CA2023741A1 - Card saver - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Magnetic theory states that if something is to be shielded from a magnetic source then it should be surrounded on all four sides. This is consistent with magnetic theory, since it states that magnetic flux will flow around objects in space. It however makes for a very bulky and awkward device that would protect the credit card from demagnetization. In this invention the end of an envelope is open with a notch cut into it for the easy withdrawal of the credit card from the Card Shield. Current magnetic theory states that magnetic flux should find this opening and flow into the envelope, thus destroying the magnetic information inside. However protection is provided for the section of the credit card's magnetic strip that information isencoded upon. The magnetic flux that does reach the open end of the envelope is absorbed by the magnetic shielding material, thus saving the information. This advance in utility helps reduce the size of the shielding device while increasing the usability of the device. By using the plastic spacer in the device, it limits the Card Saver to one unit per card, thus ensuring that scratching of the card's magnetic strip does not occur.
Don Pacey THE CARD SAVER

Description

~U~1 I

SPECI~;ICATION

In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is an elevation of the top side of the protect*e envelope without a credit card in the device.
Figure 2 is the Bottom End View of the device, showing that it is sealed.
Figure 3 is the Top End View of the device, showing the slot that the single credit card slips into.
Figure 4 is the bottom view of the outside of the protective envelope.
Figure 5 is the Top and Bottom View of the fle~ible plastic inset. It could be made of sheets of thick plastic or any non magnetic material.
Figure 6 is the Front View of the flexible plastic inset showing the slot that the credit card is inserted into. The Magnetic shielding is wraped -around this member and sealed to the top of the plastic.
This invention relates to a manually operable tool for the passive protection of a credit card's magnetic strip from demagnetization while passing close to a purse or key chain magnet, or being physically close to said ~ ~
magnets while at the same time protecting the strip from being physically ~ -damaged by preventing other materials from rubbing against the credit card's magnetic strip.
It is a common belief in the field of magnetism that this type of device must be closed on ;Ill four sides since an~magnetic flux would find a hole and penetrate the interior of the container, thus damaging the magnetic strip on the enclosed credit card. Thus this type of device used to be bulky and have a cap or lid which must be manually removed. This made them expensive and bulky, both factors which made the containers uneconomical and inconvenient. They were not user friendly since they do not fit into wallets. ~.
This is why no such product now exists on the market today for such credit card protection that works.
There has recently been a patent issued, Canadian Patent No.
~61,~15. In this patent the magnetic forces are reportedly directed to the outside of the ferro-glass strips that supposedly re-direct the magnetic forces to the outside of the strips which supposedly cover the encoded strips on the credit cards.. This " Card a~d ~ has been tested by the C.I.C.B. in Toronto and found not to work at all. This is due to the fact that the magnetic field had the entire perimeter of the supposed protection for the magnetic flu2~ to penetrate in-between the two layers and thus corrupt the magnetic strip.
You also have to put the card into the device a certain way or there is no protection at all.which is not the case with the Card Saver The U.S. patent No. 4,593,736 covers most forms of magnetic protection provided that they are completely enclosed in magnetic shielding.
The claims of this patent have not been substantiated, or else the banks would not be looking for a product that saves them from such enormous losses as outlined in the paragraph below. The reason for its failure is that the units all use the same ferro-glass alloy that never prtotected against magnetic interference and is thus no longer made by the manufacturer, the Magnetic Shield Corp. of Bensenville, Illinois, U.S.A. The units were also bulky and held more than one credit card which can corrupt another credit card itself. They were not small, easy to use and all needed a lid or a flap.
The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce looses between 4.5--5 million cards to demagnetization per year at a cost of replacing them as high as $15.00 per card. A total loss of approx. $60,000,000.00 per year each and every year. Since the Canadian banks as well as other international bamks have been looking for over 10 years now indicates that this is a new and un-obvious way of dealing with this problem.
I have found that by forming an envelope of magnetic shielding metal of a ferrous based variety, that the information on the magnetic strip is not compromised when the card is held momentarily close, within a quarter of an inch to a purse magnet in the range with a strength of 30 to 60 gauss.
The credit card is held a specific distance from the metal case by a plastic guide, sheet plastic, paper or any other non magnetic material. See Fig.'s 5 and 6. This is necessary since the magnetic shielding attenuates the magnetic field and a small field is present on inside of the envelope. This does not occur unless the magnetic flux has saturated the metal's ability to absorb the magnetic field. The thickness and type of shield determines the level at which the protection fails. The outer layer may be made thicker for increase protection but there is a customer determined limit as to how thick a unit they would use.
A fiexible plastic piece with a groove cut in the centre of it and formed in the shape of the credit card serves as this spacing device and limits multiple cards from being placed into the Card Saver. The plastic piece may also aid in the construction of the metal envelope. This will result in an envelope that will fit inside of a wallet, approximately 1~" to 1/4" in thickness, with both the credit card and envelope easily retractable from purse or wallet..
The metal envelope is constructed by a forming machine bending with the seams that are then glued or taped together with the internal plastic piece fitting snugly inside the envelope. The outside of the metal envelope is covered with a flexible polymer on which the issuer can print their logo or any other information desired on it.

Don Pacey THE CAR~ SAVER

Claims (3)

1. A manually operable tool comprising a spacer to hold the credit card in the middle of the magnetic shielding members, protecting the card as it is withdrawn and inserted into said envelope from abrasive damage and/or contact with the magnetic shielding material.

2. A tool as described in claim 1 consisting of a three sided, open ended envelope that protects the cards magnetically recorded information from corruption due to close proximity with low strength magnets and static electricity.

3. A tool as defined in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the size is big enough to protect computer disks as well as credit cards.

Don Pacey THE CARD SAVER