009170
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234306
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for the storage of disc-like sound carriers and/or data carriers in the form of discs, in particular compact discs, wherein the carrier is of the type having a basic layout that includes a container with a recess arranged to receive a compact disc or similar object. The recess has a mouth opening through a sidewall of the container and an ejector for ejecting the object from the recess. See, for example, WO 93/16471.
2. Description of the Related Art
An apparatus of this kind has considerable advantages in comparison to the receiving containers for compact discs which are predominantly in use at the present time, both with respect to handling and also with respect to the space requirement, with respect to protection against damage and with respect to the cost and complexity of manufacture and also assembly.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to further improve this storage apparatus and in particular to perfect it functionally, to minimize the manufacturing costs and to increase the scope of its application and uses.
The basic features of an apparatus suitable to satisfy this object for the storage of disc-like sound carriers and/or data carriers in the form of discs, in particular compact discs, are set forth in the claims.
Although the flat housing which accommodates all the functional elements only has a very low height, the data storage surfaces of the disc are ideally protected against damage, since the disc guides which are provided ensure that the surfaces to be protected do not come into contact with the flat housing or functional elements either in the storage position or during the insertion or removal process of the disc. This is, on the one hand, achieved by the consequential edge side guidance and holding of the disc via the functional elements, and, on the other hand, in that guide strips of curved extent are provided in the region of the insertion opening. These ensure that only an edge-wise contact can take place between the disc and the strips of curved extent during those phases in which the guide elements have not yet fully received the disc. In this way the data carrying surfaces of the disc are always spaced from all the mechanical components of the apparatus and are protected as well as possible.
The double utilization of the strip arrangement provided at the slot opening side is of particular advantage, since a braking function on removal of the floppy disc is satisfied by this strip arrangement in addition to the guidance and spacing function. Since the mutual spacing of the oppositely disposed strips is smaller in the region of the lateral slot ends than the material thickness of the respective disc, the desired braking function results during the ejection of the disc, and indeed in such a way that these braking strip regions in turn act at the data free edge region of the disc and, optionally together with additional braking elements which act at the peripheral side face of the disc, cause the disc to be so braked and brought to a standstill during the ejection process that at least a part region of its data free center area is disposed outside of the slot opening, so that it can be grasped manually and can thus be removed comfortably and without contacting the data carrying region.
An embodiment of the invention which is notable for its particular economy in manufacture is characterized in that one of the flat sides of the housing is provided at the end remote from the slot opening, with a cover surface attached to it in one part, in particular via film hinges, which can be pivoted over the other housing flat side while forming a flat spine part and can be fixed parallel to this other flat side of the housing. In this arrangement the inner side of the pivotable cover surface and/or the outer side of the flat housing side over which it engages is formed as a receiver for information carriers, in particular for booklets, such as are also used in customary CD packages. This solution which can be realized by injection molding at favorable cost, is basically also utilizable when double or multiple boxes are to be realized. Such double or multiple boxes are preferably constructed, having regard to achieving the highest degree of compactness, in such a way that the housing wall which accommodates the ejection mechanism and the pivotal guide levers, respectively forms a middle part or an inwardly disposed part and is exploited at the rear side as a cover wall for the flat housing lying beneath it. In order to enable an unhindered and individual ejection of the individually received discs, the actuating parts associated in this arrangement with the ejection mechanisms are alternately offset relative to one another and disposed in the housing corner regions lying remote from the slot opening.
A special feature important for the diversity of use of the apparatus of the invention lies in the fact that the flat housing forming the basic box is provided at the end face opposite to the slot opening with coupling elements, with a releasable connection of the respective basic box to carrier members having complementary coupling elements, or a connection not releasable without destruction, being possible via these coupling elements in a simple manner, in particular via snap/latch connections. Carrier members can, for example, be pivotal covers for receiving one or more flat housings, storage racks, display units, hanging depositories and the like.
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Diestelhorst Heinz-Ulrich
Gloger Klaus W. J.
Fidei David T.
Gifford, Krass, Groh Sprinkle, Anderson & Citkowski, P.C.
Variopac Swiss GmbH
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