U.S. patent application number 11/246172 was filed with the patent office on 2007-04-12 for key holder.
Invention is credited to Heng-Tsung Hsu.
Application Number | 20070079639 11/246172 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37910003 |
Filed Date | 2007-04-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070079639 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hsu; Heng-Tsung |
April 12, 2007 |
Key holder
Abstract
A key holder has at least one seat and at least one housing. The
seat has a key and a base in which the key is mounted. The housing
has at least one chamber to receive the seat, and at least one slot
longitudinally defined in a side of the housing. At least one
fastener is inserted into the slot and the base so that the key is
secured in the base and the base can slide along the slot. The key
can be retracted into the key holder for safe storage. The key can
be quickly and easily extended out of the key holder for convenient
use.
Inventors: |
Hsu; Heng-Tsung; (Kaohsiung,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE
FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
37910003 |
Appl. No.: |
11/246172 |
Filed: |
October 11, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
70/456R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A44B 15/005 20130101;
Y10T 70/8676 20150401; A45C 11/328 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
070/456.00R |
International
Class: |
A45C 11/32 20060101
A45C011/32; A47G 29/10 20060101 A47G029/10; A44B 15/00 20060101
A44B015/00 |
Claims
1. A key holder comprising: at least one seat, each one of the at
least one seat having a key with a tongue formed at a lower end
thereof, wherein the tongue has a notch; a base connected to the
key and having a channel defined longitudinally through a center to
receive the tongue, and a threaded hole defined in a side of the
base and in communication with the channel and the notch in the
tongue; a housing holding the at least one seat inside and having
an open end; at least one chamber defined longitudinally in the
housing, corresponding respectively to and held the at least one
seat inside, and at least one slot defined longitudinally through a
side of the housing and corresponding respectively to the channel
in the base of the at least one seat; and at least one fastener
corresponding respectively to the at least one seat, and each one
of the at least one fastener having a head with a diameter slightly
larger than that of a corresponding one of the at least one slot in
the housing and abutting a periphery of the corresponding slot, and
a thread extending from the head, wherein the fastener is inserted
through the corresponding slot into a corresponding one of the at
least one threaded hole and has a diameter slightly smaller than
that of a corresponding one of the at least one notch, whereby the
fastener is securely mated with the corresponding notch to fasten a
corresponding one key to a corresponding one base.
2. The key holder as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a box
holding the at least one housing inside and having an open end, at
least one chamber and at least one slot longitudinally defined in
the box.
3. The key holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the key holder has
multiple housings received into the box.
4. The key holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the key holder has
two housings received into the box.
5. The key holder as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a cap
mounted over the open end of the box.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a key holder, and more
particularly to a key holder, which can receive keys within it and
is safe and convenient to carry and use.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] At present, it is common for people to amass a large number
of keys on a key ring. However, the keys are usually not contained
in any kind of holder such that they hang out in the open and can
easily hurt the user or others if not careful. The keys can also
cause damage to surfaces or other objects if the user is not
careful.
[0005] Therefore, the invention provides a key holder to mitigate
or obviate the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The main objective of the present invention is to provide a
key holder, with which it is convenient for a user to carry keys
safely.
[0007] Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment
of a key holder in accordance with the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is an operational cross-sectional side view of the
key holder in FIG. 1;
[0010] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a second
embodiment of a key holder in accordance with the present
invention;
[0011] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment
of a key holder in accordance with the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a fourth
embodiment of a key holder in accordance with the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 6 is an operational cross-sectional view of the fourth
embodiment of a key holder in FIG. 5; and
[0014] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the fourth embodiment of
a key holder in FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] With reference to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of a key holder
has a seat (10) and a housing (40).
[0016] The seat (10) comprises a key (20) and a base (30) in which
the key (20) is mounted. A tongue (21) is integrally formed in a
lower end of the key (20) and a channel (31) is longitudinally
defined in a center of the base (30). The tongue (21) is inserted
into the channel (31). A notch (22) is transversely defined in the
tongue (21). A threaded hole (32) is defined in a side of the base
(30) and communicates with the channel (31).
[0017] The housing (40) has a chamber (41) longitudinally defined
therein forming a box with an open end. The base (30) with the key
(20) can be inserted into the housing (40) and slide freely up and
down within the chamber (41). A slot (42) is longitudinally defined
through a side of the housing (40) and in communication with the
chamber (41). A stopping edge (43) is formed at the open end of the
housing (40) closing the end of the slot (42).
[0018] A screw (50) has a head (51), the diameter of which is
slightly larger than that of the slot (42), integrally formed in an
end thereof and a thread (52), the diameter of which is slightly
smaller than that of the notch (22), extending from the head (51).
The thread (52) is securely mated with the threaded hole (32) and
securely fastened to the notch (22). In other embodiments of the
present invention, the screw (50) can be any type of fastener.
[0019] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the key (20) is inserted
into the channel (31) and the base (30) is inserted into the
chamber (41). The screw (50) is inserted so that the thread (52)
extends through the slot (42) and into the threaded hole (32) in
the base (30). The thread (52) also extends through the notch (22)
in the tongue (21) of the key (20) thereby securing the key (20) in
the base (30). The head (5) remains outside of the housing (40)
abutting the slot (42). When the head (51) is pushed upwards along
the slot (42), an end of the key (20) extends out of the chamber
(41) to be used. When the head (51) abuts the stopping edge (43),
the key (20) cannot be pushed farther and will not be separated
from the housing (40).
[0020] With reference to FIG. 3, a second embodiment of the
invention is the same as the first embodiment except that the
second embodiment has a housing (60) which has two chambers (61)
longitudinally defined therein and in alignment with each other.
Two seats (10), each of which is composed of a key (20) and a base
(30), are received respectively into the chambers (61). Two slots
(62) parallel to each other are longitudinally defined through a
side of the housing (60) and in communication with the chambers
(61). Hence, each key (20) is fastened to each base (30) with a
fastener (50) being inserted into each slot (62) and through each
threaded hole (32). The operation of the second embodiment of the
invention is similar to that of the first embodiment.
[0021] With reference to FIG. 4, a third embodiment of the
invention is the same as the second embodiment except that the
third embodiment has a housing (70), which has three parallel
chambers longitudinally defined therein. The operation of the third
embodiment of the invention is similar to that of the second
embodiment.
[0022] With reference to FIGS. 5-7, a fourth embodiment of the
invention has a box (80), which has an open end and two chambers
(81) defined therein and in alignment with each other. A single
housing (40) and a double housing (60) are received respectively
into the chambers (81). Multiple slots (82) are defined in two
sides of the box (80) and correspond to the slots (42)(62) in the
housings (40)(60). The seats (10) are received into the housings
(40)(60) and the housings (40)(60) are received into the box (80).
The fasteners (50) are inserted through the slots (82)(42)(62) in
turn and fastened in the threaded holes (32). Hence, the keys (20)
are secured in the bases (30) and the seats (10) can slide within
the chambers (81). A cap (90), which is configured to mate with the
box (80), is mounted over the open end of the box (80) thereby
preventing dust from entering the box (80). The operation of the
fourth embodiment is the same as that of the previous
embodiments.
[0023] The advantages of the present invention are described as
follows:
[0024] 1. The keys (20) are contained within the key holder when
not in use to prevent injury or damage to persons or objects
nearby.
[0025] 2. A key (20) can be quickly and easily extended for use.
When the keys (20) are retracted within the housings (40)(60), the
key holder has an attractive appearance and the keys (20) are
separated so they will not strike each other and make noise.
[0026] 3. The key holder can be configured to hold different
numbers of keys (20).
[0027] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous
characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been
set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of
the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is
illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially
in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the
principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the
broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
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