Optical disc case assembly

Abstract

An optical disc case assembly is provided, which can cope with a by-robot manufacturing process of optical disc loading such that in the stage of manufacture it horizontally holds the optical disc, that in the stage of use by the user it permits rocking of the optical disc in response to opening and closing of the lid, and that in both the stages of manufacture and use by the user it permits reliable prevention of detachment or fall of the optical disc.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to cases capable of permitting an optical disc, such as a DVD, a musical compact disc or a computer CD-ROM, to be accommodated and taken out without causing contamination of or damage to the disc. More particularly, the invention concerns cases, which are contrived such that they permit reliable accommodation of an optical disc without possibility of detachment even when they experience a great shock due to their fall in their stage of circulation and also permit, when they are used by an optical disc purchaser, to be readily accommodated and taken out with tilting and de-tilting of the disc in response to their opening and closing.

[0003] 2. Prior Art

[0004] As a prior art optical disc case assembly for accommodating a DVD or like optical disc, is one which has an integral structure that a disc holder having an engaging boss for being engaged in the center hole of the optical disc and a lid capable of being opened and closed are hinged together for being opened and closed. In this prior art optical disc case assembly, the most important center hole periphery of the optical disc is subject to rubbing by the engaging boss. This possibly leads to eccentricity of rotation of the optical disc or to tilting of the optical disc from intrinsic plane of rotation. Also, since the optical disc is accommodated in close contact with the disc holder surface, it cannot be so readily taken out. Accordingly, the inventor earlier proposed, in Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-136889, an optical disc case assembly, which can eliminate the possibility of causing damage to the optical disc center hole by having the edge of the optical disc engaged, as well as permitting the optical disc to be readily taken out owing to upward tilting of the disc caused in response to opening of the lid.

[0005] Indeed, this optical disc case assembly is excellent in that it can be readily and conveniently used by the user and that it is free from the possibility of causing damage to the optical disc. However, the structure that takes the user's convenience into considerations such that the optical disc is brought to a raised or upwardly tilted state, that is, the optical disc is capable of being tilted and de-tilted, in response to opening and closing of the lid, gives rise to a problem that it can not cope with a process of manufacture, in which the optical disc is loaded automatically (i.e., by a robot). In the up-to-date process of manufacture, optical disc cases are continuously caused to pass through a gap of about 10 mm. Therefore, if the disc holder is raised, the case cannot pass through the gap. In addition, in order to cause the robot to load the optical disc right downward in the disc holder, the disc holder should be held horizontally with respect to the case. As a measure to this end, a means has been contrived, which tentatively holds the optical disc horizontal in the process of manufacture. However, it is difficult for the optical disc which is held horizontal in the stage of manufacture, to be tilted and de-tilted in response to the opening and closing of the lid in the stage of use by the user. Nevertheless, no optical disc case assembly has existed, which has such a structure that it can reliably prevent, at the time of closing the lid, the detachment of the optical disc that has been brought to the raised or upwardly tilted state at the time of opening the lid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] An object of the invention is to provide an optical disc case assembly, which can cope with the process of manufacture of automatic (i.e., by-robot) optical disc loading by holding the optical disc horizontally in the stage of manufacture, permits the optical disc to be tilted and de-tilted in response to opening and closing of the lid, and can reliably prevent the detachment and fall of the optical disc in both the stage of manufacture with the optical disc held horizontally and the stage of use by the user with the disc tilted and de-tilted in response to opening and closing of the lid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the optical disc case assembly according to the invention with a disc holder in a front-side position;

[0008] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the optical disc case assembly according to the invention with the disc holder moved to a stem-side position;

[0009] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the optical disc case assembly according to the invention, in which the disc holder is at the front-side position and hooked in hook members;

[0010] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the optical disc case assembly according to the invention, in which the disc holder has been displaced toward the stem and unhooked from the hook member;

[0011] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the optical disc case assembly according to the invention, in which the optical disc is about to be hooked in the disc holder;

[0012] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the optical disc case assembly according to the invention, in which the optical disc is hooked in the disc holder;

[0013] FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view showing the optical disc case assembly according to the invention, in which the disc holder is hooked in the optical disc;

[0014] FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the optical disc case assembly according to the invention in a closed state, in which the disc holder is at the front-side position;

[0015] FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the optical disc case assembly according to the invention in a closed state, in which the optical disc has moved toward the stem side;

[0016] FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the optical disc case assembly according to the invention in an opened state, with the relation between a detachment prevention member in a back and an engagement shoulder being shown in detail; and

[0017] FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the optical disc case assembly in a closed state, with the relation between the detachment prevention member in the back and the engagement shoulder being showing in detail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] FIGS. 1 to 11 show the optical disc case assembly according to the invention. Referring to the Figures, reference numeral 1 designates the optical disc case assembly made of a synthetic resin, which is mainly used for DVDs, musical compact discs, etc. The optical disc case assembly 1 comprises a disc holder 3 for detachably holding an optical disc 2 and a disc case 4. The disc case 4 has an integral structure having a case body 6 for having the stem 5 of the disc holder 3 detachably engaged in one side, a lid 7 for opening and closing the top of the disc holder 3 and being engaged with the case body 6 in the closed state, and a back 8 intervening between the case body 6 and the lid 7. The disc case 4 has a hinge structure such that the case body 6 and the lid 7 are foldable over to each other along the boundaries thereof with the back 8. The lid 7 can engage with and hold the case body 6, and can hold the closed state.

[0019] This embodiment of the optical disc case assembly 1 features that a structure which is applicable to a by-robot assembling process which is important for this type of optical disc case assembly. In the by-robot assembling process of loading and packing optical discs in optical disc case assemblies, each optical disc case assembly 1 should pass, with the lid 7 in the opened state, through a gap with a height of about 10 mm. To this end, the disc holder 3 should be held in close contact with the case body surface without rising wherefrom of its front side part and be able to reliably hold the optical disc 2 being lowered. Besides, in the use of the optical disc case assembly by the user, the front side part of the disc holder 3 should be moved up and down in response to opening and closing of the lid, thus facilitating the accommodation and take-out of the optical disc.

[0020] In this embodiment, accordingly, the inner surface of the case body 6 of the disc case 4 has two protruding hook members 9 with hooks 9a for detachably and horizontally movably hooking the front side part 2 of the disc holder 3 and also two protruding engaging members 10 for detachably and horizontally movably engaging with the stem 5 of the disc holder 3. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the disc holder 3 is movable back and forth relative to the engaging members 10.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows the disc holder 3 at a position brought to by displacement toward the front side. This position is determined by taking the course from the automatic or by-robot assembling process of optical disc loading to the sales shop into considerations. At this position, as shown in FIG. 3, the front side part of the disc holder 3 hooked by hooks 9a of the hook members 9, and the disc holder 3 is held substantially in close contact and parallel with the case body 6. Furthermore, the front side part of the optical disc 2 is held in close proximity of arched parts of the hook members 9 with a slight gap of 1 mm or below. The optical disc 2 is thus prevented from being detached toward the front side during transport or due to such cause as a shock exerted at the time of a fall.

[0022] When the purchaser of the optical disc opens the disc case and pulls the stem 5 of the disc holder 3 at the position shown in FIG. 1 toward the rear side opposite the front side noted above (i.e., toward the stem side), the disc holder 3 is displaced about 2 to 4 mm toward the stem side. As a result, the front side part of the disc holder 3 is detached from the hooks 9a of the hook members 9 and, as shown in FIG. 4, is raised to an upwardly tilted relative to the stem 5 as a fulcrum by an angle of about 2 to 30 degrees, thus facilitating the insertion and accommodation of the optical disc by the user. This takes place because the disc holder 3 is formed such that the front side part thereof assumed the raised or tilted state when the stem 5 is held horizontally. With this arrangement, the disc holder 3 is moved up and down with flexibility in response to opening and closing of the lid. Lest the disc holder 3 should be excessively flexed downward, stoppers 11 may be provided on the inner surface of the case body 6 at positions to be in contact with the bottom surface of the disc holder 3.

[0023] When the lid 7 of the disc case 4 is opened and engaged with the case body 6, detachment prevention members 12 and 13, respectively, provided on the lid 7 and the back 8 shown in FIG. 1, respectively, are brought to the proximity of the top surface of the optical disc 2 (as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9), thus preventing upward detachment of the optical disc 2. The detachment prevention members 12 and 13 have protruding displacement prevention engaging portions 12a and 13a, respectively, for being engaged in grooves formed in engagement shoulders 14 and 15 provided on the opposite sides of the front side part of the disc holder 3, thus preventing horizontal displacement thereof. More specifically, with the front side part of the disc holder 3 hooked by the hooks 9a of the hook members 9 (or with the disc holder 3 at that position and detached and raised from the hooks 9a), as shown in FIG. 1, by closing the lid 7, as shown in FIG. 8, a displacement prevention engaging portion 12a pushes the engagement shoulder 14 (or the detachment prevention member 12 may push the top of the engagement shoulder 14), and also the displacement prevention engaging portion 12a is engaged in a first groove 14a in the engagement shoulder 14. Likewise, as shown in FIG. 11, a displacement prevention engaging portion 13a pushes the engagement shoulder 15 (or the detachment prevention member 13 may push the top of the engagement shoulder 15), and also the displacement prevention engaging portion 13a is engaged in a first groove 15a in the engagement shoulder 15. Thus, when a force tending to raise the optical disc 2 or the disc holder 3 is exerted in the closed state of the disc case, the detachment prevention member 13 remains to be held at its position in close proximity of the engagement shoulder 15 and the top surface of the optical disc 2. Thus, the disc holder 3 is held hooked by the hooks 9a, and the optical disc 2 is not detached from the disc holder 3.

[0024] With the front side part of the disc holder 3 detached from the hooks 9a of the hook members 9 and able to be vertically tilted and de-tilted, as shown in FIG. 2, by closing the lid 7, as shown in FIG. 9, the displacement prevention engaging portion 12a pushes the engagement shoulder 14 (or the detachment prevention member 12 may push the top of the engagement shoulder 14), and also the displacement prevention engaging portion 12a is engaged in a second groove 14b in the engagement shoulder 14. Likewise, the displacement prevention engaging portion 13a pushes the engagement shoulder 15 (or the detachment prevention member 13 may push the top of the engagement shoulder 15), and also the displacement prevention engaging portion 13a is engaged in a second groove 15b in the engagement shoulder 15. Thus, with the case body 6 closed by the lid 7, the optical disc 2 is reliably secured to the disc holder 3 both vertically (by the detachment prevention members 12 and 13 including the displacement prevention engaging portions 12a and 13a) and horizontally (by the displacement prevention engaging portions 12a and 13a (and also by the hook members 9)). The optical disc 2 is thus not possibly detached from the disc holder even when a shock due to a fall or like cause is exerted to the disc case.

[0025] The disc holder 3 includes, in addition to the stem 5 detachably engaged in engagement members 10 of the case body 6, a vertically lockable flexible disc support 16 extending obliquely upward from the stem 5. The disc support 16 has, for preventing detachment of the optical disc 2 toward the stem 5, a wall member 17 provided on its stem side of the disc support 16 in a plurality of (i.e., two in this embodiment) divisions for being in contact with the edge of the disc 2. The wall member 17 has, for preventing upward detachment of the optical disc 2 from the disc support 16, three, i.e., one central and two opposite end, hook members 18 protruding toward the center of the disc support 16 and having end hooks 18a for clamping the edge of the disc 2. Lest the recording part of the optical disc 2 should touch and be damaged by the surface of the disc support 16, a disc edge support member 19 having a triangular cross-sectional profile is provided slightly inside the wall member 17 and extends to cover more than one half of the edge of the disc 2 for being in contact with the non-recording part edge of the bottom surface of the disc 2 and holding the disc 2 in a raised state. The disc edge support member 19 has its inner side portion located underneath the optical disc 2 such as to be free from contact therewith, and its central portion which is irrelevant to the accommodation and take-out of the disc 2 and inclusive of a front side portion is greatly notched away.

[0026] The hook members 18, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, each has, in addition to the end hook 18a for clamping the edge of the optical disc 2, a thin plate-like flexing portion 18b capable of horizontally warping for having the end hook 18a flex in the direction of the disc edge. The flexing portion 18a has one end separated from the wall member 17 and has a predetermined length to have the lower end of the end hook 18a separated from the disc support 16. The end hook 18a, as shown in FIG. 5, has an upper taper (either curved or straight) tapering downward toward the edge of the optical disc 2. When the edge of the optical disc 2 being lowered is brought into contact with it, the end hook 18a is thus flexed by the edge of the disc 2 to permit continual lowering of the disc 2. The taper has a horizontal bottom shoulder to prevent upward detachment of the optical disc 2 once hooked.

[0027] The front side part of the disc support 16 has stoppers 20 projecting from its opposite ends for preventing detachment of the optical disc 2 toward the front side. The stoppers 20 have a greater height than the wall member 17, and thus permit the optical disc 2 to be taken out by raising the front side part thereof and moving this part obliquely upward.

[0028] In the optical disc case assembly 1 having the above structure according to the invention, the operation of loading the optical disc 2 in the disc support 16 is as follows. Normally, like the prior art optical disc case assembly as described above, the optical disc 2 is held in a forwardly downwardly tilted state and moved obliquely downward toward the stem of the disc support 16. When the front side part of the optical disc 2 is brought into contact with the wall member 17, the disc 2 has already cleared the stoppers 20. The rear side part of the optical disc 2 in this state is then lowered toward the disc support 16, whereby the disc 2 is loaded in the disc support 16. Thus, the stem side part of the optical disc 2 is prevented by the wall member 17 and the hook members 18 from being detached, while the front side part of the disc 2 is prevented by the stoppers 20 from being detached.

[0029] For automatically or by-robot loading the optical disc 2, as shown in FIG. 5, the disc 2 is held at a position above and parallel with the disc support 16 and then lowered right downward. Then, when the edge of the optical disc 2 is brought into contact with the taper of the hook members 18, the end hooks 18a are pushed by the disc 2 and, as shown in FIG. 7, and the hook members 18 are flexed in the disc edge direction with warping of the flexing parts. When the optical disc 2 is further lowered into contact with the disc edge support member 19, the biasing force of pushing the disc 2 vanishes. Thus, as shown in FIG. 5, the end hooks 18a are restored toward the optical disc 2, i.e., to the initial position. Thus, the hook shoulders of the hook members 18 are hooked on the edge top of the optical disc 2, and the disc 2 is thus loaded in the disc support 16 so that it is prevented from being detached.

[0030] The operation of taking out the optical disc 2 form the disc support 16 is as follows. Like the prior art optical disc case assembly described above, by holding the portion of the optical disc 2 between a front side part of the disc 2 and the center hole 2a thereof, the front side part of the disc 2 is raised to a height beyond the stoppers 20. In this state, the optical disc 2 is moved obliquely upward toward the front side. In this way, the optical disc 2 can be readily taken out.

[0031] The above embodiment has been described in connection with the structure the detachment prevention members and displacement prevention engaging portions are provided in the lid and the back, respectively. However, this structure is by no means limitative; for instance, it is possible to provide detachment prevention member and displacement prevention engaging portion in the lid on both sides thereof, respectively.

[0032] As has been described in the foregoing, according to the invention the stem of the disc holder is capable of being displaced relative to the engaging part in the disc case, with the disc holder at a position brought to by displacement toward the stem side part of the disc holder is released and spaced apart from the hook part provided on the bottom surface of the disc case so as to be vertically rocked with flexibility in response to the opening and closing of the lid such as to be raised to an obliquely upwardly tilted state, and with the disc holder at a position brought to by displacement toward the front side part of the disc holder is hooked by the hook part and held on the bottom surface of the disc case. Thus, the invention is reliably applicable to a by-robot assembling process of assembling the optical disc in the disc holder. In addition, the structure that with the disc holder at the position brought to by displacement toward the stem side of the disc holder is spaced apart from the hook part to permit vertical rocking of the front side part of the disc holder in response to opening and closing of the lid such as rising of the front side part of the disc holder to an upwardly tilted state, permits ready and convenient insertion of the optical disc by the user.

[0033] Also, the back has a detachment prevention part to be located over the optical disc for preventing upward detachment thereof from the disc holder at the time of closing the lid, and the lid has a detachment prevention engagement part to engage with the disc holder for preventing displacement to the disc holder in horizontal directions in the disc case. Thus, it is possible to prevent the upward detachment of the optical disc and the disc holder holding the disc and permit reliable holding by engagement of the disc holder holding the optical disc without any horizontal displacement in the disc case.

[0034] Furthermore, at the time of closing the lid the displacement prevention engagement part engaged with their disc holder at a position thereof brought to by displacement toward the stem side and also at a position thereof brought to by displacement toward the front side. Thus, in any case such as the manufacturing/assembling stage, the circulation stage and the stage of use by the user, it is possible to ensure reliable holding by engagement of the disc holder in the disc case and reliably prevent detachment of the optical disc.

Claims

1. An optical disc case assembly comprising a disc case having a lid capable of being opened and closed and a disc holder having a stem mounted in an engaging part in the disc case and a front side part for detachably holding the edge of an optical disc, wherein the stem of the disc holder is capable of being displaced relative to the engaging part in the disc case, with the disc holder at a position brought to by displacement toward the stem side part of the disc holder is released and spaced apart from a hook part provided on the bottom surface of the disc case so as to be vertically rocked with flexibility in response to opening and closing of the lid such as to be raised to an obliquely upwardly tilted state, and with the disc holder at a position brought to by displacement toward the front side part of the disc holder is hooked by the hook part and held on the bottom surface of the disc case.

2. An optical disc case assembly comprising a disc case having a lid capable of being opened and closed and a disc holder having a stem mounted in an engaging part in the disc case and a front side part for detachably holding the edge of an optical disc, wherein the disc holder includes a disc support for supporting the bottom edge of the optical disc, a wall member to be in contact with the edge of the optical disc for preventing detachment of the optical disc in horizontal directions and a hook part protruding from the wall member such as to prevent upward detachment of the accommodated optical disc, the stem of the disc holder is capable of being displaced relative to the engaging part in the disc case, with the disc holder at a position brought to by displacement toward the stem side part of the disc holder is released and spaced apart from a hook part provided on the bottom surface of the disc case so as to be vertically rocked with flexibility in response to opening and closing of the lid such as to be raised to an obliquely upwardly tilted state, and with the disc holder at a position brought to by displacement toward the front side part of the disc holder is hooked by the hook part and held on the bottom surface of the disc case.

3. The optical disc case assembly according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the lid has a detachment prevention part to be located over the optical disc for preventing upward detachment thereof from the disc holder at the time of its closing and a displacement prevention engagement part to engage with the disc holder for preventing displacement thereof in horizontal directions in the disc case.

4. The optical disc case assembly according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the disc case includes a case body, a lid engaged with the case body such as to be opened and closed and a back intervening between the case body and the lid, the back has a detachment prevention part to be located over the optical disc for preventing upward detachment thereof from the disc holder at the time of closing the lid, and the lid has a displacement prevention engagement part to engage with the disc holder for preventing displacement of the disc holder in horizontal directions in the disc case.

5. The optical disc case assembly according to one of claims 3 and 4, wherein at the time of closing the lid the displacement prevention engagement part engages with the disc holder at a position thereof brought to by displacement toward the stem side and also at a position thereof brought to by displacement toward the front side.