GB2249859A

GB2249859A - Display containers

Info

Publication number: GB2249859A
Application number: GB9123601A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David John Garrett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-11-07
Filing date: 1991-11-06
Publication date: 1992-05-20
Anticipated expiration: 2011-11-06
Also published as: GB9123601D0; GB9024240D0; GB2249859B

Abstract

A container 30 for a machine-readable data carrier has a cover incorporating one or more leaves 42 which may be used to display information. The leaves 42 are attached to the outside of the cover 30 at an edge of a spine 34 of the container 30 and may be turned like the pages of a book to display information presented thereon. The leaves may be turned without opening the container. The hinge 40 which connects the leaves to the rest of the cover may be a living hinge formed integrally with the cover. <IMAGE>

Description

DISPLAY CONTAINERS This invention relates to containers used to display such things as video tape cassettes, audio tapes cassettes, and optical compact discs, where it is desired to display promotional or other material associated with the contents of the containers.

A known video cassette box for an entertainment film comprises an integrally moulded box having a lid connected to a spine region of a base member by a living hinge, and a sheet of transparent plastics welded to the lid at its longitudinal edge spaced from the spine portion, but parallel to the spine portion, and to a corresponding longitudinal edge of the base spaced from the spine portion. The plastics sheet thus provides a pocket open at the top and bottom into which a display cover is placed, the display cover usually having photographs or artistic works associated with the film.

It is also known to secure a number of plastic wallets to the inside of the lid of a box for a video cassette. The wallets can be used to contain additional promotional and/or informational material. A video cassette box of this type is shown in GB-A-2 188 615.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a new display container.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a cover for attachment to a container for a machine-readable data carrier, said container having a recess adapted to receive a machine-readable data carrier, a base, a spine connected to the base, and a lid connected to the spine, the lid being movable between a closed condition in which a data-carrier in the recess is held therein and an open condition in which a data carrier within the recess may be removed therefrom, the cover comprising a back portion adapted to be attachable to the base, a spine portion adapted to overlie the spine, and one or more leaves, attached by a hinge along a first edge of the spine portion and turnable from a first condition in which the or each leaf overlies the lid to a second condition in which a surface of the or each leaf, which faces towards the lid when the leaf is in the first condition, is exposed to view, the or each leaf being turnable to its second condition when the lid is in its closed condition.

The or each leaf may carry promotional or advertisement material visible at its first and/or second faces.

The leaf or leaves can increase the number of available surfaces for the presentation of information concerning the contents of the data carrier, or for the carrying of advertisements.

The or each leaf preferably comprises a pocket adapted to receive sheet material which may be of a promotional or advertisement nature. The or each leaf is preferably of transparent plastics material and may be flexible.

One or more further leaves may be provided attached to the body portion at a hinge or hinges at one or more other locations on the body portion. For example, the further leaf or leaves may be hinged along a second edge of the spine portion and be turnable from a first condition in which the or each further leaf overlies the back of the container to a second condition in which a surface of the or each further leaf, which faces towards the base when the leaf is in its first condition in exposed to view.

The data carrier may be a video cassette, audio cassette, compact disc, or even a computer disc or tape.

The container preferably comprises a video cassette box and is substantially the same size as the video cassette that it is to house. The or each leaf is preferably substantially the same size as the video cassette box.

The hinge may be a separate component typically of the type comprising a plastic strip from which projects a plurality of resilient loops, the loops passing through holes in the leaf or leaves and in the spine portion, so connecting those components together.

Alternatively, the hinge, spine and the leaf or leaves may be formed integrally from flexible plastic, the hinge being a living hinge.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a container for a machine-readable data carrier comprising a recess adapted to receive a machine-readable data carrier, a base, a spine connected to the base; a lid connected to the spine movable between a closed condition in which a data carrier in the recess is held therein and an open condition in which a data carrier within the recess may be removed therefrom; and a cover according to the first aspect of the invention.

According to a third aspect the invention comprises a method of increasing the available information presenting space on a container for a machine-readable data carrier, the container having a recess adapted to receive a machine-readable data carrier, a base, a spine connected to the base, and a lid connected to the spine, the lid being movable between a closed condition in which a data-carrier inserted in the recess is held therein and an open condition in which a data carrier within the recess may be removed therefrom, comprising attaching to the container a cover, said cover comprising a back portion adapted to be attachable to the base, a spine portion adapted to overlie the spine, and one or more leaves, attached along a first edge of the spine portion by a hinge and being turnable from a first condition in which the or each leaf overlies the lid to a second condition in which a surface of the or each leaf, which faces towards the lid when the or each leaf is in the first condition, is exposed to view, the or each leaf being turnable to its second condition when the lid is in its closed condition.

Preferably the or each leaf has two opposed information presenting surfaces, each of which can be seen by a user upon an appropriate movement of the leaf.

Preferably the method further comprises fixing a flexible front portion to a rigid box member to define a pocket between the front portion and the box member, and hingedly connecting the or each leaf to the cover member.

Preferably the method further comprises hingedly connecting a pocket to the cover at the front edge of the spine portion at an intermediate, typically central, line region of the pocket so as to form two pocketed leaves secured to the spine portion at the intermediate line region of the original pocket.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a known video cassette box; Figure 2 is a cross-section on line Il-Il of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a container being a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 shows a container being a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 5 illustrates a cover for the container of Figure 4; being an embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 schematically illustrates a modified version of the embodiment of Figure 4; and Figure 7 shows schematically a second modified version of the embodiment of Figure 4.

A known video cassette box 1 is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and comprises a base tray 1' having a planar base 2 surrounded by four upstanding walls 3 which define a recess 4, and a lid 5. The lid 5 is connected to a longitudinally extending spine 3a by a living hinge 6. The spine 3a is connected to the base 2 by another living hinge 6'. Releasable co-operating closure means 6" is provided to hold the lid 5 shut. The box has a transparent sleeve 7 of plastics material which is connected to a longitudinal edge 8 of the lid 5 by a longitudinal weld 9 and wraps around the lid 5, spine 3a, and base 2, to a corresponding longitudinal edge 10 of the base 2 to which it is welded by a longitudinal weld line 11.The top and bottom edges of the sleeve 7 are open so that the sleeve 7 and box define an open-ended pocket between them in which a paper jacket 12 (shown only in Figure 2) is held. The jacket 12 usually has a picture promoting the video, and the title of a feature film recorded on the video. The video cassette is illustrated by chain dotted line 13 in Figure 2.

A video cassette box 30 in accordance with the invention is shown in Figure 3 which comprises a body portion 31 having a lid 32 hinged to a box portion 33.

The box portion 33 has a longitudinal spine 34. A sleeve 35 of transparent plastics acetate material is welded to the lid 32 at weld line 36, and to the rear of the box portion 33 at a similar weld line. The sleeve 35 defines in part a pocket 37. A sheet 39 of promotional material is inserted into the pocket 37 and through its open top. The structure described thus far is similar to that of the prior art box 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2.

A cover is secured to the body portion 31. The cover comprises a back portion 38 formed integrally with a spine portion 43. The back portion 31 is secured to the rear of the box portion 33 and the spine portion 43 is secured to the spine 34 of the box. The back portion 38 and spine portion 43 are formed from a stiff plastics sheet. A right-angle fold in the sheet separates the two portions the fold lying along one edge of the spine 34 of the box. The spine portion 43 and the back portion 38 are dimentioned so as to protrude a few milimetres beyond the extremities of the box 30.

The cover further comprises a hinge 40 secured to the free edge of the spine portion 43. Three leaves 42 of stiff material are hingedly connected to the hinge 40 and are separately movable relative to the lid 32 and to the spine portion 43. The leaves 42 may display information that tells a story, which may be in the manner of a cartoon or comic strip, the story encouraging the reader to want to see the video in the associated box portion 33. Both sides of the leaves 42 carry information for the reader.

The hinge 40 has a rib extending along its length on which is formed a multiplicity of fingers. The fingers project from one edge of the rib and curl around to lie under the opposite edge. The rib and fingers are formed of resilient plastics, the resilience of the fingers allowing them to be fed through holes formed in the edge portions of the leaves 42 and the spine portion 43 so as to connect the leaves 42 to the spine 43.

The leaves 42 may suitably be formed as laminates comprising two similarly-sized sheets of stiff, clear plastics material, secured together by adhesive, and with a printed sheet, eg of paper, on which the information to be displayed, sandwiched between them.

Thus a customer in a video rental, or purchase, shop can take the box 30 and see from the story, or other promotional material, displayed on the leaves 42 what the video concerned is about and can be induced into wanting to see the video. Alternatively at least one of the leaves may advertise a different, and possibly connected, video. For example, if the video concerned is "JAWS II", one of the leaves could bear material encouraging the reader also to see JAWS III", whilst the other leaves present pictorial excerpts from "JAWS II".

Figure 4 illustrates another video cassette box 50 which is similar in some ways to that described in relation to Figures 1 and 2. The box 50 has a rigid lid 51 hingedly connected to a rigid plastics base tray 52 at a spine 52a, a flexible transparent cover comprising a front portion 53, a spine portion 62 and a back portion 63, welded at its longitudinal edges to the base tray. The cover incorporates two leaves 54 and 55. The leaves 54 and 55 are made from a pocket 56 of flexible transparent sheet plastics material, such as acetate, having its bottom sealed by a weld 57, and welded along a line 58 at its central region to the cover adjacent the longitudinal edge of the spine 52a. The weld line 58 divides the pocket 56 into two discrete pockets 59 and 60, one associated with each leaf 54 and 55.

The leaves 54 and 55 receive sheets 61 of promotional material printed upon both sides, and have open mouths at their top edges by means of which the sheets 61 can be introduced to and removed from the pockets 59 and 60. The sheet 61 which leaf 54 receives is omitted from the view of that leaf in Figure 4. The leaves 54 and 55 are foldable relative to the lid and base tray of the cassette box 50 in the manner of pages of a book and can lie flat against the lid 51. This allows the box to be stored, with other similar boxes upright on a shelf in the manner of books. The bottom edge of the cover may be welded to the lid and base tray if it is desired to provide a bottom seam to the pockets defined by the cover 53.

If it is decided to change the video held by the box 50 the promotional jacket retained by the cover 53 and the sheets 61 can be changed easily.

Figure 5 illustrates the flexible cover incorporating leaves 54 and 55 before they are attached to the rigid lid 51 and base tray 52.

Leaves maybe attached to the cover to be at more than one place on the rigid cassette box, for example at each of the two longitudinal edges of the spine of the box, as shown schematically in Figure 6.

The leaves at the front of the box could present information about the particular film shown on the video associated with the box, whilst those at the back of the box could advertise other films.

The video cassette box shown in Figure 7, is similar to that of Figure 4, although the cover has four leaves 70 instead of two. The cover is further provided with a pair of pockets 72 formed from triangular pieces of plastic material welded to the cover along weld lines 74 adjacent the corners of the lid of the container remote from the spine. When the leaves are closed adjacent the lid 51 their free corners 76 can be tucked into the pockets 72 to retain the leaves in that condition. This inhibits the leaves from flapping free while a cassette is being removed from or replaced in the box and while the box is being stored prior to sale or hire.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A cover for attachment to a container for a machine-readable data carrier, said container having a recess adapted to receive a machine-readable data carrier, a base, a spine connected to the base, and a lid connected to the spine, the lid being movable between a closed condition in which a data-carrier in the recess is held therein and an open condition in which a data carrier within the recess may be removed therefrom, the cover comprising a back portion adapted to be attachable to the base,a spine portion adapted to overlie the spine,and one or more leaves, attached by a hinge along a first edge of the spine portion and turnable from a first condition in which the or each leaf overlies the lid to a second condition in which a surface of the or each leaf, which faces towards the lid when the leaf is in the first condition, is exposed to view, the or each leaf being turnable to its second condition when the lid is in its closed condition.

2. A cover according to claim 1 in which the leaf, or at least one of the leaves, have promotional, advertising or informational material displayed thereon.

3. A cover according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the leaf, or at least one of said leaves, is in the form of a pocket into which sheet material having information displayed thereon may be inserted.

4. A cover according to claim 3 in which the or each leaf is made of flexible, transparent plastics material.

5. A cover according to any preceding claim in which the or each leaf is made of two sheets of stiff, transparent plastic, the sheets being bonded together and having a sheet of material having information displayed thereon sandwiched between them.

6. A cover according to any preceding claim in which the hinge is a living hinge formed integrally with the one or more leaves and the said spine portion

7. A cover according to any one of claims 1 to 5 in which said hinge has a plurality of loops each of which passes through apertures in said one or more leaves and in said spine portion so interconnecting those components.

8. A cover according to any preceding claim having one or more further leaves attached by a hinge along a second edge of the spine portion and being turnable from a first condition in which the or each further leaf overlies the base to a second condition in which a surface of the or each further leaf, which faces towards said base when the or each further leaf is in its first condition, is exposed to view.

9. A cover according to claim 1 having a front portion of transparent plastic sheet secured to the first edge of the spine portion and adapted to be secured along an outer edge portion of the lid remote from the spine to form a pocket on the outward-facing surface of the lid in which sheet material having information displayed thereon may be inserted.

10. A container for a machine-readable data carrier comprising a recess adapted to receive a machine-readable data carrier, a base, a spine connected to the base, a id connected to the spine movable between a closed condition in which a data carrier in the recess is held therein and an open condition in which a data carrier within the recess may be removed therefrom; and a cover according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A container according to claim 10, which comprises a video cassette box and is substantially the same size as the video cassette that it is to house.

12. A container according to claim 10 or claim 11, in which the or each said leaf is substantially the same size as the video cassette box.

13. A method of increasing the available information presenting space on a container for a machine-readable data carrier, the container having a recess adapted to receive a machine-readable data carrier, a base, a spine connected to the base, and a lid connected to the spine, the lid being movable between a closed condition in which a data-carrier inserted in the recess is held therein and an open condition in which a data carrier within the recess may be removed therefrom, comprising attaching to the container a cover, said cover comprising: a back portion adapted to be attachable to the base; a spine portion adapted to overlie the spine; and one or more leaves, attached along a first edge of the spine portion by a hinge and being turnable from a first condition in which the or each leaf overlies the lid to a second condition in which a surface of the or each leaf, which faces towards the lid when the or each leaf is in the first condition, is exposed to view, the or each leaf being turnable to its second condition when the lid is in its closed condition.

14. A method according to claim 13 further comprising incorporating within said one or more leaves sheet material having information displayed thereon.

15. A method according to claim 14 in which said sheet material has information displayed on both of its sides.

16. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 15 in which the or each leaf is formed by hingedly connecting to the cover at the first edge a pocket at one intermediate line region of the pocket so as to form two pocketed leaves secured to the spine portion of the intermediate line region of the pocket.

17. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 16 further comprising fixing a flexible front portion to a rigid box member to define a pocket between the front portion and the box member, and hingedly connecting the or each leaf to the cover member.

18. A cover for attachment to a container for a machine-readable data carrier substantially as described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

19. A cover for attachment to a container for a machine-readable data carrier substantially as described with reference to Figures 4 or 5 of the accompanying drawings.

20. A cover for attachment to a container for a machine-readable data carrier substantially as described with reference to Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.

21. A cover for attachment to a container for a machine-readable data carrier according to any one of claims 18 to 20 incorporating the modification substantially as described with reference to Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.