US2679674A

US2679674A - Separable connector

Info

Publication number: US2679674A
Authority: US
Inventors: Atto N Hanna
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-11-06
Filing date: 1951-11-06
Publication date: 1954-06-01
Anticipated expiration: 1971-06-01

Description

June 1, 1954 A. N. HANNA SEPARABLE CONNECTOR Filed Nov. e, 1951 Patented June l, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to a novel construction for a key holder, and in particular to one which facilitates the replacement of keys in said holder, and at the same time permits removal of selected keys therefrom.

Key holders of the type under discussion are in widespread use and are often, although not necessarily, incorporated into a case or the like for appearance sake and to protect the pocket of the user from damage which is likely to be caused by the keys or the holder itself. If holders of this type are to perform their desired functions they must be capable of retaining the keys attached thereto in a positive manner and without risk of accidental displacement. They must also be so constructed that the keys can be removed from or replaced in the holder in a simple manner and without the necessity of using tools or exercising any appreciable manipulative skill. It is also essential, since these holders are normally inexpensive items, that the construction be such as .to lend itself to low cost, mass production and yet be sturdy and effective for its desired functions.

The type of key holder to which this invention pertains is that in which the keys are not introduced directly into the holder but are first semipermanently attached to key carriers, the carriers being then securable to the holder in a readily releasable manner. To this end each carrier is provided with an enlarged tip and the holder is provided with a plurality of slots narrower than the tip of the carrier land provided with enlarged portions through which the tip ofthe carrier is passable. Means are provided for blocking and unblocking these enlarged slot portions at the will of the user, the carriers being retained on the holder when the enlarged slot portions are blocked and being removable from the holder when those enlarged slot portions are unblocked. Various structures have been devised in the past for alternately blocking and unblocking these enlarged slot portions but they have in the main been characterized by complexity of structure, diiculty in assembly, and clumsiness of manipulatability. It is a prime object of the present invention to devise a structure which materially improves on all of the above factors.

'I'he present invention relates to an extremely simplied construction which, through the use of a novel type of retainer for blocking the enlarged slot portions, in combination with the other details of the key holder assembly, permits ready removal and replacement of individual key carriers, while at the same time providing for positive retention of the key carriers in the holder assembly when removal or replacement is not desired. An important feature of the instant invention resides in the fact that key carriers can be very readily inserted into the key holder without requiring any special manipulation of the holder, Whereas special manipulation thereof is necessary when it is desired to remove a key carrier from the holder. -In addition, in the preferred form of the invention, resistance is offered to removal of the key carrier from the holder even when the retainer has been manually positioned to permit such removal, that resistance being suidcient to prevent the carrier from falling out solely because of its own weight and the weight of the keys attached thereto, but being overcome when the key carrier is manually pulled. Consequently when a keyholder having a plurality of key carriers is involved, and when the retainer of that keyholder is moved to a position permitting removal of individual key carriers, all of the carriers will not fall from the holder if the holder is inadvertently improperly positioned.

The keyholder of the present invention is extremely simple in construction and inexpensive to make. It can be attractively designed so that it can readily be used in and of itself, without having to be incorporated into a key case, wallet or the like, although it can be made part of a case if desired. One speciiic form of the present invention here illustrated has the further advantage that it may be clipped to a pocket or lining of a handbag or the like, being removed therefrom when use of a key is desired.

In the keyholder of the present invention the enlarged tip of the key carrier is retained between the spaced front and rear walls of the holder housing, the retainer being movable from one of the front and rear walls of the housing to the other so as to block or unblock access to the enlarged slot portion in the housing. The retainer is resiliently held in blocking position, and manual means are provided to move it away from that blocking position when removal or insertion of a key carrier is desired. Its direction of motion away from blocking position is the same as the direction of motion of the key carrier tip when the carrier is to be inserted into the holder, and is opposite to the direction of motion of the key carrier tip when the carrier is to be removed from the holder. Consequently the retainer, when in blocking position, does not positively prevent insertion of a key carrier. but instead yields to permit such insertion, whereas the retainer does positively block removal of the key carrier, manual manipulation of the retainer being necessary before removal can be accomplished.

In the preferred form of the invention, the retainer, besides being movable against a resilient force to its unblocking position, has a resiliently deformable portion which, even when the retainer is in its unblocking position, nevertheless obstructs passage of the enlarged key carrier tip through the enlarged slot portion. Since this portion of the retainer is resiliently deformable, a moderate amount of pull exerted on the carrier will enable it to deform the retainer and pass through the enlarged slot portion in the holder. However, if an actual pull is not exerted on the key carrier it will not accidentally be dislodged from the holder while the retainer is held in unblocking position.

To the accomplishment of the above, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to the structure of a keyholder as defined in the appended claims and as described in this specification, taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a top plan view of one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the position which the various parts assume when it is desired to remove a key carrier from the holder and particularly illustrates the manner in which the retainer, even when in unblocking position, resiliently obstructs removal of the key carrier;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the position which the parts assume when the key carrier has been moved slightly farther out from the holder than is shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. '7 is a top plan view thereof; and

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view thereof on an enlarged scale taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

The keyholder of Figs. 1-5 is formed of a housing generally designated 2 and a retainer generally designated 4. The housing is formed from a single sheet of metal reversely bent upon itself and with its edges anged so as to define a front wall `E, a rear wall 8, a lower end wall ill and combination side and top end walls l2 and i4. For purposes of appearance the entire housing is shown as substantially triangular in shape, the upper portion of the rear wall 8 being looped at IG so as to be adapted to receive ltherethrough the end ring I8 of a chain 20 or the like. Front and rear walls 6 and 3 are held in desired position by means of a rivet 22 near the upper end of the housing.

Slots generally designated 24 are formed in the housing, those slots including an enlarged portion 2S near the bottom of the front wall 6 which communicates with a narrow portion 28 extending to and across the lower end edge IG of the housing, said lower end edge I0 being deiined by the reverse bend in the single sheet of material of which the housing 2 is formed.

The housing is adapted to be used in conjunction with key carriers generally designated 36.

Those carriers conventionally include an enlarged tip 32, a shank 34 and a resiliently openable loop 36, the free end 38 of the loop having a curved inner surface which smoothly conforms to the curved outer surface of the shank 34 where the tip 38 meets the shank 34. The width of the narrow slot portion 28 is larger than the width of the shank 34 of the key carrier 30 but less than the width oi the carrier tip 32. The enlarged slot portion 26 has a width greater than the width of the carrier tip 32. The front and rear walls 6 and 8 of the housing 2 are separated from one another in the region of the slots 24 by a distance greater than the width of the carrier tip 32. Hence, as is conventional, the carrier 30, upon which one or more keys 40 may be mounted, may be attached to the holder by causing its tip 32 to pass through the enlarged slot portion 26 and between the front and rear housing walls 6 and 8, the carrier shank 34 projecting out through the narrow slot portion 28. Removal of a carrier 3U from the housing 2 is effected by opposite motion thereof.

The retainer which prevents removal of carriers 3B from the housing 2 except when that is speciically desired, may take the form of a sheet or strip of resilient material one portion 42 of which may be anchored within the housing 2 against longitudinal or transverse movement, as by having the rivet 22 passed therethrough. The retainer 4 extends from the portion 42 toward the slots 24, the end 44 of the retainer 4 extending under at least a substantial portion of the enlarged slot portion 26. The retainer 4 is so mounted in the housing 2 that it normally lies along the underside of the front wall 6, the retainer end 44 closely underlying and effectively closing the enlarged slot portion 2'6. This constitutes the first or blocking" position of the retainer d. It will be noted that the free end 44 is slightly bent toward the front wall 6 for a purpose hereinafter to be disclosed.

The front wall 6 is provided with an aperture 46 through which the button 48 projects, that button being secured to the retainer 4 at a point between the xed portion 42 and the end 44 thereof. When the button 48 is manually depressed, as shown in Fig. 4, the retainer 4 is resiliently distorted and is caused to move from the front wall 6 toward, and preferably into engagement with, the rear wall 8. In so doing the end 44 of the retainer 4 will be moved away from the enlarged slot portion 25. The thickness of the housing 2 immediately under the enlarged slot portion 28 is suicient so that, allowing for the thickness of the retainer 4, the carrier tip 32 can pass through the enlarged slot portion 25 and into the space between the top front and rear walls 6 and 8 of the housing 2 when the retainer 4 engages the rear wall 8. This represents the second or unblocking portion of the re- ,tainer 4, which it is caused to assume whenever removal or replacement of a key carrier 30 is desired.

Because the end 44 of the carrier 4 is bent toward the front wall 6 of the housing 2, movement of the carrier tip 32 into and out of the housing 2 is not completely unobstructed even when the retainer 4 is in its second or unblocking position. This is clear from an examination of Fig. 4. The edge of the retainer end 44 is spaced from the front housing wall 6 by a distance somewhat less than the thickness of the carrier tip 32. is made of resilient material the bent end 44 direction of the arrow 41 of Fig. 4 while the re- However, because the carrier 4- tainer 4 is in its second or unblocking position, the carrier tip v32 will exert a cam action on the retainer end 44, flattening it as shown in Fig. 5

so as to permit removal of the carrier 30. In order for this cam action to take place, the distance between the edge of the retainer end 44 and the front housing wall 6 should not be less than one-half the thickness of the carrier tip 32, and preferably should be only very slightly less than the entire thickness thereof.

The embodiments of Figs. 1-5 is, insofar as its details are concerned, particularly adapted for attachment to a keychain 2B or the like such as is often worn by men. The embodiment of Figs.

6-8, while it operates on substantially the same principle as the embodiment of Figs. 1 5, has its specific structural details somewhat modified so as to be formed with a clamping member 49, so that it may be clipped to a panel or to a pocket in a ladys purse, for example. In this embodiment the front wall 6 is provided with an extension or handle 50, ears 52 extending rearwardly from opposite sides of the front wall 6'. The rear housing wall 8 is secured to the front housing wall 6 by means of an eyelet 22', the portion 42 of the retainer 4' being clamped directly between the front wall 6 and an inset portion 54 of the rear wall 8' by the eyelet 22. The clamping member 49 is in the form of a lever provided with upstanding ears 56 received between the ears 52 and pivotally mounted on shaft 56 which passes through the

ears

52 and 56. A spring 60 is secured between the extension 5B of the Ihousing front wall 6 and an extension or handle 62 which forms a part of the clamping member 49, the spring 60 causing the clamping member 49 to pivot in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 8 so that its free end 64 is clamped against the rear housing wall 8'.

The manner of use of the key holder of the present invention will on the main be apparent from the above description. When it is desired to insert a key carrier 30 in the housing 2, it is only necessary to position the carrier tip 32 over an enlarged slot portion 2G and then exert pressure on the carrier 30 so as to urge its tip 32 into the housing 2. This pressure will first be exerted toward the rear wall 8, and the retainer 4 will yield in response thereto until the retainer 4 itself engages the rear wall 8. The carrier 30 will then be pulled toward the front end edge I0 of the housing 2, its tip 32 passing over and resiliently deforming the bent end 44 of the retainer 4. As soon as the carrier tip 32 has moved past the retainer 4 in the direction of the front end edge l0 of the housing 2, the retainer 4 will snap into place behind it, blocking the enlarged Slot portion 26 and thus positively preventing removal or accidental loss of the carrier 30.

When it is desired to remove an individual carrier 30, the button 48 is depressed, thus moving the retainer 4 to its second or unblocking position shown in Fig. 4. This exposes the enlarged slot portion 26 and permits the carrier 30 to be removed from the housing 2 in a manner which is exactly the reverse of its mode of insertion.

In its preferred form of the present invention, with the retainer 4 having a resiliently deformable portion (the end 44) which partially obstructs passage of the carrier tip 32 through the enlarged slot portion 26 even when the retainer 4 is in its second or unblocking position, the carriers 30 will not accidentally fall from or become detached from the housing 2 just because the retainer is moved 'to unblocking position. Some additional pull must be exerted on the particular carrier 30 removal of which is desired, that pull serving to deform the portion 44 and permit egress of -the carrier tip 32. This is a particularly important feature where more than one carrier is mounted in the housing.

Both of the embodiments here disclosed may be formed of simple sheet stock, and in an eX- ceedingly eicient and inexpensive manner. Only a very small number of parts are involved, and all of the parts function in an extremely positive way.

While but two embodiments of the present invention have been here disclosed, it `will be apparent that many variations may be made therein within the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a key holder and key carrier having a part insertable into and removable from said holder, said holder comprising a housing in cluding spaced front and rear walls, said iront wail having a slot 'therethrough communicating with the space between said walls and having an enlarged portion through which said key carrier part is insertable and a narrow portion through which said key carrier part will not pass, a re tainer in said housing between said walls and movable between a first and blocking position adjacent said front wall and underlying and effectively closing the enlarged portion of said slot and a second and limiting position positively engaging said rear wall and separated from said iront wail by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said key carrier part, said retainer having a resiliently deformable portion bent toward said front wall and positioned between the end of said narrow slot portion and the beginning of said enlarged slot portion, means resiliently urging said retainer to its first position, and manually manipulatable means operatively connected to said retainer and extending to the exterior of said housing, whereby said retainer can be moved to its second position, said insertable key carrier part having an appreciable dimension in a direction normal to said front wall when said key carrier part is inserted through said enlarged slot portion, the end surfaces of said key carrier part being inclined to define cam surfaces cooperable with said bent retainer portion, said bent retainer portion positively engaging said front wall when said retainer is in its first position and being spaced from said front `wall by a distance slightly less than said dimensionv of said key carrier part when said retainer is in its second position, thereby presenting an impediment to the removal or insertion of said key carrier from said housing even when said retainer is in its second position, said bent retainer portion being cammed away from said enlarged slot portion by said key carrier part to permit removal of said key carrier from said housing when said carrier is pulled thereagainst and when said retainer is in its second position.

7 row slot portion, thus presenting a greater impediment to the removal of said key carrier part from said housing than to its insertion therein.

4. The combination of claim 1, in which said retainer comprises a strip one portion of which remote from said bent portion thereof is fixed in said housing at a point remote from said enlarged slot portion and on the opposite side thereof from said narrow slot portion, said bent retainer portion being free and underlying said enlarged slot portion.

5. The combination of claim 4, in which said front wall is apertured at a point over said strip between its fixed portion and free end, and in which said manually manipulatable means comprises a member secured to said strip, passing through said aperture, and extending above said front wall when said strip is in its first position by a distance equal at least substantially to said dimension of said insertable key carrier part.

6. The combination of claim 1, in which said bent retainer portion inclines toward said narrow slot portion, thus presenting a greater' impediment to the removal of said key carrier from said housing than to its insertion therein.

7. The combination of claim 6, in which said retainer comprises a strip one portion of which remote from said bent portion thereof is xed in said housing at a point remote from said enlarged slot portion and on the opposite side thereof from said narrow, slot portion, said bent retainer portion being free and underlying said enlarged slot portion.

8. The combination of claim 6, in which said retainer comprises a strip one portion of which remote from an end thereof is xed in said housing at a point remote from said enlarged slot portion and on the opposite side thereof from said narrow slot portion, said end of said strip .being free and underlying said enlarged slot portion, said bent retainer portion being at said end, in which said front wall is apertured at a point over said strip between its fixed portion and free end, and in which said manually manipulatable means comprises a member secured to said strip, passing through said aperture, and extending above said front wall when said strip is in its first position by a distance equal at least substantially to said dimension to said nsertable key carrier part.

References Cited in the file 0f this patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS