EP1952717A2

EP1952717A2 - Key-holder with an interchangeable cover and retractable key, in particular for a vehicle lock

Info

Publication number: EP1952717A2
Application number: EP07150487A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Maurizio Franceschini; Stefano Marangon
Original assignee: GIOBERT SpA; Fiat Group Automobiles SpA
Current assignee: FCA Italy SpA; GIOBERT SpA
Priority date: 2007-02-02
Filing date: 2007-12-28
Publication date: 2008-08-06
Also published as: EP1952717A3; ITTO20070076A1; BRPI0704997A; RU2008103237A

Abstract

A key-holder (1) has a supporting shell housing a remote control and a battery, and fitted with a retractable key (2), in particular for a vehicle lock; and an interchangeable cover (40) covers at least part of the supporting shell (3), and clicks onto the supporting shell (3).

Description

The present invention relates to a key-holder with a retractable key, in particular for a vehicle lock.
Key-holders are known comprising a supporting shell; and a flat key, which is movable between an extracted position, in which it is insertable inside the relative lock, and a withdrawn position, in which it is housed inside a recess in the supporting shell. The supporting shell normally also houses a button-operated remote control in fluidtight manner.
A demand exists for key-holders with decorations, logos, or designs to improve the look and, at the same time, customize the key-holder.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a key-holder featuring a retractable key, in particular for a vehicle lock, and designed to meet the above demand in a straightforward, low-cost manner.
According to the present invention, there is provided a key-holder as claimed in Claim 1.
A non-limiting embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an exploded view in perspective of a preferred embodiment of the key-holder with a retractable key, in particular for a vehicle lock, according to the present invention;
Figures 2 and 3 show views in perspective of two component parts of the Figure 1 key-holder;
Figure 4 shows a larger-scale view, with parts removed for clarity, of the two Figure 2 and 3 component parts fitted together;
Figures 5 and 6 show two parts defining a variation of the Figure 3 component part;
Figure 7 is similar to Figure 4, and shows the Figure 5 and 6 parts fitted to the Figure 2 component part.

Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates a key-holder with a retractable key 2, in particular for a vehicle lock (not shown).
Key-holder 1 comprises a supporting shell 3 elongated in a straight direction 5 and defining a lateral recess 4. Shell 3 has a top face 8 and an opposite bottom face 9 joined to each other by a lateral surface 10 extending up to recess 4. Key 2 is fixed at one end to a drum 18, which is housed partly inside shell 3 and hinged to shell 3 about an axis 19 so that key 2 rotates by a predetermined angle, in particular 180°, between an extracted position (not shown), in which it projects in direction 5 for insertion inside a lock, and a withdrawn position, in which it is positioned alongside shell 3, inside recess 4.
Key 2 is flat, lies substantially in a plane parallel to axis 19, and is pushed by an elastic device (not shown) into the extracted position. Key-holder 1 comprises an angular retaining device for retaining key 2 in the withdrawn position, in opposition to said elastic device, and which is released by pressing a button 31 carried by shell 3 and having a circular surface 33 located along face 8. Shell 3 defines an inner chamber housing in fluidtight manner a remote-control device (not shown) controlling an open/close and/or antitheft device of the vehicle. More specifically, the remote-control device comprises a signal emitter, which is controlled by buttons 34 located along face 8, and is powered by a battery housed in a drawer (not shown) that pulls out laterally through recess 4 when key 2 is extracted.
Key-holder 1 also comprises a cover 40 covering at least part of shell 3, and which is fitted releasably to shell 3 in a fixed position, bears designs, logos, etc. (not shown), and is interchangeable to customize key-holder 1.
As shown in Figures 2 to 4, cover 40 comprises two members 41 and 42, each formed in one piece from plastic material, and which have respective projections 43, 44 that click onto shell 3. Member 41 covers a peripheral annular portion of face 8, and has an opening 46 for access to buttons 34, 31. And member 42 comprises a base 47 covering the whole of face 9; and a lateral wall 48 which covers surface 10, projects from base 47 to member 41, and clicks onto two teeth 49 on member 41.
To assemble the cover, member 42 is fitted on first, by inserting a projecting rear ring 50 on shell 3 (Figure 1) through a seat 51 in wall 48, and then pressing base 47 onto face 9 to click projections 44 inside respective seats on shell 3. Then member 41 is fitted on by clicking projections 43 inside respective seats on shell 3, and teeth 49 inside respective seats on wall 48.
Figures 5 to 7 show a variation, in which member 42 is replaced by two parts 47a, 48a similar to base 47 and wall 48, respectively, but formed separately. Part 47a differs from base 47 by comprising two teeth 49a clicked inside respective seats on part 48a (Figure 7).
As will be clear from the above description, cover 40, being interchangeable, provides for customizing key-holder 1, particularly in terms of appearance. Moreover, click-on connection makes cover 40 easy to assemble and remove, and relatively cheap to produce.
Clearly, changes may be made to key-holder 1 as described herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the accompanying Claims.
In particular, the connection may be slide-on, as opposed to click-on; and/or cover 40 may comprise a different number of parts; and/or the parts may be designed differently from members 41, 42, 47a, 48a; and/or key 2 may be withdrawn by sliding, as opposed to rotating, with respect to shell 3; and/or the remote-control device may have no battery and/or also include a signal receiver.

Claims

A key-holder (1) comprising:
- a supporting shell (3) housing a remote-control device for an open/close device and/or an antitheft device;

- a key (2) fitted to said supporting shell (3) to move between an extracted position and a withdrawn position;

- retaining means for retaining said key (2) in at least one of said extracted and withdrawn positions;
and characterized by also comprising a cover (40) covering at least part of said supporting shell (3) and fitted releasably to said supporting shell (3) so as to be interchangeable.
A key-holder as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said cover (40) clicks onto said supporting shell (3).
A key-holder as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that said cover (40) comprises at least two members which click onto each other.