CA1199009A

CA1199009A - Storage device for recording media that have a flat form

Info

Publication number: CA1199009A
Application number: CA000443711A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Peter Ackeret
Original assignee: IDN Inventions and Development of Novelties AG
Current assignee: IDN Inventions and Development of Novelties AG
Priority date: 1982-12-23
Filing date: 1983-12-20
Publication date: 1986-01-07
Also published as: EP0273998A1; EP0112966A1; KR840007768A; AU2226183A; BR8307087A; JPS59135676A; ZA839566B; EP0112436A1; KR840007769A; JPS59135675A; DE3247796A1; US4493417A; USRE32753E

Abstract

ABSTRACT
The recording media storage device comprises a housing and a slider member having a front wall that covers the open front face of the housing when the slider member is inserted. A
lifting element supports at least one recording medium, which can be transported out of the housing by means of the slider member, to such an extent that it can be grasped and removed.
The lifting element is so constructed that the recording medium can be re-inserted in troublefree manner and without demands being made on the dexterity or attention of the user.

Description

llssQn~

The invention relates to a storage device for recording media that have a flat form. Such a device is known from United States Patent Specification 3,836,222.
The known device comprises a grid-like framework relative to which the slider members can be moved. Each slider member consists of a block that is guided on the framework and is screwed to a plate. On the plate in the region inside the frame-work there is mounted a part of a locking mechanism, in front of a box-like component, having the front wall, is fastened on the plate. On this component there is hinged a pocket having an extension piece which projects into a free space provided in the framework and, when the slider member is ejected, runs up a crosspiece of the framework and as a result pivots the pocket.
The known device has the main disadvantage that it requires a great deal of space in relation to the size of the recording media to be stored and, because of its complicated construction, can be manufactured only at considerable expense.
On the other hand, it has the advantage that the recording medium, in this case the widely available compact cassettes, is easy to grasp and can be manipulated without the user having to pay a great deal of attention.
This aspect is of particular importance when the device is to be used by the driver of a motor vehicle.
A container for storing recording media, described in DE-PS 22 48 408, does not have the mentioned disadvantages of large space requirements and complicated construction, but does require a certain amount of dexterity when being handled, which might distract the user's attention when driving a vehicle.
The object of -the invention is to construct a container in such a manner that it can be used in troublefree manner, -that is to say that it places minimum demands on the skill or attention of the user, but a-t the same time requires little space and can be manufactured in economical manner from a small number of components.
The invent.ion provides storage device for recording media that have a flat form, such as magnetic tape casse-ttes and compact discs, having a slider member in which at least one recording medium can be accommodated and which is arranged so that it can slide relative to a framework, is biased towards an open position by means of a spring arrangement and can be locked in a closed position against the bias by means of a locking arrangement and can be released manually, the slider member having base portions and a front wall, and a lifting element being provided by means of which, in the open position, the recording medium can be lifted away from the base portion of the slider member at one edge in such a manner that this edge can be grasped above the front wal.l of the slider member, characterised in that the framework is a housing that is closed on five sides and is adapted to the dimensions of the recording media to be accommodated, that the slider member is guided on at least one internal :Eace of the housing, that the locking arrangement comprises a resiliently deflectable latch which is formed integrally with the slider member or the housing and which, in the closed position, is engaged in a latch catch of the housing or of the slider member 9~)~9 and can be released manually from the front wall, and that the lifting element is a support member that engages underneath the recording medium and is of a size, considered in the direction of travel of the slider member, that allows the unimpeded re-insertion of a recording medium that has been removed.
As will be seen, this solution is based not only on a skillful combination of selected individual features that are known Per se from the prior art but also on a special construction of the lifting element, which must meet special requirements, especially when a recording medium is inserted.
Exemplary embodiments of -the subject of the invention are shown in the enclosed drawings and will be explained in detail in the following with reference to the drawings, wherein:-Figure 1 shows a plan view, partly broken-away, of a first embodiment, intended for accommodating three magnetic tape cassettes;
Figure 2 is a section according to line 2 - 2 of Figure l; .
Figure 3 is a plan view of the lifting element of this embodiment;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment;
Figures 5 to 7 show, in section, variants of the lifting element actuation means;
Figure 8 shows an analogous view of a variant of the embodiment according to Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a schematic view of a section parallel to the front wall of the device according to Figure 8;

Figure lO shows a further embodiment, shown in an almost opened state in Figure lOa and in the completely opened state in Figure lOb;
Figure ll shows a cut-away plan view of a device accord-ing to the invention for the storage of compact discs;
Figure 12 shows a plan view of the associated slider member;
Figure 13 shows a sectional view of part of the arrange-ment of receiving platters in the storage position;
Figure 14 shows, analogously to Figure 13, the removal position; and Figure 15 shows a side view, partly in section, of the device when open.
The device according to Figures l to 3 comprises an outer housing 10 having a substantially slab-like basic form.
The housing has a top wall 12, a base wall 14, a rear wall 16 and side walls 18 and 20, whilst the side of the housing opposite the rear wall forms an open front face. Rails 22 extend along the base wall, parallel to the side walls, from the rear wall 16 to the open face of the housing. The rails 22 define a guide path for the sliding movemen-t of a slider member 24 which comprises a rear plate 26, a base plate 28 and a 'ront plate 30. Two parallel slots 32 extend from the rear plate to the front plate and divide the base plate into three separate platter elements.
The inner edges of the outer platter elements are stepped, as shown at 34, and the rails 22 engage over the steps and thus retain the slider member. A helical pressure spring 36 clamped ~n!9~

between the rear wall of the housing and the rear plate of the slider member biases -the slider member towards the discharge direction, -that is to say the pos:ition shown in Figures 1 and 2.
Stops are formed integrally with the base plate of the slider member at the housing end, which stops slide in slots 38 in the base wall of -the housing and limit the ou-tward travel.
In its storage positioni that is to say when it is pushed into the housing, the slider member is held against the bias of the spring 36 by means of locking means. For this purpose, a detent 40 on the underside of a key 42 is formed integrally with the base plate of the slider member, the key 42 being defined by a slot 44 in such a manner that the slot extends through the front p]ate 30 into the relevant platter element of the base in such a manner that the portion 46 acts as a leaf spring that is connected with the rest of the base plate by way of a connection portion 48. This leaf spring also carries the actuating button 50 which lies approximately in the plane of the front pla-te. By means of this button the user can lift the detent 40 out of a complementary recess 41 in the base wall of the housing, whereupon the slider member is pushed out by the pressure spring 36.
The actuating button, together with the front plate of the slider member, substantially closes the open face of the housing when the slider member is pushed in and locked.
The rear plate of the slider member does not, however, extend over the whole width of the housing, so that a free space is left on each side. Before the slider member is mounted in the housing, there is attached thereto a frame piece 52 the n~

construction of which can be seen in Figure 3. The frame piece comprises a casset-te lifting element 54 having upwardly projecting lateral rims 56 the outer faces of which are at a distance from one another that is slightly smaller than the internal width of the housing between its side walls 18 and 20. From the ends of these rims that are located inside the housing there e~tend inwards towards one another hook portions 58 which are at a predetermined distance from the -transverse end edge 60 of the lifting element. The gap so defined allows the frame piece 52 to be placed over the ends of the rear plate 26 of the slider member in such a manner that the lifting element can be moved between a position in which it is pivoted upwards and outwards as in Figure 2, in which position the rims 56 rest against the front edge of the top wall 12 of the housing, and a less angled position in which the lifting element is positioned substantially parallel to the base plate 28 of the slider member.
Here, resilient elemen-ts bias the lifting element towards the pivoted-out position. Two metallic leaf springs 62 are provided which are positioned in complementary recesses 64 in the base plate of the slider member and press against the under-side of the lifting element 54 which, for its part, is provided with projecting ribs 66 to prevent the leaf springs 62 from becoming displaced.
Such a loose insertion of the metallic springs is preferred if the other components of the device are moulded plasticsparts. It is, of course, also possible for the leaf springs 62 to be made of plastics material, but because the springs ~q~3~1Q~

are permanen-tly deflected when the device is closed it would be necessary to use a plastics material having no tendency to cold flow, and this would give rise to considerably higher costs than the use of metal springs. Exactly the same applies, of course, to the ejection springs 36.
On the upper side of the lifting e]ement there are constructed upwardly projecting stops 70 agains-t which the cassettes - in this case three cassettes 76 - can be supported.
In order that the tape winding hubs of the cassettes 76 are secured against turning when in the storage posi-tion, the base plate 28 of the slider member has upwardly projecting retaining lugs 72 which extend through holes 74 aligned with them in the lifting element 54 and into the winding hubs when the lifting element is depressed. When the slider member is in the outward position, the cassettes are lifted with their outer ends above the level of the free edge of the front plate and at the same time the winding hubs come free of the retaining lugs so that the cassettes can be removed towards the front. No dexterity is required to replace the cassettes, as they can simply be placed onto the lifting element, and then the front plate of the slider member is pressed, as a result of which the rims 56 are pressed downwards with a wedge action against the front edge of the housing.
Since the first embodiment has been described very thoroughly, as regards certain details, such as guides, stops and ejection springs, reference can be made to this embodiment whilst only the particular characteristic details of the other embodiments ~ ~9~ 9 are described.
In Figure 4 it can be seen that, unlike Figures 1 to 3, the slider member is constructed for the accommodation of two magnetic tape cassettes, these being, for example, standardised video cassettes. The lifting element 80 is provided wi-th a separating bar 81, and the locking arrangement is located approximately in the centre of the front plate of the slider member. In addition, the slider member is guided not by means of a rail arrangement on the base of the housing but by means of its side plates 82 on the side walls of the housing.
Figures 5 to 7 illustrate three ways of actuating the lifting element 80.
In Figure 5 the lifting element is connected to the slider member 84 by means of a pivot joint 83, and a leaf spring 79, fastened by one end to the base of the slider member, presses with its free end against the lifting element and presses the free end thereof upwards. The insertion of the cassettes is clearly just as troublefree as their removal and it will be seen that this is the case also in Figures 6 and 7.
In Figure 6, the free edge 85 of the internal wall 86 of the lifting element runs up against an inwardly projectlng stop bar 87 on the housing, as a result of which the lifting element is pi~oted about its pivot bearing 83. The cassette rests against a stop 88.
In Figure 7, a spring bias is again provided for the lifting element, in this case in the form of a spring 89 having a leg section and a collar section, of which one leg is supported on the base of the slider member and the other leg is supported against the bottom of the lifting element 80. The lifting angle is limited by stop pins 90 that extend away from the lifting element at the sides into openings 91 in the side plate 82 of the slider member and come to rest against the upper end edge of those openings.
Figures 8 and 9 show a variant of Figure 6. In a double housing 200 a double slider member 202 is guided in grooves 201 which are located in the plane of symmetry of the housing.
Towards the top and the bottom, in each case in the adjacent portion of the housing interior, there extend from the central plate 204 of the slider member pairs of lateral bearing blocks 203, and in the upper bearing blocks a lifting element 205 analogous to the lifting element 80 in Figures 4 to 7 is mounted in such a manner that it can be pivoted through a limited angle.
In the lower bearing blocks 203' there is suspended, mirror-symmetrically, a suspension element 206 in which a platter 208, designed to accommodate one or more cassettes 207, extends outwards at a right angle close to the free end of the suspension plate 209. Whereas the lifting element 205 is lowered by the action of gravity when the slider member is pushed in, the suspension element is lifted by the wedge action when platter 208 runs up the front edge 210 of the housing, which edge at the same time limits the downward pivoting movement. The retaining lugs 211 are formed, in mirror-symmetrical arrangement, integrally with the central plate 204 of the slider member; in the case of the casset-te 207 on lifting element 205, when the cassette is ~ 93~

lowered the retaining lugs engage -through the openings 212 in the lifting element, whereas they are free to pass from above through the tape winding hubs in the cassette(s) 207 on the suspension element 206. It will be understood that here a double front plate 213 is provided at the outer end of the central plate 204 of the slider member. Stops 214 prevent the cassettes from slipping.
Whereas the embodiments previously described were devices for storing magnetic tape cassettes, the two embodiments described in the following are used for accommodating records or video discs, and especially for storing standardised, so-called compact discs. ~ince these are very thin in relation to their diameter, in order better to utilise the space in the interior of the housing the discs should be closely packed together when housed therein but should be presented for removal in a convenient manner.
The illustration in Figures 10a and 10b is largely schematic. On the slider member 301, which can be pushed out of the housing 300, on each side of its front plate there is hinged a respective pair of guide bars 302 that are pivotable about axes 303 extending parallel to the front plate of the slider member. The distance between the pairs of axes and the length of the guide bars are such that in the ejected position both guide bars are free to pivot upwards but in the storage position they are pivoted inwards to such an extent that an uppermost disc-holder 304~ on which the free ends of the guide bars are also hinged at the same axial spacing, will still fit underneath the top wall 305 of the housing. The other disc-holders 306, 307 and 308 are hinged in identical manner but, of course, whi.le the spacing between their axes remains the same, the distance between ~he pivot axes and the front plate 309 of the slider member increases. Even in the open position the lower-most disc-holder extends into the housing 300 and with its actuating extensions 312~ which project laterally from the disc-holder, close to the open front of the housing engages behind guide ribs 311 that project inwards from the side walls 310 of the housing. As soon as the actuating extensions strike the guide ribs when the slide is ejected, they slide upwards along the guide ribs so that the parallelogram arrangement formed by the guide bars and the disc-holders that are hinged thereon is lifted into the unfolded position according to Figure lOb. In this position the individual disc-holders are sufficiently well spaced apart for the compact discs 313 lying on them to be touched from above and pushed forwards with the fingers; if required, the disc-holders can also be provided with a cut-out portion at the front. In addition, the holders are stepped backwards which further facilitates access.
The final embodiment will be explained in slightly more detail as it has a series of special features.
A slider member lOl is arranged in the housing 100 so that it can slide. ~or this purpose, the slider member comprises two base plates lO9 and 110 which are connected to one another at the front by a front plate 111 and at the rear by a rear plate 108. A step 102 projects from both base plates into the empty 90~?~

space 123 between these plates, and two guide rails 103 project inwards from the housing base 129 and engage over these steps.
The base plates 109 and 110 are reinforced by upright side edges 112 which, near the inner end of the slider member, become cheeks 113 which are joined to lugs 107 that extend at right-angles thereto. The cheeks 113 and the lugs lQ7 are of such a height that the inside spacing of the housing is substantially filled, as shown in Figure 15. Helical pressure springs 106 are supported on the one hand against the rear wall 131 of the housing and on the other hand against the lugs 107 and force the slider member out of the housing. In its insertion position, the slider member 101 is secured by a catch 105 which locks into a recess 130 in the housing base 129; the catch is integrally formed with a spring button 104 and can be released by raising the button by pressing with the finger; since the slider member is made of resiliently deformable plastics material, the spring button 104 can be readily separated from the material of the base plate 109 by means of the slits shown in Figure 12. The extent to which the slider member can be ejected is limited by stops which co-operate with counter stops in the housing (not shown).
Bearing pins 115 of receiving platters 114 for respectivecompact discs 125 are accommodated in bearing apertures 132 in the cheeks 113. A total of five receiving platters are arranged here one above -the other and the individual receiving platters 114 differ from one another in the shape and position of their lever arms 116, 120, 121, 122 and 123. The lever arm 116 of the upper-most receiving platter 114 extends substantially over the width of ~ 12 -9C~9 the slider member be-tween the springs 106; at its end it has two pegs or hooks 117 which project laterally and onto each of which is hoo]ced a -tension spring 118. The other ends of the tension springs 118 are anchored in lugs 119 which project upwards from the base plates 109 and 110 of -the slider member. Accordingly, if the slider member 101 is unlocked and ejected from the housing 100 by the springs 106, a tor~ue produced by the biasing of the springs 118 acts on the lever arm 116 and the uppermost receiving platter 114 is swung into the position shown in Figure 15.
During this swinging movement, the other receiving platters are also spread out as a result of the lever arm 116 of the uppermost platter acting on the lever arms 120~ 121 and 122, which are arranged next to one another in a staggered configura-tion, and carrying these along with it. Since these lever arms are of different lengths their angle of spread is correspondingly smaller than that of the uppermost platter 114. For the lowest receiving platter, the lever ratios for operation by the lever arm 116 are rather unfavourable and the lever arm 123 is therefore carried along, not by the lever arm 116, but by the lever arm 122 arranged above it (cf. Figure 14). The three lowest receiving platters have cut-out portions 124 so that there is room for the tension springs 118.
The records are held securely in position by means of central hub projections 126 from which the records can be raised by gripping them in the area of the front cut-out portions 127 of the receiving platters. A supporting rim 133 of the receiving platters defines their distance from one another in the storage position.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. Storage device for recording media that have a flat form, such as magnetic tape cassettes and compact discs, having a slider member in which at least one recording medium can be accommodated and which is arranged so that it can slide relative to a framework, is biased towards an open position by means of a spring arrangement and can be locked in a closed position against the bias by means of a locking arrangement and can be released manually, the slider member having base portions and a front wall, and a lifting element being provided by means of which, in the open position, the recording medium can be lifted away from the base portion of the slider member at one edge in such a manner that this edge can be grasped above the front wall of the slider member, characterised in that the framework is a housing that is closed on five sides and is adapted to the dimensions of the recording media to be accommodated, that the slider member is guided on at least one internal face of the housing, that the locking arrangement comprises a resiliently deflectable latch which is formed integrally with the slider member or the housing and which, in the closed position, is engaged in a latch catch of the housing or of the slider member and can be released manually from the front wall, and that the lifting element is a support member that engages underneath the recording medium and is of a size, considered in the direction of travel of the slider member, that allows the unimpeded reinsertion of a recording medium that has been removed.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the lifting element is arranged to receive a plurality of recording media.

3. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the lifting element comprises at least one spring by means of which the recording medium is biased towards the lifted position.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterised in that the spring is a leaf spring.

5. Device according to claim 3, characterised in that the spring is a wire spring.

6. Device according to claim 5, characterised in that the spring is a torsion coil spring of which one wire end is supported on the base of the slider member and the other is supported against the recording medium.

7. Device according to claim 3, characterised in that a platter-like component is provided between the spring and the recording medium.

8. Device according to claim 7, characterised by a stop for supporting the recording medium lying on the component.

9. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the lifting element comprises at least one platter element that is hinged on the slider member by way of a parallelogram arrangement.

10. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the housing is designed to accommodate a plurality of compact discs packed closely together in a stack one above the other, each of the compact discs having an individual lifting element, and that in the open position all the compact discs are presented in fan-like manner.

11. Device according to claim 10, characterised in that for every disc there is a platter-like holder.

12. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the spring arrangement comprises pressure spring elements clamped between a rear plate of the slider member remote from the front wall of the slider member and a rear wall of the housing.

13. Device according to claim 12, characterised in that the pressure spring elements are supported against buckling.

14. Device according to claim 12, characterised in that the force stored by the pressure spring elements can be transferred to the lifting element and is sufficient to actuate the lifting element.

15. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the housing has a substantially rectangular outline and that several recording media can be accommodated therein parallel to the largest surfaces of the housing.

16. Device according to claim 1, characterised by a substantially frame-shaped slider member.

17. Device according to claim 11, characterised in that each holder is pivotable about an axis extending parallel to the front wall of the slider member.

18. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the support member engages underneath the recording medium at least at a point that lies between the edge that can be grasped and the centre of gravity of the recording medium.

19. Device according to claim 18, characterised in that the support member extends from the end of the slider member inside the housing to a position shortly before the front wall of the slider member.