Organizer support structure for audio/video media

• US 5,558,235 A
• Filed: 09/06/1994
• Issued: 09/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Spectrum Controls (API Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Spectrum Controls (API Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Hunt, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin-Shue, Alvin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMILLA, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US08/301,068
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 211/40, 211/41, 206/309, 206/387.1, 312/9.9, 312/9.45, 312/9.47, 312/9.52, 312/9.55, 312/348.3
• US Class Current: 211/40
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/0236 Containers for several cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/0461 Disc storage racks

Abstract

An audio/video media package storage structure is formed using side rails, partition rails and spacer tubes. The side rail inner surface contains: a bottom flange; a row of interleaved long and short posts; a shelf beneath the posts and above the bottom flange, the shelf having notches centered between adjacent long posts. The rail can support packages of up to three different sizes at one time. Thin packages are supported between adjacent long and short posts and rest on the shelf. Thick packages are supported between adjacent long posts and rest on the bottom flange. Medium-sized packages fit within the notch on the shelf and rest on the bottom flange. The shelf and the bottom flange have protuberances centered between adjacent long and short posts and adjacent posts, respectively, to allow the packages to shift from a forwardly to a rearwardly-oriented display position. Each end of the side rail has a tunnel adjoining the bottom flange for inserting a spacer tube. Two side rails attached to common spacer tubes form a single row of package support clusters. Other variations are possible with use of a partition rail, which is essentially two side rails in back-to-back configuration. Two side rails and an intermediate partition rail attached to spacer tubes form two rows of package support clusters. The side rails may be attached to roller-type slide brackets to mount the structure to cabinetry. The rails are injection molded.

Claims

1. A package support construction, comprising:

a pair of spaced apart parallel side rail members for helping to support thereinbetween thin package members each having a wide transverse dimension, and thick package members each having a narrow transverse dimension;

means for securing said side rail members in a substantially parallel relation relative to one another to form a support frame for the package members;

a pair of spaced apart thin package member support shelves extending from corresponding ones of said side rail members toward one another for supporting from below said thin package members only, said side rail members being dimensioned to permit the thick package members to fit therebetween;

a series of spaced apart long stop members disposed generally in a common plane on said side rail members and extending in a pair of spaced apart rows transversely from corresponding ones of said side rail members in a confronting relationship for helping to define thick package receiving slots between opposed pairs of long stop members for helping to support said thick package members therebetween in either a backwardly or forwardly inclined upright manner between said shelves, said rows of long stop members being disposed above said shelves;

a series of spaced apart short stop members disposed generally in said common plane interleaved alternatingly with said long stop members on said side rail members and extending transversely in a pair of spaced apart rows from corresponding ones of said side rail members in a confronting relationship above said shelves and cooperating with said long stop members to define thin package receiving slots between opposed pairs of said short stop members for helping to support said thin package members therebetween either in a backwardly or forwardly inclined upright manner supported from below on said shelves at inclinations generally parallel to the thick package members, said pairs of long stop members and said pairs of short stop members having substantially different horizontal lengths relative to each other to permit the thin package members to fit between oppositely disposed pairs of said short stop members; and

said pairs of long stop members and said short stop members being interleaved in said common plane and spaced apart from one another by a sufficient distance to permit the thin package members and the thick package members to be shifted in unison between forwardly inclined parallel positions and backwardly inclined parallel positions to maintain the forwardly inclined package members and the backwardly inclined package members in generally parallel dispositions.

2. A package support construction according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pair of spaced apart lower support members disposed spaced apart from said pair of shelves and extending perpendicularly from corresponding ones of said side rail members for supporting from below said thick package members only.

3. A package support construction according to claim 2, wherein the individual lower support members in said thick package slot each include a centrally disposed rounded protuberance for helping said thick package members to be shifted forwardly and backwardly within said thick package slots.

4. A package support construction according to claim 1, wherein the shelves in said thin package slot each include at least another centrally disposed rounded protuberance for helping said thin package members to be shifted forwardly and backwardly within said thin package slots.

5. A package support construction according to claim 1, wherein the pair of shelves include pairs of spaced apart rectangularly shaped cut outs centrally disposed within said thick package slots for helping to define a medium package slots to facilitate supporting therein in an inclined upright manner a medium package members having a shorter longitudinal dimension and an intermediate transverse dimension.

6. A package support construction according to claim 5, further including lower support means having a pair of crossbar support members connected to said side rail members for holding them in said substantially parallel relation relative to one another;

and

a pair of spaced apart lower support members disposed spaced apart from said pair of upper support members and extending perpendicularly from corresponding ones of said rail members for supporting from below said thick package members and said medium package members only.

7. A package support construction according to claim 6, wherein the lower support members in said thick package slot each include a centrally disposed rounded protuberance for helping said thick package member and said medium package member to be shifted forwardly and backwardly within their respective slots.

8. A package support construction according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said pair of spaced apart side rail members includes an outwardly extending support rail for helping to support the construction.

9. A package support construction according to claim 1, wherein said long stop members are arranged in sets of spaced apart opposing pairs extending perpendicularly from corresponding ones of the side rail members;

and

said thick package slots being sufficiently dimensioned to receive therein the thick package members at a desired angle of inclination relative to its long longitudinal dimension.

10. A package support construction according to claim 1, wherein said thick package slots facilitate the shifting of thick package members therein between forwardly inclined positions and rearwardly inclined positions to petit the removal of the thick package member from said thick package slots.

11. A package support construction according to claim 1, wherein said long stop members and said short stop members are interleaved in the same rows generally within said common plane on said respective pair of side rail members.

12. A package support construction according to claim 11, wherein each short stop members cooperate with corresponding long stop members for helping to define a pair of thin package slots, said stop members having substantially equal dimensions.

13. A package support construction according to claim 9, wherein said thin package slots are sufficiently dimensioned to receive therein the thin package members at said desired angle of inclination relative to its short longitudinal dimension.

14. A package support construction according to claim 1, wherein the thick package members and the thin package members are stored in adjacent thick package and thin package slots for permitting the packages to be flipped in unison either forwardly or backwardly within their respective slots and for removal from thin respective slots selected package members.

35. The package-supporting as defined in claim 32, for supporting more than one column of packages, further comprising:

at least one central rail, disposed in parallel between said side rails and attached to said spacing means, having a first portion configured on one side thereof identical to said side rail in claim 1, further comprising a second portion defining a mirror image of the first portion attached integrally thereto by a common vertical central wall;

whereby multiple storage columns are provided that can support a mixture of different sized packages.

15. A package-supporting structure having an array of support cells for organized columnar storage and display of relatively thin orthogonal packages including packages of different sizes intermixed, each package being held in an inclined upright position by constraint provided by one of the support cells at a lower corner of the package, comprising:

basic support means defining a generally horizontal upwardly-facing basic support surface for supporting packages of at least one of the different sizes along at least a portion of a bottom edge of each thusly supported package;

an elongated side rail having a generally flat vertical wall extending upwardly from the basic support surface and forming a first side boundary of a storage column, the wall having a generally flat inwardly-facing surface shaped so as to articulate an integral package-support pattern defining a horizontal row of alternately long and short posts having lengths L1 and L2 respectively and extending inwardly from the wall and spaced apart uniformly by a separation dimension T1 between adjacent posts and a separation dimension T2 between long posts, thus defining in each region between adjacent long posts a dual-purpose support cluster that provides a package support choice between (1) a pair of first-sized package-support cells each having the thickness support spacing dimension T1 defined between adjacent posts, and (2) the single second-sized package-support cell having a thickness support spacing dimension T2 defined between adjacent long posts and having a bottom support surface defined by the basic support surface;

a longitudinal horizontal shelf integrally attached to the inwardly facing surface of the wall of said side rail in a region thereof between the row of posts and the basic support surface, extending inwardly to an inward shelf edge defining a shelf width W1 less than the long post length L1 but no less than the short post length L2, said shelf providing package bottom support, for packages that receive lateral constraint from the wall, at a second support level above that of the basic support surface, the basic support surface being made to extend inwardly beyond the inward shelf edge so as to provide bottom support for packages that receive lateral constraint from the inward shelf edge;

wherein said shelf is configured with a series of substantially rectangular notches, each notch being centered within a corresponding support cluster and having a length T3 defining a third support cell thickness dimension, said shelf being made to have a full shelf width W1 at those portions of said shelf between the notches, and a reduced shelf width W2 at those portions of said shelf extending along the length T3 of each notch;

whereby each cluster is further enabled to support a package having a third thickness, resting on the basic support surface and supported between ends of the notch defining a third support cell providing a thickness constraint dimension T3 and lateral constraint provided by an edge of the notch at a distance inward from the wall equal to the reduced width W2, thus forming between each pair of adjacent ones of said long posts a support cluster providing support for an intermixture of packages of three different base sizes.

16. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 15, wherein said basic support means comprises an elongate generally flat horizontal base flange formed integrally with the vertical wall of said side rail and extending inwardly to an inward edge defining a flange width.

17. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 15, wherein said basic support means comprises a flat rectangular horizontal baseplate to which said siderail is secured.

18. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 15, further comprising:

a flat, unarticulated vertical support surface, for laterally constraining supported packages, disposed at a second side boundary of the storage column opposite and parallel to the first side boundary thereof; and

spacing means for securing said side rail and said vertical support surface in a manner to separate said vertical wall of said side rail from said vertical support surface by a predetermined spacing dimension S;

whereby, for a particular value of S, a choice of package-support cells of two different sizes is provided within each cluster;

(1) two first-sized cells each dimensioned T1 by S and (2) a single second-sized cell dimensioned T2 by S-L2, thus enabling storage and display of intermixed packages of two different cross-sectional base sizes, constrained laterally and supported at a lower corner thereof.

19. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 15, further comprising:

a second like side rail, disposed in mirror image relation to said side rail so as to define a second boundary of the storage column opposite the first side boundary thereof; and

rail spacing means secured to said two side rails in a manner to separate the inwardly-facing wall surfaces of said side rails by a predetermined side rail spacing dimension S;

whereby a choice between two package-support cell sizes is provided within each pair of opposed clusters;

(1) two first cells dimensioned T1 by S and (2) a second cell dimensioned T2 by S-2*L2, thus enabling said package support structure to store and display an intermixture of packages of two different cross-sectional base sizes supported and constrained laterally at two lower corners thereof.

20. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 19, wherein the posts are made cylindrical in shape and wherein said structure is further defined to be configured such that, nominally, the spacing T1 between short and long posts is made to be 0.456", the spacing T2 between long posts is made to be 1.16" the short post length L2 is made to be 0.3825" and the rail spacing dimension S is made to be 4.9";

whereby each pair of opposed clusters provides intermixed two-corner package support for a selection between two different-sized packages;

(1) two CD (compact disc) packages, each having a nominal base size 0.412" by 4.9" and each supported in a cell sized 0.456" by 4.9", and

(2) one VHS (video cassette) package having a nominal base size 1.02" by 4.135" supported in a cell sized 1.16" by 4.135".

21. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 15, wherein the posts are cylindrical in shape.

22. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 15, further comprising a plurality of substantially rectangular vertical strengthening webs each extending downwardly from a corresponding one of said long posts to said shelf, each web being integrally attached to the corresponding post, the wall and the shelf.

23. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 15, further comprising, within each support cluster, a pair of minor support ribs made integral with said shelf and protruding upwardly therefrom to each form a portion of a cylindrical surface having a transverse axis, disposed symmetrically within the cluster each centered horizontally within a corresponding space between a short post and a long post, and each extending inwardly from the wall transversely across said shelf, said ribs providing a sliding bottom support interface that facilitates shifting a thusly supported package between two stable inclined storage positions provided by the corresponding support cell.

24. A package-supporting structure having an array of support cells for organized columnar storage and display of relatively thin orthogonal packages including packages of different sizes intermixed, each package being held in an inclined upright position by constraint provided by one of the support cells at a lower corner of the package, comprising:

an elongated side rail configured generally as an L-shaped angle bracket having a generally flat vertical wall formed integrally with a generally flat horizontal base flange extending to an inward edge thereof, the wall of said side rail forming a first side boundary of a storage column and having a generally flat inwardly-facing surface shaped so as to articulate an integral package-support pattern;

a horizontal row of alternately long and short cylindrical posts formed integrally on the inwardly-facing surface of the wall and extending inwardly therefrom, the long and short posts constituting a portion of the package-support pattern, having diameters D1 and D2 and lengths L1 and L2 respectively, spaced apart uniformly by a separation dimension T1 between adjacent posts and a separation dimension T2 between long posts;

a longitudinal horizontal shelf integrally attached to the inwardly facing surface of the wall of said side rail in a region thereof between the row of posts and the base flange, extending inwardly to an inward shelf edge defining a shelf width W1 less than the long post length L1 but no less than the short post length L2, said shelf providing bottom support for thusly supported packages at an upper support level above that of the base flange, the base flange being made to extend inwardly beyond the inward shelf edge so as to provide bottom package support at the basic support surface;

said shelf being configured to define a series of substantially rectangular notches, each notch being centered within a corresponding support cluster and having a length T3 defining a third support cell thickness dimension;

said shelf being further configured to have a full shelf width W1 at those portions of the shelf between the notches, and a reduced shelf width W2 at those portions of the shelf extending along the length T3 of each notch;

said structure, within a region between adjacent long posts, provides a triple-purpose support cluster that provides a package support selection from three different sized support cells as follows;

(1) two first-sized cells having a thickness dimension T1 defined between posts, providing lateral constraint from the wall and providing bottom support from the shelf,

(2) a second-sized cell having a thickness dimension T2 defined between long posts, providing lateral constraint from the shelf edge and providing bottom support from the base flange, and

(3) a third-sized cell having a thickness dimension T3 defined by the corresponding slot which also provides lateral constraint and provides bottom support from the base flange.

25. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 24 further comprising, within each support cluster, a pair of minor support ribs made integral with the shelf and protruding upwardly therefrom to each form a portion of a cylindrical surface having a transverse axis, disposed symmetrically within the support cluster, each centered horizontally within a corresponding space between a short post and a long post, and each extending inwardly from the wall transversely across the shelf, said minor support ribs providing a sliding bottom support interface that facilitates shifting a thusly supported package between two stable nearly upright storage positions provided by the corresponding support cell.

26. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 24 further comprising a plurality of major support ribs made integral with the base flange, each of said ribs being centered within a corresponding support cluster and forming an upwardly-protruding portion of a transverse cylindrical surface extending from the wall across the base flange to the edge thereof so as to provide a sliding bottom support interface that facilitates shifting thusly supported packages between two stable upright partially inclined positions provided by the corresponding support cell.

27. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 26 further comprising, within each support cluster, a pair of minor support ribs made integral with the shelf and protruding upwardly therefrom to each form a portion of a cylindrical surface having a transverse axis, disposed symmetrically within the support cluster, each centered horizontally within a corresponding space between short posts and long posts, and each extending inwardly from the wall transversely across the shelf, said minor support ribs providing a sliding bottom support interface that facilitates shifting and thusly supported package between two stable nearly upright storage positions provided by the corresponding support cell.

28. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 24 wherein the structure is further defined to be configured such that:

the spacing T1 between short and long posts is made to be 0.456";

the spacing T2 between long posts is made to be 1.16";

the diameter D2 of the short posts is made to be 0.192"; and

the length T2 of the notches is made to be 0.756";

whereby each cluster provides one-corner package support for a selection from three different-sized packages as follows;

two CD (compact disc) packages, each having a nominal thickness of 0.412" each resting on a minor support rib and each supported within a cell thickness of 0.456" defined by the spacing T1 between said posts;

an audiotape cassette package having a nominal thickness of 0.67", resting on a major arched support guide and supported between ends of a notch having a length T2, i.e. 0.756"; and

a VHS (videotape cassette) package having a nominal thickness of 1.02", resting on a major arched support guide and supported within a cell thickness of 1.16" defined by the spacing T2 between adjacent ones of said long posts.

29. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 24 further comprising:

a vertical support surface disposed parallel to the side rail wall opposite the first side boundary;

a horizontal support surface disposed adjacent to said vertical support surface at a level generally corresponding to the shelf portion of said side rail; and

spacing means for securing said side rail and said vertical support surface in a manner to separate said vertical surface of said side rail from said vertical support surface by a predetermined spacing dimension S;

whereby, for a particular value of S, a choice of package-support cells of three different sizes is provided within each cluster;

two cells dimensioned 0.456" by S, a cell dimensioned 0.756" by S-W2, and a cell dimensioned 1.16" by S-W1, thus enabling said package support structure to store and display packages of up to three different cross-sectional base sizes intermixed.

30. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 29 wherein spacing dimension S is selected from the following group so as to provide support for a column of packages of corresponding package size and orientation:

dimension S is made about 4.9" to provide between adjacent posts a cell size 0.456" by about 4.9" for supporting CD packages in portrait orientation having a nominal base size 0.412" by 4.9";

dimension S is made about 5.59" to provide between adjacent posts a cell size 0.456" by about 5.59" for supporting CD packages in landscape orientation having a nominal base size 0.412" by 5.59";

dimension S is made about 2.742"-W2 to provide within the notches a cell size 0.756" by about 2.72" for supporting audiotape cassette packages in portrait orientation having nominal base size 0.67" by 2.72";

dimension S is made about 4.29"+W2 to provide within the notches a cell size 0.756" by about 4.29" for supporting audiotape cassette packages in landscape orientation having a nominal base size 0.67" by 4.29";

dimension S is made about 4.135"+W1 to provide between adjacent ones of said long posts a package-support cell sized 1.16" by about 4.135"+for supporting VHS packages in portrait orientation having a nominal base size 1.02" by 4.135"; and

dimension S is made about 7.525"-W1 to provide between adjacent ones of said long posts a cell size 1.16" by about 7.525" for supporting VHS packages in landscape orientation having a nominal base size 1.02" by 7.525".

31. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 29 wherein shelf width dimension W1 is made 0.375", W2 is made 0.2" and spacing dimension S is made about 4.135"+W1, i.e. about 4.51", whereby a choice between package-support cells of at least two different sizes is provided within each cluster:

a first cell size, 1.16" by about S-W1, i.e. 1.16" by about 4.135" for supporting a VHS package having a nominal base size 1.02" by 4.135", and a second cell size 0.756" by about S-W2, i.e. about 4.31" for supporting an audiotape package having a nominal base size 0.67" by 4.29".

32. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 24 further comprising:

a second like side rail, disposed in mirror image relation to said side rail so as to define a second boundary of the storage column opposite the first side boundary thereof; and

rail spacing means secured to said two side rails in a manner to separate the inwardly-facing wall sides of said side rails by a predetermined side rail spacing dimension S;

whereby a choice between three different package-support cell sizes is provided within each cluster;

two first cells sized T1 by S where T1=C-(D1+D2)/2, a second cell sized T3 by S-2*W2, and a third cell sized T2 by S-2*W1, thus enabling said package support structure to store and display packages of up to three different cross-sectional base sizes intermixed, with each package supported and constrained laterally at two lower corners thereof.

33. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 32, supporting CD (compact disc) packages and VHS (videotape cassette) packages, in portrait orientation, said structure further defined to be configured with the following nominal dimensions:

the length L1 of the short posts is made to be 0.2";

the length L2 of the long posts is made to be 0.75";

the full shelf width W1 is made to be 0.375";

the reduced shelf width W2 is made to be 0.2"; and

the side rail spacing S, between vertical surfaces, is made to be about 4.9";

whereby each of said first cells is made to be 0.456" by about 4.9" for supporting CD packages having base dimensions 0.412" by 4.9", and said third cell is made to be 1.16" by about 4.15" for supporting VHS packages having base dimensions 1.02"×

4.135".

34. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 32, wherein the side rail spacing dimension S is selected from the following group so as to provide support for a column of packages of corresponding package size and orientation:

dimension S is made about 5.59" to provide between adjacent posts a cell size about 0.456" by 5.59", for supporting CD packages in landscape orientation having a nominal base size 0.412" by 5.59";

dimension S is made about 2.72"+2*W2 to provide within the notches a cell size about 0.756" by about 2.72" for supporting audiotape cassette packages in portrait orientation having a nominal base size 0.67" by 2.72";

dimension S is made about 4.29"+2*W2 to provide within the notches a cell size about 0.756" by about 4.29" for supporting audiotape cassette packages in landscape orientation having a nominal base size 0.67" by 4.29";

dimension S is made about 4.135"+2*W1 to provide between adjacent ones of said long posts a cell size about 1.16" by about 4.135" for supporting VHS packages in portrait orientation having a nominal base size 1.02" by 4.135"; and

dimension S is made about 7.525"+2*W1 to provide between adjacent ones of said long posts a cell size about 1.16" by about 7.525" for supporting VHS packages in landscape orientation having a nominal base size 1.02" and 7.525".

36. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 32 wherein said rail-spacing means comprise:

a pair of bushings formed integrally in each rail, one at each end of the respective wall, each defining a lateral generally cylindrical cavity region traversing the bushing and the sleeve; and

a pair of like cylindrical spacer members each frictionally engaging said rails via the cavity regions at ends of said spacer members, so as to configure said package-supporting structure as a rigid frame.

37. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 36 wherein said bushings are each configured as a tunnel with the cavity region extending substantially full width of said rail and having an inverted U shape with a generally rectangular opening facing downwardly, whereby said cylindrical spacer members can be forced into place into the cavity region and retained there frictionally.

38. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 37 further comprising in each bushing, in the cavity region thereof, three bearing ridges formed as inwardly facing protrusion on an inner cylindrical wall of the bushing extending transversely substantially full length of said bushing, disposed radially at approximately 120 degree intervals around the inner cylindrical wall at four, eight and twelve o'"'"'clock positions, said bearing ridges serving as bearing surfaces against said spacer member and enabling a snap action assembly and removal of the spacer member in response to a twisting torque applied to said rail.

39. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 36 wherein said cylindrical spacer members are configured as aluminum tubes having a central bore.

40. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 39 further comprising end constraint means attached to end regions of said cylindrical spacer members, whereby said side rails are constrained against shifting beyond the end regions.

41. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 36, intended for mounting to host furniture via a roller slide mechanism, further comprising:

a pair of roller slide channels, constituting a portion of the roller slide mechanism, fastened at ends thereof to respective ends of said pair of cylindrical spacer members so as to form a generally rectangular rigid frame carrying said rails frictionally engaged on said spacer members.

42. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 36 intended for mounting to host furniture via a roller slide mechanism, further comprising:

a pair of roller slide channels, each formed integrally on an outwardly-facing wall of a corresponding one of said side rails engaged on said cylindrical spacer members, configured to each constitute a functional element of the roller slide mechanism.

43. The package-supporting structure as defined in claim 42 further comprising:

a plurality of rollers attached to the host furniture, cooperating with said pair of channels in a manner to enable the rigid frame, along with said rails and packages supported thereby, to be slidably moved relative to the host furniture.