Molded Keyholder

Abstract

A plastic injection-molded releasable keyring connector comprises a slab-shaped female member and a male member comprising an elongated web with a flange formed at the trailing end. The side edges of the male web are stepped laterally outwardly to form a pair of detents, and a deep slot extends into the web from the leading end to define a pair of fingers each associated with one of the detents. The detents engage upon full insertion of the male member, and are finger releasable from engagement for withdrawal of the male member.

Description

A number of keyring connectors have been manufactured in recent years to enable the operator of an automobile to conveniently separate the ignition key from other keys which he carries. The wide use and the convenience of these devices makes them desirable as an advertising giveaway or for similar promotional uses.

To succeed in such uses, a device should have a low manufacturing cost, reliability of operation, and adaptability to bearing a distinctive advertising message. The releasable keyring connector of the present invention may be injection molded. Closure is firm and positive, and release may be easily effected when desired, but cannot happen accidentally. The device is flat and wide making it ideal for the receipt of a label or imprinting bearing a name or other advertising message.

An object of the invention is to combine the advantages of economy, reliability, and appropriateness to advertising use in a better way than has been accomplished heretofore.

The more specific objects and advantages of the invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the male member of the device shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the male member seen in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the female member of the device seen in FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the member seen in FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane of line 6--6 in FIG. 4.

The illustrated device comprises a plastic injection-molded releasable keyring connector 10. The connector 10 includes a male injection-molded member 11 and a female injection-molded member 31.

The male member 11 comprises an elongated web 12 with a flange 13 formed at the trailing end of the male member. The side edges of the web 12 are stepped laterally outward near the other or leading end 18 to form a pair of detents 14. A deep slot 15 extends into the elongated web 12 from the leading end 18 to define a pair of fingers 16. Each of the fingers 16 is associated with one of the detents 14. A keyring hole 17 extends through the flange 13 at a portion thereof that is formed as a boss 19.

The female injection-molded member 31 includes a slab-shaped elongated body 32 with relatively wide face walls 33 and relatively narrow edge walls 34. The body 32 has a solid end 35 and an open end 36. The body 32 defines a body cavity 37 extending from the mouth 38 at the open end 36 toward the solid end 35. The body cavity 37 becomes progressively narrower along the shallow draft angles at the face walls 33 and the edge walls 34, the narrowing occurring as the cavity 37 progresses from the open end toward the closed end.

A pair of fingertip size edge notches 39 are formed at a distance from the cavity mouth 38. The notches 39 interrupt each edge wall 34. The edge notches 39 intersect the cavity 37 and extend from face-to-face of the elongated body 32. A keyring hole 40 extends from face-to-face at the solid end 35 of the body 32.

The detents 14 are progressively laterally compressible as the male member 11 is inserted in the female member 31, initial guiding contact being at the more sharply tapered portions 41 of the edge walls 34 of the female member at the mouth 38. As the male member reaches full insertion and the detents 14 reach the edge notches 39 in the female member, the detents 14 extend themselves laterally to engage the ends of the edge walls 34 at the notches 39. The detents 14 are easily finger released from engagement with the edge walls 34 for withdrawal of the male member by grasping the solid end 35 between the thumb and index finger, with these members positioned in the edge notches 39, and simultaneously retracting the flange 13 together with the remainder of the male member 11. The grasping action just described depresses the detents 14 to release them from engagement. This release cannot be made accidentally. When the male member is fully seated prior to release, it is firmly and solidly positioned in the female member to establish a reliable connection.

The female member may be provided with a mouth notch 42 located between the body edge walls 34 and extending from one face of the body 32 to the other. The boss 19 is seated in this mouth notch 42 as the male member 11 reaches full insertion, thus interlocking the trailing end of the male member 11 and the mouth or open end 36 of the female member against relative lateral movement.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A plastic injection-molded releasable keyring connector comprising male and female injection-molded members, the female member comprising a slab-shaped elongated body with relatively wide face walls and relatively narrow edge walls and a solid end and an open end, a body cavity extending from a mouth at the open end toward the solid end and becoming progressively narrower along shallow draft angles at the face walls and edge walls, a pair of fingertip size edge notches at a distance from the cavity mouth and interrupting each edge wall, said edge notches intersecting said cavity and extending from face-to-face of the elongated body, a keyring hole extending from face-to-face at the solid end of the body, the male member of the connector comprising an elongated web with a flange formed at the trailing end, the side edges of the web being stepped laterally outward near the other or leading end to form a pair of detents, a deep slot extending into the web from the leading end to define a pair of fingers each associated with one of the detents, a keyring hole extending through the flange, the detents being progressively laterally compressible as the male member is inserted in the female member and then self-extending laterally to engage the edge walls as the male member reaches full insertion and the detents reach the edge notches in the female member, the detents being finger-releasable from engagement with the edge walls for withdrawal of the male member, the female member having a mouth notch located between the body edge walls and extending from face wall to face wall, and a boss formed on said flange on the male member, said boss being seated in said mouth notch as the male member reaches full insertion.