The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 16, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 19, 2000
Richard Francis Frankeny, Austin, TX (US);
Other;
Abstract
A media storage unit is made by z-folding either a joined or a continuous web of material planes forming a plurality of N overlaid material planes. The material planes have tabs extending from both non-folded sides symmetrical about a center line of each material plane. Slits are made starting on each non folded side and extending a length towards the center of each material plane. The two slits on each material plane are made at the mid-point of the material planes between the tabs allowing the tabs be separated. Opposing tabs on each side of the overlaid material planes and closest to a folded side are joined with a corresponding tab on a adjacent overlaid plane, the opposing tabs are deflected and joined in opposite directions. The joined tabs become the retaining side members of a plurality of pockets formed by the overlaid material planes. The folded sides become the bottoms of sequential pockets with openings in opposite directions. When the N overlaid material planes are folded and the tabs joined they form N−1 separable and expandable pockets with opposing openings. Tabs are positioned adjacent to a slit and have a width extending out from the material planes and a length extending towards folded sides. The tabs may have a variety edge of geometries each of which, when joined, affects the nature of a pocket opening when the pocket is expanded. In general the tabs have a type of tapered width extending from the material planes with the widest edge at the slit and tapering to a narrower width towards a folded side of the material planes. Joined tapered tabs, create a pocket that opens a variable amount when expanded, the opening the widest at a slit. The length of the slits affect how much a pocket will separate from another adjacent pocket as the media storage unit is expanded to access a particular stored media.