fig1 a - 1d ( collectively fig1 ) are illustrations of data storage disc case 100 . case 100 comprises bottom portion 102 and top portion 104 joined by hinge 106 . as shown in fig1 d , bottom portion 102 and top portion 104 mate to form an enclosure for a data storage disc . for example , case 100 may hold a cd , dvd , hd - dvd , blu - ray or other data storage disc such as an optical disc , a magneto - optic disc , a magnetic disc , a patterned media disc , a holographic disc , or the like . when closed , as shown in fig1 d , data storage disc case 100 includes a box forming an interior cavity . the interior cavity may comprise a circular shaped sub - portion of the entire inside of case 100 , i . e ., the interior cavity is a sub - portion of the box . the inner surfaces of the interior cavity are shown in fig1 a . the upper surface of the interior cavity is formed by top portion 104 and the bottom surface of the interior cavity is formed by bottom portion 102 . the sides of the interior cavity are formed by outer walls 115 a and 115 b of top portion 104 and bottom portion 102 respectively . walls 115 a and 115 b are collectively referred to as wall 115 . wall 115 helps prevent surfaces of the interior cavity from contacting a data storage disc , even when data storage disc case 100 is subjected to compressive forces . data storage disc case 100 includes support element 114 a on bottom portion 102 and support element 114 a on top portion 104 . support elements 114 a and 114 b are collectively referred to as support element 114 . when data storage disc case 100 is closed , support element 114 extends from the top surface of the interior cavity to the bottom surface of the interior cavity . in other embodiments , support elements may be a single support element extending from either top portion 104 or bottom portion 102 rather than a combination of support elements 114 a and 114 b . furthermore , in some embodiments , support element 114 does not form a continuous ring to surround a data storage disc as in data storage disc case 100 . for example , support element 114 may include physically separate extrusions that , as a set , surround the outer circumference of a data storage disc contained by data storage disc case 100 . other designs and configurations of support element 114 are also possible . data storage disc case 100 also includes spindle 108 . spindle 108 functions as an additional support element . when data storage disc case 100 is closed , spindle 108 extends from the top surface of the interior cavity to the bottom surface of the interior cavity . spindle 108 fits within a center hole formed by a data storage disc . data storage disc case 100 also includes rim 112 . rim 112 holds a data storage disc at its outer edge and beyond the data surface of the data storage disc . for example , a cd or dvd disc may be 120 millimeters in diameter and the data surface of the disc may extend from an inner diameter of approximately 25 millimeters to an outer diameter of approximately 118 millimeters . the outer edge of a disc is the portion beyond the outer diameter of the data surface . spindle 108 centers a data storage disc within the interior cavity and rim 112 supports the outer edge of the disc to keep the disc substantially parallel to the top surface and the bottom surface of the interior cavity formed by data storage disc case 100 when closed . as shown in fig1 , data storage disc case 100 also includes a center rim 110 , which provides additional support for a data storage disc near the center hole of a data storage disc and also inside the data surface of a data storage disc . center rim 110 is coplanar with rim 112 . for example , center rim 110 may have an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the data surface on a data storage disc , such that the data storage surface of the disc is not contacted by center rim 110 . a data storage disc is further constrained by rim 116 . a data storage disc is pinched between center rim 110 and rim 116 to further constrain the position of the data storage disc within the interior cavity of data storage disc case 100 . the position of a data storage disc within a data storage disc case is shown in fig3 and described below . support element 114 combines with spindle 108 and walls 115 to reduce deformation due to compressive force on data storage disc case 100 . for example , bottom portion 102 and top portion 104 may be thin - walled plastic structures . as such , bottom portion 102 and top portion 104 may deform under force . deformation of data storage disc case 100 in response to compressive forces is related to the thickness of the material in bottom portion 102 and top portion 104 and the span distance between supports . supports of data storage disc case 100 include outer wall 115 , but also support element 114 and spindle 108 . as compared to a data storage disc case without support element 114 or spindle 108 , the span distance of data storage disc case 100 is significantly reduced . for example , the span distance of data storage disc case 100 may be approximately one - third the distance of the span distance in a data storage disc case without support element 114 or spindle 108 . in other embodiments , a data storage disc case may include only one support element 114 or spindle , leaving a longer span distance than with data storage disc case 100 , but still providing a reduced span as compared to a data storage disc case without additional supports . because data storage disc case 100 has a relatively short span distance , data storage disc case 100 will not contact the data surface of a data storage disc within data storage disc case 100 under normal use or even significant abuse . for example , if data storage disc case 100 was accidentally stepped on while lying on a floor , a data storage disc within data storage disc case 100 may not be damaged . data storage disc case 100 also includes additional features to protect an encased data storage disc . for example , ribs 134 a and ribs 134 b ( collectively ribs 134 ), shown in fig1 c , increase the stiffness of data storage disc case 100 . ribs 134 a are on the surface of bottom portion 102 and ribs 134 b are on the surface of upper portion 104 . ribs 134 each extend from support element 114 to spindle 108 . in other embodiments , ribs may be positioned in a different manner , e . g ., ribs may extend from support element 114 to walls 115 . data storage disc case 100 may also include extrusions 132 to keep top portion 104 aligned with bottom portion 102 when data storage disc case 100 is subjected to forces causing deformation . likewise , ring 117 fits over spindle 108 to provide another feature to maintain alignment of top portion 104 and bottom portion 102 . maintaining alignment of top portion 104 and bottom portion 102 increases the ability of data storage disc case 100 to resist deformation . data storage disc case 100 may optionally include a barrier ( not shown in fig1 ) to protect a data storage disc from sunlight , static electricity and / or humidity . for example , a barrier may include a polymer loaded with a conductive substance , a carbon - loaded polymer and / or a metallic thin - film deposition , e . g ., a nickel thin - film deposition . in the case of sunlight protection , the barrier may simply comprise an opaque material . the barrier may additionally comprise a seal between support element 114 a and support element 114 b . examples of possible seals include semi - permanent seals such as a thermal seal , epoxy seal or solvent seal . a non - permanent seal is also possible , e . g ., a press - fit seal . if data storage disc case 100 includes a semi - permanent seal , data storage disc case 100 would be best suited for storing data storage discs for a long period of time . for example , data storage disc case 100 may be used to archive data stored on a data storage disc . by providing a vapor barrier and / or a static electricity barrier , data storage disc case 100 increases data storage reliability of data storage discs . data storage disc case 100 may be manufactured using injection molding techniques commonly known to those in the art . data storage disc case 100 includes features related to manufacturability . for example , data storage disc case 100 forms groove 120 , shown in fig1 b , which corresponds to support element 114 b . in this manner , the thickness of data storage disc case 100 is not greater at support element 114 b . as shown in fig1 , data storage disc case also includes additional groves and recesses , which serve to limit the maximum thickness of any cross - section of data storage disc case 100 . maintaining a consistent thickness throughout data storage disc case 100 may , for example , improve flow into a mold and / or limit the time necessary for the material forming data storage disc case 100 to solidify after being injected into a mold . data storage disc case 100 may also include features that require additional manufacturing processes . for example , data storage disc case 100 may include a metallic barrier to provide a vapor seal and further to protect a data storage disc from static electricity . for example , a metallic barrier may be formed by performing a thin - film deposition process . fig2 a - 2d ( collectively fig2 ) are illustrations of data storage disc case 200 including bottom portion 202 and top portion 204 . bottom portion 202 and top portion 204 mate to form the casing of data storage disc case 200 . the casing of data storage disc case 200 forms an interior cavity sized to hold a data storage disc . for example , case 100 may hold a cd , dvd , hd - dvd , blu - ray or other data storage disc . data storage disc case 200 includes many features the same or similar to data storage disc case 100 shown in fig1 . for example , spindle 208 functions as a support element to reduce the span distance in data storage disc case 200 . when data storage disc case 200 is closed , as shown in fig2 d , spindle 208 extends for a top surface of the interior cavity sized to hold a data storage disc to a bottom surface of the interior cavity . casing wall 214 a and 214 b ( collectively wall 214 ) also function as support elements . the combination of spindle 208 and wall 214 provide for a short span distance similar to that of data storage disc case 100 in fig1 . in the same manner as data storage disc case 100 , data storage disc case 200 can protect a data storage disc under normal use or even significant abuse . rim 212 holds a data storage disc at its outer edge and beyond the data surface of the data storage disc . center rim 210 provides additional support for a data storage disc near the center hole of a data storage disc beyond the data surface of a data storage disc . in data storage disc case 200 , a data storage disc is centered on spindle 208 , laid flat on center rim 210 and rim 212 and held flat by rim 216 when data storage disc case 200 is closed . data storage disc case 200 includes additional features to increase its durability . for example , data storage disc case 200 includes ribs 234 a and ribs 234 b ( collectively ribs 234 ), which increase the stiffness of data storage disc case 200 . ribs 234 a are on the surface of bottom portion 202 and ribs 234 b are on the surface of upper portion 204 . ribs 234 each extend from casing wall 214 to spindle 208 . in other embodiments , ribs may be positioned in a different manner . data storage disc case 200 also includes ring 217 , which fits over spindle 208 to provide alignment of top portion 204 and bottom portion 202 . data storage disc case 200 may optionally include a barrier ( not shown in fig2 ) to protect a data storage disc from static electricity and / or humidity . for example , a barrier may include a polymer loaded with a conductive substance , a carbon - loaded polymer and / or a metallic thin - film deposition , e . g ., a nickel thin - film deposition . the barrier may additionally comprise a seal between wall 214 a and 214 b . examples of possible seals include semi - permanent seals such as a thermal seal , epoxy seal or solvent seal . a non - permanent seal is also possible , e . g ., a press - fit seal . if data storage disc case 200 includes a semi - permanent seal , data storage disc case 200 would be best suited for storing data storage discs for a long period of time . for example , data storage disc case 200 may be used to archive data stored on a data storage disc . by providing a vapor barrier and / or a static electricity barrier , data storage disc case 200 increases data storage reliability of data storage discs . data storage disc case 200 may be manufactured using injection molding techniques commonly known to those in the art . data storage disc case 200 may also include features that require additional manufacturing processes . for example , data storage disc case 200 may include a metallic barrier to provide a vapor seal and further to protect a data storage disc from static electricity . for example , a metallic barrier may be formed by performing a thin - film deposition process . an example of a data storage disc case including a barrier is shown in fig3 . fig3 is a cross - section view illustration of data storage disc case 300 holding a data storage disc 340 . data storage disc case 300 comprises bottom portion 302 and top portion 304 joined by hinge 306 . bottom portion 302 and top portion 304 mate to form an enclosure for data storage disc 340 . for example , data storage disc 340 may be a cd , dvd , hd - dvd , blu - ray or other data storage disc . when closed , as shown in fig3 , data storage disc case 300 is a box or container that forms an interior cavity . the upper surface of the interior cavity is formed by top portion 302 and the bottom surface of the interior cavity is formed by bottom portion 304 . the sides of the interior cavity are formed by outer walls 315 a and 315 b ( collectively wall 315 ). wall 315 helps prevent surfaces of the interior cavity from contacting data storage disc 340 , even when data storage disc case 300 is subjected to compressive force and other abuse . support elements 314 a and 314 b ( collectively support elements 314 ) extend from the top surface of the interior cavity to bottom surface of the interior cavity . spindle 308 also functions as an additional support element . spindle 308 extends from the top surface of the interior cavity to bottom surface of the interior cavity . support element 314 combines with wall 315 and spindle 308 to reduce the span distance , thereby reducing deformation due to compressive force on data storage disc case 300 . data storage disc case 300 holds data storage disc 340 without contacting a data surface of the data storage disc . spindle 308 fits within a center hole formed by data storage disc 340 . rim 312 holds data storage disc 340 beyond the data surface of data storage disc 340 . rim 310 holds data storage disc 340 near its center , inside the data surface . rim 316 also contacts data storage disc 340 near its center and beyond the data surface . the data surface of data storage disc 340 is protected against scratching from contact with data storage disc case 300 . data storage disc case 300 includes features that line up top portion 304 with bottom portion 302 and maintain alignment when data storage disc case 300 is subjected to forces causing deformation . for example , ring 317 fits over spindle 308 and support element 314 b fits within support element 314 a . data storage disc case 300 may additionally include extrusions ( not shown in fig3 ) along wall 315 and / or ribs extending from spindle 308 to support element 314 to further increase resistance to deformation for data storage disc case 300 . barrier 327 is formed over both the inner surface of the box of data storage case 300 and the outer surface of the box of data storage case 300 . in other embodiments , barrier 327 may be formed over only a single surface of the box . barrier 327 protects data storage disc 340 from light , static electricity and / or humidity . for example , barrier 327 may include a polymer loaded with a conductive substance , a carbon - loaded polymer and / or a metallic thin - film deposition , e . g ., a nickel thin - film deposition . the barrier may additionally comprise a seal between support element 314 a and support element 314 b . examples of possible seals include semi - permanent seals such as a thermal seal , epoxy seal or solvent seal . a non - permanent seal is also possible , e . g ., a press - fit seal . by providing a vapor barrier and / or a static electricity barrier , data storage disc case 300 increases data storage reliability of data storage discs . while barrier 327 is shown in fig3 as a thin - film coating , in other embodiments , barrier 327 may be part of bottom portion 302 and upper portion 304 , e . g ., as a carbon loaded polymer used to form data storage disc case 300 . data storage disc case 300 may be manufactured using injection molding techniques commonly known to those in the art . data storage disc case 300 requires additional manufacturing process to form barrier 327 . for example , barrier 327 may be formed by a thin - film deposition process after molding processes . a number of embodiments of the present invention have been described . nevertheless , it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . for example , consistent with the invention , a data storage disc case may be formed from stamped metal rather than plastic to further increase durability of a data storage disc case . accordingly , these and other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims .