Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to a system for retaining
documents such that withdrawal and replacement of the documents from the
retainer is sensed through the use of an electrical circuit and contacts
incorporated into the retainer. In a more specific example, the present
S invention relates to the protection from loss of credit cards using a so equipped wallet or purse.
At present ~e most common retainers for documents are file
cabinets, brief cases, ~olders, purses and wallets. These retainers are intendedto be used ~or organized storage and physical protection of documents and
provide varying degrees of capacity, portability and security. With these
retainers it is however, quite common for the user to forget to place the
documents back into the retainer after use. As a result and most commonly
wi~h respect to credit, bank transaction and personal identification cards, the
documents are left behind at point of use where they are particularly p~one to
loss, theft and misuse.
There have been several previous attempts at solving ~his
problem. In particular, U.S. Patent No. 3,959,789 discloses a credit card
ZO carrying case which incorporates contacts attached to the inside surfaces of
separators adapted to hold ~e credit ca~d and to detect the absence of a cardO
However, problems exist in this design in that the case is very bully and uses
a single external spring clip to bias the multitude of pairs of separator contacts
together. The use of the single spring clip results in the contact pressure
being spread over too wide an area thereby reducing the sensitivity of the
device making the sensitivity too low ~or reliable detection.
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U.S. Patent No. 4,480,250 discloses a credit card carrier in
which a series of clip switches bridge from the hinge or spine of a pair of
- folding flaps to common conductor strips, one strip being located on each side
flap. An alarm is tnggered if the edge of any card is not held between the
assigned clip switch contacts when the flaps are ~oldedl to overlie one another,due to the closing of a magnetic proxim;ty switch featured on the outboard
edges of each lqap. However problems exist in this design in that the eclge to
edge card holding layout is inconvenient in terms of space and area required
per card. Fur~ermore, no ~acility is considered to guide the cards into
position between the clip switch contacts nor to prevent them from fallillg out
of position. In addition, the magnetic proximity switch is fragile, imprecise
and difficult to align if the holder is flexible. Also, the magnetic sw;tch might
endanger the magnetic code strip common to most modern credit and bank
cards.
U.S. Patent No. 4,652,865 dis~loses a cr~dit card }lolder
cornposed of partly transparent pockets with conductive strips and/or disk
shaped magnetic contacts attached to the inside sur~aces of the pockets in
opposed alignment. The strips or contacts detect the withdrawal of credit
cards and electrically activate an alarm system composed of a battery, bl~zzer
and timer. In one embodiment, leaf springs are provided inside double
layered pocket walls to urge the walls and attached contacts together. In
another disclosed embodimer t, the pockets are configured in book leaf form
or edge to edge ~old-up accordion fashion. However, problems exist in this
device in that the use of the magnetic contacts may damage magnetiG card
coding provided on credit or bank cards. Furthermore, the leaf springs
positioned between pocket lining layers may cause bulging of the pockets and
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without solid anchoring or support, may not provide sufficient force for
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~: reliable sensor contact pressure and fi~nct;on.
U.S. Patent No. 4,692,74S discloses a holder :for credit
S cards with an alarm circuit triggered by the withdrawal of a card from areceptacle and the subsequent closure of the holder. A light sensitive switch
is used to prevent current flow to the alarm circuit when the holder is in the
open position. Each set of card contacts is attached to a separate bracket
th~reby malcing the holder somewhat bu12y. Many scenarios are en~isioned
wherein, if the holder is not fully closed and the light sensor is exposed ~hen
a card is missing, the alarm fails to sound, resulting in a lapse of the intended
function of the device and loss of the card.
U.S. Patent No. 4,719,453 discloses a wallet with an alarm
actuable in a manner simila~ to that d;sclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,692,745.
The card sensing means includes a plurality of clip switches a~ranged to be
interconnected in parallel on a card plate.
U.S. Patent No. 4,721,948 discloses a wallet with credit
card holdOE that utilizes a flat flexible magnetic strip upon which two flat
parallel conductors are insulatedly attached. Co-attractive conductive ferrous
chips are opposingly attached to the inside of the far pocket walls such that
the near pocket walls, wh;ch over-lie the conduct~rs, have openings to allow
the chips clearance to attract magnetically into contact with the conductors
upon withdrawal of a credit card. The chip bridges the conductors and closes
the alarm circuit. The sensor ~unction is completely dependant upon the
magnetic attraction of the ferrous chips to the magnetic strips. Again
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problems exist in that damage to the magnetic code provided on cards may
occur due to the magnetism. Moreover, the ferrous chip materials are subiect
to oxidation and subsequent poor conductivity.
S Australian Patent No. AU-B-46568/85 discloses a security
holder for a credit card with an alarm that senses the absence of cards from
clip-switch-equipped receptacles. Each receptacle has a separate and
structurally independent pair of clip switch contacts. The electric circuits
disclosed in this reference include, in addition to receptacle sensors, a seriesconnected timer with a hand holding pressure sensor operable to suppress the
circuit function as well as a holder closure sensor. However, prob}ems exist
in this device in that if the contacts are arranged as disclosed with all the pairs
overlapping each other, the resulting holder is quite bul}y and complex to
assemble. Also, the user must carefully fit the cards between the exposed clip
switch leaf ends as there has been no consideration for passive guidance of ~he
card between the clip switch contacts.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide
a novel document retainer.
According to one aspect of ~e present invention dlere is
provided a document retainer comprising;
a plurality of receptacle each hav;ng front and back walls to
receive a document;
2~ sensing means having first and second electrical contacts
disposed in said receptacle, said contacts having a pair of jwctaposed faces
sp~ing biased towa~ds one another to be engageable with one another and to
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. ~ establish electrical contact therebetween, said faces being maintained in a
spaced relationship by insertion of a doeumerlt in said receptacle, each of saidcontacts being secured in an electrically insulated manner at one end thereof
to a substrate;
S said subskate maintaining said faces in a1ignment and
preserving said spring bias, said plurality of first contacts being provided on
a first electrically conductive plate and said plurality of second contacts being
provided on a second electrically conductive plate, said lSrst and second platesbeing attached to said substrate so that said faces are opposingly alignedl~ said
contacts being laterally spaced on said first and second plates respectively,
said substrate being formed from a pair of layers, said first and second plates
being interposed between said layers;
insulation means protected between said first and second
plates and being apertures proYided therein to permit protrusion of said pairs
of contacts therethrough;
means to join said layers and to maintain securely said pIates
and insulation means therebetween to inhibit lateral misalignment between said
faces;
said front and back walls, constituting guide means for the
insertion of a document in said receptacIe and between said faces, each wall
being provided with at least one aperture therein, each of said apertures
allowing at least one of said contacts to pass therethrough so that said faces
are located in the interior of said receptacles;
said substrate extending laterally bzyond said contacts to
proYide laterally spaced marginal edges for attachment of said subskate, to at
least one of said receptacle walls adjacent edges the edges thereof, to maintain
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alignment of said substrate to said ~eceptacle and sa~d faces within said
receptacle; and
means provided to connect operativtly said contacts to an
alarm circuit to tligger said circuit upon the withdraw,al of a document from
S one of said receptacles.
In another aspect of the present invention there is provided
a wallet case or cover provided with a receptacle comprising:
an opening to receive a modular document retainer and
withdrawal sensor mechanism h~ving an alarm, said receptacle being provided
with a front wall and a back wall, said walls having apertures formed therein
to a}low the use of said mechanism while it is contained within said receptacle
and permitting insertion and withdrawal of said documents ~om said
mechanism in addition to facilitating use of manually controlled switches
provided on said mechanism and functional sensing of said auclible and
inaudible alarms; and
closure means to ensure containment of said mechanism
within said receptacle and inh~bi~ng lateral misalignment bçtween said
apertures and said mechanism.
Tn still yet another aspect of the present invention there is
provided a document retainer comprising:
a plurality of receptacles, each of said receptacles for
receiving and maintaining a document therein;
sensing means associated with each of said receptacles for
detecting the presence or absence of a document therein;
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an electronic circuit responsive to said sensing means and
being energized by a power supply upon detection of the withdrawal of a
document firom any of said receptacles; and . -
releasable attachment means provicled on said retain~r to
S allow attachment of said retainer to another object.
Preferably, ~he attachment mean$ is in ~he form of a spring
clip or hook and loop fabric. It is also preferred that the document retainer
er includes detection means associated with the attachment means which
is operable to sense removal of the document retainer from the object and an
alarm which is energized by the power supply in response to the detection
means. PreferablyJ the detection means is in the form of a pair of electrical
contacts.
The present document retainer provides advantages in that
ala~ns are initiated UpOI~ removal of documents from the retainer for a
prolonged time or dislodgment of the retainer from an object to which the
retainer is secured. This reduces the probability of loss of document or the
document retainer. Moreover, the design of the document retain~r facilitates
placement and removal of documents therein to ensure that the documents are
seated correctly for detection by the document sensing cornponents in the
document retainer.
Preferred ombodiments of the present invention will now be
descIibed by way of example only, with reference to the attached appended
drawings in which:
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Figure I is a perspective view of a wallet;
~igure II is an exploded view of a wallet;
E~igure III is an exploded view of a document retainer -
sensor sub-assembly;
S Figure IV is a perspective view of a substrate - sensor sub-
assembly;
~igure V is a cross-sectional view of Fig. IV taken along
line V-V;
Figure VI is a perspective view of a document retainer -
sensor sub-assembly;
Figure VII is an exploded view of a document ret~iner -
sensor sub-assembly;
Pigure VIII is a perspective view of a substrate - sensor sub-
assembly;
Figure IX is a cross-sectional view of lFig. VIII taken along
line IX-IX;
Figure X is a perspective view of a document retainer -
sensor sub-assembly;
Figure XI is an exploded view of a document reta~ner -
sensor sub-assembly;
Figure XII is a pers~ective view of a substrate - sensol sub
assembly; :
Figw XIII is a cross-sectional view of Fig. XII taken along
line ~II-xm;
Figure XIV is a perspective view o:f a document retainer -
sensor sub-assembly;
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Fi~gure XV is an exploded view of a document retainer witl
alarm,
Figure XVI is an elcctric circuit di~ram;
Figure XVII is an electric circuit diagram; and
Figure ~VIII is an electrical schematic diagram.
Figure I shows a wallet, 10 h~lding several credit cards, 12
with each credit card being held in a separat¢ receptacle, 14. The wallet 10
i5 the same as that disclosed in Applicant's c~pending 2pplication serial no.
586,388. The wallet is purchased with Uank cards which are substituted ~or
more usefill cards as required. Each receptacle is provided with a pair of
contact~ which close upon tlhe withdrawal of a card to detect the absence of
the card. Closing of any pair of contacts energizes an operationally connected
alarm circuit which in turn immediately energizes a warning light, 20 thereby
indicating that a document is missing ~rom a receptacle and that batteries
provided with the wallet are in working order.
A timing device in the fo~m of a timer is pr~vided in the
alarm circuit ar~ is operable as ~i9 known by these of skill in the art to
commence a count to suppress the energization of an audible alarm, 18 by the
~ batte~ies until the count reaches a predetermined value. The predetermined
value is selected so tha~ the alarm circuit is suppressed ~or a time period
considered sufficient for a transac~ion to be completed. If it is found that thetransaction is lengthy a timer reset switch, 16 can be pressed and released to
reset the timing device so that the audible alann 18 is suppressed ~or another
transaction time pe~iod. Reseffin~ of the alarm timer can be repeated as many
times as is necessary to complete ~e transaction. lReinsertion of a withdrawn
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document into the receptacle reopens the contacts, wh;ch in turn results in the
alarm circuit being de-energized and the timer being automatically reset.
Figure II shows a modular document retainer mechanism
S with an alarm, 22 pIior to insertion thereof into andl in an aligned position
over an open receptacle, 24 provided in a wallet, 10. The wallet 10 lpermits
the use of the document retainer while it is contained in the wallet. Apertures
26, 28, 30 and 32 are provided in the wall of the wallet receptacle to provide
respective clearance for insertion and withdrawal of cards from the document
retainer receptacles, 14; to permit access to the reset switch, 16; audibil;ty of
audible alarm, 18 and sight of visual indicator, 20. An alarm circuit module,
34 is shown connected operationally to a receptacle - sensor sub-assembly to
form the modular document retainer mechanism with alarm, 22. Hook and
loop ~abric 21 is provided at the entrance of the wallet receptacle as a form
of closure means to provide secure containment of the retainer in the wallet
receptacIe and to preserve aligmnent of the retainer with respect to the
apertu~es in the walls of the wallet receptac~es.
Figures III through VI illustrate one preferred embodiment
of a receptacle-sensor sub-assembly. ~n exploded view is shown in Fig. III
to illustrate the components thereof. A rear contact plate, 38 and front
contact plate, 40, each carrying one of each pair of contacts, are attached to
a substrate, 36. The substrate 36 secures the contacts ~except the contaci
faces) in an electrically insulated mamler such that the contact faces are
preserved in opposed alignment and spring biased to move into engagement.
Projections, 42 are pr~vided on the periphery of elle contact plates 38,4û and
engage with slots, 44 formed in the s~strate 36 as a means of attachment.
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The substrate 36 is provided with apertures, ~8 to provide cle~rance of the
rear plate contacts, 46 formed on the plate 38, thereby allowing t}le rear
contact plates to project through the substrate 36 and engage with front plate
contacts, 50 formed on the plate 40. Receptacle linings, 52 are provided and
S are shown as be;ng formed from a single sheet of su;table flexible material
appropriately folded to define a plurality of receptades, each having an
ape~ture, 54 positioned to allo~ contact faces clearance to project through and
engage within the receptacle.
Figure IV shows the contact plates sub-assembled to the
substrate 36. The pre-curving of the contact plates 38,40 as illustrated in
Figure III helps the plates to fit flush to the substrate despite the reaction
caused by the built in spring tension biasing the contacts formed on the plates
together. Pigure V is a Yiew along line V of Figure. IV, showing how the
contacts 46 formed on the rear contact plate, 38 project t~rough the aper~re
formed in the substrate, 36 to engage with the contacts 48 in the front co~tact
plate, 40.
Figure VI shows a receptacle-sensor sub-assembly which is
created by fitting the receptacle linings, 52 of Fig III, to the contact plate-
substrate sub-assembly, l;ig. IV. After inserting each lining 52 between and
in alignment wim each respective pair of contacts, the linings are attached to
the substrate 36 along the marginal edge~, 56. Heat-pressure fusion is shown,
however, it should be realiæd that stitching, adhesives or staples can also be
used. Electrical connections to an attached ~larm c;rcuit module can be made
fiom the rear side of the assembly.
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Figures VII through X illustrate a second preferred
embodiment of a receptacle sensor sub-assembly. An exploded ~view is shown
in ~ig. VII to illustrate further the components. As in the first embodiment,
a rear contac~ plate, 64 and front contact plate, 66, each carrying one of each
S pair of contacts are attached to a substrate. However in this embodiment, t}le
substrate comprises a front layer, 60 and a rear layer, 58 between which the
contact plates are interposed. An insulation layer, 62 is proYided which,
e~cept for the contact faces, insulates the two contact plates from each other.
Apertures, 68 are provided in the in~ulation layer 62 to pr~vide clearance for
the rear contacts, thereby allowing the rear contacts to project through the
insulation layer and engage with the front contacts. The front layer of the
substrate is provided with an aperture, 70 to allow exposure of the contact
pairs for fitting into the receptacle linings, 72.
Figure vm is a view of the contact plate- substrate sub-
assembly. The two substrate layers 58,60 are joined together~ securely
containing the contact plates and insulation layer 62 therebetween, preserving
~he alignment of the contacts and the spring tension urging the contact faces
into engagement. Heat-pressure fusion is shown as the means for joining the
front and rear substrates 58,60, however, it should be realized that staples,
stitching or adhesives can also be usedO Projections, 74 and 76 are provided
respectively on alternate sides of the lower periphery of the front and rear
contact plates. These projections extend firom between the substrate layers
beyond the low~r marginal edge of the substrate as exposed poles for
electrical connection to an alarm circuit module. The poles can be bent 180
degrees upwards and formed to slide fit and snap-lock into slots provided in
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the alarm circuit module as a means o~ simplifying electrical and structural
connection. An exampIe of this is shown in Figure XV.
~igure X shows the receptacle-sensor sub-assembly. Fit and
S attachment of the receptacle linings, 72 to the contact plate - substrate sub
assembly, 78 ;s similar to the first embodiment. It is conceived that a wallet
can carry more than one of the prev;ously described modular document
retainers. Conductors may be built into the wallet so that several retainer-
sensor sub-assemUies can be interconnected in parallel to trigger one alarm
module provided in the wallet. The conductors will preferably be exposed
within each wallet receptacIe, to align with corresponding exposed poles on
each of the retainer-sensor sub-assemblies, allowing passive electrical
interconnection and simple assembly or replacement~
~igures XI through XV illustrate a preferred embodiment of
a document retain~r having an ala~n provided with a releasable attachment
means to attach the retainer to anothe~ object such as a conventional wallet,
purse, briefcase, pocket or book. Also shown is detection means connected
to the alarm circuit to trigger an alarm if the r~tainer becomes detached from
the object to which it was attached originally.
Figure XI is an exploded view of the components of the
retainer-sensor sub-assembly. The structure is similar to the second
embodiment p~eviously described but has the fiollowing additional features.
In ~his embodiment, the insulating layer, 84 and front contact plate, B8 each
have extensions on the upper penphery, respectively 90 and 94. An extra
conl~ct plate, 92 ;s provided w~ich lies in the same plane as the ~ear contact
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~32651 6
plate, 86 but remains in a spaced and thus electrically insulated relationship.
The extension, 94 on the front contact plate projects out firom between the
substrate layers through the top marginal edge and is curled towards the back
of the retainer to create a clip, spring biased to close UpOIl itself. It is
conceived that this curling operation can be completed after assembly of the
retainer-sensor sub-assembly.
To supplement spring retention, an external assisting spring
clip may be fitted over top of the detector clip. It is also conceived that a
supplementary means of securing attachment to another object may be
provided such as safety pins or hook and loop fabric. The extension, 90
provided on the insulating layer and the extra contact plate, 92 interpose
within the clip formed by the extension of the front plate so that the back ~aceof the extra plate engages with the inner face of the clip. To provide
clearance for engagement of the inner face of the clip to the back face of the
extra contact plate, an aperture, 96 is provided in the rear substrate layer, 80.
l~e extra plate generates a unique signal to the alarm circuit when
engagement of the electrical contact faces of the attachment means occurs.
This unique signal circumvents any time delay means provided in association
with the card sensing means so that, for instance, if the retainer becomes
detached and falls to the ground, the owner does not walk too far away to
hear the alarm before the alarm activates.
To facilitate connection to the alarm module, the extra plate
has a peripheral extenslon to pr~vide a third pole that projects out of the
bottom marginal edge of the substrate. It engages in a third slot provided in
the alarm module.
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Figure XV shows the alarm circuit module, 100 with slots,
102 aligned with the connecting projections, 104 and in position prior to
sliding the module in the direc~ion of the arrows shown, into en~gagement over
~e projections to connect the module structurally and electrically to the
S retainer-sensor sub-assembly, 106. The projections are shown as being bent
180 degrees as described previously and have partly pierced and raised teeth
in the centre of ea~. The teeth ar~ pro~ided as a means of securely snap-
locking ~e alarm circuit modu]e into connection with the retainer-sensor sub-
assembly. I~e alarm module, 100 is shown in the ~orm of a cassette. The
outer case can be formed from two injec~on moulded halves within which all
of the functional components are contained. The halves are held together with
clips removable for battery replacement. The reset switch, 16 is recessed
slightly in the case to help prevent false resetting of the alarm suppression
timer.
Figures XVI and XVII illu3trate embodiments of two electric
circuits suitable for use in the document retainers. Figure XVI is a circuit ~orthe baslc document retainer provided with the alarm. It shows the document
sensors, 108 connected in series to a storage battery, 110. The sensors
control the flow of current to two parallel circuit paths, one of which
incorporates the flashing LED 112, and the other of which incoIporates an
audible ala~n, 116 and ~n audible alarm suppression timer3 114. An audible
alarm timer reset switch, 118 acts upon the timer, 114 alone without
interfering with the rest of the circuit function.
Fi~ure XVII shows a circllit ~or the document retainer
having the alarm and the releasable attachment means equipped wi~ a
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detector to sense detachment of the retainer from an object to which it was
originally attached. The circuit is similar to that in F'igure XVI except that
there is provided a parallel control path7 as an alternate means of energizing
the alarms, which is gated by the detachment detector7 120. This control path
S bypasses the audible alarm suppression timer, connecting the audible alarm
without any delay directly to the power supply. It also energizes the ilashing
LED 112 through a small signal diode, 122 to prevent de~eating the audible
alarm suppression timer in the card withdrawal situation. As desc~ibed
ea~lier, this circuit is desired due to the fact that if the retainer becomes
detached and, for example, falls to the ground from the owner's pocket,
delaying the warning alarms would allow the owner to walk out of range of
audibility or visibility of the alarms.
A more detailed electrical schematic of the basic circuit is
shown in Figure XVIII. Refe~ence numeral 108 shows the normally closed
document retainer contact pairs which are held open by the documents held
~erebetween. The three retainer modules contained in the wallet shown in
Figure I are connected in parallel so that the withdrawal of any document, and
resulting closing of any contact pair, allows current from the compact battery,
110 to flow into the circuit. This energizes the flash;ng LED 112 and starts
the tim;ng cycle, at the end of which the piezo-eleltric audible alarm, 116 is
energized. Pressing and releasing the reset switch, 118 or replacing all of the
documents and thus opening all of the contacts, resets the timer. A 55S timer
integrated sircuit, 124 is connected to a bipolar PNP transistor, 126 a
capa~itor, 128 and resistors, 130 and 132 as shown. The small signal diode,
134 prevents circuit damage if a battery is inadve~ently installed inverted.
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It is conceived that many alternative circuit arrangements are
possible, especially those using specially designed application specific
integrated circuits manufac~ured ~or this particular purpose.
S The presellt document retainer may a~so be used for:
1) Storage of documents in a large index file. An LED
panel mounted on the front of the cabinet and/or on the dividers indicates
from which cabinet and/or divider the documents were taken. Signals can be
fed into a eentral security monitor. A connected computer can also ilhlminate
the LEDs f~r quick location of retained documents.
2) The incolporation of a card retainer conveniently located
and secured by key or special code in the ;nterior of an automobile. A
dashboard ligh~ or message, audible alarm and/or disabling interlock activates
if the card is not replaced before attempting to start the vehicle.
3) Retainers with alarms provided in books for the purpose
of retaining per~nent data storage mFdia and/or computer software.
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