Angular disc-holding tray packages

A disc holder has a vacuum-formed thin tray secured to a paperboard base and cover. Ledges are formed at bottoms of paired opposite inner segmental walls. First paired opposite ledges are horizontal. Second paired opposite ledges slope upward toward the tray center. A first rosette is positioned on a tray base. A flap formed in the base is hinged along its end and extends toward the first rosette. A second rosette is positioned on the flap. Disc retainers extend inward from the segmental walls.

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Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/210,998 filed Mar. 25, 2009, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Multiple disc trays have angled stored discs to provide maximum storage space and strength with minimal tray material.

A new multiple disc holder has a thin plastic tray having rectangular outer sides and ends. Outward extending rims are formed on lower edges of the outer sides and ends. A paperboard base is attached to the outward extending rims. Upper surfaces extending inward from the outer sides and ends. Segmental inner end surfaces and opposite segmental inner side surfaces extend downward from the upper surfaces. Recessed finger well surfaces extend outward between the segmental inner end surfaces and adjacent opposite segmental inner side surfaces. Disc-supporting opposite ledges extend inward from lower edges of the segmental inner end surfaces and the opposite segmental inner side surfaces. A lower surface extends inward from the ledges.

The disc-supporting ledges are arranged in first and second opposite pairs. Ledges in the first opposite pair of ledges are parallel to the lower surface. Ledges in the second opposite pair are sloped upward and inward from one end of the tray toward a center.

A disc-retaining rosette is provided in the lower surface concentric with opposite segmental opposite inner side surfaces and an adjacent segmental inner end surface.

A flap is formed in the lower surface extending inward from a hinge on the lower surface near a segmental inner end wall. A disc-retaining rosette extends upward from the flap. At least one extension extends downward from the flap near the hinge for raising the flap above the lower surface.

Inward and downward sloped walls extend downward and inward from upper surfaces near corners of the tray between outer side and end surfaces and inner segmented surfaces for rigidifying the tray and forming bottom surfaces for attachment to a paperboard base.

The outer sides and ends of the tray are sloped inward and upward and the segmental end and side surfaces are sloped inward and downward for rigidity and stacking. The outward extending rims attached to lower edges of the outer sides and ends are spaced for separating and stacking.

A paperboard has a base secured to the rims and extending under the lower surface to a lower crease. The paperboard extends upward in a spine to an upper crease. The paperboard extends from the upper crease over the upper surfaces of the tray as a cover.

The tray, its surfaces and elements are constructed as a single vacuumed-formed sheet.

A disc holder has upward and inward sloping outer side and end surfaces. Upper surfaces extend inward from the outer surfaces. Opposite segmental inner end surfaces slope downward and inward from inner edges of the upper surfaces. First and second opposite segmental pairs of inner side surfaces slope downward and inward from inner edges of the upper surfaces. Segmental lower ledges extend inward from lower edges of the opposite segmental inner end and side surfaces. The ledges on a first pair of opposite segmental sides are horizontal. The ledges on a second pair of opposite segmental sides are sloped upward from an end toward a center of the tray. Disc retainers are provided on the tray.

A hinged flap is formed on a bottom of the tray and extends inward toward a center of the tray. A first rosette is positioned on the tray between the first pair of opposite edges. The second rosette is positioned on the flap between the second pair of sloped segmental ledges.

A disc holder tray has sides, ends and a disc-holding well formed with inner opposite ends, paired inner curved opposite sides, and lower ledges on the curved opposite sides, the ledges on a first pair of opposite curved sides being horizontal, and the ledges on a second pair of opposite curved sides being positioned upward toward a center of the tray, and disc retainers on the tray.

A hinged flap is formed on a bottom of the tray and extends inward toward a center of the tray. The disc retainers comprise first and second disc-holding rosettes, the first rosette being positioned on the tray between the first pair of opposite curved sides, and the second rosette being positioned on the flap between the second pair of opposite curved sides.

Disc retainers are integrated in the curved inner side surfaces and spaced upward above the ledges.

Further disc retainers are integrated in the inner end surfaces.

Inner curved side surfaces are interrupted by vertical separations into relatively long portions near ends of the tray and relatively short portions near a center of the tray, and the retainers are formed in the relatively short portions.

Printed jackets and trays are attached with spots of adhesive material. The trays are easily detached from printed jackets for separate recycling of the plastic trays and paper jackets.

All surfaces of the jackets are printed with colorful attractive graphics, including the surfaces to which the trays are attached and the spines.

The jackets are die cut and creased from card stock. Two spaced inner flaps are glued to insides of the cover and base. A third half-panel flap is folded inward from an outer edge of the cover and is glued to an inward-folded small flap on the bottom of the cover, forming a pocket to receive literature and pamphlets concerning the discs.

Trays are formed with rectangular sloping outer walls with flat outward extending rims which are useful in unstacking trays and locating trays on jacket bases. Tops of the trays are flat. Sloping inner walls have larger segmental walls at longitudinal ends of the trays. Finger recesses having sloping walls at corners of the trays terminate the segmental walls.

Two or more slightly shorter opposite side segmental sloping walls intersect at longitudinal centers of the tray sides or at points along the trays when more than two discs are accommodated.

The opposite side segmental walls have rims which keep major surfaces of the discs from contacting the trays or each other.

At least two of the opposite side segments have sloped rims or ramps which support discs on an angle to the flat bases of the trays.

One form of the trays has self-formed flexible rosettes radially centered between two opposite side segmental walls. At least one flap is formed from the tray bottoms. The flaps have self-formed flexible rosettes radially centered between two opposite side segmental walls. The flaps bend to accommodate and hold discs on the sloped rims or ramps of the opposite side segmental walls. The flaps bend sufficiently so that a disc connected to a flap need not be removed to access and remove a disc on another rosette.

The retainers in the rosettes are small wedge-shaped retainers sloping downward and radially outward and then inward and downward so that the wedge-shaped retainers overlie inner openings in discs which are held between the retainers and the bases of the rosettes.

Surfaces of the rosettes below the retainers cooperate with the opposite side segmental surfaces to keep the discs centered in the trays.

Small semi-cylindrical protrusions between the attached ends of the flaps and the rosettes on the flaps contact the jacket to keep free ends of the flaps raised and separated from lower discs.

Outer areas of the trays between the end segmental walls and finger wells and the outer end surfaces have sloped wall end recesses for increasing rigidity of the thin trays. Rigidity of the trays is increased by attachment of the trays to the bases of the paperboard stock jackets, by the end recesses and by the sloped walls of the thin trays.

One form of the invention uses no rosettes. Wedge shaped retainers are provided in the segmental walls. The sloping bottoms of the retainers are spaced upward from the rims and ramps a distance equivalent to the thickness of the discs. Removing or inserting discs from and into the trays causes the wedge shaped retainers to deform elastically outward the thin walls in the area of the retainers. The retainers then snap inward, holding the discs or being ready to tip outward when inserting a disc.

These and further and other objects and features of the invention are apparent in the disclosure, which includes the above and ongoing written specification, with the claims and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a disc-holding tray holding a disc.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the disc-holding tray shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the disc-holding tray shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional side view of the disc-holding tray shown in FIG. 1-3 taken along lines A-A in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the disc-holding tray shown in FIGS. 1-4 with two discs.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a disc-holding tray similar to the tray shown in FIG. 1 with depressions formed along lateral retainers.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the disc-holding tray shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the disc-holding tray shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional side view of the disc-holding tray shown in FIG. 6-8 taken along lines A-A in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a disc-holding tray similar to the tray shown in FIG. 1 with rosettes mounted on a tray base and on a flap in place of edge retainers.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the disc-holding tray shown in

FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a side elevation of the disc-holding tray shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional side view of the disc-holding tray shown in FIG. 10-12 taken along lines A-A in FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the second disc-holding tray shown in FIG. 10 with two discs.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the second disc-holding tray shown in FIGS. 10 and 14 with two discs mounted in a jacket.

FIG. 16 is a plan view of the disc-holding tray shown in FIGS. 10-15.

FIG. 17 shows a disc held on the rosette attached to the tray base with a flap shown above the disc.

FIG. 18 shows a second disc held on the second rosette above and at an angle on the flap to the disc held on the tray base.

FIG. 19 shows the tray mounted on a jacket, with one disc in the tray.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a holder with an axially extending finger well for lifting a lower disc.

FIGS. 21 and 22 are perspective views of a holder with fixed partial rosettes with retainers.

FIGS. 23 and 24 are top perspective views of an injection molded disc holder with circular and crescent shaped openings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to the drawings, trays 10, 12 and 14 are formed with rectangular sloping outer walls 11 with flat outward extending rims 13 which are useful in unstacking trays and locating trays on jacket bases. Tops 15 of the trays are flat. Sloping inner walls 17 have larger segmental walls 21, 22 with inward extending ledges or rims 28, 48 at longitudinal ends 23 of the trays 10, 12 and 14. Finger recesses 25, having sloping walls 27 at corners of the trays, terminate the segmental walls 21, 22, 31, 33, 35, 37. Bases 29 of the trays 10 are flat.

Two or more slightly shorter opposite side segmental sloping walls 31, 33, 35, 37 intersect at longitudinal centers 39 of the tray sides 41 or at opposite points along the tray sides, when more than two discs are accommodated.

The sloping segmental end wall 22 and opposite side segmental walls 31, 33 have ledges or rims 28, 43, 45 which keep major surfaces of the discs from contacting the bases 29 of the trays 10, 12 and 14.

At least two of the opposite side segmental walls 35, 37 and end segmental walls 22 have sloped ramps 47, 49, 48 which support discs at an angle to the flat bases 29 of the trays 10, 12 and 14.

Outer areas 51 of the trays between the end segmental walls 21, 22 and finger wells 25 and the outer end surfaces 53 have sloped wall end recesses 55 for increasing rigidity of the thin trays 10, 12 and 14. Rigidity of the trays is created by the end recesses 55 and by the sloped outer walls 11, and sloped inner curved segmental walls 21, 22, 31, 33, 35, 37, and sloped finger recess walls 27, which form trusses in the thin trays and by attachment 120 of the trays 10, 12 and 14 to the bases 110 of the card stock paper jackets 100 as shown in FIGS. 15 and 19.

One form of the invention as shown in FIGS. 1-9 uses no rosettes. Wedge shaped retainers 60 are provided on the sloping segmental walls 21, 22, 31, 33, 35, 37. The sloping bottoms 65 of the retainers 60 are spaced upward from the ledges or rims 28, 43, 45 and ramps 48, 47, 49 a distance equivalent to the thickness of the discs. Removing or inserting discs from and into the trays moves the wedge shaped retainers outward and causes the thin sloped segmental walls 21, 22, 31, 33, 35, 37 in the area of the retainers 60 to deform elastically outward. The retainers 60 then snap inward, holding the discs or being ready to spring outward when inserting a disc.

The retainers 60 are small wedge-shaped retainers having upper walls 61 sloping downward and radially inward to rounded edges 63 of maximum displacement from the walls. Retainers 60 have bottom walls 65 sloping outward and downward so that the bottom walls 65 of the wedge-shaped retainers 60 overlie outer edges of the discs which are held between the retainers 60 and the raised rims 28, 43, 45 and ramps 48, 47, 49.

Surfaces of the segmental walls 21, 22, 31, 33, 35, 37 below the retainers 60 cooperate with the radially opposite segmental surfaces to keep the discs centered in the trays.

FIG. 3 shows the thin tray 10 side view with the inward and upward sloping outer side walls 11 and the outward extending flange rims 13.

FIG. 4 shows the positioning and shapes of the retainers 60, with the sloping upper and lower walls 61, 65 and rounded edges 63. The sloping of the segmental end walls 21, 22 and the ramps 47, 49 are also shown in FIG. 4. The sloping rim 48 at the base of segmental end wall 22 is also shown.

As shown in FIGS. 1-9, the retainers 60 above sloped ramps 47, 49 and sloped rim 48 have tops 62 which extend inward from the tops 15 of the trays 10. Narrow waists 64 extend inward from segmental walls 22, 35, 37. The retainers formed on segmental end walls 21, 22 have long upper slopes 61 and nearly horizontal bottom slopes 65.

FIG. 5 shows two discs 1, 2 mounted in tray 10 and held in place by the segmental inner walls 21, 22, 31, 33, 35, 37 and the retainers 60 mounted on the walls.

Trays 12 shown in FIGS. 6-9 are similar to trays 10, with the exception that the lateral retainers 60 are mounted only on the sides and not on the ends. Depressions 62 formed along the lateral retainers allow flexibility of the retainers when withdrawing discs past the bottom slopes 65 and when inserting discs past the top slopes 61 of the retainers 60.

The trays 14 shown in FIGS. 10-19 have self-formed flexible rosettes 70 radially centered between end segmental walls 21, 22 and two opposite side segmental walls 31, 33 and 35, 37, which hold discs downward against ledges 28, 43, 45, and sloped ledges 48, 47, 49. Flaps 80 are formed from the flat tray bottoms 29. The flaps 80 have self-formed flexible rosettes 70 radially centered between two opposite side segmental walls 35, 37 and segmental end wall 22. The flaps 80 bend upward to accommodate and hold discs on the sloped ramps 48, 47, 49 on the opposite side segmental walls 35, 37 and on the sloped segmental end wall 22. The flaps 80 bend sufficiently upward so that a flap may be raised and a disc connected to a flap need not be removed to access and remove a disc on another rosette.

The retainers in the rosettes 70 are small wedge-shaped retainers 60 sloping downward and radially outward and then inward and downward so that the wedge-shaped retainers 60 overlie inner openings in discs which are held between the retainers 60 and the rims 75 at the bases 71 of the rosettes 70.

Radial surfaces 73 of the rosettes below the retainers 60 cooperate with the segmental surfaces 22, 35, 37 to keep the discs centered in the trays 12.

Small semi-cylindrical protrusions 83 between the attached ends 81 of the flaps 80 and the rosettes 70 on the flaps 80 contact outer edges of lower discs to keep free ends 85 of the flaps separated from lower discs.

The trays 12 shown in FIGS. 10-19 have self-formed flexible rosettes 70 radially centered between end segmental walls 21, 22 and two opposite side segmental walls 31, 33 and 35, 37, which hold discs downward against rims 28, 43, 45, and ramps 48, 47, 49. Flaps 80 are formed from the flat tray bottoms 29. The flaps 80 have self-formed flexible rosettes 70 radially centered between two opposite side segmental walls 35, 37 and segmental end wall 22. The flaps 80 bend upward to accommodate and hold discs on the sloped ramps 48, 47, 49 on the opposite side segmental walls 35, 37 and on the sloped segmental end wall 22. The flaps 80 bend upward sufficiently so that a flap may be raised and a disc connected to a flap need not be removed to access and remove a disc on another rosette.

The retainers in the rosettes 70 are small wedge-shaped retainers 60 sloping downward and radially outward and then inward and downward so that the wedge-shaped retainers 60 overlie inner openings in discs which are held between the retainers 60 and the rims 75 at the bases 71 of the rosettes 70.

Radial surfaces 73 of the rosettes below the retainers 60 cooperate with the segmental surfaces 22, 35, 37 to keep the discs centered in the trays 12.

Small downward extending flat bottom semi-cylindrical protrusions 83 between the attached ends 81 of the flaps 80 and the rosettes 70 on the flaps 80 contact the jacket to keep free ends 85 of the flaps raised.

FIG. 10 shows a tray 14 with two rosettes 70, one of which is on a flap 80, which is formed from the tray bottom. Two curves 90 define the fixed end 81 of the flap 80. The tray 14 is identical to the trays 10 and 12, with the exception that the retainers 60 on the segmental walls in trays 10 and 12 are replaced by retainers 60 on rosettes 70 in trays 12.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the disc-holding tray 14 shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a side elevation of the disc-holding tray 14 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional side view of the disc-holding tray 14 shown in FIG. 10-12 taken along lines A-A in FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 shows two discs 1 and 2 held on the rosettes 70 attached to the tray base 29 and flap 80 when upper disc 2 is removed, flap 80 is positioned above disc 1. FIG. 14 shows first and second discs 1 and 2 held on the second rosettes 70 on the flexible flap 80 and the tray base 29. The second disc is positioned by the ramps 48, 47, 49 at an angle to the base 29 of the tray 12.

FIG. 15 shows the tray 14 mounted on a jacket 100, with two discs 1 and 2 in the tray.

The multiple disc trays 10, 12, 14 have angled stored upper discs to provide maximum storage space and strength with minimal tray material. As shown in FIG. 19, printed jackets 100 and trays 10, 12, 14 are attached with four spots 121 of adhesive material 120. The trays are easily detached from printed jackets for separate recycling of the plastic trays 10, 12, 14 and paper jackets 100.

All surfaces of the jackets 100 are printed with colorful attractive graphics, including the surfaces 110 to which the trays 10, 12, 14 are attached and the outer and inner surfaces of spines 130.

The jackets 100 are die cut and creased from card stock. Two spaced inner flaps 131, 133 are attached to the upper edges 151, 111 of cover 150 and base 110 and die cut spaced by the width of the spine. Flaps 131 and 133 are folded inward and glued to the cover 150 and base 110. A third half-panel flap 135 is folded inward from an outer edge 153 of the cover and is glued to an inward-folded small flap on the bottom 155 of the cover 150, forming a pocket 140 to receive literature and pamphlets concerning the discs.

The thin trays 10, 12 and 14 are rigidified by the angular relations of the walls 11, 21, 22, 31, 33, 35, 37 and the angular walls of the recesses 55, by attachment near corners on the base 110 of jacket 100 and by the angular positioning of at least one of the discs in the trays 10, 12 and 14.

FIG. 16 shows a tray 14 with two rosettes 70, one of which is on a flap 80, which is formed from the tray bottom. Two openings 90 define the fixed end of the flap 80. The tray 14 is identical to the tray 10 with the exception that the retainers 60 on the segmental walls in trays 10 are replaced by retainers 60 on rosettes 70 in trays 14.

FIG. 17 shows a disc 1 held on the rosette 70 attached to the tray base 29. Flap 80 is shown above disc 1. As shown in FIG. 17, one or more downward protrusions 83 are positioned to also contact the edge of lower disc to maintain the elevation of flap 80.

FIG. 18 shows a second disc 2 held on the second rosette 70 on the flexible flap 80 to the tray base 29. The second disc is positioned by the ramps 48, 47, 49 at an angle to the base 29 of the tray 14.

FIG. 19 shows the tray 14 mounted on a jacket 100, with one disc 1 in the tray.

The multiple disc trays 10, 12, 14 have angled stored discs to provide maximum storage space and strength with minimal tray material. Printed jackets 100 and trays 10, 12, 14 are attached with four spots 121 of adhesive material 120. The trays are easily detached from printed jackets for separate recycling of the plastic trays 10, 12, 14 and paper jackets 100.

All surfaces of the jackets 100 are printed with colorful attractive graphics, including the surfaces 110 to which the trays 10, 12 are attached and the outer and inner surfaces of spines 130.

The jackets 100 are die cut and creased from card stock. Two spaced inner flaps 131, 133 are attached to the upper edges 151, 111 of cover 150 and base 110 and die cut spaced by the width of the spine. Flaps 131 and 133 are folded inward and glued to the cover 150 and base 110. A third half-panel flap 135 is folded inward from an outer edge 153 of the cover and is glued to an inward-folded small flap on the bottom 155 of the cover 150, forming a pocket 140 to receive literature and pamphlets concerning the discs.

The thin tray is rigidified by the angular relations of the walls 11, 21, 22, 31, 33, 35, 37 and the angular walls of the recesses 55, by attachment near corners on the base 110 of jacket 100 and by the angular positioning of at least one of the discs in the tray 10, 12 and 14.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a holder tray 160 with an axially extending finger well 162 for lifting a lower disc. An upper angularly positioned disc held on the upper ramped ledge 164 is lifted by placing fingers against and lifting upward the middle exposed edge of the upper disc and first stripping the disc from inner retainers 172 and then from the end retainers 174. A lower disc is lifted by placing a finger in finger well 162 and lifting the edge to first strip the disc from detent 176 and then from the outward detents 178. Peripheral retainers hold the discs. Four wells 182 at corners provide flat lower surfaces 184 for glue dots which hold the thermoformed holder tray 160 on a paperboard base.

FIGS. 21 and 22 are perspective views of a holder tray 190 with fixed partial rosettes 192 with retainers 194. Centers 196 of end surfaces 198 have recesses 200 to allow an opposing disc to fit between the partial rosettes 192 and the end surface recesses 200. The discs are lifted by inserting fingers in the finger holes 202, 204 by the discs 206, 208 and lifting the edges of the top and then lower discs and sequentially peeling inner holes 210 of the discs from the detents 194 on the partial rosettes 192. The four finger wells 202, 204 provide flat lower surfaces 214 for glue dots, which hold the thermoformed tray 190 on a paperboard base.

FIGS. 23 and 24 are top perspective views of an injection molded disc holder tray 220 with circular and crescent shaped openings 222, 224 for material and weight reduction. The holes 222, 224 have been shaded to show an underlying paperboard base 226. Opposing flexible disc retainers 230 are in the form of bars 232. The bars flex to admit discs for retention by the bars and flex to release the discs. Ledges 234 and lower annular surface 236 are circular and horizontal on the lower section 238. Ledges 244 and peripheral surface 246 are angled upward in the upper section 248 to angle the upper disc over the lower disc. The four finger wells 202, 204 provide flat lower surfaces 214 for glue dots which hold the injection formed tray on the paperboard base 226.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, modifications and variations of the invention may be constructed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a multiple disc holder, further comprising a thin plastic tray having outer sides and ends, upper surfaces extending inward from the outer sides and ends, inner end surfaces and opposite curved inner side surfaces extending downward from the upper surfaces, disc-supporting opposite ledges extending inward from lower edges of the inner end surfaces and the opposite curved inner side surfaces, and a lower surface extending inward from the ledges, wherein the disc-supporting ledges are arranged in first and second opposite pairs, wherein the ledges in the first opposite pair are parallel to the lower surface, and wherein the ledges in the second opposite pair are sloped upward an inward from one end toward a center of the tray.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising recessed finger well surfaces extending outward between the curved inner end surfaces and adjacent opposite curved inner side surfaces.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising disc retainers integrated in the curved inner side surfaces and spaced upward above the ledges.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising disc retainers spaced upward above the ledges and integrated in the curved inner end surfaces.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the inner curved side surfaces are interrupted by vertical separations into relatively long portions near ends of the tray and relatively short portions near a center of the tray, and wherein the retainers are formed in the relatively short portions.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one disc-retaining rosette is provided in the lower surface concentric with opposite curved opposite inner side surfaces and an adjacent curved inner end surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a flap is formed in the lower surface extending inward from a hinge on the lower surface near an inner end surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a disc-retaining rosette extends upward from the flap.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising at least one extension extending downward from the flap near the hinge for raising the flap above the lower surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising inward and downward sloped walls extending downward and inward from upper surfaces near corners of the tray between outer side and end surfaces and inner segmented surfaces for rigidifying the tray.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising outward extending rims attached to lower edges of the outer sides and ends.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the outer sides and outer ends are sloped inward and upward and the inner end and side surfaces are sloped inward and downward for rigidity and stacking.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a paperboard base beneath the outward extending rims.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a paperboard having a base extending under the lower surface and the rims to a lower crease, the paperboard extending in a spine upward to an upper crease, and the paperboard extending from the upper crease over the upper surfaces of the tray.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tray, surfaces and elements of the tray are constructed as a vacuumed-formed sheet.

16. A disc holder comprising upward and inward sloping outer side and end surfaces, upper surfaces extending inward from the outer surfaces, opposite segmental inner end surfaces sloping downward and inward from inner edges of the upper surfaces, first and second opposite segmental pairs of inner side surfaces sloping downward and inward from inner edges of the upper surfaces, segmental lower ledges extending inward from lower edges of the opposite segmental inner end and side surfaces, the ledges on a first pair of opposite segmental sides being horizontal, and the ledges on a second pair of opposite segmental sides being sloped upward from an end toward a center of the tray, and disc retainers on the tray.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a hinged flap formed on a bottom of the tray and extending inward toward a center of the tray, wherein the disc retainers comprise first and second disc-holding rosettes, the first rosette being positioned on the tray between the first pair of opposite segmental sides, and the second rosette being positioned on the flap between the second pair of opposite segmental sides.

18. An apparatus comprising a disc holder tray having sides, ends and a disc-holding well formed with inner opposite ends, paired inner curved opposite sides, and lower ledges on the curved opposite sides, the ledges on a first pair of opposite curved sides being horizontal, and the ledges on a second pair of opposite curved sides being positioned upward toward a center of the tray, and disc retainers on the tray.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a hinged flap formed on a bottom of the tray and extending inward toward a center of the tray, wherein the disc retainers comprise first and second disc-holding rosettes, the first rosette being positioned on the tray between the first pair of opposite curved sides, and the second rosette being positioned on the flap between the second pair of opposite curved sides.

Patent History
Publication number: 20100258460
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 25, 2010
Publication Date: Oct 14, 2010
Inventors: Paul J. Gelardi (Cape Porpoise, ME), Anthony L. Gelardi (Strong, ME), Pepin S. Gelardi (Brooklyn, NY), Tatiana L. Whitlock (Portland, ME)
Application Number: 12/661,905
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: For Holding An Optical Disc (e.g., Compact Disc) (206/308.1)
International Classification: B65D 85/57 (20060101);