Wallet

Abstract

A wallet may include a body and a plurality of card carriers that may be pivoted relative to the body between open and closed positions. A release mechanism normally biased into a locking position may be provided to retain the card carriers in their closed positions may be operated to allow the card carriers to move from the closed position to an open position. The card carriers may be biased into an open position by a bias such as a spring.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The technical field of the present patent application is wallets.

BACKGROUND

Many people find the jumble of cards, such as credit cards, drivers' licenses and membership cards difficult to manage and/or organize. Further, the locating of, removal and return of cards to wallets and card holders may be tedious for the holders of the cards.

SUMMARY

A card-holding wallet that facilitates removal and replacement of cards may be desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a wallet.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the wallet of FIG. 1 illustrating the pivoting of a card carrier between a card retrieval/replacement position and a closed position in which the card carrier is retracted into a closed position.

FIG. 3 is an isometric, exploded view of the wallet of FIG. 1 with parts broken away.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the wallet of FIG. 1 with parts removed showing the wallet with one of the card carriers opened into the card retrieval/replacement position

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the wallet of FIG. 4 showing details of the card carrier release/retention mechanism.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a card carrier with installed spring.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the card carrier of FIG. 6 with the spring removed from the spring holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In one embodiment, an automated wallet may provide the convenience of retaining a plurality of card carriers that may be automatically extended from a closed, card-retaining position, as shown in FIG. 1 to an open, card release/replacement position as shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, a wallet 11 may comprise an upper surface 12 and left side 19 that are substantially closed and a lower edge 17 and right side 18 that are substantially open to allow card carriers 21 to pivot between an open and closed position as best shown in FIG. 2.

A lock mechanism 24 may be provided at the upper right corner of the wallet 11 that is movable between a first position that locks the card carriers 21 in the closed position 23 and a second position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in which the lock mechanism 24 allows the card carriers 21 to be extended.

Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a cover 26 may be provided on one or both sides of the wallet 11. This cover 26 may be made of a flexible material. In one embodiment the material may be leather, and may be affixed to the front panel 15 and/or to the rear side of the body 32 of the wallet by adhesives, rivets, screws or other means. In another embodiment, the cover 26 may be a simple layer of material, or may include one or more pockets 27, 28. These pockets may be used to store additional cards, business cards, paper money or other articles.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the pairs of buttons 13, 14, 16 may be used to operate the wallet 11 to extend one or more of the card carriers 21. The card carriers 21 of the present embodiment may be double sided, allowing them to carry one card in a card holder 29 on each side of the card carrier 21. The card holders 29 on either side of the card carrier 21 may be mirror images of one another. The pairs of buttons 13, 14, 16 may thus be labeled with an indication of the contents of each of the two card holders on either side of a card carrier. in the present embodiment, each pair of buttons 13, 14, 16 may be ganged together so that either or both may be pressed to operate the wallet 11 to extend both of the cards held by the card carrier 21 associated with the button pairs 13, 14, 16.

Referring to FIGS. 4-7, each of the button pairs 13, 14, 16 (or single buttons or other configurations of buttons) may be mounted to separate arms 31 that may be, in turn, mounted to the body 32 of the wallet adjacent the first ends 33 thereof. The mounting of the arms 31 to the body 32 may be accomplished by providing a plurality of apertures 34 extending transversely through the arms 31. In such case, the body 32 may be formed with a plurality of pins 36 that extend outwardly from the body 32 and over which the arms 31 may be slid to fix one end of the arms relative to the body 32 of the wallet 11.

The button pairs 13, 14, 16 are mounted proximate to the distal end of the arms 31. The button pairs 13, 14, 16 may protrude upward through an aperture or apertures in the upper edge 12 of the body 32 of the wallet 11. The arms 31 may be made of a material, such as ABS plastic, that is sufficiently flexible to maintain the button pairs 13, 14, 16 in position protruding through the aperture or apertures in the upper edge 12, while allowing each of the button pairs 13, 14, 16 to be depressed sufficiently to effect the release of the associated card carrier 21.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 4 and 5, the release mechanism 37 of the present embodiment may be of the hook and eye type or of any other suitable kind. In the present embodiment, hooks 38 may be provided at the distal end of the arms 31. The hooks may be movable from their up, or locked position to a down, or unlocked, position by depressing one or both of the button pairs 13, 14, 16 associated with the particular arm 31.

Referring to FIGS. 2-7, in one embodiment, each card carrier 21 may have first and second sides 41, 42. The sides 41, 42 may be spaced apart to form a gap between them adjacent a corner 43 of the card carrier 21. A pin or column 44 may be formed extending from one of the sides 41, 42 to the other at a position adjacent a corner 43 and may form an eye 39 that may engage a hook 38 to lock the card carrier 21 in place in the wallet 11. In such case, the hook 38 may be of such a width that it can fit between the first and second sides 41, 42 of the card carrier 21 and may engage the pin or column 44 to retain the card carrier 21 in the closed position 23 when the hook is in the up, or locked, position.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, in one embodiment a card carrier 21 may be pivotally mounted to the wallet by a cylindrical stud 46 extending outwardly from the body 32 of the wallet 11. The stud 46 may be provided with a radial slot in the manner shown in FIG. 3. The card carriers 21 may be formed with apertures adjacent one edge thereof that correspond in diameter to that of the stud 46, so that the cards may be slid onto the stud 46 and may pivot freely about its axis.

As best shown in FIG. 7, the card carrier 21 may be provided with a bias for biasing the card carrier into its open position 21. In one embodiment, the card carrier may be formed with a disk-shaped spring pocket 49 generally coaxial with the aperture 48 to receive a generally flat, coil spring 50. The spring 50 may form the bias referred to above, and may be formed so that it has a coil portion 51. One end of the material, such as wire, forming the spring may be bent inward of the coil and may extend radially inwardly from the coil portion 51 to form a radial portion 52. A tangential portion 53 may be formed in the other end of the spring material and may extend tangentially from the coil portion 51 of the spring 50.

The radial portion 52 of the spring 50 may be fitted into the radial slot 47 in the stud 46. The tangential portion 53 of the spring 40 may be fitted into a slot 54 in the card carrier 21 that may extend tangentially from the disk-shaped spring pocket 49. The spring may be unwound in the spring pocket to provide a biasing force, with the spring acting between the slot 54 in the card carrier 21 and the radial slot 47 in the stud 46.

In one embodiment, after the card carriers have been loaded in the wallet, the wallet body may be closed by addition of a front panel 15 that may be affixed in place by conventional means such as screws, rivets, friction fit pins, adhesives or the like.

A lock 24 may be provided to prevent accidental release of a card carrier. In one embodiment, and as best shown in FIG. 5, the lock 24 may comprise a “V” shaped element 57 comprising two arms 58, 59 extending away from the pivotal mounting of the lock 24. The arm 31 on which a button and hook may be mounted may be formed with a shoulder 61 adjacent its distal end. When the lock 24 is pivoted into its locked position, the arm 58 may engage the shelf to prevent downward deflection of the arm 31, and hence the hook 38. Release of the associated card carrier 21 may thus be prevented when the lock 24 is in the locked position. The lock 24 may be held in the locked position by friction, or by other means such as a detent or spring. The other, outer arm of the lock mechanism may extend outward of the body 32 of the wallet 11 and may be used to move the inner arm 58 between a locked and an unlocked position.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to various embodiments, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit or scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.

Claims

1. A wallet comprising:

a wallet body

at least one card carrier pivotally mounted to the body

a releasable lock mechanism for retaining the card carrier in a closed position, and

a bias for biasing the card carrier into an open position.

2. The wallet of claim 1 wherein the bias comprises a coil spring.

3. The wallet of claim 1 wherein the releasable lock mechanism comprises a hook and eye latch mechanism.

4. The wallet of claim 1 wherein the releasable lock mechanism comprises at least one button mounted proximate to the distal end of a flexible arm, the arm being fixed in position adjacent its other end to the body of the wallet, and a portion of the lock mechanism being mounted adjacent the distal end of the arm.

5. The wallet of claim 1 wherein the portion of the lock mechanism adjacent the distal end of an arm comprises a hook for engaging an eye in the card carrier.

6. The wallet of claim 1 wherein the at least one card carrier is pivotally mounted to the wallet body by a stud extending from the wallet body.

7. The wallet of claim 1 further comprising a lock mechanism for preventing release of a card carrier from its closed position when the lock mechanism is engaged.