COMPACT DISC PACKAGE

Abstract: A compact disc or similar article container (50) is disclosed, which is made from a single sheet of packaging materials configured in a form which is foldable to produce the container, the container having a first section (56, 57, 58, 62) with overlapping components of the materials to form pockets between these overlapping components, the pockets being adaptable to receive and hold a disk-like article, and having a second section (52, 55) with overlapping components of the materials and the second section being foldable over the first section to provide a protective cover for the first section. The container uses no non-biodegradable plastic materials. Also disclosed is a method for configuring and making a container from a single sheet of packaging materials, which can hold up to four disk-like articles, using minimum materials in volume and weight and using no non-biodegradable plastic materials.

Description: COMPACT DISC PACKAGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates to packaging systems and more particularly to packages for holding and shipping CD and CD-ROMs and similar disc and disk-like articles. Art Background The Compact Disc (CD) introduced into the United States in 1983 was primarily a device, like a phonograph record, used for recording sound. Data is recorded on the CD in digital form as a series of tiny pits that are covered with a clear, protective coating. Instead of a needle vibrating in the grooves, a laser in a CD player shines light onto the pits and picks up the reflections as binary code. Thus the CD is also referred to an an optical disc. The Compact Disc Read Only Memory ("CD-ROM") is a compact opdcal disc based upon the Compact Audio ("CD") consumer product. The CD-ROM is used to hold text, graphics and sound. The CD-ROM is 120 mm in diameter, single sided and can hold in excess of 600 MegaBytes of data. The CD has become the medium of choice in the music recording industry and the CD-ROM has similarly become ubiquitous in the electronics systems business. Computer hardware and software manufacturers now ship millions of CD-ROM units each month, containing various kinds of software, including computer programs, databases, documentation, etc. A CD or CD-ROM has no inherent protective covering like the earlier vintage thin mylar floppy disks with their enclosing protective cases. As a result, these CD and CD-ROM are typically packaged in the standard single or double disc plastic "jewel case" package for protection in shipping and storage. Hereinafter "CD" will refer to both CD and CD-ROM unless otherwise indicated. A single disc jewel case is depicted in Figure 1. Referring to Figure 1, a typical jewel case package 10 is shown comprising a bottom member 16 which is typically made of clear plastic, an opaque molded plastic holding member 18 which is seated in the bottom plastic member 16 and which has a recessed area 19 for receiving a CD and a central hub 17 for holding the CD in the holding member 18. The typical jewel case 10 also has a top member 12 which is also made of clear plastic, this top member 12 usually having small tabs 14 SUBSTITUTE SHEET on opposing sides which are used to receive on the underside of the top member 12 an identification label or explanatory booklet. There are various embodiments of the plastic jewel case for holding two CDs. They all typically have the same components. Referring to Figure 2 one embodiment of a two CD case 30 is shown comprising a bottom clear plastic member 33 having an opaque plastic insert 34 which is molded to receive and hold one of the CDs, and a top clear plastic member 32 also having an opaque plastic insert 34 which is molded to receive and hold one of the CDs. The top member 32 and the bottom member 33 are connected by means of hinging mechanisms to a central molded plastic member 36. These prior art packages are characterized by the pervasive use of expensive and non-biodegradable plastics. In an attempt to reduce the expensive use of the clear plastic top and bottom members, some recent embodiments (see for example Figure 3) have incorporated a heavy paper material member (item 42 in Figure 3) with the molded plastic holding member (item 44 in Figure 3) for holding a single CD glued to one end of the paper member, whereby the other end of the paper member can be folded over the CD to form a protective cover. One type of such package is the DIGLPAKR By AGI, Inc., Melrore Park, Illinois. SUBSTITUTE SHEET In spite of the reduced use of the non-biodegradable plastic in such embodiments of a CD package as exemplified by the unit shown in Figure 3, any use of non-biodegradable materials (such as the formed plastic holding member 44) is objectionable to many persons in the United States and to official authorities in other countries. In the European Communities Council Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste (93 /C 129/08), Section 2, it points out that the directive's main objective (2.2.1) is "to minimize the total impact on the environment of packaging and packaging waste, . . .", and suggests the following to reduce such waste in order of priority (2.2.3): "elimination/reduction of superfluous packaging; prevention/reduction of the volume of one way packaging . . .; re-use of packaging; recycling of packaging waste; only in the last resort, final disposal." Actions taken by some EC countries include: Austrian Packaging Waste Law: requires manufacturers and importers to take back used packaging without a fee, or alternatively paying up to 1.136 ECU/ton for plastics disposal. SUBSTITUTE SHEET German Green Dot Scheme (Waste Management): similar to Austrian scheme with the emphasis on manufacturers and importers to restrict packaging to the absolute minimum in volume and weight to the dimensions actually required to protect the contents and to market the product. Has a quota for industry to recycle 64% of all plastics used to take effect July 1, 1995. UK; government has challenged industry and importers to reduce packaging waste by 50% to 75% by the year 2000. The assignee of this invention, Sun Microsystems, Inc., like most international computer hardware or software companies, as well as most major music publishing companies, ship thousands of copies of CD-ROM and CD into the European countries each month. The expense of dealing with the non-biodegradable materials resulting from such laws relating to import and removal of such materials is therefore enormous. Applicants invention is an elegant and simple paper package capable of securely and protectively holding up to four CDs, CD-ROM or other disk- like articles, using minimum materials in volume and weight and no non-biodegradable plastic materials. Most significantly however, this simple yet effective package reduces the average cost of manufacture of the package dramatically. For example, in relation to the SUBSTITUTE SHEET type of package illustrated in Figure 3, the present invention, when used to contain a single CD, reduces the packaging cost from 35% to 50%; and when used to hold two CDs, reduces the cost from 60% to 75%, while providing adequate protection in shipping and storage for the fragile disks. SUBSTITUTE SHEET SUMMARY QF THE INVENTION A disc or similar disk-like article container is disclosed, which is made from a single sheet of packaging materials configured in a form which is foldable to produce the container, having a first section with overlapping components of the materials to form pockets adaptable to receive and hold the disk-like articles, and having a second section with overlapping components of the materials and the second section being foldable over the first section to provide a protective cover for the first section. The first section of the container has overlapping components of the materials sufficient to form pockets adaptable for receiving and holding up to three of me disk-like articles, and die second section may have its overlapping materials configured to form a pocket adaptable for receiving and holding one of the disk-like articles or for holding a descriptive booklet or other type of materials. The container materials incorporates a minimum of 30% recycled fiber. Additionally the container is coated with an aquaous coating that serves to protect the enclosed discs drom loose fibers generated by the container's recycled paper materials. Also disclosed is a method for configuring and making a disk or similar disk-like article container from a single sheet of packaging materials, which is adaptable to receive and hold up to four of the disk-like articles, using minimum materials in volume and weight and using no non-biodegradable plastic materials. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The objects, features and advantages of the Compact Disk package of the present invention will be apparent from the following description in which: Figure 1 illustrates a typical prior art molded plastic single CD jewel case. Figure 2 illustrates a typical prior art molded plastic double CD jewel case. Figure 3 illustrates a prior art embodiment of a single CD package made of paper and a molded plastic CD holding member. Figure 4 illustrates the present invention in a plane view of a single paper sheet showing all surfaces and connecting tabs. Figure 5 illustrates the present invention in folded form showing the sections for receiving two CDs and a descriptive booklet. Figure 6 illustrates a perspective view of the present invention shown holding two CDs. Figure 7 illustrates a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention shown holding four CDs. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention is a paper based container for a compact disc ("CD"), a compact disk read only memory ("CD-ROM") or other similar disk-like article, and a method for making such a container wherein the container may hold up to four of the disk-like articles while using minimum materials in volume and weight and yet providing adequate protection for the articles, and using no non-biodegradable plastic materials. In the following description, particular specifications are disclosed when describing the various embodiments of the invention. These specifications are intended to provide an illustration of a specific application of the invention but are not intended to limit the application of the invention to any specific type of CD, CD-ROM or similar disk-like article. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced in a wide range of packaging systems of various specifications and configurations. The following description also contains references to material types and components which are well known in the art, and these should be interpreted in the illustrative and not in the limited sense. The container of the present invention is used to facilitate the packaging, shipment and storage of CD and CD-ROM and other disc and disk-like units containing various types of data including music, video, software, such as computer programs of various kinds, databases of information, documentation, and combinations of these. The shipments of CD and CD-ROMs in these containers will be made to almost all countries in the world. Referring now to Figure 4, a plan layout 50 of the preferred embodiment is illustrated. In this preferred embodiment, the materials used have the following characteristics: Type: Printkote Eagle® by Westvaco Thickness: 20 point Grain Direction: Vertical Color: White Finish: Gloss Recycle Content: 30% post-consumer recycled fiber Additionally, the package is coated wim an environmentally friendly aqueous coating that also serves to add protection to the enclosed disc or disk-like articles from loose fibers generated by the container's recycled paper materials. Moreover, in the preferred embodiment the container package is printed on one side and folded so that the printed surface appears on all sides, thereby reducing cost and ink surface. Referring now to Figure 4, a preferred configuration of the invention is illustrated in plan view 50, showing six major component parts 52, 55, 56, 57, 58 and 62. Components 56, 57, 58 and 62 are folded together to form a first section of the container, and components 52 and 55 are folded together to form a second section of the container. The first section of the container is formed as follows: Component 56 is folded upwards along line 71 and folded over component 57; Tab 59 is folded upwards and over onto component 58 and glue is applied to the side of tab 59 opposite component 58, and tab 60 is folded upwards and over component 58 and glue is applied to the side of tab 60 opposite component 58, and component 58 is folded upwards along line 72 and over component 56 and secured to component 57 by means of the glue on tab 60 which meets component 57 through the cut-out portion 80 of component 56 and secured to component 57 by means of the glue on tab 59 which meets component 57 through the cut-out portion 81 of component 56 ; finally, tab 64 is folded up and over component 62 along line 75 and glue is applied to the side of tab 64 opposite component 62 and tab 65 is folded up and over component 62 along line 74 and glue is applied to the side of tab 65 opposite component 62 and component 62 is folded up along line 73 and folded over component 58 and secured to component 57 by means of the glue on tabs 64 and 65. This first section of the container therefore contains an air pocket in the space between components 57 and 56, as well as an air pocket between components 56 and 58, and an air pocket between components 58 and 62. Each of these air pockets may contain a CD or CD-ROM each of which would be cushioned by each other and the intervening component layers of the container. Alternatively, and in the preferred embodiment, a CD or CD-ROM would be contained in the pockets between components 56 and 58, and components 58 and 62 and would be cushioned by each other and by the air 15 It is therefore clear that up to four discs may be securely placed in the container described. It is anticipated that the normal configuration would contain one or two discs with accompanying booklets of explanatory matter. However an alternative embodiment holding four CDs is shown in Figure 7, wherein the container is comprised of two first section parts, with one being foldable over the other. Referring to Figure 5, a booklet in the air pockets between components 56 and 57 and components 52 and 55 would provide additional padding for the protection of one or two discs in the container, but the air pockets themselves are deemed adequate protection for one or two discs placed in the pockets between components 56 and 58 and components 58 and 62, when the second section (comprising components 52 and 55) is folded over the first section along line 77 to form a closed package. Referring to Figure 6, a perspective view of the invention is shown, containing two CD-ROMs 90 and 92. The first CD-ROM 90 is shown seated in the pocket formed by components 62 and 58. The second CD-ROM 92 is shown seated in the pocket formed by components 58 and 56. In the shipping configuration, the second section of the container formed by components 52 and 55 is folded along line 77 over the top of the CD-ROMs 90 and 92, thereby 14 pocket between components 57 and 56. In another alternative, a descriptive booklet or other information may be contained in the pocket between components 57 and 56, thereby providing additional cushioning for the disks. In an alternative embodiment, component 56 is secured to component 57 by means of glue along the edge 83 of component 56. The second section of the container is formed as follows: tab 54 is folded up and over component 55 along line 79 and glue is applied to the side of tab 54 opposite component 55; tab 53 is folded up and over component 55 along line 88 and glue is applied to the side of tab 53 opposite component 55; component 52 is folded up along line 78 and over component 55, being secured to component 55 by means of the glue on tabs 53 and 54 thereby forming an air pocket between components 52 and 55. This air pocket provides additional space for holding an additional disc or disk-like article or a booklet or other information thereby providing additional cushioning for disks located in the first section, when this second section is folded over the first section along line 77. providing a protective covering for the CD-ROMs cushioned either by the air pocket between components 52 and 55 or by a descriptive booklet which may be placed in that air pocket. It is pointed out again that the container is made from 20 point stock paper, containing 30% post-consumer recycled fiber, and contains no plastic inserts or holding pieces to protect the disks, and yet the disks obtain adequate protection from the various air pockets and component layering of the invention. Those skilled it the arts of manufacturing such packages for disks will recognize that there are alternative methods for folding and pasting together the components of such a device, and that changes of form of the various components and/or tabs or variations in the weight and/or composition of the paper will not change the invention. In the claims which follow, the word "disk" is used to mean also "disc", and the hyphenated word "disk-like" is used to mean CD, CD-ROM and other similar devices, including floppy disk type devices that are of equal or smaller size to a standard CD. SUBSTITUTE SHEET

Claims: CLAIMS What is claimed is: 1. A container for containing disk-like articles comprising: a single sheet of packaging material configured in a form which is foldable to produce a container comprising: a first section having overlapping components of said packaging material arranged to form air pockets between said overlapping components, said air pockets adaptable to receive and hold a disk-like article; and a second section having overlapping components of said packaging material arranged to form an air pocket between said overlapping components, said second section being foldable so as to provide a protective cover for said first section. 2. A container as recited in claim 1 wherein said first section comprises overlapping components of said packaging material arranged to j form air pockets adaptable to receive and hold up to three of the disk-like articles. 3. A container as recited in claim 2 wherein said second section comprises overlapping components of said packaging material arranged to form a pocket adaptable to receive and hold a disk-like article or a descriptive booklet. 4. A container as recited in claim 3 wherein said packaging material comprises a minimum of 30% recycled fiber. 5. A container as recited in claim 3 wherein said packaging material comprises only non-plastic materials. 6. A container for containing disk-like articles comprising: a single sheet of packaging material said packaging material comprising a minimum of 30% recycled fiber and covered with an aqueous coating and configured in a form which is foldable to produce a container comprising: j a first section having overlapping portions of said packaging material arranged to form pockets adaptable to receive and hold up to three of the disk-like articles; and a second section having an overlapping portion of said packaging material arranged to form a pocket adaptable to receive and hold a disk-like article or alternatively a descriptive booklet or like materials, said second section being foldable so as to provide a protective cover for said first section. 7. A container as recited in claim 6 wherein said packaging material comprises only non-plastic materials. 8. A container for containing disk-like articles comprising: a single sheet of packaging material configured in a form which is foldable to produce a container comprising: a first section having overlapping components of said packaging material arranged to form pockets between said overlapping components, said pockets adaptable to receive and I hold a disk-like article, said pockets forming an air space for providing a protective cushion when no disk-like article is inserted therein, said protective air space cushion providing protection for any disk-like articles which may be contained in any of the other pockets in said first section of the container, and a second section having overlapping components of said packaging material arranged to form an air pocket, said second section being foldable so as to provide a protective air pocket cushion and cover for said first section . 9. A method for constructing a container for disk-like articles comprising the steps of: using a single sheet of paper stock; describing on said single sheet of paper stock, a configuration which is foldable to form a container, folding portions of said foldable configuration to form a first section having overlapping components of said packaging material arranged to form pockets between said overlapping components, said pockets adaptable to receive and hold one of the disk-like articles; and folding portions of said foldable configuration to form a second section having overlapping components of said packaging material, said second section being foldable so as to provide a protective cover for said first section. 10. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said first section comprises pockets between said overlapping components of said packaging material adaptable to receive and hold up to three of the disk-like articles. 11. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein said second section comprises overlapping components of said packaging material arranged to form a pocket adaptable to receive and hold a disk-like article or a descriptive booklet or the like. 12. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein said paper stock comprises a minimum of 30% recycled fiber. 13. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein said container comprises only non-plastic materials. 14. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said configuration which is foldable to form a container, uses minimum materials in volume and weight necessary to securely and protectively hold said disk-like articles. 15. A method for constructing a container for plate-like articles comprising the steps of: using a single sheet of paper stock, said paper stock comprising a minimum of 30% recycled fiber and said paper stock covered widi an aqueous coating; describing on said single sheet of paper stock, a configuration which is foldable to form a container, said configuration using minimum materials in volume and weight necessary to securely and protectively hold said disk-like articles; folding portions of said foldable configuration to form a first section having overlapping components of said packaging material j arranged to form pockets between adjacent overlapping components, said pockets adaptable to receive and hold up to three of the disk-like articles; and folding portions of said foldable configuration to form a second section having an overlapping component of said packaging material arranged to form a pocket adaptable to receive and hold a descriptive booklet or an additional one of said disk-like articles, and said second section being foldable so as to provide a protective cover for said first section, whereby a container is formed for holding up to four disk-like articles securely and protectively, using minimum materials in volume and weight. 16. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein the packaging materials used contain no non-biodegradable plastic materials. 5 17. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein said second section is replaced by another first section, said container thereby comprising two first sections, one of said first sections being foldable over said other first section, said container configured with two first sections capable of holding up to six disk-like articles but normally being used with no more than four disk-like articles.

Inventors: EVERETT MUNSON W, MASE DIANE L, SCHAKOW PETER, YEAMAN BLAKE W, EVERETT, MUNSON, W., MASE, DIANE, L., SCHAKOW, PETER, YEAMAN, BLAKE, W.
Applicants: SUN MICROSYSTEMS INC, SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B65D85
IPC codes: B65D85, G11B33