Optical disk container with writing tool holding device

Abstract

An optical disk container with writing tool holding device mainly includes a base having a stem upward extended from a central thereof, and a writing tool holding device having a central through hole, through which the stem of the base is extended to hold the writing tool holding device to the base. The writing tool holding device is provided at one side with at least one receiving section, in each of which a writing tool is received.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an optical disk container with writing tool holding device, and more particularly to an optical disk container that allows not only storage of optical disks therein but also holding of a writing tool, so that the writing tool may be conveniently held in the optical disk container and quickly accessed for marking an optical disk.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An optical disk is a currently widely employed recording medium for storing digitalized data of music, software, images, etc., and may include audio or music compact disk (CD), video compact disk (VCD), and digital versatile disk (DVD). For simplicity, the phrase “optical disk” will be used throughout this document to generally refer to CD, VCD, and DVD at the same time. Generally speaking, when an optical disk is not in use, it must be properly stored in a container to avoid contamination that would possibly result in failure of reading of the optical disk by a computer.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional optical disk container 10 that mainly includes a base 11 and a cover 12. The base 11 is substantially in the form of a round plate and has a stem 110 upward projected from a center of the base 11.

A plurality of optical disks 20, each of which typically includes a central hole 210, may be sequentially stacked on the base 11 with the stem 110 of the base 11 upward extended through the central holes 210 of the optical disks 20. The cover 12 is substantially a hollow cylindrical member adapted to fitly close onto the base 11. The cover 12 and the base 11 may be firmly connected with one another through engagement of radially outward extended retaining plates 120 provided along a lower rim of the cover 12 with a plurality of catches 111 provided along a peripheral edge of the base 11.

Most conventional optical disk containers, such as that disclosed in Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 529605 and that described with reference to FIG. 1, provide only one single function of storing optical disks therein. On the other hand, it is often necessary to mark some information on a surface of the optical disk to conveniently identify the optical disk in the future. However, the conventional optical disk containers do not include any means for holding a writing tool, with which a user may quickly make any necessary mark on the optical disk, and therefore fail to satisfy general consumers' need in this aspect. It is therefore desirable to develop an improved optical disk container that can overcome the drawback existed in the conventional optical disk containers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an optical disk container with writing tool holding device, so that the optical disk container could store not only optical disks but also a writing tool for marking the optical disks conveniently.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a writing tool holding structure for use in an optical disk container, so that a writing tool could always be conveniently held in the optical disk container without being arbitrarily positioned here and there.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional optical disk container;

FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of an optical disk container according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the optical disk container of FIG. 2 with a writing tool holding device according to a first preferred embodiment thereof;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the optical disk container of FIG. 2 with a writing tool holding device according to a second preferred embodiment thereof;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the optical disk container of FIG. 2 with a writing tool holding device according to a third preferred embodiment thereof;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the optical disk container of FIG. 2 with a writing tool holding device according to a fourth preferred embodiment thereof;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the optical disk container of FIG. 2 with a writing tool holding device according to a fifth preferred embodiment thereof; and

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the optical disk container of FIG. 2 with a writing tool holding device according to a sixth preferred embodiment thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 3, in which an optical disk container with writing tool holding device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. As shown, the optical disk container, which is generally denoted with a reference numeral of 3, includes at least a base 31, a cover 32, and a writing tool holding device 33. The base 31 is provided at a center with an upward projected stem 310. An optical disk 4 provided with a central hole 41 may be safely positioned on the base 31 with the stem 310 of the base 31 extended through the central hole 41 of the optical disk 4.

The writing tool holding device 33 is designed for holding one or more s 5 in the optical disk container 3, and provided at a center with a through hole 331, via which the stem 310 of the base 31 may be extended. The writing tool holding device 33 is also provided at one side with at least one receiving section 332 for receiving one writing tool 5 therein. In a feasible embodiment of the present invention, each of the at least one receiving section 332 is provided at an outer edge at a predetermined position with at least one upward projected retaining bracket 3321, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, or at least one inward projected retaining lug 3322, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. With the at least one retaining bracket 3321 or the at least one retaining lug 3322, the writing tool 5 may be stably held in the at least one receiving section 332. In another feasible embodiment of the present invention, the at least one receiving section 332 is in the form of an open-topped recess, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7. The present invention may further includes a cap 6 (not shown in FIGS. 3 to 7) to locate above the writing tool holding device 33, so that the at least one writing tool 5 is not only protected against dust but also undesired separation from the at least one receiving section 332 due to any excessive vibration of the optical disk container 3. In a further feasible embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 8, the writing tool holding device 33 is provided along an outer periphery with at least one clamping means 3323 for firmly clamping the above-mentioned cap 6 to a top of the writing tool holding device 33.

The cover 32 is adapted to fitly close onto the base 31. As can be clearly seen from the illustrated figures, the cover 32 is provided along a lower rim with a plurality of radially outward extended retaining plates 321, and the base 31 is correspondingly provided along a circumferential edge with a plurality of upward extended catches 311. The cover 32 may be firmly held to a top of the base 31 simply by engaging the retaining plates 321 with the catches 311.

The present invention has been described with some preferred embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention. For example, the cap 6 may be attached to the top of the writing tool holding device 33 using adhesive means; or, the writing tool holding device 33 may have either the side provided with the at least one receiving section 332 or the opposite side without the receiving section 332 faced toward the base 31. Any equivalent function or effect generated from such changes and modifications shall be included in the scope of the present invention that is to be limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An optical disk container with writing tool holding device, comprising a base having a stem upward extended from a center of said base, and a writing tool holding device having a central through hole and adapted to locate in said optical disk container above said base with said stem of said base extended through said central through hole; and said writing tool holding device being provided at one side with at least one receiving section for each receiving a writing tool therein.

2. The optical disk container with writing tool holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one receiving section is provided at an outer edge with at least one retaining bracket.

3. The optical disk container with writing tool holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one receiving section is an open-topped recess.

4. The optical disk container with writing tool holding device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said at least one receiving section is provided at an outer edge with at least one inward projected retaining lug.

5. The optical disk container with writing tool holding device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a cap for attaching to a top of said writing tool holding device.

6. The optical disk container with writing tool holding device as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a cap for attaching to a top of said writing tool holding device.

7. The optical disk container with writing tool holding device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said writing tool holding device is provided along an outer periphery with at least one clamping means for clamping a cap to a top of said writing tool holding device.

8. The optical disk container with writing tool holding device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said writing tool holding device is provided along an outer periphery with at least one clamping means for clamping a cap to a top of said writing tool holding device.

9. The optical disk container with writing tool holding device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cover adapted to fitly close onto said base.