PLAYING CARD SLEEVE STAND

Abstract

A playing card sleeve can receive and store a box of playing cards. The sleeve includes an upper body member and a lower body member, with the upper body member hingedly connected to the lower body member. When one wishes to do so, the upper body member may be rotated rearwardly until it can rest on a table or surface. Then, the upper body member and the lower body member may serve as legs to support the sleeve that is now configured as a stand for displaying and accessing the playing card box.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Playing card games bring fun and excitement to children and adults alike. Most often, playing cards are provided and stored in boxes. Traditional card boxes are rectangular boxes having a top portion with an opening. When the top portion is lifted upwardly, a gameplayer may access the playing cards stored therein. When a game is over, he or she may return the cards to the box for later use.

Many playing card boxes are designed to be beautiful, and many may become (or may be originally created to be) collector's items. As such, owners may wish to show off their collections. Unfortunately, there is not currently a good way to store card boxes when not in use. They are often simply thrown into a drawer, or tossed empty onto the table where a game is taking place. When a box is sitting flat on a table or other surface during gameplay, it is prone to damage. Furthermore, if the box includes any sort of decoration, rules explanation, or other graphic thereon, a gameplayer cannot see any such information if the box is sitting flatly on the gameplay surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A playing card sleeve is provided in which a playing card box can be received. The playing card sleeve includes an upper body member and a lower body member. When the sleeve is pulled upwardly, and then the upper portion is rotated rearwardly, a stand is formed by the upper and lower portion. The card box (which may include playing cards) may still be positioned in the lower portion, and in such a position, the box or the playing cards contained therein are prominently displayed and easily accessible.

The improved playing card sleeve hereof also provides additional marketing opportunity. The sleeve may include custom graphics, marketing, and the like that is easily visible during game play. Furthermore, the sleeve may conceal the identity of a deck of cards contained in a card box thereof. Such “surprise boxes” make for a fun and exciting surprise when a consumer purchases a card game that remains a surprise until he or she opens the sleeve to reveal the card type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a playing card sleeve stand and box of playing cards contained therein, constructed according to the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the playing card sleeve stand and box of playing cards of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the playing card sleeve stand in an open, display configuration.

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the playing card sleeve stand in an open, display configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention provides a playing card sleeve 1 that can also act as a stand to contain and display a box of cards 5 (hereinafter referred to simply as “the box 5”).

FIG. 1 shows a sleeve 1 in its “closed” position, where the box 5 is stowed in the sleeve 1. The box 5 may be partially visible near a bottom portion 10 of the sleeve 1, but could be entirely obscured. As shown, a notch 15 may be provided that extends upwardly into a front side 20 of the sleeve 1. The notch 15 may make it easier for someone to grasp the box 5 and subsequently remove it from the sleeve 1. The bottom portion 10 of the sleeve 1 is preferably open such that the box 5 may be slid into and out of the sleeve 1 via the bottom portion 10, though the bottom portion 10 may be selectively closeable.

A top portion 25 of the sleeve 1 is preferably closed so that if the sleeve 1 were inverted, the box 5 would not fall through the top portion 25. Thus, the top portion may not be selectively openable and closeable. In some embodiments, the top portion 25 may include a flap member and/or alternatively constructed closure member (not illustrated) that may open and close so that the box 5 can be accessible via the top portion 25.

The sleeve 1 is generally comprised of an upper body member 30 and a lower body member 35, the lower body member 35 being hingedly connected to the upper body member 30 along a hinge member 40 extending across at least a portion of a back side 45 of the sleeve 1. The hinge member 40 may be a living hinge or another type of hinge as would be understood. Side portions 50 of the upper body member 35 may include a downwardly ramped profile 55 (one of which is illustrated in FIG. 1) that slopes downwardly from the back side 45 to the front side 20 of the sleeve 1. Side portions 60 of the lower body member 35 preferably also include a downwardly ramped profile 65 (one of which is illustrated in FIG. 1) that slopes downwardly from the back side 45 to the front side 20, the profiles 55, 65 being preferably shaped to abut one another when the sleeve 1 is in the closed position of FIG. 1.

In FIG. 2, the box 5 is shown exploded from the sleeve 1. The box 5 is of a size and shape configured to receive and secure a standard size set of cards, and the sleeve 1 is sized to snugly receive the box 5 including the playing cards (not illustrated) therein. In alternative embodiments, the sleeve 1 and the box 5 may be alternatively shaped and size to accommodate larger or smaller cards, or more or fewer cards.

Turning to FIGS. 3 and 4, the sleeve 1 and box 5 are viewed from the front and the rear, respectively, when the sleeve 1 is in its open, display configuration. To convert the sleeve 1 from its closed position to its open position when the box 5 is contained therein, the sleeve 5 may be first pulled upwardly so that it slides along the box 5. When the sleeve 1 is pulled upwardly to the point that the hinge member 40 passes the top portion 25 of the box, the upper body member 30 is free to rotate rearwardly. Such rotation occurs along the hinge member 40, relative to the lower body member 35 which remains around the box 5 such that it cannot pivot with the upper body member 30. When the upper body member 30 is sufficiently rotated, the top portion 25 may abut a table 70 or other surface, and the box 5 may rest against a portion of the downwardly ramped profile 55 and/or a lip 75 (see FIG. 4) on the front side 20 of the upper body member 30. The lip 75 preferably abuts a similar lip 80 (see FIG. 3) on the front side 20 of the lower body member 35 when the sleeve 1 is in its closed position.

In the open position, at least part of the bottom portion 10 of the sleeve 1 preferably abuts the table 70 or other surface. Similarly, a bottom cover member 85 of the box 5 may rest on a table or other surface when the sleeve 1 is in its open position. In the open position, the upper body member 30 and the lower body member 35 substantially form legs that together form a stand for displaying and easily accessing the box 5.

To return the sleeve 1 to its closed position, one may simply take the reverse steps set forth above, namely pushing the box 5 downwardly though the bottom portion 10 of the sleeve 1 enough to allow the upper body member 30 to rotate about the hinge member 40 toward the lower body member 35 until the lips 75, 80 abut one another. Then the sleeve 1 and box 5 may be turned upside down, or the sleeve 1 may be pushed downwardly such that the box 5 abuts an interior surface (not illustrated) of the top portion 25 of the sleeve 1.

It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed embodiments and other features and functions, or alternatives or varieties thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also, various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.

Claims

1. A sleeve for receiving and retaining a box therein, the sleeve comprising:

a lower body member; and

an upper body member connected to and extending from the lower body member at a hinge member, the upper body member being rotatable about the lower body member at the hinge member;

wherein in a first position, the upper body member and the lower body member are aligned with one another to form a sleeve, and

in a second position, the upper body member and the lower body member are no longer aligned with one another to form a stand.

2. The sleeve of claim 1, wherein a bottom portion of the sleeve is open to allow passage of the box in and out of the sleeve.

3. The sleeve of claim 1, wherein the hinge is provided on a back side of the sleeve, the hinge allowing the upper body member to rotate relative to the lower body member at the back side of the sleeve.

4. The sleeve of claim 1, wherein at least one side portion of the upper body member include a first ramped profile.

5. The sleeve of claim 4, wherein at least one side portion of the lower body member includes a second ramped profile configured to mate with the first ramped profile when the sleeve is in the first position.

6. The sleeve of claim 1, wherein a lower portion of the lower body member includes a notch for accessing the box therein.

7. The sleeve of claim 1, wherein in the second position, a top portion of the upper body member contacts a surface upon which the sleeve is placed.

8. The sleeve of claim 1, wherein in the second position, a bottom portion of the lower body member contacts a surface upon which the sleeve is placed.

9. The sleeve of claim 1, wherein the top portion of the upper body member is closed.

10. The sleeve of claim 1, wherein the box includes one or more playing cards.

11. A playing card storage and display system, the system comprising:

a playing card box;

a sleeve comprising: a lower body member; and an upper body member hingedly connected to the lower body member;

wherein in an open configuration, when the upper body member is rotated rearwardly, the upper body member acts as a first leg and the lower body member acts as a second leg such that the first leg and the second leg form a stand to support and display the playing card box.

12. The sleeve of claim 11, wherein a bottom portion of the sleeve is open to allow passage of the playing card box in and out of the sleeve.

13. The sleeve of claim 11, wherein a hinge is provided on a back side of the sleeve that allows the upper body member to rotate relative to the lower body member.

14. The sleeve of claim 11, wherein at least one side portion of the upper body member include a first ramped profile.

15. The sleeve of claim 14, wherein at least one side portion of the lower body member includes a second ramped profile configured to mate with the first ramped profile when the sleeve is in a closed configuration.

16. The sleeve of claim 11, wherein a lower portion of the lower body member includes a notch for accessing the playing card box therein.

17. The sleeve of claim 11, wherein in the open configuration, a top portion of the upper body member contacts a surface upon which the sleeve is placed.

18. The sleeve of claim 11, wherein in the open configuration position, a bottom portion of the lower body member contacts a surface upon which the sleeve is placed.

19. The sleeve of claim 11, wherein the top portion of the upper body member is closed.

20. The sleeve of claim 11, wherein the playing card box includes one or more playing cards.