Consumer products

Abstract

The present invention is a business card holder that includes a business card cradle and a support leg. The support leg is substantially flat and includes a large branding area. In the preferred embodiment, this branding area is a surface sunken into the support leg. The business card cradle includes a second branding area that, preferably, is also a sunken surface.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The applicant hereby claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/201,663 (filed Dec. 12, 2008). The specification of said provisional patent application is incorporated herein by this reference as though set forth in full.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to desktop accessories. In particular, the present invention relates to business card holders.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Business cards are cards bearing business information about a company or individual. A business card typically includes the giver's name, company affiliation and contact information such as street address, telephone number, e-mail address and website. Use of business cards in the United States and elsewhere is very common. Most business people utilize business cards to introduce themselves to others.

In the United States, the standard-sized business card is 2 by 3-and-½ inches. The sizes of standard business cards vary from country to country, but most are from 74 to 90 millimeters wide and from 50 to 55 millimeters high. Because a business card is small, a potential customer can easily store a business card for later use.

Frequently, people or businesses chose to display their business cards in business card holders on desks, counters and other flat, horizontal surfaces. They do this so that prospective customers can take the business cards and so that business cards are always on hand. Because of the popularity of business card holders, business card holders themselves can be used as promotional gifts. However, very few desktop business card holders are appropriate for this purpose because most business card holders have limited room to imprint advertising.

The present invention offers a low-cost business card holder design that provides significant space to imprint advertising. In particular, the business card holder of the present invention provides multiple, substantial branding areas that can be viewed from opposing directions. At the same time, the entire design can be manufactured as a single piece of plastic.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a business card holder that includes a business card cradle and a support leg. The support leg is connected to the top of the business card cradle and maintains the business card cradle in an upright and functional position when the business card holder is placed on a flat, horizontal position. When the business card holder is in use, both the business card cradle and the support leg rest on the flat, horizontal surface. In practice, this flat, horizontal surface might be a desktop or countertop.

The support leg is substantially flat and includes a large branding area. In the preferred embodiment, this branding area is a surface sunken into the support leg. Typically, the branding area is rectangular in shape.

The business card cradle includes a second branding area that, preferably, is similar to the first branding area in shape and design. By including two branding areas on the same business card holder, branding can be seen from opposing directions. Generally, the entire design (not including branding labels) can be molded as a single piece of plastic, thereby making manufacture simple and inexpensive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a frontal perspective view of a business card holder;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the business card holder;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the business card holder;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the business card holder;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the business card holder;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the business card holder;

FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the business card holder;

FIG. 8 is a side perspective view of the business card holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 provides a frontal perspective view of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a business card holder 1 that has been formed from a single piece of material, preferably a plastic such as ABS. However, other types of material and manufacture can be used to make the present invention. The business card holder comprises a business card cradle 2 and a support leg 3. The tops of the business card cradle 2 and the support leg 3 are connected together such that the two structures form an angle. It is preferred that said angle is acute. Preferably, the angle is between 15 and 30 degrees. More preferably, the angle is between 20 and 25 degrees, while, in the example shown in FIG. 1, the angle is approximately 23 degrees. For ease of manufacturing, it is preferred that the business card cradle 2 and the support leg 3 are connected by a rounded bridge 4 that extends the length of the tops of the business card cradle 2 and the support leg 3.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the business card cradle 2 comprises a substantially flat, rectangular back card-holding panel 5. It is preferred that this back card-holding panel 5 is less than 4 inches wide. It is also preferred that the back card-holding panel 5 is less than 2 and ½ inches high (not including the rounded bridge). The back card-holding panel 5 can be of any thickness, although it will generally be greater than 1/16 of an inch and less than ⅛ of an inch. This may vary depending on the type of material used to construct the present invention.

As can also be seen in FIG. 1, the business card cradle 2 is configured to accept and hold business cards in a tidy fashion. In the preferred embodiment, the business card cradle 2 comprises the back card-holding panel 5 and a front card-holding panel 6. It is preferred that the back card-holding panel 5 and the front card-holding panel 6 are held in substantially parallel planes, thereby forming a gap between the two structures. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the back card-holding panel 5 and the front card-holding panel 6 are held in their respective planes by a right side wall 12, left side wall (not shown in FIG. 1) and card supporting structure (not shown clearly in FIG. 1). The gap between the back card-holding panel 5 and the front card-holding panel 6 will generally be large enough to accommodate a plurality of business cards but will be small enough so that, when only a few business cards are left, the business cards will still stand upright. In the example shown by the figures herein, the gap is about ½ of an inch.

It is preferred that the front card-holding panel 6 is substantially flat and is substantially the same width as the back card-holding panel 5. The front card-holding panel 6 should be tall enough to hold business cards securely within the gap. At the same time, it is preferred that the front card-holding panel 6 is short enough so that, when facing the front of the business card holder 1, potential customers can see the business cards inside the business card cradle 2. In the preferred embodiment, the front card-holding panel 6 is about 1½ high.

The out-facing wall of the front card-holding panel 6 further comprises a front branding area 7. Advertising, trademarks and other product or company information can be imprinted or otherwise marked on the front branding area 7. It is preferred that the front branding area 7 comprises most of the outward-facing surface of the front card-holding panel 6. In fact, it is preferred that the front branding area 7 comprise at least 80% of the outward-facing surface of the front card-holding panel. In the preferred embodiment, the front branding area 7 comprises a sunken, substantially flat surface disposed within the front card-holding panel 6. It is preferred that the sunken surface is substantially rectangular with rounded corners. In the preferred embodiment, the sunken surface is configured to accept adhesive labels that bear the desired branding. By using labels, the user can benefit from more elaborate and decorative printing processes, such as a four-color process. It should be noted that the sunken surface has not been given its own reference number because, in the particular example shown in FIG. 1, the sunken surface is coextensive with the front branding area 7.

FIG. 7 provides a rear perspective view of the business card holder 1. FIG. 7 shows the back card-holding panel 5, the front card-holding panel 6 and the rounded bridge 4. FIG. 7 further shows the left side wall 8 that forms part of the business card cradle 2.

FIG. 7 also shows outward-facing side of the support leg 3. As can be seen, the support leg 3 is substantially flat and substantially rectangular. As can also be seen in FIG. 7, the outward-facing side of the support leg 3 comprises a rear branding area 9. Similar to the front branding area 7, the rear branding area 9 comprises a sunken surface disposed within the outward-facing side of support leg 3. The rear branding area 9 is substantially rectangular and substantially flat. It is preferred that the corners of the sunken surface are rounded. In the preferred embodiment, the sunken surface is between 3 and 3-and-½ inches wide and between 1-and-½ and 2 high. Similar to the sunken surface that forms the front branding area 7, the sunken surface that forms the rear branding area 9 is configured to accept adhesive labels that bear the desired branding. As can also be seen, the rear branding area 9 takes up a majority of the surface of the outward-facing side of the support leg 3. It is preferred that the rear branding area 9 takes up at least 80% of the surface of said outward-facing side.

FIG. 8 provides a side perspective view of the business card holder. Shown in FIG. 8 is the rounded bridge 4. FIG. 8 further shows more clearly the structure of the business card cradle 1. As mentioned above, the business card holder is constructed in part by the right side wall 12 and the left side wall 8. The primary purpose of the right side wall 12 and the left side wall 8 is to keep the business cards from slipping out the sides of the cradle. FIG. 8 also shows the card support structure. In the example provided, the card support structure comprises a plurality of flat-topped ridges (13, 14 and 15). The business cards that are placed into the business card cradle will rest neatly on top of the flat-topped ridges. When the business card holder is in use, it is preferred that the top edges of the side walls are elevated higher than the top edges of the ridges so that the business cards will not slip out on the side. The curvature of the bottoms of the flat-topped ridges (i.e., where the ridges meet the business card holder bottom 11) forms semi-circles.

FIG. 2 provides a top view of the business card holder. From this perspective, one can see the front branding area 7, the top of the front card-holding panel 6, the top of the rounded bridge 4, the rear branding area 9, the top of the right side wall 12 and the top of the left side wall 8. The business card cradle bottom 11 of the business card cradle can also be seen. It is from the business card cradle bottom 11 that the flat-top ridges (13, 14 and 15) protrude. The business card cradle bottom 11 also serves to connect the front card-holding panel 6 to the back card-holding panel 5. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the upper-side of the business card cradle bottom 11 is sliced into four troughs by the flat-topped ridges. The curvature of the surface of the upper-side of the business card cradle bottom 11 follows the curvature seen in the side walls (8 and 12). In other words, the curvature of said surface forms a semi-circle in each of the four troughs.

FIG. 3 is provides a side view of the business card holder 1. From this view, one can clearly see the shape of the left side wall 8. Preferably, the side walls are rounded at the bottom as shown. The side walls are flush against the business card cradle bottom 11, the front card-holding panel 6, and the back card-holding panel 5. The approximately 23 degree angle between the support leg and the panel 2 can also be seen. Furthermore, as can be observed from FIG. 3, the outward surface of the support leg 3 and the outward surface of the front card-holding panel 6 face slightly upward. This, in turn, causes the surfaces of the two branding areas to face slightly upward.

FIG. 4 provides a rear view of the business card holder 1. From this, the preferred shape of the rear branding area 9 can be seen.

FIG. 5 provides a front view of the business card holder 1. From this, the preferred shape of the front branding area 7 can be seen.

FIG. 6 provides a bottom view of the business card holder 1. From this, the underside of the business card cradle bottom 11 can be seen. When the business card holder is placed on a flat, horizontal surface (such as a desktop or countertop), the business card holder will rest on the bottom edge of the support leg 3 and the underside of the business card cradle bottom 11.

It is preferred that the business card holder is configured to rest on a flat surface such that the business card holder is supported by the business card cradle 2 and the support leg 3. The business card holder is further configured such that, when the business card holder is correctly positioned on a flat surface (such as the top of a desk), business cards can be maintained inside the cradle. In the preferred embodiment, when the business card holder is correctly positioned on a flat surface, the surfaces of both branding areas will face upward and outward.

One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the techniques, structures and methods of the present invention above are exemplary. The present invention can be implemented in various embodiments without deviating from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A business card holder comprising: a business card cradle; and a support leg connected to said business card cradle for holding said business card cradle in position when the business card holder is in use.

2. The business card holder of claim 1, wherein said support leg has a support-leg outer face and said support-leg outer face comprises a rear branding area.

3. The business card holder of claim 2, wherein most of said support-leg outer face is taken up by said rear branding area.

4. The business card holder of claim 3, wherein said rear branding area comprises a rear sunken surface.

5. The business card holder of claim 4, wherein said rear sunken surface is substantially rectangular.

6. The business card holder of claim 1, wherein said business card cradle comprises a back panel and a front panel and wherein said back panel is connected to said support leg.

7. The business card holder of claim 6, wherein said front panel and said back panel form a gap in which standard business cards can be inserted.

8. The business card holder of claim 7, wherein said front panel and said back panel are in parallel planes.

9. The business card holder of claim 6, wherein said front panel and back panel are connected by a business card support structure.

10. The business card holder of claim 9, wherein said business card support structure comprises a plurality of ridges to support business cards.

11. The business card holder of claim 10, wherein each ridge of said plurality of ridges has a flat top.

12. The business card holder of claim 9, wherein said front panel and said back panel are further connected by a plurality of side panels.

13. The business card holder of claim 2, wherein said front panel comprises a front-panel outer face and said front-panel outer face comprises a front branding area.

14. The business card holder of claim 13, wherein most of said front-panel outer face is taken up by said front branding area.

15. The business card holder of claim 14, wherein said front branding area comprises a front sunken surface.

16. The business card holder of claim 15, wherein said front sunken surface is substantially rectangular.

17. The business card holder of claim 1, wherein said business card cradle and said support leg are formed as a single piece of plastic.

18. The business card holder of claim 1, wherein said business card cradle and said support leg form an acute angle.

1-13. (canceled)