GB2296217A

GB2296217A - Credit card sized information pack

Info

Publication number: GB2296217A
Application number: GB9425563A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Malcolm John Hockaday
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-12-19
Filing date: 1994-12-19
Publication date: 1996-06-26
Also published as: GB9425563D0

Abstract

The pack contains modules of visual information such as text, maps, photographs and/or diagrams displayed on sections of plastic or coated card which, by means of folding, displays at any one time a selection of such modules from a greater range of information. The overall dimensions of the information pack in a closed position are similar to those of a credit card. Any coded information also held within the pack by magnetic or electronic means remains capable of being read or altered by manual or automated card reading machines. The folds (7, Fig. 8) or mouldings (8) between a base section 1 and the other sections 2, 3, 4, 5 may urge the other sections to close onto the base section. <IMAGE>

Description

CREDIT CARD-SIZED INFORMATION PACK This invention relotes to a credit cord-sized information pock.

Credit cords, 'phone cords and other similor-sized plastic cords are now in common usoge, with many bogs, wallets ond purses containing holders specificolly designed for such cords.

Some cords only corry printed informotion and possibly a bonded strip suitoble for recording a signoture. Other cords incorporote embossed numbers and/or letters or photogrophs or coded informotion in meons such as magnetic strips, laser-read borcodes or microchips.

Whilst such cords con contoin substontial coded informotion, the size of the card precludes visuol presentotion of large amounts of informotion thon con be incorporated on the two foces of a credit cord suitable for being held in conventional credit card holders. A lorger formot would be impracticable for general use, both in terms of meons of retention by individuols and in terms of compotibility with existing card systems.

According to the present invention, there is provided an informotion pack contoining visuol presentotion of informotion on the faces of plastic or other cord which by meons of folding one or more times con be reduced in size to the dimensions of a normal credit card as in generol usage. The means of folding moy provide for the vorious sections of the information pack to tend to revert by a springing motion to the size of a normal credit cord os in general usage. Coded information held by magnetic or electronic meons may be incorporated.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of exomple with reference to the accomponying drawing in which: Figure 1 shows in perspective the information pock in a closed position Figure 2 shows in perspective the information pock in a half-opened position Figures 3 to 7 show types of one-fold, two-fold, three-fold and four-fold information pocks In a fully open position Figure 8 shows types of folding or moulding or welding at edges of the centrol or bose section.

Referring to the drawing the information pack comprises a central or base section 1 of plastic or coated cord connected to one or more folding sections 2 to 6 of plastic or coated card of similar size.

By meons of permanent folds 7 or moulded or welded joints 8, these folding sections 2 to 6 con be folded across the face of the central or base section 1 so that the complete closed informotion pack has a length and width no larger than those of the central or bose section 1.

These folds or joints may incorporate an internol tension creating a springing action tending to return some or all folding sections 2 to 6 to a closed position.

The central or base section 1 has the length and width of a normal credit card in general usage but a shallower thickness. The length and width of the folding section 2 is normally similar to those of the central or base section 1 though it moy hove either its length or width reduced to permit disploy of visual or coded information contained upon or within the central or base section 1 or folding sections 3 to 6. The length and width of folding sections 3 to 6 are adjusted downwards sufficient to permit the eosy movement of the folded sections behind one another or folding section 2.

For a one-fold information pack, the combined thickness of the central or base section 1 and the folding section 2 would be less than or similar to the thickness of a credit card in general usage. For an information pack with further folding sections 3 to 6 the combined thickness of the central or base section 1 and the folding sections 2 to 6 would be less thon or similar to a credit cord In general usage.

Where the means of folding 7 or moulding or welding 8 connecting the central or base section 1 to the folding sections 2 to 6 hove a tendency to revert by springing motion to a closed position, the thickness of such sections shall allow sufficient flexibility to permit one such section to pass in front of or behind such other section as appropriate.

Where moulded or welded joints 8 are Incorporoted those joints shall be produced by a process which creates a permonent tension providing for the folding sections to tend to revert to ü closed position whilst reducing or avoiding any tendency for the edges of the finished credit cord-sized information pack to split open.

By restricting the overoll thickness of the information pack to no greater than that of a credit card in general usage, the information pock may be used in manual or automated cord reading mochines. Where such a consideration is not necessary the combined thickness of the informotion pack may exceed the thickness of a credit card in general usage.

Modules of visual presentation of information (such as text, maps, photographs or diagrams) ore disployed on any or all of both faces of the central or base section 1 and the folding sections 2 to 6. Where the means of folding or moulding or welding connecting the central or base section 1 to the folding sections 2 to 6 have a tendency to revert by springing motion to a closed position, modules of visual presentotion of information may be restricted to one face only of each such folding section 2 to 6 and to one side of the central or base section 1.

Embossing and/or incorporation of coded information by magnetic strip(s), laser-reod borcode(s), microchip(s) or other electronic means moy be included in the central or base section 1 or folding sections 2 to 6 such that such information shall be capoble of being read or altered by manual or automatic card reading mochines.

Claims

1. A credit card-sized informotion pack comprising a central or bose section of plastic or coated card the size of o credit card In general usage, attached to which on one or more edges ore further sections of plastic or coated card of similar or reduced dimensions and capabie of folding across the face of the central or bose section in an interleaved manner, capable of displaying more than two modules of visual information ond of containing coded information.

2. A credit card-sized information pack as cloimed In Cloim 1 wherein the overall shape of the card used to create the pack provides a number of sections for the seporate display of modules of visual information in addition to any coded information.

3. A credii ard-sized information pack as claimed in Claims 1 and 2 wherein the combination of the shape of the card used to create the pack together with the process of folding or moulding or welding the joins between folding sections ond a central or base section permits the display at any one time of a selection of modules of visual information from within a greater range oi visual information which can not be displayed at a convenient scale within the same or similar dimensions as a credit card In general usage.

4. A credit card-sized information pack as cloimed In Claim 3 wherein the folding or moulding mechanism between sections is In internal tension such as to tend to revert by a springing motion to c closed position.

5. A credit card-sized information pack as claimed In Claim 4 wherein the folding sections are sufficiently flexible such that they can be Interleaved in any suitable order.

6. A credit corå-sized information pack as cloimed in preceding cloims wherein coded information can be retained in magnetic strips, laser-read barcodes, microchips or other electronic means within or upon the central or base section of the pack or one of its folding sections.

7. A credit card-sized information pack as claimed in preceding claims wherein the combined thickness of sections of the pack Is similar to the thickness of a single credit card in general usage such that coded information contained therein can be read or altered by manual or outomoted card reoding machines.

8. A credit card-sized Information pack as claimed In preceding claims wherein any moulded or welded joint between folding sections and the central or bose section reduces or avoids any tendency for any moulded or welded edges of the pock to split open.

9. A credit card-sized information pack as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawing.