Low-profile disk case

In a storage case of the type having a base portion and a lid portion having a closed position facing the base portion, a forwardly projecting hub structure of the base portion for releasably engaging a central opening of a disk having an outer perimeter with the disk being enclosed within the case when the lid portion is in the closed position, there being means for releasably holding the lid portion in the closed position, the lid portion being openable to an open position being generally co-planar with the base portion for loading and/or accessing the disk, characterized in that the case further comprises:

• a. a spaced pair of hinge members connected between and integrally formed with the base portion and the lid portion;
• and
• b. a spine structure rigidly connected to the base portion and comprising respective enlargement portions thereof extending from opposite ends of the hinge members to proximate alignment with opposite side extremities of the base portion, and an additional enlargement portion extending between the hinge members, the enlargement portions also being approximately flush with the bottom of the base portion and the top of the lid portion in the closed position of the lid portion;
• wherein the hub structure is a first hub structure for releasably holding a first disk, there being a rearwardly projecting second hub structure of the lid portion for releasably holding a second disk within the case when the lid portion is in the closed position, each of the hub structures comprising plural circumferentially spaced segments for engaging the central opening of the corresponding disk, the segments projecting through and beyond the corresponding disk, being formed for facilitating insertion, retention, and removal of the disk, wherein the segments of each hub structure project between adjacent segments of the other hub structure in the closed position of the lid portion for permitting close spacing of the disks when the disks are supported on respective ones of the hub structures.

A storage case for a disk having a central opening and an outer perimeter of approximately 120 mm diameter, comprising:

• a. a base portion having a forwardly projecting hub structure for releasably engaging the central opening of the disk, and a shroud formation proximate the outer perimeter of the disk when the disk is supported on the hub structure, the shroud formation projecting forwardly of the disk for blocking deflection of the lid portion thereat;
• b. a lid portion;
• c. a spaced pair of hinge members connected between and integrally form molded with the base and lid portions, the lid portion having a closed position releasably engaging the base portion, and an open condition generally coplanar with the base portion, the hinge structure comprising a spaced pair of hinge members, each of the hinge members being connected to the base and lid portions by respective tab portions;
• d. a spine portion integrally formed with the base portion and comprising respective enlargement portions thereof rigidly extending from the hinge members and to proximate alignment with opposite side extremities of the base portion;
• and
• e. wherein the case has a length, a width, and a thickness in the closed position of the lid portion, the length being approximately 142 mm and the width being approximately 124 mm, the spine structure being approximately flush with the lid portion, and wherein the case has an overall length being approximately 275 mm in the open position of the lid portion.