Abstract:
A holding apparatus for fixing the position of at least one card, such as a business card or another similar piece of sheet material. One or more holding assemblies are rotatably mounted with respect to a base. Each holding assembly has holding members secured with respect to adjacent holding members. Each holding member has at least one support element that is used to fix the position of the card with respect to the holding member. The holding apparatus of this invention can be used to rotatably display multiple cards or other similar pieces of sheet materials.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates generally to a device for organizing information, such as business contact information, in an easily visible manner and, more particularly, to a tower or elongated structure for securing and organizing business cards or other similar documents.  
         [0003]     2. Discussion of Related Art  
         [0004]     Paper clips and alligator clips have been attached to wires, rods or other elongated members to hold note cards, business cards and the like. Other wallet type devices have been used to hold and display business cards and photographs. A rotational apparatus, such as offered by ROLODEX™ machines, are known for holding and displaying business cards and other informational note cards.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is one object of this invention to provide a holding apparatus that can be used to display one or more business cards, notes, photographs or other similar sheet materials.  
         [0006]     The above and other objects of this invention are accomplished with a holding assembly that is rotatably mounted with respect to a base. The holding assembly can include two or more holding members, each of which is secured with respect to an adjacent holding member.  
         [0007]     In one embodiment of this invention, each holding member is formed by an elongated member that has two side portions, preferably but not necessarily positioned at an angle with respect to each other.  
         [0008]     Each holding member has at least one support element for supporting the card, the note, the photograph and/or the other sheet material.  
         [0009]     As used throughout this specification and in the claims, the term card, the term note and the term sheet material are intended to be interchangeable with each other and include other similarly shaped materials.  
         [0010]     In one embodiment of this invention, each holding member has a plurality of the support elements, which can be arranged in a general linear fashion or any other suitable non-linear fashion. Each support element can be used to detachably hold or attach the card with respect to the holding member.  
         [0011]     In certain embodiments of this invention, the support element includes a spring element, a spring clip, a holder and/or any other suitable mechanical device that can be used to support the card in a fixed but detachable position with respect to the holding member. In some embodiments of this invention, the support element is integrated with the holding member, such as through a metal stamping process or an injection molding process.  
         [0012]     The holding members are fixed in position with respect to each other. In one embodiment of this invention, a hub is used to connect the holding members with respect to each other. The hub can be rotated with respect to the base, so that the mounted cards can be rotatably displayed. A rotator can be used to rotate the holding members with respect to the base.  
         [0013]     In some embodiments of this invention, the base can form one or more receptacles, such as for accepting or receiving a stack of the cards. The holding apparatus of this invention can be used to form a tower shaped structure that holds the cards which can be rotatably displayed, thus making it convenient for a user to quickly see or scan the cards being displayed.  
         [0014]     In another embodiment of this invention, two or more tower structures can be rotatably mounted with respect to the same base. The two holding assemblies can be mechanically linked so that moving and/or rotating one moves and/or rotates the other.  
         [0015]     The holding apparatus of this invention can be sized and shaped to hold any desired number of cards or other similar materials. The rotational feature allows a user to quickly scan and identify information. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a card holder, according to one preferred embodiment of this invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a sectional top view of the card holder, as shown in  FIG. 1 , taken along line A-A;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a holding member, according to another preferred embodiment of this invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the holding member shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a side view, opposite the side view shown in  FIG. 3 , of the holding member shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the holding member shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a top hub, according to one preferred embodiment of this invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 8  is a bottom view of an upper hub, as shown in  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 9  is a top view of a lower hub, according to one preferred embodiment of this invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 10  is a front view of the lower hub, as shown in  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 11  is a side view of an axle, according to one preferred embodiment of this invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 12  is a top view of an axle, as shown in  FIG. 11 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 13  is a bottom view of the axle, as shown in  FIG. 11 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 14  is a top view of a base of the card holder, according to one preferred embodiment of this invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 15  is a front view of the base, as shown in  FIG. 14 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 16  is a top view of a base of the card holder, according to another preferred embodiment of this invention;  
         [0032]      FIG. 17  is a front view of the base, as shown in  FIG. 16 ;  
         [0033]      FIG. 18  is a front view of a card holder holding a plurality of cards, according to one preferred embodiment of this invention;  
         [0034]      FIG. 19  is a sectional top view of the business card tower, as shown in  FIG. 18 , taken along line B-B;  
         [0035]      FIG. 20  is a front view of a card holder holding a plurality of cards, according to another preferred embodiment of this invention;  
         [0036]      FIG. 21  is a sectional top view of the card holder, as shown in  FIG. 20 , taken along line C-C;  
         [0037]      FIG. 22  is a top view of a lower rotator plate, according to one preferred embodiment of this invention;  
         [0038]      FIG. 23  is a top view of a bottom portion of a base, according to one preferred embodiment of this invention;  
         [0039]      FIG. 24  is a side view of the bottom portion, as shown in  FIG. 23 ;  
         [0040]      FIG. 25  is a top view of a cover portion of a base, according to one preferred embodiment of this invention;  
         [0041]      FIG. 26  is a side view of the cover portion, as shown in  FIG. 25 ;  
         [0042]      FIG. 27  is a front view of a card holder having two holding assemblies mechanically linked with respect to each other, according to one preferred embodiment of this invention; and  
         [0043]      FIG. 28  is a sectional top view of a card holder having two holding assemblies mechanically linked with respect to each other, according to another preferred embodiment of this invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0044]     This invention provides a card holder, such as a business card holder which can have an overall shape of a tower. The card holder includes a holding assembly comprised of a plurality of connected holding members each preferably having a plurality of support elements for securing or holding cards, such as business cards or other similarly shaped materials, in an easily visible configuration. It is apparent to those skilled in the art that the vertical structure or tower of this invention can be varied in size and shape, and can be used to hold or secure notes or other information or objects in addition to or in lieu of business cards.  
         [0045]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-19 , a card holder  10  includes a holding assembly  15 . Holding assembly  15  comprises a plurality of holding members  20 , preferably but not necessarily generally positioned in an upright or vertical configuration when in use. Holding members  20  are preferably secured, connected to, attached to and/or integrated with adjacent holding members  20  to form holding assembly  15 , using any suitable connector, such as a welding and/or a crimping process. In one embodiment, holding members  20  are secured at an upper edge portion  21  and a lower edge portion  23 , using an upper hub and a lower hub, respectively, such as shown in  FIG. 1  and discussed in greater detail in this specification and in the claims.  
         [0046]     Each holding member  20  includes a first side portion  22  and a second side portion  24  preferably but not necessarily bent or angled with respect to first side portion  22 , for example to form a generally “L” or “V” shaped cross section of holding member  20 , as shown for example in  FIGS. 2 and 6 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , second side portion  24  is bent at an angle α with respect to first side portion  22 . In one embodiment, angle α is preferably 90° or less. However, in certain embodiments of this invention, angle α may be greater than 90°. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a portion of a surface  26  of each holding member  20  contacts surfaces  26  of adjacent holding members  20  to form a generally polygonal cross-sectional shaped holding assembly  15 . It is apparent that holding assembly  15  may have any desired general cross-sectional shape and/or size, depending upon the number, dimensions and/or shape of holding members  20  and/or the configuration of holding members  20 .  
         [0047]     Holding member  20  is preferably made of a suitable material, such as a metal and/or a polymer, that can be easily shaped or molded into a desired shape or configuration. It is apparent that other suitable materials, such as composite, metal, plastic, polymer, wood, alloy or other non-metal materials can be used to make or form holding member  20 . In one embodiment, each holding member  20  includes or forms at least one support element, such as a spring clip  30 , that extends from a surface  28  of first side portion  22 , such as for holding or securing a business card or other suitable object in a fixed or mounted position, with respect to holding assembly  15 . It is apparent to those skilled in the art that other suitable structures can be used as clips, holders and/or support elements to secure or hold objects, with respect to holding assembly  15 . The support elements may be formed in or as a part of holding member  20 , such as by punching and/or cutting methods, or can be integrated or molded with holding member  20 .  
         [0048]     In one embodiment, holding member  20  includes a plurality of spring clips  30  positioned along a length of holding member  20 , for example as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 - 5 . Preferably but not necessarily, spring clips  30  are evenly positioned along a length of holding member  20 . However, in one preferred embodiment of this invention, spring clips  30  may be positioned at different spacing intervals, for example to accept business cards or other suitable objects having various dimensions. Alternatively or additionally, adjacent holding members  20  may include support elements spaced at the same or different spacing intervals along a length of the respective holding member  20 . Each spring clip  30  can be positioned on holding member  20  to secure a top or upper edge portion and/or a bottom or lower edge portion of a business card. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , spring clip  30  opens downwardly, such as to secure a top edge portion of a business card, a blank card or a note. Referring to  FIG. 3 , spring clip  30  includes a flat portion  31  that provides a spring action to secure the card or note against holding member  20 . Spring clip  30  preferably but not necessarily includes a stop portion  33  that can interfere with business card  100  to properly position business card  100  with respect to holding member  20  and prevents further movement of business card  100 . Spring clip  30  can be configured and positioned to open upwardly, such as to secure a bottom edge portion of the card or note, as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0049]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , holding member  20  preferably includes at least one barb, projection or clip  32  that extends from surface  26  and/or surface  28  of holding member  20  to secure holding member  20  within an upper hub  40 , as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , and/or a lower hub  50  of business card tower  10 , as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . For example, holding member  20  may form or include two projections  32  extending from front surface  28  at bottom end portion  23  of holding member  20 , as shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0050]     As shown in  FIG. 8 , upper hub  40  includes a plurality of grooves or channels  42  for accepting upper end portion  21  of holding member  20 . Similarly, as shown in  FIG. 9 , lower hub  50  includes a plurality of grooves or channels  52  for accepting bottom end portion  23  of holding member  20 . In one preferred embodiment of this invention, at least one of upper hub  40  and lower hub  50  is formed of an injection molded material. Upper hub  40  and/or lower hub  50  can be molded directly onto a respective end portion of the plurality of holding members  20  or can be formed and subsequently attached or connected to holding members  20  to form holding assembly  15 .  
         [0051]     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2  and  14 - 17 , card holder  10  includes a base  60 . Base  60  forms an aperture  62  within which a shaft or an axle  70 , as shown in  FIGS. 11-13 , is positioned and can be secured. With axle  70  secured to base  60 , axle  70  is engageable with lower hub  50  to mount or connect holding assembly  15  with respect to base  60 . In one preferred embodiment of this invention as shown in  FIG. 10 , lower hub  50  forms a bore  54  within which axle  70  is positionable. Preferably but not necessarily, axle  70  is positionable within bore  54  to allow holding assembly  15  to rotate about axle  70  with respect to base  60 . Preferably but not necessarily, a tip portion  71  of axle  70  is enlarged, swelled or has a greater thickness or diameter than a thickness or diameter of a base portion  73  of axle  70 . The increased thickness of tip portion  71  provides frictional interference and secures holding apparatus  15  to base  60  to prevent undesired disconnecting of holding apparatus  15  from base  60 . Referring to  FIGS. 13 and 16 , in one embodiment of this invention axle  70  includes a projection  72  that interconnects or engages with a corresponding indentation or void  64  formed in base  60  to prevent or limit rotational movement of axle  70  with respect to base  60 . Base  60  can include an area  66  for displaying text, a figure and/or signage, such as a firm or business name and/or logo, as shown in  FIG. 16 . A lower rotator  78  can be attached to holding assembly  15  and/or axle  70 , such as shown in  FIGS. 20-22 . Lower rotator  78  can have any suitable size and/or shape.  
         [0052]     In one preferred embodiment of this invention, base  60  includes at least one and preferably a plurality of receptacles  80  for holding or storing business cards or other documents, as shown in  FIGS. 20-26 . Referring further to  FIGS. 23-26 , base  60  includes a bottom portion  82  and a cover portion  84  that attaches or connects to bottom portion  82  to form receptacles  80 . As shown in  FIG. 20 , bottom portion  82  may include a plurality of footings  83  attached or connected to a surface of bottom portion  82 . Footings  83  can provide stability to base  60  and prevent card holder  10  from scratching or damaging a surface on which card holder  10  is placed. Preferably, at least one divider  86  is connected to or integrated with bottom portion  82  and/or cover portion  84  to form receptacles  80  when base  60  is assembled. A spacer  85 , such as shown in  FIG. 20 , can be connected to or integrated with bottom portion  82  and/or cover portion  84  for additional support when holding assembly  15  is mounted on base  60 . Receptacle  80  can have suitable or desirable dimensions for holding or storing business cards, notes or other information or objects in addition to business cards.  
         [0053]     Thus, this invention provides a device for maintaining information in an organized, highly visible manner. The card holder of this invention includes a holding assembly including a plurality of holding members each preferably having a plurality of spaced apart supporting elements for securing business cards to the holding assembly. Preferably, the holding assembly is rotatably mounted to a base of the card holder, so that the holding assembly can be rotated to view different cards. Referring to  FIGS. 18 and 19 , the business card structure or tower of this invention secures a plurality of business cards  100  and/or card notes.  
         [0054]      FIG. 27  shows a front view of two holding assemblies  15  each rotatably mounted with respect to base  60 , according to one embodiment of this invention.  FIG. 28  shows a sectional top view of two holding assemblies  15  each rotatably mounted with respect to base  60 , according to another embodiment of this invention. According to the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 27 and 28 , the first holding assembly  15  can be independent of or mechanically linked to the second holding assembly  15 . When mechanically linked together, as shown in  FIGS. 27 and 28 , moving and/or rotating one holding assembly  15  can move and/or rotate the second holding assembly  15 . The mechanical link can be formed by at least one gear  110  such as shown in  FIG. 27 , a gear train of gears  110  such as shown in  FIG. 28 , a magnetic connection and/or any other suitable connection that mechanically links both holding assemblies  15 .  
         [0055]     This invention as illustratively disclosed in this specification, drawings and claims suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element, part, step, component, or ingredient which is not specifically disclosed herein.  
         [0056]     While in the foregoing detailed description this invention has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, and many details have been set forth for purposes of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of this invention.