This invention relates to protective covers, and more particularly to protective covers for magnetic media.

Among the most common forms of magnetic media in use today are diskettes, which are typically included in a plastic jacket with one or more access openings to allow a magnetic head to make contact with a rotatable disc within the jacket.

Unfortunately, the ordinary jacket is fragile and easily damaged. In addition, when the diskettes are stored, they tend to be compactly included within a storage tray or container.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to facilitate the protection of materials. A related object is to protect magnetic media. Another related object is to protect magnetic media in the form of diskettes.

Another object of the invention is to facilitate the storage of materials. A related object is to facilitate the storage of magnetic media. Another related object is to facilitate the storage of magnetic media in the form of diskettes.

Still another object of the invention is simplify the protection of materials. A related object is to simplify the protection of magnetic media. Another related object is to

simplify the protection of magnetic media in the form of diskettes.

A further object of the invention is to economize on the protection of materials. A related object is to economize on the protection of magnetic media. Another related object is to economize on protection of magnetic media in the form of diskettes.

Summary of the Invention

In accomplishing the foregoing and related objects, the invention provides a protective cover with a front side, a back side and means for engaging a storage container. The front side can be connected to the back side by a fixed member that conforms to the object to be protected, and one side includes means for promoting the retention of the object. The front side can be connected to the back side by a frame or by a hinge, which can be a living hinge that promotes the separation of the sides, when separated, and promotes the closure of the sides when closed towards one another.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention one side includes a recess conforming to the object to be protected and one side includes means for promoting the retention of the object. When the object is a rectangular jacket for a magnetic storage disc, the recess conforms to the jacket and the retention promoting means is at least one lug for engaging the jacket.

When the object is a rectangular jacket with a movable shutter for a magnetic storage disc, the recess can include

a shutter lock, with the recess conforming to the jacket and the retention promoting means comprising at least one lug for engaging the jacket. In addition, the front side can include a groove for receiving a projection from the back side in order to permit the interlock of like protective covers.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention one of the sides includes, on opposite edges, means for engaging a storage container. The engagement desirably is by bosses that project inwardly from the edges. The bosses can be positioned between the housing.

In accordance with still another aspect of the invention one of the covers includes an extension opposite the base for limiting the flex of the associated cover. One of the covers includes a protrusion at an upper edge.

In accordance with a still further aspect of the invention provision is made for a storage tray into which the protective cover is insertable. The storage tray includes side walls separated by the width of the protective cover, and the side walls include means for retaining the protective cover therein. The storage tray includes a base from which the side walls extend, and the side walls include interlocks, desirably extending at an angle with respect to the base, for retaining the protective cover therein. In addition, the interlocks may be proportioned to provide a snap fit. The slots can be included in hingeable extensions of the sides of the cover and the extensions are folded against the sides when the cover is to be inserted. The

εtorage tray can include side walls separated by the width of a container for the protective cover. As a res.ult the protective cover may be stored in the storage tray within a container until the protective cover is to be used. The storage tray can include a base from which side walls extend, and slots are provided for retaining the protective cover unless the cover is moved to a substantially vertical position which permits the cover to be withdrawn from the slots.

In a method of protecting a object in accordance with the invention, the steps include providing a protective cover having a backside separated from a front side; inserting an object to be protected against one of the sides; and engaging a flexible detent in one of the sides by the cover for temporary retention of the object. Other steps can include separating a front side of a protective cover from a back side, inserting an object to be protected against one of the sides and closing the sides towards one another with the object therebetween.

When the object is a magnetic disc within a jacket having a movable shutter, it can be inserted between side walls of the cover, against one of the sides, and the shutter held in closed position by a projection within the cover that engages the jacket. In general, the object inserted between side walls, and against one of the sides, can be held thereagainst by a projection from the side that engages the jacket. The protective cover containing the object is temporarily inserted into a storage tray.

In a method of manufacturing a protective cover in accordance with the invention for an object, the steps include providing a protective cover with front and back sides that are separated from one another by a distance suitable for engaging the object within the protective cover, and including outwardly extending projections positioned between the front and back sides, and providing a storage tray with slots for receiving the projections of the protective cover with respect to side walls of the storage tray. The protective cover desirably is molded of polypropylene.

Description of the Drawings

Other aspects of the invention will become apparent after considering several illustrative embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1A is a front view of a protective cover in accordance with the invention;

Fig. IB is a rear view of the protective cover of Fig.

1A;

Fig. 1C is a side view of the protective cover of Fig,

1A;

Fig. ID is a top view of the protective cover of Fig,

1A;

Fig. IE is a bottom view of the protective cover of Fig. 1A;

Fig. 2A is a perspective view of interlocked protective covers of the type shown in Figs. 1A through IE;

Fig. 2B is a fragmentary sectional view of the covers of Fig. 2A taken along the lines 2B-2B, with several covers of Fig. 1A shown interlocked;

Fig. 2C is a fragmentary sectional view of the interlocked covers of Fig. 2A taken along the lines 2C-2C, with several covers of Fig. 1A shown inserted;

Figs. 3A, 3B and 3C are respective views illustrating the insertion of a magnetic disc into the protective cover of Fig.lA;

Figs. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D are respective views showing the engagement of the magnetic disc in Figures 3A-3C by the protective cover of the invention;

Figs. 5A through 5C illustrated the insertion, positioning and movement of the protective cover of Fig. 1A in a storage tray in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the tray of Fig. 5A storing protective covers in accordance with the invention;

Figs. 7A through 7C are respective bottom, sectional and top views of the storage tray of Fig. 6 without the protective covers of the invention;

Figs. 8A through 8D-2 illustrate the interlock of storage trays in accordance with the invention; and

Figs. 9A through 9D illustrate an alternative embodiment of a storage tray for protective covers in accordance with the invention.

Detailed Description

With reference to the drawings, a protective cover 10 in accordance with the invention is shown in Figs. 1A

through IE. The protective cover 10 has a front side 11, a back side 12 and a base 13 that connects the back side 12 to the front side 11. The base 13 is used to provide a permanent closure, or promote the separation of the sides 11 and 12.

One of the sides, for example the side 11, borders a recess 14 conforming to the object to be protected, for example a magnetic diskette (not shown). The other side 12 includes means for promoting the retentio ^' n of the object. When the object is a rectangular jacket for a magnetic storage disc, the recess 14 conforms to the jacket and the retention promoting means is at least one of the lugs 15-1 and 15-2 for engaging the jacket.

The base 13 desirably includes a member 13-s for providing a shutter lock when a storage disc is inserted into the cover 10.

One of the sides, for example the side 12, faces opposite edges 12-el and 12-e2, with means for engaging a storage container. The engagement desirably is by cylindrical bosses 17-1 and 17-2 that project outwardly from the edges 12-el and 12-e2.

One of the sides, for example the side 12, includes a curved protrusion 12-c at an upper edge 12-u to facilitate handling of the associated side 12.

As shown in Fig. 2A the protective covers of the type shown in Figs. 1A through IE can be interlocked using the dovetail engagement particularized in Fig. 2C. Each side 11 includes a dovetail projection lid near the edge 13, and each side 12 includes a dovetail recess 12r.

Fig. 2B is a fragmentary side view of the covers of Fig. 2A taken along the lines 2B-2B, with several covers of Fig. 1A shown interlocked.

In one use, the protective cover 10 of Fig. 1A can store a magnetic disc, such as the disc 30 of Figs. 3A, 3B and 3C. The steps of insertion are successively illustrated, beginning with the approach of the disc 30 to the cover 10 in Fig. 3A. This followed by contact of the disc 30 with the side 12 shown in Fig. 3B, culminating in the final engagement with the detent 15-1 shown in Fig. 3C.

Details of the engagement are shown in Figs. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D. In Fig. 4A a side snap 15-2 flexes during insertion and removal of the disc 30. In Figs. 4B and 4C the snap 15-2 is shown in a locking position. Fig. 4D is a reverse side view of Fig. 4C.

Figs. 5A through 5C illustrate respectively the insertion, positioning and movement of the protective cover 10 of Fig. 1A in a storage tray 50 in accordance with the invention, with the tray 50 shown in perspective in Fig. 6 storing a plurality of protective covers in accordance with the invention. As indicated in Fig. 5A, the base 51 of tray 50 includes removable fasteners of clamps 51-1 and 51-2, while the front 52 includes a connector 52-c and the back wall 53 includes a ledge 53-d.

In the cross sectional view of Fig. 5B the protective cover 10 is shown seated against the base 51 and the cylindrical bosses 17-1 and 17-2 are positioned at the bottom 56-b of a slot 56-s in the side members 56-1 and 56-2

of the tray 50. The exact relationship between the side members 56-1 and 56-2 in relation to the side walls 55-1 and 55-2 is shown more particularly in Figs. 7A through 7C.

In the fragmentary view of Fig. 5B, the protective cover 10 is shown in phantom positions 10' and 10'', illustrating the rearward and forward movement of the cover 10 with respect to the rotation of cylindrical bosses, for example the boss 17-1 in the bottom 56-b of the slot 56-s. Because of the generally trapezoidal configuration of the bottom 56-b the cover 10 can be removed from the tray 50 only when it is in its exact vertical position, as shown, for the cover 10 in Fig. 5C. Generally, because of the trapezoidal configuration of the bottom 56-b, the cover 10 is securely maintained in the tray 50, as illustrated for the phantom positions 10' and 10".

The storage tray 50 shown in Figs. 5A-5D, into which protective covers 10-1 through 10-n are insertable, includes side member 56-1 and 56-2 separated by the width of each protective cover 10-1 though 10-n. The side members 56-1 and 56-2 are configured for retaining each protective cover 10 between them. The storage tray 50 includes a base 51, from which the side members 56-1 and 56-2 extend. The side members 56-1 and 56-2 include slots 56-s, which may extend at an angle with respect to the base 51, or provide a snap fit for retaining each protective cover 10.

Figs. 7A through 7C are views of the storage tray of Fig. 6 without the protective covers of the invention. In the bottom view of Fig. 7A, the side members 56-1 and 56-2

are in alignment with the base 51, containing the removable connector 51-1 and 51-2. In Fig. 7B, one of the side members 56-1 is shown being folded against the associated side wall 55-1, while the opposite side member 56-2 is still in position aligned with the base 51 and forming a right angle with respect to its associated side wall 55-2. The result of folding both members 56-1 and 56-2 against their respective side walls 55-1 and 55-2 as shown in Fig. 7C.

Figs. 8A through 8D-2 illustrate the interlock of storage trays 50 and 50'in accordance with the invention. In Fig. 8A, the trays 50 and 50' are locked front to back as illustrated in the fragmentary sectional view of Fig. 8C where the connector 52-c of the tray 50 is hooked to the ledge 53-d' of the front tray 50'.

In Fig. 8B, the trays 50 and 50' are locked in a side- by-side relationship making use of clamps 51-1 and 51-2 which have been removed from the base 51 and secured to adjoining side walls 55-1 of the tray 50 and 55-2' of the tray 50'. Details showing engagement by the clamp 51-1 of the walls 55-1 and 55-2' are shown in Figs. 8D-1 and 8D-2.

In a method of protecting a object in accordance with the invention, the steps include inserting the object to be protected, for example a magnetic diskette, against the sides 11 and 12. The sides 11 and 12 are closed permanently, or temporarily, with the object therebetween.

The object can be a magnetic disc within a jacket that is inserted between side walls 12-el and 12-e2, and against one of the sides, for example, side 12, and is held

thereagainst by a projection 15-1 or 15-2 from the side 12 that engages the jacket. The protective cover 10 containing the object is temporarily inserted into a storage tray 50.

In a method of manufacturing a protective cover 10 in accordance with the invention for an object, such as a magnetic diskette, the steps include providing front and back sides 11 and 12 of the protective cover 10, and joining the two sides 11 and 12 by a base 13 that serves to maintain the separation of the sides 11 and 12. The protective cover desirably is molded of polypropylene.

A further embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. 9A-9D, which are respective plan, side, front and rear views of an alternative container 90 for protective covers, such as the covers 10-1 through 10-n of Fig. 6.

The container 90 includes nonapertured side walls 91-1 and 91-2 which are joined to respective flaps 92-1 and 92-2 by adjoining living hinges 93-1 and 93-2. The hinges 93-1 and 93-2 permit the respective flaps 92-1 and 92-2 to be folded against the respective side walls 91-1 and 91-2. When the flap 92-1 is in its folded position, it rests against the side wall 92-1. Included in the flap 92-1 are protuberances 92-p for receiving protective covers in accordance with the invention. Such covers may take the form of the cover 10 in Fig. 1A, or eguivalent.

Each set of four protuberances 92-p in the flap 92-1 form an entry channel 92-el. As a result, the inserted protective cover, such as 10 of Fig. 1 can be inserted or removed from the associated tray only when the cover is in a

vertical position with respect to the base of the tray. Conseguently, the container can be mounted on a wall in any direction of orientation and have the protective covers securely retained until there is a need to remove one or more for use.

In addition, since the flaps 92-1 and 92-2 can be folded away from the side walls 91-1 and 91-2 when the container 90 is not being used for the storage of individual covers, a storage box for the covers can be inserted into the tray, so that the product can be marketed as a composite of the storage tray 60 with an unopened box of covers. After sale, the box is removed and opened, the flaps 92-1 and 92-2 are folded against sides 91-1 and 91-2, and individual protective covers, containing protected diskettes, are inserted into the tray.

It will be understood that the foregoing detailed description is illustrative only and that further adaptations and embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.

The protected scope of the invention is in accordance with the appended claims.