US2839114A

US2839114A - Expandible card case

Info

Publication number: US2839114A
Application number: US650483A
Authority: US
Inventors: Moscowitz Harold; Moscowitz Leonard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-04-03
Filing date: 1957-04-03
Publication date: 1958-06-17
Anticipated expiration: 1975-06-17

Description

June 17, 1958 H. MOSCOWITZ ET AL 2,839,114

EXPANDIBLE CARD CASE Filed April 5, 1957 IN VEN TORI) HAROLD MOYOW ITZ BY LEON/9R0 moscaw/rz.

Arron/Er.

United States Patent EXPANDIBLE CARD CASE Harold Moscowitz, Brooklyn, and Leonard Moscowitz, Manhasset, N. Y.

Application April 3, 1957, Serial No. 650,483

1 Claim. (Cl. 150-39) This invention relates to card cases and, more particularly, to a card case that is automatically adjustable to accommodate substantially any selected number of card holders therein.

It has been found that different individuals require and desire to carry different numbers of cards, photographs, and the like in holders that are generally known as card cases which are usually carried on the person. Many of these card cases are self-contained or are embodied in wallets, purses, and other similar personal effects. Because of the difierent requirements of different individuals, many of these card cases have been constructed so that various numbers of card holders may be inserted and removed, 'as required, so that suificient holders may be made available when needed and unused holders may be removed when not required. However, the utility and attractiveness of many of these devices is limited since the outside cover of the card case can accommodate only a predetermined maximum number of cards and holders on the one hand, and present an untidy and loose appearance when a large proportion of the card holders are removed from the interior thereof.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable card case that may be self-contained or used in conjunction with other personal eifects that is simple in construction, eilicient in use, and which will overcome the aforementioned difiiculties.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable card case that includes an outside cover having support means for receiving any of a predetermined number of card holders and which is automatically adjusted in size by the number of holders contained therein so that a neat and tidy appearance is maintained at all times regardless of the number of card holders and cards supported therewithin.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a card case having an outside adjustable cover that has self-contained means for automatically adjusting the capacity of the card case in response to changes in the number of card holders and cards inserted therein.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a card case of the above type wherein the cover of the case includes resilient means for automatically controlling the size thereof in response to the number of cards and card holders supported therein.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a card case having an outside cover that includes a substantially inelastic base member for supporting a selected number of card holders, a closure flap having means at one end for engaging one end of the cover, and an elastic band connecting the opposite end of the closure flap to the opposite end of the cover, whereby' the interior capacity of the card case may be adjusted between predetermined limits.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from 2,839,114 Patented June 17, 1958 a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a wallet (shown in phantom lines) embodying a card case made in accordance wtih the present invention, and having parts broken away to show details of construction.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the card case in closed position within the wallet.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the card case in a closed position and containing a relatively few number of card holders.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing a substantially greater number of card holders supported within the card case.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, a card case made in accordance with the present invention is shown, for purposes of illustration, in operative association with a wallet 10. As is more clearly shown in Fig. 2 this wallet 10 includes a longitudinally extending currency compartment 11 that is defined by an inside wall 12 and outside wall 13, and which is foldable in half about a substantially central transverse axis.

A card case 15, made in accordance with the present invention, is shown to include an outside cover 17 having one end secured to the inside wall 12 of the wallet, such as by stitches 16. An elastic strip 18 of substantially the same width as the outside cover 17 is secured at one end to the adjacent end of the cover 17, such as by a row of stitches 20. A closure flap 22 for the card case is secured at one end to the opposite end of the resilient or elastic strip 18 by another row of stitches 23.

It will be recognized that this card case is substantially self-contained and, by eliminating the securement'stitches 16 that fasten the cover 17 to the inside wall 12 of the wallet, such could be constructed as an independent unit bymerely extending the length of the cover 17 to encompass the contents. However, in the construction shown, the elastic strip 18 and adjacent ends of the outside cover 17 and closure flap 22 extend between the inside wall 12 of the wallet and an inner compartment wall 25 thereof which has a cutout as so as to visibly position a conventional identification card therein. At the same time, this arrangement masks the elastic strip 18 and the connections thereof to the other parts of the card case.

The free end of the outside cover 17 is provided with a female snap member 28, while a cooperating male snap member 29 is secured to the free end of the closure .fiap 22, whereby the card case may be selectively closed. A substantially U-shaped Clip bar having a substantially fiat base 31 is secured to the outside cover 17 and has a pair of perpendicularly extending sides 32 that are adapted to be extended into similarly shaped openings within the mid sections of flexible transparent card holders 34. Thus, any desired number of card holders 34 may be secured to the clip bar as they may be required. With reference to Fig. 2, a nominal number of card holders 34 are shown in an open position with respect to the card case 15, in which position the resilient band 18 is in a relaxed or retracted position within the adjacent portions of the wallet. With a reduced number of card holders 34 secured within the card case 15, as shown in Fig. 4, the elastic band 18 is stretched or extended only a relatively slight amount when the closure flap 22 is fastened to the end of the outside cover 17. However, with a substantially greater number of card holders 34 supported within the card case, the elastic band 18 is necessarily stretched a relatively greater amount 18a in order to move the closure flap 22a to a 3 closed position, whereupon the

snap fasteners

28, 29, are engaged with each other\ It will be recognized that this construction not only permits substantially any number of cards to be accommodated within a single card case, but the inherent elasticity of the closure'fiap 22 and elastic band '18 maintains the parts of the card case and the associated device, such as the wallet 10, in proper shape, thereby increasing its attractiveness and utility. As a result, the combined device requires a minimum amount of space within the pocket or handbag and since there are no loose parts, wear upon the article is substantially reduced thereby prolonging the useful life thereof.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing,

it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claim appended hereto.'

We claim:

In a wallet having an outside currency receiving pocket 20 said flap comprising yieldable resilient length-adjustment means for automatically controlling the capacity of said cardcase within predetermined limits inresponse to ad justment of the number of card holders carried within said card case, said yieldable resilient means including an 7 elastic band secured'at one end to said flap andsecured at the opposite end of said inside wall of said wallet, said elastic band being of substantially the same width as said flap and said outside cover of said card case.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Linehan Aug. 12, 1952 Knee May 22, 1956