Wallet with separable linked accordion pockets for storing planar media elements

Abstract

A planar material piece has a substantially rectangular area wherein one or two pocket units with separable accordion pockets are attached to make wallets for storing and accessing planar media elements including credit cards, business cards, paper money, receipts, ID cards, etc. One, two, or four flaps are configured to extend from the rectangular area and fold back over and couple to an attachment feature on the pocket units. Portions of one opposing coupled flap act as a hinging element when the other flap is decoupled and the pockets are fanned open to allow access to the pockets for storing and retrieving planar media elements.

1 . A wallet for storing planar media elements comprising: 
 a plurality of linked, separable, accordion pockets (accordion pockets) having first and second laterally opposing pocket openings disposed between a plane side of a first pocket and a plane side of a last pocket, wherein plane sides of the plurality of accordion pockets extend a pocket length between the first laterally opposing pocket openings and the second laterally opposing pocket openings and extend a pocket width substantially orthogonal to the pocket length; and    a flexible material piece that extends a length dimension between a top edge and a bottom edge and extends a width dimension between first and second side edges, wherein one surface of a first portion of the flexible material piece couples to the plane side of the first pocket such that a first flap of the flexible material piece with the bottom edge extends a first length beyond the second pocket openings, and a second flap of the flexible material piece with the top edge extends a second length beyond the first laterally opposing pocket openings, and    wherein the first flap is bent around the second pocket openings forming a first hinging edge and a portion of the first flap is coupled to the plane side of the last pocket such that the bottom edge on the first flap is adjacent to the first pocket openings and opposing the top edge thereby allowing accordion pockets with the first pocket openings to be fanned open for access by rotating the flexible material piece about the first hinging edge so the top edge moves in an arc away from the bottom edge.    
   
   
       2 . The wallet of  claim 1 , wherein the first length of the first flap is sufficient to allow the bottom edge to extend beyond the first openings the second length of the second flap when the first flap is bent around the second openings and coupled to the plane side of the last pocket.  
   
   
       3 . The wallet of  claim 2 , wherein the top edge of the flexible material piece has a first latch feature and the bottom edge of the flexible material piece has a mating second latch feature for coupling the top edge to the bottom edge and holding the first pocket openings in a substantially closed position retaining planar media elements stored in the accordion pockets having the first laterally opposing pocket openings.  
   
   
       4 . The wallet of  1  wherein the second flap is bent around the first pocket openings forming a second hinging edge and a portion of the second flap is releasably coupled to a feature on a surface of a portion of the first flap coupled to the plane side of the last pocket thereby allowing the second flap to cover and retain planar elements stored in the accordion pockets with the first laterally opposing pocket openings.  
   
   
       5 . The wallet of  claim 1 , wherein the first length of the first flap is sufficient to extend substantially to a center of the length of the plane side of the last pocket when bent around the second pocket openings forming a first hinging edge and the second length of the second flap is sufficient to extend substantially to the center of the length of the plane side of the last pocket when bent around the first laterally opposing pocket openings forming a second hinging edge.  
   
   
       6 . The wallet of  claim 5 , wherein the plane side of the last pocket has latch features for releasably coupling to the first and second flaps of the flexible material piece when the first and second flaps are bent around the second and first laterally opposing pocket openings, respectively.  
   
   
       7 . The wallet of  claim 6 , wherein the latch features for releasably coupling to the first and second flaps are such that a thickness between the plane side of the first pocket and the plane side of the last pocket varies to accommodate added planar media elements inserted in the accordion pockets having the first and second laterally opposing pocket openings.  
   
   
       8 . The wallet of  claim 6 , wherein the latch features on the plane side of the last pocket for releasably coupling to the first and second flaps comprises one element of a releasable joining system consisting of a hook and loop joining system, a magnetic joining system, and a mechanical snap joining system.  
   
   
       9 . The wallet of  claim 2 , wherein a second surface of the first portion of the flexible material piece coupled to the plane side of the first pocket has a clip feature for holding planar paper elements.  
   
   
       10 . The wallet of  claim 9 , wherein the clip feature for holding planar paper elements is a money clip for holding folded paper money.  
   
   
       11 . The wallet of  claim 10 , wherein the second surface of the first length of the first flap of the flexible material piece has a license slot feature adapted for receiving and holding a drivers license or an identification card (ID), the license slot feature configured such that printing on the driver license or ID card may be read without removing from the license slot feature.  
   
   
       12 . The wallet of  claim 5  further comprising a second plurality of linked, separable, accordion pockets (accordion pockets) having first and second laterally opposing pocket openings disposed between a plane side of a first pocket and a plane side of a last pocket, wherein plane sides of the plurality of second accordion pockets extend a pocket length between the first laterally opposing pocket openings and the second laterally opposing pocket openings of the second plurality of accordion pockets and extend a pocket width orthogonal to the pocket length, wherein the plane side of the last pocket of the second plurality of accordion pockets is coupled to a second surface of the flexible material piece directly opposing the one surface of the flexible material piece coupled to the plane side of the first pocket of the first plurality of accordion pockets thereby the first laterally opposing pocket openings of the second plurality of accordion pockets are disposed adjacent to the second side edge of the of flexible material piece.  
   
   
       13 . The wallet of  claim 12 , wherein the first side edge of the first portion of the flexible material piece coupled to the plane side of the first pocket of the first plurality of accordion pockets extends a first width beyond the pocket width of the second plurality of accordion pockets thereby forming a third flap that is bent over second laterally opposing pocket openings of the second plurality of accordion pockets forming a third hinging edge and a portion of the third flap is coupled to the plane of the first pocket of the second plurality of accordion pockets.  
   
   
       14 . The wallet of  claim 13 , wherein the second side edge of the first portion of the flexible material piece coupled to the plane side of the first pocket of the first plurality of accordion pockets extends a second width beyond the pocket width of the second plurality of accordion pockets thereby forming a fourth flap.  
   
   
       15 . The wallet of  claim 14 , wherein the fourth flap is bent over the first laterally opposing pocket openings of the second plurality of accordion pockets and releasably coupled to a surface of the first portion of the first width of the flexible material piece coupled to the plane of the first pocket of the second plurality of accordion pockets thereby allowing the fourth flap to cover and retain planar media elements stored in accordion pockets of the second plurality of accordion pockets with the first laterally opposing pocket openings.  
   
   
       16 . The wallet of  claim 6 , wherein the first laterally opposing pocket openings are fanned open for access by releasing the first flap from coupling to the feature on the plane side of the last pocket and rotating the plane side of the first pocket about the first hinging edge and the second laterally opposing pocket openings are fanned open for access by releasing the second flap from coupling to the feature on the plane side of the last pocket and rotating the plane side of the last pocket about the second hinging edge.  
   
   
       17 . The wallet of  claim 16 , wherein the latch features on the plane side of the last pocket for releasably coupling to the first and second flaps of the flexible material piece comprises a second material piece coupled to the plane side of the last pocket.  
   
   
       18 . A wallet for storing planar media elements comprising: 
 a plurality of linked, separable, accordion pockets (accordion pockets) having first and second laterally opposing pocket openings disposed between a plane side of a first pocket and a plane side of a last pocket, wherein plane sides of the accordion pockets extend a pocket length between the first laterally opposing pocket openings and the second laterally opposing pocket openings and extend a pocket width orthogonal to the pocket length;    a first flexible material piece that extends a length dimension between a top edge and a bottom edge and extends a width dimension between first and second side edges, wherein one surface of a first portion of the first flexible material piece couples to the plane side of the first pocket such that a first flap of the flexible material piece with the bottom edge extends a first length beyond the second laterally opposing pocket openings and the top edge of the first flexible material piece is substantially adjacent to the second laterally opposing pocket openings; and    a second flexible material piece that extends a length dimension between a top edge and a bottom edge and extends a width dimension between first and second side edges, wherein one surface of a first portion of the second flexible material piece couples to the plane side of the last pocket such that a second flap of the second flexible material piece with the bottom edge extends a first length beyond the first laterally opposing pocket openings and the top edge of the second flexible material piece is substantially adjacent to the first laterally opposing pocket openings,    wherein the first flap of the first flexible material piece forms a first hinging edge when bent around the second laterally opposing pocket openings and releasably coupled to a portion of the second flexible material piece to cover and secure the second laterally opposing pocket openings and the second flap the second flexible material piece forms a second hinging edge when bent around the first laterally opposing pocket openings and releasably coupled to a portion of the first flexible material piece to cover and secure the first laterally opposing pocket openings thereby allowing the first laterally opposing pocket openings to be fanned open by releasing the second flap of the second flexible material piece from coupling to the first flexible material piece and rotating the second flexible material piece about the first hinging edge and allowing the second laterally opposing pocket openings to be fanned open by releasing the first flap of the first flexible material piece from coupling to the second flexible material piece and rotating the first flexible material piece about the second hinging edge.    
   
   
       19 . The wallet of  claim 18 , wherein the first flap has a first latch feature for coupling to a first mating latch feature on a surface of the portion of the second material piece and second flap has a second latch feature for coupling to a second mating latch feature on a surface of the portion of the first material piece.  
   
   
       20 . The wallet of  claim 19 , wherein the first latch feature and the first mating latch feature and the second latch feature and the second mating latch feature comprise elements of a releasable joining system consisting of a hook and loop joining system, a magnetic joining system, and a mechanical snap joining system.  
   
   
       21 . The wallet of  claim 19 , wherein latch positions, where the first and second latch features of the first and second flaps couple to the first and second mating latch features on the surfaces of the portions of the first and second material pieces, vary from the center of the first and second material pieces to the top edges of the first and second material pieces to accommodate increased thickness of the accordion pockets resulting from inserting planar media elements.  
   
   
       22 . A billfold wallet comprising: 
 a first material piece having a length and a width and forming the outside surface of the billfold wallet;    a second material piece disposed over the first material piece and seamed on three edges to form a slot for storing paper money; and    one or more storage elements coupled to the second material piece and configured for storing and retaining planar media in a plurality of linked, separable, accordion pockets (accordion pockets) having first and second laterally opposing pocket openings disposed between a plane side of a first pocket and a plane side of a last pocket, wherein plane sides of the plurality of accordion pockets extend a pocket length between the first laterally opposing pocket openings and the second laterally opposing pocket openings and extend a pocket width orthogonal to the pocket length.    
   
   
       23 . The billfold wallet of  claim 22 , wherein the storage element further comprises 
 a flexible material piece that extends a length dimension between a top edge and a bottom edge and extends a width dimension between first and second side edges, wherein one surface of a first portion of the flexible material piece couples to the plane side of the first pocket such that a first flap of the flexible material piece with the bottom edge extends a first length beyond the second laterally opposing pocket openings, and a second flap of the flexible material piece with the top edge extends a second length beyond the first laterally opposing pocket openings, a second surface of the flexible material piece directly opposing the first surface of the first portion of the flexible material piece is coupled to the second material piece of the billfold wallet, and    wherein the first flap is bent around the second laterally opposing pocket openings forming a first hinging edge and a portion of the first flap is coupled to the plane side of the last pocket such that the bottom edge on the first flap is adjacent to the first laterally opposing pocket openings and opposing the top edge thereby allowing accordion pockets with the first laterally opposing pocket openings to be fanned open for access by rotating the flexible material piece about the first hinging edge so the top edge moves in an arc away from the bottom edge.    
   
   
       24 . The wallet of  claim 23 , wherein the top edge of the material piece has a first latch feature and the bottom edge of the material piece has a mating second latch feature for coupling the top edge to the bottom edge and holding the first laterally opposing pocket openings in a substantially closed position retaining planar elements stored in the accordion pockets having the first laterally opposing pocket openings.  
   
   
       25 . The wallet of  22  wherein the second flap is bent around the first laterally opposing pocket openings forming a second hinging edge and a portion of the second flap is releasably coupled to a feature on a surface of a portion of the first flap coupled to the plane side of the last pocket thereby allowing the second flap to cover and retain planar elements stored in the accordion pockets with the first laterally opposing pocket openings.