US3187795A

US3187795A - Card holder

Info

Publication number: US3187795A
Application number: US304776A
Authority: US
Inventors: Marshall E Stephenson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-08-27
Filing date: 1963-08-27
Publication date: 1965-06-08
Anticipated expiration: 1982-06-08

Description

June 8, 1965 M. E. STEPHENSON CARD HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 27, 1963 Marshall fidle viaemazo J 8, 1965 M. E. STEPHENSON CARD HOLDER Filed Aug. 27, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w 4, Marshall 5 Siepkerzsow A ORNEY6' United States Patent 3,187,795 CARD HOLDER Marshall E. Stephenson, 1500 N. Howland, Porterville, Calif. Filed Aug. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 304,776 2 Claims. (Cl. 150-39) This invention relates generally to a card holder, and more specifically to a holder having a plurality of pockets for holding cards securely therein and adapted to be folded in a small compact package.

It is customary for salesmen who provide products to retail stores, such as grocery stores, to check personally the stock on the shelves, and in many instances provide price cards for their products. Many salesmen assume the responsibility to check that the price is correct and if necessary place the proper price card on the shelf. In order to accomplish this, the salesman usually carries a large number of cards bearing the current prices for the various products he handles. This can be quite cumbersome and also quite time consuming if the cards are not carried in a manner wherein they are easily accessible to the salesman.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a holder for such cards wherein the cards are easily accessible to the salesman.

It is another object of this invention to provide a holder for the cards having a plurality of pockets which are transparent so the cards maybe observed without removal from the individual pockets.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a holder for cards having a plurality of pockets for holding the cards therein and means for maintaining the cards securely within the pockets. I

These objects may be accomplished according to one embodiment of the invention wherein a holder is provided having a plurality of pockets for receiving the price indicating cards. The holder comprises a sheet of flexible material. The sheet is divided into a plurality of sections, each section being substantially equal in size. Each section is provided with a plurality of pockets formed by se curing a strip of transparent material to the sheet. Two adjacent sections are formed with the openings of the pockets directed towards each other and one section being foldable about a line into overlying position with the other. A retainer flap is provided along the fold line to retain the cards within the pockets. The other two sections are provided with pockets and retainer means and adapted so that one section is foldable into a position overlying the other. The folded sections may then be folded together. Suitable means are provided to maintain the folder in folded position.

This embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of the card holder in its fully folded condition;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the card holder in its half open position; I

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the card holder in its fully open position; and

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

The card holder comprises a flexible sheet 12 of any suitable material, such as plastic or cloth. The holder 10 is divided into four sections indicated at 14, 16, 18 and 20. The section 14 is foldable along line 15 into a position overlying section 16. The section is foldable along line 19 into a position overlying section 18. The folded

sections

14 and 16, and 18 and 20, are then foldable along a center line 21 into closed position, such as one would close a book.

Sections

14 and 16 are each provided with a plurality ice of

pockets

22 and 24, respectively. The

pockets

22 and 24 are formed by securing

elongated strips

25 and 26 of flexible material, preferably transparent, to the sheet 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the

strips

25 and 26 are sewn to the sheet 12; however, this may be done by heat sealing or by use of suitable adhesive, depending upon the kind of material used.

The strip 25 is secured, along three of its

edges

27, 28 and 29, to the sheet 12. The remaining edge 30 is not secured to the sheet 12. The individual pockets 22 are then formed by securing the strip 25 to the sheet 12 at spaced intervals 32. The unsecured edge 30 of the strip 25 forms the openings of the pockets 22.

The pockets 24 are formed in a similar manner. The strip 26 is secured, along the

edges

34, 35 and 36, and at spaced intervals, 37 to the sheet 12. The unsecured edge 38 forms the opening of the pockets 24. In this manner the pockets 22 and the pockets 24 all are disposed with their openings directed toward the fold line 15.

A retainer flap 41) is provided in the space between the rows of

pockets

22 and 24 to maintain cards therein. The retainer flap 40 comprises an elongatedstrip of flexible material, preferably of the same material as the

strips

25 and 26, secured along its longitudinal axis to the sheet 12 at the fold line 15. In this manner, a portion 41 of the retainer flap 40, extends towards the pockets 22 and a portion 42 extends towards the pockets 24. As shown in FIG. 3, the

portions

41 and 42 will overlie the ends of cards placed in the

pockets

22 and 24 to maintain the cards securely therein.

The section 13 is provided with a plurality of pockets 46 formed from a strip 47 of the same material as

strips

25 and 26. The strip 47 is secured along its

edges

48, 49 and 543 at spaced intervals 51 to the sheet 12, with its edge 52 left unsecured to form the openings of the'pockets 46. A retainer flap 54, identical in structure to the retainer flap 40, is secured to the sheet 12 along its longitudinal axis adjacent the fold line 19. A portion 55 extends toward the pockets 46 to maintain cards therein.

Section 20 is provided with a plurality of pockets which are formed somewhat dilferent than the pockets of the

sections

14, 16 and 18. A first pair of pockets 56 are provided on one end of section 20 by securing a sheet 57, also transparent, along its

edges

58, 59 and 60, and along its central axis 61 to the sheet 12 with the remaining edge 62 left unsecured. The pockets 56 formed in this manner are disposed with their openings directed in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the openings of the pockets described above.

A further pair of pockets 64 are formed at the other end of section 20 by securing a sheet 65 of trainsparent flexible material along its

edges

67, 68, 69 and its central axis 70, to the sheet 12 with the remaining edge 71 left unsecured. It will thus be understood that the pockets 64 open in a direction toward the openings of the pockets 56.

Substantially midway of the section 24 and between the pairs of

pockets

56 and 64, a further pair of pockets 74 are formed by securing a sheet 75 of flexible transparent material along its

edges

76 and 77 and its central axis 78 to the sheet 12. The

remaining edges

79 and 80 are left unsecured. The pockets 74, thus formed, open in two directions, both toward the openings of pockets 64 and toward the openings of pockets 56.

A retainer flap 82 is provided between the pairs of

pockets

64 and 74 which comprises a short strip of flexible material secured along its longitudinal axis 83, to the sheet 12 so that a portion 84 extends toward the pockets 64 to maintain the cards therein and a portion 85 extends toward the pockets 74 to maintain cards therein.

A retainer flap 86 is also provided between the pockets 56 and the other ends of the pockets 74. The retainer flap 86 is identical to the retainer flap 82 and is secured along its longitudinal axis 87 to. the sheet 12 so that a portion 88 extends toward the openings of the pockets 74 and a portion 89 extends toward the openings of the pockets 56 to maintain the cards therein.

Means 90 may be provided to fasten the holder in its folded position illustrated in FIG. 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the fastening means 90' comprises several small pieces of Velcro Fasteners secured to the back side of the sheet 12

adjacent fold lines

15 and 19.

A further pocket 92 may be provided to hold an identification card, if so desired.

Itwill thusbe understood that the present invention provides means for holding cards including means to maintain the cards securely therein and which may be folded into a compact package which is easily transportable.

The card holder is easily and economically manufachaving a plurality of fold lines extending parallel to one edge of said sheet, said fold lines dividing said sheet into four sections of equal size, said sections being foldable into a package substantially equal insize to one of said sections, each of said sections being provided with a plurality of pockets adapted to hold cards therein, the pockets of the first and second sections opening toward the fold line between said first and second sections, retainer means secured to said sheet along said fold line between said pockets and having portions extending toward said pockets to maintain cards therein, the pockets of the third section being formed with the openings thereof directed toenemas ward the fold line between said third section and the remaining section, retainer means secured to said sheet adjacent said last mentioned fold line having a portion extending toward the adjacent pockets to maintain cards therein, said pockets on the remaining section formed with the openings thereof directed in a direction perpendicular to said last mentioned pockets, and retaining means secured to said sheet for maintaining cards in said last mentioned pockets.

2. A card holder comprising a sheet of flexible material having a plurality of fold lines extending parallel to one edge of said sheet, said fold line dividing said sheet into at least three sections of equal size, said sections being foldable into a package. substantially equal in size to one of said sections, each of said sections being provided with a plurality of pockets adapted to hold cards therein, two adjacent sections having pockets. opening only toward the fold line between said sections, retainer means secured to said sheet along said fold line between saidadjaient sections and having portions extending toward said pockets to maintain cards therein, the pockets on another section formed with the openings thereof directed inwardly with respect to the edges of the sheet and in a direction perpendicular to the fold lines, and retaining means secured to said sheet for maintaining cards in said last-mentioned pockets.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

Claims

1. A CARD HOLDER COMPRISING A SHEET OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL HAVING A PLURALTIY OF FOLD LINES EXTENDING PARALLEL TO ONE EDGE OF SAID SHEET, SAID FOLD LINES DIVIDING SAID SHEET INTO FOUR SECTIONS OF EQUAL SIZE, SAID SECTIONS BEING FOLDABLE INTO A PACKAGE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL IN SIZE TO ONE OF SAID SECTIONS, EACH OF SAID SECTIONS BEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF POCKETS ADAPTED TO HOLD CARDS THEREIN, THE POCKETS OF THE FIRST AND SECOND SECTIONS OPENING TOWARD THE FOLD LINE BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND SECTIONS, RETAINER MEANS SECURED TO SAID SHEET ALONG SAID FOLD LINE BETWEEN SAID POCKETS AND HAVING PORTOINS EXTENDING TOWARD SAID POCKETS TO MAINTAIN CARDS THEREIN, THE POCKETS OF THE THIRD SECTION BEING FORMED WITH THE OPENINGS THEREOF DIRECTED TOWARD THE FOLD LINE BETWEEN SAID THRID SECTION AND THE REMAINING SECTOIN, RETAINER MEANS SECURED TO SAID SHEET ADJACENT SAID LAST MENTIONED FOLD LINE HAVING A PORTION EXTEND, ING TOWARD THE ADJACENT POCKETS TO MAINTAIN CARDS THEREIN, SAID POCKETS ON THE REMAINING SECTION FORMED WITH THE OPENINGS THEREOF DIRECTED IN A DIRECTION PERPENDICULAR TO SAID LAST MENTIONED POCKETS, AND RETAINING MEANS SECURED TO SAID SHEET FOR MAINTAINING CARDS IN SAID LAST MENTIONED POCKETS.