Key container with improved locking features

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6418766
  • Patent Number
    6,418,766
  • Date Filed
    Friday, April 7, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, July 16, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
A key container has a body with a chamber, an access opening that communicates with the chamber and a cover that can be locked in place over the opening. A key-operated locking assembly is attached to the cover and engagable with the body to lock the cover in place. The cover can be engaged with the body and locked in place without operating the key.
Description




BACKGROUND




This invention relates to key containers, and in particular, to improvements in the operation and installation of key container lock assemblies.




Key containers are known. In general, a key container is a box-like structure positioned at a desired location for allowing authorized users to access keys or other items stored within a locked chamber inside the structure. A typical key container may have a locking front cover connected to a rear portion, with the chamber being accessed by using a key to unlock the cover and thus gain access to the key stored in the chamber.




Key containers are used in a variety of applications. Motor vehicle dealers and valets often use key containers that are attached to vehicles, e.g., by a hanger that suspends the key container over a window of the vehicle (thus preventing easy theft of the key container). In other applications, key containers are mounted on or near buildings or on motor vehicles in a more permanent fashion, e.g., with fasteners.




In typical key containers having a key locking mechanism, the key container must be disassembled to change the locking mechanism. Typically, such disassembly requires tools. A key container owner may wish to change the lock assembly if it becomes damaged or worn, or if the owner wishes to have several such key containers keyed in a particular manner, e.g., such that one key will open a number of key containers.




Also, the locking assembly typically has a rotating locking member that must be rotated to unlock the key container (allowing it to be opened) and then again in the opposite direction to relock the key container (after it has been closed). Thus, the user must operate the key in both the unlocking and locking operations, which can be inconvenient.




It would be advantageous to provide a key box having a lock assembly that could be easily interchanged and easy to operate.




SUMMARY




According to the invention, a key container having a lock assembly for securing a cover in place to restrict access to a chamber is removably coupled to the cover. Thus, the lock assembly may be changed or replaced easily. The lock assembly may be removable from the cover when the key container is open. The lock assembly may be slidably removable from a bore in the cover. The lock assembly may form a snap-fit connection with the cover. The lock assembly may be removable from the cover without requiring the use of tools.




The lock assembly may be configured to “snap shut,” i.e., to lock the cover in a closed position simply by closing the cover (without requiring the use of a key). The lock assembly may have a spring biased bolt that is normally extended, but retracts and then extends again to engage the lock with the body such that the key container is in a locked state.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a front perspective view of a key container according to the invention with an attached hanger for use in securing the key container over a window of a vehicle.





FIG. 2

is an exploded view of the key container of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is a rear perspective view of the key container of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 4

is a right side sectional view of the key container of

FIG. 1

taken along the line IV—IV in FIG.


1


.





FIG. 5

is a rear perspective view similar to

FIG. 3

, except with the key container in a partially opened position, and the lock assembly and lock receiving bore shown partially in section to show the respective mating features.





FIG. 6

is a right side sectional view of the key container of

FIG. 5

taken along the line VI—VI in FIG.


5


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




According to one aspect of the invention, a locking assembly used with the key container is removably coupleable to a portion of the key container such that when the key container is opened, the lock assembly can be easily removed (e.g., for replacement or substitution). According to another aspect of the invention, a key-actuated lock assembly is configured such that the key need not be operated when the key container is reconfigured from an opened position to a closed and locked position.




An embodiment of a key container


10


according to the invention is shown in

FIGS. 1-6

. The key container


10


has a body


12


with a general form of a rectangular solid when the key container


10


is in a closed position. A chamber


17


for storing keys or other items is defined within the body


17


. In the implementation shown in

FIGS. 1

,


3


and


4


, the body


12


has front and rear portions


14


and


16


, respectively, shaped to fit together along their outer edges. Together, the inner surfaces of the front portion


14


and the rear portion


16


define a chamber


17


for storage of keys or other items (not shown).




To position the key container


10


in an opened position and access the chamber


17


, e.g., as shown in

FIGS. 5 and 6

, a cover is moved to expose an access opening. In the illustrated implementation, the “cover” is the front portion


14


, which may be pivoted relative to the rear portion


16


about a hinge


18


as shown to expose the chamber


17


.




The front portion


14


can be locked to the rear portion


16


with a lock assembly


20


. In the illustrated implementation, the lock assembly


20


is actuated using a corresponding key (not shown) of any suitable type. The lock assembly


20


is coupled to the front portion


14


and positioned to engage the body


12


, e.g., the rear portion


16


, when the key container


10


is in the closed position. To open the key container


10


, the lock assembly


20


is unlocked. Further details of the construction and operation of the lock assembly


20


are described below.




As illustrated in the figures, the key container


10


can be used with a hanger


22


that allows the key container to be suspended, e.g., over the edge of a window of a motor vehicle (not shown). The window is first partially opened, a lip


72


of the hanger


22


is positioned over a top edge of the opened window, and the window is then raised to secure the hanger


22


between the window and its frame, therefore reducing the chance of a simple theft of the key container


10


. An end


74


, which may be tubular as shown, is thus positioned adjacent an interior side of the raised window. An elastomeric bumper


76


(

FIG. 2

) can be attached (preferably by an adhesive


77


) to the hanger


22


to prevent damage to the window. Alternatively, the key container


10


can be used without the hanger


22


, e.g., if the key container is to be secured in place to a building or a vehicle with fasteners.




As shown, e.g., in

FIG. 1

, the front portion


14


has a front side


24




a


, top and bottom sides


24




b


,


24




c


, and right and left sides


24




d


,


24




e


, respectively. Inner surfaces of the sides


24




a


-


24




e


define a recess


25


in the front portion. In the illustrated implementation, as shown in

FIG. 4

, the chamber


17


is defined by the recess


25


in the front portion, together with a front surface


50


of the rear portion


16


.




As best shown in

FIG. 5

, the front portion


16


includes a peripheral lip


28


shaped to contact a gasket


66


(

FIG. 2

) that seals the interface between the front portion


14


and the rear portion


16


when the key container


10


is closed. The gasket


66


, which is preferably formed of an elastomeric material and attached to the rear portion


16


by adhesive, is designed to prevent moisture and dust from entering the chamber


17


. The gasket


66


may be formed with apertures


68


that provide clearance for fasteners (e.g., rivets


78


).




As best shown in

FIG. 2

, the front side


24




a


has a lock assembly bore


41


extending inwardly from a lock assembly opening


30


formed in the front side


24




a


. In one implementation, the lock assembly


20


is removably coupled to the front portion


14


. For example, as shown in

FIGS. 2

,


4


and


6


, the lock assembly bore


41


can be dimensioned to slidingly receive the lock assembly


20


.




The lock assembly opening


30


is covered by a cover member


36


. The front side


24




a


has a projecting cover frame


32


formed from right, left and top ribs


34




a


,


34




b


and


34




c


, respectively. Holes


35


in the right and left ribs


34




a


and


34




b


receive pins


37


that extend through a bore


39


in the cover member


36


to pivotably connect the cover member


36


to the cover frame


32


.




Adjacent the bottom side


24




c


, the front portion


14


has a left and right bores


38




a


,


38




b


dimensioned to receive corresponding pins


40




a


,


40




b


, respectively. The pins


40




a


,


40




b


extend into a bore


54


(

FIG. 2

) formed in the rear portion


16


, thereby forming the hinge


18


. Optionally, O-rings


56


may be provided on the pins


40




a


,


40




b


adjacent either side of the bore


54


(FIG.


2


).




The rear portion


16


has a web of supporting ribs


60


extending from the front surface


50


. A catch


62


with a bolt receiving slot


64


extends from the front surface


50


. Apertures


58


are formed in the rear portion


16


. The apertures


58


can receive the rivets


78


to connect the hanger


22


to the key container or fasteners (not shown) for attaching the key container


10


to an object when the hanger


22


is not used. In the figures, the rivets


78


are shown in their full-length state following assembly and prior to being trimmed to an appropriate length (e.g., flush with a rear surface


70


of the hanger


22


).




Following are further details regarding installation and operation of the lock assembly


20


. As described above, the lock assembly is removably coupled to the cover, and, in a specific implementation, the lock assembly


20


is slidingly received in the lock assembly bore


41


of the front portion


14


. As an additional feature, the lock assembly


20


may be configured to allow its removal without the use of tools.




As shown in

FIG. 4

, the lock assembly


20


has a generally cylindrical body


80


that defines an axial direction, a forward end


82


and a flanged rearward end


84


with an access feature


86


(e.g., a key hole shaped to receive a corresponding key as shown in FIG.


2


). In the illustrated implementation, the lock assembly


20


also has a movable locking member or bolt


88


positioned to extend radially from the surface of the body


80


at a point between the forward end


82


and the rearward end


84


. The bolt


88


has an angled forward side


90


and a flat rearward side


92


. The bolt


88


is normally biased in a direction away from the body


80


by a spring


94


. As shown in

FIGS. 4

,


5


and


6


, the forward end


82


has an alignment feature, e.g., a notch


96


, that mates with a corresponding alignment feature formed in the lock assembly bore


41


.




The lock assembly bore


41


has a cylindrical wall


42


joined to an end surface


43


. As illustrated in

FIG. 4

, a bolt receiving opening


44


in the bore


41


is defined by an upper edge


45


of the end surface


43


and a circumferential edge


46


of an upper side


47


of the cylindrical wall


42


. The lock assembly bore


41


also includes the corresponding mating feature, e.g., a step


48


, to engage the notch


96


of the lock assembly


20


.




The lock assembly


20


is assembled in the key container


10


by aligning the forward end


82


with the opening


30


, and pushing the rearward end


84


in the direction A (

FIG. 2

) to slide the lock assembly


20


into the lock assembly bore


41


. As the lock assembly is urged in the direction A, the angled forward side


90


of the bolt


88


allows the lock assembly


20


to continue sliding within the lock assembly bore


41


, with the upper side


47


urging the bolt


88


toward the body


80


against the action of the spring


94


. As the flat side


92


of the bolt


88


is slid past the circumferential edge


46


, and thus the bolt


88


becomes aligned with the bolt receiving opening


44


, the bolt


88


returns to its normal position away from the body


80


under the action of the spring


94


. Also, the forward end


82


of the lock assembly


20


is positioned adjacent the end surface


43


of the lock assembly bore


41


. The engagement between the spring-biased bolt


88


and the bolt receiving opening


44


thus creates a “snap-fit” connection between the locking assembly


20


and the body


12


of the key container


10


.




As shown in

FIG. 4

, the flat side


92


of the bolt


88


engages the bolt receiving slot


64


in the catch


62


to lock the front portion


14


and the rear portion


16


together. In the locked state, this engagement prevents the front portion


14


from being pivoted away from the rear portion


16


. In normal use, the key container


10


is opened by unlocking it, e.g., by inserting a key in the access feature


86


and rotating it counterclockwise. During such an unlocking operation, the key causes a lock cylinder


100


coupled to the bolt


88


to rotate, thereby retracting the bolt


88


and disengaging it from the bolt receiving slot


64


to allow the front portion


14


to be pivoted away from the rear portion


16


and to provide an access opening to the compartment


17


. Rotation of the lock assembly


20


relative to the lock assembly bore


41


is prevented by the engagement between the notch


96


and the step


48


.




With the key container


10


in the opened state, e.g., as shown in

FIG. 5

, the lock assembly


20


can be removed. To remove the lock assembly


20


, the bolt


88


is depressed (e.g., using one's finger) to retract the bolt toward the body


80


until the bolt


88


clears the circumferential edge


46


of the locking assembly bore


41


. The lock assembly


20


is then slid out of the lock assembly bore


41


by pushing the forward end


82


. Thus, the lock assembly


20


is easily removed for replacement or exchange without the use of tools by simply opening the key container


10


in an authorized manner (i.e., with a key) and performing a simple operation. When the lock assembly is being unlocked with a key, the cylinder


100


is configured to retract the bolt


88


only to the extent necessary to clear the bolt receiving slot, and not the additional distance required to clear the circumferential edge


46


, which prevents the lock assembly


20


from being inadvertently removed.




As a further feature, the engagement between the spring-biased bolt


88


and the catch


62


/bolt receiving slot


64


is such that the lock assembly


20


need not be actuated to return the front portion


14


from an opened state (

FIG. 6

) to a closed and locked state (FIG.


4


). In other words, once the key container


10


is opened, it may be closed and locked simply by pivoting the front portion


14


into the closed position against the rear portion


16


, with the bolt


88


being momentarily retracted by engagement with the catch


62


until the bolt


88


becomes aligned with the bolt receiving slot


64


and extends to its normal outwardly biased position, thus locking the key container


10


. Stated differently, the key container


10


is simply “snapped shut” to return it from a opened state to a closed state. Thus, the key to the key container


10


is only required to unlock the key container


10


, not to relock it. This feature saves considerable time for individuals, e.g., parking attendants and valets, who must repeatedly access a number of key containers.




The front portion


14


and the rear portion


16


are preferably formed of a cast material and provided with a suitable finish for weather resistance. In a particular embodiment, the body


12


of the key container


10


has a height of approximately 5 inches, a width of approximately 3.5 inches and a depth of approximately 2 inches.




Having illustrated and described the principles of my invention with reference to several preferred embodiments, it should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. We claim all such modifications which fall within the scope and spirit of the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. A locking key container, comprising:a body having an access opening and a chamber within the body in communication with the access opening; a cover engagable with the body to cover the access opening; and a lock assembly removably coupled to the cover by a snap-fit connection and engagable with the body to lock the cover to the body.
  • 2. The key container of claim 1, wherein the cover includes a bore dimensioned to receive the lock assembly and defining an axial direction, and wherein the lock assembly is slidingly removable from the bore in the axial direction.
  • 3. The key container of claim 2, wherein the bore comprises a cylindrical side surface joined to an end surface and an opening formed in the cylindrical side surface, and wherein the lock assembly includes a retractable locking member engagable with the opening when the lock assembly is received in the bore.
  • 4. The key container of claim 3, wherein the locking member is retractable in a radial direction to disengage the locking member from the opening and to allow the lock assembly to be slidingly removed from the bore.
  • 5. The key container of claim 3, wherein the end surface of the bore comprises a step extending in the axial direction and the lock assembly has a forward end with a notch dimensioned to receive the step when the lock assembly is rotationally aligned within the bore.
  • 6. The key container of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a front portion hingedly connected to a rear portion.
  • 7. The key container of claim 6, wherein a portion of the chamber formed in the body is a recess in the rear portion, and wherein the rear portion comprises a catch with which the lock assembly can be engaged to lock the front portion and the rear portion together.
  • 8. The key container of claim 7, wherein the catch projects outward from the rear portion and has a slot.
  • 9. A key container, comprising:a body having a chamber, an access opening that communicates with the chamber and a cover that can be locked in place to restrict access to the chamber; a key-operated lock assembly attached to the cover and engagable with the body to lock the cover in place, wherein the cover can be engaged with the body and locked in place without operating a key.
  • 10. The key container of claim 9, wherein the lock assembly comprises a biased locking member engageable with the body, and wherein the body moves the locking member opposite its biased direction when the cover is moved into place to cover the opening in the body.
  • 11. The key container of claim 10, wherein the body includes a catch having a slot, and wherein the locking member contacts the catch and is momentarily retracted as the cover is closed.
  • 12. In a key container having a body with a chamber, an opening that communicates with chamber, and a cover with a lock assembly engaged with and locked to the body to prevent access to the chamber, a method of removing the lock from the cover, comprising:using a key to unlock the lock assembly; disengaging the cover from the body to expose a body side of the cover; and manipulating the lock assembly from the body side of the cover to remove the lock assembly from the cover.
  • 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the lock assembly includes a biased locking member engaged with the body when the cover is locked to the body, and wherein manipulating includes depressing the biased locking member.
  • 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising removing the key from the lock assembly before removing the lock assembly from the cover.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Number Name Date Kind
3436937 Barrett Apr 1969 A
3742741 Cahan Jul 1973 A
4099397 Dauenbaugh Jul 1978 A
4325239 Larson Apr 1982 A
4463584 De Forrest Aug 1984 A
5060491 Smith Oct 1991 A