RFID Shielding Wallet with Spring Hinge and Staggered Card Slots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wallet designs fail to effectively protect credit and identity cards from surreptitious RFID scanning, are bulky or difficult to use, and make it hard to identify and access specific cards due to bulkiness and awkward card storage configurations.
Innovation Solution
A wallet with shielding plates to block RFID signals, a hinged design allowing easy one-handed operation, and a spring clip for currency, featuring a compression spring hinge for secure opening and closing, and staggered card placement for easy identification and removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If shielding plates are added to block RFID signals, then security against RFID scanning is improved, but the wallet becomes bulky and physical access to cards becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds the shielding plate within the wallet structure itself, nesting it between the card slots and the external environment. This allows the shielding function to be integrated without adding external bulk, and card access is maintained through designated openings or slots that allow physical removal while the shielding plate remains in place to block RFID signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The shielding plate acts as an intermediary element between the cards and the external RFID scanning environment. It selectively blocks electromagnetic RFID signals while allowing physical access to cards through controlled openings, thus mediating between security requirements and usability needs.
2Quantity of substance
If cards are stacked in sleeve envelopes, then multiple cards can be stored, but it becomes difficult to locate and identify specific cards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates color-coded indicators, transparent windows, or visually distinct markers on the card slots and card edges. These visual cues allow users to quickly identify and differentiate between multiple stacked cards without having to remove or manipulate each card, thus solving the identification difficulty while maintaining compact stacking.
3Reliability
If hard plastic cases with latches are used, then cards are securely contained, but the cases are difficult to operate and require two hands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical latch systems with simpler closure mechanisms such as magnetic closures, friction-fit lids, or snap-fit designs. These alternatives provide secure containment through magnetic attraction or mechanical interlocking that requires minimal force and can be operated easily with one hand, eliminating the need for complex two-handed latch operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides secure protection against RFID scanning, easy card access and identification, and convenient one-handed operation while maintaining a compact and organized card storage system.
Implementation Method 1
a first compression spring hinge and a second compression spring hinge, each having a relaxed state and a compressed state
Data Source
AI summary
A container and billfold for carrying credit cards and the like is provided with security protection for shielding surreptitious remote retrieval of the information stored in magnetic means on the cards. The upper edge portions of the cards are exposed in a staggered manner in the container for ready identification, selection and removal of a particular card during use. The container has a spring-loaded cam operated compression spring hinge to maintain it in either a closed condition in a snap action or in a secure opened condition with its upper housing pivoted to a maximum opening position of generally 49 degrees relative to the plane of the lower housing. A paper currency clip is also provided in the container.