EP0283594A1

EP0283594A1 - Holder for a credit card or the like

Info

Publication number: EP0283594A1
Application number: EP87200567A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Maarten Antonius Petrus Winnubst
Original assignee: XANDRIA HOLLAND BV
Current assignee: XANDRIA HOLLAND B.V.
Priority date: 1987-03-25
Filing date: 1987-03-25
Publication date: 1988-09-28

Abstract

The invention relates to a holder for credit cards or the like. This holder comprises means (14-19) for clamping a credit card or the like positioned in said holder.

Description

The invention relates to a holder for a credit card or the like, comprising a rectangular sheet-like upper part and a rectangular sheet-like lower part extending at a short distance from and parallel to said upper part, which parts along three of their sides are interconnected by edge portions extending perpendicularly to the plane of the upper part and the lower part.
Holders of this type are known in a wide variety.
It is an object of the invention to develop further the known holders for a credit card or the like.
Therefore the holder according to the invention is characterized by means for clamping a credit card or the like positioned in said holder.
In this way the loss of the credit card or the like can be prevented.
A preferred embodiment of the holder according to the invention is characterized in that the upper part and the lower part at their sides extending perpendicularly to said side not having an edge portion, inwardly comprise projections, wherein the projections of the upper part and the lower part are mutually displaced.
By the application of mutually displaced projections on the upper part and the lower part a credit card or the like positioned in the holder is slightly curved, and the internal resiliency of this curved credit card enables an adequate clamping of this credit card in the holder.
It is possible, that the projections are mutually displaced in the longitudinal direction of the sides comprising the projections.
According to a preferred embodiment of the holder according to the invention the one sheet-like part comprises at each of said sides two projections, wherein the other sheet-like part comprises at each of said sides one projection, said one projection being positioned substantially half way both corresponding projections of the one sheet-like part.
If the projections at least parallel to the corresponding sides extend in a convex way, positioning of the credit card or the like in the holder is very simple, because the projections extending in a convex way assure an adequate guiding of the ends of the credit card.
A further handy embodiment of the holder according to the invention is characterized in that the other sheet like part at its side not comprising an edge portion and acting as an insertion opening, comprises a number of elevations. It is preferred that it comprises four elevations regularly distributed about said side.
Due to these elevations it can be prevented, that in case of a credit card or the like comprising a centrally disposed magnetic strip this magnetic strip contacts the side of the holder not comprising an edge portion what could lead to damaging said magnetic strip.
Further it is advantageous if the holder at its side not comprising an edge portion, is bevelled such, that the one sheet-like part slightly projects relative to the other sheet-like part. As a result introducing and removing the credit card or the like will be simplified further.
Finally it is possible, that both sheet-like parts comprise a grip opening at their sides not comprising an edge portion.
Hereafter the invention will be explained further by means of the drawing, in which an embodiment of the holder according to the invention is illustrated.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a holder according to the invention;
Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a lower part of the holder, and
Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of an upper part of the holder, that for the sake of clarity has been reversed.

The holder for a credit card or the like shown in fig. 1 comprises a rectangular sheet-like upper part 1 and a rectangular sheet-like lower part 2 extending at a short distance from and parallel to said upper part 1. The upper part 1 and the lower part 2 are at three of their sides mutually interconnected by edge portions 3 extending perpendicularly to their planes. The side of the holder not comprising an edge portion forms an insertion opening 4, through which a credit card or the like can be inserted.
At the insertion opening 4 not comprising an edge portion the holder is bevelled. In the shown embodiment the upper part 1 is bevelled at this side, so that this upper part 1 projects less far than the lower part 2.
As can be seen further in fig. 1 the upper part 1 as well as the lower part 2 comprise at the insertion opening 4 a grip opening 5. Through these grip openings 5 a credit card or the like positioned in the holder can be caught with the fingers.
The holder comprises a number of means for clamping a credit card or the like positioned in the holder. These means are visible in fig. 2 and 3, showing a separate lower part 2 (fig. 2) and a separate upper part 1 (fig. 3).
As appears clearly from fig. 2 and 3 the edge portions 3 of the holder are composed of edge portions 6-8 of the lower part 2 and edge portions 9-11 of the upper part 1. The position of the edge portions 6-8 and the edge portions 9-11 is such, that upon combining the upper part 1 with the lower part 2 the edge portions 9-11 enclose the edge portions 6-8.
Further the edge portions 6-8 of the lower part 2, in a way known per se, are provided with local elevations that simplify the interconnection of the upper part 1 with the lower part 2 using a welding technique.
The correct position of the upper part 1 relative to the lower part 2 will further be assured by the increased ends 12, 13 of the edge portions 9 or 11, respectively, of the upper part 1. These increased ends 12, 13 catch behind the corresponding ends of the edge portions 8 and 6, respectively, of the lower part 2.
The lower part 2 comprises at the edge portions 6 and 8 two projections 14, 15 and 16, 17, respectively. The upper part 1 comprises at the edge portions 9 and 11 a projection 18 and 19, respectively. The position of these projections 18 and 19 is chosen such, that after joining the upper part 1 and the lower part 2 these projections are positioned substantially half way both corresponding projections 16, 17 and 14, 15, respectively, of the lower part 2. In general the projections of the lower part 2 and the projections of the upper part 1 always need to be mutually displaced in the longitudinal direction of the edge portions 9 and 11 to obtain the right effect. Due to this displaced position a credit card or the like introduced in the holder obtains a curved shape resulting in a firm hold of this credit card or the like in the holder.
The shape of the projections 14-19 is such, that, parallel to the edge portions 6, 8 and 9, 11 respectively, they extend in a convex way. As a result these projections guide the end of a credit card or the like in a correct way.
As appears from fig. 3 the projections 18 and 19 are slightly distanced from the edge portions 9 and 11. This distance is necessary for enabling the placement of the edge portions 6 and 8 of the lower part 2 inside the edge portions 9 and 11 of the upper part 1.
As appears further from fig. 3 the upper part 1 comprises at its side not having an edge portion, thus at the insertion opening 4, a number of elevations 20. In the shown embodiment four elevations, that are equaly distributed over said side, are provided. These elevations 20, which are dot shaped and which have rounded ends, prevent a credit card to contact the free side of the upper part 1 during introducing said credit card into the holder. This would be a disadvantage if the credit card is provided with a magnetic strip, that could be damaged due to the contact with said free side. Keeping the credit card free from said free side of the lower part 2 is carried out by the projections 14 and 16. Of course it has to be ensured that the position of the elevations 20 is such, that they do not coincide with the position of the magnetic strip of the credit card.
Finally, as appears from fig. 2, the lower part 2 further comprises an additional projection 21, that is provided at the edge portion 7. This projection 21 too promotes clamping the credit card in the holder.
The invention is not restricted to the embodiment described above, but can be varied widely within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Holder for a credit card or the like, comprising a rectangular sheet-like upper part and a rectangular sheet-like lower part extending at a short distance from and parallel to said upper part, which parts along three of their sides are interconnected by edge portions extending perpendicularly to the plane of the upper part and the lower part, characterized by means for clamping a credit card or the like positioned in said holder.

2. Holder according to claim 1,
characterized in that the upper part and the lower part at their sides extending perpendicularly to said side not having an edge portion, inwardly comprise projections, wherein the projections of the upper part and the lower part are mutually displaced.

3. Holder according to claim 2,
characterized in that the projections are mutually displaced in the longitudinal direction of the sides comprising the projections.

4. Holder according to claim 3,
characterized in that the one sheet-like part comprises at each of said sides two projections, wherein the other sheet-like part comprises at each of said sides one projection, said one projection being positioned substantially half way both corresponding projections of the one sheet-like part.

5. Holder according to claim 4,
characterized in that the projections at least parallel to the corresponding sides extend in a convex way.

6. Holder according to claim 4 or 5,
characterized in that the other sheet like part at its side not comprising an edge portion and acting as an insertion opening, comprises a number of elevations.

7. Holder according to claim 6,
characterized in that it comprises four elevations regularly distributed about said side.

8. Holder according to claim 6 or 7,
characterized in that the elevations are dot-like and have a rounded end.

9. Holder according to one of the claims 1-8,
characterized in that it is, at its side not comprising an edge portion, bevelled such, that the one sheet-like part slightly projects relative to the other sheet-like part.

10. Holder according to one of the claims 1-9,
characterized in that both sheet-like parts comprise a grip opening at their sides not comprising an edge portion.