Abstract:
A wallet comprising a concave top hingably attached to a concave bottom. The hinge pin has a central bore adapted to receive a cylindrical article. The top and bottom each include a half latch mechanism. There is also a spring attached to the hinge pin and bearing on either the top or the bottom and a pin, passing radially through the hinge pin and one of the hinge knuckles, for securing the hinge pin in place in the wallet assembly. The wallet remains closed when the top and bottom are latched to each other and will open by itself when the latch is unlatched. The wallet preferably includes a badge attached to the top and internal springs to retain items against the top and bottom.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to the field of wallets and more particularly to wallets with a pivoted, latachable, hard, concave top and bottom and a protected space for containing an essentially cylindrical object. 
   Wallets are used to contain small items such as credit cards, coins, postage stamps, business cards, money or small pictures. They are generally sized and shaped to fit in a coat or pants pocket. However, most wallets provide little or no protection to the contents. They are useless for containing hard, shape or delicate items such as keys, screwdrivers, needles, pens, laser pointers, styli or pencils. Moreover, most wallets must be manually opened. 
   Development of a wallet which can protect and hold small objects and springs open at the release of a latch represents a great improvement in the field of wallets and satisfies a long felt need of the public. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a wallet comprising a concave top hingably attached to a concave bottom. The hinge pin has a central bore adapted to receive a cylindrical article, which can be a pen, a pencil, a laser pointer, a cylindrical key or the like. The top and the bottom each include a latch mechanism. There is also a spring (or means for biasing) attached to the hinge pin and bearing on either the top or the bottom and a pin (or locking means) for securing the hinge pin in place in the wallet assembly. The pin goes radially through the hinge pin and one of the hinge knuckles. In this way the wallet will remain closed when the top and bottom are latched to each other and will open by itself (i.e. the top and bottom will spring away from each other under the action of the spring) when the latch is unlatched. 
   The wallet of this invention is fabricated by: 
   i) fabricating a concave top which includes at least one first hinge knuckle and half a latch mechanism; 
   ii) fabricating a concave bottom which includes at least one second hinge knuckle and the mating half latch mechanism; 
   iii) fabricating a hinge pin, with a central bore adapted to receive a cylindrical article, adapted to fit in the central opening of the hinge knuckles and including an adjustment mechanism; 
   iv) fabricating a biasing means (or spring) adapted to be attached to the hinge pin and to bear on either the or the bottom; 
   v) attaching the biasing means to the hinge pin; 
   vi) mating the hinge knuckles; 
   vii) inserting the hinge pin with attached biasing means into the central bore, thereby hingably attaching the top to the bottom and incorporating the biasing means so that the concave top and concave bottom are urged away from each other when the latch is unlatched;
 
viii) adjusting the bias in the biasing means with a screwdriver via the adjustment mechanism; and
 
ix) securing the hinge pin within the central opening with a locking means or pin.
 
   If the spring bears on the top the pin must go through one of the hinge knuckles integral with the bottom and vice versa. Preferably the top and bottom are made of cast metal, preferably aluminum. The adjustment mechanism may be adjusted via a screwdriver slot, radially in the wall of the hinge pin. Then a screwdriver may be used to wind up the spring before the pin is used to lock the hinge pin in place. The wallet may include a badge attached to the top. Preferably it also includes internal springs to retain items against the top and bottom and a concave area (or depression) in the bottom or enable the wallet to be comfortably carried in a hip pocket. 
   An appreciation of the other aims and objectives of the present invention and an understanding of it may be achieved by referring to the accompanying drawings and description of a preferred embodiment. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a partially exploded view of the wallet of this invention in the open configuration. 
       FIG. 2  is a partially exploded and partially cut-away view of the wallet of this invention in the closed configuration. 
       FIG. 3  is an enlargement of the detail included in circle  3  on  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective of the hinge pin/spring subassembly of this invention. 
       FIG. 5  is an enlargement of the detail included in circle  5  on  FIG. 8 . 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective, partially exploded view of the hinge pin/spring subassembly of this invention and a typical cylindrical object. 
       FIG. 7  is an enlargement of the detail included in circle  7  on  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 8  is a partially cut away view of the wallet of this invention showing how a screwdriver may be used to adjust bias. 
       FIG. 9  is an enlargement of the detail included in circle  9  on  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 10  is an enlargement of the detail included in circle  10  on  FIG. 8 . 
       FIG. 11  is an enlargement of the detail included in circle  11  on  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 12  is a illustration showing attachment of a badge. 
       FIG. 13  is a cross section along the line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 14  is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of this invention which includes internal retaining springs. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrate embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility. 
     FIG. 1  is a partially exploded view of the wallet of this invention  10  in the open configuration.  FIG. 2  is a partially exploded and partially cut-away view of the wallet of this invention  10  in the closed configuration. The invention  10  has a concave top  14  and a concave bottom  18 . Preferably there is a concave area or depression  138  in the bottom  18 . The top  14  and bottom  18  are designed to mate snugly with each other thereby defining an interior space  22 . See  FIG. 13 . Exterior to one side  26  of the top  14  there is at least one hinge knuckle  30 , constructed in accordance with the well known art of hinge construction. On another side  34  of the top  14  there is a first latch part  38 . Although the sides  26 ,  34  are shown in the Figures as being opposite to each other, the sides  26 ,  34  could be adjacent. Exterior to one side  40  of the bottom  18  there is at least one hinge knuckle  42 , constructed in accordance with the well known art of hinge construction. On another side  46  of the bottom  18  there is a second latch part  50 . Again, sides  40 ,  46  could be opposite each other or adjacent. Each hinge knuckle  30 ,  42  has a central bore  54 . The hinge knuckles  30 ,  42  are designed to mate with each other in accordance with the well known art of hinge assembly. There is a hole  32  through one of the hinge knuckle  30  approximately half way along the side  26 . Also see  FIG. 5 . The latch parts  38 ,  50  are also designed to mate with each other and latch and unlatch the top  14  and bottom  18  to each other. The latch halves  38 ,  50  are designed in accordance with the well known art of latch construction. An exploded view of typical latch construction is shown in  FIG. 14 . This latch half  38  comprises a trigger  140 , a spring  144 , and a trigger holder  148  attached with a couple of screws  152 . 
   This invention has a hinge pin  58 , which, while adapted to fit in the central openings  54  of the hinge knuckles  30 ,  42  in accordance with the well known art of hinge construction, has a special construction. As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the hinge pin  58  has a first section  62  with a first diameter D 1  and a section  66  with a second, smaller diameter D 2 . The hinge pin  58  has a central bore  72  and a longitudinal groove  88  at the junction  92  between the two sections  62 ,  66 . The groove  88  extends into the section  66  with the larger diameter D 1 . The hinge pin  58  has a hole  96  through its wall  100  (see  FIG. 3 ) approximately midway along its length L. When the invention  10  is assembled, holes  96  and  32  are aligned. 
   A spring  104  is wound closely around and attached to the hinge pin  58 . The spring  104  has a hook  108  at one end and a protrusion  112  at the other end. An enlarged view of the hook  108  is shown on  FIG. 7 . The protrusion is designed to fit into the groove  88 . See  FIG. 4 . The bore  54  is adapted to accommodate the spring  104 . Once the pin  58  and spring are within the bore  72  the protrusion  112  is trapped within groove  88 . One of the hinge knuckles  42  of the bottom also includes an internal, longitudinal groove  116  (see also  FIG. 3  and the enlarged view of  FIG. 9 ). The pin  58  and spring  104  subassembly is assembled so that the hook  108  fits into this groove  116 . Thus the hook  108  bears against the bottom  18 . See  FIGS. 8 and 10 . When assembled, the spring biases the top  14  and bottom  18  away from each other. 
   Finally there is a means for locking the hinge pin  58  within the central bore  72 . Preferably this means is a lock pin  120  which fits thorough holes  96  and  32 . The diameters of the pins  120  and the holes  96  and  32  are preferably adjusted to provide a press fit. Alternatively, the exterior of the pin  120  and the interiors of the holes  96  and  32  could be threaded. Thus the pin becomes locked to the top  14  and the protrusion  112  becomes fixed in relation to the top  14 . It will be clear to those most familiar with the art to which this invention pertains that the invention  10  could be designed so that the pin  58  is locked to the bottom  18  and the hook  108  bears against the top  14 . Also, other means could be devised to provide bias urging the top  14  and bottom  18  to pivot away from each other along one side  26 ,  40 . 
   Means are provided for adjusting the bias in the spring  104 . Preferably, the means is two, diametrically opposed, radial slots  76  for receiving the blade  78  of a screwdriver  80 , at one end  84 . See  FIG. 8 . The slots  76  could be in either end  84 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , after the invention  10  is assembled but before the pin  120  is inserted into the holes  32 ,  96 , the screwdriver  80  is inserted and turned so that a proper bias is provided. Then, before the screwdriver  80  is removed, the pin  120  is inserted into the holes  96  and  32 . It will be clear to those most familiar with the art to which this invention  10  pertains that alternate means for adjusting bias in the spring  104  can be devised. 
   To assemble the invention, the spring  104  is assembled to the hinge pin  58  with the protrusion  112  fitting in the groove  88 . See  FIGS. 4 and 11 . The hinge knuckles  30 ,  42  are mated so that the bores  54  align. Shims or washers  168  may be inserted between the hinge knuckles  30 ,  42  to reduce wear. See  FIG. 14 . The hinge pin  58 /spring  104  subassembly is inserted into the bore  54  until it is flush and so that the hook  108  fits into the groove  116  and the holes  32 ,  96  align. This forms a hinge  90 .  FIG. 10  better illustrates how the hook fits in the groove  116 . A screwdriver  80  is inserted into the slots  76  and turned to adjust the bias in the spring  104 . See  FIG. 8 . Then the locking pin  120  is inserted into the holes  32 ,  96 . 
   The wallet of this invention  10  could be made of any suitable material such as metal or plastic. Preferably, however, the top  14  and bottom  18  are made of aluminum, preferably cast aluminum. 
   The bore  72  in the pin  58  is preferably designed to accommodate a pen  124 . The respective diameters of the bore  72  and pen  124  are adjusted so that the pen  124  will not fall out of the bore  72  but that inordinate manual force is not required to remove the pen  124  from the bore. Alternatively an internally threaded insert  172  may be affixed in the bore  72  and the barrel of the pen  124  provided with mating threads  176 . In this way the pen  124  can be screwed into and out of the bore  78 . It will be obvious to those familiar with the art to which this invention  10  pertains that other means can be devised for temporarily affixing the pen within the bore and that any other cylindrical or near cylindrical object can be inserted into the bore  72 . Suitable cylindrical objects include laser pointers, styli, cylindrical keys and pencils. See  FIG. 6 . 
   In an alternate embodiment, this invention further comprising a badge or medallion  128  attached to the top  14 . Preferably, a depression  132  is provided in the top  14  and the medallion  128  attached with a screw  136 . See  FIG. 12 . In this way customized badges  128  can be provided. It will be clear to those most familiar with the art to which this invention  10  pertains that alternate means for attaching a badge  128  to the top  14  can be devised. 
   The preferred embodiment of this invention further comprises at least one internal spring  156  attached to the top  14  and at least one internal spring  160  attached to the bottom  18 . These springs  156 ,  160  have an elongated shape and are preferably attached to the interior of the hinge knuckle  164 . In this way the springs  156 ,  160  retain items snugly against the top  14  and bottom  18  to prevent rattling. 
   The following reference numerals are used on  FIGS. 1 through 14 : 
     10  Wallet of this invention 
     14  Concave top 
     18  Concave bottom 
     22  Interior space 
     26  One side of top 
     30  Hinge knuckle of top 
     32  Hole through hinge knuckle 
     34  Another side of top 
     38  First latch part 
     40  One side of bottom 
     42  Hinge knuckle of bottom 
     46  Another side of bottom 
     50  Second latch part 
     54  Central bore of hinge knuckles 
     58  Hinge pin 
     62  First section of hinge pin with diameter D 1    
     66  Second section of hinge pin with diameter D 2    
     72  Central bore of hinge pin 
     76  Slot 
     78  Blade of screwdriver 
     80  Screwdriver 
     84  End of hinge pin 
     88  Longitudinal groove in section of hinge pin with larger diameter D 1    
     90  Hinge 
     96  Hole through wall of hinge pin 
     100  Wall of hinge pin 
     104  Spring 
     108  Hook 
     112  Protrusion 
     116  Internal longitudinal groove in bottom hinge knuckle 
     120  Locking pin 
     124  Pen or other cylindrical article 
     128  Badge or medallion 
     132  Depression in top 
     136  Attaching screw 
     138  Concave area in bottom 
     140  Trigger 
     144  Latch spring 
     148  Trigger holder 
     152  Screw 
     156  Spring attached to top 
     160  Spring attached to bottom 
     164  Spring attachment point 
     168  Shim or washer 
     172  Internally threaded insert 
     176  Threads on barrel of pen or other cylindrical article—mating with threads on insert 
   Thus, the present invention has been described herein with reference to a particular embodiment for a particular application. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the present teachings will recognize additional modifications, applications and embodiments within the scope thereof. 
   It is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such applications, modifications and embodiments within the scope of the present invention.