WO2004102574A1

WO2004102574A1 - Tray for multiple planar objects

Info

Publication number: WO2004102574A1
Application number: PCT/US2004/015233
Authority: WO
Inventors: John A. Gelardi
Original assignee: Meadwestvaco Corporation
Priority date: 2003-05-13
Filing date: 2004-05-13
Publication date: 2004-11-25

Abstract

A tray for a plurality of substantially planar objects having central apertures, the tray has a base having at least one region for receiving the planar objects and post elements spaced apart from one another disposed within said at least one region corresponding to and for engaging the aperture of each one of the substatially planar objects.

Description

Tray for Multiple Planar Objects

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

(N/A)

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR

DEVELOPMENT

(N/A) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to trays for discs, and more particularly to a double sided disc tray having offset compartments and posts.

Manufactures often desire to package articles that they sell in packages that contain multiples of the article. Often, the package for containing multiples of the article may be used as a permanent storage device for reusable articles.

Trays are often used as storage mechanisms for disc-shaped articles such as compact discs (CD's), digital versatile discs (DVD's) and similarly shaped disc-like information storage mediums. Thus, it can be appreciated that it would be useful to have a tray for packaging more than one disc-shaped item.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a disc tray having offset compartments for receiving a disc and offset posts within the compartments for mounting the discs.

Other advantages and objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is an isometric illustration of a double-sided disc tray having offset compartments and posts in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same or like features of the invention.

Referring first to Fig. 1, therein is illustrated a double-sided disc tray 10 having offset compartments and posts in accordance with a preferred embodiment of a tray for multiple planar objects. In general, regions 30, 50 for receiving disc-shaped planar objects have post elements 40, 140 offset, or spaced apart, from one another. The compartment 30 and post 40, in the form of a rosette, are shown on the visible side of the tray 10, while the compartment 50 and post 140, also in the form of a rosette, are seen from their rear side looking through the tray.

Referring still to the preferred embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, the invention described in greater detail shows a region 30 on one side of a substantially planar base wherein the region 30 is defined by an arcuate wall 32, 34(which though shown as a contiguous member could be an interrupted structure). A portion of the arcuate wall is an arcuate wall segment 32 formed by a recess from a surface area 20 that is substantially flush with a perimeter of the base. The remainder of the arcuate wall is formed by an arcuate wall segment 34 that is a raised wall or protuberance. Disposed within this region, which in the preferred embodiment may be considered a compartment, is a post member 40 which in the preferred embodiment illustrated is shown as a rosette. A slight raised annular region 48 surrounds the post member 40. Depressed regions serving as finger wells 22 and 24 disposed at locations around the perimeter of the retaining region 30 facilitate placing a finger under a disc seated in the region 30 and mounted upon the post member for removal.

Still referring to Fig. 1, in the preferred embodiment, opposing sides of the tray are configured to receive a planar object, which in the preferred embodiment is a disc-like object. The two sides of the tray 10 are identical differing only in the polar orientation of the disc- receiving regions 30, 50. In the preferred embodiment shown in Fig. 1, some of the elements from the opposing side of the tray 10 are shown in the manner in which they may be seen in a substantially transparent tray. The disc-holding region 50 of the opposing side and its corresponding post member 140 and surrounding annular region 148 are viewed from their underside. Similarly, the underside of finger wells 122 and 124 can be seen. The arcuate wall segment 132 of the opposing region 50 that is formed by a recess from the opposing surface 120 that is substantially flush with the perimeter of the tray 10 can be seen.

A section view of the tray 10 of Fig. 1 taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 is shown in Fig 2 in a simplified form and helps illustrate the alignment of the elements on opposing sides of the tray 10. Fig. 2 also depicts disc-like objects 99 disposed over disc-receiving regions 30, 50. The offset alignment of arcuate wall segments 32/132, 34/134, post elements 40/140, and annular regions 48/148 can be seen.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the manner in which a single tray 10 of the preferred embodiment can accommodate multiple planar objects such as discs 99 in a simple structure is illustrated.

The invention makes possible the use of a simple, single, substantially thin planar structure to house multiple disc-like and other substantially planar objects.

Modifications may be made in the foregoing without departing from the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. For example, although the preferred embodiment of the tray 10 is described and illustrated as double-sided, the tray may be single-sided, having multiple compartments and accompanying posts lying upon a single side of the try.

However, in a single-sided configuration, discs placed within the compartments would either overlap (requiring the tray to be manufactured greater widthwise) or would be placed side-by-side (requiring the tray to be manufactured greater lengthwise). As another example of an anticipated modification, although the preferred embodiment is directed to a two-disc tray, the invention is equally applicable to other multiples in single- sided or double-sided tray configurations. As a still further example of another modification, the preferred embodiment is described in the context of accommodating a disc, the invention is suitable for planar objects not having a perfect disc configuration. As an example of this variant, it is noted that media discs are utilized in a configuration much like that of a rectangular business card that are meant to be played, read or otherwise processed in a device that typically accommodates a circular disc.

The figures forming a part of this specification convey the best mode for carrying out the invention known to the inventor at the time of filing the patent application. The figures are further presented to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention. After learning of the details of the invention as presented herein, including the figures, it is likely that alternative embodiments could be devised according to the invention, which have a much different appearance than the embodiments disclosed in the accompanying figures. The figures forming a part of the specification convey utilitarian aspects of the invention and the preferred embodiments, and also include ornamental features which are not necessary to the utilization of the invention.

What is claimed is:

Claims

1. A tray for a plurality of substantially planar objects having central apertures, the tray comprising:

a base having at least one region for receiving the planar objects and post elements spaced apart from one another disposed within said at least one region corresponding to and for engaging the aperture of each one of the substantially planar objects.

2. The tray of claim 1 , wherein at least one second region for receiving at least one of the planar objects is disposed upon an opposing side of said base.

3. The tray of claim 1, wherein the substantially planar object is substantially discshaped.

4. A tray for at least two disc-like objects having central apertures, the tray comprising:

a substantially planar base having regions for receiving a disc-like object disposed upon opposing sides thereof offset from one another each said region having a post element centrally disposed therein for engaging the central aperture of the disc-like object.