Multiple disc package with locking and tamper-evident push button
AssigneeAGI Incorporated
InventorJohn A. Gelardi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Discs are held locked in a tray by flex arms with disc-retaining extensions overlying inner peripheral areas adjacent the central opening of the uppermost disc. A push button is held within a disc-centering boss. Lock tab detents extending from the push button hold the push button above an inner edge of an annular shelf on the centering boss. The push button is connected to the flex arms with goose neck connectors. Pressing inward on the flex arms tends to move the goose necks to draw the push button downward. In the locked, tamper-evident position, the lock tabs prevent the push button from moving downward, and thus hold the disc-retaining extensions over inner surface areas of the disc.
Claims18
A disc package comprising:
- a rigid tray having a ledge and a central boss extending upward from the ledge for centering discs;
- an inward extending shoulder on an upper portion of the boss;
- a flexible insert snapped into the tray and having a body, and having reference surfaces for supporting a fixed number of discs;
- flexible arms connected to the flexible insert and extended upward along the boss;
- disc-retaining extensions extending outward from tops of the flexible arms for retaining discs;
- connectors extending inward from medial portions of the flexible arms;
- a push button within the boss connected to the connectors for up and down movement in the boss;
- and
- lock tab detents extending outward from the push button for engaging the inward extending shoulder of the boss.
A disc package apparatus comprising:
- a flexible insert for connecting to a tray and having a body, and having reference surfaces for supporting a disc;
- flexible arms connected to the flexible insert for extending upward along a boss;
- disc-retaining extensions extending outward from tops of the flexible arms for retaining discs;
- connectors extending inward from medial portions of the flexible arms;
- a push button near the boss connected to the connectors for up and down movement along the boss;
- and
- lock tab detents extending outward from the push button for engaging an inward extending shoulder of the boss.
A method for loading, holding and releasing discs from a package, comprising:
- providing a rigid tray with a ledge and a central boss extending upward from the ledge for centering discs;
- providing an inward extending shoulder on an upper portion of the boss;
- providing a flexible insert, snapped into the tray and having a body, and having reference surfaces for supporting a fixed number of discs;
- providing flexible arms connected to the flexible insert and extended upward along the boss;
- providing disc-retaining extensions extending outward from tops of the flexible arms for retaining discs;
- providing connectors extending inward from medial portions of the flexible arms;
- providing a push button within the boss connected to the connectors for up and down movement in the boss;
- and
- providing lock tab detents extending outward from the push button for engaging the inward extending shoulder of the boss.
A method of holding discs on a tray, comprising:
- pushing discs downward over sloped upper surfaces on outward extensions of flexible arms;
- holding discs downward with lower horizontal surfaces on the extensions;
- moving upper portions of the arms inward by pushing downward with a first force on a central push button connected to the arms;
- initially locking the push button upward in a locking position with an inward shoulder on a centered boss on the tray;
- overcoming a holding force of the shoulder by pushing downward on the push button with a second force greater than the first force for releasing the locking;
- returning the arms outward with resilient force from the arms;
- returning the push button upward with the resilient force for returning the arms outward;
- and
- stopping the push button with the shoulder and preventing further upward travel beyond the shoulder into the initial locking position of the of the push button.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.