GB2239790A

GB2239790A - Key-ring holder

Info

Publication number: GB2239790A
Application number: GB9000916A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yu-Hwei Huang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-01-16
Filing date: 1990-01-16
Publication date: 1991-07-17
Anticipated expiration: 2010-01-16
Also published as: GB9000916D0; GB2239790B

Abstract

A key-ring holder includes a body 1 with an attachment 4 releasably secured thereto. A control knob 2 on the body. controls the opening or closing of an opening 11 so that the holder can be fastened to clothing. Another control knob 3 on the body controls the space of a bottom opening 13 thereof for the connection thereto of the attachment 4 or a key-ring. The attachment 4 comprises a control knob 40 to control a bottom opening 46 thereof for the connection thereto of a key-ring. The knobs 2, 3, 40 control respective spring-loaded stop assemblies 21, 22, 23; 31, 32, 33; 41, 42, 43. In a modification (Fig 8, not shown) body 1 and attachment 4 are connected by loops (5,6) and a chain (7). <IMAGE>

Description

PERSONAL KEY-RING HOLDER This invention relates generally to a key-ring holder, and more specifically to a device for holding key-ring.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: In our daily life, various locking devices are respectively used for locking doors, cars, desks, and etc., and for the locking and unlocking of such locking devices, corresponding keys must be used.

Conventionally, a key-ring is commonly used for holding keys. While carrying a key-ring with oneself simply by putting it in one's pocket, it may be easily missed somewhere else due to high frequency in use. If to secure a key-ring to one's belt or any part of one's clothing, it is very inconvenient to pick up a key or the whole key-ring when in use.

An object of the present invention is to provide a key-ring holder which includes a body having two control knobs, one controlling the body for fastening to any suitable part of one's clothing, and the other controlling the body for the connection thereto of an attachment or a key-ring for holding keys.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a key-ring holder which includes a body and an attachment and in which either the body or the attachment comprises a stop pin controlled by a control knob to facilitate the connection thereto or detachment therefrom of a key-ring.

The invention will be described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective assembly view of an embodiment of key-ring holder constructed according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front view of the body of the embodiment of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a front view of the attachment of the embodiment of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line A-A of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line B-B of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line C-C of Fig. 3; and Fig. 8 is an alternate form of the present invention, in which a chain is used to connect the attachment to the body.

The key-ring holder illustrated in Figs. 1 through 7 by way of a preferred embodiment of this invention includes a body 1 having an upper opening 11 on its upper part, an internal U-shaped channel 13, a retaining slot 12 through its bottom in suitable width and communicating with the U-shaped channel 13, two holes 14 and 15 on its front face for the insertion therein of two control knobs 2 and 3 respectively, an upper recess hole 16 through its top wall surface vertically communicating with the upper hole 15, and a bottom recess hole 17 through its bottom wall surface vertically communicating with the lower hole 14.

Referring to Figs. 2, 5 and 6, a spring 23, a brake block 22 and a stop pin 21 are respectively set in the hole 16 in proper order in such a manner that the brake block 22 is received inside the stop pin 21 with its top end 221 disposed in a through-hole 211 which is made on the stop pin 21 through radial direction, and the spring 23 has its top end stopped against the bottom surface of the brake block 22 and its bottom end pressed on the inner bottom of the upper recess hole 16.

The upper control knob 2 comprises a front flange 201 and a neck portion 202. During assembly, the front flange 201 and the neck portion 202 can be directly inserted through the upper hole 15 into the through-hole 211 of the stop pin 21 such that the top end 221 of the brake block 22 can be forced by the spring 23 to stop against the neck portion 202 of the control knob 2. Thus, the control knob 2 and the stop pin 21 can be carried to move together.

When the upper control knob 2 is pressed downward along the upper hole 15, the stop pin 21 and the brake block 22 are simultaneously carried to compress the spring 22. Therefore, the stop pin 21 becomes completely received in the upper recess hole 16 to open the upper opening 11, and the body 1 can be fastened to one's pocket or belt or certain part of one's clothing.

Similar to the upper control knob 2, the lower control knob 3 is set in the lower hole 14 to match with another set of stop pin 31, brake block 32 and spring 33 which are respectively received in the lower recess hole 17. The stop pin 31 comprises a notch 311 corresponding to the retaining slot 12 and the U-shaped channel 13.

When the lower control knob 3 is turned upward along the lower hole 14, the notch 311 is moved upward simultaneously to define a bigger space in the bottom of the body 1 for the connection thereto of the attachment 4 or key-rings.

Similar to the body 1, the attachment 4 comprises a hole 44 on its front face, an internal Ushaped channel 46, a retaining slot 45 through its bottom in communicating with the U-shaped channel 46. A control knob 44 is set in the hole 44 to match with to match with a spring 43, a brake block 42 and a stop pin 41 which are received inside the attachment 4. A coupling which comprises a spherical top end 47 and a neck portion 48 is unitarily made on the top of the attachment 4.

When the lower control knob 3 of the body 1 is turned upward along the lower hole 14, a bigger space is provided in the bottom of the body 1 for the insertion therein of the spherical top end 47. Upon the release of force from the control knob 3, the spring 33 immediately forces the stop pin 31 to move back to its original position permitting the spherical top end 47 to be firmly received in the space A (see Fig. 5) and the neck portion 48 to be retained in the retaining slot 12.

As described above, any key-ring which has a structure similar to the spherical top end 47 and the neck portion 48 can be directly attached to the body 1, i.e.

the body 1 can be directly used for holding key-ring.

Referring to Fig. 8, therein illustrated is an alternate form of the present invention, in which the body 1 and the attachment 4 comprise each a loop 5 or 6 connected with each other by means of a chain 7 which extends the length of the assembly.

When in use, the upper control knob 2 of the body 1 can be simply pressed down so that the device can be conveniently fastened to one's belt or any suitable part of one's clothing. By means of the control of the lower control knob 3 of the body 1 or the control knob 40 of the attachment 4, a key-ring can be conveniently attached to or released from the body 1 or the attachment 4. When a key-ring is attached to the body 1 or the attachment 4, it can be sliding in the U-shaped channel 13 or 46 through its spherical top end and neck portion.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A key-ring holder for holding a key-ring which is used for holding keys, including a body and an attachment, said body comprising an upper opening on its upper part, an internal U-shaped channel, a retaining slot through its bottom, two holes on its front face for the insertion therein of two control knobs respectively, two recess holes one on the top and the other on the bottom respectively for the setting therein of two stop assemblies, said stop assemblies being respectively controlled to move up and down by said two control knobs and each being comprised of a stop pin, a brake block and a spring, one of said two control knobs being to control the opening and closing of said upper opening and the other of said two control knobs being to define the space of said retaining slot and said U-shaped channel for the setting therein of said attachment or a key-ring.

2. A key-ring holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said two control knobs each comprises a front flange and a neck portion capable of being directly inserted through either one of said two holes into a through-hole which is made on the stop pin of each of said two stop assemblies so that said two control knobs can be respectively coupled with said two stop assemblies.

3. A key-ring holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spring of each of said two stop assemblies has its top end stopped against the bottom surface of its associated brake block and its bottom end pressed on the inner bottom of either of said two recess holes.

4. A key-ring holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stop pin of one of the stop assemblies which is set in the bottom recess hole and controlled to define the space in said retaining slot and said U-shaped channel comprises a notch thereon.

5. A key-ring holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said attachment comprises a coupling made on its top wall surface, said coupling comprising a spherical top end and a neck portion.

6. A key-ring holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said body and said attachment comprise each a loop connected with each other by means of a chain.