WO1999016053A2

WO1999016053A2 - Expandable compact disc storage, retrieval and reader system and expandable storage magazine

Info

Publication number: WO1999016053A2
Application number: PCT/US1998/019922
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eric Rene Bos; Robert L. Montelius, Jr.
Original assignee: Multidisc Technologies
Priority date: 1997-09-25
Filing date: 1998-09-24
Publication date: 1999-04-01
Also published as: AU9576998A; WO1999016053A3

Abstract

A compact disc storage, retrieval and reader system (10) for a computer. The system includes a telescopingly expandable housing (12) having a telescoping portion (14) and a non-telescoping portion (16) with an externally accessible compact disc loading drawer and staging cavity portal (18) disposed within the telescoping portion. A storage magazine (20) is disposed within the telescoping portion (14). Disposed within the non-telescoping portion (16) is a vertically movable disc transport and optics reader assembly (24). Operationally, the housing (12) expands to form a channel (25) within which the assembly (24) can travel to retrieve a disc (28). Also included is a compressible disc storage magazine (116) having a collapsible housing (118) with a plurality of disc storage pockets (120) each with at least one opening through which a compact disc (128) can pass for storage therewithin or retrieval therefrom. The magazine preferably is constructed as an accordion-like structure fabricated substantially in its entirety of a flexible plastic material having a thickness of about one mil.

Description

EXPA DABLE COMPACT DISC STORAGE, RETRIEVAL AND READER SYSTEM AND EXPANDABLE STORAGE MAGAZINE

Field of the Invention This invention relates in general to compact disc storage, and in particular to a compressible storage magazine having a collapsible housing with a plurality of disc storage pockets formed therein, with each pocket sized to accommodate a compact disc to thereby store a plurality of discs in a compact, relatively small space. Also included is a compact disc storage, retrieval and reader system having a telescopingly expandable housing having therein a disc storage magazine and a vertically movable disc transport and optics reader assembly operable to retrieve a stored disc when the housing is expanded and read the disc when the housing is non- expanded, thereby permitting placement of the system within a half height bay of a personal computer.

Background of the Invention

Compact disc storage and retrieval has become a significant factor for consideration in view of the proliferation of use of these discs for data storage in association with digitized information that must be readily available. A typical solution to disc storage and retrieval is found in a disc storage magazine in association with a computer such as a personal computer and wherein a plurality of discs are stored for call-up as needed. Of most significant value is a storage magazine that can be embedded within a personal computer to thereby permit rapid selection and activation without looking toward external implementation to accomplish disc selection. Further, individual storage magazine structures associated with disc storage in general have a predetermined storage capacity and cannot offer high density storage capabilities since these magazine structures are generally constructed as rigid shelves each accommodating one disc .

It is therefore apparent that a twofold need is present for, first, an embeddable storage magazine and disc reader that provides reasonable storage and retrievable capabilities while being physically capable of fitting within a confined space, and, second, a compact disc storage magazine wherein a significant number of discs can be securely stored for retrieval within a relatively small area. In accord therewith, a first primary object of the present invention is to provide a compact disc storage, retrieval and reader system incorporating magazine disc storage in association with a disc transport and optics reader assembly whereby the system is embeddable within a half height bay of a personal computer. A second primary object of the present invention is to provide a compressible storage magazine in general for storing a plurality of compact discs within a relatively small space. These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent throughout the description thereof which now follows.

Summary of the Invention The present invention is a compact disc storage, retrieval and reader system for a computer. The system comprises a telescopingly expandable housing having a telescoping portion and a non-telescoping portion with an externally accessible compact disc loading drawer and staging cavity portal disposed within the telescoping portion. A storage magazine having disc storage sites is disposed within the telescoping portion of the housing in vertical alignment with the disc loading drawer and staging cavity portal . Disposed within the non- telescoping portion of the housing is a vertically movable disc transport and optics reader assembly comprising an optics mechanism for accessing data from a disc and an integral disc loader. The disc transport and optics reader assembly is vertically movable only when the housing is expanded, and the housing is expandable to a depth at least sufficient to permit such vertical movement. Preferably, the housing has a non-expanded depth not exceeding 8.5 inches and an expanded depth of at least 9.5 inches, while the height thereof is no greater than 1.625 inch. These dimensions permit placement of the system into a standard half-height drive bay of a personal computer. Operationally, the housing expands with resultant formation of a channel within which the disc transport and optics reader assembly can travel to retrieve a disc from a disc storage site and thereafter return to a home site opposite and partially within the staging cavity portal. The housing then contracts to its non-expanded configuration and the optics reader component can be operable to retrieve data from the chosen disc as known in the art. Operation of the reader component must occur in the defined space in order to provide adequate room for disc operation. Upon completion of operations, the housing telescopes to permit the disc transport and optics reader assembly to travel vertically and replace the disc at its storage site in the storage magazine. In this manner, an otherwise oversized disc storage, retrieval and reader system can be accommodated in a standard drive bay of a personal computer to thereby effectuate rapid and immediate disc access from a proximate storage site.

The present invention includes a compressible storage magazine generally applicable for storing a plurality of compact discs. The magazine comprises a collapsible housing having a plurality of disc storage pockets, with each pocket having a ceiling structure and a floor structure and at least one opening therebetween through which a compact disc can pass for storage therewithin or retrieval therefrom. The plurality of pockets can be stacked upon each other, with the ceiling structure of one pocket functioning as the floor structure of a second pocket situated immediately there above. In order to accomplish a relatively small disc storage area, the magazine preferably is constructed as an accordion-like structure fabricated substantially in its entirety of a flexible plastic material preferably having a thickness of about one mil. The magazine can be associatable with an operating mechanism for data access from the discs such that disc delivery from the magazine to the operating mechanism by a disc extractor apparatus can occur. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of magazines are grouped into two opposing banks in two magazine enclosure structures with an access channel disposed therebetween. When additional disc storage is required, a magazine with greater capacity is substituted for the original magazine, with the size being constrained only by the size of the magazine enclosure structure. As is thus apparent, the magazine of the present invention permits storage of a significant number of compact discs within a relatively small space, with space limitations defined only by practical considerations .

Brief Description of the Drawings An illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a side elevation view of a telescopically expanded compact disc storage, retrieval and reader system for a computer;

Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a side elevation view of the system of Figure 1 in a non- expanded configuration;

Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of a top plan view of opposing banks of compact disc storage magazine enclosure structures with storage magazines therein; Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of a front elevation view of one compact disc storage magazine along line 4-4 of Figure 1 in a collapsed mode; and

Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of a front elevation view of the compact disc storage magazine of Figure 4 in an expanded mode.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, a compact disc storage, retrieval and reader system 10 is shown. The system 10 comprises a telescopingly expandable housing 12 having a telescoping portion 14 and a non-telescoping portion 16. Within the telescoping portion 14 are a conventional compact disc loading drawer and staging cavity portal 18 and a storage magazine 20 having disc storage sites 22 disposed in vertical alignment with the disc loading drawer and staging cavity portal 18. Within the non-telescoping portion 16 of the housing 12 is disposed an access channel 25 in which is disposed a vertically movable disc transport and optics reader assembly 24 comprising an optics mechanism 26 for accessing data from a disc 28 thereon and an integral disc loader 30 for transporting the disc 28. The assembly 24 travels vertically to retrieve and deliver compact discs at respective storage sites 22 of the disc storage magazine 20, to retrieve and deliver compact discs at the disc loading drawer and staging cavity portal 18, and to read data from a disc (e.g. disc 28) via the optics mechanism 26. Such travel is provided with robotics as known in the art to move the assembly 24 within the access channel 25.

As is apparent, it is spatially impossible for the assembly 24 to travel vertically within the non- telescoping portion 16 of the housing 12 while carrying a disc 28. Conversely, it likewise is spatially impossible for a conventional compact disc storage, retrieval and reader system (not shown) to be accommodated within a conventional drive bay 32 of a personal computer (not shown) because the depth for such a bay is 8.5 inches while the required depth for conventional system operability is 9.5 inches. The system 10 of the present invention solves the above problem since the housing 12 of the system 10 has a non- expanded depth (Figure 2) not exceeding 8.5 inches and an expanded depth of at least 9.5 inches (Figure 1) to thereby extend beyond the front wall 34 of the bay 32. Thus, when disc movement is required from or to storage sites 22 of the magazine 20, the telescoping portion 14 of the housing 12 moves outwardly from the drive bay 32 to create room for vertical movement of the disc transport and optics reader assembly 24. Once disc movement is completed, the assembly 24 returns to its home location as shown in Figure 2 opposite and partially within the staging cavity portal 18 for operation as required. The system 10 thereby permits employment of a conventional drive bay of a personal computer to house a compact disc storage, retrieval and reader system whereby the housing of the system is expandable outside the drive bay for disc delivery and retrieval, and contractible to reside totally within the drive bay during disc operation. Referring now to Figures 3-5, Figure 3 shows two magazine enclosure structures 110, 112 with an access channel 114 disposed therebetween. Each enclosure structure 110, 112 houses three identical compressible storage magazines 116 in columnar fashion as shown, with the access channel 114 provided to accommodate a conventional loader device (not shown) movable as known in the art among the storage magazines 114 for disc retrieval and replacement. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, each magazine 116 comprises a collapsible accordion-like housing 118 having a plurality of identical disc storage pockets 120, with each pocket 120 having a ceiling structure or panel 122, a floor structure or panel 124, opposing end panels extending between the ceiling structure 122 and floor structure 124, and at least one opening 126 formed therebetween into the pocket 120 through which a compact disc 128 can pass for storage therewithin or retrieval therefrom via a loader device in the access channel 114. Preferably, there are two opposing openings 126 so that disc placement is available from either the front or rear of each pocket 120. The plurality of pockets 120 are stacked upon each other, with the ceiling structure 122 of one pocket 120 functioning as the floor structure 124 of a second pocket 120 situated immediately there above. Each magazine 116 is preferably fabricated in its entirety of a flexible plastic material such as non-limitedly exemplified by the sheet product MYLAR as manufactured by DuPont Company, Wilmington, Delaware. A thickness of about one mil of Mylar provides desired functional characteristics to the magazines 116 here shown.

Figure 4 shows the magazine 116 in its fully collapsed mode as would be found when retrieval or replacement of a compact disc 128 is not occurring. Thus, the lateral accordion-like structures 130 are provided with preferential folds as known in the art to provide a resting configuration as shown in Figure 4. When the thickness of material used for constructing the magazine 116 is about one mil, about 116 compact discs 128 can be accommodated within a one inch space of collapsed magazine 116. Figure 5 illustrates the magazine 116 when a disc 128 is to be retrieved from or inserted into a pocket 120. When such is the case, the preferential folds of the lateral accordion-like structures 130 in association with the pocket 120a from which a compact disc 128a is to be extracted are straightened and thus expanded to thereby provide adequate room for disc extraction by a loader device for delivery to a disc reader (not shown). Such expansion preferably can be accomplished by the loader device such as with tongs or the like that appropriately engage the lateral accordion structures 130 and thereafter move vertically and straighten the preferential folds to open extraction or replacement spacing as would be recognized by the skilled artisan. As implied, return of a compact disc 128 from a disc reader into an empty pocket 120 is accomplished by reversing the above procedure. As is thus apparent, the present invention allows a relatively large number of compact discs to be efficiently stored in a relatively small space, yet simultaneously provides ready availability for a disc reader apparatus to accomplish rapid data retrieval.

While illustrative and presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A compact disc storage, retrieval and reader system for a computer, the system comprising: a) a telescopingly expandable housing having a telescoping portion and a non-telescoping portion; b) an externally accessible compact disc loading drawer and staging cavity portal disposed within the telescoping portion of the housing; c) a storage magazine having disc storage sites disposed within the telescoping portion of the housing in vertical alignment with the disc loading drawer and staging cavity portal; and d) a vertically movable disc transport and optics reader assembly comprising an optics mechanism for accessing data from a disc and an integral disc loader, said assembly disposed within the non-telescoping portion of the housing and vertically movable only when said housing is expanded, with said housing expandable to a depth at least sufficient to permit such vertical movement.

2. A compact disc storage, retrieval and reader system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the disc transport and optics reader assembly is vertically movable to respectively align the disc loader thereof with all disc storage sites and with the disc loading drawer and staging cavity portal .

3. A compact disc storage, retrieval and reader system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the storage magazine is disposed above the disc loading drawer and staging cavity portal.

4. A compact disc storage, retrieval and reader system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the system fits within a half height bay of a personal computer, said height not exceeding 1.625 inch. 5. A compact disc storage, retrieval and reader system as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the housing has a non-expanded depth not exceeding 8.5 inches and an expanded depth of at least 9.

5 inches.

6. A compact disc storage, retrieval and reader system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the housing has a non-expanded depth not exceeding 8.5 inches and an expanded depth of at least 9.5 inches.

7. A compact disc storage, retrieval and reader system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the optics mechanism is operable only when the disc transport and optics reader assembly is situated in alignment with the disc loading drawer and staging cavity portal.

8. A compressible storage magazine for storing a plurality of compact discs, said magazine comprising a collapsible housing having a plurality of disc storage pockets, with each pocket having a ceiling structure and a floor structure and at least one opening therebetween into the pocket through which a compact disc can pass for storage therewithin or retrieval therefrom.

9. A compressible compact disc storage magazine as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the plurality of pockets are stacked upon each other, with the ceiling structure of one pocket functioning as the floor structure of a second pocket situated immediately there above.

10. A compressible compact disc storage magazine as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the magazine is fabricated of a plastic material.

11. A compressible compact disc storage magazine as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the plastic material is flexible.

12. A compressible compact disc storage magazine as claimed in Claim 11 wherein the plastic material has a thickness of about one mil.

13. A compressible compact disc storage magazine as claimed in Claim 12 wherein the magazine has an accordion-like structure.

14. A compressible compact disc storage magazine as claimed in Claim 8 wherein each pocket has two opposing openings .

15. A compressible compact disc storage magazine as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the magazine is fabricated of a plastic material.

16. A compressible compact disc storage magazine as claimed in Claim 15 wherein the plastic material is flexible.

17. A compressible compact disc storage magazine as claimed in Claim 16 wherein the plastic material has a thickness of about one mil.

18. A compressible compact disc storage magazine as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the magazine has an accordion- like structure.

19. A compressible compact disc storage magazine as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the magazine has an accordionlike structure.