Electronic Payment Card and Key Holding Assembly

Abstract

An electronic payment card and key holding assembly for carrying an electronic payment card in conjunction with keys includes an electronic payment card and a key ring that has a plurality of keys thereon. A holder is provided that slidably receives the electronic payment card for storing the electronic payment card. The holder has a hole therein and the key ring releasably engages the hole. Thus, the electronic payment card can be carried with the keys. In this way the holder inhibits the electronic payment card from being lost or stolen.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The disclosure and prior art relates to holding devices and more particularly pertains to a new holding device for carrying an electronic payment card in conjunction with keys.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising an electronic payment card and a key ring that has a plurality of keys thereon. A holder is provided that slidably receives the electronic payment card for storing the electronic payment card. The holder has a hole therein and the key ring releasably engages the hole. Thus, the electronic payment card can be carried with the keys. In this way the holder inhibits the electronic payment card from being lost or stolen.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of an electronic payment card and key holding assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of holder of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a holder of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a phantom perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a phantom perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new holding device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the electronic payment card and key holding assembly 10 generally comprises an electronic payment card 12 that has an outer edge 14. The electronic payment card 12 may be an electronic payment card with an electronic chip, a debit card and any other type of electronic payment card 12. A key ring 16 is included that has a plurality of keys 18 thereon. The key ring 16 may be a key ring of any conventional design, including carabiners, and the keys 18 may be keys for a vehicle, locks of a building and any other type of key commonly carried on a key ring 16.

A holder 20 is provided that slidably receives the electronic payment card 12 for storing the electronic payment card 12. The holder 20 has a hole 21 therein and the key ring 16 releasably engages the hole 21 thereby facilitating the electronic payment card 12 to be carried with the keys 18. In this way the holder 20 inhibits the electronic payment card 12 from being lost or stolen.

The holder 20 comprises a panel 22 that has a first surface 24, a second surface 26 and a perimeter edge 28 extending therebetween. The perimeter edge 28 has a back side 30, a first lateral side 32, a second lateral side 34 and a front side 36. The back side 30 has a slot 38 extending toward the front side 36 and the slot 38 has a plurality of intersecting sides 40 such that the slot 38 has a trapezoidal shape. Additionally, the panel 22 has a plurality of openings 42 each extending through the first 24 and second 26 surfaces. Each of the openings 42 is aligned with a respective one of the first lateral side 32, the second lateral side 34 and the front side 36 of the perimeter edge 28 of the panel 22. Each of the openings 42 is shaped and strategically positioned on the panel 22 such that the openings 42 define an X shape.

The hole 21 extends through the first 24 and second 26 surfaces. The front side 36 tapering to a blunt point 46 and the hole 21 is aligned with the blunt point 46 on the front side 36. The first surface 24 of the panel 22 has advertising indicia 48 printed thereon. The advertising indicia 48 comprise images or text corresponding to a corporation or other company.

A pair of tracks 50 is each coupled to the second surface 26 of the panel 22 and each of the tracks 50 comprises a leg 52 and a foot 54. The leg 52 of each of the tracks 50 extends away from the second surface 26 having the foot 54 of each of the tracks 50 is spaced from the second surface 26. The leg 52 of each of the tracks 50 is coextensive with a respective one of the first 32 and second 34 lateral sides of the perimeter edge 28 of the panel 22 and extends inwardly along the back side 30 of the perimeter edge 28 of the panel 22. The outer edge 14 of the electronic payment card 12 is slid between the foot 54 of each of the tracks 50 and the second surface 26 when the electronic payment card 12 is positioned in the holder 20.

In an alternative embodiment 56 as shown in FIG. 4, the outer edge 14 of the electronic payment card 12 has a first lateral side 58 and a top side 60; the first lateral side 58 of the outer edge 14 has a length that is less that a length of the top side 60. The holder 20 comprises a shell 62 that has a bottom end 64 and the bottom end 64 is open for insertably receiving the first lateral side 58 of the outer edge 14 of the electronic payment card 12. Thus, an electronic chip 65 on the electronic payment card 12 is exposed. The key ring 16 extends through each of the shell 62 and the electronic payment card 12 to retain the electronic payment card 12 in the shell 62. Additionally, the shell 62 has a width corresponding to a height of the electronic payment card 12.

In an alternative embodiment 66 as shown in FIG. 5, the bottom end 64 of the shell 62 insertably receives the top side 60 of the outer edge 14 of the electronic payment card 12 such that a magnetic stripe 68 on the electronic payment card 12 is exposed. Thus, the electronic payment card 12 can be swiped while the electronic payment card 12 is positioned in the shell. The key ring 16 extends through each of the shell 62 and the electronic payment card 12 to retain the electronic payment card 12 in the shell 62. Additionally, the shell 62 has a width corresponding to a width of the electronic payment card 12.

In use, one or more of the electronic payment cards 12 are slid into the holder 20 for storing the electronic payment cards 12. In this way the one or more electronic payment cards 12 can be carried along with the key ring 16. The one or more electronic payment cards 12 are not only neatly organized in the holder 20, but the one or more electronic payment cards 12 are additionally carried with the key ring 16 in one single unit. A selected one of the one or more electronic payment cards 12 is removable from the holder 20 at any time. In the alternative embodiment 56 as shown in FIG. 4, the electronic chip 65 on the electronic payment card 12 is exposed for insertion into a payment device when the electronic payment card 12 is positioned in the shell 62. In the alternative embodiment 66 as shown in FIG. 5, the magnetic strip 68 on the electronic payment card 12 is exposed for swiping through the payment device when the electronic payment card 12 is positioned in the shell 62.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

Claims

1. An electronic payment card and key holding assembly for containing a plurality of electronic payment cards and keys, said assembly comprising:

an electronic payment card having an outer edge;

a key ring having a plurality of keys thereon; and

a holder slidably receiving said electronic payment card for storing said electronic payment card, said holder having a hole therein, said key ring releasably engaging said hole thereby facilitating said electronic payment card to be carried with said keys wherein said holder is configured to inhibit said electronic payment card from being lost or stolen.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

said holder comprises a panel having a first surface, a second surface and a perimeter edge extending therebetween, said perimeter edge having a back side, a first lateral side, a second lateral side and a front side, said back side having a slot extending toward said front side, said slot having a plurality of intersecting sides such that said slot has a trapezoidal shape; and

said panel has a plurality of openings each extending through said first and second surfaces, each of said openings being aligned with a respective one of said first lateral side, said second lateral side and said front side of said perimeter edge of said panel.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein:

said front side tapers to a blunt point;

said panel hole extending through said first and second surfaces, said hole being aligned with said blunt point on said front side; and

said first surface has advertising indicia being printed thereon, said advertising indicia comprising images or text corresponding to a corporation or other company.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, further comprising a pair of tracks, each of said tracks being coupled to said second surface of said panel, each of said tracks comprising a leg and a foot, said leg of each of said tracks extending away from said second surface having said foot of each of said tracks being spaced from said second surface.

4. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein said leg of each of said tracks is coextensive with a respective one of said first and second lateral sides of said perimeter edge of said panel and extends inwardly along said back side of said perimeter edge of said panel, said outer edge of said electronic payment card being slid between said foot of each of said tracks and said second surface when said electronic payment card is positioned in said holder.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

said outer edge of said electronic payment card has a first lateral side; and a top side, said first lateral side having a length being less that a length of said top side; and

said holder comprises a shell having a bottom end, said bottom end being open for insertably receiving said first lateral side of said outer edge of said electronic payment card, said key ring extending through each of said shell and said electronic payment card to retain said electronic payment card in said shell.

6. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

said outer edge of said electronic payment card has a first lateral side; and a top side, said first lateral side having a length being less that a length of said top side; and

said holder comprises a shell having a bottom end, said bottom end being open for insertably receiving said top side of said outer edge of said electronic payment card such that a magnetic strip on said electronic payment card is exposed, said key ring extending through each of said shell and said electronic payment card to retain said electronic payment card in said shell.

7. An electronic payment card and key holding assembly for containing a plurality of electronic payment cards and keys, said assembly comprising:

an electronic payment card having an outer edge;

a key ring having a plurality of keys thereon; and

a holder slidably receiving said electronic payment card for storing said electronic payment card, said holder having a hole therein, said key ring releasably engaging said hole thereby facilitating said electronic payment card to be carried with said keys wherein said holder is configured to inhibit said electronic payment card from being lost or stolen, said holder comprising: a panel having a first surface, a second surface and a perimeter edge extending therebetween, said perimeter edge having a back side, a first lateral side, a second lateral side and a front side, said back side having a slot extending toward said front side, said slot having a plurality of intersecting sides such that said slot has a trapezoidal shape, said panel having a plurality of openings each extending through said first and second surfaces, each of said openings being aligned with a respective one of said first lateral side, said second lateral side and said front side of said perimeter edge of said panel, said front side tapering to a blunt point, said hole extending through said first and second surfaces, said hole being aligned with said blunt point on said front side, said first surface having advertising indicia being printed thereon, said advertising indicia comprising images or text corresponding to a corporation or other company; and a pair of tracks, each of said tracks being coupled to said second surface of said panel, each of said tracks comprising a leg and a foot, said leg of each of said tracks extending away from said second surface having said foot of each of said tracks being spaced from said second surface, said leg of each of said tracks being coextensive with a respective one of said first and second lateral sides of said perimeter edge of said panel and extending inwardly along said back side of said perimeter edge of said panel, said outer edge of said electronic payment card being slid between said foot of each of said tracks and said second surface when said electronic payment card is positioned in said holder.

8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein:

said outer edge of said electronic payment card has a first lateral side; and a top side, said first lateral side having a length being less that a length of said top side; and

said holder comprises a shell having a bottom end, said bottom end being open for insertably receiving said first lateral side of said outer edge of said electronic payment card, said key ring extending through each of said shell and said electronic payment card to retain said electronic payment card in said shell.

9. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein:

said outer edge of said electronic payment card has a first lateral side; and a top side, said first lateral side having a length being less that a length of said top side; and

said holder comprises a shell having a bottom end, said bottom end being open for insertably receiving said top side of said outer edge of said electronic payment card such that a magnetic strip on said electronic payment card is exposed, said key ring extending through each of said shell and said electronic payment card to retain said electronic payment card in said shell.