Spinnable container for compact discs, zip discs and floppy discs

Abstract

A spinnable software container for holding 36 compact discs and/or Zip discs and/or floppy discs. Each disc is held by squeezed semi-flexible fingers.

Description

[0001] The present patent application is continuation-in-part of and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/229,456 filed on Sep. 1, 2000.

[0002] The present invention relates generally to a spinnable container for predetermined, substantially planar products.

[0003] In particular, the present invention relates to a novel and unique rotatable holder for compact discs, zip discs, floppy discs, and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE RELEVANT ART

[0004] Conventional techniques addressing the problem of storing and quickly retrieving discs have proved to be inadequate, complicated, bulky, and/or expensive.

[0005] The relevant art is exemplified by the following United States patents.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 1,436,026 issued in 1922 to Ferge et al. entitled “RECORD CABINET” discloses a record storing device having a finger within a cabinet, which finger is engageable with the edge of any record to advance it for removal from the cabinet.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 2,261,806 issued in 1941 to Hills entitled “CARRIER CASE AND RACK FOR PHONOGRAPH RECORDS” discloses a case having a multiple pocket file of the expansible type, the pockets of which are adapted to be opened in a fan-like manner when the case is opened.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 3,382,019 issued in 1968 to Maule entitled “PHONOGRAPH RECORD HOLDER” discloses a wire, open framework structure which is rotatably mounted on a wire support structure. The rotatable open framework permits the individual records to be manually manipulated while still in compartments, to facilitate viewing the record through the framework for record selection. Detent means holds the compartment means in a desired angular position for removing a record.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,289 issued in 1981 to Kimura and entitled “CARD HOLDER” discloses a card holder for a rotary type information retrieving device. A plurality of card cases are hangingly supported between a pair of mutually spaced rotary discs.

[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,264 issued in 1993 to De Palma entitled “CIRCULAR, STACKABLE, ROTATABLE DISPLAY CASE FOR FLOPPY DISKS/COMPACT DISKS AND THE LIKE” discloses a mechanism for radially storing a plurality of floppy disks/compact disks, and another mechanism for rotating the radially storing mechanism, so that any one of the disks can be selectively removed from the storing mechanism.

[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,529 issued in 1993 to Smith entitled “CASSETTE AND CD WHEEL, AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING AND UTILIZING SAME” discloses a device having a drum rotatably and selectively mounted on a flexible support which has opposed ears for fitting in indentations in the drum. Each slot has opposed arcuate spring members or opposed rubber cushions to secure each cassette in its slot. A first embodiment has horizontally disposed slots. A second embodiment has radially disposed slots.

[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,926 issued in 1994 to Mee entitled “APPARATUS FOR STORING MEDIA” discloses an apparatus which includes a rotatable rod having a plurality of flutes, each supporting a flexible bag containing a CD.

[0013] United States Design Patent 404,958 issued in 1999 to Cheris et al. entitled “ROTATABLE HOLDER FOR COMPACT DISCS, CD-ROMS AND OTHER DISCS” discloses an ornamental design for a rotatable holder for discs, wherein the discs are held parallel to each other in a vertical, rotatable stack.

[0014] It is a desideratum of the present invention is to avoid the animadversions of the conventional devices and techniques.

[0015] The present invention, in addition to eliminating and/or avoiding the problems and disadvantages attendant to the conventional devices and techniques, provides a novel, simple, and inexpensive device possessing very desirable features, heretofore unattained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The present invention provides a novel container for removable objects, comprising: a container housing having a predetermined opening therein to facilitate the selective insertion therethrough and the removable therethrough of said removable objects; one or more disc wheels rotatably mounted within said container housing; said container housing being provided with means for selectively rotating each said disc wheel within said container housing; each said disc wheel being provided with a plurality of semi-flexible fingers on said disc wheel; and said semi-flexible fingers serving to removably retain each said removable object by squeezing against said removable object until said removable object is intentionally removed from said container housing through said predetermined opening in said container housing.

[0017] The present invention provides a novel rotatable software container; one size for compact discs, another size for zip discs, and yet another size for floppy discs.

[0018] It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel container as described herein wherein each such container may contain three dozen or more discs.

[0019] Another object of the invention is to provide a novel container as described herein wherein the novel container includes two wheels inside a case.

[0020] A further object of the present invention to provide a novel container as described herein which is designed to hold compact discs, zip discs, floppy discs, or the like in place by squeezed semi-flexible fingers.

[0021] Another object of the invention is to provide a novel container as described herein wherein the aforementioned wheels are adapted to revolve within the case.

[0022] Another object of the invention is to provide a novel container as described herein which eliminates the need for special components to retain the discs in the aforementioned wheels.

[0023] Another object of the invention is to provide a novel container as described herein which eliminates the need for special components to retain the discs by squeezed semi-flexible fingers.

[0024] Additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates a view showing the various unassembled components of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0026] FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of the assembled preferred embodiment holding a plurality of discs therein.

[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the FIG. 2 embodiment.

[0028] FIG. 4 shows a side view of one of the semi-flexible fingers of the disc wheel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE POSSIBLE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0029] With reference to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the individual components shown ready for assembly.

[0030] The device 1 preferably, but not necessarily, includes a left side member 2, a left disc wheel 4, a wheel spacer 5, a right disc wheel 7, and a right side member 9.

[0031] The left side member 2 is provided with a left spindle member 13 having its outer surface in the shape of a gear. Similarly, the right side member 9 is preferably, but not necessarily, provided with a right spindle member 14 having its outer surface in the shape of a gear. The spindle members 13 and 14 are fixedly and stationarily secured to the left and right side members 2 and 9, respectively.

[0032] The left side member 2 is provided with an internal rail 15 and a power cord 16. The right side member 9 is provided with an internal rail 17 and a Forward/Reverse button switch 18.

[0033] A motor 19 is provided in the interior of the wheel spacer 5. The motor 19 is provided with a gear 20. Preferably, but not necessarily, the left disc wheel 4 and the wheel spacer 5 are mounted on the left spindle member 13. Preferably, but not necessarily, the right disc wheel 7 and the wheel spacer 5 are mounted on the right spindle member 14.

[0034] The gear-like spindle 13 passes through the disc wheel 4 and meshes with the gear 20 of motor 19. Similarly, the gear-like spindle 14 passes through the disc wheel 7 and meshes with the gear 20 of motor 19. The motor 19 in the wheel spacer 5 causes the spacer 5 and disc wheels 4 and 7 to rotate around spindles 13 and 14.

[0035] The left disc wheel 4 is provided with a plurality of semi-flexible fingers 3. Similarly, the right disc wheel 7 is also provided with a plurality of semi-flexible fingers 8. A side view of a typical flexible finger 3 (or 8) is illustrated in FIG. 4. The semi-flexible fingers 3 and 8 permit the selectively removable retention therein of a plurality of discs 12 as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows the assembled device 1 holding a plurality of discs 12, with one such disc 12a being removed.

[0037] FIG. 3 is a central vertical cross section of the device 1 shown in FIG. 2, which is illustrated with the removable discs 12.

[0038] The purpose of the rails 15 and 17 is to squeeze the fingers 3 and 8, respectively, into the disc 12. The squeezed fingers 3 and 8 retain the disc 12 in place.

[0039] The present invention eliminates the need for additional components to retain each disc 12 in place, especially when the device 1 is rotated and/or when gravity or vibrations are urging the disc 12 to move out from between its associated squeezed semi-flexible fingers 3 and/or 8.

[0040] The retention of the disc 12 is accomplished by the combined action of the rails 15 and 17 on the fingers 3 and 8, respectively.

[0041] This important feature enables the disc 12 to be retained in the device 1 (as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3) until intentionally removed (as illustrated in FIG. 2) by a user of the device 1, and yet enabling the disc 12 to be retained when the device 1 is rotated and/or when gravity or vibrations are urging the disc 12 to move out of its completely seated and stored position between associated squeezed fingers 3 and/or 8.

[0042] The present invention thus provides a novel and unique software container 1. Preferably, but not necessarily, there can be manufactured one size device 1 for compact discs with or without their individual containers or packages; a second size device 1 for Zip discs with or without their individual containers or packages; and a third size device 1 for floppy discs with or without their individual containers or packages.

[0043] There has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described hereinabove only one unique and novel preferred embodiment of the present invention which can be constructed in several different sizes and shapes.

[0044] It should be understood that many changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications will become apparent to those persons skilled in this particular area of technology and to others after having been exposed to the present specification and accompanying drawings. Any and all such changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention are therefore covered by and embraced within the present invention and the accompanying patent claims.

[0045] The foregoing description is intended only to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the present invention. The present invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements which come within the scope of the accompanying patent claims.

Claims

1. A container for removable objects, comprising:

a container housing having a predetermined opening therein to facilitate the selective insertion therethrough and the removable therethrough of said removable objects;

one or more disc wheels rotatably mounted within said container housing;

said container housing being provided with means for selectively rotating each said disc wheel within said container housing;

each said disc wheel being provided with a plurality of semi-flexible fingers on said disc wheel; and

said semi-flexible fingers serving to removably retain each said removable object by squeezing against said removable object until said removable object is intentionally removed from said container housing through said predetermined opening in said container housing.

2. The container according to claim 1, including:

one or more rail members which squeeze said semi-flexible fingers against said removable objects to retain said removable objects within said container housing.

3. The container according to claim 1, wherein:

there is provided two said disc wheels; and

there is provided a wheel spacer disposed between said two disc wheels.

4. The container according to claim 2, wherein:

there is provided two said disc wheels; and

there is provided a wheel spacer disposed between said two disc wheels.

5. The container according to claim 1, wherein:

said means for selectively rotating each said disc wheel within said container housing includes a motor.

6. The container according to claim 2, wherein:

said means for selectively rotating each said disc wheel within said container housing includes a motor.

7. The container according to claim 3, wherein:

said means for selectively rotating each said disc wheel within said container housing includes a motor.

8. The container according to claim 4, wherein:

said means for selectively rotating each said disc wheel within said container housing includes a motor.

9. The container according to claim 7, wherein:

said motor is disposed within said wheel spacer.

10. The container according to claim 8, wherein:

said motor is disposed within said wheel spacer.

11. The container according to claim 5, including:

a Forward/Reverse button switch provided on said container housing for selectively energizing said motor.

12. The container according to claim 6, including:

a Forward/Reverse button switch provided on said container housing for selectively energizing said motor.

13. The container according to claim 7, including:

a Forward/Reverse button switch provided on said container housing for selectively energizing said motor.

14. The container according to claim 8, including:

a Forward/Reverse button switch provided on said container housing for selectively energizing said motor.

15. The container according to claim 9, including:

a Forward/Reverse button switch provided on said container housing for selectively energizing said motor.

16. The container according to claim 10, including:

a Forward/Reverse button switch provided on said container housing for selectively energizing said motor.

17. The container according to claim 5, wherein;

said motor is provided with a gear; and

said container housing is provided with one or more spindles having a gear-like outer surface which meshes with said gear of said motor.

18. The container according to claim 6, wherein;

said motor is provided with a gear; and

said container housing is provided with one or more spindles having a gear-like outer surface which meshes with said gear of said motor.

19. The container according to claim 7, wherein;

said motor is provided with a gear; and

said container housing is provided with one or more spindles having a gear-like outer surface which meshes with said gear of said motor.

20. The container according to claim 8, wherein;

said motor is provided with a gear; and

said container housing is provided with one or more spindles having a gear-like outer surface which meshes with said gear of said motor.