AU596314B1

AU596314B1 - Computer software storage compartment

Info

Publication number: AU596314B1
Application number: AU20153/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Eleanor Jean Tweedie Underwood
Original assignee: JOHN SYDNEY MUIR SMITH
Current assignee: Muir-Smith John Sydney; JOHN SYDNEY MUIR SMITH
Priority date: 1988-07-08
Filing date: 1988-07-28
Publication date: 1990-04-26
Anticipated expiration: 2008-07-28

Description

P/00/011

USRALIA-

PATENTS ACT 1952-1973 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Form Class: Int. Cl: 1- Apication Numbr Lodged: Complete Specification-Lodged: Accepted: Published: jI This document contains the Famendments made under Section~ 49 and is correct for pi4n ting.

Fviority Related Art: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT x 7iM4;' Name of Applicant: Address of Applican Actual Inventor, 'r17 C I Ps I -_C'rl I svrn~cc'' -3/4 ;t tSc ;z J.

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Address for Service: Complete Specification for the invention entitled: I 'y 0 k_ e -7 LC)2 rL7

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e:.60 /Hf 6(4A-r -f 1, The'followiihg statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 'Note: The descriptki)n is to be typed in double spacing, pica type face, in an area not exceeding 250 mm in depth and 160 mm in width, on tough white paper of good quality and it is to be inserted inside this form.

11710/76-L 11710/76- LC. J, TiIOMN~ON, Commonwealth Governmecnt Printer, Canberra ~1 i:r This invention relates to a storage compartment for computer disks and other media, hereinafter called for simplicity, computer disks.

Conventionally where numbers of computer disks are to be stored they are stored in boxes, either small boxes which may hold, say, ten disks or larger boxes which may hold fifty to a hundred disks. Also, quite conventionally, Sdisks can be stored in drawers.

Often software suppliers provide disks in envelopes which are punched or the like to be able to be retained in ring binders so that the disks are held with, say, the appropriate instruction manual within the cover of the manual.

Both of these general types of storage are quite satisfactory but this is a substantial and growing problem where individual disks have material relating to particular files.

For example, a particular file may have information, say, relating to a tender or the like and the tender documents can be held on a disk. Also i files of financial material may have associated spread sheets and, again, I the spread sheets themselves are on disk. Often it is desirable or necessary I I t j for the person having the file to also have the associated disk and it will be seen that the types of storage previously described are not appropriate for such arrangement.

If disks are held in mass storage, then effectively there must be two parallel filing systems, one for the files themselves and one for the disks and, whenever a file is drawn from the file storage, then the person pA L1, retrieving the file must also obtain the disk from the disk storage.

4 12 N-2- Muir-Smith/84/Feb 89

L

An object of the invention is to minimise the foregoing disadvantages by providing means whereby a disk or disk can readily be associated with their appropriate file.

The invention in its broadest sense comprises a storage compartment for computer disks comprising a rigid backing of a size at least equal to the Ssize of the disk to be stored, an open topped pouch associated with the backing and adapted, in association with the backing, to receive a disk, a i flap adapted to overlie the pouch and make a seal therewith and means on the backing to permit it to be permanently secured to a surface.

The invention includes a storage compartment as herein described which is attached to a file or the like.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference will be made to the accompanying drawing in which:- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a storage compartment made in accordance with the invention with its closure flap open; Fig.2 is a front elevation of the compartment of Fig. 1 with its closure flap closed; !i Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the compartment of Fig. I; and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the compartment of Fig. 2.

Basically the invention comprises assembly which has a backing member 4, which is preferably substantially rigid and may be of a plastics material or a card stock.

~ALi The backing 4 has dimensions that are slightly larger than the disk which is

M

-3- Mu ir-Smi th/84/Feb 89 fto be stored in the compartment and provides rigidity to the assembly to be described.

Also, the rear of the backing member 4 may be coated with an adhesive, Ssuch as a pressure sensitive adhesive which may have a release layer thereover so that the storage compartment can be connected to a surface.

Located over a substantial part of the backing 4, there is a pouch 6 which is Si connected about its periphery to the backing member. This connection may preferably be by welding or the like but could be an adhesive connection and the pouch has edges which are of dimensions sufficient to ensure that a disk, or disks if required, can be located there behind between the pouch 6 and the backing member 4.

If the compartment is designed for more than a single disk it may be preferred that these edges be gussetted or the like so that normally the pouch lies relatively close to the backing but can be moved outwardly therefrom.

A flap 1 is also connected to the backing member and its lower end is preferably connected thereto before or contemporaniously with the pouch }t *and the flap is of dimensions such that it can readily be folded forwardly arid downwardly so as to cover the open top end of the pouch.

I t As shown, the sides of the flap are relieved and the flap is also shown with inturned folds 2 which are adapted to assist the seal as will be described.

Located over the pouch 6 there is a strip of plastics material 5 lying over Lthe front of the pouch and beneath which the edge of the flap can pass to j1 •close the pouch.

-4- Muir-Smith/84/Feb 89 Alternatively, the inner surface of the flap, when it is in its closed position, and the outer surface of the pouch 6 may be provided with Velcro (trademark) or other means whereby the flap can be held in its closed position.

The compartments of the invention can either be supplied as individual units for attachment to a file cover or the like or could be physically attached to, say, the inside cover of a file cover during manufacture of the Scover so that the compartment is in postion when a file is opened.

'If the compartment is fixed to the folder during manufacture then the form and type of adhesive used on the rear of the backing 4 could vary.

If the compartment is sold as a separate unit it is preferred, as mentioned previously, to have a pressure sensitive adhesive on the rear of the backing ,4 and a release layer thereover which protects the compartment from being accidently secured to a surface.

To use the compartment under these circumstances, the release layer is i removed from the adhesive, the compartment is located at the required postion, normally on the inside surface of the front of the file cover but it could be on the outer surface or even the inner rear surface and the 4 compartment is physically attached thereto by pressure which ensures that there is a good adhesive bond between the plastics backing 4 and the file cover.

It is then only necessary to open the flap 1 and locate the disk(s) 3 within the pouch 6 and to then fold over the flap 1 beneath the strip 5 so that the compar'mert is closed.

S S'Muir.-Smith/84/Feb 89 i i-ii i The inturned edges 2 on the flap 1 assist in making a good seal between the face of the pouch 6 and the flap 1 and this is desirable where disks are effectively held in an archival condition for long periods.

It is desired under such circumstances to limit the exposure of the disk to air and the deleterious products which may be carried by the air.

Once the compartment is located, it then, effectively, becomes part of the file and should the file have to be transferred from person to person and even from office to office, or building to building, the disk is automatically carried with the file without the necessity as hereto before, of having to ensure that a disk is found from a separate store and forwarded with the file.

It will be appreciated that whilst we have described herein a compartment which is formed as a completely separate unit which we have said may be supplied as such or supplied already connected to a file, it will be S' appreciated that the compartment of the invention could also be specifically fabricated onto a file and should the file be of sufficiently stiff material then the backing 4 could in fact be constituted by part of the body i of the file.

There are also various modifications which can be made into the actual materials of construction and the method of connection of the components and all of these are deemed to be within the scope of the invention.

-6iurm h eb 9

Claims

1. A storage compartment for computer disks comprising a rigid backing of a size greater than the size of the disk to be stored, an open topped pouch associated with the backing and adapted, in association with the backing, to receive a disk, a flap connected to the backing and adapted to overlie the open top of the pouch and to act as a closure thereof and means on the backing to permit it to be permanently secured to a surface.

2. A storage compartment as claimed in claim I having means whereby the flap can be held in its closed position.

3. A storage compartment as claimed in claim I wherein there is a strip running across the width of the pouch adapted to receive and retain the free edge of the flap.

4. A storage compartment as claimed in claim I wherein the pouch has at least one peripheral fold which can enable expansion thereof to permit the reception of the disk(s). I *r A storage compartment as claimed in claim I or claim 2 wherein the flap has marginal edge portions which are folded over the sides of the pouch to aid in the formation of a seal.

6. A storage compartment as claimed in any preceding claim wherein Sthe compartment is adhesively secured to an inner surface of a file, -7- 2-rnXO h/84/Feb 89 folder or the like.

7. A storage compartment for computer disks including an open topped pouch connected to a surface which provides a rigid backing, the pouch being adapted, together with the surface, to receive at least one disk, a flap located relative to the pouch to overlie the open top of the pouch to act as a closure therefor.

8. A storage compartment substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. t is Dated this18th day of January 1990. JOHN SYDNEY MUIR-SMITH and PETER MICHAEL FOGARTY By their Patent Attorney A. TATLOCK ASSOCIATES Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia a 4. 4 4. 4 4. 4.

184.I84. mith/84/Feb 89