Anti-theft disc storage case

Abstract

A storage case ( 10 ) or receptacle used to secure discs (e.g., CDs or DVDs) used in rental or purchase applications includes a housing (H) and a releasable locking assembly ( 40 ) that securely retains a disc ( 16 ) within the housing. The housing includes two housing portions ( 12, 14 ) that are sized and shaped to cover at least an entire surface of the disc and are arranged to substantially enclose the disc when in a closed position. The locking assembly preferably comprises a pin and clutch arrangement in which the pin or rod ( 34 ) passes through a pre-existing aperture in the disc, but may alternatively be of any type in which one member is inserted into another member to securely retain the disc within the housing. In another embodiment, one of the housing portions ( 12 ) includes a recess ( 201 ) and/or a collar ( 205 ) to further inhibit unauthorized access to the pin.

1 . A storage case for a disc, the disc defining an aperture, the storage case comprising: 
 a housing including a first housing portion and a second housing portion, the housing being arranged to substantially enclose the disc when the first housing portion is placed in a closed position with respect to the second housing portion; and    an assembly for retaining the disc securely within the housing, the assembly including: 
 a receiving member connected to the first housing portion such that at least part of the receiving member is substantially in registry with the aperture of the disc when the disc is placed within the housing; and  
 an insertion member adapted to be placed into releasable locking engagement with the receiving member to securely retain the disc within the housing, the assembly being configured and arranged to require application of an external, non-destructive, non-human force to separate the insertion member from the receiving member after the insertion member and the receiving member have been placed into locking engagement.  
   
   
   
       2 . The storage case of  claim 1 , wherein the disc is a CD or DVD.  
   
   
       3 . The storage case of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving member includes a clutch lock comprised of a clutch body, a clutch cup disposed in at least partial surrounding relationship about the clutch body, a means for biasing the clutch body toward the clutch cup, and at least one clutch element movable between a first position and a second position, the insertion member including a generally slender rod adapted to be positioned through the clutch cup and into an interior channel defined by the clutch body, the rod defining a notch in registry with the at least one clutch element, the clutch body being movable between a raised position in which the means for biasing forces the at least one clutch element into engagement with the clutch cup, and a lowered position brought about by the external force moving the clutch body away from the clutch cup such that the at least one clutch element is caused to disengage the notch in the rod, thereby permitting the rod to be removed from the clutch body.  
   
   
       4 . The storage case of  claim 1 , wherein the insertion member is adapted to be placed through an aperture in the housing.  
   
   
       5 . The storage case of  claim 4 , wherein the aperture in the housing is substantially aligned with the aperture of the disc.  
   
   
       6 . The storage case of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the receiving member and the insertion member passes through the aperture of the disc.  
   
   
       7 . The storage case of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further includes a circular shoulder connected to the first housing portion, the shoulder being adapted to receive in concentric relationship the disc and the receiving member being centrally positioned in an area substantially surrounded by the shoulder.  
   
   
       8 . The storage case of  claim 1 , wherein the insertion member is independent of and separated from the housing and the receiving member prior to engagement with the receiving member.  
   
   
       9 . The storage case of  claim 1 , further comprising an EAS tag connected to the housing.  
   
   
       10 . The storage case of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly is configured and arranged to require application of an external, magnetic force to separate the insertion member from the receiving member after the insertion member and the receiving member have been placed into locking engagement.  
   
   
       11 . The storage case of  claim 1 , wherein the insertion member comprises a head attached to a slender rod, wherein the second housing portion defines an inside surface, an outside surface, a recess in at least the outside surface to receive the head, and an aperture located within the recess and configured to receive the slender rod, the recess inhibiting access to the rod when the insertion member is placed into releasable locking engagement with the receiving member.  
   
   
       12 . The storage case of  claim 11 , wherein the second housing portion further includes a collar attached to and extending outwardly from the inside surface, the collar surrounding the aperture to further inhibit access to the rod when the insertion member is placed into releasable locking engagement with the receiving member.  
   
   
       13 . The storage case of  claim 1 , wherein the insertion member comprises a head attached to a slender rod, and wherein the second housing portion defines an inside surface, an outside surface, and an aperture configured to receive the slender rod, the second housing portion including a collar attached to and extending outwardly from the inside surface, the collar surrounding the aperture to substantially inhibit access to the rod when the insertion member is placed into releasable locking engagement with the receiving member.  
   
   
       14 . The storage case of  claim 1 , wherein the insertion member comprises a head attached to a slender rod, and wherein the second housing portion defines an inside surface, an outside surface, and an aperture configured to receive the slender rod, the second housing portion including a raised collar attached to the outside surface, the collar surrounding the aperture to substantially inhibit access to the rod when the insertion member is placed into releasable locking engagement with the receiving member.  
   
   
       15 . The storage case of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing portion is hingedly connected to the second housing portion.  
   
   
       16 . The storage case of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first housing portion and the second housing portion is sized and shaped to cover at least a portion of a surface of the disc.  
   
   
       17 . A method for using a storage case to securely store discs at consumer distribution facilities, the storage case including a housing and an assembly for retaining at least one disc securely within the housing, the housing including a first housing portion and a second housing portion, the housing being arranged to substantially enclose the disc when the first housing portion is placed in a closed position with respect to the second housing portion, the assembly including a receiving member connected to the first housing portion such that at least part of the receiving member is substantially in registry with an aperture of the disc when the disc is placed within the housing, the assembly further including an insertion member adapted to be placed into releasable locking engagement with the receiving member to securely retain the disc within the housing, the method comprising the steps of: 
 placing the disc within the housing;    inserting the insertion member into the receiving member to thereby secure the disc within the housing; and    when a consumer desires to acquire the disc stored within the housing, applying a non-human, non-destructive, external force to the assembly to separate the insertion member from the receiving member.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of: 
 placing possession of the housing containing the disc in the possession of the consumer after separating the insertion member from the receiving member and receiving consideration from the consumer.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of: 
 retaining, by a consumer distribution facility, possession of at least the insertion member during a transaction in which the disc is placed in the possession of the consumer.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of inserting the insertion member into the receiving member further retains the first housing portion in the closed position with respect to the second housing portion.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of inserting the insertion member into the receiving member comprises inserting a pin into a clutch body, and wherein the step of applying the external force comprises applying a magnetic force to separate the pin from the clutch body.  
   
   
       22 . A method for locking a case used to store at least one disc, the disc defining an aperture and the case including a housing, a receiving member and an insertion member, the method comprising: 
 placing the at least one disc within the housing such that the aperture of the disc is substantially in registry with at least one of the insertion member and the receiving member; and    causing the insertion member to releaseably engage the receiving member so as to securely retain the disc within the case.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 applying a non-human, non-destructive, external force to at least one of the insertion member and the receiving member to disengage the insertion member from the receiving member, thereby allowing the disc to be removed from the case.