Electronic Media Storage Apparatus
An electronic media storage apparatus includes a lower housing having a floor, opposed side walls and a rear wall. A front wall is movable between open and closed configurations. The apparatus includes a cover having a top portion and opposed first and second sides extending downwardly therefrom. The lower housing side walls, lower housing rear wall, and the front wall collectively define a continuous lip at an upper end of the lower housing and an upper end of the front wall when the front wall is at the closed configuration. The cover is removably coupled to the lower housing and the front wall. When the front wall is at the closed configuration and the cover is coupled to the lower housing and front wall, a hermetic cavity is formed between the lower housing, the front wall, and the cover; the cavity being sized to receive an electronic media item.
This application is a continuation-in-part application hat claims the benefit of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/897,229 filed Oct. 4, 2010 and titled Electronic Media Storage Apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to storage containers and, more particularly, to an electronic media storage apparatus that enables a maximum number of media items to be stored while still providing comfortable viewing or selection of respective media items.
Maximizing the storage of media items such as CD/DVD cases is very important in order to conserve space such as on a television or stereo cabinet, desk, or similar location. Ideally, media items are positioned tightly adjacent one another to make complete use of available space such as in a basket, box, or similar storage container. Although assumably effective to store a plurality of media items, the existing products or prior patent proposals do not enable a user to see or read the title of the media item when multiple media items are sandwiched tightly against each other. In other words, the goals of (1) positioning a maximum number of media items in a basket, box, or similar container and (2) being able to visually perceive the title or image on each media item without removing the respective media item from its stored position are not currently able to be satisfied simultaneously with current products and prior patent proposals.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have an electronic media storage apparatus that enables a user, in one configuration, to tightly position multiple media items adjacent one another for storage purposes. Further, it would be desirable to have an electronic media storage apparatus that enables a user, in another configuration, to easily manipulate stored media items to visually perceive respective titles or images without having to fully remove each one. In addition, it would be desirable to have an electronic media storage apparatus having a lid configured to seal media containers from dust during storage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn electronic media storage apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a lower housing having a floor, opposed side walls, and a rear wall. The media storage apparatus includes a front wall movable between open and closed configurations. The storage apparatus also includes a cover having a top portion, opposed first and second sides extending downwardly from the top portion, and opposed front and rear ends extending downwardly from the top portion. The lower housing side walls, lower housing rear wall, and front wall collectively define a continuous lip at an upper end of the lower housing and an upper end of the front wall when the front wall is at the closed configuration. The cover is removably coupled to the lower housing and the front wall. When the front wall is at the closed configuration and the cover is coupled to the lower housing and the front wall, a hermetic cavity is formed between the lower housing, the front wall, and the cover; the cavity being sized to receive at least one electronic media item.
Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide an electronic media storage apparatus for storing a plurality of media items.
Another object of this invention is to provide an electronic media storage apparatus, as aforesaid, that tightly secures media containers in an enclosed environment.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an electronic media storage apparatus, as aforesaid, having a movable front wall for selectively providing enhanced space for a user to view media container titles.
A further object of this invention is to provide an electronic media storage apparatus, as aforesaid, that provides a hermetically sealed cavity so that the media containers are substantially protected from contamination.
A still further object of this invention is to provide an electronic media storage apparatus, as aforesaid, that is user-friendly to use.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.
An electronic media storage apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to
The lower housing 110 is specifically shown in
A floor stop 150a is coupled to the lower housing floor 112 (
As will be apparent from viewing
Turning to the cover 170, the cover 170 (
When the front wall 140 is at the closed configuration 140b and the cover 170 is coupled to the lower housing 110 and the front wall 140, the outer face 172a of the cover first side 172 is generally coplanar with the outer face 114a of the lower housing first side wall 114; the outer face 174a of the cover second side 174 is generally coplanar with the outer face 116a of the lower housing second side wall 116; the outer face 178a of the cover rear end 178 is generally coplanar with the outer face 118a of the lower housing rear wall 118; and the outer face 176a of the cover front end 176 is generally coplanar with the outer face 144a of the front wall 140. Due to the interaction between the lower housing 110, the front wall 140, and the cover 170, a hermetic cavity 180 (
The hermetic cavity 180 is sized to receive at least one electronic media item 10. When sized to receive a plurality of electronic media items 10, at least one divider (not shown) may be removably positioned between the side walls 114, 116 of the lower housing 110 to separate at least one of the electronic media items 10 from at least one other electronic media items 10.
In use, the electronic media item(s) 10 may be placed inside the lower housing 110, the front wall 140 may be moved to the closed configuration 140b, and the cover 170 may be attached as described above, hermetically sealing the cavity 180 (and the electronic media item(s) 10). The entire electronic media storage apparatus 100 (with the enclosed electronic media item(s) 10) may then be shipped or stored, protecting the enclosed electronic media item(s) 10 from breakage, dust, and other damage. If being shipped, it may be desirable to further secure the cover 170 to the lower housing 110 (e.g., using an adhesive tape). If being stored, the electronic media storage apparatus 100 may be easily stacked due to its configuration.
To remove the electronic media item(s) 10 from the electronic media storage apparatus 100, the cover 170 is first detached. Then the front wall 140 may be moved to the open configuration 140a. For ease of access, any electronic media item 10 on the slide 152 (and particularly on the rib 122) may be moved away from the rear wall 118 when the front wall 140 moves to the open configuration 140a.
In embodiment 200, the front wall 240 (replacing the front wall 140) rotates relative to the lower housing 110 when moving between open (
Use of the embodiment 200 is similar to use of the embodiment 100, though the front wall 240 rotates relative to the lower housing 110 instead of sliding relative to the lower housing 110. While the electronic media items 10 in the embodiment 200 are not slid similar to the sliding that may be caused by the movement of the ribs 122 in the embodiment 100, the electronic media items 10 may nevertheless rotate outwardly (in the same general direction as the front wall 140) due to the movement of the front wall 240.
More particularly, side stops 150b are coupled to the inner face 114b and 116b of the first 114 and second 116 side walls, respectively, of the lower housing 110. The front wall 140 includes a first guide 155 and a second guide 155a as described earlier with reference to
In combination, the floor stop 150a positioned on the lower housing floor 112b and the side stops 150b opposed from one another on side walls 114 and 116 enable the front wall 140 to slide into or out of the lower housing 110 with enhanced smoothness and efficiency as well as to prevent a rotational movement of the front wall 140 while cooperating to limit an over-extension or complete removal of the front wall 140 therefrom.
It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. An electronic media storage apparatus for use in storing a plurality of media items, comprising:
- a lower housing having a floor, first and second opposed side walls extending upwardly from said floor, and a rear wall extending upwardly from said floor and connecting said lower housing opposed side walls; said lower housing opposed side walls each having an outer face, an inner face, and a front face; said rear wall having an outer face; said floor having a front face and an upper surface;
- a front wall movable between open and closed configurations; said front wall having first and second opposed ends, outer and inner faces, and a lower face; said front wall having a continuous ledge extending from said front wall inner face; said ledge having a first portion spaced apart from said front wall first end, a second portion spaced apart from said front wall second end, and a third portion spaced apart from said front wall lower face;
- a cover having a top portion, opposed first and second sides extending downwardly from said top portion, and opposed front and rear ends extending downwardly from said top portion and connecting said cover sides; said cover sides and said cover ends each having an outer face and a lower face;
- wherein: said lower housing opposed side walls, said lower housing rear wall, and said front wall collectively define a continuous lip at an upper end of said lower housing and an upper end of said front wall when said front wall is at said closed configuration; said cover is removably coupled to said lower housing and said front wall; said lower faces of said cover sides and ends resting upon said continuous lip when said front wall is at said closed configuration and said cover is coupled to said lower housing and said front wall;
- wherein, when said front wall is at said closed configuration: said front wall inner face abuts said front face of said floor, said front face of said lower housing first side wall, and said front face of said lower housing second side wall; said ledge first portion abuts and extends parallel to said lower housing first wall inner face; said ledge second portion abuts and extends parallel to said lower housing second wall inner face; said ledge third portion abuts and extends parallel to said floor upper surface;
- wherein when said front wall is at said closed configuration and said cover is coupled to said lower housing and said front wall: said outer face of said cover first side is generally coplanar with said outer face of said lower housing first side wall; said outer face of said cover second side is generally coplanar with said outer face of said lower housing second side wall; said outer face of said cover rear end is generally coplanar with said outer face of said lower housing rear wall; said outer face of said cover front end is generally coplanar with said outer face of said front wall; a hermetic cavity is formed between said lower housing, said front wall, and said cover; said cavity being sized to receive at least one electronic media item;
- said cavity is sized to receive the plurality of electronic media items;
- a side stop coupled to an inner face of said first side wall and said an inner face of said second side wall, respectively, and extending inwardly; and
- a left guide and a right guide coupled to said front wall that each defines a recessed channel having closed ends configured to receive and capture respective side stops such that said front wall is movable only a predetermined distance relative to said lower housing.
2. The electronic media storage apparatus of claim 1, wherein said front wall includes a handle extending outwardly from said front wall outer face.
3. The electronic media storage apparatus of claim 2, wherein said floor upper surface is planar.
4. The electronic media storage apparatus of claim 3, wherein:
- said lower housing floor has a lower surface; and
- said cover top portion is parallel to said lower surface of said lower housing floor.
5. The electronic media storage apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one rib extending from said upper surface of said floor, at least one rib extending from said inner face of said lower housing first side wall, and at least one rib extending upwardly from said inner face of said lower housing second side wall.
6. The electronic media storage apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising:
- a floor stop coupled to said lower housing floor and extending upwardly; and
- a slide coupled to said front wall that defines a slot having closed ends configured to receive and capture said floor stop such that said front wall is movable only a predetermined distance relative to said lower housing;
- wherein said front wall slides generally linearly relative to said lower housing when moving between said open and closed configurations.
7. An electronic media storage apparatus for use in storing a plurality of media items, comprising:
- a lower housing having a floor, first and second opposed side walls extending upwardly from said floor, and a rear wall extending upwardly from said floor and connecting said lower housing opposed side walls; said lower housing opposed side walls each having an outer face, an inner face, and a front face; said rear wall having an outer face; said floor having a front face and an upper surface;
- a front wall movable between open and closed configurations; said front wall having first and second opposed ends, outer and inner faces, and a lower face; said front wall having a continuous ledge extending from said front wall inner face; said ledge having a first portion spaced apart from said front wall first end, a second portion spaced apart from said front wall second end, and a third portion spaced apart from said front wall lower face;
- a cover having a top portion, opposed first and second sides extending downwardly from said top portion, and opposed front and rear ends extending downwardly from said top portion and connecting said cover sides; said cover sides and said cover ends each having an outer face and a lower face;
- wherein said lower housing opposed side walls, said lower housing rear wall, and said front wall collectively define a continuous lip at an upper end of said lower housing and an upper end of said front wall when said front wall is at said closed configuration;
- wherein said cover is removably coupled to said lower housing and said front wall; said lower faces of said cover sides and ends resting upon said continuous lip when said front wall is at said closed configuration and said cover is coupled to said lower housing and said front wall;
- wherein, when said front wall is at said closed configuration: said front wall inner face abuts said front face of said floor, said front face of said lower housing first side wall, and said front face of said lower housing second side wall; said ledge first portion abuts and extends parallel to said lower housing first wall inner face; said ledge second portion abuts and extends parallel to said lower housing second wall inner face; said ledge third portion abuts and extends parallel to said floor upper surface;
- wherein, when said front wall is at said closed configuration and said cover is coupled to said lower housing and said front wall: said outer face of said cover first side is generally coplanar with said outer face of said lower housing first side wall; said outer face of said cover second side is generally coplanar with said outer face of said lower housing second side wall; said outer face of said cover rear end is generally coplanar with said outer face of said lower housing rear wall; said outer face of said cover front end is generally coplanar with said outer face of said front wall; a hermetic cavity is formed between said lower housing, said front wall, and said cover; said cavity being sized to receive at least one electronic media item;
- a floor stop coupled to said lower housing floor and extending upwardly;
- a slide coupled to said front wall that defines a slot having closed ends configured to receive and capture said floor stop such that said front wall is movable only a predetermined distance relative to said lower housing;
- wherein: said front wall slides generally linearly relative to said lower housing when moving between said open and closed configurations; said cavity is sized to receive the plurality of electronic media items;
- a side stop coupled to an inner face of said first side wall and said an inner face of said second side wall, respectively, and extending inwardly; and
- a left guide and a right guide coupled to said front wall that each defines a recessed channel having closed ends configured to receive and capture respective side stops such that said front wall is movable only a predetermined distance relative to said lower housing.
8. The electronic media storage apparatus as in claim 7, further comprising at least one rib extending from said upper surface of said floor, at least one rib extending from said inner face of said lower housing first side wall, and at least one rib extending upwardly from said inner face of said lower housing second side wall.
9. The electronic media storage apparatus of claim 7, wherein said front wall includes a handle extending outwardly from said front wall outer face.
10. The electronic media storage apparatus of claim 7, wherein said floor upper surface is planar.
11. The electronic media storage apparatus of claim 7, wherein:
- said lower housing floor has a lower surface; and
- said cover top portion is parallel to said lower surface of said lower housing floor.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 15, 2013
Publication Date: Feb 6, 2014
Inventor: Thomas Omer Muskopf (Orlando, FL)
Application Number: 14/053,772
International Classification: B65D 85/00 (20060101);