CA2252283C - Improvements in storage and display devices - Google Patents

Abstract

A portable package for storing and/or displaying a plurality of information carriers such as CDs or CD-ROMs comprises a base and a plurality of support means each associated with the base and adapted to support a respective one of the information carriers.
For compactness and ease of access, each support means is adapted to support an information carrier in a tilted orientation with respect to the base and comprises first and second holding means, the first holding means being a pocket adapted to engage at least a peripheral part of an information carrier and the second holding means being a boss adapted to hold an information carrier in engagement with the first holding means.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN STORAGE AND DISPLAY DEVICES
The present invention relates to storage and presentation of multiple flat information carriers, for example disc-shaped information carriers such as optical discs, especially compact discs or CDs.
The CD has become the medium of choice in the music industry, rapidly replacing vinyl records, and the compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM) has become similarly common in the electronics business. With the proliferation of CDs and CD-ROMs and the amount of information stored on them, there has come a need for storage and display of multiple discs.
Applicant is primarily concerned with collections or compilations of associated CDs aimed especially at the music listener, for example collections of classical music composed by famous composers. Previously, such collections have been bedevilled by the limited capacity of CDs which, using presently-available technology, each carry approximately 75 minutes of music. Accordingly, to present music representing the life of a prolific composer such as Beethoven, for example, numerous CDs would be needed.
This presents a challenge in packaging and displaying such a large number of CDs.
CDs and CD-ROMs are tropically packaged in a standard plastic 'jewel box', rectangular in shape and generally comprising thermoplastic moulded front and back panels with sides which co-operate to form a box. The front and back panels are normally hinged together along one edge and open like a book. The front panel snap-fits to the back panel - 25 in a closed position (described in US Patent No. 4535888).
A disc holder tray of moulded thermoplastic, also of a generally rectangular shape, is snap fitted into the bottom panel. The tray generally has a recessed area for receiving a CD, and a central circular array of resilient cantilevered fingers, arranged radially and 3 0 pointing inwards to support the CD. Such packaging is usually designed to hold only one disc, although multiple CD packages are known (as described by US Patent No.
4709812), whereby a mid-section is created between the front and back panels, comprising one or more further CD holders.
3 5 Although the jewel box provides an attractive appearance and broadly adequate protection of its contents, it does have many drawbacks. It is expensive to manufacture due to the requirements for thermoplastic moulding, and the brittle nature of the plastics used in its construction make it highly susceptible to breakage. The cantilevered central fingers are also prone to breakage with use, which renders support and location of the disc almost impossible. Most importantly, the jewel box is substantially bulkier than the CD itself, making the packaging of multiple discs heavy and inefficient. This is of considerable importance when transporting goods internationally.
Collections of discs are generally packaged as boxed sets of single or double jewel boxes which do not facilitate compact storage or easy access and display of the discs themselves. Every time one wishes to listen to a different CD in the collection, one must open the box of the CD just listened to, put that CD away, find and open the next box, take the new CD out, and so on. This inconvenience of use can detract from the user's listening pleasure.
Various attempts have been made to circumvent the problems highlighted above.
WO
95/26917 describes a CD container made from a single sheet of recyclable material having a first section with overlapping components forming pockets, and a second section of a similar construction. The second section is then folded over the first section to provide protective cover for the contents of the package. This document teaches the 2 0 use of minimum, biodegradable materials to reduce volume and weight. The series of folds and gluing necessary to assemble the package described suggests the need for manual dexterity or complicated folding and gluing machinery, thus increasing the cost of manufacture. The document does not describe a method to prevent discs falling out of the pockets, which would potentially lead to damage of the fragile discs.
WO 94/04440 teaches the storage of a plurality of discs in a wallet-style container. The discs are held by central circular arrays thus suffering similar problems to the jewel box.
As only t<vo discs can be displayed at any one time, this storage unit does not overcome the problem of displaying many discs at any one time.
With the demise of the vinyl record, EP 0238350 describes an adapter for housing CDs in sleeves for traditional long-playing vinyl records. The plastic adapter is moulded with a snug fit into a record sleeve, having a recess to accept a CD and a projection which is received by the central hole of a CD in a snap or press fit. This prior art also suggests 3 5 that a combination of the central projection or stud and development of the arcuate sides of the recess could be used in combination to support the compact disc. This requires intricate moulding, increasing costs and potentially adding bulk and weight to the adapter as well as hindering access to the disc.
Several methods have been described with respect to the visual aspect of displaying CDs. WO 94/27892 describes a method for including a disc-shaped object in a greetings card. The disc is supported by one or more slits, configured to create flaps which cover portions of the circumference of the disc. This method describes the display of only one disc although the display of more would be feasible. EP 0514156 teaches the presentation of discs containing information about a certain person or character, in combination with graphical display of the said person or character on both the disc and packaging. Again, this document does not describe the display of a plurality of discs, with the main aim of the invention being the use of the disc and packaging as collectable playing cards.
Against this background of prior art, the present invention aims to provide a way of efficiently packaging many flat information Garners, with an emphasis on compact discs.
The invention may be defined as a portable package for storing and/or displaying a plurality of circular information carriers each having a central spindle hole, the package comprising a flat backing panel and a plurality of support means each associated with the panel and adapted to support a respective one of the information carriers, wherein each support means comprises a pocket within the panel adapted to engage one side of an information Garner, and a boss mounted on the panel outside the pocket, the boss being adapted to engage in the central spindle hole to hold said side of the information carrier in engagement with the pocket in a tilted orientation with respect to the panel, such that the side of the information carrier opposed to the pocket is clear of the panel.
This arrangement ensures secure location of the information carrier with respect to the panel, with the pocket and the boss acting in synergistic relationship to minimize damage to the information carriers and to make them easier to remove and replace.
To limit insertion of the information carrier into the pocket and thus to ensure correct positioning with respect to the boss, the slit may be smaller than an overall diameter of the information carrier that the support means is adapted to accept. Further or in the alternative, the aforementioned plies or layers can be attached to one another in a manner that limits insertion of the information carrier into the pocket. In a particularly compact lapped arrangement, the plies or layers are suitably attached to one another between the pocket and the boss.
The support means of the package are preferably disposed in an array, and for optimum compactness may be positioned and adapted to hold the plurality of information carriers in a mutually lapped formation. In an elegant arrangement, the pockets and bosses of successive support means of the array alternate with one another and an information carrier supported by one support means of the array is also supported by another, 1 S adjacent support means of the array. For example, an information Garner supported by one support means may also be supported by the boss of the adjacent support means.
The invention also encompasses the package of the invention as defined above and having a plurality of information Garners supported on the support means.

-$-In order that the invention may be more easily understood, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank illustrating fold lines to create a package;
Figure 2 is a plan view illustrating the arrangement of slits and bosses relative to each other on a backing panel of the package;
Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed plan view illustrating an arrangement of slits and bosses to give optimal overlap of discs in a preferred embodiment;
Figure 4 is a sectional view along line IV-IV of Figure 3 illustrating the arrangement of pockets and bosses to give optimal overlap of discs in the preferred embodiment;
Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed plan view illustrating a design on the backing panel with a disc removed;
Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure $ but illustrating the arrangement with the disc in place; and Figure 7 is a plan view of a backing panel in a further embodiment of the invention, with an arrangement of discs that do not overlap.
Referring initially to Figure 1, a blank 10 of cardboard is square in plan and may be folded along fold lines 11, 12 and 13 such that, when folded into a package, the final shape and size of the package is substantially the same as the slewe of a traditional long-playing vinyl record. To this end, the sides of the blank 10 in the illustrated embodiment 3 0 are each approximately 630 mm such that the folded package is approximately 310 mm square.
The blank 10 is printed and varnished on one side only, thus reducing its manufacturing cost. It is then folded along fold line 11 which bisects the blank 10 to create a two-ply oblong having the printed and varnished surface appearing on both sides. The plies are glued together around their mutual periphery and also at specific internal locations which will be explained later. Further folds are then made along parallel mutually spacers fold lines 12 and 13 parallel to and equidistant from the short edges of the oblong. This creates a book-like package having a spine 14 defined by the spacing between the fold lines 12 and 13.
The spine 14 is wide enough to accommodate the thickness of the contents of the package; for example, when accommodating CDs, a spine 14 of about 7 mm in width is appropriate. Equally, a larger blank could be used and additional folds made to create leaves or pages on which to mount further information carriers or text. The spine 14 also provides space for indicia such as the name of the recording artist or composer, to assist in indexing when the package is stored on a shelf or storage rack with the spine 14 exposed.
Folding the blank 10 in this way enables the package to be opened out flat allowing display of and access to its contents, in this instance a set of discs such as CDs. The discs are mounted onto and displayed upon t~~o flat backing panels which define the major inner faces of the package. Having regard to the folding arrangement outlined above, it will be clear that each backing panel is made up of two plies or layers of cardboard, each glued to the other.
Referring now to Figure 2, one of the backing panels 15 has eight support means 16 for supporting eight discs, so that the package as a whole, which has two backing panels, can support sixteen discs. The support means 16 comprises an array of eight slits 17 cut in one, inner ply of the backing panel and a corresponding array of eight circular bosses 18 stuck to the inner face of the inner ply. The bosses 18 are adapted resiliently to engage the central spindle hole of a CD (not shown), which hole is approximately 15 mm in diameter.
The arrays consist of two straight mutually parallel lines of slits 17 and bosses 18, 3 o disposed side-by-side, each line consisting of four slits 17 and four bosses 18. The slits 17 and bosses 18 of one line correspond in position to the slits 17 and bosses 18 of the other line. Each line of slits 17 and bosses 18 is spaced sufficiently far from the adjacent edges 19 of the backing panel 15 that discs supported on the bosses 18 do not overlap the edges of the backing panel 15.
Each line is defined by the centres of its constituent bosses 18, which alternate with the _7_ slits 17. The slits 17 are disposed generally transversely with respect to, and are symmetrical about, that line. Each slit 17 has straight outer portions 20 angularly offset with respect to each other and angled inwardly away from the associated boss 18. The straight portions 20 are joined by a central arcuate portion 21 which curves toward the associated boss 18.
The bosses 18 of each line are spaced with a pitch of approximately 55 mm. It will be evident, therefore, that a row of standard CDs, which each have a diameter of 120 mm, will overlap when engaged on the bosses 18. Reference is made to Figures 3 and 4 in l0 this respect. The overlap is accommodated by an outer edge of an underlying disc 22 engaged on a boss 18 being received in a pocket 23 whose opening is defined by the slit 17 associated with that boss 18. Each boss 18 is glued to the backing panel 15 a specific distance from its associated slit 17, such that locating the disc 22 in the pocket 23 aligns the central spindle hole in the CD with the boss 18.
The pockets 23, in turn, are defined between the plies 24 and 25 that form the backing panel 15; to this end, the plies 24, 25 are not glued to one another in the areas corresponding to the pockets 23 but they are glued to one another as shown at 26 around the pocket 23. In particular, the plies 24, 2~ are glued together in the region between 2 0 each boss 18 and its corresponding slit 17. The depth of insertion of a disc 22 into a pocket 23 is limited by this glued area and/or by the length of the slit 17 which is less than the diameter of the disc 22, say 110 mm.
The central arcuate portion 21 of a slit 17 creates a flap 27 that facilitates insertion of a disc 22 into a pocket 23 and also helps to retain the disc 22 in the pocket 23 once inserted.
Although a pocket 23 would by itself be sufficient temporarily to retain a disc 22, the associated boss 18 co-operates with the pocket 23 to locate and hold the disc 22 securely 3 0 in place on the backing panel 15. In particular, the boss 18 prevents the disc 22 falling out of the pocket 23 if the package is inverted or otherwise disturbed.
This synergy is also evident in the relationship of the pocket 23 to the boss 18;
specifically in that the pocket 23 holds a disc 22 mounted upon a boss 18 in a tilted 3 5 disposition with respect to the plane of the backing panel 15. This greatly facilitates compact overlapping of the discs 22, as best shown in Figure 4. Tilting also spaces the _$_ discs 22 from one another and from the backing panel 15; this facilitates easy removal of the disc 22 by allowing a user to grasp the exposed major portion of the disc 22, for example by hooking a finger or two under the exposed portion and placing a thumb against an exposed part of the boss 18 to lever the disc 22 off the boss 18.
The bosses 18 are made from flexible circular foam rubber pads which are glued to the inner face of the backing panel 15 and are each slightly wider than the central hole of the disc 22, such that resilient engagement takes place with the central hole in use. A boss 18 made from a flexible material, such as foam rubber, rather than resilient cantilevered l0 fingers, removes the possibility of breakage and reduces production costs.
In the arrangement described, it will be noted from Figure 4 that one disc 22A
is supported at its periphery in its tilted disposition by the boss 18 that supports an underlying disc 22B in the lapped arrangement. Tilting and lapping the discs 22 in this way reduces the overall thickness of the package and enables many more discs 22 to be fixed to the backing panel 15. It also minimises damage to the discs 22 through chafing between discs 22 and/or their packaging and the transfer of grease, dirt etc.
from other discs 22 in the same package. This is especially important when storing and transporting the discs 22. The lapped arrangement also lends a distinctive and pleasing appearance to the package, which is important for the purposes of display in retail premises, in advertisements, or at the buyer's home.
Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a further advantageous feature of the package, namely printing on the backing panel 15 of indicia 28 that corresponds to a design printed on the non-recordable face of a disc 22. The design on the disc 22 is duplicated on the backing panel 15 in the area to be covered by the disc 22 when the disc 22 is properly located in its pocket 23, such that when the disc 22 is taken out of its pocket 23, the design 28 on the backing panel 15 is visible. This acts as a guide to the correct replacement of the disc 22 after use, for example in a position corresponding to text or graphics printed on the 3 0 backing panel 15 giving information on the content of that disc 22. This is especially useful when more than one disc 22 has been removed from the package;
otherwise, its correct location would not immediately be evident.
Figure 5 shows the printing and positioning of pockets 23 and bosses 18 relative to the design 28 on the backing panel 15, with no discs 22 in place. Two support means 16 are shown, namely those associated with die two uppermost discs 22 of an array.
Figure 6 corresponds to Figure 5 but also illustrates the manner in which the printing on the backing panel 15 and disc 22 match. Both figures show how the uppermost pocket 23 of the illustrated array duplicates the portion of the design on the disc 22 which would be covered by the pocket 23 when the disc 22 is oriented correctly in the pocket 23. In this way, the user can see the complete design on the disc 22 when the disc 22 is located in that pocket 23.
Referring finally to Figure 7, in a further embodiment of the invention a backing panel 29 has support means 16 fox supporting five discs (not shown) in non-lapped relation.
Four outer support means 16, each comprising a boss 18 and a slit 17 as before, are disposed in a square array and a fifth, central support means 16 is positioned on the intersecting diagonals of the square array.
The package of the present invention stores and displays its contents in a protective, lightweight and attractive manner, and is simple and cost-effective to manufacture. The contents are supported in a way that allows easy access and visibility, while minimizing the volume of the filled package.
Many variations are possible within the inventive concept. For example, it is not essential that foam bosses are used to locate a disc; indeed, traditional arrangements of resilient fingers can be used if they are acceptable despite their disadvantages. Also, whilst the preferred embodiment has been described with reference to the support and display of optical discs and in particular CDs, the present invention does not preclude use with other disc-shaped or otherwise flat information carriers.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its essential attributes. Accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing specific description as indicating the scope of the invention.

Claims (15)

1. A portable package for storing and/or displaying a plurality of circular information carriers each having a central spindle hole, the package comprising a flat backing panel and a plurality of support means each associated with the panel and adapted to support a respective one of the information carriers, wherein each support means comprises a pocket within the panel adapted to engage one side of an information carrier, and a boss mounted on the panel outside the pocket, the boss being adapted to engage in the central spindle hole to hold said side of the information carrier in engagement with the pocket in a tilted orientation with respect to the panel, such that another side of the information carrier opposed to the pocket is clear of the panel.

2. A package as defined in Claim 1, wherein the pocket is defined between plies or layers of the panel.

3. A package as defined in Claim 2, wherein a slit in a ply or layer provides access to the pocket.

4. A package as defined in Claim 3, wherein the slit is smaller than an overall diameter of the information carrier that the support means is adapted to accept.

5. A package as defined in Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein opposed ends of the slit define a chord of the information carrier.

6. A package as defined in Claim 5, wherein the slit is shaped to define a flap extending from the pocket, the flap having a free edge facing the boss.

7. A package as defined in any one of Claims 2 to 6, wherein the plies or layers are attached to one another in a manner that limits insertion of the information carrier into the pocket.

8. A package as defined in Claim 7, wherein the plies or layers are attached to one another between the boss and the pocket.

9. A package as defined in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the support means are disposed in an array.

10. A package as defined in Claim 9, wherein the support means are positioned and adapted to hold the plurality of information carriers in a mutually lapped formation.

11. A package as defined in Claim 9 or Claim 10, wherein the bosses and pockets of successive support means of the array alternate with one another.

12. A package as defined in any one of Claims 9 to 11, wherein the information carrier supported by one support means of the array is also supported by another, adjacent support means of the array.

13. A package as defined in Claim 12, wherein the information carrier held by one support means is supported by the boss of the adjacent support means.

14. A package as defined in any one of claims 1 to 13 and having a plurality of information carriers supported on the support means.

15. A package as defined in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the information carriers are optical discs such as CDs or CD-ROMs.