A POUCH FOR A DATA CARRIER AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME

Abstract: A pouch (12) for a data carrier is provided with a label wherein the pouch is performed from a printable and shapeable sheet, and the label is at least partially individualizable.

Description: - 1 - A pouch for a data carrier and method for manufacturing same The invention relates to a pouch for a data carrier according to the generatic term of claim 1 and a method for manufacturing same according to the generatic term of claim 15, particularly for a data carrier like a compac disc (CD). Conventionally compact discs have been provided and stored in a rigid plastics material case, the case having a hinged lid enabling one to gain access to the disc. This was satisfactory when compact discs were in a read only form. Nowadays, such discs are available, however, in a read and write form. Users of computers, therefore, need to be able to identify the contents of such discs and if necessary to vary the list of contents of such discs and if necessary to vary the list of contents when changes are made on the disc. Programs can be written to enable a list of compact disc contents to be printed but, if such a printed report is to stick say to the disc, there can be problems in passing a stick sided piece of paper or card through a printer. The object of the invention is to provide a pouch for a data carrier, which allows to list the contents of the data carrier in an easy manner as well as to provide a method for manufacturing same. According to the invention the pouch of a data carrier is provided with a label, wherein the pouch is performed from a printable and shapeable sheet is at least partially individualizeable. Preferably, the sheet is of one piece and flexible and/or foldable. It should be guidable through a home printer and should have at least a fold-line and/or perforation lines. Further, the sheet might have at least a separating structure, e.g. scored lines. Preferably, the sheet has printable regions and unprinted remaining regions, wherein the printable regions should be able to be printed with individualized picture, sign and/or text illustrations. The separation structure is preferably of reduced strength. The sheet can be formed of paper and might have a format according to DIN and/or letter size dimensions. Preferably, the pouch is a self-supporting protection pouch of the data carrier. The data carrier can be a compact disc (CD) or an audio cassette or a video cassette. The pouch can be a selfsupporting protection case for a data carrier, that means that- there is no additional protection case necessary. Alternatively the pouch can also be performed as a standard protection case of a data carrier or a data storage means. According to the invention the method for manufacturing a pouch comprises the following steps. Imaging the sheet having a pre-programed pouch structure on a screen; input of at least a partially individualized label; - printing the sheet with the label and the pre-programed pouch structure; forming the sheet to a pouch. Advantageously, the step of forming comprises a folding of the sheet, which also can mean a separation of regions of the sheet along the separation structure. The step of printing includes preferably a passing-through of the sheet through a home printer, wherein a labeling of individualized image, sign or text illustrations are advantageously. According to the invention a list of contents is printed out on a flat substrate such as a piece of this card or paper which can then be folded, without adhesive join into the pouch to hold the disc, with the printed list of contents appearing on one or both flat faces of the pouch. Adventageously, the invention provides a flat sheet capable of being passed through a printer to be provided with printer matter, the sheet being marked so that it can be folded and parts of the sheet separated if necessary, to provide substantially flat front and rear faces for the pouch joined to one another along a fold line to close the base of the resulting pouch, the printing being intended to be on one or both of these faces, side flaps extending from either side of the front or rear face and being joined to the respective face along a fold line, and tab regions either on the front or rear faces which can be pushed out of line of the respective face and are positioned to receive and trap the edges of the side flaps after they have been folded around the said respective face, thereby holding the pouch together. When such a sheet is folded and assembled, an open top is left between the two faces at the ends of those faces which are not joined to one another for insertion or removal of a compact disc. No sticking of the side flap is required since these are trapped in place by the tabs to assemble and complete the pouch in a purely mechanical fashion. Therefore, the original flat sheet can readily be passed through a computer printer without damage to the printer and blocking of the feed through printer. 4 - It is desirable that the piece of card or paper be of a conventional size to suit the printer and an A4 sized sheet is very convenient. By contrast, the size of the pouch should be such that the disc fits reasonaly tight in the assembled pouch. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment the overall shape of the portions of the sheet which are to make the pouch are delineated within the overall sheet and surrounding portions are discarded after printing and before the assembly of the pouch. In the case an A4 sheet this leads to a modest degree of wastage. The delineation of the sheet material which is to be used as the pouch can be achieved by printing appropriate lines and then cutting away the excess material. Preferably, however, the delineation is achieved by partial severing of the sheet so that after printing a user can quickly remove the excess sheet material. This can readily be achieved by a stamping of the sheet with cut lines or perforations which do not completely sever the parts of the sheet so that the sheet remains in one piece during normal heading and passage though the printer, but can be separated easily by tearing when required. It is also preferable that the various fold lines between the two faces and on face and the flaps be marked and conveniently this can be achieved by scoring or a perforated line which allows for simple and accurate folding. There are preferably a pair of tabs for each flap although could be more or less, e.g. 1 to 3 tabs per flap. The tabs are desirably of semi-circular shape and are defined by complete cuts so that they can readily be pushed slightly out the line to receive and trap the edges of the respective flaps. The invention will now be described, by way of example, with references to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a sheet according to the invention; and Fig. 2 shows a pouch formed from that sheet. The sheet 10 shown in Fig. 1 is desirably of thin or light card and of A4 size. It is provided with a number of partially cut or perforation lines as described below which keep the sheet in one piece for printing but from which edge portions as described can readily be separated or torn to leave a major portion to be formed into the pouch 12 shown in Fig. 2. First of all printing can be provided in either or both of the areas 16 and 18 by passing the sheet 10 through a computer. A suitable program can be provided to list the contents of a disc and print that list in one or both of the areas 16 and 18 in the correct orientation or position to be readable in the finished cassette. A pair of identical mirror image cut lines 20 and 22 are provided near the side edges of the sheet. These define a rear face 24 and a front face 26 with side flaps 28 integral with the front face 26. These side flaps are defined by score or perforation lines 30. The distinction between the faces 24 and 25 is defined by a score or perforation line 31. At the top of the sheet 10 a straight cut line 32 is provided to define inter alia the top of the face 24 whilst at the bottom a cut line 34 defines the top of the face 26, including a small recess 26a to assist in opening the resulting pouch. In the rear face 24, four semi-circular cuts 36 are provided to define tabs - 6 - 38. After printing, the user tears the card along the lines 20, 22, 32 and 34, so removing the surplus edge portions of the sheet. Then he can fold along the line 31 to form the basic pouch shape, followed by bending or folding over the flaps 28 to complete the pouch. The edges of these flaps are inserted under the taps 38 which trap the flaps in place to form the final pouch 12. As can be seen the arrangement is quick, simple and needs no adhesive, so avoiding problems during printing.

Claims: - 7 - Claims 1. A pouch for a data carrier, wherein the pouch is provided with a label, characterized in that the pouch is performed from a printable and shapeable sheet, and the label is at least partially individualizeable. 2. The pouch according to claim 1 , characterized in that the sheet is of one piece. 3. The pouch according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sheet is flexible and/or foldable. 4. The pouch according to anyone of the previous claims, characterized in that the sheet is passable through a home printer. 5. The pouch according to anyone of the previous claims, characterized in that the sheet has at least one folding line and/or one perforation line. 6. The pouch according to anyone of the previous claims, characterized in that the sheet has at least one separation structure, e.g. scored lines. 7. The pouch according to anyone of the previous claims, characterized in that the sheet has printable and unprinted remaining regions. 8. A pouch according to anyone of the previous claims, characterized in that the printable regions are provided to be printed with individualized image, sign and/or text illustrations. 9. The pouch according to anyone of the previous claims, characterized in that the sheet has a separation structure with reduced strength. 10. The pouch according to anyone of the previous claims, characterized in that the sheet is made of paper. 11. The pouch according to anyone of the previous claims, characterized in that the sheet has a format according to DIN and/or according to letter size dimensions. 12. The pouch according to anyone of the previous claims, characterized in that the data carrier is a compact disc (CD) or an audio cassette or a video cassette. 13. The pouch according to anyone of the previous claims, characterized in that the pouch is a self-supporting protection pouch for data carriers. 14. The pouch according one of the claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the pouch is formed as an insert for a protection case of a data carrier. 5 15. Method for manufacturing of a pouch characterized by the following steps: Providing the sheet on a screen with a pre-programed pouch o structure; input of at least a partially individualized label; printing the sheet with a label and the pre-programed pouch structure; forming the sheet to a pouch. 16. Method for manufacturing of a pouch according to claim 15, characterized in that the step of forming comprises the folding of the sheet. 17. Method for manufacturing a pouch according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the step for forming comprises a separation of regions of the sheet along the separation structure. 18. Method for manufacturing a pouch according to anyone of the previous claims 15 to 17, characterized in that the step of printing comprises a throughpass of the sheet through a home printer. 19. Method for manufacturing a pouch according to anyone of the previous claims 15 to 18, characterized in that the step of printing comprises the printing of individualized image, sign and/or text illustrations.

Inventors: PIRES SELWYN, TRACY PETER, PIRES, SELWYN, TRACY, PETER
Applicants: NEATO UK LTD, PIRES SELWYN, TRACY PETER, NEATO (UK) LIMITED, PIRES, SELWYN, TRACY, PETER
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B65D85
IPC codes: B65D27, B65D85