GB2277732A - Cassette for storing disk-like elements - Google Patents

Abstract

A cassette for storing a plurality of disk-like data carriers 21 comprises two housings 1, 12. An external housing 1 has attached to one side wall a rib 11 with a stepped edge which projects into the interior of this housing 1. The steps rise from the bottom of the external housing 1 towards the open top. An internal housing 12 which holds the disks 21 has an open top and a slot cut in one side wall and the bottom to receive the rib 11 when the internal housing 12 is nested in the external housing 1 with the open tops upward so that the steps on the rib serve to raise successive disks 21 in the internal housing 12 for access. To close the internal housing 12, the external housing 1 is inverted and then telescoped with the external housing. The internal housing 12 has a recess 20 open towards the top of the internal housing which receives the rib 11 in the closed condition. <IMAGE>

Description

CASSETTE FOR STORING DISK-LIKE ELEMENTS The invention relates to a cassette for storing several disk-like elements, such as, e.g., diskettes for computers.

Such cassettes are generally known. The disk-like data carriers are stacked inside the cassette in parallel with each other to form a packet. When the cassette is opened, the disk-like data carriers must be removed either individually or all together in order to be able to read any writing or other identification present on the flat surfaces of the data carriers.

This is cumbersome and time-consuming. Furthermore, after removing one, several, or all of the data carriers, they may be returned into the cassette out of order. This makes reading the identification and locating a particular disk difficult the next time.

Although it is possible to assemble individual data carriers somewhat in order, this requires great dexterity.

It is an object of the invention to provide a cassette for storing a plurality of disk-like elements, such as data carriers, e.g.diskettes, in which the disadvantages of the known cassettes are obviated, in which the reading of writing on the flat surfaces of the data carriers is simplified and maintenance of the order of the data carriers is improved.

According to the present invention, a cassette for storing a plurality of disk-like elements comprises a generally flat rectangular external housing having a bottom, end walls, side walls and an open top; a rib inside said external housing and having a stepped edge extending into said housing, said rib narrowing towards said open top and being adjacent to, but spaced from, one end wall to provide a gap therebetween; an internal housing for holding said disk-like elements having a bottom, end walls, side walls and an open top, the external dimensions of which are smaller than the corresponding internal dimensions of said external housing to permit the internal housing to be introduced into the external housing, said internal housing having a slot extending through one side wall and the bottom to admit the rib when the internal housing is inserted bottom first into the external housing; whereby the stepped edge of said rib extends into the interior of said internal housing to lift disk-like elements in the internal housing on the steps of the stepped edge.

As a result of the invention, a staggered partial removal of the disk-like data carriers from the internal housing is possible after opening the cassette. By pushing successive disks out of the housing at different heights, the identification on each becomes visible simultaneously to facilitate removal of the desired disk. The cassette of the invention also facilitates proper placement of the disks within the housing. Staggered removal is accomplished by providing access to the bottom of said disks through the slot in the internal housing which holds the disks. The rib having the stepped edge is inserted through the slot. The individual steps of the rib abut the bottom edges of each successive data carrier in such a way that they rise in a staggered manner through the open top of the internal housing so that their labelled surface sections at the top of each data carrier become visible. The writing must be located in these exposed areas of the data carriers which is usually the case and which is also easy to accomplish.

The rib must not impede the closing of the cassette which is accomplished by sliding the external housing upside down, over the open end of the internal housing so that the open end is covered by the bottom of the external housing. For this purpose, a recess is provided outside an end wall of the internal housing.

This is the end facing away from the slot for the stepped edge rib. If the two housings are telescopically pushed into each other in the correct position for closing, that is, with the stepped edge rib disposed at the end of the internal housing opposite the rib-receiving slot, then the stepped edge rib does not push against the data carriers in the internal housing but rather enters the recess outside the housing. Thus, the rib does not interfere with the telescoping action. In the closed position, the rib lies adjacent and outside one end wall of the internal housing. The distance between the two end walls of the internal housing corresponds to the width dimension of the data carriers to be stored therein.

Preferably, the external housing, in the storage position with the cassette closed, as well as in the display position, completely overlaps the internal housing. However, it is sufficient for purposes of the invention that the internal housing be only partially overlapped.

A slot or slots can be provided in one side wall or both side walls of the external housing, said slots facilitating gripping of the internal housing when nested within the external housing.

One side wall of the internal housing can be provided with an external boss adapted to slide into said slot or only in one of said slots, thus the two housings can be inserted into each other only when they are properly oriented.

The two housings furthermore can be provided with associated engaging means to engage both housings when inserted into each other.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, it will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of an external housing of a cassette in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-section taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view from the bottom of the housing in accordance with Figure 1; Figure 4 is a rear elevational view of the internal housing of the cassette; Figure 5 is a cross-section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a view from the open top of the internal housing in accordance with Figure 4; Figure 7 is a front perspective view of the two housings engaged one within the other with open ends up, showing the individual data carriers in the internal housing pushed out to expose areas for written identification on the outer ends of the carriers; Figure 8 is a front perspective view of the two housings in closed or storage position, showing the internal housing inserted open top first into said external housing to enclose the data carriers; Figure 9 is a cross-section taken along line 9-9 of Figure 7, similar to Figures 2 and 5, through the two housings inserted one within the other and individual data carriers in the internal housing pushed out to expose areas for written identification on the outer ends of the carriers; and Figure 10 is a cross-section taken along line 10-10 of Figure 7.

The external housing 1 shown in Figures 1 3, 7, 8 and 10 has end walls 2 and 3, side walls 4 and 5, and a bottom wall 9. U-shaped slots 6 and 7 are centrally located in the walls 5 and 4, respectively, for gripping the internal housing when the sections are nested. Slot 6 also serves to receive a boss on internal housing 12 when inserted in housing 1, as described below. Housing 1 is open at the top. Slot 7 is smaller than slot 6 so that the housings can be telescoped only when properly oriented.

A rib 8 is attached to the wall 4 slightly spaced from the end wall 3 and extends into the exterior of the housing 1. The rib 8 abuts bottom 9 of the housing. The rib 8 has a stepped edge 11 which extends up to approximately half the height of the housing and narrows from the bottom to the top. A gap 10 is formed between the riser of the lower step of rib 8 and the wall 5 into which a wall of internal housing 12 can enter when the housings are telescoped. The steps provide staggered supports for a series of disklike elements stored in housing 12, as described below.

Figures 4 - 6 show, in views corresponding to Figures 1 - 3, an internal housing 12 with end walls 13 and 14, side walls 15 and 16, and a bottom 17, dimensioned to telescope inside housing 1: see also Figures 7, 8 and 10. The housing 12 is open at the top 23 to receive disk-like elements, or diskettes, 21 which carry data for use with computers. Commercial diskettes are 3.1/2 inches or 5 inches square. The distance between the walls 13 and 14 is slightly larger than the width of disks to be stored. A projection, or boss, 18, which in the top view is round, extends from the centre of wall 15. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, when the housings 1 and 12 are pushed into each other, boss 18 slides into the slot 6 in wall 5. Boss 18 is larger than the slot 7 in wall 4 so that the section will not telescope if section 12 is backwards. Thus, the two housings 1 and 12 can be inserted into each other only when they are properly oriented. Slots 6 and 7 permit gripping the internal housing to remove it from the external housing.

A narrow slot 19 is cut in the wall 15 of internal housing 12 up to approximately half the wall height and continues in bottom 17, as shown in Figure 5. The slot is wide enough to receive the rib 8 of the housing 1. Also, the distance of the slot 19 from the end wall 13 is dimensioned in accordance with the distance of the rib 8 from the end wall 3 of the housing 1 so that, during telescoping of the two housings with the open tops in the same direction, for the purpose of individually displaying disk-like data carriers arranged in the cassette, the rib can enter the slot 19 in an unhindered manner. When oriented in this fashion, the sections nest.

As best shown in Figures 4, 5 and 7, a recess, or opening, 20 is formed by an extension of the side wall 15 and of the bottom 17. The recess is open at the top and adjacent the face of end wall 14. This recess 20 is dimensioned in such a way that, in the storage or closed position (Figure 8) in which the housing 1 is turned upside down to close the open end of housing 12, and the housings are telescopically pushed into each other, the rib 8 may enter freely the recess 20. In the closed position, external housing 1 encloses recess 20, except at the top.

In the storage position, shown in Figure 8, the two housings 1 and 12 are pushed into each other with their openings facing each other, so that a stack of disk-like data carriers 21 may be held in the internal housing 12 between the end walls 13 and 14 and side walls 15 and 16. In order to determine which disk-like data carriers are located in the cassette, the external housing 1 is pulled off in the upward direction from the housing 12, is rotated in the same plane by 1800 so that the open top of the housing 1 points upward. Then the internal housing 12, in the same position, i.e., with the opening 23 towards the top and bottom 17 first, is pushed into the external housing 1. The inserted position is shown in Figures 7, 9 and 10 in which disk-like data carriers 21 arranged inside the cassette are shown for a better understanding of the mode of operation of the cassette of the invention. It can be seen that the rib 8 has penetrated the interior of the housing 12 through slot 19 and the steps of the stepped edge 11 of the rib 8 have pushed against the lower edges of the data carriers 21 and arranged them in a step-like manner in the upward direction. Nested in this way, the writing surfaces 22 and the identification of each data carrier 21 are visible.

When the cassette is to be closed again, the internal housing is manually gripped at boss 18 and the area of side wall 16 surrounded by slot 7. The external housing is pulled off the internal housing 12 in the downward direction so that the data carriers 21 completely sink back into the internal housing 12.

Subsequently, the external housing 1 is turned by 1800 in the same plane and, with the opening facing down, is pushed on to the internal housing 12. The rib 8 then re-enters the recess 20 and the bottom 9 covers the open end 23 of the housing 12.

Rounded buttons or protuberances 30 and 32 may be provided on the external surfaces of walls 15 and 16, which buttons slide into dimples 34 and 36 in the internal surfaces of walls 5 and 4 to prevent the internal housing from sliding out of the external housing until manual force is applied.

Claims (11)

Claims:

1. A cassette for storing a plurality of disklike elements comprising a generally flat rectangular external housing having a bottom, end walls, side walls and an open top; a rib inside said external housing and having a stepped edge extending into said housing, said rib narrowing towards said open top and being adjacent to, but spaced from, one end wall to provide a gap therebetween; an internal housing for holding said disk-like elements having a bottom, end walls, side walls and an open top, the external dimensions of which are smaller than the corresponding internal dimensions of said external housing to permit the internal housing to be introduced into the external housing, said internal housing having a slot extending through one side wall and the bottom to admit the rib when the internal housing is inserted bottom first into the external housing; whereby the stepped edge of said rib extends into the interior of said internal housing to lift disk-like elements in the internal housing on the steps of the stepped edge.

2. The cassette of claim 1, in which said internal housing has a recess outside the end wall opposite the end wall adjacent said slot, said recess being open toward said open top for receiving said rib when said internal housing is inserted open top first into said external housing to close said internal housing.

3. The cassette of claim 1 or 2, in which said rib is parallel to said end wall to which it is adjacent.

4. The cassette of claim 2, in which said external housing completely overlaps said internal housing.

5. The cassette of any preceding claim, in which one side wall of said external housing has a first central U-shaped slot open to said open top and the corresponding wall of said internal housing has an external boss which slides into said slot when the internal and external housings are nested.

6. The cassette of claim 5, in which said external housing has a second U-shaped slot in the side wall opposite said first central U-shaped slot, said second U-shaped slot being narrower than said external boss.

7. The cassette of claim 1, which includes a button-like protuberance on the external surface of a side wall of said internal housing and a co-operating dimple in the internal surface of a side wall of said external housing which receives said protuberance when said housings are one within the other.

8. The cassette of any preceding claim, in which said rib is attached to said bottom of said external housing and the edge of said lowermost step is spaced from the side wall opposite said one side wall to which said rib is attached to accommodate a side wall of said internal housing when said internal housing is inserted into said external housing.

9. The cassette of any preceding claim, in which said rib extends from the botton of said external housing to about half-way up the wall to which it is attached, and said stepped edge has a series of steps rising from said bottom to the top of said rib, each successive step being closer to the wall to which said rib is attached than is the step below.

10. A cassette for storing a plurality of diskshaped elements comprising a generally rectangular external housing having a bottom, end walls, side walls, and an open top, a thin elongated rib attached to one side wall of said housing, and extending from the bottom of said housing part-way up said one side wall toward said open top, the edge of said rib opposite said one side wall being formed to provide a series of steps rising from the bottom to the top of said rib, a generally rectangular internal housing for holding said disk-shaped elements, so dimensioned as to be introduced into said housing, and a slot in said internal housing to accommodate said rib when said internal housing is introduced bottom first into the external housing so that said rib extends into the interior of said inner internal housing.

11. A cassette for storing a plurality of disklike elements substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.