DE29703814U1 - Container for a disc-shaped object - Google Patents

Description

Schwerdtle & Schantz GmbH 12359 Berlin

21 February 1997

S46.G5

Container for a disc-shaped object

14 pages description

5 pages with 20 claims

1 page summary

9 pages of drawings

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Description

The invention relates to a container for storing or packaging a disc-shaped object according to the preamble of claim 1.

Packaging for a flat, disc-shaped data carrier, for example for a CD, is known which has a body that is essentially structured in two parts. A base plate that is essentially square is provided, to which a cover plate is hinged in a foldable manner on one of the side edges. The cover plate is essentially the same size as the base plate and is folded onto the data carrier positioned on the base plate.

To temporarily fix the data carrier on the base and/or cover plate, either knob-shaped, elastically designed holding means are arranged in the middle of the plate on the inside of the plate, onto which the disk-shaped data carrier is buttoned using a centrally arranged, circular recess, or additional, foldable holding tabs are provided on the inside of the base plate.

These retaining tabs are located on the sides or side edges of the base and/or cover plate, where there is no connection to the other flap, and prevent the data carrier from sliding out sideways when the packaging is closed. These retaining tabs must be opened to position the data carrier on or remove it from the base plate and folded back into their original position before closing the packaging again.

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The known solutions for packaging a disc-shaped data carrier, for example a CD, therefore have the significant disadvantage that after opening the packaging by folding back the cover plate, a number of additional steps are required to remove the data carrier from the packaging or to properly reinsert the data carrier into the packaging.

In particular, packaging solutions in which the packaged data carrier is attached to the base plate of the packaging by unbuttoning require the user of the data carrier to exert a relatively large amount of force and to be able to use particular dexterity in order to be able to detach the data carrier from the base plate and remove it from the packaging. This is due to the fact that the holding means that grip behind the recess arranged in the middle of the data carrier have a relatively high mechanical rigidity and the resulting holding effect can only be overcome with difficulty.

These difficulties in handling the packaging of disc-shaped data carriers often lead to the packaging no longer being used for reasons of convenience, so that the data carriers are disadvantageously subjected to mechanical damage and the reproduction quality of the information stored on the data carrier deteriorates.

Based on the deficiencies of the prior art, the invention is based in particular on the object of creating a container for packaging a disc-shaped object, in particular a data carrier, for example a CD, of the type mentioned at the beginning, which, in comparison with known packaging, is characterized by a more convenient

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Handling when removing or packing the disc-shaped object.

The problem is solved by the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 1.

The invention includes the knowledge that a significant improvement in the handling of a disc-shaped object to be packed in a container or removed from this container can be achieved if at least ^one holding means is provided in the container, which essentially retains its position and shape for fixing the disc-shaped object, for example a data carrier in the form of a CD, which - in cooperation with the section of the container forming the folding axis - largely restricts the horizontal and vertical movement of the packaged object by means of a positive locking.

This form closure, which restricts the movement of the packaged object, can be removed when the container is opened at least to the extent that the object can be easily removed from the side in the direction of the folding axis. When the disc-shaped object is packaged, it is pushed in from this side, whereby the form closure required to secure the position of the disc-shaped object can be easily restored once the container is closed.

This results in the significant advantage that the disc-shaped object can be easily removed from the opened container without additional manipulation to change the position and/or shape of a holding device provided in the container.

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can be removed from or placed into a designated container.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the holding means is designed as a substantially strip-shaped holding bracket, which is attached to the inside of the base and/or cover plate on the side facing away from the folding axis of the container. The strip-shaped holding bracket extends substantially in the plane spanned by the base and/or cover plate and is pivotably connected to the base and/or cover plate from this plane.

The fastening is advantageously carried out at the strip ends of the retaining bracket pointing in the direction of the folding axis, so that the free end of the retaining bracket can be pivoted slightly out of the plane of the base and/or cover plate by means of the disc-shaped data carrier without any special effort when the data carrier is removed from the container or is reinserted into the container for storage.

In this case, it is particularly advantageous for secure fastening if the retaining bracket is made available from a second material layer that at least partially covers the base and/or cover plate by means of an embossing and punching process and the second material layer is glued to the base and/or cover plate, excluding the surface section forming the retaining bracket.

The strip-shaped retaining bracket has a groove-shaped embossed edge in the fastening area of both ends, which on the one hand forms a pivot axis and on the other hand ensures that the retaining bracket is in a

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extends at a slight distance essentially parallel to the plane spanned by the base and/or cover plate of the container, whereby the disc-shaped object can be easily inserted between the retaining bracket and the base and/or cover plate when the container is open. In particular, when the disc-shaped data carrier is inserted into the container, the retaining bracket can be pivoted slightly out of the plane spanned by the base and/or cover plate by means of the data carrier.

This design of the fastening area of the retaining bracket makes it particularly easy to insert or remove the data carrier.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the strip-shaped retaining bracket has the shape of a circular ring section which preferably overlaps the data carrier located in the container up to the central axis of the data carrier. The diameter of the inner circle of the circular ring section forming the retaining bracket corresponds essentially to the outer diameter of the disk-shaped data carrier.

When the data carrier is inserted into the container, an essentially point-shaped active contact is created in the fastening area at the strip ends between the retaining bracket and the periphery of the data carrier, by means of which movement of the data carrier in the container in the plane of the base and/or cover plate of the container to the right or to the left or up and down is prevented in a simple manner. The direction of movement still possible to the left or to the right with an open container is determined by the folding axis

•# * 0

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forming material area of the container is essentially blocked when the lid flap has been folded onto the base plate.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the retaining bracket is designed to be angled, with the individual strip-shaped sections of the retaining bracket having essentially the same length and the angle formed by the material strips of the retaining bracket having a value χ in the range 80° > χ < 110°. In order to ensure that the data carrier is held securely in the container, the strip-shaped sections of the retaining bracket have a length such that the apex of the angle is located above the central recess of the data carrier when it is inserted.

To connect the retaining bracket to the base and/or cover plate, it is advisable to design the retaining bracket as an element of a separate material layer and to attach it to the base and/or cover plate by gluing.

If the strip-shaped retaining bracket has a relatively small material width, a material-saving variant of the invention provides for the retaining bracket to be formed from the material of the base plate by means of a stamping and embossing process.

Such a retaining bracket is particularly advantageous if, according to a variant of the above-described embodiments of the invention, the container for the secure storage of a disk-shaped data carrier in the form of a one-piece base plate is designed as an essentially flat additional part of a separate packaging.

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The retaining bracket, which fixes the data carrier on a base plate in a predeterminable position, has an additional safety tab, which penetrates the central recess of the disk-shaped data carrier, when it has been pushed into the narrow space between the base plate and the retaining bracket.

In addition to the locking effect provided by the retaining bracket, this safety tab simply blocks the possibility of movement of the data carrier in the opposite direction to its insertion. The tip of the tongue-shaped safety tab points in the direction of the insertion movement of the data carrier. The base plate supporting the data carrier is designed in this form as an insert for a more elaborately designed packaging box, for example one used for presentation purposes.

A base plate that is several times larger in area than the disk-shaped data carrier offers sufficient space to arrange an inscription or a dedication, as is the case, for example, with representative gift packaging to mark a company anniversary. If necessary, the area of the base plate not occupied by the data carrier can be used advantageously as an information and/or advertising space.

Other advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims or are described in more detail below together with the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention using the figures. They show:

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the invention in top view,

· · · mmmmm mm

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Figure 2 shows the embodiment shown in Figure 1 in side view,

Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the invention in a top view,

Figure 4 shows a favorable development of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 3,

Figure 5 shows an advantageous further development of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 2,

Figure 6 an additional embodiment of the invention viewed from above,

Figure 6a shows the view of a section along the line A. . .A according to Figure 6,

Figure 7 shows an advantageous variant of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 3 in a view ■ from above,

Figure 7a shows the view of a section along the line B...B according to Figure 7

as well as

Figure 8 shows a favorable variant of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1 in a view from above.

The container 100 shown in Figures 1 and 2 for storing or packaging a compact disk 104 has a base plate 102 and a cover plate 103 hinged to this base plate.

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The base plate is designed as a single layer and has a circular ring-shaped retaining bracket 106 on its inside, which is attached to the outside of the base plate 102 opposite the folding axes 111, 112. The ends of the retaining bracket 106 are connected to a narrow material layer 118, which is attached to the base plate 102 by gluing. The adhesive layer is designated 117.

After the data carrier 104 is inserted into the container 100 from above in the direction of the cover plate 103, an active contact is created in the fastening area 113, 114 at the strip ends between the retaining bracket 106 and the periphery of the data carrier 104, in each case at point 109, by which a movement of the data carrier 104 located in the container in the plane of the base plate 102 of the container 100 to the right and to the left or downwards is prevented in a simple manner. The upward direction of movement that is still possible in the case of the container 100 shown open is essentially blocked by the forming material area 119 of the container, which is delimited by the folding axes 111, 112, when the cover flap 103 has been folded onto the base plate 102 in the direction of the arrow 110.

The fastening is advantageously carried out at the strip ends 113, 114 of the retaining bracket 104 pointing in the direction of the folding axes 111, 112 produced by embossing, so that the free end of the retaining bracket 104 can be pivoted slightly out of the plane of the base plate 102 without any special effort when the data carrier 104 is removed from the container 100 or is reinserted into the container 100 for storage.

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Due to the punching/embossing process, the strip-shaped retaining bracket 104 has a groove-shaped embossed edge 107 in the fastening area 113, 114 of each of its two ends, which on the one hand forms a pivot axis and on the other hand ensures that the retaining bracket 104 extends at a slight distance essentially parallel to the plane spanned by the base plate 102.

Such a design of the fastening area of the retaining bracket 106 makes it significantly easier to insert or remove the data carrier 104.

The strip-shaped retaining bracket has the shape of a circular ring section which overlaps the data carrier located in the container up to the central recess 105 arranged in the middle of the data carrier. The inner diameter of the circular ring section forming the retaining bracket 106 corresponds essentially to the outer diameter of the disk-shaped data carrier 104.

The container 200 shown in Figure 3 for storing or packaging a disk-shaped data carrier 204 has an angle-shaped retaining bracket 206 which extends over the data carrier 204 up to the central recess 205. The material strips of the retaining bracket 204 form an angle of approximately 100 degrees.

The holding bracket 206 is hinged with its end sections to the glued-on narrow material layer 218 via the embossed edges 207 produced when the holding bracket is punched out and extends essentially parallel to the plane spanned by the base plate 202. The connecting areas 213, 214 are formed in the manner described above by semicircular recesses 209 at the contact points.

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ten 208 against the occurrence of stress concentrations, which would lead to tearing of the material if the container 200 were used frequently.

The cover plate 203 is - according to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2 - connected to the base plate 202 by embossed groove-shaped folding axes 211, 212 and covers the latter completely when the container 200 is closed. The material strip 219 located between the folding axes 211, 212 secures the packaged data carrier 204 against accidentally slipping out in the opposite direction to the insertion direction.

Figures 4 and 5 each show a top view of an opened container 300, 400 which can accommodate several data carriers 304, 404.

The base plate 302 of the container 300 shown in Figure 4 has two angle-shaped retaining brackets 306 arranged in a row.

In the container 400 according to Figure 5, two circular retaining brackets 406 arranged in a row are provided on both the base plate 402 and the cover plate 403 for the secure storage of a total of four disk-shaped data carriers 404.

The angle-shaped or semicircular retaining brackets 306, 406 are attached via an embossed edge 307, 407 to a narrow material strip 318, 418, which in turn is glued to the base plate 302, 402.

The fastening areas 313, 314 or 413, 414 and the contact points 309, 409 between the periphery of the data carrier

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304, 404 and the respective retaining bracket 306, 406 are designed as already described in the explanations for Figures 1 to 3.

After folding the lid flap 303 or 403 in the direction of the arrows 310, 410 onto the base plate 302, 402 hinged via the embossing grooves 311, 312 or 411, 412, the data carriers located in the container 300, 400 are blocked in their position against unwanted sliding out by the material strips 319, 419 forming the folding axis.

The container shown in Figures 6 and 6a has a base plate 516 made up of two material layers connected by an adhesive layer 517, in which the retaining bracket 506 has been formed from the cover layer 518 by an embossing/punching process. The base plate 516 is intended as an insert for an independent, preferably representatively designed, packaging and therefore does not have a separate cover plate.

For this application, a tongue-shaped safety tab 515 is provided on the retaining bracket 506 in the middle, pointing in the direction in which the data carrier 504 is inserted, to secure the position of the data carrier 506 located in the container 504. This safety tab is inserted through the central recess in the data carrier 504 when the circular retaining bracket 506 overlaps the data carrier 504.

The formation of the fastening areas 513, 514 and the contact points 508, 509 between the periphery of the data carrier 504 and the folding edges 507 has been carried out as already described.

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The area of the base plate 516 not required for the data carrier 504 can be used depending on the intended use of the packaging, for example for a dedication or for advertising information 524.

Figures 7 and 7a show a special packaging 600 in plan view and as a sectional view, respectively.

The base plate 619 with the data carrier 604 fixed by an angled retaining bracket 606 is inserted into the frame limitation 618 of the special packaging 600. The base plate 619 rests on the bottom 621 of the special packaging 600 with its side edges 620 bent downwards at a right angle.

The retaining bracket 606 is formed from the single-layer base plate 619 by an embossing/punching process and has a centrally arranged safety tab 615 pointing in the direction of insertion of the data carrier 604. After inserting this tongue-shaped safety tab into the central recess 605 of the data carrier, its ability to move in all directions, in particular against its insertion direction, is blocked.

The folding edges 607 provided on the fastening areas 613, 614 and the shape of the recesses 608 at the contact points 609 between the data carrier periphery and the folding edges 607 are designed as already described.

A handle 622 is provided for handling the special packaging 600.

··

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The container 700 shown in Figure 8 has, in comparison with the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1, a two-part cover plate 703. When folding the opened container 700, first the inner cover plate part 723 is folded onto the inside of the base plate 702 and then the outer cover plate part 724 is folded onto the outside of the base plate 702 using the embossed grooves 711, 712, 721, 722.

The securing of the position of the data carrier 704 located in the container is achieved - as already explained in principle in the previous figures - by the elements 706, 708, 709, 719 of the container 700.

The invention is not limited in its implementation to the preferred embodiments given above. Rather, a number of variants are conceivable which make use of the solution presented even in fundamentally different embodiments.

Claims (20)

S46.G5 - 16 - Claims 1. Container (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 700) for packaging or storing at least one flat, disc-shaped object, in particular a data carrier (104, 204, 304, 404, 504, 604, 704), for example a CD, consisting essentially of cardboard or a correspondingly processable flat, at least semi-rigid material, having a single base plate (516, 619) or a base plate (102, 202, 302, 402, 702) with a cover plate (103, 203, 303, 403, 703) connected to it along a side edge and hinged to it in a foldable manner, wherein the object is held in place by a locking device attached to the base and/or cover plate (102, 202, 302, 402, 516, 619, 702 or 103, .203, 303, 403, 703) arranged holding means (106, 206, 306, 406, 506, 606, 706) is fixed in a predetermined position, characterized, that a retaining bracket (106, 206, 306, 406, 506, 606, 706) which is pivotably connected to the base and/or cover plate from the plane spanned by the base and/or cover plate and is essentially designed in the form of a strip is provided as the retaining means. 2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining bracket (106, 206, 306, 406, 706) is designed in a single layer and is attached to a side opposite the folding axis (111, 112, 211, 212, 311, 312, 411, 412, 711, 712) of the hingedly connected base and/or cover S46.G5 - 17 - cle plate {102, 202, 302, 402, 702 or 103, 203, 303, 403, 703) is arranged.' 3. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the material strip (106, 206, 306, 406, 706) forming the retaining bracket is fastened with its two ends (113, 114, 213, 214, 313, 314, 413, 414, 713, 714) to the inside of the base and/or cover plate (102, 202, 302, 402, 702 or 103, 203, 303, 403, 703). 4. Container according to claim 3, characterized in that the fastening ends (113, 114, 213, 214, 313, 314, 413, 414, 513, 514, 613, 614, 713, 714) are each arranged on two outer edges of the base and/or cover plate (102, 202, 302, 402, 516, 619, 702 or 103, 203, 303, 403, 703) extending parallel to one another. 5. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining bracket is designed as a circular ring section (106, 206, 406, 506, 706). 6. Container according to claim 5, characterized in that the inner diameter of the circular ring section (106, 406, 506, 706) substantially corresponds to the outer diameter of the data carrier (104, 404, 504, 704). 7. Container according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the retaining bracket consists of a S46.G5 - 18 - substantial angularly extending material strips (306, 606). 8. Container according to claim 7, characterized in that the angle formed by the material strips of the retaining bracket (306, 606) has a value &khgr; in the range 80° >&khgr;< 110°. 9. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining bracket (106, 206, 306, 406, 706) consists of a separate material layer and is connected by adhesive to the base and/or cover plate (102, 202, 302, 402, 702 or 103, 203, 303, 403, 703). 10. Container according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the retaining bracket (506, 606) is formed from the material of the base plate (516, 619) and is formed therefrom by an embossing/punching process. 11. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining bracket (106, 206, 306, 406, 506, 606, 706) overlaps the data carrier (104, 204, 304, 404, 504, 604, 704) at least up to its central axis. 12. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining bracket (106, 206, 306, 406, 506, 606, 706) is located at a slight distance in the S46.G5 - 19 - substantially parallel to the plane spanned by the base and/or cover plate (102, 202, 302, 402, 516, 619, 702 or 103, 203, 303, 403, 703). 13. Container according to claim 12, characterized in that the retaining bracket (106, 206, 306, 406, 506, 606, 706) has a groove-shaped embossed edge (107, 207, 307, 407, 507, 607, 707) in its fastening regions (113, 114, 213, 214, 313, 314, 413, 414, 513, 514, 613, 614, 713, 714) which extends essentially transversely to the direction of insertion of the data carrier to be packaged (104, 204, 304, 404, 504, 604, 704). 14. Container according to one of claims 12 and 13, characterized in that the retaining bracket (106, 206, 306, 406, 506, 606, 706) in its fastening region at the point 109, 209, 309, 409, 509, 609, 709) where the packaged data carrier (104, 204, 304, 404, 504, 604, 704) is in operative contact with the retaining bracket at the peripheral edge, has a means (108, 208, 308, 408, 508, 608, 708) for preventing the formation of notch stress. 15. Container according to claim 14, characterized in that the retaining bracket (106, 206, 306, 406, 506, 606, 706) is provided with a rounded recess (108, 208, 308, 408, 508, 608, 708) as a means for preventing the formation of notch stresses. S46.G5 - 20 - 16. Container according to claim 15, characterized in that the recess (108, 208, 308, 408, 508, 608, 708) is essentially semicircular. 17. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of identically designed retaining brackets (306, 406) are provided on the base and/or cover plate (302, 303, 402, 403). 18. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining bracket (606, 706) has a centrally arranged, tongue-shaped security tab (515, 615) extending essentially in the direction of insertion of the data carrier (504, 604) and penetrating the central recess (505, 605) of the packaged data carrier (504, 604). 19. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the base plate (516, 619) is designed as an insert for a packaging (600), for example intended for representation purposes. 20. Container according to claim 19, characterized in that on the side of the base plate (516) having the retaining bracket (506) a free space (524) is provided for a quantity of information, preferably for a dedication or an advertising print.