Security device for a disk box

Abstract

A container for disks having a spine and a base connected to the spine, the base having a base panel and a front wall at a periphery of the base panel opposed to the spine, the base panel being configured to hold a disk in a fixed position. The container also having a lid connected to the spine, the lid having a lid panel and a front wall at the periphery of the lid panel opposed to the spine. At least one of the base and the lid are hingedly connected to the spine. The container has an open condition and a closed condition and at least one locking mechanism, each locking mechanism comprising a locking orifice and a locking tab, the orifice being in the front wall of the lid or in the front wall of the base and the locking tab being hingedly connected to the other of the front walls, the locking tab and orifice being positioned so that the locking tab is removably engagable in the locking orifice to lock the base to the lid in the closed condition.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A container for disks comprising: 
 a) a spine;    b) a base connected to the spine and comprising a base panel and a front wall at a periphery of the base panel opposed to the spine, the base panel being configured to hold a disk in a fixed position;    c) a lid also connected to the spine and comprising a lid panel and a front wall at the periphery of the lid panel opposed to the spine;    wherein at least one of the base and the lid is hingedly connected to the spine, and    wherein the container has (i)an open condition and (ii)a closed condition; and    d) at least one locking mechanism, each locking mechanism comprising a locking orifice and a locking tab, the orifice being in the front wall of the lid or in the front wall of the base and the locking tab being hingedly connected to the other of the front walls, the locking tab and orifice being positioned so that the locking tab is removably engagable in the locking orifice to lock the base to the lid in the closed condition.    
     
     
         2 . A container according to  claim 1 , comprising at least two locking mechanisms.  
     
     
         3 . A container according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a shroud and a base pedestal projecting forwardly from the base panel for engaging and supporting a disk; and  
 a disk retention tab projecting outward from the spine, the disk retention tab being engagable against a disk in the closed condition to hold the disk against the shroud.  
 
     
     
         4 . A container according to  claim 3   wherein the shroud further comprises a ledge for retaining a disk inside a forward edge of the shroud; and the disk retention tab further comprises a radius such that the disk retention tab exerts pressure against the disk over the portion of the disk supported by the ledge.    
     
     
         5 . A container according to  claim 4 , further comprising a disk retention tab extending from the front wall of the lid, the disk retention tab being engaged against the disk in the closed condition to hold the disk against the shroud.  
     
     
         6 . A container according to  claim 4 , further comprising a disk retention tab extending from the lid panel, the disk retention tab being engaged against the disk in the closed condition to hold the disk against the shroud.  
     
     
         8 . A container according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a plurality of base snap mounts projecting from the base panel; and  
 a plurality of lid snap tabs projecting from at least one of the lid panel and the front wall of the lid;  
 wherein the plurality of lid snap tabs are pinched between the plurality of base snap mounts and the front wall of the base, when the container is in its closed condition.  
 
     
     
         9 . A container according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a flange on at least one of the plurality of lid snap tabs; and    a detent on each of the corresponding base snap mounts;    wherein the flange is removably engagable with the detent to hold the lid and the base in a closed condition.    
     
     
         10 . A container according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a flange on at least one of the plurality of lid snap tabs; and    a flange orifice on each of the corresponding base snap mounts;    wherein the flange is removably engagable with the flange orifice to hold the lid and the base in a closed condition.    
     
     
         11 . A container according to  claim 1  further comprising a disk held on the base panel when the container is in the closed condition.  
     
     
         12 . A container according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 first and second walls at a periphery of the lid panel oriented at an angle to the spine;  
 first and second side walls at a periphery of the base panel oriented at an angle to the spine;  
 tamper resistance blades on the first and second wall of the lid; and  
 tamper resistance ribs projecting forwardly from the base panel adjacent to the first and second walls of the base; and  
 wherein the tamper resistance blades fit between the tamper resistance ribs and the first and second walls of the base.  
 
     
     
         13 . A container according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a shroud and a base pedestal projecting forwardly from the base panel for engaging and supporting a first disk; and  
 a hinge structure rigidly connected relative to the base panel portion for engaging and pivotably supporting a tray for holding a second disk, the hinge structure projecting forwardly from the base portion and the hinged connection of at least one of the base and the lid to the spine being spaced sufficiently to allow the closed condition of the case with the first disk being retained on the base pedestal and the tray engaging the hinge structure while holding the second disk.  
 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the hinge structure comprises a post member projecting forwardly from the base panel portion, the post member comprising: 
 a facing pair of forwardly extending leaf members;    each of the leaf members having a tip extremity that projects toward a corresponding tip extremity of the other leaf member;    wherein the leaf members extend laterally for snap engagement with a journal of at least one tray to be pivotally supported by the hinge structure.    
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 14 , further comprising at least one of the trays having the journal.  
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein the post member further comprises a bridge bar connecting the leaf members.  
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein the leaf members, including the tip extremities, extend laterally on both sides of the bridge bar for snap engagement with respective axially projecting stub journals of the at least one tray.  
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein the post member is one of a spaced pair of post members, the leaf members of each post member being aligned with the leaf members of the other post member for snap engagement with at least one journal of the at least one tray.  
     
     
         19 . The container of clam  18 , wherein each of the post members further comprises a bridge bar connecting the leaf members.  
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 19 , wherein the leaf members, including the tip extremities, of each of the post members extend laterally in opposite directions relative to at least one side of corresponding ones of the bridge bars for snap engagement with a pair of oppositely axially projecting stub journals of at least one tray to be pivotally supported by the hinge structure.  
     
     
         21 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the hinge structure comprises a spaced pair of post members projecting forwardly from the base panel portion, each post member comprising: 
 a facing pair of forwardly extending leaf members;    each of the leaf members having a tip extremity that projects toward a corresponding tip extremity of the other leaf member for snap engagement with at least one journal of the at least one tray.    
     
     
         22 . The container of  claim 21 , further comprising at least one of the trays having the at least one journal.  
     
     
         23 . The container of  claim 21 , wherein each of the post members further comprises a bridge bar connecting the leaf members.  
     
     
         24 . The container of  claim 23 , wherein the leaf members, including the tip extremities, of each of the post members, extend laterally in opposite directions relative to at least one side of corresponding ones of the bridge bars for snap engagement with a pair of oppositely axially projecting stub journals of at least one tray to be pivotally supported by the hinge structure.  
     
     
         25 . The container of  claim 23 , wherein the leaf members, including the tip extremities, of each of the post members, extend laterally on both sides of the corresponding bridge bars for snap engagement with respective pairs of axially projecting stub journals of the at least one tray.  
     
     
         26 . A container for disks having a central opening comprising: 
 a) a spine;    b) a base connected to the spine, the base comprising a base panel, first and second side walls at a periphery of the base panel oriented at an angle to the spine, a front wall at a periphery of the base panel opposed to the spine, a base disk retainer structure projecting forwardly from the base panel portion for retaining a first disk by engagement with the central opening thereof; and    c) a lid connected to the spine, the lid comprising a lid panel, first and second walls at a periphery of the lid panel oriented at an angle to the spine; and a front wall at the periphery of the lid panel opposed to the spine;    wherein at least one of the base and the lid are hingedly connected to the spine, and    wherein the container has (i)an open condition and (ii)a closed condition;    d) a locking mechanism comprising a locking orifice and a locking tab, the orifice being in the front wall of the lid or in the front wall of the base and the locking tab being hingedly connected to the other of the front walls, the locking tab and orifice being positioned so that the locking tab is removably engagable in the locking orifice to lock the base to the lid in the closed condition; and    e) a tamper resistance mechanism comprising lid tamper resistance blades on the first and second walls of the lid and tamper resistance ribs projecting outward from the base panel adjacent to the first and second walls of the base, the tamper resistance blades and the tamper resistance ribs being positioned so that the lid tamper resistance blades fit between the tamper resistance ribs and the first and second walls of the base when the container is in the closed condition; and    f) a hinge structure fixably connected relative to the base portion for engaging and pivotably supporting a tray for holding a second disk being another of the disks, the hinge structure being adapted to allow the closed condition of the case with the first disk being retained on the base pedestal and the tray engaging the hinge structure while holding the second disk.    
     
     
         27 . The container of  claim 26 , wherein the hinge structure comprises a spaced pair of post members projecting forwardly from the base panel portion, each post member comprising: 
 a facing pair of forwardly extending leaf members;    each of the leaf members having a tip extremity that projects toward a corresponding lip extremity of the other leaf member; and    a bridge bar connecting the leaf members, wherein the leaf members, including the tip extremities, of each of the post members, extend laterally in opposite directions relative to at least one side of corresponding ones of the bridge bars for snap engagement with a pair of oppositely axially projecting stub journals of at least one tray to be pivotally supported by the hinge structure.    
     
     
         28 . The container of  claim 27 , further comprising at least one of the trays having the axially projecting stub journals.  
     
     
         29 . A container according to  claim 26  further comprising: 
 a first disk retention tab projecting outward from the spine; and  
 a second disk retention tab projecting outward from the front wall of the lid;  
 wherein both the first and second disk retention tabs are engaged against the disk in the closed position to hold the disk against the shroud.  
 
     
     
         30 . A container for disks comprising: 
 a) a spine;    b) a base connected to the spine, the base comprising a base panel and a front wall at a periphery of the base panel opposed to the spine, the base panel being configured to hold a disk in a fixed position;    c) a lid connected to the spine, the lid comprising a lid panel and a front wall at the periphery of the lid panel opposed to the spine;    wherein at least one of the base and the lid are hingedly connected to the spine, and    wherein the container has (i)an open condition and (ii)a closed condition; and    d) a locking mechanism comprising a plurality of locking orifices in both the front wall of the lid and the front wall of the base, and a locking tab being hingedly connected to the front wall of the base, the locking tab and plurality of locking orifices being positioned so that the locking tab is removably engagable in the plurality of locking orifices in the front wall of the lid to lock the base to the lid in the closed condition, and the locking tab is removably engagable in the plurality of locking orifices in the front wall of the base in the open position to allow for automated disk loading.