Security case with stress contour for collectible items
AssigneeIndependent Rare Coin Auditors LLC
InventorKeith D. Love
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A security package for a collectible item including a substantially planar bottom portion having a retainer for holding the collectible item. An edge with a lower sealing contour is formed in the planar bottom. A substantially planar top portion has an edge with an upper sealing contour formed therein. The upper sealing contour is designed to mate with the lower sealing contour. A seal is formed by welding the upper and lower sealing contours. A stress contour is formed integrally with at least one of bottom or top portions. The stress contour operates to cause a permanent perceptible distortion in the security package after stress is applied to the seal.
Claims18
A security package for a collectible item comprising:
- a substantially planar bottom portion having a retainer for holding the collectible item and having an edge with a lower sealing portion therein;
- a substantially planar top portion having an edge with an upper sealing portion formed therein, wherein the upper sealing portion is designed to mate with the lower sealing portion;
- a seal formed by welding the upper and lower sealing portion;
- and
- a stress contour formed separately from the seal and integrally with at least one of the bottom and the top portions, the stress contour operative to cause a permanent perceptible distortion in the security package after stress is applied to the seal.
A method for grading a coin comprising the steps of:
- judging the coin's quality;
- providing a sealable security case sized to hold the coin;
- providing a stress contour integrally with the sealable security case and separate from sealing surfaces of the security case;
- placing the coin in the sealable security case at the sealing surfaces;
- and
- sealing the security case in a manner that applies sufficiently low force to the stress contour so as to prevent perceptibly altering the stress contour and in a manner that creates sufficient sealing so that the force required to break the seal will necessarily cause a perceptible alteration of the stress contour.
A system for maintaining authenticity of a certificate of grading for a collectible item comprising:
- a package having a breakable seal for holding the collectible item after it has been graded and certified;
- a stress contour formed separately from the seal and integrated with the package and coupled to serve as a focus for force applied to break the seal, the stress contour producing a perceptible distortion upon application of a force of preselected magnitude to the seal;
- means for storing the package, wherein the stress contour continuously indicates the authenticity of the collectible item held in the package.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.