U.S. patent number RE32,914 [Application Number 07/154,354] was granted by the patent office on 1989-05-02 for key and retainer card combination.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Creditcard Keys Company. Invention is credited to Donald F. Almblad.
United States Patent |
RE32,914 |
Almblad |
May 2, 1989 |
Key and retainer card combination
Abstract
A key and card combination is provided wherein a convenient size
key carrying card has at least one recess, or a pair of recesses
for a set of keys, a key in each recess, and structure separably
retaining the key in its recess. The keys may be hingedly attached
to the card and adapted to be swung into and out of the plane of
the card. Alternatively, each key may be retained in the card by
breakaway means. Further alternatively, each key may be received
endwise in a socket recess extending inwardly in an edge of the
card, and with tongue and groove and detent structure retaining the
key separably in its socket.
Inventors: |
Almblad; Donald F. (Scottsdale,
AZ) |
Assignee: |
Creditcard Keys Company
(AZ)
|
Family
ID: |
27168543 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/154,354 |
Filed: |
February 10, 1988 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
619936 |
Jun 12, 1984 |
04637236 |
Jan 20, 1987 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
70/458 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C
11/326 (20130101); E05B 19/26 (20130101); G09F
23/10 (20130101); Y10T 70/873 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
A45C
11/00 (20060101); A45C 11/32 (20060101); E05B
19/26 (20060101); E05B 19/00 (20060101); G09F
23/10 (20060101); G09F 23/00 (20060101); A45C
011/32 (); A47G 029/10 (); A44B 015/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;70/456-459 ;40/2A,330
;D3/61,62 ;206/37-37.8,39 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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3242766 |
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May 1984 |
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DE |
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58-111084 |
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Jul 1983 |
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JP |
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58-134982 |
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Sep 1983 |
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JP |
|
845526 |
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Aug 1960 |
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GB |
|
934838 |
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Aug 1963 |
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GB |
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Primary Examiner: Wolfe; Robert L.
Claims
I claim as my invention:
1. A key and card combination, comprising:
a key carrying generally rectangular wallet size plastic card of
credit card-type thickness and dimensions and having opposite
faces;
at least one key recess in said card extending entirely through the
thickness of the card;
a key of greater thickness than the card in said recess consisting
of the same plastic material as said card, said key having a
thickness for substantially resisting twisting when used in a
lock;
said key having an edge thereabout, and said recess being defined
by an edge substantially surrounding said key edge;
and means on an area of said key edge and on a corresponding area
of said recess edge for separably retaining the key in said recess
and with the key having a face portion which is elevated from the
plane of the adjacent card face.
2. A combination according to claim 1, wherein said recess
comprises a key socket within the plane of said card, and said
separably retaining means comprising a hinge formed from the same
material as the card and the key and integrally connecting a key
head crown end of the key to said corresponding area of said recess
edge of the card and adapting the key to be swung into and out of
the plane of the card.
3. A combination according to claim 1, wherein said means separably
retaining the key comprises breakaway structure.
4. A combination according to claim 1, wherein said means separably
retaining the key comprises yieldable detent structure.
5. A combination according to claim 4, wherein said means separably
retaining the key further includes a hinge connecting a head end of
the key to the card so that the key can be swung into and out of
said recess while remaining attached to the card.
6. A combination according to claim 1, wherein said card and said
key are fabricated in one piece from a plastic material. .[.7. A
combination according to claim 1, wherein said card is fabricated
from a plastic
material, and said key is fabricated from metal..]. 8. A
combination according to claim 1, wherein said recess comprises a
socket extending inwardly in the card from one edge of the card,
said key being receptive in the socket by an endwise shank-first
maneuver into the socket, and said means separably retaining the
key comprises tongue and groove structure in and along said edges
of the key and along edges defining the socket in the
card. 9. A combination according to claim 8, wherein said socket is
longer than the length of the key including the key shank and the
key head, so that when the key is fully received in the socket said
head is located within the socket and has its crown end spaced
inwardly from said one end of the card, and said separably
retaining means comprising a yieldably detent retainingly engagable
with a shoulder at said key head crown end.
. A combination according to claim 8, wherein said recess has
tapered lead in surfaces for facilitating reception of the key in
the recess
socket. 11. A combination according to claim 1, wherein the card
includes a second key recess, and a second key, and means for
separably retaining the second key in the second recess, so that
the card is adapted for
carrying a set of keys. 12. A combination according to claim 1,
wherein said key has a further face portion opposite to said
elevated face portion which is also elevated from the card face
which is adjacent to said
further face portion. 13. A key card combination, comprising:
a key-shaped recess socket in the plane of the card;
a key in the recess socket consisting of the same material as said
card so that said key and card can be simultaneously formed;
integral hinge means consisting of the same material as said key
and said card connecting an edge of a head end of the key to an
edge of the card in said socket for permitting the key to be swung
out from and swung back into the plane of the card without severing
said hinge means; and
means formed of the same material as said key, said card and said
hinge means for at least initially retaining the key separably in
said recess
socket against being swung out of said recess. 14. A combination
according to claim 13, wherein said key is thicker than said card
and said retaining means comprising detent nib and keeper recess
structure wherein the nib is on the card and the key has a keeper
recess receptive of the detent nib.
. A combination according to claim 14, wherein said detent nib
and
keeper recess are located at the tip end of a shank of the key. 16.
A combination according to claim 14, wherein said structure is
located on a
key neck at juncture of a head and shank of the key. 17. A key and
card combination, comprising:
a key carrying generally rectangular wallet size card of relatively
thin section such as that commonly present in plastic credit cards
and having opposite faces;
a recessed socket extending inwardly from an edge of the card, and
complementary to a key to be received in the card;
a key thicker than said card and separably receptive by
longitudinal maneuver of its shank and head into said socket;
and
groove means in side edges of the key and complementary tongue
means along sides of the recess slidably received in said groove
means for separably retaining the key in the socket with a face
area of the key being elevated
from the plane of the adjacent card face. 18. A combination
according to claim 17, wherein said tongue and groove means are
located along opposite sides of the key head and the key head
receiving portion of the socket.
A combination according to claim 18, wherein said tongue and groove
means further includes a tongue and groove structure at the tip end
of the
key and the key tip receiving portion of the socket. 20. A
combination according to claim 17, wherein the key has in the tip
end of its shank a groove, and the card has a complementary tongue
structure receptive in said groove. .Iadd.21. A key device
comprising:
card means, said card means including recess means therein;
key means;
connecting means connecting said key means and said card means,
said connecting means being adapted to permit said key means to be
swung out of and back into, said recess means; and
said card means, said key means and said connecting means being
integrally
formed of plastic. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. A key device as defined in
claim 21 wherein said key means includes a key head and a key
shank, said card means including an edge defining said recess; said
connecting means connecting said key head and said card edge.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.23. A key device as defined in claim 22 wherein
said connecting means is adapted to be flexed to enable said key
member to be swung out of and back into, said recess means.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.24. A key device as defined in claim 23 including a
break-away tab integrally connecting said key shank and said card
means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. A key device as defined in claim 21
wherein said key means comprises a key blank situated in said
recess means; said key blank, said connecting means and said card
comprising a moulded plastic single-piece structure formed as a
unit. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. A key device as defined in claim 21
wherein said key means comprises a plastic key which has been cut
from a plastic key blank; said plastic key blank, having been
integrally moulded with said card and said connecting means as a
single piece structure. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27. A key device as defined
in claim 21 wherein said key means comprises two key blanks; each
of said key blanks including a key head; said connecting means
connecting each of said key heads to said card means and adapted to
permit each of said key blanks to be individually swung out of and
back into, said recess means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.28. A key device as
defined in claim 21 wherein said recess means comprises an opening
in said card means, said key means comprises a key blank having a
key head and a key shank, said card means including an edge
defining said opening, said connecting means connecting said key
head to said edge, said connecting means being sufficiently
flexible to permit said key blank to be swung out of and back into,
said opening. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. A key device as defined in claim
21 wherein said connecting means comprises a hinge comprising a
flexible member connecting said key means and said card means and
integrally formed therewith. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. A plastics
material card and key combination comprising:
a generally credit card-shaped plastics material member having a
top surface and at least one generally key-shaped recess formed
therein open to the top surface;
a plastics material key blank, having a shank portion having one
edge adapted to be processed to provide the key shank with
appropriate tumbler operating notched edges, in said recess;
means for retaining said key in said key-shaped recess; and
said key, said means, and said card being molded in situ. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.31. The plastics material card and key of claim 30 wherein
said means for retaining is flexible whereby said key can be biased
out of the plane of the card without fracturing said means.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.32. The plastics material card and key of claim 30
wherein said means for retaining is flexible whereby said key can
be biased out of the plane of the card and back into the plane of
the card without fracturing said means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.33. The
plastics material card and key of claim 30 wherein the means for
retaining includes a frangible connector. .Iaddend. .Iadd.34. The
plastics material card and key of claim 30 wherein the key has a
greater thickness than the card. .Iaddend. .Iadd.35. The plastics
material card and key of claim 30 wherein the key-shaped recess
extends, at least in part, through a thickness of the card.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.36. The plastics material card and key of claim 30
including two plastics material key blanks. .Iaddend. .Iadd.37. A
key and card combination comprising:
(a) a molded plastics material thin card having top and bottom
surfaces, and a surrounding thin edge surface;
(b) a recess in said card, shaped to receive a key blank of
generally standard key blank size, the recess defined at least in
part by a recess edge surface;
(c) a molded plastics material key blank of generally standard key
blank size dimensioned to be received in the recess having an
enlarged head end with a projecting shank, the head end defined by
top, bottom and edge surfaces;
(d) a first molded surface configuration formed on a first surface
of the card;
(e) a second molded surface configuration formed on a second
surface of the key blank at the head end of the key blank;
(f) one of said first and second configurations being a female
configuration projecting into its associate surface;
(g) another of said first and second configurations being a male
configuration projecting from its associated surface;
(h) said first and second configurations adapted to releasably mate
together having overlapping surfaces preventing removal of the key
blank from the card to secure said key blank to said card against
removal movement in at least one axis direction with said key blank
in said recess with said first and second surfaces in opposition to
one another; and
(i) and said key being repeatedly entirely removable from said card
by releasing the mating of said configurations and secured to said
card by mating said configurations together. .Iaddend. .Iadd.38.
The key and card combination of claim 37 wherein the recess extends
at least in part entirely through the card from the top surface to
the bottom surface. .Iaddend. .Iadd.39. The key and card
combination of claim 37 wherein the first configuration is formed
on the edge surface of the recess. .Iaddend. .Iadd.40. The key and
card combination of claim 37 wherein the second configuration is
formed on the edge surface of the key blank head end. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.41. The key and card combination of claim 37 wherein the
mating configurations secure the key blank against movement
relative to the card in two axis normal to one another and a detent
is provided securing the key blanks in a third normal axis.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.42. The key and card combination of claim 37
wherein the female configuration is formed on the key blank and the
male configuration is formed on the card. .Iaddend. .Iadd.43. The
key and card combination of claim 37 including two
key blanks. .Iaddend. .Iadd.44. The key and card combination of
claim 37 wherein the key blank has a greater thickness than the
card. .Iaddend. .Iadd.45. A key and card combination
comprising:
(a) a thin molded plastics material card carrier having top and
bottom surfaces with a recess molded in said card from said top
surface, said recess being sized to receive a standard sized key
blank therein and being defined by an edge surface;
(b) a molded plastics material key having an enlarged head end and
a projecting shank, said head end having top, bottom and edge
faces;
(c) said key dimensioned to be received in said recess with at
least one face opposed to at least one surface;
(d) molded resilient snap securing means molded into one of said
opposed surfaces and said opposed faces effective to interact with
a portion of the opposed one of said faces and surfaces when said
key is fully seated in said recess;
(e) said snap means effective to releasably retain said key in said
recess;
(f) said portion positioned and configured with respect to
remaining portions of its one of said faces and surfaces to cause
at least parts of said securing means to resiliently move during
insertion or removal of said key from said recess. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.46. The combination of claim 45 wherein the recess has a head
end configured to closely mate with the key head end. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.47. The combination of claim 45 wherein the securing means is
a projecting detent on the edge surface of the head end of the
recess and the position is part of the edge face of the key head
end. .Iaddend. .Iadd.48. The combination of claim 45 wherein the
recess extends entirely through the carrier. .Iaddend. .Iadd.49. A
key and key carrier combination comprising: a plastics material key
carrier of generally rectangular wallet size and of relatively thin
section such as that commonly present in plastic credit cards, and
having opposite end edges, first and second key receiving recesses
in said carrier extending into said carrier from opposite edges of
said carrier longitudinally of said carrier, first and second
molded plastics material keys having a thickness greater than the
material thickness of said carrier, said keys longitudinally
slidably received in said recesses and slidable with respect to
said recesses into and out of said opposite edges, and
complementary tongue and groove means formed on a head end of said
keys and by wall means of said recesses said complementary tongue
and groove means allowing said keys to slide with respect to said
recesses in a direction longitudinal of said keys but restraining
said keys against movement normal to said longitudinal movement and
restraining means associated with said recess and with said head
end of said keys for retaining said keys in said recess. .Iaddend.
Description
The present invention relates to keys, especially of the tumbler
lock operating type and key holders or retainers, and is more
particularly concerned with a novel key and retainer card
combination.
Automobile keys, house keys, and the like, which are virtually
universally adapted for operating tumbler locks, are generally
supplied loosely or in envelopes, key rings or key holders of
various types. This is true for original issue keys, duplicate key
sets and replacement keys.
Carrying of emergency duplicate keys generally presents a problem.
Loose keys are extremely inconvenient to carry or store for
emergency use, and this is particularly true of automobile keys.
One expedient for making duplicate automobile keys available has
been by placing them in a magnetic container which can be held
magnetically to an accessible ferrous part of an automobile. The
magnetic containers, however, are liable to be dislodged or lost.
Carrying loose duplicate keys in a wallet, purse or garment pocket
has obvious limitations and is generally inconvenient.
An important object of the present invention is to provide new and
improved means for handling keys conveniently and in a manner
readily adapted for wallet, purse and pocket storage, and
especially suitable for carrying of emergency duplicate keys.
Pursuant to the present invention, there is provided a new and
improved key and card combination, comprising a key carrying card,
at least one key recess in the card, a key in the recess, and means
separably retaining the key in the recess.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention
will be readily apparent from the following description of
preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, although variations and modifications may be
effected without departing from the spirt and scope of the novel
concepts of the disclosure, and in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a key and card combination embodying the
present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the article of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view taken
substantially along the line III--III in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional detail view taken
substantially along the line IV--IV in FIG. 1, but showing the key
in a raised position;
FIG. 5 is a plan view of a modification;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view taken
substantially along the line VI--VI in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevational view taken
substantially along the line VII--VII in FIG. 5;
FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional elevational detail view taken
substantially along the line VIII--VIII in FIG. 5 and showing the
key separated from the card;
FIG. 9 is a plan view of another modification;
FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional elevational view taken
substantially along the line X--X in FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view taken
substantially along the line XI--XI in FIG. 9; and
FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 9 but showing how the keys are
removable and replaceable in the socket recesses in the card.
In one preferred form of the present invention, a key and retainer
card combination 15 comprises a convenient, preferably generally
wallet (e.g. credit card) size card 17 carrying at least one, and
as shown a pair of car (automobile) keys 18 and 19. For example,
the key 18 may be a car door and trunk lock key, and the key 19 an
ignition key.
The card 17 and the keys 18 and 19 may be made from the same
material, such as a glass filled polycarbonate synthetic resin
(plastic material) which may be injection molded and affords
adequate stiffness without brittleness in both the card 17 and the
keys 18 and 19. As depicted in FIGS. 3-4, the card 17 may be of a
relatively thin section such as that commonly present in plastic
credit cards. On the other hand, the keys 18 and 19 may be of a
thicker section, such as about twice the card thickness, to
withstand twisting stresses in use.
In a desirable arrangement, the keys 18 and 19 are located in the
plane of the card 17, in respective key recesses or sockets there
being a socket 20 for the key 18 and a socket 21 for the key 19.
Each of the sockets is preferably of a size complementary to its
key including the head of the key and the key shank, and with a
sufficient clearance or tolerance relative to the edges of the keys
to permit the keys to be readily received in the sockets and easily
displaced from the sockets as desired.
Each of the keys 18 and 19 may be permanently attached to the card
17 in a manner permitting the key to be swingably displaced from
the plane of the card when desired. For this purpose, the key 18
has an integral hinge connection 22 attaching its head end to the
card 17. Similarly, the key 19 is connected to the card 17 by means
of an integral hinge 23. This permits the card/key combination to
be conveniently injection molded, wherein the sockets 20 and 21 are
formed in the card 17, and the key 18 and 19 are adapted to be
molded in generally displaced relation to the card but connected
thereto by the integral respective hinges 22 and 23. Then the keys
are adapted to be swung into their respective sockets in the card
17 and into the plane of the card as seen in FIG. 2, and from which
the keys are adapted to be swung out at an angle to the card and
swung back as desired, as indicated by directional arrow in FIG.
4.
For retaining the keys 18 and 19 in their respective recesses until
it is desired to displace the keys for use, separable detent means
may be provided comprising, for example, respective detent keeper
recesses 24 at each side of the neck of each of the keys receptive
of complementary detents 25 formed on the confronting edges of the
card defining the recesses 20 and 21. In addition, or
alternatively, each of the keys may have a detent keeper recess 27
in the tip of its shank receptive of a complementary detent
projection 28 on the confronting edge of the card defining the
associated key socket. Through this arrangement, when the keys are
not in use for operating a tumbler lock, they may be snapped into
their respective sockets substantially within the plane of the card
17 and wherein the separable detents will retain the keys against
unintended displacement. When it is desired to use a key, it is
easily pushed out of its socket by applying pressure against a face
of the key to snap it out of engagement with its detent retaining
means.
The keys 18 and 19 may be formed with usual longitudinal ribs and
grooves in their shanks complementary to the key slots in the locks
for which the keys are intended. As fabricated, the keys 18 and 19
may be simply blanks, each intended for a certain type of lock, for
example for the lock of a particular make or model of automobile,
or of whatever other type of lock for which intended. Since each
lock has a particular tumbler code, each key must have its shank
provided with notches 29 for the particular tumbler code for which
intended. The notches are adapted to be cut in the shank edge by
chipping or clipping out by means of a tool or a machine intended
for that purpose. For example car dealers may have a key cutting
machine which operates in accordance with a numerical code for
cutting the desired ignition keys and the desired door and trunk
keys. On the other hand, if the keys are intended to serve as
emergency duplicates, the original keys may be used as templets in
a machine that cuts duplicate keys from templets. While the keys 18
and 19 as shown in FIG. 1 have the tumbler notches indicated in
full outline, it will be appreciated that as fabricated, the keys
will have straight edges as indicated in dash outline.
In the modification of FIGS. 5-8, the key and card combination 15'
has, similarly as the combination 15 in FIG. 1 a card 17' and keys
18' and 19'. The keys 18' and 19' start out as merely key blanks
which are, as fabricated integrally attached to the card 17' within
complimentary recesses by means of breakaway tabs 30 which
integrally connect the key blanks to the card. There may be at
least one of the breakaway tabs 30 connecting the tip of each key
shank to the card, and a plurality of the tabs connecting the head
of each of the key blanks, to maintain the blanks in a stable
relation in the card until it is desired to remove one of the key
blanks for processing the tumbler notches 29' in the edges of the
key blank. The manner in which the key blanks are detached from the
card 17' is demonstrated in FIG. 8 wherein separation of the key
blank 19' is shown and it will be appreciated that removal of the
key blank 18' may be effected in the same manner.
In another arrangement as shown in FIGS. 9-12, the card and keys of
the combination are adapted to be fabricated separately and then
assembled. To this end, a card 31 is provided with a recess socket
32 opening inwardly from one end to receive and substantially
surround a key 33, and a recess socket 34 opening in from the other
end to receive and substantially surround a key 35. Each of the
sockets 32 and 34 is shaped to receive the shank of its key and the
head of its key fully within the plane of the card and inset
relative to the respective ends of the card. By having the keys on
the order of twice the thickness of the card, the keys can be
conveniently retained in their recesses in the card by means of a
tongue and groove arrangement including, for example,
longitudinally extending grooves 37 in the sides of the heads of
the keys 33 and 35, and receptive of tongue-like flange edges 38
defining the enlarged portions of the sockets in the card 31 within
which the keys are received for card-storage purposes. For
stability the tip terminals of the shanks of the keys 33 and 35 may
be provided with respective transverse grooves 39 receptive of
complementary tongue flanges 40 at the inner ends of the slot-like
sockets within which the keys are received in the card 31.
For retaining the keys 33 and 35 replaceable in the recesses 32 and
34, respectively, pressure releasable detent means may be provided,
comprising in a simple structure detent nibs 41, desirably one for
each of the keys, and located on one edge defining the
key-head-receiving recess or slot enlargement and adapted to engage
the key head adjacent to the other end of one of the grooves 37 in
the head, i.e., at the crown of the key head. As a result, the
detents 41 will, by reason of the resilience of the material of the
card 31 snap into retaining engagement behind the associated key
head when the key is fully inserted within its recess slot or
socket in the card, and for removal of the key the head is adapted
to be snapped out of its socket in the card past the retainer
detents 41.
It will be appreciated that the keys 33 and 35 may be supplied
originally as key blanks. The user may then have the key blanks
processed by means of a templet or a numerical code to provide the
key shanks with appropriate tumbler operating notched edges 42. The
keys 33 and 35 may be molded plastic, e.g. glass filled
polycarbonate, or conventional aluminum or other metal keys.
Matching a set of keys 33 and 35 with their appropriate key recess
sockets in the card 31 is facilitated by formation of the
head-receiving enlarged portion of each key socket appropriate to
the respective key to be received in that socket. For example, it
will be noted that the key 33 has a wider head than the key 35, and
the sockets 32 and 34 are appropriately of complementary dimension
in the head receiving portions. Proper orientation of the keys 33
and 35 in the plane of the card 31 is assured by engagement of the
tongue structures 38 in the corresponding grooves 37 in the key
heads. After the key is fully received within its socket, the
tongue structures 40 engaging within the grooves 39, together with
the tongue and groove interengagement at the key heads, and the
retention or interlocks by the detents 41 assures that the keys
will be thoroughly retained within the plane of the card 31 against
unintended displacement.
In order to facilitate reception of the generally tapered tips of
the shanks of the keys 33 and 35 in the key shank receiving
portions of the key sockets 32 and 34, the junctures of the head
receiving portions of the sockets with the narrower key shank
receiving portions of the sockets are desirably provided with
inwardly tapering edges 43. To facilitate reception of the heads of
the keys 33 and 34, the entrances into the enlarged key head
receiving portions of the sockets 32 and 34 are desirably provided
with tapered lead in cam surfaces 44. This facilitates manual
insertion of the respective keys into their sockets.
By virtue of the greater thickness of the keys 33 and 35 relative
to the card 31 alignment of the keys within the plane of the card
when returning a key to its socket is facilitated for digital
guidance by sense of touch as the key is grasped between the thumb
and another finger of the manipulating hand.
From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention
provides a novel key and retainer card combination well adapted for
spare key storage and use or original issue key storage and use.
The combination facilitates handling and storage of the keys as for
example for wallet, hand bag, purse or pocket storage and
retrieval. The flat structural relationships of the combination
assures maximum utilization of minimum storage space, especially
for key sets. Since the keys are preferably of a greater thickness
than the storage card and with face areas of the keys elevated from
the planes of the adjacent faces of the card, use of the present
device in the dark or by sightless persons is facilitated by
ability to differentiate key from card by sense of touch. Any of
the key and retainer card combinations described, or modifications
thereof are adapted to be produced economically and supplied at low
cost.
Although car keys have been indicated in the illustrated forms of
the invention, it will be appreciated that other types of tumbler
lock keys may be similarly handled, such as house keys, office
keys, mailbox keys, luggage keys, or any other keys adapted to
operate tumbler locks.
It will be understood that variations and modifications may be
effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel
concepts of this invention.
* * * * *