Tape Cassette Holder

Abstract

Recesses within a thickened support member receive tape cassettes. A resilient member at one end of each recess permits the cassette to be inserted and removed from beneath opposed cassette-retaining flanges. Information on each side of the cassettes may be read without removing the cassettes from the support members.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tape cassettes of recorded material have been stored in individual boxes which present problems in arrangement, selection and transportation of such devices. One solution to the requirement for better storage and use of tape cassettes has been to provide thick supports of semirigid material such as plastic, paper or the like into which cassette-receiving cavities are cut. The cassettes are frictionally held within the cavities. However, such devices loosen after repeated use, permitting the cassettes to fall out. The cassettes can only be viewed from one side and titles or information on the opposite side can only be read after the cassette is pulled out of the cavity.

In the present invention the cassettes are retained within recesses cut into a support member by opposed flanges and the action of a resilient member at one end of the recess. The bottom wall of the recess permits information on the side of the cassette adjacent the wall to be read. An opening in the bottom wall aids in the removal of the cassette from the recess.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A thickened support member is provided with a plurality of recesses to receive tape cassettes. A cassette-restraining flange is located at each end of the recess and overlies a portion of the cassette when it is in the recess. At one end of the recess a resilient member is located so as to urge the cassette beneath the opposed restraining flange. The cassette can be removed from the recess by forcing it against the resilient member until it clears the restraining flange and then pushing it out of the recess.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawing forming part hereof similar parts have been given identical reference numerals, in which drawings:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat isometric view of one complete embodiment of the present invention partially broken away to show the construction thereof,

FIG. 2 is a sectional fragmentary view taken on line 2--2 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view somewhat enlarged of the device shown in FIG. 1 with the cassette within the recess,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross section taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view on a reduced scale of another embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a further embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 7 is a somewhat isometric view, partly broken away, showing the manner in which the cassette holders can be bound into an album.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawing and particularly FIGS. 1-4, 10 indicates a support member formed of some suitable semirigid material such as paper, plastic or the like. The support member is preferably flat and of a thickness great enough to receive tape cassettes 11 therein. The cassettes 11 are carried within recesses 12 in the support member 10 and rest upon a bottom sheet 13.

The bottom sheet 13 underlies the entire support member 10 and extends therebeyond along one side of the support member as indicated at 14 in FIG. 1. The bottom sheet extension 14 may be provided with perforations 15 for binding purposes as hereinafter more fully explained.

In one embodiment of the present invention the bottom sheet is made of some suitable transparent plastic such as cellulose acetate, vinyl, or the like. The transparent material permits information on the side of the cassette adjacent the bottom sheet to be read without removing the cassette from the recess 12. In another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 5, the bottom sheet 13 is opaque and provided with elongated cut outs 16 through which information on the cassette may be read.

Upstanding cassette engaging detents 17 are molded into or secured to the bottom sheet within each recess (see FIG. 4). The detents are relatively flexible and are received within the tape reel hubs 18 of the cassette. The detents prevent the reels from turning and unwinding the tape when the cassette is in the recess 12. A circular aperture 19 in the bottom sheet 13 at one end of the recess aids in the removal of individual cassettes as hereinafter more fully described.

A flanged portion 20, 21, is provided at each end of the recesses 12. The flanges 20, 21, overlie the cassette 11 when it is in the recess 12 and prevent it from falling out of the support member 10 during handling. It will be seen that the support member 10 beneath the flange 20 is cut away for a greater depth than the portion beneath the flange 21 to receive a resilient member 22.

The resilient member 22 in FIGS. 1-3 is a small block of natural or synthetic sponge rubber, or foamed plastic material 22a. Alternately, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the resilient member may comprise a bowed flat spring 22a.

The flange 21 opposite the resilient member 22 is provided with an arcuate cut out 23 to permit the user to slip his finger over the edge of the cassette and force it against the resilient member for removing the cassette from the support 10. The circular aperture 19 in the bottom sheet 13 serves the same purpose.

The number of cassettes and their arrangement in the support member may be varied as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 without departing from the present invention. Several alternate recess groupings will be apparent depending upon the available space within the support member. In addition, several support members 10 may be bound within a ring binder 24 as shown in FIG. 7. The perforations 15 in the bottom sheet 13 can be slipped over the rings 25 for this purpose.

Cassettes are inserted into the holder by first slipping one end of the cassette beneath the flange 20 and compressing the resilient member 22 or 22a until the opposite end of the cassette clears the flange 21. The cassette is then lowered into the recess 12 at which juncture the detents 17 will enter the openings in the reel hubs 18. The cassette is then released, whereupon the resilient member 22, 22a, will push the end of the cassette under the flange 21 thereby securing the cassette within the recess of the holder.

In order to remove the cassette from the holder, the edge 26 of the cassette which is exposed by the cut out 23 is pushed toward the resilient member 22, 22a, until it is sufficiently compressed to permit the cassette to be lifted past the flange 21 and out of the recess. If a cassette is selected from the bottom sheet side of the support member, it can be removed by inserting a finger into the circular aperture 19, urging the cassette against the resilient member 22 or 22a and then pushing it out of the recess 12.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided a holder for tape cassettes which holds the cassettes in place despite the position or handling of the holder but which permits easy insertion, and selection and removal of individual cassettes.

Claims

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patents of the United States, is:

1. A holder for tape cassettes comprising a flat, rigid support member having a top and bottom surface and a plurality of cassette-receiving recesses therein, a bottom sheet overlying the bottom surface of the support member and having an aperture communicating with each of the recesses adjacent one end of said recesses, spaced upstanding detents carried by the bottom sheet and extending into the recesses, a first and a second flange coextensive with the top surface of the support member and disposed on opposite ends of each recess, a resilient member carried within the recess beneath the first flange and a cut out portion on the second flange whereby the edge of the cassette may be engaged to urge it against the resilient member.

2. A cassette holder according to claim 1 in which the bottom sheet is transparent and extends beyond one edge of the support member.

3. A cassette holder according to claim 1 in which the bottom sheet is opaque and provided with elongated cut outs whereby indicia on the cassettes may be read.

4. A cassette holder according to claim 1 in which the resilient member is a sponge rubber block.

5. A cassette holder according to claim 1 in which the resilient member is a block of foamed plastic.

6. A cassette holder according to claim 1 in which the resilient member is a bowed flat spring.

7. A cassette holder according to claim 2 in which the bottom sheet extension is formed with spaced perforations whereby the holder may be secured within a ring binder.