AU2006100061B4 - A digital media storage case - Google Patents

Description

P/00/012 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Invention Title: "A DIGITAL MEDIA STORAGE CASE" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: Va 1 0 O TITLE ci t "A DIGITAL MEDIA STORAGE CASE" SFIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a digital media storage case. In D 5 particular, although not exclusively, this invention relates to a digital media ostorage case to securely retain digital media items such as CDs and DVDs.

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SDVDs and CDs are widely used as digital storage devices for movies, music, computer programs and other digital multimedia. Due to the small size and high value of these digital storage devices, they represent an attractive target for shoplifters when they are displayed in stores for sale or rent.

CDs and DVDs are kept in plastic containers to protect them from scratching and thus corrupting the stored data. These plastic containers also provide information about what is stored on the CD or DVD. A common practice adopted by retailers who sell or rent DVDs and CDs is to display the plastic containers on the shop floor and to store the CDs and DVDs separately in a secure location. A CD/DVD is placed within it's respective plastic container upon sale or rental.

For a store that rents movies and games on DVDs and CDs, the customers must bring the plastic DVD/CD container to the counter for renting. An attendant must then locate where the DVD/CD is stored and insert this item in the container. During busy periods, the shop attendants are required to locate many DVD/CDs resulting in significant delay to o customers. A similar situation applies to retailers who sell DVDs and CDs.

This process is inefficient and time consuming.

There are devices known in the art that are capable of locking and unlocking plastic cases that contain the DVDs or CDs enabling the discs to be securely stored on the store floor within their display containers. One o such device is a case that has a lock to secure the case in a closed position.

v.0 0 A key is used to remove the lock from the case and thus enable the case to be opened and the DVD/CDs stored therein becomes accessible.

The case is formed from plastic and has a rectangular shaped storage compartment having a front wall, a back wall, end walls, side walls and a spine. A CD/DVD holder is located within the compartment and is used to prevent the CD or DVD from moving inside the compartment.

The spine is connected to the front wall and back wall by hinges that allow the case to be opened and closed. The front wall and the back wall of the case each have a pair of end walls such that when the case is closed each end wall of the back wall overlaps with the corresponding end wall of the front wall. Furthermore, each of the front and back walls has a side wall such that, when the case is closed, the side wall of the back wall overlaps the side wall of the front wall. Each side wall is offset from the edge of the front wall and the back wall respectively.

The sidewalls are set back from the front wall and the back wall respectively to form an elongate lock recess. This lock recess is located adjacent the storage compartment and is separated from this compartment by the overlap of the side walls.

Q- Each of the sidewalls has a number of holes located along their length such that when the case is closed and the side walls overlap, the holes of the side wall attached to the front wall align with and correspond to the holes of the sidewall attached to the back wall.

The lock is an elongate member formed from plastic and has

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O substantially identical dimensions to the lock recess on the case described Oabove. The elongate lock member has a number of integrally formed fingers protruding along its length. Each finger aligns with and has the same cross sectional area as a corresponding hole in the lock recess of the case.

The lock also has a pair of metal locking clips. Each clip is formed from a bent metal strip and has a flat base portion and two arms that extend outwardly from the base portion. The metal clip is fastened to the elongate lock member by a moulded plastic rivet inserted through a circular hole in the base portion of the metal clip. The arms of each metal clip have a hooked end such that the hooked ends of the arms are configured in a back to back fashion.

Each arm diverges from its paired arm as the arms extend away from the base portion. Furthermore, each arm is biased away from its paired arm due to the properties of the metal from which the arms are formed. The elongate lock member further comprises two pairs of circular holes. These holes are located either side of each base portion of the metal locking clip.

The case is locked by positioning the elongate lock member adjacent the lock recess such that all the fingers on the elongate lock member are adjacent their corresponding holes within the lock recess. Furthermore, the

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o hooked ends of the locking clips are aligned with the edge of their corresponding holes.

When a force is applied to the elongate lock member, each pair of arms are bent inwardly such that each arm is bent towards the arm it is paired with against the bias caused by the stiffness of the metal.

o When the point of the hook end has penetrated the storage ocompartment, there is no longer a force being applied to bend the arms 0 together. Hence, the arms spring apart due to the bias of the metal from which the arms are formed and the hook points become lodged within the lock compartment. At this point all the fingers are fully inserted into their corresponding holes and the elongate lock member is flush with the edge of the front and back walls. In this configuration, the locking member has fastened the side walls of the front wall and back wall together and it is therefore no longer possible to open the case.

A key is used to remove the elongate lock member from the lock recess. This key has pins that are inserted through the holes in the lock member and lift the hooked ends of the metal clips from within the storage compartment, thus freeing the lock from the recess. When this occurs the side walls are no longer locked together and thus the case can be opened and closed freely.

The prior art device described above has numerous deficiencies that limit its effectiveness as a device for locking cases that contain CDs, DVDs and the like. Form example, it is common for shoplifters to use a blade or a knife to cut the case at the hinge(s) connecting the spine to the front wall

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o and/or back wall of the case. As the DVDs and CDs are thin, it is possible to extract them from within the case once the case has been cut in this way.

The storage compartment therefore fails to effectively secure the DVD or CD regardless of the effectiveness of the locking mechanism that is used to secure the front wall to the back wall.

0 O OBJECT OF THE INVENTION O The object of the invention is to overcome or at least alleviate one or more of the above problems and/or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one form, although it need not be the only or indeed the broadest form, the invention resides in a digital media storage case comprising: a front wall; a back wall; a spine attached to said front wall by a first hinge, said spine attached to said back wall by a second hinge; and at least one interlocking rib, said interlocking rib straddling at least one of said first hinge and said second hinge when said digital media storage case is in a closed position.

Preferably, each said interlocking rib comprises: a first ridge located on said spine; a first pair of second ridges located on said front wall adjacent said first hinge, said first pair of second ridges forming a valley to receive an end of said first ridge when said case is in a closed position to thereby straddle O0 said first hinge; and a second pair of second ridges located on said back wall adjacent said second hinge, said second pair of second ridges forming a valley to receive an end of said first ridge when said case is in said closed position to thereby straddle said second hinge.

o Optionally, each said interlocking rib comprises: o a first ridge formed on said spine; and a pair of second ridges located on one of said front wall or said back wall, said pair of second ridges forming a valley to receive an end of said first ridge when said case is in a closed position to thereby straddle at least one of said first hinge and said second hinge.

Suitably, said digital media storage case comprises a multiplicity of interlocking ribs.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To assist in understanding the invention and to enable a person skilled in the art to put the invention into practical effect preferred embodiments of the invention will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG.1 shows a perspective view of a lockable media storage apparatus according to a first embodiment of the current invention; FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a digital media storage case of the lockable media storage apparatus shown in FIG 1;

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o FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a lock of the media storage apparatus shown in FIG 1; FIG. 4 shows a detailed side view of a pair of hooked arms of the lock of FIG 3 in an angled position; and FIG. 5 shows a detailed side view of the pair of hooked arms of o FIG 4 in a parallel position; o DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG 1 shows an improved lockable media storage apparatus comprising a digital media storage case 20, an elongate lock member 60 and a key (not shown). FIG 1 shows digital media storage case 20 in a closed position. Throughout this description like numerals are used to refer to the same elements of the invention shown in different embodiments.

FIG 2 shows digital media storage case 20 in an opened position.

Digital media storage case 20 is formed from polyethylene, but it is should be apparent that the case may be formed from any lightweight resilient polymeric plastic or similar material.

Digital media storage case 20 has a storage compartment 21 and a lock recess 44. Storage compartment 21 is formed from a front wall 22, a back wall 23, end walls 24, 25, 26 and 27, side walls 28 and 29 and a spine 30. Side walls 28 and 29 extend outwardly from front wall 22 and back wall 23 respectively. End walls 24, 25, 26 and 27 extend outwardly from front wall 22 and back wall 23 as shown. Side walls 28 and 29 intersect with respective end walls 24, 25, 26 and 27.

Spine 30 is connected to front wall 22 by hinge 33 and is connected to

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o back wall 23 by hinge 34. The hinges, 33 and 34, allow case 20 to be moved between an opened and a closed position.

Digital media storage case 20 further comprises a plurality of interlocking ribs 35 formed within the storage compartment 21. Interlocking locking ribs 35 straddle at least one of hinge 33 and hinge 34 when digital 0 o media storage case 20 is in the closed position in order to strengthen at least o one of hinge 33 and hinge 34 and thereby reduce the likelihood of the case 0 being cut along one of these ribs and hence expose the DVD or CD to theft via this method as discussed above. Preferably, each interlocking rib straddles hinge 33 and hinge 34 as will be discussed below.

Each interlocking rib 35 is formed from a first ridge in the form of a single long ridge 37 and two pairs of second ridges in the form of short ridges 36A and 36B. Long ridges 37 are spaced evenly along the length of spine Each of the long ridges 37 extends substantially along a width of the spine 30 from hinge 33 to hinge 34. Each pair of short ridges 36A and 36B are formed on front wall 22 and back wall 23 respectively adjacent long ridge 37. A valley 36C is formed by the separation of each pair of short ridges 36A and 36B. Valley 36C receives an end of long ridge 37 when the case 20 is in the closed position as shown in FIG 1.

Hence, each interlocking rib 35 straddles hinges 33 and 34 when the case 20 is in the closed position to thereby provide a strengthening buffer along each hinge 33, 34. This arrangement reduces the likelihood of the case being cut by a thief along either hinge in an attempt to remove the CD/DVD securely located within the storage compartment 21.

v.O o A skilled addressee will realise that variations of the interlocking ridge described above fall within the scope of the digital media storage case 20 of the invention. For example, interlocking rib 35 may have a pair of short ridges 36A and 36B formed on spine 30 adjacent each hinge 33, 34 with the valley 36C formed by each pair of short ridges 36A and 36B able to receive 0 o long ridges 37 located on front wall 22 and back wall 23 adjacent hinge 33 o and 34 respectively when the case 20 is in the closed position.

0 cFurthermore, a skilled addressee will realise that each interlocking rib may only straddle a single hinge of the digital media storage case A circular protrusion 31 extends outwardly from the front wall 22 whilst a further circular protrusion 32 extends outwardly from the back wall 23.

Circular protrusions 31 and 32 are used to hold DVDs or CDs within storage compartment 21.

The lock recess 44 is formed when the case 20 is in the closed position. Lock recess 44 is defined by lips 42 and 43, end wall extensions and 41 and overlapping side walls 28 and 29.

Lip 42 is formed by side wall 28 being set back from edge 38 of front wall 22. Lip 43 is formed by side wall 29 being set back from edge 39 of back wall 23. End wall extensions 40 and 41 are formed from end walls 24 and 25 extending beyond side walls 28 to edge 38. Conversely, end walls 26 and 27 terminate at side wall 29. Lip 42 connects with extensions 40 and 41.

Therefore, when case 20 is in the closed position, the lock recess 44 is located adjacent the storage compartment 21 and is divided from storage compartment 21 by the overlap of side walls 28 and 29.

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o Four circular holes 45A, 45B, 45C and 45D are located at spaced intervals along the length of each of the side walls 28 and 29. Circular holes 45B, 45C and 45D on side walls 28 and 29 align when side walls 28 and 29 overlap when case 20 is in the closed position.

Locking portions 46A and 46B are located on each side wall 28 and 0 o 29. Narrow rectangular holes 49A and 50A are located on each side of o locking portion 46A. Wide rectangular holes 47A and 48A are located between narrow rectangular holes 49A and 50A. Similarly, narrow rectangular holes 49B and 50B are located on each side of locking portion 46B. Wide rectangular holes 47B and 48B are located between narrow rectangular holes 49B and Shallow rectangular valleys 54A and 55A are located on side wall 29 within storage compartment 21. Shallow rectangular valley 54A is located between wide rectangular hole 48A and narrow rectangular hole 50A and shallow rectangular valley 55A is located between wide rectangular hole 47A and narrow rectangular hole 49A. Similarly, shallow rectangular valleys 54B and 55B are located on side wall 29 within storage compartment 21. Shallow rectangular valley 54B is located between wide rectangular hole 48B and narrow rectangular hole 50B and valley 55B is located between wide rectangular hole 47B and narrow rectangular hole 49B. The holes located on side wall 28 align with the holes on side wall 29 when case 20 is closed and the side walls overlap.

A pair of male dove tail joint portions 51A and 52A protrude from side wall 28 along front wall lip 42 and straddle locking portion 46A. Similarly, a o pair of male dove tail joint portions 51B and 52B protrude from side wall 29 along back wall lip 43 and straddle locking portion 46B.

Insets 56A and 56B are located on side wall 28. When case 20 is closed, insets 56A and 56B bridge male dove tail joint portions 51A and 52A allowing the full overlap of front wall 22 over back wall 23 without 0 0 o interference from male dove tail joint portions 51B and 52B.

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oIndentations 57A and 57B are located on side wall 29. A pair of complementary ridges (not shown) protrude from side wall 28 within storage compartment 21. When case 20 is closed and side wall 28 overlaps side wall 29, complementary ridges (not shown) couple with respective indentations 57A, 57B and assist in holding the case closed.

A pair of tabs (not shown) protrude from front wall 22 within storage compartment 21 and are parallel to side wall 28. When case 20 is closed, the tabs (not shown) and side wall 28 sandwich side wall 29.

Elongate lock member 60 is shown in FIG 3. Elongate lock member is formed from polycarbonate, but it will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that this member may be formed from any appropriate rigid polymeric plastic.

Elongate lock member 60 comprises a base 61. Base 61 has substantially similar dimensions as lock recess 44 on case 20. The elongate lock member 60 also includes fingers and arms that extend outwardly from base 61 and are integrally formed with the base. Additionally, base 61 has female dove tail join portions and circular apertures located along its length.

Four circular fingers 62A, 62B, 62C and 62D protrude outwardly from IN 12

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o base 61 at evenly space intervals. The spacing and transverse cross sections of these fingers correspond to the spacing and cross sections of circular holes 45A, 45B, 45C and 45D on case 20, that is, finger 62A aligns with hole 45A, finger 62B aligns with hole 45B, finger 62C aligns with hole 45C and finger 62D aligns with hole 0 o Two locking portions 63A and 63B are located on elongate lock omember 60. A pair of rectangular cross sectional fingers 64A and 65A or 64B and 65B form part of locking portion 63A or 63B and protrude outwardly from base 61. A pair of hooked arms 66A and 67A protrude outwardly from base 61 and form part of locking portion 63A. Bridge 68A connects hooked arms 66A and 67A. A pair of identical hooked arms 66B and 67B form part of locking portion 64B.

Hooked arms 66A and 67A are positioned in a back-to-back configuration and are angled away from each other as shown in FIG 3 and FIG 4. As shown in FIG 4, hooked arm 66A has substantially semi-circular inset 69, lower front edge 70 which diverges to upper front edge 71. Also present on hooked arm 66A are locking inset 72, hooked point 73, top edge 74 which terminates at arm extent 75 which in turn is connected to back edge 76. Hooked arm 66A is pivotable with respect to base 61 at inset 69.

Hooked arms 66B, 67A and 67B have identical components as that of 66A described above. Furthermore, hooked arms 66A and 66B are biased away from each other due to the characteristics of the plastic from which lock member 60 is formed. Hence, when the hooked arms are pivoted at inset 69 due to a force applied to the arms, they return to the position as shown in O 13 0 O FIG4.

SCircular apertures 77A and 78A are located within locking portion 64A.

Aperture 77A is located between rectangular finger 64A and hooked arm 66A whilst aperture 78A is located between rectangular finger 65A and hooked arm 67A. Similarly, locking portion 63B has a pair of apertures 77B oand 78B. Insets 79A and 79B are also part of locking portions 63A and 63B Va orespectively.

cFemale dove tail joint portions 80A, 80B, 81A, 81 B, 82A and 82B are located on lock member 60. The dimensions and location of female dove tail joint portion 80A are such that it is engagable with male dove tail joint portion 51A on case 20. Similarly, female dove tail joint portions 80B, 81A, 81B, 82A and 82B are engagable with male dove tail joint portions 51 B, 52A, 52B, 53A and 53B respectively.

In use, elongate lock member 60 is fitted within lock recess 44 of case 20, when the case is closed, to lock side wall 28 to side wall 29. This ensures that the case cannot be moved to the opened position and hence facilitates the secure retention of merchandise present in storage compartment 21. The elongate lock member 60 is positioned such that circular fingers 62A, 62B, 62C and 62D align with respective circular holes 45A, 45B, 45C and 45D. Hence, as these fingers are appropriately aligned, locking portions 63A and 63B of lock member 60 align with locking portions 46A and 46B on case 20. Furthermore, female dove tail joint portions 81A, 81B, 82A and 82B on lock member 60 align with respective male dove tail joint portions 51A, 51B, 52A, 52B, 53A and 53B on case 14

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o Hooked arms 66A, 66B, 66C and 66D only partially align with respective wide rectangular holes 47A, 47B, 48A and 48B such that the 'extent of each arm 75 abuts the side of the rectangular hole distal from the centre of the respective locking portion.

To facilitate insertion of lock member 60 within lock recess 44, a force 0 o is applied to lock member 60 when it is positioned over lock recess 44, as o described above. The downward movement of elongate lock member causes top edge 74 of the hooked arms to slide against the wide rectangular holes to force each hooked arm towards its paired arm.

The hooked arms are then able to travel through their respective wide rectangular holes into storage compartment 21. Once the hooked arms have passed through the holes, each hooked arm moves away from its paired arms due to the respective bias of the arms. The respective hooked points 73 of hooked arms 66A, 66B, 67A and 67B engage with respective shallow rectangular valleys 55A, 55B, 54A and 54B on side wall 29.

Furthermore, all fingers are fully inserted in their corresponding holes, all male dove tail joints mate with their corresponding female dove tail joints and elongated lock member 60 is located entirely within lock recess 44.

Hence, front wall 22 and back wall 23 are securely fastened together and the case is capable of securely retaining the CDs or DVDs on the store floor. As elongate lock member 60 is located entirely within lock recess 44, it is not possible to prise the lock member from within the lock recess as lips 42 and 43 prevent access to lock member A key (not shown) is used to remove the elongate lock member o from the case. This key has a base and a spring mounted plate of substantially the same dimensions as the elongate lock member. The spring mounted plate is moveable between an extended position when the spring is fully extended, and a retracted position, when the spring is compressed and IN 5 the plate is in contact with the base.

0 O With reference to FIG 5, there are two pairs of circular pins 84 oprotruding upwardly from the base. The pins 84 pass through corresponding apertures in the spring mounted plate. When the spring mounted plate is in the extended position, the tips of the pins 84 extend through the circular portion of the keyhole shaped apertures. When the spring mounted plate is in the retracted position, the majority of the length of the pins 84 extend through the keyhole apertures above the spring mounted plate.

In use, case 20 is placed on the key such that the pins 84 on the key extend at least partially within circular apertures 77A, 77B, 78A and 78B on elongate lock member 60. The case is forced downwardly on the spring mounted plate, forcing the pins 84 further within apertures 77A, 77B, 78A and 78B.

Referring to FIG 5, each of the pins 84 contact lower front edge 70 of each hooked arm and as the case, and hence the hooked arms, move downwards, the pins 84 move upwards relative to the face 70. This relative movement between lower front edge 70 on the hooked arms and the pins 84 on the key forces each hooked point 73 out of the shallow rectangular valley (54A, 54B, 55A and 55B) in which it is embedded. When each pin 84 is fully inserted in circular apertures 77A, 77B, 78A and 78B the front edge 70 of IN 16

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o each hooked arm is substantially parallel with the front edge of the hooked arm with which it is paired as shown in FIG When the downward force is removed, the case moves upwardly on the plate due to the force of the spring on which the plate is mounted. As the case moves upwards, the pins 84 move downwards on the lower front edge 0 o 70, relative to the hooked arms. The hooked ends 73 of each hooked arm o are removed from the shallow rectangular valleys and hence as the case 0 moves upwards the elongate lock member remains upon the spring mounted plate of the key. Elongate lock member 60 is no longer fitted within lock recess 44. Hence, the side walls of the case are no longer fastened together by the elongate lock member and the case is free to be opened.

The digital media storage case of the improved lockable media storage apparatus of the invention has interlocking ribs, as described above, to strengthen and reinforce each hinge. The reinforced hinge minimises the likelihood that it is possible to cut the hinge of the case thus providing a greater level of security to the DVD or CD contained within the storage compartment of the case.

Throughout this specification the aim has been to describe the preferred embodiments of the invention without limiting the invention to any one embodiment or specific collection of features. Other embodiments of the current invention are possible that do not depart from the pith and marrow of the invention as described herein.

Claims (5)

1. A digital media storage case comprising: a front wall; a back wall; IN 5 a spine attached to said front wall by a first hinge, said spine attached o to said back wall by a second hinge; and oat least one interlocking rib, said interlocking rib straddling at least one of said first hinge and said second hinge when said digital media storage case is in a closed position.

2. The digital media storage case of claim 1, wherein each said interlocking rib comprises: a first ridge formed on said spine; and a pair of second ridges located on one of said front wall or said back wall, said pair of second ridges forming a valley to receive an end of said first ridge when said case is in a closed position to thereby straddle at least one of said first hinge and said second hinge.

3. The digital media storage case of claim 1, wherein each said interlocking rib comprises: a first ridge located on said spine; a first pair of second ridges located on said front wall adjacent said first hinge, said first pair of second ridges forming a valley to receive an end of said first ridge when said case is in a closed position to thereby straddle O 18 0 said first hinge; and Sa second pair of second ridges located on said back wall adjacent said second hinge, said second pair of second ridges forming a valley to receive an end of said first ridge when said case is in said closed position to thereby straddle said second hinge. IND

4. The digital media storage case of any preceding claim, wherein said digital media storage case comprises a multiplicity of said interlocking ribs.

5. A digital media storage case having an interlocking rib as substantially herein before described with reference to the accompanying figures. Dated this 25th day of January, 2006 The Trade Guys International Pty Ltd By their Patent Attorneys FISHER ADAMS KELLY