WO2002091151A1

WO2002091151A1 - Cd rack for desktop computer

Info

Publication number: WO2002091151A1
Application number: PCT/KR2001/000758
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dae-Gyo Kim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-05-10
Filing date: 2001-05-10
Publication date: 2002-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 2003-11-10

Abstract

The present invention relates to a compact disc rack for a desktop computer which includes an aouter case 10 which is inserted into and engaged to a certain bay 3 of a computer case 2, an inner case 20 which is shut into and drawn out from said outer case 10 in a drawer method, more than at least one compact disc rack panel 30 which one side is rotatably fixed in an inner side of said inner case 20 and which is rotatable between a state that said compact disc rack panel 30 is shut in said inner case 20 and a state that said compact disc rack panel 30 is drawn out from said inner case 20 and stores compact discs 4 therein, and a spring 40 which applies a certain elastic force in a direction that said compact disc rack panel 30 unwardly stands from said inner case 20. In the compact disc rack 1 for a desktop computer according to the present invention, the bay 3 which is not used among the hardware engaging bays 3 installed in the case 2 of the desktop computer is used as a certain space for storing the compact discs 4. Therefore, in the present invention, the problems which occurs for storing the compact discs which are necessarily used in the desktop computer are effectively overcome.

Description

CD RACK FOR DESKTOP COMPUTER

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a compact disc (CD) rack for a desktop computer, and in particular to a compact disc rack for a desktop computer which is capable of utilizing a non-used space in the interior of a desktop computer as a compact disc storing space.

Background Art Bays are installed in a case of a desktop computer for installing hardware devices such as a compact disc drive, etc. Generally, not all bays are used for installing hardware device, and certain bays can be unoccupied. Namely, an empty space can be existed in the interior of the case.

In a view of forming a compact sized desktop computer, it is preferred to decrease the number of bays. However, as there is worry that the bay is short for installing hardware device, a computer case having a plurality of bays is fabricated by a computer case manufacturer.

Compact discs (CDs) which are used as a recording medium of a computer are generally stored in a CD case or a CD rack which is separated from the computer case. However, since a CD case or CD rack has a large volume, a large area is occupied by the above CD case or CD rack in a desk.

Therefore, it is needed to effectively store the compact discs in using a computer.

Disclosure of Invention

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a compact disc rack for a desktop computer which overcomes the problems encountered in the conventional art. It is another object of the present invention to provide a compact disc rack for a desktop computer which is capable of enhancing a space application of a desktop computer by using a bay which is not used among a plurality of hardware engaging bays in a case of a desktop computer as a certain space for storing a compact disc.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a compact disc rack for a desktop computer which is capable of decreasing an inconvenience which occurs due to an occupying area of a compact disc by forming a storing space of a compact disc which is necessarily used in a desktop computer, in the interior of a case of a computer.

To achieve the above objects, there is provided a compact disc rack for a desktop computer which includes an outer case which is inserted into and engaged to a certain bay of a computer case, an inner case which is shut into and drawn out from said outer case in a drawer method, more than at least one compact disc rack panel which one side is rotatably fixed in an inner side of said inner case and which is rotatable between a state that said compact disc rack panel is shut in said inner case and a state that said compact disc rack panel is drawn out from said inner case and stores compact discs therein, and a spring which applies a certain elastic force in a direction that said compact disc rack panel upwardly stands from said inner case.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the rack further comprises an elastic member which applies an elastic force in a direction that said inner case is drawn out, and a locker which locks a shut state of said inner case and unlocks the locked state by pressing said inner case. Wherein said elastic member and said locker are installed between said outer case and said inner case.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a shutting and drawing operation of said inner case with respect to said outer case is implemented by a motored mechanism. In an embodiment of the present invention, said outer case is assembled to said computer case using screws.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a finger insertion port is formed in a portion corresponding to a circumferential portion of the compact disc in the compact disc rack panel .

Brief Description of Drawings

The present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings which are given only by way of illustration and thus are not limitative of the present invention, wherein;

Figure 1 is a schematic view illustrating a desktop computer having a computer compact disc rack according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an outer perspective view illustrating a compact disc rack for a desktop computer according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state that an inner case is being drawn out from an outer case according to the present invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating a state that an inner case is fully drawn out from an outer case according to the present invention;

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating an operation that a compact disc rack panel upward-standing spring according to the present invention;

Figure 6 is a schematic view illustrating a front surface of an inner case according to the present invention; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating a compact disc rack panel according to the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

The preferred embodiments of the compact disc rack for a desktop computer according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in Figures 1 through 5, a compact disc rack 1 for a desktop computer of the present invention includes an outer case 10, an inner case 20, a plurality of compact disc rack panels 30, and a spring 40. The outer case 10 can be an empty rectangular parallelepiped shaped member which is inserted into and engaged to a bay 3 of a computer case 2. For example, the outer case 10 can be engaged to the bay 3 of the computer case 2 in such a manner that a plurality of screws are engaged to a plurality of screw holes 1 1 . The inner case 20 is inserted (shut) in an inner space of the outer case 10.

The inner case 20 may be formed of a rectangular parallelepiped shaped member having a certain inner space therein for thereby receiving a plurality of compact discs 4 therein. The inner case 20 is slidable based on a drawer method between a state that the inner case 20 is shut in the outer case 10 and a state that the inner case 20 is drawn out from the outer case 10.

A certain guide structure formed of a guide groove 12 and a guide protrusion 21 can be formed in the outer case 10 and the inner case 20 in a side surface or a lower surface of the same for thereby implementing a sliding movement of the inner case 20. An elastic member 50 like a plate spring is engaged between the outer case 10 and the inner case 20 for thereby applying an elastic force in a direction that the inner case 20 is drawn out. Therefore, when the inner case 20 is drawn out from the outer case 10, the inner case 20 is automatically pulled by an elastic force of the elastic member 50. In addition, a locker 60 can be engaged between the outer case 10 and the inner case 20. In a state that the inner case 20 is shut in the outer case 10, the locker 60 is operated in such a manner that the shut state of the inner case 20 is locked by overcoming an elastic force of the elastic member 50 and shut state of the inner case 20 is released by pushing the inner case 20 inwardly.

In the above preferred embodiments of the present invention, the plate spring is adapted as the elastic member 50. In another embodiment of the present invention, a windup spring or coil spring may be used. In Figure 3, reference numerals 24 and 13 represent respectively a rack and pinion which are formed and engaged in the outer case 10 and the inner case 20.

In the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, the elastic member 50 and the locker 60 are adapted for implementing a convenient shutting and drawing of the inner case 10 with respect to the outer case 20. In another embodiment of the present invention, a motor-driven structure which uses a motor and rack and pinion and is generally used in a compact disc driver, may be used.

The compact disc rack 1 according to the present invention may be used as a thank-you item given to customers based on its characteristic. Therefore, a company' s name or a simple ad content may be printed in the rack 1. Namely, the above ad may be printed in a front surface 22 of the inner case 20 which is exposed in a front portion of the computer case 2.

For the above reason, the front surface 22 of the inner case 20 may be preferably formed in an assembling type for thereby being detachable with respect to the inner case 20. As the front surface 22 of the inner case 20 is detachable, the manufacturer of the rack 1 is not needed to fabricate the entire structure of the inner case 20 when the printed contents are changed. Namely, only the front surface 22 is separately fabricated.

The detachable structure of the front surface 22 is not limited to its structure. As shown in Figure 6, an elastic engaging protrusion 23 may be formed in the front surface 22, and an engaging groove (not shown) may be formed in the body of the inner case 20, so that the engaging protrusion 23 is elastically engaged to the above engaging groove. More than at least one compact disc rack panel 30 is installed in the inner case 20. The compact rack panel 30 is a plate shaped member capable of preventing any damage of the compact disc 4. As shown in Figure 7, in an embodiment of compact disc rack panel 30, an elastic protrusion 31 inserted into a hole formed in the center portion of the compact disc 4 is formed in the center portion in the compact disc rack panel 30 and a groove 32 is formed in both side surfaces of the circumferential portion of the same for thereby being matched with the size of each compact disc 4. Therefore, a panel may be used in such a manner that two compact discs 4 are stored in the front and back surfaces. Each compact disc panel 30 is rotatably fixed in an inner side of the inner case 20, so that the compact disc panel 30 is movable between a state that the compact disc panel 30 is received in the inner case 20 and a state that the compact disc panel 30 is protruded (stood) from the inner case 20. For implementing the above operation, a hinge pin 33 can be installed in one side surface of the compact disc rack panel 30. The hinge pin 33 is rotatably inserted in a hinge hole (not shown) formed in an inner side portion of the inner case 20, so that the compact disc rack panel 30 is engaged to the inner case 20.

In Figure 7, reference numeral 34 represents a support member which supports the stored compact disc 4, and reference numeral 35 represents a hollow portion for decreasing the weight of the compact disc rack panel 30, and reference numeral 36 represents a finger insertion port into which a finger is inserted when a compact disc is stored in the compact disc rack panel 30 for thereby easily holding the circumferential portion of the compact disc 4.

The compact rack panel 30 which is located in a lowest portion contacting with a lower surface of the inner case 20 among a plurality of the compact disc rack panels 30 is formed of a hard material. But, the remaining compact disc rack panels 30 can be formed of a soft material like a vinyl. In the compact disc rack panel 30 formed of a soft material. A spring 40 is installed between the compact disc rack panel 30 and the inner case 20 for applying an elastic force in a direction that the compact disc rack panel 30 upwardly stands from the inner case 20. Therefore, when the inner case 20 is drawn out from the outer case 10, and the outer case 10 does not press the upper portion of the compact disc rack panel 30, the compact disc rack panel 30 automatically upwardly stands based on the operation of the spring 40 and becomes the state of Figure 3 to the state of Figure 4, so that a user easily store and eject the compact disc 4.

At this time, when the lowest compact disc rack panel 30 contacting with a lower surface of the inner case 20 upwardly stands, the remaining compact disc rack panels 30 upwardly stand.

The compact disc rack 1 for a desktop computer according to the present invention is installed in such a manner that the cover is removed from the bay 3 of the computer case 2, and the rack 1 is inserted into the computer case 2 and is engaged using the screw holes 1 1 and screws.

In a common environment, the state of Figure 2 is maintained by inserting the inner case 20 into the outer case 10. In the case that the compact disc 4 is stored or ejected, as shown in Figures 3 and 4 the compact disc is stored or ejected by drawing out the inner case 20 from the outer case 10. At this time, when the front surface of the inner case 20 is slightly pressed based on the operations of the elastic member 50 and the locker 60, the inner case 20 is automatically drawn out, or when the inner case 20 is pushed by a certain force larger than the elastic force of the elastic member 50, the shut state of the inner case 20 is locked by the locker 60. In addition, at the moment when the inner case 20 is fully drawn out from the outer case 10, since the outer case 10 does not limit the rotation of the compact disc rack panel 30, the compact disc rack panel 30 upwardly stands by an elastic force of the spring 40. Therefore, a user can easily store and eject the compact disc 4. After the storing and ejecting operations are completed, when the inner case 20 is pushed, the compact disc rack panel 30 is pressed by the outer case 10 and the inner case 20 is naturally shut into the inner case 20.

As described above, in the compact disc rack 1 for a desktop computer according to the present invention, the bay 3 which is not used among the hardware engaging bays 3 installed in the case 2 of the desktop computer is used as a certain space for storing the compact discs 4. Therefore, in the present invention, the problems which occurs for storing the compact discs which are necessarily used in the desktop computer are effectively overcome. As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described examples are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of the claims, or equivalences of such meets and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1 . A compact disc rack for a desktop computer, comprising: an outer case 10 which is inserted into and engaged to a certain bay 3 of a computer case 2; an inner case 20 which is shut into and drawn out from said outer case 10 in a drawer method; more than at least one compact disc rack panel 30 which one side is rotatably fixed in an inner side of said inner case 20 and which is rotatable between a state that said compact disc rack panel 30 is shut in said inner case 20 and a state that said compact disc rack panel 30 is drawn out from said inner case 20 and stores compact discs 4 therein; and a spring 40 which applies a certain elastic force in a direction that said compact disc rack panel 30 upwardly stands from said inner case 20.

2. A compact disc rack according to claim 1 , further comprising: an elastic member 50 which applies an elastic force in a direction that said inner case 20 is drawn out from said outer case 10; and a locker 60 which locks a shut state of said inner case 20 and unlocks the locked state by pressing said inner case 20, wherein said elastic member 50 and said locker 60 are installed between said outer case 10 and said inner case 20.

3. A compact disc rack according to claim 1 , wherein a shutting and drawing operation of said inner case 20 with respect to said outer case 10 is implemented by a motored mechanism.

4. A compact disc rack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said outer case 10 is assembled to said computer case 2 using screws.

5. A compact disc rack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a finger insertion port is formed in a portion corresponding to a circumferential portion of said compact disc 4 in said compact disc rack panel 30.