Abstract:
The invention relates generally to wallets, and more particularly to wallets useful for organizing, carrying, and displaying essential items. The wallet disclosed herein is a wearable display wallet that includes a fastening device for releasably retaining the wallet in a closed configuration and a display configuration. The closed configuration is a reverse embodiment of the display configuration. When the wallet is carried in the closed configuration, a display compartment is on an interior of the wallet. When said wallet is carried in the display configuration, the display compartment is on an exterior of the wallet. The fastening device is able to secure the wallet in both the closed configuration and the display configuration.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    The present invention claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/478,509 filed Jun. 13, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Technical Field  
           [0003]    The invention relates generally to wallets and wallet designs, and more particularly to wallets worn on a person as outerwear having capabilities of organizing, carrying, and displaying essential items.  
           [0004]    2. Related Art  
           [0005]    In the field of wallets and wallet design, wallets are typically designed to be carried in a pocket, purse, bag, and etc. Wallets of the aforementioned type are not designed to allow conversion into a wallet for display purposes and for wearing on a user&#39;s outer garment or physical extremities. Current wallets and wallet designs for such a conversion often cannot secure varying contents within, allow for displaying the contents, and provide for ready access to the contents by the user or a second party. Current devices and designs also cannot undergo a conversion into a wallet for display purposes and for wearing on a user&#39;s outer garment or physical extremities without the addition, removal, or manipulation of extraneous attachment devices.  
           [0006]    Thus, there exists a need for a wallet device and method thereof which overcomes the aforementioned, and other, deficiencies in the art of wallets and wallet designs.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    In a first general aspect of the present invention is provided a wearable display wallet comprising: a fastening device on a first panel of the wallet for releasably retaining the wallet in at least one of a closed configuration and a display configuration, wherein the closed configuration is a reversed embodiment of the display configuration, wherein the wallet is carried in the closed configuration and includes a display compartment on an interior of the wallet, and wherein, when said wallet is carried in the display configuration, the display configuration includes the display compartment on an exterior of the wallet, and the fastening device secures the wallet in the display configuration.  
           [0008]    In a second general aspect of the present invention is provided a method of wearing a display wallet comprising: providing a wearable display wallet having a fastening device on a first panel of the wallet for releasably retaining the wallet in at least one of a closed configuration and a display configuration, wherein the closed configuration is a reversed embodiment of the display configuration, wherein the wallet is carried in the closed configuration, the closed configuration includes a display compartment on an interior of the wallet, and the fastening device secures the wallet in the closed configuration, and wherein, when said wallet is carried in the display configuration, the display configuration includes the display compartment on an exterior of the wallet, and the fastening device secures the wallet in the display configuration; releasably attaching the wallet to an extremity of a body, a garment, or an accessory in a display configuration, wherein the display configuration includes the display compartment on the exterior of the wallet; detaching the wallet from an extremity of the body, the garment, or the accessory in a display configuration; and relesably attaching the wallet to the extremity of the body, the garment, or the accessory in a closed configuration, wherein the closed configuration includes the display compartment on the interior of the wallet.  
           [0009]    The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of embodiments of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    The features of the present invention will best be understood from a detailed description of the invention and an embodiment thereof selected for the purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 depicts a plan view of a first side of a wearable display wallet in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 depicts a plan view of a second side of a wearable display wallet in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of the wearable display wallet worn on a wrist in a display configuration, in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of the wearable display wallet of FIG. 3 further showing access to a compartment, in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of the wearable display wallet showing the opposite side of that shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 depicts a perspective view of the wearable display wallet of FIG. 5, further showing the fastening device for attaching the wallet to a wrist, in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of the wearable display wallet worn on a belt in a display configuration, in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 depicts a perspective view of the wearable display wallet in a closed configuration, in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]    Although certain embodiments of the present invention will be shown and described in detail, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. The scope of the present invention will in no way be limited to the number of constituting components, the materials thereof, the shapes thereof, the relative arrangement thereof, etc., and are disclosed simply as an example of the embodiment.  
         [0020]    The present invention provides a wearable display wallet and a method of use thereof. While the wearable display wallet is able to perform many functions, it will be referred to herein as a wallet.  
         [0021]    Essential documents are credentials that a carrier of the credentials deems necessary to have on their being and cannot afford to lose. Essential documents include but are not limited to identification papers such as passports, driver&#39;s licenses, birth certificates, identification cards, and copies thereof; and travel documents such as airline tickets, bus tickets, train tickets, maps, itineraries, boarding passes, medical information cards, insurance documentation, and copies thereof.  
         [0022]    Essential items are objects that a carrier of the objects deems necessary to have on their being and cannot afford to lose. Essential items include but are not limited to currency such as bills, coins, and the like; checks such as personal checks, bank checks, traveler&#39;s checks, and the like; cards such as debit cards, credit cards, smart cards, loyalty cards, phone cards, and the like; and other such as car keys, house keys, apartment keys, hotel keys, jewelry, medication, and the like; and combinations thereof.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 depicts a plan view of a first side of a wallet  100  for wearing on a person as outerwear, in accordance with the present invention. An embodiment of the present invention is the wallet  100  comprising: a panel  141 , a panel  151 , and a panel  161 . The panels  141 ,  151 , and  161  are made of pliable or non-pliable materials; stretchable or non-stretchable material; natural materials such as leather, cloth, fabric; and man-made materials such as nylon, vinyl, synthetic mesh, velvet, satin, sateen, neoprene, and polyester; and combinations thereof. The panels  141 ,  151 , and  161  are generally rectangular in shape but may also include generally square shapes as well as combinations thereof.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 depicts a second side of a wallet  100  for wearing on a person as outerwear, in accordance with the present invention. An embodiment of the present invention is the second side of the wallet  100  comprising: a panel  220  and the hook  210  portion of a hook-and-loop closure device. The panel  220  is made of pliable or non-pliable materials; stretchable or non-stretchable material; natural materials such as leather, cloth, fabric; and man-made materials such as nylon, vinyl, synthetic mesh, velvet, satin, sateen, neoprene, and polyester; and combinations thereof.  
         [0025]    The panel  220  is generally rectangular in shape but may also include generally square shapes as well as combinations thereof. The hook  210  is for mating to a loop  140  of the panel  141 . Mating of the hook  210  and the loop  140  closure device is for folding and closing the wallet  100 . A first fold line  215  and a second fold line  216  indicate the approximate location of creases that naturally occur when the wallet  100  is folded into either a closed or display configuration. Fold lines  215  and  216  coincide with the edges of the panels  141 ,  151 , and  161 . Moreover, the fold lines  215  and  216  are substantially equidistant from the outer edges of the wallet  100 .  
         [0026]    Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in an embodiment, wallet  100  comprises three segments which may be folded onto each other to releasably close and secure the wallet in either a closed or display configuration. The panels  141 ,  151 , and  161  correspond to the three segments which may be folded onto each other.  
         [0027]    Panel  141  comprises the loop  140  portion of a hook-and-loop closure device. In an embodiment, the panel  141  is entirely covered by the loop  140 . Alternatively, a fifth, a quarter, and a third of the panel  141 , or any combination thereof, may by covered by the loop  140 . Mating of the loop  140  with the hook  210  of the hook-and-loop closure device allows for releasably retaining wallet  100  in a closed configuration or in a display configuration as chosen by the user.  
         [0028]    Panel  151  comprises: a display window  150  and a hook  120  portion of a hook-and-loop closure device. The display window  150  is made of a clear or translucent material including but not limited to plastic, resin, or vinyl type materials. The material properties of the window  150  allows for displaying essential documents and items while also providing protection of the essential documents.  
         [0029]    The hook  120  of the panel  151  has a loop portion of a hook-and-loop closure device directly underneath. The loop may be an extension of the loop  141  or a separate loop portion. In an embodiment of the present invention, the aforementioned loop portion of a hook-and-loop closure device is an extension of the loop  141  and will be referred herein as loop  141 .  
         [0030]    A display compartment exists between the panel  151  and the display window  150  for holding essential documents and items that may be viewed through the display window  150 . The hook  120  and loop  141  closure allows for inserting and removing as well as securing essential documents within the aforementioned pocket. To insert a document, a user needs only to pull the hook  120  away from the loop  141  allowing access to the pocket while depressing the hook  120  back onto the loop  141  with minimal pressures secures the document. To remove a document, the user pulls the hook  120  away from the loop  141 , removes the document, and depresses the hook  120  back onto the loop  141 .  
         [0031]    In an alternative embodiment, the display compartment that exists between the panel  151  and the display window  150  may include a flexible display screen, such as, inter alia, a flat screen display or polytronic (i.e., polymer electronic) display.  
         [0032]    A compartment  160  also exists between the panel  151  and the panel  220 , i.e. behind the panel  151 , for holding essential documents and items. The compartment  160  extends the length of the panel  220  between the panel  220  and the panels  141 ,  151 , and  161 . The compartment can be accessed via a zipper  170  closure. The zipper  170  closure may be replaced by any suitable fastening device that allows for the insertion and removal of essential documents and items. Alternatively, a zipper also may be integrally installed along the top of the wallet  100  that traverses the length of the panels  141 ,  151 , and  161 . This zipper may subsequently be used to access the compartment  160 .  
         [0033]    The periphery of the wallet  100  is protected and strengthened by a binder tape  130  which is sewn around the edge of the wallet  100 . A product/manufacturer tab  180  is operatively added to the binder tape  130  for manufacturer identification.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of the wearable display wallet  100  worn on a wrist  320  in a display configuration, in accordance with the present invention. In an embodiment, the panel  151  retains the user&#39;s driver&#39;s license  310  in the display compartment for ready display via the display window  150 . Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, the display configuration is obtained by mating the hook  210  of panel  220  with the loop  140  of panel  141  such that the display window  150  and the display compartment are on the exterior of the wallet  100 .  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of the wearable display wallet  100  of FIG. 3 further showing access to the compartment  160 , in accordance with the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the wallet  100  is worn on the wrist  320  in the display configuration. The compartment  160  is being accessed, via the zipper closure  170 , to retrieve an essential item. In an embodiment of the present invention, the essential item is a currency  440  previously secured in the compartment  160 .  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of the wearable display wallet  100  showing the opposite side of that shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in accordance with the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the wallet  100  is worn on the wrist  320  with the zipper closure  170 , the manufacturer label  180 , and the panel  160  evident.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 6 depicts a perspective view of the wearable display wallet of FIG. 5, further showing the fastening device for securing the wallet  100  to the wrist  320  of the user, in accordance with the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the mating of the hook  210  on panel  220  with the loop  140  of the panel  141  is illustrated. The hook  210 -and-loop  141  fastening device of the wallet  100  is releasably securing the wallet  100  around the wrist  320  in the display configuration.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of the wearable display wallet  100  worn on a belt  710  in a display configuration, in accordance with the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 7, in an embodiment of the present invention, the essential document is a user driver&#39;s license  310  secured in the display compartment and visible via the display window  151 . The zipper closure  170  is shown as reference. The wallet  100  is in the display configuration as shown by the display window  151  being on the exterior of the wallet  100 . The display compartment and the compartment  160  are readily accessible in the display configuration via the zipper closure  170 . The wallet  100  is releasably secured to the belt  710  via the mating of the hook  210  on panel  220  with the loop  140  of the panel  141 . Alternatively, the wallet  100  may fastened, in the display configuration, to a necklace; other body extremities such as a forearm, upper arm, ankle, and the like; and other garments worn by the user.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 8 depicts a perspective view of the wearable display wallet  100  in a closed configuration, in accordance with the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 8, the closed configuration is equivalent to the traditional manner in which conventional wallets are carried, such as in a garment pocket  810 . The closed configuration is a reverse embodiment of the display configuration as shown in FIG. 3. The wallet  100  is simply folded along fold lines  215  and  216  to give the closed configuration having the display compartment on an interior of the wallet  100  and releasably secured via the mating of the hook  210  on panel  220  with the loop  140  of the panel  141 .  
         [0040]    Alternatively, the wallet  100  may be wrapped around a personal item such as, inter alia, a traditional wallet, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cell phone, an address book, personal electronics such a MP3 player, a cassette player, a digital camera, and the like; and combinations thereof.  
         [0041]    Referring to FIG. 1-FIG. 8, an embodiment of the present invention is the wallet  100  constructed of 400 denier nylon pack-cloth edged with bias cut nylon twill (approximately ½″ in width) with reinforced nylon stitching. The wallet  100  may measure approximately 10¾″ long by 4¼″ wide and have rounded corners. In this configuration, the wallet  100  is termed as the large/extra large size.  
         [0042]    Panel  220  (facing the wearer&#39;s arm in the display configuration) has a 1″ strip of hook  210  fastening. Panel  141  (facing out in the display configuration) features a 2½″ strip of loop  140  fastening along the panel  141 . When the wallet  100  is worn in a display configuration, the hook  210  and the loop  140  fasten to secure the wallet  100  around the wearer&#39;s wrist, belt or wallet such that the display window  151  is on the exterior of the wallet  100 , i.e., facing outward.  
         [0043]    Panel  220  (facing the wearer&#39;s arm)—save the hook  210  fastening and twill edging—may be free of design. In the display configuration, the front of the wallet  100  includes the compartment  160  that is accessed through the zipper closure  170 . The zipper  170  features a locking pull, measures approximately 3¾″ wide and is located about 3½″ from the end of panel  161 . The zipper  170  lies opposite the 2½″ strip of loop  140  fastening. The compartment  160  includes approximately 10″ of interior storage space, spanning nearly the entire length of the wallet  100 . The manufacturer tag  180  tag, about 1″ wide, and extending approximately {fraction (1/4)}″ from underneath the binding  130 , is sewn into the binding  130  opposite the zipper  170 .  
         [0044]    The wallet  100  features a clear plastic display window  150  measuring approximately 3 ½″ by 3¾″, and is bound on all four edges by the binding  130 . The display window  150  has the ¾″ strip of hook  120  fastening underneath it at one edge of the display window  150 . The hook  120  fastening attaches to a 2½″ patch of loop  141  that extends just underneath the display window  150 . fastening to secure the compartment.  
         [0045]    The foregoing description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed or to the materials in which the form may be embodied, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to a person skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined by the accompanying claims.