Patent Publication Number: US-2011047762-A1

Title: Money clip having interchangeable covers with logo surfaces

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 12/584,235 filed on Sep. 2, 2009. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an improved money clip for gripping and holding money, credit cards, and business documents. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Although money clips have been used in the past, they have certain disadvantages. For example, they are not thick enough to hold a stack of money, credit cards, and business documents. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,749 is an example of a prior money clip that does not teach using the gripping legs in a manner so that they are interchangeable. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved money clip that has interchangeable gripping legs, and includes surfaces or sections for receiving logos or pictures. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an improved money clip for holding and securing a stack of money, credit cards, and business documents. The money clip includes a gripping member  12  having a U shape which includes gripping sections  14 ,  16 , and  18 , and a first set of pivot sections formed on the lower edge of gripping section  14 , and a second set of pivot sections formed on the lower edge of gripping section  18 . The first and second gripping legs  20  and  22  each having pivots members at their upper ends which are pivotally and removably connected to the first and second set of pivot sections formed on the gripping sections  14  and  18 . A third gripping leg  24  is provided having pivot members at its upper ends which is interchangeable with the first or second gripping legs  20  or  22 . In addition, support members are formed on the first, second, or third gripping legs for receiving logos or pictures thereon which have magnetic surfaces for receiving logos thereon. The gripping sections  14 ,  16 , or  18  may be coated with a metallic coating to provide a coated surface for receiving engravings thereon. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is perspective view of the money clip of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a third interchangeable gripping leg; 
         FIG. 2  is an elevational view of the money clip of the present invention having a logo support member thereon; 
         FIG. 3  is perspective view of the money clip of the present invention showing the two gripping legs and logo support member thereon; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the money clip of the present invention having a logo or picture support member thereon, in an open position; 
         FIG. 5  is an elevational view showing the gripping leg  22  attached to the logo support member  70 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the gripping leg and logo support member for receiving the gripping leg; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the gripping leg being placed on the logo support member  70 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the gripping leg  22  and logo support member  70 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention provides an improved money clip  10  for holding and securing a stack of money, credit cards, and business documents  30 . The money clip  10  includes a gripping member  12  having a U shape which includes gripping sections  14 ,  16 , and  18 , wherein the gripping sections  14  and  18  each have a central cutout  26  and  28 ; a first set of pivot sections  40  and  42  formed on the lower edge of gripping section  14 , and a second set of pivot sections  44  and  46  formed on the lower edge of gripping section  18 . The first and second gripping legs  20  and  22  each have pivot members  20   a  and  22   a  at their upper ends which are pivotally and removably connected to the first and second set of pivot sections  40 ,  42 ,  44 , and  46  formed on the gripping sections  14  and  18 . The gripping legs  20  and  22  are narrowed at their centers  20   d  and  22   b.    
     A third gripping leg  24  is provided having pivot members  60  and  62  at its upper ends which is interchangeable with the first or second gripping legs  20  or  22  for interchanging logos or pictures on the money clip  10 . In addition, logo support members  70  are formed on the first, second, or third gripping legs  20 ,  22 , and  24  each having a circular section  20   c  and  22   c  for receiving logos  80  or pictures  82  thereon. They may have magnetic surfaces  90  for receiving logos  80  or pictures  82  thereon. In addition, the gripping sections  14 ,  16 , or  18  may be coated with a metallic coating to provide a coated surface  100  for receiving engravings thereon, as shown in  FIG. 1 , on surface  14 . 
     The height of gripping section  16  may be in the range of ½″ to 1½″ to hold more cards or money. The height of gripping sections  14  and  18  may be in the range of ½″ to 1½″. The width of gripping sections may be in the range of ¾″ to 2¾″. 
       FIG. 1  shows money clip  10  having a surface  14  for engraving; and leg  20  having support member  70  for receiving logos  80  or pictures  82 ; 
       FIG. 1A  shows an interchangeable leg  24  which can be interchanged with legs  20  or  22 . 
       FIG. 3  shows support member  70  for receiving a logo  80  or a picture  82  glued or welded to legs  20  and  22  at  84 . 
       FIG. 4  shows support member  70  with logo  80  attached to leg  20 . 
       FIG. 5  shows the gripping leg  22  attached to the logo support member  70 . 
       FIG. 6  shows the logo support member  70  for receiving the gripping leg  22 . 
       FIG. 7  shows the gripping leg  22  being placed on the logo support member  70 . 
       FIG. 8  shows the logo support member  70  mounted on gripping leg  22 . 
     OPERATION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, logos or pictures may be placed on the gripping sections  14 ,  16 , or  18  of the money clip  10  or on the gripping legs  20 ,  22 , or  24  of the money clip  10 . In addition, to make the money clip more versatile in design, one of the gripping legs  20  or  22  may be interchanged with a third or fourth gripping leg  24  having thereon different logos or pictures. 
     ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention has provided an improved money which has interchangeable gripping legs having alternate logos or pictures to provide a money clip which is more versatile in design. 
     A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances, some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.