Shielded Money Clip

Abstract

A money clip is disclosed with RF shielding characteristics to prevent skimming of stored magnetic and/or digital data in credit cards, quick pay devices, and other items that include magnetically stored personal data. The clip is formed of multiple layers of carbon cloth arranged to prevent transmission of radio frequencies in the range used to acquire the data. The layers are formed using a resin to bind the layers and the formation process resists the introduction of air into the device. The clip is strong enough to resiliently hold money, credit cards, and the like without losing its shape, and the shielding properties protect the contents for unauthorized data acquisition.

1 . A clip for retaining money, credit cards, and the like, comprising a single plate folded into a clip structure having a first and second ends opposed to one another, said first and second ends resiliently biased to form a small gap therebetween for retaining said materials with magnetically and/or digitally stored information, said plate having:
 a first layer of carbon cloth having a cross hatch pattern of carbon fibers;   a second layer of carbon tape having a unidirectional orientation of carbon fibers; and   a third layer of carbon cloth having a cross hatch pattern of carbon fibers.   
   
   
       2 . The clip of  claim 1  further comprising a fourth layer of copper wire mesh disposed between said first and third layers. 
   
   
       3 . The clip of  claim 1  wherein said first layer of carbon cloth and third layer of carbon cloth have a density of 200 grams per square meter. 
   
   
       4 . The clip of  claim 1  wherein the first layer of carbon cloth and the third layer of carbon cloth are arranged in a twill pattern having two weft and two warp threads. 
   
   
       5 . The clip of  claim 1  wherein the second layer of carbon fiber tape has a density of 150 grams per meter squared to 250 grams per meter squared. 
   
   
       6 . The clip of  claim 1  wherein a combined weight of the first, second, and third layers combined have a density in a range of 600 grams per meter squared to 650 grams per meter squared. 
   
   
       7 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the plate comprises no more than four layers. 
   
   
       8 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein an orientation of carbon fibers in said second layer is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the spine. 
   
   
       9 . The clip of  claim 1 , further comprising a resin layer disposed between said first and second layers and between said second and third layers. 
   
   
       10 . The clip of  claim 9  wherein the resin is selected from epoxy and polyester. 
   
   
       11 . The clip of  claim 9  wherein the concentration of resin to carbon cloth is in a range of 25 to 45 percent. 
   
   
       12 . The clip of  claim 1  further comprising an absence of trapped air between said first and third layers.