Abstract:
A CD or DVD tray made from paperboard is provided. The tray may be made from 100% recycled paperboard and can be 100% recyclable. The design of the tray or holder (used interchangeably throughout) uses the structural geometry of facets, central hole and radial slits to form a hub that achieves the function of securing the CD to the tray. Non-structural paper stock is formed into an effective fastening device whereby the fit of the hub is determined by the geometry of the folded paper. The paper tray of the present invention duplicates the functionality of plastic trays and is compatible with industry auto-loading, while providing the environmental benefits of paper.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/903,747, filed Feb. 27, 2007, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to holders for CD&#39;s and DVD&#39;s or other digital media. More particularly, the invention relates to CD and DVD trays or holders made of paperboard. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    While there are numerous holder designs being used in the mass production and distribution of CD&#39;s, the vast majority are made entirely or contain significant components molded from plastic. Although designs for CD and DVD holders made from paper are known, all have significant drawbacks that prevent their commercial viability. For example, most designs are in the form of a slip case that cannot be used in the auto-loading equipment that the digital music industry currently uses to load recorded CD&#39;s onto plastic trays. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,003 discloses a paper based holder. The mounting hub, however, is described as being “punched out of the same cardboard material as the case and being disposed on an inside face of the case, the fastening element further having a substantially round and flat structure with the outside diameter thereof being matched to the inside diameter of the centrally disposed hole of the compact disk.” 
         [0007]    It would be desirable and environmentally beneficial to provide a CD tray made entirely of paper that duplicates the functionality of plastic and allows industry auto-loading while providing the environmental benefits of paper. It would also be desirable to provide a 100% recyclable paper tray for CDs and DVDs and other discs. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]    A CD or DVD tray or cover made from paperboard is provided. The tray may be made from 100% recycled paperboard and can be 100% recyclable. The design of the tray or holder (used interchangeably throughout) in one embodiment uses the structural geometry of folded facets or laminated facets to achieve its function. The paper tray of the present invention duplicates the functionality of plastic trays and is compatible with industry auto-loading, while providing the environmental benefits of paper. 
         [0009]    Non-structural paper stock is formed into an effective fastening device whereby the fit of the post or hub (used interchangeably throughout) is determined by the geometry of the folded paper. Prior art plastic CD holders are strong, rigid, often clear, and typically inexpensive to manufacture. However, plastic CD cases are not durable. Even slight impacts can break the plastic tray. The paper tray of the present invention has improved durability over plastic trays and can have graphics printed directly on it. Additionally, paper trays are relatively inexpensive to manufacture. 
         [0010]    In a preferred embodiment, a central hole in the formed hub causes the adjacent paper to form a protruding shallow cone which provides a tactile target for positioning the hole in the disc. The hub that is formed has a number of facets which are determined by the number of radial slits on the paper rosette. In the preferred embodiment, the engineering of the center post or hub is designed to enable high volume mass production using conventional paper fabricating equipment. Rather than relying on the “elastic” properties of a punched cardboard hub cited in U.S. Pat. No 6,375,003, this aspect of the invention uses the structural geometry of the facets, central hole and radial slits to achieve its function. 
         [0011]    The invention will be more fully described by reference to the following drawings. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates four tray styles which may be utilized in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates the tray construction for the plain tray style. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates the tray construction for the Jewel case tray style. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  illustrates the formation of a hub which may be utilized in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  illustrates the integration of a hub and tray of one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  illustrates one embodiment of the production components for the manufacture of a hub. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  illustrates a hub pattern punched into paper stock. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  illustrates a form assembly traveling downward towards hub pattern. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  illustrates the pin of the mandrel engaging the center hole of a punched hub pattern. 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  illustrates a perimeter die cutting a hub and releasing it from the hub stock. 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  illustrates a mandrel pushing the hub into the pass-thru hole in the upper plate. 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  illustrates the mandrel carrying the hub down through the pass-thru hole towards a forming die in lower plate. 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  illustrates pre-punched card stock advanced to align hub locator holes with the forming die. 
           [0025]      FIG. 14  illustrates hub locator holes in the card stock centered over the forming die. 
           [0026]      FIG. 15  illustrates mandrel pushing the hub into the forming die 
           [0027]      FIG. 16  illustrates hub being pushed in further the forming die 
           [0028]      FIG. 17  illustrates the mandrel carrying hub to the bottom of the forming die. 
           [0029]      FIG. 18  illustrates a follower traveling downward towards the formed hub. 
           [0030]      FIG. 19  illustrates the follower contacting the facets of the rosette pressing them against exposed adhesive and securing them. 
           [0031]      FIG. 20  illustrates the assembly retracting from the formed hub from the die. 
           [0032]      FIG. 21  illustrates the assembly clearing upper plate and the hub stock and the card stock advancing. 
           [0033]      FIGS. 22A  and B show a top and side view of an example of a biodegradable hub  150 . 
           [0034]      FIG. 23  illustrates an embodiment of a biodegradable hub attached to a tray by heat staking. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0035]    Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. 
         [0036]    A preferred embodiment has two components: a tray  10  and a post  50  (or interchangeably referred to as a hub). The hub  50  protrudes from the surface of the tray  10  on the side of the tray  10  that will secure the disc (not shown) CD, DVD or other similar flat circular object with a circular aperture in the approximate center of the object (hereinafter reference to a CD or disc includes CDs, DVDs, digital CDs and any other flat circular object that is to be secured by the tray). The hub  50  can be integral with the tray  10 , or alternatively, the hub  50  can be a separate component that is attached or adhered to the tray  10 . The tray serves to protect the CD from being scratched or damaged during loading, shipping or handling. 
         [0037]    The tray  10  is a flat, typically square or rectangular piece of biodegradable material, such as, for example paper or biodegradable plastic. The shape and dimensions of the tray  10  are not critically important and are preferably compatible with trays currently used in the industry for packaging CDs and DVDs. The dimensions however can be changed to accommodate discs of different sizes. The tray  10  is preferably a die cut piece of paperboard that is folded or laminated or formed into a tray with a circular well  12  that can accommodate a CD. The tray  10  does not have to be die cut or laminated but can be manipulated in any number of ways know in the art such as thermoformed or pressure formed. A circular well  12 , however, is not required for the tray to function. In an alternate embodiment the tray is manufactured using paperboard and additional cutouts are laminated onto the paperboard to create the well  12 . In another embodiment, the circular well is formed from protruding ridges on the surface of the tray to define a well  12 . In yet another embodiment the tray has no circular well  12 . 
         [0038]    Optionally, the tray can be affixed inside a folded (preferably paperboard) jacket or cover to complete the product package. However, the tray can function to secure the CD or DVD without being incorporated into a jacket or cover. 
         [0039]      FIG. 1  illustrates five possible designs  10 A- 10 E for the tray  10 . Plain design  10 A, two finger cut-outs  10 B, four finger cut-outs  10 C, jewel case style  10 D, and a tray having no well  12  (not shown) are all examples of possible designs for the tray  10 . In an alternate embodiment, the circular well is defined by protruding ridges as illustrated in  10 E. Other tray designs may be used and the present invention is not limited to any one type of tray design. In one embodiment, the trays are used singly. In another embodiment the trays are used in back-to-back configurations where two or more CD&#39;s are to be packaged. The tray configurations are not limited to these embodiments and may be used in any way conventional plastic trays are used to package and store CDs and DVDs. 
         [0040]      FIG. 2  illustrates the steps for preparing one embodiment of the tray  10  (plain tray  10 A) of the invention with a circular well  12 . A piece of paperboard  1  is die cut into a rectangular shape. Two outer folds  2  and  2 ′ are made and two inner folds  3  and  3 ′ are made. The paperboard is folded inward at the outer folds  2  and  2 ′ creating flaps.  4  and  4 ′. An arc  5  is cut into the flaps  4  and  4 ′. The flaps  4  and  4 ′ are then folded inward at the inner folds  3  and  3 ′ thereby forming the circular well  12 . To complete the tray, a center hub  50  is secured at the approximate center of the circular well  12 . To construct a tray without a well, the paperboard  1  is simply cut at the position of the inner folds  3  and  3 ′. 
         [0041]      FIG. 3  illustrates the steps for preparing another embodiment of the tray  10  (jewel case style  10 D) of the invention with a circular well  12 . A piece of paperboard  1  is die cut into a t-shape. Three outer folds  2 ,  2 ′ and  2 ″ are made and three inner folds are made  3 ,  3 ′ and  3 ″. The paperboard is folded inward at the outer folds  2 ,  2 ′ and  2 ″ creating flaps  4 ,  4 ′ and  4 ″. An arc  5  is cut into the flaps  4 ,  4 ′ and  4 ″. The flaps  4 ,  4 ′ and  4 ″ are then folded inward at the inner folds  3 ,  3 ′ and  3 ″ thereby forming the circular well  12 . In this embodiment, the center hub  50  is secured at the approximate center of the circular well  12 . 
         [0042]    The center hub or hub  50  is a three dimensional, preferably paper, structure protruding from the surface  11  of the tray  10 . The center hub  50  functions to releasably secure the CD (not shown) to the tray  10 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 4  illustrates one embodiment of the formation of a hub  50 . The hub  50  is formed from a cut paper rosette  40 . The rosette  40  contains a small central  42  hole and a plurality of radial slits  44 . The radial slits  44  terminate prior to reaching the central hole  42 , thereby forming a plurality of facets  48 .  FIG. 4A  and B illustrate different perspectives of the paper rosette  40 . As shown in  FIGS. 4C-4F , the rosette is folded in a circular pattern at separate positions  43  and  45  along the radius of the rosette  40 . The first fold  43  is made between the end of the radial slits  44  and the central hole  42 . The second fold  45  is made at a point along the radial slits  44 , thereby creating a side wall  46  for the hub  50 . When folded in this manner, the hub  50  is hollow and minute points or ridges occur at the outer circumference between the facets  48  which effectively create a hub with a compressible circumference. The paper material being forced into a substantially circular form exhibits increased rigidity at the perimeter of the top of the hub, with less rigidity at the side walls  46  of the hub  50 . 
         [0044]    The slits  44  in the side wall  46  and central hole  42  of the hub  50  create the ridges that allow for compression of the hub when a CD is pressed onto the hub  50 . The ridges of the hub or “retaining ridges” generally define a circular shape that corresponds to that of the hole in the disc to be secured to the tray. The outer circumference of the retaining ridges in the relaxed (non-compressed) state will generally be slightly larger than that of the hole of the disc. The compression of the ridges created by pressing the CD onto the hub allows the CD to be slid past the ridges at the top of the post  50  and held onto the lower post, thereby securing the CD to the tray. Once inserted onto the post  50 , the CD is held in place due to the slight outward pressure applied to the CD by the compressed hub  50 . This geometry of the hub  50  allows the CD or DVD to be attached and removed from the tray as effectively as a plastic tray and hub. 
         [0045]    In the example of  FIG. 4  there are ten radial slits  44  and therefore ten facets  48 . More or less slits however could be utilized. As less slits are used the resulting hub or hub will have less of circular look from the top view. As more slits  44  are used the hub  50  will have more of a circular look. There is a relationship between the thickness of the paper used to make the rosette and the number of facets needed to obtain a functional hub or post. Generally, thicker paper will require less radial slits and thinner paper will require more to obtain the necessary rigidity of the hub. 
         [0046]    The top view of this series of folds to form the hub  50  from the paper rosette  40  is illustrated in  FIGS. 5A-D . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , after being formed, the exposed edges (ends)  55  of the rosette  40  are secured to the backside of the tray  10 , preferably with an adhesive. 
         [0047]    In addition to paper or paperboard, the hub  50  may be constructed as illustrated in  FIGS. 5A-D  from alternate materials. Many materials may be manipulated or formed in the same way that the paper is and achieve the same function as the paper hub  50 . Non-limiting examples include many types of film substrates such as celluloids, mylars, foils, and hundreds of plastic sheet materials which could be cold formed (like the paper) into a workable hub based on the same approach of manufacture as describe above. Additionally, a hub of a similar faceted design can be formed from pulp either through heat (thermo formable) or pressure to achieve same utility or function. 
         [0048]      FIG. 6  illustrates production components for one embodiment of the hub and tray of the invention. A hub pattern punch  55  is used to cut radial slits  44  and central hole  42  (collectively referred to as the hub pattern  49 ) in hub stock  30 . A die assembly  60  is positioned in line after the hub pattern punch  55 . The die assembly  60  includes a perimeter cutting die  62  along with a mandrel  64 , step  66 , pin  68  and follower  70 . There is also an upper plate  86  and lower plate  76 . The lower plate  76  has a forming die  80  with lifting pins  82  and is positioned directly under a pass-thru hole  84  of the upper plate  86 . The die assembly  60  is positioned in line with the forming die  80  and pass through hole  84  of the upper plate  86 . Tray stock  1  (also referred to as paper or card stock) is passed between the upper plate  86  and the forming die  80 . The tray stock  1  preferably has a hub locator hole  92  with adhesive  94  applied around the hub locator hole  92 . 
         [0049]    In operation, a hub pattern  49  (radial slits  44  and central hole  42 ) is punched into tray stock  30  using the hub pattern punch  55 , as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The hub stock  30  is moved forward so that the newly cut hub pattern  49  is centered over the pass-thru hole  84  (not shown) of the upper plate  86 , as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . The pin  68  of the mandrel  64  engages the center hole  42  of the punched hub pattern  49  was illustrated in  FIG. 9 . The perimeter cutting die  62  cuts the hub stock  30  in a circular pattern around the hub pattern and then releases it from hub stock  20 , thereby forming the rosette  40  (not shown) as illustrated in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0050]    The mandrel  64  pushes the rosette  40  into the pass-thru hole  84  in the upper plate  86 , as shown in  FIG. 11  and continues to carry the rosette  40  down through the pass-thru hole  84  towards the forming die  80  in lower plate  76 , as shown in  FIG. 12 . A pre-punched tray stock  1  with hub locator holes  92  is advanced on the lower plate  76  to align the hub locator hole  92  with the forming die  80 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 13 and 14 . The hub locator hole  92  in the tray stock  1  is centered over forming die  80 . Preferably, adhesive  94  surrounds the hub locator hole  92 . 
         [0051]      FIGS. 15-17  illustrate the folding of the rosette described in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . The mandrel  64  pushing the rosette  40  into the forming die  80  and passing it through the hub locator hole  92  in the tray stock  1 . As the rosette  40  is pushed into the forming die  80 , the facets  48  are flexed upward. As the rosette  40  is pushed in further, the facets  48  continue to collapse inward where they contact the mandrel  64 . As the mandrel  64  carries the rosette  40  to the bottom of the forming die  80 , the facets  48  contact the step  66  which folds the facets  48  outward and downward. 
         [0052]      FIGS. 18 and 19  illustrate the attachment of the newly formed hub  50  to the tray stock  1 . The follower  70  then travels downward towards the formed hub  50  and contacts the facets  48  and presses them against the exposed adhesive  94  around the hub locator hole  92 , thereby securing the hub  50  to the tray stock  1 . The die assembly  60  retracts and the lifter pins  82 , not shown) push tray stock  1  upwards releasing the formed hub  50  from the die  62 , as illustrated in  FIG. 20 . 
         [0053]    The process is then complete. The assembly clears the upper plate  86 . The hub stock  30  and card stock advance both advance and the cycle is repeated, as illustrated in  FIG. 21 . 
         [0054]    The tray stock with the attached hub is then cut to form individual trays. The tray can then be folded if desired as discussed above in reference to  FIGS. 1-3 . 
         [0055]    In an alternate embodiment, the post or hub is constructed of biodegradable plastic, such as for example PSM Bioplastic from telNnovations Inc.  FIGS. 22A  and B show a top and side view of an example of a biodegradable hub  150  that can be attached to a tray  10  to make a disc holder. The biodegradable hub  150  can be attached to the tray  10  by heat staking, as illustrated in  FIG. 23 . 
         [0056]    In another embodiment, the tray and/or hub are made in part, or entirely, from recycled paper. Preferably, the entire tray, and cover if used is recyclable. In yet another embodiment, the tray is made from paper and the center hub is made from another biodegradable material, or both the tray and the center hub are made from non-paper, non-plastic biodegradable material. 
         [0057]    The hub technology of the present invention is not limited to CD trays and can be used in any application where temporary fastening of a planar object—(via a punched or drilled hole) is required, and a secondary fastener or other material is currently being used. There are numerous packaging/display applications where the hub could be utilized allowing the product to be 100% recyclable. 
         [0058]    It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative of only a few of the many possible specific embodiments, which can represent applications of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.