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US5020043A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electronic media storage apparatus

Assignee: CHARGRIN PLASTICS METHODS Inc 5814 HEISLEY RD MENTOR OHIO 44060 A CORP OF OHIO
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Filing: 1989-02-14
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Granted: 1991-05-28
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Expires: 2009-02-14
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Abstract

Abstract A carousel like unit for the storage of floppy disks and other electronic media such as cassette tapes, compact disks, and video tapes. The storage unit rotates about a vertical axis and uses an indexer to select desired storage compartments.

Inventors

  • 👤 Arthur Kohler

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 07:31
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B33/00; G11B33/02; G11B33/04

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 209 words
An electronic media storage apparatus comprising: (a) a housing means having a horizontal base and case, said case having a horizontal top wall and a cylindrical side wall, said side wall having an access opening formed therein; and (b) a carousel means comprising: (i) a vertical shaft, the lower end of said shaft rotatably secured to said base, the shaft having upper and lower end portions; and (ii) a horizontal lower disk fixedly secured to the lower end portion of said shaft, said lower disk having upper and lower surfaces, said lower disk having a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced lower disk electronic media receiving slots formed in the upper surface thereof; and (iii) a horizontal upper disk fixedly secured to the upper end portion of said shaft in vertically spaced parallel relation to said lower disk, said upper disk having upper and lower surfaces, said upper disk having a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced upper disk electronic media receiving slots formed in the lower surface thereof with each of said upper disk electronic media receiving slots corresponding to a lower disk electronic media receiving slot; and (c) indexing means for stopping rotary motion of said upper and lower disks at a preselected electronic media receiving slot.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 209 words
An electronic media storage apparatus comprising: (a) a housing means having a horizontal base and case, said case having a horizontal top wall and a cylindrical side wall, said side wall having an access opening formed therein; and (b) a carousel means comprising: (i) a vertical shaft, the lower end of said shaft rotatably secured to said base, the shaft having upper and lower end portions; and (ii) a horizontal lower disk fixedly secured to the lower end portion of said shaft, said lower disk having upper and lower surfaces, said lower disk having a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced lower disk electronic media receiving slots formed in the upper surface thereof; and (iii) a horizontal upper disk fixedly secured to the upper end portion of said shaft in vertically spaced parallel relation to said lower disk, said upper disk having upper and lower surfaces, said upper disk having a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced upper disk electronic media receiving slots formed in the lower surface thereof with each of said upper disk electronic media receiving slots corresponding to a lower disk electronic media receiving slot; and (c) indexing means for stopping rotary motion of said upper and lower disks at a preselected electronic media receiving slot.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 80 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein: (a) said lower disk having a plurality of apertures formed in the lower surface thereof in helically spaced relation with each of the apertures corresponding to a lower disk electronic media receiving slot; and (b) said indexing means having a lever, said lever having an upwardly projecting tip at one end thereof whereby said tip releasably engages one of said apertures thereby stopping said carousel means at the preselected electronic media receiving slot.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 103 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 further comprising: (a) a door moveably mounted on said side wall whereby said door closes over said access opening, said door having inside and outside surfaces; and (b) first indicia means on said lower disk for indicating each of said electronic media receiving slots; and (c) chart means on the inside surface of said door having a plurality of recording spaces thereupon; and (d) second indicia means corresponding to said first indicia means adjacent each of said recording spaces; and (e) third indicia means on said lever, said third indicia means corresponding to said first indicia means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 29 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said lower disk electronic media receiving slots having inner and outer ends and having a retaining lip at the outer end thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 81 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein: (a) said lower disk having a plurality of bosses formed in the lower surface thereof in helically spaced relation with each of the bosses corresponding to a lower disk electronic media receiving slot; and (b) said indexing means having a lever, the uppermost surface at one end of said lever having an aperture whereby said aperture releasably engages one of said bosses thereby stopping said carousel means at the preselected electronic media receiving slot.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 40 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said upper disk electronic media receiving slots and said lower disk electronic media receiving slots extend from a point near said shaft to a point near the outer periphery of said disk.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 28 words
The housing means defined in claim 1 wherein said side wall having a door moveably mounted on said side wall whereby said door closes over said access opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 78 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 further comprising: (a) a door moveably mounted on said side wall whereby said door closes over said access opening; and (b) first indicia means on said lower disk for indicating each of said electronic media receiving slots; and (c) chart means on the inside surface of said door having a plurality of recording spaces thereupon; and (d) second indicia means corresponding to said first indicia means adjacent each of said recording spaces.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 15 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said housing means consists of a horizontal base.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 107 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said carousel means having at least one horizontal intermediate disk fixedly secured to said shaft between said upper and lower disks, in vertically spaced parallel relationship to said lower disk and said upper disk, each of said intermediate disks having upper and lower surfaces, and each of said intermediate disks having a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced intermediate disk electronic media receiving slots formed in the upper and lower surfaces thereof with each of said intermediate disk electronic media receiving slots corresponding to an electronic media receiving slot in the disks located immediately above and below said intermediate disk.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 31 words
The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein said intermediate disk electronic media receiving slots extend from a point near said shaft to a point near the outer periphery of said disk.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 37 words
The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein said intermediate disk electronic media receiving slots on the upper surface of said intermediate disk having inner and outer ends and having a retaining lip at the outer end thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 211 words
An electronic media storage apparatus comprising: (a) a housing means having a horizontal base and case, said case having a horizontal top wall and a cylindrical side wall, said side wall having an access opening formed therein; and (b) a carousel means comprising: (i) a vertical shaft, the lower end of said shaft rotatably secured to said base, the shaft having upper and lower end portions; and (ii) a horizontal lower disk fixedly secured to the lower end portion of said shaft, said lower disk having upper and lower surfaces, said lower disk having a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced lower disk electronic media receiving slots formed in the upper surface thereof in, said lower disk electronic media receiving slots having inner and outer ends and having a retaining lip at the outer end thereof; and (iii) a horizontal upper disk fixedly secured to the upper end portion of said shaft in vertically spaced parallel relation to said lower disk, said upper disk having upper and lower surfaces, said upper disk having a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced upper disk electronic media receiving slots formed in the lower surface thereof with each of said upper disk electronic media receiving slots corresponding to a lower disk electronic media receiving slot.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 211 words
An electronic media storage apparatus comprising: (a) a housing means having a horizontal base and case, said case having a horizontal top wall and a cylindrical side wall, said side wall having an access opening formed therein; and (b) a carousel means comprising: (i) a vertical shaft, the lower end of said shaft rotatably secured to said base, the shaft having upper and lower end portions; and (ii) a horizontal lower disk fixedly secured to the lower end portion of said shaft, said lower disk having upper and lower surfaces, said lower disk having a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced lower disk electronic media receiving slots formed in the upper surface thereof in, said lower disk electronic media receiving slots having inner and outer ends and having a retaining lip at the outer end thereof; and (iii) a horizontal upper disk fixedly secured to the upper end portion of said shaft in vertically spaced parallel relation to said lower disk, said upper disk having upper and lower surfaces, said upper disk having a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced upper disk electronic media receiving slots formed in the lower surface thereof with each of said upper disk electronic media receiving slots corresponding to a lower disk electronic media receiving slot.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 132 words
The apparatus defined in claim 13 wherein said carousel means having at least one horizontal intermediate disk fixedly secured to said shaft between said upper and lower disks, in vertically spaced parallel relationship to said lower disk and said upper disk, said intermediate disks having upper and lower surfaces, said intermediate disks having a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced intermediate disk electronic media receiving slots formed in the upper and lower surfaces thereof with each of said intermediate disk electronic receiving media slots corresponding to an electronic media receiving slot in the disks located immediately above and below said intermediate disk, said intermediate disk electronic media receiving slots in the upper surface of said intermediate disk having inner and outer ends and having a retaining lip at the outer end thereof.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-05-27 1994-11-26 1995-05-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-05-27 1998-11-26 1999-05-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-05-27 2002-11-26 2003-05-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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