GB2451111A

GB2451111A - Wallet for concealing the entry of PIN numbers

Info

Publication number: GB2451111A
Application number: GB0713974A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Packer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-07-18
Filing date: 2007-07-18
Publication date: 2009-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 2027-07-18
Also published as: GB2451111B; GB0713974D0

Abstract

A wallet that may be used to shield the user's Personal Identification Number (PIN) number from view when entering it on a keypad comprises a back pane 12, a foldable top panel 11 and two foldable side panels 13,14 that in use are unfolded so as to form an enclosure over a keypad. The wallet is fabricated from a blank of sheet material such as vinyl, cardboard, paperboard, real or imitation leather or plastics materials.

Description

1 2451111 A Wallet for Concealing the Entry of PIN Numbers This invention relates to wallets or purses, and in particular, although not exclusively, to a dual purpose wallet that serves the purposes of holding credit or bank cards and acting as a security screen at a cash dispensing machine or a pin verification machine.

Hereinafter for simplicity, the term "pin verification machine" is taken to include cash dispensing machines (e.g. a hole in the wall ATM machine), and handheld devices for verifying the entry of pin numbers in electronic cashless transactions.

There is a need for a cheap, but more efficient way of concealing the entry of security codes or pin numbers at pin verification machines from prying eyes or cameras.

At the moment, there is little or no effective screening of the keypads of pin verification machines. It is not unknown for undesirable persons to install hidden devices at cash dispensing machines for the purposes of cloning cards and monitoring and recording the entry pin numbers, and then use the stolen pin numbers with cloned or stolen cards.

For busy people standing in a queue at a cash machine, with a bag of shopping in one hand, and an open wallet or purse in the other, extracting and using a bank card is fraught with difficulties. In these circumstances, the user may not be able to conceal the entry of the pin number with one's hand. Consequently, many people faced with these difficulties do not attempt to hide the entry of the pin number.

An object of the present invention is to provide a wallet for carrying one or more credit or bank cards, which, when opened, can be used as a screen to place over the keypad of the pin verification machine to hide the manual entry of the pin number.

In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dual purpose wallet constructed in accordance with any one of the attached claims.

In a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a wallet in accordance with the any one of the attached method claims.

The present invention will now be described by way of an example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 shows schematically, a wallet constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates one form of blank from which the wallet of figure 1 can be made; 1 0 Figure 3 shows schematically a constraining means for use with the wallet of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows schematically a modification of the constraining means of the wallet shown in figures 1 and 2; Figure 5 shows schematically as second wallet constructed in accordance 1 5 with the present invention; and, Figure 6 illustrates a second form of blank from which the wallet of figure 5 can be made.

Referring to figure 1 there is shown a wallet 10 which comprises a top 11, a back panel 12, and two side panels 13, 14. The inside surfaces of the back panel 12, and side panels 13, 14, may be provided with one or more slots 15 that define pockets. Each of the pockets is dimensioned to receive a credit card or bank card (not shown).

The wallet 10 is made from sheet material which may be thin card, cardboard, paperboard, semi-rigid or rigid plastics materials, vinyl materials, leather, synthetic leather materials, or laminated sheets.

The outside surfaces of the back panel 12 and I or side panels 13, 14, may be plain, embossed, debossed, or printed with decoration, advertising material, company logos, or other images.

Referring to figure 2, there is shown one form of a blank 16 made from printable thin paperboard. The blank 16 is stamped out of a web of the paperboard, and has fold lines or creases 17 imprinted in the upper and lower surfaces of the blank 16. The fold lines or creases 17 define five panels that form the top 11, back panel 12, two side panels 13, 14, and an inner front panel 18.

Optionally, the inner front panel 18 has three slots 15 spaced approximately 5 cm, 7 cm, and 9 cm from the fold line located between the inner panel 18 and the back panel 12. The back panel 12 is approximately 100 mm X mm, the side panels 13 and 14 are approximately 100 mm high X 95 mm wide. The top 12 is 100 mm X 90 mm. A strip of one part of a hook and loop fastener 19 of the type sold under the trademark VELCRO is provided on the upper side of the panel 12. A cooperating part of the hook and loop fastener 19 is attached to the underside of one of the side panels 12, or 13 at a position corresponding to the position opposite the first part when the blank 16 is folded as described below.

If desired, the wallet 10 could be of slightly different sizes providing it is large enough to fit along three side edges of a keypad of a pin verification machine. A typical size of keypad is 100mm X 100mm, although some handheld machines may be slightly smaller than this.

It will be seen that the bottom edges of the side panels 13, 14 are cut at a slight angle (approximately 5Q) relative to the vertical fold line 17 between the respective side panel, 13, 14 and the back panel 12. The angled bottom edges ensure that the back panel 12 of the wallet is tilted slightly forward when the wallet is opened and placed adjacent the keypad of a pin verification machine (not shown). If desired, the bottom edges of the side panels 13, 14, could be at right angles to the vertical fold line 17 between the back panel 12 and the side panels 13, 14.

The blank 16 of figure 2 is prepared and folded as follows. Firstly, glue is applied to the inner panel 18, along the regions 21 (shown shaded) adjacent the side edges of the panel 18 and just above the slots 15. The inner panel 18 is then folded about the fold line 17 that is located between the panel 12 and panel 18 and glued into position against panel 12 to define pockets for receiving bank cards (not shown). The uppermost of the pockets is formed between the top edge 22 of the inner panel 18 and the panel 12 itself. The other pockets are formed with the slots as the opening of each pocket. It is possible to insert a loose piece of card (not shown) in one of the pockets and effectively divide that pocket into two separated pockets.

A constraining means could be provided to constrain the side panels 13, 14 from opening out flat and collapsing when positioned around the keypad of a pin verification machine to conceal entry of the pin number. Such a constraining means could be a fixed length strap 19 shown in figure 3 that extends across the width of the back panel 12 at the bottom of the panel 12 and extends across the corners and is glued between the panels 12 and 18 when the panel 18 is folded about the fold line 17. The strap 19 has two end tabs 19(a) each of which is glued to the inside surface of the one of the side panels 13, 14. The strap 19 is dimensioned to stop the side panels 13, 14 from opening out more than about 9O relative to the back panel 12. As an alternative to using a fixed length strap 19, one could use an elastic strap (not shown) to fulfil the same constraint.

In an alternative construction of the wallet 1 0 (not shown) a blank similar to that shown in figure 2 is used, but in this instance, the panel 18 shown in figure 2 is omitted from the blank. In its place a separate inner panel 18 (not shown), but almost identical to that of figure 2, is used. The separate panel 18 would be made of thinner sheet material than the other panels, 11, 12, 13, and 14. The separate inner panel 18 would be prepared in the same way as discussed above in relation to figure 2, and would have glue applied in the same locations as described above and also along the bottom edge of the separate panel 18. The separate panel 18 would then be glued to the front of the back panel 12 as discussed above.

In a further embodiment of the wallet of figure 1, additional inner panels (not shown), each having one or more slots 15 similar to those shown in respect of panel 18 of figure 2, could be glued to the inside surfaces of the side panels 13, and I or 14. Here again, the additional inner panels would be slightly shorter than the height of the side walls 13, 14, and glue would be applied to their side edges, bottom edge, and to the regions just above the slots 15, so that when additional inner panels are glued to the side walls 13, 14, pockets are formed between the respective side panel 13, or 14 and the additional inner panels.

Referring to Figure 4 there is shown a modification of the constraining means of the wallet 10 of figure 1. In Figure 4 the constraining means is in the form of three straps 19 sown in solid lines; the back panel 12 and side panel 14 is shown dotted and side panel 13 is omitted for the sake of clarity. In this embodiment the panel 18 does not have slots 15 to form the pockets, and only one large pocket is formed by the panel 18. The opening of the large pocket is defined by the top edge 22 of the panel 18. Further pockets are formed on the front surface of the panel 18 by two or three straps 19 each of which is similar to the strap 19 described in relation to figure 3. Each strap 19 extends across the width of the back panel 12 and is dimensioned to be slightly wider than the depth of a pocket. The additional straps 19 are positioned below the top edge 22 of the panel 18 and are overlapped at their top edges. Glue is applied to the side tabs 19(a) and the bottom edges and the sides of each additional strap 19 to form pockets 15..

Referring to figure 5, the wallet 10 wallet 10 has a support member 23 (made from a bent wire rod) that has two parallel limbs 25 interconnected by an intermediate section that extends across the width of the back panel 12. The support member serves the purpose of stopping the side panels 13, 14 unintentionally folding inwards when the wallet is used to hide the entry of PIN numbers in a pin verification machine.

wallet 1 OThe rod 23 extends across the back panel 12 at a position slightly above the bottom edge of the panel 12, and the free end of the limbs 25 of the "U" shape extend away from the panel 12 towards the free ends of the side panels, 13, 14 when the wallet is opened as shown in figure 5. The rod 23 is free to rotate about an axis extending along the length of the intermediate section to enable the free ends of the limbs 25 to be raised and lowered.

Preferably the wallet 10 of figure 5 includes a further optional feature, namely two straps 24 that serve to guide the limbs 25 of the rod when the wallet is folded as explained below. Each of the limbs 25 of the support member 23 is located between a respective sidewall 13, 14 and one of the straps 24, and is free to slide behind the straps 24.

The straps 24 extend at an angle of 45Q to the bottom edge of the side panels, 13, 14, and the vertical fold line 17, and have a first end in inserted into slots 37, 38 in the inner side panels of the walls 13, 14, and a second end that is inserted in slots 27 in the back panel 12, as will be explained below.

In figure 5 the top 11 is shown raised so that the detail of the inside of the wallet 10 is visible, but would normally be lowered to rest on the top edges of the side walls 13, 14.

When the wallet 10 is folded, the rod 23 is stowed with the limbs of the "U" shape extending upwards in line with the fold lines 17 that extend upwards. The side walls 13, 14 are then first folded one on top of the other and the top 11 is folded down over the outside of the folded side walls 13, 14 and secured in place by hook and loop fasteners 19, 20 of the type sold under the Trade Mark VELCRO.

To use the wallet 10 for concealing the entry of PIN numbers in a pin verification machine, the topli is unfolded, the side walls 13,14 unfolded, the appropriate credit card or bank card is removed from the pocket in the wallet 10 and inserted into the pin verification machine (not shown). The wallet 10 is opened up to the position shown in figure 5 with the side panels substantially normal to the back panel 12.

The free ends of the limbs 25 of the rod 23 are pulled down by the user to the position shown in figure 5. The opened wallet 10 is then placed over the keypad 30 (shown schematically in dotted outline) of the pin verification machine to hide entry of the PIN number. In use, the combined action of the rod 23 and the straps 24 prevent the wallet 10 from opening up completely or collapsing shut when used to hide the entry of PIN numbers.

After entry of the pin number, the wallet 10 is removed from the keypad, and the credit or bank card is returned to its pocket 1 5 in the wallet. The wallet 1 0 is closed automatically by gently pulling the free edges of the side panels, 13, 14 apart. This action causes the angled straps 24, to bear on the limbs 25 of the rod is 23, and automatically pushes the limbs 25 upwards to lie in line with the fold 1 7 between the side waIls 13, 14 and the back panel 12.

Referring now to figure 5, there is shown one form of blank 26 for making the wallet 10 shown in figure 5. The blank 26 is cut out of a web of printable paperboard and comprises eleven panels defined by the fold lines 30 to 37 and two cut lines 38 and 39. The panels are identified by the letters A to K. Panel D forms the back panel 12 of the wallet 10 of figure 5, and is approximately 100 mm X 100 mm. The panels I and G form the side walls 12 and 13 of the wallet 10 and are of the same height as panel D, but are slightly narrower (95mm) than the width of panel D. The panels, E, F, G, H., I, J, and K are all approximately of 95mm width. The height of the panels J, E, and K, measured from the fold line 33 is about 90mmm.

Slots 27 are cut into the fold line 33 between the panels H and J and between the panels I and K for receiving a first end of the straps 24. Second slots 28 are provided in the fold lines 36 and 37 for receiving the second end of the straps 24.

To make the wallet 10 of figure 5 the blank 26 is prepared and folded as follows. Firstly decoration or printing is applied to the underside of the blank 26 shown in figure 6 so as to appear on the back of the back panel 12 and on the outside of the side walls 13 and 14 when the wallet is completed. Two holes, 40 are punched through the corners of panel E close to the fold line 34. The holes, 40 are for receiving the ends of the wire rod 23. The limbs of the rod 23 are inserted into the holes 40 in the panel E from the upper side so that they project out of the underside of the blank. The rod 23 is positioned with the free ends of the limbs 25 pointing towards the free edge of the panel E. Two straps 24 are positioned on the underside of the blank 26 over the top of the limbs 25, so that the limbs 25 lie parallel to the fold lines 17 and are positioned between the underside of the panels j and K and the respective strap 24. A first end of each strap 24 is inserted through appropriate the slots 27 and glued into place on the upper side of the respective panels G and I; the second end of each strap is inserted through the slots 28 from beneath the blank 26 and glued in place on the back of panel E as shown in figure 5.

Slots 15 spaced at 2 cm, 5 cm, and 7 cm, from the fold line 34 are provided in panel E. the slots extend across panel E and form the openings of pockets. The fold, line 30, is provided on the underside of the blank 10 shown in figure 6 Glue is applied to the top surface of panels F. and G, and they are folded about the fold line 32, and glued in place on to the panels H and I respectively.

Next, glue is applied to panels A and B, and panel B is folded about the fold line 31. Panels B and A are glued to panels C and D respectively. Glue is applied to panels J and K and to the regions 21 (shown shaded) of panel E. Panels J, E and K are then folded simultaneously about fold line 33; panels J and K are glued to the backs of panels H and I and panel E is glued to the front the front of panel D. The panels J, E and K form the inner side panels of the side wall 13, back panel 12 and side wall 14 respectively. The top 11 is formed by the panels B and C. To fold the completed the assembly, the sidewalls 13, 14 are folded about the fold lines 17, the top 11 is folded over the outside of the folded sidewalls 13, 14 and fastened in place by the VELCRO fastening 19, 20.

In the example of the wallet 10 shown in figure 5, the bottom edges of the side waIls 13, 14 are shown at right angles to the fold lines 17 between the back panel 12 and the respective sidewall 13 or 14. If desired, the bottom edges of the side walls could be angled (similar to that shown in figures 1 and 2), so that when the wallet 10 is used to hide the keypad of a pin verification machine, the back panel 12 leans slightly forwards.

The angled bottom edges could be formed in two ways; they could be formed, for example, by cutting the bottom edges of the side panels 13, 14 after the blank 26 has been folded and glued (although this may not be practical for products that are not made from card or paperboard), or they could be made by angling the fold lines between the panels Hand J and the panels I and K, and reshaping the panels J and K so that the panels J and K fit inside the side panels 13, 14 when they are folded.

The rod 23 could be made of a rigid or semi rigid plastics material.

In the above mentioned embodiments, the various panels have been joined by glue but for those materials that can be thermally welded and those that can be welded using ultrasonic welding; these forms of welding could be used instead of glue. Combinations of different materials could also be used.

The wallets 10, 20 could be made of stitchable materials, such as, for example, leather or woven materials, in which case the panels may be stitched together instead of being glued. Stiffening panels (not shown) could be incorporated within leather or fabric covered wallets.

One or more of the pockets 15 of the wallets 10, 20 could be made large enough to carry money in the form of bank notes or even coins.

In a further modification of the wallet of figures 1 and 3 (not shown) a pouch may be formed on the outside of at least one of the side panels.12 or 13.

Claims

A foldable wallet for concealing the entry of a pin number when a user uses a keypad of a pin verification machine, said wallet comprising a back panel a top panel, and two foldable side panels dimensioned and arranged relative to each other so that when the side panels and top panel are unfolded, the side panels can be positioned substantially normal to the back panel, the top can be positioned above the keypad, and the back panel and side walls can be positioned along three edges of the keypad to conceal from view the entry of a pin number.
2. A wallet according to claim 1 wherein and a constraining means for constraining the side walls to restrict opening of side panels beyond 90 relative to the back panel.
3. A wallet according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein there is provided a support means that restricts the side panels from closing to a folded position when the wallet is used to conceal from view the entry of the pin number.
4. A wallet according to claim 2 wherein the constraining means comprises one or more fixed length straps effectively extending between the back panel and each respective side panel.
5. A wallet according to claim 4 wherein there is a plurality of straps arranged with their top edges overlapping to define pockets.
6. A wallet according to claim 2 wherein the constraining means is an elastic strap effectively extending between the back panel and each respective side panel.
7. A wallet according to claim 3 wherein the support means comprises a support member that has two parallel limbs interconnected by an intermediate section extending across the width of the back panel, and the limbs of the member are moveable to, and from, a first position where each of the limbs extends upwardly and is stowed in line with a fold line between the back panel and a side panel, to, and from, a second position where the free ends of the limbs extend in a direction away from the back panel.
8. A wallet according to claim 6 wherein the support member is made from a metal wire.
9. A wallet according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein there is provided two straps each of which is attached to its respective side panel at a bottom edge thereof and extends upwardly at an angle from the bottom edge towards the fold located between the respective side panel and the back panel, and the limbs of the support member slides between the strap and its respective side panel.
10. A wallet according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein a pouch is provided on an outside surface of at least one of the side panels.
11. A method of manufacturing a wallet according to any one of claims 1 to 10 comprising the steps of forming a blank made of a sheet material having fold lines that define a top panel, a back panel, and two side panels, and folding the blank about the fold lines to form a wallet having said top, back panel, and side panels.
12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the blank comprises two adjacent panels (A and B) that form respectively an inside panel of the back panel (D) and one side of the top panel (C), a first group of three panels (F,H,J) that, when folded, constitute one of the side panels, a second group of three panels (G,l,K) that, when folded, constitute a second of the side panels, and a third group of three panels) C, D, E) that when folded
13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the panel F is folded on to the panel H and the panel J is folded on to the panel F.
14. A method according to claim 12 or claim 13 wherein the panel G is folded on to the panel I and the panel K is folded on to the panel I.
15. A method according to any one of claims 11 to 14 wherein a constraining means is provided for constraining the side walls to restrict opening of side panels beyond 90 relative to the back panel, and said constraining means is incorporated into the wallet during the folding of the panels.
16. A method according to claim 15 wherein the constraining means comprises one or more fixed length straps effectively extending between the back panel and each respective side panel.
17. A method according to claim 15 or claim 16 wherein the constraining means comprise a plurality of straps arranged with their top edges overlapping to define pockets.
18. A method according to any one of claims 11 to 17 wherein there is provided a support means that restricts the side panels from closing to a folded position when the wallet is used to conceal from view the entry of the pin number, and the support means is incorporated in to the wallet during folding of the panels.
19. A method according to any one of claims 11 to 17 wherein the support means comprises a member that has two parallel limbs interconnected by an intermediate section extending across the width of the back panel, wherein two holes are provided in panel E for receiving the limbs, the member is inserted through the holes so that the intermediate section lies between panels E and D when the panel E is folded to lie on panel D,
20. A method according to claim 19 wherein two straps are provided, a first set of slots are provided in the fold lines between panels J and H and between panels I and K and a second set of slots is provided in the fold lines between the panel E and the Panel J and between the panel E and panel K, a first end of each strap is inserted into one slot of the first set of slots and a second end of each strap is inserted into one of the second set of slots, and the two straps are arranged relative to its respective side panel at a bottom edge thereof and extends upwardly at an angle from the bottom edge towards the fold located between the respective side panel and the back panel, and the limbs of the support member are located so as to slide between a strap and its respective side panel.
21. A wallet substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.