STORING DEVICE OR CLIP FOR CARDS, LEAVES AND THE LIKE

Abstract: A storing cassette or card clip (1) for receiving and storing a pack (20) of various kinds of card- or sheet-shaped objects (21 - 24), such as visiting-cards, photographs, picture post-cards, notation leaves and the like. The card clip is constructed so that any individual card can be swung out of the pack of cards for study or inspection. Cards (25) can be withdrawn from or inserted in the pack which is kept collected by the card clip. The card clip comprises a plate or a plane, sheet-like part (2) supporting the cards, a turning point (10) in the form of a resilient tongue (11) placed at one of the edges of the plate (2), and having one end connected with the plate (2) and the other, free end (12) adapted resiliently to press against the plate (2) of the card clip (1) the pack of cards (20) placed on said plate and inserted under the resilient tongue (11), and at least one abutment (3) situated at one of the edges of the plate (2) and raised therefrom to support the cards (20) laterally. The resilient tongue (11) may be spiral and its one, outer end may be connected with the plate (2) while the other end of the tongue is the inner, central end (12) of the spiral.

Description: STORING DEVICE OR CLIP FOR CARDS, LEAVES AND THE LIKE This invention relates to a storing cassette or card clip for receiving and storing a pack of various kinds of card- or sheet-shaped objects such as visiting- cards, photographs, picture post-cards, notation leaves and the like, said card clip being so arranged that any individual card can be swung out of the pack of cards for study or inspection, and cards can also be withdrawn from or inserted in the pack which is kept collected by the cassette. It is previously known from e.g. * Swedish Patent Specification 73086506 to store a number of cards in a storing device in such a way that the cards can be swung out around one of their corners so that an optional card can be uncovered for study of the text, the picture or the like shown on the card. The cards are provided with a hole which is punched out in a corner and through which a stud formed in the storing device can be carried. Thus, it has been impossible to take out or insert an indivi¬ dual card where so desired in the storing device unless both the halves of the storing device, which can be swung on the stud, have been separated from each other so as to uncover the stud. In accordance with a development of the described device the cards have been provided with a narrow slit of a width slightly smaller than the diameter of the stud, said slit extending from the hole in the card to the free edge of the card. This has made it possible to take out any card from the device and to reinsert it where desired without disassembling the storing device. The described device consists of two details con¬ nected in a joint, which makes the storing device large and bulky in relation to the space occupied by the stored cards. This will be most remarkable when the device is used for storing a few cards. The device also becomes comparatively expensive in relation to its use because OMPI it consists of two details which require each one par¬ ticular production tool. A certain mounting operation is also required for assembling the device by inserting the joint means into each other. The cards to be inser- ted in the cassette must also be provided with apertures and possibly also a slit extending from the aperture to the edge of the card, which, involves additional expendi¬ ture. The object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages by providing a storing device for a pack of optionally shaped cards, permitting the cards to be swung individually out of the storing device for uncovering the surface of an optional card and for easy withdrawal and insertion of an optional card where desired in the pack of cards. By means of this invention a very simple, inexpen¬ sive and easily handled storing device and clip is made for various kinds of cards, printed matter and the like whereby the cards will have a unitary orientation and be well ' collected and protected against manipulation. The clip takes up very little space in addition to that required by the cards. The object of the invention is achieved in that the card clip is provided with a plate or a plane, sheet- shaped part supporting the cards, a turning point in the form of a resilient tongue placed at one of the edges of the plate and having one end connected with the plate and the other, free end adapted resiliently to press against the plate of the card clip the pack of cards placed, on said plate and inserted under the resilient tongue, and at least one abutment situated at one of the edges of the plate and raised therefrom to support the card laterally. In a second embodiment the resilient tongue is spiral and its one outer end is connected with the plate while the other end of the tongue is the inner, central end of the spiral. In a third embodiment the card clip is made in one piece, preferably of plastic material or sheet metal. In a fourth embodiment the end of the resilient tongue is bent towards the plate so that the outer edge of the end will from a nib facing the plate and consti¬ tuting a distinct turning point. for the cards. In a fifth embodiment the. end of that side of the tongue which faces the plate has a cusp in the form of a pointed pyramid, cone or the like adapted to engage with the cards and constitute a turning point therefor. In a sixth embodiment a resilient supporting tongue formed in the supporting plate is situated adjacent the end of the resilient tongue and spaced therefrom by a narrow slit. In a seventh embodiment the outermost end of the resilient tongue and the outermost end of the supporting tongue are bent towards each other to exert increased compressive force on the stored cards. In an eighth embodiment there is a recess in that edge of the plate which is remote from the abutment in order to facilitate gripping of the cards. In a ninth embodiment the abutment has at the end facing away from the supporting plate a supporting flap directed inwardly of the plate and under which the cards can be inserted for safer retention in the card clip. In a tenth embodiment an opening is made in the supporting plate adjacent the supporting flap, the edge of said opening extending outside the outer contour o — the supporting flap. In an eleventh embodiment a stop lug is placed in the path where the cards are swung out, in order to re¬ tain the cards in the card clip, while the cards can be lifted up over the stop lug by manipulation with ~~ a finger through the opening or at the recess. In a twelfth embodiment said one end of the resi¬ lient tongue is connected with the upper end of an abut¬ ment situated adjacent the edge of the plate and raised therefrom. JURE Q PI The invention will be described in more detail .be¬ low with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 shows a storing device or cassette without cards; Fig. 2 shows the cassette of Fig. 1 including cards; Fig. 3 shows the cassette with a card which is un¬ covered for study by the overlying cards being swung out; Fig. 4 shows a cross-section IV-IV through the tongue of Fig. 2 Fig. 5 is a corresponding cross-section of another embodiment; and Figs. 6 - 8 show various shapes of the supporting tongue. In Fig. 1 the clip is generally designated by 1 while 2 designates a supporting plate constituting the main part of the clip. In the example shown the suppor¬ ting plate has an abutment 3 along its longitudinal edge and also an abutment 4 along the transverse, shorter edge. The abutments may also consist of one or more " di- stinct lugs. The abutment 4 has at its edge facing away from the supporting plate 2 a lug or flap 5 which is parallel with the plate and under which the short sides of the cards can be placed for better control and retention of the cards in the clip. Provided in the supporting plate 2 is an opening 6 extending outside the contour of the lug 5. In the long side to the right in the figure there is a recess 7 forming a thumb grip to facilitate grip¬ ping and turning of the cards. Adjacent the recess 7 is a small abutment 8 oriented at right angles to the plate 2. This abutment is to make it more difficult for the cards to turn unintentionally out from the clip. In the left-hand lower corner of the clip, as seen in Fig. 1, a turning point 10 is provided. The turning point consists of a spiral, resilient tongue 11 with an end 12. The resilient tongue 11 is made integrally with the supporting plate 2 by the provision of a preferably 'BUREAT O PI narrow slit 15. Provided adjacent the end 12 is a sup¬ porting tongue 16 which is defined by the slit 15 and the slit 17. Fig. 2 shows the clip with a number of cards in the form of a pack being inserted therein. In addition to the reference numerals indicated in Fig. 1, 20 de¬ signates a pack of cards of which the cards 21, 22, 23 and 24 are visible. The cards are inserted under the end 12 of the resilient tongue and the end of the up- lifted tongue presses with its underside the cards against the top side of the supporting plate 2, while the compressive strain is substantially absorbed by the supporting tongue 16 and in a less degree by that por¬ tion 18 of the supporting plate 2 which is closest to the slit T " 5. The adjacent portions 12 and 16 of the sup¬ porting plate 2 constitutes a nip in which the cards in the pack 20 are pressed against each other. The nip con¬ stitutes a turning point on which the cards can be tux ^ ned as shown in Fig. 2. When the cards are turned relative to each other as shown in Fig. 2 it is easy to withdraw an optional card from the pack of cards or insert a card wherever desired in the pack. Such a card is designated 25 in Fig. 2. It is apparent from Fig. 3 that thanks to the spiral shape of the tongue it is possible to turn a card from its storage position in the cassette in clock-wise di¬ rection through 180° - 270° or o ^—depending on the spiral -angle of the resilient tongue 11. It is seen that the spiral angle of the resilient tongue can comprise several revolutions so that the cards when swung out can come to lie in a helical path from the supporting plate 2 and upwards. , Fig. 4 shows a cross-section IV-IV through the end 12 of the resilient tongue according to Fig. 2. To pro¬ duce increased power between the supporting tongue 16 and the resilient tongue 11 the tongue 16 can be bent upwards and the end 12 of the resilient tongue 11 be bent downwards, as shown in Fig. 4. When the edge 13 of the end 12 is bent down a nib 14 is formed which con¬ stitutes a distinct turning point for the cards at the same time as pre-bending of the end 12 and the support¬ ing tongue 16. towards each other causes these to be de¬ formed more - than if they were plane - when a card is inserted between them, which also increases the power of the nip. In this way a more distinct turning point is obtained. Fig. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the tongue end 12 where the underside of the end has been provided with a conical or pyramidal cusp 19 which constitutes a well defined turning point for the cards. Figs. 6 - 8 show alternative embodiments where the card clip includes a plate 29, 30 and 31, respectively, and abutments 36, 37 and 38, respectively. In the em¬ bodiment of Fig. 6 the resilient -tongue 26 has approxi¬ mately right-angled bends and a corner 32 pressing a- gainst the card pack. In Fig. 7 the tongue 27 is straight and connected with the upper edge of the abutment 37 raised from the plate 30. The outermost half-round end 33 of the tongue bears against the ' card pack. The resilient tongue 28 shown in Fig. 8 extends from the upper edge of the abutment 38. The point 34 of the half-round outer end bears against the card pack. The card clip according to the invention may ad¬ vantageously be made of plastic material or be manufac- tured by cutting and bending of thin sheet metal, e.g. anodized aluminium plate. The illustrated embodiments merely constitute ex¬ amples of the invention which can be modified in va¬ rious ways within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Storing cassette or card clip (1) for receiving and storing a pack (20) of various kinds of card- or sheet-shaped objects (21 - 24) such as visiting-cards, photographs, picture post-cards, notation leaves and the like, said card clip being so arranged that just any in¬ dividual card can be swung out of the pack of cards for study or inspection, and cards (25) can also be withdrawn from or inserted in the pack of cards which is kept col¬ lected by the. card clip, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by: - a plate or a plane, sheet-shaped part (2, 29 - 31) supporting the cards; - a turning point (10) in the form of a resilient tongue (11, 26, 27, 28) placed at one of the edges of the plate (2, 29 - 31) and having one end con- nected with the plate (2, 29, 30, 31) and the other, free end (12, 32, 33, 34) adapted resi- liently to press against the plate (2) of the card clip (1) the pack of cards (20) placed on said plate and inserted under- the resilient tongue (11); and - at least one abutment (3, 4, 36 - 38), situated at one of the edges of the plate (2, 29 - 31) and raised therefrom to support the cards (2O) laterally 2. A card clip-as-claimed in claim 1, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the resilient tongue (1 ) is spiral and that its one, outer end is connected with the plate (2) while the other end of the tongue is the inner, central end (12) of the spiral. 3. A card ~ clip as claimed in claim 1, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the clip (1) is made in one piece, preferably of plastic material or sheet metal. 4. A card clip as claimed in any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the end (12) of the resilient tongue (11) is bent towards the plate so that the outer edge (13) of the end (12) will from a nib (14) facing the plate and engaging with the cards for which it constitutes a distinct turning point. 5. A card clip as claimed in claim 1, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the end (12) of that side of the tongue which faces the plate has a cusp (19) in the form of a pointed pyramid, cone or the like adapted to engage with the cards and to constitute a turning point therefor. 6. A card clip as claimed in any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a resilient supporting tongue (16) provided in the supporting plate (2) adjacent the end (12) of the resilient tongue (11) and spaced from it by a narrow slit. 7. A card clip as claimed in claim 5, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the outermost end (12) of the resilient tongue (11) and the outermost end of •the supporting tongue (16) are bent -towards each other in order to exert increased compressive force on"the stored cards. 8. A card clip as claimed in claim 1, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d by a recess (7) in that edge of the plate which is remote from the abutment (3) in order to facilitate gripping of the cards. 9. A card clip as claimed in claim 1 , c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the abutment (4) has at the end facing away from the supporting plate a support¬ ing flap (5) directed inwardly of the plate (2) and under which the cards can be inserted for safer retention in the card clip. 10. A card clip as claimed in claim 8, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d by an opening (6) made in the supporting plate (2) adjacent the supporting flap (5) and the edge of which extends outside the outer contour of the supporting flap (5) . 11. A card clip as claimed in any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a stop lug (8) placed in the path where the cards are swung out, in order to retain the cards in the card clip but over which stop lug (8) the cards can be lifted by manipulation with a finger through the opening (6) or at the recess (7). 12. A card clip as claimed in claim 1, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that said one end of the re¬ silient tongue (27, 28) is connected with the upper end of an abutment (37, 38) situated adjacent the edge of the plate (30, 31) and raised therefrom.

Inventors: REGE NILS, REGE, NILS
Applicants: REGE NILS, REGE, NILS
Application year: 1983
Main classification: G09F1
IPC codes: B42F1, B42F7, G09F1