Packaging arrangement for display and storage of compact disks

A holder or packaging arrangement is provided for a compact disk or data storage disk. The packaging arrangement comprises a first pocket piece formed of clear plastic or other transparent material, and a second pocket piece formed of material such as non-woven fiber, the two pocket pieces being joined together along common edges to form a pocket sized to receive a compact disk. The arrangement further includes a panel of stiff material having an aperture formed therein, such as a hard cover of a book or binder for printed material associated with the compact disk. A sheet of heavy paper or like material is affixed to the back side of the panel, the pocket and compact disk being trapped between the panel and the paper so that the compact disk is viewable through the aperture and the transparent material of the first pocket piece. A portion of the second pocket piece comprises an anti-tampering strip, which is removable to provide a slot or opening through which the compact disk may be removed from and inserted into the packaging arrangement.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention disclosed and claimed herein generally pertains to an 
improved arrangement for storing or holding a compact disk (CD), other 
data containing disk, and like information storage media. More 
particularly, the invention pertains to an arrangement of the above type 
for achieving significant reductions in cost, bulk, and complexity over 
the prior art. Even more particularly, the invention pertains to an 
arrangement of the above type which employs a stiff panel, such as the 
hard cover of a book associated with a CD, as an integral component. 
As is well known, compact disks, also known as laser records, are now 
widely used as information storage media. Compact disks were initially 
employed to store musical or other audio related information, and such use 
continues to be extremely important. In addition, compact disks are 
increasingly used with computers for read only memory (ROM) applications, 
to provide high density data storage. It is anticipated that the 
importance of compact disks will continue to grow as new applications are 
found for them, such as in the VCR area. 
As is likewise well known, a variety of containers and packages are 
available in the prior art for use in the sale, transport, and storage of 
compact disks. One of the more widely used of such prior art containers, 
known as the "jewel box," comprises two plastic case sections which are 
hinged together. One of such containers, storing only a single CD, may 
have a thickness in excess of one-quarter inch. Thus, while such 
containers may be satisfactory for protecting a compact disk against 
scratching, bending, or the like, they tend to be comparatively expensive, 
bulky, and require a comparatively large amount of space to store only a 
few compact disks. Other prior art CD containers may be less expensive but 
provide insufficient protection, or may be complicated to manufacture. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is intended to provide certain improvements and 
advantages over prior art CD containers and packaging techniques. More 
particularly, the invention recognizes that there are a number of 
advantages in providing a CD packaging arrangement which includes a stiff, 
comparatively thin panel as a package component. Such panel could, for 
example, comprise the hard cover of a book, binder or the like, containing 
printed material associated with the compact disk. Thus, by means of such 
arrangement, the compact disk and the printed material can be kept 
together, such as for sale and storage, as part of a common package. As 
described hereinafter in further detail, the cover may be adapted to 
prominently display the disk, and the cover and pages provide support and 
protection therefor. Also, the CD could be fitted partially or entirely 
into an aperture formed in the cover. Thus, the CD would require little or 
no extra space. Other advantages and features of the invention are set 
forth hereinafter. 
The CD packaging arrangement of the invention generally comprises a first 
pocket piece formed of transparent flexible material, and a second pocket 
piece formed of selected flexible material which is joined to the first 
pocket piece so that the two pocket pieces together form a pocket, sized 
to receive the compact disk. The arrangement further includes a panel of 
stiff material having an aperture formed therein, and means joined to the 
panel for forming a compartment to hold the pocket, as well as the CD when 
it is received thereinto. The pocket is positioned with respect to the 
aperture so that at least a portion of the CD, when received into the 
pocket, is viewable through the aperture and the transparent first pocket 
piece. 
In a preferred embodiment, the second pocket piece is formed of a non-woven 
fabric material. A strip of such non-woven fabric is removable from the 
remainder thereof, to provide an opening for selectively inserting the CD 
into and removing the CD out of the pocket and the compartment. 
Preferably, the means joined to the panel comprises a sheet of heavy paper 
material joined thereto. A slot is provided through the paper material, 
the slot being aligned with the opening which is formed in the non-woven 
fabric by removal of the strip. In a useful embodiment, the stiff panel 
comprises the cover of a book, binder, or the like for printed material 
associated with the CD. However, the invention is not limited thereto. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the invention is to provide an improved and comparatively 
simple packaging arrangement or container for a compact disk which 
significantly reduces cost and bulkiness in comparison with certain CD 
containers of the prior art. 
Another object is to provide a CD packaging arrangement of the above type 
which employs the cover of a book or other printed material associated 
with the CD as a component. 
Another object is to provide a CD packaging arrangement of the above type, 
wherein the CD is displayed upon the cover of the associated book, and at 
the same time is supported and protected thereby. 
Another object is to provide a storage compartment for a CD which is 
integral to the cover of an associated book, wherein the CD may be readily 
removed from the compartment or inserted thereinto for storage. 
Another object is to provide a CD storage compartment of the above type 
wherein the opening providing access to the compartment is sealed by means 
of an anti-tampering strip to discourage shoplifting of the CD or other 
interference therewith, when it is on sale in a publicly accessible 
location.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 together, there is shown a compact disk 10 
contained in a pocket 12. Pocket 12 comprises pocket pieces 14 and 16, 
having edges 14a and 14b and 16a and 16b, respectively. Edges 14a and 16a 
match each other and are joined together by a suitable adhesive to form 
pocket 12. Edges 14b and 16b, along the top of pocket 12, likewise match 
each other and may be either joined together by the adhesive, or left 
unattached so that disk 10 may initially be inserted into pocket 12 
therebetween. The lower portion of edges 14a and 16a, as viewed in FIGS. 1 
and 2, generally follow or conform to the curvature of the compact disk 
10. 
Pocket piece 14 is formed of a transparent material such as clear plastic 
sheet material, with a thickness on the order of one ten-thousandth of an 
inch. Pocket piece 16 comprises a non-woven fabric. A narrow strip 18 of 
such fabric lies within a boundary 22, along which the fabric has been 
partially scored or cut. Thus, strip 18 can be readily removed from the 
remainder of the non-woven fabric to form an opening or slot 24 for the 
pocket piece 16. The opening 24 is sized with respect to CD 10 so that the 
CD can be readily removed from and inserted into pocket 12 through the 
opening 24. 
In a useful embodiment of the invention described hereafter in further 
detail, the compact disk 10 initially is in place between the two pocket 
pieces 14 and 16 forming pocket 12. To allow CD 10 to be removed from 
pocket 12, strip 18 must first be torn or removed from pocket piece 16. 
Accordingly, strip 18 can function as an anti-tampering device as further 
described hereinafter. 
Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a complete CD packaging arrangement 20. 
More particularly, there is shown pocket 12 and compact disk 10 positioned 
with respect to a thin, comparatively stiff member 26, which is usefully 
formed of a material known in the bookbinding arts as chipboard. Such 
material is commonly used in making covers for books, binders, and the 
like. Panel 26, which has a thickness on the order of one-eighth inch, 
could alternatively be formed of cardboard or other material commonly used 
in such arts. Pocket 12 and compact disk 10 are positioned behind panel 
26, as viewed in FIG. 3, so that compact disk 10 is aligned with a 
circular aperture 28 formed through panel 26. Preferably, the diameter of 
aperture 28 is slightly larger than the diameter of CD 10. The CD will 
thereby be viewable through aperture 28 and through the transparent 
plastic material comprising pocket piece 14. At the same time, the plastic 
material will protect CD 10 against scratching or like damage. Moreover, 
if panel 26 comprises the cover of a book, as described hereinafter in 
connection with FIG. 6, the CD 10 will be urged, at least partially, into 
the aperture 28 and be nested therein, when the book is closed. The 
plastic of pocket piece 14 can stretch slightly, if necessary, to 
accommodate such movement of CD 10. 
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 together with FIG. 3, there is shown pocket 12 
and compact disk 10 therein positioned in a compartment 30. Compartment 30 
is formed by pasting or otherwise attaching a sheet of heavy paper 32 to 
the back of panel 26, i.e., the side thereof opposite the side viewed in 
FIG. 3. FIG. 4 further shows a slot 34 formed through paper material 32, 
which is of substantially the same dimensions as opening 24 through pocket 
piece 16, and is in alignment therewith. The slot 34 thus allows CD 10 to 
be removed from and inserted into pocket 12, after removal of strip 18 
from pocket piece 16, as described above. 
To fabricate the CD holder or packaging arrangement 20, comprising pocket 
12, panel 26, and paper backing material 32, the compact disk 10 is placed 
in the pocket 12, either before or right after the pocket is formed. The 
pocket and disk are then positioned with respect to the panel 26 so that 
the compact disk 10 and aperture 28 are in concentric relationship. Such 
relationship is maintained by then attaching the paper 32 to the panel 26, 
so that the pocket 12 with CD 10 therein is effectively trapped between 
the paper 32 and the aperture edge portion 26a of panel 26, which 
surrounds the aperture 28. 
It will be seen that packaging arrangement 20 comprises a very convenient 
and inexpensive CD holder or repository, which is very thin and therefore 
requires comparatively little storage space. The CD 10 can be readily 
removed from and inserted into the pocket 12 of compartment 30, after 
removal of the strip 18. As stated above, the CD 10 is very visible when 
contained in the packaging arrangement 20. Accordingly, such arrangement 
is very useful for displaying the CD to prospective purchasers, if the CD 
is on sale in a store. Moreover, by providing strip 18, the compact disk 
10 cannot be removed from the packaging arrangement without handling 
thereof which would be likely to attract attention in a public place. 
Thus, provision of strip 18 tends to discourage shoplifting or other 
tampering with the compact disk when it is on sale or otherwise publicly 
accessible. 
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 together, there is shown a very useful 
embodiment of the invention, wherein the panel 26 comprises the from cover 
of a book 36. For example, compact disk 10 could comprise a CD ROM, and 
book 36 could contain computer-related information associated with the 
contents of the CD ROM. Alternatively, CD 10 could contain audio 
information, and the book 36 could contain associated visual information. 
It will be seen that the CD 10, when contained in the packaging 
arrangement 20, requires virtually no storage space other than the space 
which is needed for book 36. Also, the CD 10 is protected by positioning 
it between the front cover of book 36 and the respective pages thereof. 
Obviously, many other modifications and variations of the present invention 
are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be 
understood that within the scope of the enclosed concept, the invention 
may be practice otherwise than as specifically described.