Abstract:
A package for housing two discs including a cover forming an elongated spine panel with first and second opposing panels extending therefrom such that the opposing panels selectively rotate between open and closed positions. First and second partial trays attach to the first and second opposing panels, respectively, and are laterally spaced so that when closed, the thickness of the package is approximately equal to that of one of the trays. Each partial tray has a planar surface forming a periphery and a recess, a rosette near a first side of the tray for engaging a central aperture to retain a disc within the recess and a spacing rim upstanding from the planar surface. The spacing rim is U-shaped so that in the closed position, the spacing rims do not overlap.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/666,648, filed Mar. 30, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference. This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/393,291 filed Mar. 30, 2006, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a closable storage package for a recording medium and, more particularly, to a package comprising a paper board cover assembled to multiple plastic disc holders for storing multiple discs. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Various types of planar discs are in use at the present time to record and store information which is to be retrieved by various means, such as by optical or magnetic means. Typical of such discs are compact discs in which information is digitally recorded by use of a laser beam and then read optically by a laser beam. Such discs are used to record audio information, such as musical renditions, video information such as visual images and digital information for use as read only and other memories for use in various applications; such as computer applications. In most instances, at the present time, such discs are sold with information already recorded thereon. In other applications, such discs are sold in blank form and are used by the customer to record information thereon. In the latter case, for example, optical discs are sold for use as computer storage media and are used in hard disc storage systems. As used herein, the term compact disc, CD or disc is intended to encompass all such discs, whatever their size, for all known or proposed uses. 
     Compact discs containing laser recorded information are typically packaged in injection molded plastic enclosures designed to hold one or more CDs for protecting the discs during storage and shipment. Enclosures commonly used at the present time, such as the well known “jewel box,” comprise a three piece assembly consisting of a base or bottom element, an insert or tray in the base/bottom element for positioning and supporting the disc in the base/bottom element, e.g., by a center projection (commonly referred to as a “rosette”) which engages the periphery of the aperture in the center of the disc, and a lid or cover which is hinged to the base/bottom element and is closed thereon after the disc is mounted therein on the tray. Other enclosures utilize only two pieces, omit the tray, and position and support the disc via the center projection directly on the base/bottom element. The enclosure is, typically, at least partially transparent and graphics relating to the disc and containing trademark and sales promotional information are usually inserted in such a manner as to be visible through the enclosure. 
     Except for the printed matter inserted therein, the “jewel box” is entirely plastic. For this reason, as well as because the typical jewel box requires three separately injection molded elements which must be manually assembled, the use of this type of enclosure is relatively expensive. Moreover, the use of such an enclosure is believed to be ecologically unacceptable by many because the plastic is non-biodegradable and, in view of the huge volume of such enclosures in use today, the disposal of these enclosures poses either a real or potential environmental problem. One solution to both of these problems has been the development of hybrid packages comprising both paperboard and plastic components. These hybrid packages provide a CD package which is suitable and attractive for display, sale and storage of compact discs, yet which is both simple and inexpensive to manufacture. 
     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,812 to Kosterka, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a compact disc package formed from a prescored, preprinted unitary blank and at least one injection molded plastic compact disc holder or tray adhesively adhered to one segment of the blank, the blank being adapted to fold along fold lines to position a blank segment over the top of the disc holder to sandwich it, in book style, between the segment to which it is adhered and the overlying segment. The problem with this type of arrangement is that the book frequently opens and provides little protection for the disc there within. 
     When it is desired to have a disc package house multiple discs, it has become common to form a book like package having opposite panels connected by a spine panel and to adhesively or mechanically adhere an injection molded plastic disc holder or tray to each of the facing panels. In this manner, when the book is closed, the trays seat upon one another in face-to-face relationship. Typically the height of upstanding peripheral rims around at least a portion of at least one of the trays limits the thickness of the book when the book is in the closed position to assure that the discs on the panels do not contact each other. The problem with this sort of arrangement is that the thickness of each tray doubles the thickness of the package as compared to a package containing only a single disc holder. Such a double thickness package occupies more retail space than is desirable and is wasteful of plastic material. 
     It should be apparent, therefore, that efforts to date directed at hybrid packaging containing multiple discs suffer from one or more shortcomings which make the resulting CD packaging unsatisfactory. This is because prior art hybrid packaging is, typically, either uneconomical to manufacture and/or is expensive to transport, store and display in retail stores. Accordingly, there remains a need for a simple, inexpensive to manufacture, inexpensive to ship and display multiple-disc hybrid CD package which is reliable for use over the long term. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the subject disclosure to provide a package for holding discs that is relatively thin despite having co-axially aligned discs. 
     It is another object of the subject disclosure to provide a package for holding discs that is easy to manufacture because it has two parts that are unitary. 
     It is still another object of the subject disclosure to provide a package for holding discs that minimizes the required materials. 
     The present disclosure is directed to a package for housing two discs including a cover forming an elongated spine panel with first and second opposing panels extending therefrom such that the opposing panels selectively rotate between open and closed positions. First and second partial trays attach to the first and second opposing panels, respectively, each partial tray having a planar surface forming a periphery and a recess, a rosette near a first side of the tray for engaging a central aperture to retain a disc at least partially within the recess, and a spacing rim upstanding from the planar surface. The spacing rim includes a lateral side opposing the first side, and two transverse sides, wherein in the closed position, the spacing rims do not overlap. Preferably, in the closed position, a thickness of the package is approximately equal to the first and second opposing panels plus a height of the spacing rim of the first partial tray. In further embodiments, the recesses are semi-circular and the package has means for retaining the package in the closed position. 
     In another embodiment, the subject disclosure is directed to a package for housing two discs including a cover forming an elongated spine panel in a plane with first and second opposing panels extending therefrom such that the opposing panels selectively rotate between an open position in which the opposing panels are substantially in the plane and a closed position in which the opposing panels are substantially perpendicular to the plane. A first partial tray attaches to the first opposing panel at a first end. The first partial tray has a planar surface forming a periphery, a substantially semi-circular recess opening to the periphery on a first side and finger wells opening to the recess, a rosette located centrally within the semi-circular recess for engaging a central aperture of a disc, a spacing rim upstanding from the planar surface, the spacing rim including a lateral side opposing the first side and two transverse sides, the lateral and opposing sides being near the periphery, and a male projection for retaining the package closed. A second partial tray attaches to the second opposing panel at a second end opposing the first end. The second partial tray has a planar surface forming a periphery, a substantially semi-circular recess opening to the periphery on a first side and finger wells opening to the recess, a rosette located centrally within the semi-circular recess for engaging a central aperture of a disc such that the rosettes are substantially co-axial in the closed position, a spacing rim upstanding from the planar surface, the spacing rim including a lateral side opposing the first side and two transverse sides, the lateral and opposing sides being near the periphery, and a female receptacle for engaging the male projection to selectively retain the package closed. 
     It should be appreciated that the present invention can be implemented and utilized in numerous ways, including without limitation as a process, an apparatus, a system, a device, and a method for applications now known and later developed. These and other unique features of the system disclosed herein will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       So that those having ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosed system appertains will more readily understand how to make and use the same, reference may be had to the following drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view, of one embodiment of the improved CD package of the present invention in its open position. 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the improved CD package of  FIG. 1  in its open position. 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the improved CD package of  FIG. 1  in its closed position. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the improved CD package of the present invention in its closed position taken along a plane passing parallel to the spine of the package and through the aligned rosettes. 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the improved CD package of the present invention in its open position. 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the improved CD package of the present invention in its closed position. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the improved CD package of the present invention in its closed position taken along a plane passing perpendicular to the spine of the package and through the aligned rosettes. 
         FIG. 9  is an enlarged detail view of portion  9  in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the improved CD package in a mostly, but not completely, open position. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention overcomes many of the prior art problems associated with CD packages. The advantages, and other features of the packages disclosed herein, will become more readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings which set forth representative embodiments of the present invention and wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural elements whenever possible. 
     All relative descriptions herein such as left, right, up, down, topside, underside and the like are with reference to the Figures, and not meant in a limiting sense. The illustrated embodiments can be understood as providing exemplary features of varying detail of certain embodiments, and therefore, unless otherwise specified, features, components, modules, elements, and/or aspects of the illustrations can be otherwise combined, interconnected, sequenced, separated, interchanged, positioned, and/or rearranged without materially departing from the disclosed systems or methods. Additionally, the shapes and sizes of components are also exemplary and unless otherwise specified, can be altered without materially affecting or limiting the disclosed technology to holding discs exclusively. 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-10 , in which there is shown an improved CD package  10  for housing two discs. In brief overview, the package  10  includes two injection molded plastic partial trays  12 ,  14  and a paper board cover  100  which is, in the preferred embodiment, adhesively attached to each of the trays  12 ,  14  in such a manner that the plastic and paper components form a CD package, configured to resemble a book of a substantially single disk package thickness, which presents no alignment problems between the trays when the package is repetitively opened and closed. 
     Referring generally to  FIGS. 1-10 , tray  12  is a relatively rectangular, thin, plate-like member which is formed with a partial circular recess  20  defined by a partial circular side wall  22  extending downwardly from surrounding planar surface  24  to base  26 . A rosette  28  for gripping a CD and holding it within recess  20  is molded on raised CD seat  30  which, itself, is molded on base  26 . Rosette  28  is, typically, a vertical cylindrical section including radically outwardly biased gripping fingers for engaging the central opening of a CD placed thereon. Raised seat  30  provides a circular surface on which the annular area of the CD which is immediately adjacent the central disc aperture can be supported above the base  26 . This area of the CD typically contains no recorded information and, therefore, contact between the CD in this area and the raised seat will not damage the CD. The CD may also be peripherally supported at its outer edges by a peripheral shelf (not shown) formed in circular sidewall  22 . The outer edges of a CD also, typically, contain no recorded information in order to provide further assurance that contact of the recorded areas of the CD with the tray will be avoided. Planar surface  24  of tray  12  includes finger wells  34  which open to the base  26  of recess  20  to facilitate a user removing a disc from the recess  20 . Recess  20 , rosette  28  and finger wells  34  are all well known in the CD packaging art and need not be described in detail herein. 
     It is noteworthy that tray  12  is only a partial tray with one lateral side  36  and two connecting transverse sides  40 ,  42  having upstanding wall portions  36   a ,  40   a ,  42   a  for defining a spacing rim at or just inside the marginal edges of the tray periphery. Wall portions  40   a ,  42   a  extend from wall portion  36   a  to a position close to but spaced from opposite lateral side  38 , which has no upstanding wall portion. As will be seen, when package  10  is closed, the wall portions assure a sufficient spacing between a CD mounted on the rosette  28  of tray  12  and a CD mounted on the rosette  28  of tray  14  that neither of the CDs become damaged by contact with the other. In addition, a male projection  50  rises from planar surface  24  adjacent the free end  40   b  of wall portion  40   a  and a female receptacle  52  is defined in planar surface  24  adjacent the free end  42   b  of wall portion  42   a  for engaging with a corresponding female/male receptacle/projection on tray  14 . 
     Tray  14  is a relatively thin plate-like member which is substantially similar to tray  12 . The configuration and elements of tray  12  apply equally to tray  14  and, therefore, like reference numerals denote like parts. The only difference is that tray  14  has a female receptacle  54  defined in planar surface  24  adjacent the free end  40   b  of wall portion  40   a  for engaging with the male projection  50  on tray  12  when the package  10  is closed. In like manner, tray  14  has a male projection  56  arising from planar surface  24  adjacent the free end  42   b  of wall portion  42   a  for engaging with female receptacle  52  on tray  12  when package  10  is closed. As a result, package  10  may be latched in the closed position when it is desired to do so. 
     In one embodiment, the engagement of male projection  56  on tray  14  with female receptacle  52  on tray  12  is weaker than the engagement of male projection  50  on tray  12  with female receptacle  54  on tray  14  (as by making projection  56  shorter than projection  50 ) so that, when the engagement of projection/receptacle  50 / 54  is overcome to open package  10 , the engagement of projection/receptacle  56 / 52  does not interfere with the smooth opening of the package. Indeed, in most instances, the engagement of male projection  50  on tray  12  with female receptacle  54  on tray  14  is itself sufficient to maintain package  10  latched in the closed position and the engagement of projection  56  with receptacle  52  serves to facilitate assembly of the trays  12 ,  14  to paper board  100 , as will be discussed more fully hereinafter. In another embodiment, projection  56  does not actually engage receptacle  52  but, rather, fits within receptacle  52  to serve as an alignment aid between trays  12  and  14 . 
     The paper board  100  comprises a plurality of paper panels which are desirably formed from a presized, pre-printed unitary blank. In one embodiment of the invention, the blank includes two panels  102 ,  104  onto which the plastic trays  12 ,  14  are adhesively or mechanically attached, separated by a spine panel  106 . Fold lines  108 ,  110  separate panels  102 ,  104 , respectively, from spine panel  106  and allow the panels to be pivoted between package open and package closed positions. The panels may be single ply although, in some instances, it may be desirable for one or both of these panels to be two or multiple ply. 
     To assemble the paper board  100  and trays  12 ,  14 , in a preferred embodiment, first and second trays  12 ,  14  are assembled to each other by causing the rosettes  28  to face each other with the free ends  40   b ,  42   b  of transverse wall portions  40   a ,  42   a  on each tray adjacent but spaced apart from each other, and with projection  50  of tray  12  and projection  56  of tray  14  inserted within, respectively, receptacle  54  of tray  14  and receptacle  52  of tray  12 . As the rosettes are pressed toward each other, as can be seen from  FIGS. 4 and 8 , the projection  50  on tray  12  engages receptacle  54  on tray  14  (and, in one embodiment, projection  56  on tray  14  engages receptacle  52  on tray  12 ) to maintain the assembled CD package  10  in the closed position. A plurality of glue posts (not shown) are desirably provided on the underside of each tray for receiving adhesive. Alternatively, dabs of adhesive are applied directly to the tray undersides. The adhesive-bearing underside of tray  14  is pressed onto the desired position on panel  104  with the wall portions  42   a  of the trays adjacent fold line  110 , after which the paper board cover is stretched around the spine edge  42   a  of the trays and panel  102  is pressed into adhesive contact with the adhesive-bearing underside of tray  12 . With the trays dimensioned and configured so that, with rosettes  28  in face-to-face relationship, the free ends  40   b ,  42   b  on each tray  12 ,  14  are adjacent but spaced apart and the projections  50 ,  56  and receptacles  52 ,  54  are aligned or engaged. Discs (see  FIG. 4 ) mount on the rosettes in a coaxially aligned orientation. The discs, however, do not touch each other because the height of wall portions  36   a ,  40   a  and  42   a  is sufficient to avoid their touching. 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , it can be seen that with package  10  in the closed position, the tops  36   c ,  40   c ,  42   c  of wall portions  36   a ,  40   a ,  42   a  of each tray  12 ,  14  contact the surface of panel  102 ,  104  to which the other tray is mounted. Thus, the height of wall portions  36   a ,  40   a ,  42   a  determines the separation between discs  43  mounted on rosettes  28  and, when properly selected, assures that the discs  43  do not touch when package  10  is closed. 
     In one embodiment, each of trays  12 ,  14  is approximately one half the length of panels  102 ,  104  between its lateral sides  102   a,ó  and  104   a,b . In this embodiment, wall portions  36   a  of trays  12 ,  14  are positioned closely adjacent the lateral marginal edges  102   a ,  104   b  of panels  102 ,  104 . In other embodiments, panels  102 ,  104  may be longer than twice the length of the trays  12 ,  14 , in which case wall portions  36   a  of trays  12 ,  14  are positioned a greater distance inwardly of the lateral marginal edges  102   a ,  104   b  of panels  102 ,  104 . Typically, the length of panels  102 ,  104  is at least twice the combined length of trays  12 ,  14  so that overlap is generally avoided. Preferably, the trays are so positioned on panels  102 ,  104  and the rosettes  28  are so positioned on the trays that, when package  10  is closed, the free ends  40   b ,  42   b  of transverse wall portions  40   a ,  42   a  of trays  12 ,  14  are positioned adjacent to, but spaced from, each other and rosettes  28  on each of trays  12 ,  14  are in face-to-face relationship. This assures that discs  43  mounted on these rosettes are in coaxial alignment. 
     While the invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various changes and/or modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.