GB2285434A - Storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

A storage device for flat articles such as floppy discs, CDs etc. comprises (i) an open-topped container having a base wall (2) and two parallel side walls (3, 4) upstanding therefrom, the base wall having a track (7, 8) and at least one of the side walls carrying a series of notches (9, 10); and (ii) at least one divider (12) having a hinge element engageable with the track for movement of the divider along the track, said divider also having a shoulder adapted to seat in one of the notches (9, 10). Each side wall (3, 4) may carry a series of notches (9, 10), the notches on one side wall being aligned with the notches on the other side wall, the or each divider having a shoulder adapted to seat in one of each of the series of notches. <IMAGE>

Description

STORAGE DEVICE This invention relates to storage devices, and is especially concerned with storage devices for flat articles such as floppy discs, compact discs, music cassettes, vinyl records and the like.

Storage devices for such flat articles are known, and usually take the form of a shallow-sided tray into which are fixed lateral dividers. Such dividers are provided with hinges at their lower ends, which hinges are forcefully inserted into certain fixed positions in the tray. The flat articles (for convenience the example of compact discs will be used hereinafter) are then placed in the tray between the dividers, the dividers may be pivoted about their hinges and this allows the CDs to be flipped to and fro in order to expose their labels.

A disadvantage of this construction of storage device is that the positions of the dividers are fixed and so the partitioning of the CDs is also fixed. Nowadays more flexible partitioning of a collection of CDs is demanded.

However, in order to re-arrange the positions of the dividers in the known devices it is necessary to use a certain amount of force in order to remove and re-insert the dividers, since their hinges are usually snapped into tightfitting holes in the tray. This inconvenience is a serious shortcoming of presently-available partitioned storage devices.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage device of similar general configuration to the known devices, but wherein the dividers may be readily moved to adjust the sizes of the article-receiving compartments, and in which such articles may be readily viewed.

According to the invention a storage device for flat articles comprises (i) an open-topped container having a base wall and two parallel side walls upstanding therefrom, said base wall having a track and at least one of said side walls carrying a series of notches; and (ii) at least one divider having a hinge element engageable with said track for movement of said divider along the track, said divider also having a shoulder adapted to seat in one of said notches.

In one embodiment a series of notches is carried by each of the side walls, the notches on one side wall being aligned with the notches on the other, and the or each divider has a shoulder adapted to seat in one of each of the series of notches.

Preferably the base wall of the device has two parallel tracks, and the or each divider has a hinge element engageable with each of the tracks. In one embodiment the or each track comprises a longitudinal slot formed in the base wall.

In a preferred embodiment each hinge element of each divider comprises a downwardly-extending arm adapted to move along the longitudinal slot, the arm terminating in a finger, suitably formed parallel to the plane of the divider. Each track-forming slot is then suitably provided with an end extension formed at an angle to the slot in order to allow the finger on the arm of the divider to pass through it and thereby capture the hinge in the slot.

Thus, each divider may be assembled in the storage device by inserting the fingers in the slot extensions and then running the dividers along the tracks. The dividers may be set at any position along the tracks by simply allowing the shoulders of the dividers to seat in the notches carried by the side walls. The notches may be formed integrally with the tops of the side walls, or may be mounted thereon.

In order that the dividers may pivot about their hinges, the vertical distance between the shoulder and hinge of each divider should be greater than the vertical distance between the corresponding notch and the base wall of the container.

In order to maintain the shoulder of the divider proud of the notches as the divider is moved along the track, the divider is preferably provided with a second shoulder, at its bottom edge, which rests on the base wall of the container. Alternatively, the base wall may be provided with a supporting plate attached to its underneath and on which the fingers of the hinges of the dividers rest.

In order that the dividers can slide along the tracks with ease, the hinges must be a relatively loose fit in the tracks. This loose fit may allow the dividers a certain degree of freedom to rotate about a vertical axis, and in some cases this may have the effect of making both the dividers and the stored CDs appear untidy. In order to deal with this it is proposed, according to a further embodiment of the invention, that the base wall of the container should carry a series of grooves which are adapted to receive the flat articles. Preferably these grooves are aligned with the or each series of notches, and most preferably both the grooves and the notches are V-shaped and equi-angular.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a storage device according to the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the container of the device of Figure 1; Figure 3a is a cross-sectional view of the storage device showing a divider in an upright position; Figure 3b is a view similar to that of Figure 3a, but with the divider in a slanted or oblique position; Figure 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of two possible positions of a divider within the container; and Figure 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of a container with four dividers, forming between them three compartments for flat articles.

Referring to the drawings, the storage device comprises an open topped shallow container 1 having a base wall 2, side walls 3,4, and end walls 5,6. Formed in the base wall 2 are two parallel longitudinal track-forming slots 7,8.

Each slot has a right-angled end extension 7a,8a.

Formed at the top of each side wall is a series of Vshaped notches 9,10. Formed on the upper surface of the base wall 2, between the slots 7 and 8, is a series of Vshaped grooves 11.

Mounted in the container 1 are two flat dividers 12. As may best be seen from Figures 3a and 3b, each divider 12 comprises upper shoulders 13,14, lower shoulders 15,16, and arms 17,18 attached to right-angled fingers 19,20 respectively. The dividers are inserted in the container 1 by placing the fingers 19,20 through the extensions 8a,7a, and then sliding the dividers along the tracks 8,7 in which the arms 18,17 are a relatively loose fit. The normal position of the dividers is as shown in Figure 3b and at the right of Figure 4, i.e. with the shoulders 13,14 seated in notches 9,10, and the shoulders 15,16 in contact with the upper surface of the base wall 2. The divider may be moved along the tracks 7,8 by firstly pivoting the divider about the hinges to the upright position shown at the left of Figure 4, at which position the upper shoulders 13,14 stand proud of the notches 9,10. The divider may then be freely moved along the tracks 7,8 until it has reached the desired position when it will then be leant back into a slanting attitude.

Figure 5 shows a number of CDs (in their cases) stored in the storage device of Figures 1 to 4. As will be seen, three compartments 20,21 and 22 are provided by four dividers 12, and the individual CDs are seated in an individual groove 11 formed on the base wall 2. The grooves 11 lend stability to the device, give it an attractive appearance, and make the viewing of the labels of individual CDs particularly easy.

It will be appreciated that the container 1 may be slidden into an open-ended box (not shown) in the manner of a drawer, for protection of the contents of the container, for which purpose a handle or knob may be formed on one end wall 5 or 6. The elements of the storage device, i.e. the container 1, the dividers 12 and the box where used, may be moulded of a synthetic plastics material.

Claims (10)

1. A storage device for flat articles comprising (i) an open-topped container having a base wall and two parallel side walls upstanding therefrom, said base wall having a track and at least one of said side walls carrying a series of notches; and (ii) at least one divider having a hinge element engageable with said track for movement of said divider along the track, said divider also having a shoulder adapted to seat in one of said notches.

2. A storage device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said side walls carries a series of notches, the notches on one side wall being aligned with the notches on the other side wall, and the or each divider has a shoulder adapted to seat in one of each of said series of notches.

3. A storage device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said base wall has two parallel tracks and the or each divider has a hinge element engageable with each of said tracks.

4. A storage device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 in which the or each track in said base wall comprises a longitudinal slot formed in the base wall.

5. A storage device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the or each slot has an end extension formed at an angle thereto.

6. A storage device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said angle is a right angle.

7. A storage device as claimed in claim 5 or 6 in which the or each hinge element of the or each divider comprises a downwardly-extending arm adapted to move along said longitudinal slot, a finger attached at its extremity being adapted to pass through said end extension but not through said slot.

8. A storage device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 wherein said base wall also carries a series of grooves adapted to receive said flat articles.

9. A storage device as claimed in claim 8 wherein said grooves are aligned with the or each series of notches.

10. A storage device as claimed in claim 9 wherein said grooves and said notches are V-shaped and equi-angular.