Package for flexible magnetic media and method therefor

Claim 2

An improved package adapted for a plurality of thin flexible materials of substantially identical geometry, the package comprising: a first and a second substantially rigid plate of length and width dimensions substantially identical to that of a plurality of thin flexible materials to be packaged; and a heat shrinkable material having a hole therein to provide an air escape path suitably heat sealed and heat contracted so as to snugly contain said thin flexible materials therewithin with said thin flexible materials being aligned uniformly on top of one another in a stack with said first substantially rigid plate aligned on top of said stack and with said second substantially rigid plate aligned on the bottom of said stack so that the total thickness of said stack is less than the longest dimension of said thin flexible materials.

Claim 3

The improved package of claim 1 further comprising: a plurality of layers of said heat shrinkable material, each layer having a separate hole located therein.

Claim 4

The improved package of claim 2 wherein, said hole in each layer of said heat shrinkable material is not aligned with respect to each other hole whereby environmental contamination is prevented from entering the improved package by a direct access path.

Claim 5

The improved package of claim 3 wherein, said thin flexible materials are flexible magnetic disks of less than five mils thickness.

Claim 6

The improved package of claim 3 further comprising: a collar formed of a resilient material adapted to firmly fit over the periphery of the heat shrinkable material and snugly contain the heat shrinkable material therewithin to provide impact edge protection for said plurality of thin flexible materials.

Claim 7

The improved package of claim 3 further comprising: a means for separating said thin flexible materials from contact with each other interposed between each individual item of thin flexible material and between the heat shrinkable material and said thin flexible materials of geometry substantially similar to the said thin flexible materials.

Claim 8

The improved package of claim 6 wherein said means for separating is a material substantially free of lint and particulate contamination.

Claim 9

The improved package of claim 6 wherein said thin flexible material is a flexible magnetic disk of less than five mils thickness.

Claim 10

An improved package for a plurality of thin flexible materials of substantially identical geometry aligned uniformly on top of one another with their thickness dimension much less than their respective length and width dimensions, comprising: first and second substantially rigid plates having length and width dimensions substantially similar to the respective length and width dimensions of said thin flexible materials located on the top and bottom of said uniformly aligned thin flexible materials so that the thickness of the plurality of said thin flexible materials plus said first and second plates is less than the longest dimension of said thin flexible materials; the heat shrinkable material formed substantially into the shape of the peripheral edge of said uniformly aligned thin flexible materials with said first and second substantially rigid plates located on the top and bottom thereof with said edge sealing means adapted to snugly fit over said thin flexible materials with said first and second substantially rigid plates located on the top and bottom thereof so as to hold said thin flexible materials and said first and second substantially rigid plates preventing relative motion between said thin flexible materials and between said thin flexible materials and said first and second substantially rigid plates.

Claim 11

An improved package for a plurality of thin flexible materials of substantially identical geometry aligned uniformly on top of one another with their thickness dimension much less than their respective length and width dimensions, comprising: first and second substantially rigid plates having length and width dimensions substantially similar to the respective length and width dimensions of said thin flexible materials located on the top and bottom of said uniformly aligned thin flexible materials so that the thickness of the plurality of said thin flexible materials plus said first and second plates is less than the longest dimension of said thin flexible materials; the heat shrinkable material formed substantially into the shape of the peripheral edge of said uniformly aligned thin flexible materials with said first and second substantially rigid plates located on the top and bottom thereof with said edge sealing means adapted to snugly fit over said thin flexible materials with said first and second substantially rigid plates located on the top and bottom thereof so as to hold said thin flexible materials and said first and second substantially rigid plates preventing relative motion between said thin flexible materials and between said thin flexible materials and said first and second substantially rigid plates.

Claim 12

The improved package of claim 9, further comprising: a collar formed of a resilient material adapted to firmly fit over the periphery of the heat shrinkable material to provide impact edge protection for said plurality of thin flexible material.

Claim 13

The improved package of claims 9 or 10, further comprising: a means for separating said thin flexible materials from contact with each other within said separating means has geometry substantially similar to said thin flexible materials and separates each item of thin flexible material from each other item of thin flexible materials.

Claim 14

The improved package of claim 11 wherein said means for separating said thin flexible materials is a material substantially free of lint and particulate contamination.

Claim 15

The improved package of claim 12 wherein said thin flexible materials are flexible magnetic disks of less than five mils thickness.

Claim 18

The method of claim 14, further comprising immediately after step (c) and before (d) the step of: placement of said first heat shrunk wrapping and stack into a second means for wrapping and thereupon suitably heat contracting said second means for wrapping to form a second heat shrunk wrapping about said stack and said first heat shrunk wrapping.

Claim 19

The method of claim 14 or 15 wherein, step (a), further includes a first and a second substantially rigid plate located on the top and bottom, respectively, of said uniformly aligned thin flexible materials.

Claim 20

The method of claim 14 or 15 wherein, step (a), further includes means for separating said thin flexible materials from contact with each other are interposed between each item of thin flexible materials, said means for separating being constructed of a material substantially free of lint and particulate contamination.

Claim 23

The method of claim 18, further comprising: means in step (a), for separating said thin flexible materials from contact with each other by interposing said separating means between each item of said thin flexible material wherein said separating means if constructed of a material substantially free of lint and particulate contamination.