Abstract:
A combination money clip and card holder adapted to retain paper currency and to removably store flexible cards such as credit cards. The product is constructed of three extrudeable plastic material parts that are easily assembled to produce a durable, smooth exterior surface. The product is light weight and of a size to be conveniently carried in a pocket or purse.

Description:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSERED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not Applicable 
   REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
   Not Applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to a device for holding paper currency and cards, such as business cards and conventional credit cards. More particularly, the invention relates to a combination card holder and money clip adapted to retain paper currency as well as removably store flexible cards, e.g., credit cards, and sized to be conveniently carried in a pocket or purse. Furthermore, the device of the present invention is constructed of extrudeable plastic materials that can be joined to produce a smooth exterior surface while providing a durable assembly. The device of the present invention comprises three elements that are easily assembled to produce the durable product. 
   Prior-art holders for paper currency and cards are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,358,019 and 5,520,230 to Sumner III and my U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,422, all in metal construction. Some prior-art holders have been constructed of extrudable or castable plastic materials, but none have the simplicity of construction or ease of assembly of the present invention. The prior-art plastic holders are of designs that do not permit easy access to the interior of the holder while providing the needed rigidity to hold currency. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is accordingly desirable to provide a combination money clip and card holder that is inexpensive to construct and that includes means for removably retaining paper currency and cards therein. 
   It is further desirable to provide a card-holder and money clip that is light weight, durable and comfortable to carry in a pocket or purse. 
   Further, it is desirable to provide a holder that may be constructed of an injectable plastic material that has desired rigidity and flexibility to perform its desired duties. 
   It is further desirable to provide a card-holder and money clip that is assembled from a minimum of parts in an easy assembly process. 
   Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the ensuing description and the accompanying drawings. 
   In one embodiment of the invention , the combination card-holder and money clip comprises a first panel element and a second panel element and a resilient article retaining member or money clip element. The money clip element has a portion that extends through a slot in the first panel and has a portion secured within the first panel and a portion extending along the surface of the first panel. The two panels are joined together by suitable methods, to be described, to produce a single structure card-holder and money clip device with an interior cavity easily accessible for inserting and withdrawing cards. The exterior surfaces of the assembly are rounded and smooth to prevent snagging to a surface when in use. The interior cavity of the assembly includes a resilient element for releasable retaining cards inserted into the cavity. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, where: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the assembled card-holder and money clip device. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the assembled device. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the interior of the first panel of the device. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the interior of the second panel of the device. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the exterior surface of the first panel with the money clip extending from its interior. 
       FIG. 6  is a bottom end view of the assembled device. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the money clip element. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the exterior surface of first panel of the device. 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the interior of the second panel of the device showing the contours and elements for connection to the first panel. 
       FIG. 10  is a sectional view taken along the lines  10 - 10  of  FIG. 11 . 
       FIG. 11  is a front elevation view of the assembled device showing the money clip side of the device. 
       FIG. 12  is a front elevation of an alternative configuration of the first panel of the device. 
       FIG. 13  shows the steps of assembling the holder. 
   

   LIST OF NUMERALS AND ELEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE SPECIFICATION 
   
       
       holder assembly  10   
       first panel  20   
       second panel  22   
       money clip  24   
       lip  30  in panel  20   
       alignment holes  31   
       lip  32  in panel  22   
       alignment tabs  33   
       longitudinal elements  34   a  and  36   a  of panel  20   
       longitudinal elements  34   b  and  36   b  of panel  22   
       lateral element  38   a  of panel  20   
       lateral element  38   b  of panel  22   
       “U” shaped mating surface  40   a  of panel  20   
       “U” shaped mating surface  40   b  of panel  22   
       structural openings  41   a  of panel  20   
       structural openings  41   b  of panel  22   
       lateral ribs  42   a  of panel  20   
       lateral ribs  42   b  of panel  22   
       longitudinal elements  34   b  and  36   b    
       enclosure closed end  44   
       enclosure open end  46   
       money clip curved proximal end  50   
       money clip substantially flat midsection  52   
       money clip bowed distal end  54   
       surface  56  of first panel  20   
       retaining channel  64   
       retaining channels  64   a  and  64   b    
       money clip tab  66   
       money clip shoulder  68   
       card retainer  70   
       card retainer slot  72   
       surface  74   
       cutout portion  78  (panel  20 ) 
       cutout portion  76  (panel  22 ) 
     
  
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Throughout the following description, specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, the invention may be practiced without these particulars. In other instances, well-known elements have not been shown or described to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates, in perspective, the assembled embodiment of the combination card-holder and money clip. Holder assembly  10  consists of parts which preferably are either injection molded or cast: a nominally rectangular first panel  20 , a nominally rectangular second panel  22 , and a resilient article retaining element or money clip  24 . 
     FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of the assembled device  10  shown in perspective in  FIG. 1  and shows the money clip  24  extending from the first panel  20  and the second panel  22  below the assembled device. 
     FIG. 3  illustrates, in perspective, the interior of the first panel  20  having a lip  30  which extends along three sides at right angles from the plane of panel  20  (nominally about 0.125 inch) forming a cavity. Lip  30  consists parially of three continuous and nominally straight sections: two longitudinal elements  34   a  and  36   a , and a lateral element  38   a.  Lip  30  is bounded by a “U” shaped mating surface  40   a  around the periphery of panel  20 . 
     FIG. 4  shows, in perspective, the interior of the second panel  22  having a similar lip  32  along three sides, comprising two longitudinal elements  34   b  and  36   b,  a lateral element  38   b,  and a “U” shaped mating surface  40   b  around the periphery of the panel  22 . Mating surface  40   b  conforms with mating surface  40   a,  as described below. 
   The lips  30  and  32  are formed with structural openings ( 41   a  and  41   b ) and lateral ribs ( 41   a  and  41   b ) to provide strength with reduced weight and to form the mating surfaces. The mating surfaces are smooth and parallel so as to substantially completely align the mating surfaces  40   a  and  40   b  on the opposite panels. 
   Alignment holes  31  are provided along lip  30  of the first panel  20  and alignment tabs  33  are provided along the lip  32  of the second panel  22 . The holes  31  and the tabs  33  are mated with each other to align mating surfaces  40   b  with mating surface  40   a.    
   It should be understood that the money clip  24  may be a separate part or can be molded with the formation of panel  20 . For ease of formation and assembly the separate part form is preferred. 
     FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  6  and  10  shows panels  20  and  22  attached at mating surfaces  40   a  and  40   b  and bonded together as by glue, ultrasonic or electromagnetic welding or the like. The resulting assembled enclosure  10  can be seen to be nominally rectangular with one closed end  44  and one open end  46 . The interior dimensions of assembled enclosure  10  are of a predetermined size to accommodate rigid cards such as plastic credit cards, paper business cards, and the like, such cards being inserted and removed through open end  46 . 
     FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  5 ,  6  and  10  further show a money clip  24  extending from one end of first panel  20  and disposed to rest substantially along the center of panel  20 . Clip  24  is a resilient member, as shown in  FIG. 2 , having a curved proximal end  50 , a substantially flat midsection  52 , and a bowed distal end  54 . Proximal end  50  is formed so as to bias clip  24  toward surface  56  of panel  20 , whereby flexible articles, such as, foldable paper currency (not shown) can be secured between distal end  54  and surface  56 . 
   Two embodiments of money clip are described.  FIG. 10  is a cross section of the assembly and showing money clip  24  integrally molded. Money clip  24  could be formed and with and extending from panel  20  or, money clip  24  can be a separately formed element. Money clip proximal end  50  attaches to the enclosure closed end  44 , the stronger end. The resilience required to bias money clip  24  toward the panel is derived from the rigidity and memory of the plastic material, using known plastic molding techniques. 
     FIGS. 7 ,  8 ,  9  and  10  show an embodiment in which money clip  24  is a separate element secured to the holder  10  by a retaining channel  64  molded into the first panel  20 . Retaining channels  64   a  and  64   b  may be molded into each of panels  20  and  22 . In  FIGS. 7 ,  8 ,  9  and  10  retaining channel  64   a  in panel  20  and  64   b  in panel  22  are molded into the panels during their formation and are configured to be in alignment and to retain mating money clip tab  66  adjacent to the proximal end  50 . This configuration increases retention area and provides additional strength to resist bending forces in money clip  24 . 
   In the separate configuration, money clip  24  is added to the assembly as follows: Prior to joining the panels  20  and  22  of the enclosure, clip distal end  54  is inserted through the retainer channel  64  in first panel  20  and pulled through the slot until tab  66  engages in channel  64   a  and shoulder  68  engages the interior of the panel at the channel edge. Panels  20  and  22  are then brought together, engaging tab  66  in channel  64   b.  Finally, panels  20  and  22  are joined as by being glued or welded together. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  6 ,  8  and  10  first panel  20  has an integrally formed card retaining member  70  for retaining cards (not shown) within assembled enclosure  10 . Card retainer  70  is an integral resilient member defined by a “U” shaped slot  72  in first panel  20  and is biased toward second panel  22 , whereby cards can be secured between retainer  70  and surface  74  on the interior of panel  22 . The retainer  70  is formed with sufficient retention bias force to keep cards from falling out of enclosure  10  and is moderately curved and flexible to accommodate a varying number of cards and to provide a uniform sliding resistance as cards are removed or inserted. 
     FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  9  show a cutout portion  76  in panel  22  and FIGS.  1 ,  3 ,  5  and  8  show a smaller cutout portion  78  in panel  20 . These two cutout portions  76  and  78  provide access to cards held within the interior of the assembled device  10 . The cutout  76  in panel  22  is larger to permit viewing of a surface of an outermost card within the device  10  and for finger contact in removing an outermost card. The cutout  78  in panel  20  permits adequate finger contact with an outermost card within the device to provide for ease of removal of such a card from the device the open end. 
   An alternative form for the panel  22  is shown in  FIG. 12  where the cutout  761  is a substantial duplicate of the cutout  78  in panel  20  and the portion of the cutout  762  for viewing an outermost card retained in the assembled holder and for permitting finger contact with the surface of a card to assist in removal of a card at the open end of the assembly. 
   The perspective figures show lips  30  and  32  having varying thickness defining the outer dimension of enclosure  10 . It should be evident the exterior surfaces of the device  10 , in panels  20  and  22  and in the money clip  24  are rounded to provide a smooth exterior surface. Also, the ends and sides of the device are comfortably rounded to provide an esthetic appearance and a comfortable feel when the card-holding and money clip device  10  is used. 
   While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been specifically disclose, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto as many variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention is to be given its broadest possible interpretation within the terms of the following claims.