BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The increased sophistication of electronic information systems has greatly promoted the use of credit cards, phonecards, hotel passkey cards, Smartcards and all manner of identification cards having information coded on them. Typically, this information is coded on a magnetic strip in the case of credit cards, or an electronic chip is provided, as in the case of Smartcard technology, and the coded information enables many uses.

The proliferation of these types of cards in everyday life means that many, many people are carrying these cards on their person, either in a wallet or billfold, or purse, or in some personal carrying case. When the person removes the card from the wallet, billfold, etc. to enable a transaction, such as a purchase, or withdrawal of funds from an automatic bank teller, or in the case of an identification card, to enable entry to a secured area, a common problem is encountered in all situations. Simply, there is a tendency to forget to retrieve the card from the automatic machine, or to retrieve it from the vendor, etc.

Electronic reminders have been offered as a solution, but all involve complicated, miniature and expensive designs.

Therefore, a simple and cost-effective solution is needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages associated with prior art solutions to the credit card retrieval problem, and provide a novel, compact, cost-effective and foolproof device designed to make it nearly impossible to forget a credit card in any situation.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a card safeguard system comprising: means for holding a card in removable fashion; and means for indicating when said card is removed from said card holding means, said indicating means providing a visual reminder that the card is not yet returned to said holding means.

In the preferred embodiment, the card holding means is provided as a carrying clip into which the card slides, with a side wall of the clip being hinged to flip up upon card removal. The card carrying clip is very thin and compact, and is typically seated in a pocket of the wallet or billfold. Once the card is removed and the side wall flips up, the carrying clip is no longer thin, and until the card is restored, the wallet is not foldable.

Thus, a real, visual indication is provided to the person using the card that it has not been restored to its holder, and this insures that the card will not be forgotten.

A feature of the inventive system is that upon removal of the card, a distinctive sound is heard, such as a snap, or a tuned note or tone, further reminding the card user of its removal.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following drawings and description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the invention with regard to the embodiments thereof, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals designate corresponding sections or elements throughout, and in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a card inside a card carrying clip designed and operated in accordance with the principles of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a top view of the Fig. 1 card carrying clip; Fig. 3 illustrates the removal of a card from the clip; Fig. 4 illustrates the flip-up side wall of the clip; Fig. 5 shows leaf springs provided as a single spring; Fig. 6 illustates a variation of the card carrying clip ; Fig. 7 illustrates a wallet with the card carrying clip ; Fig. 8 illustrates the wallet after the card is removed; and Fig. 9 illustrates grips formed on a back wall of the clip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a perspective view of a card 10 inside a card carrying clip 12 designed and operated in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The card carrying clip 12 comprises a thin, 2-sided jacket joined at its bottom and open at the top, constructed of upper and lower walls 14a-b made of semi-rigid material, such as plastic, or thin metal. A longitudinal slot 16 is defined extending between walls 14a-b. Upper wall 14a is constructed with a hinged portion 18 having an upper edge 20 with a thumb-shaped contour exposing card 10 seated in slot 16. A tab 21 is integrally formed on the lower edge 22 of hinged portion 18.

Fig. 2 shows a top view of card carrying clip 12.

As shown in Fig. 3, to remove card 10 from carrying clip 12, the user simply places his or her thumb and index finger over the exposed edge 24 of card 10, and withdraws the card 10 in a completely natural, smooth and effortless motion.

In Fig. 4, card 10 is shown removed from carrying clip 12, and the arrow A points to the direction for returning card 10 to carrying clip 12 by sliding it back into slot 16. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, upon removal of card 10 from clip 12, hinged portion 18 of upper wall 14a flips upward and extends vertically, releasing spring energy stored in leaf springs 26a-b seated under hinged portion 18. Leaf springs 26a-b may be formed integrally with lower wall 14b.

The edges 28 of leaf springs 26a-b are curved so that as card 10 edge 25 contacts them, card 10 slides over and depresses leaf springs 26a-b back into the cutout portions 29 of lower wall 14b, enabling card 10 to be fully inserted into slot 16. As card 10 slides into slot 16, its edge 25 presses against tab 21, causing it to flip downwardly against lower wall 14b.

Fig. 5 illustrates an embodiment of card carrying clip 12 in which the leaf springs 26a-b are not formed integrally with the lower wall 14b. Instead, leaf springs 26a-b are provided by a single spring 31 mounted between walls 14a-b.

As shown in Fig. 5, upper wall 14a is removed to reveal single spring 31, which is normally not visible externally.

Each end of single spring 31 has a protective cover 33 which avoids friction with card 10 or scratching it when removed.

Fig. 6 illustrates a variation of card carrying clip 12, designed for card 10 to be inserted by its length therein.

Fig. 7 illustrates a wallet 30 or billfold with the card carrying clip 12 of the present invention, designed to be seated in a pocket 32 of wallet 30. Typically, wallet 30 can be folded in its length, on a flexible folding hinge 34.

As shown in Fig. 7, wallet 30 is unfolded and fully opened, and card 10 may be easily withdrawn from clip 12 seated in pocket 32, and returned thereto, as in the previous illustrations of Figs 3-4.

When card 10 is withdrawn from card carrying clip 12 seated in pocket 32, hinged portion 18 flips upwardly to its vertical position, as per the previous illustration of Fig. 4. In this configuration, the hinged portion 18 provides a visual indication that card 10 has been removed, and as shown in Fig. 8, unless the card is returned to the card carrying clip 12, wallet 30 cannot be re-folded and closed.

The visual indication provided to the person holding wallet 30, which cannot be re-folded and reclosed, virtually insures that he or she will not forget that the card has been removed, since the shape of wallet 30 has been visually altered.

Thus, by use of the inventive card carrying clip 12, there is provided a simple, effective and easy-to-use method of insuring that the card user will not forget card 10 after its use.

Fig. 9 illustrates the back side of bottom wall 14b, which is formed with grips 34 projecting therefrom, which reduce the tendency of clip 12 to slide out of pocket 32 while removing card 10 therefrom, so that clip 12 remains in pocket 32. Many other methods of maintaining clip 12 in pocket 32 are possible.

Having described the invention with regard to certain particular embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the description is not meant as a limitation, since further modifications may now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and it is intended to cover such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.