Floating disk product package with window visibility, secure containment, and increased graphic surface area

• US 5,775,494 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Delorme Publishing Company Incorporated (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Delorme Publishing Company Incorporated (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Taplin, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUONG, SHIAN TINH NHAN
• Application Number:
  US08/471,580
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 206/308.1, 206/308.2, 206/307.1, 206/307, 206/313, 206/311, 206/312, 206/310, 206/309, 206/782, 206/775, 206/232, 206/776, 206/777
• US Class Current: 206/308.2
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/40 Identifying or analogous means applied to or incorporated in the record carrier and not intended for visual display simultaneously with the playing-back of the record carrier, e.g. label, leader, photograph
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/045 comprising centre hole locking means

Abstract

A package for a disk product has an inner box formed with outer and inner surfaces spaced from each other for presenting a disk product. The outer surface is composed of substantially transparent material so that the disk product is visible through the outer surface. The box is formed with at least one hub on the inner surface with a free end extending toward the outer surface. The free end of the hub is constructed to pass through the center hole of the disk product. The hub is formed with a holding surface for holding a disk product suspended on the hub so that it does not contact the inner surface. An outer box encloses the inner box. The outer box is composed of material bearing printing and graphics and is formed with inner and outer surfaces. The outer surface of the outer box is formed with a window for visibility of the disk product through the window and outer surface of the inner box. The outer box may be formed with a frame around the window. The outer box may further comprise a bookflap and bookflap window. The outer box also houses documentation and accompanying literature which can also be visible through the outer box window and provides visual background. In an alternate embodiment the disk product is suspended between inner and outer blister packs over a backpiece. In that case the package can be hubless.

Claims

1. A package for one or more disk products, each generally formed with a center hole comprising:

a box formed with outer and inner surfaces spaced from each other for presenting one or more disk products between the surfaces, said outer surface being composed of substantially transparent material so that each disk product is visible through the outer surface;

said box being formed with at least first and second hubs on the inner surface each with a free end extending toward the outer surface, each said free end of each hub being constructed to pass through a center hole of each disk product, each hub having formed thereon a holding surface for holding at least one of said one or more disk products suspended thereupon so that it does not contact the inner surface; and

said at least first and second hubs being horizontally separated one from another by a positive distance that is substantially less than a diameter of said disk product.

2. The disk product package of claim 1 wherein the box is composed of substantially transparent plastic.

3. The disk product package of claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the box is formed as a hinged cover, and further comprising snap means for securing the hinged cover in closed position.

4. The disk product package of claim 3 wherein a plurality of said boxes are formed for stacking and nesting when empty with the hinged covers in open position.

5. The disk product package of claim 1 wherein each holding surface of each hub is formed as a flat surface parallel with the outer and inner surfaces, each hub further being constructed to hold at least one of said one or more disk products on each holding surface by friction fit.

6. The disk product package of claim 1 wherein the holding surface of the first hub being formed separate from the holding surface of the second hub for display of two disk products.

7. The disk product package of claim 1 wherein the box is vacuum formed from a plastic flexible foldable sheet material that is substantially transparent.

8. The disk product package of claim 7 wherein the sheet material is polyvinyl chloride in a size range of 13-17 gauge.

9. The disk product package of claim 1 wherein each holding surface on each hub is formed closer to the outer surface of the box than the inner surface for presenting at least one of said one or more disk products closer to the outer surface.

10. The disk product package of claim 1 wherein each hub formed on the inner surface extends substantially the distance to the outer surface for supporting the outer surface and for maintaining a specified spacing between the inner and outer surfaces.

11. The disk product package of claim 1 wherein the top of each hub is fitted with a cap for retaining at least one of said one or more disk products on each hub.

12. A package for a disk product generally formed with a center hole comprising:

an inner box formed with outer and inner surfaces spaced from each other for presenting a disk product between the surfaces, said outer surface being composed of substantially transparent material so that the disk product is visible through the outer surface;

said inner box being formed with at least one hub on the inner surface with a free end extending toward the outer surface, said free end of the hub being constructed to pass through the center hole of the disk product, said hub having formed thereon a holding surface for holding a disk product suspended on the hub so that it does not contact the inner surface; and

an outer box enclosing the inner box, said outer box composed of material bearing printing and graphics and being formed with inner and outer surfaces, said outer surface of the outer box being formed with a window for visibility of the disk product through the window and outer surface of the inner box, the outer box including a bookflap hinged at one side of the outer box, said bookflap being formed with a bookflap window overlapping the outer box window, said bookflap window being slightly smaller than the outer box window for holding the inner box in the outer box around the window.

13. The disk product package of claim 12 wherein the inner box is composed of substantially transparent plastic, the outer box is composed of cardboard, and said disk product package includes an outer wrapping that is a shrink wrap.

14. The disk product package of claim 13 wherein the outer box is formed with a frame around the window, said frame including specified widths of the outer surface around the window and spacers secured between the inner and outer surfaces of the outer box around the frame.

15. The disk product package of claim 14 wherein the inner box is composed of substantially transparent plastic material and the outer box is composed substantially of cardboard, and wherein the spacers are folded pieces of cardboard glued between the inner and outer surfaces of the outer box.

16. The disk product package of claim 13 wherein the inner surface of the inner box is formed with at least first and second hubs, the holding surface of the first hub being formed separate from the holding surface of the second hub for display of two disk products.

17. The disk product package of claim 13 wherein the holding surface of the hub is formed as a flat surface substantially parallel to the inner and outer surfaces, said hub being constructed to hold the disk product on the holding surface by friction fit.

18. The disk product package of claim 13 wherein the holding surface on the hub is formed closer to the outer surface of the box than the inner for presenting a disk product closer to the outer surface.

19. The disk product package of claim 12 wherein the inner box is formed with dimensions for loading into the outer box through the outer box window.

20. The disk product package of claim 12 wherein the outer surface of the inner box, outer box window, and bookflap window are formed with dimensions permitting visibility of substantially the entire disk product.

21. The disk product package of claim 12 wherein the outer surface of the inner box is formed as a hinged cover, and further includes snap means for securing the hinged cover in a closed position.

22. The disk product package of claim 21 wherein a plurality of said inner boxes are formed for stacking and nesting when empty with the hinged covers in open position.

23. The disk product package of claim 12 wherein the inner box is vacuum formed from a plastic flexible foldable sheet material that is substantially transparent.

24. The disk product package of claim 23 wherein the sheet material is polyvinyl chloride in a size range of 13-17 gauge.

25. The disk product package of claim 12 wherein the outer box further includes a bookflap hinged at one side to the outer box, said bookflap being formed with a window overlapping the outer box window for visibility of the disk product.

26. The disk product package of claim 12 wherein the hub formed on the inner surface extends substantially the distance to the outer surface for supporting the outer surface and for maintaining a specified spacing between the inner and outer surfaces.

27. The disk product package of claim 12 wherein the top of the hub is fitted with a cap for retaining a disk product on the hub.

28. The package of claim 12 further including a visual background visible behind the disk product through the transparent outer surface of the inner box and the outer box window, said visual background conveying information related to subject matter of the disk product.

29. The package of claim 28 wherein the visual background includes literature accompanying the disk product, said literature being packaged with the disk product.

30. The package of claim 29 wherein the literature includes a book accompanying the disk product, said visual background including the cover of said book.

31. The package of claim 12 wherein the hub is formed with a holding surface for holding a disk product suspended on the hub so that it does not contact either of the inner and outer surfaces.

32. The package of claim 12 including an outer substantially transparent wrapping enclosing the inner and outer boxes.

33. A package for one or more disk products, each generally formed with a center hole comprising:

an inner box formed with outer and inner surfaces spaced from each other for presenting one or more disk products between the surfaces, said outer surface being composed of substantially transparent material so that said one or more disk products are visible through the outer surface;

said inner box being formed with at least first and second hubs on the inner surface each with a free end extending toward the outer surface, each said free end of each hub being constructed to pass through a center hole of each disk product, each hub having formed thereon a holding surface for holding at least one of said one or more disk products suspended thereupon so that it does not contact the inner surface;

said at least first and second hubs being horizontally separated one from another by a positive distance that is substantially less than a diameter of said disk product;

an outer box enclosing the inner box, said outer box composed of material bearing printing and graphics and being formed with inner and outer surfaces, said outer surface of the outer box being formed with a window for visibility of the disk product through the window and outer surface of the inner box;

said outer box being formed with a frame around the window, said frame including specified widths of the outer surface of the outer box around the window and spacers secured between the inner and outer surfaces of the outer box around the frame;

said outer box further including a bookflap hinged at one side of the outer box, said bookflap being formed with a window overlapping the outer box window;

the outer surface of the inner box, outer box window, and bookflap window being formed with dimensions permitting visibility of substantially the entire disk product.

34. The disk product package of claim 33 wherein the inner box is formed with dimensions for loading into the outer box through the outer box window, said bookflap window being smaller than the outer box window thereby retaining the inner box in the outer box.

35. The disk product package of claim 34 wherein each holding surface of each hub is formed as a flat surface parallel with the inner and outer surfaces of the inner box, each hub being constructed to hold at least one of said one or more disk products on each holding surface by friction fit.

36. The disk product package of claim 33 wherein the holding surface of the first hub being formed above the holding surface of the second hub for display of two disk products at two levels, said hubs being positioned so that the disk products overlap each other.

37. The disk product package of claim 33 wherein each holding surface on each hub is formed closer to the outer surface of the box than the inner surface for presenting at least one of said one or more disk products closer to the outer surface.

38. The disk product package of claim 33 wherein each hub formed on the inner surface extends substantially a distance to the outer surface for supporting the outer surface and for maintaining a specified spacing between the inner and outer surfaces.

39. The disk product package of claim 33 wherein the top of each hub is fitted with a cap for retaining at least one of said one or more disk products on each hub.

40. The package of claim 33 including a visual background visible behind the disk product through the transparent outer surface of the inner box and the outer box window and bookflap window, said visual background conveying information related to subject matter of the disk product.

41. The package of claim 40 wherein the visual background includes literature accompanying the disk product, said literature being packaged with the disk product.

42. The package of claim 41 wherein the literature includes a book accompanying the disk product, said visual background including the cover of said book.

43. The package of claim 33 wherein each one of said one or more disk products suspended on each hub is suspended so that it does not contact either of the inner and outer surfaces.

44. The package of claim 33 including an outer substantially transparent wrapping enclosing the inner and outer boxes.