Credit Card Carrying Case

Abstract

One or more pocket sections of flexible transparent or translucent plastic may be provided with one or more card-holding sections. Each card-holding section is provided with a protective flap or closure scored in the facing-ply of the closure and a credit card inserted into the pocket is retained therein irrespective of the handling to which the pocket is subjected. The protective flap or closure is normally integral with the facing-ply and is formed between the vertically extending edges defining the width of the pocket at some intermediate point between the horizontal edges defining the height of the pocket.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to multi-pocket card carrying cases, and more particularly to card carrying cases of the type used to house credit cards safely and prevent their accidental loss through inadvertence.

In the past multi-pocket card carrying cases have been constructed from sheets or leaves of transparent flexible plastic, sewn or glued to a plastic or leather cover along a folding center line of the cover and sheets. Still other card carrying cases were designed such that the card pocket sheets or leaves were attached along a center folding line to the edge of a stiffened member that could be inserted into a pocket secretary between the outer portion of the secretary cover and an internal flap attached along two or three edges of the secretary cover.

Generally, pocket designs in prior multi-pocket inserts have extended vertically on a leaf such that mutually adjacent edges of two sheets of pockets were in line from top to bottom on the leaf; and pockets in each series were of substantially the same vertical dimensions, so that they could be aligned in pairs. The number of pockets vertically aligned on each leaf was usually defined by either heat sealing, sewing or cementing a plastic facing-ply on the leaf along edges mutually adjacent and parallel to the center fold in the multi-pocket insert. Each pocket formed in the insert was usually provided with a slit or score through which a credit card, calling card or other cards designed to be held for safekeeping could be inserted into the pocket between the facing-ply and leaf. The entry slit into the pocket was usually formed at the mutually vertical sides of the pocket and along the topmost adjacent horizontal side of the pocket. In other instances the facing-ply was scored between the mutually adjacent vertical sides of the pocket in spaced relationship from and contiguous with the topmost horizontal side of the pocket joining the mutually adjacent vertical sides of the pocket and a flap or closure was provided such that a card inserted into the pocket was fully encased within the facing-ply of the pocket. Since, however, the flap or closure was usually formed on the leaf backing proximate to the topmost side of the pocket there was a substantial likelihood that the card would slip from the pocket if and when the insert was accidentally mishandled or the pocket closure or flap inadvertently became lodged out of position through such mishandling.

Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-pocket card carrying insert with a protective flap or closure that will safely lock a credit card or other important cards held for safekeeping within the insert pocket in which it has been placed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the more detailed description that follows.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to this invention, one or more pocket sections of flexible transparent or translucent plastic may be provided with one or more and preferably at least two card-holding sections. Each card-holding section is provided with a protective flap or closure scored or stamped in the facing-ply of the closure such that a credit card once inserted into the pocket will be retained therein irrespective of the handling to which the pocket section is subjected.

The pocket section or insert may be formed of two sheets, a facing-ply and leaf backing. Both the facing-ply and backing may be prepared from the same plastic material, for instance each may be a thin cellulose acetate sheet. The facing-ply and leaf backing may be glued, sewn or preferably heat sealed along their common peripheral margins. The two-ply pocket section may then be sewn, glued or preferably heat sealed along transverse lines to form a plurality of card-holding sections within the pocket insert.

During formation of the card-holding sections in the insert, the facing-ply may simultaneously be stamped or scored to form an irregular but symmetrical slit therein which acts duplistically as a means through which cards can be inserted into individual pockets and retained therein after insertion. The irregular but symmetrical scoring in the facing-ply forms a self-contained protective flap in the pocket which is normally integral with the facing-ply from which it has been scored. It is a particular feature of this invention that the protective flap or closure and the score line defining that closure is formed between the vertically extending edges defining the width of the pocket, at some intermediate point between the horizontal edges defining the height of the pocket, According to this aspect of the invention, the pocket insert slit and protective flap are not formed along the topmost horizontal edge of the pocket but are formed in spaced relationship to the topmost horizontal edge and preferably in the central portion of the facing-ply intermediate between both horizontal edges defining the height of the pocket.

A principal advantage of this pocket construction is that a credit card may be safely "locked-in" to the pocket in which it is inserted without regard for the size of the card installed in the pocket. Whether the installed card merely extends to the insert slot scored in the facing-ply or extends above the slot, it is "locked-in" to the pocket in which it is installed. A card that extends above the slot is retained in place since a portion of the pocket closure similarly extends above the insert slot. A card that merely extends to the insert slot is retained within the confines of the pocket since the protective flap scored in the facing-ply is normally integral with the facing-ply and the flap must be pulled outwardly to disengage the flap from the facing-ply and open the card insert slot. It is, therefore very difficult for the insert slot to accidently open and for the card to fall out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more fully understood in conjunction with the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art insert in which a flap or closure is formed along the topmost horizontal edge of pockets formed in the insert;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the insert of this invention, with a card being inserted over the protective flap and between the facing-ply and backing leaf into a card-holding pocket in the insert;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the insert shown in FIG. 2 with a credit card safely stored and retained within one pocket formed in the insert;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially along the line 4--4 of FIG. 3 and showing one method of inserting a credit card into a card-pocket section; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that shown in FIG. 4 and showing another way in which a credit card may be inserted into a card-holding pocket in the insert.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings in which the same reference numerals identify like elements, a hardened insert panel 10 may be of plastic or other similar material and is mated to multi-pocket insert 12 along central connecting line 14. Hardened insert panel 10 may be inserted into a pocket secretary between the outer portion of the secretary cover which may be of leather, plastic or other suitable material and an internal flap attached along two or three edges of the secretary cover. The hardened panel may therefore be used to retain the entire multi-pocket section or insert within a decorative resilient covering (not shown).

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 which illustrate specific embodiments of multi-pocket inserts adapted to retain credit cards safely according to this invention, facing-ply 16 is heat sealed to backing leaf 18 along common peripheral margin 20. The two-ply pocket section is heat sealed along transverse line 22 to form card-holding sections 24 and 26 within pocket insert panel 11.

Card-holding sections 24, 26 in insert panel 11 are each formed with irregular but symmetrical slit 28 which defines protective flap 30 formed in facing-ply 16.

Protective flap 30 is normally integral with facing-ply 16 in which it has been scored, stamped or otherwise formed therein. Oblique edges 730and 30b of flap 30 join flap 30 to mutually adjacent vertical sides 32, 34 of pockets 24, 26. The point at which oblique edges 30a, 30b join mutually adjacent vertical sides 32, 34 of pockets 24, 26 is a distance d from the topmost horizontal side 36 of each pocket, respectively, joining mutually adjacent vertical sides 32, 34 of each pocket. After credit card 38 is inserted into pocket 24 and fully encased within facing-ply 16 and backing leaf 18, flap 30 forms integrally with facing-ply 16, in which it is formed, to prevent credit card 38 from becoming inadvertently dislodged from its position in pocket 24. It is apparent that the remainder of facing ply 16 from which flap 30 is taken inherently also serves as a flap in ply 16 and cooperates with flap 30 to hold a card in the pocket.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a card 40 is appropriately held within card-holding pocket 26 through the integral closure of flap 30 with facing-ply 16. Card 40 extends above insert slot 28 and flap 30 and is firmly held within pocket 26 by that portion of the pocket closure that incipiently forms at lateral seal 22. Card 42, however, extends substantially to insert slot 28 and flap 30 and is appropriately held within pocket 26 by the integral closure of flap 30, along slot 28, with facing-ply 16. Flap 30 is not laterally creased along its line of juncture with facing-ply 16. This uncreased flap construction makes the pocket construction of this invention particularly useful for holding and retaining credit cards or other cards which may have smaller than standard dimensions, such as card 42.

Referring now to FIG. 1 which is representative of prior art multiple pocket insert devices, flap 30' is appended to topmost horizontal side 36' of pockets 24', 26' and is not integrally formed in facing-ply 16'. Flap 30' does however fold over and enclose abutting entry slit 28' formed in facing-ply 16'. It will be observed that flap 30' does not serve to "lock-in" a credit card 38' inserted into pocket 24. Flap 30 merely serves as a covering for insert slit 28'. If insert 12' is turned "end over end" it is likely that flap 30' will become dislodged from its normal position thereby uncovering slit 28' and permit loosely-held credit card 38' to fall from its enclosure, pocket 24'.

The present invention represents a credit card carrying device of improved construction over prior art devices of the type shown in FIG. 1. Self-lock, integrally formed protective flap 30 assures retention of each card inserted in a card-holding section within pocket insert 12.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, which represent two different methods through which credit card 38 may be inserted into pockets 24, 26, flap 30 may be drawn outwardly and extended upwardly to accomplish insertion or card 38 may be juxtaposed on flap 30 and slipped between flap 30 and facing-ply 16 into pocket 24. As shown in FIG. 4 protective flap 30 is drawn outwardly and upwardly away from facing-ply 16. Card 38 may then be inserted between facing-ply 16 and backing leaf 18 and thrust downwardly into pocket enclosure 24. Protective flap 30 may then be released and it will thereafter conform to its normal position which is integral with facing-ply 16, as shown in pocket 26 in FIG. 4. This method of insertion may be used when the card or other matter placed in the pocket is bulky or when the insert itself is made of an inflexible type material.

Referring particularly to FIG. 5, card 38 may be alternately placed in pocket 24 by placing card 38 on flap 30, depressing flap 30 below facing-ply 16 and thrusting card 38 downwardly into pocket 24. Flap 30 may then be pulled upwardly, released from between card 38 and backing leaf 18 to reassume its integral relationship with facing-ply 16.

It is believed that the improved construction of my multi-pocket card carrying case, as well as the advantages thereof, is apparent from the foregoing detailed description. It will, therefore, be understood that while I have shown and described my invention in several preferred forms, changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. In a multi-pocket card carrying insert of the type in which a facing-ply is fastened to a leaf backing and treated along transverse lines to form a plurality of card-holding sections within the multi-pocket card insert, each said card holding section having horizontal edges defining the height of a pocket;

a card insertion slot passing through and extending across said facing ply over one said card holding section, spaced between and away from said horizontal edges of the one said section;

at least one self-contained protective flap formed in said facing-ply over said card-holding section on one side of said slot and extending between the respective said horizontal edge of said section on that side of said slot and said slot and between the vertical edges of said section which define said pocket.

2. The multi-pocket card carrying insert of claim 1, wherein there are self-contained protective flaps formed in said facing ply over said card holding section above and below said slot and each extending between a respective said horizontal edge of said section on its respective said side of said slot and said slot and between said vertical edges of said section.

3. The multi-pocket card carrying insert of claim 1, wherein said slot is irregularly shaped along its length.

4. The multi-pocket card carrying insert of claim 3, wherein said slot is symmetrically shaped along its length.

5. The multi-pocket card carrying insert of claim 4, wherein said flap is uncreased at its juncture with said facing ply and is creasable when a card is inserted or removed.

6. The multi-pocket card carrying insert of claim 5, wherein said flap is formed of flexible material.

7. The multi-pocket card carrying insert of claim 3 in which the facing-ply is fastened to the leaf backing by means of a heat seal.

8. The multi-pocket card carrying insert of claim 3 in which the facing-ply is fastened to the leaf backing by a heat seal which is continuous along the peripheral edges of the facing-ply and leaf backing.

9. The multi-pocket card carrying insert of claim 8 in which individual card-holding sections are formed on a multi-pocket card carrying insert by extending transverse heat seals in spaced relationship between the fastened peripheral edges of the facing-ply and leaf backing.