Digital audio book cartridge and player with manipulation-facilitating features
View Patent ↗A cartridge for use by print-disabled users to play digital audio content and a player having a receptacle for receiving the cartridge are provided. The cartridge includes a random-access digital storage device storing the digital audio content and having a connector providing access to the digital audio content; and a casing permanently housing the digital storage device and allowing access to the connector of the digital storage device. The casing has a form facilitating handling of the cartridge by the print-disabled users which includes bevelled edges, and has dimensions comparable to dimensions of a standard compact audio cassette. Preferably, the cartridge has a hole extending through the casing at its back end and a sloped surface on the bottom side of the casing at the back end. The receptacle has a form and shape facilitating insertion of the cartridge therein. It has a lower surface defining an elevated ramp along which the cartridge slides as it is inserted into the player.
1. A cartridge for use by print-disabled users to play digital audio content, said cartridge comprising:
a random-access digital storage device storing said digital audio content, said digital storage device having a connector providing access to said digital audio content; and
a casing permanently housing the digital storage device and having a form facilitating handling of said cartridge by said print-disabled users, said casing having dimensions comparable to dimensions of a standard compact audio cassette and having:
a front end,
a back end opposite said front end,
a first lateral side,
a second lateral side opposite said first lateral side,
a top side, and
a bottom side opposite said top side,
said casing allowing access to the connector of the digital storage device.
2. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the digital storage device comprises flash memory.
3. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the connector is a USB connector recessed into the front end of the casing.
4. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the casing has a hole extending from the top side through to the bottom side, said hole being located proximate the back end of the casing.
5. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the back end of the casing comprises a sloped surface on the bottom side of the casing.
6. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side comprises a bevelled lateral edge extending part way along the bottom side or top side of the casing.
7. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the front end of the casing is tapered laterally.
8. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein said top side is provided with a ridge thereon defining a label-receiving area, said label-receiving area being adapted to receive a label associated with said digital audio content.
9. The cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the dimensions of the casing are approximately 9.5 cm by 5.7 cm by 1.0 cm.
10. A cartridge for use by print-disabled users to play digital audio content, said cartridge comprising:
a random-access digital storage device storing said digital audio content, said digital storage device having a connector providing access to said digital audio content; and
a casing permanently housing the digital storage device and having a form facilitating handling of said cartridge by said print-disabled users, said casing allowing access to the connector of the digital storage device, said casing comprising:
a top side;
a bottom side opposite said top side;
a first lateral side;
a second lateral side opposite said first lateral side, at least one of said first side second sides comprising a bevelled lateral edge which extends part way along the bottom side or top side of the casing;
a front end; and
a back end opposite said front end, said back end comprising a sloped surface on the bottom side of the casing;
said casing having a hole extending from the top side through to the bottom side, said hole being located proximate the back end of the casing.
11. The cartridge according to claim 10 , wherein the front end of the casing is tapered laterally.
12. The cartridge according to claim 10 , wherein said top side is provided with a ridge thereon defining a label-receiving area, said label-receiving area being adapted to receive a label associated with said digital audio content.
13. A cartridge for use by print-disabled users to play digital audio content in an audio book player having a receptacle for receiving the cartridge, the receptacle having a lower surface defining an elevated ramp, said cartridge comprising:
a random-access digital storage device storing said digital audio content, said digital storage device having a connector providing access to said digital audio content; and
a casing permanently housing the digital storage device and having a form facilitating handling of said cartridge by said print-disabled users, said casing having dimensions comparable to dimensions of a standard compact audio cassette and having:
a front end,
a back end opposite said front end,
a first lateral side,
a second lateral side opposite said first lateral side,
a top side, and
a bottom side opposite said top side,
said casing allowing access to the connector of the digital storage device at the front end thereof, wherein the back end of the casing comprises a sloped surface on the bottom side of the casing, said sloped surface being angled so that when the cartridge rests on the sloped surface of the casing, the bottom side at the front end of the casing rests on the elevated ramp for slidably inserting the cartridge into the receptacle.
14. The cartridge according to claim 13 , wherein the sloped surface of the casing is inclined at an angle substantially matching an angle of the elevated ramp of the receptacle of the audio book player.
15. The cartridge according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side comprises a bevelled lateral edge which extends part way along the bottom or top side of the casing.
16. The cartridge according to claim 13 , wherein the casing has a hole extending from the top side through to the bottom side, said hole being located proximate the back end of the casing.
17. The cartridge according to claim 13 , wherein the front end of the casing is tapered laterally.
18. The cartridge according to claim 13 , wherein said top side is provided with a ridge thereon defining a label-receiving area, said label-receiving area being adapted to receive a label associated with said digital audio content.
19. An audio book player for playing digital audio content from a cartridge for use by print-disabled users, the cartridge comprising a random-access digital storage device storing the digital audio content, the digital storage device having a connector providing access to the digital audio content, and a casing permanently housing the digital storage device and having a form facilitating handling of said cartridge by said print-disabled users, the casing having a front end, a back end opposite the front end, a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a top side and a bottom side opposite the top side, wherein the back end of the casing comprises a sloped surface on the bottom side of the casing, the casing allowing access to the connector of the digital storage device, said audio book player comprising:
a receptacle for receiving the cartridge, said receptacle comprising:
an open front end;
a closed back end opposite said open front end, said closed back end comprising a mating connector for connecting to the connector of the digital storage device of the cartridge;
a first lateral surface;
a second lateral surface opposite said first lateral surface;
an upper surface; and
a lower surface opposite said upper surface, said lower surface defining an elevated ramp, said elevated ramp being angled and of a height so that when the cartridge rests on the sloped surface of the casing, the bottom side at the front end of the casing rests on the elevated ramp of the receptacle of the audio book player for slidably inserting the cartridge into the receptacle.
20. The cartridge according to claim 19 , wherein the elevated ramp is inclined at an angle substantially matching an angle of the sloped surface of the casing.
21. The audio book player according to claim 19 , wherein the receptacle comprises a funnel shape for guiding the cartridge therein.
22. The audio book player according to claim 19 , wherein the upper surface proximate the open front end is recessed with respect to the lower surface and comprises an upper edge that is sloped to guide the front end of the cartridge into the receptacle.
23. The audio book player according to claim 19 , wherein the first lateral surface and second lateral surface of the receptacle receivingly match bevelled lateral edges of the cartridge.
24. The audio book player according to claim 19 , wherein the receptacle comprises abutment means for impeding further insertion of the cartridge into the receptacle.
25. The audio book player according to claim 19 , wherein the lower surface proximate the open front end comprises a recess therein for receiving a tool used by print-disabled users.