Credit card holder with cards forming enclosing surfaces

• US 6,460,696 B1
• Filed: 08/17/2000
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard J. Meyer
• Original Assignee: Richard J. Meyer
• Inventors: Meyer, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon P.
• Application Number:
  US09/641,447
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 206/37, 206/37.4, 206/38, 206/38.1, 206/39, 206/39.5, 206/39.3, 206/449, 150/147-149, 220/4.01
• US Class Current: 206/37.1
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 1/02 Purses
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/182 Credit card holders
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2001/026 combined with key rings or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2001/028 Rigid coin holders
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2001/067 Rigid casings
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2001/083 combined with card holders
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2001/086 with additional compartments for storing other kinds of objects

Abstract

Top and bottom frame supports are spaced apart and secured together by central end posts. Downwardly opening grooves along the arcuate edges of the top frame support align with upwardly opening grooves along the arcuate edges of the bottom frame support to form mating tracks into which credit cards are inserted. The credit cards bend into the shape of the grooves and overlap with two cards on each side to form side enclosure surfaces which enclose a storage space between the cards on each side and the top and bottom frame supports for storing money and other valuables. A holder with a key, pen, knife, or other device may be inserted in a notch in the top frame support. Alternately the framed supports may be hinged together at one end to form a hinged clamshell-type container.

Claims

1. A credit card holder and wallet device having at least one enclosing side of the device formed by at least one credit card, wherein the device comprises:

an enclosure means adapted for containing money and other items normally carried in a pocket and purse having a portion of the enclosure means adapted to receive at least one credit card removably inserted therein so that the at least one credit card forms a structural element in the enclosure means serving as a removable enclosing wall to retain the money and other items contained therein;

wherein the enclosure means comprises a top support frame and a bottom support frame and at least one rigid support connecting the support frames and the portion of the enclosure means adapted to receive the at least one credit card removably therein comprises opposing top and bottom grooves in the top and bottom support frames respectively to receive the at least one credit card slidably therebetween;

wherein the top and bottom support frame each have two side edges and the top support frame has a groove opening downwardly along each of the two top frame side edges and the bottom support frame has an opposing mating groove opening upwardly along each of the two bottom support frame side edges forming an opposing paired set of grooves on each of the two sides, the grooves at least equal in width to the thickness of a credit card, the top and bottom surfaces spaced apart a distance so that each of the opposing paired set of grooves is capable of receiving at least one credit card along each side edge slidably inserted in and retained within the grooves, so that the credit cards form enclosing surfaces on each of the two sides of the device creating an enclosed storage space between the cards and the top and bottom frame surfaces.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a top flange extending downwardly from each of the side edges of the top support frame and a bottom flange extending upwardly from each of the side edges of the bottom support frame, each of the flanges positioned outside of and immediately adjacent to each groove so that the credit cards are further retained in place by each of the flanges.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the side edges and grooves of the top and bottom support frames on at least one side are arcuate in shape to conform to an external container surface.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the side edges and grooves of the top and bottom support frames on at least one side are concave in shape to conform to a shape of a pocket against a leg of a user.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the side edges and grooves of the top and bottom support frames on one side are concave in shape and on the other side convex in shape of a shorter radius of curvature than the concave side so that a storage space is created between the two sides.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the side edges and grooves of the top and bottom support frames are concave in shape on both sides creating a storage space therebetween at each end of the device.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the side edges and grooves of the top and bottom support frames are convex in shape on both sides creating a storage space therebetween in the middle of the device.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the rigid support comprises a rigid post at each end of the device.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the top and bottom support frames are each formed in two pieces and the rigid support comprises a hinge between the top and bottom support frames at one end, so that one of the two pieces on each support frame pivots relative to the other.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the support frames is provided with a notch therein and further comprising a holder means configured so that it fits in the notch and seals the notch with a tight friction fit, the holder means configured for holding a utility device, normally carried in a pocket, for insertion into and removal from the notch.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the utility device is a key and the holder means is configured for securing the key therein.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein the utility device is a pen and the holder means is configured for securing the pen therein.

13. The device of claim 10 wherein the utility device is a knife and the holder means is configured for securing the knife therein.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one rigid support comprises one rigid support at each end of the device and each rigid support is triangular in cross-section and is positioned between the grooves on opposite sides of the device adjacent to each end of the device and the grooves on opposite sides meet at the ends of the device so that the credit cards meet at the ends to close the ends.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein each groove is the width of a single credit card adjacent to each end and gradually expanding in width to the width of two credit cards at the middle of each groove so that each groove accommodates two credit cards in each groove which overlap in the middle of the groove.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein each groove is the width of two credit cards along the entire length of the groove.

17. A credit card holder and wallet device having the enclosing sides of the device formed by a series of credit cards, wherein the device comprises:

a support frame having an elongated solid top frame and an elongated solid bottom frame spaced apart from the top frame, both formed of a solid material and both having a similar elongated configuration, the top frame having a groove opening downwardly along the length of each long edge and the bottom frame having an opposing mating groove opening upwardly along the length of each long edge forming an opposing paired set of grooves on each long side, the grooves at least equal in width to the thickness of a credit card, the top and bottom frames spaced apart a distance so that each of the opposing paired set of grooves is capable of receiving at least one credit card along each long edge slidably inserted in and retained within the grooves, so that the credit cards form enclosing surfaces on each side of the device creating an enclosed storage space between the cards and the top frame and the bottom frame;

at least one rigid support connecting the top frame and the bottom frame.