U.S. patent application number 10/456061 was filed with the patent office on 2004-01-22 for compact disc container.
Invention is credited to Sullivan, Robert C. JR., Sullivan, Scott L..
Application Number | 20040011684 10/456061 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 30448405 |
Filed Date | 2004-01-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040011684 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sullivan, Robert C. JR. ; et
al. |
January 22, 2004 |
Compact disc container
Abstract
A DVD or CD case having a DVD nest which is sized and shaped to
hold a DVD optical disc (or any similarly sized disc). The DVD nest
is conical in shape and made from a flexible (or semi-rigid)
material so that it functions as a bistable cone and therefore
rests in either a down position (wherein the cone is directed
downwardly) or an up position (wherein the cone is directed
upwardly). Located centrally within the DVD nest is a hub assembly
which may be conventional and includes a supportive ledge onto
which a DVD may rest. The hub assembly is attached to and
preferably integrally formed with the bistable cone in such a
manner that the hub assembly (and any supported DVD located
thereon) moves from a rest position wherein the DVD is recessed
within the nest, and a raised position wherein the DVD is raised
above the nest so that its edge may be grasped and the DVD removed
from the case. According to another embodiment, locking arms are
provides which are located within the hub assembly and which
automatically move with movement of the bistable cone from a locked
position (when the cone is down) wherein the locking arms lock the
DVD in place about the hub, and an unlocked position (when the cone
is up) wherein the locking arms allow free removal of the DVD from
the hub assembly and the DVD case.
Inventors: |
Sullivan, Robert C. JR.;
(Harrison, NY) ; Sullivan, Scott L.; (Chappaqua,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Robert C. Sullivan, Jr.
2 Claiborne Road
Harrison
NY
10528
US
|
Family ID: |
30448405 |
Appl. No.: |
10/456061 |
Filed: |
June 6, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60386907 |
Jun 7, 2002 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/308.1 ;
206/309; 206/312; G9B/33.011 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B 33/0427
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/308.1 ;
206/309; 206/312 |
International
Class: |
B65D 085/57 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A case for holding a DVD or CD information storage disc having a
central opening, said case comprising: a body; a recess formed
within said body, said recess being sized and shaped to receive
said disc, said recess having a rim whose perimeter is larger than
the perimeter of said disc, said recess having a floor; a hub
assembly having a spindle which is sized and shaped to fit within
said opening of said disc; a bi-stable cone integrally formed
between said floor and said hub, said bi-stable cone being stable
in either a lower position, wherein said hub is positioned in a
lower position for holding a disc on said hub within said recess
with said disc perimeter being generally adjacent to said rim, and
an upper position, wherein said hub is positioned in an upper
position generally above said rim for holding a disc above said rim
so that said disc perimeter is accessible above said rim.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION DATA
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 from
U.S. Provisional Application serial No. 60/386,907, filed Jun. 6,
2002, which application is hereby incorporated by reference in its
entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A) Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention generally relates to cases or containers, and
more particularly, to containers for holding compact discs (e.g.,
cds and dvds).
[0004] B) Description of the Prior Art
[0005] In recent times, most recorded music is purchased by the
consumer either on a cassette tape or a compact disc. Cassette
tapes and compact discs have supplanted vinyl records and 8-track
tapes as the dominant forms of recorded music. Along with the
growth of compact discs, numerous storage containers have been
developed to hold the discs during shipping, display for sale, and
subsequent home storage. A disc may spend over 99% of its life
stored in one such storage container because the same storage
container is typically used to ship the disc, to display the disc,
and to store the disc at the home of the consumer. Most of the
storage containers known in the art hold the compact disc on a hub
that engages the center hole of the disc to hold the disc in place
in the storage container.
[0006] Digital versatile discs (DVDs) have been developed a few
years ago and are expected to grow as more consumers are exposed to
the benefits of a digital video picture combined with a digital
audio track on a single DVD. Also, DVDs have a larger storage
capacity than a compact disc and may be used to hold feature length
films as well as multiple music recordings. It is likely that DVDs
may also be used to hold data in computer readable forms. One
problem with DVDs is that they currently trade durability for their
increased storage capacity. It is believed that a DVD may be
damaged over time by the forces that are commonly created in a
compact disc storage container. These forces are the outwardly
directed forces created by the hub that typically radially engages
the interior wall that forms the center hole in a disc. Compact
discs are durable enough to be insensitive to this force but it is
believed that a DVD will eventually warp as a result of these
constant radial forces. Such warping can prevent the data on a DVD
from being correctly read by a DVD player.
[0007] In view of the perceived problems with the constant bending
forces, the industry has moved in the direction of requiring all
DVD storage containers to loosely retain the DVD such that it may
freely rotate while securely retained by the storage container. The
storage container thus must retain the DVD in a manner that allows
it to freely rotate while also securely holding the DVD during a
standard drop test. It is thus desired in the art to provide a
storage container for a DVD that holds the DVD without creating
constant bending stresses in the DVD while securely retaining the
DVD to prevent it from coming loose.
[0008] Another problem with existing storage containers that allow
compact discs and DVDs to be easily removed from a hub is that some
of these devices create large bending forces in the discs when the
disc is removed from the hub. These storage containers typically
allow a person to grasp the edge of the disc at any location about
its perimeter and pull upwardly causing the disc to engage the hub,
compress a portion of the hub, and then pop off of the hub.
Although these cases certainly allow for somewhat easy removal, the
stresses experienced by the disc during the removal process are
thought to be large enough to damage a DVD. It is thus desired in
the art to provide a storage container for a DVD that allows the
DVD to be quickly and easily removed without creating significantly
large bending stresses in the DVD during the removal process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention is directed to A DVD or CD case having
a nest sized and shaped to hold a DVD optical disc, a cd or any
disc. The DVD nest is conical in shape and made from a flexible (or
semi-rigid) material so that it functions as a bistable cone and
therefore rests in either a down position (wherein the cone is
directed downwardly) or an up position (wherein the cone is
directed upwardly). Located centrally within the DVD nest is a hub
assembly which may be conventional and includes a supportive ledge
onto which a DVD may rest. The hub assembly is attached to and
preferably integrally formed with the bistable cone in such a
manner that the hub assembly (and any supported DVD located
thereon) moves from a rest position wherein the DVD is recessed
within the nest, and a raised position wherein the DVD is raised
above the nest so that its edge may be grasped and the DVD removed
from the case. According to another embodiment, locking arms are
provided which are located within the hub assembly and which
automatically move with movement of the bistable cone from a locked
position (when the cone is down) wherein the locking arms lock the
DVD in place about the hub, and an unlocked position (when the cone
is up) wherein the locking arms allow free removal of the DVD from
the hub assembly and the DVD case. Yet another embodiment of the
invention provides a nest which includes a stable cone which is
biased to an up position and which is held in a down position by a
locking mechanism. In this instance, the user may selectively
unlock the locking mechanism and allow the stable cone to lift the
held DVD upward to a removal position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a front view of a DVD case, according to a first
embodiment of the invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a sectional side view (taken along the line A-A of
FIG. 1) of a DVD nest located within the case sized and shaped to
hold a DVD and being in a popped-up "removable" position, according
to the invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a sectional side view (taken along the line A-A of
FIG. 1) of the DVD nest being in a popped-down "safe" position,
according to the invention;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a DVD nest portion showing
details of a central hub and a trigger arm, according to the
invention;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the DVD nest of FIG. 4,
according to the invention;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the DVD nest of FIG. 4,
according to the invention;
[0016] FIG. 7a is a concept illustration (sectional view) of a
bi-stable cone, shown in a popped-up stable position, according to
the invention;
[0017] FIG. 7b is a concept illustration (sectional view) of the
bi-stable cone of FIG. 7a, shown in a popped-down position,
according to the invention;
[0018] FIG. 7c is a more basic concept illustration of a bi-stable
cone showing both the popped-up and popped-down positions,
according to the invention;
[0019] FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a second DVD case showing a DVD
nest and two opposing trigger buttons, according to a second
embodiment of the invention;
[0020] FIG. 9 is an illustrative concept view of a DVD nest showing
a bistable cone structure and integrally formed locking arms,
wherein the cone is in a popped down position and the locking arms
in a locked position;
[0021] FIG. 10 is an illustrative concept view of a DVD nest
showing a bistable cone structure and integrally formed locking
arms, wherein the cone is in a popped-up position and the locking
arms in an unlocked position;
[0022] FIG. 11 is sectional side view of a DVD case having a
locking-release mechanism and a spring-biased stable cone
arrangement, according to another embodiment of the invention,
showing the locking-release mechanism in a locked position;
[0023] FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of a portion of the DVD case of
FIG. 11, showing details of the locking-release mechanism in its
locked position, according to the invention;
[0024] FIG. 13 is a sectional side view of the DVD case of FIG. 11,
showing the locking-release mechanism in a released position,
wherein the cone is allowed to move to its biased (up) position,
according to this embodiment of the invention;
[0025] FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of a portion of the DVD case of
FIG. 13, showing details of the locking-release mechanism in its
released position, according to the invention;
[0026] FIG. 15 is a sectional side view of a DVD case having a
central hub and a disc-retaining button, according to yet another
embodiment of the invention, showing the button in a first secured
position;
[0027] FIG. 16 is a sectional side view of the DVD case of FIG. 15
showing the button being pulled (by the unseen finger of an unseen
user), according to the invention;
[0028] FIG. 17 is a sectional side view of the DVD case of FIG. 15
showing the button removed from the central hub, thereby allowing
the DVD to be removed from the case, according to the
invention;
[0029] FIG. 18 is a top view of the button, according to the
invention;
[0030] FIG. 19 is a side view of the button of FIG. 18, according
to the invention; and
[0031] FIG. 20 is a sectional side view of the button of FIG. 19,
showing details of the frangible arrow insert, according to the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0032] The present invention is a DVD case for holding (or
retaining) and storing a DVD type optical disc, or CD (collectively
"DVD"). The disc-holding structure of present case is based on the
operation of a bistable cone wherein a cone-shaped component may be
displaced between an up and down position. In doing so, the apex of
the cone is displaced vertically which creates vertical linear
movement. Applicants have incorporated this bistable action into
the structure of the case to employ the vertical displacement to
cause a DVD to be selectively raised from a resting and secure
position within a recess or nest of the case to a raised and easily
accessible and removable position lying above the recess.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 1, a plan view of a DVD case 10 is shown,
according to the invention. Case 10 is somewhat book-shaped,
similar to conventional DVD cases that are well known in the art.
Conventional cases include a DVD-receiving recess on one side of
the inside portion of the case (usually the right side), molded
integrally with the formation of the DVD case. The conventional
shape of the "nest" (where the disc resides) is typically flat.
[0034] The present DVD case also includes a DVD recess or nest 12,
but it is shaped differently, as a bistable cone 14, as described
above and as shown generally in the figures of the application (see
FIGS. 2, 3, 7, 9 and 10). A hub assembly 16 is centrally formed on
the cone 14 so that as cone moves between its two stable positions,
hub assembly 16 moves generally linearly along a vertical axis (in
and out of the paper of FIG. 1). Hub assembly 16 may be
conventional or may include locking tabs described later in this
application, according to another embodiment of this invention.
[0035] Regardless, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, hub assembly is sized
and shaped to receive a portion of the DVD, preferably the central
opening 18 of a DVD (see FIG. 10 for central opening 18). Hub
assembly 16 preferably includes a ledge 20 that is slightly larger
in diameter than the central opening 18 of a DVD so that a DVD
received by hub assembly 16 will come to rest on ledge 18. DVD
recess 12 includes a peripheral ledge 22 that is sized and shaped
to snugly receive a DVD so that in a first resting position (with
the DVD mounted to hub assembly 16), the peripheral edge 24 of the
DVD will rest on this ledge 22 and will be protected within recess
12, as shown in FIGS. 2.
[0036] In operation of the DVD case shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a user
simply presses on a lower portion of the cone 14 which is
accessible on the backside of the case 10 until the bistable cone
snaps to its stable up position, during which the hub assembly 16
and the supported DVD will rise a preset distance above the recess
12. In this raised position, peripheral edge 24 of the DVD disc
will become exposed above ledge 22 and away from recess 12. The
user may now obtain a finger purchase along any point of the fully
exposed edge of the DVD and use it to gently pull the DVD from
central hub assembly 16. When finished using the disc, the user may
either first press down on the hub assembly 16 so that the cone 14
pops back to its down position (with no disc) and then position the
opening of the DVD onto the hub assembly 16 in a somewhat
conventional manner, or first place the DVD onto the hub assembly
16 and thereafter press the hub assembly 16 or the DVD (and
therefore also the hub assembly 16). When the cone is depressed, it
will pop down to it's stable down position, bringing with it the
hub-secured DVD to a safe and protective position within recess 12
with peripheral edge 24 of the disc resting on ledge 22.
[0037] Ledge 22 is optional and not necessary for the present
invention to work. If a ledge 22 is used, the ledge is sized and
shaped so that any contact with the disc will not damage the disc,
even if the disc rotates about the hub assembly 16 during shipping
or otherwise. Conventional CDs and DVDs provide a
non-information-bearing rim along the perimeter of the disc which
may be used to support the disc within a case. It is against this
portion that ledge 22 would contact so that even if the ledge
scratched the disc, no information would be lost or misread.
[0038] According to another embodiment of the invention, and
referring to FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, a trigger arm 26 is shown. Trigger
arm 26 is preferably integrally molded with the rest of the case
and includes a pivot axis 28 and a trigger button 30. The purpose
of trigger arm 26, and trigger button 30 is to allow a user to
activate the bistable cone from its down position to its up
position without having access to the backside of the DVD case. The
trigger arm is attached to (integrally molded with) cone 14, as
shown in FIG. 6, preferably slightly off-center (although the exact
position of this arm 26 will vary according to the size, shape and
angle of the cone and also the material used and the thickness of
the cone walls, and also the dimensions of the trigger arm).
Trigger arm 26 can be selectively pivoted about the pivot axis 28
when a user depresses button 30. Such pivotal movement of trigger
arm 26 creates a vertical displacement of cone 14 which is used to
persuade cone 14 to transform from its down position to its up
position. Applicants have determined that an off-center arrangement
of the trigger arm 26 with respect to the cone 14 requires less
pivotal torque to cause the cone 14 to trigger because the cone can
smoothly deform almost wave-like in a radial path. If the trigger
arm is radially positioned (directed to the immediate center), the
cone tends to buckle before triggering, perhaps due to
symmetrically applied forces, at least on one side of the cone.
[0039] In use of this second embodiment, to remove a DVD from the
case, a user simply depresses button 30 which causes trigger arm 26
to pivot about pivot axis 28. This action forces cone 14 to
transform from a down (and disc-safe) position to an up and
accessible position, as otherwise described above.
[0040] Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, yet another embodiment of
the invention is shown wherein locking arms 32 are integrally
formed to an upper surface of cone 14. Locking arms 32 are
preferably semirigid (made from the same material as the case) and
include locking ends 34 which extend within a hub assembly 36, as
shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The width of locking arms 32 may vary
somewhat, but must both be able to fit within the central opening
of the disc. Locking arms 32 are sized, positioned, and shaped so
that when cone 14 is in an up position, locking ends 34 may loosely
receive central opening of a DVD, as shown in FIG. 9. However, as
cone 14 moves to its down position, locking arms 32 cause locking
ends 34 to horizontally displace (radially outwardly with respect
to the DVD) and engage with an upper surface of the DVD extending
slightly beyond the central opening of the DVD so that the DVD
becomes securely locked to the hub assembly 36 by locking ends 34
of locking arms 32, as shown in FIG. 10. With this arrangement,
when cone 14 moves to its popped up position, the DVD may be
removed from hub assembly 36 without having to overcome any
friction or engagement since the locking ends 34 are displaced
inwardly and do not contact the DVD. Once the cone moves to its
popped-down position, as shown in FIG. 10, the locking ends 34
extend over a small portion of the disc and thereby hold the disc
in place, either tightly in contact, or loosely only preventing any
extended vertical displacement of the DVD, but not otherwise
contacting the DVD (so that the DVD may freely rotate about the hub
assembly 36).
[0041] The DVD case, in any of the above-described embodiments is
preferably made from polypropylene and includes all the appropriate
structural reinforcement ribs, and webs, and living hinges, as well
known by those skilled in the art. The case is preferably formed
through conventional injection molding methods of manufacture and
preferably require no caming action during the molding process. It
is preferred that a circular living hinge is used to connect the
bistable cone to the hub and also to the case (within the nest
12).
[0042] Also, the trigger button 30 may be any size and shape and
may be positioned anywhere on the case. Also, other triggers may be
used to push the cone from its down position to its up position,
including trigger arms that operate in response to the opening of
the DVD case so that as the case is opened, the trigger arm pushes
the cone (and the DVD) up, offering the DVD to the user.
[0043] Also, a flexible cone can be used wherein the cone has
variable wall thickness to aid in its function. The wall thickness
can be varied during molding to vary the amount of force required
to activate the cone from its down to up position.
[0044] According to yet another embodiment, a case 48 includes a
cone 50 which is similar in shape and overall function as cone 15,
described in earlier embodiments, however in this embodiment, cone
50 is only single-stable in that it includes an inherent spring
bias to return to its down (or up) position and a force must be
constantly applied (for example, by the user), for the cone to
remain in its "unstable" orientation, or an appropriate mechanical
locking clip must be used. According to this embodiment, and
referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, a locking clip 52 is used to hold the
"unstable" cone 50 in a down position (against it's inherent spring
bias towards an up position). Locking clip 52 of FIGS. 12-14 is
integrally molded to a peripheral portion of cone 52 and includes a
locking arm 56, an integrally formed locking tab (finger-contact)
58 and a locking edge 60. Locking tab 58 is sized and shaped to
extend through an tab-opening 62 formed within a wall 64 of recess
66 of case 48. The details of locking clip 52 are best shown in the
enlarged views of FIGS. 12 and 14. In use, when cone 50 is
depressed to its lower position, as shown in FIG. 11, locking arm
56 extends radially outwardly from the center of cone 50, which
forces locking tab 58 to extend outwardly through tab opening 62
sufficiently so that locking edge 60 engages with a portion of wall
64 (or any appropriate portion of case 48, as understood by those
skilled in the art). Locking arm is preferably also spring biased
upwardly so that locking edge 60 automatically engages with wall 64
when locking tab extends sufficiently outward from tab opening 62,
as shown in FIG. 12.
[0045] When locking edge 60 is engaged with wall 64, as shown in
FIG. 12, locking arm 56 will remain in tension and will effectively
hold cone 50 in it's lower position, against its inherent
spring-bias towards the up position. As long as locking edge 60 is
engaged with wall 64, cone 50 will remain in the lower position and
the held DVD or CD will remain recessed and protected.
[0046] When a user wishes to retrieve a held DVD or CD, he simply
depresses the exposed locking tab 58 downward, as illustrated by
arrow 66 in FIG. 12. This action will cause locking edge 60 to lose
its locking engagement with wall 64, thereby allowing the
spring-bias of cone 50 to move to the upper position, and in doing
so, drawing locking arm 56 into tab opening 62, as shown in FIG.
14.
[0047] Locking tab and locking arm may take on any appropriate
shape and may be positioned anywhere about case 48, as would be
understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.
[0048] Referring now to FIGS. 15-20, a locking button 70 is shown,
according to yet another embodiment of the invention. Button 70 is
preferably made as a single piece and includes a locking arrow 72,
a base 74 and a finger pull 76. Base 74 supports both finger pull
76 and locking arrow 72, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20. The purpose
of locking button 70 is to prevent a held DVD or CD from falling
from it's supporting hub, in particular, during shipping and
handling. In use, an opening 78 is provided in the hub which is
sized and shaped to receive a portion of locking arrow 72.
Preferably at the packaging plant, locking button 70 is secured to
the hub by pressing locking arrow 72 into opening 78 so that the
arms 80 of locking arrow 72 are allowed to freely expand within the
structure of the hub and thereby hold the button in place, as shown
in FIG. 15. When in this position, the base 74 of button 70 will
contact an upper portion of the held DVD or CD and prevent removal
from the hub. When the user receives the DVD (or CD) from the
store, for example, s/he simply uses the finger-pull 76 to force
locking arrow to withdraw from opening 78, or as in the example
shown in FIG. 17, break from base 74. The opening 78 and the
locking arrow 72 may be designed to survive repeated separations
from the hub so that it may be reused. However, a useful function
of the frangible version of the locking arrow 72 is to discourage
theft from the store. Locking button 70 may further include (or in
place of locking arrow 72) a sticker or tab or any tamper
indication substrate (not shown) so that regardless whether the
locking button 70 is reusable, the tamper indication substrate (not
shown) will be forced to tear thereby revealing that the DVD/CD has
likely been removed from the package.
[0049] Also, although a conical shape is preferred, a "cone" is not
necessary to create a bistable cone action. Other shapes may be
stressed to create a similar action, including triangular and
rectangular.
[0050] According to yet another embodiment of the invention (not
shown), a central hub assembly includes a removable component (a
locking clip) that is used to secure a DVD to the hub assembly
during shipping of the DVD in the DVD case. There are instances
when a DVD may detach from the conventional hubs within the
conventional DVD case during shipping so that the DVD becomes
damaged within the case even before the case is opened by the user.
The locking clip snaps onto the hub assembly (however the hub may
otherwise be designed) and includes a portion that overlaps the DVD
disc located on the hub assembly so that the held DVD will not
(cannot) fall from the hub during shipping, until the locking clip
is later removed by the end user. The locking tab can take on a
variety of shapes and sizes, but is preferably small, simple and
includes a low-profile so that it does not interfere with the
closing of the case. The locking clip preferably further includes a
portion that may be easily grasped by the end-user so that the
locking clip can be easily removed. Applicants contemplates that
the locking clip is formed integrally with the case and snaps into
a locking position after the DVD is positioned onto the hub
assembly and includes a frangible portion that must be broken by
the end-user. Also, the locking clip may be a simple sticker
substrate that adheres to a portion of the DVD and the hub assembly
and may be peeled away by the end user.
* * * * *