GB1588720A

GB1588720A - Key holder

Info

Publication number: GB1588720A
Application number: GB5342576A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-12-21
Filing date: 1976-12-21
Publication date: 1981-04-29

Description

(54) IMPROVED KEY HOLDER (71) I, JAMES ROBERTSON, a British Subject of 107 Meadowburn, Bishopbriggs, Lanarkshire, Great Britain do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a key carrier or cap.

Modern keys provided by motor car manufacturers are mounted in a key carrier or cap which is made of plastics material or rubber and which covers only that part of the key which is left protruding when the key is inserted in a lock. Despite this modern convenience it is often the case that it is difficult to insert the key in the lock due to the low level of ambient light.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the foregoing difficulty.

According to the present invention there is provided a key carrier or cap, comprising a resilient housing forming a pocket for reception of that part of a key which is left protruding when the key is inserted into a lock, a miniature light bulb housed in the resilient housing to shine in the forward direction of the key, and a battery in circuit with the light bulb via an on/off switch, the on/off switch being arranged to be moved into the on position by external pressure resiliently deforming the resilient housing.

Conveniently, the battery is of low voltage, for example 1.4 volts and of small dimension, for example in a cannister about 0.5 inch diameter and 0.1 inch in axial length. Such batteries are commercially available at the present time and are at present used to power hearing aids and the like.

The light bulb conveniently measures 1/8 inch by 5/16 inch and is permanently sealed into the key carrier or cap which is made of an electrical insulating material such as plastics or rubber having a transparent portion which is illuminated by the light bulb. The ON/OFF switch may conveniently be in the form of a strip of resilient wire such as phosphor bronze one end of which is permanently connected to a terminal of the light bulb and the other end of which is movable into engagement with a terminal of the battery.

In one form of manufacture the key carrier or cap is moulded in two halves only one of which incorporates the electrical components described above. These components are secured in situ by insert moulding, and after the key head portion is located between the two half mouldings these are secured together to cap the head of the key and act as a carrier for the key.

In a preferred embodiment which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing the key carrier or cap is formed in two half mouldings respectively shown in plan and elevation views in Figs. 1 and 2, and 3 and 4. The two half mouldings 10,11 each incorporate a shallow recess 10A, 11A which is defined in dimensions by the size of the key which is to be fitted to the carrier or cap and the light bulb 12 is positioned in one half moulding 10 to shine light along the shank portion of the key. The switch 13 in this embodiment has one end secured to the battery 14 and is arranged so that the resilient member 13A projects away from the shallow recess 10A.

When the key is gripped between the fingers of a user the resilient member 13A is automatically moved to lie parallel to the general plane of the shallow recess 1 0A so that the switch is in the ON position.

In a modification of the embodiment described above the carrier or cap incorporates first and second batteries connected in series with a light bulb of appropriate voltage and an ON/OFF switch. In an alternative modification first and second batteries are connected in parallel with a single light bulb and an ON/OFF switch to increase battery life.

It will be appreciated that the present invention is applicable to motor car keys and to household keys in general and to all other forms of keys.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A key carrier or cap, comprising a resilient housing forming a pocket for reception of that part of a key which is left protruding when the key is inserted into a lock, a

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. (54) IMPROVED KEY HOLDER (71) I, JAMES ROBERTSON, a British Subject of 107 Meadowburn, Bishopbriggs, Lanarkshire, Great Britain do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a key carrier or cap. Modern keys provided by motor car manufacturers are mounted in a key carrier or cap which is made of plastics material or rubber and which covers only that part of the key which is left protruding when the key is inserted in a lock. Despite this modern convenience it is often the case that it is difficult to insert the key in the lock due to the low level of ambient light. It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the foregoing difficulty. According to the present invention there is provided a key carrier or cap, comprising a resilient housing forming a pocket for reception of that part of a key which is left protruding when the key is inserted into a lock, a miniature light bulb housed in the resilient housing to shine in the forward direction of the key, and a battery in circuit with the light bulb via an on/off switch, the on/off switch being arranged to be moved into the on position by external pressure resiliently deforming the resilient housing. Conveniently, the battery is of low voltage, for example 1.4 volts and of small dimension, for example in a cannister about 0.5 inch diameter and 0.1 inch in axial length. Such batteries are commercially available at the present time and are at present used to power hearing aids and the like. The light bulb conveniently measures 1/8 inch by 5/16 inch and is permanently sealed into the key carrier or cap which is made of an electrical insulating material such as plastics or rubber having a transparent portion which is illuminated by the light bulb. The ON/OFF switch may conveniently be in the form of a strip of resilient wire such as phosphor bronze one end of which is permanently connected to a terminal of the light bulb and the other end of which is movable into engagement with a terminal of the battery. In one form of manufacture the key carrier or cap is moulded in two halves only one of which incorporates the electrical components described above. These components are secured in situ by insert moulding, and after the key head portion is located between the two half mouldings these are secured together to cap the head of the key and act as a carrier for the key. In a preferred embodiment which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing the key carrier or cap is formed in two half mouldings respectively shown in plan and elevation views in Figs. 1 and 2, and 3 and 4. The two half mouldings 10,11 each incorporate a shallow recess 10A, 11A which is defined in dimensions by the size of the key which is to be fitted to the carrier or cap and the light bulb 12 is positioned in one half moulding 10 to shine light along the shank portion of the key. The switch 13 in this embodiment has one end secured to the battery 14 and is arranged so that the resilient member 13A projects away from the shallow recess 10A. When the key is gripped between the fingers of a user the resilient member 13A is automatically moved to lie parallel to the general plane of the shallow recess 1 0A so that the switch is in the ON position. In a modification of the embodiment described above the carrier or cap incorporates first and second batteries connected in series with a light bulb of appropriate voltage and an ON/OFF switch. In an alternative modification first and second batteries are connected in parallel with a single light bulb and an ON/OFF switch to increase battery life. It will be appreciated that the present invention is applicable to motor car keys and to household keys in general and to all other forms of keys. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A key carrier or cap, comprising a resilient housing forming a pocket for reception of that part of a key which is left protruding when the key is inserted into a lock, a miniature light bulb housed in the resilient housing to shine in the forward direction of the key, and a battery in circuit with the light bulb via an on/off switch, the on/off switch being arranged to be moved into the on position by external pressure resiliently deforming the resilient housing.

2. A key carrier or cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the on/off switch comprises a strip of resilient wire one end of which is permanently connected to a terminal of the light bulb and the other end of which is free for movement into engagement with a terminal of the battery.

3. A key carrier or cap as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the carrier or cap is made of plastics material which is electrically insulating.

4. A key carrier or cap as claimed in claim 3, wherein part of the plastics material is transparent and said light bulb is arranged to illuminate said transparent part.

5. A key carrier or cap substantially as hereinbefore described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing.