U.S. patent application number 10/743790 was filed with the patent office on 2004-07-15 for cover case of recording medium for rental or sale use.
Invention is credited to Ishizuka, Sohichi, Terasaka, Takao, Yamagishi, Masanao.
Application Number | 20040134808 10/743790 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32708379 |
Filed Date | 2004-07-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040134808 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yamagishi, Masanao ; et
al. |
July 15, 2004 |
Cover case of recording medium for rental or sale use
Abstract
To make it possible to keep a recording medium for rental or
sale use accommodated in a cover case under a stable state without
shaking and to take it out without applying excessive force, a
receiving table having a support surface on which a center portion
of the disk-like recording medium is put is so formed at a base
center of a main body as to protrude from a base. Two slit grooves
are formed at the center of the support surface of the receiving
table with a predetermined gap between them. Engagement
protuberances protrude from distal ends of arms formed between both
slit grooves in such a fashion as to protrude from the arms and to
form a pair. An outer peripheral edge extends from the base surface
with the receiving table as the center and the engagement
protuberances fit into a center hole of the disk. The outer
periphery of the disk is put on and supported by the outer
peripheral edge.
Inventors: |
Yamagishi, Masanao; (Fukui,
JP) ; Terasaka, Takao; (Fukui, JP) ; Ishizuka,
Sohichi; (Fukui, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WENDEROTH, LIND & PONACK, L.L.P.
2033 K STREET N. W.
SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20006-1021
US
|
Family ID: |
32708379 |
Appl. No.: |
10/743790 |
Filed: |
December 24, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/308.1 ;
G9B/33.011 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B 33/0427
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/308.1 |
International
Class: |
B65D 085/57 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 27, 2002 |
JP |
2002-379168 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cover case of a recording medium for rental or sale use, for
accommodating therein a disk-like recording medium such as a CD,
comprising: a main body; a cover connected to the main body through
a connection portion; a receiving table protruding from a center of
a base of said main body and having a support surface on which a
center portion of said disk-like recording medium is put; slit
grooves formed on the support surface of said receiving table;
engagement protuberances formed at and extending from distal ends
of arms formed in such a fashion as to be interposed by said slit
grooves; and an outer peripheral edge having notches formed at
places thereof with said receiving table as its center and
extending from the base.
2. A cover case of a recording medium for rental or sale use
according to claim 1, wherein two slit grooves are formed at a
center of the support surface of said receiving table with a
predetermined gap between them.
3. A cover case of a recording medium for rental or sale use
according to claim 2, wherein fall-off prevention pawls engaging
with the outer periphery of said disk-like recording medium are
formed by cutting off said outer peripheral edge in such a fashion
as to erect from said base surface.
4. A cover case of a recording medium for rental or sale use
according to claim 1, wherein it further comprises engagement pawls
independently undergoing deflection and provided to said arms in
such a fashion as to form pairs with said engagement
protuberances.
5. A cover case of a recording medium for rental or sale use
according to claim 2, wherein it further comprises engagement pawls
independently undergoing deflection and provided to said arms in
such a fashion as to form pairs with said engagement
protuberances.
6. A cover case of a recording medium for rental or sale use
according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said engagement pawls are
provided to positions at which a part of said engagement
protuberances is cut off.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to a cover case that accommodates a
disk-like recording medium such as a CD, a DVD, game software, or
the like.
[0003] 2. Related Art
[0004] A disk-like recording medium such as a CD has a thin
disk-like outer shape and a small round hole at its center that
penetrates through the disk. The disk-like recording medium is
accommodated in a thin cover case. The cover case includes a
box-shaped main body having the widest surface on a base side and a
cover having the widest surface on a cover side. The cover is
connected to the main body through a connection portion and can
cover the main body. Needless to say, a cover case not having the
connection portion is available, too. Further, a cover case of the
type in which the main body can be pulled out in a pullout system
is known.
[0005] The disk-like recording medium is fitted as a holding
portion so formed at the center of the base of the main body as to
protrude from the base is fitted into a hole formed at the center
of the disk-like recording medium. Various forms of the holding
portion are known. However, the holding portion must satisfy the
requirements that the disk-like recording medium fitted into the
hole does not shake but remains stable, does not naturally fall off
from the hole and can be easily removed at the time of removal.
"Apparatus for Holding a Compact Disk" disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
20030052024A1 employs the following construction. The device
includes a base, radial direction arms flexibly cantilevered from
the base and extending inward and disk engagement means formed at
an inner end portion of each arm, for engaging with a center hole
of a disk in such a fashion as to be capable of releasing the
center hole and for supporting the center portion of the disk in a
spaced-apart relation from the base. Each of the arms includes
first rotation means positioned inside a region in which it is
connected to the base and second rotation means positioned inward
relative to the first rotation means in the radial direction. When
the disk engagement means is pushed down towards the base, the
inner end of each of the arms and the center portion of the disk
are pushed down towards the base. Each arm first rotates with the
first rotation means as the center and then keeps its rotation with
the second rotation means as the center until the holding force of
the disk by the disk engagement means is released.
[0006] The disk is fitted while its center hole engages with the
engagement means. To remove the disk, the engagement means engaging
with the hole must be pushed from above to release it from the
hole. When the engagement means is pushed, however, a load acts
simultaneously on the disk and the disk undergoes deflective
deformation. As a result, the disk is sometimes broken when it is
taken out. In case the engagement means is loosely fitted to the
center hole of the disk to make it easier to remove the disk,
however, the disk falls off by itself under the accommodation
state.
[0007] Such problems similarly occur not only in "Apparatus for
Holding a Compact Disk" of US 20030052024A1 described above but
also in "Apparatus for Holding a Compact Disk" disclosed in U.S.
Pat. No. 20020130056A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 005788068A,
respectively.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The cover case of the disk-like recording medium according
to the prior art is not free from the problems described above. The
present invention is directed to solve these problems and to
provide a cover case of a recording medium for rental or sale use
that keeps a disk-like recording medium accommodated under a stable
state without shaking and makes it possible to easily remove the
disk-like recording medium without applying excessive force.
[0009] The cover case of a recording medium for rental or sale use
according to the present invention includes a main body and a
cover. The cover can cover the main body accommodating the
disk-like recording medium and its concrete form is not limited, in
particular. A receiving table is so disposed at the center of a
base of the main body as to protrude from the base and a center
portion of the disk-like recording medium such as a compact disk
(CD) is put onto the receiving table. An outer peripheral edge
having notches at places thereof extends from the base with the
receiving table as the center and the outer periphery of the
disk-like recording medium is put on and supported by the outer
peripheral edge.
[0010] Two slit grooves are formed at the center of a support
surface of the receiving table with a predetermined gap between
them. An engagement protuberance is formed at a distal end of each
of arms so formed as to be interposed between both slit grooves and
engages with the center hole of the disk-like recording medium.
Engagement pawls are formed, whenever necessary, on the engagement
protuberances in such a fashion as to erect from the engagement
protuberances and to form a pair. Each engagement pawl extends from
the arm. The engagement pawl is formed by cutting off a part of the
engagement protuberance, can independently undergo deflection and
fits into the center hole of the disk-like recording medium with
the engagement protuberance. Here, the number of slit grooves is
not limited to 2 and three or more arms can be disposed by forming
three or more slit grooves.
[0011] The disk-like recording medium is put on the receiving table
and the engagement protuberance fits into and engages with the
center hole of the disk-like recording medium. When the engagement
pawl is disposed, both engagement pawls engage with the center hole
together with the engagement protuberances and fix the disk-like
recording medium while preventing the recording medium from falling
off from the receiving table. When the engagement pawl is not
provided, any fall-off prevention means is sometimes disposed,
whenever necessary. When the disk-like recording medium fixed is
removed, the engagement protuberances are merely pushed from above
and the arms undergo downward deflection and come off from the
hole.
[0012] Because the disk-like recording medium is put on and
supported by the support surface of the receiving table in this
instance, the recording medium does not undergo deflective
deformation. It is also possible to nip and pull the outer
periphery of the disk-like recording medium. Because the engagement
protuberances are formed at the distal ends of the arms, they can
undergo deformation independently of the receiving table.
Therefore, the disk-like recording medium can be removed from the
hole without applying excessive force. The disk-like recording
medium can be removed easily particularly when the engagement pawls
are provided. Preferred embodiments of the invention will be
hereinafter explained in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cover case of a
disk-like recording medium according to an embodiment of the
invention;
[0014] FIG. 2(a) is a top plan view of a receiving table provided
to a main body and
[0015] FIG. 2(b) is a sectional view of the receiving table when a
disk is fitted;
[0016] FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) are sectional views of the receiving
table when a disk is fitted and removed;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of disk fall-off prevention means
provided to the main body;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a cover case of a
disk-like recording medium according to another embodiment of the
invention;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a receiving table of the cover
case shown in FIG. 5;
[0020] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a state in which an engagement
protuberance is fitted into a disk center hole and is mounted to
the receiving table;
[0021] FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) are schematic views, wherein 8(a) shows
the state in which the disk is fitted to a receiving table and 8(b)
does the state in which the disk is removed from the receiving
table;
[0022] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another form of the cover
case; and
[0023] FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b) are a perspective view of still
another form of the cover case, wherein FIG. 10(b) shows the main
body is drawn out.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0024] FIG. 1 shows a cover case of a recording medium according to
an embodiment of the invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a main
body and reference numeral 2 does a cover. The main body 1 has a
box-shaped shape having the widest surface on a base side and the
cover 2 has the widest surface on a cover side. The cover 2 is
connected to the main body 1 through a connection portion 3 and can
cover the main body 1. A receiving table 5 protrudes from a base
surface 4 at the center of the main body 1. An outer peripheral
edge 6 extends with the receiving table 5 as its center and notches
7, 7 and so on are formed at four positions of the outer peripheral
edge 6.
[0025] Arms 8a and 8b are formed on a support surface 13 of the
receiving table 5 and are separated from the receiving table 5
through slit grooves 9 and 9, respectively. Engagement
protuberances 10a and 10b that have a shape of a substantially
semi-circular cylinder protrude from the distal ends of the arms,
respectively. A gap is defined between the engagement protuberances
10a and 10b so that these protuberances 10a and 10b can undergo
extension and contraction. When combined with each other, the
engagement protuberances 10a and 10b form a low cylinder and fit
into the center hole of the disk. A fall-off prevention pawl 11
protrudes from the base surface 4 on the side of the connection
portion. The distal end of the pawl 11 is situated at a position at
which a part of the outer peripheral edge 6 is cut off. The pawl 11
can engage with the outer periphery of the disk placed on the outer
peripheral edge 6. When the cover 2 is closed, the back of the
fall-off prevention pawl 11 is pushed and the disk is prevented
from falling off.
[0026] FIG. 2(a) shows the receiving table 5. Because the arms 8a
and 8b are cut off from the receiving table 5 by the slit grooves 9
and 9, the engagement protuberances 10a and 10b can undergo
deflective deformation when they are pushed. FIG. 2(b) shows the
section of the disk 12 when it is fitted to the receiving table 5.
The disk 12 is put onto the support surface 13 of the receiving
table 5 and the engagement protuberances 10a and 10b fit into and
engage with the center hole of the disk 12.
[0027] The disk 12 is put onto the receiving table 5 in such a
fashion that the engagement protuberances 10a and 10b fit into the
center hole. FIG. 3(a) shows the state in which the disk 12 is put
and fitted to the receiving table 5. When the disk 12 is put to the
receiving table 5, the edges of the engagement protuberances 10a
and 10b strike the inner peripheral surface of the center hole of
the disk and are pushed down by the latter and the arms 8a and 8b
undergo deflective deformation as shown in the drawing. As a
result, the engagement protuberances 10a and 10b undergo shrinkage
and can fit into the center hole. Because the slight gap exists
between both engagement protuberances 10a and 10b, they can undergo
shrinkage as described above.
[0028] The state in which the engagement protuberances 10a and 10b
fit into the center hole is shown in FIG. 2(b). When the arms 8a
and 8b return to the original positions and the engagement
protuberances 10a and 10b that have once undergone shrinkage again
expand, they fit into the center hole. Because the arms 8a and 8b
undergo deflective deformation in this way, the disk 12 can be
fitted to the receiving table 5 without the application of
excessive force. The outer periphery of the disk is put on and
supported by the outer peripheral edge 6 and the outer peripheral
edge 6 has a support surface for supporting the outer periphery of
the disk.
[0029] To remove the disk 12 from the receiving table 5, on the
contrary, the engagement protuberances 10a and 10b are pushed from
above as shown in FIG. 3B. When the engagement protuberances 10a
and 10b are pushed, the arms 8a and 8b undergo deflective
deformation whereas the engagement protuberances 10a and 10b
undergo shrinkage. In this instance, the disk 12 is put on the
support surface 13 of the receiving table 5 and its center portion
does not undergo deflection even when the engagement protuberances
10a and 10b are pushed.
[0030] Once the engagement protuberances 10a and 10b undergo
shrinkage and come off from the center hole of the disk 12, they do
not again fit into the center hole and the disk 12 can be easily
removed. When the center portion of the disk 12 is put and fitted
to the receiving table 5, the outer periphery of the disk 12 is put
on and supported by the outer peripheral edge 6 that protrudes on
the base surface 4 of the main body 1. Because the notches 7, 7 and
so on are formed at several positions of the outer peripheral edge
6, it is possible to put fingers to the notches 7 and to lift up
and remove the disk 12.
[0031] FIG. 4 shows the state in which the disk 12 is put and
fitted to the receiving table 5 with its outer periphery being put
to and supported by the outer peripheral edge 6 and the fall-off
prevention pawl 11 for preventing fall-off the disk is engaged with
the outer periphery of the disk 12. The outer periphery of the disk
is put to and supported by the outer peripheral edge 6 and at the
same time, is engaged with the fall-off prevention pawl 11 erecting
from the base surface 4 as shown in the drawing. When the cover 2
is closed, a support plate 14 formed in such a fashion as to
protrude from the connection portion 3 strikes the back of the
fall-off prevention pawl 11 and can support this pawl 11. In
consequence, the disk 12 does not by it self come off from the
engagement protuberances 10a and 10b. Here, it is not always
necessary to provide the support plate 14 to the connection portion
3 but may be formed on the cover itself depending on the form of
the cover case.
[0032] FIG. 5 shows a cover case of the disk-like recording medium
according to another embodiment of the invention. The basic form is
the same as that of the cover case shown in FIG. 1. The main body 1
has a box-shaped shape having the widest surface on the base side
and the cover 2 has the widest surface on the cover side. The cover
2 is connected to the main body 1 through the connection portion 3
and can cover the main body 1. The receiving table 5 protrudes from
the center of the base surface of the main body 1. The outer
peripheral edge 6 extends from the receiving table 5 as the center
and the notches 7, 7 and so on are formed at four positions of the
outer peripheral edge 6.
[0033] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the receiving table 5 of the
cover case shown in FIG. 5 and is a plan view. The arms 15a and 15b
are cut off from the support surface 13 of the receiving table 5 by
the slit grooves 16 and 16 and the engagement protuberances 17a and
17b protrude from the distal ends of the arms, respectively. The
engagement protuberances 17a and 17b are connected to each other
through a soft resin and respectively have engagement pawls 18a and
18b that erect and form a pair. The engagement pawls 18a and 18b
extend as a part of the engagement protuberances 17a and 17b from
the arms but can undergo deflection independently of the arms 15a
and 15b.
[0034] The engagement pawls 18a and 18b erect from the notches
formed in the engagement protuberances 17a and 17b on the receiving
table 5 but can undergo deflection independently of the arms 15a
and 15b and can engage with the center hole of the disk 12. When
the disk 12 is put to the receiving table 5 and is pushed, the
engagement pawls 18a and 18b erecting while forming the pairs with
the engagement protuberances 17a and 17b undergo deflection and fit
into the center hole to thereby prevent the disk 12 from falling
off.
[0035] Because the engagement pawls 18a and 18b can undergo
deflection independently of the arms 15a and 15b, they can easily
fit into the center hole of the disk and can be engaged. In other
words, FIG. 8(a) shows the state in which the disk 12 is put and
fitted to the receiving table 5. When the disk 12 is put on the
receiving table 5 the distal ends of the engagement pawls 18a and
18b strike the inner peripheral surface of the center hole of the
disk and are pushed down, so that the arms 15a and 15b undergo
deflective deformation as shown in the drawing. In consequence, the
engagement protuberances 17a and 17b and the engagement pawls 18a
and 18b undergo shrinkage and can fit into the center hole. Because
the slight gap exists between both of the engagement protuberances
17a and 17b, such shrinkage can occur.
[0036] When the disk 12 is removed, on the contrary, the engagement
protuberances 17a and 17b fitting into the center hole are pushed
as shown in FIG. 8(b). The arms 15a and 15b then undergo deflective
deformation and at the same time, the engagement pawls 18a and 18b
move towards the center together with the engagement protuberances
17a and 17b and come off from the center hole. Once coming off from
the center hole, the engagement protuberances 17a and 17b do not
again engage with the center hole even when a user leaves his
fingers and the engagement protuberances return to the original
position.
[0037] The disk accommodation case of this embodiment includes the
main body and the cover and the cover is connected to the main body
through the connection portion. However, the form of the cover case
according to the invention is not limited.
[0038] FIG. 9 shows still another embodiment of the cover case.
This cover case does not have the connection portion but enables
the cover to be opened and closed. For example, the main body and
the cover can be connected by forming a hinge having a small
thickness or through a shaft pin. In FIGS. 10(a) and 10 (b), the
main body 1 can be accommodated in a cover case 19. Needless to
say, the receiving table and the outer peripheral edge are formed
in the same way in such a fashion as to protrude from the base
surface.
[0039] As described above, the cover case according to the
invention employs the construction in which the receiving table is
formed at the center of the base surface of the main body, the
center portion of the disk is put on the receiving table, the
engagement protuberances fitting into the center hole are so formed
as to protrude from the receiving table and the outer peripheral
edge for supporting the outer periphery of the disk is so formed as
to extend from the receiving table as the center. Therefore, the
cover case of the invention can provide the following
advantages.
[0040] In the cover case according to the invention, the center
portion of the disk-like recording medium is put on the receiving
table formed on the main body and the outer periphery of the disk
is put on and supported by the outer peripheral edge. The arms
forming the pair are provided to the receiving table and the
engagement protuberances erect from the distal ends of the arms.
Because the arms are separated from the support surface of the
receiving table through the slit grooves, the arms can freely
undergo deflective deformation.
[0041] When the engagement protuberances strike the center hole and
are pushed down to fit the disk, the arms undergo deflection and
both of the engagement protuberances undergo shrinkage and can fit
into the center hole. To remove the disk-like recording medium, on
the contrary, the engagement protuberances fitting into the hole
are pushed. Consequently, the arms undergo deflection and the
engagement protuberances undergo shrinkage and can come off from
the center hole. In this instance, the disk is not curved because
it is put on and supported by the support surface of the receiving
table and can be prevented from being broken. Because the
engagement pawls are provided to the engagement protuberances,
fitting and removal of the disk can be made further smoothly and
the disk fitted gets stabilized.
* * * * *