Light weight, reinforced disc package

Abstract

Disclosed is a thin-walled closable storage package for media, which includes a base member and a cover member. The base member includes a thin-walled rear panel having structure for supporting media, such as for example, a compact disc or DVD, associated therewith. The cover member includes a thin-walled front panel and is hingedly connected to the base member. The cover member is movable between an open position wherein media can be engaged with or disengaged from the media supporting structure associated with the base member and a closed position wherein the base member and the cover member cooperate to enclose media engaged with the media supporting means. It is presently preferred that the storage package is unitary plastic structure which has been formed by injection molding. The storage package further includes a mechanism for reinforcing the rear panel and/or the front panel to improve the storage package's ability to withstand an impact force without damaging any media supported therein or dislodging media from the media supporting means.

1 . A thin-walled closable storage package for media comprising: 
 a base member that includes a thin-walled rear panel and means for supporting media;    a cover member that includes a thin-walled front panel, the cover member being hingedly connected to the base member and movable between an open position wherein media can be engaged with or disengaged from the media supporting means and a closed position wherein the base member and the cover member cooperate to enclose media engaged with the media supporting means; and    means for reinforcing the rear panel of the base member to improve the storage package's ability to withstand an impact force without damaging any media supported therein or dislodging media from the media supporting means.    
   
   
       2 . A closable media storage package as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising means for reinforcing the front panel of the cover member to improve the storage package's ability to withstand an impact force without damaging any media supported therein.  
   
   
       3 . A closable media storage package as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising means for securing media to the front panel of the cover member.  
   
   
       4 . A closable media storage package as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the means for securing media to the front panel of the cover member includes at least two clip elements for holding printed media.  
   
   
       5 . A closable media storage package as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the means for reinforcing the front panel of the cover member includes a plurality of transversely spaced apart, upstanding ribs which extend between the at least two clip elements.  
   
   
       6 . A closable media storage package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the storage package is a unitary plastic structure which has been formed by injection molding.  
   
   
       7 . A closable media storage package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the means for reinforcing the rear panel of the base member includes forming at least one raised or lowered section in the rear panel.  
   
   
       8 . A closable media storage package as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the means for reinforcing the front panel of the cover member includes forming at least one raised or lowered section in the front panel.  
   
   
       9 . A closable media storage package as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the means for reinforcing the front panel further includes arcuate transition sections formed in the cover member which connect the raised or lowered sections of the front panel to the remainder of the front panel.  
   
   
       10 . A closable media storage package as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the front panel includes a plurality of raised or lowered sections arranged such that the front panel has a waffle pattern formed therein.  
   
   
       11 . A closable media storage package as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a spine member disposed between the base member and the cover member, the spine member being attached to the base member through a first living hinge and attached to the cover member through a second living hinge.  
   
   
       12 . A closable media storage package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein media supporting means associated with the base member includes a rosette which projects from the rear panel of the base member.  
   
   
       13 . A closable media storage package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein media supporting means associated with the base member includes a circumferential rib projecting from the rear panel of the base member for supporting an inner region of a media disc engaged with the media supporting means.  
   
   
       14 . A closable media storage package as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the rear panel of the base member has a thickness of 0.0036 inch.  
   
   
       15 . A closable media storage package as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the front panel of the cover member has a thickness of 0.0036 inch.  
   
   
       16 . A storage package for media comprising: 
 a base member that includes a rear panel and means for supporting recording media;    a cover member that includes a front panel and means for securing printed media to the front panel, the cover member being hingedly connected to the base member and movable between an open position wherein media can be engaged with or disengaged from the recorded media supporting means and/or the printed media securing means and a closed position wherein the base member and the cover member cooperate to enclose media engaged with the recorded media supporting means and/or the printed media securing means; and    means for reinforcing the front panel of the cover member to improve the storage package's ability to withstand an impact force without damaging any media supported therein.    
   
   
       17 . A storage package as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising means for reinforcing the rear panel of the base member to improve the storage package's ability to withstand an impact force without damaging any media supported therein or dislodging media from the media supporting means.  
   
   
       18 . A storage package as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the means for securing printed media to the front panel of the cover member includes at least two clip elements.  
   
   
       19 . A storage package as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the means for reinforcing the front panel of the cover member includes a plurality of transversely spaced apart, upstanding ribs which extend between the at least two clip elements.  
   
   
       20 . A storage package as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the storage package is a unitary plastic structure which has been formed by injection molding.  
   
   
       21 . A storage package as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the means for reinforcing the rear panel of the base member includes forming at least one raised or lowered section in the rear panel.  
   
   
       22 . A storage package as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the means for reinforcing the front panel of the cover member includes forming at least one raised or lowered section in the front panel.  
   
   
       23 . A storage package as recited in  claim 22 , wherein the means for reinforcing the front panel further includes arcuate transition sections formed in the cover member which connect the raised or lowered sections of the front panel to the remainder of the front panel.  
   
   
       23 . A storage package as recited in  claim 22 , wherein the front panel includes a plurality of raised or lowered sections arranged such that the front panel has a waffle pattern formed therein. cm  23 . A storage package as recited in  claim 16 , wherein recorded media supporting means associated with the base member includes a rosette which projects from the rear panel of the base member.  
   
   
       24 . A storage package as recited in  claim 16 , wherein media supporting means associated with the base member includes a circumferential rib projecting from the rear panel of the base member for supporting an inner region of recorded media engaged with the media supporting means.  
   
   
       25 . A storage package as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the rear panel of the base member has a thickness of 0.0036 inch.  
   
   
       26 . A storage package as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the front panel of the cover member has a thickness of 0.0036 inch.  
   
   
       27 . A thin-walled closable storage package for media comprising: 
 a base member that includes a thin-walled rear panel having at least one raised or lowered section formed therein;    a cover member that includes a thin-walled front panel having at least one raised or lowered section formed therein, the cover member being hingedly connected to the base member and movable between an open position wherein the base member and cover member are positioned in substantially the same plane and a closed position wherein the base member and the cover member cooperate to define an interior chamber for storing media; and    wherein the storage package is a unitary plastic structure which has been formed by injection molding and includes a media support means projecting from an interior surface.