Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02208498 1997-06-17
CD CARRYING CA8E HAVING A BUILT-IN POP COVER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of compact
discs and is particularly concerned with a CD carrying case
having a built-in pop-up cover.
BACKGROUND
Compact discs are recording media from which recorded
information can be read out by means of a laser beam. By virtue
of the extremely high density and fidelity of the recorded
information therein, compact discs are becoming increasingly
popular.
Typical compact discs have a flat disc-shaped body
provided with a central aperture which facilitates the exact
mounting on a read-out instrument such as a compact disc
player.
While the CDs are relatively rugged and forgiving of minor
scratches, dust and debris, they still must be stored and given
protection. Indeed, scratches that sufficiently scatter the
laser beam can block reading of the encoded information. A disc
protective container also serves for the display of a label
that attracts the buyer and informs the user of the disc.
Accordingly, when not in use, the compact discs are
usually kept in compact disc carrying cases. These laser discs
carrying cases commonly comprise a cover shell hinged to a
bottom shell and locked by lock means. A tray is typically
provided within the bottom shell. The tray has a central
engagement means for holding the center aperture of the CD.
Commonly, those engagement means are rosettes typically made
up of a series of tines raised in a circle and radially
extending inward towards a center pushing area.
One of the major drawbacks associated with such
conventional CD carrier is the difficulty with which the cover
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shell is pivoted from the bottom shell in an open position.
Indeed, because the cover and platform are typically formed of
clear polystyrene, it is difficult to distinguish them.
Consequently, it is not uncommon for the user, in attempting
to grasp the platform with one hand, to mistakenly place the
thumb and fingers of that hand on the cover side walls,
thinking them to be part of the platform, while correctly
placing the fingers of the other hand on the platform back wall
and lifting, with the thumb of that hand, the cover front
border. Since both hands are inadvertently holding the cover,
the container cannot be opened.
The proper technique for opening the container is to place
the fingers of both hands on the platform back wall, the thumb
of both hands on the platform front wall, one of which lifts
the cover front border. While this works relatively well, once
one is experienced, the operation can prove to be difficult
since it requires manual dexterity.
8UNMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved CD carrying
case.
The CD carrying case in accordance with the present
invention is adapted to facilitate the opening thereof by
providing a pop-up mechanism.
The CD carrying case in accordance with the present
invention is adapted to be reliable and long lasting since it
minimizes the amount of components required to perform the pop-
up opening operation.
BRIEF DB8CRIPTION OF THE DRAWING8
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now
be described with reference to the following drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment
of a CD carrying case according to the present invention in a
partially opened configuration;
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Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the CD carrying
case of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a top view of the rear side of the base shell
of the CD carrying case shown in Figure 1, and showing the
biasing mechanism;
Figure 4 is an enlarged top view of one of the biasing
mechanisms of the CD carrying case shown in Figure 3;
Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of the rear
side of the CD carrying case of Figure 1 in a partially opened
configuration;
Figure 6 is the same view as Figure 5 showing the CD
carrying case in a closed position; and
Figure 7 is a top view of the rear side of the base shell
of another preferred embodiment of a CD carrying disc according
lS to the present invention.
Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a variant
of the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 where the
metal rod is mounted on the base wall of the base shell.
DETAILED DE8CRIPTION
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a CD carrying
case (10) according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention. The case (10) includes a base shell (12) having a
2S conventional substantially parallelepiped-shaped general
configuration. The base shell (12) includes a base wall (14),
a perpendicularly extending back wall (16), a pair of
perpendicularly extending side walls (18) and a perpendicularly
extending front wall (20).
A tray (22) is positioned inside the base shell (12). The
tray (22) defines a substantially centrally disc-shaped recess
(24). The disc-shaped recess (24) is configured and sized so
as to fittingly receive a compact disc (not shown). A centrally
disposed rosette-type gripping component (26) extends
integrally and substantially upwardly from the recess (24). The
gripping component (26) is adapted to releasably secure the
compact disc inside the recess (24).
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A lock receiving section (28) is formed integrally in the
front end of the tray ~22). The lock receiving section (28)
comprises a release push-button (30) integrally formed in the
lock receiving section (28). A locking tongue (40) having a
distal frontwardly protruding lip (42) extends integrally from
the back peripheral edge of the push-button (30).
A cover shell (32) is hingely connected to the base shell
(12) at a rear end thereof. The cover shell (32) includes a top
wall (34) and perpendicular side walls (36) extending
integrally from its side peripheral edges. A hinge component
(38) hingely connects the cover shell (32) to the base shell
(12).
The locking tongue (40) of the push-button (30) and its
lip (42) are adapted to cooperate with the front peripheral
edge (35) of the cover shell (32) for releasably locking the
cover shell (32) in a closed position. The locking tongue (40)
is adapted to pivot upon pressure on the push-button (30)
between a first position wherein it abuttingly contacts the
front peripheral edge (35) of the cover shell (32) and a second
position wherein it clears the same.
The CD carrying disc according to the present invention
further comprises a biasing mechanism adapted to cooperate with
the push-button for providing a pop-up mechanism to open the
case. Referring to Figures 2 to 4 and 8, the biasing mechanism
comprises on each side of the base shell (12) near the rear end
thereof a thin metal rod (50) mounted on the base wall (14),
as shown on Figure 8, or on the back wall (16) thereof, as
shown on Figures 1 to 3, and extending substantially in
parallel with the back wall (16), each metal rod (50) having
a free end (56) projecting outwardly beyond a corresponding
side wall (18) of the base shell (12) through a slot (58)
provided therein. Each slot (58) also allows the free end (56)
of a corresponding metal rod (50) to freely move back and
forth, as shown in Figure 4. Preferably, as illustrated in
Figures 3 and 4, each metal rod (50) is mounted in a sleeve
(52) fixed to the base wall (14) of the base shell (12), the
sleeve (52) being provided with a bore (54) sized to tightly
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receive one end (55) of the metal rod (50) opposite the free
end (56) of the rod (50) extending outwardly from the sleeve
(52). The free end (56) is adapted to receive in abutment a
corresponding rear end of a side wall (36) of the cover shell
(32) in a closed position, as shown in Figure 6. Preferably,
as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, each rod (50) iS mounted so
as to be slightly outwardly angulated with respect to the back
wall (16) of the base shell (12).
In use, each rod (50) iS adapted to simultaneously bias
against a corresponding rear end of the cover shell (32) SO
that when the push-button ( 30) iS pressed to release the cover
shell (32), each rod (50) biasingly pops the cover shell (32)
towards an open position, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5.
Referring to Figure 5, the cover shell (32) iS shown in
an open position, the metal rod biasing against the rear end
of the cover shell (32) and referring to Figure 6, the cover
shell (32) iS shown in a closed position, the side edge thereof
abutting against the metal rod (50).
In another preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 7,
the biasing mechanism may comprise a single flexible metal rod
(50) wedge between low walls (60) and extending generally in
parallel with the back wall (16) of the base shell (12). The
metal rod (50) has two opposite free ends (56) each being
adapted to receive in abutment a corresponding rear end of the
cover shell (32) in a closed position. As for the preferred
embodiment illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the free ends (56)
are acting as biasing means for biasingly popping up the cover
shell (32) towards its open position as the press-button (30)
is pressed down.
Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been
described in detail herein and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not
limited to these precise embodiments and that various changes
and modifications may be effected therein without departing
from the scope or spirit of the invention.
