Wallet

Abstract

“A wallet comprising: a casing; at least one content holding member; and a respective releasable lock associated with each holding member, each releasable lock being independently operable to release the respective holding member, allowing movement of each member, relative to the casing, between a content storage position, and a content viewing position, wherein when a given member is in the content storage position, the member, and any content held by the member, is at least partially stored within the casing, and when in the content viewing position, the member and any content held by the member is visible, while remaining attached to the wallet.”

Description

This application claims priority from Australian provisional application 2018902246 filed on 22 Jun. 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by this reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a wallet for carrying contents. The wallet has particular application in the storage and use of contents such as credit cards in a contactless transaction such as a ‘tap and go™’ or ‘pay-wave™’ transaction. However it is to be appreciated that the wallet may be used in other applications requiring the storage of and presentation of personal contents often placed in a wallet.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The following discussion of background art is included to explain the context of the present invention. A reference herein to a matter which is given as prior art is not to be taken as an admission that the matter was known or that the information it contains was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of any of the claims.

Generally wallets are designed to be carried by a person either in pockets, in bags, or by hand. Existing wallets come in many configurations. Generally wallets are designed to carry important and valuable contents such as credit cards, cash notes, coins, identity cards, membership/loyalty cards, travel cards, passports, sentimental photos and mementos, all of which may come in different configurations and sizes. Wallets often conceal and secure items through a variety of locking means, or through compression/frictional arrangements. When a person wishes to use any particular item attached to or held in a wallet such as money, the item has to be identified, removed, and then re-attached or re-inserted into the wallet when it is no longer needed.

Wallets often hold numerous items, and when there is a need to remove a particular item from the wallet, it is often necessary to remove multiple items from the wallet to either identify where the desired item is, and/or to gain access to the desired item. In this respect, for example, cards are often placed in different slots or multiple cards may be placed in one slot. Finding and removing a particular card may be time consuming and requires the removal and re-insertion of multiple cards, resulting in wear and tear to the wallet. Further, the need to remove a single or multiple cards increases the risk of theft, or losing and dropping the card, or damaging a particular card, particularly due to the level of handling required to remove the desired card from the wallet. Further, users are often forced to multi-task when removing and inserting cards into wallets to avoid slowing down the progression of a queue. Further, the need to use two hands along with the amount of concentration required to remove and insert cards significantly increases the risk of people losing awareness of their surroundings and becoming oblivious to dangerous obstacles such as poles, walls, steps or other people. In such instances, people may seriously injure themselves or others.

In recent years there has been a noticeable shift to cashless transactions, and more recently to contactless transaction technology. As a result there has been a higher amount of credit and debit card use. Further, merchants have rolled out numerous loyalty programs and have adopted gift voucher cards with a currency amount pre-loaded. As a result, it is common for individuals to at least need to remove one card from their wallet when making a transaction, e.g. purchasing a product, or using public transport.

There exist numerous wallet designs which are primarily directed to card storage. For example compact card wallets which can store up to 13 cards such as the ‘Fantom™’ have been developed which provide increased capacity for cards, while at the same time providing coin storage. Such wallets often provide Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) blocking means to prevent theft of information stored on cards.

Unlike traditional bill-fold wallets, contemporary wallets also employ different methods of extracting contents such as cards. For example the ‘Fantom’ has an aperture in the casing allowing a user to apply pressure to one of the outermost cards stored, and to slide this card out of the wallet. Alternatively, engaging a lever mechanism allows for the cards stored in the wallet to be slightly ‘fanned’ out of the casing. There also exist card wallets which rely exclusively on the ‘fanning out’ of the cards, either through a pivot (about a pin or a magnetic attachment point), or through a concertina arrangement, to allow a user to insert and remove cards into frames or transparent sleeves.

Other wallets such as those set out in U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,627 and US Patent Application 20050224149 disclose a content ‘ejector’, whereby a press of a button, or a slide of a tab results in the ejection of a single or multiple cards from the wallet casing. This allows a user to remove items held in a specific compartment of a wallet with ease.

Dedicated card wallets, including those described above, have evolved to provide a number of advantages over the traditional bill-fold wallet. They provide a compact storage means, along with content separation and removal mechanisms which reduce the wear and tear of cards, and wallets. However, where a card is required to be presented, for example in a tap-and-go™ transaction, the card still needs to be removed from the wallet to provide the scanner with complete and exclusive access to the specific card, otherwise the casing (through RFID protection) or other cards may interfere with the transaction.

As long as there is a need to remove the card from the wallet, the risk of damaging the card or losing the card remains pertinent. This risk is relatively high, for example, at train stations during peak hour travel, where queues build up around station entrances as people are required to tap their travel cards to gain access to the train station. The act of having to remove the card from the wallet, using the card, and inserting back into the wallet also results in the slower movement of people as they will either stop or slow down to ensure that neither their wallet or card is dropped. However, where people do not stop or slow down they risk walking into other people or obstacles, as their focus will shift to their wallet and card.

Further, given the valuable content held in a wallet, people often keep their wallets in close proximity, for example in their pockets, or at least in a secure location when at home or at work. However, wallets can be easily misplaced, or inadvertently dropped or lost, or even stolen, resulting in significant amounts of emotional and financial stress.

It would be desirable to provide an improved wallet which will allow for the presentation of contents in the wallet, without removal from the wallet. For example, it would be desirable to provide a wallet which allows for the presentation of a card for a contactless transaction such as a ‘tap and go™’ transaction, without removing the card from the wallet.

It would also be desirable to provide an improved wallet which will allow for presentation of a card for a contactless transaction such as a ‘tap and go™’ transaction in a quick and efficient manner so as to reduce que times.

It would further be desirable to provide an improved wallet which will allow for a user to determine at least its approximate location.

Additionally, it is desirable to provide an improved wallet for use by people with conditions affecting the use of their hands such as blindness, stroke, nerve disorder, and/or partial or complete amputation.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to one form of the invention there is provided a wallet comprising: a casing; at least one content holding member; and a respective releasable lock associated with each holding member, each releasable lock being independently operable to release the respective holding member, allowing movement of each member, relative to the casing, between a content storage position, and a content viewing position, wherein when a given member is in the content storage position, the member, and any content held by the member, is at least partially stored within the casing, and when in the content viewing position, the member and any content held by the member is visible, while remaining attached to the wallet. In this respect contents of the wallet can be presented, viewed and/or scanned without removal from the holding member. This allows for a user to present a specific item held in the wallet, such as a credit card, quickly and safely, without the risk of dropping the card as the card remains attached to the wallet. Further, the user will not have to shift their focus to carefully re-insert the card into the wallet, rather, the content holding member need only be simply returned into the content storage position through the application of pressure, which can be done without having to look at the wallet. The invention will reduce the total time required to complete a transaction as it removes the need to remove a card from the wallet. Further it will reduce queue times, and remove a number of potential safety risks as the user will not have to visually focus on re-inserting the card into the wallet whilst walking or moving forward.

According to a second form of the invention, there is provided a wallet comprising: a casing; at least one content holding member; and at least one releasable lock associated with at least one holding member, each releasable lock being operable to release at least one holding member, allowing movement of the at least one member, relative to the casing, between a content storage position, and a content viewing position, wherein, when a given member is in the content storage position, the member, and any content held by the member, is at least partially stored within the casing, and when in the content viewing position, the member and any content held by the member is visible, while remaining attached to the wallet.

In one aspect of the invention the casing may comprise at least one rail or guide along which each content holding member slides between its respective content storage position and its content viewing position.

In an alternative aspect of the invention each content holding member may be pivotably mounted to the casing and/or a wallet frame by a pivot mount, wherein the pivot mount allows each content holding member to pivot relative to the casing, about the pivot mount, between a respective content storage position and a respective content viewing position.

In either, or both aspects described above, the wallet may comprise a stop which defines the content viewing position of each content holding member. The stop may be a tab protruding from the casing, or may be a separate component attached to the casing. Alternatively the stop may be attached to the pivot mount, and may restrict the freedom of the pivot to a certain angle.

Further, each content holding member may be biased from the content storage position to or toward the content viewing position by a respective biasing member. Each biasing member may be a resilient member extending between a respective content holding member mount and the casing. In this respect, each resilient member may be a compression or a tension spring.

In either, or all of the aspects described above, each content holding member may be connected to a separate corresponding sliding tab protruding from the casing, wherein each sliding tab facilitates movement of the corresponding content holding member between the content storage and the content viewing position.

In either or all of the aspects described above, the releasable lock associated with each content holding member may be released by activating a respective release button or switch associated with each lock. Once released from the lock, the content holding member is free to move to or toward the content viewing position.

Further, with respect to the content holding members, content is preferably added to or removed from each content holding member when in the content viewing position. In this respect, each content holding member may comprise a receiving portion, which remains concealed when in the content storage position to prevent inadvertent spillage of the contents. Further, the receiving portion may comprise a slot or slit for receiving content such as a card. Further, each content holding member may be a frame or bracket, and may comprise a transparent sleeve, into which content can be inserted.

In another aspect, content may still be able to be inserted and removed from a holding member when in the content storage position. For example, a receiving portion may remain exposed or partially exposed in the content storage position. The receiving portion in this respect may be concealed and/or exposed by a removable flap or a removable portion of the casing, or even a separate removable cover.

According to any or all of the above aspects, the wallet may comprise at least two content holding members, wherein one or more of the content holding members are configured to hold different types of content. For example, one content holding member may be configured for holding a credit card; and a second content holding member may be configured for holding a movie or concert ticket.

According to any or all of the above aspects, the content viewing position of each respective content holding member may be adjustable. For example, respective tabs, for each respective holding member, with adjustable positions may be integrated into the frame or other components of the wallet. These tabs may be used to predetermine the limit to which the content holding member is exposed. Alternatively, the content viewing position for each member may be pre-determined.

According to any or all of the above aspects the wallet may comprising at least two content holding members, wherein the content viewing position of each respective member differs such that when all members are in the content viewing position they may be least partially offset from each other, or they may completely overlap each other.

According to a further aspect of the second form of the invention, which may include any or all of the above aspects where applicable, one or more releasable locks may be associated with at least two holding members. In this respect, when a releasable lock is released, at least two holding members move into the content viewing position, whereby they may at least partially overlap each other, or may be completely separate from each other.

According to any or all of the above aspects of the invention, the casing may comprise a mount for receiving and securely attaching a digital device. In this respect, a mobile phone or a small tablet may be attached to the wallet.

Further, the wallet casing may comprise a clip or at least one protruding portion to which at least one clip can be attached. For example, the protruding portion may be a bolt head, or a tab, or a similarly functional component. In this respect, cash notes or paper receipts, or even other cards may be appended to the wallet through insertion into the clip.

The wallet casing may be made from a variety of materials and be shaped in a variety of configurations. According to any or all of the above aspects of the invention, the wallet casing is preferably a substantially rigid-walled casing, whereby the casing is preferably designed to block RFID signals, to ensure the safety of data of contents such as credit cards or passports. Further, the casing may be made of a durable metal or alloy, or a rigid polymer or wood, or carbon fiber.

The wallet is designed to be a versatile and modern wallet, and in accordance with any or all of the above aspects of the invention, the wallet may comprise a compartment for carrying coins, USBs, microSD cards or like objects. In a further aspect of the invention, the wallet may comprise an additional compartment or attachments for carrying contents other than coins such as for example safety pins, hair pins, styluses, digital pens, and/or screws. Either or both of the compartments may be formed integrally with the wallet casing, or may be appended to the casing. The compartments may contain a separate locking, opening and closing mechanisms to allow for contents to be inserted and removed.

Further, the wallet may comprise a global positioning tracking chip. Preferably the chip is to be formed integrally with or may be discreetly attached to the casing. In this respect the chip may be equipped with a power supply, and a speaker and/or light emitting diodes, so as to allow for a user to identify the general location and proximity of the wallet, in the event that the wallet has been misplaced or stolen.

The invention provides significant advantages over existing wallets. It eliminates the need to remove a card from a wallet when it is needed to be presented for example in a tap-and-go™ transaction. Rather, a user merely needs to engage a simple release mechanism to have a desired card in the wallet sufficiently exposed to complete the transaction, and then simply push the content holding member back into the casing without having to worry about finding, misplacing, dropping or breaking the card or any other contents or components of the wallet. This invention significantly reduces the amount of time and effort required of a user to present a card when conducting a contactless card transaction such as a ‘tap-and-go™’transaction, resulting in shorter queues and a safer flow of people traffic. Further, the invention requires minimal visual concentration on the wallet from a user to have a card moved between a content viewing and storage position, allowing users to maintain awareness of their surroundings, and avoid hazards which can potentially be fatal.

Additionally, the wallet can be easily operated with only one hand. In this respect, in one aspect, a digit of the hand can be used to release any one of the content holding members from the content storage position, and another or the same digit of the hand can be used to return the content holding member to the content viewing position. In this respect the wallet is suitable for use by those having conditions affecting the use of their hands, or eyes, such as blindness stroke, nerve disorder, and/or partial or complete amputation. In this respect specific cards can be inserted in pre-selected slots, which are attributed to a specific release mechanism, which need only be engaged to release the desired card.

Further, where a global positioning chip is attached, a user of the wallet will be confident of the location of their wallet at all times, and may identify the location of the wallet through tracking devices or programs using their mobile phones, computers or tablets.

Where the terms “comprise, “comprises”, “comprised” or “comprising” are used in this specification (including the claims) they are to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components, but not precluding the presence of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or group thereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a top perspective view of an embodiment of the wallet according to one embodiment of the present invention in a content storage position;

FIG. 2 shows a bottom perspective view of the wallet of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the wallet of FIG. 1 in a content viewing position, from a top view;

FIG. 4 shows the wallet of FIG. 1 in a content viewing position, from a bottom view;

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view showing the internal components of the wallet of FIG. 1 in a content storage position;

FIG. 6 is a top view showing an embodiment of the wallet content holding members in a content storage position;

FIG. 7 is a perspective side view showing an embodiment of the releasable locks associated with each content holding member;

FIG. 8 is a side view showing an embodiment of the release button/switch components for releasing the content holding member from a content storage position; and

FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view showing the components of the release buttons/switches which sit on top of the components of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the internal components of the wallet of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of a wallet 2 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, in a content storage position, whereby content holding members 4, 6, 8 are in a storage position concealed within a casing 10. The casing 10 may be attached to an internal frame 40 through the use of screws, bolts, fasteners, rivets, or clips. A respective releasable lock associated with each holding member 4, 6, 8, is designed to keep each member in the storage position. Each releasable lock is associated with a respective button 48, 50, 52 which is independently operable to release the respective holding member 4, 6, 8. When members 4, 6, 8 are released from their respective locks, each member 4, 6, 8 is able to move relative to the casing 10, between a content storage position, and a content viewing position. When a holding member 4, 6, 8 is in the content storage position, the member 4, 6, 8, and any content held by the member, is designed to be at least partially stored within the casing 10. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the members 4, 6, 8 and any contents held by the members are entirely concealed within the casing 10 in the content storage position. The casing 10 is designed to provide both physical and electronic protection to the components of the wallet, and the contents stored within the wallet. However the casing 10 need not entirely conceal the wallet components and contents, and may comprise a design with holes or patterns that may be both functional and/or aesthetic.

Although not shown in the drawings, in an alternative embodiment of the wallet 2 in accordance with the present invention, at least one releasable lock (or all of the locks) is associated with at least two (or all) of the holding members 4, 6, 8. In this embodiment the lock is associated with a release mechanism such as a button 48, 50, 52. When members 4, 6, 8 are released from their respective locks, each member 4, 6, 8 is able to move relative to the casing 10, between a content storage position, and a content viewing position. In this embodiment the position of the holding members 4, 6, 8 in the content viewing position will be such that they will be to some extent distinctly visible from each other. For example, the holding members 4, 6, 8 may be slightly offset, such that they partial overlap. Alternatively, the holding members 4, 6, 8 may be positioned in a stacked arrangement (where they remain in a back-to-back arrangement), or may be positioned completely separate from each other where there is no overlap in the content viewing position (for example, the content holding members 4, 6, 8 may be perpendicular to each other, or may even rest at opposite ends of the wallet). In this respect, the position of each content holding member 4, 6, 8, in the content viewing position may be adjustable through the use of positioning tabs, or screws which adjust the position of holding member stops.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the wallet 2, wherein holding member 4 is in a content viewing position. A front cover portion of the casing 10 is not shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 so as to provide a view of the internal components of the wallet 2 in the content viewing position. When a holding member 4, 6, 8 is in the content viewing position, any content held by the holding member 4, 6, 8 is visible and can be used for transactions (i.e. not concealed by the casing 10), while remaining attached to the wallet 2. This allows a user to present content held by any one of the content holding members 4, 6, 8 without removing the contents from the wallet 2. There are numerous benefits in having members 4, 6, 8 remaining attached to the wallet 2, some of which include the reduction of wear and tear on the wallet 2 and the contents, and the speed at which a user can present and conceal contents.

In moving from a content storage position to a content viewing position, members 4, 6, 8 move relative to the casing 10. In an embodiment not shown in the Figures, movement can be relatively linear, whereby one or all of the members 4, 6, 8 may move along guides or rails of the casing (not shown), between a content storage and a content viewing position. In an alternative embodiment which is shown in the attached figures, each member 4, 6, 8 is pivotably mounted, through a pivot mount 18. The pivot mount 18 allows each content holding member 4, 6, 8 to pivot relative to the casing 10, about the pivot mount 18, between the content storage position and the content viewing position. The limit to which each member moves to when in a content viewing position can be set by a stop 20, which is depicted as a pivotably mounted tab. Alternatively, the stop 20 can be spring a loaded pivotably mounted tab or a protruding tab integrally formed, or attached to the casing 10. Further, although not shown in the drawings, the stop 20 may be adjustable so as to allow the user to set the limit to which each member 4, 6, 8 may move. Further, although not shown in the drawings, a separate stop or tab may be provided for each content holding member. Additionally, the wallet may comprise a number of resilient positional stops, or locks, which are used to allow the user to move and hold the content holding member into a different position.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the internal components of an embodiment of the wallet 2 when in a content storage position. In FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, each content holding member 4, 6, 8 has a separate biasing member 22, 24, 26 which biases the respective content holding member 4, 6, 8 from a content storage position to a content viewing position. The biasing members 22, 24, 26 are resilient members extending between the holding members and the casing 10. Specifically, in the Figures, the resilient members are springs 22, 24, 26 which are attached to a spring attachment pin 28. As shown in FIG. 10, each content holding member 4, 6, 8 has a separate spring attachment pin 28, 30, 32 to which each spring 22, 24, 26 is to be mounted. The spring pins are insertable into spring slots 94, 96, 98. The opposite end of each spring 22, 24, 26 is attached to post holes 34, 36, 38 in the frame 40 of the wallet. In an alternative embodiment not shown in the Figures, the springs 22, 24, 26 may be threaded through mounting holes in content holding members, thereby eliminating the need for the spring attachment pins.

The illustrated springs 22, 24, 26 are tension springs. When a content holding member 4, 6, 8 is released by its respective releasable lock, the force of the springs 22, 24, 26 facilitates movement of the respective member 4, 6, 8 into the content viewing position. In the embodiments shown in the Figures, the respective holding member 4, 6, 8 pivots about the pivot mount 18, and extends up until the limit set by stop 20. To minimise any friction or interference between the holding members 4, 6, 8, each member contains raised sections 42, 44 (see FIGS. 5 and 10) and/or spacer washers 46 (shown in FIGS. 6 and 10).

In an alternative embodiment not shown in the drawings, each content holding member 4, 6, 8 may be connected to a separate corresponding sliding tab which protrudes from the casing 10. In this respect, the respective sliding tabs facilitate movement of the corresponding content holding member 4, 6, 8 between the content storage and the content viewing position. In this alternative embodiment a user will be able to slide a tab with their thumb and move a content holding member 4, 6, 8 in and out of the casing 10. The tab may also further comprise a locking means at either or both of the content storage and content viewing positions. Further, the members 4, 6, 8 in this alternative may also comprise biasing members such as a spring to bias the holding members 4, 6, 8 from a content storage position to a content viewing position or vice-versa.

FIGS. 7 to 9 show components relating to the releasable locking mechanism of the wallet 2. Specifically FIGS. 7 to 9 show a releasable lock mechanism for each content holding member 4, 6, 8 which can be released by activating a respective release button or switch 48, 50, 52 associated with each lock. In this respect the button or switch 48, 50, 52 sits within the frame 40, whereby an aperture allows for the button to protrude out of both the frame 40 and casing 10. As shown in the drawings, the buttons 48, 50, 52 do not protrude from the frame 10 and casing 40, and either sits flush or in a recess of the frame 10 and casing 40. In this respect, the buttons can provide a sensory queue to a visually impaired user, allowing them to release a specific and desired content holding member 4, 6, 8. Alternatively, although not shown in the drawings the buttons 48, 50, 52 may protrude from the frame. Further, the buttons may be covered by a leather cover, or may be exposed. The lock mechanisms are biased in a locked position by compression springs 54, 56, 58, which sit on spring posts 60, 62, 64. The spring posts 60, 62, 64 are held in place with respective screw attachments 86 which penetrate the casing 10 and the wallet frame 40. In an alternative embodiment a resilient plastic or rubber can be used in place of the spring. Further, in an alternative embodiment any type of fastener may be used in place of screw attachments 86, such as rivets, or bolts.

When the holding members 4, 6, 8 are in a content storage position (such as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6), the content holding members 4, 6, 8 are held in place by releasable locks which, when viewed in cross-section, comprise ‘U shaped’ receiving sections 66, 68, 70 (shown in FIGS. 9 and 10) in which there is a recess for receiving a section 72, 88, 90) of a corresponding holding member 4, 6, 8. Only lock receiving section 72 is visible in FIGS. 5 and 9. Lock receiving sections 88, 90 are obstructed in the Figures. The position of the ‘U shaped’ receiving sections 66, 68, 70 correspond to the position of the respective holding member 4, 6, 8, and are biased in the ‘lock’ position. Once the lock receiving sections 72, 88, 90 are received in the ‘U shaped’ locking portion 66, 68, 70 of their corresponding locking mechanism, the respective holding member 4, 6, 8 is no longer able to move unless the respective lock is released by engaging the respective button/switch 48, 50, 52. When any one of the release button/switches 48, 50, 52 is engaged, the locking receiving section 72, 88, 90 of the corresponding holding member moves out of the ‘U shaped’ barrier, allowing respective member 4, 6, 8 freedom to move into the content viewing position. The spring bias of 22, 24, 26 facilitates movement of each member 4, 6, 8 to the content viewing position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

When any one of the content holding members 4, 6, 8 is moved from its content viewing position to a content storage position, it is simply pushed back into the casing 10, against the spring bias 22, 24 or 26 of the respective holding member. As any one of the content holding members 4, 6, 8 is moved to its content storage position, its respective lock receiving section 72, 88, 90 (shown in FIGS. 5 and 10 for holding member 4) comes into contact with a tapered edge of the ‘U’ shaped receiving section 66, 68, 70 of the corresponding lock mechanism. This contact facilitates movement of the respective locking mechanism against its respective spring bias 54, 56, 58. The section of the holding member 72, 88, 90 eventually falls within the ‘U shaped’ receiving section 66, 68, 70 of the locking mechanism, subsequently locking the member 4, 6 or 8 in the content storage position due to the spring bias 54, 56, 58.

The locking mechanism is not restricted to the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 7 to 9, and may take any suitable form so as to allow for the safe and reliable holding and release of content holding members 4, 6, 8. For example, FIGS. 11 and 12 show an alternative embodiment of the releasable locking mechanism of the wallet 2. In this alternative embodiment, a releasable lock mechanism for each content holding member 4, 6, 8 can be released by activating a respective release button or switch 48, 50, 52 associated with each lock. In this embodiment, each content holding 4, 6, 8 member comprises a lip or recess on to which a locking member 94, 96, 98 latches to retain the content holding member 4, 6, 8 in the storage position. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the locking members 94, 96, 98 are “L” shaped members, which are pivotably mounted underneath the release buttons/switches 48, 50, 52. The pressing of a respective release button or switch 48, 50, 52 results in the pivoting of the respective locking member 94, 96, 98, which then releases the respective content holding member 4, 6, 8, allowing the respective member 4, 6, 8 freedom to move into the content viewing position. Although not shown in the drawings, locking members 94, 96, 98 are biased in the locked position. The biasing of the locking members may be achieved through the use of compression springs not shown in the drawing.

According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, when any one of the content holding members 4, 6, 8 is moved from its content viewing position to a content storage position, it is simply pushed back into the casing 10, against the spring bias 22, 24 or 26 of the respective holding member (the spring bias 22, 24 or 26 is shown in FIGS. 6 and 10). As any one of the content holding members 4, 6, 8 is moved to the content storage position, its respective locking member 94, 96, 98 engages the lip or recess of the content holding member 4, 6, 8. This contact facilitates movement of the respective locking mechanism against its respective bias. When the respective content holding member 4, 6, 8 moves into the locking position, the respective locking member 94, 96, 98 is able to latch on to the lip or recess of the respective content holding member 4, 6, 8, subsequently locking the member 4, 6 or 8 in the content storage position due to the bias of the locking members 94, 96, 98 into the locked position. In an alternative embodiment not shown in the drawings, each respective locking member 94, 96, 98 may be integral with the respective release button or switch 48, 50, 52 whereby movement of the button or switch result in the upward movement of the latching end of a respective locking member 94, 96, 98.

Although not shown in the drawings, in alternative embodiments the release buttons or switches 48, 50, 52 may be equipped with a stop or a mechanism which prevents accidental release of the content holding members 4, 6, 8. For example, the wallet 2 may comprise a removable cover to protect release buttons or switches 48, 50, 52 from being accidentally engaged. Alternatively the releasable locking mechanism may comprise a multistage releasing mechanism where a respective content holding member 4, 6, 8 will only be released from its locked position after the release buttons or switches 48, 50, 52 are pressed multiple times, or remain depressed for an extended period of time, or are required to be pressed at varying pressures. Alternatively, the buttons 48, 50, 52 may be configured such that a deep press is required to release a respective content holding 4, 6, 8.

The content holding members 4, 6, 8 shown in the Figures have receiving portions in the form of an openable and sealable slit/slot for receiving contents such as a card. For example, the holding member 4 shown in FIG. 5 has an openable and sealable slit/slot 74. In the exploded view of FIG. 10 the holding member receiving slits/slots 74, 76, 78 can also be seen. The contents can be secured in a respective holding member 4, 6, 8 through frictional contact with a resilient member, which is designed to provide a sufficient compressive force on contents inserted such that they securely sit in the respective holding member 4, 6, 8. This member may be a rubber or plastic pin, and for example in FIGS. 5 and 10 it is a neoprene pin 80. In this respect, as a card or a similar item is inserted through the receiving slit/slot 74, it will come into contact with the neoprene pin 80 which provides a sufficient frictional force to secure the card within the content holding member 4, 6, 8, and to ensure the card does not move around in the confines of the holding member 4, 6, 8. The force exerted by the neoprene pin 80 is designed to push any contents up against the card holding member.

An advantage of the resilient member 80 is that cards of varying size can be inserted in to any of the holding members, and be securely attached to the wallet. Additionally, and although not shown in the Figures, the internal perimeter of the holding members 4, 6, 8 may be lined continuously or intermittently with clips and/or a plastic or rubber lining which increases the frictional resistance between the holding members 4, 6, 8 and contents inserted into the holding members 4, 6, 8. In this respect the wallet is designed to have any contents held by the holding members 4, 6, 8 remain securely attached to the wallet when the holding members 4, 6, 8 move between the content storage and the content viewing positions.

In the embodiment shown in the Figures, contents such as cards are added to or removed from each content holding member 4, 6, 8 only when in the content viewing position. In this respect, the receiving portions 74, 76, 78 remain concealed by the casing 10 when in the content storage position to prevent inadvertent spillage of the contents.

In an alternative embodiment not shown in the drawings, content is able to be inserted and removed from a holding member when in the content storage position. For example, the receiving portion may remain exposed or partially exposed in the content storage position through apertures in the casing and/or frame. To prevent inadvertent spillage, the receiving portions may be covered by and exposed by a removable flap or cover, which for example may be integral with, or detachable to the casing, and/or which can be magnetically secured and released from the casing.

Alternatively, in an embodiment not shown in the drawings, the receiving slit/slot may be openable and closable through a press-fit arrangement between opposite sides of the slit/slots. Further, in another alternative embodiment, the holding members 4, 6, 8, may comprise resilient sections which are detachable from and re-attachable to the holding members to allow the insertion of contents. In this respect the holding members 4, 6, 8 may be a frame or bracket as shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, or of various and differing configurations.

In the embodiments shown in the attached Figures, the holding members 4, 6, 8 are rectangular frames/brackets. The holding members may include a transparent sleeve (not shown in the Figures), into which content can be inserted and securely located. Any content inserted into the sleeve may be securely located through friction between the content and the sleeve, or through an openable fastener at the top of the sleeve such as a zip lock.

In alternative embodiments not shown in the Figures, the holding members may differ to the rectangular shape as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 (see holding members 4, 6, 8), and may be of any other shape that is functionally operable in the wallet. In this respect the holding members may be designed to cater for different contents such as a standard credit card, a movie ticket, a passport, or a key ring sized loyalty card. For example, the holding member may resemble a T or U shape when viewed from a top perspective. The holding members may include frictional securing means such as clips or resilient rubber linings, and/or metal inserts. In this respect, in an alternative embodiment of the wallet the holding members do not necessarily have to be of the same type, for example if a wallet is to have three holding members, one may be rectangular, the other may be U-shaped, and another may be L-shaped. The holding members may also be of different sizes to cater to different card types. Further, the holding members may be made of metal, plastic, or any suitable material. It is particularly advantages to have holding members with metal inserts as this increases the strength of the holding members, whilst minimising the thickness of the members, and ultimately of the wallet.

Further, in an alternative embodiment not shown in the Figures, each holding member is designed to hold two cards, whereby the cards are designed to sit back to back. This configuration provides the advantage of reducing the number of holding members required in the wallet, and increasing the carrying capacity, whilst potentially resulting in a lighter and thinner wallet. To avoid any risk of signal interference with the cards, the holding member may separate the two cards with a signal blocking medium, for example an RFID blocking separator.

The wallet may also include mounts for receiving and securely attaching a digital device such as a mobile phone, a digital music player, a radio device, or a tablet. The mounts may be formed integrally with the casing, or may be attached to the casing for example with screws or rivets. The mounts may be magnetic, or may be resilient holds which receive the perimeter of the digital device, similar to those used when applying for example, a mobile phone rear cover.

Further the wallet casing 10, may include at least one clip which is designed to hold cash notes, or similar items. The clips may be attachable to the casing 10, to at least one protruding portion such as bolt heads 82, 84.

The casing 10 of the wallet is designed to protect the contents held by the content holding members 4, 6, 8, along with the internal components of the wallet. In this respect the casing depicted in the drawings is substantially rigid-walled, and can be made of a durable metal or alloy, or even a durable rubber or plastic, or any combination thereof. To protect against theft of any data, such as credit card data, the casing may be designed to block RFID signals to prevent ‘electronic pickpocketing’ (RFID skimming). The RFID block prevents information contained on RFID chips held in cards from being fraudulently scanned or stolen. In this respect, the casing may contain a thin layer of metal, or foil, or any other material (such as a special paint applied to the wallet or sections of the wallet) capable of blocking RFID signals.

Additionally the casing 10 may have different covers and coatings. For example, the casing 10 may be painted in a particular colour or pattern. Alternatively the casing maybe covered in different materials such as metals, plastics, or leather. In one embodiment not shown in the drawings the casing 10 comprises stitching holes so as to allow materials such as leather to be attached.

In addition to the content holding members 4, 6, 8, the wallet may further comprise additional compartments for the storage of coins or similar objects. Such a compartment may have a separate opening and closing mechanism such as a button, zip or a slidable tab. The compartment may be situated within the casing, or may even be appended to the casing, for example in a similar manner to which a money clip can be attached.

The casing may also contain additional sleeves in which additional contents such as cards and notes can be inserted. Unlike the contents held in the holding members 4, 6, 8, the contents held in these sleeves may need to be removed if they are needed by a user, and like traditional card sleeves in a bill-fold wallet, the frictional compressive force of the sleeve on the contents secure the contents to or within the wallet.

Further, the wallet may comprise a global positioning tracking chip formed integrally with, or discreetly attached to the casing, so as to allow for a user to identify the general location and proximity of the wallet, in the event that the wallet has been misplaced or stolen. In this respect the chip may be equipped with a power supply in the form of a disposable or rechargeable battery. The wallet may comprise a photovoltaic cell (PV-cell) which is designed to recharge the battery and/or power the chip. Alternatively, given the close proximity of a wallet to a person, the chip or a battery may be entirely or partially powered and/or charged thermoelectrically (i.e. body heat may be relied on to partially or entirely power the chip). A speaker and a lighting mechanism such as a light emitting diode may also be integrated with the chip, or separately attached to the wallet, whereby a tone can be sounded remotely, and/or a light emitted to assist a user to locate the wallet. In this respect, the chip is to be remotely connected with a tracker or controller. Additionally, a tone or alarm may sound, and a light/flash be emitted from both the wallet and a controller such as a phone or watch, when the controller is separated from the wallet by a pre-determined distance, for example 10 metres.

Although not shown in the Figures, in another embodiment of the wallet the content holding members may be moved between the content storage position and the content viewing position through the use of electrical and electronic components, or through a combination of electronic, electrical and mechanical components. For example the wallet may comprise a motor or a number of actuators or motors, which can be controlled through the press of a button in the casing, or the trigger of a sensor. The actuators or motors may drive a series of components connected to the holding members, and move the holders between content viewing and content storage positions. For example, a linear actuator may provide a force on biasing members 22, 24, 26, resulting in movement of the content holders 4, 6, 8. The electrical/electronic components may be battery powered. The battery may be replaceable or rechargeable, and may be re-charged thermo-electrically or through the use of PV-cells.

As previously stated in paragraphs [0035] and [0036] the invention provides significant advantages over existing wallets. It eliminates the need to remove a card from a wallet when it is needed to be presented for example in a ‘tap-and-go™’ transaction. Rather, a user merely needs to engage a simple release mechanism to have a desired card in the wallet sufficiently exposed to complete the transaction, and then simply push the content holding member back into the casing without having to worry about finding, misplacing, dropping or breaking the card or any other contents or components of the wallet. This invention significantly reduces the amount of time and effort a user will need when conducting a contactless card transaction such as a ‘tap-and-go™’ transaction, resulting in shorter queues and a safer flow of people traffic. Further, the invention requires minimal visual concentration from a user on the wallet to have a card moved between a content viewing and storage position, allowing users to maintain awareness of their surroundings, and avoid hazards which can potentially be fatal.

Additionally, the wallet can be easily operated with only one hand, and is suitable for use by those suffering from conditions affecting the use of their hands or eyes, such as blindness, stroke, nerve disorder, and/or partial or complete amputation. In this respect specific cards can be inserted in pre-selected slots, which are attributed to a specific release mechanism, which need only be engaged to release the desired card. Further, and although not shown in the drawings, the design of the wallet is such that the positioning of the buttons is designed to allow for a user to release a content holding member 4, 6, 8 with a thumb or a finger (preferably a thumb) and return that same member 4, 6, 8 using another finger (preferably the index finger), or possibly with the same thumb or finger.

Further, where a global positioning chip is attached, a user of the wallet will be confident of the location of their wallet at all times.

Future patent applications may be filed in Australia or overseas on the basis of or claiming priority from the present application. It is to be understood that the following claims are not intended to limit the scope of what may be claimed in any such future application. Features may be added to or omitted from the claims at a later date so as to further define or re-define the invention or inventions.

It is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the construction and arrangement of the parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of this invention.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

2—Wallet;

4, 6, 8—Content holding member;

10—Casing;

18—Pivot mount

20—Stop

22, 24, 26—Biasing member/spring.

28, 30, 32—Spring attachment pin

34, 36, 38—Frame post holes

40—Wallet frame

42, 44—Raised sections

46—Spacer washers

48, 50, 52—Release buttons/switch

54, 56, 58—Compression springs

60, 62, 64—Spring posts.

66, 68, 70—Member receiving sections.

72, 88, 90—Content holding member lock receiving section

74, 76, 78—Card receiving portions

80—Resilient member to secure contents to holding members. e.g. neoprene pin

82, 84—Bolt heads

86—Casing attachments

94, 96, 98—L Shaped locking members

Claims

1. A wallet comprising:

a casing;

at least one content holding member; and

a respective releasable lock associated with each holding member, each releasable lock being independently operable to release the respective holding member, allowing movement of each member, relative to the casing, between a content storage position, and a content viewing position, wherein, when a given member is in the content storage position, the member, and any content held by the member, is at least partially stored within the casing, and when in the content viewing position, the member and any content held by the member is visible, while remaining attached to the wallet.

2. (canceled)

3. The wallet according to claim 1, wherein the casing comprises at least one rail or guide along which each content holding member slides between its respective content storage position and its content viewing position.

4. The wallet according to claim 1, wherein each content holding member is pivotably mounted to the casing and/or a wallet frame by a pivot mount, wherein the pivot mount allows each content holding member to pivot relative to the casing, about the pivot mount, between a respective content storage position and a respective content viewing position and wherein the wallet further comprises a stop which defines the content viewing position of each content holding member.

5. (canceled)

6. The wallet according to claim 1, comprising a respective biasing member biasing each content holding member from the content storage position to the content viewing position and wherein each biasing member is a resilient member extending between a respective content holding member mount and the casing.

7. (canceled)

8. The wallet according to claim 4, wherein each resilient member is a compression spring or a tension spring.

9. (canceled)

10. The wallet according to claim 1, wherein each content holding member is connected to a separate corresponding sliding tab protruding from the casing, and wherein each sliding tab facilitates movement of the corresponding content holding member between the content storage and the content viewing position.

11. The wallet according to claim 1, wherein the lock associated with each content holding member is released by activating a respective release button or switch associated with each lock.

12. The wallet according to claim 1, wherein content can be added to or removed from each content holding member when in the content viewing position.

13. The wallet according to claim 1, wherein each content holding member comprises a receiving portion for receiving content such as a card.

14. (canceled)

15. The wallet according to claim 13, wherein each content holding member is a frame or bracket.

16. The wallet according to claim 1, wherein each content holding member comprises a slot, or a sleeve, or a transparent sleeve, into which content can be inserted.

17.-18. (canceled)

19. The wallet according to claim 1, wherein the casing comprises a clip or at least one protruding portion to which a clip can be attached, and wherein the at least one protruding portion is a bolt head.

20. (canceled)

21. The wallet according to claim 1, wherein the casing is a substantially rigid-walled casing made of a durable metal or alloy or plastic composite.

22. (canceled)

23. The wallet according to claim 1, comprising a compartment for carrying coins or like objects.

24. The wallet according to claim 1, further comprising a compartment appended to the wallet for carrying contents.

25. (canceled)

26. The wallet according to claim 1, wherein the wallet is operable with one hand, wherein a digit of the hand is used to release any one of the content holding members from the content storage position, and another or the same digit of the hand is used to return the content holding member to the content viewing position.

27. The wallet according to claim 1 wherein the content viewing position of each respective content holding member is adjustable.

28. The wallet according to claim 1, comprising at least two content holding members, wherein the content viewing position of each respective member differs such that when all members are in the content viewing position they are at least partially offset from each other.

29.-31. (canceled)

32. The wallet according to claim 1, wherein at least one releasable lock is operable to release at least two holding members.

33. The wallet according to claim 32, wherein when the at least two holding members are in the content viewing position, the holding members do not overlap or at least partially overlap each other.