Packaging

Abstract

The disclosure concerns an improved storage facility for data-recording cards, discs, records and/or cassettes, including but not limited to CDs, DVDs, minidiscs, diskettes, digital photo albums, CD-ROMS, memory cards, records, and tape and video cassettes, and hereinafter generically referred to as “disks”. In particular, the present invention seeks to provide a storage facility which is capable of storing large numbers of disks whilst permitting convenient independent access to each disk stored therein. According to one aspect of the present invention therefore, there is provided a disk storage unit comprising a housing and one or more disk holders each of which is adapted for holding a disk securely such as to restrict movement of the disk within the holder, each of which disk holders is arranged to be supported by the housing in a retracted position in which a disk held by the disk holder is not exposed, each of which disk holders is arranged to be movable relative to the housing within the plane of a disk held by the disk holder into a deployed position in which a disk held by the disk holder is exposed for removal and/or replacement.

1 . A disk storage unit comprising a housing and one or more disk holders each of which is adapted for holding a disk securely such as to restrict movement of the disk within the holder, each of which disk holders is arranged to be supported by the housing in a retracted position in which a disk held by the disk holder is not exposed, each of which disk holders is arranged to be movable relative to the housing within the plane of a disk held by the disk holder into a deployed position in which a disk held by the disk holder is exposed for removal and/or replacement of the disk.  
   
   
       2 . A disk stroage unit as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said disk holders are arranged to be supported in the retracted position in one or more elongate arrays of disk holders; and each disk holder is individually movable out of said array into the deployed position for exposing a disk in the disk holder and/or inserting a disk into the disk holder.  
   
   
       3 . A disk storage unit as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the disk holders in the array are arranged to be parallel or substantially parallel with one another, such that the array forms a straight row of disk holders.  
   
   
       4 . A disk storage unit as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said disk holders are attached to the housing.  
   
   
       5 . A disk storage unit as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the disk holders are attached to said housing by way of a pivotable joint so that said disk holders are movable relative to the housing by way of a pivoting movement.  
   
   
       6 . A disk storage unit as claimed in  claim 5  wherein each disk holder comprises a pair of pivoting pins for pivotal engagement with said housing.  
   
   
       7 . A disk storage unit as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said pivoting pins are fixed to the disk holder and are adapted to be rotatably engaged with said housing so as to permit pivoting of the disk holder relative to the housing.  
   
   
       8 . A disk storage unit comprising a housing and a plurality of disk holders each of which is adapted for holding a disk securely such as to restrict movement of the disk within the holder, each of which disk holders is arranged to be supported by the housing in a retracted position in which a disk held by the disk holder is not exposed, each of which disk holders is arranged to be movable relative to the housing within the plane of a disk held by the disk holder into a deployed position in which a disk held by the disk holder is exposed for removal and/or replacement, wherein said housing is provided with an elongate spindle and each of said disk holders is adapted to be mounted on said spindle and to pivot on said spindle.  
   
   
       9 . A disk storage unit as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said spindle is detachably connected at one or both ends to said housing, and is arranged to be detached from the housing in order to permit disk holders to be threaded onto and/or removed from the spindle.  
   
   
       10 . A disk stroage unit as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said spindle comprises two portions which are arranged to be coupled to one another for fixing the spindle to said housing, and uncoupled from another for releasing the spindle from said housing.  
   
   
       11 . A disk storage unit as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said spindle is shaped such that each disk holder will be located on a particular portion of the spindle.  
   
   
       12 . A disk storage unit comprising a housing and a plurality of disk holders each of which is adapted for holding a disk securely such as to restrict movement of the disk within the holder, each of which disk holders is arranged to be supported by the housing in a retracted position in which a disk held by the disk holder is not exposed, each of which disk holders is arranged to be movable relative to the housing within the plane of a disk held by the disk holder into a deployed position in which a disk held by the disk holder is exposed for removal and/or replacement, wherein each disk holder is arranged to nest slidably against the adjacent disk holder.  
   
   
       13 . A disk storage unit as claimed in  claim 12  wherein each disk holder is provided with a nesting protrusion, which is shaped and positioned so as to engage a corresponding nesting recess on an adjacent disk holder; and/or a nesting recess, which is shaped and positioned so as to engage a corresponding nesting protrusion on an adjacent disk holder.  
   
   
       14 . A disk storage unit as claimed in  claim 12  wherein each disk holder is provided with a nesting protrusion on one face of the disk holder juxtaposed a first adjacent disk holder, and is provided with a nesting recess on the opposing face of the disk holder juxtaposed a second adjacent disk holder, the arrangement being such that said nesting protrusion is shaped and positioned so as to engage the nesting recess on said first adjacent disk holder, and said nesting recess is shaped and positioned so as to engage the nesting protrusion on said second adjacent disk holder.  
   
   
       15 . A disk storage unit as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said disk holders are be shaped for manual engagement, by comprising one or more shaped portions such as protuberances and/or indentations which are shaped for manual engagement, whereby said disk holders may be manually withdrawn or released from said retracted position into said deployed position.  
   
   
       16 . A disk storage unit as claimed in  claim 1  comprising biasing means such as a spring for biasing said disk holders into the retracted position.  
   
   
       17 . A disk storage unit as claimed in  claim 1  wherein releasable latching means are provided for latching said disk holders in the deployed position.  
   
   
       18 . A modular disk storage assembly comprising at least two identical or matching disk storage units in accordance with  claim 1 , which disk storage units are adapted for being vertically stacked on top of one another, wherein each unit presents an upper surface and an opposing lower surface, and wherein said upper surface is shaped to support the lower surface of another identical unit or another matching unit in said modular storage facility, and/or said lower surface is shaped to be supported by the upper surface of another identical unit or another matching unit is said modular storage facility.