GB2432355A

GB2432355A - Apparatus for holding two data discs

Info

Publication number: GB2432355A
Application number: GB0523330A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Johnston
Original assignee: Dubois Ltd
Current assignee: Dubois Ltd
Priority date: 2005-11-16
Filing date: 2005-11-16
Publication date: 2007-05-23
Also published as: GB0523330D0

Abstract

Apparatus for holding a first disc 7, e.g. a CD, having an aperture therein and a second disc 10A mounted within a cartridge 10B, e.g. a UMD (universal media disc). The apparatus consisting of; a base portion 1; disc engaging structure 4 extending from the base portion 1 for releasably engaging the first disc 7 via its aperture; and a carrier 9 hingedly mounted to the base portion 1 for releasably holding the cartridge 10B. The carrier may be positioned over the disc engaging structure and has an aperture 9B therein such that when the carrier 9 is positioned over the structure 7, at least part of the structure 7 passes through the aperture 9B in the carrier 9. This allows a CD and UMD to be held in the same apparatus with little or no increase in its size. Preferably the disc engaging structure 4 is in the form of a button. A security device may also be fitted to the into the base portion 1 through a slot 1A therein.

Description

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING FIRST AND SECOND DISKS

This invention relates to apparatus for holding first and second disks, the first disk having an aperture therein and the second disk being mounted within a cartridge. The first disk may typically be a CD (compact disk) or DVD (digital versatile disk) and the second disk a UMD (universal media disk), which comprises an disk mounted within a cartridge.

Apparatus for holding a disk such as a CD or DVD which has a central aperture is well known, e.g. as disclosed in US5788068. It is also known to provide an insert in such a container for holding a second CD or DVD in a position co-axial, or approximately co-axial, with the first CD or DVD. As the insert and the CD are both relatively thin, this can usually be done without increasing the external dimensions of the container.

It is also known to mount a disk such as a CD or DVD in a container and a second form of media carrier, e.g. a memory card or a UMD, side by side in a container. If the second media carrier is relatively small this can be done without increasing the dimension of the container but in other cases, e.g. with a UMD, this necessitates using a larger container.

An arrangement in which a UMD overlays or overlaps a CD or DVD has also been prepared but with a consequent increase in thickness of the container to accommodate the UMD.

The present invention aims to provide apparatus in which allows both a first disk, such as a CD or DVD, and a second disk, such as a UMD, mounted in a cartridge to be held in a container with little or no increase in the dimensions of the container (compared to a standard CD or DVD container).

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for holding a first disk having an aperture therein and a second disk mounted within a cartridge, the apparatus comprising: a base portion; disk engaging structure extending from said base portion for releasably engaging the first disk via its aperture; and a carrier hingedly mounted relative to said base portion for releasably holding the cartridge, the carrier being positionable over said disk engaging structure and having an aperture therein such that when the carrier is positioned over said structure, at least part of said structure passes through the aperture in said carrier.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a carrier for use in providing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim.

Preferred and optional features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the subsidiary claims of the specificatio The invention will now be further described, merely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of apparatus according to the invention holding a CD and a UMD; Figure 2 is an enlarged, part cut-away perspective view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 (with the CD omitted for clarity); and Figure 3 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

The apparatus shown in Figure 1 comprises a conventional, well-known form of container for holding a DVD with an extra carrier mounted therein for holding a UMD. The container comprises a base portion i and lid portion 2 which are joined to each other by a spine portion 3 The container is shown in the open position but the lid portion 2 can be hinged about the Spine portion 3 to a closed position in which it lies over and engages with the base Portion 1 in a well-known manner.

Disk engaging structure 4 comprising two arms 5 each resiliently cantilevered from the base portion (see Figure 2). The inner ends of the arms 5 form a button-like member 6 which, in use, passes through the central aperture 7A of a disk 7 (see Figure 3) to releasably engaging the disk 7 via its aperture. This form of structure 4, or hub, is well-known and is described further, for example, in US5788068.

An upstand 8 is also provided on the base portion 1 which, in use, surrounds or partially surrounds the periphery of the disk 7 when it is held on the hub 4. Such an upstand 8 is known and is described further in US 6502694. When the carrier 9 overlies the hub 4, the carrier 9 is supported on an upper surface of the upstand 8 so as to prevent it engaging the disk 7 (which lies slightly beneath the upper surface of the upstand 8).

The carrier 9 is hingedly mounted to the spine portion 3 so it can be moved relative to the base portion 1 from a position overlying the disk 7 (as shown in Figure 1) to a raised position (not shown) to provide access to the disk 7.

The carrier 9 is adapted to hold a UMD 10 which comprises a disk 1OA held within a cartridge lOB (see Figures 2 and 3). The cartridge lOB has an appreciable thickness (typically 4 -5 mm) and a width of about 64-65 mm is mounted within a recess 9A of similar dimensions formed in the carrier 9. An aperture 1OC is provided in the underside 1OD of the cartridge 10 to provide access to the central aperture 1OE of the disk 1OA housed therein (so the disk 1OA can be rotated when the cartridge 10 is mounted in a player).

An aperture 9B is also provided in the carrier 9 so that when the UMD cartridge 10 is mounted in the carrier 9, the aperture bC in the underside 1OD of the UMD cartridge 10 is axially aligned with the aperture 9B in the carrier 9. These apertures bC, 9B are located such that when the carrier 9 overlays the disk engaging structure 4 (as shown in the Figures), particularly when the container is in the closed configuration, they are axially aligned with the structure 4 so that at least part of the structure, e.g. the button-like member 6, passes through the aperture 9B in the carrier 9 and the aperture bC in the cartridge 10. By locating the structure 4 at least partially in said apertures 9B, bC it is possible to keep the thickness of the container in the closed position (i.e. the perpendicular distance between the lid and base portions 1, 2) within specified limitations. Indeed, by this means, it is possible to mount a UMD cartridge 10 (typically having a thickness of about 4 -5 mm) within a standard DVD container having a thickness of about 13 to 15mm (although the space available for mounting a booklet or other material adjacent the internal face of the lid portion 2 under booklet clips 2A may be reduced to some extent).

The invention thus enables two forms of media carriers, i.e. a CD (or DVD) and a UMD to be held within a standard DVD container merely by mounting the additional carrier 9 therein.

The carrier 9 is mounted to the spine portion 3 by pressing pivot pins 9C thereof into gaps between resilient upstand 11 provided on the spine portion 3. The pivot pins 9C are shown in Figure 1 prior to being mounted between the upstands 11. A similar mounting is used for a carrier for holding a second CD or DVD so containers provided with upstands 11 are readily available.

As the mounting is on the spine portion 3, the carrier 9 is pulled sideways by a few millimetres when the container is opened and the spine portion 3 pivoted away from the base portion 1. The aperture 9B in the carrier 9 and the shape of the button-like member 6 is thus arranged to permit the carrier to move sideways. As this happens, the underside of the carrier 9 rides up onto the upper surface of the button-like member 6.

The button-like member 6 preferably has rounded edges to ensure it does not get caught in the aperture 9B during this sideways movement.

The container shown in the drawings is adapted to receive a security device (not shown) inserted into the base portion 1 through a slot 1A therein and a slot in the upstand 8, so as to lie between the base portion 1 and the underside of the CD 7. Such a security device is described in W002/39451. The security device is arranged to slide beneath the disk engaging structure so as to inhibit depression of the button- like member 6, thereby preventing release of the disk from the structure 4. It will be appreciated that the addition of a UMD carrier 9 to the container does not interfere with the use of such a security device.

The embodiment described above has a two-arm hub 4 but it will be appreciated that other forms of hub for releasably engaging a CD or DVD via its central aperture may be used.

In the embodiment described, part of the hub 4 passes through both the aperture 9B in the carrier 9 and the aperture bC in the cartridge 10. Also, as shown in Figure 2, the disk 1OA within the cartridge is preferably supported on the upper surfaces of the button-like member 6.

However, in other arrangements (no shown) it may be sufficient for part of the hub 4 to pass through only the aperture 9B in the carrier 9 (it will also only pass through this aperture when no UMD is installed in the carrier).

In a typical arrangement, the various apertures may have dimensions as given below: Aperture 7A in disk 7: approximately 15mm diameter.

Aperture 9B in carrier 9: approximately 18mm diameter.

Aperture 1OC in cartridge 10: approximately 18mm diameter.

Aperture 1OE in disk bOA: approximately 11mm diameter.

The apparatus described above thus provides a carrier within a container so that the container can hold two forms of media carrier, e.g. a CD or DVD and a UMD cartridge, the carrier being accommodated within the container in a manner such that it has little or no impact upon the thickness of the container. In particular, it provides a carrier for a UMD cartridge which is adapted to fit within a standard DVD container.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. Apparatus for holding a first disk having an aperture therein and a second disk mounted within a cartridge, the apparatus comprising: a base portion; disk engaging structure extending from said base portion for releasably engaging the first disk via its aperture; and a carrier hingedly mounted relative to said base portion for releasably holding the cartridge, the carrier being positionable over said disk engaging structure and having an aperture therein such that when the carrier is positioned over said structure, at least part of said structure passes through the aperture in said carrier.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said structure comprises one or more arms resiliently cantilevered from the base portion.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said structure comprises a button-like member formed of one or more parts which, in use, fits through the aperture in said first disk to releasably engage the first disk.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which when the carrier is positioned over said disk engaging structure, the button-like member is fitted through the aperture in the carrier.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the cartridge also has an aperture in one side thereof such that when the cartridge is located in the carrier with the aperture therein located adjacent the aperture in the carrier and the carrier positioned over said disk engaging structure, at least part of said structure passes through the aperture in the carrier and the aperture in the cartridge.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a lid portion connected to the base portion by a spine portion, the lid portion being moveable between a closed position adjacent the base portion and an open position.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which said carrier is hingedly mounted to the spine portion.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which the spine portion has one or more upstanding members thereon into which one or more pivot pins of said carrier can be press-fitted.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the base portion has a circular or partially circular upstand provided thereon which, in use, is located around the periphery of a disk mounted on said disk engaging structure.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which when said carrier is positioned over said disk engaging structure, the carrier is supported on said circular or partially circular upstand.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the apparatus is adapted to receive a security device which, in use, is positioned between the base portion and said first disk and passes beneath said disk engaging structure.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 in which, when a security device is fitted beneath the disk-engaging structure, it inhibits depression of said structure and thereby prevents release of a disk held thereon.

13. Apparatus for holding a first disk having an aperture therein and a second disk mounted within a cartridge substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in one or more of the accompanying drawings.

14. A carrier for use in providing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim.