Patent Grant
9907375
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
This invention relates to card cases, and more specifically to wallet-sized electromagnetic shielding or RFID blocking card cases for holding and protecting personal articles such as credit cards, debit cards, chip and pin cards, contactless smartcards, licenses, identification cards, paper currency, receipts, tickets, and the like.
Contactless smartcards are wallet-sized cards that are being marketed to consumers as an alternative to magnetic strip cards as a convenient way for storing financial and personal data. By virtue of their ability to store relatively large amounts of data on an embedded microchip, and the convenience of not having to swipe the card through a scanner or hand it to a cashier, it is projected that these cards will only continue to multiply in the coming years in the fields of banking, transportation, healthcare, insurance, social security, and other personal data. The chips used in contactless smartcards can be manufactured in a form called an RFID chip, wherein RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. Contactless smartcards may also be referred to as RFID enabled cards.
In order to obtain the personal information contained on a smartcard, an RFID reader or sensor needs to be present. The RFID reader provides power to the embedded microchip via a modulated magnetic field, allowing the information to be obtained from the card. Assuming that the smartcards are not shielded by an electromagnetic-shielding enclosure, the smartcards can be powered up and accessed without the card owner's knowledge. This can typically occur in two different scenarios. In one scenario, the unauthorized scanning of an RFID enabled card can be accidental, wherein the card owner is unaware that they have come within range of an active RFID reader. In another scenario, the scanning of the card might be intentionally executed by a party who is interested in obtaining the card owners personal information without their consent. This party may have their own RFID reader which they use for this purpose. The latter scenario is an example of what has become known as RFID theft, a new and rapidly growing form of identity theft. In both of these scenarios, however, the user can no longer take a proactive role in securing information on their cards. This has led to a need for new types of wallets and card cases to prevent this unauthorized scanning.
Moreover, in light of a recent focus on data security, a new type of card called ‘chip and pin cards’ have become widely distributed and used in the United States. Chip and pin cards, also known as ‘EMV cards,’ are already widely used around the world and have just started being issued in the U.S. A chip and pin card is a standard-size plastic debit or credit card that contains an embedded microchip as well as a traditional magnetic stripe. The chip encrypts information to help increase data security when making transactions at terminals or ATMs that are chip-enabled. The cards are all typically inserted lengthwise into the bottom of most modern card readers and terminals and held there while the chip information is read, a personal PIN number is entered, and the transaction is complete, after which the card is allowed to be pulled out. Due to the fragile nature of the microchip that is exposed on these cards, it is not advisable to carry them in a traditional leather or fabric wallet, as the chip could be easily bent or broken under compressive forces from being in a pocket or bag, and result in malfunction of the card at the terminal. Hence, there exists a strong new need for wallets and cases that have crush resistance and protect cards contained within.
A rapidly growing trend in the wallet industry is to make very thin and minimal card cases and wallets, also known as ‘minimalist wallets,’ which attempt to remain as thin and compact as possible while holding a moderate amount of cards inside. The issue with these types of card cases and wallets is that there is usually just one card slot, and it is very hard to see or access your cards because most of these cases make you eject cards outwards instead of opening like a traditional bi-fold wallet. Because of this, some minimalist card cases, as we will see in prior art, have various mechanisms for ejecting one or more individual cards out at a time, in order to allow a user to access a particular card more easily. Another big issue with these minimalist card cases and wallets is that they typically utilize a traditional flexible steel or plastic money clip affixed to their exterior that holds paper currency and the like. These money clips are usually sharp on their edges, have an upstanding lip on the ends, and are bulky and uncomfortable against one's leg while in pocket, sometimes even wearing a hole in a user's pants over time. So it can be argued there exists a need for a secure minimalist card case which allows a user to see the faces of their cards to identify them, works intuitively with new chip and pin card readers, shields cards inside from RFID scanning, is crush resistant, and has a paper currency holding system on their exterior which is not bulky, sharp or uncomfortable in pocket.
In trying to solve the above shortcomings of traditional wallets, we will first look at prior art that is concerned with securing the information on a contactless smartcard. U.S. Pat. No. 6,121,544 issued to Petsinger describes an electromagnetic shield to prevent unauthorized access to contactless smartcards. The smartcard is inserted into an opaque sleeve that covers the majority of the cards surfaces. A sheet of electromagnetic-shielding material in the form of a soft magnetic alloy is embedded within the sleeve. While in the sleeve, a contactless smartcard is shielded from being powered up by an RFID reader. While it does provide a secure RFID shielding body in the form of the sleeve, it has the following disadvantages:
U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,152 issued to Osborn et al. is very similar to Petsinger's invention and also has a lot of the same issues. Osborn teaches a protective case comprising a receptacle or base, and a lid both formed from ferromagnetic metal which together form a tight enclosure, and a polymeric insert in between that holds only one card and shields it from damaging magnetic fields. While it could be said this invention provides a secure RFID shielding enclosure for a magnetic or contactless smartcard, it has the following flaws:
Other solutions have been presented for shielding smartcards in the form of conventional leather and fabric bi-fold wallets with one or more liners of electromagnetic-shielding material embedded somewhere within or attached to their outer panels. One particular reference that describes this common solution is U.S. Pat. No. 7,482,925 issued to Visa U.S.A. (herein Visa). Visa discloses several methods and apparatuses for shielding portable consumer devices such as contactless smartcards, which include envelopes with metalized coatings, electromagnetic shielding stickers attached to smartcards, and a conventional bi-fold wallet with an “RF shield liner” that is configured to be integrated with the wallet to shield smartcards contained inside it. While most of the embodiments that Visa describes are temporary security measures to protect and shield newly issued smartcards during transport through the mail to their owners, Visa also teaches a fairly standard bi-fold wallet with an “RF shield liner” integrated with its outer panels, and a holding pocket inside for containing smartcards. Visa states that the “RF shield liner” is configured to attenuate RF signals within the operation frequency range of the smartcard contained inside the holding pocket when the wallet is folded closed.
There are several serious issues with Visa's solution and with other RF shielding wallets that use this same method:
In looking at prior art in the form of compact or minimalist card cases, we can look first towards U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,329 issued to Ippolito et. al. They teach a card compartment formed to retain a plurality of cards in a single stack by a retention clip which urges against the bottom of the stack to keep them inside, as well as a traditional style money clip on the outside. Ippolito's solution has the following flaws:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,422 issued to Storus Corp (herein “Storus”) describes a combination money clip and card holder comprising a base with L-shaped brackets on one side which forms a channel to grip and hold cards allowing them to be slid out at the front open end with one's finger. This design has the following flaws:
Hence, there exists a strong need in the art for a portable, crush resistant electromagnetic-shielding wallet or card case that works intuitively with chip and pin card readers and holds, shields and protects a plurality of contactless smartcards and chip and pin cards. The proposed case must also prevent cards from sliding out while in one's pocket or bag.
In addition to being able to hold and protect a plurality of cards, the proposed card case must also be able to hold paper currency, receipts, tickets, and the like using a soft, low profile element that is not sharp, protruding, or uncomfortable while in one's pocket.
The present invention is directed towards an improved electromagnetic shielding card case for contactless and chip and pin cards that is meant to be carried in one's pocket, bag, or purse. The card case comprises a front panel made from a metal alloy with electromagnetic shielding properties which is hingedly connected to a U-shaped member and a base member which sandwich an electromagnetic shielding member between them. A card slot is defined on its top by a continuous roof member on the U-shaped member which covers a small portion of the perimeter of the surface of the topmost card in a stack, its bottom by the shielding member, and its left, right and rear sides by a continuous inner wall, whereby cards are able to be slidably removed and inserted into the case at the front end. U-shaped member allows a substantial portion of the topmost cards face to be visible. The front panel has a continuous front wall which provides a barrier at the front end of the card slot when the case is locked shut via a releasable locking means, so that cards cannot accidentally slide out. A resilient means is disposed in the card slot which frictionally engages and grips the edges of a stack of cards in the card slot which allows a user to easily shuffle through cards without any falling out, and allows the topmost card to be ejected slightly and held with one's thumb as it is inserted into a chip and pin card reader. A soft rubber strap is affixed around the base member and allows paper currency and the like to be securely stored between the strap and the exterior surface of the base member.
It is a primary objective of this invention to provide an electromagnetic shielding card case that holds and shields a plurality of contactless smartcards contained within from being powered up and read by an RFID reader when the case is closed, and also prevent accidental opening while contained in one's pocket or bag by providing a releasable locking means that allows a user to quickly and easily lock the case shut.
It is another objective of this invention to construct the outer panels and members of the case out of a substantially rigid, durable material and configuration so as to protect the plurality of cards within from being bent, crushed, or broken with use.
It is another objective of this invention to provide electromagnetic shielding elements that are strong, resilient, and durable so as not to bend, tear, or degrade with use which could consequently create a breach in the electromagnetic shielding effect.
It is another objective of this invention to provide a card slot in the case which allows the user to easily see a substantial portion of the topmost cards face when the case is open, which is useful for accessing your most frequently used card in dimly lit environments or for people with poor vision.
It is another objective of this invention to provide a resilient means inside the card slot which frictionally engages and grips the edges of a stack of cards in the card slot and allows a user to easily shuffle the cards forwards without any falling out, and also allows the topmost card to be ejected out slightly and held with one's thumb so it can be quickly and easily inserted vertically into a chip and pin card reader.
It is another objective of this invention to provide a soft, low profile paper currency holding means on the back of the case so that paper currency, business cards, receipts and the like can be stored securely and the case can be comfortably carried in one's pocket.
It is yet another objective of this invention to provide an ejection means for pushing out the bottommost card in the card slot as a way of quickly accessing a particular card that is always stored on the bottom.
The electromagnetic shielding card case which is the preferred embodiment of the present invention is broadly denoted by the numeral 500 and is shown in its closed position in
The electromagnetic shielding card case 500 comprises a front panel 400 which is made from a metal alloy with sufficient electromagnetic shielding properties to shield a smartcard from being scanned and which is hingedly connected to base member 100 by hinge pin 20 which extends through the holes in hinge members 406 and is inserted into hinge pin cradles 326 on U-shaped member 300, as shown in
U-shaped member 300 is in the shape of a rectangular horseshoe open at one end and further comprises a continuous inner wall 304, a continuous outer wall 306, and a continuous roof member 302 all of which substantially extend along its U-shape and wrap around the card slot. Continuous roof member 302 extends horizontally over top of the card slot and continuous inner wall 304 and continuous outer wall 306 extend downwards perpendicularly from underneath it. Continuous outer wall 306 wraps around a pair of rectangular notches at the back of U-shaped member 300 and allows a pair of hinge members 406 to sit inside them.
Rubber tubes 22 are inserted around tube bosses 314 and frictionally engage the edges of plurality of cards 30 contained in the card slot. Front panel 400 further comprises a continuous front wall 402 at its front end which sits on top of the front edge of base member 100 (seen in
Looking at
Ejecting member 344 sits within a second track which is defined on its sides by continuous inner wall 304 and continuous outer wall 306, its bottom by shielding member 200, and its top by a portion of the underside of U-shaped member 300 and is able to slide back and forth. Ejecting member 344 further comprises a ribbed button 348 which extends outwards and protrudes through second gap 342 in continuous outer wall 306, which can be seen in
As
A rubber strap 28 wraps around the middle of base member 100 and sits within a strap trench 106 located on its interior surface wherein shielding member 200 sits on top if it and conceals it inside, which can be seen in
Base member 100 has a pair of upstanding hooks 108 at its front end which overlap ledge portions 308 of U-shaped member 300 as seen exploded in
Operation
It will be observed that card case 500 has two basic positions:
(i) Closed Position (
When card case 500 is in its closed position, plurality of cards 30 are sandwiched between front panel 400 (which is made from a metal alloy with inherent electromagnetic shielding properties) and shielding member 200 so that plurality of cards 30, which may include contactless smartcards, are shielded from being scanned by an RFID reader, thereby preventing unauthorized or accidental access to one's personal card data. Moreover, in the closed position, electromagnetic shielding card case 500 is securely shut and cannot pivot open while shifting around in one's pocket or bag, thus avoiding the creation of a breach in the electromagnetic shielding effect, and also preventing any contactless smartcards contained in card case 500 from falling or sliding out slightly, which would also risk unauthorized scanning. The enclosure that is formed around plurality of cards 30 is also substantially crush resistant, as base member 100, U-shaped member 300 and front panel 400, are all made of substantially rigid materials, which allows card case 500 to resist crushing forces and protect cards inside from being bent, bowed or cracked.
(ii) Open Position (
While in the open position, a user can also eject bottommost card 32 in the stack of plurality of cards 30 by engaging ribbed button 348 on ejecting member 344 with their finger and pushing it forwards from its resting position to its ejecting position, which causes projecting arm 346 to urge against the back edge of bottommost card 32 and push it outwards slightly from the stack (shown in
Materials and Manufacturing
In the preferred embodiment, shielding member 200 is preferably stamped or lasercut from a flat sheet of uniform thickness of aluminum alloy. As would be obvious to one skilled in the art, aluminum alloy inherently has strong electromagnetic signal blocking properties, good strength and rigidity, is very lightweight, and is readily available at a reasonable price. It is also one of the most readily recycled metals, making it a greener material. The lightness of the material is also favorable because card case 500 is meant to be carried in one's pocket or bag comfortably. As discussed, it's important that shielding member 200 is made from a durable, resilient sheet of metal instead of a specialized, expensive electromagnetic shielding foil or film in order to eliminate the threat of the shielding material bending, flaking, or tearing over time with use, which is one of the disadvantages of the aforementioned prior art.
Front panel 400 is preferably made from a metal alloy such as aluminum by CNC machining, or Computer Numerical Control machining, a subtractive process which uses a multi-axis bit to carve parts out from a solid block of metal. By machining front panel 400 from solid aluminum, it will have excellent strength and durability, resist crushing forces on card case 500 to protect cards inside it, and have excellent inherent electromagnetic shielding properties. It is also more efficient for front panel 400 to be one piece instead of multiple parts or sub-assemblies, as it has hinge members 406, continuous front wall 402, and hook member 404 already integrated into it, instead of having to use more structural layers to achieve this, which would make card case 500 more complex and expensive, thicker, and more labor intensive to build. As would be obvious to one skilled in the art, front panel 400 could be made in different colors and finishes using an aluminum anodizing process, which allows for the coloring of aluminum parts, to satisfy new trends, tastes and demands of the market.
Also in the preferred embodiment, base member 100, U-shaped member 300, latch member 334 and ejecting member 344 are all injection molded out of a durable, lightweight, and resilient plastic such as ABS or polycarbonate plastic. This again helps to add to the lightness of card case 500 so it can be comfortably carried in one's pocket or bag, and also adds to its overall crush resistance and durability. Rubber tubes 22 and rubber strap 28 are preferably made from a durable rubber material with adequate grip for holding cards, such as silicone or EPDM rubber (ethylene propylene diene monomer).
Accordingly, the reader will see that electromagnetic shielding card case can be used to prevent unauthorized or accidental access to the contents of a plurality of cards, which may include contactless smartcards, contained within it and will not accidentally pivot open while contained in one's pocket or bag. Furthermore, the electromagnetic shielding card case has additional advantages in that:
The releasable locking means on the card case can be easily unlocked by sliding the latch member button backwards with one's finger while gripping the case, and then lifting the front panel open. Moreover, closing the front panel will allow the case to lock itself shut automatically, without the use of manual closure methods like buttons, zippers or Velcro.
A plurality of wallet-sized cards, which may include contactless smartcards or chip and pin cards, can be contained in the card slot of the case and are physically prevented from accidentally falling or sliding out of the case when it is in a closed position;
The card slot within the electromagnetic shielding card case is minimal on the top and allows a user to see a substantial portion of the top face of the topmost card which is helpful for sorting through cards in dimly lit environments or for people with poor vision. Moreover, this feature can also allow a user to display their driver's license or other cards without ever removing it from the card case;
A resilient means is located in the sides of the card slot which frictionally engages and grips the edges of a stack of cards in the slot and allows a user to easily shuffle through cards without any falling out by accident. Moreover, this allows the topmost card to be ejected slightly and held with one's thumb as it is inserted vertically into a chip and pin card reader, which is extremely intuitive and quick in a checkout line;
When the card case is open, an ejecting member allows for the bottommost card to be ejected out slightly from the bottom of the card stack and accessed quickly;
The soft, low profile rubber strap on the back of the card case allows a user to carry additional items such as paper currency, business cards, regular cards, tickets, receipts and the like without adding any sharp edges or additional bulkiness like a traditional money clip might, which feels much more comfortable in pocket;
The base member, U-shaped member and front panel are all made out of substantially rigid and durable materials which gives the card case excellent crush resistance and protects cards inside from getting bent, bowed or cracked. Moreover, when the case is closed, the continuous front wall of the front panel rests against the base member and the underside of the front panel rests against the top of U-shaped member so that there is a rigid structure on all sides which does not bow or bend under crushing forces;
Instead of using thin, flimsy electromagnetic shielding foil or metallized inks like some of the prior art, the shielding elements on the proposed electromagnetic shielding card case are rigid, durable, and will not bend, crack or break with use;
The front panel, which is made from aluminum alloy in the preferred embodiment, could be finished and anodized in different colors and styles to satisfy different trends and tastes in the market. Moreover, U-shaped member, base member, latch member and ejecting member, which are all preferably made out of plastic, could also be molded in different colors as well;
The market for contactless smartcards could be expanded by this invention by assuaging a card owners concerns over privacy and security by giving them the ability to protect the information on their contactless smartcards and the delicate chips on their chip and pin cards, which may include debit, credit, or building entry cards;
It will be appreciated that still further embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the present disclosure. It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limited to the particular constructions herein disclosed and/or shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications or equivalents within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
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