Patent Publication Number: US-8985387-B2

Title: Business card case

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a business card case or name card case, wherein a plurality of cards are stored and they can be promptly discharged one by one in an automatic manner by pressing an operating button as necessary. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventionally, business card cases or name card cases have been known in the art, such as those disclosed in JP Registered Utility Model Publication No. 3108210 or JP Utility Model Publication No. S62-63020. In JP Registered Utility Model Publication No. 3108210, a discharging opening of business cards or a name cards (hereinafter called cards) is provided on a storage case for storing a plurality of cards, and the stored cards are lifted upward by lifting means provided on a bottom portion of the storage case using elastic means such as a leaf spring. The card lifted upwardly can be pushed out one by one by inserting a finger into a window portion provided on a cover and by sliding the card via frictional force generated between the finger and the card. In JP Utility Model Publication No. S62-63020, a card case comprises a lifting means as well, and a discharging button member thereof is slidably mounted on a cover; The card can be discharged through a discharging opening by locking an end of a card at the top of the stack using a locking portion provided on the discharging button. 
     However, business card cases or name card cases provided to date, including those described in JP Registered Utility Model Publication No. 3108210 and JP Utility Model Publication No. S62-63020, wherein cards can be easily discharged, are designed for manual discharging operation of cards. Thus these business card cases or name card cases have a problem that the cards cannot be promptly discharged. Another problem with these card cases is that a card at the top unintentionally protrudes from a case so that it is damaged. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is made to solve the above-mentioned problem. An object of the invention is provide a business card case or name card case which is thin and space-saving even with an automatic discharging mechanism, wherein cards can be promptly and reliably discharged from a card storage case one by one in an automatic manner by pressing an operating button as necessary, and a satisfactory protection for the cards is assured. 
     To achieve the above-mentioned object, a business card case or name card case according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a case body in which a plurality of cards can be stored; a case discharging plate provided so as to be capable of proceeding and retreating with a card being placed on an upper surface thereof via a case discharging opening provided on a side portion of the case body; and an elastic means for movably urging the case discharging plate in one direction; wherein said case body is provided with a plate locking means for locking said card discharging plate retreated inside; and, wherein said plate locking means comprises an operating button partially protruding from said case body and having an engagement hook provided in an operating button insertion hole provided on said case main body so as to be non-rotatable and slidable in an axial direction. an elastic means resiliently provided between an inner bottom portion of said operating button insertion hole and said operating button, and an engagement groove formed on said card discharging plate. 
     A case body as mentioned above preferably comprises a case main body, a lid body mounted so as to be openable/closable with regard to the case main body and a lid body locking means locking the lid body in a closed state with regard to the case main body. However, its design is not necessarily limited thereto. 
     Moreover, a case main body as mentioned above preferably comprises a bottom plate and a card accommodating frame mounted on the bottom plate. However, its design is not necessarily limited thereto. 
     On a case body as mentioned above, a card pressing means is preferably provided for pressing cards accommodated in the case body toward a card discharging plate. 
     A card discharging plate as mentioned above can be so designed that it discharges cards via a card discharging opening as mentioned above outside a case body as mentioned above by a rotatable movement in a horizontal direction. However, the plate can also be so designed that it linearly proceeds and retreats in a longitudinal direction of the case body or in a direction perpendicular thereto, and not limited to a rotatable movement. 
     An anti-slip sheet is preferably attached to the entirety or a part of an upper surface side of a card discharging plate as mentioned above. 
     Under the above-mentioned arrangement of the present invention, the user performs operation for unlocking a plate locking means as mentioned above at the time of discharging cards, which allows a card discharging plate movably urged to rotatably move to be exposed to the outside, with only one card being placed thereon. Thus the user has only to pick out the card, which enables a prompt and reliable operation for discharging cards one by one. 
     Moreover, since a card discharging plate as mentioned above moves only in a horizontal direction, a drive mechanism for a thickness direction is not necessarily provided. Thus it is possible to provide a space-saving, thin and compact business card case or name card case. 
     Still further, cards accommodated in a card accommodating frame body will not protrude from the card accommodating frame body, until they are discharged by a card discharging plate as mentioned above. Therefore, protection of cards is satisfactorily assured. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a business card case/name card case according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a business card case/name card case according to the invention; 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of a business card case/name card case according to the invention in a closed state as seen from an upper surface side; 
         FIG. 3B  is a perspective view of a business card case/name card case according to the invention as seen from an upper surface side, while a card is discharged; 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of a business card case/name card case according to the invention in a closed state as seen from a lower surface side; 
         FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of a business card case/name card case according to the invention as seen from a lower surface side, while a card is discharged; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a business card case/name card case according to the invention while cards are stored therein; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing a card pressing means mounted on an inner surface of a lid body of a business card case/name card case according to the invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing a lower surface side of a card accommodating frame body of a business card case/name card case according to the invention, as well as a lid body locking means thereof mounted thereon, in order to show their structure; 
         FIG. 8A  is an enlarged cross sectional view partly cut away along a line A-A of  FIG. 7 , for illustrating a lid body locking means of a business card case/name card case according to the invention; 
         FIG. 8B  is an enlarged perspective view of one of engagement projecting pieces of a lid body locking means, for illustrating a lid body locking means of a business card case/name card case according to the invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of structure of a card discharging plate of a business card case/name card case according to the invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view of a bottom plate of a business card case/name card case according to the invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a plan view showing a card discharging plate of a business card case/name card case according to the invention being accommodated in a case body, so that the card discharging plate totally overlaps a bottom plate; 
         FIG. 12  is a plan view showing a part of a card discharging plate of a business card case/name card case according to the invention being exposed to the outside of a case body, so that a card on the card discharging plate can be discharged; 
         FIG. 13  is an explanatory view of main parts of a plate locking means of a card discharging plate of a business card case/name card case according to the invention as seen below, for illustrating an operation of the plate locking means; 
         FIG. 14  is an enlarged perspective view of a spring as elastic means for urging a card discharging plate of a business card case/name card case according to the invention; and 
         FIG. 15  is an enlarged perspective view of an operating button of a plate locking means of a card discharging plate of a business card case/name card case according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     In the following, preferable embodiments of a business card case/name card case (hereinafter called card case) according to the invention will be described in detail, based on the drawings. 
       FIGS. 1 to 5  show an embodiment of a card case according to the invention. 
     As shown in the drawings, a card case  1  according to the invention comprises a case body  10  capable of accommodating a plurality of cards M inside. A card discharging opening  101  is provided on a side portion of the case body  10  (see  FIG. 1 ), thus the card case is so designed that a card discharging plate  3  with one card m being placed on an upper surface thereof (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) can protrude and retreat between the card discharging opening  101  and case body  10 . 
     A card discharging plate  3  is movably urged by a spring  7  as elastic means which is designed to rotatably move the card discharging plate in one direction from the card discharging opening  101  to the outside of the case body  10 . As described below, when a plate locking means  8 , which locks the card discharging plate  3  as a whole being accommodated in the case body  10  against an elastic force of the spring  7 , is unlocked by pressing an operating button  81 , a restoration force of the elastic means (spring  7 ) allows the card discharging plate  3  to rotatably move in a horizontal direction to the outside of the case body  10 . 
     In other words, a top portion of an operating button  81  protruding from a corner of a lid body  5  is pressed in order to discharge a card; in this manner, a card discharging plate  3  rotatably moves to protrude from a card discharging opening  101  on one side portion of a card case  1 , so that one card m on an upper surface of the card discharging plate  3  can be discharged out of a case body  10  to the outside, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     After a card m is removed, a card discharging plate  3  is pushed back into a card case  1 , so that the card discharging plate  3  is locked by a plate locking means  8  in a state in which it is accommodated in the card case  1 . Thus the card discharging plate  3  restores the state as shown in  FIG. 1 , and keeps the state until an operating button  81  is pressed for the next time. 
     In an embodiment as shown in drawings, a case body  10  as mentioned above comprises a case main body  11  comprising a bottom plate  2  and a card accommodating frame body  4  mounted on the bottom plate  2 , and a lid body mounted so as to be openable/closable with regard to the case main body  11 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     Namely, a card accommodating frame body  4  is fixed via a plurality of retaining screws  423  using a plurality of screw holes  418  opened on the frame as well as a plurality of screw holes  26  opened on a bottom plate  2 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 7 . Moreover, a lid body  5  is mounted so as to be openable/closable with regard to the bottom plate  2 , by inserting hinge means  6   b ,  6   b  into opening/closing pivotally supporting holes  516  of the lid body  5  as well as lid body mounting pin holes  25  of the bottom plate  2 . In the meantime, the hinge means  6   b ,  6   b  are pin-shaped, but not limited thereto. They can be replaced with other known hinge means. 
     A lid body  5  comprises a lid main body  51  having a top plate portion  510  and circumferential wall portions  511  to  514  provided along four sides thereof, and a plurality of card pressing means  52   a ,  52   b ,  52   c  are mounted on an inner surface of the top plate portion  510 . 
     Circumferential wall portions  512  and  514  on opposing short sides among circumferential wall portions  511  to  514  as mentioned above are respectively provided with opening/closing pivotally supporting holes  516 , as described above. A lid body  5  is mounted so as to be rotatably moveable, in other words, openable/closable in a vertical direction with regard to a bottom plate  2  by inserting hinge means  6   b ,  6   b  into the above mentioned opening/closing pivotally supporting holes  516  and lid body mounting pin holes  25  provided on wall surfaces on opposing short sides of a bottom plate main body  21  (see  FIG. 2 ). 
     An operating button insertion hole  518  is opened on a corner portion of a top plate portion  510  of a lid body  5 , so that a top portion  815  of an operating button  81  of a plate locking means  8  as described below can be pressed by finger, while the lid body  5  is closed. In the meantime, opening/closing operations of the lid body  5  can be also carried out in a vertical direction, but sliding in a horizontal direction as in a lid body of a mobile telephone is also acceptable. 
     Moreover, a lid body  5  uses lid body locking means  9   a ,  9   b  locking the lid body in a closed state with regard to a case main body as mentioned above to exclude unintentional opening operations in the embodiment shown in drawings. 
     In other words, each of circumferential wall portions  512  and  514  on opposing short sides as mentioned above is provided with an engagement hole  517 , and tips of engagement projecting pieces  91  of lid body locking means  9   a ,  9   b  (see  FIGS. 2 ,  7  and  8 . In the meantime,  FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing a lower surface side of a card accommodating frame body  4 ) assembled in the frame of the card accommodating frame body  4  are fitted into the engagement holes  517 , so that a lid body  5  is retained in a closed state. 
     Lid body locking means  9   a ,  9   b  since both are of an identical structure, only the structure of one lid body locking means  9   a  is shown in  FIG. 8 ) comprises an engagement projecting piece  91 , a compression spring  92  and a pressing lid  93  (see  FIGS. 7 and 8 ). The engagement projecting piece  91  and the compression spring  92  are accommodated into a component accommodating holes  416   a ,  416   b  formed on a first short-side frame  413  and a second short-side frame  414  of a card accommodating frame body  4 . An opening of this component accommodating hole is so designed that it is covered with the pressing lid  93 . Namely, a convex portion  91   a  (see  FIG. 8 ) of the engagement projecting piece  91  is so placed that the engagement projecting piece  91  is pressed by the compression spring  92  from backside, with a part thereof protruding from a projecting holes  417   a ,  417   b  opened on a side wall of the component accommodating holes  416   a ,  416   b ; here the pressing lid  93  is mounted on the opening of the component accommodating holes  416   a ,  416   b  to cover the opening. The end of the convex portion  91   a  of the engagement projecting piece  91  is slightly rounded, as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     In this manner, when a lid body  5  is closed, a convex portion  91   a  of an engagement projecting piece  91  is fitted into an engagement hole  517  of the lid body  5 , so that the lid body  5  is locked in a closed state. When a lid body  5  is opened, engagement projecting pieces  91  are disengaged from engagement hole  517  by simultaneously pressing portions of the engagement projecting pieces  91  protruding from the projecting holes  417   a ,  417   b  using finger, so that opening operation of the lid body  5  is possible. 
     Card pressing means  52   a ,  52   b ,  52   c  are mounted on an inner surface of a top plate portion  510  constituting a portion of a case body  10 , as described above (see  FIGS. 2 ,  6 ), and are so designed that they press cards M stored in the case body  10  toward a card discharging plate  3 . Each of the card pressing means  52   a ,  52   b ,  52   c  comprises a spring  521  and a mounting plate  522  fixing an end thereof to the top plate portion  510  of the lid body  5 , and is so designed that it presses from above a plurality of cards M stored in a card accommodating frame body  4  on the free end side of the spring  521 , and in this manner the lowest layer of the cards are smoothly introduced into a recess  314  as described below on an upper surface of a card discharging plate  3 . The mounting plate  522  is fixed via screws  523  on an inner surface of the top plate portion  510 . The card pressing means  52   a ,  52   b ,  52   c  can be also mounted on a bottom portion of a case main body  11 , and the mounting position thereof is not limited. 
     A card accommodating frame body  4  as mentioned above consists of a frame main body  41 , a central portion thereof being a hollow portion  410  of a size substantially equal to an ordinary card, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 7 ; in this hollow portion  410 , approximately seven to sixteen cards M can be accommodated. 
     An outer long-side frame  411  of a card accommodating frame body  4  forms a long side facing a card discharging opening  101  as mentioned above, and notch concave portions  421   a ,  421   b  for protecting free ends of springs  521  of card pressing means  52   a  and  52   c  as mentioned above from displacement in accordance with number of accommodated cards are formed on an inner long-side frame  412  opposing this outer long-side frame  411 . 
     Stepped convex portions  419   a  and  419   b  respectively formed on first and second short-side frames  413 ,  414  of a card accommodating frame body  4  are convex portions for compensating a height difference between an upper step surface  27   a  and a lower step surface  27   c  of a bottom plate  2  as described below (see  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 10 ), and these stepped convex portions are so designed that they are respectively fitted into stepped convex portion insertion holes  28   a ,  28   b  opened on circumferential walls of the bottom plate  2 . Narrowing of a card discharging opening  101  and block to the movement of a card discharging plate  3  can be prevented by providing the stepped convex portions  419   a  and  419   b.    
     Moreover, a pivot head portion receiving hole  420  formed on a first short-side frame  413  of a card accommodating frame body  4  is a hole for receiving a pivot for pivotally supporting a card discharging plate  3  as mentioned above in a manner such that the card discharging plate can rotatably move. 
     Still further, an operating button insertion hole  415  is formed at a corner portion where an inner long-side frame  412  and a first short-side frame  413  of a card accommodating frame body  4  cross, and the operating button insertion hole allows a top portion of an operating button  81  of a plate locking means  8  to pass through. The operating button insertion hole  415  comprises a large diameter portion  415   a , a stepped stopper  415   b  and a small diameter portion  415   c , wherein a large diameter portion  812  of the operating button  81  as shown in  FIG. 15  is fitted into the large diameter portion  415   a , a stepped portion  813  of the operating button  81  comes into contact with the stepped stopper  415   b , and a small diameter portion  814  of the operating button  81  is fitted into the small diameter portion  415   c . As described below, the operating button  81  is urged upward by an elastic means (compression spring)  82 , but its limit position in an upward movement is restricted by the above-mentioned stepped stopper  415   b  of the operating button insertion hole  415 . 
     Still further, positioning concave portions  422   a ,  422   b  are formed on a lower surface in vicinity of both ends of an inner long-side frame  412  of a card accommodating frame body  4 , and they are so designed that they enable an exact alignment of a bottom plate  2  and the card accommodating frame body  4  by fitting them with positioning convex portions  29   a ,  29   b  formed at corresponding positions of the bottom plate  2 . 
     Still further, when a bottom plate  2  is fixed to a card accommodating frame body  4  by alignment as above stated, a design is made in a manner such that a gap is formed between a side surface  29   c  of a positioning convex portion  29   a  (as mentioned above) of a bottom plate  2  and a side surface  422   c  facing a positioning convex portion  422   a  of the card accommodating frame body  4 . A detent projecting portion  816  of an operating button  81  is fitted into the gap so as to prevent the operating button  81  from rotating around the axis. 
     A card discharging plate  3  (see  FIG. 2 ,  9 ), a principal component of the invention, is so designed that it rotatably moves in a horizontal direction in order to bring cards out of a case body  10  as mentioned above via a card discharging opening  101 . 
     In an embodiment shown in the drawings, a card discharging plate  3  is mounted by inserting a pivot  22  provided on one short side of a bottom plate  2  into a pivotally supporting hole  315  on one short side of the card discharging plate  3 , in a manner such that it can rotatably moves with regard to the bottom plate  2 , around a central point of the pivot  22  (therefore, this is also a central point of the pivotally supporting hole  315 ). The card discharging plate  3  is further urged by a spring  7  as elastic means attached to a root portion of the pivot  22  so as to rotatably move in one direction from a retreated position to an advanced position. In the meantime, an elastic means such as a torsion coil spring, an extension coil spring, a compression coil spring and others can serve as spring  7 . 
     In other words, a card discharging plate  3  is mounted so that it can rotatably move around a pivot  22  with regard to a bottom plate  2 , in a horizontal direction along a main flat surface of the card discharging plate  3  from a retreated position, wherein it totally overlaps a bottom plate  2 , to an advanced position, wherein at least an edge portion thereof on a card discharging side is exposed to the outside with regard to an edge portion of the bottom plate  2 . 
     A card discharging plate  3  is so designed that a recess  314  on an upper surface thereof can accommodate cards one by one when it is placed at a retreated position, while one of the cards can be easily discharged by the user when it is placed at an advanced position for discharging operation. 
     In other words, an outer long-side upper step surface  311 , an inner long-side upper step surface  312  and short-side upper step surface  313  are formed on an identical plane on an upper surface of a card discharging plate  3  along the three sides thereof, as shown in detail in  FIG. 9 ; furthermore, middle step surfaces  314   a ,  314   b  one step lower than these are formed by first stepped portions  310   a , and a lower step surface  314   c  still one step lower than these is formed by second stepped portions  310   b . An anti-slip sheet  32  made of felt and others is attached to the lower step surface  314   c , so that it prevents the cards brought into a recess  314  from protruding or dropping out by a centrifugal force accompanied by a rotatable movement of the card discharging plate  3  in a card discharging operation. Therefore, an upper surface of the anti-slip sheet  32  as attached is preferably set at a height slightly higher than that of the middle step surface  314   a . Various materials other than felt can serve as anti-slip sheet  32 . Besides the use of an anti-slip sheet  32 , the top surface of the card discharging plate  3  itself can be also provided with fine irregularities, so that it has an anti-slip effect. 
     Moreover, first stepped portions  310   a  are set so as to have a step height equal to or slightly lower than the thickness of one card to be discharged. This is because a height higher than the thickness of one card causes the second lowest card to stop at an edge of a first stepped portion  310   a , which prevents from a smooth discharging operation. 
     In the meantime, a notch  316  for facilitating a grasping operation of a card is formed on a short side opposite to the side provided with a pivotally supporting hole  315 . In an embodiment shown in  FIG. 9 , a card discharging plate  3  rotatably moves so that a predetermined area including a long side with an outer long-side upper step surface  311  as well as a short side with the notch  316  is exposed to the outside, as shown in  FIGS. 3B and 4B . 
     In the meantime, a projecting portion  317  with an engagement groove is provided on a corner portion on a side provided with a spring working end surface  318  of a card discharging plate  3 , and an engagement groove  83  to be engaged with an engagement hook  811  of an operating button  81  of a plate locking means  8  as mentioned above is formed on the lower surface thereof. 
     In the following, a structure of a bottom plate  2  is described. A first stepped portion  27   b  is provided between an upper step surface  27   a  and a middle step surface  27   c  on an inner surface side of the bottom plate  2 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  10 . The upper step surface  27   a  is brought into a close contact with a lower surface of a card accommodating frame body  4  as mentioned above, while a space of a gap equal to a height of a first stepped portion  27   b  is created between the middle step surface  27   c  and the card accommodating frame body  4 , and a card discharging plate  3  is held inside the space in a manner such that it can rotatably move between a retreated position and an advanced position as mentioned above. The area in which the space communicates with the outside corresponds to a card discharging opening  101  as mentioned above. 
     In the meantime, a plurality of lower step surfaces  27   e  respectively demarcated in an arc shape are provided by providing a second stepped portion  27   d  in an area deeper than a middle step surface  27   c ; a plurality of bow-shaped rib portions  27   f  are formed by these lower step surfaces  27   e  in order to save weight of a bottom plate  2  and to facilitate a smooth rotatable sliding of a card discharging plate  3  in a horizontal direction. 
     A plate locking means  8  as mentioned above (see  FIGS. 2 ,  7 ,  11  to  15 ; in the meantime,  FIG. 13  is an explanatory view showing main components including a mounting position of the plate locking means  8  from below, and  FIG. 15  an enlarged view of an operating button  81 ) has a function to lock a card discharging plate  3  when it is accommodated inside a case body  10 ; it comprises an operating button  81  partially protruding from the case body  10  and having an engagement hook  811  provided in an operating button insertion hole  415  provided on the case main body  11  so as to be non-rotatable and slidable in an axial direction; an elastic means  82  elastically provided between an inner bottom portion of the operating button insertion hole  415  and the operating button  81 ; and an engagement groove  83  formed on the card discharging plate  3 . Here in an embodiment shown in the drawings, the inner bottom portion of the operating button insertion hole  415  refers to an inner bottom portion  240  of a plate locking means holding hole  24  on a bottom plate  2  just under the operating button insertion hole  415  provided on a card accommodating frame body  4 . 
     Therefore, the plate locking means  8  in an embodiment shown in the drawings comprises an operating button  81  having an engagement hook  811 , a compression spring urging the operating button  81  upward (downward in  FIG. 13 ), and an engagement groove  83  provided on the card discharging plate  3 . 
     When a card discharging plate  3  is placed at a retreated position as mentioned above in an ordinary condition, an operating button  81  is urged by a compression spring  82 , so that an engagement hook  811  on the operating button  81  keeps an engagement with an engagement groove  83  of the card discharging plate  3 , and thereby the card discharging plate  3  is locked to remain in its retreated position. 
     On the other hand, a top portion  815  is pressed for discharging a card against an urging force of a compression spring  82  as mentioned above, so that an engagement hook  811  is released from an engagement groove  83  and unlocked; thus a card discharging plate  3  rotatably moves by an urging force of a spring  7  as mentioned above in a horizontal direction toward an advanced position as mentioned above. 
     In the meantime, an operating button  81  can be so designed that it can be locked and unlocked by sliding in a transverse direction or by rotating around the axis, besides being slidable in an axial direction. Further various arrangements are acceptable. 
     In assembling a rotatable movement mechanism, a plate locking means  8  and others of a card discharging plate  3 , a spring  7  for rotatably moving the card discharging plate  3  and the plate locking means  8  are first placed on a bottom plate  2 , and the card discharging plate  3  is mounted to cover it (see mainly  FIG. 2 ). 
     In other words, a spring  7  is placed by attaching a bend portion  71  thereof to a root portion of a pivot  22  provided on one short side of a bottom plate  2 , in a manner such that a working arm  73  of the spring  7  is accommodated in a spring accommodating concave portion  23   a  of the bottom plate  2 , while a stopper arm  72  is accommodated in a spring accommodating concave portion  23   b  (see  FIGS. 2 ,  10 ,  14 ). As described below, a working end portion  74  bent upward being a tip of a working arm  73  of the spring  7  protrudes upward from a middle step surface  27   c  of the bottom plate  2  as described below formed on one short side of a card discharging plate  3 , and is brought into a press contact with a spring working end surface  318  as described below, so that it movably urges a card discharging plate  3  toward an advanced position thereof. 
     Moreover, a compression spring  82  and an operating button  81  of a plate locking means  8  are fitted into a plate locking means holding hole  24  provided on a corner portion of a bottom plate  2 . Namely, the plate locking means  8  is constructed by covering a compression spring  82  fitted into the plate locking means holding hole  24  with the operating button  81 , in a manner such that a spring force of the compression spring  82  works between an inner bottom surface  240  of the plate locking means holding hole  24  and an inner surface of a top portion  815  of the operating button  81 . 
     Thereupon, a pivotally supporting hole  315  provided on one short side of a card discharging plate  3  is fitted with a pivot  22  as mentioned above of a bottom plate  2 , and the card discharging plate  3  is so placed that it overlaps the bottom plate  2 . At this point, a working end portion  74  of a spring  7  is brought into a press contact with a spring working end surface  318  of a card discharging plate  3  as mentioned above, in a manner such that the working end portion  74  of the spring  7  works on the spring working end surface  318 ; still further, a card accommodating frame body  4  is superposed on it, and then the card accommodating frame body  4  is fixed to the bottom plate  2 . In other words, the card accommodating frame body  4  is fixed to the bottom plate  2  by fastening a plurality of retaining screws  423  using a plurality of screw holes  418  provided on respective frame portions of the card accommodating frame body  4  and a plurality of screw holes  46  provided on an edge portion of the bottom plate  2 . At this point, the card accommodating frame body  4  is so fixed to the bottom plate  2  that a head portion of an operating button  81  of a plate locking means  8  is inserted into an operating button insertion hole  415  provided on a corner portion of the card accommodating frame body  4 . 
     Moreover, a detent projecting portion  816  of an operating button  81  is so designed that it is placed into a gap between a side surface  29   c  of a positioning convex portion  29   a  of a bottom plate  2  and a side surface  422   c  facing a positioning convex portion  422   c  of a card accommodating frame body  4 , and the card accommodating frame body  4  is thus fixed to the bottom plate  2 ; in this manner, rotation of the operating button  81  around the axis can be prevented (detent) after completion of assembly. 
     In the meantime, when a card accommodating frame body  4  is fixed to a bottom plate  2 , an engagement hook  811  of an operating button  81  of a plate locking means  8  is not necessarily engaged with an engagement groove  83  formed on a projecting portion  317  with an engagement groove of a card discharging plate  3  (in a state in which the card discharging plate  3  totally overlaps the bottom plate  2 , and the card discharging plate totally retreats between the bottom plate  2  and the card accommodating frame body  4 ), but there is no problem with being engaged. 
     Upon fixing a card accommodating frame body  4  to a bottom plate  2  in an above-described manner, a lid body  5  is hinged on the bottom plate  2  so as to be openable/closable. In other words, the lid body  5  is mounted on the bottom plate  2  so as to be openable/closable, by inserting and fixing hinge means  6   a ,  6   b  into opening/closing pivotally supporting holes  516  as mentioned above of the lid body  5  and lid body mounting pin holes  25  of the bottom plate  2 . 
     In the following, operation and effect of the card case  1  according to the invention are described. 
     The card case  1  according to the invention has a thin and compact structure as shown in the drawings, and is capable of accommodating approximately seven to sixteen cards inside the above-mentioned card accommodating frame body  4 . 
     In other words, the card accommodating frame body  4  rotatably moves in a horizontal direction, and the spring  7  being a drive power source operates on a horizontal plane, so that the card case is capable of having an overall thin and compact structure. 
     Moreover, when the card case  1  is carried about, a plurality of cards M are accommodated in the card accommodating frame body  4 , wholly covered with the lid body  5 , and not exposed to the outside until they are brought out by the above-mentioned card discharging plate  3 . Therefore, the cards are prevented from damages and well protected. 
     When the cards are accommodated in the card case  1 , the lid body  5  of the card case  1  is opened, and a plurality of (approximately seven to sixteen) cards M are inserted into the card accommodating frame body  4 . 
     When the cards are discharged, a simple operation of only pressing the operating button  81  of the above-mentioned plate locking means  8  enables to promptly bring out cards, with one card being respectively placed on the card discharging plate  3 . 
     In the following, an operation of the card discharging plate  3  and the plate locking means  8  is described with reference to  FIGS. 11 ,  12  and  13 . 
       FIGS. 11 and 13A  show the card discharging plate  3  totally overlapping the bottom plate  2  and held in the above-mentioned retreated position. 
     At this point, the compression spring  82  and the operating button  81  are so placed that they are fitted into the plate locking means holding hole  24  of the bottom plate  2  as shown in  FIG. 13A , the engagement hook  811  of the operating button  81  is engaged with the engagement groove  83  of the card discharging plate  3 , the above-mentioned engagement state (locking state) is kept by the state of the operating button  81  in which it is pushed upward (downward in  FIG. 13 ) by lifting force of the operating button  81 . 
     In other words, the bending stress is accumulated in the spring  7  pivotally supported by the above-mentioned pivot  22  of the bottom plate  2  (see  FIG. 11  in addition), and the working end portion  74  at the tip thereof works on the spring working end surface  318  of the card discharging plate  3  in this state, in order to cause the card discharging plate  3  to rotatably move around the pivot  22  in counter-clockwise direction in the drawing; due to the locking state however, wherein the engagement hook  811  is engaged with the engagement groove  83 , the above-mentioned rotatable movement is prevented. 
     In the meantime, the operating button  81  is so designed that the stepped portion  813  thereof (see  FIG. 15 ) is blocked by the stepped stopper  415   b  (see  FIG. 7 ) of the operating button insertion hole  415  (see  FIG. 7 ) of the card accommodating frame body  4 , so as not to proceed further (upward). 
     Next, when the top portion  815  of the operating button  81  is pressed by finger against the spring force of the above-mentioned compression spring  82  as shown in  FIG. 13B  for discharging the card, the engagement hook  811  of the operating button  81  is released from the engagement groove  83 , so that the card discharging plate  3  rotatably moves by the urging force of the spring  7  around the pivotally supporting hole  315  (the pivot  22 ) in counter-clockwise direction in the drawing, and is displaced to the above-mentioned advanced position, as shown in  FIGS. 13C and 12 ; in this manner, it is possible to discharge cards, as shown in  FIGS. 3B ,  4 B and  12 . 
     In the meantime, the card discharging plate  3  rotates at a predetermined angle and one corner portion  319  thereof comes into contact with the circumferential wall inner surface  20  in vicinity of one corner portion of the bottom plate  2 , so that a further rotatable movement of the card discharging plate  3  is prevented as shown in  FIG. 12 ; in this case the above-mentioned circumferential wall inner surface  20  serves as a stopper. This card discharging plate  3  is designed so as not to rotate at an angle exceeding a predetermined angle (20° in the embodiment), and this arrangement is needed to smoothly place the next card m onto the card discharging plate  3 , since the card m is always pressured by the card pressing means  52   a  and  52   c  toward the card discharging plate  3 . 
     In order to place the card discharging plate  3  back to the original retreated position after the card is brought out, the card discharging plate  3  as advanced is pushed back by finger, so that it is forced to rotatably move around the pivotally supporting hole  315  (the pivot  22 ) in clockwise direction. When the card discharging plate  3  approaches to the original retreated position, the engagement hook  811  of the operating button  81  is pushed down (pushed up in  FIG. 13 ) by the outer circumferential surface of the projecting portion  317  with the engagement groove provided on the card discharging plate  3 ; when the card discharging plate  3  is further pushed inward, the engagement hook  811  is engaged with the engagement groove  83 , and at the same time the side portion  31  thereof is brought into contact with the inner side portion  23   c  of the bottom plate  2 , thus the card discharging plate  3  restores the original retreated position as shown in  FIGS. 13A and 11 . 
     In the meantime, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. 
     Namely, for example opening/closing method of the lid body  5  is not limited to a vertically rotating method as shown in embodiments shown in the drawings, but a horizontal sliding is also acceptable. 
     The card pressing means  52   a ,  52   b ,  52   c  can be also provided on the above-mentioned card accommodating frame body  4  itself, besides installation thereof on the inner surface of the lid body  5 . The mounting position thereof is thus not limited. 
     Moreover, the card discharging plate  3  can adopt a linear sliding method in a traverse or vertical direction, and the movement is not limited to the rotatable movement method as mentioned above. 
     Still further, various materials other than felt can serve as anti-slip sheet attached to the top surface of the card discharging plate  3 . Instead of the use of an anti-slip sheet, the top surface of the card discharging plate  3  itself can be also provided with fine irregularities, so that it has an anti-slip effect. 
     Still further, the above-mentioned plate locking means  8  can undergo diverse design changes: for example, the operating button can be so designed that it can be locked and unlocked by sliding in a transverse direction or by rotating around the axis, besides being slidable in an axial direction. Further various arrangements are acceptable. 
     Therefore, the invention encompasses any variant which can be easily conceived by the person skilled in the art, starting from the foregoing description, within the scope of an intended purpose thereof. 
     The present invention designed as in the foregoing is favorably used as the one capable of automatically and promptly discharging cards one by one, which is thin and space-saving, capable of assuring satisfactory protection for the cards as well as of giving the user&#39;s own strong impression to those given the cards.