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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 contr

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 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.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A rack that retains and rotates objects, the rack comprising:a loop formed from a plurality of inter-connected holders, each holder comprising: first and second walls retained a spaced-apart distance from each other by a base wherein the walls are sufficient to admit and frictionally retain at le

1. A rack that retains and rotates objects, the rack comprising:a loop formed from a plurality of inter-connected holders, each holder comprising: first and second walls retained a spaced-apart distance from each other by a base wherein the walls are sufficient to admit and frictionally retain at least a portion of at least one object to be retained by said holder while exposing at least part of a retained said object for user selection and removal from said holder; a male holder-engaging mechanism extending from the base and adjacent to a slot wherein the slot extends through the base; and a female holder-engaging mechanism; wherein said male holder-engaging mechanism is disposed to flexibly matingly interlock with a female holder-engaging mechanism on a second holder, and said female holder-engaging mechanism is disposed to flexibly matingly interlock with the male holder-engaging mechanism on a third holder in forming said loop; a first rotation shaft; and a second rotation shall disposed parallel to and spaced-apart from said first rotation shaft a distance approximating half a length of said loop; wherein said loop is rotatable about said first rotation shaft and said second rotation shaft. 2. The rack of claim 1, wherein each of said holder is unitarily formed from a single piece of material.3. The rack of claim 1, wherein each of said holders is formed as a one-piece holder from injection molded ABS plastic.4. The rack of claim 1, wherein each said holder can retain one of said objects.5. The rack of claim 1, wherein each said holder can retain at least two of said objects.6. The rack of claim 1, further including:a motor, mechanically rotatably coupled to said first rotation shaft to rotate said belt; and a user-operable control, coupled to said motor, said control including at least one the following: (a) a switch governing motor rotational speed of said loop, (b) a switch governing direction of rotation of said loop, (c) a remotely controllable unit governing motor rotational speed of said loop, (d) a remotely controllable unit governing direction of rotation of said loop, and (e) a mechanism able to read scancode on a desired said object and to halt rotation of said loop upon recognition of a user-selected said scancode. 7. The rack of claim 1, further including:a first vertical support member and a second vertical support member, each said member having a height exceeding said distance between said first rotation shaft and said second rotation shaft; a base member, affixed to a lower portion of said first and said second vertical support member; and at least one user-removable base side member sized to increase effective area of said base member when attached thereto. 8. The rack of claim 7, further including:a light emitting unit, coupleable to an upper region of said first vertical support member, to illuminate some said objects as said loop rotates. 9. The rack of claim 7, further including:a scancode reader, coupleable to a region of said vertical support member, to read scancode on at least one of said objects, said scancode identifying an object; and electronics coupled to said scancode reader to halt loop rotation upon recognition by said scancode reader of a scancode desired by a user. 10. The rack of claim 7, wherein each said vertical support member has one of the following characteristics: (a) in side view said support member is wider at a base region than at an upper region, and (b) in side view said support member has substantially equal width at a base region and at an upper region.11. A rack that retains and rotates objects, the rack comprising:a loop formed solely from a plurality of inter-connected holders, each holder comprising means for frictionally retaining at least a portion of at least one object to be retained by said holder while exposing at least part of a retained said object for user selection and removal from said holder, and further comprising means for flexibly matingly inter-connecting with another said holder, wherein said loop is formed from flexibly matingly inter-connecting said holders; means for rotating said loop at a rotation speed and direction selectable by a user; a housing containing said loop and said means for rotating said loop, said housing including a base having at least one detachable side base member; wherein the means for frictionally retaining and the means for flexibly matingly inter-connecting extend from a base; and wherein the means for flexibly matingly inter-connecting is adjacent to a slot wherein the slot extends through the base. 12. The rack of claim 11, wherein each of said holders is from injection molded ABS plastic.13. The rack of claim 11, further including a unit attachable to said rack, said unit including at least one of the following: (a) a light source to illuminate at least a portion of said loop, and (b) a scanner to scan barcode carried by objects retained by holders comprising said loop in said rack.14. The rack of claim 11, wherein said means for rotating enables at least one type of user-control wherein user-control includes at least one of the following: a) a switch governing motor rotational speed of said loop, (b) a switch governing direction of rotation of said loop, (c) a remotely controllable unit governing motor rotational speed of said loop, (d) a remotely controllable unit governing direction of rotation of said loop, and (e) a mechanism able to read scancode on a desired said object and to halt rotation of said loop upon recognition of a user-selected said scancode.15. A rotatable loop of displayable objects, the loop formed by matingly interlocking adjacent holders, wherein each holder can retain at least one of said objects, the loop comprising:first and second walls retained a spaced-apart distance from each other by a base wherein the walls are sufficient to admit and frictionally retain at least a portion of at least one object to be retained by said holder; a first holder-engaging mechanism extending from the base and adjacent to a slot wherein the slot extends through the base; a second holder-engaging mechanism; a first holder-engaging mechanism disposed to matingly interlock with the second mechanism an a second said holder when desired to form said loop; and said second holder-engaging mechanism disposed to matingly interlock with the first holder-engaging mechanism on a third said holder when desired to form said loop. 16. The loop of claim 15, wherein each of said holders is unitarily fabricated as a single piece.