초록 ▼

A storage case or receptacle used to secure CDs and DVDs used in rental or purchase applications. The case is comprised of a housing having a lid and a base between which is removably positionable a CD, DVD or the like. A releasable locking mechanism retains the lid and base in position in surroundi

A storage case or receptacle used to secure CDs and DVDs used in rental or purchase applications. The case is comprised of a housing having a lid and a base between which is removably positionable a CD, DVD or the like. A releasable locking mechanism retains the lid and base in position in surrounding relationship about the CD or DVD. The locking mechanism may be of any type, such as some of the various security tag locks commonly used in the electronic article surveillance (“EAS”) industry.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A storage case for a CD or DVD, the CD or DVD defining a pre-existing aperture, the storage case comprising:a housing including a first housing portion and a second housing portion, each of the first housing portion and the second housing portion being sized and shaped to cover at least an entire

1. A storage case for a CD or DVD, the CD or DVD defining a pre-existing aperture, the storage case comprising:a housing including a first housing portion and a second housing portion, each of the first housing portion and the second housing portion being sized and shaped to cover at least an entire surface of the CD or DVD, and the housing being arranged to substantially enclose the CD or DVD when the first housing portion is placed in a closed position with respect to the second housing portion; a locking assembly for locking the first housing portion in association with the second housing portion, the locking assembly including: a female locking member connected to the first housing portion such that the female locking member is substantially in registry with the pre-existing aperture of the CD or DVD when the CD or DVD is placed within the housing; and a male locking member adapted to be placed through an aperture in the second housing portion and thereafter into releasable locking engagement with the female locking member to retain the first housing portion in the closed position with respect to the second housing portion, thereby retaining the CD or DVD securely within the housing, wherein the female locking member includes a clutch lock comprised of a clutch body, a clutch cup disposed in at least partial surrounding relationship about the clutch body, and a means for biasing the clutch body toward the clutch cup; at least one clutch element movable between a first position and a second position; the male locking member including a generally slender rod adapted to be positioned through the clutch cup and into an interior channel defined by the clutch body, the rod defining a notch in registry with the at least one clutch element; the clutch body being movable between a raised position in which the means for biasing forces the at least one clutch element into engagement with the clutch cup, and a lowered position brought about by an external force moving the clutch body away from the clutch cup such that the at least one clutch element is caused to disengage the notch in the rod, thereby permitting the rod to be removed from the clutch body. 2. The storage case of claim 1, wherein at least one of the male and female locking members passes through the pre-existing aperture of the CD or DVD.3. The storage case of claim 1, further comprising an EAS tag connected to the housing.4. The storage case of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes a circular shoulder connected to the first housing portion, the shoulder being adapted to receive in concentric relationship the CD or DVD and the female locking member being centrally positioned in an area substantially surrounded by the shoulder.5. The storage case of claim 1, wherein the male locking member is independent of and separated from the housing and the female locking member prior to engagement with the female locking member.6. A lockable storage case for a CD or DVD, the CD or DVD defining a pre-existing aperture, the storage case comprising:a housing having a first housing half and a second housing half which form a hollow inner cavity adapted to substantially enclose the CD or DVD when combined; a female locking member fixedly connected to the first housing half and defining an opening, the female locking member positioned to be substantially in registry with the pre-existing aperture of the CD or DVD when the CD or DVD is placed within the housing; an aperture defined by the second housing half substantially in registry with the opening in the female locking member when the first housing half and the second housing half are combined; and a male locking member including a slender rod sized and shaped to be removably positioned through the aperture in the second housing half and the opening in the female locking member, wherein the male locking member and the female locking member cooperate to retain the CD or DVD securely within the housing and wherein the female locking member includes a clutch lock comprised of a clutch body, a clutch cup disposed in at least partial surrounding relationship about the clutch body, and a means for biasing the clutch body toward the clutch cup; at least one clutch element movable between a first position and a second position; the rod of the male locking member adapted to be positioned through the clutch cup and into an interior channel defined by the clutch body, the rod defining a notch generally in registry with the at least one clutch element; the clutch body being movable between a raised position in which the means for biasing forces the at least one clutch element into engagement with the clutch cup, and a lowered position brought about by an external force exceeding an opposing force exerted by the means for biasing moving the clutch body away from the clutch cup such that the at least one clutch element is caused to disengage the notch in the rod, thereby permitting the rod to be removed from the clutch body. 7. The storage case of claim 6, wherein at least one of the male and female locking members is positioned through the pre-existing aperture in the CD or DVD.8. The storage case of claim 6, further comprising an EAS tag connected to the housing.9. The storage case of claim 6, wherein the housing further includes a circular shoulder connected to the first housing half, the shoulder being adapted to receive in concentric relationship the CD or DVD and the female locking member being centrally positioned in an area substantially surrounded by the shoulder.10. The storage case of claim 6, wherein the male locking member is independent of and separated from the housing and the female locking member until the slender rod of the male locking member is positioned through the opening in the female locking member.11. The storage case of claim 9, further comprising an EAS tag connected to the housing.12. The storage case of claim 9, wherein the male locking member is independent of and separated from the housing and the female locking member until the slender rod of the male locking member is positioned through the opening in the female locking member.13. A lockable storage case for a CD or DVD, said CD or DVD defining a central aperture therein, the storage case comprising:a housing having a first housing half and a second housing half which are hingedly connected and form a hollow inner cavity adapted to substantially enclose the CD or DVD when arranged in a closed position, the first housing half including a circular shoulder adapted to receive in concentric relationship the CD or DVD; a female locking member integrally connected to the first housing half and defining an opening, the female locking member being centrally positioned in an area substantially surrounded by the shoulder such that the female locking member is in registry with the aperture in the CD or DVD when the CD or DVD is situated within the cavity; an aperture defined by the second housing half substantially in registry with the opening in the female locking member when the first housing half and the second housing half are combined; and a male locking member including a slender rod sized and shaped to be passed through the aperture in the second housing half, the opening in the CD or DVD and the opening in the female locking member and releaseably retained therein to thereby lockingly sandwich the CD or DVD between the first housing half and the second housing half, the the male locking member being independent of and separated from the housing and the female locking member until the slender rod of the male locking member is passed through the opening in the female locking member, wherein the female locking member includes a clutch lock comprised of a clutch body, a clutch cup disposed in at least partial surrounding relationship about the clutch body, and a means for biasing the clutch body toward the clutch cup; at least one clutch element movable between a first position and a second position; the rod of the male locking member adapted to be positioned through the clutch cup and into an interior channel defined by the clutch body, the rod defining a notch generally in registry with the at least one clutch element; the clutch body being movable between a raised position in which the means for biasing forces the at least one clutch element into engagement with the clutch cup, and a lowered position brought about by an external force exceeding an opposing force exerted by the means for biasing moving the clutch body away from the clutch cup such that the at least one clutch element is caused to disengage the notch in the rod, thereby permitting the rod to be removed from the clutch body. 14. A method for securely storing, displaying and leasing CDs and DVDs employing a CD and DVD storage case utilizing a locking mechanism for preventing unauthorized removal of the CD or DVD from the storage case, said CDs and DVDs defining central apertures therein, the case including a housing having an upper housing half and a lower housing half which form a hollow inner cavity adapted to receive a CD or DVD when combined, a female locking member defining an opening and connected to the lower housing half in registry with a central aperture in the CD or DVD when the CD or DVD is situated within the cavity, an aperture defined by the upper housing half substantially in registry with the opening in the female locking member when the upper housing half and lower housing half are combined, a male locking member including a slender rod sized and shaped to be passed through the aperture in the upper housing half and the opening in the female locking member and releaseably retained therein to thereby lockingly sandwich the CD or DVD between the upper housing half and lower housing half, wherein the female locking member includes a clutch lock comprised of a clutch body, a clutch cup disposed in at least partial surrounding relationship about the clutch body, and a means for biasing the clutch body toward the clutch cup; at least one clutch element movable between a first position and a second position, the rod of the male locking member adapted to be positioned through the clutch cup and into an interior channel defined by the clutch body, the rod defining a notch generally in registry with the at least one clutch element, the clutch body being movable between a raised position in which the means for biasing forces the at least one clutch element into engagement with the clutch cup, and a lowered position brought about by an external force exceeding an opposing force exerted by the means for biasing moving the clutch body away from the clutch cup such that the at least one clutch element is caused to disengage the notch in the rod, thereby permitting the rod to be removed from the clutch body, the method comprising the steps of:placing a CD or DVD within the housing in such a way that the CD or DVD is sandwiched between the upper housing half and the lower housing half; inserting the male locking member within the female locking member to thereby lock the CD or DVD to the locking mechanism and locking the upper housing half to the lower housing half in a closed position; when a consumer desires to rent the CD or DVD stored within the housing, disabling the locking mechanism such that the male locking member is removed from the female locking member; and placing possession of the housing containing the CD or DVD in the possession of the consumer after receiving consideration from the consumer for rental of the CD or DVD. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:retaining, by a rental facility, possession of at least the male locking member during a rental transaction in which the CD or DVD is placed in the possession of the consumer. 16. A storage case for a CD or DVD, the CD or DVD defining a pre-existing central aperture, the storage case comprising:a housing including a first housing portion and a second housing portion, each of the first housing portion and the second housing portion being sized and shaped to cover at least an entire surface of the CD or DVD, and the housing being arranged to substantially enclose the CD or DVD when the first housing portion is combined with the second housing portion; a locking assembly for locking the first housing portion in association with the second housing portion, the locking assembly including: a female locking member connected to the first housing portion such that the female locking member is substantially in registry with the pre-existing central aperture of the CD or DVD when the CD or DVD is placed within the housing; and a male locking member adapted to be placed through an aperture in the second housing portion and thereafter into releasable locking engagement with the female locking member to in turn sandwich the CD or DVD between the first housing portion and the second housing portion; wherein the female locking member includes a clutch lock comprised of a clutch body, a clutch cup disposed in at least partial surrounding relationship about the clutch body, and a means for biasing the clutch body toward the clutch cup, at least one clutch element movable between a first position and a second position, the male locking member including a generally slender rod adapted to be positioned through the clutch cup and into an interior channel defined by the clutch body, the rod defining a notch in registry with the at least one clutch element, the clutch body being movable between a raised position in which the means for biasing forces the at least one clutch element into engagement with the clutch cup, and a lowered position brought about by an external force moving the clutch body away from the clutch cup such that the at least one clutch element is caused to disengage the notch in the rod, thereby permitting the rod to be removed from the clutch body. 17. A lockable storage case for a CD or DVD, the CD or DVD defining a pre-existing central aperture, the storage case comprising:a housing having a first housing half and a second housing half which form a hollow inner cavity adapted to substantially enclose the CD or DVD when combined; a female locking member fixedly connected to the first housing half and defining an opening, the female locking member positioned to be substantially in registry with the pre-existing aperture of the CD or DVD when the CD or DVD is placed within the housing; an aperture defined by the second housing half substantially in registry with the opening in the female locking member when the first housing half and the second housing half are combined; and a male locking member including a slender rod sized and shaped to be removably positioned through the aperture in the second housing half and the opening in the female locking member and releasably retained therein to lockingly sandwich the CD or DVD between the first housing half and the second housing half; wherein the female locking member includes a clutch lock comprised of a clutch body, a clutch cup disposed in at least partial surrounding relationship about the clutch body, and a means for biasing the clutch body toward the clutch cup, at least one clutch element movable between a first position and a second position, the rod of the male locking member adapted to be positioned through the clutch cup and into an interior channel defined by the clutch body, the rod defining a notch generally in registry with the at least one clutch element, the clutch body being movable between a raised position in which the means for biasing forces the at least one clutch element into engagement with the clutch cup, and a lowered position brought about by an external force exceeding an opposing force exerted by the means for biasing moving the clutch body away from the clutch cup such that the at least one clutch element is caused to disengage the notch in the rod, thereby permitting the rod to be removed from the clutch body. 18. A storage case for a CD or DVD, the CD or DVD defining a pre-existing aperture, the storage case comprising:a housing including a first housing portion and a second housing portion, each of the first housing portion and the second housing portion being sized and shaped to cover at least an entire surface of the CD or DVD, and the housing being arranged to substantially enclose the CD or DVD when the first housing portion is placed in a closed position with respect to the second housing portion; and a locking assembly that includes: a female locking member connected to the first housing portion such that the female locking member is substantially in registry with the pre-existing aperture of the CD or DVD when the CD or DVD is placed within the housing; and a male locking member adapted to be placed into releasable locking engagement with the female locking member to retain the CD or DVD within the housing; wherein the female locking member includes a clutch lock comprised of a clutch body, a clutch cup disposed in at least partial surrounding relationship about the clutch body, and a means for biasing the clutch body toward the clutch cup, at least one clutch element movable between a first position and a second position, the male locking member including a generally slender rod adapted to be positioned through the clutch cup and into an interior channel defined by the clutch body, the rod defining a notch in registry with the at least one clutch element, the clutch body being movable between a raised position in which the means for biasing forces the at least one clutch element into engagement with the clutch cup, and a lowered position brought about by an external force moving the clutch body away from the clutch cup such that the at least one clutch element is caused to disengage the notch in the rod, thereby permitting the rod to be removed from the clutch body. 19. The storage case of claim 18, further comprising an EAS tag connected to the housing.20. The storage case of claim 18, wherein the male locking member is independent of and separated from the housing and the female locking member prior to engagement with the female locking member.21. The storage case of claim 18, wherein at least one of the male and female locking members passes through the pre-existing aperture defined by the CD or DVD.22. The storage case of claim 18, wherein the housing further includes a circular shoulder connected to the first housing portion, the shoulder being adapted to receive in concentric relationship the CD or DVD and the female locking member being centrally positioned in an area substantially surrounded by the shoulder.