Abstract:
Card storage device for storing and transporting multiple media cards, the cards being of the same type or of different types. The card storage device has an adaptable media-card holder that allows the user to configure the storage device for specific types of media cards. The media-card holder includes an outer frame and middle and inner auxiliary frames that are optionally inserted into the outer frame. The outer frame provides a storage space for a large type of media card. The auxiliary frames provide secure storage space for one or more smaller media cards.

Description:
BACKGROUND INFORMATION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The invention relates to the field of storage devices for small flat objects. More particularly, the invention relates to holders used to store electronic media or memory cards.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the prior art  
         [0004]     Interchangeable or plug-in data or memory cards are currently known and in use with many types of electronic devices. Such cards are referred to hereinafter as “media cards” and the term shall refer in general to small, portable electronic plug-in cards for storing data and/or software, as well as for storing memory (integrated circuits). The media cards are used, for example, in portable telephones, desktop and portable computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and digital cameras. Examples of conventional electronic media cards include subscriber identity module (SIM) cards, multimedia memory cards (MMC&#39;s), secure digital (SD) cards, SmartMedia™ cards, the memory sticks, xD picture cards, and compact flash memory (CF) cards. The conventional media card is small and flat, but each type of media card has unique dimensions, varying in size, capacity, and function. The media card is interchangeable and easily removable from the device with which it is used. Due to its size, it is easilty transportable. As with all electronic storage media, care must be taken in their storage and handling. The use of small handheld electronic devices is growing rapidly, resulting in a rapid proliferation of new and dimensionally unique media cards. A card user frequently carries multiple media cards of various types, either because the user needs to store large amounts of data, uses multiple electronic devices, each of which uses a specific type of card, or needs to keep data separate. For example, the user may carry two SIM cards which contain an access code and charge code for a portable cellphone, one SIM card for charging calls to a business account and the other one for charging calls to a personal account, another and different type of card for storing digital photographs, and yet another type of card for storing data and/or software for use with a PDA.  
         [0005]     Users often transport these cards because the data contained therein needs to be used on non-local devices, or because the electronic devices themselves are mobile. A problem with storing and carrying plug-in media cards is that their small size renders them easily misplaced and damaged.  
         [0006]     Numerous disclosures have attempted to provide adequate and secure means of transport and protection of the memory cards. U.S. Patent Application Publication 6,443,306 (Davies et al., 2003) discloses a jewel case carrier with a foam insert. Pre-cut cutout sections in the foam comprise a secure means to hold a media card. U.S. Patent Application Publication 6,275,383 B1 (Böhm, 2001) discloses a holder of credit card size with a protective casing. The holder has guides for the insertion of media cards and pawls or nubs to hold the cards in place. Japan Patent Application Publication JP 2001175821 (Tetsuya, 2001) discloses a storage holder in the size and specification of a conventional computer disk. Card of various sizes are able to slide into and be held in pre-formed slots. U.S. Patent Application Publication 6,766,952 (Luu, 2004) discloses a means to store one or more integrated circuit plug-in cards in a carrier that is snap-on or slide-on attachable to a portable device, or that forms a protective pocket. Integrated circuit plug-in cards are able to slide into the protective carrier slot.  
         [0007]     These holders all have a disadvantage in that they are not adaptable or reconfigurable. Each of the disclosed holders is pre-configured for use with a specific shape and size of card and does not provide a means for a holder to be reconfigured to accommodate the various and changing data storage needs of the user.  
         [0008]     What is needed, therefore, is a holder that transports media cards compactly and securely. What is further needed is such a holder that is configured to simultaneously hold a plurality of media card types. What is yet further needed is such a holder that is quickly and easily reconfigurable to accommodate new and differently dimensioned media cards.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     For the reasons cited above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a compact and secure holder for media cards. It is a further object to provide such a holder that is configured to simultaneously hold a plurality of media card types. It is a yet further object to provide such a holder that is quickly and easily reconfigurable to accommodate new and differently dimensioned media cards.  
         [0010]     The objects of the invention are achieved by providing a card storage device that includes an adaptable media card holder and a protective enclosure. The holder is capable of storing a plurality of media cards, of the same or of different types. Such media cards include, but are not limited to, subscriber identity module (SIM) cards, multimedia memory cards (MMC&#39;s), secure digital (SD) cards, SmartMedia™ cards, memory sticks, xD picture cards, and compact flash memory (CF) cards. New types of media cards continue to be developed and appear on the market. The adaptable media card holder according to the invention provides the desired adaptability to also accommodate future new and/or different media cards.  
         [0011]     The protective enclosure may be any suitable enclosure that is suitable for holding the adaptable media card holder and protecting the media card or cards. The key features of the protective enclosure are that it effectively protects the media card(s) from damage, whether from being dropped or being carried in a trouser pocket along with other objects, and provides means for easy storage and retrieval of the cards in the enclosure. Thus, the protective enclosure may be a clamshell type case, an etui or a sleeve with a closure means, such as a zipper or hook-and-loop fabric closure. The adaptable media card holder may be fixedly mounted or be loosely placed in the protective enclosure. An example of a well-suited type of protective enclosure is that of a clamshell type case with hinged top and bottom shells or panels, or a case with hinged front and back panels. Preferably, the protective case is constructed of a rigid material, such as a metal, plastic, or other form-rigid material that provides the necessary rigidity and strength to protect the media card from damage.  
         [0012]     The adaptable media card holder has a frame that receives and securely holds one or more media cards. The frame is constructed of a rigid material and is a multi-part frame, having at least an outer frame and one or more auxiliary frames that nest within the outer frame and are removable from the outer frame as needed. The auxiliary frames are keyed to fit securely within a portion of the outer frame, similar to the inter-locking of a jigsaw puzzle, yet are easily removed or reinserted. Each frame forms a cavity of a certain size, capable of holding at least one media card of certain dimensions. The outer frame, with the auxiliary frames removed, provides storage space for larger media cards, while the auxiliary frames provide storage space for smaller media cards. Depending on the particular type of media card to be stored, the auxiliary frames are inserted or removed from the outer frame to provide the storage space to accommodate the particular media card. An adaptable media card holder having a relatively large outer frame with several relatively small auxiliary frames side by side accommodates a plurality of media cards, of the same or of different dimensions. For example, an xD picture card may rest in a cavity created by an auxiliary frame. If one removes the auxiliary frame, the larger cavity now provided may hold an SD memory card and a Memory Stick Duo card. The frames are constructed with recesses that facilitate grasping the frames or the media card stored within. The media card is typically placed into the properly sized cavity and pressed gently into place in the frame. The card is removed simply by grasping it with a thumb and forefinger and lifting it from the cavity. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements.  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a first embodiment of the card storage device according to the invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the card storage device of  FIG. 1 , showing the storage of two different cards.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3A  illustrates the storage of an xD card.  
         [0017]      FIG. 3B  illustrates the storage of an SD media card.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3C  illustrates the storage of a Memory Stick Duo media card.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3D  illustrates the storage of a Memory Stick media card.  
         [0020]      FIG. 3E  illustrates the storage of a CF media card.  
         [0021]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the second embodiment of the card storage device according to the invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 5A  is a perspective drawing of the outer frame of the card storage device of  FIG. 4 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 5B  is a perspective view of the inner frame of the card storage device of  FIG. 4 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 5C  shows the inner frame inserted with the outer frame of the card storage device of  FIG. 4 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 6A  illustrates the storage of a CF and Memory Stick Duo media card.  
         [0026]      FIG. 6B  illustrates the storage of a SD media card, an xD picture card, and a Memory Stick card.  
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is a plane view of the inner frame.  
         [0028]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the first inner frame end of the second embodiment.  
         [0029]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the second inner frame end of the second embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0030]     The present invention will now be described more fully in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention should not, however, be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. These drawings are not drawn to scale.  
         [0031]     Note: Many briefcases, wallets, etc. provide compartments for storing credit cards and since people generally carry their wallets with them, the ability to store media and data storage devices in these compartments is desirable. For this reason, the size of the card storage devices according to the invention described below is approximately that of a credit card, although it is understood that the size of the card storage device is not a limitation.  
         [0032]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a first embodiment of a card storage device  100  according to the invention. The card storage device  100  comprises an adaptable media card holder  120  and a protective enclosure  110 . The adaptable media card holder  120  is constructed to securely hold a conventional plug-in data, memory, or media card C of the type typically used with small handheld electronic devices, such as PDAs, cellular telephones, digital cameras, digital music players, etc., as well as desktop and portable computers. In the embodiment shown, an xD picture card C 1  and a CF card C 5  are stored. Other examples of storing specific types of media cards C are shown below. The protective enclosure  110  shown in  FIG. 1  is a clamshell type case with a top shell  112 , a bottom shell  114 , and a hinge  116  pivotally connecting the two shells. The adaptable media card holder  120  is fixedly mounted in the bottom shell  114 . The particular construction of this enclosure  110  is shown for purposes of illustration only. The enclosure  110  may be any suitable enclosure that is suitable for holding the adaptable media card holder  120  and protecting the media card C. Thus, the protective enclosure may also be an etui or a sleeve. The adaptable media card holder  120  may be fixedly mounted or be loosely placed in the protective enclosure  110 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the adaptable media card holder  120 , which includes an outer frame  130  and one or more auxiliary frames. In this first embodiment, the auxiliary frames include a middle frame  140  that nests within the outer frame  130 , and an inner frame  150  that nests within the middle frame  140 . As shown, the middle frame  140  and the inner frame  150  are separate and removable or insertable pieces. Depending on the particular media card C that is to be stored in the adaptable media card holder  120 , one or both of the frames  140 ,  150  are removed to accommodate the geometry of the media card C. Thus, two media cards C of different types can be stored simultaneously within the same adaptable media card holder  120 . The outer frame  130 , with the middle frame  140  and the inner frame  150  removed, provides a frame cavity  132 . Two frame cavities  132 A,  132 B are provided in the embodiment shown, although it is understood that any number of cavities may be provided, the number depending, of course, on the overall size of the adaptable media card holder  120 .  
         [0034]     The middle frame  140  and the inner frame  150  are keyed, so that when inserted into the adaptable media card holder  120 , they are located in a particular space and securely held in place. The middle frame  140  has a first key  142  and a second key  144  that fit respectively into a first recess  136  and a second recess  134  in the outer frame  130 . The middle frame  140  has a middle frame cavity  148  that is defined by the frame  140  and a middle frame floor  149 .  
         [0035]     The inner frame  150  nests inside the middle frame  140 . The inner frame  150  is a three-sided structure with an inner frame cavity  156 , an inner frame key  154 , and an inner frame finger recess  152 . The middle frame  140  has a middle frame recess  145  for receiving the inner frame key  154  to locate the inner frame  150  within the adaptable media card holder  120 .  
         [0036]      FIGS. 3A-3E  illustrate various configurations of the adaptable media card holder  120 , adapted to hold a particular media card C.  FIG. 3A  shows an xD picture card C 1 , which is a small media card, held within the inner frame  150 . The xD picture card C 1  rests on the middle frame floor  149  (not shown in this view) so that its upper surface is flush with that of the inner frame  150 . The inner frame finger recess  152  allows the user to easily remove the xD picture card C 1  from the inner frame cavity  56 .  FIG. 3B  shows an SD memory card C 2  stored within the middle frame  140 , with the inner frame  150  removed.  FIG. 3C  shows a Memory Stick Duo card C 3  stored within the middle frame  140 .  FIG. 3D  and  FIG. 3E  show respectively a Memory Stick media card C 4  and a CF card C 5  stored within the outer frame  130 , with the middle frame  140  removed. The two media cards C 4  and C 5  have different dimensions, yet are both storable in the same outer frame cavity  132 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 4  is a perspective drawing of a second embodiment of a card storage device  200  according to the invention. The card storage device  200  comprises an adaptable media card holder  220  and the protective enclosure  110  described above. The adaptable media card holder  220  comprises an inner frame  240  that nests inside an outer frame  230 . As with the card storage device  110  described above, the scope of the invention is not limited to the number of media cards C shown in the illustrations. Rather, the number of media cards C that the card storage device  200  may hold depends on the size and the particular configuration of the card storage device  200 .  
         [0038]      FIG. 5A - FIG. 5C  show the adaptable media card holder  220  with greater detail,  FIG. 5A  illustrating details of the outer frame  230 ,  FIG. 5B  illustrating details of the inner frame  240 , and  FIG. 5C  showing the inner frame  240  inserted into the outer frame  230 . The outer frame  230  has a plurality of corner keys  232  and a plurality of center keys  234 , that form a corresponding plurality of outer frame recesses  236 . Each of the corner keys  232  has a step  232 A, and each of the center keys has a step  234 A, as shown in  FIG. 5A . The keys  232  and  234  and recesses  236  define the corner boundaries of cavities  238 . In the particular embodiment shown, the cavities  238  include three cavities  238 A,  238 B, and  238 C. The inner frame  240  has an inner frame floor  247 , two lateral rails  244 , a first inner frame end  242  with a finger recess  242 A, and a second inner frame end  243 . The first inner frame end  242  serves as a key and fits into the recess  236 . The second inner frame end  243  also serves as a key that fits into the recess  236  opposite that of the first inner frame end  242  and also has a stepped short rail  246  that forms a series of steps  246 A and  246 B between the floor  247  and the upper surface of the inner frame  240 . A retainer bar  245  is formed along a portion of each of the lateral rails  244  for holding the media card C within the adaptable media card holder  200 . Finger grips  248  (shown only in  FIG. 4 ) are providing in the short rail  246 .  
         [0039]      FIG. 6A  illustrates the storage of a CF card C 5  and a Memory Stick Duo card C 3  in the adaptable media card holder  220 .  
         [0040]      FIG. 6B  illustrates storage of an SD card C 2 , an xD card C 1 , and a Memory Stick card C 4  in the adaptable media card holder  220 .  
         [0041]      FIG. 7  is a place view of the inner frame.  FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the first inner frame end  242 , showing the finger grip  242 A, the retainer bars  245 , the lateral rails  244 , and the floor  247  and  FIG. 8 a  cross-sectional view of the second inner frame end  243 , showing the profile of the short rail  246 .  
         [0042]     The scope of the invention encompasses a card storage device that stores any number of media cards. The Figures show configurations of the card storage devices  100  and  200  that are approximately the size of a credit card. It is within the scope of the invention, however, to provide card storage devices that are larger and, accordingly, are configured to carry more that the two or three media cards shown herein.  
         [0043]     It is understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention. Variations in the construction of the card storage device may be contemplated by one skilled in the art without limiting the intended scope of the invention herein disclosed.