WO1999039348A1

WO1999039348A1 - Packaging for discs

Info

Publication number: WO1999039348A1
Application number: PCT/GB1999/000154
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Robin Markwell
Original assignee: Michael Robin Markwell
Priority date: 1998-02-02
Filing date: 1999-02-02
Publication date: 1999-08-05
Also published as: GB9802136D0; GB2333753A; GB2333753B; AU2286899A; GB9902237D0

Abstract

Packaging for mounting a centrally-apertured disc (20) during storage, transportation and/or display, which packaging includes a flexibly-resilient, planar backing card (15) for mounting the disc and protecting one face thereof. Said card being provided substantially in the plane of the face with three triangulated fixing points defined in the card and so disposed thereon that the edges of the disc when it is juxtaposed with the card can, with the aid of card-flexure if required, be embraced by and abutted against the card (15) at each of said fixing points. Two of said fixing points (18) are arranged to embrace and abut the periphery of said disc at points spaced apart therearound and the other fixing point (19) being arranged to embrace and abut the edge of the central aperture in said disc.

Description

1

PACKAGING FOR DISCS

This invention relates to packaging for centrally-apertured discs, and more particularly to storage, transportation and display packaging for sound recording media, in particular so-called "compact disc" recordings, often abbreviated as "CD recordings".

The quality of sound obtained from a CD recording of music &c. is excellent so long as the disc remains undamaged but obviously its surface needs to be protected against damage when not in use, and especially during storage, transportation and display at the point of sale. This need is all the greater if the CD recording is to be a gift, which perhaps may have to be sent through the post. However it is important to realize that while protection must be the paramount consideration it is commercially vital that the packaging must also be able to display the CD-recording at the point of sale in an attractive manner.

Various forms of display packaging have already been devised for this kind of purpose, but despite their merits for protective purposes and even their attractiveness at the point of sale all of the existing packagings have their problems from the manufacturing viewpoint. Obviously the packaging must provide arrangements for mounting the CD (or other disc) securely therewithin, but existing arrangements tend to be complex, which is not only costly in itself but also introduces difficulties in inserting the CD-recording into the packaging during manufacture (or indeed even re-inserting it after use) and/or in readily removing it from the packaging when the CD recording is to be played.

It is an object of this invention to provide a form of packaging for CD or other recordings which at best retains and indeed hopefully enhances the attractive appearance of the composite article (that is to say, the CD recording within its packaging) at the point of sale, without of course impairing the necessary protective function of the 2 packaging, and yet which will significantly simplify the procedures involved in mounting the disc within the packaging during manufacture and thereafter in removing the disc therefrom (and indeed if necessary reinserting it therein) when in the hands of the ultimate user. This aim is achieved by establishing a triangulated three point fixing between the disc (i.e. the CD or the like) and a flexibly-resilient protective backing card at two fixing points spaced apart round its periphery (on the one hand) and its central aperture (on the other hand) which provides the third fixing point. It then becomes possible swiftly and easily to mount the disc upon the card by sliding one across the other (in face-to-face juxtaposition) until there is engagement between disc and card at one or two fixing point(s), whereupon the card may be flexed into engagement with the disc at the other fixing point(s). According to the invention there is provided packaging for mounting a centrally-apertured disc during storage, transportation and/or display, which packaging is or includes a flexibly-resilient, substantially planar backing card for mounting the disc and protecting one face thereof, said card being provided substantially in the plane thereof with three triangulated fixing points defined in the card and so disposed thereon that the edges of the disc when it is juxtaposed with the card can, with the aid of card-flexure if required, be embraced by and abutted against the card at each of said fixing points, two of said fixing points being arranged to embrace and abut the periphery of said disc at points spaced apart therearound and the other fixing point being arranged to embrace and abut the edge of the central aperture in said disc.

In the currently-preferred embodiment of the packaging for mounting a centrally-apertured disc e.g. a CD during storage, transportation and/or display, this comprises a folder having front and back panels foldably interconnected along a rectilinear spine, said panels when in the closed position of the folder respectively 3 embracing at least part of each side of a disc when mounted therein, one of said panels being provided with attachment means slidably engageable in the plane of such disc with its central aperture to mount the disc on said one panel with part of its rim extending beyond the folder-spine, an elongate opening through said spine able to accommodate such disc and through which its rim protrudes in closed position, the respective ends of said elongate opening being arranged and disposed to provide spaced abutment points for such disc rim which engage therewith when in closed position to retain such disc from disengaging with the attachment means.

While it is possible to envisage the possibility of the packaging being manufactured from a back panel and a front panel which are formed of different sheet materials, it is obviously preferable from the viewpoint of simplicity and economy in manufacture for the back panel and the front panel to be formed of the same flexibly-resilient sheet material, and indeed, integral with each other along the spine of the folder which then is defined by a fold-line between the back panel and the front panel.

More particularly, the invention will advantageously comprise: - a generally-planar but flexibly-resilient back panel having at least one rectilinear edge, said back panel being adapted at least partly to underlie the centrally-apertured disc to be mounted thereon and extend from said one rectilinear edge of said back panel adjacent one arcuate, peripheral rim of said disc at least past the central aperture therein;

- a front panel consisting of or comprising a retention flap secured to said back panel along said rectilinear edge thereof and foldable about said edge though substantially 180° between the "folder open" position at which it is substantially co-planar with the back panel and the "folder closed" position at which it at least partially overlies said back panel and together therewith forms the folder, the common rectilinear edge being then the spine of said folder; 4

- a slot formed through and extending longitudinally of said spine, the width of said slot being sufficient to accommodate the thickness of the arcuate peripheral rim of said disc, and its length corresponding to a sub-diametrical chord of the disc to be mounted in said packaging; and

- attachment means in the form of a flexibly-resilient generally V-shaped tongue associated with said resiliently-flexible back panel, said tongue having its tip directed towards the elongate slot, and being so positioned in or on the back panel that when the folder is in open position the aperture in the disc may be slidably engaged therewith and on closing the folder the arcuate peripheral rim of said disc abuts against both ends of the slot and is restrained thereby against any possibility of the disc aperture slipping out of engagement with the attachment means. The tongue will very desirably be delineated by a generally V- shaped incision through the resiliently flexible back panel, and elsewhere is integral therewith.

Normally the overall outline of the backing sheet will be rectangular, and the V-shaped tongue will have its tip directed centrally of the slot and will be substantially equidistant from the top and bottom ends of said slot. The tip of the generally V-shaped tongue may be pointed, but it will preferably be slightly rounded or otherwise truncated.

While not always essential from a protective viewpoint (dependent on what other, additional packaging is provided) it is certainly preferable that the back panel should extend beyond the central aperture to underlie substantially the whole of a disc mounted thereon, thus about its protruding rim.

The retention flap when in its closed position will however preferably extend only part-way across a disc when it is mounted in the folder, leaving at least part of the mounted disc still exposed to view. It is not necessary but it may however sometimes be 5 advantageous if the retention flap extends sufficiently far across the mounted disc to overlie at least the tip of the V-shaped tongue, and hereby help to prevent the tongue from accidentally disengaging therefrom. The slot can be a mere slit in and along the folding line (thus a rectilinear incision through the sheet between the top and bottom ends at the folding line) and in that event the portion of the front panel (the retention flap) which in the open position underlies the protruding rim of the disc will flex and snap over the rim as the front panel is moved to its closed position, then to overlie the rest of the disc. This may sometimes be an advantageous arrangement, which has the effect of to some extent "locking" the folder in closed position after the disc has been thus mounted therein.

If the locking effect is not thought necessary the mere slit may be replaced by a slot of small but adequate width, cut into the back panel and/or the front panel adjacent the fold line, to one or other side thereof, or even both. This however while satisfactory in use should usually be avoided, as it creates a cut-out fragment of material which has to be discarded and may give rise to manufacturing problems. It is therefore recommended that the slot should take the form of a non-rectilinear incision through the sheet material of either the back panel or the front panel (perhaps conceivably of both) between the top and bottom ends of the folding line, which on closing the folder thus opens out to define an extension beyond the spine on one of the panels and a correspondingly-shaped indentation receding from the spine in the other. As will be further explained hereafter, this is particularly desirable when a CD recording is to be mounted in the folder, since by ensuring that the non-rectilinear incision is of arcuate shape corresponding to the protruding rim of the mounted disc one thereby provides protection for the protruding rim of the mounted disc. It will be understood that the length of the slot must of course be that of a sub-diametrical chord of the disc to be mounted, thus less 6 than the diameter of the disc to be mounted and displayed in the packing material, since otherwise it would be possible for the disc to slip completely through the slot and thereby exit from the packaging. Conversely, the slot must of course be of a sufficient length to ensure that its ends are spaced far enough apart to provide an effective triangulated, three-point fixing for the disc when mounted on the backing sheet.

Within those limits, the relative dimensions of the disc-diameter and the slot-length may be chosen as desired for any particular purpose. However the longer the slot relative to the diameter of the disc, the further will the arcuate, peripheral rim of that disc protrude through the slot when fully inserted thereinto, and on the whole it is generally preferred that the rim of the disc should protrude only slightly through the slot in the spine. Consequently it is currently preferred that the respective top and bottom ends of the slot should subtend an angle of 2Θ at the centre of the central aperture in the disc, where θ is in the range of from 10° to 30°, and preferably θ is 20° ± 5°.

The packaging as so far described provides an effective mounting for a CD (or other centrally-apertured disc) recording, which is simple and therefore cheap to manufacture, and perhaps more importantly into which it is easy to insert a disc during manufacture, and indeed subsequently to remove it therefrom for use, and even to re-insert it therein afterwards. The free edge of the retention flap may (unless the more complex arrangements to be subsequently described are adopted) be contoured to impart a decorative motif to the overall appearance of the folder when in its closed position.

At this point it should be explained that a centrally-apertured disc may be inserted into the packaging as follows. The folder is laid out flat in its open position, and the disc is laid flat upon it (in the case of a CD recording preferably recording side down) and slid across its surface until its central aperture fully engages with the tongue on the 7 back panel. When thus fully engaged with the tongue, the rim of the disc will be substantially coincident with the ends of the slot but will still protrude slightly beyond the middle of the slot. On folding the cover flap over to the closed position of the folder, the disc is held firmly in place within the folder between the three, triangulated main contact points between them, namely (i) the tongue and central aperture, (ii) the rim and one of the ends of the slot and (iii) the rim and the other of the ends of the slot. In two swift movements the disc can thus be engaged first with the tongue and then with the slot, to mount it firmly in the packaging.

However this simple packaging leaves the protruding rim of the disc unprotected. To deal with this problem, already briefly mentioned above, it is a much preferred further feature of this invention that the front panel should include not only the retention flap but also a further rim-protective cover foldably attached to a second rectilinear edge of the retention flap, parallel to said spine which can be folded back, again through substantially 180°, to overlie said flap and extend beyond it at least sufficiently far to cover that part of the arcuate, peripheral rim of said disc which protrudes through the elongate slot beyond the spine when such a disc is mounted in the folder and fully inserted into said slot.

This cover will advantageously be formed of the same flexible sheet material as the backing sheet and the retention flap. Provided that it does extend over and thus protect the rim protruding through the slot, the shape of its other edges is not important. However, they will conveniently be of the same dimensions from top to bottom as the backing sheet and retention flap. Unless the still more complex arrangements to be described below are adopted, the free edge of the cover may be contoured to impart a decorative motif to the overall appearance of the folder when in the closed position, provided always that the imparted contours leave the protruding rim of the disc still protected. 8

However, while the protective function of the cover can be achieved when it consists of a single-leaf cover, for improvement of the decorative effect it is often preferred to employ a multi-leaf cover. In that case the single-leaf cover sheet as broadly disclosed above will need to terminate in a third rectilinear edge, which in the folded position lies parallel with (and usually closely adjacent to) the spine, and to which rectilinear edge there is attached a decorative overlay panel, foldable to overlie at least part of a disc mounted in said packaging. Again, the top and bottom edges of this overlay panel will normally be substantially co-incident with the top and bottom edges of the backing sheet, the retention flap and the cover sheet, but the other, free edge of the overlay panel while it may be rectilinear can however also, when desired and appropriate, be contoured to provide a decorative motif, for instance one suitable to the nature of the disc to be displayed in said packaging, and/or the season of the year and/or the occasion of the gift.

The arrangement just described can be further refined, so as simultaneously to achieve savings in the amount (and thus the cost) of the sheet material used and also to yield a particularly attractive appearance, by including extra rectilinear fold lines at both the top and bottom of the decorative overlay panel, and intermediate said top and bottom extra fold lines providing a non-rectilinear incision through the sheet material running from one of said extra fold lines to the other, which incision extends into a central portion, intermediate its top and bottom edges, of at least the rim-protective cover sheet, and optionally of also the retaining flap.

On folding the terminal portion of the decorative overlay panel not forward to overlie the backing sheet but backwards upon itself the incised cut-out in the non-terminal panel portion and the rim-protective cover sheet (as well as possibly also in the retaining flap) will project across part of any disc mounted on the backing sheet - and the outline 9 of this projection, delineated by the chosen non-rectilinear incision, may provide a decorative motif.

The invention of course extends also to the composite article comprising both the packaging herein disclosed and also a CD or other disc recording mounted therein.

The packaging with disc recording mounted therein can and usually will for storage, transportation and/or display also include a pocket or sleeve which envelops the folder. Such a pocket or sleeve will often preferably be partially or fully transparent (being formed of e.g. cellulose acetate) and may well include means for assisting the display of the composite article at the point of sale, e.g. a hole whereby the composite article may be hung up for access by the general public.

In order that the invention may be still better understood some preferred embodiments thereof will now be described in more detail, though only by way of illustration, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one very simple embodiment of packaging arranged in accordance with this invention and having a backing sheet and one cover sheet in the fully open position;

Figure 2 is a cross-section along line X-X marked on Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the embodiment of Figure 1 with the CD removed;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the embodiment of Figure 1 but with the CD in position and the retention flap folded round;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the packaging, before insertion of the CD;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the embodiment of Figure 5 but with the CD in position and the packaging fully folded; Figure 7 is a plan view of a third embodiment of the packaging, before Insertion of the CD; 10

Figure 8 is a partially perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 7 with the CD in position and the packaging almost fully folded; and

Figures 9 to 11 are respectively a plan view, a partially folded perspective and a fully folded perspective view of a fourth embodiment of packaging of this invention.

Referring initially to Figures 1 to 4, there is illustrated a first embodiment of card, for use as a greetings card, for example, and supporting a CD. The card comprises a backing sheet 15 together with an retention flap 16 hinged to the backing sheet 15 along a rectilinear fold line 17, there being an arcuate incision 18 through the material of the card in the central region of the fold line 17. In the middle region of the backing sheet 15, attachment means is cut out of the backing sheet, in this example a V-shaped tongue 19, so that a CD 20 may be held by that tongue when the CD is moved over the backing sheet 15, as illustrated in Figure 3. Then, on folding the retention flap round to overlie the backing sheet 15, with the CD between the backing sheet and the retention flap 16, a relatively small sector 20 of the CD in the region of the CD rim will pass through the incision 18, so that the CD is securely held both by that sector in the incision and the V-shaped tongue 19. This is illustrated in Figure 4.

Figures 5 and 6 show a second embodiment of packaging, and like components with those of Figures 1 to 4 are given like reference numbers; those components will not be described again here. In this second embodiment, there is a rim protective cover 21 hinged along edge 22 to the edge of the retention flap 16 opposed to fold line 17. The packaging of Figures 5 and 6 is used in the same way as that of Figures 1 to 4, except that following the folding round of the retention flap 16, to overlie the CD 20, the protective cover 21 may be hinged round about edge 22, so as to overlie panel 16. The fully folded position is shown in Figure 6 and it can be seen that with this embodiment, only one side of the overall packaging need be printed, 1 1 for the folded packaging to present printed matter as well as a part of the CD. Furthermore the protective cover extends beyond and therefore protects the edge of the CD that protrudes out of the incision 18. Figure 7 and 8 show a yet further development of the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6. Again, like components are given like reference characters but in the embodiment of Figures 7 and 8 there is provided a decorative overlay panel 25, hinged to the edge 24 of protective cover 21 remote from edge 22. The packaging of Figure 7 is folded as shown in Figure 8 and the decorative overlay panel 25 will give protection for the part of the CD which may be exposed in the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6. Moreover, a plain panel is presented to a recipient of the card, on removing the card from an envelope and this panel may be suitably decorated. Figures 9 to 1 1 show a third embodiment, employing the basic principles of the first embodiment but having first, second and third relatively short panels 27, 28 and 29 each hinged to the other for folding in a concertina-like manner over the backing sheet 15. Moreover, there is a front panel 30 hinged for part of its length about line 31 to a the third panel 29, but also hinged at its lower end at 32 to an extension of the first panel 27. A cut extends through the material of the packaging 33 so that on folding the packaging in a manner described above, a card as illustrated in Figure 11 is formed, with a significant area presented to the recipient which area partially overlies the CD 20 as well as overlying part of the V-shaped tongue 19. The now out-standing edge of the cut 33 may be formed in any reasonable configuration and can therefore provide useful decorative features. Also, as it is spaced away from the backing sheet 15 and CD 20 held thereon, it can provide an element of three dimensionality to the overall display.

Claims

12CLAIMS

1. Packaging for mounting a centrally-apertured disc (20) during storage, transportation and/or display, which packaging is or includes a flexibly-resilient, substantially planar backing card (15) for mounting the disc and protecting one face thereof, said card being provided substantially in the plane thereof with three triangulated fixing points defined in the card and so disposed thereon that the edges of the disc when it is juxtaposed with the card can, with the aid of card-flexure if required, be embraced by and abutted against the card at each of said fixing points, two of said fixing points being arranged to embrace and abut the periphery of said disc at points spaced apart therearound and the other fixing point (19) being arranged to embrace and abut the edge of the central aperture in said disc.

2. Packaging for mounting a centrally-apertured disc therein during storage, transportation and/or display, which packaging comprises:

- a flexibly-resilient backing sheet (15) having at least one rectilinear edge (17), said backing sheet being adapted to underlie the centrally-apertured disc (20) to be mounted thereon and extend from said first rectilinear edge of said backing sheet adjacent one arcuate, peripheral rim of said disc at least past the central aperture therein,

- a retention flap (16) secured to said backing sheet along said rectilinear edge thereof and foldable about said edge through substantially 180┬░ between an "open" position wherein it is substantially co-planar with the backing sheet and a "closed" position wherein it at least partially overlies said backing sheet and together therewith forms a folder, the common rectilinear edge being then the spine of said folder; - a slot (18) formed in and extending longitudinally of said spine, the width of said slot being sufficient to accommodate the thickness of the arcuate peripheral rim of said disc, and its length 13 corresponding to a sub-diametrical chord of the disc to be mounted in said packaging; and

- a flexibly-resilient generally V-shaped tongue (19) associated with said resiliently-flexible backing sheet, said tongue having its tip directed towards the elongate slot, and being so positioned in or on the backing sheet that when the folder is in open position the disc may be readily engaged therewith and on closing the folder the arcuate peripheral rim of said disc snaps into fully inserted engagement with said slot.

3. Packaging as claimed in claim 2, in which the tongue is delineated by a generally V-shaped incision through the resiliently- flexible backing sheet and elsewhere is integral therewith.

4. Packaging as claimed in claim 2, or claim 3, in which said backing sheet extends to underlie the whole of a disc mounted thereon.

5. Packaging as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4, in which said flap and the backing sheet are integrally formed of the same material, and said spine is defined by a fold-line between the backing sheet and the flap.

6. Packaging as claimed in any of claims 2 to 5, in which said flap when in the closed position extends only part-way across a disc to be mounted in said folder, leaving part of said disc exposed to view.

7. Packaging as claimed in any of claims 2 to 6, in which the overall outline of the backing sheet is rectangular, and the V-shaped tongue has its tip directed centrally of the slot and is substantially equidistant from the top and bottom ends of said slot.

8. Packaging as claimed in any of claims 2 to 7, in which the respective ends of said slot subtend an angle 2╬ÿ at the centre of the central aperture in said disc, where ╬╕ is an angle in the range of from 10┬░ to 30┬░.

9. Packaging as claimed in claim 8, in which ╬╕ is an angle of 20┬░ ┬▒ 5┬░. 14

10. Packaging as claimed in any of claims 2 to 9, in which said retention flap is a trapezium having a second rectilinear edge parallel to said spine, and foldably attached to said second rectilinear edge is a rim-protective cover which can be folded back to overlie said retention flap and extend beyond it at least sufficiently far to cover that part of the arcuate, peripheral rim of said disc which will protrude through the elongate slot beyond the spine when the disc is fully inserted into the slot.

1 1. Packaging as claimed in claim 10, in which both the retention- flap and said rim-protective cover are rectangular and of the same dimensions from top to bottom as the backing sheet, and said rim- protective cover comprises a single-leaf sheet which terminates closely adjacent to but extending beyond the spine.

12. Packaging as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11 , in which said rim- protective cover comprises a multi-leaf construction wherein the single-leaf sheet terminates in a third rectilinear edge, and foldably attached thereto is a decorative overlay panel.

13. Packaging as claimed in claim 12, in which the decorative overlay panel attached to said third rectilinear edge of said cover is directly foldable about said edge to overlie at least part of a disc mounted in said packaging.

14. Packaging as claimed in claim 13, in which the top and bottom edges of the decorative overlay panel are substantially co-incident with the top and bottom edges of the backing sheet, the flap and the cover, but the free edge of said decorative overlay panel is contoured to provide a decorative motif appropriate to the nature of the disc to be displayed in said packaging.

15. Packaging as claimed in claim 13, in which the top and bottom edges of the decorative overlay panel are substantially co-incident with the top and bottom edges of the backing sheet, the flap and the cover, and said decorative overlay panel includes a further rectilinear fold line at both top and bottom thereof, and intermediate said further 15 fold lines an incision through the sheet material running from one fold line to the other which incision extends into a portion intermediate its top and bottom edges of at least the rim-protective cover and optionally of also the retaining flap.

16. Packaging as claimed in claim 15, in which the incision is contoured to impart a decorative motif to the free edge of the incised cut-out which overlays a disc when mounted in the folder.

17. A composite article comprising a packaging folder as claimed in any of claims 2 to 16 together with a compact disc mounted therein.

18. A composite article as claimed in claim 17, which also includes a pocket or sleeve which closely envelops the packaging folder with compact disc mounted therein.

19. A composite article as claimed in claim 18, in which the pocket or sleeve is at least partially made of a transparent material.