GB2353970A

GB2353970A - CD business card attached to carrier

Info

Publication number: GB2353970A
Application number: GB0019821A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin Malcolm Austin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-08-14
Filing date: 2000-08-14
Publication date: 2001-03-14
Also published as: GB0019821D0; GB9919184D0

Abstract

A business card comprises a central portion of a compact disc (Fig 2) which is attached to a carrier (Fig 1). The carrier includes a central zone 2 for receiving the CD and a pair of arms 5 attached thereto by fold lines 4. The carrier in its open condition has an overall dimension AB of a standard CD. Incisions 6 in arms 5 enable a standard visiting card to be retained over the business card when the flaps are folded over the central zone 2 in its closed position.

Description

1 2353970 CD BUSINESS CARD The present invention relates to a business

card or visiting card which is adapted to contain information in compact disc form.

Business cards, which term is used herein to indicate any type of visiting card, are well known. They are of a size small enough to be easily carried either by the donor or by the recipient. The size precludes them from containing much more information than the name of the donor, the name of the organisation he or she represents and some basic contact details. However, it would be desirable to incorporate a great deal more information about the donor or the organisation. For example, if sufficient space were available, a product listing or price list could be incorporated, advertising material could be shown, a profile or other details of the business could be given or the like.

Such information can be provided via a CD-ROM. However, CD-ROMs are much larger than business cards and therefore have been discounted for such personal contact exchanges.

2 If the size of a CD were to be reduced to business card size, so as to enable a plurality to be carried by a donor, the CDs could not be played, since most CD players do not have a centrelocating pin immediately available- Most modem CD players rely on the disc fitting neatly into a circular well, and, once the drive has been closed, a centre pin will then automatically locate the disc so that the laser can be aligned accurately. Clearly, reduction in size of the CD will prevent the disc from fitting into the circular well with any degree of accuracy. If the disc cannot be accurately located in the centre of the well so as to be engaged by the pin, internal damage to the CD player may be caused.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a CD business card, that is to say a CD having the dimensions substantially of a business card, and a business card which is able to be played in a CD player.

According to the present invention there is provided a business card assembly comprising a substantially central portion of a compact disc, said portion having an aperture disposed substantially centrally thereof, and template means attached to said portion comprising two substantially diametrically opposed arms each extending radially therefrom equidistantly with respect to said aperture.

The template means may extend across the reverse face of the central portion.

The template means may have a maximum diameter along both arms substantially equal to that of a standard CD (I 15-120mm).

3 The central portion may be substantially parallelogrammic, preferably rectangular.

In this case, the maximum dimension, along a diagonal, of the compact disc portion is preferably less than the diameter of a standard CD.

The template means may comprise two substantially part circular arms extending from the major edges of said parallelogrammic portion.

Each arm may be folded along a line adjacent the edge of the central portion to fold against the obverse face of the CD portion when the card is being carried, and be foldable to extend radially outwardly for use when the card is to be played.

Each arm may comprise flap means dimensioned to allow a standard business card or the like to be held thereby, thereby holding the two arms in closed condition.

The assembly may comprise additionally a card dimensioned as a standard business card, holdable by and between said two arms.

Preferably, said template comprises rigid or semi-rigid card or plastics material.

Said compact disc may alternatively be substantially circular, with a diameter not exceeding the length of a longer side of said rectangular central section of the business card, said circle being truncated along two substantially parallel chords equidistant from the central aperture of said compact disc and spaced from one another by a distance equivalent to the length of a shorter side of said rectangular central section of the business card.

4 Said compact disc may be in audio CD format, CD-ROM format, recordable CD (CD-R) format, or in any other format which may be read by a CD or DVD player.

In the case in which the compact disc is in CD-R format, it may be so adapted that information may be imprinted on it, or "burned" according to the immediate requirements of the user, immediately prior to mounting the compact disc on the central section of the business card.

Alternatively, the compact disc in CD-R format may be so adapted that information may be imprinted thereon subsequent to mounting the compact disc on the central section of the business card.

Advantageously, said central section of the template is provided with adhesive means with which to attach said compact disc.

Said adhesive means may be of a permanent nature, may comprise a repositionable adhesive, or may comprise a "hot melt" adhesive.

Preferably, the business card assembly may additionally comprise a sheet or sheets of paper or foil, substantially conforming to the dimensions of said central section, which may be held between said central section and said arms in their folded configuration.

Said sheet or sheets of paper or foil may be adapted to provide a further area on which business information, instructions for use or other information as desired may be printed.

Said sheet or sheets of paper or foil may be locatable between said arms in their foldable configuration and a compact disc mounted on said central section of the business card assembly and may be so adapted as to cover protectively a surface of said compact disc.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in wfiich:- Figure 1 is an elevation of an obverse face of the template means-, Figure 2 is an elevation of the CD portion to be used therewith-, Figure 3 is an elevation of the reverse face of the template means; and Figure 4 is an elevation of a cover sheet.

Referring now to the drawings, in particular to Figure 2, there is shown a rectangular portion of a compact disc. The dimensions, 90mm by 60mm, are those of many standard business or visiting cards. In the centre of the disc portion is an aperture 1, l6mm in diameter, as is standard for CDs.

It is known that a CD player reads from the centre outwardly, and therefore the central part of the compact disc contains a useful amount of playable information space, determined by the minor axis of the CD portion. In the example shown, there should be space to store six minutes of audio recording or possibly eighty Megabytes of information.

6 Since the "comers" of the rectangular CD portion are unusable, it may be preferable to provide a small circular CD, of diameter less than 60mm, retained or attached within a recess or aperture in a rectangular substrate (not shown).

Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a template which may be of rigid or semi-rigid card or plastics material. A central rectangular zone 2 is dimensioned similarly to the CD portion which may be affixed to it. A central aperture 3 is 16mm in diameter and is adapted to match in terms of size and location the aperture I of the CD portion. Along each major edge of the central zone 2 is a fold zone 4, typically 2mm wide, and beyond each of them, a part circular arm 5 extending 28mm further. Hence, the distance between points A and B, diametrically across the whole template, is 120mm, the size of a standard CD.

Each arm 5 is provided with a part circular incision 6, which, when the enclosed portion is folded away from the plane of the arm 5, forms a flap, the purpose of which will be described further below.

Referring now to Figure 3, the reverse face of the template is shown and this can be printed with information regarding the donor or his/her organisation.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown a cover sheet 7 which comprises a sheet of paper, plastics or foil dimensioned to cover the obverse face of the CD portion when that is attached within the template. This sheet, or plurality of sheets, may be printed with information about the donor; his/her company or organisation and their products or services.

7 As stated above, the rectangular CD portion is affixed by its reverse face to the central zone 2 of the template. It is then covered by the cover sheet 7 and the arms 5 are folded over the cover sheet 7. A standard visiting card or other removable means may then be held by the flaps formed by incisions 6, to hold the arms 5 folded and further to protect the obverse face of the CD portion. The reverse face of the CD portion (on which the information is stored) is protected by the central zone of the template.

The assembled and folded CD card package is a.rectangle of dimensions substantially equal to that of many standard business cards. However, the arms 5 may be folded back and the cover sheet removed to allow the unfolded package to be placed in a standard CD player or computer CD-ROM drive. The template will hold the CD portion of the business card assembly central in the well of the CD player or drive while the drawer is retracted and a central pin acts to locate the disc.

The CD portion of the assembly need not be rectangular. It may comprise a circle with two segments removed, the segments being defined by a pair of parallel chords spaced apart 60mm. - i.e. the minor dimension of the rectangular portion of the template.

Claims

8 CLAIMS

1. A business card assembly comprising a substantially central portion of a compact disc, said portion having an aperture disposed substantially centrally thereof, and template means attached to said central portion comprising two substantially diametrically opposed arms each extending radially therefrom equidistantly with respect to said aperture.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the template means extends across the reverse face of the central portion, said central portion of the template being substantially rectangular.

3. An assembly as claimed in either claim I or claim 2, wherein said template comprises rigid or semi-rigid card or plastics material.

4, An assembly as claimed in either claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the template means comprises two substantially part circular arms extending from the major edges of said rectangular portion.

5. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each arm may be foldable along a line adjacent the edge of the central portion to fold against the obverse face of the CD portion when the card assembly is being carried, and be foldable to extend radially outwardly for use when the card assembly is to be played.

9

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein each arm comprises flap means dimensioned to allow a standard visiting card or the like to be held thereby, thereby also holding the two arms in closed condition.

7, An assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the assembly comprises additionally a card dimensioned as a standard visiting card, holdable by said flap means and between said two arms.

8. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the assembly comprises additionally at least one sheet of paper or foil, substantially conforming to the dimensions of said central section, and adapted to be held between said central section and said arms when in their folded configuration.

9. An assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein said at least one sheet of paper or foil is adapted to provide a further area on which business information, instructions for use or other indicia are printed.

10., An assembly as claimed in either claim 8 or claim 9, wherein said at least one sheet of paper or foil is locatable between said arms in their foldable configuration and said central portion of the compact disc.

11. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the template means has a maximum diameter along both arms substantially equal to that of a standard CD (I 15-120mm).

12. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the central portion is substantially rectangular.

13. An assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the maximum dimension, along a diagonal, of the compact disc portion is less than the diameter of a standard CD.

14. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims I to 11, wherein said compact disc is substantially circular with a diameter not exceeding the length of a longer side of said rectangular central section of the template, said circle being truncated along two substantially parallel chords equidistant from the central aperture of said compact disc portion and spaced one from the other by a distance no greater than the length of a shorter side of said rectangular central section of the template.

15. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said compact disc is in audio CD format, CD-ROM format, recordable CD (CDR) format, or in any other format which may be read by a CD or DVD player.

16. An assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the compact disc is in CDR format, and is so adapted that information may be imprinted thereon, according to the immediate requirements of the user, immediately prior to mounting the compact disc onto the central section of the template.

17. An assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the compact disc is in CDR format and is so adapted that information may be imprinted thereon subsequent to mounting the compact disc on the central section of the template.

11

18. A business card assembly substantially as described herein with reference to the Figures of the accompanying drawings.