Holder For Disc-like Objects

Abstract

Holder for a disc-like object having a diameter which can vary within a predetermined range and having generally planar first and second spaced parallel surfaces and a circular edge extending at right angles to said generally planar surfaces of said object. The holder comprising a member having substantially planar first and second spaced parallel surfaces with said member having a generally circular hole therein extending through both of said surfaces for receiving one of said disc-like objects. The hole has a size so as to be able to accommodate an object of the largest diameter. The member is formed with at least three object-retaining portions extending into the hole which are adapted to be engaged by the edge of the object disposed in the hole to retain the object in said hole in said member. The member is formed of material whereby the portions can be deformed by said object as it is inserted to accommodate objects of varying diameters while retaining the object within the hole in the member.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to holders for retaining disc-like objects such as coins, medals and the like. In the past holders have been provided for coins and medals. However, it has been very difficult to utilize such holders for coins and medals where there is a significant variation in the size of the coins or medals as, for example, United States silver dollars which can vary in diameter to .+-. .010 of an inch, or a total of .020 of an inch. There is, therefore, a need for a new and improved coin holder which can be utilized with disc-like objects having such variation in sizes without resorting to different sizes of coin holders.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND OBJECTS

The holder is for use with a disc-like object having a diameter which can vary within a predetermined range and having generally planar first and second spaced parallel surfaces and a circular edge extending at right angles to the planar surfaces of the object. The holder comprises a member which has substantially planar first and second spaced parallel surfaces. The member is also provided with a generally circular hole therein extending through both of said surfaces for receiving a disc-like object. The hole has a size so as to be able to accommodate an object of the largest diameter within said predetermined range. The member is formed with at least three object-retaining portions extending into the hole which are adapted to be engaged by the edges of one of the objects disposed in said hole to retain said object in said hole. The portions of the member are formed of a material permitting said portions to be deformed by the edge of said object as the object is inserted in the hole to accommodate an object having a size within said predetermined range and having a varying diameter while retaining said object within the hole in the member.

In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide a holder for disc-like objects which can accommodate objects which have significant differences in sizes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder of the above character which is particularly adaptable for use with coins and metals.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder of the above character which is attractive.

Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiment is set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a holder incorporating the present invention with certain parts broken away.

FIG. 2 is an exploded cross-sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view looking along the line 4--4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is also a partial plan view of a portion of a holder incorporating another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a greatly enlarged view of the first portion encircled by the line 7--7 in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The holder shown in the drawings is for use with disc-like objects 11 such as coins or medals which have first and second spaced parallel, generally planar surfaces 12 and 13 and a circular edge 14 extending at right angles to said surfaces 12 and 13. As shown in FIG. 2, the edge 14 can be milled. The object 11 is adapted to be carried by a holder 16 comprising the present invention.

The holder 16 consists of a case 17 formed of first and second, generally rectangular parts 18 and 19. The first and second parts 18 and 19 are of a conventional construction and are formed of a suitable transparent material such as plastic. The first and second parts 18 and 19 are formed of a plastic so that the two parts can be bonded together such as by ultrasonic welding to form a unitary assembly.

The holder 16 also consists of a member 26 which also can be formed of a suitable plastic. By way of example and for reasons hereinafter described, it is desirable that a low impact plastic be utilized. In other words, it should have low to medium tensile strength so that it is possible to develop deformation in the plastic without shearing. Such plastics should have a tensile strength ranging from approximately 2,000 to 5,000 psi. One general purpose plastic found particularly suitable is the one produced by Monsanto having a medium impact of 3,600 psi. Examples of such plastic are styrene or polyproplyne. Polyproplyne has been found to be particularly satisfactory since it is not ultrasonically weldable which is an advantage when it is placed in a case during the time that the case 17 is being formed by bonding together the first and second parts 18 and 19. Thus, the member 26 is resistant to welding to the polystyrene case 17.

The member 26 is provided with substantially planar first and second spaced parallel surfaces 27 and 28. The member 26 is generally rectangular so that it will readily fit within the case 17. The member 26 is provided with a hole 31 which has a diameter which is of sufficient size to accommodate an object of the largest diameter to be carried by the holder. The hole 31 extends through the member 26 at right angles to the surfaces 27 and 28 and opens through the surfaces 27 and 28. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the hole 31 is generally centrally disposed in the member. The hole 31 is defined by a side wall 32 which extends at right angles to the surfaces 27 and 28. The member is formed with at least three object-retaining portions or lips 33 which extend inwardly into said hole 31. The portions or lips are adapted to be engaged by the edge of said object disposed in said hole to retain said object in said hole. Each of the lips is defined by a pair of inclined side walls 34 and 36 which are inclined at an angle with respect to each other ranging from 45.degree. to 75.degree., but preferably at an angle of approximately 60.degree.. The side walls 34 and 36 adjoin the side wall 32 defining the hole 31. In addition, the side walls 34 and 36 join a curved wall 37 which forms the apex of the lip or portion 33. Each of the lips or portions 33 is provided with an inclined side wall 41 which is tapered at a suitable angle ranging from 30.degree. to 60.degree., but preferably at an angle of approximately 45.degree. as shown in FIG. 5 and which tapers inwardly from the surface 27. Each of the lips or portions 33 is also provided with a wall 42 which is an extension of the wall 28.

It is desirable that the lips or portions 33 be substantially equally spaced around the perimeter of the hole 31. Thus, when only three lips are utilized, the lips would be spaced approximately 120.degree. apart. However, it has been found that it is particularly desirable to utilize five such lips spaced approximately 72.degree. apart when the holder is being utilized for retaining large objects such as United States silver dollars.

By way of example, one holder incorporating the present invention was provided which is particularly adapted for holding United States silver dollars. In connection therewith, it has been found that such silver dollars have a variation in diameter of .+-. .010 inches or .020 inches in total. The member 26 was formed so that it had a thickness of approximately .125 inches so that it was substantially thicker than the thickness of the silver dollar which has a thickness of approximately .117 inches. The member 26 was formed of polyproplyne having an impact of 3,600 psi.

The hole 31 had a diameter of 1.510 inches so that it could readily accommodate silver dollars having sizes ranging from 1.500 to 1.480 inches. The lips 33 had a size so that the diameter of the opening within the lips was 1.470 inches. The lips 33 at the base had a width of .062 inches and at the top had a width of approximately .030 inches. The side walls 41 had a chamfer of approximately 45.degree..

In use of the holder for retaining objects such as United States silver dollars, the silver dollar is inserted into the opening through the side having the chamfered side walls 41. This facilitates insertion of the coin without shearing the plastic forming the lips 33. By gradually applying force to the coin so that it engages the chamfered walls 41, the plastic is generally readily deformed by the edge of the coin to accommodate the coin and to permit the coin to be pressed into the hole 31 so that the surfaces of the coin are below the surfaces of the board or member 26 as shown in FIG. 2. The larger the coin inserted into the hole 31, the greater the deformation of the lips 33. The coin is retained by the lips or portions 33 frictionally engaging the milled edges of the coin. It has been found that when five of the lips are provided which extend into the hole or opening 31 that it is relatively easy to insert the coin into the opening without canting of the coin.

After the coin has been carefully inserted into the member 26, the member 26 can be inserted between the first and second parts 18 and 19 and then sealed between the first and second parts by ultrasonically welding the two parts to provide a unitary assembly. In such an assembly it can be seen that the coin is attractively displayed and is retained within the board or member 26 so that it will not rattle within the case. The particular type of construction provided is advantageous in that it permits one board or member 26 to be utilized for the coins although they may differ significantly in diameter. In addition, the coins or objects can be readily inserted into the holder.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. As is shown therein, the member 46 is very similar to the member 26 and is provided with a hole 47 which is of a sufficient size to accommodate an object of the largest diameter to be carried by the holder. The hole 47 corresponds to the hole 31 provided in the member 26. In the member 46 shown in FIG. 6, there are provided only three object-retaining portions or lips 48 which are spaced 120.degree. apart as shown in FIG. 6 rather than five portions or lips 33 provided in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Also, as with the portions or lips 33, the portions or lips 48 serve to retain the object within the hole 47. The portions or lips 48 have a conformation which differs somewhat from the conformation of the portions or lips 33. Each of the lips or portions 48 is defined by a pair of side walls 51 and 52 which are generally concave and form part of a circle having a suitable radius such as .06 of an inch. The lip or portion 48 is also provided with a generally planar surface 53 which adjoins the arcuate surfaces 51 and 52. The surface 53 can have a suitable width such as .020 of an inch. With such dimensions for the lips or portions 48, the opening 47 can have a suitable dimension such as 1.505 inches with the surfaces 53 generally lying in a circle which has a diameter of 1.495 inches. Each of the lips or portions 48 is also provided with inclined side wall 56 similar to the side wall 41. The member 46 is also provided with a slight champfer 57 which has the same inclination as the side wall 56 and adjoins the side wall 56.

The use of this embodiment of the invention is very similar to that of the embodiment hereinbefore described. However, it has been found that with the use of only three of the lips or portions 56 having the conformation shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, that the lips or portions are more readily deformed by the coins or medals than the lips or portions 33. This is particularly true with respect to the larger sizes of coins or medals which have a size which is generally close to the maximum size permitted. It is believed that this is true because there is less material which must be deformed in order to permit the coin or medal to fit within the hole 47.

It is apparent from the foregoing that there has been provided a holder which is particularly adaptable for retaining disc-like objects such as coins or coins and medals which have significant differences in sizes.

Claims

I claim:

1. In a holder for a disc-like object of the type having a diameter which can vary within a predetermined range and having generally planar first and second spaced parallel surfaces and a circular edge extending at right angles to said first and second planar surfaces of said object, a solid single unitary sheet-like member having substantially planar first and second spaced parallel surfaces, said member having a generally circular hole therein extending through both of said surfaces for receiving the object, the portions of said first and second surfaces surrounding said circular hole being continuous, said member being formed with at least three object-retaining portions integral with said member extending into said hole and being of substantially the same vertical extent as said hole, said member being adapted to be engaged by the edge of one of said objects disposed in said hole to retain said object in said hole, said member being formed of a material whereby said portions can be deformed permanently by said object as it is inserted to accommodate the object while retaining the object within the hole in the member, said object retaining portions being formed with inclined chamfered surfaces on one side of the same to facilitate insertion of the object into the hole.

2. A holder as in claim 1 wherein said member is formed of plastic ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 psi in tensile strength.

3. A holder as in claim 1 wherein each of said portions is provided with inclined side walls which adjoin the wall defining the hole in said member.

4. A holder as in claim 1 wherein at least five of said portions are provided.

5. A holder as in claim 4 wherein said portions are spaced approximately 72.degree. apart.

6. A holder as in claim 1 together with first and second parts bonded together to enclose said member.

7. A holder as in claim 1 wherein said first and second walls of said member are spaced apart a greater distance than the spacing between the first and second surfaces of said object.