Pop-up package assembly for a flat product and method of packaging

Abstract

Method and apparatus for packaging flat products such as a computer disk into a package assembly of sheet material wherein the sheet material folds closed into a two dimensional configuration having a thin lateral profile or folds open into a three dimensional self supporting display stand. The method of packaging comprises the steps of providing a single continuous web of sheet material having two horizontally oriented columns defining first and second major panels separated by a vertical slit line; forming sub-panels in the first major panel with the sub-panels separated by at least one centrally located vertically extending score or perforation line; forming sub-panels in the second major panel with a plurality of parallel spaced vertically extending score or perforation lines for separating each of the sub-panels in the second major panel; applying adhesive to each of the major panels to form linear parallel lines of adhesive on the first of major panel extending vertically down the first major panel and to form an array of adhesive lines on the second major panel at a location adjacent to the vertical slit line separating the first major panel from the second major panel; separating the first major panel from the second major panel along said vertical slit line; folding the second major panel over the first major panel such that at least the two outer sub-panel in the second major panel furthest from the slit line overlies said centrally located score or perforation line in said first major panel without causing any adherence between said outer sub-panels and the first major panel; folding over said two outer sub-panels over score or perforation lines to form a pocket or flap between an outer sub-panel and one of the other previously folded sub-panels for the placement of a flat product; folding the sub-panels of the first and second major panel into a folded over assembly forming a three dimensional configuration when folded open and forms a substantially two dimensional configuration when folded closed; and cutting the web transversely to form a plurality of package assemblies one for each flat product.

1 . A method of packaging flat products such as a computer disk into a package assembly of sheet material which when closed possesses a thin lateral profile and when opened forms a three dimensional display stand comprising the steps of: 
 providing a single continuous web of material having two horizontally oriented columns defining first and second major panels having a vertical slit line separating the first major panel from the second major panel;    forming sub-panels in the first major panel with at least one vertically extending score or perforation line centrally located for separating the sub-panels;    forming sub-panels in the second major panel with a plurality of parallel spaced vertically extending score or perforation lines for separating each of the sub-panels in the second major panel;    applying an adhesive to each of the major panels to form linear parallel lines of adhesive on the first of major panel extending vertically down the first major panel and to form an array of adhesive lines on the second major panel at a location adjacent to the vertical slit line separating the first major panel from the second major panel;    separating the first major panel from the second major panel along said vertical slit line;    folding the second major panel over the first major panel such that at least the two outer sub-panel in the second major panel furthest from the slit line overlies said centrally located score or perforation line in said first major panel without causing any adherence between said of outer sub-panels and the first major panel;    folding over said two outer sub-panels over score or perforation lines to form a pocket or flap between an outer sub-panel and one of the other previously folded sub-panels for the placement of a flat product;    folding the sub-panels of the first and second major panel into a folded over assembly which remains in a three dimensional configuration when the assembly is folded open and forms a substantially two dimensional configuration when the assembly is folded closed; and    cutting the web transversely to form a plurality of package assemblies one for each flat product.    
   
   
       2 . A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the second major panel is folded over the first major panel such that the center of said second major panel overlies said centrally located score or perforation line in said first major panel.  
   
   
       3 . A method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the second major panel is folded over the first major panel so as to cause substantial alignment of either the center of the second major panel with the centrally located score or perforation line in said first major panel or between one of said plurality of vertically spaced score or perforation lines in said second major panel and the centrally located score or perforation line in said first major panel.  
   
   
       4 . A method as defined in  claim 2  wherein said array of adhesive lines on the second major panel lie in a horizontal direction and/or at acute angles thereto.  
   
   
       5 . A method as defined in  claim 2  further comprising forming at least one fugitive adhesive spot in said pocket or flap in which the product is placed for preventing movement of the product.  
   
   
       6 . A method as defined in  claim 2  further comprising adding a third major panel to the continuous web of material forming the first and second major panels to constitute a wider starting web and to provide a tag extension suitable for binding the package into a bound publication such as a magazine.  
   
   
       7 . A method as defined in  claim 6  further comprising adding a line of perforations in such tag extension parallel to the binding to permit removal of the packaged assembly from the bound publication.  
   
   
       8 . A pop-up-package assembly of sheet material for a flat product such as a computer disk for storing the flat product in the package assembly comprising a plurality of major panels each including sub-panels and an array of lines of adhesive dispersed to permit the panels when folded over to adhere for forming a substantially two dimensional closed configuration having a thin lateral profile and to open into a self supporting configuration defining a three dimensional display stand for the stored product.  
   
   
       9 . A pop-up-package assembly of sheet material as defined in  claim 8  wherein the package assembly of sheet material comprises: 
 a first and second major panel each having sub-panels with lines of perforations or score lines permitting each to be folded over one another such that a pocket or flap is formed between a first outer sub-panel of said second major panel and a sub-panel of said first major panel for the placement of a flat product and wherein the second major panel has at least another outer sub-panel which overlies the first outer sub-panel; and    wherein the sub-panels of the first and second major panels are folded over so that the sheet material forms a self supporting three dimensional configuration when folded open and when folded closed substantially form a two dimensional configuration possessing a thin lateral profile.