U.S. patent application number 10/073626 was filed with the patent office on 2003-08-14 for compact disk case.
Invention is credited to Chen, Kun Chang.
Application Number | 20030150755 10/073626 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27659723 |
Filed Date | 2003-08-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030150755 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chen, Kun Chang |
August 14, 2003 |
Compact disk case
Abstract
A compact disk case is provided having a disk retainer provided
inside each of two hinged cover shells thereof, the disk retainer
having two springy radial arms respectively upwardly extended from
the inner sidewall of the corresponding cover shell toward each
other, first and second retaining blocks respectively formed
integral with the free ends of the springy radial arms, the first
retaining block having a protruded portion forwardly extended from
one side thereof toward the second retaining block, the second
retaining block having a recessed portion adapted for receiving the
protruded portion of the first retaining block to prevent the
retaining blocks from jamming the user's finger during disk
loading, and two disk retaining flanges provided at the retaining
blocks for synchronous movement with the retaining blocks and
locking the loading disk.
Inventors: |
Chen, Kun Chang; (Yu Lin
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Alan D. Kamrath
Rider, Bennett, Egan & Arundel, LLP
333 South Seventh Street, Suite 2000
Minneapolis
MN
55402
US
|
Family ID: |
27659723 |
Appl. No.: |
10/073626 |
Filed: |
February 11, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/310 ;
G9B/33.015 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B 33/045
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/310 |
International
Class: |
B65D 085/30; B65D
085/57 |
Claims
What the invention claimed is:
1. A compact disk case comprising a spine, two cover shells
respectively hinged to two opposite long sides of said spine, said
cover shells each having an inner sidewall respectively provided
with a disk retainer at the center of and an annular support around
said respective disk retainer, wherein said disk retainer comprises
two springy radial arms respectively upwardly extended in direction
from the inner sidewall of the corresponding cover shell toward
each other, said springy radial arms each having a fixed end
connected to the inner sidewall of the corresponding cover shell
and a free end, a first retaining block and a second retaining
block respectively formed integral with the free ends of said
springy radial arms, said first retaining block having a smoothly
arched periphery and a protruded portion forwardly extended from
one side thereof toward said second retaining block, said second
retaining block having a recessed portion adapted for receiving the
protruded portion of said first retaining block, two disk retaining
flanges respectively formed integral with the smoothly arched
peripheries of said first retaining block and said second retaining
block, two upright stop flanges respectively formed integral with
the fixed ends of said radial arms, and a plurality of connecting
rods respectively connected between said upright stop flanges and
the inner sidewall of the corresponding cover shell.
2. The compact disk case as claimed in claim 1, wherein said disk
retainer further comprises two flexible hinge leaves bilaterally
connected between said first retaining block and said second
retaining block for enabling said first retaining block and said
second retaining block to be moved upwardly outwards and downwardly
inwards relative to each other.
3. The compact disk case as claimed in claim 1, wherein said disk
retaining flanges of said disk retainer respectively define with
the smoothly arched peripheries of said first retaining block and
said second retaining block a respective step.
4. The compact disk case as claimed in claim 1, further comprising
pairs of upright clamping strips bilaterally provided at an inner
side of said spine for clamping sheet means, said upright clamping
strips each having a top side terminating in a protruded paw.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to CD, VCD, DVD cases and,
more specifically, to a disk retainer provided in a disk case for
holding a CD, VCD, or DVD.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A polystyrene compact disk case has a disk retaining
structure in each of the two hinged cover shells for holding a
computer readable disk, for example, a CD, VCD, or DVD. The disk
retaining structure comprises a number of upright teeth, forming a
split tube. The upright teeth each have the respective free end,
namely, the top end terminating in a protruded retaining flange.
When loading a disk, the upright teeth are compressed radially
inwards and inserted into the circular center hole of the disk.
After the disk has been set into position, the upright teeth
immediately return to their former positions, thereby causing the
protruded retaining flanges of the upright teeth to lock the disk.
When unloading the disk, hold the case with one hand, and pull the
disk outwards from the upright teeth with the other hand. When
pulling the disk from the upright teeth, the disk tends to be
deformed, thereby causing the teeth to damage the surface of the
disk or, causing the teeth to deform permanently or to break. U.S.
Pat. No. 5,788,068 discloses a design adapted to eliminate the
aforesaid drawbacks. According to this design, the disk retaining
structure comprises a base portion, a button-like member at the
center of the base portion, a plurality of ejection arms in four
corners around the button-like member, and a partially annular rim
around the periphery. The button-like member comprises two
semi-circular segments, an integral living hinge connected between
extending radial arms at the semi-circular segments. The
semi-circular segments have chamfered edges, forming a
disk-retaining capping rim or lip. When aiming the circular center
hole of the disk at the button-like member and applying a downward
pressure to the disk, the two semi-circular segments of the
button-like member are lowered, causing the disk-retaining capping
rim or lip to contract and to let the circular center hole of the
disk pass. Immediately after the disk has been set into position,
the extending radial arms force the semi-circular segments back to
their former positions, causing the disk-retaining capping rim or
lip to lock the disk. When unloading the disk, press the
button-like member with one finger to force the disk-retaining
capping rim or lip to pass the circular center hole of the disk,
enabling the disk to be ejected out of the button-like member by
the ejection arms. This design still has drawbacks. At the initial
stage when pressing the button-like member with one finger, the
border area of the circular center hole of the disk is forced
downwards by the disk-like retaining capping rim or lip, and the
periphery of the disk is supported on support means (see FIG. 11 of
the specification), thereby causing the disk to deform. Further,
when pressing the button-like member with one finger, the relative
inward displacement of the semi-circular segments may jam the
muscles of the finger.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention has been accomplished to provide a
disk retainer, which eliminates the drawbacks of the aforesaid
prior art designs. According to one aspect of the present
invention, the disk retainer of each cover shell of the compact
disk case comprises two springy radial arms respectively upwardly
extended in direction from the inner sidewall of the corresponding
cover shell toward each other, the springy radial arms each having
a fixed end connected to the inner sidewall of the corresponding
cover shell and a free end, first and second retaining blocks
respectively formed integral with the free ends of the springy
radial arms, two disk retaining flanges provided at the retaining
blocks for synchronous movement with the retaining blocks and
locking the loading disk, two upright stop flanges respectively
formed integral with the fixed ends of the radial arms, and a
plurality of connecting rods respectively connected between the
upright stop flanges and the inner sidewall of the corresponding
cover shell. The upright stop flanges support the center area
around the circular center hole of the disk, preventing deformation
of the disk during loading or unloading of the disk. According to
another aspect of the present invention, the first retaining block
has a protruded portion forwardly extended from one side thereof
toward the second retaining block, and the second retaining block
has a recessed portion adapted for receiving the protruded portion
of the first retaining block to prevent the retaining blocks from
jamming the user's finger during loading of the disk. According to
still another aspect of the present invention the disk retaining
flanges respectively define with the peripheries of the retaining
blocks a respective step for guiding the loading of the disk.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, two
flexible hinge leaves are bilaterally connected between the
retaining blocks for enabling the retaining blocks to be moved
upwardly outwards and downwardly inwards relative to each
other.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is an extended out view of a compact disk case
constructed according to the present invention.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a disk retainer for a
compact disk case according to a first embodiment of the present
invention.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a top plain view of the disk retainer according to
the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the loading of a disk on
the disk retainer according to the first embodiment of the present
invention.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the unloading of a disk
from the disk retainer according to the first embodiment of the
present invention.
[0011] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a disk retainer according to
a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the loading of a disk on
the disk retainer according to the second embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0013] Referring to FIGS. from 1 through 3, a compact disk case is
shown comprising a spine 4, two cover shells 1a and 1b respectively
hinged to two opposite long sides of the spine 4, pairs of upright
clamping strips 5 bilaterally provided at the inner side of the
spine 4 each having a protruded paw 51 for holding a brochure or
the like, a disk retainer 2 respectively provided at the center of
the inner side of each of the cover shells 1a and 1b, and an
annular support 3 respectively provided at the inner side of each
of the cover shells 1a and 1b around the respective disk retainer
2.
[0014] The aforesaid disk retainer 2 comprises two springy radial
arms 24 respectively upwardly extended from the inner sidewall of
the cover shell 1a or 1b toward each other, the springy radial arms
24 each having a fixed end connected to the inner sidewall of the
cover shell 1a or 1b and a free end, a first retaining block 21 and
a second retaining block 22 respectively formed integral with the
free ends of the springy radial arms 24, two flexible hinge leaves
28 bilaterally connected between the retaining blocks 21 and 22 for
enabling the retaining blocks 21 and 22 to be moved upwardly
outwards or downwardly inwards relative to each other, two disk
retaining flanges 23 respectively formed integral with the smoothly
arched peripheries of the retaining blocks 21 and 22, two upright
stop flanges 25 respectively formed integral with the fixed ends of
the radial arms 24, and a plurality of connecting rods 26
respectively connected between the upright stop flanges 25 and the
inner sidewall of the cover shell 1a or 1b. Further, the first
retaining block 21 has a protruding portion 211. The second
retaining block 22 has a recessed portion 221, which receives the
protruding portion 211 of the first retaining block 21.
[0015] Referring to FIG. 4, when loading a disk 6 onto the disk
retainer 2, the periphery of the circular center hole of the disk 6
is supported on the disk retaining flanges 23 around the retaining
blocks 21 and 22. When applying a downward pressure to the center
area of the disk 6 with the finger(s), the retaining blocks 21 and
22 are lowered and moved toward each other, enabling the disk
retaining flanges 23 to pass with the retaining blocks 21 and 22
through the circular center hole of the disk 6. At this time, the
protruding portion 211 of the first retaining block 21 and the
recessed portion 221 of the second retaining block 22 are matched,
preventing the retaining blocks 21 and 22 from jamming the user's
finger(s). After the disk 6 has been set into position, the spring
power of the springy radial arms 24 immediately forces the
retaining blocks 21 and 22 back to their former positions, thereby
causing the disk retaining flanges 23 to lock the disk 6. When
locked, the bottom side of the disk 6 is supported on the upright
stop flanges 25, and the periphery of the disk 6 is supported on
the annular support 3 (see also FIG. 1).
[0016] Referring to FIG. 6, when removing the disk 6 from the disk
retainer 2, press the retaining blocks 21 and 22 with the finger(s)
to move the disk retaining flanges 23 downwardly inwards for
enabling the disk 6 to be disengaged from the retaining blocks 21
and 22. During downwardly inwards displacement of the retaining
blocks 21 and 22, the stop flanges 25 are kept almost immovable,
preventing the disk 6 from deformation.
[0017] In the aforesaid embodiment, the disk retaining flanges 23
are respectively disposed in flush with the top surfaces of the
retaining blocks 21 and 22. FIGS. 6 and 7 show an alternate form of
the disk retainer 2. According to this alternate form, the disk
retaining flanges 23' define with the peripheries of the retaining
blocks 21 and 22 a respective step 29 adapted for guiding the disk
6 into position during loading.
[0018] A protocol of disk retaining structure has been constructed
with the features of the annexed drawing of FIGS. 1.about.7. The
disk retaining structure functions smoothly to provide all of the
features discussed earlier.
[0019] Although particular embodiments of the invention have been
described in detail for purposes of illustration, various
modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention
is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
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