Patent Application
20080035502
The present invention relates to sheets configured with one or more article holding pockets, and more specifically to such a sheet having a pocket construction that includes a pocket flap equipped with article viewing window well suited for holding flat storage media, including flat disk-type media, such as CDs or DVDs, and the like.
With the advent of compact disk technology, many types of information can now be digitized and stored in large amounts on flat media, e.g., compact disks, including sound and video data, allowing flat media compact disks to store large amounts of audio and video information. This ability to store large amounts of information enables compact disks to be readily utilized for storing and playing music and movies with a very high quality for the audio and video playback from the disks.
However, while the compact disks are capable of storing large amounts of audio and video information, in order for the information to be easily and accurately read by a play-back device such as a CD or DVD player, the disk must be protected when not in use. Any damage done to the portion of the disk on which the digital information has been recorded, such as by scratching the disk, will degrade the quality of the playback and can completely prevent the playback of the information on the disk if the damage is severe enough. Therefore, in order to provide adequate protection for compact disks, a number of different types of storage and protection devices have been developed.
One of the more prevalent types of protection devices for compact disks is the jewel case. Typical jewel cases include a housing having side walls between which a circular central recess is located in which the disk can be positioned and secured utilizing an engaging mechanism disposed in the center of the recess. A cover is pivotally connected at one end to the side walls of the housing and can be releasably engaged with the housing at the other end. This enables the cover to selectively expose the housing and the recess such that the disk can either be positioned within or removed from the housing, as desired. Further, the cover includes a number of inwardly extending tabs disposed on an interior side of the cover which can be utilized to hold a cover page or other identifying material for the disk contained within the jewel case. This material can be easily viewed through the cover, which is normally formed of a transparent material, such that the content of the disk can be determined without having to open the case and view or play the disk directly.
While the jewel case is highly effective in protecting a disk contained therein due to the enclosed housing it provides, the overall structure of the jewel case is bulky, such that a mall number of jewel cases can easily take up a large amount of space. Therefore, it was desirable to develop a storage device for compact disks which could protect a much larger number of compact disks in a much smaller space.
As a result of this, a number of relatively similar compact disk cases have been developed in which the case includes a protective cover having a front and back panel pivotally joined at one end to spine, similar to a book cover. The panels are releasably connectable to one another by a closure positioned on one or more of the three non-secured sides of each panel, the closure being a strap, snap, zipper, or any similar closure. Within the case between the panels, a number of disk holder sheets are disposed which include pockets shaped to receive and retain a compact disk therein. The number of pockets disposed on a sheet can vary depending upon the size of the panels forming the case, and can range from one pocket disposed on one side of the sheet to four pockets disposed on each side of each sheet. Thus, when the disks are inserted into the pockets on their respective sheets, the front and rear panels can be secured to one another to completely enclose the sheets and the compact disks contained thereon to provide adequate protection to the disks. The sheets also normally include a number of holes along one side of the sheet that are releasably engageable with a corresponding number of locking rings on the spine between the panels, similar to a ringed binder. With this type of engagement between the sheets and the case, the sheets can be turned like pages in a book and the sheets or disks can be removed from the case as desired.
However, in an effort to maximize the number of the disks to be stored within enclosures of this type, the ability to include the identifying material illustrating the subject matter contained on a particular disk was omitted. Thus, for various compact disks which do not have readily identifiable titles or other identifying material printed directly on the disk, it is often the case where the disk must be removed and inserted into CD or DVD playback machine in order to determine what material is contained on the selected disk
Therefore, it is desirable to develop a storage device for flat articles, including relatively thin, flat, and disk-shaped storage media, which provides a highly efficient and economical space-saving arrangement for the storage of one or more such articles within a relatively small space. It is also desirable to do so in a manner that enables part of the article to be viewed, such as for quick and easy identification of the pocket-stowed article.
The present invention is directed to a pocketed sheet and pocket construction that is particularly well suited for being integrally formed of a sheet or page that preferably is of two hole or three hole punched ring binder usable construction. The pocket is formed of part of the sheet, preferably integrally formed from part of at least one sheet layer, and includes a flap of tear away construction that also includes a window through which part of an article in the pocket can be viewed. Such a sheet preferably is constructed and arranged with a plurality of such pockets and preferably also includes a view sleeve, e.g. another pocket, that holds and visibly presents printed matter, such as the printed insert descriptive of a CD or DVD stowed in a corresponding pocket of the same sheet.
According to one aspect of the invention, one or more such pocket sheets or pages are adapted for use in an article holding arrangement. One preferred article holding arrangement is a binder or the like that is equipped with a plurality of page-holding reclosable binder rings. In one preferred embodiment, the binder has three binder rings and is configured as a case.
The article holding arrangement has at least one pocket-equipped page or sheet. A pocket having a windowed flap constructed in accordance with the invention is disposed on at least one side of the page or sheet. In one preferred embodiment, a sheet equipped with a pocket constructed in accordance with the invention also has a panel of transparent construction configured for accepted printed matter, such as printed matter descriptive of an article being retained in the pocket. If desired, the page or sheet can be configured with a plurality of such pockets. For example, the page or sheet can be configured with a plurality of pockets on one side as well as one or more pockets on both sides, if desired.
The disk pocket is formed from a pair of overlying panels of the page or sheet, with at least the outermost panel preferably being composed of a layer of flexible material, e.g. fabric or fibrous material. The pocket is formed by staking one panel to the other panel about its periphery, such as through the application of a bond seam that preferably is of mechanical construction. If desired, pressure, heat, and adhesive can also be employed to supplement. The pocket cover flap is formed via perforations extending about its periphery with the exception of a hinge region of the flap that remains attached to the rest of the pocket. An aperture for a window is provided in the flap by removal of a section of the flap that interiorly bounds its outer periphery. A window of transparent material is attached to the flap such as by staking or the like.
In at least one preferred embodiment, the outer pocket-forming panel (but not the inner panel) of the sheet or page is perforated along at least two and preferably three sides of the flap in a manner that enables the flap not only to remain an integral part of the outer panel but which also produces a flap of convenient tear away construction. Such tear away construction enables even an end user to easily and quickly separate the flap from the rest of the pocket by simply grasping and quickly tearing the flap free of the rest of the pocket about or along its perforations with a minimum of effort and skill.
Perforation of the flap preferably is accomplished using a perforator such as a die, a punch, a cutter or the like. For example, such perforations can be carried out using a cutter that is a die cutter or perforator, a laser cutter or perforator, a fluid cutter or perforator (e.g. air perforator) or another type of suitable perforating cutter. While it preferably produces discrete perforations, such perforations can also be of continuous non-discrete appearance, like those produced, for example, using a laser or the like.
The flap is of windowed construction cut away about its inner periphery to define a 30 border or frame bounding a window aperture over which a transparent layer is attached or otherwise mounted providing the flap with a window. The window preferably is of see-through construction such that it is clear enough to permit a user to see at least part of the contents of the pocket through it. The window is staked to the pocket flap preferably via a heat seal or the like that causes the window to bond to flap from heat applied to the flap which overlies the window during bonding.
In one preferred embodiment, the window is made of a transparent thin plastic sheet material that preferably is staked or otherwise bonded to the outer panel or layer of the pocket sheet or page before the outer panel is assembled to any other panel of the pocket sheet or page. Suitable window sheet material includes clear or substantially clear material that preferably is of polymeric composition and which preferably is composed of plastic or the like.
In one preferred method of manufacture, the window aperture of each pocket flap is cut and the outer periphery of the flap is defined by correspondingly perforating the panel. The window sheet material is placed on the panel and heat sealed to the panel. In a preferred implementation of a method of manufacturing in accordance with the invention, the pocket flap window aperture cut and flap periphery perforations are carried out substantially simultaneously at the same time or about the same time. In another preferred implementation, the window sheet material is staked to the panel material at substantially the same time as cutting and/or perforating is performed. In one preferred implementation, waste panel material produced by cutting the flap window aperture is removed before staking the window sheet material to the flap. In another preferred implementation, the flap waste panel material is removed before the window sheet material is placed against the remaining panel material defining the flap and thereafter staked adjacent its outer periphery to the flap.
In one preferred embodiment, the pocket and sheet from which it is integrally formed are configured as a disk pocket for holding at least one flat storage media disk, such as a CD disk and/or DVD disk. Such a pocket and pocket-equipped sheet can also be configured to hold other types of flat articles including other types of media as well. For example, such a pocket construction can be configured to hold another type of flat storage media, such as a memory card, e.g. stick-style memory card, a secure digital memory card, etc.
Where configured as a disk pocket, the windowed pocket flap can be of reclosable construction, if desired. In any event, the pocket flap preferably substantially completely covers that part of a disk disposed in the mouth or entrance of the pocket. Such a pocket flap construction results in a flap that can completely cover the opening for the disk pocket. Further, the flap is formed with a central opening over which is positioned a transparent sheet such that any identifying material printed directly on the compact disk can be viewed through the flap without having to first remove the compact disk from the pocket. The flap preferably is configured as a closure that can be constructed to engage part of the sheet, if desired, including part of the pocket, so as to overlie an article received in the pocket.
The opposite side of the sheet includes a sleeve in which the identifying material for the compact disk located in the associated pocket can be inserted and retained. The sleeve includes an open end at one end of the sheet and is sealed at the opposite end such that once the material is inserted through the opening; it is retained securely within the sleeve. The size of the sleeve is larger than the size of the compact disk pocket such that identifying material for both audio CDs and DVDs can be easily inserted into and retained within the sleeve. Further, the sleeve is preferably formed from a transparent material secured to the back of the compact disk pocket in order to enable the identifying material to be viewed through the exterior of the sleeve without having to first remove the material from the sleeve.
Additionally, to enable the sheet to be easily secured within and removed from a suitable enclosure, the various panels forming the sheet are each formed with a tab extending from one side of the panel. When the panels and tabs are secured to one another, each of the tabs is engageable with a securing mechanism disposed within the enclosure in a conventional manner. Therefore, when the securing mechanism is disengaged, any number of sheets can be inserted within, or removed from the securing mechanism. When the mechanism is engaged, the tabs are securely engaged by the mechanism such that the sheets, while being movable within the enclosure in the manner of pages of a book, remain securely held within the enclosure.
In a preferred pocket construction, the pocket includes a flap with a see through window through which a portion of the contents of the pocket can be viewed. The pocket is formed of a sheet having an outer layer of material, such as preferably fabric or fibrous material, which is staked or sealed, preferably heat sealed, about its periphery to a backing layer of the sheet. The flap is integrally formed by perforating the outer material layer at or adjacent one end of the pocket substantially along at least three sides. As a result, when a user wishes to use the pocket, gentle manipulation of the flap tears it away along each perforated side to expose a pocket mouth through which the object to be retained by the pocket is inserted into the pocket.
In a preferred embodiment, the pocket flap has an aperture cutout over which lies a transparent window that preferably is of substantially clear construction. The window preferably is composed of a flexible, clear and see-through material enabling a user to easily view pocket contents despite the pocket flap being closed. The window is made of a thin and flexible material that is sized and configured so that its outer periphery overlaps the pocket flap about the inner periphery of the pocket flap window aperture. The window preferably is staked, sealed or otherwise bonded about its periphery adjacent its outer peripheral edge to the flap so that the window remains attached to the flap during pocket use and operation.
The construction of the sheets can also be modified to include more than one compact disk pocket and more than one material receiving sleeve on opposite sides of each sheet such that a larger number of disks and materials can be stored within a single enclosure.
Objects, advantages and features of the present invention include providing a sheet or page capable of being releasably secured and having one or more flat article holding pockets of windowed flap construction which are simple and easy to use; of economical construction; of robust, reliable and simple manufacture; is easy to make and use; and which is of versatile and user friendly construction.
Numerous other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the below described accompanying drawing figures.
Referring to
In one preferred embodiment, each article holding pocket 26 is configured to receive and releasably retain storage media, namely disk-shaped storage media, such as preferably a compact disk (CD), digital video disk (DVD) or the like. Where the pocket sheet 24 includes a printed matter holding sleeve 34, the sleeve 34 preferably holds printed matter descriptive or otherwise associated with the article being retained in the pocket 26 of the same sheet 24.
In one preferred embodiment, the sleeve 34 is sized to specifically hold music CD and/or movie DVD inserts 40 that is packaged with and descriptive of the particular associated CD or DVD 42 with the pocket 26 being of see-through construction to permit a user quick and easy CD or DVD identification. When this see-through CD/DVD literature pocket 24 combined with the see-through pocket flap window 32, which permits the user to quickly and easily spot and select a CD and/or DVD 42 received in the associated pocket 26, a method of use is implemented in accordance with at least one aspect of the invention enabling fast, easy, accurate, and convenient use in selecting and retrieving a particular desired CD/DVD 42 from at least a plurality or plurality of pairs, e.g. at least three, of CDs/DVDs.
Referring once again to
In the preferred binder embodiment illustrated in
The binder 22 preferably includes a flexible skirt or sidewall 66 extending from the binder covers 50 and 52 substantially about their periphery. The sidewall 66 can be formed of the same or a similar material as the outer covering 56, and can also be formed integrally with or of the outer cover 56. The sidewall 66 is divisible by a releasable closure 68 that preferably is a zipper 70 that can be unzipped to permit opening of the binder 22 and that can be zipped to close and encase the contents of the binder 22. Such a binder 22 provided in a zippered case configuration advantageously protects and shields the binder contents, including each pocket sheet 24, from the outside environment. Such a case-style binder 22 also advantageously helps retain the binder contents when the zipper 70 is closed.
While pocket sheet engagement can be accomplished via clamping, each of the rings 76 preferably is received in a corresponding hole 78 that is punched or otherwise cut in each pocket sheet 24 along a lengthwise extending side margin 80 of each sheet 24. When the rings 76 are closed, one or more of the retained pocket sheets 24 can be manipulated or otherwise moved within the binder 22, like a page of a book, such that individual pocket sheets 24 can be selectively accessed as desired by a user in a convenient manner.
While such media can be a disk, it can also take the form as a square or generally rectangular media article (not shown), such as a memory stick, a secure digital card, a flash memory Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive, or another generally flat or planar storage media article capable of holding data, information, documents, music, images, photos, or the like. Such a media article can be configured with onboard digital data memory storage, such as a flash-type read only memory, a type of random access memory, or another type of memory, including that which has not yet been commercialized or even invented. Such a media article preferably has a generally flat or planar front side and a generally flat or planar back side that is generally parallel to the front side with the data, information, documents, music, images, photos, or the like stored in a digital format between the sides. Such sides can form part of a housing the encloses memory storage, e.g., a memory chip or the like, disposed inside the housing. If desired, such digital data or digital information can be carried, embedded, integral, or otherwise retained by or part of one of both sides if desired.
As is further illustrated in
Each panel 82, 86, and 88 is composed of a flexible material that preferably also is resilient, durable, tough and tear resistant. In a preferred embodiment, the outer pocket panel 82 is composed of a fabric or sheet of material that is cut or punched about cut line 92 formed in the pocket flap 28 that defines window flap cutout or aperture 30. The flap 28 preferably is of tear away construction by being defined, at least along a plurality of sides, by a perforation line 94 of intermittent discrete perforations, i.e. spaced apart perforations, or of substantially continuous perforations dividing the flap 28 from an adjacent or adjoining portion of the pocket 26 surrounding or otherwise encompassing the flap 28. When the flap 28 is torn free from the surrounding pocket material, such as by pulling material of the flap 28 with sufficient force away from the rest of the material of the surrounding pocket 26 until the imperforate pocket material of the perforation line 94 rips, bursts, tears, or otherwise pulls free, it produces a pocket flap 28 defined by a frame or border 96 that extends along three sides of the flap 28.
In one preferred embodiment, one or both panels 82 and 86 are made of a fibrous and/or thread containing material with fibers arrangement in an inter-engaged and/or interlocking pattern that can be mated together such as by application of pressure, temperature, a bonding agent, or another means including some sort of combination of the aforementioned. Where woven, welt and warp of thread and/or fiber are controlled to provide the desired thickness, volume, creping, embossment, and the like so as to tailor the pocket 26 for the intended use. For example, where the pocket 26 is configured to receive and retain a CD and/or DVD, at least one and preferably both panels 82 and 86 used to construct the pocket 26 are selected to provide a relatively non-abrasive disk contact surface that also preferably is of self-wiping or self-cleaning construction. That is, inter-engagement of fibers, threads, etc., along with it being imparted with desired properties and physical characteristics produces voids or the like that wipe, trap and retain debris on an outer surface of the CD and/or DVD. By doing so, disk insertion and/or removal is accomplished with a minimum of abrasive action between the pocket 26 and the CD and/or DVD. Thus, scratches are minimized, if not substantially completely prevented.
It is an advantage of a method of manufacture implemented in accordance with the invention that pocket sheets constructed in accordance with the pocket sheet 24 shown in
For example, woven and non-woven fibrous material can be used with the manufacturing method of the present invention well suited for each type of material in an advantageously cost-insensitive manner. In this regard, not only can relatively inexpensive woven and non-woven polymeric fibrous material be used, but more expensive material such as TYVEK or the like can also be used. Sheet material or fabric of cellulose composition, e.g. cellulose fiber, animal fiber composition, e.g. wool fiber, and/or other polymeric composition can be used. For example, material such as TYVEK or another non-woven material of polyethylene and/or polyethylene fiber composition can be used.
In one preferred embodiment, a non-woven fibrous material that preferably includes polyethylene fiber is used for both panels 82 and 86. In another preferred embodiment, cellulose, organic, pulp fiber, and/or cotton/vegetable fiber containing material is or are used for both panels 82 and 86. As a result, not only is the method of manufacture of the invention fast, economical, labor efficient and versatile in that it is adaptable for use with a wide variety of pocket sheet panel materials, the resultant pocket sheet 24 of the invention produced thereby is also of economical yet durable construction costing significantly less in material and manufacture than conventional pocket sheets.
To enable easy viewing of printed matter received in either sleeve, the sleeve panel 88 preferably is of transparent, e.g., see-through, construction. For example, in one preferred sleeve panel constriction, the sleeve panel 88 is made of a transparent plastic, such as a clear vinyl, a clear polypropylene, a clear polyvinyl chloride, a clear polyethylene, or another clear polymeric or other synthetic material.
The outer pocket panel 82 is formed of a material similar to the intermediate anchor panel 86, preferably with a virtually identical shape and opacity as well, and includes a pair of flaps 28 formed therein. As previously discussed, each flap 28 is formed with a body 96 defined along three sides by perforation line 94 and remaining attached to the pocket panel 82 forming a hinge region 98 therewith facilitating lifting of the flap 28 to expose the pocket mouth 100, such as when it is desired to insert or remove something, and flap return such that it overlies the mouth 100, such as when it is desired to cover something received in the pocket 26.
With continued reference to
One preferred embodiment of a flap body 96 constructed in accordance with the invention, which is also depicted in
By integrally forming the flap 28 of the pocket panel 82 and being of tear away construction, engagement between the outer flap edge and inner pocket panel edge where torn (which should at least roughly correspond to the flap perforation line 94 shown in
The sleeve panel 88 is also formed similarly in shape to the underlying anchor panel 86 with the exception that the sleeve panel 88 is preferably shorter in width, i.e., narrower, such as is depicted in
Each pocket 26 preferably is generally rectangular with a top edge 112, a bottom edge 114 and a pair of side edges 116 and 118. Where each pocket is designed to hold a circular media disk, preferably CD or DVD 42, each pocket 26 preferably is substantially square with part of the outer pocket panel 82 forming an outer pocket wall and part of the anchor panel 86 forming an inner pocket wall with the panels 82 and 86 overlapping one another so as to be generally parallel. With the exception of each pocket window 32, at least the outer panel 82 and preferably both panels 82 and 86 are of opaque construction. As is also shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the attachment joint 48 is or otherwise includes a bonding interface or seam where a means of engagement attaches the cover or window sheet 102 to the outer panel 82 in a manner preferably in accordance with a method of attachment described below herein. In accordance with one or more of the preferred methods for effecting attachment described below, one preferred means of attachment resultant therefrom is an integral means of attachment whereby material of one of the sheet 102 and flap 28 mechanically engages with material of the other one of the sheet 102 and flap 28.
At least a portion of each sleeve 34 is sufficiently transparent to permit viewing of at least part of any printed matter 36 received in it. In a preferred embodiment, the entirety of each sleeve 34 is of see-through construction thereby permitting viewing of any observable visually perceptible indicia on the printed matter 36 received therein.
In the preferred pocket sheet embodiment shown in
Referring once again to
The boundary joint 120 has an upper leg extending at least adjacent to and preferably about the upper edge of the pocket sheet 24, a lower leg extending at least adjacent to and preferably about the lower edge of the pocket sheet 24, an outer leg extending at least adjacent to and preferably about the outside edge of the pocket sheet 24, and an inner leg extending adjacent an inner edge of the pocket sheet 24. While the inner leg can extend about the inner pocket sheet edge, it preferably lies inboard the inner edge, such as in the manner depicted in
A margin joint 122 is disposed at least adjacent to and preferably about the inner pocket sheet edge. Such a margin joint 122 preferably is generally parallel to the inner leg of the boundary joint 120 and spaced therefrom, providing reinforcement in and along the holed margin region 80 of the pocket sheet 24.
In forming the pockets 26, a boundary joint 120 extends substantially about the periphery of at least one of the panels 82 and 88 thereby attaching one of the panels 82 or 88 to the base or anchor panel 86. Each outer panel also has at least one margin reinforcing bonding seam 122 disposed along an inner edge of the pocket sheet 24 such that the ring holes 78 are bounded by this seam 122 and the inner leg or branch of the boundary bonding seam 120.
Where the pocket sheet has a construction the same as or otherwise in accordance with the pocket sheet 24′ shown in
Each outer panel 82 and 88 also has at least one interior bonding seam with the pocket forming outer panel 82 having a plurality of bonding seams and the view sleeve forming outer panel 88 having only a single interior bonding seam. In the preferred embodiment shown in
A plurality of bonding seams of like construction are interiorly disposed with at least one of the bonding seams defining at least one common edge between adjacent pockets 26. For example, in the preferred embodiment shown in
Referring more particularly to
In a preferred method of manufacture, a forming operation is carried out on the outer pocket panel 82 to cut, punch, or otherwise remove an oblong swatch of panel material to define each flap window cutout. A perforating operation is carried out, such as using a punch, die, or another type of perforator to form each pocket flap perforation line. Flap window cutout and flap perforating preferably are carried out at substantially the same time for each pocket of a particular pocket sheet being made. The ring holes 78 are preferably also formed at the same time. At substantially the same time or after cutting and perforation, a window cover sheet 102 is placed over each flap cutout with part of it overlapping part of the corresponding flap border before or just as it is bonded by a bonding seam to the flap.
At substantially the same time or thereafter, the outer pocket panel 82 is bonded to the base panel via at least one bonding seam preferably before the outer pocket panel 82, base panel 86 and outer sleeve panel 88 are bonded together with at least one bonding seam and preferably with at least a plurality of seams. When finished applying bonding seams, a pocket sheet having the construction the same as or in accordance with that depicted in
In a preferred implementation of a manufacturing method in accordance with the invention, each panel of each sheet is formed from a roll or web of material that is advanced at an average speed of at least a plurality of pair of inches per second toward and through equipment that performs the corresponding forming, e.g. cutting, perforating, and/or bonding, operation. At least a plurality of the bonding seams and preferably all or substantially all of the bonding seams bonds via direct mechanical bonding, preferably by interdigitation, e.g., interdigital engagement, where a bonding die or the like applies sufficient force and/or causes sufficient panel displacement of at least one pocket sheet panel such that mechanical interlocking of bonded panels occurs. Preferably, mechanical bonding performed in accordance with a preferred implementation of a method of making a pocket sheet of the invention that causes fibers and/or fibrous matter of one panel to interlock with or otherwise mechanically engage fibers and/or fibrous matter of another panel to which the one panel is being attached.
In one preferred method of manufacture of the invention, at least a plurality of the bonding seams and preferably all of the bonding seams are formed using a bonding die (not shown) that contacts one or both panels to urge them at least into mechanical engagement with one another along each seam. In one preferred implementation of a method of manufacture, the bonding die is carried out using a needle-punch process, preferably a needle-punch process that employs a needle loom. In one preferred embodiment, the needle loom has a plurality of pairs of spaced apart pins carried by a board mounted to a beam that is driven by a drive toward or away from the panels 82 and 86, sequenced in a manner that ensures the panels 82 and 86 overlie one another and at least roughly located relative to each other and the needles. In one preferred embodiment, at least two rows of such pins are employed in forming at least one of the seams and preferably is implemented for all of the seams. The pins of one row preferably are staggered relative to the pins of an adjacent row to help facilitate mechanical bonding. Rolls preferably are used to feed each pair of panels 82 and 86 between the needles of the needle loom and an adjacent bed before the needles are driven toward the panels 82 and 86.
In a preferred method, the panels 82 and 86 are each formed of separate webs of material brought together by one or more feed rolls and between the needles and bed. The same is true for panel 88 except that it is brought together, e.g. adjacent, with base panel 86 at a point in the manufacturing process after outer pocket panel 82 and base panel 84 are brought together. The needles are driven toward the overlapping panel webs, bonding them together and forming at least the boundary of both panels 82 and 84.
In one preferred method of implementation, bonding seams are all formed substantially simultaneously at the same time. This preferably is done after the pocket flap cutouts and perforations are preformed. The same preferably is also true of bonding the window cover sheet to each flap as it too preferably is carried out before the immediately preceding bonding operations are carried out.
If desired, energy can be inputted to facilitate bonding. For example, in one preferred embodiment, each bonding seam formed that bonds transparent sheet material to another pocket sheet panel preferably is assisted by way of application of energy, preferably thermal energy, in and along each such seam. For example, each pocket flap window cover sheet and the outer sleeve panel can be bonded to its associated pocket sheet panel using application of thermal energy to assist bonding and bonding seam formation. For example, the needle pins and/or needle board can be heated, ultrasonically driven, microwave excited or excited by some other form of energy and/or energy input such that corresponding energy, preferably including thermal energy, is delivered each seam where desired in the appropriate amounts and where needed.
In another preferred method of manufacture and pocket sheet arrangement, to form each pocket sheet 24, initially the front panel 82, base panel 86, and rear panel 88 are formed as desired, and joined subsequently by connecting the panels 82 and 86 and panels 88 and 86 to one another by staking, tacking, heat sealing, fluid entanglement, e.g., hydro-entanglement, or even by using an adhesive. However, needle punching is preferred.
Where each of the pocket sheet panels 82, 86 and 88 are formed of a thermoplastic material, the panels 82, 86 and 88 are preferably secured to one another by heating and pressing the panels 82, 86 and 88 into contact with one another, e.g., heat sealing the panels in the desired manner and arrangement to one another. In this process, the front panel 82 is secured to a corresponding front surface 84 of the base panel 86 by the formation of a front peripheral seal or seam formed around the periphery of the base panel 86 and the front panel 82. The disk pockets 26 formed between the base panel 86 and the front panel 82 are further defined by a pair of pocket defining seams extending across the base panel 86 and the front panel 82 generally perpendicular to one another. The pocket defining seams effectively form the disk pockets 26 into a shape corresponding generally to the diameter of the disk 42 to be inserted into the pocket 26 to enable sufficient width for the disk 42 to be inserted and removed. Preferably, it is constructed to provide a snug fit for the disk 42 within the pocket 26 in which it is received. Further, the front peripheral seam and each of the pocket defining seams that define at least part of the periphery of a pocket 26 can be formed between the panels 82 and 86 separately or simultaneously with one another.
To reinforce and provide adequate strength to the hole-punched margin 80 along each side of each pocket sheet 24, corresponding seams are provided bounding the margin 80 that join each of the outer panels 82 and 88 to the base panel 86. As with the peripheral or periphery defining seam and pocket defining seams, each margin seam can be formed simultaneously with or separately from these other aforementioned seams that help form the pocket sheet 24. The margin seam helps define a sheet margin along the inner sheet edge that preferably is hole punched or otherwise configured with means for being releasably retained in an article holder, such as a case, binder or the like. Also, while the margin seam is shown extending only around the outer periphery of the binder ring holes 78, the margin seam can be formed to include encompass or surround one or all of the binder-ring holes 78 of each socket sheet 24 to provide reinforcement.
The rear panel 88 is secured to the backside 90 of the base panel 86 by a rear peripheral seam formed similarly or same as the front peripheral seam and extending around the periphery of the rear panel 88 except for along the side of the rear panel 88 that includes sleeve openings and sleeve article access notches 110. The securing of the rear panel 88 to the base panel 86 preferably also can include forming a sleeve defining seam between the panels 86 and 88 that corresponds to the pocket defining seam on the front panel 82 to define sleeve 34, and a margin seam disposed around the margin 80 of the rear panel 88. Again, the rear peripheral seam and margin seam can be formed simultaneously with or separately from one another or also in conjunction the other seams the define the sheet, pockets and the like, preferably in a common step.
Further, while the illustrated embodiments depict an integrally formed pocket sheet 24 constructed in accordance with the invention having a plurality of integrally formed disk pocket 26 on one side and a plurality of disk printed insert receiving sleeves 34 disposed on the opposite side. It is also contemplated within the scope of the present invention to place one pocket 60 and one sleeve 64 on the same side of a sheet 54 or to arrange the disk pockets and sleeves side by side. Also, material used to form the base panel 86 can be selected so as to be substantially rigid where it is desired to impart more rigidity or provide more support to the resultant pocket sheet 24.
Various alternatives are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Appl. No. 60/808,403, filed May 25, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60808403 | May 2006 | US |
