Patent Application
20140014800
This invention generally relates to apparatus for displaying a coin, such as a commemorative coin, a challenge coin, a collectors' coin, a medallion or medal, a silver dollar, a casino chip, and so on.
In some instances, people want to display certain coins. Some such coins include commemorative coins, collectors' coins, medallions or medals, silver dollars, casino chips, and so on.
A challenge coin is a special type of a coin given by some organizations to their members, and typically bears the organization's insignia or emblem. In some instances, they are presented by a unit commander to a member in recognition of special achievement, or given upon a promotion to a new rank. When thus given, a challenge coin serves as a reminder of the trust that has been placed on the recipient for on-going responsibility to carry out service diligently and with honor. Challenge coins are often retained with pride, long after the service has ended.
There are a number of holders in the prior art for devices that will display coins, challenge coins, and other medallions. These include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,844,248; 6,604,626; 6,896,127; 7,237,683; and 7,793,445, and US Published Patent Application Nos. 20080257756 and 20100293826.
Another holder for challenge coins in the prior art is case 900, depicted in
The present description gives instances of devices and methods, the use of which may help overcome problems and limitations of the prior art.
In one embodiment, a device is a holster, which includes a backing member and a base attached to the backing member. The backing member can be suspended substantially vertically on a host vertical surface, for example using attaching means. The base can be arcuate, for receiving and contacting at least three non-collinear points of a lower perimeter of an individual coin that is to be displayed. This way, the holster can support and display the coin, when the backing member is suspended on the host vertical surface.
In another embodiment, a method includes suspending a holster's backing member substantially vertically on a host vertical surface, for example using attaching means. Then the coin is placed on the holster's base, so that a lower perimeter of the coin is received and contacted by least three points on the arcuate base. This way, the holster can support and display the coin.
An advantage over the prior art occurs when the recipient of the coin also procures a frame for the letter of promotion associated with receiving the coin. The recipient can thus frame their document behind a glass, and hang the frame on a wall vertically. As such, the host vertical surface can be made from glass, behind which the document is framed. The holster can then be attached to the front glass surface of the frame, and the coin can thus be displayed together with the letter of promotion.
These and other features and advantages of this description will become more readily apparent from the following Detailed Description, which proceeds with reference to the drawings, in which:
As has been mentioned, the present description is about devices and methods for displaying coins, such as challenge coins, on a vertical surface. Embodiments are now described in more detail.
Coins, including challenge coins, are typically shaped in the form of a round disk. Medallions and challenge coins are often somewhat larger than a coin used as currency.
Holster 100 includes a backing member 140. Backing member 140 can be implemented in any number of ways, such as a wire frame, a wire mesh, and so on. In preferred embodiments, backing member 140 is in the shape of a thin plate, which is also known as a backplate.
Backing member 140 is suitable for being suspended substantially vertically on surface 120. Suspending can be performed by bringing backing member 140 towards surface 120 according to arrow 101, and attaching it thereon via attaching means 130. Holster 100 also includes a base 150 attached to backing member 140. Base 150 is described in more detail below.
Since perimeter 112 is curved, the three points 151, 152, 153 are disposed along a curved arc, and not a straight line. In other words, points 151, 152, 153 are non-collinear. Of course, points 151, 152, 153 are considered in the geometric sense as having no dimension, while in
In the embodiment of
Returning to
In some embodiments, attaching means 130 includes a magnet. The magnet can be attached to backing member 140 either directly, or via the above-described adhesive tape. A magnet is suitable for suspending holster 100 on a metal surface, such as a metallic cabinet. Spaces for the military and other institutions especially have many metal surfaces, for example “Vidmar” type cabinets.
In some embodiments, attaching means 130 includes one or more needles. A needle can be pointing partly downward, for attaching holster 100 on the wall of a cubicle. The one or more needles can be attached to backing member 140 either directly, or via the above-described adhesive tape.
Other ways for attaching are now described.
In some embodiments, the backing member has a substantially round shape. In some of those embodiments, the backing member has a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the coin. This is preferred, for suggesting to the user where the coin is to be placed.
An example is shown in
There are a number of possibilities for implementing the containing lip. In some embodiments, the backing member, the base and the containing lip are shaped so as to receive the coin substantially matingly. The containing lip can be substantially arcuate, like the base. One more possibility is described below.
There are a number of ways of measuring the height of lip 560. A first component of the height is how high, above and beyond base 550, lip 560 extends, in a way that obscures coin 110. That first component of the height is called the obscuring height. A second, optional component of the height is defined if lip 560 is considered to include the thickness of base 550. That second component of the height does not obscure displayed coin 110. Whether the second component of the height is included or not is only a matter of definition.
In preferred embodiments, the obscuring height of lip 560 is made as small as possible. This way, more surface of displayed coin 110 can be seen and appreciated. For example, obscuring heights are possible of no more than 3/8″, 1/4″, 1/8″, or even less. Small obscuring heights are possible where the coin is received substantially matingly.
A preferred embodiment of a holster is shown in
In addition, backing member 740 has a cutout 744 at the bottom of its substantially round shape. Upon seeing cutout 744, the user will know they can eventually remove the coin by pushing it up somewhat, with their finger moving up into cutout 744.
According to an operation 810, the holster's backing member is suspended substantially vertically on a host vertical surface. Suspending can be via attaching means, as was described above.
According to a next operation 820, the coin is then placed on the holster's base, so that a lower perimeter of the coin is received and contacted by least three points of the arcuate base. This causes the holster to support and display the coin on the host vertical surface.
Then the coin can optionally be pushed upwards to be removed from the holster's base, and so on.
In this description, numerous details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail in order to not obscure unnecessarily the description.
A person skilled in the art will be able to practice the present invention in view of this description, which is to be taken as a whole. The specific embodiments as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense. Indeed, it should be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that what is described herein may be modified in numerous ways. Such ways can include equivalents to what is described herein. In addition, the invention may be practiced in combination with other systems.
The following claims define certain combinations and subcombinations of elements, features, steps, and/or functions, which are regarded as novel and non-obvious. Additional claims for other combinations and subcombinations may be presented in this or a related document.
This patent application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/741,191, filed on Jul. 16, 2012, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61741191 | Jul 2012 | US |
