Abstract:
A folding wallet configured to fit the front pockets of trousers, thereby encouraging such use to avoid neurological injury caused by carrying a wallet in the rear pockets of trousers.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Provisional Patent Application No. 60/430,209 filed Dec. 2, 2002 

   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Customary wallets are generally rectangular in shape, matching both the shape of folding money and the shape of a typical rear trouser pocket. It is known that carrying such a wallet in a rear pocket, especially while seated for prolonged periods, can be a cause of back pain, sciatica and spinal misalignment, and it is thus recommended that one carry the wallet not in the rear pocket. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Front pockets are often shaped differently from rear pockets, being tapered toward their closed end. The invention here is a wallet which, when folded, has a tapered end to better fit such a front pocket. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a general view of the invention, in its closed configuration. 
       FIG. 2  shows the invention in its open configuration. 
       FIG. 3  shows the means of stitching or otherwise sealing the edges of the invention. 
       FIG. 4  shows detail features of the invention. 
       FIG. 5  shows details of a key pocket. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 REFERENCE NUMERALS USED IN DRAWINGS 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 10 
                 wallet 
               
               
                 11 
                 fold line 
               
               
                 12 
                 rounded tapering 
               
               
                 13 
                 shorter edge 
               
               
                 14 
                 outer panel 
               
               
                 15 
                 inner panel 
               
               
                 16 
                 longest edge 
               
               
                 17 
                 end 
               
               
                 21 
                 overlapping pockets 
               
               
                 22 
                 hidden pockets 
               
               
                 23 
                 window pocket 
               
               
                 24 
                 money pocket 
               
               
                 25 
                 financial cards 
               
               
                 26 
                 folding money 
               
               
                 31 
                 stitching line 
               
               
                 32 
                 stitching line 
               
               
                 33 
                 stitching line 
               
               
                 34 
                 separator panel 
               
               
                 35 
                 transparent panel 
               
               
                 36 
                 frame 
               
               
                 37 
                 entrance slots 
               
               
                 38 
                 card pocket 
               
               
                 39 
                 internal panel 
               
               
                 41 
                 fabric layer 
               
               
                 42 
                 fabric layer 
               
               
                 43 
                 fabric layer 
               
               
                 44 
                 fabric layer 
               
               
                 45 
                 stitching lines 
               
               
                 51 
                 key pocket 
               
               
                 52 
                 key 
               
               
                 53 
                 panel 
               
               
                 54 
                 slot 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , what is seen is the appearance of the wallet  10  in its normal, closed configuration folded at fold line  11 . Obvious is the unilateral, rounded tapering  12  of the wallet&#39;s shorter edge  13 , such that it approximates the shape of a typical trousers front pocket. Characteristic dimensions might be, for example, a width of 8-10 cm, an overall folded length of 12-15 cm, and a thickness of 1-3 cm, this thickness being dependent upon materials stored within the wallet. Shown also are exposed surfaces of outer panel  14  and inner panel  15 , longest edge  16  and ends  17 . 
     FIG. 2  shows the wallet  10  unfolded in its open configuration, revealing a plurality of pockets  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  from which items stored in the wallet may be easily removed and replaced. Shown also are financial cards  25 , folding money  26  and a transparent window pocket  23  through which may be seen a photographic identification card, driver&#39;s license or the like. 
     FIG. 3  shows components of the empty wallet  10  in its preferred embodiment, and further reveals stitching lines  31 ,  32  and  33  along which adjacent panels of material are bonded together, as by adhesive, stitched thread, thermal sealing or other means as appropriate to the chosen materials of construction. Shown separately for clarity are outer panel  14 , separator panel  34 , inner panel  15  and internal panel  39  which, when bonded in a preferred sequence and folded form the wallet  10  itself. 
   The invention, in its preferred embodiment, is constructed primarily from natural or artificial leather, and sewn together using heavy-duty sewing thread. Individual panels are typically die cut to size and to include any slits, slots or other openings as may be needed in these panels. Similarly, panels of transparent or opaque plastic or other fabric may be cut to shape for adding to the construction. 
   Stitching or other means of fastening is used for fastening together pairs or multiple layers of panels. In a simple form of the preferred embodiment, a leather outer panel  14 , an intermediate cloth fabric separator panel  34  and a leather inner panel  15  are matched superjacently and sewn together entirely along their longest edge  16 , and thence sewn upward along their edges at each end  17  for a distance of 2-3 cm. This forms two money pockets  24 , one between the outer panel  14  and the separator panel  34 , and the other between the separator panel  34  and the inner panel  15 , each of which may be used separately to contain folding money  26  and for other flexible thin materials such as receipts, notes or the like. 
   Transparent window pocket  23  is preassembled to the exposed surface of the inner panel  15 , and is preferably constructed of a colorless, transparent panel  35  of flexible polymeric sheet material such as vinyl, polycarbonate or the like stitched inside a surrounding frame  36  of leather material which in turn is stitched along three of its edges to the exposed surface of the inner panel  15 . The edge of frame  36  left unstitched is parallel and adjacent to the fold line  11  of the wallet  10 , such that a photographic identification card may be inserted under transparent panel  35  when the wallet  10  is fully open, yet is protected from loss when the wallet  10  is folded closed. Under the transparent panel  35 , the photograph is readily visible without removing the card from the transparent window pocket  23 . 
   In the preferred embodiment there is also a series of overlapping pockets  21  preassembled on the hidden surface of the inner leather panel  15 , facing the transparent window pocket  23  when wallet  10  is folded closed, for containing and protecting multiple additional financial cards  25  or the like. The entrance slots  37  to these pockets  21  are shown positioned such that the financial cards  25  are inserted and removed horizontally, although overlapping pockets  21  may alternatively be constructed rotated 90 degrees clockwise for conventional vertical loading. 
   Further in a more desired form of the preferred embodiment, four additional card pockets  38  are preassembled, two on each of two leather internal panels  39 , for containing flat, rigid objects such as financial cards  25 , calculators or the like. These additional card pockets  38  are sewn to the inner, exposed surfaces of internal panels  39  along three of each such pocket&#39;s four edges, leaving open the pocket&#39;s edge adjacent to the wallet&#39;s shorter edge  13  for insertion or removal of such objects. The hidden surfaces of internal panels  39  are then stitched around their entire perimeter to the hidden surfaces of outer panel  14  and of inner panel  15  along stitching line  31 . 
   Additionally, in the preferred embodiment, there is a hidden pocket  22  under each of the transparent window pocket  23  and the set of overlapping pockets  21 . The entrance slot  37  to each of these hidden pockets  22  is both parallel and adjacent to the fold line  11  of the wallet  10 , such that thin flat items such as photographs, eyeglass prescriptions or business cards may be inserted into these hidden pockets  22  horizontally. A preferred method for inserting would be to preload a multitude of such items in a sleeve or envelope, constructed from a low-friction material such as polymeric plastic film, such that the items are protected from buckling damage during insertion and withdrawal. 
     FIG. 4  examines several details of these features on the hidden surface of inner panel  15  in the preferred embodiment, such as pockets for storage, windows for viewing, and the like. Shown is the hidden side of stitching line  33  for window pocket  23  and four fabric layers  41 ,  42 ,  43  and  44 , secured by stitching lines  45  to form overlapping pockets  21 . Also shown are entrance slots  37  which serve as the loading points for hidden pockets  22 . 
   And finally, in a preferred embodiment there is provided a key pocket  51 , preferably accessible within the folding money pocket  24 , for hidden storage of a key  52 . Such a key pocket  51  may be formed by a separate panel  53  stitched to an exposed surface of internal panels  39  or to either surface of separator panel  34 , or it alternatively may be provided as a simple slot  54  in one or more of internal panels  39 . 
   Though the above description is of necessity specific, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims rather than by any specific embodiments recited here.