BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the credit card to pages attachment means with the pages in the closed position.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the credit card to pages attachment means with the pages in the open position.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the attachment means in the open position and ready to attach to a credit card.
FIG. 4 is a side section view of the attachment means and attached card and pages.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention that includes an accordion fold page rather than standard pages.
FIG. 6 is a section view of an alternate embodiment of the invention that includes the use of a punched hole in the credit card that produces a thin version of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.
Referring now to FIG. 1 we see a perspective view of the invention 100 where a cover 4 to pages 6 mating assembly 50 can be seen. The book cover 4 is a plastic credit card sized card that can be used for purchasing transactions. There are several credit card sized transaction devices in use today. They include retail store gift cards, service related cards such as a road side assistance card or an insurance card, hotel key cards and standard credit and debit cards. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a connection means to add a plurality of advertising pages 6 to a card 4 so that when a person receives the card 4, he or she also receives coupon, or instructional pages 6 that relate to the services that the card 4 provides. For example, if a person was given a Sharper Image gift card, there may be a plurality of coupon pages attached to the card that would give the owner of the card discounts on specific Sharper Image merchandise. Section line 200 indicates the section view that can be seen in FIG. 4 and also the alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the invention 100 with the card cover portion 4 in the open position. Coupon pages 6 can be seen attached to the mating assembly 50 by spiral binder 52. Tab 58 is designed to hold the pages 6 in close proximity to cover 4 when not being used. The magnetic strip 44 is able to be used in normal swiping transaction machines because the mating assembly 50 is sufficiently out of the way to preclude interference. The coupon pages 6 are also sufficiently out of the way to allow normal use in a card transaction machine. The same is true for use in hotel key card slots, that sometimes include vertical insertion of the card 4.
FIG. 3 shows the mating assembly 50 in the open position. The assembly is comprised of two equal halves 54, 56 that are connected by an integral living hinge 60. The mating member is molded of a rigid material such as polypropylene which can incorporate living hinge capability. One half 54 includes a plurality of posts 82 and the other half 56 includes a plurality of mating apertures 80 so that when the two halves 54, 56 are folded upon each other the posts 82 and the apertures 80 frictionally interact to force the two halves to remain locked together. Of course, other known means of locking the two halves together my be employed. Additionally, the two halves 56, 54 may be molded separately, and they may be screwed together or held in place by an adhesive. Each half 54, 56 includes an inwardly facing metal blade 64, 66 that each are fixedly retained by their respective plastic molded halves 54. 56 and rise up at an angle as will be shown in FIG. 4. Credit card sized cover 4 can be inserted into mating assembly 50 either before the assembly 50 is folded in half, or after assembly 50 is folded in half. Insertion is indicated by arrow 70. Area of card 4 to be retained by assembly 50 is indicated by dotted line 68. Flat portions 92, 94 are recessed just enough to enable the surrounding walls to completely close even when card 4 is inserted.
FIG. 4 shows a side section 200 of the invention 100. Blades 64, 66 can be clearly seen impinging on card 4. If a person tries to pull card 4 from the mating assembly 50, the blades 64, 66 would tend to dig deeper into card 4 making it very difficult to remove. Post 82 can be seen frictionally mated into aperture 80. Spiral binder 52 can be clearly seen to be retaining both the cover card 4 and the attached pages 6. Other standard binding techniques may also be used to hold pages 6 to the assembly 50. The pages 6 are made of durable paper or light plastic sheet material. They can be made to remain with the assembly 50 or can include perforations to allow easy pulled out from binder 52 when so desired.
Tab 58 can be seen retaining pages 6. Living hinge 60 can be seen inside binder ring 52.
FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the invention 100 with an alternate page format as shown by accordion fold pages 7. The folded pages 7 can be retained by tab 58 in the same way that pages 6 are retained as shown in previous figures.
As shown and described above, the present invention provides a way to mate a plurality of pages to a credit card sized card without having the pages interfere with the swiping action of a normal card transaction. The card can be inserted into the mating assembly in mass at a fulfillment house or can be installed individually by a store or hotel clerk at the time of purchase.
FIG. 6 shows a side section view of an alternate embodiment of the invention that allows the completed assembly 150 to be thin and therefore easy to carry in a purse or wallet. This version requires that the credit sized card have a hole 164 pre-punched in the corner of the card. A post 162 located centrally on one side of the assembly 150A penetrates an aligned aperture in side 150B and then the post head 152 is ultrasonically welded so that the two sides 150A and 150B are forced together thereby trapping card 156. Pages 156, living hinge 160 and spiral binder 158 all work as in the preferred embodiment. It should be noted that other binders may be employed such as heat welding of plastic coated pages or other standard binding techniques. This alternate embodiment does not include tab 58 as shown in the preferred embodiment so that the entire assembly 150 may remain as thin as possible.
While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Patent Application
20080073896
