Abstract:
A magnetic card holder for mounting on a magnet attracting surface having a flexible and transparent and removable window positionable in a pocket over a card inserted in the pocket and locking the card in the pocket with means for subsequently unlocking the flexible transparent and removable window for removal of the card which locking means involves flexing of the card holder simultaneously with flexing of the flexible transparent and removable window.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This invention is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/601,853, filed Jun. 24, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,745,508 which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to a magnetic card holder which can be secured to a magnet attracting surface such as a refrigerator, cabinet or the like with means for locking a card in the holder by a flexible transparent window which may be unlocked to permit insertion of a new card in the holder. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Magnetized card holders are presently available for quick reference in kitchens or offices or the like such as illustrated in patents to Stone U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,709; Birnbaum U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,937; Eastman U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,659; Johnson U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,537; Wenkman et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,991 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,323; Wu Publication No. U.S. 2002/0133992 A1; Lage U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,602; Penner Des. 325,048; and Coe Des. 377,808. 
   The Wenkman et al. patents above and Painsith U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,377 typically show front loading frame-type devices in which the window is snapped into place and removed by applying thumb pressure on the back through a hole which will allow for pushing of the window and card outwardly from the frame. 
   Some of the references referred to above apply adhesive to the card making it difficult if not impossible to replace the card in a frame with a new card. 
   OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic display device for magnetically attaching the device to a magnet attracting surface such as a refrigerator, cabinet or the like. 
   Another object of this invention is to provide a magnetic card holder which will securely hold the card in position on the surface on which it is posted. 
   A further object of this invention is to provide a magnetic card holding device having means for replacing the old card with a new card. 
   Still a further object of this invention is to provide a magnetic card holder which locks the window in position, but permits the window to be unlocked from the frame for replacement with a new card. 
   Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a magnetic card holder which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture. 
   Still a further object of this invention is to provide a card holder which does not require the use of an adhesive material for mounting the card. 
   Another object of this invention is to provide a card holder which maintains the card in proper alignment with the frame thus creating an attractive appearance. 
   Still a further object of this invention is to provide an attractive display device suitable for use with advertisements, photographs, business cards, and the like. 
   Yet another object of this invention is to provide a magnetic card holder in which the material for the flexible magnetic card receiving frame and the flexible transparent and removable window have memory so that they will return to their original state after being flexed to unlock the window from the frame to position a new card. 
   A further object of this invention is to provide a magnetic card holder which keeps the card clean and unmarked at all times. 
   In summary, this invention relates to a magnetic card holder which provides a transparent cover for the card to protect the surface thereof for proper viewing, but also permits ease in removing the transparent window to remove the card and replace the same with a new card. 
   These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims including the drawings which are as follows: 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a top plan view showing in phantom lines that portion of a card which would hold information and the outline of a magnet positioned in a card holder; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the lines  2 — 2  of FIG.  1  and viewed in the direction of the arrows and showing the angle of bevel; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarge cross-sectional view taken along the line  3 — 3  of FIG.  1  and viewed in the direction of the arrows. 
       FIG. 4  is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the lines  4 — 4  in FIG.  1  and viewed the direction of the arrows; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the invention mounted on a magnet attracting surface; 
       FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the invention portions shown in phantom lines showing the release of the window from the flexible magnetic card receiving frame by applying finger pressure of one hand when held in the other hand. 
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view showing a modification of the invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a top plan view showing another modification of the invention. 
       FIG. 9  is an enlarged fragmentary cross section of the modification of  FIG. 7  taken along the line  9 — 9  and viewed in the direction of the arrows. 
       FIG. 10  is an enlarged fragmentary cross section of the modification of  FIG. 8  taken along the line  10 — 10  and viewed in the direction of the arrows. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The magnetic card holder H comprises a flexible magnetic card receiving frame  2  having a magnetic backing plate  4 . The backing plate  4  has an upstanding peripheral lip  6 . The upstanding lip  6  has a top surface  8 , an outer surface  10  and an inner surface  12 . Steps  14  and  15  are provided on opposite sides  16  and  18  of lip  6  on the inner surface  12  of the upstanding peripheral lip  6 . The inner surface  12  of sides  20  and  22  of the upstanding peripheral lip  6  are not stepped as noted in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The flexible magnetic card receiving frame  2  may be of plastic or metal having memory so that the flexible magnetic card receiving frame can be flexed without losing its planar position when released from the flexed position. The flexible magnetic card receiving frame  2  together with the backplate  4  and the upstanding peripheral lip  6  forms a card receiving pocket P for receiving a calling card, photograph, clipping C or the like. The card C is positioned in the pocket P and it butts the inner surface  12  of the upstanding peripheral lip  6 . The thickness of the card C approximates the height of the steps  14  and  15  so that the top surface of the card C is substantially the same as the top surface of the steps  14  and  15 . 
   Positioned on top of the card C is a flexible, transparent and removable window which is made from plastic or flexible durable glass not readily broken. When the window W is positioned in the pocket P the top  24  of the window W is substantially planar with the top surface  8  of the upstanding peripheral lip  6 . 
   The window W which protects the card C has beveled edges  28  and  30  which engage the inner surface  12  of the upstanding peripheral lip  6 . The inner surface  12  on the sides  16  and  18  are also beveled as at  32  in FIG.  2 . The degree of bevel of the edges  28  and  30  of the window W and of the beveled inner surface of the lip  32  have a beveled angle of about 7.5° degrees to about 12.5° degrees and preferably about 10° degrees as illustrated in FIG.  2 . The beveled edges  28  and  30  of the window W provide a friction fit with the inner surface  12  of the upstanding peripheral lip  6 . When the window W is positioned in the card receiving pocket P, it locks the card in the pocket until a decision is made to remove the card C and substitute a new card therefore. The friction fit locks the window W over the card C which may be unlocked to remove the card C as will be described here and after. 
   The flexible magnetic card receiving frame  2  may be made from any well know plastic magnetic material or magnetic metallic compound. In  FIGS. 1 and 4 , a thin magnet  34  is mounted or imbedded in a magnet receiving pocket  36 . The magnet  34  may be imbedded in the back plate  4  so that the back plate  4  extends beneath the magnet  34  so as to not be visible when the material of the flexible magnetic card receiving frame  2  is opaque. 
     FIG. 5  shows the magnetic card holder H mounted on a magnetic attracting surface S such as refrigerator or a metallic cabinet or the like. 
   Unlocking the Card from the Magnetic Card Holder 
   It will be noted that the window W must be inserted into the card receiving pocket P with the beveled edges  28  and  30  slopped outwardly from the top of the window  24  to the bottom of the window  26 . Beveled edges  30  of the window W engage the inner surface  12  of the sides  20  and  22  in a friction grip. The beveled edges  28  of the window W frictionally grip the cooperating beveled edges  28  of the upstanding peripheral lip  6 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , thumb pressure applied to the bottom of the magnetic card holder H will cause the flexible magnetic card receiving frame  2  and the window W to flex downwardly. Since the beveled edge  30  of the window W engages the vertical surface inner surface  12  of the sides  20  and  22 , the downward bending causes a release of the edges  30  on the sides  20  and  22  causing the window W to flex upwardly from card receiving pocket P permitting withdrawal of the window W from the card receiving pocket P. The 7½° to 12½° degree angle permits ease and release of the window W from the card receiving pocket P. A greater angle would not permit unlocking of the window W. In addition, the fact that there is no step on the sides  20  and  22  aid in the flexing downwardly of the magnetic card holder H and the release of the window W thereby unlocking the card C. The flex of the magnetic card holder H and the window W under thumb pressure will unlock the window W at an angle of from about 20° to about 35° flex. 
   Modifications FIGS.  7  through  10   
   In  FIGS. 7 and 9 , the sides  20 ′ and  22 ′ are modified to have a pocket recess  38  for receiving a strip magnet  40  which functions to hold the holder H to a magnet attracting surface S. 
   In  FIGS. 8 and 10 , the sides  20 ″ and  22 ″ have slots  42  for receiving a strip magnet  44 . The strip magnet  40  shown in  FIGS. 7 and 9  may be secured in the pocket recess  38  by adhesive means. The strip magnet  44  mounted in a slot  42  may be adhesively secured or wedged into the slots  42 . The modifications shown in  FIGS. 7 through 10  may require the sides  20 ′,  22 ′,  20 ″ and  22 ″ to be wider than the sides  20  and  22  of  FIGS. 1 through 4 . This will allow the strip magnets  40  and  44  to provide adequate holding power if necessary, although, it is felt that today&#39;s strip magnets are quite powerful. Although not shown in the drawings, it is obvious that the positioning of the magnets  40  and  44  could be in any one of the sides of the magnetic card holder H. 
   While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, and uses and/or adaptions of the invention and following in general the principal of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention or limits of the claims appended hereto.