Pocket sheet with windowed flap and method of manufacture

Abstract

A pocketed sheet, method of making, and article-holding pocket well suited for disk media storage. The pocketed sheet has binder ring holes for use with a ring binder, includes a base layer and first outer layer bonded thereto via at least one mechanically entangling seam that also integrally defines at least a portion of the pocket. A pocket cover flap integrally formed from the outer layer has a window to view a disk in the pocket. A preferred sheet includes another outer layer bonded to the base in like manner defining at least part of a view sleeve configured to present related printed matter, preferably the disk insert. One preferred pocketed sheet has a plurality of pockets on one side and a sleeve for each pocket on the other side. Such an arrangement provides an efficient, accurate and time-saving media storage system and method.

1 . A pocketed sheet in combination with disk media and associated printed matter, the pocketed sheet comprising: 
 a) a base panel;    b) a pocket panel secured to one side of the base panel integrally forming with the base panel at least one pocket in which disk media is removably received, the pocket comprised of a flap overlying an opening of the pocket and including a transparent window through which a portion of the disk media is viewable; and    c) a sleeve panel secured to the other side of the base panel and integrally forming with the base panel at least one sleeve in which is removably received printed matter associated with the pocket-received disk media disposed a portion of which is transparent through which at least a portion of the printed matter is viewable.    
   
   
       2 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of binder ring receiving holes formed in at least one of the base panel, the pocket panel and the sleeve panel.  
   
   
       3 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of binder ring receiving holes are disposed in a reinforced margin defined by at least one seam bonding one of the panels to at least one other of the panels and each one of the holes comprises a through-bore each of which is capable of receiving a reclosable ring of a binder equipped with a reclosable ring mechanism.  
   
   
       4 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 1  wherein the pocket flap includes: 
 a) a flap body portion comprised of the pocket panel and having a window aperture formed therethrough; and    b) a transparent window secured to the flap body portion and overlying the window aperture.    
   
   
       5 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 4  wherein the pocket flap body portion includes an upper end adjacent a region of attachment to the pocket panel that is narrower than a lower end adjacent the pocket opening wherein this differential in flap width facilitates insertion of the disk storage media into the pocket as well as removal of the disk storage media from the pocket.  
   
   
       6 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 4  wherein the flap body portion is integrally formed of a portion of the pocket panel, the pocket panel overlies the base panel on one side of the base panel and the sleeve panel overlies the base panel on an opposite side of the base panel.  
   
   
       7 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 1  further comprising a peripheral bond seam that extends substantially about the entire periphery of the pocketed sheet and which secures the pocket panel to the base panel.  
   
   
       8 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 7  wherein at least a portion of the pocket is formed by the peripheral bond seam and further comprising a second bond seam extending therebetween that also forms a portion of the pocket.  
   
   
       9 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 8  wherein each bond seal secures by mechanical bonding.  
   
   
       10 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 9  wherein each bond seal secures by mechanical bonding by enmeshing material of the pocket panel with material of the base panel causing interdigitation therebetween.  
   
   
       11 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 10  wherein the pocket panel and the base panel are both comprised of material of fibrous composition.  
   
   
       12 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 1  further comprising a peripheral bond seam that extends substantially about the entire periphery of the pocketed sheet and which secures the sleeve panel to the base panel.  
   
   
       13 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 12  wherein at least a portion of the sleeve is formed by the peripheral bond seam and further comprising a second bond seam extending therebetween that also forms a portion of the sleeve.  
   
   
       14 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 13  wherein each bond seal secures the sleeve panel and base panel by mechanical bonding.  
   
   
       15 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 14  wherein each bond seal secures by mechanical bonding by enmeshing material of the sleeve panel with material of the base panel.  
   
   
       16 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 15  wherein the sleeve panel is comprised of a thin transparent plastic sheet and the base panel is comprised of material of fibrous composition.  
   
   
       17 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 13  wherein the sleeve is formed by the second peripheral seal and the sleeve further comprises an open end defined between the base panel and the sleeve panel.  
   
   
       18 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 17  wherein the sleeve panel is formed of a substantially transparent material.  
   
   
       19 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a) a pair of the pocket flaps each integrally formed of the pocket panel;    b) a pair of pockets each integrally formed of the pocket panel with one of the pocket flaps overlying the opening of one of the pockets and the other one of the pocket flaps overlying the opening of the other one of the pockets; and    c) a pair of sleeves integrally formed of the sleeve panel.    
   
   
       20 . The sheet of  claim 19  wherein the pair of sleeves and the pair of the pockets each both separated by a common bond seam that secures the pocket panel to the base panel and that secures the sleeve panel to the base panel.  
   
   
       21 . A method of forming a pocketed sheet for holding a compact disk and identifying material for the disk, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a base panel, a front panel including at least one pocket flap attached to the front panel, the at least one pocket flap including a body portion attached to the front panel and defining an opening with a generally transparent cover secured over the opening, and a rear panel;    b) securing one of the front panel or the rear panel to the base panel to define at least one first pocket therebetween; and    c) securing the other of the rear panel or the front panel to the base panel opposite the front panel to form at least one second pocket therebetween.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the step of providing the base panel, the front panel and the rear panel further comprises the step of forming the front panel with the body portion of the at least one pocket flap and the cover on the body portion.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the step of securing the front panel to the base panel comprises: 
 a) forming a front peripheral seal between the front panel and the base panel; and    b) forming at least one pocket seal between the front panel and the base panel.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the steps of forming the front peripheral seal and forming the at least one first pocket seal are performed simultaneously.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the step of securing the rear panel to the base panel comprises forming a rear peripheral seal between the rear panel and the base panel.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the steps of securing the front panel to the base panel and securing the rear panel to the base panel are performed simultaneously.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the step of securing one of the front panel or the rear panel to the base panel comprises securing a tab section on the front panel or the rear panel to a tab section on the base panel.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the step of securing one of the front panel or the rear panel to the base panel comprises heat sealing the front panel or the rear panel to the base panel.  
   
   
       29 . A pocketed sheet for a binder having a plurality of reclosable rings, the pocketed sheet comprising: 
 a) a pocket integrally formed of a first outer panel of fibrous construction, the pocket comprised of a tear-away cover formed by a line of perforations in the outer panel and a plurality of pocket sides formed by at least one mechanical bond seam joining the first outer panel to a base panel of fibrous construction such that fiber from one of the panels interlocks with fiber from the other one of the panels; and    b) a sleeve integrally formed of a second outer panel, the sleeve having an opening and a plurality of sides defined by at least one mechanical bond seam joining the second outer panel to the base panel such that material from one of the second outer panel and the base panel adheres to material from the other one of the second outer panel and the base panel.    
   
   
       30 . The pocketed sheet of  claim 29  wherein the tear-away cover has a window cutout over which a see-through viewing window is disposed and carried by the cover, the first outer panel is comprised of opaque polymeric fiber containing flexible sheet material, and the second outer panel is comprised of transparent flexible sheet material.