NL2008361C2 - Display system. - Google Patents

Description

17504-Fe/Me Display system

The present disclosure relates to display systems for displaying goods and displaying one or more information cards, in particular to a card holder for such display systems.

5 Display systems for displaying goods and displaying one or more information cards, comprising a card holder in which the cards are exchangeably attached for exchange in accordance with variations in the displayed goods are known. The known systems, in particular for shop displays and home- and garden centres, 10 comprise a card holder with opposing grooves for holding therein the cards by their opposite edges and a support portion in between for supporting the central regions of the cards. In the known systems the card holders are provided by forming a plate with a general elongated C-shape by folding over rims on 15 opposite edges of the plate towards each other and spaced from the main portion of the plate. Thus elongated open grooves along the plate are provided, wherein the main portion of the plate provides the support portion for supporting the central regions of the cards between the grooves. Flexible cards may be inserted 20 and held in the grooves, e.g. being clamped in the card holder by their resiliency. The card holders generally extend for several meters along shelves for displaying goods, with the cards being curved convex or concave about an axis of curvature parallel to the direction of extension of (the grooves of) the 25 card holder. The known systems facilitate attaching and exchanging the cards in accordance with variations in the displayed goods.

It is desired to provide an improved display system 30 with increased attention value. The display system should be robust and low-cost.

To that end, a display system for displaying goods and displaying one or more information cards is provided according to the appended claims. The display system comprises a card 35 holder for exchangeably holding and displaying the information 2 cards. The card holder comprises a first elongated groove for receiving and holding an edge of a card to be displayed. At least a portion of the card holder is curved about an axis of curvature such that the first groove extends along the curve 5 generally perpendicular to the axis of curvature and a card when held in the first groove adopts the curved shape. The direction of curvature being perpendicular to the known system increases attention value and facilitates displaying information in plural directions.

10 The card holder may comprise a second elongated groove spaced in at least axial direction from the first groove with respect to the axis of curvature for holding opposite edges of the one or more cards, wherein preferably the grooves are substantially parallel to each other. Thus, cards are clampable 15 between the grooves and curved by the grooves, which increases retention of the cards.

The card holder may comprise a support for supporting the centre portion(s) of the one or more cards, preferably comprising a generally plane surface such as a plate-like 20 portion. This is particular suitable for supporting large or flexible, non-rigid cards. The support may be provided by a structure to fix a first and second groove with respect to each other. Possibly, the card holder is a substantially unitary obj ect.

25 The card holder may comprise a plate-like portion having a body portion and a rim extending along the curve generally perpendicular to the axis of curvature, and wherein at least a portion of the first groove is formed by a plurality of separate flanged rim portions of the plate-like portion adjacent 30 to each other along the groove. Thus, at least a portion of at least one groove may be formed by separated flanged rim portions of such plate-like portion. The separation may be preferably due to cuts extending radial with respect to the axis of curvature.

It is noted that the known card holders cannot be 35 curved about an axis of curvature extending perpendicular to the grooves to provide a curved card display, since in such case the grooves are squeezed and/or buckle under the bending strain so 3 that cards can no longer be inserted into the grooves. Providing separated flanged rim portions of the plate-like portion prevents such squeezing and buckling, since the rim portions may separate somewhat when the card holder is curved. Curving the 5 plate-like portion may be performed before or after forming the flanged rim portions.

The card holder may comprise a plate-like portion having a body portion and a rim extending along the curve generally perpendicular to the axis of curvature, wherein at 10 least a portion of the rim is bent generally towards the body portion over more than 270 degrees, and wherein at least a portion of the first groove is formed by the body portion of the plate-like portion and the bent rim. Thus, the flanged rim is effectively curled over to form and define the desired groove. A 15 benefit is that the flanged portion is generally robust against squeezing upon curving the card holder about an axis of curvature extending perpendicular to the groove, due to the bend in the material extending over 270 degrees. Thus, an open groove suitable for receiving and holding an information card is 20 maintained after curving. Further, the flanged rim may protrude significantly before a card received and held in the groove, protecting to the card.

In an embodiment, the card holder comprises an elongated profiled rib extending along the curve generally 25 perpendicular to the axis of curvature, wherein at least a portion of the first groove is defined by the rib. This facilitates definition of the groove. The rib may also provide robustness to the card holder and the display system.

The card holder may comprise a support surface, wherein 30 at least a portion of the first groove is defined by opposing inner walls, and wherein one of the inner walls is formed by the support surface and the opposite inner wall is formed by the rib. This facilitates manufacturing of the card holder and the display system as a whole.

35 Particularly efficient is when the support surface comprises a plate-like portion and the rib comprises a rod 4 and/or a tube attached to the plate-like portion. E.g., this facilitates selecting different materials.

In an embodiment the support surface comprises a platelike portion and at least a portion of the rib comprises, in 5 cross section, a substantially rounded shape, and the plate-like portion extends substantially tangential to the rounded shape. A rib with a rounded basic shape, e.g. a substantially circular cylinder or a round tube, easily provides a groove, it facilitates attachment of the cards, it provides a pleasing 10 appearance and it prevents sharp portions. It also facilitates manufacture and increases robustness of the clamp. A protruding rib further protects a card received in the groove.

Plural card holders, in particular plural substantially similar cardholder, may be interconnected with at least one 15 their respective grooves in register, preferably both grooves when present, so that a continuous card holder is provided increasing freedom of arranging cards to be displayed. Interconnected card holders may comprise card holders having different radii of curvature, including substantially straight 20 portions.

The display system may comprise one or more shelves, trays and/or supports for displaying goods.

A card holder as described above may be formed as defined in claim 12.

25 A card holder comprising a rib may be manufactured by a method comprising the steps of providing at least one elongated profiled rib of a substantially rigid deformable material, e.g. a metal or a plastic material, providing a plate of a substantially rigid deformable material, e.g. a metal or a 30 plastic material, which may be the same or different from the material of the rib, curving at least one of the rib and the plate with a desired radius of curvature and attaching the plate and the rib together such that between the plate and the rib a groove is formed for receiving and holding an edge of a card to 35 be displayed, wherein the groove is defined by opposing inner- walls, wherein one of the inner walls is formed by the plate and the opposite inner wall is formed by the rib.

5

Curving the rib(s) and/or the plate prior to attachment of these parts together facilitates manufacture of the card holder with a predictable shape and prevents undesired deformation of the groove.

5 It has proven very efficient to have one or more ribs that are relatively rigid and the plate being a relatively flexible strip and to first curve the rib(s) and then to attach the strip to the rib(s). In such method the plate may simply be fit to the radius of curvature of the rib(s) and need not be 10 curved separately. In such case the rib may provide stability and robustness in the radial direction with respect to the axis of curvature and the longitudinal direction of the groove, whereas the curvature of the plate provides stability and robustness in axial direction with respect to the axis of 15 curvature.

The above-described aspects will hereafter be more explained with further details and benefits with reference to the drawings showing an embodiment of the invention by way of 20 example.

Fig. 1 shows a segment of a prior art card holder for a display arrangement;

Fig. 2 shows a detail of an improved card holder;

Figs. 3-4 show an improved card holder; 25 Fig. 5 is cross section view of another embodiment;

Fig. 6 shows interconnection of card holders according to Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 7 indicates a display system comprising improved card holders.

30

It is noted that the drawings are schematic, not necessarily to scale and that details that are not required for understanding the present invention may have been omitted. The terms "upward", "downward", "below", "above", and the like 35 relate to the embodiments as oriented in the drawings, unless otherwise specified. Further, elements that are at least substantially identical or that perform an at least 6 substantially identical function are denoted by the same numeral, increased by 100, 200 etc.

Fig. 1 shows a prior art card holder 1 for a display system, comprising opposing grooves 3 for holding therein an 5 information card 5 by its opposite edges 7 and further comprising a body portion 9 between the grooves 3 for supporting a central region 11 of the card 5. This card holder 1 is manufactured from a metal strip 12 by folding over opposite flanged rim portions 13 in a general J-shape to provide the 10 grooves 3. Sufficiently deep and narrow grooves (typically ca. 1 cm deep, ca. 1-2 mm open width) for reliably holding flexible sheet-like cards can only be provided by folding the flanged rim portions when the strip is flat. Would such card holder 1 be curved in a direction substantially perpendicular to the support 15 portion 9 to provide a curved card holder, the grooves 3 would be squeezed tightly closed and a card 5 could not be introduced anymore into the grooves 3, rendering the card holder 1 defunct.

Fig. 2 shows an improved card holder 101 which may be curved with respect to an axis of curvature A, e.g. such that 20 the card holder 101 forms a circle segment (see Fig. 3 discussed below). As in Fig. 1, the card holder 101 comprises a bendable strip 112, e.g. a metal strip. However, different from Fig. 1, the plate is provided with flanged rim portions 113 that are separated by cuts 115 so that a groove 103 is formed by 25 separated flanged rim portions of the plate-like portion. Such card holder 101 may be curved in a direction substantially perpendicular to the body portion 109 to provide the curved card holder. Namely, since the flanged rim portions 113 slightly separate in (then) circumferential direction relative to the 30 axis of curvature due to the (then) radial cuts 115, the groove 103 is not squeezed and remains open for receiving a card 107.

Figs. 3-4 shows as another embodiment a card holder 201 being curved about an axis of curvature A over an angle a of curvature of about 90 degrees (i.e. about a quarter circle). In 35 this embodiment, the card holder 201 comprises two cylindrical ribs 217 with diameter d attached parallel to each other at a heart-to-heart separation D to an elongated plate 219, providing 7 a free opening or gap G between the ribs 217. Here, the ribs 217 are tubes with a substantially round cross sectional shape, but hollow or solid cylinders, tubes or rods with different cross sectional shapes may be provided as well. Best seen in Fig. 4, 5 the plate 219 is attached at an angle to the radius of the round shape of the ribs 217 such that between each rib 217 and the plate 219 an elongated groove 213 is defined. Best seen in Fig.

4, here the plate 219 extends substantially tangentially to the round shapes of the ribs 217, i.e. at an angle of 90 degrees to 10 the cylinder radius. The groove 203 extends along the curve of the card holder 200 generally perpendicular to the axis of curvature A. The grooves 203 are generally opposite each other for receiving opposite edges of an information card 205. The central region 211 of the card 205 held in the grooves 203 is 15 supported by the curved, but otherwise substantially flat, surface of the plate 219.

The card holder 201 may be readily manufactured by providing bendable, e.g. metal, tubes 217 of a desired length, and curving the tubes 217 with suitable methods and means well 20 known in the art such as rolling, to a desired radius of curvature, providing a somewhat flexible strip 219 of metal, and fixing the strip 219 to each curved tube 217. Alternatively, a long cylinder may be curved and then cut to desired length.

Fixing the tubes 217 and plate 219 may be done by any suitable 25 method, e.g. welding, gluing, riveting, screwing, bolting etc. Instead of tubes, profiled rods or strips may be used.

Fig. 5 shows a cross section view of a card holder 301 which comprises a bendable plate 312 having a body portion 309 providing a support and a rim. The rim comprises a flanged rim 30 portion 313 which is bent generally towards the body portion 309 over a bending angle P of more than about 270 degrees, here about 300 degrees, so that, at least in a figure of speech, the rim portion 313 is generally curled back onto itself, thus a generally rounded rib is formed. A groove 303 is formed by the 35 body portion 309 of the plate 319 providing a first inner groove wall 303A and the free end of the rim 313 providing an opposite inner groove wall 303B. A thus curled rim 313 has inherently a 8 varying bending radius with an outer rim portion 313A generally remote from the body portion 309 having a relatively larger outer bending radius, and an inner rim portion 313B generally towards the body portion 309 and the groove 303 having a 5 relatively smaller inner bending radius. A thus shaped bendable plate 319 may subsequently be curved about an axis of curvature A to provide the desired curved shape to the card holder 301, wherein, due to the bending radius of the inner rim portion 313B of the rim 313, an open groove 303 is maintained between 10 opposing inner groove walls 303A and 303B. The plate 309 may be provided with bent rims as shown in Fig. 5 on opposite sides to provide a card holder with opposing grooves for holding opposite edges of a card. The rim 313 may be cut to plural rim portions as in Fig 2.

15 Plural card holders may be interconnected with their respective grooves 203 in register with each other so as to provide a substantially continuous groove. Fig. 6 indicates that two card holders 201A 201B of the type of Figs. 3-4, may be interconnected by inserting plugs 221 into the respective 20 cylinders 217 (see the arrow) and fixing the card holders 201A, 201B to the plugs 221 with screws or bolts through matching holes 223, 225. Such system may be used also with card holders having open rib portions such as that of Fig. 5. Instead of plugs 221 other connectors may be used, e.g. plugs with spring-25 loaded protrusions to engage holes in the cylinders 217 such as known for vacuum cleaner tubes and/or telescopic tubes. Also, in particular for the card holder of Fig. 5, (a portion of) one card holder may be inserted into (a portion of) an adjacent card holder to interconnect the two.

30 Fig. 7 shows a display system 40 comprising a support for displaying goods in the form of a grid 42 for displaying heavy goods such as potted plants, which is surrounded by a curved card holder 401 as provided herein and two substantially similar but substantially plane card holders 402. The card 35 holders 401, 402 have substantially equal vertical sizes and are interconnected to provide substantially continuous opposing grooves 403 for receiving and holding information cards 405 9 clamped therein. The cards 405 may be placed at any desired position along the card holders 401, 402, with cards 405 held in the curved card holder 401 adopting its curved shape, to provide information and an attractive display in different directions.

5 Similarly, a circular display may be efficiently provided.

Typical materials and sizes for a card holder may comprise aluminium or stainless steel plate of thickness 0,5 mm, 1 mm, 1,5 mm, 2 mm, 2,5 mm or 3 mm. For the embodiment of Figs.

10 3 and 4 aluminium or stainless steel tubes of ca 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm or 30 mm diameter at 1,5 mm, 2 mm, or 3 mm wall thickness are suitable, which can be welded to the plate, e.g. with the plate extending tangential to the round cross section of the tubes. Such card holder may have a radius of curvature of about 15 0.5 m, 1 m or larger e.g. 2 m.

It has been found that a card holder 201 of Figs. 3, 4, with two steel tubes 217 of ca 20 mm diameter d attached parallel to a 2 mm thick steel plate 219 at a heart-to-heart separation D of 225 mm provides two opposing grooves 213 with 20 bottoms of about 220 mm apart and a gap G of about 205 mm between the nearest portions of the tubes 217. This has proven very suitable for holding information cards of printed plastic sheet material or laminated paper of about DIN-A4 size with a height of ca 215-220 mm in a card display with a radius of 25 curvature of about 1 m. A card holder with such readily available materials tends to be very robust and capable of withstanding forceful collisions such as may happen in large home or garden stores with heavily loaded shopping carts. Due to the protruding tubes extending in front of the information 30 cards, the cards are protected against such collisions. In the aforementioned prior art display systems and/or card holders (cf Fig. 1) separate bumpers have been employed for protecting information cards, which however require additional manufacturing and fixation steps. The present card holder can 35 provide an integrated bumper.

10 A display system may be constructed with the card holder being an integral construction element or as a separate object in an assembly.

The invention is not restricted to the above described 5 embodiments which can be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the claims. For instance, instead of a plate 109, 219, 319, a mesh, a grid or one or more bars can be used. A card holder may comprise plural axes and/or radii of curvature e.g. following a generally elliptical shape, having an organic 10 regularly or irregularly wavy or undulating shape etc.

The card holder may also be manufactured with, possibly transparent, plastic and/or natural materials like bamboo or rattan. In case of an at least partly transparent card holder the information cards may be mounted so to be visible trough a 15 support portion, which protects the card.

Differently sized and/or shaped ribs may be used. The card holder may comprise plural ribs and/or grooves for receiving and holding plural and/or differently sized cards, e.g. three cylinder arranged in parallel above each other on one 20 plate with the middle cylinder providing two grooves towards opposite sides accommodates two cards above each other, and/or for accommodating cards of one given size in both portrait and landscape orientation.

The card holders discloses herein may be provided as 25 independent objects and/or as part of a kit of parts comprising the card holder and display means for displaying goods.

Aspects of the disclosure are presented in the following numbered statements: 30 1. A display system for displaying goods and displaying one or more information cards, comprising a card holder for exchangeably holding and displaying the information cards, wherein the card holder comprises a first elongated groove for receiving and holding an edge of a card to be displayed, wherein 35 at least a portion of the card holder is curved about an axis of curvature such that the first groove extends along the curve 11 generally perpendicular to the axis of curvature and a card when held in the first groove adopts the curved shape.

2. The display system of statement 1, wherein the card holder comprises a second elongated groove spaced in at least 5 axial direction from the first groove with respect to the axis of curvature for holding opposite edges of the one or more cards, wherein preferably the grooves are substantially parallel to each other.

3. The display system of any preceding statement, 10 wherein the card holder comprises a support for supporting the centre portion(s) of the one or more cards, preferably comprising a generally plane surface such as a plate-like portion.

4. The display system of any preceding statement, 15 wherein the card holder comprises a plate-like portion having a body portion and a rim extending along the curve generally perpendicular to the axis of curvature, and wherein at least a portion of the first groove is formed by a plurality of separate flanged rim portions of the plate-like portion adjacent to each 20 other along the groove.

5. The display system of any preceding statement, wherein the card holder comprises a plate-like portion having a body portion and a rim extending along the curve generally perpendicular to the axis of curvature, wherein at least a 25 portion of the rim is bent generally towards the body portiom over more than 270 degrees, and wherein at least a portion of the first groove is formed by the body portion of the plate-like portion and the bent rim.

6. The display system of any preceding statement, 30 wherein the card holder comprises an elongated profiled rib extending along the curve generally perpendicular to the axis of curvature and wherein at least a portion of the first groove is defined by the rib.

7. The display system of statement 6, wherein the card 35 holder comprises a support surface and wherein at least a portion of the first groove is defined by opposing inner walls, 12 wherein one of the inner walls is formed by the support surface and the opposite inner wall is formed by the rib.

8. The display system of statement 7, comprising a plate-like portion providing the support surface and wherein the 5 rib comprises a rod and/or a tube attached to the plate-like portion, wherein preferably at least a portion of the rib comprises, in cross section, a substantially rounded shape, and wherein the plate-like portion extends substantially tangential to the rounded shape.

10 9. The display system of any preceding statement, wherein at least a portion of the card holder comprises two cylindrical ribs with a substantially round cross sectional shape attached to a plate, wherein preferably the plate is tangential to the round shapes of the ribs, such that between 15 each rib and the plate an elongated groove is defined, the grooves being opposite each other for receiving opposite edges of an information card.

10. The display system of any preceding statement, comprising plural card holders, preferably plural substantially 20 similar card holders, that are interconnected with at least one of their respective grooves in register with each other.

11. The display system of any preceding statement, comprising one or more shelves, trays and/or supports for displaying goods.

25 12. A method of manufacturing a card holder for a display system of any preceding statement, comprising the steps of: providing a plate of a substantially rigid deformable material comprising a body portion and a rim, forming the rim 30 into a plurality of separate flanged rim portions of the plate adjacent to each other curving the plate about an axis of curvature thus forming a first elongated groove extending along the curve of the plate generally perpendicular to the axis of 35 curvature, the groove being configured for receiving and holding an edge of an information card to be displayed, such that a card when held in the first groove adopts the curved shape.

13 13. A method of manufacturing a card holder for a display system of any one of statements 6-11, comprising the steps of: providing at least one elongated profiled rib of a 5 substantially rigid deformable material, providing a plate of a substantially rigid deformable material, curving at least a portion of the rib and/or the plate to a predetermined radius of curvature, and 10 attaching the plate and the rib together such that between at least a portion of the plate and the rib a groove is formed for receiving and holding an edge of an information card to be displayed, wherein at least a portion of the groove is defined by opposing inner walls, wherein one of the inner walls 15 is formed by the plate and the opposite inner wall is formed by the rib.

14. The method of statement 13, wherein at least a portion of the rib has, in cross section, a substantially rounded shape, and wherein the plate, when attached to the rib 20 extends substantially tangential to the rounded shape.

15. The method of statement 13 or 14, comprising the steps of manufacturing plural card holders and attaching the manufactured card holders together.

Elements and aspects discussed for or in relation with a 25 particular embodiment may be suitably combined with elements and aspects of other embodiments within the scope of the appended claims, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Claims (15)

A presentation system (40) for displaying goods and displaying one or more information cards (105, 205, 405), comprising a card holder (101, 201, 301, 401) for holding and displaying the information cards interchangeably, 5 wherein the card holder comprises a first elongated groove (103, 203, 303, 403) for receiving and holding an edge (107, 207) of a card to be displayed, at least a part of the card holder being curved about a curvature axis (A) such that the first groove extends along the curvature substantially perpendicular to the curvature axis and a map held in the first groove assumes the curvature. The presentation system (40) of claim 1, wherein the card holder (101, 201, 301, 401) comprises a second elongated groove (103, 203, 303, 403) that is spaced apart from the first groove in at least the axial direction with respect to the curvature axis (A) for holding opposite edges of the one or more cards (105, 205, 405), the grooves preferably running substantially parallel to each other. The presentation system (40) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the card holder (101, 201, 301, 401.) comprises a support (109, 219, 309) for supporting the central parts of the one or more cards, preferably comprising a substantially flat surface such as a plate-like part (112, 219, 312). The presentation system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the card holder (101) comprises a plate-like part (112) that has a body part and an edge (113, 313) that extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of curvature along the curvature ( A), and wherein at least a portion of the first groove (103) is formed by a plurality of separate bent edge portions of the plate-like portion adjacent to each other along the groove. The presentation system (40) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the card holder (301) comprises a plate-like part (312) which has a body part (309) and an edge (313) which extends substantially perpendicular to the curvature axis (A), wherein at least a portion of the edge is generally bent toward the body portion 5 by more than 270 degrees, and wherein at least a portion of the first groove (303) is formed by the body portion of the plate-like part and the curved edge. 6. The presentation system (40) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the card holder (201, 401) comprises an elongated profiled rib (217) extending substantially perpendicular to the curvature axis (A) and wherein at least one part of the first groove (213) is defined by the rib. The presentation system (40) of claim 6, wherein the card holder (201, 401) comprises a support surface and wherein at least a portion of the first groove (203) is defined by opposing inner walls, one of the inner walls being formed by the support surface and the opposite inner wall is formed by the rib (217). The presentation system (40) according to claim 6, comprising a plate-like part (219) that provides the support surface and wherein the rib (217) comprises a rod and / or a tube attached to the plate-like part, preferably at least a part of the rib comprises a substantially round shape in cross-section, and wherein the plate-like part extends substantially tangentially to the round shape. 9. The presentation system (40) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least a part of the card holder comprises two cylindrical ribs (217) with a substantially round cross-sectional shape attached to a plate, the plate preferably being tangentially is to the round shapes of the ribs such that an elongated groove (203) is defined between each rib and the plate and the grooves lie opposite each other for receiving opposite edges of an information card (205). The presentation system (40) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of card holders (101, 201, 301, 401, 402), preferably a plurality of substantially similar card holders, mutually connected to at least one of their respective grooves (103, 203, 303, 403) aligned with each other. The presentation system (40) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising one or more shelves, sheets and / or carriers (42) for displaying goods. 12. A method of manufacturing a card holder (101, 201, 301, 401, 402) for a presentation system (40) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of: providing a plate (112) of a substantially rigidly deformable material comprising a body part (109) and an edge (113), forming the edge into a plurality of separate adjacent curved edge portions (113) of the plate, bending the plate about a curvature axis (A) and thus forming a first elongated groove (113) extending along the curvature substantially perpendicular to the curvature axis, the groove being adapted to receive and hold an edge of an information card (105) to be displayed, so that a card when held in the first groove assumes the curved shape. 13. A method of manufacturing a card holder (201, 401) for a presentation system (40) according to any of claims 6-11, comprising the steps of: providing at least one elongated profiled rib (217) of a substantially rigid deformable material, providing a plate (219) of a substantially rigid deformable material bending the at least a portion of the rib and / or the plate to a certain radius of curvature, and attaching the plate and the rib to each other such that a groove (203) is formed between at least a portion of the plate and the rib for receiving and holding an edge of an information card to be displayed, at least a portion of the groove being defined by opposing inner walls, a of the inner walls is formed by the plate and the opposite inner wall is formed by the rib. The method of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the rib (217), in cross-section, has a substantially round shape and wherein the plate (219), when attached to the rib, extends substantially in tangential direction with respect to of the round shape. The method of claim 13 or 14, comprising the steps of manufacturing a plurality of card holders (201, 401, 402) and securing the manufactured card holders to each other.