Special receptacle or package – For holding a machine readable recording medium – For holding a grooved phonograph disc
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-31
2003-04-22
Fidei, David T. (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
For holding a machine readable recording medium
For holding a grooved phonograph disc
C206S308100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06550612
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a disc holding apparatus which can easily put in and take out a magneto-optical disc such as a compact disc (CD), a digital versatile disc (DVD) or the like and securely hold the disc.
In conventional, the magneto-optical disc such as the CD, the CD-R or the like is used as a recording medium for recording an information such as a music, a screen image and the like, a software or the like. In the case of circulating the magneto-optical disc such as the CD, the CD-R or the like on which the information mentioned above is recorded, on the market, the recorded information can not be read out when the magneto-optical disc is damaged. Accordingly, in order to protect the recorded information, the magneto-optical disc is provided on the circulation market in a state of being received within a receiving case made of a synthetic resin such as a plastic or the like.
Further, in recent year, an amount of data information of the information such as the music, the screen image and the like, the software or the like is increased, and a plurality of magneto-optical discs such as the CDs, the CD-Rs or the like are frequently used for providing the information mentioned above. Accordingly, there has been provided a digital versatile disc (DVD) as a magneto-optical disc corresponding to a high density recording medium capable of recording a large amount information only by one disc. The DVD is structured such as to read and write on both surfaces (there is a case that reading can be only executed), however, a shape, a thickness and the like thereof are structured such as to be substantially the same as those of the magneto-optical disc such as the CD, the CD-R or the like mentioned above, and a case for receiving the DVD has substantially the same shape as that of the case for receiving the magneto-optical disc such as the CD, the CD-R, or the like.
In the case of holding the CD, the CD-R or the like within the receiving case, an independent main body is provided within the receiving case, and a holding body (a lock hook) having an elasticity capable of holding a center hole of the CD, the CD-R or the like is provided in substantially center of the main body. In this case, when pressing the center hole provided in the center of the CD, the CD-R or the like to the holding body, the holding body is temporarily deflected inside the center hole so as to be compressed and thereafter returned. Accordingly, the CD, the CD-R or the like is held by the holding body. Further, in the case of taking out the CD, the CD-R or the like held by the holding body within the main body, the CD, the CD-R or the like is taken out by forcibly lifting up an outer periphery of the CD, the CD-R or the like so as to pick off from the holding body.
Further, the high density information is recorded on the DVD, and when a scratch, a fat of fingers or the like is attached to a surface of the DVD, there is generated a trouble that the data (the high density information) is hard to be read out. Accordingly, in order to prevent the trouble from being generated at a time of reading out the data recorded on the DVD, a method of attaching and detaching the DVD with respect to the CD, the CD-R or the like is changed by modifying the structure of the holding body provided within the main body. In this case, the structure is made such that the DVD can be easily attached to and detached from the holding body without handling the surface of the DVD for protecting the data of the high density information.
That is, the holding body for holding the DVD is provided, for example, so as to protrude to a center of the main body, whereby the center portion is vertically separated into two parts, and a lower side of the holding body extends to both side portions so as to be supported by a supporting line having an elasticity. A projection wider (having a larger diameter) than the center hole provided in the DVD is provided in each of two-sectioned parts of the holding body. The projections move close to each other due to the deflection of the supporting line, the holding body or the like when the holding body is pressed to the main body side so as to be brought into contact with the center hole. Then, the projections are compressed by the center hole so as to pass through the center hole of the DVD.
Further, when the two-sectioned parts of the holding body are pressed to a side of the main body, the holding body moves to the side of the main body due to the deflection of the supporting line, whereby both of the projections are moved close to each other by the center hole provided in the DVD. Both of the projections are compressed by the center hole of the DVD due to the pressing mentioned above, and pass through the inner portion of the center hole of the DVD and come out upward due to an elastic return of the supporting line. Accordingly, both of the projections move apart from each other in an upper side of the center hole of the DVD, so that the DVD is held by the holding body (the main body).
Further, in the case of taking out the DVD from the case, the holding body is pressed to the side of the main body so as to move the holding body close to the main body. Accordingly, when the holding body moves close to the side of the main body, both of the projections are compressed, and when the holding body is further pressed, the supporting line and the holding body is deflected, and then both of the projections are compressed to be smaller than the center hole. Therefore, both of the projections pass through the center hole of the DVD. When both of the projections pass through the center hole of the DVD, the supporting line and the holding body are elastically returned and both of the projections are expanded to be larger than the center hole of the DVD, so that if the fingers pressing the holding body is taken off thereafter, the DVD moves apart from the main body due to the elastic return of both portions of the holding body, whereby the DVD can be taken out.
However, in the case of taking out the DVD held in the holding body provided in the main body, if only one of the two-sectioned parts of the holding body provided in the main body is pressed to the side of the main body, another part of the holding body can not be compressed to be smaller than the center hole of the DVD. Accordingly, there is a problem that the DVD can be taken out from the main body only by simultaneously moving both of the two-sectioned parts of the holding body close to the side of the main body.
Further, the DVD is held by the holding body having the center portion vertically sectioned into two parts and deflected due to the elasticity, however, in the case that the supporting line and the holding body are easily deflected, it is impossible to securely hold the DVD in the holding body, and the DVD is taken off from the holding body within the case, whereby the data surface is scratched due to a movement of the DVD. For this reason, since the supporting line and the holding body are structured such as to have a high strength and be hard to be deflected, the center hole is firmly held by the holding body. In this case, since the DVD is held by the disc receiver on the outer periphery of the DVD, there is a serious problem that the DVD is deformed and broken.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is made in order to solve the problems in the conventional art mentioned above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a disc holding apparatus which can securely hold an information recording disc such as a DVD, a CD, a CD-R or the like and effectively prevent a breakage from being generated at a time of being taken out.
That is, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a disc holding apparatus provided within a main body and provided for holding an information recording disc, comprising:
a holding body protruded from the main body by a supporting line having an elasticity, provided so as to move close to and apart from the main body and engaging with a center hole of the disc
Armstrong Westerman & Hattori, LLP
Fidei David T.
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