Disc holder adapted for attachment to a bottle
A combination of a beverage container and a case for storing a compact disc, with the compact disc case being affixed to the beverage container. The combination also provides multiple options for accessing the compact disc from the case.
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The present invention relates to the field of packaging, specifically the packaging of beverages and compact discs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn the sale of consumer products, it is often desirable to design packaging that will promote the sale of multiple items simultaneously. Often the primary consumer product is packaged with a promotional consumer product in order to promote the sale of the primary product. Presently, there is no packaging that permits facile sale of the combination of a primary consumer product, like a beverage, with a promotional consumer product, like a compact disc.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides the combination of a beverage container and a case for storing a compact disc with the compact disc case being affixed to the beverage container. The present invention also provides multiple mechanisms for accessing the compact disc stored in the case.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One possible use of the combination beverage container and compact disc case of the present invention may be for the commercial sale of beverages. A beverage bottler may package his beverage in the beverage container of the present invention and package a promotional CD or DVD in the case of the present invention affixed to the beverage container. Conversely, the CD or DVD may be packaged with a promotional beverage. In either scenario, a consumer will be further enticed to purchase the beverage or CD or DVD because they will receive the promotional item along with the purchase. The combined packaging of the beverage and the CD or DVD is advantageous to the seller and has more consumer appeal than packaging the beverage and the CD or DVD separately.
Turning now to the drawings,
Likewise, the dimensions of the case 20 utilized in the present invention are dependent upon a number of factors, such as the size of the beverage container utilized and/or the size of the compact disc. However, the size of the beverage container 10 need not limit the size of case 20, nor must the size of the compact disc limit the size of the beverage container. For example, it is conceivable that the diameter of the disc and, therefore, of the case may be larger than the diameter of the beverage container. The present invention is not limited to a case for standard, round, five-inch compact discs but also includes cases for smaller compact discs and compact discs of different shapes (e.g., rectangular). The present invention may also be used with more than one compact disc. Furthermore, the term compact disc as used herein is not limited and includes any similar optically readable storage medium including, but not limited to, CDs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, and DVDs. A case for storing a CD holding any type of information, such as music, digital images, video, or software may be utilized in the present invention.
The case 20 is comprised of a protective housing 40 and a tray 60. The protective housing has a top member 41 having a top surface 42 and a bottom surface 44. The top surface 42 and bottom surface 44 of the top member 41 are connected via an upstanding wall 46 about the perimeter of the housing 40. In some embodiments, the upstanding wall 46 may extend beyond the top surface 42 of the top member 41 of the housing 40. The top member 41 of the housing 40 is designed to attach the case to the beverage container 10 and to protect the compact disc on the top side. The case also has a bottom member 47 having a top surface 48 and a bottom surface 49. The bottom member 47 is designed to protect the compact disc from the bottom side. The protective housing 40 can be made of a variety of stiff, non-deformable material(s), but is preferably made of plastic.
The case according to the invention is adapted to be permanently or removably affixed to a beverage container. Preferably, the top member 41 of the protective housing 40 is affixed to the base 12 of the beverage container by the placement of an adhesive between the top surface 42 of the top member and the base 12 of the beverage container. Alternatively the housing 40 may be affixed to the beverage container 10 by the friction created between the upstanding wall 46 of the housing and the base 12 of the beverage container. The top surface 42 of the top member of the housing may be flat or, alternatively, may be conformed to the shape of the base 12 of the beverage container 10. Where permanent affixation of the case 20 to the beverage container 10 is desired, the top surface 42 is preferably conformed to the shape of the base of the beverage container.
The tray 60 of the present invention is designed to hold a compact disc within the protective housing 40 of the case 20.
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It should be understood that a wide range of changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments of the combination beverage container and compact disc case described above. For instance, the size and shape of the beverage container, the size and shape of the case, and/or the mechanism used to open the tray holding the compact disc may be different than the exemplary embodiments described above, depending on consumer and manufacturing preferences. It is therefore intended that the foregoing description illustrates rather than limits this invention, and that it is the following claims, including all equivalents, which define the invention.
Claims
1. A compact disc case which can be affixed to a beverage container comprising:
- a protective housing having a top member and a bottom member, wherein the top member is designed to attach the case to a base of a beverage container; and
- a tray having a first position within the protective housing between the top member and the bottom member and a second position outside the protective housing.
2. The compact disc case of claim 1 wherein the tray moves from the first position to the second position by rotating about a pivot point connecting the tray to the protective housing.
3. The compact disc case of claim 2 having an opening mechanism, which upon activation, allows or causes the tray to move from the first position to the second position.
4. The compact disc case of claim 1 wherein the tray moves from the first position to the second position by sliding along a set of guides positioned between the tray and the protective housing.
5. The compact disc case of claim 4 having an opening mechanism, which upon activation, allows or causes the tray to move from the first position to the second position.
6. The compact disc case of claim 1 wherein the top member of the protective housing is conformed to the base of the beverage container, the top surface of the protective housing mating with the base of the beverage container.
7. The compact disc case of claim 1 wherein the top member has an upstanding wall about its perimeter capable of mating with and being affixed to the base of a beverage container.
8. A compact disc case which can be affixed to a beverage container comprising:
- a protective housing having a top member and a bottom member, wherein the top member is designed to attach the case to a base of a beverage container; and
- a tray for holding at least one compact disc wherein the tray is removeably attached to the top member of the protective housing.
9. The compact disc case of claim 8 wherein the tray is integrated with the bottom member.
10. The compact disc case of claim 8 wherein the tray is completely separated from the protective housing when the case is opened.
11. The compact disc case of claim 8 wherein the top member of the protective is conformed to the base of the beverage container, the top surface of the protective housing mating with the base of the beverage container.
12. The compact disc case of claim 8 wherein the top member of the protective housing has an upstanding wall about its perimeter capable of mating with and being affixed to the base of the beverage container.
13. The compact disc case of claim 8 wherein the tray is removeably attached to the housing by friction.
14. The compact disc case of claim 8 wherein the tray is removeably attached to the housing via clasps.
15. The compact disc case of claim 8 wherein the tray is removeably attached to the housing via screw threading.
16. A compact disc case which can be affixed to a beverage container comprising:
- a protective housing having a top member and a bottom member, wherein the top member is designed to attach the case to a base of a beverage container; and
- a tray for holding at least one compact disc wherein the tray is permanently attached to the protective housing.
17. The compact disc case of claim 16 wherein the tray is integrated with the bottom member.
18. The compact disc case of claim 17 wherein the tray is hinged to the top member of the protective housing.
19. The compact disc case of claim 17 wherein the top member of the protective housing is conformed to the base of the beverage container, the top surface of the protective housing mating with the base of the beverage container.
20. The compact disc case of claim 17 wherein the top member of the protective housing has an upstanding wall about its perimeter capable of mating with and being affixed to the base of the beverage container.
21. A compact disc case which can be affixed to a beverage container comprising:
- a protective housing having at least a top member, wherein the top member is designed to attach the case to a base of a beverage container and wherein the top member contains a slot capable of holding a compact disc.
22. The compact disc case of claim 21 wherein the slot is of the same size as the compact disc.
23. The compact disc case of claim 21 wherein the compact disc is held within the slot by friction.
24. The compact disc case of claim 21 wherein the compact disc is held within the slot by a clasp or latch.
25. The compact disc case of claim 21 wherein the top member of the protective housing is conformed to the base of the beverage container, the top surface of the protective housing mating with the base of the beverage container.
26. The compact disc case of claim 21 wherein the top member of the housing has an upstanding wall about its perimeter capable of mating and being affixed to the base of a beverage container.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 29, 2004
Publication Date: Mar 24, 2005
Applicant: The Coppola Companies (San Francisco, CA)
Inventor: Francis Coppola (San Francisco, CA)
Application Number: 10/976,543