Credit card holder with adjustable biasing friction element

Abstract

The holder for the cards comprises a housing that fits snugly around a stack of at least three cards and has a card opening for placing and removing cards, while a card ejection mechanism is provided within the housing, opposite the card opening, so that cards passing through the card opening can partially slide out of the housing. Inside the housing, a friction element is positioned to provide the cards with a stable position within the housing. The friction element (6) is associated with a means of moving the housing to selectively cause movement of the friction element (6) or at least its friction surface (12) in the thickness direction of the friction element (6) (the direction in which the friction element is biased relative to the stack, which is also the width direction (W)).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a card holder having an internal friction element for holding cards inside the holder while allowing the user to move the cards with their fingers, such that gravity alone is too weak to move the cards. Preferably, the holder also includes a device (also called an "ejector") for ejecting or distributing cards, e.g., credit cards or bank cards, or different flat or plate-shaped objects from the holder. One or more cards are preferably fitted snugly into the holder, and for this purpose, the holder has a cavity similar to the shape of the cards, slightly larger than the cards or card stack. The ejected cards are preferably presented as an alternating stack, preferably each card is shifted by at least 0.5 or 1 or 2 millimeters and / or less than 10 or 15 millimeters relative to the next adjacent card, partially protruding from the holder, and / or stored as a neat stack, preferably all cards are aligned with each other, and therefore the stack has a perfectly rectangular or cubic shape, e.g., a rectangular or cubic pad shape.

[0002] Preferably, in the case of the so-called credit card format, the main dimensions comply with ISO 7810, and / or the thickness and the rounding of the corners comply with ISO 7813. This format is applied to many cards with various uses such as bank cards, driver's licenses, membership cards, admission tickets, discount cards, savings cards, ID cards, etc. Typically, the width is 53 to 54 millimeters, and / or the length is 85 to 86 millimeters, and / or a stack of 6 cards has a thickness of 5.5 to 6 millimeters. Preferably, the space of the holder (also called "housing") for accommodating the card stack has the following dimensions (in millimeters), namely, a width of at least 50 or 52 and / or 55 or 60 or less, a length of at least 80 or 83 or 84 and / or 86 or 87 or 90 or less, a height of at least 3 or 4.5 and / or 8 or 10 or less, and has one or more of the following heights such that up to 6 or 7 bank cards without embossing can be repeatedly slid in and out of the holder stack without causing damage to the bank card and / or the holder. The card preferably has a solid, non-foldable shape, and / or has a smooth, slippery, low-friction surface. The holder and / or the housing preferably has a rigid flat box or sleeve or cube shape.

[0003] The card has a top surface and an equal-sized back surface opposite thereto, and has four side surfaces having the same thickness as the thickness of the card. The top surface is provided by the length and width of the card and is preferably elongated. The card stack has a top surface and a back surface opposite thereto, having the same dimensions as the dimensions of the top surface of the card. The card stack has four side surfaces having the same thickness as the stack thickness. The stack thickness is given by the sum of the thicknesses of all the cards in the stack.

[0004] In this invention, it will be understood that the friction element engages directly with the short sides, preferably the long short sides, of all cards in the stack simultaneously. Thus, the friction element engages with the narrow side of each card, whose dimensions are defined by the card's thickness. The friction element applies a pressing force to the short side of each card. This pressing force acts in a direction parallel to the top surface of each card and perpendicular to the card ejection direction, for example, in the width direction of each card. Furthermore, the surface of the friction element that engages with the card faces the width direction of the holder and the card. As a result, the card is compressed in the width direction of the holder and the card. In this specification, the friction element is of the type “friction element acting in the width direction”, and this type is applied to the holder of this invention. This type is distinctly different from another type of friction element (see, for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2185624) in which the friction element engages with the top surface of the top card of the stack, is pressed against the card stack, faces the thickness direction of the card stack, and therefore the cards below the top card do not directly engage with the friction element, and the friction element compresses the card stack in the thickness direction of the holder and cards, causing the cards in the stack to press against each other.

[0005] The friction element generates frictional force parallel to the top surface of each card and parallel to the direction in which the card is ejected.

[0006] The thickness direction of the friction element is perpendicular to the friction surface of the friction element facing the card stack stored in the holder, in other words, parallel to the width direction of the holder, or from one long short side of the holder to the opposite long short side.

[0007] Advantageously, one or more friction elements can provide that one or more cards are gripped and / or engaged, thereby ensuring that one or more cards are held within the housing during the movement of the ejector mechanism relative to the housing. In particular, one or more friction elements can provide that one or more cards are more stable and secure during the movement of the ejector mechanism relative to the housing. This is advantageous because one or more cards can be stable and secure within the housing when fully or partially housed within it.

[0008] Herein, though not exhaustive or complete, the following expressions, namely, card opening, card entrance, or mouth, mechanical protrusion or stack restraint element or restraint element or card lock or lock or lock end or lock element or distal longitudinal end, sensor or detector or probe, groove, enlargement, widening, expansion, channel, or chamber, friction arm or leg-shaped element or elongated support or card engagement device or leg or strip or sheet or transmission means or transmission arm or transmission element or transfer element or transfer arm or elastically flexible elongated element or elongated element or pressing means or biasing means or elongated portion, ejector mechanism, card ejector, discharge arm, ejector arm, arm mechanism, ejector mechanism, ejector device, discharge device, ejector, or discharge means, inward or outward or lateral or widthwise, bump, bulge, projection, or boss, moving or displaced or moving or displaced, friction element or friction means or friction pad, surface or side or wall, depending on the context, may sometimes represent identical or functionally equivalent features as a genus or species.

[0009] Card holders are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002 / 074246, U.S. Patent No. 4,887,739, U.S. Patent No. 5,718,329, and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-179484.

[0010] European Patent Application Publication No. 0287532, Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 702919, International Publication Brochure No. 2010137975, and International Publication Brochure No. 2014098580 disclose a pivot ejector arm with a stepped profile along its length such that each card engages with a different edge of the ejector arm, and the cards are distributed simultaneously to present an alternating stack of cards partially protruding from the card holder. These four documents also disclose a friction element acting in the width direction.

[0011] The above-mentioned documents provide background knowledge of the present invention, and their disclosures are incorporated herein by reference.

[0012] International Publication No. 2010137975 addresses problems arising with friction elements acting in the width direction. This patent discloses the teaching that while cards in a credit card format actually have standardized dimensions, these always have some variation due to unavoidable manufacturing tolerances. The sides (sides extending in the thickness direction of the cards) of a stack of cards of unequal widths, such as a leaf spring-type friction element, which press against a rigid surface, contact only the edge of the widest card and therefore not the edges of all cards. A preferred friction element, for this reason, is designed so that it engages not only with the oversized card but also with the undersized card in the stack, even if an oversized card is stacked between two undersized cards. Even if three or more cards are stacked in a holder and all cards are slightly different in width, the friction element will engage sufficiently with each card individually to prevent the cards from moving out of the holder naturally. This is provided by a sufficiently deformable surface, rather than a rigid surface, of the friction element that presses against the edges of the cards.

[0013] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014014676 discloses a card holder in Figure 7 that applies a friction element acting in the width direction, wherein one of the long short sides of the card holder is provided by a rigid pivot arm extending parallel to the long short side, the pivot arm carrying two rubber friction pads, with a pivot point between the two friction pads. Depending on the pivot state of the pivot arm, one or the other friction pad engages with the card. The pivot of the pivot arm causes rotation of an ejection arm to eject the card, and also causes the rubber pads to be displaced relative to the card so that one rubber pad is disengaged from the card stack in the holder and the other rubber pad engages with the card stack. In this way, one rubber pad frictionally engages with the card while the card is fully retracted within the holder, and the other rubber pad frictionally engages with the card while the card is ejected by the ejection arm and partially protrudes from the holder. However, this design has drawbacks and does not mention anything about the durability of the rubber pads.

[0014] German Patent Application Publication No. 202008003127 discloses a snap-type card lock that is separate from a friction element that is manually applied to the card. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022 / 079316 discloses a separate hinged card lock that has a pivot axis and is located on the short side opposite to the short side having the friction element.

[0015] The object of the present invention is multi-purpose. In one embodiment, the object is to provide more secure storage of cards in a holder, particularly heavy cards such as metal cards. In another embodiment, the object is to further improve the prior art in avoiding undesirable movement or jamming of cards in the holder, for example, when ejecting a stack of cards. Additional possible embodiments are to provide a holder with comfortable, easy, and precise operation having a long lifespan, or a holder with a slim profile for carrying in a pants pocket. Yet another embodiment is to provide error-free handling or low manufacturing costs. Another embodiment is to improve durability, for example, by reducing wear of friction elements that engage with the cards and hold the cards in place within the holder. Other embodiments can be found in the specification, drawings, or claims. Two or more embodiments can be combined.

[0016] The special aspect is based on a previously unknown phenomenon discovered by the inventors: with prior art friction elements, if the same holder is used with stacks of varying numbers of cards, for example, the first three cards and then five cards over a month, cards may spontaneously fall out of the holder. In an attempt to solve this problem, the inventors began experiments and, to their surprise, the present invention provided a convenient solution. Furthermore, the inventors also discovered that the present invention provides a more consistent frictional force throughout the lifespan of the holder.

[0017] The present invention preferably -The subject matter of the claim, and / or, -The subject of the clause, and / or, -At least one of the following inventions 1 to 6, and / or -The subject matter is obtained by combining two or more of the claims, clauses, and inventions 1-6.

[0018] 1. A holder for a card, comprising a mechanical projection located in the card track inside the card receiving space in the locked position, provided at the distal longitudinal end of a leg, the leg preferably carrying a friction pad, and locking or restraining a fully inserted card in place. The mechanical projection preferably has elastic bias provided by biasing means of the holder, thereby pushing the mechanical projection to the released position by passing the card through during the operation of the ejector mechanism, ensuring the card is ejected, and the lateral movement of the mechanical projection from the locked position to the released position preferably over a distance of at least 1 or 2 millimeters.

[0019] 2. A holder for a card, comprising a mechanical sensor located on a track of a card within a card receiving space, wherein the sensor is drivably connected to the distal longitudinal end of a leg to cause biasing and / or displacement of a locking end toward the card, the sensor is designed to engage and displace directly as the card passes through the card receiving space, the displacement of the sensor provides a driving force to bias and / or displace or deflect the locking end, and the lateral movement of the locking end from the locked position to the released position is preferably over a distance of at least 1 or 2 millimeters.

[0020] 3. A holder for a card, comprising an internal channel provided by a groove including a leg, preferably extruded and longitudinally extending internal channel, for example, the distal longitudinal end of the leg, i.e., the end near or in the card opening, is preferably narrowed by at least 0.5 or 1 millimeter to leave the internal channel inward, and / or the distal longitudinal end of the internal channel, i.e., the end near or in the card opening, is widened inward so that the distal longitudinal end of the leg can move inward beyond the boundary of the unwidened portion of the internal channel without leaving the internal channel, and / or the internal channel has a lateral dimension along its entire length equal to the lateral dimension of the distal longitudinal end of the internal channel when only the distal longitudinal end of the internal channel is widened laterally, and the distal longitudinal end of the leg can move sufficiently inward without leaving the internal channel. Inward movement is preferably allowed at least 1 or 2 millimeters. The distal longitudinal end of the leg may be a locking end. The internal channel is part of the card-receiving space. During this movement, the distal longitudinal end of the leg remains inside the card-receiving space.

[0021] 4. A holder for a card, comprising a mechanical probe positioned within the card's track, wherein the probe is drivably connected to a friction pad to bias and / or displace the friction pad toward the card, the probe is designed to directly engage and displace the card by passing it through a card receiving space, the displacement of the probe provides a driving force to bias and / or displace the friction pad, and the inward movement of the probe and / or friction pad is preferably at least 1 or 2 millimeters.

[0022] 5. A holder for a card having legs having a mechanical boss (i.e., a boss) locally protruding from the leg by at least 0.1 or 0.2 mm on the face facing the relevant short side, wherein the boss is preferably supported and / or in contact with the short side and located at a distance of at least 3 or 5 or 7 mm and / or less than 40 or 35 or 30 or 15 or 10 mm from the distal longitudinal end of the leg (adjacent to the card opening), the distal longitudinal end preferably carries a mechanical probe or projection or sensor, is located on the side of the inclined region opposite to the side facing the mechanical probe or projection or sensor, and is provided by an indentation, embossing or recess on the leg. A holder for cards having one or more of the following: covering at least 50% and / or less than 95% of the leg width, with ends away from the longitudinal edge of the leg, and the longitudinal dimension of the leg being at least 0.5 mm and / or less than 5 mm, or less than 3 mm, or less than 2 mm; preferably completely covered by a friction pad, more preferably the friction pad extends at least 3 or 5 mm beyond the boss in the longitudinal direction of one or both legs; having an elongated shape; a long dimension perpendicular to the length of the leg; and two sheets spaced at least 5 or 10 mm and / or less than 30 or 40 mm apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the leg. Experiments have shown that such a thing improves the function and lifespan of the leg.

[0023] 6. The leg comprises a thinned or recessed region or length portion, generally referred to as a region, preferably having a thinned or recessed region of at least 0.5 or 1 and / or 2, 3, 4 or 5 millimeters or less, preferably extending from the outer surface of the leg to the region, preferably along the entire length of the region, and located at a distance of 40 or 35 or 30 millimeters or less from the distal longitudinal end of the leg, the distal longitudinal end preferably carrying a mechanical probe or projection or sensor, and the leg side facing the associated holder short side, or the opposite side, A holder for a card that applies one or more of the following: the area is provided on both sides, covers at least 50% or 100% of the width of the leg, the longitudinal dimension (i.e., length) of the leg is at least 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 millimeters and / or less than 50, 60 millimeters, is located on the side of the inclined area opposite to the side facing the mechanical probe or projection or sensor, and is covered by a friction pad, preferably the friction pad is present only in the area and / or not outside the area. Such an area allows the leg, in particular the area, to flex.

[0024] Preferably, at least inventions 2 and 3, and more preferably inventions 1, 2, 3 and 4, are all combined simultaneously within the card holder. One of inventions 1 to 6 can be combined with at least one of the other inventions 1 to 6 and / or any of the claims.

[0025] The probe and the projection may be the same element. Hereafter, they will generally be referred to as the “locking end” unless explicitly stated otherwise. The sensor and the friction pad may be the same element. Hereafter, they will generally be referred to as the “friction pad” unless specifically stated otherwise.

[0026] A direct mechanical connection between the displacement of the friction pad and the operation of the discharge arm is unnecessary, and preferably, such a connection does not exist.

[0027] According to the present invention, as soon as the card is discharged from the holder, it is preferred that the card directly activates the locking end, thereby causing the activation of the friction pad or generating the driving action or displacement of the friction pad. In this way, the pressure of the friction pad on the fully inserted card can be at least reduced or even offset, extending the life of the friction pad. When the card protrudes partially from the holder, the friction pad can provide the desired friction due to the increased force provided by the deflection of the locking end caused by the partially protruding card.

[0028] Preferably, among the following, one or more are applied: the transmission means is active between the locking end and the friction pad; there is a direct mechanical connection, and thus a direct drive, between the locking element, the transmission means, and the friction pad; the locking end, the transmission means, and the friction pad are carried by legs.

[0029] Preferably, the legs are preferably loosely placed and / or pressed against the proximal short side of the holder such that, preferably when the card is inserted, the card is engaged by the friction pad, and the legs preferably have an inclined region. Preferably, in the inclined region, the longitudinal direction of the leg located between the locking end and the friction pad, and / or at least 2 millimeters from the locking end and / or less than 10 or 15 millimeters, and the dimension less than 2 or 4 millimeters in the longitudinal direction of the leg, facing the relevant short side of the holder, and a part of the transmission means, the legs preferably directly adjacent to one longitudinal side of the inclined region move outward, and at the same time, the legs preferably directly adjacent to the opposite longitudinal side move correspondingly inward, or vice versa, and are configured to maintain static and / or pressing against the short side of the holder, and the legs preferably directly adjacent to one longitudinal side of the inclined region and / or the legs preferably directly adjacent to the opposite longitudinal side of the inclined region preferably have a gap of at least 0.1 or 0.5 millimeters between them and the short side over a length of at least 2 or 4 millimeters. One or more of the above are applied.

[0030] To obtain a preferred integrated design, one or more of the following features, or mechanical protrusions, mechanical sensors, mechanical probes, locking ends, locking elements, mechanical bosses, zones, transmission means, seats for friction pads, friction pads, inclined regions, legs, and / or with and / or between the legs, which are integral parts of the legs and / or embedded in the legs and / or fused continuously or without interruption with the legs, and by means of rigid joints or material hinges and / or seamlessly and / or without a pivot axis or mechanical, e.g., without a pin hinge, integrated with the legs, and together with the legs form (or function or behave) an integral element and / or a single part element, and the desired movement of the features, e.g., switching between a locked position and a released position, such as displacement of the locking end and the friction pad inside and outside, is caused only by, or only by, elastic deformation such as bending and / or buckling and / or flexing of the material of the legs and / or the transmission means, one or more of the above are preferably applied. Such an integrated design can be obtained, for example, by injection molding of a polymer or by deformation of a metal strip or plate or sheet, such as spring steel, by forging, e.g., bending or pressing or deep drawing. Typically, a mechanical hinge allows the mutual rotation of the parts joined by the hinge and is provided by at least two or three separate parts, two of which are joined to each other, for example, by fitting snugly (similar to a ball joint) between the two parts or by a third separate part, e.g., a pivot pin, that joins the two parts and hinges one part to the other part (synonyms are pivoting or swiveling).

[0031] According to one aspect, the present invention is based on the teaching of detecting the position of a card (fully inserted or partially protruding from a holder) and applying this information to displace or bias a friction element, preferably in the direction from a first secondary wall to a second secondary wall, e.g., changing its pressure and / or frictional force against a stack.

[0032] The prior art teaches internally extruded continuous longitudinal grooves within the main walls of each subwall, and therefore at the widthwise ends of the card receiving space, providing a continuous expansion or channel of the card receiving space in the direction from the first main wall to the second main wall, and the card engaging device has a width measured from the first main wall to the second main wall (for example, as shown in Figures 12, 14, and 15) so as to be located within the channel and to fit only inside the channel. The dimensions of the groove in the prior art are constant along its entire length (i.e., the dimension in the direction of arrow L in Figure 1), and the dimension of this known groove in the direction from the first subwall to the second subwall, and therefore the width of the groove, in other words, the distance between the subwall 32 and the inner boundary 36 as shown in Figure 15, is 2 millimeters, or 3.5% of the width of the card receiving space. The known card receiving space has a width equal to the distance between the first and second subwalls, such that it is 57 millimeters, and the distance between the inner boundaries of both grooves is 53.3 millimeters. Therefore, a 54-millimeter wide card at the center of the card receiving space protrudes into the channel by 0.35 millimeters or 0.65% of the card width at both of its widthwise edges, as shown, for example, in Figure 15. In other words, the widthwise edges of the central card, which are the exclusive or sole portion of the card present in the channel, have a width of 0.35 millimeters or 0.65% of the card width, measured from the first subwall to the second subwall.

[0033] The friction pads (and legs as well) are held laterally by internal channels. Alternatively, such holding can be provided by, for example, fixing the friction pads to the subwalls with adhesive or screws. Other alternatives are also feasible.

[0034] The locking end is positioned in the card opening or within a distance of 5 or 10 millimeters, the locking end engages with the rounded corner near the card opening of the fully inserted card, the locking end is preferably provided on the short side within a distance of 2 or 4 millimeters, two locking ends are provided, each locking end on the opposite side to hold the card between them, each locking end is associated with an individual transmission means, the friction pad is positioned within a distance of 30 millimeters from the card opening for proper operation of the transmission means, and between the locking end, the transmission means and the friction element there is, for example, a pin hinge. Preferably, one or more of the following apply: the absence of hinges such as those mentioned above; the transmission means operating by bending and / or lever action; the transmission means and / or legs having S-shaped length portions; the lock end, transmission means and friction pads being located only in a region of the holder extending from the card opening over half the length of the holder; the lock end and friction pads being formed to move in opposite directions from each other, preferably by sharing an inclined or pivoting region with each other and the associated short sides; and the legs extending in the longitudinal direction of the holder and / or covering at least 90% or 95% of the length of the holder.

[0035] For example, to prevent the card from spontaneously detaching from the card holder while the biasing force of the friction pad is reduced, for example, by the friction pad being retracted by the locking end, the device preferably includes a mechanical card retaining means. Such a retaining means can be embodied by a lid, for example, as disclosed in European Patent Application Publication No. 0287532. However, preferably, the sensor or locking end provides this feature, which is embodied by, for example, a mechanical probe or cam.

[0036] Preferably, the friction pad is not a solid metal, but rather, with respect to the surface separated from the housing wall and spaced apart from the housing wall, and with respect to at least the surface facing the card stack or the layer providing such surface and / or the opposite surface (e.g., facing the spring means or pressing means) or the layer providing such surface, it is a fiber-like material or fiber provided by fibers, with respect to at least the surface facing the card stack.

[0037] Preferably, according to the present invention, the internal friction means, such as a friction pad, faces the card stack and preferably has a non-rigid, for example, non-metallic friction surface. Conventional publications teach a fibrous surface facing the card stack, provided by a fibrous friction pad, such as felt, which is backed by a metal leaf spring, with a layer of adhesive between the friction pad and the metal leaf spring having a thickness typical of adhesive (i.e., less than 0.2 mm).

[0038] The friction surface is preferably wear-resistant and / or provides a high level of friction for intensive sliding contact with the card. Wear resistance also means resistance to cutting due to engagement with the thin and fairly sharp sides of the card. This is preferably provided by fibers.

[0039] The friction surface may be fibrous, fibrous-like, or non-fibrous. Fibrous or fibrous materials may be, for example, fabrics or mats or webs or nonwovens or wovens or braids or knitted fabrics or equivalents. Non-fibrous materials may be, for example, sheets, foils, films, or slabs obtained by casting, injection molding, rolling, or pressing. They may also be foams or foam-like materials, or sponges or sponge-like materials. In the case of fibrous or fibrous materials, the fibers are preferably held together by mutual engagement or interlocking or mutual hooking or entanglement so that no separate means, such as adhesives or matrices, are required. Preferably, no such means, such as adhesives or matrices, are present. The fibrous or fibrous layer may be manufactured by one or more of the following: pressing, air raying, needling, needle punching, and equivalents.

[0040] The friction surface providing the surface of the friction pad facing the card stack stored in the holder is preferably provided by yarn or fiber or fibrous material, preferably cohesive, such as felt or felt-like or cloth or cloth-like, woven or nonwoven, preferably including, for example, wool from sheep or hair, wool or bristles from different mammals (e.g., pig). However, yarn or fibers from other origins, such as natural (e.g., cellulose or protein or mineral-based) or synthetic (e.g., PA or PU or PVC or PP-based) polymers or plants, such as cotton, are also feasible. However, it may be of a non-fibrous nature, provided by, for example, a solid pad of rubber or silicone or elastomer.

[0041] The thickness of the friction pad is preferably at least 20 or 30 or 60 denier or at least 50 or 100 dtex or at least 5Ne or at least 0.25 or 0.5 millimeters and / or 3 or 5 or 7 or 10 millimeters or less.

[0042] Preferably, the friction means includes, viewed in the thickness direction, one or more of the following: a surface layer, e.g., felt, that provides a surface for engaging with the card in the housing; a backing layer, e.g., latex; a fixing layer, e.g., adhesive; and a support layer (i.e., legs), e.g., metal or polymer, e.g., a leaf spring.

[0043] The friction means may comprise a friction pad that engages with the card in the holder and provides a surface that holds the card against voluntary movement, the opposite surface of the pad facing or attached to a spring mechanism, such as a leaf spring, to bias the friction means toward the card in the holder.

[0044] Preferably, the friction pad has one or more of the following features: a pad-like shape and a surface with sufficient width / dimensions to engage all cards in the stack simultaneously, and therefore, for example, a surface extending to substantially the full height of the space of a card holder in which the card stack is received; and a surface that is not rigid and / or is actually locally, preferably elastically compressible and / or can preferably elastically form relief or surface profiles or irregular surfaces and / or can easily, preferably elastically form one or more grooves or pits and / or can be deformed like the surface of a cotton-filled pillow or felt layer and / or can easily flex locally and / or can easily, preferably elastically deformable and / or can easily conform in shape to the shape of the surface on the side pressed against the surface of the friction element of the card stack, such as relief or profile or irregularity. Preferably, these features ensure that the friction pads properly connect with the individual edges of all cards in the stack, and that the friction pads properly engage with the individual edges of all cards in the stack, exerting sufficient friction to hold each card in the stack without the ability to slide, thereby requiring a greater force than gravity alone to slide the cards out of the holder.

[0045] Preferably, the present invention distinguishes the following situations:

[0046] 1. The card is fully inside the housing, and the friction pad is released, or at least partially released from its task, preventing the card from falling out of the housing at the moment the card holder is stored, for example, in a pants pocket.

[0047] 2. As soon as the card partially protrudes from the holder, select the card and remove it individually; the friction pad is responsible for preventing the card from falling out of the housing.

[0048] Preferably, the card engages with the friction pad, or fully engages, only when the card partially protrudes from the housing, and therefore the friction pad is effective in preventing the card from falling out of the holder spontaneously.

[0049] Preferably, the present invention provides the possibility for the user to select individual cards and shift the cards in the stack relative to each other after the card stack has partially slid out of the housing, so that only the card pressed by the user with their fingertip moves while the other cards maintain their positions relative to the housing.

[0050] Preferably, the friction pad within the housing of the card holder according to the present invention comprises a substrate having a rough, fibrous surface structure that provides a friction surface for engaging with the cards. When fibers with high density protrude from the surface, good and concentrated contact is created between the friction pad and each individual card in the supported card stack. Even if fibers of a smooth material such as polyamide are used, the friction between the card and the friction pad is large enough to facilitate the user operation described above.

[0051] Preferably, the level of friction perceived by the card during sliding is directly proportional to the vertical force the card exerts on the friction pad. This vertical force is frequently required, often for many years, throughout its full service life. In the case of metal cards, increasing the vertical force on the friction pad also increases the risk of fiber wear or permanent deformation, and therefore the frictional force may decrease over time. To optimize life, it is desirable to limit the pressure of the card on the friction pad. This is achieved by the present invention. The friction pad is preferably designed from a material type that does not sag or sags very little under permanent load, such as metal, polymer, or a fabric or felt of wool fibers.

[0052] Preferably, the holder according to the present invention comprises an elastic element, such as a leaf spring (i.e., a leg), inside the housing directly opposite the friction pad, having the effect that the aforementioned vertical force on the friction pad remains within a predetermined limit regardless of the dimensional tolerances of the housing and card. Alternatively, the holder according to the present invention comprises, for example, a friction pad and an elastic element assembled to a single elastic friction element (i.e., a leg supporting the friction pad). Preferably, the holder comprises two opposing friction pads inside the housing, preferably one or both of which are assembled to a leg.

[0053] Preferably, the holder includes a card removal mechanism, such as an ejection arm or recess, which is sized to allow the user to engage with a card with their finger and partially push the card outward. The card removal mechanism provides the user with an opportunity to partially slide the card stack out of the housing, which is a preferred action before the user selects and removes a card from the housing.

[0054] Preferably, one or more of the following apply to the holder: a rectangular, preferably elongated, shape; a fixed and / or rigid shape, robustness, made of a lightweight material such as metal or polymer material, polyester, or PP; a box or sleeve shape; a card storage space that snugly fits and receives a stack of cards; a fixed length, width, and depth; preferably, a card ejector mechanism located at the longitudinal end of the card holder opposite the card access opening to the housing space where the cards are stored; being extruded; and being made from aluminum.

[0055] Preferably, the present invention relates to a card holder equipped with an ejector mechanism, also called an ejector device, which distributes an entire stack of cards as a card removal mechanism, so that, for example, the ejector mechanism engages with the entire stack of cards simultaneously when ejecting cards, so that all cards in the stack are distributed at the same time. Preferably, the cards are biased out of the housing so that an alternating stack of cards is presented, partially protruding from the card holder. This is preferably provided by the design of the ejector device. More preferably, the design of the card holder or ejector device is such that when the card stack is fully housed in the card holder, the cards are aligned with each other (in other words, the cards are not alternating, or the stack is neat), preferably partially protruding from the card holder, and the cards are alternating. By presenting the cards in an alternating manner, the cards can be easily identified individually by two fingers of the user's hand and removed individually from the stack. Preferably, the card holder is rigid against the typical loads that the card holder is subjected to during normal daily use.

[0056] In particular, the holder is designed to receive and distribute credit cards (and other items having dimensions comparable to credit cards, further referred to as “cards”), preferably capable of accommodating stacks of, for example, at least three, four, or five cards, and more preferably the cards in the stack are directly stacked on top of each other or adjacent to each other, in other words, there are no or no need for any further objects, such as spacers, between adjacent cards. The holder preferably has two pairs of substantially or completely closed and fixed opposing sides, one pair having a length and width approximately equal to the same card dimensions (also referred to by the synonyms “main side,” “main face,” or “main wall”), and this pair is separated by the other pair (also referred to by the synonyms “short side,” “secondary face,” or “secondary wall”) such that the card stack fits snugly between these four sides or at least between the main wall (defining the stack thickness). Preferably, these sides are thin walls and / or provide a rigid sleeve-like casing. Of the remaining pair of two opposing sides (typically located at the longitudinal end of the sleeve), preferably one (also called the “bottom”) is permanently substantially or completely closed, while the other (also called the “top” or “card opening”) is open but can be temporarily closed, for example, by a lid. As a result, the holder preferably has only a single open side from which cards can enter and exit the holder. Thus, the holder provides a rigid sleeve with a closed bottom. Typically, cards enter and exit the holder by moving parallel to their main side. Temporary closures may include a pivot lid or a flexible portion, such as a rubber cap.

[0057] Preferably, the card ejector mechanism of the present invention comprises a stepped element that can be moved by a user relative to a card stack relative to a housing, for example by rotation or translation, and each step of the stepped element applies force to the individual cards in the stack in a direction that opens the cards, so that the card stack slides outward in a stepped manner. These steps have a thickness measured parallel to the thickness of the cards and a spacing measured perpendicular to this thickness, the spacing determining the degree to which the cards slide against each other when the cards slide out of the housing in a stepped manner. Further preferred details of the stepped element are provided in the above-mentioned International Publication Nos. 2010137975 and International Publication Nos. 2014098580, the contents of which are inserted herein by reference.

[0058] The stepped element of a card ejector is an example of an ejector element, also called an “ejector arm” or simply an “arm” or an “ejector lever” or simply a “lever,” and moves between a first position and a second position (preferably a retracted position and an extended position, respectively) within the holder, engages with a card stack, preferably with the edges of the cards, and pushes the card stack out of the holder, preferably so that the cards partially protrude from the holder in a stepped or alternating manner (with the ejector element in its extended position) while the cards move in a plane parallel to their principal surfaces. For the purpose of presenting or distributing cards in a stepped manner, the ejector arm preferably has a relief, profile also called “stepped,” which preferably has some relationship with the thickness of the cards, and as a result the element has a plurality of spaced features preferably along a straight line, for example in the longitudinal direction of the arm, such features are designed to engage with a single card from the stack, and preferably, the movement of the element within the holder causes one card to move outward by a further distance with the element compared to another card from the same stack within the holder. Preferably, such features are projections of an arm, each providing an engaging edge (also called a “face” or “contact surface”), and preferably the projections protrude from the element by different distances such that each engaging surface is at a different level. Preferably, the arm is designed so that the cards fit into the holder so that, in its retracted position, the cards align with each other, in other words, to present a neat stack. The spacing between features is preferably at least 0.5 or 1 millimeter and / or less than 10 or 15 millimeters.

[0059] Features, for example, each step preferably includes a straight portion and a curved portion and / or extends at least partially across the width of the arm. Optionally, each straight portion of one or more steps is positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the arm and extends in the direction of the width of the arm. Optionally, each curved portion of one or more steps extends from the straight portion at one end and curves toward the longitudinal direction of the lever. As the ejector mechanism moves, the cards in the housing can move by first following the curved portion. Advantageously, such an arm may provide that the ejector mechanism can be configured to translate and / or push each of one or more cards at least partially out of the opening of the housing. Optionally, each curved portion of one or more steps is configured to engage and / or contact one of the one or more cards when the arm is pivoted relative to the opening of the housing.

[0060] Preferably, the height of the ejector arm (meaning a dimension perpendicular to the main side of the housing and parallel to the thickness direction of the card or card stack loaded in the housing) increases in a stepped manner longitudinally from the free end (in other words, the distal end, or the end away from the pivot point, or the end opposite to the end to which the drive means engages or is attached). This stepped increase in height (also called thickness) provides a stepped feature or contact surface for staggered ejection of the card stack.

[0061] The number of tiers is preferably at least equal to the number of cards in the stack, and / or at least 4, 5, 6, or 7. These tiers preferably have approximately equal longitudinal spacing and / or height.

[0062] In its extended position, the ejector arm preferably extends obliquely within the holder over at least 80% or 90% of its length, or forms an angle of 20 to 90 degrees (90 degrees is equal to a right angle), preferably at least 45, 55, or 60 degrees and / or less than 85 degrees, compared to its retracted position. In its subsequently retracted position, the ejector arm preferably extends parallel to the outside (also called the "bottom") or edge of the holder, preferably on the side opposite to the side from which the cards are dispensed from within the holder, over at least 80% or 90% of its length. Preferably, the ejector arm rotates, swivels, pivots, hinges, or pivots between its first and second positions, and for this purpose, the ejector arm preferably has hinge or pivot features, such as pins or holes, which it uses to attach to the holder. Alternatively, translational movement is possible.

[0063] Preferably, the ejector arm has one or more of the following: a non-articulated form, a fixed form, and a length portion thereof having a complete stepped profile with the fixed form.

[0064] To provide an ejection mechanism, such as the movement of an ejector arm, the ejector includes, for example, a drive mechanism associated with the ejector arm. This may be a motor, but a manually operated drive mechanism, such as a finger-operated button, is preferred, preferably protruding from or located outside the housing. Preferably, the ejector arm and the drive mechanism are connected in a rigid manner such that the movement of the drive mechanism is directly transmitted to the ejector arm, and both of these members move together, for example, both of these members, or at least a portion of the ejector arm, are integrated into a single, preferably rigid, part. The ejector arm and / or drive mechanism may be, for example, injection-molded parts of polymer or plastic or equivalent material. The finger-operated button preferably protrudes from the short side of the holder, for example, from the short side extending in the longitudinal direction (e.g., the long short side) or transverse direction (e.g., the short short side) of the holder.

[0065] Preferably, the ejector arm provides or is part of the base or bottom of the holder, preventing the card from coming out of the relevant side of the holder.

[0066] The card ejector mechanism gives the user the opportunity to partially slide the card stack out of the housing. This is a preferred action before the user selects a card and removes it from the housing.

[0067] By the time the ejection arm is in its extended position, the cards have partially slid out of the housing as an alternating or stepped stack, with each card providing a narrow strip of its upper main side protruding from the outside of the housing, allowing the user to see at a glance which card is in the holder by looking at these strips. The user can also easily and quickly select the desired card from the card stack and remove it by manually sliding the cards against each other in the same or opposite direction as the cards slid out of the housing from their fully inserted, i.e., stored position.

[0068] Preferably, the ejector or a part thereof, such as an arm, as a card removal mechanism of the card holder of the present invention, is equipped with or associated with a reset means, such as a spring, or coupled thereto, so that the ejector or associated part always returns immediately and automatically to its initial position after operation, for example, from the extended position to the retracted position. The return provided by the reset means thus has the advantage that the card can be slid back into the housing without interference while the user makes a selection from a partially exposed card.

[0069] Preferably, the card holder of the present invention has a housing made of a galvanic material, such as metal. The shape of the housing of the present invention is suitable for manufacture by metal extrusion forming a suitable Faraday cage.

[0070] The present invention also relates to each of the above-mentioned individual features, as well as any combinations and permutations thereof.

[0071] The present invention is further illustrated by drawings illustrating currently preferred embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0072] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the card holder. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the card holder. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of the card holder in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of the alternative card holder. [Figure 5] This is a rear view of the card holder shown in Figure 1. [Figure 6] This shows a pivotal ejector arm that engages with and ejects staggered card stacks. [Figure 7] This is a view of the ejector arm from the opposite side in Figure 6. [Figure 8] Figure 6 shows the distal portion of the ejector arm. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view of the card holder in Figure 1. [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view of the card holder in Figure 1. [Figure 11] This is an exploded view of the card stack and a portion of the card holder shown in Figure 1. [Figure 12] Figure 1 is an exploded view of the card holder components. [Figure 13] Figure 1 is an exploded view of the internal components of the card holder. [Figure 14] This is a detailed view of Figure 12. [Figure 15] This is a detailed diagram of the card stack within the holder. [Figure 16] Figure 1 is a detailed view of the card holder. [Figure 17] This is a detailed view of Figure 16, which shows the first and second embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 18]This is a detailed view of Figure 16, which shows the first and second embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 19] A first embodiment of the inventive component of a card holder is shown. [Figure 20] This is a side view of the embodiment shown in Figure 19. [Figure 21] Figure 16 is a top view of the embodiment. [Figure 22] This figure shows a first alternative embodiment of the embodiment shown in Figure 19. [Figure 23] This figure shows a second alternative embodiment of the embodiment shown in Figure 19. [Figure 24] Figure 19 is a front view of the embodiment. [Figure 25] This is a cross-sectional view of a card holder according to the embodiment shown in Figure 21. [Figure 26] An alternative configuration of the embodiment shown in Figure 25 is presented. [Figure 27] This is a detailed view of the embodiment shown in Figure 17. [Figure 28] This is a detailed view of the embodiment shown in Figure 26. [Figure 29A] This is an alternative embodiment based on Invention No. 6 of the embodiment in Figure 19, which is in a locked or restrained position. [Figure 29B] This is an alternative embodiment based on Invention No. 6 of the embodiment in Figure 19, which is in a locked or restrained position. [Figure 30A] This is an embodiment of the discharge or release position shown in Figure 29. [Figure 30B] This is an embodiment of the discharge or release position shown in Figure 29. [Figure 31] Figure 22 is a side view of the embodiment. [Figure 32A] Figure 27 is a side view of the embodiment and the prior art embodiment. [Figure 32B] Figure 27 is a side view of the embodiment and the prior art embodiment. [Figure 32C] Figure 27 is a side view of the embodiment and the prior art embodiment. [Figure 33A] This is an alternative embodiment of Invention No. 6. [Figure 33B] This is an alternative embodiment of Invention No. 6. [Figure 34A] This is a diagram of one embodiment of Invention No. 5. [Figure 34B] This is a diagram of one embodiment of Invention No. 5. [Figure 34C] This is a diagram of one embodiment of Invention No. 5. [Figure 34D] This is a diagram of one embodiment of Invention No. 5.

[0073] Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of a card holder housing 1 that fits snugly around an illustrated stack 2 of at least three cards (four are shown), with one of the two longitudinal ends of the housing being open for receiving and removing cards and therefore called the card opening 3. Snug fitting around a card stack implies a main shape based on right-angle bricks, but of course, for design or ergonomic reasons, it can be varied by providing, for example, chamfers, rounded edges, ribs, etc.

[0074] Arrow L represents the longitudinal direction, arrow W represents the width direction, and arrow T represents the thickness direction. Arrows L, W, and T are perpendicular to each other.

[0075] Figure 1 shows a holder 1 and a neat stack 2 of four aligned cards ready to be loaded into the holder through a card opening 3. When the cards are fully positioned in the holder, the underside of each card aligns with the associated engagement surface 19 of an ejector arm 16 in a first (retracted) position. Starting from this position of the ejector arm 16, moving (pivoting) the ejector arm 16 to its second position pushes the cards so that the card stack is partially ejected by the associated engagement surface 19. Since each engagement surface 19 is at a different distance from the pivot point 17 of the ejector arm 16, each card travels a different distance so that the stack 2 is ejected alternately (as shown in Figure 2 with the ejector arm (not shown) in its second position), and each card presents a narrow strip of its main side exposed, as shown.

[0076] Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a holder (without a card) having a card ejection mechanism (in a first (retracted) position) provided by a stepped element 16 that can pivot around an axis 17 when a user applies force in the pivot direction (according to arrow B) via an actuator 18 on the outside of the housing 1. The stepped element 16 is made of steps that provide a card contact surface 19 designed to apply force against the short side (i.e., the thin side) of the ejected card. The card contact surface 19 can be considered as the thickness of the stepped steps, the height of which is less than or equal to the nominal card thickness (about 0.8 mm), thereby each step contacts a different card. A reset spring 20 ensures that after the button 18 is released, the stepped element 16 immediately and automatically returns to the indicated initial (first) position. The friction elements 6, i.e., pads having a surface 12 facing the card made of a rough, fibrous material, such as felt, are positioned facing each other within the housing at the short side 32 of the housing and engage with each individual smaller card side to hold the card against gravity.

[0077] Figure 4 shows a possible modification of Figure 3, in which the stepped element 16 can be translated in the direction in which the card slides out of the housing through the card opening 3, and the stepped element 16 immediately returns to its initial position by the reset spring 20 after the operating part 18 is released.

[0078] Figure 3 shows the connection between the button 18 and the ejector arm 16, which extends through a passage at the bottom edge, i.e., the edge opposite the opening 3. Alternatively, such a passage may exist at the side edge (longer short side 32) or even at the main side 31. The button 18 is shown adjacent to the bottom edge, but may be located adjacent to the side edge or the main side 31. The bottom edge or side edge is the shorter short side 32, which bridges the main side 31. These locations of the passage and the button 18 are known from the prior art.

[0079] Figure 5 shows the view from the bottom (i.e., following arrow A in Figure 1).

[0080] In Figures 6-7, the housing has been removed so that the elements inside the housing are visible. The discharge arm 16 is pivoted to its second (extended) position and engages with the staggered card stacks 2 (only a portion is shown). The arm 16 is pivotably attached by a pivot 17 to a fixture 10 fixedly positioned at the housing opening opposite the card opening 3, thereby providing a closure on the bottom side of the housing.

[0081] As is evident from Figures 3, 4, 6, and 7, the thickness of the ejector arm 16 decreases in a stepped manner from the proximal end (i.e., near the pivot point 17) to the distal end (synonym: free end or far end) 5. The maximum thickness of the ejector arm 16 is equal to the height of the housing, which is determined by the gap between the two main sides 31 of the housing, and this height is equal to the maximum thickness of the card stack that fits snugly into the housing 1. The maximum thickness of the ejector arm 16 can be made slightly thinner to allow the movement of the arm 16 within the housing without excessive friction with the inner surfaces of the opposing main sides 31 of the housing on which the upper and bottom sides of the arm 16 slide, respectively.

[0082] The opposing main side walls 31 have smooth, horizontal, and flat inner surfaces that extend parallel to each other.

[0083] Figure 7 shows a view from the opposite side of Figure 6 with card 2 removed. Figure 8 shows the free (synonymous: remote or distal) end of the ejector arm 16 shown in Figure 7 at a larger scale, and shows the steps 19 in more detail to emphasize that each step 19 has a partially curved and partially straight edge, each such edge being designed to engage with the side edge of a single card 2 in the stack to push the stack outward and stagger it.

[0084] Figure 9 shows a cross-section of a possible embodiment of the housing 1, without details of the card removal mechanism 16, and shows how the friction pad 6 is positioned on at least one side near the card opening 3, pressing against the long side of the card stack within the housing. On the opposite side of the housing 1, there is an elastically flexible slender element (i.e., a leg), such as a leaf spring, in which case both a card 2 that slides completely inward and a card 2 that slides partially outward are provided to press against the friction pad 6 with a substantially constant force. Figure 10 shows a comparable embodiment according to the drawing of Figure 9, where the friction pad 6 and the leg 7 on one side are combined such that the friction pad 6 has improved elasticity against the cards. On the opposite side within the housing, there may be a separate friction pad 6, or alternatively, a leg 7 covered by the friction pad 6 may be present. Arrow T (not shown) is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing.

[0085] The position of the friction pad 6 is adjustable, and its length is also adjustable. Figures 9 and 10 show only non-limiting examples.

[0086] Figure 11 shows a friction pad 6 that faces the card stack 2 and provides a friction surface 12 designed to engage with the thin side of each individual card. The surface 12 provides a fibrous surface for the engaged cards 2. Part of the housing 1 is also shown.

[0087] Figures 12 to 15 show possible attachments of the legs 7 to the housing of the card holder, and the spatial relationship between the housing portion and the stack containing the cards 2. It should be understood that the internal chambers or channels 11 of the housing face each other, and within them, the individual legs 7, carrying the associated friction pads 6, are inserted longitudinally and held in place within the internal chambers 11 by friction and clamping. These internal chambers 11 longitudinally boundary the internal space of the housing 1 and capture the cards 2. The legs 7 extend in direction L, covering the entire distance between the fixture 10 and the card opening 3. Figure 15 shows that the longitudinal edges of the cards 2 protrude into the internal chambers 11 and engage with the friction pads 6 covering the legs 7.

[0088] A functionally equivalent name for the internal chamber 11 is "confinement channel" or "channel". An alternative definition is that the internal chamber 11 is provided by an expansion or bulge or spatial expansion, preferably by at least 0.2 or 0.5 millimeters, in the thickness direction T of the widthwise edge region of one or both of the gaps B2 (i.e., Figure 21) of the opposing main surfaces 31, in order to obtain the gap B1 (i.e., Figure 21). It is understood that the internal chamber 11 merges with the gap B2.

[0089] Figure 16 shows a prior art embodiment of the internal chamber 11, and Figures 17 and 18 show first and second embodiments of the design of the internal chamber 11 according to the present invention. In Figures 17 and 18, at the longitudinal end of the card opening 3, the internal chamber 11 extends, preferably by at least 0.5 or 1 millimeter, toward the opposite side, i.e., the distal short side 32, preferably over a distance of at least 2 or 5 millimeters and / or less than 10 or 20 millimeters from the card opening 3. In Figure 17, the increase in distance between the extension 35, and thus the inner boundary 36, and the proximal short side 32 is smooth, while in Figure 18, the increase in distance between the extension 35, and thus the inner boundary 36, and the proximal short side 32 is stepped.

[0090] Figures 19-20 show a first embodiment of the design of a leg 7 according to the present invention, comprising a member 21 which can function as a locking end and / or mechanical probe. The inclined region 34 of the leg 7 slides across the short side 32 and is supported by the short side 32. The member 21 has a width B2 (i.e., Figure 24) or less and can therefore exit the internal chamber 11 by passing through the inner boundary 36 (i.e., Figure 21). The leg 7 has a width greater than B2, for example B1, and therefore cannot exit the internal chamber 11 laterally.

[0091] If member 21 is a mechanical probe 21, it is biased inward toward the opposite, i.e., distal, short side 32 by the material elasticity of the leg 7, and is moved outward by the card as soon as the card is inserted into the holder. The outward movement of the probe 21 is transmitted by the bending stiffness of the leg 7, particularly the length portion 33, to the length portion of the leg 7 covered by the friction pad 6, and as a result, the elastic deflection or bending of the length portion biases and / or moves the friction pad 6 inward toward the opposite short side 32, and therefore toward the card inside the holder, increasing the force with which the friction pad 6 engages with the card. This lever effect is improved when the leg 7 is supported by the proximal short side 32 in the inclined region 34.

[0092] If member 21 is a locking end 21, member 21 engages with and restrains the edge of the card extending in the width direction facing the ejection direction from the card holder. Preferably, the locking end 21 is moved between a released position and a locked position by an actuator. Preferably, the actuator and leg 7 together provide a single part.

[0093] Figures 22-23 show alternative designs for member 21. In all illustrated cases, member 21 and leg element 7 together provide a single part, and member 21 is obtained by plastic deformation of metal. However, alternatively, molding, such as injection molding, is feasible.

[0094] Figure 25 shows the synchronous, opposite movement in the width direction W of a friction pad 6, which functions, for example, as a mechanical card sensor and / or actuator, and a member 21 due to an inclined region 34 biased against the short side 32. During card insertion, the card loads the friction pad 6 outward (arrow P), causing a simultaneous, synchronous inward load (arrow R) on member 21, although the corresponding inward movement of member 21 is limited by the card 2 until the card is fully inserted. As soon as card 2 is fully inserted, member 21 is able to move to its maximum inward position (indicated by the dotted line), which is the locked position (i.e., also in Figure 27), causing a simultaneous and synchronous decrease in the bias of the friction pad 6 against the card, thus avoiding wear of the friction pad due to creep, for example.

[0095] Figure 26 shows the synchronous, opposite movement in the longitudinal direction L of member 21 and a mechanical card sensor and / or actuator 22, which is part of the leg 7 and designed to engage with a card edge that extends in the width direction facing the direction in which the card is inserted into the card holder. The sensor 22 and associated pivot 23 allow member 21 to move from the released position to the locked position (shown by the dotted line) (i.e., also in Figure 28).

[0096] In Figures 29-30, the transmission means, and a portion of the leg 7 as a single unit, operate by bending and / or lever action. The transmission means provides two arm-like elements (one associated with the probe 21 and the other with the friction pad 6) that extend toward each other and, in some cases, are arranged alternately, sharing a tilting means 34 between them such that the distal end of one arm is displaced opposite to the distal end of the other arm. The probe 21, the transmission means, and the friction pad 6 are located only in the region of the holder that extends from the card opening 3 to half the length of the holder. Outside this region, the leg 7 is substantially less flexible due to its substantially increased thickness.

[0097] Figure 31 shows a preferred design of the leg 7 with a locking end 21 near the card opening 3. The inclined region 34 contacts and presses against the short side 32, from which the leg 7 and extension 33 diverge away from the side 32. The leg 7, locking end 21, inclined region 34, and extension 33 are part of a single piece (i.e., a one-piece design).

[0098] Figure 32A shows a conventional leg 7 terminating in an inclined region 34. Figure 32B shows the leg 7 of the present invention extending beyond the inclined region 34 by the arm 33 and probe 21. Figure 32C exaggerates the bending behavior of the leg 7. As the lock end 21 moves inward (arrow R), the portion of the leg 7 supporting the friction pad 6 moves outward (arrow P) because the inclined region 34 is supported by the short side 32.

[0099] Figure 33 shows two examples of the present invention embodied by injection-molded legs 7, each leg comprising a thinned or recessed region or elongated portion (commonly referred to as a region) and thus having at least 10% improved flexibility. The distal extension 33 of the leg 7 carries the mechanical probe 21 and, being inflexible, provides a levering action. This region is substantially covered by a friction pad 6 and extends across the entire width of the leg 7 (i.e., perpendicular to the image surface). This region is located on the side of the inclined region 34 opposite to the side facing the mechanical probe 21. In Figure 33A, this region is provided on one side (the side facing the friction pad 6, or alternatively the opposite side), and in Figure 33B, it is provided on both sides. Thus, when the probe 21 is pushed outward (arrow R) as it engages with the card 2 while the card 2 is inserted through the opening 3, the friction pad 6, supported by the flexible region of the elongated element 7, is pushed inward (arrow P).

[0100] Figure 34 shows a holder for a card with legs 7 having two bosses 37, 38 protruding from the legs 7 on the surface facing the relevant (i.e., proximal) short side 32. These bosses are such that boss 37, located on the side of the inclined region 34 opposite to the side facing the mechanical probe 21, is covered by a friction pad 6 (i.e., Figure 34C). The bosses 37, 38 are identical to each other, extend over almost the entire width of the legs 7, protrude at least 0.2 mm from the surface of the legs 7, and are provided by recesses obtained, for example, by deep drawing the sheet material of the legs 7.

[0101] Furthermore, different embodiments also belong to the present invention. Different features in the embodiments disclosed herein can be combined in different ways, and different aspects of some features are considered interchangeable with one another. All features described or disclosed in the drawings, either in themselves or in any combination, provide the subject matter of the present invention, regardless of their arrangement in the claims or references thereof.

[0102] Clause Clause 1 A holder for stacking cards, preferably, I- Preferably an extruded housing (1) having a card receiving space which is preferably flat and / or oval, preferably rectangular, box, cuboid, or sleeve-shaped, the card receiving space being provided between opposing, spaced-apart first and second main walls (31), the main walls determining the maximum thickness of a stack (2) between the main walls and opposing, spaced-apart first and second sub-walls (32) which are perpendicular to the main walls and fixed or integrated with the main walls, the main walls being configured to tightly fit the height of a stack of at least three cards between the main walls, the sub-walls being configured to accommodate the width (W) of the stack between the main walls, the main walls and sub-walls being preferably rectangular, the housing having at least one card opening (3) for inserting a stack into the card receiving space and ejecting it from the card receiving space, preferably so that the stack slides in and out of the holder parallel to the main walls and sub-walls, the main walls and sub-walls being preferably firmly connected to each other, and preferably the card receiving space being shape-retaining and / or configured to fully accommodate the stack, II-Card ejector having an ejector arm (6) configured to be operated manually by a user and located in a housing, preferably on the opposite side of the card opening, which is manually operated by the card ejector to move or displace the stack between a first retracted position and a second extended position, thereby moving the stack from a fully inserted state, preferably with the stack neatly received in the card receiving space, to an ejected state, preferably with the stack passing through the card opening partially sliding out of the housing, preferably as an alternating stack, over at least 10% of the stack length. III. A card engagement device within a housing for engaging with the wall of the stack, preferably a side wall facing a subwall, in the ejected state and / or fully inserted state, preferably configured to switch between a first engagement state and a second engagement state by movement, or Displacement of the card engagement device, for example, stack release state and stack restraint state, and / or low frictional force and preferably at least 5 or 10% higher frictional force provided to the stack, the card engagement device preferably includes, or is provided by, a friction element (6) and / or stack restraint element (21) that oppose the displacement of the ejected card in the card ejection direction due to gravity alone, IV-For example, an internal detector in a housing for detecting at least a portion of a stack in a card receiving space in order to detect a transition or switching of a stack from a fully inserted state to an ejected state, wherein the detector (21) is preferably a claw, probe, finger, fastener, or feeler type that makes preferred direct physical contact with the surface, preferably the side wall, of the stack, - The elongated structural transmission arm (7) inside the housing preferably extends along the subwall (32) and / or preferably spaced less than 2 or 5 millimeters apart. -The detector (21) is mechanically coupled to the card engagement device (7) via a transmission arm to cause a switch between the first engagement state and the second engagement state of the card engagement device by the transmission arm. - The detector is preferably a stack constraint element or a holder comprising a stack constraint element.

[0103] Clause 2 A holder for stacking cards, preferably, Part I as described in Clause 1, The component II described in Clause 1, and at least one of the following, - In the discharged and / or fully inserted state, the card engagement device within the housing for engaging with the wall of the stack, preferably the wall facing the subwall, comprises a stack restraint element (21) within the card receiving space and near or inside the card opening, configured to be displaceable between the stack release position and the stack restraint position, allowing the stack to pass the stack restraint element during discharge, holding the stack completely within the card receiving space by physical obstruction, and preventing the stack from passing the stack restraint element. - The stack restraint element is configured as an internal detector, preferably within the housing, for detecting at least a portion of the stack in the card receiving space, and is configured to detect the transition or switching of the stack from a fully inserted state to an ejected state, and this detector is preferably a claw, probe, finger, stopper, or feeler type that makes preferably direct physical contact with the surface, preferably the side wall, of the stack. - The card receiving space is provided inside the extruded body that provides the main wall and the sub-wall and at least partially provides the housing, and / or - A holder in which a biasing element (7), preferably a leg-shaped element, is drivably connected to the card receiving space and biases the stack restraining element toward an inward position inside the card receiving space, thereby causing the stack restraining element to push the stack under the influence of the bias when the stack is ejected and the ejection arm is in the extended position.

[0104] Clause 3 A holder for stacking cards, preferably, Part I as described in Clause 1, The component II described in Clause 1, and at least one of the following, - In the discharged and / or fully inserted state, the card engaging device within the housing for engaging with the stack wall, preferably the wall facing the subwall, preferably comprises a friction element (6) that counteracts the displacement of the discharged card in the card discharge direction due to gravity alone. - The card engagement device comprises a stack restraint element (21) inside the card receiving space, preferably near or inside the card opening, and is configured to displace, preferably at least 1 or 2.5 millimeters, between the stack release position and the stack restraint position, allowing the stack to pass the stack restraint element during ejection, holding the stack completely inside the card receiving space by physical obstruction, and preventing the stack from passing the stack restraint element. - The card receiving space is provided inside the extruded body, which provides the main wall and the sub-wall and at least partially provides the housing. - The extruded body has an internal extruded continuous longitudinal groove (11) in a subwall or one or both of the main walls near it that provides a continuous expansion or channel of the card receiving space in the direction from the first main wall to the second main wall, and at least the longitudinal or length portion of the card engaging device, preferably at least 10 or 20 millimeters in length, is located within the channel and has a width (W) measured from the first main wall to the second main wall (31), the width (W) being such that it fits only inside the channel and / or is greater than the distance between the first and second main walls distal to the groove (11), preferably at least 0.4 millimeters, and at least the stack restraint element of the card engaging device is located inside the channel at least in the stack release position. The groove (11) has a depth of preferably at least 0.2 or 0.5 millimeters, measured from the first main wall to the second main wall, and at the location of the groove (11), the distance between the first main wall and the second main wall (31) is extended by this depth compared to the distance at a location away from the groove (11). - The groove extends directly inward from the associated subwall, The card receiving space has a width (w) determined by the distance between the first subwall and the second subwall. A. For grooves, - The groove is preferably at or near the card opening, preferably over a longitudinal distance of at least 2 and / or less than 10 or 30 millimeters measured from the card opening, in the direction from the first subwall to the second subwall, after the body has been extruded, preferably by machining, for example by milling, to be locally enlarged or widened by at least 5 or 10 or 1 millimeter. - Preferably, the exclusively extruded groove has a constant width along its entire length, measured from the first subwall to the second subwall, and this width is At least 3 or 3.5 millimeters, and / or less than 6 or 8 millimeters, and / or The width of the card acceptance space is at least 4.5%, 5%, 5.5%, or 6%, and / or less than 10%, or less than 14%. - The groove has a width such that both widthwise (w) edge portions of a 54 mm wide card located in the center of the card receiving space have a width of at least 1.5, 1.8, or 2.5% and / or less than 6, 8, or 10% of the card width, measured from the first subwall to the second subwall, and the edge portion is the exclusive or sole portion of the card that exists inside the channel, as shown, for example, in Figure 15. In both the stack release position and the stack constraint position, a channel is provided in the card receiving space such that the stack constraint element is accommodated inside the enlarged portion. or B. The card engaging device is a holder to which at least one of the following is applied: the stacking constraint element has a constriction (B2) of at least 0.4 mm in the direction from the first main wall to the second main wall (31) on the opposite side, in order to allow the stacking constraint element to move or displace from the channel (11) in the direction from the first subwall to the second subwall (32) on the opposite side.

[0105] Clause 4 A holder for stacking cards, preferably, Part I as described in Clause 1, The component II described in Clause 1, and at least one of the following, - A card engagement device within a housing for engaging with the wall of a stack, preferably the wall facing a subwall, in the discharged and / or fully inserted state, comprising a leg-shaped element (7) extending longitudinally within the housing in the card receiving space, wherein the leg-shaped element (7) is -A friction element (6) located inside the card receiving space, which opposes the displacement of the card ejected in the card ejection direction solely by gravity, -A stack restraint element (21) located inside the card receiving space, preferably near or inside the card opening, and configured to be displaceable between a stack release position that allows the stack to pass through the stack restraint element during ejection and a stack restraint position that physically obstructs the stack to hold it completely inside the card receiving space and prevents the stack from passing through the stack restraint element, - The leg-shaped elements are preferably held in the longitudinal direction of the housing extending to the outer portion of the card receiving space defined by the associated subwall, by means of retaining the card receiving space, for example, the edge (36) of a groove (11).

[0106] Clause 5 A holder for stacking cards, preferably, Part I as described in Clause 1, The component II described in Clause 1, and at least one of the following, - A card engagement device within a housing for engaging with the wall of a stack, preferably a wall facing a subwall, in the discharged and / or fully inserted state, comprising a leg-shaped element (7) extending longitudinally within the housing inside the card receiving space or provided within the housing along the card receiving space, the leg-shaped element being associated with and / or extending along a first subwall and having a first longitudinal end located at or near the card opening, the card opening is -For example, a stack restraint element (21) located inside the card receiving space, preferably near or inside the card opening, which is configured to be displaceable between a stack release position that allows the stack to pass through the stack restraint element during ejection and a stack restraint position that holds the stack completely inside the card receiving space by physical obstruction and prevents the stack from passing through the stack restraint element, The stack constraint element is located at or near the first longitudinal end of the leg-shaped element, and extends from the first longitudinal end, with the first length portion of the leg-shaped element supporting the stack constraint element being - The leg-shaped element is preferably curved or angled at least 5, 10, 15, or 20 degrees and / or less than 30, 35, or 40 degrees relative to the length portion that is directly joined to the leg-shaped element, and / or.

[0107] -When viewed along the leg-shaped element in the direction of the first longitudinal end, it diverges away from the first subwall, A holder in which the first length portion is preferably at least 2 millimeters and / or less than 10 or 15 millimeters in length toward the inward direction of the card receiving space and / or toward the second subwall opposite the card receiving space.

[0108] Clause 6 A holder as described in any one of Clauses 1 to 5, in combination with at least one of the other aforementioned Clauses.

[0109] Article 7 The transmission arm (7) It is movable and / or displaceable along the subwall (32) of the card receiving space, and is preferably guided. and / or, A card engaging device arranged along a subwall (32) of a card receiving space, or a card engaging device comprising an elongated portion, such as a leg, such as a plate, which connects or supports a stacking restraint element (21) and a friction element (6), and preferably a portion (7) which is positioned relative to the first subwall (32) in a localized region (34), such as an inclined inclined region (34), and more preferably presses against the first subwall (32) to provide a bias toward the stacking restraint element (21) and / or friction element (6) toward the opposing second subwall (32), as described in any one of Clauses 1 to 6.

[0110] Regarding Clause 8, Detectors (6, 21), It is a mechanical detector, An arm (33) extending and / or biased within the card receiving space, preferably extending from the subwall (32) into the card receiving space, preferably biased, or having such an arm (33), or preferably having its distal end or free end provided therewith, It is separated from the card ejector (16) or lacks direct mechanical connection to the card ejector (16), Preferably, a localized area (34), such as an inclined area (34), leg or strip (33), is provided, preferably one that can be tilted. A stack restraint element (21) is positioned in or near the card opening (3) of the card receiving space, the stack restraint element is preferably positioned to hold the card in a fully inserted state, and the stack restraint element has a restraining portion that can move or displace in and out of the path for inserting the stack of cards into the card receiving space, and / or a friction element (6) is positioned to engage with the side wall of the stack of cards (2), In the fully inserted state of the card stack, a stack constraint element (21) is created at a position within the path for ejecting the card stack, In a state where the card stack is partially ejected, a bias is generated in the stack restraining element (21) that is higher or lower than the bias that occurs in a state where the card stack is fully inserted. As a result of the transition from a fully inserted state to a partially ejected state of the card stack, the biasing force, preferably on the friction element (6), is increased, and as a result of the transition from a partially ejected state to a fully inserted state, the biasing force, preferably on the friction element (6), is reduced. As a result of the transition from an uninserted state to a partially inserted state, the bias, preferably the bias on the stacked restraint element (21), is increased, preferably from a relaxed state to a tensile state, and the arrangement is such that one or more of the following are applied: Preferably, one or more of the above increases or decreases is greater than 10%, greater than 20%, and most preferably greater than 50%, the holder according to any one of the clauses 1 to 7.

[0111] Article 9 The card engagement device is A card engagement device or a part thereof, for example, a friction element (6) and / or a stack restraint element (21), is biased by at least one biasing element arranged to bias toward the wall of the card stack, preferably the side wall, and / or toward the opposing second subwall from the first subwall, At least one friction element (6) positioned to engage with the wall, preferably the side wall, of the card stack, A stack restraint element (21) is positioned in or near the card opening (3) and configured to hold the stack of cards in a fully inserted state, and has a restraint portion that can move or be displaced in or out of the path for inserting the stack of cards into the card receiving space, At least one elongated support (7) extending within the housing along the subwall (32) of the housing, wherein the elongated support comprises at least one elongated support (7) that extends along the first subwall of the housing in both the fully inserted and partially ejected states of the card stack, It protrudes toward the opposing second secondary wall, Preferably, it is formed from an elastic and flexible material such as a sheet material, such as metal, which is formed by bending, winding, or pressing, One or more of the biasing element, friction element (6), elongated support (7), and stack constraint element (21) form a detector. A holder according to any one of clauses 1 to 8, wherein one or more of the biasing element, friction element, elongated support, and stacking constraint element are coupled to the detector via a transmission arm.

[0112] Clause 10 The card engagement device comprises a stack restraint element (21) positioned in or near the card opening (3) and configured to hold or lock the stack of cards in a fully inserted state, wherein the stack restraint element is preferably - Preferably coupled to a biasing arm, more preferably to a transmission arm, to be biased within the card's track. - Being coupled to a detector via a transmission arm, and having one or more of the above, the detector is preferably, -In the fully inserted state of the card stack, a force is generated on the stack constraint element that holds the stack constraint element in place within the track of the card stack, and / or - When the card stack is partially inserted, a bias is generated in the stack constraint element (21) that is higher or lower than the bias that occurs in the fully inserted state, and / or -As a result of the transition of the card stack from an uninserted state to a partially inserted state, the bias, preferably the bias on the stack constraint elements, is arranged to increase, preferably from a relaxed state to a tensile state, and preferably one or more of the above increases or decreases is greater than 10%, more preferably greater than 20%, and most preferably greater than 50%. -The card receiving space is provided with a projection (21) located at or near the card opening (3), preferably at or near the distal end of the subwall as seen from the ejector device, projecting from the first subwall to the opposing second subwall and positioned within the card track. - The holder according to any one of the clauses 1 to 9, wherein the second stacking constraint element is located in or near the card opening of the card receiving space on two opposing subwalls of the housing.

[0113] Clause 11 The card engagement device preferably comprises at least one friction element (6) arranged to engage with the wall, preferably the side wall, of the card stack, in a partially inserted and / or fully inserted state, preferably, The card engagement device is positioned along the subwall (32) of the card receiving space, At least a portion of the card engagement device is formed from a leg or, preferably, a metal sheet. The friction element (6) is attached to the friction arm (7) of the card engagement device, A holder according to any one of the following: a friction arm (7) supporting a friction element (6), and preferably one or more of a transmission arm and a stack restraint element (21) are integrally formed from a leg or a seat.

[0114] Article 12 In a partially ejected state, the cards in the stack are in alternating positions, The card opening is formed by the ends of two opposing main walls (31) and two opposing secondary walls (32), and preferably has a rectangular shape. The housing has one or more grooves (11) on the main wall, preferably on the inner side, preferably on the secondary wall (32), where at least a portion of the card engagement device and / or transmission arm is preferably located. The housing is provided with a groove (11) in the main wall (31) at or near the card opening (3), and a stacking constraint element (21) can be received in this groove (11), A holder as described in any one of Clauses 1 to 11, wherein the housing maintains its external shape in the uninserted, partially inserted, partially ejected, and fully inserted state of a stack of cards.

[0115] Clause 13 The card ejector is preferably located at the end of the housing facing the card opening (3) of the card receiving space, and preferably the card ejector is - A card ejector arm (16) that is movable or displaceable within the housing, preferably pivotable, and / or has stepped elements (19) for alternately ejecting cards from a stack, - A holder according to any one of the following: a user operation button (18) located on the outside of the housing and drivably coupled to a card ejector arm.

[0116] Clause 14 The stack constraint element (21) The stack constraint element is arranged to take a stack constraint position that obstructs the path the stack follows during the ejection of the stack from the card receiving space in a fully inserted state, and / or a stack release position that cancels said obstruction, preferably the stack constraint element is - To be biased to the stacked restraint position by the holder biasing means, and / or - The holder according to any one of the clauses 1 to 13, wherein the stack is arranged to move from a stack-restrained position to a stack-released position by the stack during ejection by a card ejector, and the stack preferably pushes the stack-restraining elements out of the path against a bias provided by a biasing means.

[0117] Article 15 The stack constraint element (21) is coupled to, provided by, supported by, or part of the card engagement device. The stacking constraint element (21) includes a projection extending from the first subwall (32) of the card receiving space toward the opposing second subwall, and the projection can move or be displaced in the direction toward the opposing second subwall from the first subwall. The card opening (3) of the card receiving space is substantially rectangular, and the stacking constraint element (21) is positioned inside the card opening, preferably completely inside the card receiving space. The stack restraint element (21) is preferably embodied by a metal part formed from a metal sheet, preferably a metal part with a curled shape, preferably curled more than 135 degrees, obtained by, for example, forming, for example, rolling, bending, or pressing. The stack restraint element (21) is formed from sheet metal, for example by rolling, bending, or pressing, to form a rim at the distal end or free end of the stack restraint element (21), the rim fixing a friction element (6) that extends along the sheet metal away from the distal end or free end of the stack restraint element, and the sheet metal (7), the stack restraint element (21), and / or the friction element (6) provide at least a part of the card engagement device, and the stack restraint element (21) is formed from or provided by a body, for example from a metal sheet, and / or the distal end (21) of the body (33) that forms the stack restraint element (21) is at least 10% or 0.5 mm narrower in width than the body or the directly adjacent part of the card engagement device when viewed in the longitudinal direction. The holder according to any one of the following: the stack restraint element (21) is provided by a projection of the card engaging device (7) that projects inward, preferably into the card receiving space, preferably forming the end of the sheet portion of the card engaging device, for example, by rolling, pressing, or folding.

[0118] Clause 16 The holder according to any one of Clauses 1 to 15, wherein the stack restraining element (21) is coupled to the card engagement device via a transmission arm, causing engagement by the card engagement device, e.g., a friction element (6), onto the stack of cards in a partially ejected state compared to a fully inserted state in the card receiving space, e.g., a change in pressing force, e.g., an increase or decrease, preferably by at least 5 or 10%.

[0119] Clause 17 The card engagement device comprises at least one friction element (6) arranged to engage with the wall, preferably the side wall, of the card stack, preferably The friction element (6) is clamped or fixed by the stack constraint element (21), The card engagement device (7) is positioned along the subwall (32) of the card receiving space, The friction element (6) is attached to the friction arm (7) of the card engagement device, At least a portion of the card engagement device is formed from a leg or preferably a metal sheet, and preferably one or more of the friction arm (7) supporting the friction element (6), and preferably the transmission arm and the card restraining element (21) are integrally formed from or provided by the leg or sheet. The friction element (6) is coupled to the stack constraint element (21) via the transmission arm (7), and at least one of the following is applied, and the stack constraint element (21) is -As a result of the transition of the card stack from a fully inserted state to a partially ejected state, the bias, preferably the bias against the friction element, changes, for example, increases. -As a result of the transition of the card stack from a partially inserted state to a fully inserted state, the bias, preferably the bias against the friction element, changes, for example, is reduced. -As a result of the transition of the card stack from an uninserted state to a partially inserted state, one or more of the following occur: the bias, preferably the bias on the friction element (6), changes, for example, increases, Herein, preferably, one or more of the above changes, increases, or decreases are greater than 10%, more preferably greater than 20%, and most preferably greater than 50%, as described in any one of the clauses 1 to 16.

[0120] Clause 18 The holder according to any one of Clauses 1 to 17, wherein the stack restraint element (21) protrudes into the widening portion (35) of the groove (11) when the stack of cards is fully inserted, and / or is located outside the widening portion (35) when the stack of cards is partially ejected, and / or, in the fully inserted state of the stack of cards, the stack restraint element opposes the displacement of the ejected card in the card ejection direction, at least by gravity alone, for example by physical or mechanical interference rather than friction.

[0121] Article 19 In one or both of the subwalls (32) of the card receiving space, an extruded channel (11), for example, an extruded groove, is preferably positioned or provided on one or both of the main walls (31), preferably in a position directly opposite to them. The extruded channel is in communication with or connected to the card receiving space, A holder according to any one of the following, wherein at the location of the extruded channel, the distance between the main walls of the housing is increased by a groove, and at least one of the following is applied:

[0122] Clause 20 The holder according to any one of Clauses 1 to 19, wherein the front wall of the card engaging device (7) facing the stack of cards comprises a friction element (6), the friction element being connected to the card engaging device (7), for example, an elongated support, and preferably bonded or clamped by a stack restraining element (21), and the friction element being provided by or having a surface thereof of a fibrous material and / or textile material, for example, a woven or nonwoven fabric, a natural or synthetic fibrous material, for example, felt and / or foam or rubber or elastomer.

[0123] Article 21 The elongated support is preferably formed from or provided by a sheet material, such as metal, preferably an elastic and flexible material such as spring steel, having a thickness of at least 0.05 mm and / or 0.3 or 0.5 mm or less and / or a width of at least 4 mm and / or less than 7 or 10 mm. The elongated support is formed to provide a first fold, bend, or curve perpendicular to the long wall of the elongated support, preferably at least 1 degree and / or less than 20 or 30 degrees, such as being rolled, pressed, or folded. The front side of the elongated support facing the inside of the card receiving space has a convex shape, and the front side of the first fold or bend or curve is the front portion that engages with the wall of the card stack, preferably the side wall, and / or supports the friction element (6), A portion of the elongated support structure, preferably directly adjacent to the first fold, bend, or curve, on one or both sides of the first fold, bend, or curve in the longitudinal direction, forms a biasing element that biases the front side of the first fold, bend, or curve toward the inside of the card receiving space and / or toward the wall of the card stack, preferably toward the side wall. The elongated support is formed perpendicular to the long wall of the elongated support, for example, by being rolled, pressed, or folded, to preferably provide a second fold, bend, or curve of at least 1 or 5 degrees and / or less than 20 or 30 degrees. The front side of the elongated support facing the inside of the card receiving space has a concave shape, and for example, a portion of the front side of the first fold or bend or curved portion engages with the preferably side wall of the card stack and / or supports the friction element (6), A stacking constraint element is provided, preferably directly adjacent to one side of the second fold, bend, or curve in the longitudinal direction, A friction element (6) is provided on the other side of the second fold, bend, or curve, preferably directly adjacent to it, when viewed in the longitudinal direction. The holder according to any one of the following, the front side of the elongated support has protrusions and recesses provided by first and second folds or bends or curves, the protrusions being arranged to engage with the walls, preferably the side walls, of a stack of cards and / or to support a friction element (6), and the recesses being positioned between the protrusions and a stack restraint element (21).

[0124] Clause 22 The holder according to any one of Clauses 1 to 21, wherein the stack restraint element is designed to engage with a wall region of the stack facing the direction of stack discharge, for example, the side wall of the stack facing the direction of stack discharge, preferably the stack restraint element is designed to engage with a wall region of the stack provided by the rounded corners of the cards stacked on top of each other in a neat stack in which the cards are aligned with each other.

[0125] Clause 23 The holder according to any one of Clauses 1 to 22, wherein the stack restraint element (21) and the friction element (6) are supported by and / or fixed to the elongated support (7) on each side of the tilting mechanism (34), the elongated support (7) having sufficient flexural stiffness or rigidity such that a divergent motion or attempt thereof of the stack restraint element (21) causes a pivot of the elongated support (7) in the tilting mechanism (34) resulting in a opposite divergent motion or attempt thereof of the friction element (6), or vice versa, and preferably the tilting mechanism (34) is provided by a local region (34) of the elongated support (7) positioned against, more preferably pressing against, the first subwall (32).

[0126] Clause 24 A holder for stacking cards, preferably, in accordance with ISO / IEC 7810 ID-1 and / or ISO / IEC 7813, and possibly in accordance with any of Clauses 1 to 23. A rectangular sleeve-shaped housing (1) having two long and two short opposing short sides / walls (32) connected and spaced apart, having two opposing parallel and spaced apart main sides / walls (31), wherein the walls (31, 32) define a receiving space of the housing for receiving a stack of cards within the housing, The distance (t) between the main walls (31) determines the maximum stack height / thickness of the stack of cards to be received in the housing, the distance (l) between the shorter sides (32) determines the maximum stack length, and the distance (W) between the longer sides (32) determines the maximum stack width. The housing fits snugly around a stack of at least three cards (2), and one short side (32) has a card opening (3) for placing and removing cards, and the movement of cards in and out of the housing through the opening (3) is restricted to the movement of the top surface of the cards in the longitudinal direction (L) of the housing parallel to the main side (31) of the housing, and the opposite short side and both long sides are closed to prevent cards from passing through those sides. A card ejection mechanism is provided in or within the housing, preferably on the opposite side of the card opening (3), to allow the card passing through the card opening (3) to partially slide out of the housing, and this card ejection mechanism preferably moves, for example, pivots between a first position and a second position relative to the opening (3) within the housing, and ejects the card by engaging the card and simultaneously partially releasing it from the housing during the movement, and preferably comprises ejector arms (16) designed to move the cards parallel to each other while ejecting the cards, so that the cards are staggered in the longitudinal direction. The ejector arm (16) preferably has a longitudinal side surface with a stepped shape provided by longitudinally spaced steps, preferably having at least six steps, preferably each step having a height of 0.2 to 0.6 millimeters, and each step is designed to engage with a single card in each step, thereby moving each card further outward relative to adjacent cards. An actuator, such as a finger button, is preferably provided protruding from the outside of the housing and is configured to actuate an ejector arm (16) to move between a first position and a second position. Inside the housing, and possibly near the card opening (3), at least one long short side (32) is located a contact or gripping element, such as a friction element (6), separate from the side / wall of the housing, and the contact or gripping element is designed to directly contact the individual cards or the contact short side defining the card thickness (T) of each individual card that are at least partially present in the housing, and to apply a contact force or gripping force, such as a friction force, to the contact narrow side, preferably providing the associated card or each associated card with a stable position relative to the housing such that the card cannot slide due to gravity and cannot slide due to the force actually applied by the fingertips. In a card stack located within a card holder, the thin side of the stack on the card-holding side is preferably biased against the surface of a friction element (6) by an active biasing force parallel to the main side (31) of the housing generated by a pressing means (7) of the card holder, the pressing means (7) is separated from the side / wall of the housing, the biasing force is directed in the width (W) direction of the card and designed to be parallel to the main side (31), the contact or grip for frictional engagement between the housing (1) and the thin side of the card, for example, the surface (12) of the friction element (6) faces the long short side (32), The receiving space is equipped with retaining means, for example, both opposing main surfaces (31) have opposing interfering means, such as surface grooves, parallel to each other near each long short side, and for example, the opposing edges of contacting or gripping, such as friction elements (6), engage with, for example, the interfering means, such as grooves, and are positioned, so that the retaining means, such as grooves, restrict the movement of the element (6) in the width direction (W) of the housing to a maximum of 5 mm, preferably, the retaining means, such as grooves, locally change, for example, increase the distance between the opposing main surfaces (31). A holder comprising one or more of the following: the friction element (6) is associated with a means of moving the housing to selectively cause movement of the friction element (6) or at least its friction surface (12) in the thickness direction of the friction element (6) (the direction in which the friction element is biased relative to the stack, and which is also the width direction (W)).

[0127] Clause 25 A holder according to any one of Clauses 1 to 24, wherein the force that the friction element (6) exerts on the card is designed to vary by at least 10% or 20% depending on the means of movement.

[0128] Clause 26 The holder according to any one of Clauses 1 to 25, wherein the friction element is attached to a biasing means (7), located between the biasing means (7) and one long side of the stack, and is elastically compressed between the biasing means (7) and one long side of the stack, so as to become thinner by compression and retain its original thickness when the stack is removed.

[0129] Clause 27 The movement and / or operation of the ejector arm is not mechanically coupled or engaged with the movement and / or operation of the friction element, as described in any one of Clauses 1 to 26 of the holder.

[0130] Clause 28 The holder according to any one of Clauses 1 to 27, wherein the housing comprises two friction elements (6) facing each other, each friction element adjacent to the long short side (32), and when the card stack is inserted into the housing, it is positioned to compress the card stack in the width direction (W) between the friction elements and engage with the thin side of each individual card.

[0131] Article 29 - The card ejection mechanism includes a stepped element (19) that can be moved by the user relative to the housing on the side of the card stack located within the housing, and as a result, this stepped stack can be partially moved to the outside of the housing. - The thickness of a portion of the steps of the stepped element (16) is at least 0.2 millimeters, for example, about 0.4 millimeters. - The card removal mechanism, for example, the stepped element (16), is equipped with a reset means, for example, a spring (20). -The layered structure preferably includes at least two, three, four, or five layers of different materials in the thickness direction as seen. - The main dimensions of all cards in the stack must meet ISO 7810 standards. - The thickness and / or curvature of all cards in the stack must meet ISO 7813 standards. - The holder space for accommodating a stack of cards shall have one or more of the following dimensions (in millimeters): width of at least 50 or 52 and / or 55 or 60; length of at least 80 or 83 or 84 and / or 86 or 87 or 90; and height of at least 3 or 4.5 and / or 8 or 10; and one or more of the above shall apply to any holder as described in any one of Clauses 1 to 28.

[0132] Clause 30 A holder according to any one of Clauses 1 to 29, wherein the friction element (6) has a surface having one or more of the following features: width / dimensions sufficient to engage all cards in the stack simultaneously; not rigid; locally easily, preferably elastically compressible; easily, preferably elastically, capable of creating relief or surface profiles or irregular surfaces; easily, preferably elastically, capable of creating one or more grooves or pits; deformable to a degree comparable to the surface of a cotton-filled pillow or felt layer; locally easily yield; easily, preferably elastically deformable; and its shape can be easily adapted to the shape of the surface of the side of the card stack, such as relief, contour or irregularity.

[0133] Article 31 - The friction element preferably engages with the side of the card stack while bending elastically, - The surface of the friction element that engages with the card stack faces in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the card holder or housing (1), - The friction element extends substantially the entire height of the receiving space of the housing (1) to accommodate the card stack, - The containment space is sleeve-shaped or shaft-shaped, - The receiving space is designed such that the card must slide out of this space through a card opening parallel to its upper surface, - The receiving space is defined by a top surface, a back surface, and two opposing sides connecting the top surface and the back surface, the boundary of which provides a rigid housing, and the top surface has dimensions substantially equal to the dimensions of the top surface of the card located in the receiving space, and in some cases has a width equal to the width of the card plus the width necessary to accommodate the friction element (6) and optionally the pressing means (7) on one or both sides, - The friction element engages with the side of the card by half, one-third, one-quarter, one-fifth, or one-tenth of its length as soon as the card is inserted into the card holder, and maintains that engagement from that point onward while the card is further inserted. - The holder is equipped with an external actuation mechanism, such as a finger button (18), to provide force for ejecting the card by the card ejection mechanism. -A stack of at least three right-angled cards, each substantially identical in dimensions and each having a first side and an opposite second side, is arranged within the receiving space, and a friction element is held and engaged with the side of each card facing the friction element in the direction of sliding out of the card opening, the cards are preloaded laterally, thereby pressing and holding the second side of each card against the side of the receiving space, while the distance between the first and second sides of one card is not equal to the same distance between different cards in the stack. -The friction element (6) is a pad-shaped object and / or is spaced apart from the short side (32) of the housing, - The holder according to any one of the following: the biasing means (7) has a length of at least two, three, or four times the length of the friction element as measured in the longitudinal direction (L).

[0134] Clause 32 Preferably, a card engagement device, leg-shaped element, or elongated support, which supports a friction element and / or a stack restraint element, as described in, or separated from, or extracted from, a holder described in any one of Clauses 1 to 30.

[0135] Clause 33 The leg comprises a mechanical boss (i.e., a boss) locally having a mechanical boss (i.e., a boss) protruding at least 0.1 or 0.2 mm from the leg on the face facing the relevant short side, wherein the boss is preferably supported and / or in contact with the short side and located at a distance of at least 3 or 5 or 7 mm and / or less than 40 or 35 or 30 or 15 or 10 mm from the distal longitudinal end of the leg (adjacent to the card opening), the distal longitudinal end preferably carries a mechanical probe or projection or sensor, is located on the side of the inclined region opposite to the side facing the mechanical probe or projection or sensor, and is provided by an indentation, embossing or recess on the leg, and less than the width of the leg A holder for cards having one or more of the following: covering at least 50% and / or less than 95%, with ends away from the longitudinal edges of the legs, and the longitudinal dimension of the legs being at least 0.5 mm and / or less than 5 mm, or less than 3 mm, or less than 2 mm, preferably completely covered by a friction pad, more preferably the friction pad extending at least 3 or 5 mm beyond the boss in the longitudinal direction of one or both legs, and having an elongated shape, a long dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the legs, and two sheets spaced at least 5 or 10 mm and / or less than 30 or 40 mm apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the legs.

[0136] Clause 34 Preferably comprising a leg having a thinned or recessed region or length portion, generally referred to as a region, of at least 0.5 or 1 millimeter and / or less than 2, 3, 4 or 5 millimeters, wherein one or more regions are applied, preferably one or more regions extending from the outer surface of the leg preferably along the entire length of the region, and located at a distance of less than 40, 35 or 30 millimeters from the distal longitudinal end of the leg, the distal longitudinal end preferably carrying a mechanical probe or projection or sensor, and facing the associated short side of the holder A holder for cards that applies one or more of the following: being provided on the side of the leg, or the opposite side, or both of the said sides; covering at least 50% or 100% of the width of the leg; the longitudinal dimension (i.e., length) of the leg being at least 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 millimeters and / or less than 50, 60 millimeters; being located on the side of the inclined region opposite to the side facing the mechanical probe or projection or sensor; and being covered by a friction pad, preferably the friction pad being present only in the region and / or not outside the region. A holder for stacking cards as described in any of the clauses 1 to 33, in some cases, that applies one or more of the following: such region allows the leg, in particular the flexing of the region.

[0137] Clause 35 The holder according to any one of the claims attached to this document.

[0138] Clause 36 A holder according to any one of Clauses 1 to 35, combined with any of the features or dimensions disclosed in the above specification.

Claims

1. A holder for stacking cards, A housing (1) having a card receiving space provided between first and second main walls (31) that are spaced apart from each other, wherein the first and second main walls (31) determine the maximum thickness of a stack (2) between them, and first and second sub-walls (32) that are spaced apart from each other are perpendicular to the main walls and joined to the main walls, wherein the main walls are configured to fit snugly to the height of a stack of at least three cards between them, and the sub-walls are configured to accommodate the width (W) of the stack between them, and the housing (1) has at least one card opening (3) for inserting the stack into the card receiving space and for discharging the stack from the card receiving space, A card ejector configured to be operated manually by a user, having an ejector arm (16) within the housing, wherein the card ejector is configured to move the stack between a first retracted position and a second extended position by manual operation of the card ejector, from a fully inserted state in which the stack is fully received within the card receiving space to an ejected state in which the stack is partially slid out of the housing through the card opening, A card engagement device within the housing for engaging with the side wall of the stack facing the subwall in the discharged state and / or fully inserted state, comprising a friction pad (6) configured to switch between a first engagement state and a second engagement state that provide low friction and high friction to the stack, respectively, in opposition to the movement of the stack in the stack discharge direction, or a card engagement device provided by such means An internal detector within the housing for detecting at least a portion of the stack in the card receiving space, for example, for detecting the transition or switching of the stack from the fully inserted state to the ejected state, wherein the detector (21) is in physical contact with the surface of the stack, The housing includes an elongated structural transmission arm (7) inside, The detector (21) is mechanically coupled to the card engagement device via the transmission arm (7) such that, as a result of the detector (21) detecting the stack, the transmission arm causes the card engagement device to switch between a first engagement state and a second engagement state.

2. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the detector is a stack restraint element (21) located inside the card receiving space near or inside the card opening (3), and is configured to move between a stack release position that allows the stack (2) to pass the stack restraint element during ejection and a stack restraint position that completely holds the stack, which has been fully inserted inside the card receiving space by physical obstruction, and prevents the stack from passing the stack restraint element (21).

3. The holder according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the stack restraint element (21) is configured to move at least 1 or 2.5 millimeters between the stack release position and the stack restraint position in the direction (W) from one short side of the holder to the opposing short side, i.e., in the width direction (W) of the holder.

4. The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the stack restraint element (21) moves from the stack release position to the stack restraint position, or vice versa, by the elastic deflection of the leg-shaped element (7).

5. The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the card engagement device comprises a leg-shaped element (7) extending in the longitudinal direction of the housing, adjacent to a subwall (32) that provides the transmission arm and supports the friction pad (6) and the stack restraint element (21) inside the card receiving space.

6. The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the leg-shaped element (7), the stacking constraint element (21), and the friction pad (6) are held within a channel (11) of the card receiving space, the channel being provided between a subwall (32) of the holder and a boundary (36) away from the subwall (32), the boundary (36) holding the leg-shaped element (7), the stacking constraint element (21), and the friction pad (6) so as to extend beyond the boundary (36) into the card receiving space, and the dimensions of the channel in the width direction (W) of the holder are preferably less than 5 millimeters or less than 10% of the dimensions of the card receiving space in the width direction (W) of the holder.

7. The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the leg-shaped element (7) is located within a continuous longitudinal groove (11) of one or both main walls (31) that provides a continuous enlargement or channel of the card receiving space in the direction from the first main wall to the second main wall, and the friction pad (6) and the stack restraint element are located inside the channel, and the groove is locally enlarged or widened by at least 5 or 10% or 1 mm in the direction from the first sub-wall to the second sub-wall at or near the card opening, preferably over a longitudinal distance of at least 2 and / or less than 10 or 30 mm measured from the card opening, providing a channel of the card receiving space to accommodate the stack restraint element inside the enlargement in both the stack release position and the stack restraint position (i.e., Figures 17+18).

8. The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the card engaging device has a constriction (B2) of at least 0.4 mm in the direction from the first main wall (31) to the opposite second main wall (31) at the position of the stack restraint element (21), and allows the stack restraint element to move away from the channel (11) in the direction from the first sub-wall (32) to the opposite second sub-wall (32) when it moves to the stack restraint position (i.e., Figure 19+24).

9. The present invention comprises a leg-shaped element (7) associated with and / or extending along the first subwall, having a first longitudinal end located at or near the card opening, the first longitudinal end supporting the stack restraint element (21) located at or near the first longitudinal end of the leg-shaped element, and the first length portion of the leg-shaped element extending from the first longitudinal end and supporting the stack restraint element is - The leg-shaped element is preferably curved or angled at least 5, 10, 15, or 20 degrees and / or less than 30, 35, or 40 degrees relative to the length portion that is directly joined, and / or - When viewed along the leg-shaped element in the direction of the first longitudinal end, it diverges away from the first subwall, The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first length portion preferably has a length of at least 2 millimeters and / or less than 10 or 15 millimeters in the direction inward of the card receiving space and / or toward the second subwall opposite to the card receiving space.

10. The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the transmission arm (7) is an elongated portion of the card engagement device, for example, a leg, for example, a plate, positioned along the subwall (32) of the card receiving space, or provides the card engagement device, wherein the portion (7) connects or carries the stack restraint element (21) and the friction pad (6), and the portion (7) is positioned to be tiltable with respect to the first subwall (32) in a local inclined region (34) of the portion (7), more preferably pressing against it, so that when the stack restraint element (21) moves away from the opposing second subwall (32), the friction pad (6) moves simultaneously and correspondingly toward the opposing second subwall (32) by the tilt of the transmission arm (7) in the inclined region (34) located between the friction pad (6) and the stack restraint element (21).

11. The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the legs (7) and the stack restraint elements (21) are provided in common as an integral part or a single part.

12. The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the stack restraint element (21) is formed from a metal sheet and is embodied by a curled metal part obtained, for example, by rolling, bending, or pressing, and curled to more than 135 degrees.

13. The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the stack restraint element (21) is coupled to the friction pad (6) via an inclined region (34) to increase the force exerted by the friction pad (6) on the stack of cards by the friction pad (6) in a partially ejected state of the stack of cards compared to a fully inserted state in the card receiving space, preferably by at least 5 or 10%, and when the stack restraint element (21) moves away from the opposing second subwall (32), the friction pad (6) moves simultaneously and correspondingly toward the opposing second subwall (32) due to the inclination of the inclined region (34).

14. The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, in the fully inserted state of the stack of cards, the stack restraining element opposes the movement of the ejected card in the card ejection direction by physical or mechanical interference rather than friction, at least by gravity alone.

15. The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the leg-shaped element (7) is preferably formed from or provided by a sheet material, such as metal, preferably an elastic flexible material such as spring steel, having a thickness of at least 0.05 mm and / or 0.3 or 0.5 mm or less, and / or a width of at least 4 mm and / or less than 7 or 10 mm.

16. The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the stack restraint element (21) and the friction pad (6) are supported and / or fixed to the leg-shaped elements (7)(7) respectively on the side of the tilting mechanism (34), and the leg-shaped elements (7) have sufficient flexural stiffness or rigidity such that a divergent motion or attempt thereof of the stack restraint element (21) causes a pivot of the leg-shaped elements (7) in the tilting mechanism (34) resulting in a opposite divergent motion or attempt thereof of the friction pad (6), or vice versa, and the tilting mechanism (34) is provided by a local region (34) of the leg-shaped elements (7) positioned against the first subwall (32), more preferably pressing against the first subwall (32).

17. A holder according to any one of claims 1 to 16, comprising a leg-shaped element (7) having a thinned or recessed region or length portion, generally referred to as a region, preferably less than 0.5 or 1 and / or 2, 3, 4 or 5 millimeters, wherein one or more of the following are applied to the region: extending from the outer surface of the leg preferably over the entire length of the region, located at a distance of less than 40 or 35 or 30 millimeters from the distal longitudinal end of the leg, the distal longitudinal end of which carries a mechanical probe (21) or projection or sensor, located on the side of the inclined region (34) opposite to the side facing the mechanical probe or projection or sensor, and covered by the friction pad (6) (i.e., Figures 29 + 33).

18. The housing (1) is extruded, The housing (1) preferably has a rectangular box, cuboid, or sleeve shape, and has flat and / or oval card receiving spaces. The main wall and the secondary wall are rectangular in shape, Inserting the stack into the card receiving space and discharging it from the card receiving space such that the stack slides in and out of the holder parallel to the main wall and the sub-wall, The main wall and the sub-wall are firmly connected to each other, The card receiving space is configured to maintain its shape and / or to fully accommodate the stack, The ejector arm (16) is provided facing the card opening (3), The stack is arranged as an orderly stack in the fully inserted state and / or as an alternating stack in the discharged state, In the discharge state, the stack slides away from the housing over a length of at least 10% of the stack length. The card engagement device is configured to switch between a first engagement state and a second engagement state by movement of the card engagement device, The aforementioned high frictional force is at least 5% or 10% higher, The detector is configured to detect the transition or switch of the stack from the fully inserted state to the ejected state, The detector (21) is of the type of claw, probe, finger, fastener, or feeler. The detector is in direct physical contact with the surface, preferably the side wall, of the stack. The transmission arm (7) and / or leg-shaped element (7) extend along the subwall (32) and / or preferably spaced less than 2 or 5 millimeters apart. The friction pad (6) is designed to counteract the movement of the card ejected in the card ejection direction by gravity alone, The transmission arm (7) is either a part of the leg-shaped element (7) or is provided by the leg-shaped element (7), The first and second engagement states provide the friction pad (6) with low and high pressing forces against the stack, and generate the low and high frictional forces, respectively. The aforementioned high frictional force provides an increase in the force that opposes the movement of the stack within the holder, The leg-shaped element (7) has convex and concave length portions and / or an S-shape, The aforementioned convex length portion is for supporting the friction pad, The concave length portion is located between the convex length portion and the stack constraint element (21), The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein one or more of the following are applied: the length portion of the leg-shaped element (7) that supports the friction pad (6) is preferably at an angle of at least 20 degrees and / or less than 40 degrees with the length portion (33) that supports the stack restraint element (21), and the inclined region (34) exists between these length portions.

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