Patent Application
20090014104
The present invention relates to wallets and, more particularly, to denomination organized wallets.
Children and adults with Autism and neurological disorders need to be able to function appropriately in the real world. These individuals generally lack organizational skills which make it difficult for them to interact on a financial level with others. These individuals generally have a difficult time using a standard wallet.
The features of the system, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The embodiments herein, can be understood by reference to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:
Embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure provide a denomination organized wallet.
In a first embodiment of the present disclosure, a foldable denomination organized wallet can include a billfold presenting a plurality of departments to separately store money of differing denominations, wherein each department presents a monetary visual identifier for each denomination of the money, and the plurality of departments are visually staggered in order of denomination for showing the visual identifiers. The foldable denomination organized wallet can include a plurality of columns to hold coins of differing denominations, wherein each column presents a coin visual identifier for each denomination of the coins, and the columns are visually ordered by denomination. The foldable denomination organized wallet can include an identification pocket made of a clear material to hold and show an identification card, wherein the coin holder and the identification pocket is attached to a front department of the billfold.
In a second embodiment of the present disclosure, a tri-fold wallet suitable for use by Autistic individuals and individuals with neurological disorders can include a billfold for twenty dollar bills, ten dollar bills, five dollar bills, and one dollar bills, wherein the billfold comprises a plurality of departments arranged in order of monetary denomination, wherein each department visually presents a monetary visual identifier corresponding to a denomination of a bill. The tri-fold wallet can include a coin holder attached to a front department of the billfold for quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies, wherein the coin holder comprises a plurality of columns arranged in order of denomination for securely holding coins, where each column visually presents a coin visual identifier corresponding to the denomination of the coin.
In a third embodiment of the present disclosure, a wallet can include a billfold presenting a plurality of departments to separately store money of differing denominations, wherein each department presents a monetary visual identifier for each denomination of the money, and the plurality of departments are visually staggered in order of denomination for showing the visual identifiers. The wallet can include a coin holder attached to a forefront department of the billfold to hold coins of differing denominations, wherein the coin holder includes a first pair of columns for holding high denomination coins, and a second pair of columns for holding low denomination coins, wherein each column presents a coin visual identifier for each denomination, and the columns are visually ordered by denomination. The wallet can include an identification pocket attached to the forefront department of the billfold positioned between the first pair of columns and the second pair of columns and made of a clear material to hold and present an identification card, wherein the coin holder and the identification pocket is attached to a front department of the billfold.
Broadly stated, embodiments are directed to a special needs wallet that has compartments organized by denominations of coins (e.g. quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies) and bills (e.g. twenty dollar bill, ten dollar bill, five dollar bill, and one dollar bill) which allows children and adults with special needs to perform independently when they go out in public. For example, individuals with Autism and neurological disorders generally have a difficult time keeping track of money. These individuals lack organizational skills and cannot differentiate between a dime and a nickel, or a quarter and a nickel, or any other monetary denominations. They either do not have the ability to differentiate or they are losing the ability to differentiate. However, they can recognize compartments or containers and perform efficient tasks such as sorting items with the compartments or containers, though they may not be able to differentiate between the items among one or more containers themselves.
The special needs wallet allows children and adults to feel independent when they go out on their own or with their parents and carry their own wallet. The special needs wallet is a teaching tool that allows them to be financially responsible and independent. It can mitigate frustration and embarrassment these individuals generally face when they go out in public. The special needs wallet gives them a sense of self worth and security about spending money for a meal, a movie, a store bought object, or just to know they have a wallet like everyone else. Moreover, most Autistic individuals are very methodical by nature and may be very happy that each bill and each coin goes into their proper place in the special needs wallet.
While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of embodiments of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. Embodiments herein can be implemented in a wide variety of ways using a variety of materials and manufacturing processes.
The wallet 100 can include a plurality of columns (e.g. 125 and 126) to hold coins of differing denominations (e.g. quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies), wherein each column presents a coin visual identifier for each denomination of the coins, and the columns are visually ordered by denomination. An autistic individual can recognize that coins to the left are more important that the coins on the right since the left section is the first section to open, as shown in
The columns can be plastic, aluminum, or lightweight metal structures that allow coins to be overlapped with one another. Each column can have a visual identifier (e.g. 25c, 10c, 5c, 1c). The visual identifier can be numeric based of text based (e.g. ‘quarter’, ‘nickel’, ‘dime’, or ‘penny’). Autistic individuals of individuals with neurological disorders can identify compartments and containers and perform sorting tasks within the containers, though they may not be able to differentiate between items (e.g. bills or coins) within the compartments (e.g. billfold departments and coin holders). The user can slide a coin into a sleeve of the column 125, which can include a topmost insert 113 to hold the coins in place once inserted. Moreover, an inner sleeve of the column 125 can securely hold the coins in place even if the column 125 is not full. The user can slide in and slide out the coins into the column 125 with a single finger.
In one arrangement, the coin holder includes a first pair (125 and 126) of columns for holding high denomination coins (e.g. quarters and dimes), and a second pair of columns (127 and 128) for holding low denomination coins, wherein each column presents a coin visual identifier for each denomination, and the columns are visually ordered by denomination. The columns are ordered to make selection of the columns easier for Autistic individuals or individuals with neurological disorder who may have a difficult time identifying relationships between columns. These individuals can associate an order such as left to right or back to front more easily than differentiating between elements within the compartments. In such regard, the billfolds (101-125) and coin holders (125-128) are organized by denomination with visual identifiers for complying with these individuals' ability to organize and sort. That is, the denominations of coins and bills are arranged to more effectively suit their skill sets (e.g. organization and sorting).
The departments of the billfold can be staggered such that a bill placed in a department of the wallet does not block a visibility of the monetary visual identifier for the department or other departments. For example, the height of the 110 department is larger than the height of the $10 bill placed in the $10 department 110. Accordingly, the next department 105 for the $5 bills is larger in height than the $10 department 110, and so on. In such regard, the departments are staggered to allow visibility of the visual identifier ($1, $5, $10, $20) associated with the denomination compartment. The visual identifier can be an imprint, a sewing design, a stamp, an ink print, or any other suitable visual indication element. Moreover, the visual identifier can be repeated at multiple points along a shown edge of the department. For example, as shown in
Upon reviewing the aforementioned embodiments, it would be evident to an artisan with ordinary skill in the art that said embodiments can be modified, reduced, or enhanced without departing from the scope and spirit of the claims described below. Accordingly, the reader is directed to the claims section for a fuller understanding of the breadth and scope of the present disclosure.
While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, permutations and variations will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention embrace all such alternatives, modifications, permutations and variations as fall within the scope of the appended claims. While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the embodiments of the invention are not so limited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present embodiments of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
