GB2064486A

GB2064486A - Cases for recording media

Info

Publication number: GB2064486A
Application number: GB8038501A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: PENDRILL P
Current assignee: PENDRILL P
Priority date: 1979-11-30
Filing date: 1980-12-01
Publication date: 1981-06-17
Also published as: GB2064486B

Abstract

A case for a cassette comprises a tray 2 with a lid 3, the tray being internally divided by an interrupted wall 6 into a cassette compartment 7 and an extra compartment 8. Undercut ribs 4 in the lid 3 and complementary grooves 5 in the tray 2 enable the case to be releasably interengaged with other such cases. The tray may be formed with a raised central hub on which a compact disc can be locked in position. A plurality of cases can be pivoted about pins between a pair of opposed plates for storage. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to cases for recording media According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a case for containing a recording medium, said case being substantially rectangular, longer than it is thick and wider than it is thick, each of the length and the width of the case being approximately eleven centimetres.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a case containing a cassette or a compact disc, said case being substantially rectangular, longer than it is thick and wider than it is thick, the length and the width of the case being substantially equal to each other.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a case for containing a cassette or a compact disc, said case including wall means through which are formed hole means for receiving a member for securely retaining said case.

According to a yet further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a case for containing a recording medium and formed at its outside with engaging portions shaped to interengage with complementary engaging portions of another such case.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:~ Figure 1 is a top perspective view of an opened case for containing a tape cassette, Figure 2 shows a top plan view of the case closed, Figure 3 shows an end view of the case closed, Figure 4 shows a top perspective view of an inlay card for insertion in the case, Figure 5 shows a front elevation of a secure display apparatus displaying a row of cases each according to Figures 1 to 3, Figure 6 is a top plan view of the display apparatus, but with a top wall and securing rods thereof removed for the sake of easy understanding, Figure 7 is a front elevation of part of the display apparatus, Figure 8 shows an end elevation of two closed cases interengaged, Figure 9 shows a top perspective view of an opened modified version of the case, Figure 10 shows a perspective view of a pivot bracket of a lid of the modified version, Figure 11 shows a complementary pivot mounting of a tray of the modified version, Figure 12 shows a vertical section through a side wall of the tray and side edges of the lid and an inlay card of the modified version closed, Figure 13 shows a top perspective view of the inlay card for the modified version, and Figure 14 shows an exploded top perspective view of an opened further modified version of the case, containing a "compact disc".

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the case 1 is for containing a standard, twin-spool, tape cassette (not shown) and includes a tray 2 with a lid 3 pivotally mounted at an end of the tray 2. The case 1 is substantially rectangular, its outside length dimension being 109 mm, its outside width dimension being 109 mm, and its outside thickness dimension being 17 mm. Along the whole length of the side edges of the lid 3 are laterally undercut ribs 4. The whole length of the side edges of the underneath surface of the tray 2 are formed undercut grooves 5, the cross-section of each of which is complementary to the crosssection of each rib 4. Thus, the ribs. 4 of one case 1 can be slid longitudinally along the grooves 5 of another case 1 to interengage the cases, as illustrated in Figure 8, so that the cases 1 cannot be pulled apart except in a direction parallel to the ribs 4 and grooves 5.Cases 1 can therefore be interengaged in a continuous row if so desired. An interrupted dividing wall 6 divides the tray 2 into a cassette compartment 7 and an extra compartment 8. The base of the tray 2 in the compartment 7 has formed integrally therewith two vertical securing guides 9 which are so located as to enter the sprocket holes of a tape cassette when the cassette is fitted in the compartment 7. The wall 6 is situated at 40 mm from the lid pivoting end of the tray 2 and its functions are to bear against the cassette fitted into the compartment 7 and to separate the compartment 7 from the compartment 8 which can be used to contain marketing and/or promotional aids. The wall 6 also serves to support the inlay card 10 (see Figure 4) and the lid 3 when the lid 3 is closed.It is interrupted in two places in order to permit easy extraction of the cassette from the compartment 7 and of any items in the compartment 8. Short, 1 mm square section, vertical ribs 11 moulded integrally at the insides of the side walls of the tray 2 in the compartment 7 press against the fitted cassette and help to stop the cassette from rattling in the case 1. At its end edge nearer its pivot axis, the lid 3 is formed at its inside with a pocket 12 which receives the tape cassette in a conventional way.

Extending perpendicularly and co-axially through the side walls of the tray 2 are respective bores 13 for receiving a securing rod 14 (see Figure 7).

Referring to Figure 4, the inlay card 10 mainly lies face-to-face against the lid 3 which is advantageously of transparent plastics material, but the card 10 is advantageously bent back upon itself at one end as at 1 5, in order to seat itself in the pocket 12 and about the cassette in the pocket. The other end of the card 10 may include a planar extension flap 1 6 folded back flatly upon the remainder of the card 10, or a concertina-form extension 17 which would be housed in the compartment 8.

Referring to Figures 5 to 7, the display apparatus shown comprises upper and lower horizontal walls 18 and 19 formed with vertically aligned holes 20 for receiving the rods 14. In mounting the cases 1 securely in the apparatus, the holes 13 are aligned with the holes 20 and the rods 14 are inserted therein. Then the cases 1 are swung about their respective rods 14 into positions in which they contact each other but slightly overlap each other as seen from the front of the apparatus. Then a rod 14' is inserted vertically into a pair of holes 20 immediately in front of that end case 1 which is not itself overlapped as seen from the front, whereby the other cases 1 are trapped in position. To increase the security of the system, a long rod 21 can be passed horizontally through respective eyes 22 at the upper ends of the rods 14.

The case shown in Figures 9 to 12 differs from that shown in Figures 1 to 3 in a number of respects. The pocket 12 has been completely dispensed with and instead the tray 2 has an end wall 23 near the top edge of which the lid 3 is pivotally mounted in the side walls 24 of the case 2. At the insides of the corners of the lid 3 nearer the wall 23 are moulded integrally with the lid 3 respective brackets 25 from which respective coaxial horizontal pivot pins 26 project outwardly.

These pins 26 are journalled in horizontal co-axial bores 27 formed in the respective inside surfaces of the walls 24. Also formed in those inside surfaces are vertical channels 28 which extend from the top edges of the side walls 24 to the respective bores 27 and which gradually become shallower progressing towards the bores. Thus the pins 26 can be pushed down the channels 28, the plastics material of the walls 24 and the lid 3 yielding resiliently, until the pins 26 snap outwardly into the bores 27. The pins 26 are moulded integrally with the lid 3 and protrude from the brackets 25 to 2 mm. The lid 3, when shut, sits on top of the opposite end wall 29 of the case 2 and on top of the wall 6. It is snapped shut by forcing undercut ribs 30 along three edges thereof over smooth moulded ribs 31 along the insides of the respective walls 24 and 29.Not only are the ribs 30 undercut at their outsides to receive the ribs 31, but they are also undercut at their insides to receive an inlay card 32.

Referring to Figure 13, the card 32 comprises planar portions 33, 34 and 35 separated by folds and arranged to lie flatly against the lid 3, the wall 23 and the base of the compartment 7, respectively. The portion 35 is formed with slits 36 for receiving the guides 9. The inlay card 32, particularly on its surface placed against the lid 3, carries pre-printed information.

The case 2 is advantageously made of transparent plastics to give all round visibility to the purchaser. Thus the purchaser can see the information displayed on the inlay card underneath the lid 3 and can also see what is in the compartment 8.

An advantage of the present case is that it improves the sales potential of a pre-recorded tape cassette. In particular, since the portion of the inlay card immediately beneath the lid 3 is square, it can be printed with a direct reduction of the gramophone record sleeve front, this representing an important saving in art work and other charges.

Furthermore, the extra compartment 8 gives the recording company the opportunity of incorporating any extra information sheets about the release, or a catalogue of products available, or redemption slips for merchandising, or, with straightforward reduction from a gramophone record insert or liner bag, the complete album lyrics. This, combined with the relatively large area available for printing on the inlay card, means that all, or nearly all, information can be reproduced from an album, including the complete sleeve back. However, unlike the album, the present case allows the inclusion in the compartment 8 of promotional sales aids, such as badges or tape cleaning equipment.

The present invention is not limited to cases for tape cassettes, but is also applicable to cases for other recording media, for example the "compact disc". Such a version is shown in Figure 14, from which it can be seen that the items 6, 9 and 11 have been omitted and instead the base of the tray 2 is integral with an internal boss 40 which provides the socket part 41 of a bayonet joint of which the plug part 42 is carried by a knob 43. A compact disc 44 of 110 mm external diameter can have the socket part 41 received in the central hole 45 thereof and the plug part 42 engaged in the socket part 41, the knob 43 being of a diameter greater than that of this hole 45, so that the disc 44 is securely retained on the boss 40.

The knob 43 is provided with a gripping bar 46 and an arrow 47 indicating the tightening sense.

An inlay card (not shown) for this case can take the form of a multiple or stitched booklet with a spine flap for spine information. When in position, the inlay card would again be clearly visible through the lid 3 and could be held pressed against the lid by the knob 43.

Claims

1. A case for containing a recording medium, said case being substantially rectangular, longer than it is thick and wider than it is thick, each of the length and the width of the case being approximately eleven centimetres.

2. A case as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said length and said width is 109 millimetres.

3. A case as claimed in claim 1 or 2, and comprising a tray and a lid arranged to close said tray.

4. A case as claimed in claim 3, wherein said tray is divided internally by a dividing wall into a cassette compartment and an extra compartment.

5. A case as claimed in claim 4, wherein said dividing wall is interrupted at a location along its length.

6. A case as claimed in claim 4 or 5, and further comprising first and second bores extending coaxially through respective opposite side walls of said tray at said extra compartment for slidingly receiving an elongate securing member.

7. A case as claimed in claim 3,4, 5, or 6, wherein each of the top surface of said lid and the underneath surface of said tray is formed with engaging portions shaped to interengage with complementary engaging portions of another such case.

8. A case as claimed in claim 7, wherein the engaging portions on said lid comprise an undercut rib or an undercut groove and the engaging portions on said tray comprise an undercut groove or an undercut rib.

9. A case as claimed in claim 7, wherein the engaging portions on said lid comprise first and second undercut ribs or grooves extending along respective opposite edges of said top surface and the engaging portions on said tray comprise third and fourth undercut ribs or grooves extending along respective opposite edges said underneath surface.

10. A case as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 9, and containing an inlay card part of which extends over the inside surface of said lid, which is transparent, said card being positioned by a cassette in said case.

11. A case as claimed in claim 10 as appended to claim 4, wherein said part of said card has at its edge thereof nearest to said extra compartment a concertina-form extension for housing in said extra compartment.

12. A case as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein said lid is pivotally mounted in respective opposite side walls of said tray near the top edge of an end wall of the tray, said lid being provided with co-axial pivots which are journalled in respective co-axial bores formed in the respective inside surfaces of said respective opposite side walls of said tray.

13. A case as claimed in claim 12, and further comprising in said respective inside surfaces of said opposite side walls of said tray, respective substantially vertical channels which extend from the top edges of said respective opposite side walls to the respective bores and which gradually become shallower progressing towards the bores, whereby said pivots can be pushed down said channels, said opposite side walls and/or said lid yielding resiliently, until the pivots snap outwardly into said bores.

14. A case as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 13, wherein said lid is arranged to be snapped shut by forcing a ridge, extending along an edge of the inside surface of said lid and undercut at its outside, over a relatively smooth ridge extending along a corresponding edge of one of the upright walls of said tray.

15. A case as claimed in claim 14 as appended to claim 10, wherein not only is said ridge undercut at its outside, but also at its inside to receive an edge of said card.

16. A case as claimed in claim 4, 5, 4,5,6 or 11, or any one of claims 7,8,9,10,12,13, l4and 15 as appended to claim 4, wherein, when shut, said lid sits on top of said dividing wall.

17. A case as claimed in claim 10 or 11, said inlay card being formed with apertures for receiving cassette guides of said case for positioning said card.

18. A case as claimed in claim 1 and for a compact disc, said case comprising a tray and a lid arranged to close said tray, said tray being provided internally with a substantially central boss for positioning said disc.

19. A case as claimed in claim 18, wherein said boss comprises a socket part of a bayonet joint, and there is also provided a knob carrying a plug part of said bayonet joint, said knob being of a width to retain said disc on said boss.

20. A case containing a cassette or a compact disc, said case being substantially rectangular, longer than it is thick and wider than it is thick, the length and the width of the case being substantially equal to each other.

21. A case for containing a cassette or a compact disc, said case including wall means through which are formed hole means for receiving a member for securely retaining said case.

22. A case for containing a recording medium and formed at its outside with engaging portions shaped to interengage with complementary engaging portions of another such case.

23. A case for containing a recording medium, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3,9 to 12, or 14, of the accompanying drawings.