GB2340391A

GB2340391A - Display stand for audio recording case

Info

Publication number: GB2340391A
Application number: GB9917349A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Sanson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-07-25
Filing date: 1999-07-26
Publication date: 2000-02-23
Also published as: GB9917349D0

Abstract

A stand alone display stand 1 adapted to hold and display an audio recording case, for example, a CD case, the stand comprising a base 2, location means 3,4 and a rear face support limb 4, the arrangement being such that in use the supported case 5 extends at an acute angle to the vertical. In use, the stand may also incorporate a notice to indicate that the case being supported is the case of the CD that is currently being played by, or is in, an audio player device.

Description

2340391 DISPLAY STAND FOR AUDIO RECORDING CASE The present invention

relates to a display stand for an audio recording case such as a compact disc (CM case.

Various forms of storage are available for holding a plurality of CD cases. Such storage is in the form of racks or drawers with individual compartments to accommodate individual CD cases containing CDs.

The problem arises that whilst a CD is being played it is not wise to put the empty CD case back into the storage device because it may not be easy to locate the empty case when the CD has been played and it is desired to put the CD back into the case.

If the CD case is left alongside the CD player for any length of time it can often be lost between other items such as newspapers or magazines, may be tidied away, knocked on to the floor and damaged. This is partly because the CD case is slim, lies flat on a surface and is not very strong.

1 have realised that it would be advantageous to provide a display stand for holding the empty CD case whilst the CD is in use, preferably in a generally upright position.

Whilst the invention is particularly applicable to a CD case it may also be applicable to cases for other forms of compact audio recording media, so the term "audio recording case" will be used to cover CD cases, cassette cases and the like cases for compact audio recording media.

According to one aspect of the invention I provide a stand alone display stand adapted to hold and display an audio recording case, as hereinbefore defined, of predetermined dimensions, the stand comprising a base adapted to stand on a horizontal surface, location means supported on the base and adapted to receive and support a lower margin of the case, and a rear face support limb mounted on the base and extending upwardly from the base and adapted, in use, to support the rear face of the case when the lower margin of the case is held by the location means, the arrangement being such that in use the supported case extends at an acute angle to the vertical.

The location means preferably comprises a slot defined between the rear face support limb and a front face confining limb, which is preferably a limb of substantially uniform thickness which extends substantially parallel to the front face of the supported case.

The display stand preferably carries or incorporates a notice to indicate that the case being supported is the case of the recording device that is currently being played by, or in, the audio player device. For example, the display stand may carry the notice "Now Being Played".

The display stand may be constructed of lightweight or heavy material according to requirements.

If the display stand is constructed of lightweight material such as aluminium or plastics, then the stand may be produced as an extrusion which is cut to length.

Such an extrusion in transverse cross-section preferably comprises a substantially straight basal limb from which depends the rear face support limb, at an intermediate position of the base, and from one end of the base the front face confining limb, and conveniently the three limbs are of substantially uniform thickness.

Preferably the rear face support limb is substantially longer than the front face confining limb.

The length of the basal limb is made sufficient to provide a stable support of the case to resist tipping over of the stand and case.

A notice as previously mentioned may conveniently be provided on the outwardly facing face of the confining limb.

The inventive display stand can be constructed as a relatively heavy article which is capable of being used also as a paperweight and/or the article may be made of glass to enable the decorative techniques employed in the production of glass paperweights to be used in providing a decorative display stand.

Porcelain may be used to produce a relatively heavy stand, and this may be decorated by known methods generally applied to articles of porcelain.

Two display stands in accordance with the invention and suitable for use in displaying a compact disc case will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure I is a front elevation of a first, lightweight stand produced from a length of extruded material; Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front elevation of a second stand made of glass and suitable for use also as a paperweight; and Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

The display stand 1 of Figures 1 and 2 is formed as a length of plastics or metal extrusion which, in transverse cross-section as in Figure 2, comprises a straight basal limb 2 from one end of which depends an inclined'front face confining limb 3, and from an intermediate point along limb 2 depends a rear face support limb 4.

Rear face support limb 4 is positioned to engage with the rear face 6 of a compact disc case, indicated in broken outline at 5.

When the stand is supporting a CD case, as shown in Figure 2, the front face confining limb 3 will prevent tipping of the CD case 5 since any 10 such tipping from the position shown in Figure 2 will bring the front face 7 of the CD case 5 into contact with the limb 3. As shown, the limb 4 supports the rear face 6 of the CD case 5.

The limbs 3 and 4 are parallel and extend at angles of approximately 65' to the basal limb 2 so as to display the front face of the CD case 5 to the 15 user when the basal limb 2 is standing on a horizontal surface.

The exposed front face 8 of limb 3 conveniently carries the notice "NOW PLAYING" or "WE ARE PLAYING" or some similar notice to indicate that the CD currently loaded in the accompanying CD player is from the case displayed in the display stand.

In the stand of Figures 3 and 4 reference numerals corresponding to those of Figures 1 and 2 have been applied to corresponding parts. The stand of Figures 3 and 4 is made from a solid block of glass by well-known glass forming techniques. In this construction the base 2 and limbs 3 and 4 are of substantial thickness. The glass preferably incorporates decorative glass designs which have been incorporated by the methods employed in producing paperweights. Such designs are generally based on rods andlor flowers of coloured glass or ceramic material. Alternatively, or in addition, one or more of the faces of the stand may carry surface decoration.

Although not shown, in Figures 3 and 4, the corners of the stand are 5 preferably chamfered or rounded by well-known techniques.

It will be appreciated that the dimensions of the stand are chosen to suit the dimensions of the case to be supported. The illustrated stands are for use with CD case of overall dimensions approximately 125mm x 140mm x 1Omm.

The illustrated stands can be positioned adjacent to the CD player, but may be stood anywhere in a room, desirably in a position which can be seen from any part of the room.

Claims

1 A stand alone display stand adapted to hold and display an audio recording case, as hereinbefore defined, of predetermined dimensions, the stand comprising a base adapted to stand on a horizontal surface, location means supported on the base and adapted to receive and support a lower margin of the case, and a rear face support limb mounted on the base and extending upwardly from the base and adapted, in use, to support the rear face of the case when the lower margin of the case is held by the location means, the arrangement being such that in use the supported case extends 10 at an acute angle to the vertical.

2. A display stand as claimed in claim 1, in which the location means comprises a slot defined between the rear face support limb and a front face confining limb, said front face confining limb being of substantially uniform thickness and extending substantially parallel to the front face of 15 the supported case.

3. A display stand as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 2 in which the display stand carries or incorporates a notice to indicate that the case being supported is the case of the recording device that is currently being played by, or in, the audio player device.

4. A display stand as claimed in any preceding claim in which the display stand is constructed of lightweight material such as aluminium or plastics.

5. A display stand as claimed in claim 4 in which the display stand is produced as an extrusion which is cut to length.

6. A display stand as claimed in claim 5 in which the extrusion in transverse cross-section comprises a substantially straight basal limb from which depends the rear face support limb, at an intermediate position of the base---; and from one end of the base the front face confining limb, and the three limbs being of substantially uniform thickness.

7. A display stand as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6 in which the rear face support limb is substantially longer than the front face confining limb.

8. A display stand substantially as described with reference to the 10 accompanying drawings.