Compact or convenient transaction cards

• US 20040144846A1
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Gandel, Priscilla, Webb, Lisa Ann Morrill, Lasch, Ellen
• Granted Patent: US 7,124,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/487
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/182 Credit card holders
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/324 with pivoting keys A45C11/325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/328 comprising a sliding mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 15/06 with illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/02 characterised by the selection of materials, e.g. to avoid wear during transport through the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/041 Constructional details G06K19/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06196 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0719 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for application selection, e.g. an acceleration sensor or a set of radio buttons application selection on smart cards using pure software control, see G07F7/10

Abstract

Compact or convenient transaction cards comprising protective sleeves for full-sized and smaller-sized cards, cut lines and rotatable means for forming “fanned” cards, rollable cards, collapsible cards, cards having hinges or axes for rotating parts to form full-sized cards from smaller-sized cards, housings for having lights and sounds emanating therefrom, and the like are provided.

Claims

1. A transaction card comprising:

a first section and a second section wherein said first section is connected to said second section via a rotatable element wherein said first section rotates with respect to said second section between a first position and a second position.

2. The transaction card of claim 1 wherein the exposed surface area of the transaction card is less when the first section is in the first position relative to the transaction card when the first section is in the second position.

3. The transaction card of claim 1 wherein the transaction card comprises a recordable medium for storing information relating to said transaction card.

4. The transaction card of claim 3 wherein the recordable medium is a magnetic stripe.

5. The transaction card of claim 3 wherein the recordable medium is a microchip.

6. The transaction card of claim 3 wherein at least a portion of the recordable medium is covered when the first section is in the first position.

7. The transaction card of claim 1 wherein the rotatable element comprises a hinge.

8. The transaction card of claim 1 further comprising:

an axle connecting the first section to the second section wherein the first section rotates relative to the second section via the axle.

9. The transaction card of claim 1 further comprising:

a hinge connecting the first section to the second section wherein the first section rotates relative to the second section via the hinge.

10. The transaction card of claim 1 wherein the surface area of the transaction card when the first section is in the second position is equivalent to a full-sized transaction card.

11. The transaction card of claim 1 further comprising:

a third section rotatably connected to at least one of the first and second sections.

12. The transaction card of claim 11 wherein the third section is rotatably connected to both the first and second sections.

13. The transaction card of claim 12 wherein the first, second and third sections rotate with respect to one another via an axle.

14. The transaction card of claim 13 wherein the axle is disposed in a corner of the transaction card.

15. The transaction card of claim 11 wherein the third section rotates between a first position and a second position.

16. The transaction card of claim 8 wherein the axle is disposed perpendicular to the face of the transaction card.

17. The transaction card of claim 2 wherein the recordable means is fully protected when the first section is in the first position.

18. The transaction card of claim 1 further comprising an arm having a first end and a second end wherein the first end of the arm is rotatably attached to the first section and the second end of the arm is rotatably attached to the second section.

19. The transaction card of claim 18 wherein the first section is rotatable relative to the second section via rotation around the first end and second end of the arm.

20. The transaction card of claim 18 wherein the first section is rotatable around a first axis point on the first end of the arm, and the second section is rotatable around a second axis point on the second end of the arm.

21. A transaction card system comprising:

a transaction card having a recordable medium thereon for storing information relating to the transaction card; and

,

a housing wherein said transaction card is slidably disposed within the housing.

22. The transaction card system of claim 21 wherein the housing covers the recordable medium.

23. The transaction card system of claim 21 wherein the recordable medium is a magnetic stripe.

24. The transaction card system of claim 21 wherein the recordable medium is a microchip.

25. The transaction card system of claim 21 wherein the recordable medium is exposed when the transaction card is at least partially removed from the housing.

26. The transaction card system of claim 21 wherein the transaction card slides between a first position and a second position.

27. The transaction card system of claim 26 wherein the recordable medium is protected by the housing when the transaction card is at the first position.

28. The transaction card system of claim 26 wherein the transaction card and housing are a first size when the transaction card is at the first position and further wherein the transaction card and housing are a second size when the transaction card is at the second position.

29. The transaction card system of claim 21 wherein the transaction card is usable when the transaction card is completely removed from the housing.

30. The transaction card system of claim 21 wherein the housing comprises an aperture thereby exposing a portion of said transaction card for moving said transaction card out of said housing.

31. The transaction card system of claim 21 wherein the housing comprises a light.

32. The transaction card system of claim 31 wherein said housing further comprises a switch for illuminating the light.

33. The transaction card system of claim 21 wherein the housing comprises a sound emitter for emitting an audible signal.

34. The transaction card system of claim 21 further comprising:

means for holding the transaction card within the housing.

35. The transaction card system of claim 34 wherein the means comprises a snap for engaging with the transaction card to hold the transaction card within the housing.

36. A transaction card comprising:

a main card portion made from a flexible material; and

a frame disposed around said main card portion, wherein the frame is collapsible.

37. The transaction card of claim 36 wherein the frame further comprises edge portions wherein an edge portion is rotatably attached to an adjacent edge portion.

38. The transaction card of claim 37 wherein at least one edge portion of the frame comprises a hinge at a location between the ends of the edge portion.

39. The transaction card of claim 36 wherein the main card portion is made of fabric.

40. The transaction card of claim 36 further comprising:

a recordable medium disposed on the main card portion of the transaction card.

41. The transaction card of claim 40 wherein the recordable medium is a magnetic stripe.

42. The transaction card of claim 41 wherein the recordable medium is a microchip.

43. A transaction card comprising:

a main card portion wherein said main card portion is flexible and is rollable into a tube.

44. The transaction card of claim 43 further comprising:

a plurality of scores in a face of the main card portion wherein said plurality of scores are disposed transversely across the face of the transaction card.

45. The transaction card of claim 43 further comprising:

a recordable medium on a surface of said transaction card.

46. The transaction card of claim 45 wherein said recordable medium comprises a magnetic stripe.

47. The transaction card of claim 44 further comprising:

a recordable medium on a surface of said transaction card.

48. The transaction card of claim 44 wherein said recordable medium is a magnetic stripe disposed longitudinally across the face of said transaction card.

49. The transaction card of claim 48 wherein said plurality of score lines are not disposed across the surface of said magnetic stripe.

50. The transaction card of claim 47 wherein the recordable medium is a microchip.