Missing card warning device

• US 5,125,356 A
• Filed: 03/27/1991
• Issued: 06/30/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vincent F. Galante
• Original Assignee: Vincent F. Galante
• Inventors: Galante, Vincent F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WORTH, WILLIE M
• Application Number:
  US07/675,738
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 116/1, 116/200, 150/133, 150/134, 150/145, 150/147, 150/148, 150/149, 150/150, 206/39
• US Class Current: 116/200
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/184 with a reminding device, e.g. when the card is not returned into its holder reminder alarms in general G08B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

A device is disclosed for alerting an owner of a credit card, debit card, or the like of a situation in which a card is missing from a card holder device. The device comprises a substantially planar sheet having an surface, a lower surface, an aligning edge, and at least two vacant edges and being configured for placement behind a card in a card holder device; and a substantially planar member positioned longitudinally along the aligning edge, the substantially planar member having a fixed edge affixed to the planar sheet and a free edge normally being biased in a direction away from the surface, the free edge being forced in a direction against the surface when pressure is applied toward the substantially planar member. The fixed edge may be affixed proximate the aligning edge or a vacant edge.

Claims

1. A device for alerting a card owner of a situation in which a card is missing from a card holder device having a plurality of slots for receiving cards comprising:

a substantially planar sheet having a surface, an aligning edge, and at least two vacant edges and being configured for placement in one of the plurality of slots in the card holder device;

a substantially planar indicator member positioned longitudinally along the aligning edge;

the substantially planar indicator member having a fixed end affixed to the substantially planar sheet and a free end;

the substantially planar sheet and the substantially planar indicator member being arranged so as to permit the substantially planar indicator member to be exposed outwardly of the one of the plurality of slots;

wherein the substantially planar indicator member is resilient and shaped such that the free end is normally biased upwardly away from the plane of the surface of the substantially planar sheet;

whereby placement of the card in the one of the plurality of slots in front of the substantially planar indicator member forces the free end of the substantially planar indicator member toward the plane of the substantially planar sheet and removal of the card from the one of the plurality of slots permits the free end to extend upward to indicate to the card owner that the card is missing.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the fixed end is affixed to the surface of the substantially planar sheet.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the fixed end is affixed proximate the aligning edge.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the fixed end is affixed proximate to a vacant edge.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the substantially planar sheet comprises a plastic.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the substantially planar indicator member comprises a metal.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the aligning edge is substantially equal in length to an edge of the card.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the aligning edge is substantially equal in length to a long edge of the card.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the aligning edge is substantially equal in length to a short edge of the card.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein an indicia is provided on at least one of a surface of said substantially planar indicator member and the surface of said substantially planar sheet which is visible when the free end is normally being biased in a direction away from the surface.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the indicia is a message.

2. A device for alerting a card owner of a situation in which a card is missing from a card holder device having a plurality of slots for receiving cards comprising:

a substantially planar sheet having a surface, an aligning edge, and at least two vacant edges and being configured for placement in one of the plurality of slots in the card holder device;

a substantially planar indicator member positioned longitudinally along the aligning edge, the substantially planar indicator member having a free end and a fixed end affixed to the substantially planar sheet and a second substantially planar indicator member positioned longitudinally along a vacant edge, the second substantially planar member having a second free end and a second fixed end being affixed to the substantially planar sheet; and

the substantially planar sheet and the substantially planar indicator members being arranged so as to permit at least one of the substantially planar indicator members to be exposed outwardly of the one of the plurality of slots;

wherein the substantially planar indicator members are resilient and shaped such that the free ends are normally biased upwardly away from the plane of the surface of the substantially planar sheet;

whereby placement of the card in the one of the plurality of slots in front of the substantially planar indicator members forces the free ends of the substantially planar indicator members toward the plane of the substantially planar sheet and removal of the card from the one of the plurality of slots permits at least one of the free ends to extend upward to indicate to the card owner that the card is missing.

11. A device for alerting a card owner of a situation in which a card is missing from a card holder device having a plurality of slots for receiving cards comprising:

a substantially planar sheet having a surface, an aligning edge, and at least two vacant edges and being configured for placement in one of the plurality of slots in the card holder device;

a substantially planar indicator member positioned longitudinally along the aligning edge;

the substantially planar indicator member having a fixed end affixed to the substantially planar sheet and a free end;

the substantially planar sheet and the substantially planar indicator member being arranged so as to permit the substantially planar indicator member to be exposed outwardly of the one of the plurality of slots;

a resilient C-joint for affixing the substantially planar member to the substantially planar sheet, the resilient C-joint having two mounting edges, the first mounting edge being attached to the fixed end of the substantially planar member and a second mounting edge being affixed to the aligning edge of the substantially planar sheet, and biasing the substantially planar member in a direction upwardly away from the plane of the surface;

whereby placement of the card in the one of the plurality of slots in front of the substantially planar indicator member forces the free end of the substantially planar indicator member toward the plane of the substantially planar sheet and removal of the card from the one of the plurality of slots permits the free end to extend upward to indicate to the card owner that the card is missing.

14. A device for alerting a card owner of a situation in which a card is missing from a card holder device having a plurality of slots comprising:

a substantially planar sheet having a surface, an aligning edge, and at least two vacant edges and being configured for placement in one of the plurality of slots in the card holder device;

a substantially planar indicator member positioned longitudinally along the aligning edge on the surface, the aligning edge being visible when said device is placed in the one of the plurality of slots in the card holder device; and

the substantially planar indicator member having a fixed end being affixed to the planar sheet opposing a free end, the substantially planar sheet and the substantially planar indicator member being arranged so as to permit the substantially planar indicator member to be exposed outwardly of the one of the plurality of slots;

wherein the substantially planar indicator member is resilient and shaped such that the free end is normally biased upwardly away from the plane of the surface of the substantially planar sheet;

normally being biased away from a position parallel to the surface, the free end being forced into a position substantially parallel to the surface when the card is placed in the one of the plurality of slots in front of the device against the planar member, the free end extending upwardly away from the plane of the substantially planar sheet when the card is removed from the one of the plurality of slots, and becoming visible to the card owner, alerting the card owner that the card is missing.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein an indicia is provided on at least one of a surface of said substantially planar indicator member and the surface of said substantially planar sheet which is visible when the free end is normally being biased away from the surface.

16. A device for alerting a card owner of a situation in which a card is missing from a card holder device comprising:

a card holder device having a top surface containing a plurality of pockets under the top surface, each pocket being substantially planar and being configured to receive a card through a slot formed in the surface; and

a planar indicator member aligned longitudinally along the slot, the planar member having a fixed end and a free end, the planar member being visible,

the fixed end being affixed proximate to the slot and allowing the slot to receive the card and wherein the planar indicator member is resilient and shaped such that the free end is normally biased upwardly away from the plane of the top surface;

the free end being normally biased in a direction upward away from the top surface, the free end being forced in a direction towards the top surface when the card is placed in the slot against the planar member, the planar member becoming visible to the card owner when the card is removed from the slot.

whereby placement of the card in the one of the plurality of slots in front of the planar indicator member forces the free end of the planar indicator member toward the plane of the top surface and removal of the card from the one of the plurality of slots permits the free end to extend upward to indicate to the card owner that the card is missing.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein at least a portion of the free end is between the top surface and the card when the card is placed into the pocket through the slot.

18. A device for alerting a card owner of a situation in which a card is missing from a card holder device having a plurality of slots for receiving cards comprising:

a substantially planar sheet having an aligning edge and at least two vacant edges and being configured for placement in one of the plurality of slots in the card holder device; and

a substantially planar indicator member formed longitudinally along the aligning edge on the surface, affixed at one end thereof to the aligning edge and extending parallel to the aligning edge;

the substantially planar indicator member having a free end, wherein the substantially planar indicator member is resilient and shaped such that the free end is normally biased upwardly away from the plane of the surface of the substantially planar sheet;

said free end of the substantially planer indicator member normally being biased in a non-coplanar position relative to the substantially planar sheet;

the free end being forced into a position substantially coplanar relative to the substantially planar sheet when the card is placed in the one of the plurality of slots in front of the device against the substantially planar indicator member;

whereby placement of the card in the one of the plurality of slots in front of the substantially planar indicator member forces the free end of the substantially planar indicator member toward the plane of the substantially planar sheet and removal of the card from the one of the plurality of slots permits the free end to extend upward to indicate to the card owner that the card is missing.