Abstract:
A package comprising a back panel, a front panel coupled to said front panel in a manner forming an inside, a lid coupled to said back panel at a pivot edge, an insert tucked into said inside and coupled to said lid away from said pivot edge such that said lid acts as a lever to draw said insert about said pivot edge. The package provides presentation quality while remaining price competitive with a basic folder.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to packaging and specifically to an envelope or package including a presentation style slider/drawer.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Storage media are well known in the art. Such media are for storing and conveying information such as data, computer program instructions, music, and video. Examples of such media are CDs and DVDs.  
         [0003]     It is also common to package such media. The purpose of the packaging may be protective i.e. covering may protect a sensitive data surface. In addition, packaging may be used in order to identify the contents, or provide further details regarding the contents. The packaging may also serve an advertising or decorative function. The packaging may serve to provide a means to organize and store many instances of the media. Finally, packaging may serve to perform any combination of the aforementioned functions.  
         [0004]     In particular, existing CD and DVD packaging offers two extreme options:  
         [0005]     The traditional jewel case is a package offering display quality storage for CDs or DVDs. However, the price per empty case may significantly effect the cost to produce a packaged CD.  
         [0006]     Alternatively, a simple cardboard folder may be employed. Such a folder is relatively inexpensive. However, such folders are not suitable for display.  
         [0007]     There exists a need for an inexpensive, but display quality package.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a blank for a package, said blank comprising: a back panel, a front panel coupled to said front panel, a lid coupled to said back panel at a pivot edge, an insert coupled to said lid away from said pivot edge, such that when said blank is assembled into said package with said insert folded inside said package said lid acts as a lever to draw said insert about said pivot edge.  
         [0009]     According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a package comprising a back panel, a front panel coupled to said front panel in a manner forming a package interior, a lid coupled to said back panel at a pivot edge, an insert tucked into said interior and coupled to said lid away from said pivot edge such that said lid acts as a lever to draw said insert about said pivot edge. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached Figures, wherein:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  shows a plan view of a package blank according to a first embodiment;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  shows a plan view of a package blank according to a second embodiment;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  shows a plan view of a package blank according to a third embodiment;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of an assembled package according to a first embodiment and having a predominantly closed lid;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of an assembled package according to a first embodiment and having a predominantly open lid;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  shows a side view cross section of an assembled package according to a first embodiment and having a predominantly open lid; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  shows a side view cross section of an assembled package according to a first embodiment and having a predominantly closed lid. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a blank  100  for a package according to a first embodiment. That blank  100  includes a back panel  110 , a front panel  120  coupled to said back panel  110 , a lid  130  coupled to said back panel  110  at a pivot edge  140 , and an insert  150  coupled to said lid  130  away from said pivot edge  140 .  
         [0019]     The blank  100  is assembled into a package (shown assembled in  FIGS. 4 through 7 ) by (a) folding the front panel  120  at fold edge  142  to connect to the back panel such that the panels are connected at join edges  112  and  122 ; (b) folding the lid at fold edge  132 ; and (c) tucking the insert  150  into the inside (between) the front  120  and back  110  panels.  
         [0020]     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , when the blank  100  is assembled into a package with the insert  150  folded inside the package the lid  130  acts as a lever (motion A) to draw said insert  150  about said pivot edge  140 .  
         [0021]     Preferably, the lid  130  is comprised of an inner panel  134  and a relatively longer outer panel  136 . When the lid is folded in step (b), these panels  134  and  136  adjacent along their planes. The outer panel  136  is coupled to said back panel  110  at pivot edge  140 . It is also coupled to the inner panel at fold edge  132 . The aforementioned (b) folding of the lid results in these inner  134  and outer  136  panels being coincident i.e. adjacent and coplaner. They are joined in this position along their contacting surface by, for example, adhesive. The inner panel  134  is coupled to the insert  150  at joint  138 . Since the outer panel  136  is long relative to the inner panel  134 , the joint  138  is not coincident with the pivot edge  140 . This displacement is significant to the leverage action of the lid  130 .  
         [0022]     Preferably, the back panel  110  and/or insert  150  are flexible in order to provide slack to said lid when operating as a lever. Further, in a preferred embodiment, a cradle panel  160  is further coupled to the insert  150  such that when the blank is assembled, the cradle panel  160  may be folded between the insert  150  and the front panel  120  such that the insert  150  and cradle panel  160  form a cradle. Such a cradle provides a means, superior to simple friction, for ensuring that any contents placed in the package will be retracted along with the insert  150 , when the insert  150  is drawn out about the pivot edge  140 .  
         [0023]     Preferably, the blank  100  also comprises extensions  170  on either the front panel  120  or back panel  110 . The extensions  170  may be adhered to the other of the front panel  120  or back panel  110  in order to define the inside of the package during the aforementioned step (a).  
         [0024]     In any of the aforementioned embodiments, the resulting package may be sealed by glue, tape, or label. A person skilled in the art would understand the many options for sealing the lid in this manner. Further, the fold joints may be augmented in function by way of perforation.  
         [0025]     In  FIG. 2 , however, there is shown another embodiment of a blank  200 , in all ways commensurate with blank  100 , except insofar as to incorporate an integral mechanism i.e. a link for securing the lid  230  in a closed position. The link comprises a slit  280  in either the front panel  220  and a flap in the lid  230 . The flap  282  may be inserted in the slit  280  to secure the lid in the closed position. The flap  282  is constructed in two parts in the same manner as the lid i.e. one portion of the flap  284  extends from the inner panel  234  the other flap portion  286  from the outer panel  236 . When the blank  200  is assembled into a package, the lid and flap are folded about fold  232  in the same manner as aforementioned with respect to blank  100 . The flap  282  is joined in the same manner as the lid. A person skilled in the art will understand that variations can be envisioned where the slit and flap are reversed in location, but essentially provide the same result.  
         [0026]     In  FIG. 3 , there is shown again another embodiment of a blank  300 , in all ways commensurate with blanks  100  and  200 , except insofar as to incorporate a different integral mechanism i.e. a link for securing the lid  330  in a closed position. The link comprises a flap  390  coupled to the lid  330 . Preferably the flap is formed interrupting fold edge  332  and substituting instead a cut line  392  which joins any segments of the fold edge  332 , but diverges from the axis of that fold edge  332 . Thus when folding occurs about fold edge  332 , the flap  390  extends from the lid  330  beyond the fold edge  332 . The flap  390  comprises perforations  394  for detaching an end  396  of the flap  390 . Thus, the lid  330  of the assembled package may be secured in a closed position by adhering the end  396  to the front panel  320 . The lid  330  may be subsequently unsecured by tearing the perforations  394  to detach the end  396 . Again, a person skilled in the art will understand that variations may be made to the particulars without departing from the essence of the invention.  
         [0027]     The blank may be further augmented with printing on any visible surface. Such printing may contain product identification, advertising, product details or decoration. The package may be sized for many contents. In the preferred embodiment shown, the package is sized for DVDs or CDs.  
         [0028]     The above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to be examples of the present invention and alterations and modifications may be effected thereto, by those of skill in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto.