Patent Application
20060138000
This invention relates to cases for carrying and storing CD's. More particularly, disclosed herein is a CD carrying case or wallet adapted to be removably attached to the visor of a vehicle.
This disclosure relates to a foldable compact disc visor case that is designed to hold multiple compact discs and attach to a vehicle visor to allow for easy access to the CD's when attached to the visor. The case described herein also allows for easy detachment from the visor, and may be used as a CD wallet when not attached to a visor.
Various types of compact disc cases are used to safely store compact discs when they are not in their original jewel cases. These are typically in the form of flat cases that include a plurality of pockets, each pocket adapted to retain a single compact disc. Other cases include folders that retain one or more compact discs per page providing safe storage for compact discs. Problems arise however, when trying to store or access compact discs in a vehicle.
Typical compact disc cases limit the number of compact discs that can be stored on a given area. Compact disc folders typically have multiple pages that require a user to take their eyes off the road for periods of time in order to thumb through to locate the desired compact disc. Distractions while driving a vehicle such as conversing on a cell phone, trying to locate a desired compact disc, contribute to a significant number of vehicle related accidents every year. Additionally, present cases and folders do not provide for convenient storage or access to the case. While there are some cases designed to be attached to a vehicle visor, these cases do not provide for easy attachment to the visor, and do not convert to an easily carried CD wallet when detached from the visor.
In view of the above, it should be appreciated that there is a need for a compact disc case that allows for easy portability, attachment, and detachment, and further provides for safe and easy selection of compact discs while the user is positioned in a vehicle.
The disclosure includes a foldable compact disc case for retaining multiple compact discs to the visor of the vehicle to allow for quick and easy access to compact discs while driving. The foldable compact disc visor case is adapted to be connected to a vehicle visor and includes a foldable body having a first body portion and a second body portion, each portion being interconnected by a hinge. The foldable body is adapted to be retained to a vehicle visor by the use of elastomeric straps that are secured around the perimeter of the visor. The foldable body includes a plurality of pockets located on both the first and second body portions for retaining compact discs. The foldable body further includes a page hingedly connected to the foldable body between the first and second body portions. The page includes a plurality of pockets on both sides for retaining compact discs and includes at least one fastener to permit the page to be selectively attached adjacent either the first body portion or the second body portion so that compact discs can be removed from the foldable compact disc case without the need for the user to retain the position of the page while removing the discs. The elastomeric straps further can be fastened over the foldable body to keep the foldable body in a closed position when used as CD wallet.
Other features and advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows in the accompanying drawings, wherein the embodiments of the disclosure described and shown, and in part will become apparent upon examination of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
As illustrated in the drawings, a foldable compact disc case 10 is adapted to be attached to a vehicle sun visor to permit easy storage and access to compact discs while in a vehicle, while allowing for portability of the case and CD's when away from the vehicle. Vehicles typically include overhead sun visors that are connected to the vehicle headliner by a pivoting hinge to allow the sun visor to be pivoted downward to block the upper portion of the windshield to keep the sun out of the driver's eyes. When not in use, the visor is pivoted upward to rest adjacent the headliner of the vehicle, out of the driver's line of sight. The bottom side of the visor, which faces the driver when folded, is relatively planar, and within easy reach of the driver.
The foldable compact disc case 10, as shown in
The foldable body 12 of the foldable compact disc case 10 includes a first body portion 22 and a second body portion 24. The first and second body portions 22, 24, form the foldable body and are interconnected by a hinge 26. The hinge 26 can be either a living hinge formed from plastic or flexible fabric or can be in the form of a mechanical hinge using a pin type arrangement. The hinge may be continuous, having a generally curved appearance as shown in
The exterior surface 14 of the foldable body 12 includes a pair of elastomeric bands 32 that extend across the foldable body 12. The bands 32 are preferably attached to the inside perimeter surface of the first and second body portions. However, the elastomeric bands 32 may be attached anywhere on the case 10, so long as the bands 32 can fit over the vehicle visor. The elastomeric bands 32 may be attached to the body portions by sewing, heatweld, adhesive bonding or other methods known in the art. Additionally, when the case is not on a car visor, one or both of the elastomeric bands 32 can be stretched over the opposite body member. Such placement allows further securing of the body members, thereby retaining the case in a closed condition.
The elastomeric bands 32 are adapted to be positioned around the vehicle sun visor to retain the foldable compact disc case 10 thereto. The elastomeric bands 32 can be stretched so that they can be slid onto one end of the vehicle visor allowing the proper positioning of the foldable compact disc case 10. While elastomeric bands are shown, other visor retention devices can be used including clips, velcro, adhesive or other means.
The foldable compact disc case 10 can be positioned on either side of the visor. Thus, when the visor is in a stowed position, the case 10 may be between the visor and the vehicle roof, or it may be exposed to the vehicle occupant, depending upon which side of the visor the case 10 is positioned.
The interior surface 16 of the foldable body 12 includes a plurality of pockets 34 located on the first body portion 22 and a plurality of pockets 36 located on the second body portion 24, each pocket adapted to retain a compact disc 37. The pockets 34 and 36 open towards the hinge 26 and are arranged in a tiered or overlapping relationship. Lines 39 represent openings to the pockets 34, 36 which allow the ingress and egress of the compact disc 37. The depth of the pockets 34, 36 are such that when a compact disc is inserted therein, a portion of the compact disc 37 is exposed from the pocket. The exposure of the compact discs 37 from the pockets 34, 36 allows a user to easily access and remove the compact discs 37 from the foldable compact disc case 10. The exposure of the compact discs also permits the user to view a portion of the compact discs for easy identification. The pockets 34, 36 are formed from a fibrous woven or non-woven material that prevents damage to the compact disc 37 from occurring when they are removed from the case 10. The material also assists in retaining the position of the compact disc 37 within the products to limit unwanted movement.
The interior surface 16 of the foldable body 12 further includes a first retainer 38 located on the first body portion 22 at an end opposite the hinge 26. The interior surface 16 of the foldable body 12 includes a second retainer 40. The second retainer 40 is positioned on the second body portion 24 opposite the hinge 26. The retainers 38 and 40 are adapted to retain the first body portion 22 and second body portion 24 together when the foldable compact disc case 10 is in the folded position, as shown in
The center page 42, as shown in
The center page 42 also includes a retainer 50. The retainer 50 is preferably in the form of magnets located on both sides of the center page 42, but may also be in the form of velcro, snaps or releasable adhesive. The center page 42 is adapted to be pivoted to lie adjacent the first body portion 22 or the second body portion 24 and is retained against the body portions 22, 24 by the retainer 50. The center page 42 further includes a first side 52. Closing the foldable compact disc case 10, allows for interaction between the retainers 48, 40, 50 to retain the foldable compact disc case 10 in a closed position. The retainer 50 of the center page 42 allows the page to be flipped and be held adjacent to the first body portion 22 or alternately the second body portion 24 when the foldable compact disc case 10 is secured to the vehicle visor. In an embodiment with more than one page, the pages not directly adjacent to the first or second body portions 22, 24, will lie adjacent to other pages. In the preferred embodiment, the center page 42 includes a retainer 50 of at least one magnet. The first body portion 22 and second body portion 24 include a ferrous metal retainer 38, 40, which each have a contact surface area greater than the contact surface area of the magnet. This allows the magnet to slide about the surface of the metal retainer 38 or 40, while still in contact. Thus, the center page 42 is allowed to move in a direction of its plane, while the case 10 is in the closed position. For instance, in one embodiment the retainer 50 is a round magnet, and the body portion retainers 38 and 40 are oblong metal plates. In the preferred embodiment, the plates are oblong in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the hinge 26. In other embodiments, the retainers 38 and 40 need not be of any particular shape, or may have the same surface area as the magnet retainer 50.
The first and second sides 52, 54 of the center page 42 each include a plurality of pockets 56 that are arranged at an overlapping relationship as shown in
In use, the foldable compact disc case 10 is unfolded to an open position and the elastomeric bands 32 are stretched and positioned around the vehicle sun visor. With the elastomeric bands 32 positioned around the sun visor, the foldable compact disc case 10 is positioned above the driver's head and is viewable upon a upward glance. With the center page 42 positioned adjacent the first body portion 22, compact discs are available for removal from the pockets 36 on the second body portion 24 or the pockets 56 on the second side 54 of the center page. If the center page 42 is positioned against the second body portion 24, compact discs are available for removal from the pockets 34 on the first body portion or the pockets 56 on the first side 52 of the center page 42. To access the discs on either side of the center page 42, the user quickly and easily pivots the center page towards either the first body portion 22 or the second body portion 24 at which time the center page 42 will be magnetically attracted to either the first or second body portions 22, 24, retaining the position of the center page. If retainers other than magnets are used then the center page 42 will be releasably attached to either the first or second body portions 22, 24 retaining the position of the center page.
Various features of the invention have been particularly shown and described in connection with the disclosure as shown and described, however, it must be understood that these particular arrangements merely illustrate, and that the disclosure is to be given its fullest interpretation within the terms of the appended claims.
