Claims
- 1. A key case, comprising:
- an upper end portion;
- a lower end portion having an opening;
- a sidewall having a longitudinal slot extending from a location adjacent said lower end portion to a location adjacent said upper end portion, said sidewall extending between said upper and lower end portions and defining a cavity, said cavity being accessible through said opening of said lower end portion and through said longitudinal slot;
- a single key ring having a size sufficient for holding a plurality of keys; and
- means, connected to said key ring and acting in concert with said longitudinal slot, for raising said key ring into said cavity to a fixed position adjacent said upper end portion and lowering said key ring from said cavity through said opening of said lower end portion, said means including a single wheel-shaped member having an H-shaped configuration with a crossmember of the H riding along said slot with a left leg of the H in said cavity and a right leg of said H outside said cavity adjacent said sidewall, said key ring being held in a raised position in said cavity solely by said slot acting in concert with said crossmember, said longitudinal slot tapering near said upper end portion and said sidewall having a transverse slot intersecting said longitudinal slot at a location adjacent said upper end portion, said wheel-shaped member holding said key ring raised in said cavity adjacent said upper end portion in response to being urged through said longitudinal slot taper into said transverse slot.
- 2. A key case, comprising:
- an upper end portion;
- a lower end portion having an opening;
- a sidewall having a longitudinal slot extending from a location adjacent said lower end portion to a location adjacent said upper end portion, said sidewall extending between said upper and lower end portions and defining a cavity, said cavity being accessible through said opening of said lower end portion and through said longitudinal slot;
- a single key ring having a size sufficient for holding a plurality of keys;
- means, connected to said key ring and acting in concert with said longitudinal slot, for raising said key ring into said cavity to a fixed position adjacent said upper end portion and lowering said key ring from said cavity through said opening of said lower end portion, said means including a single wheel-shaped member having an H-shaped configuration with a crossmember of the H riding along said slot with a left leg of the H in said cavity and a right leg of said H outside said cavity adjacent said sidewall, said key ring being held in a raised position in said cavity solely by said slot acting in concert with said crossmember;
- said means for raising said key ring including:
- a bore extending through said crossmember of said wheel-shaped member;
- a threaded member extending through said bore; and
- a clamp having an opening for attaching said key ring and being positioned about said threaded member adjacent said wheel-shaped member inside said cavity.
- 3. A key case, comprising:
- an upper end portion;
- a lower end portion having an opening;
- a sidewall having a longitudinal slot extending from a location adjacent said lower end portion to a location adjacent said upper end portion, said sidewall extending between said upper and lower end portions and defining a cavity, said cavity being accessible through said opening of said lower end portion and through said longitudinal slot;
- a single key ring having a size sufficient for holding a plurality of keys;
- means, connected to said key ring and acting in concert with said longitudinal slot, for raising said key ring into said cavity to a fixed position adjacent said upper end portion and lowering said key ring from said cavity through said opening of said lower end portion, said means including a single wheel-shaped member having an H-shaped configuration with a crossmember of the H riding along said slot with a left leg of the H in said cavity and a right leg of said H outside said cavity adjacent said sidewall, said key ring being held in a raised position in said cavity solely by said slot acting in concert with said crossmember; said sidewall having a second longitudinal slot with said crossmember of said wheel-shaped member riding in said second slot.
- 4. A key case, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said longitudinal slot is tapered near said upper end portion to hold said wheel-shaped member at a preselected location.
- 5. A key case, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said key ring is moveable between a raised position at which said key ring is adjacent said upper end portion and a lowered position at which said key ring extends from said cavity and is free of said sidewall.
- 6. A key case, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said slot tapers near said upper end portion to entrap said crossmember of said wheel-shaped member to thereby hold said key ring in said cavity adjacent said upper end portion.
- 7. A key case, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for raising said key ring includes:
- a clamp having an opening for attaching said key ring and being integrally formed with said wheel-shaped member.
- 8. A key case, as set forth in claim 2, including a cap nut threadably engaged on said threaded member to thereby maintain said clamp adjacent said wheel-shaped member.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/397,657 filed Aug. 23, 1989.
This invention relates generally to keys, and more particularly relates to a key case for holding a plurality of keys.
Keys are a necessary item in modern society. A typical person has a variety of keys to gain access to his home, automobile and place of employment. Many people will have two keys for each automobile, and a key for each door of their home or apartment. In addition, in the home, a person may have keys to fit safes, medicine cabinets, freezers, desks and other items. In the office, a person may also have several keys. It is apparent that a person has need for a plurality of keys.
A person typically keeps a plurality of keys on a key ring or in a key case for convenience. Unfortunately, carrying keys in a trouser pocket on a key ring exposes the trouser pocket to damage from the keys which may rub or poke holes in the pocket. Keys can also damage a jacket or other garment if carried in a pocket. Keys on a key ring can similarly damage a purse. Also, keys carried on a key ring have a tendency to jingle making an annoying noise.
Keys kept in a key case do not make as much annoying noise as keys kept on a key ring, but key cases tend to be bulky items. In a key case, the keys are arranged on a bar in a linear fashion with the bar dictating the size of the key case. A key case to hold several keys usually has a long bar and can be quite bulky and therefore undesirable. A bulky key case also damages pockets and can distort the lining of a jacket if kept in the jacket pocket.
Another problem with keys today is the large size of some keys, particularly automobile keys. Many automobile keys are not only large but have their heads encased in rubber or plastic material. These keys do not lie flat on small key rings and increase the size of the key case needed for them. It will be appreciated that it would be highly desirable to have a key case for carrying a plurality of keys that is not bulky and keeps the keys from making annoying noises when carried in a pocket or purse.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to one aspect of the invention, a key case contains an upper end portion, a lower end portion with an opening, and a sidewall having a longitudinal slot. The sidewall extends between the upper and lower end portions and defines a cavity that is accessible through the longitudinal slot and through the opening of the lower end portion. The key case includes a key ring, and means, connected to the key ring, for raising the key ring into the cavity adjacent the upper end portion and lowering the key ring from the cavity through the opening of the lower end portion.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a key case for housing a plurality of keys. The key case accommodates a number of keys depending on the size of the key ring used.
Another object of the present invention to provide a key case that prevents keys from poking or wearing holes in a pocket. The key case housing shields the purse or pocket from the keys and thereby prevents the keys from poking holes. The key case is compact to minimize wear. The keys lay almost flat on the key ring thereby minimizing bulging of the key case.
Another object of the invention is to provide a key case that is easy to use. The key case holds keys on a conventional key ring and the keys are easily removed or added.
These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Foreign Referenced Citations (6)
| Number |
Date |
Country |
| 719821 |
Feb 1932 |
FRX |
| 958994 |
Sep 1949 |
FRX |
| 266740 |
Aug 1929 |
ITX |
| 286785 |
Mar 1928 |
GBX |
| 316859 |
Nov 1929 |
GBX |
| 419005 |
Nov 1934 |
GBX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
397657 |
Aug 1989 |
|
Patent Grant
4951819
