EP3241457B1 - Assembly made up of a workpiece having edges and a ring - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an assembly formed by a piece having edges and a ring. Said part may in particular be a case for keys, for a remote control or for one or more cards, or a card of the type that allows the start of a vehicle.

It becomes common that, on a vehicle, the activation of the electrical system is done by means of either a conventional metal key but by means of an electronic card having a more or less rectangular shape. It has also become common practice to start the vehicle, open the doors or the trunk with a remote control.

It has been designed to connect a case for such a card or such a remote control to a ring by means of which the user can connect various keys, including the key of his house, said card, case or remote control. This ring also makes it easy to hang a card, a case or a remote control by vertical suspension in a key cabinet for example or on any other medium that accepts this key ring.

Some users, however, choose not to use the option of attaching keys; the ring is then useless and is relatively troublesome.

Patent Document No. US 3,680,338 A describes a set that does not perfectly remedy this disadvantage. The pre-characterizing part of claim 1 is based on what this document discloses.

The present invention aims to overcome the disadvantage mentioned above.

The assembly concerned is, in known manner, formed by a piece having edges and a ring; said piece has two oblong openings formed through it or through a wall that it comprises, each oblong opening having a first end and a second end, the edges of the part delimiting the inner side of said first ends being a distance from one another, and the edges of the part delimiting the inner side of said second ends being at a distance from one another; and the ring is movable between a retracted position relative to said workpiece and an extension position relative to this workpiece.

• les deux ouvertures oblongues convergent l'une vers l'autre selon un axe de symétrie, de sorte que ladite première extrémité d'une ouverture oblongue est plus éloignée de ladite première extrémité, correspondante, de l'autre ouverture oblongue, et ladite deuxième extrémité d'une ouverture oblongue est plus proche de ladite deuxième extrémité, correspondante, de l'autre ouverture oblongue ; les bords de la pièce délimitant le côté interne desdites premières extrémités sont à une distance l'un de l'autre correspondant sensiblement au diamètre de l'anneau, ou légèrement inférieure à ce diamètre, et les bords de la pièce délimitant le côté interne desdites deuxièmes extrémités sont à une distance l'un de l'autre sensiblement égale aux trois-quarts du diamètre de l'anneau ; et
• l'anneau est engagé au travers de ces deux ouvertures oblongues et est mobile dans celles-ci selon ledit axe de symétrie, entre ladite position escamotée par rapport à ladite pièce, dans laquelle deux portions de l'anneau sont situées aux niveaux desdites premières extrémités de ces ouvertures, et ladite position d'extension par rapport à ladite pièce, dans laquelle deux portions de l'anneau sont situées au niveau desdites deuxièmes extrémités des ouvertures oblongues.

According to the invention, in said set,

• the two oblong apertures converge towards one another along an axis of symmetry, so that said one end of an oblong aperture is further away from said corresponding first end of the other aperture oblong, and said second end of an oblong opening is closer to said corresponding second end of the other oblong opening; the edges of the part delimiting the inner side of said first ends are at a distance from each other corresponding substantially to the diameter of the ring, or slightly less than this diameter, and the edges of the part delimiting the inner side of said second ends are at a distance from each other substantially equal to three quarters of the diameter of the ring; and
• the ring is engaged through these two oblong openings and is movable therein along said axis of symmetry, between said retracted position relative to said piece, in which two portions of the ring are located at the levels of said first ends these openings, and said extension position relative to said workpiece, wherein two portions of the ring are located at said second ends of the oblong openings.

It will be understood that by the term "internal side" is meant the lateral side of each of the oblong openings which is turned towards the other oblong opening ("lateral" being defined with respect to a longitudinal median axis of the oblong opening ).

The invention thus consists in providing two convergent oblong apertures permitting the ring to move along the axis of symmetry of the two openings; in said retracted position, the ring is retracted relative to the part, while in said extended position, the ring is disengaged with respect to this part and is adapted to receive one or more keys that the user wishes to associate with said piece or a hook for hanging by vertical suspension this piece.

It would be conceivable that the two openings are arranged in a location such that the ring, in its extended position, does not protrude beyond an edge formed by the part; access to this ring would then be achieved by a relative possibility of pivoting of the ring relative to said second ends of the openings, so with respect to the plane of the part. Preferably, however, the two openings are arranged on the side of an edge formed by said part, so that the ring, in said retracted position, is at least substantially set back from this edge, and that in said extended position, the ring is at least partially projecting from this edge of the piece.

Access to the ring is thus made possible by the protrusion that the ring makes with respect to said edge of the piece.

This piece can be flat or not flat.

The piece could be single-walled, in particular being formed by a card such as a plastic card used to activate the electrical system of a vehicle.

The piece may also have at least two walls, two of which are joined to one another at two or three of their lateral edges, so as to form a receiving pocket, in which case said oblong openings are arranged in the one of these walls.

Said wall in which are arranged the oblong openings is preferably slightly elastically deformable, and said first ends of the oblong openings are arranged at a distance from each other slightly smaller than the diameter of the ring.

The material constituting said wall, for example an imitation leather, is thus elastically deformed by the ring when the latter is in said retracted position. This elastic deformation allows a slight jamming of the ring in said retracted position, which ensures a maintenance of the ring in this position.

Preferably, the ring is a split ring.

This structure of the ring allows a simple engagement of the ring in said oblong openings and a simple engagement of the key or keys that the user wants to connect to said piece. It also allows a complete withdrawal of the ring vis-à-vis the room if this is the desire of the user.

• La figure 1 est une vue de cet ensemble selon une première forme de réalisation, de côté, un anneau que comprend l'ensemble étant dans une position d'extension ;
• la figure 2 en est une vue de l'ensemble similaire à la figure 1, avec mise en place d'une télécommande dans une poche que forme une pièce que comprend ledit ensemble ;
• la figure 3 est une vue de l'ensemble similaire à la figure 2, par l'autre face principale de cet ensemble ;
• la figure 3A est une vue de l'ensemble selon la figure 3, en coupe longitudinale passant par une ouverture oblongue que comprend ladite pièce ;
• la figure 4 est une vue de l'ensemble similaire à la figure 3, ledit anneau étant dans une position escamotée ;
• la figure 4A est une vue de l'ensemble selon la figure 4, en coupe longitudinale passant par une ouverture oblongue que comprend ladite pièce ;
• les figures 5 et 5A sont des vues de l'ensemble selon la deuxième forme de réalisation, dans la position d'extension de l'anneau, respectivement de côté et de profil ; et
• les figures 6 et 6A sont des vues respectivement similaires aux figures 5 et 5A, dans la position escamotée de l'anneau.

The invention will be better understood, and other features and advantages thereof will become apparent, with reference to the appended schematic drawing, showing, by way of nonlimiting examples, two possible embodiments of the assembly that it concerns. .

• The figure 1 is a view of this assembly according to a first embodiment, on the side, a ring that comprises the assembly being in an extended position;
• the figure 2 is a view of the whole similar to the figure 1 , with introduction of a remote control in a pocket that forms a part that includes said assembly;
• the figure 3 is a whole view similar to the figure 2 , by the other main face of this set;
• the figure 3A is a view of the whole according to the figure 3 in longitudinal section passing through an oblong opening that comprises said part;
• the figure 4 is a whole view similar to the figure 3 said ring being in a retracted position;
• the Figure 4A is a view of the whole according to the figure 4 in longitudinal section passing through an oblong opening that comprises said part;
• the Figures 5 and 5A are views of the assembly according to the second embodiment, in the extension position of the ring, respectively side and side; and
• the Figures 6 and 6A are respectively similar views to Figures 5 and 5A , in the retracted position of the ring.

The Figures 1 to 4A represent a set 1 comparable to a key ring, formed by a part 2 and a ring 3.

The piece 2 is, in the example shown, of generally rectangular shape, whose edges are connected by rounded corners. It forms a pocket adapted to receive a vehicle remote control 5.

As visible on Figures 3A and 4A it is formed by the assembly of three walls 6, 7, 8; the walls 6 and 7 are joined to one another at the edges and corners of the part 2, and the wall 8 is assembled to the parts 6 and 7 on three of its edges and forms, with the wall 7, a receiving pocket of the remote control 5.

The walls 6 and 7 form, on the side of the piece 2 opposite the wall 8, a window 10 through which are accessible two buttons "ON" and "OFF" that includes the remote control 5.

These walls 6, 7 and 8 may in particular be made of an elastically deformable material such as imitation leather and be assembled to each other in particular by seams and / or welds made along the edges of these walls.

It appears on Figures 3 to 4A that the wall 6 has, on the side of one of the edges of the part 2, two oblong openings 12 arranged through it. These two openings 12 converge towards each other along an axis of symmetry (this is the longitudinal median axis of the part 2 in the example shown). Each opening 12 thus has a first end further from the corresponding end of the other opening 12 (these first ends are located on the lower side on the Figures 3 to 4A ) and a second end closer to the corresponding end of the other opening 12. The edges of the part 2 delimiting the inner side of the first ends are at a distance from each other slightly less than the diameter of the ring 3, and the edges of the part 2 defining the inner side of the second ends are at a distance from each other substantially equal to three quarters of the diameter of the ring 3.

This ring 3 is a split ring. It is engaged through these two openings 12 and is movable therein along said axis of symmetry, between an extended position relative to the part 2 shown on the Figures 1 to 3A , and a retracted position relative to the piece 2 shown on the Figures 4 and 4A .

In the extended position, two portions of the ring 3 are located at the second ends of the openings 12 and the ring 3 protrudes from the edge of the part 2 near which are arranged the openings 12; this projection allows a user to easily access the ring 3 to engage keys he wishes to associate with the remote control or to suspend the room 2 with the ring 3 to a hook.

In the retracted position, two portions of the ring 3 are located at the first ends of the openings 12 and the ring 3 is entirely set back from the edge of the part 2 near which are arranged the openings 12. The material constituting the wall 6 is elastically deformed by the ring 3 when the latter is in this retracted position, which allows, by elastic return of the material constituting the wall 6, a slight wedging of the ring 3, ensuring a maintenance of this ring in this position.

With reference to Figures 5 to 6A , it appears that, in the second embodiment, the part 2 is single-walled, in particular being formed by a card such as a plastic card used to perform the activation of the electrical system of a vehicle. The parts or elements already described which are found in this second embodiment in the same or similar manner are designated by the same reference numerals and are not described again.

The invention thus provides a set 1 similar to a key ring, key case or card, allowing to use or not the ring 3 according to the desire of the user and allowing the retraction of this ring when the user does not wish to associate keys with the remote control 5 or does not need to suspend its card or holster vertically.

It should be noted that the ring 3 can be purely and simply removed from the openings 12 if the user does not wish to keep this ring.

The invention described above with reference to embodiments given solely by way of example. It goes without saying that it extends to all other embodiments covered by the appended claims.

Claims (7)

1. Assembly (1) made up of a part (2) having edges and a ring (3); said part (2) has two oblong openings (12) arranged through it or through a wall (6) it comprises, each oblong opening (12) having a first end and a second end, the edges of the part (2) delimiting the inner side of said first ends being at a distance from each other, and the edges of the part (2) delimiting the inner side of said second ends being at a distance from each other; and the ring (3) is movable between a retracted position with respect to said part (2) and an extension position with respect to said part;
   characterized in that:

   - the two oblong openings (12) converge towards each other along an axis of symmetry, so that said first end of an oblong opening (12) is further away from said corresponding first end of the other oblong opening (12) and said second end of an oblong opening (12) is closer to said corresponding second end of the other oblong opening (12); the edges of the part (2) delimiting the inner side of said first ends are at a distance from each other substantially corresponding to the diameter of the ring (3), or slightly less than that diameter, and the edges of the part (2) delimiting the inner side of said second ends are at a distance from each other substantially equal to three-quarters of the diameter of the ring (3); and

   - the ring (3) is engaged through these two oblong openings (12) and is movable therein along said axis of symmetry, between said retracted position relative to said part (2), in which two portions of the ring (3) are located at said first ends of these openings, and said extension position relative to said part (2), in which two portions of the ring (3) are located at said second ends of the oblong openings.
2. Assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the two elongated openings (12) are arranged on the side of an edge formed by said part (2), such that the ring (3), in said retracted position, is at least substantially located backward from said edge, and that, in said extended position, the ring (3) projects at least partially from said edge of the part (2).
3. Assembly (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the part (2) is single-walled, being formed in particular by a card such as a plastic card used to activate a vehicle's electrical system.
4. Assembly (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the part (2) has at least two walls (6, 7, 8), two of which are joined together at two or three of their lateral edges, so as to form a receiving pocket, and in that said elongated openings (12) are arranged in one of these walls (6).
5. Assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the wall (6) in which the elongated openings (12) are arranged is slightly elastically deformable, and in that said first ends of the elongated openings (12) are arranged at a distance from each other slightly smaller than the diameter of the ring (3).
6. Assembly (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the wall (6) in which the oblong openings (12) are arranged is made of imitation leather.
7. Assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the ring (3) is a split ring (3).

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