Abstract: Tape partially curves around a one-way tape brake for a cassette. The brake has a cylindrical roller with a side extension. When the tape advances, a smooth cylindrical side of the roller allows tape forward movement. When the tape tends to reverse the tape pulls a friction surface rearward, turning the roller and frictionally engaging the tape and pinching it against a tape guide. Rearward tape motion is prevented.

Abstract: A new CD package has a cover attached to a tray by a single hinge at one end of the tray. That simplified manufacture and assembly makes the entire cover available for printing and graphics. The CD package is assembled with a single direction motion of a paper board cover toward a plastic tray. The entire cover surface is available for graphics, and the complete package lies flat on either side when fully or partially opened. A hook folded on one paper board flap engages a ledge in the receiver. A flap on one paper board cover is slit and glued or physically attached to a hinged extension on the tray. When the flap is formed on one end of the cover, the cover wraps around the tray. When the flap is formed in the middle of a cover, the CD package opens like a book. More than one connector flap may be provided for connecting the cover to multiple trays. The trays may be double-sided with a central opening in a central platform to receive snap-in and twist-in rosettes.

Abstract: A machine optics and paper path cleaner has a relatively stiff backing sheet and a cleaning sheet attached to the backing sheet at a position spaced from the leading edge. The cleaning sheet is folded, flocked or flapped, knitted or engraved with surface variations to aid in the cleaning of paper paths and optics. Wet cleaners are held in absorbent materials and in frangible or openable reservoirs to wet the cleaning material as it is drawn into the machine through the paper path and across the optics. The cleaners are made in single foam sheets of varied thickness and in laminated sheets of stiff backing material and flexible cleaning material.

Abstract: A non-abrasive disc cleaner is disclosed. The present cleaner incorporates a base, a cover, a cleaning solution reservoir, a spin pan and a spinner means with a drive spindle for spinning the disc within the spin pan. Solution is supplied to the spin pan from the reservoir. A spinner is mounted within the cleaner, and the spin pan is horizontally positioned within the base above the reservoir. The disc is positioned with respect to the fluid within the pan with the spinning motion of the CD creating froth which forms a high surface area, thin skin of bubbles on the CD. Because of the spinning motion, the bubbles move outwardly and the CD is dried by air contact. Spinning the disc rapidly above the surface of the fluid causes a vacuum to draw the fluid upwards for frothing, or spinning the disc within the fluid froths the cleaning fluid and centrifugally removed the fluid from the pan.

Abstract: A cutter for removing overwraps or tape on products and product packages incorporates first and second wings extending angularly from a body. A cutting point extends a short distance into the angle between the wings, wherein the wings embrace an edge of a product and the blade slices the wrapper along the edge as the user slides the cutter along the edge. The wings are flexible to conform to the angle of the edge, and are integrally molded with the body. Living hinges provided between the wings and the body, or the wings are molded angularly with respect to the body. A cutter is molded as a flat blank and folded. A solid article is molded with a pocket for insertion of the blade. The angle between the wings is less than or equal to 90.degree., allowing it to conform to most standard packages. The reduced angle between the wings and the relatively slight exposure of the blade allows for effective cutting of the wrapper without scarring the package or injuring the user.

Abstract: A compact disc tray incorporates a flat planar surface approximating the size of a compact disc for nesting a compact disc. A central rosette molded to the flat planar surface engages the inner center hole of the CD. The rosette has engagement arms molded to and extending upward from the tray for engaging the center hole, and further extending radially inward towards a molded connection with a center button. The molded connection between the center button and inner ends of the engagement arms provides a living hinge and may be accomplished through reduced thickness in the molded material. Pushing of the center button imparts a downward motion on the inner ends of the engagement arms, which thereby angles the upwardly extending portions of the engagement arms away from the engagement with the center hole of the CD. This releases the CD from the rosette.

Abstract: An integrally molded tape cassette has a base with vertical first and second side walls. A rear wall is attached to the base by an integral hinge. A cover is attached to the rear wall by an integral hinge, and a dust door is attached to the cover by an integral hinge. Snaps between the cover and base connect and close the apparatus with integral springs pressing on tape reel hubs. The dust door covers a forward wall protruding from the base between the first and second side walls. The forward wall has slots and posts for allowing passing of the tape between the interior and exterior of the cassette. The cassette further includes a dust door latch which is integrally molded with one of the sides of the tape. An integrally molded tape hub brake is positioned between the hubs for locking the hub flanges when the cassette is not in use.

Abstract: An integrally molded video cassette comprises a base, a cover, front and opposite rear walls extending from the base toward the cover. An integral hinge is provided between the rear wall and the cover and a dust cover integrally hinged to the cover opposite the rear wall hinge. First and second side walls extend between front and rear walls and between the cover and the base. Mated alignment guides and engagements are provided on the base and the cover, and welding attachments are provided between the base and the cover for securing the cover to the base.

Abstract: A machine optics and paper path cleaner has a relatively stiff backing sheet and a cleaning sheet attached to the backing sheet at a position spaced from the leading edge. The cleaning sheet is folded, flocked or flapped, knitted or engraved with surface variations to aid in the cleaning of paper paths and optics. Wet cleaners are held in absorbent materials and in frangible or openable reservoirs to wet the cleaning material as it is drawn into the machine through the paper path and across the optics. The cleaners are made in single foam sheets of varied thickness and in laminated sheets of stiff backing material and flexible cleaning material.

Abstract: High aspect ratio boxes and sleeves are molded inside out by molding the outer surfaces of box covers and bottoms and sleeve sides in closely spaced parallel relationship, with side walls extending outward. Backs are joined to the covers and the bottoms by living hinges. The inside out molding process and apparatus reduce effective mold areas and mold forces, providing capacities to mold more boxes at a time in existing press facilities.

Abstract: A compact disk package and storage rack opens along one full side to allow a compact disk to slide into the rack to create a package. An entire side of the package folds upward and snaps into locked position for retain packaging of the compact disk to provide display space and to prevent theft. After the compact disk is purchased in the retailer package, the package is used as a compact disk storage rack by standing individual boxes containing the compact disks in aligned order to slots created between opposing tabs.

Abstract: A low cost video cassette has a base formed of a generally flat wall portion, with sloped converging front walls spaced inward from a front edge and with flat tape guiding walls extending upward from medial, generally rectangular projections of the base. Tape guide roller support pins are mounted on forward projections near lateral portions of the base. Tape reel guides are molded in the base. Integrally formed tape reel locks have operators extending into a groove formed in the plane of the base for receiving an actuator which extends into, but not beyond, the plane of the base. The rear wall has an upward-extending recess and a frangible anti-record tab extending downward within the recess. Rectangular openings are formed medially in the cover. Flaps are hinged to the openings. Cantilevered leaf springs connected along outer edges of the openings or to the flaps extend toward the base wall when the flaps close the openings to urge tape reels downward. A dust cover is connected to the short living springs.

Abstract: An integrally molded tape cassette has a base with vertical first and second side walls. A rear wall is attached to the base by an integral hinge. A cover attached to the rear wall by an integral hinge, and a dust door attached to the cover by an integral hinge. Snaps between the cover and base connect and close the apparatus with integral springs pressing on tape reel hubs. The dust door covers a forward wall protruding from the base between the first and second side walls. The forward wall has slots and posts for allowing passing of the tape between the interior and exterior of the cassette. The cassette further includes a dust door latch which is integrally molded with one of the sides of the tape. An integrally molded tape hub brake is positioned between the hubs for locking the hub flanges when the cassette is not in use.

Abstract: A thin, light-weight, one-piece rack package for disc record media storage cases holds compact discs in two types of double configurations, one as retailer, and the other as a rack. Eighteen compact disc boxes can be held in individual slots of the rack with longitudinal side walls and transverse end walls. The boxes are separated by dividers, which are spaced to allow the boxes to tip forwards or backwards, and have keepers and snaps to hold the discs in place.