Letter opener with protected recess for business card and removable slide-in cover

• US 5,285,577 A
• Filed: 05/22/1992
• Issued: 02/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Quick Point Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Quick Point Incorporated
• Inventors: Lage, David P., Carney, Albert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Watts, Douglas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAYER, HWEI SIU CHOU
• Application Number:
  US07/887,086
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 30/294, 30/286, 30/289, 30/1, 30/2, 30/DIG. 3, 40/642, 40/649, 40/653, D 8/102, D 8/98
• US Class Current: 30/294
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/18 Ticket-holders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 27/00 Hand cutting tools not provided for in the preceding groups, e.g. finger rings for cutting string, devices for cutting by means of wires
• CPC Class Codes: B43M 7/007 with cutting blades
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 30/03 Envelope openers

Abstract

A business card letter opener having printed indicia on one surface and a recess in the opposite surface sized to accomodate a business card and covered by a transparent cover lens which slides over the recess and is snap locked into place over the recess to protect the card and allow it to be viewed through the cover lens.

Claims

1. A calling card letter opener comprising:

(a) a main body having a first member having a front face and a rear face, said front face being provided with a substantially rectangular recess sized to accept a calling card, said recess having side and front edges and an open back edge, and a second finger shaped member connected to the first member at one end and extending generally parallel to and spaced from the first member, the juncture of the first and second members defining a loop shaped corner;

(b) a cutting edge embedded in the first and second members at their juncture and extending into and exposed at the corner there between;

(c) a removable substantially rectangular slide-in transparent cover member adapted to enclose the recess in the first member and retain and protect a calling card located therein, and permit it to be viewed there through, the cover member being slidable into the recess from the said substantially open edge; and

(d) means associated with the cover member and the recess to permit the cover to be slid over the recess from the open edge and locked in place.

2. A calling card letter opener comprising:

(a) a main body having a first member having a front face and a rear face, said front face being provided with a recess having an open end and being sized to accept a calling card, and a second finger shaped member connected to the first member at one end and extending generally parallel to and spaced from the first member, the juncture of the first and second members defining a loop shaped corner;

(b) a cutting edge embedded in the first and second members at their juncture and extending into and exposed at the corner there between;

(c) a removable slide-in transparent cover member adapted to enclose the recess in the first member and retain and protect a calling card located therein, and permit it to be viewed there through, the cover member being slidable into the recess from the said substantially open edge; and

(d) wherein the recess in the first member is substantially rectangular in shape with undercut side and front edges, and an open back edge, and the cover member is substantially rectangular in shape and has side edges shaped to cooperate with the recess side edges, a front edge shaped to engage the recess front edge, and an internal lip adapted to lockingly engage the back edge of the recess.

3. The letter opener of claim 2 wherein the first member is opaque and includes printed indicia on the rear face.

4. The letter opener of claim 2 wherein the finger shaped member is tapered to a pointed end which is insertable between the body and flap of a sealed envelope to facilitate opening the envelope.

5. The letter opener of claim 2 wherein the internal lip has a tapered front to facilitate moving the cover over the recess and a square shoulder to lock the cover in place over the recess.

6. A business card letter opener comprising:

(A) a main body comprising

1. a first member having opposed parallel longitudinal edges and opposed parallel lateral edges, and provided with a recess to receive and retain a business card,

2. a second finger shaped member connected to the first member at one of the lateral edges and extending generally parallel to and spaced from one of the longitudinal edges,

3. the juncture of the first and second members defining a cul-de-sac,

4. the recess in the first member having

(a) a bottom sized to receive a business card,

(b) longitudinal and lateral side walls surrounding the bottom,

(c) a set of longitudinal undercut channels adjacent to the longitudinal side walls,

(d) an inclined transverse channel adjacent to one of said lateral side walls and extending between the longitudinal channels at one end thereof to define an inclined stop,

(e) a flat surface defining the top of the other of said lateral side walls,

(B) a removable transparent snap-in cover adapted to slide onto the first member and having a leading and opposed lateral edges and opposed longitudinal edges,

1. the longitudinal edges being tapered to match the longitudinal undercut channels to thereby retain the cover on the first member,

2. the leading lateral edge having an inclined surface to matingly engage the inclined stop,

3. a downwardly extending lip on the undersurface of the cover adjacent to the opposite lateral edge adapted to slide over the flat surface of the other lateral side wall opposite to the stop, said lip having an inclined front edge to facilitate sliding over the said other lateral side wall and a straight rear edge to engage the said other lateral side wall and resist withdrawal of the cover from the top of the recess, and

(C) a cutting edge embedded in the first and second members at their juncture and extending into and exposed in the cul-de-sac.