Abstract:
A portable, novelty item, which comprises a plurality of items, such as cards, removably secured together, the items having indicia thereon. The indicia can be text, such as jokes, riddles, motivational sayings, or graphics, such as sports figures, sports teams, and the like. The individual items are removable and replaceable from the assemblage, thus allowing trading or exchanging of the items.

Description:
[0001]    Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) is claimed to provisional application serial No. 60/316,926, filed on Aug. 30, 2001, and entitled “Assemblage of Collectable Cards”. The complete disclosure of application No. 60/316,926, is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     
       FIELD  
         [0002]    The invention relates to a portable novelty item having a plurality of removable and replaceable items, such as cards, retained together by a fastening system, the plurality of items having indicia thereon.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0003]    For many people, the daily routine of work, school, and other daily activities can be very mundane, boring, stressful, or any combination of such experiences. To escape from, or at least temporarily avoid, the daily routine, many people rely on activities that remove them from the daily routine. Such activities include golfing, fishing, vacationing, or any other time spent away from the office, school, or typical location. For many people, simply an afternoon off is a welcome retreat.  
           [0004]    However, many people cannot regularly disrupt their schedule to enjoy extensive periods of rest, relaxation, or simply, plain fun, that comes from golfing, fishing, vacationing, and other such activities. Rather, the majority of the relaxation that occurs daily occurs in quick time intervals and involves activities such as reading the newspaper, taking a coffee break, or daydreaming.  
           [0005]    What is needed is a convenient activity that can provide a break from the ordinary activities of the day and that provides a welcome break.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0006]    The present invention is a fun, mood brightening product that boosts morale and that can be interesting, funny, series, a mind-teaser, or motivational. The present invention is a collection of individual items removably secured together by an attachment system, the individual items having indicia thereon.  
           [0007]    The individual items are preferably configured to stack or nest together to form a compact collection or assemblage. A preferred form for each of the items is as a planar card, such as a playing card or trading card.  
           [0008]    The indicia is present on at least one surface of the items, and for a planar item such as a card, can be present on only one surface or on two opposite surfaces. The indicia may be printed text or graphics on the item surface, may be present within the item itself, e.g., integral within the item rather than present on the surface thereof, or the indicia may be present as apertures or other areas within the item devoid of material. Examples of suitable text includes jokes, riddles, fortunes, encouraging sayings, trivia questions, wisdom, facts, motivational sayings, slogans, corporate mission statements, and the like. Examples of graphics include depictions of sports figures, sports team logos, movie stars, music stars, political figures, cartoons, animals, and the like.  
           [0009]    The attachment system can be any mechanism that secures the individual items together, yet allows removal of an item when desired. Examples of usable attachment systems include, but are not limited to, chains, rings, loops, bolts, screws, latches, clamps, clips, rivets, and other flexible or rigid fasteners.  
           [0010]    In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is an assemblage of cards held together by an attachment system such as a chain, the cards having printed text such as fun quotes, jokes, facts, or games present on one side. The opposite, second side of the card may be unprinted or blank, for example, to allow writing messages thereon. In another preferred embodiment, the assemblage of cards has graphics printed thereon.  
           [0011]    In particular embodiment, the present invention is an assemblage 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an assemblage according to the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an assemblage according to the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]    The present invention is directed to a collection or assemblage of individual items, such as cards, held together by an attachment system such as a chain (such as a key chain), a stud, or other similar item that retains the items together.  
         [0015]    Referring now to the figures, a first embodiment of an assemblage is shown as assemblage  10 . Assemblage  10  has a plurality of individual items  20  held together by an attachment system  30 . Specifically, plurality of individual items  20  has a first item  20   a , a second item  20   b , a third item  20   c , and so on. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, items  20  are planar cards having a first surface  22  and an opposite, second surface, not designated in FIG. 1. Items  20  have an aperture  23  therethrough extending from first surface  22  to the opposite second surface for passing attachment system  30  through item  20 .  
         [0016]    Attachment system  30  of assemblage  10  is a flexible, segmented chain  32  having a clasp  34 . Such a chain  32  with clasp  34  is commonly known as a key chain.  
         [0017]    First surface  22  has indicia  25  thereon. For assemblage  10 , indicia  25  consists of printed text. Preferably, each item  20 , such as first item  20   a , a second item  20   b , a third item  20   c , and so on has indicia  25  thereon, either on first surface  22 , the opposite second surface, or both surfaces.  
         [0018]    Referring now to FIG. 2, a second embodiment of an assemblage is shown as assemblage  110 . Assemblage  110  has a plurality of individual items  120  held together by an attachment system  130 . Specifically, plurality of individual items  120  has a first item  120   a , a second item  120   b , a third item  120   c , and so on up to a twentieth item  120   t . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, items  120  are planar cards having a first surface  122  and an opposite, second surface  124 . Items  120  have an aperture  123  passing an attachment system  130  through items  120 . Attachment system  130  of assemblage  110  is a two-part engageable system having a male portion  136  and a female portion  138  that are engageable. Such an attachment system  130  may be commonly known as a stud or a rivet.  
         [0019]    The various features of assemblage  10 ,  110  are further described below. As summarized above, assemblage  10 ,  110  has a plurality of items  20 ,  120  with indicia  25  thereon, removably connected by attachment system  30 ,  130 .  
         [0020]    Generally, multiple items  20 ,  120  will be present in assemblage  10 ,  110 . At least two items  20 ,  120 , preferably at least three items  20 ,  120 , and more preferably at least 10 items  20 ,  120  are present. In assemblage  110 , twenty items  120 , present as  120   a ,  120   b ,  120   c , . . .  120   t , are shown. In another preferred embodiment, thirty-two or thirty-four items  20 ,  120  may be present. No matter what number of items  20 ,  120 , assemblage  10 ,  110  has a collection, assembly, compilation, or other grouping of items  20 ,  120 .  
         [0021]    Items  20 ,  120  can be any suitable shape or size. Items  20 ,  120  can be generally two-dimensional or three-dimensional. By use of the term “two-dimensional”, it is intended to designate a structure having a length and a width significantly greater than the thickness of the structure. For example, a sheet of paper or a playing card is intended to fall within the term two-dimensional in this context. However, it is preferred that items  20 ,  120  are fairly two-dimensional, to allow for easy stacking or nesting of item  20 ,  120 . For example, items  20 ,  120  may be corrugated, concave, convex, or other arcuate shape.  
         [0022]    Examples of suitable shapes include squares and other rectangles, circles, ovals or ellipses, stars, other polygons such as triangles, hexagons, pentagons, and so on, and irregular or undefined shapes. In FIGS. 1 and 2, items  20 ,  120  are rectangular. Usually, the largest dimension of item  20 ,  120  is no greater than about 5 inches, typically no greater than about 4 inches. In most designs, the largest dimension of item  20 ,  120  is about 2 to 3 inches. If item  20 ,  120  is a circle, the largest dimension is its diameter. Items  20 ,  120  are preferably shaped and sized so that assemblage  10 ,  110  can be stored in small spaces such as a backpack, a brief case, a pocket, or a desk drawer.  
         [0023]    The preferred item  20 ,  120  is a card, similar to a playing card or a trading card, having dimensions of about 1 inch by 2 inches by 0.125 inch thick, to 2 inches by 3 inches by 0.125 inch thick. A card has a first surface  22 ,  122  and an opposite second surface  124 , each of which are suitable for having indicia  25  thereon.  
         [0024]    Items  20 ,  120  can be made from virtually any material such as paper (cellulose), a polymeric material (commonly referred to as plastic), metal, cloth, or any composite or combination thereof, the only preference being that items  20 ,  120  are fairly lightweight to allow multiple items  20 ,  120  to be easily stored and carried by a person. For example, items  20 ,  120  can have a paper or other cellulose base laminated or otherwise coated with a plastic material. Alternately, the entire thickness of items  20 ,  120  can be plastic. In another example, items  20 ,  120  can be formed from thin metal sheets, such as aluminum. Preferably, items  20 ,  120  are somewhat flexible, yet resilient.  
         [0025]    It is not necessary that each of items  20 ,  120  are made from the same material or have the same shape and/or size. For example, it may be desired to have the outermost items, such as item  120   a  and item  120   t , made from a more durable material than the interior items  120   b ,  120   c , etc. Similarly, outermost items  120   a ,  120   t  may be slightly larger in size than inner items  120   b ,  120   c.    
         [0026]    Indicia  25  can be present in or on items  20 ,  120 , in or on either one or both surfaces  22 ,  122  and  124 . For a multilayer item  20 ,  120 , such as a laminated paper card, indicia  25  may be present on the paper base with a plastic coating thereover. Alternately, indicia  25  may be present within or on the plastic coating.  
         [0027]    Indicia  25  can be any visual marking on items  20 ,  120 . Indicia  25  may be text or graphics on items  20 ,  120 . Examples of suitable text includes jokes, riddles, fortunes, encouraging sayings, trivia questions or other mind games, wisdom, motivational sayings, poems, famous quotes, and the like. Examples of graphics include depictions of sports figures, sports team logos, corporate logos and other organization logos, movie stars, music stars, political figures, cartoons, animals, states, shapes, colors, and the like. Holograms can be used to provide a special or spectacular image. Preferably, indicia  25  present on the various items  20 ,  120  is at least distantly related so that assemblage  10 ,  110  has a theme associated therewith. For example, items  20 ,  120  of a first assemblage can have jokes and/or riddles thereon, and items  20 ,  120  of a second assemblage can have cartoon characters.  
         [0028]    Indicia  25  may be present within the item itself, that is, indicia  25  is present within the item rather than present on the surface thereof. Examples include having indicia  25  on a paper base which is then coated. In another embodiment, indicia  25  may be present as three-dimensional embossed, raised, or textured areas. For example, indicia  25  may be raised above surface  22 ,  122 . In another variation, indicia  25  may be present as apertures or other areas within the item devoid of material.  
         [0029]    Preferably, indicia  25  on each item  20 ,  120  is related, thus creating assemblage  10 ,  110  with a common theme. In some assemblages  10 ,  110 , a few items  20 ,  120  may be present that have no indicia present; rather, items  20 ,  120  are blank. Preferably, at least 50% of items  20 ,  120  have indicia  25  thereon, more preferably at least 75% of items  20 ,  120  have indicia  25  thereon.  
         [0030]    Items  20 ,  120  include aperture  23 ,  123  therethrough to allow inclusion of attachment system  30 ,  130  which retains items  20 ,  120  together. As stated, attachment system  30 ,  130  is openable or otherwise accessible to allow items  20 ,  120  to be removed and replaced as desired. Attachment system  30 ,  130  detachably holds items  20 ,  120  securely together until it is desired to remove an item  20 ,  120 . A first example of a suitable attachment system is attachment system  30  of FIG. 1. Attachment system  30  is a flexible, segmented chain  32  held together by clasp  34 ; it is commonly known as a key chain. Another example of a suitable attachment system is attachment system  130  of FIG. 2, which is a male/female engageable mechanism having male portion  136  and female portion  138 . Male portion  136  and female portion  138  can be threaded to facilitate engagement, or male portion  136  may merely snap into female portion  138 , such as with a compression fitting. Examples of other suitable attachment systems  30 ,  130  include rings, loops, bolts, screws, latches, clamps, clips, rivets, and other fasteners.  
         [0031]    Attachment system  30 ,  130  can be flexible (such as attachment system  30 ) or be rigid (such as attachment system  130 ). Attachment system  30 ,  130  may be metal, plastic, or any other suitable material.  
         [0032]    Items  20 ,  120  of assemblage  10 ,  110  of the present invention may be viewed and enjoyed, and exchanged or traded like “baseball cards” or other types of trading cards. Assemblage  10 ,  110  is appropriate for all ages of users, depending upon the content of indicia  25  present thereon.  
         [0033]    While there have been described what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. Thus, while the invention has been described in the context of, perhaps, educational, motivational, advertising, relaxational, or enjoyment methods, the content of the indicia printed on the cards may be modified, the indicia being of the same general subject matter. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.