Patent Publication Number: US-2004058114-A1

Title: Compact disk label apparatus and storage sleeve

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001] The present invention relates generally to compact disk label apparatus for use with a compact disk that may also be configured as a compact disk sleeve and method of making same.  
       [0002] Compact disk sleeves are used to encase many compact disks when they are sold. In addition, compact disk sleeves have been sold in boxed form containing twenty or fifty sleeves in a box. It would be desirable and provide a cost savings to the consumer to have a disk label that may be converted into a compact disk sleeve once the disk label is made.  
       [0003] The present inventor believes that some type of compact disk label sleeve known as “Rappit” is manufactured by Continental Data Labels, but details of this produce are not presently known. Also, Fellowes, Inc. manufactures a compact disk label sleeve. Multiple tears are required and this product must be folded multiple times to form the sleeve and a removable label is not provided.  
       [0004] It is an objective of the present invention to provide for compact disk label apparatus for use with a compact disk that may be configured as a compact disk sleeve. It is also an objective of the present invention to provide for a method of making a compact disk sleeve.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005] To accomplish the above and other objectives, the present invention provides for improved compact disk label apparatus for use with a compact disk that allows printing of a compact disk label and that is also configurable as a compact disk sleeve. A method of making the compact disk sleeve is also disclosed.  
       [0006] The compact disk label apparatus comprises a backing or carrier layer having a front surface onto which a label layer is disposed. The label layer has adhesive disposed thereon which adheres it to the backing or carrier layer.  
       [0007] The label layer comprises one or more adhesive-backed compact disk labels, which may be formed such as by cutting or slitting the label layer. The compact disk labels may be printed on and may be peeled and removed from contact with the backing or carrier layer. The backing or carrier layer is slit or cut adjacent to certain of its edges to allow the edges to be peeled from and removed from contact with the adhesive-backed label layer.  
       [0008] A perforation or fold is formed across the compact disk label apparatus. The perforation or fold allows the compact disk label apparatus to be folded onto itself to seal a plurality of its edges using the exposed adhesive surfaces of the adhesive-backed label layer. This sealing operation forms a sleeve that has an open end. An optional folding tab portion may be provided that may be folded over the open end of the compact disk sleeve. Punched holes may be provided to permit the compact disk sleeve  35  to be stored in a ring-type binder.  
       [0009] Only a single folding operation is required to form the compact disk sleeve. Also, no additional tearing operations are necessary, which is required with the Fellowes, Inc. sleeve. This is a significant improvement over the Fellowes, Inc. compact disk sleeve.  
       [0010] In accordance with one exemplary method, the above-described compact disk label apparatus is provided. Software is used to print onto a compact disk label of the compact disk label apparatus. The compact disk label is then removed (peeled away) from contact with the backing or carrier layer and attached to a compact disk. A plurality of the edges of the backing or carrier layer are peeled or removed to expose the adhesive on the edges of the label layer. The compact disk label apparatus is then folded along the perforation or fold so that it folds onto itself allowing the adhesive edges to adhere to itself or to the backing or carrier layer if a portion of the backing or carrier layer was removed. This forms the sleeve with an open end into which the labeled compact disk may be placed.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0011] The various features and advantages of the present invention may be more readily understood with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which:  
     [0012]FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of compact disk labeling apparatus in accordance with the principles of the present invention that is configurable as a compact disk sleeve;  
     [0013]FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the exemplary compact disk labeling apparatus;  
     [0014]FIG. 3 illustrates a rear view of the exemplary compact disk labeling apparatus;  
     [0015]FIGS. 4 a - 4   c  illustrate formation of the compact disk sleeve;  
     [0016]FIG. 5 is a flow diagram that illustrates an exemplary method in accordance with the principles of the present invention of making a compact disk sleeve; and  
     [0017]FIGS. 6 and 7 show alternative embodiments of the compact disk labeling apparatus. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
     [0018] Referring to the drawing figures, FIG. 1 illustrates n exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of compact disk labeling apparatus  10  in accordance with the principles of the present invention. FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the exemplary compact disk labeling apparatus  10 . FIG. 3 illustrates a rear view of the exemplary compact disk labeling apparatus  10 . The compact disk label apparatus  10  may be used with a compact disk  40  (FIG. 4 c ) that allows printing of a compact disk label  21  and that is also configurable as a compact disk sleeve  35  (FIG. 4 c ).  
     [0019] The compact disk label apparatus  10  comprises a backing or carrier layer  11  and a label layer  20 . The backing or carrier layer  11  is typically made from a wax-like paper that permits removal of an adhesively-backed paper label layer  20 . The backing or carrier layer  11  has front and rear surfaces  12 ,  13 . The label layer  20  has adhesive disposed a rear surface  22  thereof and is attached to the front surface  12  of the backing or carrier layer  11 .  
     [0020] The label layer  20  comprises one or more adhesive-backed compact disk labels  21 , formed such as by cutting or slitting the label layer  20 . The one or more adhesive-backed compact disk labels  21  with central openings  22  may be printed on and may be peeled and removed from contact with the front surface  12  of the backing or carrier layer  11  by peeling the label  21  off of the backing or carrier layer  11 .  
     [0021] The backing or carrier layer  11  is also slit or cut adjacent to a plurality of its edges  31  (lateral edges  31  are illustrated) to allow the edges  15  to be peeled from and removed from contact with the label layer  20 . Alternatively, adjacent edges may also be slit or cut to allow removal of the backing or carrier layer  11  from contact with the label layer  20 .  
     [0022] A perforation  16  or fold  16  is formed across the compact disk label apparatus  10  that allows it to be folded onto itself, to seal the edges  14  of the backing or carrier layer  11  and form the sleeve  35  having an open end. As is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an optional folding tab portion  24  may be provided that extends from the backing or carrier layer  11  that may be folded over the open end of the sleeve  35  to fully enclose it.  
     [0023]FIGS. 4 a - 4   c  illustrate formation of the compact disk sleeve  35 . FIG. 5 is a flow diagram that illustrates an exemplary method  50  in accordance with the principles of the present invention of making the compact disk sleeve  35 . The exemplary method  50  comprises the following steps, with reference also to FIGS. 4 a - 4   c.    
     [0024] A compact disk label apparatus  10  is provided 51 that comprises a backing or carrier layer  11  that is slit or cut adjacent a plurality of its edges  31 , an adhesive-backed label layer  20  comprising one or more removable adhesive-backed compact disk labels, and a perforation  16  that allows the apparatus  10  to be folded onto itself.  
     [0025] Software running on a computer is used to print  52  onto a compact disk label  21 . The compact disk label  21  is then removed (peeled away)  53  from contact with the backing or carrier layer  11  and is optionally and preferably attached  54  to a compact disk  40 . The edges  14  of the backing or carrier layer  11  are peeled or removed  55  to expose the adhesive  15  on the rear surface  22  of the label layer  20 .  
     [0026] The compact disk label apparatus  10  is then folded  56  along the perforation  16  or fold  16  so that the apparatus  10  folds onto itself, allowing the edges  14  of the label layer  20  to adhere together or to adhere to the backing or carrier layer  11 . This forms a compact disk sleeve  35  having an open end into which the labeled compact disk  40  (or unlabeled disk) may be placed.  
     [0027]FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate alternative embodiments of the compact disk labeling apparatus  10 . The alternative embodiments of the compact disk labeling apparatus  10  shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 are part of a larger original sheet. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the compact disk labeling apparatus  10  is formed on one side of an 8.5 inch by 11 inch sheet of material comprising the backing layer  11  and the label layer  20 . A perforation  36  is provided in this embodiment that allows removal of excess material to produce the compact disk sleeve  35 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the compact disk labeling apparatus  10  is formed substantially in the middle of an 8.5 inch by 11 inch sheet of material comprising the backing layer  11  and the label layer  20 . Two perforations  36  are provided in this embodiment that allows removal of excess material to produce the compact disk sleeve  35 . FIGS. 6 and 7 also illustrate that punched holes  38  may be provided through the compact disk labeling apparatus  10  that, when folded, allow the compact disk sleeve  35  to be stored in a ring-type binder. The punched holes  38  may be formed along any of the edges of the compact disk labeling apparatus  10  as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7.  
     [0028] Thus, compact disk label apparatus for use with a compact disk that is configurable as a compact disk sleeve and method of making same have been disclosed. It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of some of the many specific embodiments that represent applications of the principles of the present invention. Clearly, numerous and other arrangements can be readily devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.