Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~VO 95/26917 ~ ~ 6 2 5 91~ PCT/US95/04048
COMPACT DISC PACKAGE
BACKGROUND OF THE ~NVENT~ON
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to pack~ging systems and more
particularly to packages for holding and shipping CD and C~ROMs and
similar disc and disk-like articles.
Art Background
The Compact Disc (CD) introduced into the United States in 1983 was
primarily a device, like a phonograph record, used for recording sound. Data
is recorded on the CD in digital form as a series of tiny pits that are cover~d
with a clear, protective coating. Instead of a needle vibrating in the grooves,
a laser in a CD player shines light onto the pits and picks up the reflections as
binary code. Thus the CD is also referred to an an optical disc. The Compact
Disc Read Only Memory ("CD-ROM") is a compact optical disc based upon
the Compact Audio ("CD") consumer product. The CD-ROM is used to hold
text, graphics and sound. The CD-ROM is 120 mm in diameter, single sided
and can hold in excess of 600 MegaBytes of data.
WO 95/26917 6?,~i99 PCT/US95/04048
The CD has become the medium of choice in the music recording
industry and the CD-ROM has similarly become ubiquitous in the
electronics systems business. Computer hardware and software
manufacturers now ship millions of CD-ROM units each month,
containing various kinds of software, including computer programs,
databases, documentation, etc. A CD or CD-ROM has no inherent
protective covering like the earlier vintage thin mylar floppy disks with
their enclosing protective cases. As a result, these CD and CD-ROM are
typically packaged in the standard single or double disc plastic "jewel case"
package for protection in shipping and storage. Hereinafter "CD" will
refer to both CD and CD-ROM unless otherwise indicated. A single disc
jewel case is depicted in Pigure 1. Referring to Figure 1, a typical jewel case
package 10 is shown comprising a bottom member 16 which is typically
made of clear plastic, an opaque molded plastic holding member 18 which
is seated in the bottom plastic member 16 and which has a recessed area 19
for receiving a CD and a central hub 17 for holding the CD in the holding
member 18. The typical jewel case 10 also has a top member 12 which is
also made of clear plastic, this top member 12 usually having small tabs 14
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WO 95/26917 2 1 ~ 2 5 9 0 PCT/US95/04048
on opposing sides which are used to receive on the underside of the top
member 12 an identification label or explanatory booklet. There are
various embodiments of the plastic jewel case for holding two CDs. They
all typically have the same components. Referring to Figure 2 one
embodiment of a two CD case 30 is shown comprising a bottom clear
plastic member 33 having an opaque plastic insert 34 which is molded to
receive and hold one of the CDs, and a top clear plastic member 32 also
having an opaque plastic insert 34 which is molded to receive and hold
one of the CDs. The top member 32 and the bottom member 33 are
connected by means of hinging mechanisms to a central molded plastic
member 36.
These prior art packages are characterized by the pervasive use of
expensive and non-biodegradable plastics. In an attempt to reduce the
expensive use of the clear plastic top and bottom members, some recent
embodiments (see for example Figure 3) have incol~olated a heavy paper
material member (item 42 in Figure 3) with the molded plastic holding
member (item 44 in Figure 3) for holding a single CD glued to one end of
the paper member, whereby the other end of the paper member can be
folded over the CD to form a protective cover. One type of such package is
the DIGIPAKRBy AGI, Inc., Melrore Park, Illinois.
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WO 95/26917 ~,,39~ PCT/US95/04048
?,~G
In spite of the reduced use of the non-biodegradable plastic in such
embo~ ents of a CD package as exempliffed by the unit shown in Figure
3, any use of non-biodegradable materials (such as the formed plastic
holding member 44) is objectionable to many persons in the United States
and to official authorities in other countries. In the European
Communities Council Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste (93/C
129/08), Section 2, it points out that the directive's main objective (2.2.1) is"to minimize the total impact on the environment of packaging and
packaging waste, . . .", and suggests the following to reduce such waste in
order of priority (2.2.3):
"elimination/reduction of superfluous packaging;
prevention/reduction of the volume of one way pA~kAging . . .;
re-use of packaging;
recycling of packaging waste;
only in the last resort, final disposal."
Actions taken by some EC countries include:
Austrian Packaging Waste Law: requires manufacturers and
importers to take back used packaging without a fee, or alternatively
paying up to 1.136 ECU/ton for plastics disposal.
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WO 95/26917 2 1 6 2 .~ g ~ PCT/US95/04048
German Green Dot Scheme (Waste Management): similar to
Austrian scheme with the emphasis on manufacturers and importers to
restrict packaging to the absolute minimum in volume and weight to the
dimensions actually required to protect the contents and to market the
product. Has a quota for industry to recycle 64% of all plastics used to take
effect July 1, 1995.
UK; government has challenged industry and im~,orleLs to reduce
packaging waste by 50% to 75% by the year 2000.
The assignee of this invention, Sun Microsystems, Inc., like most
international computer hardware or software companies, as well as most
major music publishing companies, ship thousands of copies of CD-ROM
and CD into the European countries each month. The expense of dealing
with the non-biodegradable materials resulting from such laws relating to
import and removal of such materials is therefore enormous.
Applicants invention is an elegant and simple paper package
capable of securely and protectively holding up to four CDs, CD-ROM or
other disk- like articles, using minimum materials in volume and
weight and no non-biodegradable plastic materials. Most significantly
however, this simple yet effective package reduces the average cost of
manufacture of the package dramatically. For example, in relation to the
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WO 95/26917 ~, ~ 6 2 5 3 PCT/US95/04048
type of package illustrated in Figure 3, the present invention, when used
to contain a single CD, reduces the packaging cost from 35% to 50%; and
when used to hold two CDs, reduces the cost from 60% to 75%, while
providing adequate protection in shipping and storage for the fragile
disks.
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Jvoss/26sl7 21 62~9 D PCT/US95/04048
SUMMARY OF THF. ~NVF.l~TION
A disc or similar disk-like article cont~iner is ~li cc10sed which is made
from a single sheet of pacl~ging m~teri~ls confi~l~ed in a form which is
foldable to produce the containe., having a first section with ov~orl~pping
S co~ .on~ of the materials to form poc~Ls adaptable to recdve and hold the
disk-like articles, and having a second section with ov~ g co.n~.oQc..
of the materials and the second section being foldable over the first section to
provide a protective cover for the first section-
The first section of the conta;ner has overlapping co~ ol-rn~s of the
m~ri~lS s~lffirient to form pockets ~A~pt~ble for receiving and hol-ling up to
thrce of the disk-like ar~icles, and the second section may have its overlapping
materials configured to form a pocket a~lapt~ble forreceiving and h~ ling one
of the disk-like articles or for holding a desc,i~ti.~e booklet or other type of
m~t~ri~lc,
The cont~inrr materials incoll,ol~les a ~.. ;n;.. ~ of 30% recycled
fiber.
wo gS/26917 ~, ~ 6 2~ 9 PCT/US95/04048
A~ldition~lly the cont~iner is coated with an aquaous coating that
serves to protect the erclose~l discs drom loose fibers ge-ne~ted by the
conl~;n~. 'S recycled paper materials.
Also di ~close~ is a method for configllring and making a disk or similar
5 disk-like article cont~in~r f~om a single sheet of p~r~ ing m~teri~ls~ which
is adaptable to receive and hold up to four of the disk-like articles, using
n.;..;..~..,.- materials in volume and weight and using no non-biodegra~able
plastic materials.
~VO 95/26917 ~? S,9 0 PCTIUS95/04048
nF.~C~ ON OF THF. n~wr~
The objects, features and advantages of the Comr~ct Disk p~ ge of
the present invention will be a~pa.~nt from the following des~ ion in which:
Figure 1 illusLI~tcs a typical prior art mol~le~l plastic single CD jewel
S case.
Figure 2 illu~ ~s a typical prior art mol~ed plastic double CD jewel
case.
Figure 3 illustrates a prior art emboliment of a single CD par~e
made of paper and a molded plastic CD holding ~e~b&~ .
Figure 4 ~ c~t~s the present invention in a plane view of a single
paper sheet showing all surfaces and col-ne~!;,-g tabs.
Figure S illnc~tes the present invention in folded form showing the
sections for receiving two CDs and a desc.ip~i~e booklet.
Figure 6 illustrates a ~e-~ec~i~e view of thc present invention shown
hol~ling two CDs.
Figure 7 illustrates a p~ pe~ e view of an ~Itern~tive emb~
of the present invention shown hol~ling four CDs.
WO 95/26917 PCT/US95/04048
2162~ 0
nF..CCRIPTION OF THF PRFFF.RRFI) F.MROl)TIVlF.NT
The present invention is a paper based cont~iner for a compact disc
("CD"), a con.p~cl disk read only lll.,llloly ("C~ROM") or other similar
disk-like article, and a mPthod for making such a cont~h~e~ whaein the
5 cQ~ ine~ may hold up to four of the disk-like articles while using --;n;--------
m~t-.ri~lc in volume and weight and yet providing adequate prut~lion for the
articles, and using no non-biodegradable plastic materials. In the following
dcs~fiplion,particularspecifi~tiQnsaredisclosedwhendescribingthevarious
embod;..~ of the invention. These sperific~tionc are intended to provide
an illustration of a specific application of the invention but are not inte.ndl d to
limit the application of the invention to any specific type of Cr), CD ROM or
similar disk-like article. It will be ayya~nt to one skilled in the art that the
present invention may be practiced in a wide range of pac~ging ~y~l~.l.s of
various specifc~tions and confi~rations. The following descli~on also
15 con~ins references to material types and ccll,yonellls which are well known
in the art, and these should be int~,yl~ted in the illustrative and not in the
limited sense.
wo ss/26sl7 1 6~59 o PCTIUS95/04048
Thc cont~ine~ of the present invention is used to f~ it~te the
p~rl~ging, chi~,..,l nt and storage of CD and CD ROM and other disc and
disk-like units con~ ing various types of data inCl~ldin~ music, video,
sor~w~ such as coll,p.ller prograrns of various kinds, 3~t~h~ces of
inÇo~ aLion,doc~ cnn1l;on andcombin~tiQnsofthese. The~hip.,.~,.. lcofCD
and C~ROMs in these cont~inf rs will be made to almost all counLlics in the
world.
Referring now to Figure 4, a plan layout 50 of the p~er,ned
e~llbo~ is illustrated. In this preferred e-..bo~h~f -t, dle m~tfri~lc used
10 have the following characteristics:
Type: ~h~tkote EagletZ~) by Westvaco
ness: 20 point
Grain Direction: Vertical
lS Color: White
Finish: Gloss
Recycle Content: 30% pOSt-CQIl~ l recycled fiber
WO95/26917 ~,~6? 59 PCT/US95/04048
Ad~lition~lly, the package is coated with an en~,u~ lly friendly aqueous
coating that also serves to add pros~Pctior to the e~close~ disc or disk-like
articles from loose fibers gene.~ted by the cont~inet's recycled paper
m~teti~ls Moreover, in the p~;rc~l~,d emboAimp~t the con~it~er pa~P~e is
5 printed on one side and folded so that the printed surface al,~c~s on all sides,
l}~e.eb~ re~ cing cost and ink surface. Referring now to Figure 4, a p.ef~,..~d
configuration of the invention is illustrated in plan view SO, showing six major
co...l)o"ent parts 52, SS, 56, S7, 58 and 62. Components 56, 57, 58 and 62 are
folded together to fomt a first section of the conl~inf ~, and cu.- Ipol.f nlc 52 and
10 55 are folded together to forrn a second section of the Colll~ f r. The first
section of the co~t~inf,~ is formed as follows:
Component 56 is folded upwards along line 7~ and folded over
cc"..ponent 57;
Tab S9 is folded upwards and overonto co...l.o--~nt 58 and glue
lS is applied to the side of tab 59 OppOSiLé COlnlJOnel~L 58, and tab 60 is
folded upwards and over col l~onrnt 58 and glue is applied to the side
of tab 60 opposite co~ )or,f 1~[58, andco ~ ponf ~t S8isfolded upwards
along line 72 and over co. l.oncnt 56 and secured to cGu.~onent 57 by
WO 95/26917 21 6 2 5 9 0 PCT/US95/04048
means of the glue on tab 60 which meets colll~nent 57 through the
cut-out portion 80 of co.l,~onel,t 56 and secured to coulpollenl S7 by
means of the glue on tab 59 which meets co~ ~ner~t 57 through the
cut-out portion 81 of co,ll~onenl 56;
finally, tab 64 is folded up and over coull)orlellt 62 along line
75 and glue is applied to the side of tab 64 OppO5ilt colll~nenl 62 and
tab 65 is folded up and over co,ll~onent 62 along line 74 and glue is
applied to the side of tab 65 opposite cc ,llponellt 62 and cc ulpo"ent 62
is folded up along line 73 and folded over cc~ )onen~ S8 and secured
to co,l,ponent 57 by means of the glue on tabs 64 and 65.
Thisfirstsectionoftheconl~inF~t}le,~,fo,GcQr.~ canairpocketinthe
space bet~.e~ n colllponenls 57 and 56, as well as an air pocket ~ en
collll,or,ei-ls 56 and S8, and an airpocket between cc,,l,yonellts 58 and 62. Each
of these air yockets may contain a CD or CD ROM each of which would be
15 cuchiQned by cach other and the intervening coull,one.lL layers of the
cont~iner. Alternatively, and in the preferred eû~bo~ nt a CD or CD ROM
would be col,laih~ed in the pockets between co...~one,.l~ 56 and 58, and
colnponents 58 and 62 and would be cuchioned by each other and by the air
WO 95/26917 PCT/US9~/0 1~8
21 62~ ~j o
14
poeket between cC~ ronrntc 57 and 56. In another al~.l,a~ e, a desc.i~ e
booklet or other infoll..a~ion may be con-~inf~ in the poeket betwoen
C~ 'OI'f'"~' 57 and S6, thereby providing ~d~liSiQn~l euchioning for the disks.
In an alternative embo~limc~n-, cc,l.l~onenL 56 is seeured to co~ orlf nl 57 by
5 means of glue along the edge 83 of col.lponcnt 56.
The second section of the cQn~inf" is formed as follows:
tab 54 is folded up and over cc~ ponf~ 55 along line 79 and
glue is applied to the side of tab 54 opl,o~i~ co.~oncn~ 55;
tab 53 is folded up and over co~l)onf~n~ 55 along line 88 and
glue is applied to the side of tab 53 o~,osi~e COIllpOllf,nt 55;
C~l..p".~ 52 is folded up along line 78 and over ec,ll.pol cnt
55, being secured to eolll~onent SS by means of the glue on tabs 53 and
54 thereby forming an airpocket between coll,~onel,ls 52 and SS. This
air pocket provides ~ ition~l spaee for hol~ing an ~ ition~l dise or
lS disk-like article or a booklet or other info.. ~l;on thereby providing
additional e~chioning for disks loeated in the first seetion, when this
second seetion is folded over the first section along line 77.
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WO 95/26917 ? PCT/US95/04048
It is t}" ,eîore clear that up to four discs may be securely placed in the
contAinpr ~lçs~ibe~ It is anticipated that the normal configuration would
contain one or two discs with s~co,..l,Anying booklets of eYplAnAtory matter.
However an alternative embo limPnt holding four CDs is shown in Figure 7,
S wherein the COnl~A;nP~ is coll~lisl of two first section parts, with one being
foldable over the other. Referring to Figure S, a booklet in the air ~t~
bel~. eel- con.pol" nts 56 and 57 and co...lJon~ c 52 and 55 would provide
~A~litionAl p~ ing for the pluteclion of one or two discs in the contAinpr~ but
the air pOCk~l5 th çmselves are deemP~ adequate pl, I~. Lion for one or two discs
placed in the ~ockeb between co",pone"L~ 56 and 58 and co.~ onel ls 58 and
62, when the second section (comprising conlponcr,t~ 52 and SS) is folded over
the first section along line 77 to form a closed pacl~g~P.
Refe~ing to Figure 6, a pc,~ecLi.~e view of the invention is shown
col-lAin;..g two C~ROMs 90 and 92. The first CD ROM 90 is shown seated
in the pocket formed by conlponell~s 62 and 58. The second CD ROM 92 is
shown seated in the pocket fonned by c~,. . .pon~ ..t~ 58 and 56. In the shipping
confi~ration, the second section of the cQntAinçr formed by c~",ponel~ls 52
and 55 is folded along line 77 over the top of the CD ROMs 90 and 92, thereby
WO 95/26917 PCTlUS9Slû~018
16
providing a protective covering for the CD-ROMs cushioned either by the
air pocket between components 52 and 55 or by a descriptive booklet
which may be placed in that air pocket.
It is pointed out again that the container is made from 20 point
stock paper, conlaining 30% post-consumer recycled fiber, and contains no
plastic inserts or holding pieces to protect the disks, and yet the disks
obtain adequate yl~leclion from the various air pockets and component
layering of the invention.
Those skilled it the arts of manufacturing such packages for disks
will recognize that there are alternative methods for folding and pasting
together the components of such a device, and that changes of form of the
various components and/or tabs or variations in the weight and/or
composition of the paper will not change the invention. In the claims
which follow, the word "disk" is used to mean also "disc", and the
hyphenated word "disk-like" is used to mean CD, CD-ROM and other
5imilAr devices, including floppy disk type devices that are of equal or
smaller size to a standard CD.
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