Mobile Device Card Keeper
A mobile device card holder is provided that can include a mobile device housing component, and a receiving structure mechanically coupled to the mobile device housing component to hold cards such as a credit card and driver license. In one arrangement, the receiving structure can be externally integrated onto a mobile device housing. Other embodiments are disclosed.
This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/198,815 filed Nov. 10, 2008, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELDThe present disclosure relates generally to card carrying cases and more specifically to a mobile device card holder.
BACKGROUNDCredit cards and driver licenses are important personal identification objects that are generally carried on the person by way of a wallet, purse, or pocket. Although mobile devices and laptops can hold digital information, such as credit card information and personal data, such electronic devices are not considered a replacement for the credit cards or driver license. Credit cards, driver licenses, and other identification cards are generally required to be presented in original form and not on a mobile device or laptop. The physical card is also commonly viewed as indispensable by many of their users.
SUMMARYIn a first embodiment, a card keeper includes a card sleeve to hold cards and a mechanism for coupling the card sleeve to a mobile device. The card sleeve can include at least one opening to show a portion of a face of a card in the sleeve. The card sleeve can also contain one or more cut-outs to provide access to a camera or data ports of the mobile device that would otherwise be covered or obscured by the card keeper when no cards are inserted. The card sleeve can include a front section and back section that differ in texture to introduce varying levels of friction such that the back portion is rough, providing more grip for less frequently used cards, and the front section is smooth to permit sliding of more frequently used cards.
The mechanism can attach the card receiver to the mobile device via a bonding agent comprising glue, epoxy or mechanical fasteners. The device could also be attached via magnetic attraction, suction, or static attraction of the card sleeve to the mobile device. A back-side of the mechanism can be contoured to a shape of the mobile device to compensate for any non-flat surface feature of the mobile device thereto attached. In one arrangement it can be a detachable battery cover that couples the card sleeve to the mobile device. A secondary pouch or sleeve can be provided to include a Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) or transponder device.
In a second embodiment a card holder can be integrated into mobile device housing component. The receiving structure can be closed to completely hide a face of a card in the sleeve. The receiving structure can include a front section and back section that differ in texture to introduce varying levels of friction such that the back portion is rough, to grip less frequently used cards, and the front section is smooth to permit sliding of more frequently used cards. The receiving structure can comprise a flexible L-shaped railing or flexible C-shaped railing and a top notch protruding from the receive structure to secure cards in place once fully inserted. The card holder can also included an RFID or transponder device embedded within card holder structure.
In a third embodiment a card keeper battery cover can include a receive structure comprising two slide rails having a closed end and an open end. The card keeper battery cover can be suitable for use with a mobile device. The open end can receive one or more cards by way of a sliding action that can be guided by the two side rails when one or more cards are inserted and slid to the closed-end. The card keeper battery cover can be detachable and include a back face for enclosing a battery onto the mobile device, and a front face that is partially open to permit a viewing of a portion of the cards and permit a manual sliding in and out of the cards by way of a thumb or finger. The card keeper can also include a secondary pouch with a clear cover on the front side of the device. Items that are meant to be readable can be placed in the clear pouch. An example of how such a pouch would be useful is, a bar coded tag provided for checking-in at a gym or work site could be placed in the pouch and then read by a scanner without the need to remove the tag from the card keeper.
The receive structure can include a flexible L-shaped railing or flexible C-shaped railing, and a top notch protruding from the receive structure to secure the cards in place once fully inserted. In one arrangement, the receive structure can include tiered railings for receiving cards via a sliding action to stagger the cards in the receiving structure such that a user can see portions of each card within the receiving structure when the cards are fully inserted. An RFID or transponder device can be embedded within the receive structure.
The features of the system, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The embodiments herein can be understood by reference to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:
The present disclosure provides a mechanism for carrying cards, such as, but not limited to, credit cards, driver licenses, business cards, debit cards, identification cards or insurance cards with a mobile device. The Mobile Device Card Keeper can include a sleeve that holds one or more cards in order to facilitate carrying the cards with the mobile device. The Mobile Device Card Keeper can comprise a sleeve or pouch physically attached via glue, epoxy, fasteners, or other adhesive means to a mobile device or it can be a sleeve or pouch integrated directly into the housing of the mobile device. The Mobile Device Card Keeper can also support RFID or similar technologies embedded into it to allow for transactional services to be facilitated without the need to remove a card from the card carrying pouch. The Mobile Device Card Keeper can also support a pouch or sleeve to carry and retain an RFID or similar technology device.
A frontal view of the mobile device card keeper 100 according to one embodiment is shown in
The pouch configuration is not limited to the arrangement illustrated. As one example, the front section can be tapered 16 downward for example to permit a user when grasping a mobile device coupled to the mobile device card keeper to slide a thumb around the device and remove one of the cards. In such an advantageous arrangement, the user can use one hand to extract cards instead of two hands. Alternatively, an elongated elliptical hole 14 if not used for other purposes herein mentioned can be used as a thumb push to extract a card. Moreover, the texture of the front and back section can differ to introduce varying levels of friction on the cards. For instance, the back portion can be rough to grip less frequently used cards in the back, and the front portion can be smooth to permit sliding of more frequently used cards. The mobile device card keeper 100 can have a tab 17 that is used to hold cards in the sleeve once the card has been fully inserted into the sleeve.
In one arrangement, the mobile device card keeper 100 can attach to or be coupled with a mobile device. The mobile device can have cameras or bus ports that require an opening for usability. One embodiment allows for access to areas of a housing by providing a cutout 13 in the backing material of the card carrying pouch. The opening 13 in
The mobile device card keeper 100 also anticipates a usage of RFID or other transponder technologies to facilitate transactions or convey credit card or other information. The embodiment shown in
As one example, the cards can be stored in either a single compartment configuration or in the tiered (or staggered) card configuration. The receiving sleeve can also include tiered railings 26 offset from one another for receiving cards via a sliding action to stagger the cards in the receiving structure such that a user can see portions of each card within the receiving structure when the cards are fully inserted. In the tiered card configuration, multiple pouches can each be slightly offset to make cards stored behind other cards more easily accessible.
Notably, the surface at the area of attachment with mobile devices is not limited to being flat. In this case, to provide a flat surface for the card carrying pouch of the invention, the back side of the card keeper can be contoured. The back side of the invention can have a varying thickness from point to point. The contoured back side can account for variations in the mobile devices surface as illustrated in
In another arrangement, the card carrying pouch or sleeve can be integrated directly into the housing of a mobile device. For instance, a battery cover of a mobile device can be designed with an L-shaped flexible railing or a curved receiving sleeve to accept one or more cards. As one example, the battery cover door can be manufactured from a plastic injection mold process that introduces the novel features of the mobile card carrying keeper for gripping the cards. The card receiver can also be injection molded onto an exterior of a mobile device housing.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the embodiments of the invention are not so limited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present embodiments of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A card keeper, comprising:
- a card sleeve to hold cards; and
- a mechanism for coupling the card sleeve to a mobile device.
2. The card keeper of claim 1, wherein the card sleeve comprises a front section and back section that differ in texture to introduce varying levels of friction such that the back portion is rough to grip less frequently used cards in a back, and the front section is smooth to permit sliding of more frequently used cards.
3. The card keeper of claim 1, wherein the mechanism attaches the card receiver to the mobile device via a bonding agent comprising glue, epoxy or mechanical fasteners, and wherein a back-side of the mechanism is contoured to a shape of the mobile device to compensate for any non-flat surface feature of the mobile device thereto attached.
4. The card keeper of claim 1, wherein the mechanism is a magnetic device, static attraction device or suction device for coupling the card sleeve to the mobile device and wherein a back-side of the mechanism is contoured to a shape of the mobile device to compensate for any non-flat surface feature of the mobile device thereto attached.
5. The card keeper of claim 1, wherein the mechanism is a detachable battery cover and includes a back face for enclosing a battery onto the mobile device, and couples the card sleeve to the mobile device.
6. The card keeper of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening is a cut-out to provide access to a camera or data ports of the mobile device that would otherwise be covered or obscured by the card keeper when no cards are inserted.
7. The card keeper of claim 1, further comprising a secondary pouch or sleeve provided to receive a Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) or transponder.
8. The card keeper of claim 1, further comprising a Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) or transponder device embedded within the receiving structure.
9. The portable card holder of claim 1, further comprising a top notch protruding from the receive structure to secure cards in place once fully inserted.
10. A card holder, comprising:
- a card receiver integrated into a mobile device housing component to hold cards.
11. The card keeper of claim 10, wherein the card receiver is external to the mobile device housing component and comprises a cut-out to provide access to a camera or data ports of the mobile device that would otherwise be covered or obscured by the card keeper when no cards are inserted into the card receiver.
12. The portable card holder of claim 10, wherein the receiving structure comprises a front section and back section that differ in texture to introduce varying levels of friction such that the back portion is rough to grip less frequently used cards in a back, and the front section is smooth to permit sliding of more frequently used cards.
13. The card keeper of claim 10, further comprising a secondary pouch or sleeve provided to receive a Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) or transponder device.
14. The card keeper of claim 10, further comprising a Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) or transponder device embedded within the receiving structure.
15. The portable card holder of claim 10, further comprising a top notch protruding from the receive structure to secure cards in place once fully inserted.
16. A card keeper battery cover suitable for coupling to a mobile device, the card keeper comprising a receive structure comprising a pouch having a closed end and an open end, wherein the open end receives one or more cards by way of a sliding action and the one or more cards are inserted when slid to the closed-end.
17. The card keeper of claim 10, comprising a secondary pouch with a clear or transparent front cover, such that an item can be placed into the pouch and wherein the contents of the pouch are read by a scanner.
18. The card keeper of claim 10, wherein the card receiver is injection mold designed externally onto the mobile device housing.
19. The card keeper battery cover of claim 1, wherein the receive structure is externally integrated onto the mobile device and comprises
- a flexible L-shaped railing or flexible C-shaped railing; and
- a top notch protruding from the receive structure to secure the cards in place once fully inserted.
20. The card keeper battery cover of claim 10, wherein the receive structure is externally integrated onto the mobile device and comprises
- a flexible L-shaped railing or flexible C-shaped railing; and
- a top notch protruding from the receive structure to secure the cards in place once fully inserted.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 10, 2009
Publication Date: May 13, 2010
Inventors: Philip Schentrup (Hollywood, FL), April Schentrup (Hollywood, FL), Daniel Schentrup (Tampa, FL)
Application Number: 12/615,576
International Classification: B65D 65/02 (20060101); B65D 85/00 (20060101);