Status-displaying device for video tape storage jackets

Claim 2

A status indicator for attachment to a jacket for a video tape cassette, comprising: (a) a mask defining at least two status display openings extending therethrough, said status display openings being arranged in a predetermined pattern on said mask, and said mask further defining a grip aperture extending therethrough; (b) an indicator member mounted behind said mask for movement with respect thereto, a front side of said indicator member having a first color and including at least two status-indicating areas located thereon at respective predetermined locations, the respective color of each status-indicating area differing from said first color; and (c) grip means located on said indicator member for moving said indicator member pivotably with respect to said mask, said grip means being exposed through said grip aperture, and the locations of said status-indicating areas and said status display openings being so interrelated that for each status display area there is a position of said indicator member relative to said mask wherein at least a portion of the respective statusindicating area is visible through a respective corresponding status display opening, with no other part of any other status-indicating area being simultaneously visible through any other one of said status display openings.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1, including a base member located behind said indicator member, said indicator member being pivotably movable with respect to said base member and said mask being fixedly located with respect to said base member, said device further including adhesive means associated with said base member for attaching said device to a jacket for a video tape cassette.

Claim 4

The device of claim 1, said mask means including three of said status display openings and said indicator member having three of said status-indicating areas, said status display openings and said status-indicating areas being so located on said mask and said indicator member, respectively, and movements of said indicator member being so limited, that each of said status-indicating areas can be displayed only through a respective one of said status display openings.

Claim 5

The device of claim 3 wherein each of said status-indicating areas is at least as large as the respective one of said status display openings and is so located on said indicator member that it occupies the entire area of said respective status display opening only when no part of any other status-indicating area is visible in its own respective status display opening.

Claim 6

The device of claim 4, said status display openings and said status-indicating areas being so located that when said indicator is moved to an intermediate position between two positions, in each of which a respective indicating area is displayed through a respective status display opening, a respective portion of each of only two status-indicating areas is visible in each of two adjacent ones of said status display openings.

Claim 7

The device of claim 1, including means associated with said indicator member for defining a pivot axis about which said indicator member is pivotably movable with respect to said mask, wherein at least two of said status-indicating areas and their respective status display openings are located at respective different distances from said pivot axis.

Claim 8

The device of claim 1, including a base member located behind said indicator member, wherein each of said mask and said base member are of cardboard and said indicator member is of a synthetic plastic material.

Claim 9

The device of claim 7, said mask having a thickness and said grip means being raised with respect to the remainder of said indicator member and extending outward through said grip aperture in said mask a distance less than the thickness of said mask.

Claim 10

The device of claim 8 wherein said grip means has a surface including a pattern of intersecting grooves.

Claim 11

The device of claim 1 wherein each of said status-indicating areas has a respective color different from the color of each other one of said status-indicating areas.

Claim 12

In combination with a video tape jacket including a plurality of walls defining a container for protectively holding a video tape cartridge, a status indicator included in one of said plurality of walls, said status indicator comprising: (a) a mask defining at least two status display openings extending therethrough, said status display openings being arranged in a predetermined pattern on said mask, and said mask further defining a grip aperture extending therethrough; (b) an indicator member mounted behind said mask for pivotable movement with respect thereto, a front side of said indicator member having a first color and including at least two status-indicating areas located thereon at respective predetermined locations, the respective color of each status-indicating area contrasting with said first color; and (c) grip means located on said indicator member for moving said indicator member pivotably with respect to said mask, said grip means being exposed through said grip aperture, and the locations of said status-indicating areas and said status display openings being so interrelated that for each status display area there is a position of said indicator member relative to said mask wherein at least a portion of the respective status-indicating area is visible through a respective corresponding status display opening, with no other part of any other status-indicating area being simultaneously visible through any other one of said status display openings.

Claim 13

In combination with a video tape jacket including a plurality of walls defining a container for protectively holding a video tape cartridge, a status indicator included in one of said plurality of walls, said status indicator comprising: (a) a mask defining at least two status display openings extending therethrough, said status display openings being arranged in a predetermined pattern on said mask, and said mask further defining a grip aperture extending therethrough; (b) an indicator member mounted behind said mask for pivotable movement with respect thereto, a front side of said indicator member having a first color and including at least two status-indicating areas located thereon at respective predetermined locations, the respective color of each status-indicating area contrasting with said first color; and (c) grip means located on said indicator member for moving said indicator member pivotably with respect to said mask, said grip means being exposed through said grip aperture, and the locations of said status-indicating areas and said status display openings being so interrelated that for each status display area there is a position of said indicator member relative to said mask wherein at least a portion of the respective status-indicating area is visible through a respective corresponding status display opening, with no other part of any other status-indicating area being simultaneously visible through any other one of said status display openings.

Claim 14

The device of claim 11, including a base member located behind said indicator member, said indicator member being pivotably movable with respect to said base member and said mask being fixedly located with respect to said base member, said device further including adhesive means associated with said base member for attaching said device to a jacket for a video tape cassette.

Claim 15

The device of claim 11, said mask means including three of said status display openings and said indicator member having three of said status-indicating areas, said status display openings and said status-indicating areas being so located on said mask and said indicator member, respectively, and movements of said indicator member being so limited, that each of said status-indicating areas can be displayed only through a respective one of said status display openings.

Claim 16

The device of claim 13 wherein each of said status-indicating areas is at least as large as the respective one of said status display openings and is so located on said indicator member that it occupies the entire area of said respective status display opening only when no part of any other status-indicating area is visible in its own respective status display opening.

Claim 17

The device of claim 14, said status display openings and said status-indicating areas being so located that when said indicator is moved to an intermediate position between two positions, in each of which a respective indicating area is displayed through a respective status display opening, a respective portion of each of only two status-indicating areas is visible in each of two adjacent ones of said status display openings.

Claim 18

The device of claim 11, including means associated with said indicator member for defining a pivot axis about which said indicator member is pivotably movable with respect to said mask, wherein at least two of said status-indicating areas and the respective status display openings are located at respective different distances from said pivot axis.

Claim 19

The device of claim 11 including a backing layer, wherein each of said mask and said backing layer are of cardboard and said indicator member is a synthetic plastic material.

Claim 20

The device of claim 17, said grip means being raised with respect to the remainder of said flag and extending outward through said grip opening in said mask a distance less than the thickness of said mask.

Claim 21

The device of claim 18, wherein said grip means has a surface including a pattern of intersecting grooves.

Claim 22

The device of claim 11 wherein each of said status-indicating areas has a respective color different from the color of each other one of said status-indicating areas.