GB2282797A - Packaging element - Google Patents

Abstract

A packaging element for a compact disc comprises first and second substantially rigid elements (14, 16) joined to one another by a pliable element (38). The first element (14) has a formation (18) adapted to receive a compact disc and the second element (16) is adapted to close against said first element by flexing of the pliable element (38). Each of said first and second elements (14, 16) has complementary formations (24, 26) adapted to be capable of releasable locking engagement one with the other; said first and second elements (14, 16) being so connected together as to ensure that when they are folded together the complementary formations (24, 26) lockingly engage to encase the compact disc to be packaged. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVED PACKAGING ELEMENT The present invention relates to a packaging element in which a compact disc or other recorded sound or video format can be displayed and stored. For the sake of convenience, all such formats will hereinafter be referred to as compact discs.

The degree of fidelity of sound reproduction from a compact disc and the durability of the compact disc itself have made compact discs the recorded music format of choice for an increasing number of consumers.

Accordingly, there has developed a need for attractive but protective packaging in which to display and store the compact disc.

It has been previously proposed to enclose compact discs in a rigid box-like package made of injection moulded plastics material. Generally, such boxes comprise three separate components, a transparent front panel, a back panel and a formed disc-holder panel which snap-fits into the back panel. When assembled, the front and back panels are hinged together along one edge so that the box opens like a book for removal or insertion of the compact disc.

Any promotional material intended to accompany the disc must be preprinted and included in the box as an insert.

Such an insert may become separated from the box and mislaid by the user.

The manufacture and assembly of such boxes and accessory packaging is necessarily a multi-stage process with resultant high production costs. The cost of producing the packaging, together with the cost of producing the compact disc itself, combine to make the final packaged product a relatively expensive item.

In an effort to reduce the overall cost of compact discs, alternative forms of packaging have been suggested.

US-A-4,709,812 discloses a package for a compact disc formed from a prescored, preprinted unitary blank or sheet and at least one injection moulded plastics compact disc holder. The blank comprises a rectangular sheet divided into two rows of rectangular sections. The rows are separated by a fold line. The sections in one row are separated from each other by relatively thin strips which form spines when the package is in a folded form. The sections in the second row are separated from each other by slots.

In order to assemble the package, each section in one row is folded along the fold lines over onto the corresponding section on the other row and secured. An injection moulded compact disc holder is then affixed to one section. Accordingly, the final package has for example, 4, 5, 7 or 9 panels for graphics or promotional material and can hold one or two compact discs as required.

Such a package is less expensive to manufacture than the rigid box-like structure. However, the compact disc is enclosed in the assembled package merely by folding the panels over, there is no locking means for fixing the package closed. This exposes the compact disc within the package to accidental damage or loss, particularly when the disc is being transported.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved packaging element for compact discs which obviates or ameliorates the above mentioned disadvantages and which provides a lightweight, fastenable packaging element which will encase a compact disc, as hereinbefore defined, protected against damage.

According to the present invention there is provided a packaging element for a compact disc comprising a rectangular element of substantially rigid material divided into two sections, a first section having a central formation adapted to receive and retain a compact disc, a second similarly dimensioned section adapted to close against said first section, each of said first and second sections having complementary peripheral formations adapted to be capable of releasable locking engagement one with the other; said first and second sections being so hingedly connected together as to ensure that when they are folded together the complementary peripheral formations lockingly engage to encase the compact disc to be packaged.

The substantially rigid rectangular element may be connected to an outer backing sheet comprising a rectangular blank divided into two panels, the panels being separated one from the other by a strip having a small width relative to the width of the panels, the strip being bounded by fold lines such that when the assembled packaging element is folded together along the fold lines, the strip forms a reinforcing spine.

Preferably the substantially rigid rectangular element is formed from plastics material by vacuum forming or pressing. Suitable plastics material are polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene or PVC.

In an alternative embodiment, the outer backing sheet may be an integral part of the substantially rigid rectangular element thereby forming a foldable blank intended to form a complete packaging element without the need for a separate backing sheet.

In a further embodiment, the outer backing sheet may include an additional panel, the additional panel being connected to one panel of the backing sheet along a prescored fold line and being dimensioned such that when the additional panel is folded inwardly along the fold line, it fits within the peripheral formations of the assembled packaging element, thereby being encased when the packaging element is closed.

A plurality of additional panels may be provided, each of the panels being connected one to another along prescored fold lines, the innermost additional panel being connected to one panel of the backing sheet by a prescored fold line, the panels being foldable to fit within the assembled packaging element, thereby to be encased when the packaging element is closed.

The outer backing sheet and additional panels may be of cardboard, paperboard, plastics material or laminated paper and may be preprinted with promotional material, lyrics, artwork or the like.

Preferably the substantially rigid rectangular element is connected to the outer backing sheet by adhesive means.

When the packaging element is assembled, the compact disc inserted and the package folded to a closed condition, the entire construction may be shrink wrapped.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vacuum formed compact disc holder, and a backing sheet adhered thereto.

Preferably said backing sheet is so foldable that a part thereof may form a cover for the holder.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 shows a plan view of a packaging element embodying the invention; FIGURE 2 shows the packaging element of Figure 1 in side view; FIGURE 3 shows a plan view of a second embodiment of the invention; and FIGURE 4 shows the packaging element of Figure 3 in side view.

Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 of the drawings, there is shown a packaging element 10 for a compact disc. The packaging element comprises a rectangular element 12 of substantially rigid material such as card or a plastics material. The rectangular element 12 is sub-divided into a first retangular section 14 and a second rectangular section 16.

The first section 14 is moulded to a shape adapted to receive the compact disc to be packaged. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the compact disc holder portion comprises a circular recess 18, having a circumference slightly larger than the circumference of the compact disc to be packaged. The recess has sufficient depth to ensure that the compact disc does not protrude above the surface, thereby protecting the surface of the disc. Wells 20 may be provided at points around the circumference of the recess to facilitate manual insertion and removal of the disc. The compact disc holder element may also be provided with additional means for retaining the compact disc in its protection position.

These means may comprise a central lug 22 around which fits the central hole of the disc to retain the disc in the holder by frictional engagement.

Section 14 is provided on its periphery with upstanding formations 24 which engage with corresponding upstanding formations 26 on the periphery of the second section 16, one of the formations being closer to the periphery of the section so that its inner wall contacts the outer wall of the complementary engaging formation, preferably as a snap-fit.

In the embodiment depicted in Figures 3 and 4, additional panels 34 and 36, connected together with one connected to section 16, are provided. The complementary engaging formations 24 and 26 are provided on the corners 28 and 30 and along the edges but not along a free edge 32, such that when the whole packaging element 10 is assembled, inwardly folded additional panels 34 and 36 may be accommodated within the fastened packaging element.

Sections 14 and 16 are separated one from the other by a strip 38. This strip 38 has a small width relative to the width of the sections 14 and 16. It is bounded by fold lines (not shown) which ensure that when the whole package is assembled and folded along the prescored fold lines, the strip 38 forms a reinforcing spine.

The rigid rectangular element 12 may be connected to an outer backing sheet 40 of cardboard, laminated paper or the like, which may be extended to form the additional panels 34 and 36. Alternatively, the entire rectangular element outer backing sheet structure may be formed from plastics material by vacuum forming or pressing.

The additional panels 34 and 36 act to provide extra surfaces for the inclusion of promotional literature or artwork etc.

When assembling -the packaging element, these additional panels are folded inwardly along these fold lines. The panels are dimensioned to fit within the fully assembled packaging- element and to be retained therein when the complementary formations are engaged.

In order to assemble the packaging element, the substantially rigid rectangular element 12 is secured to the outer backing sheet by adhesive means. The compact disc to be packaged is inserted into the recess 18 and retained in position by frictional engagement of the lug 22 with the central hole of the disc. The sections 14 and 16 are folded inwardly along the prescored fold lines demarking the strip 38. In the folded disposition, the two sections 14 and 16 are in vertical alignment so that the external surfaces of the package are formed by faces 15, once the complementary formations at the periphery of the sections 14 and 16 are engaged to fasten the two halves of the packaging element together, thereby encasing the disc within.

If, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, additional panels are provided on the outer backing sheet, the outermost panel 36 is folded along the prescored fold line 44 separating it from the adjacent panel 34 such that the folded panels rest one upon the other. If more additional panels are provided, this step is repeated successively until all the panels are superimposed. The folded additional panels are then folded along the prescored fold line 42 and are accommodated within the section 16. The packaging element may then be assembled in the manner described above.

Once the entire packaging element is assembled with the compact disc encased therein, the whole unit may be shrink wrapped with a clear plastic film or the like.

In a further embodiment not shown in the figures, the second rectangular section 16 may also be moulded to receive and retain a compact disc. In such an embodiment two compact discs could be packaged and stored in a face to face disposition, optionally separated by infolded additional panels.

Claims (17)

1. A packaging element for a compact disc, the packaging element comprising first and second substantially rigid elements joined to one another by a pliable element, the first element having a formation adapted to receive a compact disc, the second element adapted to close against said first element by flexing of the pliable element, each of said first and second elements having complementary formations adapted to be capable of releasable locking engagement one with the other; said first and second elements being so connected together as to ensure that when they are folded together the complementary formations lockingly engage to encase the compact disc to be packaged.

2. A packaging element according to claim 1, in which the first and second substantially rigid elements are connected to a backing element, the portion of the backing element between the first and second elements forming the pliable element.

3. A packaging element according to claim 2, in which the first and second elements are joined to the backing element by adhesive means.

4. A packaging element according to claim 2 or claim 3, in which the backing element is made of cardboard, paperboard, plastics material or laminated paper.

5. A packaging element according to claim 1, in which the first and second substantially rigid elements and the pliable element are formed integrally with one another as a unitary construction.

6. A packaging element according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the width of the pliable element is less than the width of the first and second substantial, rigid elements.

7. A packaging element according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the pliable element forms a reinforcing spine when the first and second substantially rigid elements are folded together.

8. A packaging element according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the pliable element includes one or more formations to increase its flexibility.

9. A packaging element according to any one of the preceding claims, the packaging element being moulded from a plastics material.

10. A packaging element according to any one of the preceding claims including a panel element, the panel element being arranged to be foldable inwards so that, when the packaging element is closed, the panel element is encased between the first and second substantially rigid elements.

11. A packaging element according to claim 9 including a plurality of panel elements connected to, and foldable with respect to, one another.

12. A packaging element according to claim 10 or claim 11 when dependent on any one of claims 2 to 4, in which the additional panel or panels are formed as an extension of the backing element.

13. A packaging element according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the first and second substantially rigid elements both include means for

14. A packaging element according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the or each receiving means includes means for retaining a compact disc.

15. A vacuum formed compact disc holder, including a backing sheet adhered thereto.

16. A holder according to claim 15, in which the backing sheet is foldable such that a part thereof forms a cover for the holder.

17. A packaging element substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.