Abstract:
A collectible trading card that contains a cavity within which is located a second trading card in which the identity of the second trading card is unknown and the second trading card is inaccessible without altering the collectible trading card.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a collectible card that can be opened to allow access to an inner item and a method for making the same. More particularly, it relates to a trading card of the collectible type having a tear strip that can be used to rip open one side of the card to reveal a second collectible card contained therein. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Trading cards typically are assessed a monetary value based on the scarcity of the particular card, the fame of the player, team, or other item depicted on the face of the card, and the condition of the card. Many collectors protect the cards in their collection with a variety of plastic cases, frames, and holders. 
         [0003]    Trading cards are typically purchased as a pack, containing more than one card, from a store. The pack is typically wrapped in an opaque plastic or paper covering, thus concealing the contents of the pack. Thus, when purchased, the collector does not know the identity of, or true value of, the cards contained in the pack. However, once the package is opened, the value can be assessed. 
         [0004]    In the prior art, a company called Pinnacle came up with the concept of placing trading cards within a package, with the package having a picture of a sports figure on it. The product was marketed as “dare to tear”, with the idea that the unopened package would have some collectible value to it and collectors would have the option of opening the packaging or not. The packaging was a flexible foil-like material. However, this concept was unrelated to the value of the trading cards themselves. 
         [0005]    What is needed in the art is a way to increase or retain some uncertainty in the value of a trading card once the pack is opened. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The features described herein and other features of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description and drawings of illustrative embodiments of the invention in which: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a front rear of the first embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention illustrating use of a tear strip included in the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0011]    Referring now to the drawings, the present invention is described with reference to a particular exemplary embodiment in which the trading card contains a second collectible trading card. 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a collectible trading card  10  having multiple layers and containing a second collectible trading card  60 . The card  10  includes a front card  20  and back card  30 . The card  10  further includes a spacer  40  having an inner frame  50  that surrounds the inner card  60 . The front card  20  and back card  30  are preferably the same size and shape such that when they are placed together, it is not easily detectible that the card includes more than a single sheet of material. In the assembled card  10 , the front card  20 , back card  30 , and spacer  40  are attached such that the inner card  60  is contained within the cavity created between the inner surface of the front card  20 , the inner surface of the back card  30 , and the frame  50  of the spacer  40 . Either the front card  20 , the back card  30 , or both can be removed, or ripped open, to reveal or allow access to the inner card  60 . 
         [0013]    Preferably, the card  10  includes a tear strip  70  between the spacer  40  and the back card  30  and may be attached to at least one layer of the card  10 . In use, the tear strip can be pulled away from the spacer so as to rip through the back card  30 , and thereby expose the inner card  60 . The front card  20  is not ripped and preserved in appearance. The tear strip  70  is preferably attached to any component of the card  10  at a base end of the tear strip such that it can not be removed from the card without ripping through a layer of the card. Optionally, the tear strip  70  can be attached to the inner surface of the back card  30  along the length of the tear strip  70 , or portions thereof. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the tear strip  70  is made of a material that is more durable than the back card  30 . For example, if the back card  30  is made from cardboard, the tear strip  70  is preferably a plastic or metallic strip. It should be noted that the tear strip  70  can be made from the same material as back card  30 , but is preferably stronger (i.e., thicker or reinforced) to provide the desired ripping action. 
         [0015]    The inner card  60  is preferably a flat item, or an item folded into a flat configuration. In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the inner card  60  is a second card having dimensions proportional to the card  10 . However, the inner card  60  can be any shape that can fit within the size and shape of the card  10 . The spacer  40  is preferably at least as thick as the inner card  60  in the configuration in which it will be inserted into the cavity. Additionally, the inner card  60  can also be cut or shaped appropriately to provide a suitable frame  50  for the inner card  60 . 
         [0016]    Optionally, a notch  80  can be cut into the spacer  40  near the tear strip  70  to allow a user of the card to grip the tear strip  70  more easily. Alternatively, or in addition to the notch  80 , the tear strip  70  can include a grip portion  85  that is partially cut, or notched, from the back card  30 . The grip portion  85  can be used, optionally in combination with the notch  80 , to enable start the tearing of the tear strip  70 . 
         [0017]    The back card  30  to which the tear strip  70  is attached, can include a perforation  90  which will create a more uniform edge as the tear strip  70  rips through the back card  30 . While the perforation  90  in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1  is along the border of the tear strip  70 , it should be noted that the perforation  90  can be spaced away from the tear strip  70 . The back card  30  can include one or more perforations  90  to control and shape of the rip created in the back card  30  as the tear strip  70  is pulled. Additionally, the tear strip  70  can vary in size and placement along the back card  30  to create a particular rip pattern (e.g., a zigzag, hourglass, or perimeter of the frame  50 ). 
         [0018]    It would be understood by one skilled in the art that the tear strip  70  is not the only way to open the card  10  to reveal the inner card  60 , but that various ways known in the art can be used. In one alternative, the card  10  has neither a tear strip  70  nor perforations  90 , and the card back  30  can be laminated or attached to the spacer  40 . The collector can rip open the card  10  by simply pulling the card back  30  away from the card  10 , Optionally, the process and adhesive used to attach the card back  30  to the spacer  40  can be controlled to allow the entire card back  30  to neatly (i.e., cleanly) pull away from the spacer  40 , or it can be fixedly attached to the spacer  40  to encourage the user to rip the card back  30  to access the inner card  60 . In a further alternative, the card back  30  can include the perforations  90  without a tear strip  70 . The perforations can be used to create a clean tear in the card back  30  and thus add to the aesthetic of the card. 
         [0019]    The card  10  can be assembled through a variety of processes known in the art. For example, the tear strip  70  can be attached to the back card  30  using an adhesive, or preferably an aqueous coating. Perforations  90  are preferably made on the card back  30  prior to attaching the card back  30  the spacer  40 . The spacer  40  can then be laminated onto the back card  30 , or alternatively attached via an adhesive. The inner card  60  is then inserted into the frame  50  of the spacer  40 , and the front card  20  is fixed to spacer  40  preferably by an adhesive or lamination. Optionally, the assembled card  10  can be cut (i.e., trimmed) after assembly to achieve the desired shape or size. 
         [0020]    The embodiment of the assembled card  10  illustrated in the front view of  FIG. 2  includes a front card  20  depicting a baseball player. The front card  20  is preferably made from a regular card stock. As illustrated, from the front view of the assembled card  10  the construction of the card  10  does not evidence that the card  10  differs from a traditional collectible trading card. 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  illustrates a rear view of the assembled card  10  and the back card  30 . The back card  30  optionally includes printing or a design. While the back card  30  can be made from a variety of materials, it is preferably made from a material that is thinner and easier to tear than the front card  20 . Preferably, the construction and assembly of the card  10  when viewed from the rear only indicates that the card  10  differs from a traditional collectible card by the optional grip portion  85 . Furthermore, the perforations  90  are preferably not visible from the rear view of the back card  30 . However, the perforations  90  can be included on the exterior surface of the back card  30  or pass through the entire width of the back card  30 , if useful or required, to produce the desired rip pattern. 
         [0022]    Once the user pulls the tear strip  70 , preferably by inserting a finger into the notch  80 , gripping the grip portion  85 , and pulling the tear strip  70  substantially perpendicular to the card  10 , the back card  30  rips to expose the inner card  60 .  FIG. 4  illustrates a card  10  that has been substantially ripped open in the manner described above. Preferably, the inner card  60  is not fixedly attached to any other piece of the card  10  and can be easily removed from the cavity created by the spacer  40 , back card  30  and front card  20 . Ripping the back card  30  does not impact the appearance of the front card  20 . Rather, as discussed above, the back card  30  is ripped to reveal the heretofore unknown contents of card  10 . 
         [0023]    The unopened card  10  can have particular monetary or collectible value, based on the condition, scarcity, and fame of the image depicted on the card front  20 . Additionally, the inner card  60  can have a separate monetary or collectible value. However, the value of the inner card  60  is unknown until the card  10  is ripped open. The act of ripping open the card  10  greatly impacts the condition of the card  10  and is likely to decrease the collectible value of the card  10 . Thus, the collector is faced with the choice of preserving the whole value of the card  10  without realizing the value of the inner card  60 , or ripping open the card  10  to determine the value of the inner card  60 , thereby decreasing the value of the card  10 . 
         [0024]    While the embodiment illustrated in the figures is directed to a collectible trading card  10  containing a second inner trading card  60 , it would be realized by one skilled in the art that the invention can utilized for alternative purposes. For example, rather than including a stick of chewing gum in a package of collectible cards, the stick of chewing gum can be stored in the cavity of the card  10 . Alternatively, the card  10  can conceal a memorabilia card, game piece, puzzle piece, or prize ticket. 
         [0025]    While the invention has been shown primarily by way of reference to a collectible trading card having a tear strip and containing a second inner collectible trading card, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be utilized in any collectible trading card having a way of opening one side of the card and containing a flat inner item and that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. As an example, the trading card can be opened through an edge of the card, by cutting the card in half by having perforations or a tear strip running completely around the trading card or opened through the face of the card.