Patent Application
20230284760
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The disclosure relates to trading card device and more particularly pertains to a new trading card device for safely shipping a graded trading card. The device includes a first panel that is hingedly coupled to a second panel such that the first panel and the second panel form a case. Each of the first panel and the second panel has a recess for securing a graded trading card. The device includes an engagement on first panel and a clasp on the second panel that releasably engages the engagement when the first panel and the second are closed.
The prior art relates to trading card devices including a variety of trading card cases that each includes a first panel that is positionable on a second panel to form a case for containing a trading card. The prior art discloses a variety of trading card cases that each includes a base with a recess and a lip extending around the recess for storing a trading card in the recess. The prior art discloses an ornamental design for a case that includes a first panel hingedly coupled to a second panel.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a first panel to contain a graded trading card. A second panel is hingedly coupled to the first panel. Each of the first panel and the second panel is positionable in a closed position to enclose the graded trading card. Each of the first panel and the second panel is positionable in an open position to expose the graded trading card. A clasp is movably integrated into the second panel and the clasp is biased into an engaging position. An engagement is coupled to the first panel and the clasp releasably engages the engagement when the first panel and the second panel are in the closed position for retaining the first panel and the second panel in the closed position. The clasp disengages the engagement when the clasp is urged into a releasing position.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
The first recess 14 extends into the top surface 20 and the first recess 14 has a lower bounding surface 36. The first window 18 extends through the lower bounding surface 36 and the bottom surface 22 of the first panel 12. The first recess 14 has a bounding edge 38 and the bounding edge 38 has a plurality of intersecting sides 40 that is each spaced from a respective one of the top side 26 and the bottom side 28 and the first lateral side 30 and the second lateral side 32 of the perimeter edge 24 such that the first recess 14 has a rectangular shape. The first window 18 is positioned adjacent to the intersecting side 40 that is spaced from the top side 26. Furthermore, the first window 18 is elongated to extend along a substantial length of the intersecting side 40 that is spaced from the top side 26.
The top surface 20 has a plurality of first divots 42 each extending toward the bottom surface 22. The first divots 42 are positioned between the bounding edge 38 of the first recess 14 and the top side 26. Additionally, the first divots 42 are spaced apart from each other and are distributed along the top side 26. The top surface 20 has a plurality of second divots 44 each extending toward the bottom surface 22. The second divots 44 are positioned between the bounding edge 38 of the first recess 14 and the bottom side 28. The second divots 44 are spaced apart from each other and are distributed along the bottom side 28.
The first panel 12 has a pair of protrusions 46 each extending away from the first lateral side 30 of the perimeter edge 24. Each of the protrusions 46 is spaced from a respective one of the top side 26 and the bottom side 28 of the perimeter edge 24. Each of the protrusions 46 has a first end 48 and a second end 50, and each of the protrusions 46 is elongated between the first end 48 and the second end 50. Furthermore, each of the first end 48 and the second end 50 of each of the protrusions 46 is rounded and each of the protrusions 46 is aligned with the top surface 20 of the first panel 12.
A second panel 52 is provided and the second panel 52 is hingedly coupled to the first panel 12. Each of the first panel 12 and the second panel 52 is positionable in a closed position having the first panel 12 resting on the second panel 52 such that the first panel 12 and the second panel 52 defines a case 54 to enclose the graded trading card 16.
Each of the first panel 12 and the second panel 52 is positionable in an open position having each of the first panel 12 and the second panel 52 lying on a horizontal plane to expose the graded trading card 16. The second panel 52 has a second recess 56 integrated into the second panel 52 to accommodate the graded trading card 16 when the first panel 12 and the second panel 52 are in the closed position. Each of the first panel 12 and the second panel 52 may have a width ranging between approximately 4.0 inches and 5.0 inches and a height ranging between approximately 6.0 inches and 7.0 inches. In this way the case 54 defined by the first panel 12 and the second panel 52 can fit in a 10.0 inch by 7.0 inch mailing envelope.
The second panel 52 has a second window 58 integrated into the second panel 52 to facilitate the graded trading card 16 to be visible through the second window 58. The second panel 52 has an upper surface 60, a lower surface 62 and an exterior edge 64 extending between the upper surface 60 and the lower surface 62, and the exterior edge 64 has an upper side 66, a lower side 68, a first sidelong side 70 and a second sidelong side 72. The exterior edge 64 is rounded at each of four corners 74 of the exterior edge 64. The second recess 56 extends into the upper surface 60 and the second recess 56 has a lower bounding surface 76. The second window 58 extends through the lower bounding surface 76 of the second window 58 and the lower surface 62 of the second panel 52.
The second recess 56 has a bounding edge 78 and the bounding edge 78 of the second recess 56 has a plurality of intersecting sides 80 that is each spaced from a respective one of the upper side 66, the lower side 68, the first sidelong side 70 and the second sidelong side 72 of the exterior edge 64 such that the second recess 56 has a rectangular shape. The second window 58 is positioned adjacent to the intersecting side 80 that is spaced from the upper side 66. The second window 58 is elongated to extend along a substantial length of the intersecting side 80 that is spaced from the upper side 66. Each of the first recess 14 and the second recess 56 may have a width of at least 2.5 inches and a height of 3.5 inches to accommodate a the dimensions of a typical graded trading card 16.
The upper surface 60 has a plurality of first knobs 82 each extending away from the upper surface 60. The first knobs 82 are positioned between the bounding edge 38 of the second recess 56 and the upper side 66. The first knobs 82 are spaced apart from each other and are distributed along the upper side 66. The upper surface 60 has a plurality of second knobs 84 each extending toward the lower surface 62 and the second knobs 84 are positioned between the bounding edge 38 of the second recess 56 and the lower side 68. The second knobs 84 are spaced apart from each other and are distributed along the lower side 68. Each of the first knobs 82 extends into a respective one of the first divots 42 when the first panel 12 and the second panel 52 are positioned in the closed position. Additionally, each of the second knobs 84 extends into a respective one of the second divots 44 when the first panel 12 and the second panel 52 are positioned in the closed position.
The second panel 52 has a pair of slots 86 each extending away from the first sidelong side 70 of the exterior edge 64. Each of the slots 86 is spaced from a respective one of the upper side 66 and the lower side 68 of the exterior edge 64. Each of the slots 86 has a primary end 88 and a secondary end 90, and each of the slots 86 is elongated between the primary end 88 and the secondary end 90. Each of the primary end 88 and the secondary end 90 of each of the slots 86 is concavely arcuate. Each of the protrusions 46 engages a respective one of the slots 86 such that the first panel 12 is hingedly retained on the second panel 52. Furthermore, each of the first end 48 and the second end 50 of each of the protrusions 46 conforms to curvature of a respective one of the primary end 88 and the secondary end 90 of a respective one of the slots 86.
The first sidelong side 70 of the exterior edge 64 has a well 92 extending inwardly on the first sidelong side 70. A clasp 94 is movably integrated into the second panel 52, the clasp 94 is biased into an engaging position and the clasp 94 is urgeable into a releasing position. The clasp 94 comprises a first section 96 that is perpendicularly oriented with a second section 98. The second section 98 has a distal end 99 with respect to the first section 96 and the second section 98 has a tab 100 extending laterally away from the second section 98. The first section 96 extends into the well 92 in the first sidelong side 70 of the exterior edge 64 of the second panel 52 such that the second section 98 extends downwardly along the first sidelong side 70. A biasing member 102 is positioned in the well 92 and the biasing member 102 engages the first section 96 of the clasp 94. The biasing member 102 biases the first section 96 outwardly from the well 92.
An engagement 104 is coupled to the first panel 12 and the clasp 94 releasably engages the engagement 104 when the first panel 12 and the second panel 52 are in the closed position for retaining the first panel 12 and the second panel 52 in the closed position. The clasp 94 disengages the engagement 104 when the clasp 94 is urged into the releasing position. The engagement 104 is positioned on the first lateral side 30 of the perimeter edge 24 of the first panel 12 and the engagement 104 has an opening 106 extending through the engagement 104. The second section 98 of the clasp 94 extends through the opening 106 when the first panel 12 and the second panel 52 are positioned in the closed position. The tab 100 on the second portion of the clasp 94 engages the engagement 104 to inhibit the first panel 12 the second panel 52 from is positioned in the open position. The tab 100 is displaced from the engagement 104 when the clasp 94 is urged into the releasing position to facilitate the first panel 12 and the second panel 52 to be positioned in the open position.
In use, the trading card 16 is positioned in the first recess 14 and the second panel 52 is positioned in the closed position to enclose the graded trading card 16. Furthermore, the clasp 94 engages the engagement 104 to retain the first panel 12 and the second panel 52 in the closed position. Additionally, the first window 18 and the second window 58 facilitate the graded trading card 16 to be visible in the case 54. The case 54 is inserted into a mailing envelope 108 to facilitate the graded trading card 16 to be safely shipped to a recipient. In this way the graded trading card 16 can be shipped in a manner that ensures the graded trading card 16 will not be damaged during the shipping process.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
