ES2293883T3 - KEY. - Google Patents

Abstract

A key (10) made of metallic material, comprising a grip part (11) and a blade (12); the grip part is ring-shaped, with a radial opening (14), for the removable coupling of a complementarily shaped insert (15) made of plastics. <IMAGE>

Description

Key.

The present invention refers to a key made of metallic material.

An extremely wide variety of keys Metallic is commercially known.

Such keys are normally formed monolithically with a characteristic metallic color or they may be provided with applied portions made of plastics colored.

The keys that are most commonly used they are formed monolithically through metallic material and They have the peculiarity that they are difficult to distinguish.

Once they have been grouped together heap, it is indeed difficult to distinguish them simply by looking at shape or handle or type of jagged edges of the blade.

This is the reason why they are used plastic portions applied; they are provided in different colors  but in any case they are an additional accessory to the key.

It is therefore burdensome to provide the keys using a single colored metallic material and then provide additional applied portions made of plastic, which can be separated or constituted by a cover of the handle of the key, to the detriment of the increase in material used and so both of the costs, for higher production volumes.

US-A-4 336 701 show special sets of keys combining a serial number and detachable pluggable members to be plugged into the handle of A key to the management of hotel rooms. According to this solution, it is possible to attach a serial number of the engraved key on the key handle with a room number printed on the detachable pluggable member.

GB-A-1 587 368, instead, it shows a U-shaped keychain having a disk separable.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a key that allows immediate visual confirmation even with Different orientations of the key.

Within the scope of this objective, an object is provide a key that saves material regarding keys conventional.

Another object is to provide keys having a Very wide choice of colors.

Another object is to provide a key whose color It can be changed at will.

This objective, these and other objects that they will be apparent better then they get by means of a key made of metallic material, which comprises a handle and a leaf, characterized by the fact that said handle It has a ring shape, with a radial opening, for coupling detachable from a complementary formed insert made of different material.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent better from the following detailed description of an embodiment example preferred but not exclusive to the key, illustrated only by non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a key according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the key of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view. of the key shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figures 4 and 5 are, respectively, a cross section view and a plan view thereof key portion, in which a detail has been changed;

Figure 6 is a view of the same portion of key shown in Figures 4 and 5, in which the detail is illustrated according to a third embodiment;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a key with a portion of his shown at rest and flexed.

With particular reference to the Figures, a key according to the present invention is generally designated by the reference number 10.

The key 10 comprises a handle 11 which is monolithic with respect to a leaf 12.

The handle 11 is constituted by a ring circular 13 provided with a radial opening 14 which is in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the leaf 12.

The radial opening 14 allows deformation elastic ring 13 for connecting an insert 15 made of plastics or of a different metal, which is formed in addition to ring 13.

The insert 15 is provided with a slot circumferential 16 that allows an optimally separable connection but also stable with ring 13.

The insert 15 is provided with a hole 17 which allows a plurality of keys of type 10 to be grouped into a key ring, which is not shown in the Figure but which in any case is of a type known per se .

The hole 17 is normally arranged in the final portion of the key 10 and substantially in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the leaf 12.

For this reason, insert 15 is formed to have a unique radial layout.

In fact it is provided with a flat portion 18 which is formed in addition to the corresponding portion flat 19 of the handle 11.

The insert 15 is also provided with a tab 20 which is arranged in a radial direction and engages to the radial opening 14.

The tongue 20 is complementaryly formed to the radial opening 14 and can assume a substantially radial and straight 21 or a form of dovetail 22 in which the major portion 23 is arranged outwardly from the key 10, or it can comprise a flat portion 24 disposed on the outside of the key 10.

Advantageously, the insert 15 can be concave on one or both surfaces 26 in order to facilitate the key grip 10.

The insert 15 made of plastics or a different material can of course assume many colors and / or metallic colorations and this allows to immediately identify the key 10 intended and choose the color one prefers to Identify a specific key.

Once the jagged edges 25 have been formed on sheet 12, it is possible to choose any insert 15 to be attached to the handle 11.

The key 10, besides being easily recognizable when it looks flat, it can also be easily distinguished by virtue of the presence of the tongue 20 when it is grouped in a pile if viewed from handle 11.

The tongue 20, protruding from the opening radial 14, in fact allows to identify the particular color, and the optional dovetail shape 22 or flat portion 24 increases plus the visual impact.

In practice it has been observed that this invention has achieved the objective and the intended objects.

In particular, it is noted that once the key chosen has been made, a very wide range of colors is possible and it is also possible to change the color at will even with later.

The provision of such a key structure entails Some savings in metallic material.

In addition, the keys are easy to distinguish when they look flat and when they are seen from one end, facilitating their identification if they are grouped in piles.

Finally, the handles that can be provided they don't need to be circular; they can also be square or hexagonal or with another shape, with the condition that said shape be elastically deformable by radial opening.

In practice, metallic materials employees, provided they are compatible with the use contingent, as well as the dimensions, can be any according to the requirements.

Where the technical elements mentioned in any claims are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increase the intelligibility of the claims and so accordingly, such reference signs have no limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by example for such reference signs.

Claims (9)

1. A key made of metallic material, comprising a handle and a blade, characterized in that said handle is ring-shaped, with a radial opening, for the detachable coupling of a complementary formed insert made of a different material, said handle being elastically deformable by said radial opening. 2. The key according to claim 1 and the insert formed in addition, characterized in that said different material consists of plastics and / or a metallic material different from the handle material. 3. The key according to claim 1 and the insert formed in addition, characterized in that said insert has a circumferential groove for connecting with said ring. 4. The key according to claim 1 and the insert formed in addition, characterized in that said insert comprises a flat circumferential portion that is formed complementary to the corresponding portion of the handle on the blade. 5. The key according to claim 1 and the insert formed in addition, characterized in that said insert is provided with a substantially radial tongue to be inserted into said radial opening. 6. The key according to claim 5 and the insert formed in addition, characterized in that said tongue is in the shape of a dovetail, with a larger portion disposed towards the outside of the key. 7. The key according to claim 5 and the insert formed in addition, characterized in that said tongue is substantially straight and is provided with a flat portion that is disposed on the outside of the key. 8. The key according to claim 1 and the insert formed in addition, characterized in that said insert is provided with a key hole that is located in the outermost neighborhood of said key along the longitudinal extension of the sheet. 9. The key according to claim 1 and the insert formed in addition, characterized in that said insert has at least one surface that is concave in plan view.