US20040172789A1

US20040172789A1 - Organizer for paper currency and credit cards

Info

Publication number: US20040172789A1
Application number: US10/378,257
Authority: US
Inventors: Barbara Lehr
Original assignee: Grand Band Inc
Current assignee: Grand Band Inc
Priority date: 2003-03-04
Filing date: 2003-03-04
Publication date: 2004-09-09

Abstract

An assembly of two components, one an expensive monogrammed metal component and the other an inexpensive rubber band component, the latter being stretched to undergo a necking down to facilitate the making of the assembly, in which rubber bands in different colors are provided for selection for substitution of one for another as might be more appropriate for the occasion of use and the gender of the user, thereby increasing the use value of the expensive component.

Description

The present invention is a product for an individual's convenience in the specific form of an organizer for paper currency and credit cards.

It is already a known practice to use a money clip for paper currency and a carrying case sized to accommodate credit cards. In either circumstance, there is no alternative for the specific money clip or carrying case used and yet the occasion of use or the gender of the user, and possibly the user's age also, may not be appropriate for the specifically used money clip or carrying case. For example, a female would have a preference for purple, a teenager for red, a formal occasion of a wedding or restaurant retirement luncheon green, and it would not be practical to have plural money clips and carrying cases embodied in all of the foregoing colors to substitute one for another that is more appropriate.

Broadly it is an object of the present invention to overcome the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art.

More particularly, it is an object to provide a two-part construction as an organizer for the paper currency and credit cards in which one component is sufficiently economical to substitute for each other, and the noted component is readily manifested in a desired selected color appropriate for an occasion of use or gender of the user, all as will be better understood as the description proceeds.

The description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings should not be construed as limiting the invention to the example shown and described, because those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains will be able to devise other forms thereof within the ambit of the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view illustrating the assembly of two selected components of the within inventive article of manufacture; [0006]
FIG. 2 is an isolated view of one monogrammed component and of color variations for selection of the other component for assembly to the monogrammed component; [0007]
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the assembled components applied to credit cards; and [0008]
FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 3 but applied to paper currency.[0009]
Shown in FIG. 1 is a rubber band-stretching implement, generally designated [0010] 10, designed specifically for assembly of the two components of the present invention and, to this end, uses a scissors' operating mode, In which levers 12 and 14 interconnected by a pivot 16 are urged in closing movements 18 by a right forefinger 20 and right thumb 22 pressure applied to the bottom ends of the levers 12, 14, which correspondingly urges the upper ends of the levers 12, 14 in opening movements 24. A rubber band 26, which is one of the invention components, is seated in notches 28 and 30 and is stretched lengthwise which causes a necking down in width and thusly stretched, a monogrammed, as at 32, slide generally designated 34 of metal construction material, is easily handled in a grip between a left thumb 36 and forefinger 38 during placement on the stretched rubber band 26, the slide 34 being the other of the two components of the invention and is thusly aptly named because it “slides” if need be on the rubber band for positioning.
As best understood from the perspective of FIG. 2, the [0011] slide 34 in profile is a shaped configuration, resembling a letter “C,” presenting a medial planar display surface 40 for the monogram 32, and has inwardly bent opposite edges 42 and 44 in clearance positions rearwardly of the display surface 40, wherein the edges 42, 44 bound compartments 46 and 48 for receiving in projected relation a cooperating edge of the rubber band 26 which fits, when necked down during stretching and angled between the edges, through the opening into and assumes a position within a compartment 46, 48. When released, the rubber band 26 contracts to its normal unstretched length and assumes a correspondingly larger width extending into both compartments 46 and 48 which completes the assembly of the slide 34 and rubber band 26.
As shown in FIG. 2, the rubber band selected for assembly with the [0012] slide 34 could be purple, as noted by the color coded rubber band designated 26P, or red, as noted by the color coded rubber band designated 26R, or could be green, as noted by the color coded rubber band designated 26G. The color selected for one occasion could be changed for a color more appropriate for another occasion, or the substitution made according to the gender of the user, it having been found in practice that a female prefers a fashion color such as purple and a teenager the color red.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the [0013] assembly 34, 26 is useful as an organizer for credit cards 50, and as illustrated in FIG. 4 as an organizer for paper currency 52.
While the article of manufacture, as well as its method of manufacture herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the detail of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims. [0014]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An organizer for credit cards and paper currency comprising, in combination:

A. plural rubber bands each of a different color selected to have a synergistic relation to an occasion of use or a gender of a user;

B. a slide of metal construction material having in profile a shaped configuration presenting a medial planar display surface and inwardly bent opposite edges in clearance positions beneath said display surface bounding compartments for receiving in projected relation through said clearance a selected one of said plural rubber bands;

C. an engraving applied to said display surface; and

D. a rubber band of a selected color from said plural colored rubber bands stretched lengthwise into a compartment-opening size and inserted into said compartments and thereafter contracted to a larger than said compartment-opening size to complete an attachment of said slide to said rubber band;

whereby said slide is interchangeably attached to one rubber band of a selected color according to the occasion of use of the organizer or the gender of the user.