WO2004025653A1

WO2004025653A1 - Racks and carriers for cds

Info

Publication number: WO2004025653A1
Application number: PCT/AU2003/001193
Authority: WO
Inventors: Brian Timothy Boland
Original assignee: Brian Timothy Boland
Priority date: 2002-09-16
Filing date: 2003-09-15
Publication date: 2004-03-25
Also published as: AU2002951442A0

Abstract

A CD (50) storage rack (5) comprises a frame (10) and carriers (20) for storage of CDs (50) without their cases. Each carrier (20) is pivotally mounted for movement between a back storage position and a front access position. Each carrier (20) has an integrally formed and resiliently flexible member between an attachment point of carrier and frame so that forward pivotal movement of the carrier (20) is effected through the resiliently flexible member. The carrier 20 has at the perimeter of its upper surface a short undercut slightly more than a semi-circumferential (“C” shape) wall (24) sized to receive and releasably retain a CD (50) at its outer edge and is formed from material sufficiently elastic to allow a CD (50) to pass through a chord formed by the open ends of the undercut wall (24).

Description

RACKSAND CARRIERSFORCDs

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to CD storage racks (herein called 'CD racks) in which the

CDs are stored without their cases in or on trays (herein called 'carriers') which allow a selected CD to be pivoted outward from the body of the rack (herein called a 'frame') to an access position. In preferred forms of the invention, the carriers are located in a vertical array and each have an integral resiliently flexible spring like member (spring biased inwards) that allows outward pivotal movement of each carrier to an access position where the CD can be removed from the carrier.

The racks according to this invention may be used for storage and presentation of music, data, video CDs, computer-related CDs such as CD-ROMs, CDIs, CDR s and other CDs. This invention relates to carriers for use in such storage systems as well as the racks or the system as a whole.

Background of the Invention

Several different arrangements of racks of the type indicted are know, they all have problems of ease of use, storage-efficiency, cost and/or functionality. The most common forms comprise an array of carriers attached and pivoted about a common axial metal shaft and have additional spring components, in the form of separate plastic (Acetyl Co-polymer or Nylon) or metal spring components. These known forms are complex and relatively expensive to manufacture and assemble. They are also clumbsy to use; the carriers employed risk scratching to the data surface of the CDs and they provide inadequate and/or non intuitive CD title identification (in the form of a separate title index sheets or a numbering system which is easily forgotten). They do not provide simple, safe storage with immediate reference to each CD title, for quick access to a CD. Object of the Invention

It is the general object of the present invention to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate the above disadvantages to provide a rack for storing CDs which allows high density storage of CDs in compact array and wherein a CD title may be immediately identified and the CD readily accessed for use. It is also desirable to provide a carrier for use is such racks.

Summary of the Invention

Accordingly, the present invention provides a CD storage rack including: a frame; a structure for attachment of an array of CD carrier elements; each carrier being adapted for releasable attachment of a CD and having an integrally formed resilient spring like member at its outer edge at the attachment point of carrier and housing which resiliently biases the carrier inward while allowing the carrier to be pivoted outward to provide access to the CD and wherein the carrier co acts with the housing to effect a limit to the travel of the carrier so that the resiliently biased spring like member is not forced beyond it's elastic limit.

The carriers are more preferably attached to a side edge of the frame, one on top of the other in vertical array, so that drawing the opposite side of the carrier forward results in the carrier resiliently pivoting, through to the stop point, outward from the frame so the CD may be accessed; thereafter the carrier is released and the resilient inwardly biased spring member returns the carrier back to its rest position within the array.

The carriers are preferably adapted to releasable retail a CD disc such that the upper and lower surfaces of the disc (data surfaces) are not in contact with the carrier, and wherein has an inward facing undercut, circumferential edge on it's upper surface which extends around a little more than half a circumference of a CD, whereby a CD may be forced through the elastic opening of the undercut area to become releasable retained at the CDs outer circumferential edge it outer edge; the upper and lower surfaces of the containment area being raked away from the CD to prevent contact between the carrier and the upper and lower surfaces of the CD. Preferably said carrier may have a stop at its underside such that may come into abutment with a reciprocal protrusion from the frame to effect a limit to travel of the carrier when the carrier has been pivoted out to the access position; the stop may take the form of a thin blade-like projection, from the inner wall of the frame, which projects into shallow recess at the underside of the carrier whereby the carrier is free to pivot outward until an edge of the recess comes into abutment with a stop edge of the blade like protrusion; said blade-like protrusion also functions to support the weight of the carrier and CD for minimal frictional contact and interference with the carrier below.

In a preferred form the invention comprises a hollow standing half cylinder ('frame") with a fully circular top and bottom and sized to accept within it's hollow cavity a vertical array of substantially circular planar form carriers for CDs. An edge of each carrier is attached to the side wall of the frame by a short resiliently flexible member which terminates in a slotted protuberance adapted for interference engagement within a reciprocal slot formed into the side wall of the frame. Opposite the attachment point the carrier has a finger like extension to provide a handle for pivoting the carrier outward and which has a flat vertical surface to affix a CD title label. The upper surface of the carrier has at its outer edge a short upward facing circumferential wall extending a little over half way around the carrier and having an undercut around it's inward facing edge; said wall and undercut being sized to accept and retain the diameter of a CD, and is formed from material elastic enough to allow entry of a CD diameter through the chord of its' open ends. The upper face of the undercut wall and the lower face are angled up and down respectively so that the CD is retained within the undercut at its' outer diameter edge, such that the upper and lower surfaces of the CD are not in contact with the carrier.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a CD-rack formed in accordance with this invention showing only three carriers, with attached CD discs, in a frame.

Fig. 2 is a section view of the CD-rack of Fig. 1 , looking down from the top

Fig. 3 is a part section, showing engagement of a CD disc with the undercut wall of a carrier

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

Figures 1 to 3 show a preferred embodiment of a CD storage rack according to the present invention. The rack 5 comprises a cylindrical open fronted cabinet 10 (which serves as the frame in this example) having sides walls 11 and 12 and a top 13 and a bottom 14. A series of horizontal notches 15 are formed into the frame side wall 11 to accept the interference engagement of reciprocal features 21 which are integrally formed in the terminal end of a short resiliently flexible arm 22 integrally attached to a carrier 20. The resiliently flexible arm 22 is a leaf-spring like section bent in a "u' shape to make it more compact. Diametrically opposite resiliently flexible arm 22 is a finger like extension 23 which functions as a handle (for finger tip access) for pivoting the carrier 20 outward to a CD access position from its rest position within the frame; said finger like extension 23 also has a flat front face 27 to which a CD title label may be fixed. As best shown in Figures 2 and 3 the carrier 20 has at the outer perimeter of its' top surface a slightly more than semi-circumferential "C" shaped short undercut wall 24 sized to releasably retain a CD disc 50 at it outer edge. Said undercut wall 24 is slightly more than semi- circumferential so that the undercut opening at its ends (the opening of the "C") 25 and 26 form a chord of slightly less than a CD disc diameter. The carrier is formed of sufficiently elastic plastic material to allow entry of a CD 50 diameter past the chord so as the CD 50 becomes releasably captured by the semi-circumferential undercut wall 24. As shown in figure 3 a CD 50 is releasably captured at it outer edge 51 and the upper face 60 and the lower face 61 of the undercut wall 24 are angled upward and downward respectively away from the horizontal plane to ensure that the CD is retained only at its' outer edge so there is no contact between the Carrier 20 and the upper or lower surfaces of the CD. The inner rear wall of the frame 11 has a series of short projecting horizontal blade-like extensions 18 which project forward into a recessed area 28 at the rear underside of each carrier 20. The blade-like extensions 18 support the rear of the carrier 20 and act as stop position 30 to prevent the carrier 20 from being pivoted forward beyond the elastic limit of the resiliently flexible arm 22. From the forgoing it would be appreciated that a CD in the rack may be readily identified by it's title fixed to the finger like extension 23 and accessed from within the rack by, fingertip applied, outward force to the finger like extension 23 to pivot the carrier through the resiliently flexible arm 22 through to the stop access position where the CD may be accessed and withdrawn through the open chord end of the undercut wall 24 of the carrier. Loading of a CD 50 is achieved by presenting the outer edge of a CD 50 to the open ends of the undercut wall 24 and lightly forcing it past so as it becomes releasably captured on the carrier 20.

Claims

1. A CD storage rack comprising: a frame; a plurality of carriers each adapted for storage of a CD disc, each of said plurality of carriers being pivotal, y mounted within said frame for pivotal movement between a back storage position and a front access position, each of said plurality of carriers having an integrally formed, resiliently flexible member between attachment point of carrier and frame, so that forward pivotal movement of the carrier is effected through the resiliently flexible member, said carrier having at the perimeter of its upper surface a short undercut slightly more than semi-circumferential wall sized to receive and releasably retain a CD disc at its outer edge and being formed from material sufficiently elastic to allow a CD disc diameter to pass between the two open ends of the said undercut wall.

2. A CD storage rack according to claim 1 wherein said carrier with said semi- circumferential undercut wall is adapted to releasable retain a CD disc at its outer diameter edge and whereby the top and bottom surfaces of a CD disc are not in contact with the carrier, wherein the upper and lower faces of the semi-circumferential undercut are angled upward and downward respectively.

3. A CD storage rack according to claims 1 and 2 wherein the carrier tray of claims 1 and two each have integrally formed means for pivotal attachment to the frame comprising a notch in the said resiliently flexible member which my be forcefully engaged into a reciprocal notch formed into the side wall of a frame to effect secure pivotal attachment of carrier to frame.

4. A CD storage rack of claims 1 to 3 having a carrier with a finger like extension opposite the carriers pivotal attachment point on a frame.

5. A CD storage rack of claims 1 to 4 having a carrier with a finger like extension opposite the carriers pivotal attachment point on a frame, wherein said finger like extension has a longitudinal forward facing facet to which a CD title label may be fixed.

6. A CD storage rack of claims 1 to 5 having a carrier with a recess formed, with a vertical or undercut edge, that abuts with a projection formed in the inner rear wall of a frame to form a stop to further travel of the carrier when the carrier is pivoted forward out from the frame to a CD access position.

7. A CD storage rack of claims 1 to 5 having vvithin said finger like extension a slot to receive a CD title label, said carrier being formed in transparent material so as the title of the CD label may be viewed throw the front facing wall of the slot.

8. A CD storage rack substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.