Compact disk container storage device
AssigneeCreative Point, Inc.
InventorsJerry M. Long, Peter J. Palmer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A storage device (10) adapted to store a plurality of compact disk containers, known as jewel boxes (11). The device (10) includes a hollow exterior frame (12) and an interior frame (28) which divides the interior into vertical columnar compartments (43, 44 and 45), each of which includes eight storage slots (50). Each of the compartments has an associated securing/release mechanism (60) which acts to restrain the jewel box (11) within the slot (50) and to release and eject it therefrom when pressure is applied to a release button (68). The device (10) is particulary adapted to store twenty four jewel boxes (11) in three columns, but is adaptable for other arrays and other rectangular solid objects.
Claims15
A storage device for storing a plurality of discrete objects, comprising:
- A hollow exterior frame member having one open side;
- an interior frame member contained within the exterior frame member, the interior frame member including dividing means for dividing the interior of the device into a plurality of slots for receiving the objects, each of said slots being in the general shape of and slightly larger than the objects and being accessible from said open side;
- and
- securing/release means associated with each of said slots to secure one of the objects therein and, upon manipulation, to release and eject the object therefrom such that the ejected object is manually accessible from the exterior of the device, the securing/release means including a securing surface for abutting against the front of the object a lever, extending along one side of the object, a fulcrum, and a solid triangular wedge member for abutting against a rear corner of the object and forcing the object both against said securing surface and laterally against said dividing means situated on the opposite side of the object;
- and
- means for rotating the lever about said fulcrum, and further including urging means to continually urge said securing surface to a position overlapping said front opening.
A securing/release mechanism adapted for use in combination with a compartment adapted for receiving an object in the shape of a rectangular solid, the mechanism, comprising;
- a lever portion extending along one side of the compartment, the lever portion being free to rotate in one dimension about a single fulcrum/pivot and being anchored only about said fulcrum/pivot, said fulcrum/pivot being fixed with respect to the compartment;
- the front of the lever portion extending to a position at the front portion of the compartment and the rear end of the lever portion extending beyond said fulcrum/pivot to a position at the rear end of the compartment.
- a securing surface portion attached to said front end of the lever portion, the securing surface being adapted to overlap a portion of the front surface of the object when the object is installed in the compartment;
- a solid triangular wedge portion arranged to engage said rear end of the lever portion, the wedge portion being adapted to abut against a rear corner of the object and to provide a continual diagonal force thereon so as to force the object against the side of the compartment opposite the lever portion when the object is installed within the compartment;
- urging means to continually urge the securing surface portion to a position of maximal overlap of the object;
- and
- release means, accessible to a user, being adapted such that pressure upon the release means overcomes the urging force of the urging means, causes the lever portion to rotate about said fulcrum/pivot to a position wherein the securing surface does not overlap the front of the object, and forces the wedge portion against the rear corner of the object so as to partially forcibly eject the object from the compartment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.