Computer disk box

Claim 2

A box, comprising in combination: a back wall; a bottom wall extending perpendicular to and forward from a lower edge of the back wall; a pair of sidewalls joining the back and bottom walls on each side, the sidewalls being parallel to each other and perpendicular to the back wall; a front wall having lower, middle and upper panels, the lower panel being connected to a forward edge of the bottom wall by a lower hinge, the middle panel being connected to the lower panel by a middle hinge, and the upper panel being connected to the middle panel by an upper hinge; a top wall rigidly mounted to the upper panel perpendicular to the upper panel; and retainer means mounted between each sidewall and the front wall for causing the front wall to move between a closed position in which the panels are coplanar with each other and parallel to the back wall and the top wall parallel with the bottom wall, to an open position in which the upper edge of the lower panel folds forward and downward, both upper and lower edges of the middle panel move forward, and the top wall moves forward and downward with the upper panel to expose the interior of the box.

Claim 3

The box according to claim 1 wherein the retainer means comprises: a pair of tabs, each mounted to opposite side edges of the upper panel; a pin mounted to each tab and engaging a slot formed on each sidewall.

Claim 4

The box according to claim 2 wherein each slot is elongated to allow the pins to move between forward and rearward positions, as the front wall moves between the closed position and the open position, respectively, and further comprising a protuberance located in each slot to releasably retain the pins in the forward and rearward positions.

Claim 5

The box according to claim 1 wherein the retainer means includes: upper lock means for releasably securing the upper panel in the closed position; and lower lock means for releasably securing the middle panel in the closed position.

Claim 6

A box, comprising in combination: a back wall; a bottom wall extending forward from a lower edge of the back wall, the bottom wall being rigidly joined to and perpendicular to the back wall; a pair of sidewalls rigidly joined to the back and bottom walls on each side, the side walls being parallel to each other and perpendicular to the back wall; a front wall having lower, middle and upper panels, the lower panel being connected to the bottom wall by a lower hinge, the middle panel being connected to the lower panel by a middle hinge, and the upper panel being connected to the middle panel by an upper hinge; a top wall rigidly mounted to the upper panel and extending perpendicular to the upper panel; a pair of tabs, each rigidly mounted on opposite edges of the upper panel; a pin mounted to each tab and engaging a slot formed in each sidewall, enabling the front wall to move between a closed position in which the panels are coplanar with each other and parallel to the back wall and the top wall is parallel with the bottom wall, to an open position in which the lower panel folds along the lower hinge forward and downward, the entire middle panel moves forward, and the upper panel folds along the upper hinge forward and downward; the tabs extending below the upper hinge when the front wall is in the closed position, causing the upper hinge to move forward relative to the sidewalls when the front wall is in the open position; and lock means for releasably securing the front wall in the closed position.

Claim 7

A box, comprising in combination: a back wall; a bottom wall extending forward from a lower edge of the back wall, the bottom wall being rigidly joined to and perpendicular to the back wall; a pair of sidewalls rigidly joined to the back and bottom walls on each side, the side walls being parallel to each other and perpendicular to the back wall; a front wall having lower, middle and upper panels, the lower panel being connected to the bottom wall by a lower hinge, the middle panel being connected to the lower panel by a middle hinge, and the upper panel being connected to the middle panel by an upper hinge; a top wall rigidly mounted to the upper panel and extending perpendicular to the upper panel; a pair of tabs, each rigidly mounted on opposite edges of the upper panel; a pin mounted to each tab and engaging a slot formed in each sidewall, enabling the front wall to move between a closed position in which the panels are coplanar with each other and parallel to the back wall and the top wall is parallel with the bottom wall, to an open position in which the lower panel folds along the lower hinge forward and downward, the entire middle panel moves forward, and the upper panel folds along the upper hinge forward and downward; the tabs extending below the upper hinge when the front wall is in the closed position, causing the upper hinge to move forward relative to the sidewalls when the front wall is in the open position; and lock means for releasably securing the front wall in the closed position.

Claim 8

The box according to claim 5 wherein the lower hinge allows the lower panel to move from a position perpendicular to the bottom wall to a position coplanar with the bottom wall, when the front wall is in the open position.

Claim 9

The box according to claim 5 wherein the middle hinge allows the middle panel to fold from a position parallel with the lower panel to a position forming an angle less than obtuse between the lower and middle panels when the front wall is in the open position.

Claim 10

The box according to claim 5 wherein the upper hinge allows the upper panel to fold from a position parallel with the middle panel to a position forming an angle less than obtuse between the upper and middle panels when the front wall is in the open position.

Claim 11

The box according to claim 5 wherein the box is formed of plastic, and the hinges are integrally formed with the box.

Claim 12

A box, comprising in combination: a back wall; a bottom wall extending forward from a lower edge of the back wall, the bottom wall being rigidly joined to and perpendicular to the back wall; a pair of sidewalls rigidly joined to the back and bottom walls on each side, the side walls being parallel to each other and perpendicular to the back wall; a front wall having lower, middle, and upper panels and movable between a closed position wherein the panels are coplanar with each other and parallel to the back wall to an open position; a top wall rigidly mounted to the upper panel and extending perpendicular to the upper wall; a pair of tabs, each rigidly mounted to an opposite edge of the upper panel on a rearward side of the upper panel; a pin mounted to each tab and engaging a slot formed on each side wall, the slot being elongated and inclined with the lower end of the slot being located forward of the upper end of the slot; hinge means interconnecting the panels, having upper, middle and lower hinges, for causing when the top wall is pressed downward the pins to move forward and downward in the slot, the middle hinge to move forward, the lower panel to fold along the lower hinge to a position coplanar with the bottom wall, the middle panel and the upper hinge to move forward, and the upper panel to fold forward along the upper hinge, defining the open position; a pair of lugs, each mounted to opposite sides of the front wall and extending rearward for frictionally engaging one of the side walls to releasably retain the middle panel in the closed position; and upper lock means mounted to the upper panel for releasably retaining the upper panel in the closed position.

Claim 13

A box, comprising in combination: a back wall; a bottom wall extending forward from a lower edge of the back wall, the bottom wall being rigidly joined to and perpendicular to the back wall; a pair of sidewalls rigidly joined to the back and bottom walls on each side, the side walls being parallel to each other and perpendicular to the back wall; a front wall having lower, middle, and upper panels and movable between a closed position wherein the panels are coplanar with each other and parallel to the back wall to an open position; a top wall rigidly mounted to the upper panel and extending perpendicular to the upper wall; a pair of tabs, each rigidly mounted to an opposite edge of the upper panel on a rearward side of the upper panel; a pin mounted to each tab and engaging a slot formed on each side wall, the slot being elongated and inclined with the lower end of the slot being located forward of the upper end of the slot; hinge means interconnecting the panels, having upper, middle and lower hinges, for causing when the top wall is pressed downward the pins to move forward and downward in the slot, the middle hinge to move forward, the lower panel to fold along the lower hinge to a position coplanar with the bottom wall, the middle panel and the upper hinge to move forward, and the upper panel to fold forward along the upper hinge, defining the open position; a pair of lugs, each mounted to opposite sides of the front wall and extending rearward for frictionally engaging one of the side walls to releasably retain the middle panel in the closed position; and upper lock means mounted to the upper panel for releasably retaining the upper panel in the closed position.

Claim 14

The box according to claim 10 wherein the lugs are mounted to the middle panel.

Claim 15

The box according to claim 10 wherein the upper lock means comprises a pair of upper tabs mounted to the top wall and positioned to engage a pair of apertures formed at the upper edge of the back wall.

Claim 16

The box according to claim 10, further comprising: stop means on each sidewall for supporting the tabs and the upper panel when the front wall is in the open position.

Claim 17

The box according to claim 10, further comprising: stop means on each sidewall for supporting the tabs when the front wall is in the open position, and for supporting the upper panel substantially parallel with the bottom wall when the front wall is in the open position.

Claim 18

The box according to claim 10 wherein the lugs locate within the slots along with the pins while the front wall is in the closed position.

Claim 19

The box according to claim 10 further comprising means comprinsing a protuberance located in each slot for releasably retaining the pins rearward in the slot while the front wall is in the closed position, and for releasably retaining the pins forward in the slot while the front wall is in the open position.