CD rack with hub to engage center opening of CD
View Patent ↗A high capacity motorized rack holds a plurality of jewel case enclosed CDs in holders flexibly inter-connectable with each other to form a rotatable continuous loop. The loop is rotatably retained within a vertical rack housing and is driven by a motor, disposed within the housing, under user control such that the loop is rotated until a desired CD is moved to the top region of the belt. A rack may hold two or more such loops of inter-connected holders. In one embodiment a holder retains a single jewel case, and comprises two independent loops that are rotated with a single motor. A preferred embodiment employs inter-connectable holders that each retain two jewel cases in a side-by-side configuration. A lamp and/or barcode scanner may be disposed on the housing for ease of CD selection. The housing base preferably is detached during shipping to permit transporting the rack in a smaller volume container. User control can include voice commands to direct loop rotation and speed.
1. A rack that is adapted to retain and rotate a plurality of bare CDs, the rack comprising:
a continuous loop formed from a plurality of interlocked holders, each holder including:
a base having a holder engaging mechanism extending therefrom and said holder engaging mechanism engages an adjacent holder in order to form the continuous loop;
a member extending from the base and having a hub adapted to receive an aperture of a bare CD; and
wherein a holder-engaging mechanism of a first holder nests in a holder-engaging mechanism of an adjacent holder;
a motor that can rotate said loop;
a sprocket that is driven by said motor;
said sprocket including a plurality of teeth with spaces located between said teeth; and
wherein said holder-engaging mechanism of said first holder nested in a holder-engaging mechanism of an adjacent holder can be positioned in a space between said teeth as the holders engage the sprocket in order to spread the holders apart.
2. The holder of claim 1 further including:
said member including a second hub which is adapted to retain a second aperture of a second bare CD.
3. The holder of claim 1 further including:
said hub includes a plurality of fingers which are adapted to retain an aperture of a bare CD.
4. The holder of claim 1 wherein said holder is less than half the thickness of a CD jewel case.
5. The holder of claim 1 wherein said member is pie-shaped.
6. The holder of claim 1 wherein said member is transparent such that a bare CD can be viewed through said member.
7. The holder of claim 1 wherein said holder engaging mechanism includes:
a first holder-engaging mechanism;
a second holder-engaging mechanism; and
wherein said first holder-engaging mechanism on said holder is adapted to interlock with a second holder-engaging mechanism of a second said holder, and said second holder-engaging mechanism on said holder is adapted to interlock with a first holder-engaging mechanism on a third holder to form a continuous loop.
8. The holder of claim 1 wherein said holder engaging mechanism includes:
a first holder-engaging mechanism, which is a male mechanism;
a second holder-engaging mechanism, which is a female mechanism.
9. The holder of claim 1 wherein said holder engaging mechanism includes:
a first holder-engaging mechanism;
a second holder-engaging mechanism; and
wherein said first holder-engaging mechanism on said holder is adapted to nest in a second holder-engaging mechanism of a second said holder, and said second holder-engaging mechanism on said holder is adapted to have a first holder-engaging mechanism on a third holder nest in the second holder-engaging mechanism said holder to form a continuous loop.
10. The holder of claim 1 wherein said holder engaging mechanism includes:
a first holder-engaging mechanism with a slot located adjacent thereto;
a second holder-engaging mechanism having a distal end, which distal end is shaped in order to be received in said slot; and
wherein said first holder-engaging mechanism on said holder is adapted to interlock with a second holder-engaging mechanism of a second said holder, and said second holder-engaging mechanism on said holder is adapted to interlock with a first holder-engaging mechanism on a third holder to form a continuous loop; and
wherein the distal end of the second holder-engaging mechanism of the second said holder can pass through said slot located adjacent to the first holder-engaging mechanism of said holder to which the second holder-engaging mechanism is inserted to allow the second said holder to spread apart from said holder.