STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX
Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
On occasion, one will need to carry functional money, such as quarters, that can be used for various situations such as operating pay phones and feeding parking meters. However, many conventional methods and devices for carrying this emergency money are often cumbersome and inconvenient. Further, the need for carrying spare change is typically underestimated and ignored in view of these shortcomings.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a device for carrying emergency money that is convenient and easily stored by the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
According to its major aspects and briefly stated, the present invention includes a money holder for carrying functional coin money, such as quarters or silver and gold dollars. In particular, the money holder includes a key ring portion for engaging numerous keys, wherein the key ring is attached to a holder portion through means for attachment. The holder portion is generally disc shaped and is dimensioned to receive a plurality of coins.
A feature of the present invention includes the use of a key ring in combination with a holder dimensioned to receive coin money. Typical key chains and key rings that include storage capacity for money are cumbersome and unsightly. These types of key chains usually include a wallet-type holder for both paper and coin money along with a key ring. The holder of the present invention is effectively and efficiently dimensioned to receive only coin money. Therefore, the key ring is easily stored and transported. Further, the shape of the holder is such that the face of the coin money can be displayed while in the holder, which adds to the aesthetical appearance of the key chain in addition to reminding the user as to what type of coin is in the holder.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a careful reading of the Detailed Disclosure of the Preferred Embodiments presented below and accompanied by the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings,
FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the money holder of the present invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the holder portion of the money holder of the present invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional, exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the holder portion of the money holder of the present invention;
FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the holder portion of the money holder of the present invention;
FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the holder portion of the money holder of the present invention;
FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the holder portion of the money holder of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the present invention includes a money holder system 10 having a key ring 12 that is connected to a holder 14 for housing coin currency. Optionally, the holder 14 can operate separately from the key ring 12 to hold money. The key ring 12 includes end segments 13 overlapping intermediate segments 15 thereof and can be used for carrying at least one key 18. Additional keys can be carried if desired. The key 18, as well as the holder 14, can be placed on and taken off of the key ring 12 by spreading apart a selected end segment 13 and a selected intermediate segment 15.
The coin holder 14 of the present invention is further illustrated in FIG. 2. As shown, the holder 14 is generally disc shaped and includes a plurality of annular members that can be threadedly engaged. In particular, the holder 14 includes an upper cover 20 and a lower cover 24 that are held in place by a coupling member 30 at its opposing ends. The upper and lower covers 20, 24 each includes a base wall 32 and an annular sidewall 34. As further shown, the upper and lower covers 20, 24 can each further include an opening 50 in their base walls 32 so that the coins stored within the holder 14 remain visible. Alternatively, only either the upper cover 20 or the lower cover 24 can include an opening for such visibility.
The upper and lower covers 20, 24 can be connected to the coupling member 30 in a variety of ways. For example, the covers 20, 24 can be threadedly engaged with the coupling member 30. As illustrated in the figures, the coupling member 30 includes an external annular wall 40, which can have external threads 42 thereon, and an internal annular wall 44. In order to connect the upper cover 20 and the lower cover 24 to the coupling member 30, the annular sidewall 34 of each of the covers can include internal threads 36 thereon, which engage the external threads 42 located at the opposing ends of the external annular wall 40 of the coupling member 30. Further, the annular sidewall 34 of the covers 20, 24 can be knurled to facilitate the gripping of the upper and lower covers 20, 24. It is also contemplated by the present invention that other means for engagement than threads can be used to secure the upper and lower covers 20, 24 to the coupling member 30, such as corresponding male and female members (not shown) or interlocking internal and external ribs (not shown).
Because the coupling member 30 of the present invention includes a generally tubular body that is hollow, as shown in FIGS. 2-6, the coupling member 30 can further include means for securing coins 60 within the body of the coupling member 30. Not only does this feature prevent the coins from sliding about during transportation, but also the securing means 60 alleviates the need to keep the holder full of coins at any given time. In particular, the securing means 60 includes a spring 62 that is disposed between an upper rib 63 and a lower rib 64. The upper and lower ribs 63, 64 are respectively held in place by an upper and lower annular flange 65, 66 formed along the internal annular wall 44 of the coupling member 30. As illustrated, the upper and lower ribs 63, 64 are generally C-shaped and each includes rib flanges 70 dimensioned to be received by and to engage the upper and lower annular flanges 65, 66, respectively, of the coupling member 30. The upper and lower ribs 63, 64 each further include ledges 72 that can act as a coin rest when the ribs 63, 64 are engaged with the coupling member 30. Although many materials may be used for making the various features of the holder 14, these materials can include metals (ferrous or nonferrous), plastics, glass, stone, and wood.
Although a variety of connectors can be used to place the holder 14 onto the key ring 12, an embodiment of the holder 14 can include means for attaching 22 as shown in FIG. 3. The attaching means 22 includes an aperture 25 through which the key ring 12 can be engaged. Alternatively, a second aperture 26 can be included to engage additional useful attachments. However, the second aperture 26 is not a necessary feature to the present invention. The attaching means 22 can be formed integrally with the holder 14, or, alternatively, it can include a male connector member 23 that is engagable with the holder 14 through a corresponding female member 27. Further, the attaching means 22 can be rotatable about the longitudinal axis (FIG. 3) of the connector member 23. This features allows for enhanced flexibility and comfort in the operation of the money holder 10.
In operation, a user disengages the upper and lower covers 20, 24 from the coupling member 30. Next, the user places a coin 100 on the ledge 72 of either or both of the upper and lower ribs 63, 64. As shown in FIG. 3, the diameter of the coin 100 is preferably less than the diameter of the opening 50 of the base wall 32 of each of the covers 20, 24 so that the coin 100 will not fall through the opening 50. Although it is contemplated by the present invention that various sizes and dimensions can be employed to the various features depending on the types of coins needing to be carried, preferably, the securing means 60 is dimensioned so that coins approximately the size of quarters or gold and silver dollars can rest on the ledges 72 of the upper and lower ribs 63, 64. After resting a coin 100 on the ledge 72 of either or both of the upper and lower ribs 63, 64, the upper and lower covers 20, 24 are once again engaged to the coupling member 30. As shown in FIG. 4, upon securing the covers 20, 24, the coin(s) 100 become urged towards the base wall 32 of the upper and lower covers 20, 24 by the spring 62, wherein the coin 100 placed on the ledge 72 of the upper rib 63 becomes urged toward the base wall 32 of the upper cover 20, and wherein the coin 100 placed on the ledge 72 of the lower rib 64 becomes urged toward the base wall 32 of the lower cover 24.
Depending on how many coins are placed on each of the ledge 72 of the upper and lower ribs 63, 64, the spring 62 will become compressed to provide more space to accommodate additional coins, as shown in FIG. 5. Furthermore, because the securing means 60 is generally hollow, coins 100′ smaller than those resting on the ledge 72 of the upper and lower ribs 63, 64 can be placed between the larger coins 100, as illustrated in FIG. 6.
Those skilled in the art of money holders will recognize that many substitutions and modifications can be made in the foregoing preferred embodiment with departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Patent Application
20050167288
