Card Retention Device

Abstract

The invention disclosed herein comprises a wallet, cardholder, billfold, purse, phone cover or enclosure, passport cover, identification card cover, backpack or other personal bag or container which includes a pocket created by forming an enclosure with three corners with an opening or slot sized as appropriate for the card, currency, papers or other documents as desired. The user inserts one end of the card into the slot and pushes the card into position whereby the three corners of the card are positioned in substantial alignment with the three corners of the pocket and retained in relative proximity. As one or more cards are inserted and removed from the pocket, the remaining cards are retained in the pocket by the resistance imparted by the three-corner structure of the pocket.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/704,740, filed on Sep. 24, 2012, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a card retention device and method for wallets, passport holders, purses, handbags, backpacks, and cases, and more specifically to an apparatus for retaining credit cards, business cards and other cards integrated therewith.

BACKGROUND

Men and women have carried wallets and purses for many years for purposes of collecting and holding myriad objects such as paper currency, coin currency and various personal items such as identification cards and related papers. Although wallets and purses come in a variety of shapes and sizes, most of them will typically rely on a series of small pockets cut or stitched into the wallet, bill fold or purse in which an identification card, driver's license or credit card may be inserted and kept for retrieval by the user as necessary. The card is typically kept in place by the frictional force imparted on to opposing sides of the card by the opposing sides of the pocket or by a side of the pocket and the surface of an opposing card inserted into the pocket or pockets.

Such cardholders are still in wide use today, but are not without drawbacks. For instance, as the user inserts additional cards into one or various pockets, the pocket dimensions are stretched incrementally and repeatedly as the user inserts and withdraws cards from the pocket or pockets. As a result, the frictional force imparted to a card or multiple cards is decreased over time as the pocket compartments expand and stretch. When the user retrieves a card for use the remaining cards in the pocket become loose without sufficient friction or axial compressive force to keep them secured in the pocket thereby resulting in additional cards potentially falling out of the user's purse, wallet or billfold and becoming lost or easily stolen by a third party.

As such, a need exists for an improved cardholder retention device which safely secures a credit card, identification card, business card or other card size object which may be easily and repetitively accessed by a user and which will continue to retain cards inserted into the device, while allowing a user to easily withdraw one or more cards as desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention disclosed herein comprises a wallet, cardholder, billfold, purse, phone cover or enclosure, passport cover, identification card cover, backpack or other personal bag or container which includes a pocket created by forming an enclosure with three corners with an opening or slot sized as appropriate for the card, currency, papers or other documents as desired. The user inserts one end of the card into the slot and pushes the card into position whereby the three corners of the card are positioned in substantial alignment with the three corners of the pocket and retained in relative proximity. As one or more cards are inserted and removed from the pocket, the remaining cards are retained in the pocket by the resistance imparted by the three-corner structure of the pocket.

Other technical advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions and claims. While specific advantages and embodiments have been enumerated above, various embodiments may include all, some, or none of the enumerated advantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various aspects of the invention, as well as an embodiment, are better understood by reference to the following detailed description. The detailed description, given by way of examples and not intended to limit the present invention solely thereto, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and parts in which:

FIGS. 1A and 1B front and rear view, respectively, of one embodiment of the invention disclosed herein integrated a bi-fold wallet with a money clip;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the interior of one embodiment of the invention disclosed herein integrated into a typical mobile phone cover;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the interior of one embodiment of the invention disclosed herein integrated into a typical check book cover; and,

FIG. 4 is a front view of one embodiment of the invention disclosed herein integrated into and identification badge holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For purposes of teaching and discussion, it is useful to provide some overview as to the way in which the invention disclosed herein operates. The following information may be viewed as a basis from which the present invention may by properly explained. Such information is offered for purposes of explanation only and, accordingly, should not be construed to limit the broad scope of the present invention and its potential applications.

The present invention can take many forms and be utilized on a variety of apparatuses, including but not limited to a backpack, a purse, a billfold, a mobile phone cover, a passport cover, a laptop case, a computer tablet case, a checkbook cover, or an identification badge holder. The various embodiments disclosed herein will be discussed in detail, although it is readily known to one of ordinary skill in the art that the same teachings will apply to the vast array of bags, checkbook covers, wallets, identification badge holders, mobile phone covers, purses, and other personal articles which a user may utilize to transport his or her currency, cards and other personal property.

Turning to FIG. 1, a front view of a bi-fold wallet with money clip 10 embodiment disclosed herein is shown. The wallet 10 includes a card pocket 12 that is formed by sewing a front flap 14 on to a back piece 16. Front flap 14 includes an angled portion forming a slot 18 that forms card pocket 12 with corners 20, 22, 24. The user may insert one or more credit cards, identification cards, business cards or other similarly dimensioned object into the card pocket 12 by inserting the card into slot 18 and pushing the card into an orientation where three corners of the card are in relative proximity to corners 20, 22, 24. In this embodiment, the user's card or cards are securely restricted from movement by three corners 20, 22, 24 that prevent the card or multiple cards from sliding out of card pocket 12. If card pocket 12 is stretched or otherwise expanded by the addition of multiple cards, the removal of multiple cards will not affect the operation of the three corners 20, 22, 24 in retaining the remaining cards in card pocket 12, even if the frictional force and/or compressive force between the cards and the card pocket 12 is diminished or completely removed. A currency holder 30 forms the opposing portion of the wallet 10 which may include a pocket 30 with a backing surface 34 and which is sewn or otherwise attached to pocket 12 as is known in the art. FIG. 1B illustrates the backside of folding wallet 10 that includes a clear window 40 in which one may place a driver's license or other form of identification that may be viewed through window 40 without the need for removal for viewing purposes. A money clip 44 may be attached or otherwise incorporated on to back piece 16 as known in the art.

FIG. 2 depicts one embodiment of a cell phone case or cover 50 that includes cover 52 connected via webbing 72 to phone holder 74. Phone holder 74 includes phone retainers 78, 80 that are operable to retain a phone in proximity to phone holder 74. As depicted, cover 52 includes openings or slots 56 with rounded corners 58, 60, which forms card pocket 54. Slots 56 are sized to allow the user to insert and remove a card 55 or multiple cards, including but not limited to credit cards, identification cards, business cards, identification cards and drivers license cards and similar sized items into the card pockets 54. As described herein, a user inserts a card 55 or multiple cards into slots 56 that open into card pocket 54. The user orients the corners of the card 55 or cards into proximity with card pocket corners 58, 62, 64. In this embodiment, the user's card 55 or cards are securely restricted from movement by three corners 58, 62, 64 that prevent the card 55 or multiple cards from sliding out of card pocket 54. If card pocket 54 is stretched or otherwise expanded by the addition of another card 55 or multiple cards, the removal of a card 55 or multiple cards will not affect the operation of the three corners 58, 64, 64 in retaining the remaining card 55 or cards in card pocket 54, even if the frictional force and/or compressive force between the card 55 or cards and the card pocket 54 is diminished or completely removed.

FIG. 3 depicts one embodiment of the invention disclosed herein comprising a checkbook cover 90. Checkbook cover 90 includes card cover 92 and checkbook cover 108 for holding checkbook 106 as is known in the art. As depicted, card cover 92 includes openings or slots 96 with rounded corners 98, 102, 104 that form card pocket or multiple card pockets 94. Slots 96 are sized to allow the user to insert and remove cards, including but not limited to credit cards, identification cards, business cards, identification cards and drivers license cards and similar sized items into the card pocket 94. As previously described herein, a user inserts a card or multiple cards into slots 96 that open into card pocket 94. The user orients the corners of the card or cards into proximity with card pocket corners 98, 102, 104. In this embodiment, the user's card or cards are securely restricted from movement by three corners 98, 102, 104 that prevent the card or multiple cards from sliding out of card pocket 94. If card pocket 94 is stretched or otherwise expanded by the addition of multiple cards, the removal of multiple cards will not affect the operation of the three corners 98, 102, 104 in retaining the remaining cards in card pocket 94, even if the frictional force and/or compressive force between the cards and the card pocket 94 is diminished or completely removed.

FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of the invention disclosed herein comprising an identification or badge holder 120. As depicted, badge holder 120 is comprised of back piece 122 and front piece 124 that form card pocket 126 with card slot 128 and corners 130, 132, 134. Slot 128 is sized to allow the user to insert and remove credit cards, identification cards, business cards and similar sized items into the card pocket 126. As described herein, a user inserts a card 125 or multiple cards into slot 128 that open into card pocket 126. The user orients the corners of the card 125 or cards into proximity with card pocket corners 130, 132, 134. In this embodiment, the user's card 125 or cards are securely restricted from movement by three corners 130, 132, 134 that prevent the card 125 or multiple cards from sliding out of card pocket 126. If card pocket 126 is stretched or otherwise expanded by the addition of another card 125 or multiple cards, the removal of a card 125 or multiple cards will not affect the operation of the three corners 130, 132, 134 in retaining the remaining card 125 or cards in card pocket 126, even if the frictional force and/or compressive force between the card 125 or cards and the card pocket 126 is diminished or completely removed. A lanyard 136 may be attached to the holder 120 as shown to keep the holder 120 secured on or about the user's person.

The wallets, covers, and other personal articles disclosed herein may be constructed of various materials such as leather, plastic, nylon, cordura or as is otherwise known by those of ordinary skill in the art. While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a various embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a card pocket comprising a flexible front flap connected to a stiff back piece wherein the front flap includes an angled portion forming a pocket with a slot between the front flap and back piece and the formed pocket includes at least three corners which act to retain a card inserted into the card pocket via the slot.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the front flap is selected from the following group of materials comprising a leather, a nylon, a plastic and a metal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the card pocket is formed as part of a wallet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the card pocket is formed as part of a checkbook cover, a card case, an identification badge holder, or a money clip.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the card pocket is formed as part of a backpack, a purse, a phone case, a laptop case, a computer tablet case.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the card pocket is capable of securing multiple cards.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a second card pocket is formed by a second slot in the front flap.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the card inserted into the pocket is substantially secured by a friction force imparted on the card by at least three corners of the formed pocket.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the card inserted into the pocket is substantially secured by a compressive force imparted on the card by at least three corners of the formed pocket.