FR3092418A1 - Card retainer assembly that includes a storage receptacle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a retaining assembly for a card (5), which comprises a receptacle (2) for storing said card (5), which is equipped with an electromagnetic shield and which has an opening (220). for the passage of said card (5), so that the latter can be retracted, respectively extracted from said receptacle (2), said receptacle (2) housing a retractable cord (30) which can be, as desired, partially extracted receptacle (2) or retracted inside the latter, this cord (30) having a first end (300) fixed inside said receptacle (2) and a second free end (301), characterized by the fact that it comprises a carriage (4) fixed to said second free end (301), which is shaped on the one hand to receive a "near-field communication" chip card (5) - called an "NFC" chip or to radio-identification - called "RFID" chip, which is in the format of a SIM card and, on the other hand, to be introduced to the interior of said receptacle (2) or to be extracted therefrom via said opening (220), said carriage (4) being provided with a gripping member (43) which extends, whatever the position of said carriage (4), always outside said receptacle (2). Figure for abstract: figure 2

Description

A card holder assembly that includes a storage receptacle

The present invention relates to an assembly for retaining a card, which comprises a storage receptacle for said card.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At present, contactless payments are widely democratized. The most widespread technique consists in approaching a bank card fitted with an "NFC" electronic chip (acronym for "Near Field Communication" for "near field communication") to a payment terminal provided for this purpose.

"NFC" technology is a short-range, high-frequency wireless communication technology that allows the exchange of information between devices that are no more than approximately 10 cm apart. It is derived from the "radio-identification" technique, commonly known by the acronym RFID (for Radio Frequency Identification).

Such contactless payments are likely to become widespread, particularly at service stations, directly at fuel dispensing stations and at motorway tolls.

Another use is that which can be made by teenagers to pay for a drink or a sandwich without having to carry a wallet/purse, or by parents to pay for small errands, in the form of a prepaid card with contactless payment.

However, for a public such as motorcyclists, a contactless payment requires these users to remove their protective gloves, otherwise handling their usual bank card to bring it near the payment terminal is particularly difficult.

Another observation that can be made lies in the need, outside the period of use of these cards, to render the exchange of information inoperative, in order to prevent fraudsters from accessing the information linked to the card.

Thus, document EP 1908367 discloses a device for retaining a card, which comprises a storage receptacle for said card, which is equipped with electromagnetic shielding and which has an opening for the passage of the card, so the latter can be retracted, respectively extracted from said receptacle, said receptacle housing a retractable cord which can be partially extracted from the receptacle or retracted inside the latter, this cord having a first end fixed to the interior of said receptacle and a second free end.

It is easily understood that when the card is returned to the receptacle, the information it carries cannot be read due to the electromagnetic shielding.

The invention presented here is inspired by this prior art and aims to improve it, by making it even easier to use the card.

Thus, the present invention relates to an assembly for retaining a card, which comprises a storage receptacle for said card, which is equipped with electromagnetic shielding and which has an opening for the passage of said card, so as to that the latter can be retracted, respectively extracted from said receptacle, said receptacle housing a retractable cord which can be, as desired, partially extracted from the receptacle or retracted inside the latter, this cord having a first end fixed to the interior of said receptacle and a second free end, characterized in that it comprises a carriage fixed to said second free end, which is shaped on the one hand to receive a "near field communication" chip card - called chip " NFC" or radio-identification - called "RFID" chip, which is in the format of a SIM card and, on the other hand, can be introduced inside said receptacle or be extracted from it via said opening, said carriage being provided with a gripping member which extends, whatever the position of said carriage, always outside of said receptacle.

Thus, thanks to the invention, the dimensions of the assembly are minimized since the format of the chip card is itself extremely small. In addition, the extraction of the card is very easy since it suffices to operate a traction on the gripping member which is always projecting from the receptacle.

• ledit chariot avec pourvu d'un couvercle ;

According to other non-limiting and advantageous characteristics of the invention:

• said carriage with provided with a cover;

- Said carriage has, seen from above, an outline of shape similar to that of said receptacle;

- said carriage comprises means for immobilizing said card (5), such as at least one slide and/or at least one stop;

- Said carriage comprises a tray for receiving said card which has a length and a width identical to those of said card;

- the first end of the cord is fixed to an automatic winding device;

- Said automatic winding device and said carriage are positioned relative to each other such that in the retracted position, said carriage extends above said automatic winding device;

- Said automatic winding device and said carriage are positioned relative to each other such that in the retracted position, said carriage extends beside, namely in front of said automatic winding device;

- Said gripping member has the shape of a tab.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention. This description is made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the assembly according to the invention, its carriage being shown in the extracted position from the receptacle;

is a view similar to FIG. 1, the carriage accommodating an NFC smart card in the format of a SIM card;

is also a perspective view of all of the preceding figures, the carriage being in the retracted position inside the receptacle;

is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the assembly according to the invention, its carriage being shown in the extracted position from the receptacle;

is a view similar to the previous one, the carriage being shown in the retracted position.

Reference will first be made to the appended FIGS. 1 to 3, in which a first embodiment of the invention is shown.

The assembly 1 shown in these figures essentially comprises a receptacle 2 and a carriage 4.

The receptacle 2 has the general appearance of a box. It is equipped with electromagnetic shielding. To do this, it consists of a metallic material, a plastic material coated with metal or a conductive material, or even another material known to those skilled in the art which makes it possible to stop or scramble the electromagnetic waves and more particularly NFC and/or RFID waves.

This receptacle 42 comprises lower walls 20 forming a bottom and upper walls 21 which are parallel. For easier consultation of the figures, the upper face 21 is shown transparent which, in practice, is not necessarily the case.

The receptacle 2 also comprises a flat front face 22 provided with an opening 220 in the form of a transverse slot, which extends parallel to the walls 20 and 21. Finally, it is also delimited by two converging side faces 23 and 24 which meet at the rear (i.e. opposite the front face 22) to form a pointed protruding region 25.

Although not shown here, an eyelet may be provided in this region 25, so as to attach a keychain loop or a neck strap thereto.

Inside this receptacle 2 is provided an automatic winding device 3 of a cord 30.

The device 3 is typically of the type which allows the automatic rewinding of a measuring tape. It comprises for this purpose a winder with spiral spring or an elastic strip which is not shown here so as not to overload the figures. Instead of such a device, it is possible to envisage any other equivalent means making it possible to retract the cord 30 inside the receptacle.

A first end 300 of the cord 30 is fixed inside the receptacle 2 and more precisely to the device 3, while its second free opposite end 301 is secured to the aforementioned carriage 4.

This carriage 4 has, seen from above, an outline and dimensions similar to those of the receptacle 2. Indeed, as will be seen below, it is shaped to be able to be housed in the receptacle.

In the form shown here, the carriage 4 comprises a flat bottom 40 forming a plate, which is surrounded by a peripheral low wall 41 of low height, comprising a rectilinear front section 410. The material which composes it is not shielded.

Its dimensions, including its thickness, are chosen so that it can be introduced into the receptacle 2, through the opening 220 and guided therethrough.

From the bottom 40 extends a pair of parallel slides 42, the function of which will be explained later.

In the same plane as the bottom 40 extends, in front of the aforementioned section 410, a gripping member 43 in the form of a tongue which comprises, in this embodiment, a series of parallel ribs 430 intended to improve its grip.

The carriage 4 is configured to receive a "near field communication" chip card 5 - called an "NFC" chip, which is in the format of a SIM card. It could be, in an embodiment not shown, a radio-identification chip (RFID).

The expression "SIM card" means a card known by this acronym (for "Subscriber Identity Module") to designate a chip containing a microcontroller.

It encompasses, within the meaning of the present invention, cards in ID-000 format (ISO/IEC 7810 standard), generally known as "Mini SIM" or "standard SIM", but also those in Mini-UICC format, known under the name "Micro-SIM, or in 4FF format, known under the name "Nano-SIM.

As shown in Figure 2, the card 5 is intended to be introduced, in the carriage 4, on the bottom 40 and between the slides 42 whose spacing is provided for this purpose.

Optionally, the carriage can be provided with a cover (not represented here), preferably transparent or translucent, which makes it possible to prevent the card 5 from escaping from the carriage if it has not been correctly fitted between the slides 42 .

We will explain in detail the mode of operation and use of such a set 1, after having described the embodiment variant of Figures 4 and 5.

The numerical references used below, which are identical to those used previously, designate the same objects.

In this second embodiment, the receptacle 2 has a longitudinal extent greater than that of the receptacle previously described. On the other hand, its thickness is lower.

Its front face 22 is largely occupied by the opening 220 in the form of a slit. Its side walls 23 and 24 are initially parallel and meet opposite the front face to form an arc of a circle.

Inside is present an automatic winding device 3 analogous to the previous one, part of the curved peripheral wall of which consists of the arcuate region where the walls 23 and 24 meet.

In this way, there remains in front of the device 3, that is to say between the latter and the front face 22, a large space E which is used to accommodate the carriage 4 therein, as will be seen below. after.

The carriage 4 has, seen from above, a rectangular shape and its dimensions are adapted to receive, except for the game, a card 5. Thus, the card 5 is wedged by the peripheral low wall 41. The assembly is completed by a cover 44 , preferably transparent or translucent, which can be articulated on the low wall 41.

Again, a gripping member 43 is present, which facilitates the handling of the carriage 4.

These two embodiments are used as follows.

When not in use, the assembly 1 is in the configuration of Figures 3 and 5, that is to say that the carriage 4 is completely retracted inside the receptacle 2.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, the carriage is housed above the device 3, while in the embodiment of Figures 4 and 5, it is housed beside and in front of the latter.

Thus, any reading of the information linked to the card 5 is impossible, due to the shielding.

This assembly is, for example, attached to a choker worn by the user, to a trouser loop, to a key ring, etc.

When this user wishes to make a contactless payment, he grabs the gripper 43, which is easy even with gloves due to the presence of the ribs 430.

He then pulls on this member 43 so as to extract the carriage 4 and the associated card 5. He continues this traction until the carriage 4 is as close as possible to a contactless payment terminal.

Once the payment has been made, he releases the traction, so that the carriage 4 is gradually brought back inside the receptacle 2, by elastic return of the cord 30.

The device according to the present invention is particularly practical. Indeed, when the user is a motorcyclist and the device is fixed to the key ring on which the ignition key of his vehicle is fixed, he can use his card without having to remove said key.

Of course, the device can be used by any type of person, such as a pedestrian who can use his card 5 for example in the form of a prepaid card, which will advantageously be detached from the main bank account.

In general, anyone with an access badge can make use of the device so that the information that the card closes is not accessible by individuals with a near-field reader.

Claims (9)

Assembly (4) for retaining a card (5), which comprises a receptacle (2) for storing said card (5), which is equipped with electromagnetic shielding and which has an opening (220) for the passage of said card (5), so that the latter can be retracted, respectively extracted from said receptacle (2), said receptacle (2) housing a retractable cord (30) which can be, as desired, partially extracted from the receptacle (2) ) or returned inside the latter, this cord (30) having a first end (300) fixed inside said receptacle (2) and a second free end (301), characterized in that it comprises a carriage (4) fixed to said second free end (301), which is shaped on the one hand to receive a smart card (5) with "near-field communication" - called "NFC" or radio-identification chip - said "RFID" chip, which is in the format of a SIM card and, on the other hand, to be inserted inside said receptacle (2) or in be extracted via said opening (220), said carriage (4) being provided with a gripping member (43) which extends, whatever the position of said carriage (4), always outside said receptacle (2) ). Assembly (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the said carriage (4) is provided with a cover (44). Assembly (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said carriage (4) has, seen from above, an outline similar in shape to that of said receptacle (2). Assembly (1) according to Claim 3, characterized in that the said carriage (4) comprises means (42) for immobilizing said card (5), such as at least one slide and / or at least one stop . Assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said carriage (4) comprises a plate (40) for receiving said card (5) which has a length and a width identical to those of said card (5). Assembly (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first end (300) of the cord (30) is fixed to an automatic winding device (3). Assembly (1) according to one of claims 3 or 4, taken in combination with claim 6, characterized in that said automatic winding device (3) and said carriage (4) are positioned with respect to one another. the other so that in the retracted position, said carriage (4) extends above said automatic winding device (3). Assembly (1) according to claims 5 and 6 taken in combination, characterized in that said automatic winding device (3) and said carriage (4) are positioned relative to each other such that in the retracted position, said carriage (4) extends alongside, namely in front of said automatic winding device (3). Assembly (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said gripping member (43) has the shape of a tongue.