Card Holder

Abstract

A card holder is provided that includes a frame comprising at least three open-front card compartments for receiving cards. Disposed between the card compartments are inner uprights having a front interstitial face that is sufficiently wide to carry textual or graphical indicia. The indicia affect the cards, such as by influencing the meaning of the cards inserted into the card compartments or to enable interplay or interaction between the cards and the card holder to enhance the game play.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This nonprovisional application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/892,527, filed on Aug. 27, 2019, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates generally to a card holder for game or playing cards, and, more particularly, to a holder including a multiplicity of open-front card compartments for holding a multiplicity of cards and including interstitial faces defined between each card compartment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS

[0003] Card holders for holding playing cards or game cards of various designs are known. Many playing card holders are designed to assist those who may have trouble holding several playing cards in a viewable manner, such as children or persons with physical disabilities. Often these playing card holders are elongated trays or rails with a top slot configured to receive the bottom edges of a row of cards. Though the cards are viewable to the player, if the player tries to pass the elongated tray/rail holding the cards or even inadvertently bumps the tray/rail, the cards will fall out.

[0004] Holders for board game cards are often designed to hold stacks of cards. A top card may be drawn for play or in a response to a game board instruction. Or a card holder may be used to store a stack of game cards between uses. Though holders for stacks of cards are useful in some games and in some situations, many desirable attributes are missing. For example, when using this type of holder, the cards are not positioned in a manner that allows viewing of the card fronts. Additionally, it is often not easy for a player to remove a single card from the card stack.

[0005] Typically, game boards are used to interact with and to influence the meaning of the cards. But the game board required for the card interaction increases the cost of manufacturing, plus it is typically bulky and, thus, increases the shipping cost and increases the required retail display space and game storage space. In some games it would be preferable to have a card holder that incorporated portions of the game interaction, without a game board.

[0006] Though card holders of various types can serve purposes for some games, there is a need for a card holder that holds the cards in a viewable position, that supports the cards in a manner that allows convenient access to insert or replace cards, that is easy to pass between the multiple players of a game, and that provides an enhancement to the game or an interaction with the gaming cards even without a game board.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention is directed to a card holder comprising a card-receiving frame that includes a frame substructure portion running along the bottom of the frame, at least four frame upright portions (at least two outer edge uprights and at least two inner uprights having interstitial faces) extending upwardly from the substructure portion, and at least three card compartments separated by the inner upright portions. The front surface of each of the inner upright portions (disposed between the card compartments) forms the interstitial face, each of which are of sufficient width to receive textual or graphic representation.

[0008] The frame is thin, but is thick enough to accommodate one or more cards in each card compartment. The frame is at least wider than the width of three cards plus the width of the two interstitial faces. The card compartments are open at the top and have a substantially open front to allow viewing of most or almost all the card front.

[0009] The sides of the card compartments are defined by opposing vertical slots on each opposing side that are open at the top and allow the card to be manually inserted from the top. The bottom of the card compartment is defined by a floor to retain the card within the viewable area of the card compartment. The back of the card compartment is defined by a compartment back.

[0010] The card holder of the present invention holds a multiplicity of cards in an orientation in which the fronts of the cards may be conveniently observed, yet the cards are held securely enough that the frame holding the cards can be passed to another player. The top portion or edge of each card protrudes beyond the top edge of the frame, allowing ease of access to the tops of the cards to improve card handling by the game players, such as inserting or removing the cards from the card compartments.

[0011] The interstitial faces allow space for graphics or text that can be used to enhance the game, to influence the adjacent cards, to add meaning to the adjacent cards, or to be incorporated into the game play in other ways.

[0012] In an aspect of the invention, multiple support stands are included, which can be used to position and hold the frame on a flat surface at an angle appropriate for viewing of the cards. The support stands are preferably attachable and detachable. They are attached at a generally perpendicular angle to the width of the frame to provide a foundation to hold the frame at the preferred viewing angle. Preferably they may be quickly detached by a player when desired, such as to store the card holder or to pass the frame holding the cards without the support stands to another player.

[0013] In another aspect of the invention, the card holder frame is formed of three sections that are fixedly attached to each other.

[0014] In a further aspect of the invention, the card holder is configured with three card compartments.

[0015] In another aspect of the invention, the card holder is configured with more than three card compartments.

[0016] In an additional aspect of the invention, the card compartments are configured with a notch at the upper corner of each vertical side slot.

[0017] In a further aspect of the invention, the tops of the vertical slots of the card compartments are flush with the back of the frame.

[0018] In another aspect of the invention, the support stands are detachable from the frame.

[0019] In an additional aspect of the invention, the support stands are fixedly attached to the frame.

[0020] In a further aspect of the invention, the card holder does not include support stands.

[0021] In another aspect of the invention, the card holder frame is planar.

[0022] In an additional aspect of the invention, the card holder frame is curved.

[0023] In a further aspect of the invention, the card holder frame is rigid and not flexible.

[0024] In an additional aspect of the invention, the card holder frame is flexible or somewhat flexible.

[0025] In another embodiment of the invention, the card holder frame does not include apertures along the bottom edge configured to receive support stands.

[0026] In a further aspect of the invention, the substructure portion carries textual or graphical indicia.

[0027] In another aspect of the invention, the substructure portion does not carry textual or graphical indicia.

[0028] In an additional aspect of the invention, the interstitial face carries textual or graphical indicia.

[0029] In another aspect of the invention, the interstitial face does not carry textual or graphical indicia.

[0030] In a further aspect of the invention, the support stand comprises a concavity, and the frame comprises a correlating protrusion.

[0031] The object of the invention is to provide a card holder that gives an improved performance over the above described prior art systems and methods.

[0032] These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawings and from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments which follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, provided to illustrate and not to limit the invention, where like designations denote like elements.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention with cards inserted into the card compartments and with two attached support stands.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a perspective back view of the first embodiment of the present invention with cards inserted into the card compartments and with two attached support stands.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a front view of the first embodiment of the present invention without cards inserted into the card compartments and with two detached support stands.

[0037] FIG. 4 is a front view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention with cards inserted into the card compartments and with two attached support stands.

[0038] FIG. 5 is a back view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention with two detached support stands, but without cards inserted into the card compartments.

[0039] FIG. 6 is a back view of the first embodiment of the present invention with cards inserted into the card compartments with two attached support stands.

[0040] FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention with the support stands detached and with the frame resting flat on a horizontal surface.

[0041] FIG. 8 is a top view of the frame of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the frame of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the frame of an embodiment of the present invention with two support stands attached.

[0044] FIG. 11 is a side view of the frame of an embodiment of the present invention with two support stands attached and with cards in the card compartments.

[0045] FIG. 12 is a side view of the frame of an embodiment of the present invention with two support stands attached and without cards in the card compartments.

[0046] FIG. 13 is a side view of one support stand of an aspect of embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] FIG. 14 is a top view of one support stand of an aspect of embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] FIG. 15 is a bottom view of one support stand of an aspect of embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] FIG. 16 is a bottom perspective view of the second embodiment of the present invention with the support stands detached and with the frame resting flat on a horizontal surface.

[0050] FIG. 17 is a top perspective view of the second embodiment of the present invention with the support stands attached and the frame positioned on a horizontal surface to allow insertion and viewing of cards.

[0051] FIG. 18 is a front view of the second embodiment of the present invention with the support stands attached and the frame positioned on a horizontal surface to allow insertion and viewing of cards.

[0052] FIG. 19 is a perspective back view of the second embodiment of the present invention with the support stands attached.

[0053] FIG. 20 is a side view of one support stand of a second aspect of embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] FIG. 21 is a top view of one support stand of a second aspect of embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] FIG. 22 is a bottom view of one support stand of a second aspect of embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] FIG. 23 is a front view of the second embodiment of the present invention with the support stands detached.

[0057] FIG. 24 is back view of the second embodiment of the present invention with the support stands detached, but in position and aligned for attachment.

[0058] FIG. 25 is an expanded perspective view of the three-part third embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] FIG. 26 is a perspective view of the assembled three parts of the three-part third embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0061] Shown throughout the figures, the present invention is directed toward a card holder that supports at least three cards (such as game cards or playing cards) in a manner that allows convenient viewing of the card faces and that allows easy passing from player to player of the empty card holder or of the cards confined within and displayed by the card holder.

[0062] Referring now to FIG. 1, a card holder, shown generally as reference number 100, is illustrated in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the card holder 100 comprises a card-receiving frame 120 with at least three open-front card compartments 110 and at least two intervening interstitial faces 130. In an aspect of the invention, also included are multiple support stands 150 that enable the card holder 100 to be rested on a flat surface in a position and at an angle in which the cards are viewable to the player.

[0063] The frame 120 is a thin generally rectangular element extending horizontally between side edges 121, extending vertically from top edge 129 to bottom edge 127, and extending a depth between the frame rear 140 (FIG. 2) and the frame front 145. In a preferred aspect of the invention, the frame 120 is planar. In another aspect of the invention, the frame 120 is slightly convex. In a further preferred aspect of the invention, the frame 120 is rigid and is not flexible or bendable. In an additional aspect of the invention, the frame 120 is flexible or bendable or is somewhat flexible or bendable. The horizontal width W.sub.1 (FIG. 23) is at least three times the width of the viewable portion of the face of a card 160 plus the width of the at least two intervening interstitial faces 130 and the two opposing edge faces 123 minus the overlap of the card 160 with the interstitial faces 130 and/or the edge faces 123. The width W.sub.1 will be based substantially on the number of cards 160 to be contained within the card holder 100, but other factors such as the width required for the particular indicia 133 on the interstitial faces 130, the width of the edge faces 123 that is required for a particular design, and the depth of the vertical slots 115 will also contribute to the preferred width. The height H.sub.1 (FIG. 23) is at least one half of the height of a card 160. The depth is equal to at least the depth D.sub.1 (FIG. 8) of two cards 160. The interstitial face 130 has a width at least 10% of the width of one of the cards 160 and preferably has a width at least 20% of the width of one of the cards 160. In an example, for a card holder 100 to hold three cards 160, the width W.sub.1 may be in the range of 7 to 15 inches, the height H.sub.1 may be in the range of 2 to 7 inches, and the depth D.sub.1 may be in the range of 0.2 to 0.8 inches.

[0064] The frame 120 comprises a horizontally extending substructure portion 128 and multiple vertically extending upright portions 122. The substructure 128 forms the bottom of the frame 120. It extends horizontally between the opposing side edges 121 and extends vertically upward from the frame bottom edge 127 to the bottom of the card compartments 110. The front surface of the substructure 128 forms a substructure face 137. The substructure 128 extends depth D.sub.1 from the frame front 145 to the frame backing 140.

[0065] The uprights 122 include two outer (or edge) uprights 122a and at least two inner uprights 122b. Each upright 122 extends vertically from the top of the substructure 128 to the frame top edge 129. The uprights 122 extend the depth D.sub.1 from the frame front 145 to the frame backing 140. The two opposing outer uprights 122a form the outer sides of the frame 120. The front surface of the each of the outer uprights 122a forms an edge face 123. The inner uprights 122b are disposed between the card compartments 110. The front surface of each of the inner upright 122b forms an interstitial face 130 that extends between the opposing upright edges 131 of that inner upright 122b.

[0066] In an aspect, the interstitial faces 130 are sufficiently wide to carry indicia 133, such as distinctive indications, textual messages, or graphical marks, which will vary based on the design and usage of the card holder. In an aspect of the invention, one or both edge faces 123 are sufficiently wide to carry indicia 133 and may carry indicia 133. In an additional aspect of the invention, the substructure front face 137 has a sufficient height to carry indicia 133 and may carry indicia.

[0067] The indicia 133 may be carried by the frame 120 in any of numerous ways including being formed integrally with the frame 120 (such as by molding), by being printed onto the frame front surface 130, 123, and/or 137, by being etched into the frame front surface 130, 123, and/or 137, or by being applied to the frame front surface 130, 123, and/or 137, such as a sticker, label, or decal applied by an adhesive. In an example, in FIG. 1 the words "BUT" and "SO" are displayed on the interstitial faces 130, while the substructure front face 137 carries the name of a game to be played and the right edge face 123 carries a period 133 to imply the end of a sentence created by the cards 160 held within the card holder 100 plus the words of the interstitial faces 130.

[0068] The incorporation of indicia 133 on or into the card holder may provide advantages in game play. The indicia 133 affect the cards 160, such as by enhancing the meaning of the cards 160 held within the frame 120, changing the meaning of the cards 160 held within the frame 120, or otherwise causing an interaction of the cards 160 with the frame 120. The use of indicia 133 to interact with the cards 160 may preclude the need for a game board.

[0069] In another aspect of the invention, the frame 120 does not carry indicia 133. For example, this aspect of the invention may be used when the card holder is used merely to hold cards and when the card holder is not enhancing a game.

[0070] The frame 120 is configured with at least three open-front card compartments 110 into which the cards 160 are inserted from a compartment top opening 111 (FIG. 7). The card compartments 110 extend horizontally a width between a recessed area 113 (FIG. 7) of one vertical slot 115 and the opposing recessed area 113 of the opposing vertical slot 115. The card compartments 110 extend vertically a height between the compartment bottom 119 and the top edge 129 of the frame 120. The front area between the outer edges of the opposing vertical slots 115 is open to allow viewing of substantially all the card front when the card 160 is inserted within the opposing slots 115 with only the edges concealed by the recessed area 113.

[0071] To place a card 160 in an open-top compartment 110, the card 160 is manually inserted from the top opening 111, is slid down with the opposing card edges in the recessed portions 113 of the opposing vertical slots 115, and then comes to rest with the bottom of the card 160 resting on the compartment bottom 119. The compartment bottom 119 retains the card within the viewable area of the card compartment and prevents the card from falling further downwardly and out of the compartment 110. In a preferred aspect, the compartment bottom 119 comprises a flat floor or ledge which will allow viewing of the very bottom edge of the card 160. In another aspect, the compartment bottom 119 comprises a groove (not shown, but similar to the illustrated vertical slots 115) into which the very bottom edge of the card 160 is received.

[0072] Each vertical slot 115 is formed along or within the vertical edge 131 of an upright 122. The vertical slots 115 extend from at or near the frame top edge 129 to end at or near the compartment bottom 119. Each vertical slot 115 comprises a groove with a recessed bottom portion 113 (FIG. 7). The groove extends forwardly from a portion of the compartment back 117 near the card compartment 110 edge. The groove's recessed bottom portion 113 is held adjacent to or fixedly connected to (permanently affixed to or formed integrally with) a portion of the upright 122 near the vertical edge 131. The slot groove is generally U-shaped with rounded corners or preferably with squared corners. A portion of the back compartment may form the back leg of the U-shape, the recessed bottom portion 113 forms the bottom of the U-shape, and the back of the upright edge 131 forms the other leg of the U-shape.

[0073] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 16-19, the vertical slot 115 extends from the frame top edge 129 to the compartment bottom 119.

[0074] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-7, the top of each of the inner frame uprights 122b and the inward-facing sides of the edge frame uprights 122a are configured with a notch 138. In this aspect, the vertical slot 115 extends from the bottom of the notch 138 to the compartment bottom 119. The height of notch 138 may be from less than five percent of the height of vertical slot 115 to about equal to the height of the vertical slot 115. The notch 138 may provide advantages in allowing the bottom edge of the card 160 to be more easily positioned in alignment with the top of the card compartment 110, in allowing the card 160 to be inserted more easily into the top of the card compartment no, in providing an aesthetic enhancement, and/or in allowing a small reduction in the amount of plastic required in the aspect in which the card holder is made of plastic.

[0075] The notch 138 is preferably slanted, as shown in FIGS. 25-26, but may optionally, have other shapes, such as a curved shape or L-shaped as in FIG. 1. The notch 138 is defined notch edge 136, which, when the notch 138 is L-shaped, may include both a vertical notch edge and a horizontal notch edge. The horizontal width at the top of the uprights 122 configured with a notch is reduced to accommodate the notch 138. In the aspects in which a notch is included, the notch 138 is disposed at the opposing top corners of each card compartment 110.

[0076] In one aspect of the invention, the bottom of the substructure 128 of frame 120 is configured with at least two apertures 125 (FIG. 3) along the bottom edge 127. The at least two frame apertures 125 are positioned at an area inset at least (and preferably more than) one-quarter inch from the frame side edge 121. In the aspect in which there are more than two frame apertures 125 (to accommodate more than two support stands 150), the one or more middle apertures 125 (not shown) are positioned between the outer apertures 125. Inner apertures 125 may be advantageous when, for example, the card holder is wider, such as when the number of card compartments is greater than three.

[0077] Each frame aperture 125 is sized and shaped to accommodate a support stand 150

[0078] (FIGS. 7, 13, 20). In one aspect of the invention, the frame aperture 125 receives a stand opening 155 of a support stand 150 and to hold the support stand 150 in a position and at an angle in which the card holder 100 can be placed stably on a flat surface, such as a tabletop, with the card fronts viewable by the player seated at the table. Both the frame aperture 125 and the stand opening 155 are preferably U-shaped with substantially square (ninety-degree) corners.

[0079] Each support stand 150 comprises a thin generally triangular piece configured with a stand opening 155 that correlates with the frame aperture 125. Each support stand 150 includes generally flat opposing sides 153 (FIG. 13), a substantially flat bottom 158, an angled top 159, a front 151, and a stand opening 155 disposed within the angled top 159 near the front 151. In an aspect, the angle between the frame bottom 158 and the stand opening 155 is in the range of 50 to 70 degrees and is preferably about 60 degrees. The front 151 may be angled with respect to the flat bottom 158, as seen in the aspect of FIG. 13, or the front 151 may form generally a right angle with the top 159, as seen in the aspect of FIG. 16.

[0080] The stand opening 155 is defined by stand opening back wall 157, stand opening bottom wall 156, and stand opening front wall 152. When a support stand 150 is to be installed, the support stand 150 is positioned perpendicularly to the frame 120, and the stand opening 155 at the top of the support stand 150 is slipped into the frame aperture 125 at the bottom of the frame 120. Though in one aspect of the invention the support stands 150 are permanently affixed to the frame 120, in the preferred aspect of the invention, the support stands 150 are attachable and removable. The ability to manually install and remove the support stands 150 advantageously allows the card holder 100 to be packaged, shipped, displayed in a retail environment, and stored more efficiently, because a smaller box can be used to contain it.

[0081] When the support stands 150 are attached, the support stand bottoms 158 can be stably placed on a flat surface, which positions the frame at an angle that is satisfactory to allow the player to view the front of the cards 160.

[0082] To use the support stands 150 one stand 150 is positioned generally perpendicularly to the frame 120 and engaged with the frame 120 by slipping the stand opening 155 into the frame aperture 125. However, in some situations and with some materials this frictional engagement may not be totally satisfactory. In one preferred aspect of the invention, the stand opening back wall 157 is configured with a concavity 154 (FIG. 13). In this aspect the frame 120 is configured with a correlating protrusion 144 (FIG. 5). When the stand opening 155 is engaged with the frame aperture 125, the support stand concavity 154 slips into the correlating protrusion 144 within the frame aperture 125 of the frame 120. This enhances the engagement of the support stand 150 to the frame 120 and may provide advantages, for example, when passing the card holder 100 from person to person.

[0083] In the third embodiment, the frame 100 is formed from three sections, a frame-backing section 101, a middle section 102, and a frame-front section 103. The frame-backing section 101 supplies the back portion of the frame 100. The front surface of the frame-front section 103 forms the front portion of the frame 100 including the front of the uprights 122, the front of the substructure 128, the frame front surface 130, the edge space 123, and the substructure front face 137. The frame middle section 102 forms the middle layer between the frame-backing section 101 and the frame-front section 103. The front of the frame middle section 102 is fixedly attached to the back of the frame-front section 103. The back of the frame middle section 102 is fixedly attached to the front of the frame-backing section 101. As seen in FIG. 26, the lower part of the front portion of the uprights 122 (formed by front section 103) is wider than the lower part of the upright portion of the middle section 102, thus forming the vertical slots 115 on the opposing sides of the card compartments 110. In the aspect shown in FIG. 26, the bottom 119 of the card compartment 110 formed by the middle section 102 is aligned with the bottom of the card compartment no portion formed by the front section 103; this forms a planar compartment bottom 119. In another aspect, the compartment bottom 119 formed by the middle section 102 may be slightly lower than the bottom of the card compartment 110 portion formed by the front section 103 to form a small groove; this forms a stepped compartment bottom 119.

[0084] In one aspect the top part of the front section uprights 122 is be wider than the top part of the upright portions of the middle section 102. In another aspect the top part of the front section uprights 122 is equal in width to the top part of the upright portions of the middle section 102. This variation is demonstrated in FIG. 26 in which the outer uprights of both the middle section and front section have the same width, and in which the inner uprights vary in width, with the inner uprights of the front section wider than the inner uprights of the middle section.

[0085] In the embodiments, the frame backing 140 provides a rear portion or platform which serves to support and reinforce the front card compartments 110, uprights 122, and substructure 128. The frame backing 140 may be formed in various ways based on considerations such as cost of materials, cost and ease of manufacturing, the provision of satisfactory support for the front portions, material to be used, and other engineering considerations. In one aspect of the invention, the back is smooth and flat, as seen in FIG. 24. In an example, the frame backing 140 may be made of wood, which is finished in a smooth, flat plane, as seen in FIG. 24.

[0086] The frame backing 140 may be formed integrally with the remainder of the frame or may be formed separately. For example, in the third embodiment, the frame backing 140 is formed separately as frame-backing section 101 and joined to the other sections.

[0087] In an aspect of the invention, the frame backing 140 may be configured with indentations, cutouts, protrusions, bracings, and other irregularities, as seen in FIG. 2. Particularly if the frame is to be molded of plastic, the various irregularities may provide advantages in ease and cost of manufacturing while providing sufficient structure to support the cards 160 held within the card compartments 110. These irregularities may include both substructure and upright irregularities 143. In one example, a cutout defined by cutout edges 148 (FIGS. 2, 6) may be disposed generally behind the vertical slot 115. In a second example, for ease of molding and reduction of plastic required, the back portion 147 of the inner uprights 122b may be inset and thinner than the edges of the inner uprights 122b, as seen in FIG. 2.

[0088] To use the card holder 100 of the present invention, the players obtain multiple cards 160 and one or more card holders 100, depending on the game to be played.

[0089] In one exemplary game, a single card holder 100 is used. One player is designated a storyteller, who draws a designated number of cards. The storyteller chooses a card 160 to fit into each of the three card compartments 110 that will enable him or her to make a story using the text (indicia 133) on the cards 160. If desired, two support stands 150 are slid onto the bottom of the frame 120 to allow the player to place the card holder on a flat surface for ease of installing the cards 160 into the card holder 100 and to enable the storyteller to easily view the text on the front of the card 160 by merely glancing down at the cards 160 within the card holder 100.

[0090] Each of the selected cards 160 is slipped into the top opening 111 of one of the card compartments 110, is slid down the vertical slots 115, and comes to rest with the bottom of the card 160 resting on the compartment bottom 119. A top portion of the card 160 extends above the top edge 129 of the frame 120. The fronts of the cards 160 are viewable by the storyteller, but the frame backing 140 is turned toward the other players, preventing them from viewing the fronts of the cards. The indicia 133 on the interstitial face 130 interacts and influences the content of the cards, because the first card is read, then the "BUT" indicia on the first interstitial face 130 is read, then the second card is read, then the "SO" indicia on the second interstitial face 130 is read, and then the third card is read, with the "." on the edge space 123 finishing the storyteller's sentence. At the end of the first round, the storyteller may remove each one of the cards 160 by grasping the top portion of each card 160 and sliding it upwardly out of the opposing slide slots 115. At that point the card holder 100 may be passed to another player, who then uses the card holder 100 to continue and play a second round.

[0091] Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

1. A card holder for receiving multiple cards, comprising: a thin, elongated frame extending horizontally between opposing frame side edges, extending vertically between a frame lower edge and a frame upper edge, and extending rearwardly between a frame front and a frame back; said frame comprising at least three open-front and open-top compartments disposed on said frame front and each of which accommodate at least one of said multiple cards; said frame further comprising at least three compartment bottoms and at least three compartment backs; said frame further comprising a right and a left outer upright portion each configured with one vertical outer upright slot and at least two inner upright portions each configured with two vertical inner upright slots; and wherein each of said at least three open-front and open-top compartments is defined by two of said vertical slots, one of said at least three compartment backs, and one of said at least three compartment bottoms.

2. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 1 wherein: said at least two inner upright portions comprise a right inner upright and a left inner upright; said right inner upright comprises a right front interstitial face and right inner indicia carried by said right front interstitial face; and wherein said left inner upright comprises a left front interstitial face and left inner indicia carried by said left front interstitial face.

3. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 2 wherein said right inner indicia and said left inner indicia affect said cards.

4. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 2 wherein: said frame further comprises a substructure portion disposed below said at least three compartment bottoms and above said frame lower edge; and said substructure portion comprises a substructure front face and substructure indicia carried by said substructure portion.

5. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 1 further comprising at least two support stands configured to be attached along said frame lower edge.

6. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said at least three compartment bottoms comprise a flat floor.

7. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said at least three compartment bottoms comprise a narrow horizontal groove.

8. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 1 wherein said frame lower edge is configured with a frame aperture; wherein said support stand is configured with a stand opening; and wherein said stand opening may be manually engaged with said frame aperture to attach said support stand to said frame.

9. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 1 wherein said frame comprises a frame-front section, a middle section, and a frame-backing section that are fixedly joined.

10. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said vertical outer upright slots and said inner upright slots extends from one of said at least three compartment bottoms to end at said frame upper edge.

11. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said vertical outer upright slots and said inner upright slots extends from one of said at least three compartment bottoms to stop short of said frame upper edge to define an upper open notch.

12. A card holder for receiving multiple cards, comprising: a thin, elongated frame extending horizontally between opposing frame side edges, extending vertically between a frame lower edge and a frame upper edge, and extending rearwardly between a frame front and a frame back; said frame comprising a plurality of open-front and open-top compartments disposed on said frame front and each of which accommodate one of said multiple cards; said frame further comprising a substructure portion extending horizontally between said opposing frame side edges and extending vertically from said frame lower edge up to a bottom of each of said plurality of compartments; said frame further comprising a right side upright configured with a left vertical slot, an opposing left side upright configured with a right vertical slot, a right inner upright configured with a right slot and a left slot, and a left inner upright configured with a right slot and a left slot; wherein said right inner upright comprises a right front interstitial face and indicia carried by said right front interstitial face; wherein said left inner upright comprises a left front interstitial face and indicia carried by said left front interstitial face; and wherein a horizontal distance between said left vertical slot of said right side upright and said right vertical slot of said right inner upright is at least 75% of the width of one of said multiple cards.

13. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 12 wherein: a first one of said plurality of compartments is defined by said left vertical slot of said right side upright, a first compartment bottom, said right vertical slot of said right inner upright, and a card compartment back; a second one of said plurality of compartments is defined by said left vertical slot of said right inner upright, a second compartment bottom, said right vertical slot of said left inner upright, and a card compartment back; and a third one of said plurality of compartments is defined by said left vertical slot of said left inner upright, a third compartment bottom, and said right vertical slot of said left side upright.

14. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 13 wherein: said left vertical slot of said right side upright and said right vertical slot of said right inner upright extend from said first compartment bottom to said frame upper edge; said left vertical slot of said right inner upright and said right vertical slot of said left inner upright extend from said second compartment bottom to said frame upper edge; and said left vertical slot of said left inner upright and said right vertical slot of said left side upright extend from said third compartment bottom to said frame upper edge.

15. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 13 wherein: said left vertical slot of said right side upright and said right vertical slot of said right inner upright extend from said first compartment bottom but stop short of said frame upper edge to define an upper open notch; said left vertical slot of said right inner upright and said right vertical slot of said left inner upright extend from said second compartment bottom but stop short of said frame upper edge to define an upper open notch; and said left vertical slot of said left inner upright and said right vertical slot of said left side upright extend from said third compartment bottom but stop short of said frame upper edge to define an upper open notch.

16. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 12 further comprising at least two support stands configured to be attached along said frame lower edge.

17. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 12 wherein said right front interstitial face has a width at least 20% of the width of one of said cards; and wherein said left front interstitial face has a width at least 20% of the width of one of said cards.

18. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 12 wherein said indicia carried by said right front interstitial face and indicia carried by said left front interstitial face affect a meaning of said cards.

19. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 12 wherein said frame comprises a frame-front section, a middle section, and a frame-backing section that are fixedly joined.

20. The card holder for receiving cards as recited in claim 12, wherein: said right side upright comprises a right side upright top edge; said left side upright comprises a left side upright top edge; said right inner upright comprises a right inner upright top edge; said left inner upright comprises a left inner upright; and said frame upper edge aligns with said right side upright top edge, said left side upright top edge, said right inner upright top edge, and said left inner upright.