# US 5,706,954 A · Sorting and collating tray and method for sorting and collating collectible cards

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- Number: US 5,706,954 A
- Document ID: US5706954A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/515,735
- Filed: 1995-08-16
- Granted: 1998-01-13
- Earliest claimed: 1995-08-16
- Inventors: Donald E. Detjen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5706954A

## CPC

- B07C 7/04: Apparatus or accessories for hand picking
- B42F 17/02: in which the cards are stored substantially at right angles to the bottom of their containers
- B42F 17/12: Dividing means
- B07C: POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING (specially adapted for a specific purpose covered by another class, see the relevant place, e.g. A43D33/06, B23Q7/12)
- B42F: SHEETS TEMPORARILY ATTACHED TOGETHER; FILING APPLIANCES; FILE CARDS; INDEXING (reading desks A47B19/00; book rests A47B23/00)

## Abstract

There is disclosed a sorting and collating device for collectible cards such as sports cards. The device is designed to work with a standard cardboard card storage box, utilizing the box as the receptacle for the cards as they are being sorted and collated. After a batch is sorted and collated, the tray can be removed and used on another batch of cards, leaving the sorted and collated cards already stored in the storage box. The tray is reversible such that the available numbers on the separators corresponding to numbers on cards is doubled. In addition to the numbering, the separators can have an area suitable for affixing a tape or clip with an appropriate code or number.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A reusable tray for sorting and collating cards which comprises:
(a) a front support member;
(b) a back support member;
(c) two side support members attached to the front support member and the back support members to form a rectangle, open at the top and bottom, which is attachable to the top of a storage device; and
(d) one or more rows of separators placed within the rectangle and connected by arms to the side support members and/or to ribs running between the front support member and the back support member, said ribs running parallel to the side support members.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A tray as in claim 1 wherein the separators upper edges are tapered.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A tray as in claim 1 wherein the separators lower edges are tapered.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A tray as in claim 1 wherein the separators have sequential numbers starting with "1" molded onto the separators.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A tray as in claim 4 wherein the number series is continued on the opposite side of the separators and is reversible.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A tray as in claim 1 wherein the separators are vertical.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A tray as in claim 1 wherein the separators are slightly inclined.

### Claim 8

A method for collating/sorting trading cards into a storage device, which comprises the steps of:
(a) gathering the cards to be sorted/collated;
(b) placing the sorting/collating tray onto a storage device such as a storage box;
(c) inserting the individual cards into a specific slot by a code such as card number;
(d) assessing the duplicates and missing members of a series of cards; and
(e) removing the tray from the storage device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A method for collating trading cards into a storage device as in claim 8, which comprises the additional steps of:
(a) rotating the tray 180 degrees such that the reverse side of the separators are exposed;
(b) placing the sorting/collating tray onto a storage device such as a storage box;
(c) inserting the individual cards into a specific slot by a code such as card number;
(d) assessing the duplicates and missing members of a series of cards; and
(e) removing the tray from the storage device.