GB1577324A - Record disc package having a centre post - Google Patents

Description

(54) RECORD DISC PACKAGE HAVING AN IMPROVED CENTER POST (71) We, RCA CORPORATION, a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, United States of America, of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, City and State of New York, 10020, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The invention relates generally to a video disc system, and more particularly, to a video disc package.

The United States Patent 4030138 of Hillier, and a counterpart British Patent Application No. 28054/76 (Serial No. 1552373), filed July 6, 1976, disclose a disc record handling system wherein a pair of finger holes are provided in the unrecorded label area of a video disc. The package used for shipping and storing the video disc is provided with a well for receiving the video disc. The spacing between the edge of the well and the outer periphery of the video disc is such that the outer periphery of the video disc is not directly accessible, thereby constraining the consumer to handling the video disc by the finger holes. The package is provided with a finger cavity located underneath the finger holes to facilitate grasping of the video disc for removal from the package.

In the aforementioned type systems, when the consumer opens the package for removal of the video disc, the video disc may rest either in the base of the package, or the cover of the package, depending upon how the package is opened. For example, if the package is in a base-on-the-top position, the video disc may find itself in the cover, when the package is opened. In either case, it is desirable to keep the video disc from falling out of the package.

A copending UK Patent Application 33098/76 (Serial No. 1575521) filed concurrently herewith (US Patent 4084690) discloses a split center post for securing and centering a video disc in the package. The split center post, as disclosed in Pulse's application, comprises a member secured to the base of the package which is straddled by a pair of members secured to the cover of the package, when the package is shut.

When the package is shut after placing the video disc in the base of the package, the base member and the cover members interlock.

When the base and the cover members are interlocked, the arcuate peripheral surfaces of the base and cover members engage the center hole of the video disc in order to secure and center the video disc in the package.

If the video disc is resting in the cover of the package after it is opened, the cover members serve to secure and center the video disc to the package. In a similar manner, if the video disc is resting in the base of the package after it is opened, the base member serves to secure and center the video disc in the package. Thus, the video disc remains secured and centered in the package regardless of which half of the package is first opened.

It is herein recognized as desirable, when employing the advantageous split center post system described above, to define the shapes of the respective cover and base members of the split center post in a manner providing assurance of substantial immobilization of the disc when secured in either of the opened package conditions.

According to the present invention there is provided a package comprising: (A) a first member; (B) a second member.

said first member and said second member defining a cavity for enclosing a centrallyapertured disc record when said members are juxtaposed; and (C) a split center post including: (a) a rib-like element attached to said first member; each end of said rib-like element having an arcuate peripheral surface; said arcuate peripheral surfaces of said rib-like element being dimensioned for engagement with diametrically opposite portions of the wall defining said central aperture of said disc record when said disc record is enclosed in said cavity; and (b) a pair of elements secured to said second member; each of said pair of elements having an arcuate peripheral surface; said arcuate peripheral surfaces of said pair of elements being also dimensioned for engagement with diametrically opposite portions of said wall defining said central aperture of said disc record during said enclosure of said disc record in said cavity; said pair of elements defining a slot in which said rib-like element is admitted when said members are juxtaposed so as to permit said elements to nest within said central aperture while said disc record is contained in said cavity; and wherein the length of said arcuate peripheral surface of each of said pair of elements and the length of said arcuate peripheral surface of each of said ends of said rib-like element are substantially equal.

With such surface allocation among the elements, disc/post engagement is provided, in either of the opened package conditions, along opposing arcs of sufficient magnitude to substantially ensure disc immobilization.

Thus, for example, freedom of the disc to wobble, when secured to only one of the post members, is avoided.

In the drawings: Figure 1 illustrates a video disc package having a center post pursuant to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the center post when the Figure 1 package, occupied by a centrally apertured disc record, is in a shut condition; Figure 3 depicts a cross-sectional view of the center post while the record is resting in the cover member of the package of Figure 1; and Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the center post during the containment of the record in the base member of the package of Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 1, a video disc package 10 is provided with an improved center post for securing and centering a video disc 12 in the package. The improved split center post comprises a rib-like element 14 secured to a base 16 of the package 10 and a pair of elements 18 secured to a cover 20 of the package.

Figure 2 shows a sectional plan view showing the interlocking elements 14 and 18 in engagement with a center hole 22 of the video disc 12, while the package 10 is shut.

Figure 3 shows a sectional plan view of the cover elements 18 in engagement with the center hole 22 of the video disc 12 resting in the cover 20 of the package 10, while the package is open. It will be seen that the cover elements 18 secure the video disc 12 to the cover 20 of the package 10 in all directions in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the center hole 22 of the video disc.

Figure 4 shows a sectional plan view of the rib-like element 14 in engagement with the center hole 22 of the video disc 12 resting in the base 16 of the package 10, while the package is open. It will be seen that the riblike element 14 is also effective in securing the video disc 12 to the base 14 of the package 10 in all directions in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the center hole 22 of the package.

It will be seen that the length of the arcuate peripheral surface of each of the pair of elements and the length of the arcuate peripheral surface of each of the ends of the riblike element are substantially equal, each desirably subtending an arc of approximately 90" at the center. With such surface allocation among the elements, disc/post engagement is provided, in either of the opened package conditions, along opposing arcs of sufficient magnitude to substantially ensure disc immobilization. Thus, for example, freedom of the disc to wobble, when secured to only one of the post members, is avoided.

Additionally, the described center post further enhances the lateral stiffness of the package to prevent skewing thereof, and also provides a better friction closure for the package when shut.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A package comprising: (A) a first member; (B) a second member.

said first member and said second member defining a cavity for enclosing a centrallyapertured disc record when said members are juxtaposed; and (C) a split center post including: (a) a rib-like element attached to said first member; each end of said rib-like element having an arcuate peripheral surface; said arcuate peripheral surfaces of said rib-like element being dimensioned for engagement with diametrically opposite portions of the wall defining said central aperture of said disc record when said disc record is enclosed in said cavity; and (b) a pair of elements secured to said second member; each of said pair of elements having an arcuate peripheral surface; said arcuate peripheral surfaces of said pair of elements being so dimensioned for engagement with diametrically opposite portions of said wall defining said central aperture of said disc record during said enclosure of said disc record in said cavity; said pair of elements defining a slot in which said rib-like element is admitted when said members are juxtaposed so as to permit said elements to nest within said central aperture while said disc record is contained in said cavity; and wherein the length of said arcurate peri pheral surface of each of said pair of ele metns and the length of said arcuate peri pheral surface of each of said ends of said rib-like element are substantially equal.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. (b) a pair of elements secured to said second member; each of said pair of elements having an arcuate peripheral surface; said arcuate peripheral surfaces of said pair of elements being also dimensioned for engagement with diametrically opposite portions of said wall defining said central aperture of said disc record during said enclosure of said disc record in said cavity; said pair of elements defining a slot in which said rib-like element is admitted when said members are juxtaposed so as to permit said elements to nest within said central aperture while said disc record is contained in said cavity; and wherein the length of said arcuate peripheral surface of each of said pair of elements and the length of said arcuate peripheral surface of each of said ends of said rib-like element are substantially equal. With such surface allocation among the elements, disc/post engagement is provided, in either of the opened package conditions, along opposing arcs of sufficient magnitude to substantially ensure disc immobilization. Thus, for example, freedom of the disc to wobble, when secured to only one of the post members, is avoided. In the drawings: Figure 1 illustrates a video disc package having a center post pursuant to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the center post when the Figure 1 package, occupied by a centrally apertured disc record, is in a shut condition; Figure 3 depicts a cross-sectional view of the center post while the record is resting in the cover member of the package of Figure 1; and Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the center post during the containment of the record in the base member of the package of Figure 1. As shown in Figure 1, a video disc package 10 is provided with an improved center post for securing and centering a video disc 12 in the package. The improved split center post comprises a rib-like element 14 secured to a base 16 of the package 10 and a pair of elements 18 secured to a cover 20 of the package. Figure 2 shows a sectional plan view showing the interlocking elements 14 and 18 in engagement with a center hole 22 of the video disc 12, while the package 10 is shut. Figure 3 shows a sectional plan view of the cover elements 18 in engagement with the center hole 22 of the video disc 12 resting in the cover 20 of the package 10, while the package is open. It will be seen that the cover elements 18 secure the video disc 12 to the cover 20 of the package 10 in all directions in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the center hole 22 of the video disc. Figure 4 shows a sectional plan view of the rib-like element 14 in engagement with the center hole 22 of the video disc 12 resting in the base 16 of the package 10, while the package is open. It will be seen that the riblike element 14 is also effective in securing the video disc 12 to the base 14 of the package 10 in all directions in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the center hole 22 of the package. It will be seen that the length of the arcuate peripheral surface of each of the pair of elements and the length of the arcuate peripheral surface of each of the ends of the riblike element are substantially equal, each desirably subtending an arc of approximately 90" at the center. With such surface allocation among the elements, disc/post engagement is provided, in either of the opened package conditions, along opposing arcs of sufficient magnitude to substantially ensure disc immobilization. Thus, for example, freedom of the disc to wobble, when secured to only one of the post members, is avoided. Additionally, the described center post further enhances the lateral stiffness of the package to prevent skewing thereof, and also provides a better friction closure for the package when shut. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A package comprising: (A) a first member; (B) a second member.

said first member and said second member defining a cavity for enclosing a centrallyapertured disc record when said members are juxtaposed; and (C) a split center post including: (a) a rib-like element attached to said first member; each end of said rib-like element having an arcuate peripheral surface; said arcuate peripheral surfaces of said rib-like element being dimensioned for engagement with diametrically opposite portions of the wall defining said central aperture of said disc record when said disc record is enclosed in said cavity; and (b) a pair of elements secured to said second member; each of said pair of elements having an arcuate peripheral surface; said arcuate peripheral surfaces of said pair of elements being so dimensioned for engagement with diametrically opposite portions of said wall defining said central aperture of said disc record during said enclosure of said disc record in said cavity; said pair of elements defining a slot in which said rib-like element is admitted when said members are juxtaposed so as to permit said elements to nest within said central aperture while said disc record is contained in said cavity; and wherein the length of said arcurate peri pheral surface of each of said pair of ele metns and the length of said arcuate peri pheral surface of each of said ends of said rib-like element are substantially equal.

2. A package as defined in Claim 1

wherein surfaces of said rib-like element connecting the ends of said arcuate peripheral surfaces of said rib-like element are curved; and wherein the surface of each of said pair of elements joining the ends of the arcuate peripheral surface of said one of said pair of elements matches with the corresponding curved surface of said rib-like element.

3. A package as defined in claim 1 wherein the arcuate peripheral surface of each of said pair of elements and the arcuate peripheral surface of each of said ends of said rib-like element subtended an angle of approximately 90" at the center.

4. A package for a disc record and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.