Media storage container
View Patent ↗A media storage container has a latch that is movable between latched, unlatched, and storage positions. The latch is disposed inside the outer periphery of the container when the latch is in the storage position. A method of using the container includes the steps of moving the latch to the storage position for shipping the container and moving the latch from the storage position to the open position while the container is loaded with media.
1. A media storage container comprising:
a base;
a lid associated with the base and movable with respect to the base between open and closed positions;
the base and lid defining an outer periphery when the lid is in the closed position;
a storage chamber being defined between the base and lid when the lid is in the closed position; the storage chamber being adapted to receive an item of media;
a latch connected to one of the base and lid with a hinge; the latch being movable between unlatched, latched, and storage positions;
in the latched position, the latch engaging the other of the base and lid to prevent the lid from being moved from the closed position to the open position;
in the unlatched position, the latch allowing the lid to be moved from the closed position to the open position; and
in the storage position, at least a portion of the latch being disposed within the storage chamber and disposed inwardly of the outer periphery of the base and lid when the lid is closed and the latch allowing the lid to be moved from the closed position to the open position.
2. The container of claim 1 , wherein the base and lid have front walls; the latch being disposed outwardly of the outer periphery of the base and lid front walls when the lid is closed and the latch is in the unlatched position.
3. The container of claim 2 , wherein the latch pivots between the latched, unlatched, and storage positions.
4. The container of claim 1 , wherein the base includes a hinge wall and a bottom wall; the hinge wall being connected to the bottom wall with a first living hinge and the hinge wall is connected to the lid with a second living hinge; and the first and second living hinges being parallel and spaced apart.
5. The container of claim 1 , wherein the other of the base and lid has a front wall that defines a latch opening; the latch including a finger disposed in the latch opening when the lid is closed and the latch is in the latched position.
6. The container of claim 1 , wherein the one of the base and lid to which the latch is connected has a front wall; the front wall defining a gap that allows the latch to pivot through the gap from the unlatched position to the storage position.
7. The container of claim 1 , wherein the latch may be removed from the container by tearing the latch from the container.
8. A media storage container comprising:
a base;
a lid associated with the base and movable with respect to the base between open and closed positions;
the base and lid defining an outer periphery when the lid is in the closed position;
a latch connected to one of the base and lid with a hinge; the latch being movable between unlatched, latched, and storage positions;
in the latched position, the latch engaging the other of the base and lid to prevent the lid from being moved from the closed position to the open position;
in the unlatched position, the latch allowing the lid to be moved from the closed position to the open position;
in the storage position, the latch being disposed inwardly of the outer periphery of the base and lid when the lid is closed and the latch allowing the lid to be moved from the closed position to the open position; and
a retainer that holds the latch in the storage position.
9. A media storage container comprising:
a base having a bottom wall, a front wall, and a hinge wall;
a media retainer associated with the bottom wall of the base; the media retainer adapted to retain a disc-shaped item of recorded media to the base;
the hinge wall being connected to the bottom wall with a first living hinge;
a lid associated with the base and movable with respect to the base between open and closed positions;
the lid having a top wall and a front wall;
the front walls of the base and lid cooperating to define a front wall of the container when the lid is in the closed position;
an inner retainer releasably holding the lid in the closed configuration;
the hinge wall being connected to the top wall of the lid with a second living hinge;
the first and second living hinges being parallel and spaced apart;
a latch pivotably connected to the base; the latch being pivotably movable between unlatched, latched, and storage positions;
the front wall of the base defining a gap that allows the latch to pivot through the gap when moved from the unlatched position to the storage position;
in the latched position, the latch engaging the lid to prevent the lid from being moved from the closed position to the open position;
in the unlatched position, the latch allowing the lid to be moved from the closed position to the open position;
in the storage position, a portion of the latch being disposed inwardly of the front wall of the base and the latch allowing the lid to be moved from the closed position to the open position; and
in the storage position, a portion of the latch being disposed between the front wall of the container and the media retainer.
10. The container of claim 9 , wherein the inner retainer is disposed inwardly of the front walls of the base and lid when the lid is in the closed position.
11. A media storage container comprising:
a container having an open configuration and a closed configuration; the container defining a storage compartment adapted to receive an item of recorded media;
the container including a media retainer projecting into the storage chamber;
the container including a latch that is pivotably movable between latched, unlatched, and storage positions;
in the latched position, the latch maintaining the container in the closed configuration;
in the unlatched position, the container being reconfigurable from the closed configuration to the open configuration; and
in the storage position, at least a portion of the latch being disposed within the storage chamber and disposed inwardly of an outer periphery of the container without interfering with the opening and closing of the container.
12. The container of claim 11 , further comprising an inner retainer that releasably holds the container in the closed configuration.
13. A media storage container comprising:
a base having a front wall; the front wall defining a gap;
a lid associated with the base and movable with respect to the base between open and closed positions;
a storage chamber being defined between the base and lid when the lid is in the closed position; the storage chamber being adapted to receive an item of media;
a latch connected to the base; the latch being aligned with the gap defined by the front wall;
the latch being pivotably movable between unlatched, latched, and storage positions;
in the latched position, the latch engaging the lid to prevent the lid from being moved from the closed position to the open position;
in the unlatched position, the latch allowing the lid to be moved from the closed position to the open position; and
in the storage position, a portion of the latch being disposed within the storage chamber and disposed inwardly of the gap defined by the front wall of the base and the lid being movable between the open and closed positions.
14. The container of claim 13 , wherein the lid includes a blocking wall that is aligned with that gap defined by the front wall of the base when the lid is in the closed position.
15. The container of claim 14 , wherein the blocking wall fills a substantial portion of the gap defined by the front wall of the base when the lid is in the closed position.
16. A merchandise storage container comprising:
a base;
a lid associated with the base and movable with respect to the base between open and closed positions;
a latch connected to one of the base and lid with a hinge; the latch being repeatedly movable between unlatched, latched, and storage positions;
in the latched position, the latch releasably engaging the other of the base and lid to prevent the lid from being moved from the closed position to the open position;
in the unlatched position, the latch allowing the lid to be moved from the closed position to the open position; and
in the storage position, the latch being disposed inwardly of an outer periphery of the base and lid when the lid is closed and the latch allowing the lid to be moved from the closed position to the open position.
17. The container of claim 16 , wherein the entire latch may be removed from the container by tearing the latch from the container.
18. The container of claim 16 , wherein the base and lid cooperate to define a storage chamber when the lid is in the closed position; at least a portion of the latch being disposed in the storage chamber when the latch is in the storage position.
19. The container of claim 18 , wherein the entire latch is disposed in the storage chamber when the latch is in the storage position.