GB2243986A

GB2243986A - Strap for holding a key

Info

Publication number: GB2243986A
Application number: GB9004991A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roger Charles Lewis
Original assignee: RANDALLS OF PADDINGTON; Link 51 Ltd
Current assignee: RANDALLS OF PADDINGTON; Link 51 Ltd
Priority date: 1989-09-27
Filing date: 1990-03-06
Publication date: 1991-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 2010-03-06
Also published as: GB9004991D0; GB8921809D0; GB2243986B

Abstract

A strap (10) carries a key (12), and is used to secure the key to part of a user's body such as a wrist. The key (12) has a shank (52) and a head (50) with a slot (54) through which the strap passes. The key head is slidable but captive on a portion (10a) of the strap between a thickened portion (34) and a stop (56). The thickened portion (34) is formed with a recess (36) for receiving a shank when the strap is worn. When the strap is worn, for example on the user's wrist, the head of the key is located between the strap and the user's wrist, whereby the shank of the key is retained in the recess and is shielded to prevent it from causing damage or injury. The side walls of the recess (36) diverge away from the entrance (38) to maintain the strap's flexibility when the key is in the recess. <IMAGE>

Description

STRAP FOR HOLDING A REY The present invention relates to straps for carrying keys.

It is common for the straps to be attached to the keys they carry, to prevent loss of the key. Such keys are often used at swimming baths, and at other sports centres for lockers in which the users can leave their belongings. A strap can be worn by the user on, for example, his wrist or ankle.

In known arrangements, the locker key is usually attached to the strap, for example, by means of a rivet, or a ring. The strap is usually worn with the key on the outside of the strap, for reasons of comfort. The shaft of the key is not shielded, and can occasionally scratch, or cause other injuries, to the swimmer, as well as to other swimmers. The key can also become caught in, or cause damage to, fittings in a swimming pool, such as a slide.

The invention provides a strap carrying a key, for securing the key to a part of a user's body such as a wrist, the key comprising a shank and a head with a passage through which the strap passes, the key head being slidable, but captive, on a portion of the strap, the strap being formed with a recess for receiving the shank when the strap is worn, the recess being of substantially the same length as the shank, the arrangement being such that, when the strap is worn for example on a wrist, the head of the key is located between the strap and the user's wrist. By trapping the key head between the user's wrist and the strap, the shank of the key is retained in the recess. The shank is thereby shielded to prevent it from causing damage or injury.

Preferably, the passage in the head is in the form a slot transverse to the shank. The recess may then extend parallel to the strap. With such an arrangement, the curvature of the strap when worn, urges the key in a direction to keep the shank engaged in the recess.

Protruding ribs may be provided on the strap to prevent the key from being removed from the strap. The ribs are preferably shaped to allow the key to be fitted easily to the strap,while preventing its subsequent removal.

Preferably, the portion of the strap formed with the recess is formed integrally with the strap, the recess being thus formed in a thickened portion of the strap. In this case, the portions of the strap extending away from the thickened portion may advantageously extend from diagonally opposed edges of the thickened portion. This provides improved flexibility of the strap with the key shank inserted in the recess.

Preferably, the walls of the recess diverge away from its entrance, providing improved flexibility of the strap once the key shank has been inserted. The recess may extend to the entire length of the thickened portion and be open at its other end.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a key attached to a wrist strap; Figure 2 is a plan view of the strap of Figure 1, shown without the key attached; Figure 3 is a transverse section along the line III-III of Figure 2, on an enlarged scale; Figure 4 is a transverse section along the line IV-IV of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a longitudinal section showing a detail of the co-operation between the buckle and tongue of the strap, in use; Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the buckle shown in Figure 1, on an enlarged scale; Figure 7 is a section along the line VII-VII of Figure 6; Figure 8 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the head of the key of Figure 1; Figure 9 is an end view of the key;; Figure 10 is a side view of the key head in Figure 8.

Figure 11 is a side view of a modified wrist strap having an alternative buckle and key-stop; Figure 12 is a plan view of the strap of Figure 11, shown without the key attached; Figure 13 is a side view of another modified wrist strap having an alternative fastening arrangement; and Figure 14 is a plan view of the strap of Figure 13, shown without the key attached.

Referring to Figures 1 to 8, a wrist strap 10 carrying a key 12 is of the type suitable for use at swimming baths, or other sports centres. The key 12 is typically a key for a locker (not shown) in which a swimmer may leave his clothes, and other belongings, while he is swimming. The strap 10 is formed of flexible plastics material highly resistant to water and to chemicals used in swimming baths.

This strap 10 has an integrally formed buckle 14 at one end 16. The buckle 14 includes a base portion 15 and two side walls 17. Two transverse ridges 20 are formed on the base portion 15, each ridge having a ramp surface 20a and an abutment surface 20b. The side walls 17 are joined at their outermost ends by a clamp 18. Each side wall 17 also carries a short inwardly extending protrusion 19 towards its other end, the protrusions being opposed, and each having a curved upper surface l9a, and a flat lower abutment surface l9b.

The other end of the strap 10 forms a tongue portion 24 for inserting in the buckle 14, having transverse openings therethrough in the form of slots 26 capable of receiving the ridges 20. The spacing of the slots on the tongue portion 24 is the same as that of the ridges 20. Referring especially to Figure 5, each slot 26 has a chamferred surface 26a and a abutment surface 26b, for co-operating with the ramp surface 20a and the abutment surface 20b, respectively, of a ridge 20.

A keep 27 is slidable but captive on the strap, near the buckle 14, for receiving the loose end of the tongue 24 when it is inserted through the buckle 14. When the strap is being worn, one face 30 of the strap will face inwardly towards the wearer's wrist while the other face 32 will face outwardly.

The strap 10 includes a thickened portion 34 near the middle of its length, dividing the strap into a portion 10a extending from the thickened portion 34 towards the tongue, and a portion lOb extending towards the buckle 14. A recess 36 is formed in the thickened portion 34 for receiving the shank of the key 12, as described hereinafter. The recess 36 has an entrance 38 in the shape of a slot extending transversely across the portion 10a of the strap 10, adjacent its inner face 30. The recess 36 extends through the thickened portion 34 and is open at its other end 42. The walls of the recess 36 diverge away from the entrance 38, the open end 42 being larger than the entrance 38. The length of the recess 36 is substantailly the same as the length of the shank of the key 12.As seen in figure 1, the portions 10a and lOb of strap 10 extend from diagonally opposed edges of the thickened portion 34, above and below, respectively, the entrance 38 and the open end 42.

The key 12 has a moulded plastics head portion 50 and a metal shank 52. The head is attached to the shank by means of a plastics dowel 53. The head 50 is formed with a transverse slot-shaped passage 54 extending from one face of the head to the other. The portion 10a of the strap passes through the passage 54, so that the head of the key may be slid along the strap 10, with the shank 52 projecting from the inner face 30.

A stop 56 is formed on the portion 10a of the strap. The stop 56 includes a ridge 58 with an abutment surface 60 that projects above and from the sides of the strap 10a. The stop 56 also includes a ramp portion 62, with an upper ramp surface 62a and lateral ramp surfaces 62b, separated from the ridge 58 by a transverse groove 64. The height and shape of the stop 56 are such that the key 12 may be forced over the stop 56 in a direction from the tongue towards the thickened portion 34, but the key will not pass over the stop 56 in the opposite direction. When forcing the key over the stop 56 in the first direction, the groove 64 allows the ridge 58 to flex away from the ramp portion 62 so that the key can slide over the edge of the ridge. The distance between the stop 56 and the end of the thickened portion 34 is slightly greater than the overall length of the key 12.The inner surface 30 of the strap in the region of the stop 56 is substantially flat, so that it will not feel uncomfortable against the skin when the strap 10 is worn.

The passage in the head 50 is enlarged at one end into a substantially cylindrical hole 58. This allows fitting of a hollow cylindrical spacer (not shown) through which a link (not shown) may be fitted to allow the key to be attached to, for example, a key ring instead of a strap as in the present invention. The key is therefore of a universal design, suitable for use in a variety of applications, in particular with the strap.

In use, to wear the strap 10 and the key 12, the key head 50 is first moved towards the stop 56. The key 12 is then rotated on the strap to bring the end of the shank 52 up to the entrance 38 of the recess 36, and the shank 52 is then pushed into the recess 36. The portion 10a of the strap 10 is pulled through the passage 54 in the key head 50 until the key head 50 abuts the thickened portion 34 of the strap 10. The strap 10 can then be wrapped around the user's wrist and secured by means of the buckle 14. The tongue 24 is pushed through the clasp 18 until the strap fits comfortably tightly on the wrist, the chamferred surfaces 26a of the slots riding easily over the ramp surfaces 20a of the ridges 20 to allow the strap to be tightened. Once tightened, the wearer pushes the portion of the tongue 24 in the buckle 14 against the protrusions 19.The side walls 17 flex outwardly so that the tongue 24 snaps over the protrusions 19, and is held down in the buckle by their abutment surfaces 19b. The ridges 20 engage in two of the slots 26, the abutment surfaces 20b of the ridges 20 bearing against respective abutment surfaces 26b of the slots 26 to prevent the tongue 24 from slipping back out of the buckle. The loose end of the tongue 24 can be inserted in the keep 27 to prevent flapping.

The curvature of the strap 10 while it is being worn keeps the key shank 52 captive in the recess 34. The shank 52 is therefore shielded and cannot accidentally scratch the wearer, or other people. The divergence of the walls of the recess 36, and the connection of the portions 10a, 10b, of the strap, above, and below, respectively the entrance 38 and the open end 42, improve the flexibility of the strap with the key shank 52 inserted in the recess 36, so that the strap 10 will fit more comfortably on a user's wrist.

To undo the strap, the portion of the tongue 24 under the protrusions 19 is lifted so that it snaps out from the buckle.

The slots 26 are then free of the ridges 20, so that the tongue can be drawn out of the buckle 14. Once undone, the portion 10a of the strap 10 can be pushed or pulled back through the passage 54 in the key head 50, thus allowing the shank 52 to be easily removed from the recess 36. The shape of the protrusions 19 makes it slightly more difficult to snap-out the tonge 24 from the buckle 14 than to snap in the tongue. This ensures that the buckle should not come undone accidentally while the strap is worn.

Once the key has been used, for example, to unlock a closed locker, it will usually be left captive in the lock for the next person to use. By having the strap passing through the slotted hole in the key head, the loose strap will tend to fall vertically to lie against the face of the locker door.

This avoids an annoying consequence of some conventional key straps, which tend to project outwardly from the locker door when the key is in the lock.

Figures 8 and 9 show a modified key strap having an alternative buckle 70. This buckle 17 includes the clasp 18 and the ridges 20, but it does not have side walls. A further clasp 72 replaces the protrusions in the first embodiment. In use, the tongue 24 is pushed through both clasps 18 and 72 to secure the buckle. To undo the buckle, the portion of the tongue 24 between the clasps is lifted over the ridges 20, allowing the tongue to be drawn out of the buckle.

The strap in Figures 8 and 9 also includes a modified stop 74 that replaces the stop 56 in the first embodiment. The modified stop 74 includes transverse barb-like ribs, the height and shape of which are such that the key 12 may be slid over the ribs in a direction from the tongue 24 to the thickened portion 34, but the key will not pass over the ribs in the opposite direction.

Figures 9 and 10, show another modified key strap having an alternative fastening arrangement. The buckle 14 includes a first mushroom head stud 80 between the clasps 18 and 72, replacing the ridges. The tongue portion 24 has round holes 82 for engaging the first stud 80 instead of having the transverse slots. Three other mushroom head studs 84 similar to the first stud 80 are arranged on the strap in the region near the buckle, replacing the slidable keep. The spacing of three studs 84 is the same as that of the holes 82. In use, when the strap is to be worn, the tongue 24 is pushed through the clasps 18 and 72, as before. The first stud 80 is then pushed through one of the holes 82 to secure the strap 10.

The loose end of the tongue is secured by pushing it against the strap, so that one or more of the three studs 84 can engage in the holes 82.

The plastics strap 10 in these embodiments may conveniently be made in a two part mould, the two parts of the strap being joined at the thickened portion 34. The slidable keep 27 can be moulded separately, and fitted to the strap by expending it over the buckle end 16. A suitable material for the strap is sold by Du Pont under the trademark "Hytrel".

Claims

1. A strap carrying a key, for securing the key to a part of a user's body such as a wrist, the key comprising a shank and a head with a passage through which the strap passes, the key head being slidable but captive on a portion of the strap, the strap having a recess for receiving the shank when the strap is worn, the arrangement being such that, when the strap is worn, the head of the key is located between the strap and the part of the user's body on which the strap is worn.

2. A strap according to claim 1, wherein the passage in the head is in the form of a slot transverse to the shank, and the recess in the strap extends longitudinally of the strap.

3. A strap according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the walls of the recess diverge away from its entrance, to maintain flexibility of the strap with the key shank in the recess.

4. A strap according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the portion of the strap with the recess is formed integrally with the remainder of the strap, the recess being in a thickened portion of the strap.

5. A strap according to claim 4, wherein the portions of the strap extending away from the thickened portion extend from diagonally opposite edges of the thickened portion.

6. A strap according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the portion of the strap on which the key is held captive extends between the thickened portion and a stop formed on the strap, the thickened portion and the stop rendering the key captive on the said portion of the strap.

7. A strap according to claim 6, wherein the strap comprises at least one transverse rib integrally formed on the strap, the rib being shaped to allow the key to be fitted on to the strap but to prevent its subsequent removal.

8. A strap according to any preceding claim, wherein the strap includes at one end an integrally formed buckle, and at the other end a tail for inserting in the buckle when the strap is worn.

9. A strap according to any of claims 3 to 7, wherein the strap is made of plastics material and formed in a two-part mould.

10. A strap substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figures 1 to 10 of the accompanying drawings, or as modified as described with reference to figures 11 and 12, or 13 and 14, of the drawings.