Method and apparatus for preserving and protecting data discs

Abstract

A data disc protector and a method for using same to protect data discs stored in data disc storage cases is disclosed. Embodiments of the data disc protector comprise a protective sheet of material sized to fit between a data disc and a back cover of a data disc storage case and adapted to form a barrier between the back cover and the data disc when sandwiched between a data disc and the back cover. The data disc protector forms a physical barrier inhibiting the transfer of airborne hydrocarbons emitted by plastics in the storage case to the disc and preventing the data disc from contacting the back cover during storage. Embodiments of the data disc protector are made of a material that traps hydrocarbons. Embodiments of the data disc protector are provided with a central aperture adapted to allow installation on a hub in the storage case.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A data disc protector for use in a data disc storage case adapted to retain a data disc having a data surface, at least a portion of the data disc storage case made of plastic that emits airborne hydrocarbons, the data disc protector comprising: 
 a protective sheet sized to fit between the between the portion of the data disc storage case and a data disc retained in the data disc storage case, operable to form a barrier inhibiting the transfer of the airborne hydrocarbons between a data surface of the data disc and the plastic portion of the data disc storage case.    
     
     
         2 . The data disc protector of  claim 1  wherein the data disc storage case is a folding data disc storage case having a front cover and a back cover that fold together to form a compartment adapted to retain a data disc having a data surface, the data disc protector further comprising: 
 the protective sheet sized to fit between the between the portion of the folding data disc storage case and a data disc retained in the folding data disc storage case, operable to form a barrier inhibiting the transfer of the airborne hydrocarbons between the data surface of the data disc and the compartment.  
 
     
     
         3 . The data disc protector of  claim 2 , wherein a majority of the data disc storage case is made of plastic that emits airborne hydrocarbons and the back cover comprises a hub adapted to engage and retain the data disc against the back cover with the data surface of the data disc facing the back cover, the protective sheet further comprising: 
 a central aperture for receiving the hub and sized to completely cover the data surface of the data disc and, when installed on the hub and sandwiched between the back cover and the data surface of a data disc retained on the hub, operable to form a barrier inhibiting the transfer of the airborne hydrocarbons between the data surface of the data disc and the data disc storage case.    
     
     
         4 . The data disc protector of  claim 3 , wherein the protective sheet includes a material that traps hydrocarbons.  
     
     
         5 . The data disc protector of  claim 1 , wherein the protective sheet is substantially disc shaped having an outer diameter approximately equal to an outer diameter of the data surface of the data disc, the protective sheet having one or more tabs formed therein adapted to penetrate a central hole of the data disc and attach the data disc protector to the data disc during storage.  
     
     
         6 . The data disc protector of  claim 3 , wherein the protective sheet, when installed between the back cover and the retained data disc, inhibits the data disc from rotating about the hub.  
     
     
         7 . The data disc protector of  claim 3 , wherein the protective sheet is made of a compressible material that, when installed on the hub between the back cover and a retained data disc, provides a spring that lifts the data disc from the back cover when a retaining device on the hub is disengaged by a user.  
     
     
         8 . The data disc protector of  claim 3 , wherein the protective sheet is made of a material that will not scratch the data surface of the data disc and the protective sheet prevents the data surface of the data disc from coming into contact with the back cover.  
     
     
         9 . The data disc protector of  claim 2  further comprising at least one ring of perforations concentric with the aperture, each ring separating an inner portion from an outer portion and defining a second outer diameter that is created when the perforations are torn and the outer portion is removed, the second outer diameter sized approximately equal to a second data disc's outer diameter.  
     
     
         10 . A method of protecting a data disc during storage, the data disc having a data surface, comprising: 
 providing a folding data disc storage case, the folding data disc storage case having a top cover, a back cover, and a hub adapted to engage and retain the data disc against the back cover with a data surface of the data disc facing the back cover, the front cover and back cover adapted to fold together to enclose a retained data disc retained on the hub; and    sandwiching a data disc protector between the back cover and the retained data disc, the data disc protector operable to, form a barrier inhibiting the transfer of hydrocarbons between the data surface of the data disc and the folding data disc storage case.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the protective sheet comprises an aperture sized to allow installation on the hub and wherein the sandwiching operation comprises: 
 installing the data disc protector on the hub with the data disc protector adjacent to the back cover;    retaining the data disc on the hub with the data surface of the data disc adjacent to the data disc protector and the data disc protector between the data surface of the data disc and the back cover; and    folding the front cover and the back cover together to enclose the data disc and the data disc protector in the folding data disc storage case.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the retaining operation further comprises: 
 compressing the data disc protector between the back cover and the data disc, the compressing force being released when the data disc is disengaged from the hub by springing the data disc from the hub.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the data disc protector prevents the data surface of the data disc from coming into contact with the back cover when the data disc is retained on the hub.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the data disc further comprises a label surface opposite the data surface, the label surface having a label with a preferred viewing orientation, and wherein the retaining operation further comprises: 
 orienting the data disc so that the preferred viewing orientation of the label is the same as a preferred viewing orientation of the front cover.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 fixing the data disc protector to the data disc storage case.    
     
     
         16 . A data disc storage case kit for storing a data disc, the data disc having a data surface, the kit comprising: 
 a front cover;    a back cover, the back cover having a data disc retention surface and a hub, the hub having a data disc retention device for engaging and retaining a data disc thereon, the front cover and back cover operable to fold together and enclose a data disc retained on the hub; and    a data disc protector including a protective sheet, wherein the data disc protector, when installed between a retained data disc and the back cover, is operable to prevent the retained data disc from contacting the data disc retention surface.    
     
     
         17 . The data disc storage case kit of  claim 16 , wherein the data disc protector when installed between a retained data disc and the back cover is operable to form a barrier inhibiting the transfer of hydrocarbons from the data disc retention surface to the data disc.  
     
     
         18 . The data disc storage case kit of  claim 17 , wherein the protective sheet is made of a material that absorbs hydrocarbons.  
     
     
         19 . The data disc storage case kit of  claim 16 , wherein the protective sheet is mounted to the hub via an aperture sized to allow penetration by the hub and wherein the data disc protector inhibits the rotational movement of the retained data disc about the hub.  
     
     
         20 . The data disc storage case kit of  claim 16 , wherein the protective sheet is made of a compressive material that pushes the retained data disc away from the data disc retention surface when the data disc retention device is disengaged.  
     
     
         21 . The data disc storage case kit  claim 16 , wherein the protective sheet is a substantially disc-shaped cloth defined by an outer circumference and a substantially concentric inner aperture, the outer edge having a diameter between 4.5 and 5.5 inches and the inner aperture having a diameter between 0.59 and 0.55 inches.  
     
     
         22 . A data disc storage case for storing a data disc, the data disc having a data surface, the data disc storage case comprising: 
 a front cover;    a back cover, the back cover having a data disc retention surface and a hub, the hub having a data disc retention device for engaging and retaining a data disc thereon, the front cover and back cover operable to fold together and enclose a data disc retained on the hub; and    a data disc protector having a protective sheet installed on the hub, wherein the protective sheet, when installed between a retained data disc and the back cover, is operable to prevent the retained data disc from contacting the data disc retention surface.    
     
     
         23 . The data disc storage case of  claim 22 , wherein the protective sheet when installed between a retained data disc and the back cover is operable to form a barrier inhibiting the transfer of hydrocarbons from the data disc retention surface to the data disc.  
     
     
         24 . The data disc storage case of  claim 23 , wherein the protective sheet is made of a material that traps hydrocarbons.  
     
     
         25 . The data disc storage case of  claim 22 , wherein the protective sheet is mounted to the hub via an aperture sized to allow penetration by the hub and wherein the protective sheet inhibits the rotational movement of the retained data disc about the hub.  
     
     
         26 . The data disc storage case of  claim 22 , wherein the protective sheet is made of a compressive material that pushes the retained data disc away from the data disc retention surface when the data disc retention device is disengaged.  
     
     
         27 . The data disc storage case of  claim 22 , wherein the protective sheet is a substantially disc-shaped cloth defined by an outer circumference and a substantially concentric inner aperture, the outer edge having a diameter between 4.5 and 5.5 inches and the inner aperture having a diameter between 0.59 and 0.55 inches.