Transaction Card with Localized Gripping Feature and Reduced Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transaction cards, such as credit and debit cards, are difficult to remove and insert due to their smooth surfaces and tight fitting in card-carrying cases, especially for individuals with large fingers or reduced dexterity, leading to increased transaction time and potential loss.
Innovation Solution
A transaction card design featuring a full thickness portion with a gripping feature for tactile engagement and a reduced thickness portion for easy insertion, along with a clear laminate layer, to facilitate removal and insertion into card-carrying cases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the card surface is made smooth and flat, then the card appearance is clean and professional, but the card becomes difficult to grip and remove from the pocket
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding tactile features only to specific regions of the card surface where grip is needed, while maintaining smooth surfaces in other areas. The grooves or raised features are localized to the edges or corners of the card, allowing users to easily grip and remove the card without compromising the overall clean appearance and professional look of the card surface.
2Ease of operation
If the card is made with full thickness throughout, then the card maintains structural integrity, but the card becomes difficult to insert into tight-fitting pockets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the card into regions of different thickness. A first portion of the card maintains full thickness to preserve structural integrity, while a second portion has reduced thickness to facilitate easy insertion into tight-fitting pockets. This segmented thickness design allows the card to be both strong and easy to insert without compromising either property.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple cards are stored in a single pocket, then the wallet can hold more cards, but the cards are held tightly and become difficult to remove or replace
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing tactile features at specific locations on the card, particularly at the edges or corners that remain exposed when the card is in the pocket. These localized features enable users to easily grip and remove individual cards from multi-card pockets without needing to shuffle through all cards, thus maintaining the ability to store multiple cards while preserving easy removal capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A transaction card includes a first full thickness portion and a second, reduced thickness portion. Each of the first and second portions includes a top surface and an opposing bottom surface spaced from the top surface by a thickness of the card. The first, full thickness portion includes an extent of the card that remains exposed when the card is inserted into a pocket of a card-carrying case, and a feature deviating from a flat region along at least one of the top surface and the opposing bottom surface of the card. The feature is configured for tactile engagement to facilitate removal of the card from the pocket.