Disc and information article sleeve

Abstract

A disc and information article sleeve is provided for allowing safe storage of discs and/or information articles. The sleeve may include a multiple interface connector to permit the sleeve to connect with a plurality of different secondary storage devices, such as a disc wallet. The sleeve may also include a disc access opening formed on a wall of the sleeve and an information article access opening along a different edge of the sleeve. The sleeve also may include a disc retention tab to allow for one-step insertion or removal of a disc from the sleeve. The sleeve may be designed to include two disc access openings and multiple sleeves may be incorporated together onto one page of sleeves.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A flat disc storage sleeve comprising: 
 a first storage compartment defined in part by a front wall;    a generally T-shaped opening formed in the front wall; and    a disc retention tab configured to assist in the retention of a disc located within the first storage compartment.    
     
     
         2 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a second storage compartment defined in part by a back wall;    a divider located between the front and back walls to form the first and second compartments; and    an access opening into the second storage compartment, wherein the T-shaped opening permits loading of a disc into the first storage compartment in a first direction and the access opening permits loading of an article in the second storage compartment in a second direction different from the first direction.    
     
     
         3 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 2 , wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.  
     
     
         4 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 2 , wherein the access opening into the second storage compartment is a second generally T-shaped opening formed in the back wall to assist in retention of a disc loaded within the second storage compartment.  
     
     
         5 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 2 , further comprising a connector, wherein the connector includes at least two pairs of binder spine interface elements to connect with at least two different secondary storage devices.  
     
     
         6 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 5 , wherein the at least two pairs of binder spine interface elements includes a pair of circular elements and a pair of L-shaped elements.  
     
     
         7 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 5 , wherein the connector is a separate element from the front or back walls or the divider and is affixed to each of the front and back walls and divider.  
     
     
         8 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 5 , wherein the connector is an integral extension of the front and back walls.  
     
     
         9 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 5 , wherein the connector is perforated to form the at least two pairs of binder spine interface elements.  
     
     
         10 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 5 , wherein the at least two pairs of binder spine interface elements are precut openings.  
     
     
         11 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the generally T-shaped opening is a precut groove.  
     
     
         12 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 11 , wherein the disc retention tab is positioned above a center of a position of the generally T-shaped opening where a cross channel and a stem channel of the precut groove intersect.  
     
     
         13 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 12 , wherein the disc retention tab is integrally formed in the first wall.  
     
     
         14 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the disc retention tab is in a shape of one of: an arc, a dual arc, a trapezoid, and a rectangle.  
     
     
         15 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the disc retention tab is positioned to partially cover an article being stored in the first storage compartment.  
     
     
         16 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 12 , wherein the cross channel runs a substantial width of the front wall and the stem channel runs a partial length of the front wall.  
     
     
         17 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 12 , wherein the disc retention tab extends  3  to  7 mm from a top edge of the cross channel.  
     
     
         18 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the front and back walls and the dividers are substantially rectangular in shape.  
     
     
         19 . The flat storage sleeve of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 at least a third storage compartment defined in part by the front wall;    at least a fourth storage compartment defined in part by the back wall;    at least one second generally T-shaped opening formed in the front wall;    at least one second access opening into the at least fourth storage compartment, wherein the at least one second generally T-shaped opening permits loading of a second disc into the third storage compartment in a third direction and the at least one second access opening permits loading of an article in the second storage compartment in a fourth direction different from the third direction,    wherein the divider further forms the at least third and at least fourth compartments.    
     
     
         20 . A flat disc storage sleeve comprising: 
 a first storage compartment defined in part by a front wall;    a generally T-shaped opening formed in the front wall;    a second storage compartment defined in part by a back wall;    a divider located between the front and back walls to form the first and second compartments; and    an access opening into the second storage compartment, wherein the T-shaped opening permits loading of a disc into the first storage compartment in a first direction and the access opening permits loading of an article in the second storage compartment in a second direction different from the first direction.    
     
     
         21 . The flat disc storage sleeve of  claim 20 , wherein the access opening into the second storage compartment is a second generally T-shaped opening formed in the back wall to assist in retention of a disc loaded within the second storage compartment.  
     
     
         22 . The flat disc storage sleeve of  claim 20 , further comprising a connector, wherein the connector includes at least two pairs of binder spine interface elements to connect with at least two different secondary storage devices.  
     
     
         23 . The flat disc storage sleeve of  claim 20 , wherein the generally T-shaped opening comprises a cross channel and a stem channel that is perpendicular to the cross channel.  
     
     
         24 . A flat disc storage sleeve comprising: 
 a first storage compartment defined in part by a front wall;    a second storage compartment defined in part by a back wall;    a divider located between the front and back walls to form the first and second compartments;    an access opening into the second storage compartment; and    a connector, wherein the connector includes at least two pairs of binder spine interface elements to connect with at least two different secondary storage devices.    
     
     
         25 . The flat disc storage sleeve of  claim 24 , wherein the access opening into the second storage compartment is a second generally T-shaped opening formed in the back wall to assist in retention of a disc loaded within the second storage compartment.  
     
     
         26 . The flat disc storage sleeve of  claim 24 , wherein the at least two pairs of binder spine interface elements comprise a pair of circular elements and a pair of L-shaped elements.  
     
     
         27 . The flat disc storage sleeve of  claim 24 , wherein the generally T-shaped opening comprises a cross channel and a stem channel that is perpendicular to the cross channel.