US3292680A - Buoyant key case - Google Patents

Buoyant key case Download PDF

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Publication number
US3292680A
US3292680A US514064A US51406465A US3292680A US 3292680 A US3292680 A US 3292680A US 514064 A US514064 A US 514064A US 51406465 A US51406465 A US 51406465A US 3292680 A US3292680 A US 3292680A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
buoyant
sheet
key case
key
case
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US514064A
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English (en)
Inventor
Douglas J Broughton
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Buxton Inc
Original Assignee
Buxton Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Buxton Inc filed Critical Buxton Inc
Priority to US514064A priority Critical patent/US3292680A/en
Priority to GB43763/66A priority patent/GB1109249A/en
Priority to BE689266D priority patent/BE689266A/xx
Priority to CH1642166A priority patent/CH450642A/fr
Priority to FR83648A priority patent/FR1499049A/fr
Priority to ES0333371A priority patent/ES333371A1/es
Priority to DE19661532832 priority patent/DE1532832A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3292680A publication Critical patent/US3292680A/en
Assigned to BUXTON, INC. reassignment BUXTON, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: BEATRICE FOODS CO. TWO NORTH LASALLE ST., CHICAGO, IL 60603 A CORP. OF DE
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45C—PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
    • A45C11/00—Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00
    • A45C11/32—Bags or wallets for holding keys
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45C—PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
    • A45C11/00—Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00
    • A45C11/32—Bags or wallets for holding keys
    • A45C11/323—Bags or wallets for holding keys with key hangers

Definitions

  • Water sportsmen like most other people, are usually burdened with keys for various purposes, such as car keys, boat keys, house keys, etc.
  • the water sportsman In todays highly mobile population, the water sportsman usually drives his car to and from the water where he engages in his recreation. If during the day, he accidentally loses his keys in the water, it means a great deal of time and effort in attempting to locate and retrieve the keys with the likelihood being failure. The loss of the keys means that the sportsman is faced with the unpleasant situation of a locked car and/or a locked house.
  • an object of this invention is to provide a key case which when filled with a full complement of keys will float in water.
  • Another object is to provide a key case buoyant in nature and of such constructional characteristics as to be easily fabricated and manufactured.
  • a further object of this invention is to provide a key case as described above that is not only buoyant, but also pleasing in appearance and of convenient size so as to be easily carried about.
  • a still further object of this invention is to provide a buoyant key case as described above that is flexible, compact and comfortable, for pocket carrying in the same manner as the user would carry a non-buoyant key case.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a key case embodying this invention with a section broken away;
  • FIG. 2 is a top view of the case as shown in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the case while open with sections broken away;
  • FIG. 4 is a plan view of the case in open condition and with the liner cut away to show the constructional characteristics of the case;
  • FIG. 5 is a plan view similar to FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 6 is a sectional view substantially on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.
  • FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 designates the key ease generally.
  • the case is comprised of a back portion 12 with right and left closure flaps 14 and 16 respectively hinged to the side edges of the back portion 12.
  • the right or outer closure flap 14 carries the socket 18 of a snap fastener assembly 20, while the left closure flap carries the post (not shown) of the fastener assembly 20.
  • a flap 22 is provided in hinged relation to the back portion 12 of the key case 10. On this flap is carried key retaining means 24 which supports key loops 26 for keys, such as shown at 28.
  • the key case 10 is composed of three sheets, a cover sheet 30, a liner sheet 32 and a unitary sheet of unicellular buoyant material 34 disposed between the cover and liner sheets.
  • cover sheet 30 and the liner sheet 32 are both unitary sheets and that upon fabrication together with the buoyant sheet 34, they form the back portion 12 and the right and left closure flaps 14 and 16 respectively of the key case 10.
  • the hinging action between the back portion 12 and the closure flaps 14 and 16 is secured by the flexible character of the material and by lines of fold 35 formed by the action of a sealing die through hinging sections 36 and 38 of the key case 10, as seen in FIGS. 1, 3, and 5.
  • the material used for the cover sheet 30 and the liner sheet 32 should be soft, pliable or flexible, and preferably water impervious, such as a synthetic plastic sheet material, for example, a vinyl compound or the like.
  • a synthetic plastic sheet material for example, a vinyl compound or the like.
  • the cover 30 should have a gauge thickness of from about .012 inch to .015 inch, while the liner 32 should be somewhat thinner with .a gauge thickness of about .008 inch to .012 inch.
  • a good combination is the cover at .015 inch thickness with the liner at .012 inch.
  • the sheet of cellular buoyant material 34 is disposed between the cover 30 and the liner 32 before the two are joined together.
  • the unicellular sheet 34 is preferably soft and pliable, and when combined with the sheets 30 and 32 provides a padded or cushion effect, but is of sufficient stiffness to give good form to the case. It will be observed in FIG. 4, that the sheet 34 is of one piece construction with the cutouts 40, 42 and 44 being cut away to accommodate the hinging action of the case itself and the key case snap fastener 20 respectively.
  • the cutout sections 40 and 42 terminate inwardly of the upper and lower edges of the buoyant sheet 34, leaving bridging sections 46.
  • the bridging sections 46 permit ease of assembly of the sheet of buoyant material 34 with the cover sheet 30 and the liner sheet 32, while the cutouts 40 and 42, which register with the hinging sections 36 and 38, allow the cover sheet 30 and the liner sheet 32 to be sealed together to form the hinged relation between the back portion 12 and the closure flaps 14 and 16 of the key case 10.
  • the actual size of the key case is not limited in this invention, it is dependent in part upon the volume of the buoyant material that must be used to float support a specific number of keys.
  • the total weight that needs to be float supported is generally from about 68 to 74 drams. I have found that approximately 4.0 cubic inches of a buoyant material with a buoyancy factor of 55 to pounds/cu. ft. is required to float support the above described case in Water.
  • the volume of buoyant material to be used must be capable of float supporting a specific number of keys depending on key case design and in turn the key case volume may be adjusted accordingly to accommodate such a volume of buoyant material.
  • This amount of buoyant material will hereinafter be referred to as a float supporting amount.
  • the float supporting amount of buoyant material should be in sheet form, preferably unitary, with a thickness of from about /8 to inch, preferably about inch.
  • the volume involved in relation to float supporting amounts of buoyant materials may be adjusted by changing the length and width of the buoyant material and, of course, adjusting the dimensions of the cover and liner accordingly.
  • the width and length of the key case also have limits. This limitation is controlled by practicability of design. In other words, for practical purposes of carrying the key case about, it must fit comfortably in the usual size clothes pocket.
  • the buoyant material itself, it may be any one of a number of unicellular foam materials, such as polyethylene, polystyrene, polyurethane, etc.
  • a flexible polyethylene foam manufactured under the trade name Ethafoam by the Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan, is used.
  • Ethafoam has a density of about 2.0 pounds/ft. and a buoyancy factor of more than 55 pounds/ft. This This along with a water absorption of less than 1.0% by volume makes it an ideal material for application in this invention.
  • buoyant material As is clear, the primary purpose of the buoyant material is to float support the key case and keys disposed therein. However, there is a secondary purpose which should be kept in mind when choosing the buoyant material.
  • the material must not only act as buoyant matter, but must also act as a stiffener for the various compartments of the key case. Yet, there must be a balance between its stiffening properties and its flexibility properties, otherwise the key case will not be suitable to be carried around in a clothing pocket.
  • the fabrication of the buoyant key case is simple and efficient.
  • the liner sheet 32 is placed with its outside surface facing downwardly.
  • an adhe sive coating may be applied to one or the other or both of the surfaces of the cellular material or liner.
  • This is followed by the positioning of the unitary sheet of the cellular material 34 on the liner 32 to which itadheres. This step is used to align the buoyant material 34 between the liner sheet 32 and the cover sheet 30 so as to permit proper heat sealing of the two sheets without adversely affecting the buoyant material 34.
  • the cover sheet 30 is placed over same, and the two sheets are sealed together by appropriate means, such as heat sealing or cementing, about the perimeter of the key case and along the lines of fold 35 through the hinging sections 36 and 38.
  • appropriate means such as heat sealing or cementing
  • care must be taken not to crush the cellular foam material as this will adversely affect its buoyancy properties by driving out pocketed air.
  • the cover sheet 30 and liner sheet 32 are purposely made oversize as compared to the cellular sheet material, thereby leaving a free edge for sealing purposes, see FIG. 4.
  • the key case itself is a water-tight chamber.
  • the unicellular foam used accommodates essentially all space between the cover sheet 30 and the liner sheet 32,'should either cover or liner sheet be perforated the amount of water admitted by the perforation will not substantially affect the buoyancy of the key case as unicellular foams have a very low water absorption capacity as well as very low capillarity.
  • the flap 22 is provided in hinged connection with the back member 12 of the key case 10 with suitable means 24 for supporting keys 28.
  • the flap 22 is of two piece construction, the first piece being a rigid body upon which is superimposed a vinyl covering with a gauge thickness of about .012 to .015 inch. These two parts are sealed together and in turn both are hinge sealed to the back member 12 of the key case 10.
  • the key supporting mean-s 24 which is attached to the flap 22 may take any desired form, that shown being more fully disclosed in the patent to Harvey No. 2,582,037 issued on January 8, 1952.
  • the key supporting means 24 includes a rigid bar member extending transversely of the case, such means being provided, in the key supporting means shown, by the metal cylinder 48 to which the individual key retaining loops 26 are attached.
  • a buoyant key case comprising a pair of unitary moisture impervious sheets, a unitary sheet of unicellular buoyant material disposed between said moisture im-' closure flaps comprising a unitary moisture impervious 7 cover sheet, a unitary moisture impervious liner sheet, said cover sheet having a thickness greater than the thickness of said liner sheet, a unitary sheet of unicellular buoyant material with cut-outs therein disposed between said cover sheet and said liner sheet and key retaining means disposed on the back member of said key case,
  • cover sheet and said liner sheet being sealed together about their periphery forming at least one water-tight compartment and also being sealed together through said cut-outs thereby forming hinges between said back mem-.
  • Buoyant key case as set forth in claim 3 wherein said unitary'sheet of unicellular buoyant material is a polyethylene foam, and said cover and liner sheets are sheet vinyl plastic.
  • Buoyant key case as set forth in claim 4 in which said cut-outs are disposed in spaced parallel relation perpendicular to the upper and lower edges of said case,
  • cut-outs terminating inwardly of said upper and lower edges to leave bridging portions interconnecting the portions of said unicellular sheet within the back member and closure flaps of said case.

Landscapes

  • Purses, Travelling Bags, Baskets, Or Suitcases (AREA)
  • Wrappers (AREA)
US514064A 1965-12-15 1965-12-15 Buoyant key case Expired - Lifetime US3292680A (en)

Priority Applications (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US514064A US3292680A (en) 1965-12-15 1965-12-15 Buoyant key case
GB43763/66A GB1109249A (en) 1965-12-15 1966-09-30 Buoyant key case
BE689266D BE689266A (de) 1965-12-15 1966-11-04
FR83648A FR1499049A (fr) 1965-12-15 1966-11-15 étui à clefs flottant
CH1642166A CH450642A (fr) 1965-12-15 1966-11-15 Etui à clés flottant
ES0333371A ES333371A1 (es) 1965-12-15 1966-11-15 Un dispositivo de estuche de llaves flotante.
DE19661532832 DE1532832A1 (de) 1965-12-15 1966-12-15 Schwimmende Schluesseltasche

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US514064A US3292680A (en) 1965-12-15 1965-12-15 Buoyant key case

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3292680A true US3292680A (en) 1966-12-20

Family

ID=24045654

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US514064A Expired - Lifetime US3292680A (en) 1965-12-15 1965-12-15 Buoyant key case

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US3292680A (de)
BE (1) BE689266A (de)
CH (1) CH450642A (de)
DE (1) DE1532832A1 (de)
ES (1) ES333371A1 (de)
FR (1) FR1499049A (de)
GB (1) GB1109249A (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4881636A (en) * 1987-12-28 1989-11-21 Oletzke G James Floating separable key case
US20170291445A1 (en) * 2016-04-10 2017-10-12 Scott Comey Key Organization Apparatus and Method of Use
USD854262S1 (en) * 2017-07-02 2019-07-16 Todd Dunkle Wrapping pet tag silencer

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2051432A (en) * 1935-02-11 1936-08-18 Harold E Zahn Key case
US2661785A (en) * 1952-06-02 1953-12-08 Daust Herbert Insulated handbag
US2667198A (en) * 1951-01-26 1954-01-26 Walter L Klein Receptacle
US2795258A (en) * 1955-06-16 1957-06-11 Morris J Berry Bag
US2837132A (en) * 1956-09-07 1958-06-03 Daust Herbert Insulated hand bag

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2051432A (en) * 1935-02-11 1936-08-18 Harold E Zahn Key case
US2667198A (en) * 1951-01-26 1954-01-26 Walter L Klein Receptacle
US2661785A (en) * 1952-06-02 1953-12-08 Daust Herbert Insulated handbag
US2795258A (en) * 1955-06-16 1957-06-11 Morris J Berry Bag
US2837132A (en) * 1956-09-07 1958-06-03 Daust Herbert Insulated hand bag

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4881636A (en) * 1987-12-28 1989-11-21 Oletzke G James Floating separable key case
US20170291445A1 (en) * 2016-04-10 2017-10-12 Scott Comey Key Organization Apparatus and Method of Use
US10752045B2 (en) * 2016-04-10 2020-08-25 Scott Comey Key organization apparatus and method of use
USD854262S1 (en) * 2017-07-02 2019-07-16 Todd Dunkle Wrapping pet tag silencer

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BE689266A (de) 1967-04-14
GB1109249A (en) 1968-04-10
CH450642A (fr) 1968-01-31
DE1532832A1 (de) 1969-04-10
ES333371A1 (es) 1967-12-01
FR1499049A (fr) 1967-10-20

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: BUXTON, INC., 265 MAIN ST., AGAWAM, MA 01101 AND

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. EFFECTIVE MARCH 31, 1982.;ASSIGNOR:BEATRICE FOODS CO. TWO NORTH LASALLE ST., CHICAGO, IL 60603 A CORP. OF DE;REEL/FRAME:004058/0171

Effective date: 19820826