Package and article carriers – Vehicle attached – Seat associated
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-30
2003-10-28
Cronin, Stephen K. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Vehicle attached
Seat associated
C224S223000, C040S643000, C040S649000, C150S147000, C206S039500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06637632
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a card holding structure capable of holding a plurality of cards, and to a console box for vehicle, which has the card holding structure.
BACKGROUND ART
A vehicle console box (hereinafter, it is simply referred to as a console box) is disposed between vehicle seats, particularly beside the driver's seat. With such consol box, the one which is provided with a card holding portion for holding a card, such as a credit card, is known. The console box is attached to a side portion of a vehicle seat by such a bracket as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2934808 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,697), or the like. The console box turns downward from a horizontal state through 90 degrees by folding the bracket or the like, so that the console box can be collapsed and held vertically. An example of the card holding portion according to an earlier technology is shown in FIG.
5
.
FIG. 5
is a perspective view of a card holding portion disposed on a lid of a console box.
A card holding portion
30
as shown in
FIG. 5
comprises a base plate
31
which is attached to a lid
40
of the console box, and a pair of holding members
32
which are formed on the base plate
31
for holding opposite shorter sides
21
of a rectangular card
20
. A leg portion
32
a
of the holding member
32
is connected to the base plate
31
. There is a specific space between a head portion
32
b
extending from the leg portion
32
a
and the base plate
31
such that a plurality of cards
20
are stored in the space.
A biasing member
33
biasing the held cards
20
toward the head portions
32
b
of the holding members
32
is integrally formed with the base plate
31
between the pair of holding members
32
. The biasing member
33
leads to the base plate
31
at a base edge portion
33
a
. A front edge portion
33
b
extending from the base edge portion
33
a
has a shape protruding from the base plate
31
. An opening
31
a
is formed in a portion of the base plate
31
, corresponding to the biasing member
33
. The biasing member
33
is capable of pitching about the base edge portion
33
a
with respect to the base plate
31
, so that the biasing member
33
acts as a spring.
In order to hold the card
20
in the card holding portion
30
, while the card
20
is slid from one edge side of the pair of holding members
32
in a direction of an arrow in
FIG. 5
so that the card
20
will be parallel to the base plate
31
, the card
20
is inserted between the head portions
32
b
of the holding members
32
and the base plate
31
, and then held in the card holding portion
30
.
Even if the card
20
, the number of which is smaller than the maximal number to be held, is held in the card holding portion
30
, since the biasing member
33
biases the card
20
toward the head portions
32
b
of the holding members
32
, the card
20
does not rattle.
However, when the plurality of cards
20
are held in the above-described card holding portion
30
, all the cards
20
are overlapped entirely as shown in FIG.
6
. Thus, although the surface of the top card
20
is visible, other cards which are held under the top card
20
are invisible, so that they are not discriminated. That is, the user is required to check the card type every time the user uses the card. Thus, it is inconvenience.
Further, there is a problem that when the user needs to use the card which is not the top card, that is, which is held under the top card, the desired card is not extracted from the card holding portion
30
unless the card held above the card to be used is extracted therefrom.
The present invention is attained in view of the problem described above. An object of the present invention is to provide a card holding structure in which each held card is visible, and from which a desired card is easily extracted when a plurality of cards are held in the card holding structure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a console box for a vehicle, which has the above-described card holding structure.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In order to accomplish the objects, according to one aspect of the present invention, a card holding structure which is capable of holding a plurality of cards comprises a base plate, a holding member and a step-like member. The base plate is approximately parallel to the plurality of cards when the plurality of cards are held. The holding member comprises a leg portion disposed on the base plate, and a head portion which extends from the leg portion and which has an inner surface parallel to the base plate. A space in which a plurality of cards are held is provided between the head portion of the holding member and the base plate, and the holding member holds a card between the base plate and the head portion. The step-like member is disposed on the base plate and has a stairs configuration which increases in height from the base plate toward the head portion of the holding member. Each step of the stairs configuration comprises a riser portion which is approximately perpendicular to the base plate, and a flat portion which is approximately parallel to the base plate. A card can be placed on the flat portion. A height of each riser portion is larger than a thickness of a card to be held. A depth of each flat portion is set such that respective cards are visible when the plurality of cards are placed on and held by the respective flat portions.
According to the card holding structure, the depth of each flat portion is determined such that the respective cards are visible when the plurality of cards are placed on and held by the flat portion of each step. Thus, each holding position for each card is different from each other along each step. That is, all the cards do not overlap entirely, so that the lower card is not hidden. Therefore, even if a plurality of cards are held, the design of each card is visible, so that only the desired card can be extracted.
With the card holding structure, the base plate may be provided with a biasing member for biasing the card between the base plate and the head portion of the holding member toward the head portion of the holding member.
According to the card holding structure, when a number of the held card is, for example, only one which is smaller than the maximal number of cards to be held, or when the cards of the maximal number to be held are held, the biasing member always biases the held card toward the head portion of the holding member. Thus, the head portion of the holding member and the card are brought into contact with each other, or the cards are brought into contact with each other, so that the card is pressed against the head portion of the holding member. That is, the held card is pressed by the biasing member so as not to move in the space where other cards can be stored, so that no held cards rattle or fall off from the holding structure. Therefore, the card can be stably held.
With the card holding structure, an opening may be formed in the base plate for extracting the held card by inserting a finger in the opening. Furthermore, it is preferable that the depth of each flat portion of the step-like member is at least smaller than a width of a card to be held.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a console box for a vehicle comprises a card holding structure which is capable of holding a plurality of cards. The card holding structure comprises a base plate which is approximately parallel to a plurality of cards when the plurality of cards are held, a holding member and a step-like member. The holding member comprises a leg portion disposed on the base plate, and a head portion which extends from the leg portion and which has an inner surface parallel to the base plate. A space in which a plurality of cards are held is provided between the head portion and the base plate, and the holding member holds a card between the base plate and the head portion. The step-like member is disposed on the base plate and has a stairs configuration which increases in height from the base plate towar
Cronin Stephen K.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
TS Tech Co. Ltd.
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