GB2223218A

GB2223218A - Storage devices

Info

Publication number: GB2223218A
Application number: GB8817914A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Garcin
Original assignee: Earley Marketing Ltd
Current assignee: Earley Marketing Ltd
Priority date: 1988-07-27
Filing date: 1988-07-27
Publication date: 1990-04-04
Also published as: GB8817914D0

Abstract

A storage device for a mixture of different recording media comprises storage compartments (1), each of which has two opposed ends, each end having a stepped base portion (5) with the corresponding steps (6, 7, 8) of the base portions providing in effect platforms for the reception of a plurality of different sizes of recording media such as video cassettes in different sizes of protective boxes and/or computer floppy discs and/or compact discs. <IMAGE>

Description

STORAGE DEVICES This invention relates to storage devices and more particularly, to such devices for storing a mixture of different recording media, for example video cassette tapes, computer floppy discs and compact discs..

To date, there have been dedicated storage devices for a given recording medium, such as a video cassette, but now that equipment is available with which a multiplicity of recording media can be used, there is a need to provide a multipurpose storage device.

According to the present invention there is provided a storage device comprising a plurality of storage compartments each of which has two opposed ends, each end having a stepped base portion with the corresponding steps of the base portions providina in effect platforms for the reception of a plurality of different sizes of recording media.

Preferably, each stepped base portion has three steps, whereby three platforms are provided; a first platform for a normal boxed video cassette, a second platform for a video cassette contained in a pre-recorded video case, and a third platform for a video cassette in a library case. Conveniently, the length of each storage compartment is such so as to accommodate the various articles on end. The third platform is also able to receive computer floppy discs in their cases which, because they are thinner (even when boxed) than video cassettes, can be accommodated in side-by-side pairs in a given compartment. Xlternatively, the third platform may receive single or double compact discs in their cases.

also, the third platform may be narrower in width than the remainder in order better to locate the received article against lateral movement.

The storage device may be of modular construction with each end of the device provided with means for releasably connecting one device to a similar device.

R storage device for video cassettes and computer floppy discs constructed in accordance with the present invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 is a perspective view of the storage device, Figure 2 is a plan view from above of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a plan view from below of Figure 1, Figure 4 is a front view of Figure 1, partly in section, Figure 5 is a section on the line V-V of Figure 3, and Figure 6 is an end view from the right-hand side of Figure 1.

The storage device is moulded from a synthetic plastics material and comprises a plurality of storage compartments 1 defined by generally inverted V-shaped walls 2 which extend between front and rear walls 3 and 4, respectively. The base of the storage device is made up of front and rear portions which are spaced apart and each of which in turn is made up of a base portion 5 at the corresponding end of each compartment 1.

Each base portion 5 is stepped and in fact comprises three steps 6, 7 and 8, the first of which 8 extends from the associated front or rear wall 3, 4 into the compartment and is of a full width, i.e. the distance between the two V walls 2 which divide that compartment.

The second step 7 is also of full width. The third step 6 is of narrow width than the steps 7 and 8 as it extends between side walls 9. In each of the two end compartments 1, the steps 6 terminate at the free edges in a curved or semi-circular portion which provide four corner feet 11.

Each of the two V-shaped end walls 2 of the storage device are provided with means for releasably connecting one storage device to a similar storage device in order that an overall storage device can be built up according to requirements. More specifically, the rear end of the right-hand end wall 2 is provided with an t-shaped bracket 12 which defines, with that end wall, a U-shaped connecting member, with a rib 13 being provided on the end wall and extending into the U-shaped connecting member. The top of the rib is tapered in order to provide a lead-in.The front end of the right-hand end wall 2 is provided with a cut-out 14 which receives a connecting member 12, 13 at the front of the left-hand end wall of an adjacent storage device to be connected thereto, with the rear of the left-hand end wall being provided with a similar cut-out 14 in order to accommodate the connecting bracket 12, 13 at the rear, right-hand end of the adjacent storage device. Thus, the respective end walls are pushed into the U-shaped brackets, with the wall being tightly, but releasably, held between the rib and the upstanding limb of the bracket 12.

It will be appreciated that the steps 6, 7 and 8 of the front and rear base portions 5 of each compartment in effect present three platforms at different levels and of different lengths to receive different sizes of articles.

The platform provided by the third steps 6 is of the shortest length and is dimensioned to receive snugly; on end, a normal, boxed, and initially unrecorded, video cassette. The side walls 9 prevent undue lateral movement of these cassettes. The platform provided by the second steps 7 is dimensioned to receive, on end, a prerecorded video cassette in a case which is larger than the boxes in which an unrecorded video cassette is normally purchased. Finally, the platform formed by the first steps 8 is of the greatest length and is dimensioned to receive, on end, either a video cassette in a library case which is larger than the case of a prerecorded cassette. Rlternatively, the platform formed by the first steps 8 may receive one or two computer floppy discs 5 1/2 inches (14 cm) x 5 1/2 inches (14 cm) and/or compact discs.Such computer floppy discs may be kept in a protective rigid or semi-rigid box and in view of their relatively small widths, compared with a video cassette, two can be accommodated in a given compartment 1. Compact discs are housed in protective rigid cases and three single discs can be accommodated in a given compartment or one single and one double disc.

Thus, the present invention affords a simple but efficient storage device for different recording media, which device may be of modular construction in order that the amount of storage can be increased or decreased according to requirements.

The upper edges of the front and rear walls 3 and 4 are inclined in order to continue the inclination of the edges of the V-shaped walls 2 and these lend themselves to the reception of identifying labels, such as that indicated at 15 in Figure 1, for the contents of a given storage compartment 1.

Claims

1. A storage device comprising a plurality of storage compartments each of which has two opposed ends, each end having a stepped base portion with the corresponding steps of the base portions providing in effect platforms for the reception of a plurality of different sizes of recording media.

2, 4 storage device according to claim 1, wherein each base portion has three steps, whereby in effect three platforms are provided of different dimensions as between the opposed ends of the compartments.

3. x storage device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the width of at least one platform is less than the or each other platform.

4. R storage device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein releasable connection means are provided at each end of the storage device by which similar storage devices can be connected together or dismantled in order to vary the overall storage capacity as required.

5. x storage device according to claim 4, wherein the releasable connecting means comprise U-shaped means at one side of one end wall of the storage device and a cut-out portion at the other side of that same end portion, with the other end of the storage device having the U-shaped means and the cut-out portion at the opposite sides of that end, with the U-shaped portion operable to receive an end wall of an adjacent storage device at the cut-out portion of the latter.

6. x storage device according to claim 5, wherein each of the U-shaped means is provided with a rib which defines, with a limb of the U-shaped means, a slot for the reception of an end wall of an adjacent storage device.

7. R storage device according to claim 6, wherein each rib has a tapered upper edge to provide a lead-in for a waLl of an adjacent storage device.

8. x storage device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each compartment is defined by a pair of walls, each of which is of inverted V shape.

9. x storage device according to claim 8, wherein the storage device comprises front and rear walls, the upper edges of which are inclined so as to follow the inclination of the respective portions of the V-shaped compartment walls.

10. x storage device according to claim 9, wherein the inclined upper edges of the front and/or rear walls are provided with labels for identifying the contents of a given compartment.

11. x storage device substantially as herein particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.