This invention relates to cases, and is especially concerned with cases for containing generally-flat articles.

According to one aspect of the present invention a case for containing generally-flat articles, has the form of a wallet with two flap-parts that are hinged to either side of an elongate spine-part for closing up onto one another in closing the case, and includes means on the inside of each flap-part for releasably retaining at least one of the articles substantially flat with that flap-part, and means on the inside of the spine-part for releasably retaining at least one other of the articles upstanding from, and extending lengthwise of, the spine-part such as to be sandwiched between the articles carried by the flap-parts when the case is closed.

The wallet-form of case of the present invention is of advantage for containing articles such as computer, data¬ storage diskettes in a compact, protected and easily- handled form. This is particularly so in relation to standard "3 -inch" diskettes, since a case in accordance with the invention for containing up to six such diskettes can be readily provided within dimensions comparable with those of a diary or pocket book, enabling it to be accommodated with ease within, for example, the inside pocket of a jacket, a hand-carried bag, or an envelope for mailing.

The case may be moulded in one piece with integral hinges. The integral hinges may take the form of thin webs of the moulded material extending between the spine-

and flap-parts. The moulding may, in particular, be of polypropylene.

The article-retaining means provided on the inside of each flap-part may comprise abutments between which the relevant article or articles are a push or snap fit. More especially, the abutments may define one or more recesses inside each flap-part for receiving and resiliently retaining respective ones of the articles laid flat therein.

The means for retaining the one or more articles upstanding on the inside of the spine-part, may involve one or more channels or sockets for receiving and gripping edges of those articles resiliently. Where more than one article is to be retained in this way on the spine-part, separate channels or sockets for holding those articles in line with one another lengthwise of the spine-part, may be provided.

Each flap-part may have an upstanding rim that abuts the upstanding rim of the other face-to-face when the two flap-parts are closed up on one another. More particularly, where the flap-parts are of the same substantially-rectangular shape as one another, and each is hinged to the spine-part along one of the sides of the rectangle, each flap-part may have an upstanding peripheral rim that extends throughout the three other sides; the rim of each flap-part may in these circumstances provide face-to-face abutment with the rim of the other flap-part throughout substantially the full extent of the three sides, when the case is closed. Provision may also be made for aligning the flap-parts with one another as they are closed up on one another, so as to ensure positively that the rims come into abutment when the case is closed; this may involve the interengagemen , for example near the spine-part, of a

projection of one rim, or of each rim, with a socket of the other.

One or more selectively-releasable clips may be provided for holding the case closed, and each such clip may comprise a tongue that projects from the inside of one flap-part to engage resiliently in a socket of the other flap-part.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a case for containing data-storage diskettes has the form of a wallet with two flap-parts that are hinged to either side of an elongate spine-part for closing up onto one another in closing the case, and includes a plurality of channels or sockets on the inside of the spine-part for releasably retaining the diskettes upstanding from, and extending lengthwise of, the spine-part such as to be sandwiched between the flap-parts when the case is closed.

A case of wallet-form for containing data-storage diskettes, according to the present invention, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 to 4 show the case when closed, in, respectively, elevation from one side, front elevation, elevation from the other side, and in plan;

Figure 5 shows the case when fully open, in elevation from the back;

Figure 6 is an isometric view of the inside of the empty case when fully open; and

Figure 7 corresponds to Figure 6 showing the open case fully loaded with data-storage diskettes.

The case to be described is of a moulded construction of resilient plastics material, and is for containing six standard "3%-inch ^u data-storage diskettes (each measuring some 94 mm in length and 90 mm in width) in a compact and ^• easily-handled and -transportable form that affords them protection. More particularly, the case is rectangular having a length of about 193 mm, and, when closed, a width of about 95 mm and a maximum depth of about 15 mm, making it comparable in size and shape with a diary or pocket book. The case, in this respect, can be readily accommodated within the inside pocket of a jacket, within a hand-carried bag, or within a mailing envelope.

Referring to Figures 1 to 6, two rectangular flaps 1 and 2 forming front and back covers respectively of the case, are hinged throughout their length to opposite sides of an elongate spine 3. The hinges 4 and 5 ef ective in this latter respect, allow the flaps 1 and 2 to be closed up on one another (illustrated in Figures 1 to 4) from a fully opened-out condition (illustrated in Figures 5 and 6) , so as to close the case and totally enclose its contents. The nature of the contents may be indicated on the outside of the case by labelling within recesses 6 and 7 on the outside of the front-cover flap 1, and a recess 8 on the outside of the spine 3.

Inside the case, two pairs of spaced ribs 9 and 10 extend end to end along the length of the spine 3, the ribs 9 and 10 of both pairs standing up from the spine 3 within and an upstanding peripheral rim 11 that extends along the three, free sides of each flap 1 and 2. The area of the inside of each flap 1 and 2 bounded by its rim 11 and the adjacent rib 9 or 10 is divided in two by an upstanding rib 12 that extends widthwise of the flap. The two rectangular recesses 13 that are thereby defined on the inside of each flap 1 and 2 between the rim 11 on two sides and the ribs 9 or 10 and 12 on the other two

sides, are dimensioned to receive respective "3%-inch" diskettes laid flat, in close fit. The two recesses 13 provided inside each flap 1 and 2, thus enable four diskettes to be retained within the case on the flaps 1 and 2.

Referring now also to Figure 7, the four diskettes 14 are retained in the case inside the flaps 1 and 2 with each diskette 14 lying flat and lengthwise of the flap-length within its respective recess 13. The diskettes 14 are held there simply as a push or snap fit against the resilience of the bounding rib 9 or 10, rib 12 and rim 11. Cut-outs 15 that break through the rim 11 into the two recesses 13 along the longer, free side of each flap 1 and 2, enable the diskettes 14 retained in the recesses 13 to be levered out by finger or thumb when they are to be removed from the case for use.

Two further "3 -inch" diskettes 16 can be retained within the case, with both standing up from, and extending lengthwise of, the spine 3. In this respect, the two pairs of spaced ribs 9 and 10 define respectively- two in¬ line channels or sockets 17 that are of a width to receive longitudinal edges of the diskettes 16 in close fit. The lengths of the sockets 17, each defined between one of two end-facings 18 and a central stop 19, are just sufficient to accommodate the longitudinal edges of the diskettes 16 tightly. The diskettes 16 are pushed into the sockets 17 against the resilience of the ribs 9 and 10 to be retained in push or snap fit standing upright from the spine 3. Withdrawal of the diskettes 16 from the case for use, simply involves pulling them free from the sockets 17.

The case is closed by folding the flaps 1 and 2 up towards one another about their hinges 4 and 5 to sandwich the diskettes 16 between the two pairs of

diskettes 14 retained inside the flaps 1 and 2. As the flaps 1 and 2 are moved towards one another, a pip 20 on each rim 11 near the spine 3, engages in a socket 21 of the other; this engagement facilitates alignment of the flaps 1 and 2 with one another as they close up onto one another over the diskettes 16. More particularly, the alignment brings the rim 11 of each flap l and 2 into face-to-face abutment with the rim 11 of the other. The rims 11 have complementary partly-serpentine profiles along the longer, free sides of the flaps 1 and 2 to facilitate the nesting of each within the cut-out 15 of the other; this enhance the tightness with which the two flaps l and 2 close together.

As the case is closed, a tongue 22 that projects from the rim 11 of each flap 1 and 2 enters a socket 23 in the rim 11 of the other. Each tongue 22 is a tight push-fit within its socket 23, and the tongue-and-socket engagements established, clip the flaps 1 and 2 together to retain them in the closed condition. The case can- be opened to remove the enclosed diskettes 14 and 16, simply by hinging the flaps 1 backwards from one another after prising them apart to break the tongue-and-socket engagements.

The case is moulded of polypropylene in one piece in the open configuration. The hinges 4 and 5 are formed integrally in the moulding, each hinge 4 and 5 being created as a thin web of the moulded material extending between the spine 3 and the respective flap 1 and 2. A strong, yet easy-action, hinge is established along the webs by flexing the flaps 1 and 2 on the spine 3 while the product is still warm after ejection from the mould during manufacture; the flexing brings to completion in the hinges 4 and 5 the favourable molecular orientation that arises from the flow of molten material through the web-creating constrictions of the mould.

Although the case of the present invention has been described above in the context of containing six data¬ storage diskettes, more may be accommodated. In this respect, more than two channels or sockets such as the channels or sockets 17, may be provided on the spine 3. The additional channels or sockets may be located alongside the sockets 17, so that with two sockets added in this way, four diskettes can be accommodated standing upright from the spine 3 in pairs, side by side with one another. With more channels or sockets added alongside these, the number of diskettes accommodated standing upright from the spine can be increased further from four, to six, to eight, or to even more.

The addition of further channels or sockets to the spine brings with it a necessity for increase in spine-width and a consequent increase in overall thickness of the case. If, in order to keep the case-thickness to a minimum, the diskettes are tightly packed together in the array on the spine, it may become difficult where three or more diskettes stand side-by-side, to withdraw the inner diskettes of the array individually without first removing those on either side of it. This difficulty may be overcome by providing longitudinal hinging within the spine between the sockets; access to the inner diskettes of the array can then be readily achieved simply by pushing the flaps 1 and 2 further open so that the spine hinges back on itself to fan out the diskettes within their side-by-side relationship.

The present invention is also readily applicable to the provision of cases for containing other generally-flat articles, such as, for example, CD (compact disk) records and CD-ROM disks.