How to Make Reusable Plastic SIM Card Holders
A design for a plastic card that allows users to pop out and snap back in different sizes of SIM cards without them falling out.
Original patent title: “Layered structures with cutting lines”
A design for a plastic card that allows users to pop out and snap back in different sizes of SIM cards without them falling out. Granted to Covestro Deutschland AG in 2024 with 11 claims.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a specialized plastic card structure designed to hold SIM cards of various sizes (2FF, 3FF, and 4FF) within a single frame. The structure uses precise cutting lines that go all the way through the material, allowing a user to manually push out a specific SIM card size and then snap it back into place. The material is a high-heat-resistant polycarbonate blend that ensures the card stays flat and holds its shape, even after being popped out and reinserted. It requires a specific amount of force (between 0.5 and 5 Newtons) to remove or reinsert the parts, ensuring they are secure but easy to use.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover cards made from non-polymeric materials like paper or metal.
- Does not cover structures that do not meet the specific Vicat softening temperature of at least 85 degrees Celsius.
- Does not cover SIM card holders that are designed for permanent removal without the ability to reinsert the card into the frame.
- Does not cover cards that require specialized tools or machinery to extract the SIM portions.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in the specific material properties and cutting precision that allow for a 'reinsertable' fit. By balancing the material's softening temperature and thickness, the inventors created a frame that holds the SIM card securely enough to stay in place during shipping, yet allows for easy manual removal and replacement without damaging the card edges.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Standard plastic SIM card frames provided by mobile network operators
Multi-size SIM card adapters included with new mobile devices
Why it matters
The bigger picture
As mobile phones have evolved, SIM cards have shrunk from credit-card size to tiny chips. This invention solves the practical problem of how to provide a user with a card that can adapt to different phone slots while remaining durable enough to be handled and reused without the small pieces falling out or warping.
Filed
December 10, 2020
Granted
September 10, 2024
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Covestro is a major global supplier of high-tech polymer materials. Their work here supports the supply chain for mobile network operators and SIM card manufacturers who need reliable, standardized card formats that work across global device ecosystems.
Market impact
This patent standardizes the physical design of SIM card carriers, ensuring that the transition between different SIM form factors remains consistent for consumers. It helps prevent waste and frustration by ensuring that the 'adapter' frames provided by carriers are robust enough to be used multiple times.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a specialized plastic card structure designed to hold SIM cards of various sizes (2FF, 3FF, and 4FF) within a single frame. The structure uses precise cutting lines that go all the way through the material, allowing a user to manually push out a specific SIM card size and then snap it back into place. The material is a high-heat-resistant polycarbonate blend that ensures the card stays flat and holds its shape, even after being popped out and reinserted. It requires a specific amount of force (between 0.5 and 5 Newtons) to remove or reinsert the parts, ensuring they are secure but easy to use.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in the specific material properties and cutting precision that allow for a 'reinsertable' fit. By balancing the material's softening temperature and thickness, the inventors created a frame that holds the SIM card securely enough to stay in place during shipping, yet allows for easy manual removal and replacement without damaging the card edges.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover cards made from non-polymeric materials like paper or metal.
- Does not cover structures that do not meet the specific Vicat softening temperature of at least 85 degrees Celsius.
- Does not cover SIM card holders that are designed for permanent removal without the ability to reinsert the card into the frame.
- Does not cover cards that require specialized tools or machinery to extract the SIM portions.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
7/20
Moderate scope
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$16K – $52K
Midpoint $32K · 14.5 yr remaining · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
11 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
WANG, D., Janke, S., Planken, K., Pudleiner, H., ZHAO, Y., Koehler, C., Feng, M., Kuenzel, R., & Tziovaras, G. (2024). How to Make Reusable Plastic SIM Card Holders (U.S. Patent No. 12,086,666). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12086666/starship-depot-variant
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How to Make Reusable Plastic SIM Card Holders cover?
A design for a plastic card that allows users to pop out and snap back in different sizes of SIM cards without them falling out.
Who owns patent US 12086666?
Covestro Deutschland AG owns this patent, granted in 2024.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 10, 2044, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
As mobile phones have evolved, SIM cards have shrunk from credit-card size to tiny chips. This invention solves the practical problem of how to provide a user with a card that can adapt to different phone slots while remaining durable enough to be handled and reused without the small pieces falling out or warping.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover cards made from non-polymeric materials like paper or metal.
Patent monitoring