Cassette Caddy

Abstract

A caddy for storage, display and transport of magnetic tape cassettes. The caddy has attachment means thereon for releasable connection with corresponding attachment means on a vehicle. A plurality of flexible receiving pockets from one or more rows on a front surface and the top receiving pocket in each row of pockets has a pillow projecting across its mouth. The pillow supports a cassette stored in the upper pocket, to cant the top of the cassette outwardly from the caddy body. Each cassette serves to cant the one beneath outwardly and all of the cassettes, because the tops thereof are projecting outwardly of the caddy body, are easily grasped and removed from the pockets of the caddy. A removable flap means covers the cassettes housed in the caddy and is arranged to be rolled and stored, and removable straps allow a pair of the caddys to be connected for use as saddle bags.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to storage, display and transport means for magnetic tape cassettes.

2. Prior Art

Magnetic tape players have recently become very popular for both in-home and in-automobile use. Some player units are more or less permanently installed in the home and some are essentially permanently mounted in vehicles. Others are easily removable from and are transportable between home and vehicle.

The storage of cassettes used with tape players and the carrying of cassettes between home and vehicle have presented many problems. Trays, boxes, consoles and other devices have been proposed in the past for use as storage means and some have been used to transport cassettes. So far as I am aware, they have not allowed for separation of the stored cassettes and they have not supported the cassettes in a manner such that selections can be easily made. Generally, such storage means have not been adaptable for alternate use in either a home or a vehicle or for convenient, out-of-the-way positioning in such vehicle. The present invention provides a container or caddy that can be used either in a home or in a vehicle and than can be readily moved from location to location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Principal objects of the present invention are to provide a magnetic tape cassette caddy that will support cassettes in a manner such that they are each prominently displayed and such that they can be easily removed from the caddy.

Another object is to provide a cassette caddy which can be loaded with cassettes and that is easily installed and removed from mounting in an out-of-the-way position within a vehicle or that can be used in connected pairs, saddle bag style.

Still other objects are to provide a cassette caddy which is capable of carrying and protecting a plurality of cassettes and of individually displaying them in an aesthetically attractive manner.

Principal features of the present invention include a substantially solid backing member and a facing sheet of flexible material, forming with the backing member a plurality of cassette receiving pockets. Connection means, mounted on the rear of the backing member, are easily connected to and disconnected from appropriate cooperable connection means within a vehicle interior and provide means whereby a pair of caddys can be connected with flexible straps for use as saddle bags.

A number of vertical cassette receiving pockets are aligned, one above the other, on a front face of covered backing member, and flap means, which can be completely removed from the caddy when desired, or that can be used as a dust cover and lock over the receiving pockets and cassettes stored therein is connected to the backing member.

A pillow projects from the face of the backing member and extends across the mouth of each top cassette receiving pocket. The pillow cants the uppermost end of a cassette in the top pocket outwardly from the backing member, to facilitate its removal and replacement therein. Each cassette then cants the top of the cassette below it in a similar fashion so that all cassettes are held in an outwardly projecting position where they are easily viewed and grasped.

Additional objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and drawings, disclosing what are presently contemplated as being best modes of the invention.

THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of the cassette caddy with the flap cover removed;

FIG. 2, a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1, but showing a cassette positioned in an upper pocket;

FIG. 3, a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention, with the flap cover thereon;

FIG. 4, an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of FIG. 3, and fragmentarily showing a cassette in the top pocket;

FIG. 5, an end elevation view, drawn to a somewhat smaller scale, of a pair of caddys interconnected for use as saddle bags.

FIG. 6, a front elevation view of a support member of the invention mounted on a glove compartment door of a vehicle, shown fragmentarily;

FIG. 7, an enlarged, front elevation view of the support member; and

FIG. 8, a side elevation view of the support member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings:

The cassette caddy 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, consists of an essentially rigid backing member 11, such as cardboard, having a front face covered with a layer 12 of decorative material, such as plastic or leather. Outer edges 13 of the backing member are preferably covered and rolled with the same layer of material 12 which covers the front of the backing member 11 to give an attractive appearance. Snaps 14 are provided at upper corners of the backing member 11 and extend through both the material 12 and the backing member 11. The female portions of the snaps 14 at the rear of the caddy are adapted to cooperate with corresponding snap members on a vehicle, or the like, as will be further explained.

Receiver pockets 15, preferably formed of the flexible material 12 extend across the front surface of backing member 11. The pockets are sewn onto the covered backing member and are arranged in a vertical series. Each pocket 15 has its outer edges secured beneath the outer rolled edge 13 and has its lowermost edge secured to the material 12 which covers the front of the backing member 11. Tucks 16 are sewn in the bottom of each receiver pocket 15 to provide shape to the receiver pockets 15. The material 12 used to cover the backing member 11 and to construct the receiver pockets 15 has a sufficiently stiff texture that the individual receiver pocket shape, once formed, tends to be retained.

A pillow 17 formed of resilient, compressible material, is also covered with the material 12 and extends across the mouth of the uppermost receiver pocket 15. The pillow holds the top of a cassette 18 in the uppermost pocket away from the backing member 11 and cants the cassette such that it can be easily grasped and removed from the pocket.

The tops of cassettes placed in pockets below the top receiver pocket contact the outermost surface of the pocket 15 thereabove and these cassettes are similarly canted away from the backing member.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3, the cassette caddy is shown generally at 20. As in the previously described first embodiment, a backing member 28 is covered with a flexible attractive plastic-like material 28a, and the same, or a similar material is used to construct cassette receiving pockets on the front of the covered backing member. A plurality of vertical columns are formed and each column has an uppermost receiving pocket 22 with pillow 23 extending across the pocket opening. Each pillow cants a cassette placed in its associated pocket in the manner previously described.

As before, a cassette placed in the top pocket 22 of each row cants cassettes positioned therebeneath out, and each cassette cants the one below away from the backing member. A flap 25 extends from the rear of the cassette caddy 20 to cover the mouths of the pockets 22 and 24 and cassettes placed therein. Flap 25 has one or more magnets 26 mounted in one edge to contact and connect with corresponding magnets or metal plates 26a on the front of the lowermost receiver pocket 24. The magnet to magnet or metal to magnet connection, so formed, releasably latches flap 25 over the receiver pockets and the cassettes contained therein.

As shown best in FIG. 4, flap 25, preferably has double acting snap portions compressing a male portion 29a at one side of flap 25 and a female portion 29b on the other side. The male portion 29a is adapted to be releasably snapped into a corresponding female portion of a snap 27 at the top, rear of backing member 28. When the flap 25 is so secured to the backing member the female snap portions 29b are arranged to be coupled with corresponding male portions of snaps fixed to the side wall panels, or the like, not shown, of a vehicle.

Flap 25 can be removed from the backing member to allow ready access to cassettes placed in the pockets or it can be rolled, as best shown in FIG. 4 and the roll formed can be placed between cassettes in the uppermost pockets and the backing member. When rolled and so positioned, the flap assists the pillows 23 in canting the tops of the cassettes away from the backing member.

Whether or not the flap 25 is attached to backing member 11 female snap portions extend from the rear of the caddy and are adapted to be snapped to corresponding spaced male snap portions conveniently mounted inside an automobile. For example, such snaps may be mounted on a door panel or on a side fire wall beneath the dashboard of the vehicle.

Also, whether or not the flap 25 is attached, a flexible strap 30 having male snap portions 31 and 32 on the opposite ends thereof can be connected between the spaced female snap portions to serve as a carrying handle.

A pair of the straps 30 can also be connected between the snap portions of a pair of back to back caddys. The straps can be made parallel or can be crossed. In either event, they allow the connected caddys to be used saddle bag fashion with the straps resting on the top of a seat, chair, rack, transmission housing, or other support, and with a caddy on each side of the support.

As shown in FIGS. 6-8, a flat, somewhat rigid support member 33 of cardboard or the like, can be used to attach a caddy to the face of a glove compartment door 34 of a vehicle shown fragmentarily at 35. The support member has spaced snap portions 36 and 37 on a front face thereof, adapted to mate with cooperable snaps 14, FIG. 1, and snaps 27, FIG. 4 or snap portions 29b, FIG. 4; so that a caddy will rest against the backing member.

Elastic straps 38 and 39, extend from the rear face of support member 33 and are spaced apart so that they can be stretched and slid over opposite sides of the hinged glove compartment door 34. The straps 38 and 39 are sewn or otherwise affixed to the support member.

Thus, the support member can be placed on the glove compartment door and can be left thereon, more or less permanently. The caddy, either with or without the flap 25, can then be quickly and easily attached to or detached from the support member.

Although a preferred form of my invention has been herein disclosed, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is by way of example, and that variations are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, which subject matter I regard as my invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. In combination,

a pair of cassette caddys, each comprising

a relatively rigid backing member,

a pair of spaced snap portions extending from a rear face of the backing member adjacent to a top edge thereof,

a plurality of adjacent vertical rows of upwardly opening, pockets on a front face of the backing member, each pocket being adapted to receive a tape cassette therein,

a resilient pillow on the backing member at the opening of the uppermost pocket in each vertical row, said pillows canting the tops of cassettes placed in the uppermost pockets away from the backing member,

a flexible flap having spaced snap portions on one face thereof coupled with the snap portions extending from the rear face of the backing member and spaced snap portions on the opposite face thereof corresponding to the snap portions extending from the backing member,

latch means on the flap and on a lowermost pocket whereby the flap can be positioned over the openings of the pockets and cassettes therein and can be latched in place, and

a pair of flexible straps, each said strap having snap portions on the opposite ends thereof and the snap portions on opposite ends each being releasably coupled to snap means on a flap of a separate one of said caddys.