Injection molded DVD case having at least one recess on an outer surface for the installation of a decorative insert

Abstract

A one-piece, standard thickness, injection molded DVD case has at least one recess on an outer surface for the installation of a decorative insert. For one preferred embodiment, the recess is coextensive with the front cover, with the exception of a narrow perimetric border. The decorative insert may be formed from vacuum-formed polymeric material, molded plastic, or stamped from sheet metal having a thickness in a range of about 0.005 to 0.01 inch (0.127 to 0.254 millimeters). Optimum thickness for the preferred embodiments disclosed herein is deemed to be about 0.0075 inch (about 0.2 millimeters). The decorative insert may include graphic images and text in relief, which may be painted for further affect. For another preferred embodiment, the recess on the front cover may cover only a portion of the available area. On the back cover, similar recesses may be formed above and below the disk storage region.

1 . A case for packaging and storing an optical digital information storage disk, said case comprising: 
 a one-piece, injection-molded main body including: 
 a spine;  
 a front cover coupled to said spine via a first living hinge;  
 a rear cover coupled to said spine via a second living hinge;  
 at least one recess inset into an exterior surface of at least one of said covers; and  
   a decorative insert for installing within each recess.    
   
   
       2 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein said decorative insert is made of a material selected from the group consisting of metal, polymeric compounds, wood, paper, leather, textiles, fiberboard and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The case of  claim 2 , wherein said decorative insert includes multi-color artwork.  
   
   
       4 . The case of  claim 2 , wherein said decorative insert is formed from sheet metal stamped in relief to which artwork is applied prior to the relief stamping.  
   
   
       5 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative insert is formed in a mold which provides an in-relief surface.  
   
   
       6 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative insert is a generally planar, laminar material that has been trimmed to fit the recess, said laminar material being selected from the group consisting of textiles, sheet metal, wood, and polymeric compounds to which a reflective coating has been applied.  
   
   
       7 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative insert is a generally laminar, vacuum-formed polymeric panel to which color graphics have been applied.  
   
   
       8 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the one-piece, injection-molded main body is made from a polyolefin selected from the group consisting of polyethylene and polypropylene.  
   
   
       9 . The case of  claim 2 , wherein said decorative insert is polygonally shaped, stamped from sheet metal to provide an in-relief graphic design on a major portion thereof, said insert having outer edges that are downwardly bent to form sidewalls that are generally perpendicular to said major portion, each of said sidewalls being inwardly-rolled to form a tube, with the tubes so formed from all outer edges lying in a common plane.  
   
   
       10 . The case of  claim 9 , wherein portions of each tube are stamped to form an outwardly extending hooks, each of said hooks engaging a hook receptacle located within the recess.  
   
   
       11 . A generally rectangular case for packaging and storing an optical information storage disk, said case comprising: 
 a main body having intercoupled front and rear covers that close to form a generally enclosed chamber, said main body having at least one recess inset into an exterior surface of at least one of said covers; and    a decorative insert for installing within each recess.    
   
   
       12 . The case of  claim 11 , wherein the one-piece, injection-molded main body is made from a polyolefin selected from the group consisting of polyethylene and polypropylene.  
   
   
       13 . The case of  claim 11 , wherein said decorative insert is made of sheet metal that has been stamped to include an in-relief design on an exposed major portion thereof.  
   
   
       14 . The case of  claim 13 , wherein said sheet metal panel includes multi-color artwork.  
   
   
       15 . The case of  claim 11 , wherein said recess is coextensive with said front cover, with the exception of a narrow perimetric border.  
   
   
       16 . The case of  claim 11 , wherein the decorative insert is an injection-molded panel having in relief multi-color graphics.  
   
   
       17 . A case for packaging and storing an optical digital information storage disk, said case comprising: 
 a one-piece, injection-molded main body including: 
 a spine;  
 a front cover coupled to said spine via a first living hinge;  
 a rear cover coupled to said spine via a second living hinge; and  
 at least one recess inset into an exterior surface of at least one of said covers.  
   
   
   
       18 . The case of  claim 17 , wherein said recess is of generally uniform depth and covers a major portion of said front cover.  
   
   
       19 . The case of  claim 17 , which further comprises a decorative insert made from a material selected from the group consisting of textiles, metal, metal alloys, wood, leather, polymeric compounds, and polymeric compounds to which reflective coating has been applied.  
   
   
       20 . The case of  claim 19 , wherein said decorative insert is stamped from sheet metal to which colored artwork is applied prior to the stamping process.