Abstract:
A guitar pick package comprises a single sheet of paper cardboard that is specially die-cut and folded to form a combination CD retaining pocket and guitar-pick retaining pocket album. Three major sections with three connecting folds provide a retaining pocket for a CD, a connection, and an album page with retaining pockets for several guitar picks. The guitar pick album page comprises three layers. A middle layer has cutouts that fit around the edges of each guitar pick, a back support retains the edges of the picks but allows them to be pressed out through a front retainer. The corresponding cutouts in the front retainer allow insertion and hold the points of the guitar picks.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Applicant claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application, by the present inventor, Jim DUNLOP, titled GUITAR PICK PACKAGE, Ser. No. 60/697,868, with a filing date of Jul. 8, 2005. Such is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a package for guitar picks, and more particularly, to a guitar pick package which has a back support, a middle spacer cut out with guitar pick shapes, and a front retainer.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     Guitar picks have become collector items and souvenirs for both musicians and fans. They can be printed with the artists&#39; or bands&#39; names, advertising, and other messages. A wide variety of styles and colors means that each collector would want a whole set or array, not just one. People who never owned a guitar or played one are nevertheless interested in receiving or buying them.  
         [0006]     Many different prior art guitar pick packages are being marketed, such as plastic bags, clamshell packages, plastic boxes, and cardboard boxes. Conventionally, if marketed with a CD, the picks have just been tossed inside a CD package without a packaged presentation.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     Briefly, a guitar pick package embodiment of the present invention comprises a single sheet of paper cardboard that is specially die-cut and folded to form a combination CD retaining pocket and guitar-pick retaining pocket album. Three major sections with three connecting folds provide a retaining pocket for a CD, a connection, and an album page with retaining pockets for several guitar picks. The guitar pick album page comprises three layers. A middle layer has cutouts that fit around the edges of each guitar pick, a back support holds the edges of the picks and allows them to be pressed out through a front retainer. The corresponding cutouts in the front retainer allow insertion and hold the points of the guitar picks.  
         [0008]     An advantage of the present invention is that a guitar pick package is provided which holds the picks in place for display.  
         [0009]     Another advantage of the present invention is that a guitar pick package is provided that may have a CD included for combination sales.  
         [0010]     A further advantage of the present invention is that a guitar pick package is provided that is inexpensive to manufacture.  
         [0011]     A still further advantage of the present invention is that a guitar pick package is provided that is simple and easy to use.  
         [0012]     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments which are illustrated in the various drawing figures. 
     
    
     IN THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a plan view diagram of a guitar pick package embodiment of the present invention after being die-cut from heavy paper and before being folded; and  
         [0014]      FIGS. 2A-2F  are assembly sequence diagrams of the guitar pick package of  FIG. 1  in various states as it is being folded into its final shape.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  represents a guitar pick package embodiment of the present invention, and is referred to herein by the general reference numeral  100 . The guitar pick package  100  comprises a sheet of paper cardboard generally cut into the shape illustrated in  FIG. 1 . A number of folds and die cuts allow the guitar pick package  100  to be assembled into a consumer merchandizing package for a number of guitar picks and/or a compact disc (CD). A middle section  110  has four nesting cutouts  111 - 114  in the shape of a guitar pick to be enclosed. Here four such are shown to simplify the illustration, but one to nine such cutouts would be effective. The actual shapes of nesting cutouts  111 - 114  need to be customized because there are some shape variations in common picks. The thickness of middle section  110  would also need to be about the same as the thickness of the target guitar picks to be loaded inside.  
         [0016]     A fold  116  allows nesting cutouts  111 - 114  to cover a back section  120  and to align with its rear-access cutouts  121 - 124 . In combination, the pointy end of each guitar pick will be retained inside nesting cutouts  111 - 114  by a flap formed by the bottom edges of front-access cutouts  131 - 134 .  
         [0017]     A fold  126  allows cutouts  131 - 134  in front section  130  to cover middle section  110 , which is over back section  120 , and to align with cutouts  111 - 114  and  121 - 124 , respectively. In combination, the whole of each guitar pick will be retained by cutouts  131 - 134  on the front, but still allowing a finger or small object access to press the picks through rear-access cutouts  121 - 124 . This also prevents picks from falling out of the package. A fold  136  allows all of the above to be folded over the middle part of package  100  which includes a section  140 , a fold  142 , a section  150 , and a fold  152  and  154 .  
         [0018]     The backside of section  150  will ultimately be visible to a consumer in a final configuration, and so it is a prime location to print with advertising or product information. The backside of section  140  will be visible to a consumer when the package  100  is unfolded, and so it is another good location to print with product information.  
         [0019]     A section  160  is used to form a retaining pocket, for a CD or other disc. This is done by folding over section  162  along fold  164 , and section  166  along fold  168 , and then the whole across fold  169  to be joined with section  170 . A fold  172  allows the package  100  to be folded so the backside of section  170  will be visible to the consumer in a merchandising display.  
         [0020]     A valuable and useful product can be had without providing a retaining pocket for a CD. E.g., for simply selling or distributing guitar picks.  
         [0021]      FIGS. 2A-2F  illustrate a guitar pick package embodiment of the present invention being folded into a final product, which is referred to herein by the general reference numeral  200 . A printed cardboard is die-cut to the shape shown in  FIG. 2A . A pick middle section  202  is folded over a pick back section  204  and results in that shown in  FIG. 2B .  
         [0022]     A guitar-pick front section  206  is then folded over the middle section  202  and glued to result in that shown in  FIG. 2C . Also in  FIG. 2C , sections  210 , and  218  are folded on top of sections  208  and  212  to result in that shown in  FIG. 2D . A CD flap  212  in  FIG. 2D  has edge flaps  214  and  216  which are glued to outside cover  218  to produce that shown in  FIG. 2C . In  FIG. 2D , a number of guitar picks  221 - 224  are inserted through respective cutouts in front section  206 . These are visible and accessible to being pressed back out by the cutouts in guitar-pick back section  204 . A CD  226  can be included by inserting into the retaining pocket formed by flap  212 . This results in a combination shown in  FIG. 2E . One last fold, as in  FIG. 2F , finishes the product.  
         [0023]     In one instance, a guitar pick package embodiment of the present invention comprises a single piece of sheet material that can be cut and folded. A first part of the sheet material is folded to form overlapping first through third layers. At least one cutout in the first layer allows a guitar pick to be tilted in and fully inserted into the second layer. A corresponding number of cutouts are made in the second layer in the shape of the guitar pick. Such provide a nest all around the circumference of the guitar pick. A corresponding number of cutouts in the third layer are smaller in circumference than the guitar picks so they may not pass through, but still may be pressed back out through the first layer. A second part of the sheet material is folded and sealed along two orthogonal edges to form a retaining pocket retaining pocket for a disc. The sheet material is printed with product information and advertising related to the guitar pick. A guitar pick is inserted into a cutout in the second layer, and a disc inserted into the retaining pocket retaining pocket.  
         [0024]     In general, guitar pick packages of the present invention include a back support member shaped like the pick to be held in place, but smaller than the pick in all dimensions. A middle member has an opening in the exact shape of the guitar pick. This opening overlaps the opening in the back support member. The front retainer member likewise has an opening in the exact shape of the guitar pick, except for a truncated bottom portion. This opening also overlaps the previous two openings. Thus, the opening in the front retainer member is larger than the opening in the back support member, but smaller than the opening in the middle member.  
         [0025]     In use, each guitar pick is inserted into the overlapping openings with the tapered portion inserted first. After insertion, the pick will remain firmly in place, with the back of the pick resting against the back support member and the tapered portion of the pick nestled underneath the truncated bottom portion of the front retainer member. To remove the pick from the package, the user simply pushes through the opening in the back support member and pushes the pick forward. This allows the top of the pick to be grasped and pulled upward out of the package.  
         [0026]     It should be understood that the guitar pick package of the present invention is not limited to any number of picks, or to any specific shape of pick, except that the three overlapping openings must correspond to the shape of the pick desired to be retained in the package.  
         [0027]     Guitar pick packages are preferably formed from press board, paper board, or similar material. The guitar pick package can be of any suitable size, although when part of a CD package, should be the same size as the rest of the CD package. This allows the guitar pick package to fold between the front and back covers of the CD package.  
         [0028]     Although the present invention has been described in terms of the presently preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be interpreted as limiting. Various alterations and modifications will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art after having read the above disclosure. Accordingly, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as covering all alterations and modifications as fall within the “true” spirit and scope of the invention.