System and method for protecting removeable media playback devices

• US 8,184,400 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2009
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Viviana Research LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Edwards, Bruce, Kalayjian, Nicholas R., Janik, Craig M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Renner, Craig A.
• Application Number:
  US12/606,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20100046113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 360/97.01, 360/97.02, 360/97.03, 360/97.04, 360/98.01, 360/99.06, 360/99.07, 360/133, 720/601, 720/630, 720/725, 720/736, 720/726, 720/728, 720/731
• US Class Current: 360/133
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0211 for record carriers apparatus, e.g. video recorders, tape players or CD players
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/184 Mounting of motherboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/025 Portable cases
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/08 Insulation or absorption of undesired vibrations or sounds

Abstract

A mounting system for a media playback device is provided having an outer module for rigidly mounting the media playback device to a surface, and a corresponding cartridge which is capable of being inserted and removed from the outer module. While inserted in the outer module, a first mounting subsystem functions to fixedly mount the cartridge within the outer module such that shock, vibration, and other physical environmental factors are not amplified in the cartridge. A second mounting subsystem is provided to protect the cartridge while removed from the outer module, and generally comprises a resilient material around a portion of the cartridge.

Claims

1. A media cartridge comprising:

a media storage device;

a housing rigidly holding the media storage device, wherein the housing is configured to rigidly fix the media storage device inside an inner cavity of a media based deice during operation, wherein the housing comprises one or more track cavities configured to engage one or more bevels of the media based device for selective removal of the media cartridge from or insertion of the media cartridge into the media based device, and wherein the one or more track cavities extend along a longitudinal axis from a rear of the housing toward a front of the housing; and

a cushion holding the housing, wherein the cushion comprises a resilient material disposed over corners of the housing such that the cushion does not interfere with the interaction of the one or more bevels and the one or more track cavities.

2. The media cartridge as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a locking mechanism for providing insertion and ejection functions for the media cartridge with respect to the inner cavity.

3. The media cartridge as recited in claim 2, wherein a first portion of the locking mechanism is configured on an outer portion of the housing, and a second portion of the locking mechanism is configured in the media based device.

4. The media cartridge as recited in claim 3, wherein the first portion of the locking mechanism comprises a slot operatively couplable to a latch mechanism to provide automatic insertion and ejection of the media cartridge with respect to the media based device.

5. The media cartridge as recited in claim 4, wherein the resilient material is disposed about an outer portion of the media cartridge such that interaction between the first portion of the locking mechanism and the second portion of the locking mechanism is possible.

6. The media cartridge as recited in claim 1, wherein the resilient material is selected from the group consisting of rubber, polymer, and elastomer.

7. The media cartridge as recited in claim 1, wherein the resilient material disposed over the corners of the housing comprises a right rear cushion, a left rear cushion, and a bottom front cushion.

8. The media cartridge as recited in claim 7, wherein the resilient material disposed over the corners of the housing further comprises a top cushion.

9. The media cartridge as recited in claim 1, further comprising a connector operably coupled to the media storage device for connecting the media storage device to a computing device.

10. The media cartridge as recited in claim 1, further comprising an eject button included on a face of the cushion and capable of causing ejection of the media cartridge from the media based device.

11. The media cartridge as recited in claim 1, wherein the resilient material is disposed over all of the corners of the housing.

12. The media cartridge as recited in claim 1, wherein the cushion is not disposed over the one or more track cavities.

13. The media cartridge as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more track cavities are disposed on a bottom of the housing.

14. The media cartridge as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more track cavities each extend from an end surface at the rear of the housing toward the front of the housing such that the one or more track cavities extend beyond a point on the housing approximately half way between the end surface of the rear of the housing and an edge of the front of the housing.

15. The media cartridge recited in claim 1, further comprising a connector located within one of the one or more track cavities, wherein the one or more track cavities are formed in an end surface at the rear of the housing.

16. A system comprising:

an outer module configured for rigidly mounting a media based device to a surface, the outer module having an inner cavity; and

a media cartridge shaped and sized for insertion into the inner cavity of the outer module, the media cartridge including;

a media storage device;

a housing holding the media storage device, wherein the housing is configured to rigidly fix the media storage device inside an inner cavity of the media based device during operation, wherein the housing comprises one or more track cavities configured to engage one or more bevels of the media based device for selective removal of the media cartridge from or insertion of the media cartridge into the media based device, and wherein the one or more track cavities extend along a longitudinal axis from a rear of the housing toward a front of the housing; and

a cushion holding the housing, wherein the cushion comprises a resilient material disposed over corners of the housing such that the cushion does not interfere with the interaction of the one or more bevels and the one or more track cavities.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the media cartridge further comprises a locking mechanism for providing insertion and ejection functions for the media cartridge with respect to the inner cavity of the outer module.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein a first portion of the locking mechanism is configured on an outer portion of the media cartridge, and a second portion of the locking mechanism is configured in the outer module.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the first portion of the locking mechanism further comprises a slot, and the second portion of the locking mechanism further comprises a motor operatively connected to a latch mechanism, the motor and the latch mechanism operative with the slot for providing automatic insertion and ejection of the media cartridge with respect to the outer module.

20. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the resilient material is disposed about an outer portion of the media cartridge such that interaction between the first portion of the locking mechanism and the second portion of the locking mechanism is possible.

21. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the resilient material is selected from the group consisting of rubber, polymer, and elastomer.

22. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the resilient material disposed over the corners of the housing comprises a right rear cushion, a left rear cushion, and a bottom front cushion.

23. The system as recited in claim 22, wherein the resilient material disposed over the corners of the housing further comprises a top cushion.