Folding data disk holder

• US 5,713,463 A
• Filed: 08/15/1996
• Issued: 02/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3OG Incorporated
• Original Assignee: 3OG Incorporated
• Inventors: Tagtow, Daniel C., Jones, Pearce R., Lakoski, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, LUAN KIM
• Application Number:
  US08/689,903
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 206/307-313, 206/308.1, 206/232, 206/472, 206/474, 206/1.5, 206/493, 206/387.1, 206/807, 220/339
• US Class Current: 206/308.1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/0427 comprising centre hole locking means

Abstract

A data disk holder for electronic data storage disks such as compact disks (CDs), includes two opposed, generally arcuate planar closure members which are joined together along a base portion by a living hinge. One of the closure members includes a circular flange defining a bore for receiving a boss projecting centrally from the disk support surface of the other closure member, the boss being an interference fit in the bore for securing the closure members together to retain a data disk in the holder. The holder may be injection molded of relatively light weight polypropylene or a similar moldable polymer and may include transverse walls and a double living hinge to provide the jewel box construction and thickness of conventional disk holders.

Claims

1. A holder for a generally circular electronic data storage disk, comprising:

opposed closure members including means for supporting a generally circular data disk on at least one of said closure members;

a living hinge interconnecting said closure members for moving said closure members between an open position for inserting or removing a data disk with respect to said holder and a closed position for retaining said data disk between said closure members; and

means for retaining said closure members engaged with each other in the closed position of said holder comprising a generally cylindrical bore formed in one of said closure members and a generally cylindrical boss formed on the other of said closure members and operable to project into said bore in forcible engagement with said one closure member, at least one of said bore and said boss including at least one non-cylindrical surface thereon for forcible engagement with the other of said bore and said boss to retain said closure members in the closed position of said holder.

2. The holder set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said bore is formed in a circular flange in said one closure member, said flange having a diameter slightly less than a central circular bore formed in said data disk for journaling said data disk when placed on said one closure member.

3. The holder set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said boss includes a transverse end wall projecting from said one closure member when said closure members are in the closed position of said holder for pushing said other closure member away from said one closure member to open said holder.

4. The holder set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said closure members include generally circular recesses formed therein, respectively, forming a space for receiving said data disk when said closure members are in the closed position of said holder.

5. The holder set forth in claim 4 wherein:

said closure members include peripheral rim portions engageable with each other in the closed position of said holder to retain said data disk in said space.

6. The holder set forth in claim 5 including:

cooperating relieved surfaces in said rim portions for digital engagement of said closure members for opening said holder.

7. The holder set forth in claim 4 including:

spaced apart disk locating bosses disposed on at least one of said closure members for supporting said disk in a predetermined position on said one closure member.

8. The holder set forth in claim 1 wherein:

a major portion of said closure members is delimited by a generally circular outer surface and each of said closure members comprises a base portion disposed adjacent a base portion of the other closure member, said base portions being joined by said living hinge.

9. The holder set forth in claim 8 wherein:

said living hinge comprises two, generally parallel living hinges having an integral web interposed therebetween.

10. The holder set forth in claim 9 wherein:

one of said closure members includes spaced apart transverse walls projecting from said base portion of said one closure member and the other closure member includes spaced apart transverse walls projecting from said base portion of said other closure member, said transverse walls of said other closure member being spaced apart farther than said transverse walls of said one closure member so that said transverse walls overlie each other in the closed position of said holder.

11. The holder set forth in claim 10 wherein:

said closure members include arcuate transverse walls interengageable with each other in the closed position of said holder for retaining said data disk in said holder.

12. The holder set forth in claim 10 wherein:

one of said closure members includes a notch adjacent a surface for supporting said data disk to provide for engagement of said disk to remove said disk from said holder when said closure members are in an open position and the other of said closure members includes a transverse wall for covering said notch in the closed position of said holder.

13. The holder set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said holder is formed of injection molded plastic.

14. The holder set forth in claim 13 wherein:

said plastic comprises substantially transparent polypropylene.

15. A holder for a generally circular electronic data storage disk, comprising:

opposed closure members including means for supporting a generally circular data disk on at least one of said closure members;

hinge means interconnecting said closure members for moving said closure members between an open position for inserting or removing a data disk with respect to said holder and a closed position for retaining said data disk in said holder;

a circular flange on one of said closure members having a diameter slightly less than said hole in said data disk for journaling said data disk on said one closure member, a bore formed in said flange;

a boss formed on the other of said closure members and operable to project into said bore in forcible engagement with said one closure member to retain said closure members engaged with each other in the closed position of said holder; and

said bore in said one closure member is generally cylindrical and includes at least one noncylindrical surface reducing the effective diameter of said bore for forcible engagement with said boss.

16. The holder set forth in claim 15 wherein:

said boss includes an end wall projecting from a generally planar surface of said one closure member when said closure members are in the closed position of said holder for pushing said other closure member away from said one closure member to open said holder.

17. The holder set forth in claim 15 wherein:

said closure members include generally circular recesses formed therein, respectively, said recesses being delimited by opposed support surfaces and forming a space for receiving said data disk when said closure members are in the closed position of said holder.

18. The holder set forth in claim 15 including:

cooperating relieved surfaces formed in the periphery of said closure members for engagement of said closure members to open said holder.

19. A holder for a generally circular electronic data storage disk comprising:

opposed, generally planar closure members, each of said closure members having a substantially circular periphery of substantially the same diameter, respectively, and opposed base portions including living hinge means for interconnecting said closure members and for moving said closure members between a position in engagement with each other to retain a data disk in said holder and an open position wherein said closure members are moved away from each other for placing said data disk in or removing a data disk from said holder; and

a circular flange on one of said closure members projecting through a center hole in said data disk when said data disk is disposed on said one closure member, a bore formed in said flange and engageable with a boss on the other of said closure members for retaining said closure members engaged with each other in the closed position of said holder, said bore being generally cylindrical and including at least one noncylindrical surface reducing the effective diameter of said bore for forcible engagement with said boss.

20. The holder set forth in claim 19 wherein:

said boss includes an end wall projecting from a generally planar surface of said one closure member when said closure members are in the closed position of said holder, for pushing said other closure member away from said one closure member to open said holder.

21. The holder set forth in claim 19 wherein:

said closure members include generally circular recesses formed therein, respectively, said recesses being delimited by opposed support surfaces and forming a space for receiving said data disk when said closure members are in the closed position of said holder.