1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk safekeeping device, and, more particularly, to a fabricated disk safekeeping device constructed in a structure in which a plurality of disk cases are stacked one on another in a multilayered fashion such that the disk cases are coupled with each other, whereby the disk cases are easily added to or removed from the fabricated disk safekeeping device if necessary.
Also, the present invention relates to a fabricated disk safekeeping device including a top cover mounted to the top of the uppermost one of the stacked disk cases, the top cover having an illumination unit mounted therein, whereby it is possible to easily find disks using the illumination unit in a dark place and to provide an interior decoration effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, compact disks (hereinafter, simply referred to as “disks”) are media for storing data, such as music, images, documents, and programs. The disks have a small volume but a large capacity. Consequently, the disks have been increasingly used.
Disks are distributed while the disks are safely kept in predetermined safekeeping units. As the use of the disks distributed and kept safely as described above has rapidly increased, a great demand for disk safekeeping devices is created. Various kinds of disk safekeeping devices for safely keeping disks have been developed and used.
These disk safekeeping devices are constructed in a structure in which a plurality of receiving grooves are formed in a multilayered fashion such that disk cases, in which disks are safely kept, are inserted into predetermined receiving spaces through the respective receiving grooves. Consequently, when a user wishes to withdraw a disk from a disk safekeeping device, the user pulls a disk case in which the disk is safely kept, and then opens the disk case to withdraw the disk from the disk case. As a result, it is very inconvenient and troublesome to withdraw or insert disks from or into the disk safekeeping devices.
Furthermore, the number of the receiving grooves, through which the disk cases are inserted or withdrawn, of the conventional disk safekeeping devices is fixed. As a result, it is not possible to safely keep the disk cases in the conventional disk safekeeping devices in number desired by a user.
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide fabricated disks safekeeping device constructed in a structure in which a plurality of disk cases are stacked one on another in a multilayered fashion such that the disk cases are coupled with each other, whereby disk cases are easily added to or removed from the fabricated disk safekeeping device if necessary.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fabricated disk safekeeping device including a top cover mounted to the top of the uppermost one of the stacked disk cases, the top cover having an illumination unit mounted therein, whereby it is possible to easily find disks using the illumination unit in a dark place and to provide an interior decoration effect.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fabricated disk safekeeping device constructed in a structure in which insertion-type disk cases filed and registered as a patent in the name of the applicant of the present patent application are coupled with each other in a multilayered fashion such that disks can be withdrawn and inserted horizontally.
In accordance with the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a fabricated disk safekeeping device comprising a plurality of disk cases stacked one on another in a multilayered fashion, the front part of each disk case being opened to form a disk insertion groove through which a disk can be inserted and ejected, each disk case being provided at four corners of the upper part thereof with coupling protrusions, each disk case being provided at four corners of the lower part thereof with coupling grooves, the disk cases being coupled with each other in the multilayered fashion by the insertion of the coupling protrusions into the corresponding coupling grooves, wherein each disk case is provided in a case body thereof with disk ejection plates movable horizontally by the guidance of disk ejection plate guide protrusions for pushing a disk forward such that the disk is ejected from the disk case, the disk ejection plates being returned to their original positions by a pulling force of restoring springs, each disk case is further provided in the case body thereof with locking plates for holding opposite sides of the disk, the disk ejection plates and the locking plates being mounted at opposite sides of each disk case, each disk ejection plate includes a disk pressing part having a disk insertion groove formed at one end thereof opposite to the disk, the disk pressing part pushing a corresponding side of the rear part of the disk to push the disk forward, a handle part pushable by a hand of a user, and guide grooves, in which the disk ejection plate guide protrusions formed at each side of the case body are inserted, and each locking plate includes a support part and a locking part formed in the shape of a “V” toward the front of the case body about a fixing hole formed at one end thereof, in which a corresponding fixing protrusion formed at the case body is rotatably fitted, such that a rotation space is defined between the supporting part and the locking part, the locking part supporting a corresponding side of the disk by the elasticity of the supporting part when the locking part is rotated about the fixing hole, the locking part having a disk insertion groove formed in the end thereof opposite to the disk.
The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Now, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in the drawings, the disk safekeeping device according to the present invention is constructed in a structure in which a plurality of disk cases 10 for receiving disks 100 are stacked one on another in a multilayered fashion such that the disk cases 10 are coupled with each other.
Each disk case 10 is provided at upper and lower parts thereof with coupling protrusions 11 and coupling grooves 11a, respectively, by which the respective disk cases 10 are coupled with each other in a multilayered fashion.
As shown in
The coupling between neighboring disk cases of the disk safekeeping device according to the present invention is shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The disk cases 10 coupled with each other in a multilayered fashion have the same structure. Each disk case 10 has disk ejection plates 3 for easily ejecting the corresponding disk 100.
As shown in
Hereinafter, the construction of each disk case 10 having the disk ejection plates 3 will be described in more detail.
The disk case 10 according to the present invention is very similar to a disk case registered as a patent in the name of the applicant of the present patent application.
The disk case 10 according to the present invention includes a case body 1 and disk ejection plates 3 mounted in the case body 1.
As shown in
The disk ejection plate guide protrusions 14 and 15 are inserted in guide grooves 34 and 35 formed in the lower part of each disk ejection plate 3 for supporting each disk ejection plate 3 such that each disk ejection plate 3 is movable horizontally.
Each disk ejection plate 3 includes a disk pressing part 31 formed in the shape of an arc such that the disk pressing part 31 is opposite to the corresponding side of the rear part of the disk 100 and a handle part 32 pushed by a hand of a user such that the disk pressing part 31 is movable horizontally. Consequently, when the user pushes the handle parts 32 toward the center of the case body 1, the disk pressing parts 31 move to the center of the case body 1. As a result, the disk pressing parts 31 push the opposite sides of the rear part of the disk 100, and therefore, the disk 100 is ejected forward.
As shown in
After the disk ejection plates 3 with the above-stated construction are pushed toward the center of the case body 1 by the user, the disk ejection plates 3 must be returned to their original positions, i.e., the opposite edges of the case body 1. To this end, the disk case 10 further includes restoring springs 4 for returning the disk ejection plates 3 to their original positions.
The restoring springs 4 serve to pull the disk ejection plates 3 toward the opposite sides of the case body 1. One end of each restoring spring 4 is fixed to the case body 1, and the other end of each restoring spring 4 is fixed to the corresponding disk ejection plate 3.
In order to locate the restoring springs 4 for the returning the disk ejection plates 3 to their original positions, a spring location groove 33 is formed in the middle part of each disk ejection plate 3 such that the spring location groove 33 horizontally extends a predetermined length. Inside the spring location groove 33 is formed a spring fixing protrusion 33a.
In the disk case 10 constructed in a structure in which the disk 100 is ejected by the disk ejection plates 3 as described above, when the case body 1 of the disk case 10 tilts forward, the disk 100 received in the disk case 10 is ejected out of the disk case 10 through the disk insertion groove 1a. As a result, the ejected disk 100 may collide with the disk case 10 or other objects, whereby the disk 100 may be damaged.
In order to solve this problem, i.e., to prevent the ejection of the disk without the operation of the disk ejection plates 3, the disk case 10 may further include locking plates 2 for supporting the middle part or the front part of the disk 100.
As shown in
Each locking plate 2 includes a locking part 22 rotatably fixed to a corresponding fixing protrusion 12 formed at the case body 1 at one end thereof for supporting one side of the disk 100 and a supporting part 21 for elastically supporting the locking part 22.
The supporting part 21 and the locking part 22 are arranged such that both the supporting part 21 and the locking part 22 form a V-shape. That is, a rotation space 21a is defined between the supporting part 21 and the locking part 22. Consequently, when the locking parts 22 are rotated about fixing holes 2a, in which the corresponding fixing protrusions 12 are inserted, the supporting parts 21 elastically support the corresponding locking parts 22. As a result, the locking parts 22 support the opposite sides of the disk 100.
In the inside of each locking part 22, i.e., in the end of each locking part 22 opposite to the disk 100, a disk insertion groove 22a having a thickness greater than the thickness of the disk 100, as shown in
Also, a label attachment part 1b is formed at least one side of the case body 1 constituting the disk case 10 such that a label showing the content of the disk 100 received in the disk case 10 can be attached to the label attachment part 1b. In addition, a sponge 16 is mounted in the inner front part of the case body 1 for removing foreign matter from the surface of the disk 100.
The disk cases 10 with the above-stated construction are coupled with each other by the insertion of the coupling protrusions 11 into the corresponding coupling grooves 11a. After the disk cases 10 are coupled in a multilayered fashion, a bottom cover 20 may be fixed to the bottom of the lowermost disk case 10, and a top cover 30 may be fixed to the top of the uppermost disk case 10.
A disk safekeeping device may be constructed by only coupling the respective disk cases 10 in the multilayered fashion. In this case, however, the disk safekeeping device does not provide aesthetically pleasing external appearance. Furthermore, it is inconvenient to store the disk safekeeping device. For this reason, the bottom cover 20 and the top cover 30 are fixed to the bottom of the lowermost disk case 10 and the top of the uppermost disk case 10, respectively.
The bottom cover 20 and the top cover 30 are formed in the same shape as of the disk case 10.
The top cover 30 is constructed in a three-layer structure, whereby the coupling between the top cover 30 and the corresponding disk case 10 is easily accomplished, and an illumination unit is mounted in the top cover 30.
Specifically, the top cover 30 includes an upper plate 310, a lower plate 330, and a light transmission plate 320 interposed between the upper plate 310 and the lower plate 330.
The lower plate 330 is fixed to the uppermost disk case 10 among the disk cases coupled with each, other in a multilayered fashion. While the upper plate 310 and the light transmission plate 320 are coupled with each other, catching protrusions 322 formed at the lower part of the light transmission plate 320 are caught by the edges of the lower plate 330.
As shown in
As shown in
The light transmission plate 320 is made of transparent synthetic resin or glass. As shown in
In the lamp fixing grooves 324 are securely inserted lamps 30a, respectively. The lamps 30a are connected to the circuit board 30d mounted in the upper plate 310 for emitting light when the lamps 30a are energized by the battery 30b or another commercial power supply.
Preferably, the lamps 30a are mounted at the front of the disk case 10 and the right and left sides of the disk case 10 at least, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
At the lower part of the bottom cover 20 fixed to the lowermost disk case 10 is further mounted a support 40 for rotatably supporting the bottom cover 20.
In order to further mount the support 40, the bottom cover 20 is provided at the center thereof with a support coupling groove 210 which is bent upward in the shape of a circle. The support 40 is provided with a coupling protrusion 410 which is formed in the shape of a circle such that the coupling protrusion 410 corresponds to the support coupling groove 210 formed at the bottom cover 20.
As shown in
When the bottom cover 20 is lifted upward while the coupling protrusion 410 is fitted in the support coupling groove 210, the support 40 is separated from the bottom cover 20. In order to prevent the separation of the support 40 from the bottom cover 20, therefore, a catching protrusion 211 is formed at the inner end of the support coupling groove 210 formed along the bottom cover 20 such that the catching protrusion 211 extends downward and is then bent outward, and a catching jaw 411 is formed along the inner end of the coupling protrusion 410 such that the catching protrusion 211 can be caught by the catching jaw 411.
As the support coupling groove 210 is brought into surface contact with the coupling protrusion 410 as described above, however, the frictional force between the support coupling groove 210 and the coupling protrusion 410 increases with the result that the bottom cover 20 is not smoothly rotated relative to the support 40. In order to accomplish smoother rotation of the bottom cover 20 relative to the support 40, therefore, a plurality of balls 420 are further mounted between the support coupling groove 210 and the coupling protrusion 410.
In order to further mount the balls 420, a plurality of ball location grooves 412, in which the balls 420 are located, are formed in the top of the coupling protrusion 410 of the support 40, and a rail groove 212 is formed along the inside of the support coupling groove 210 formed at the bottom cover 20.
The balls 420 located in the respective ball location grooves 412 formed in the coupling protrusion 410 rotate in the respective ball location grooves 412, and the rail groove 212 positioned on the balls 410 is moved by the rotation of the balls 410, whereby the bottom cover is smoothly rotated relative to the support 40.
The support 40 with the above-stated construction is made of synthetic resin or iron. Consequently, when the support 40 is placed on a room floor or a piece of furniture, such as a table, the support 40 may slide or damage the room floor or the furniture.
In order to prevent the support 40 from sliding or damaging the room floor or the furniture, therefore, a plurality of shock-absorbing members 430 may be attached to the bottom of the support 40 as shown in
The shock-absorbing members 430 serve to isolate the bottom of the support 40 from the room floor or the surface of the furniture and to produce friction between the shock-absorbing members 430 and the room floor or the surface of the furniture. The shock-absorbing members 430 are made of rubber or soft synthetic resin. As shown in
At the top of each disk case 10 constituting the disk safekeeping device with the above-stated construction may be further mounted a cover plate 5 as shown in
The cover plate 5 serves to prevent the disk ejection plates 3 and the locking plates 2 mounted in the case body 1 of the disk case 10 from being separated from the case body 1 of the disk case 10. Consequently, the cover plate 5 may be omitted when a pressing unit for pressing the disk ejection plates 3 and the locking plates 2 is provided at the bottom of the case body 1.
As shown in
The case body 1 of each disk case 10 constituting the disk safekeeping device with the above-stated construction may be made of a transparent material, such as transparent synthetic resin. When the case body 1 of each disk case 10 is made of the transparent material, light emitted from the lamps 30a mounted in the top cover 30 is illuminated from the uppermost disk case 10 to the lowermost disk case 10, whereby an interior decoration effect is obtained.
As apparent from the above description, the fabricated disk safekeeping device according to the present invention is constructed in a structure in which a plurality of disk cases are stacked one on another in a multilayered fashion such that the disk cases are coupled with each other. Consequently, the present invention has the effect of easily adjusting the number of disks safely kept in the fabricated disk safekeeping device.
Also, each disk case according to the present invention includes disk ejection plates for easily ejecting a disk. Consequently, the present invention has the effect of easily ejecting a disk safely kept in each disk case by the operation of the disk ejection plates. In addition, each disk case according to the present invention includes locking plates for supporting a disk. Consequently, the present invention has the effect of preventing a disk from being caught by a portion of each disk case and thus being damaged.
Also, the fabricated disk safekeeping device according to the present invention is constructed in a structure in which a plurality of disk cases, stacked one on another in a multilayered fashion, are mounted on a support such that the stacked disk cases can be rotated relative to the support. Consequently, the present invention has the effect of easily adjusting a disk withdrawal direction in which disks safely kept in the disk cases are withdrawn. In addition, a top cover is fixed to the uppermost disk case, and an illumination unit is mounted in the top cover. Consequently, the present invention has the effect of a user easily finding and withdrawing disks using the illumination unit in a dark place.
Furthermore, each disk case is made of a transparent material such that light emitted from the illumination unit is illuminated from the uppermost disk case to the lowermost disk case. Consequently, the present invention has the effect of providing an interior decoration effect.
Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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1020060135428 | Dec 2006 | KR | national |