Latching storage case for a holder containing an information carrier

Claim 1

A storage case and holder combination, said holder containing at least one information carrier, said case comprising a housing forming at least one receptacle into which said holder can be inserted in an insertion direction from the front of the case, spring means for urging a partly inserted holder in an ejection direction opposite said insertion direction, and latching means for retaining a fully inserted holder in a latched position; and for unlatching the holder reponsive to pushing said holder inward a given distance from said latched position, so that the holder is ejected in the ejection direction by said spring means; said latching means comprising a latching arm element and a latching groove element, a first of said elements being connected to and forming part of said case, and a second of said elements being connected to and forming part of said holder; said latching arm element having a groove-engaging member which engages said groove upon insertion of the holder to said latched position; and at least one of said elements being resiliently deflectable with respect to said housing, from an initial relative position, in a direction perpendicular to said insertion direction, said elements being resiliently deflectable relative to each other in first and second orthogonal directions perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to said insertion direction, characterized in that said groove element comprises an inlet-outlet portion, an insertion guiding portion, a latching transition portion, a latched position portion, an unlatching transition portion, and an ejection guiding portion; and said elements are arranged relative to each other and the housing and insertion direction such that during insertion of a holder to said latched position (a) initially each element is in a respective initial position in which said groove-engaging member and inlet-outlet portion are aligned with each other in the direction of insertion, (b) next said groove-engaging member and said inlet-outlet portion engage and undergo relative movement until said member engages the first insertion guiding portion, (c) next said member engages said insertion guiding portion and said elements undergo relative movement, one of said elements being resiliently deflected in said first orthogonal direction, (d) next said member engages said latching transition portion and said elements undergo further relative movement with further inward movement of the holder in said insertion direction until said member engages said latched position portion, during this relative movement said one of said elements resiliently moving in a direction opposite said first orthogonal direction to a relative position in which said one element is unstressed in said first orthogonal direction; during the engagement of the member with at least one of the insertion guiding and latching transition portions, one of said elements being resiliently deflected in said second orthogonal direction such that, when said holder is in the latched position, the member engages the latched position portion under resilient stress in said second orthogonal direction, and the engagement between the member and groove prevents movement of the holder in the ejection direction; and upon movement of the holder, from said latched position, further in said insertion direction and then release of said holder: (e) said member engages said unlatching transition portion, said elements undergoing further relative movement in said direction opposite said first orthogonal direction and in a direction opposite said second orthogonal direction, (f) said member then engages said ejection guiding portion, and said spring means then urges said holder in the ejection direction so that the holder moves partly out of said case, and (g) said member engages said ejection guiding portion, and said elements undergo further relative movement in the ejection direction free from further restraint by the latching means.