One Piece Key Identification Cover

The invention relates to key identification covers and more particularly to a one piece cover in which the enlarged head portion of a key is encapsulated with securement therin and leaving the remaining narrow portion of the key for use with a lock. The holder includes a relatively flat but hollow body, one flat wall thereof having a slit and one end of the body having an opening. The body is made of a resilient conventional deformable plastic, and a key is mounted in the cover holder by forcing it into the body through the slit with the narrow operative end of the key extending from the body of the cover holder. As a result of the above, the key is held in the cover against displacement. The body has ad space externally thereof on the substantially flat sides. Additionally, a flat side of the cover body may have thereon the printed or written identification of the key. An identification disc may be easily inserted through the slit and into the body and under the head of the key whereby it is substantially protected and not subject to displacement.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing by way of example a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawings forming part of this application:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a one-piece key identification cover embodying the invention and shown with a key in position for insertion into the cover.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the key partially inserted into the cover.

FIG. 4 shows the key further inserted into the cover.

FIG. 5 shows the key fully inserted into the cover.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the cover.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an identification disc.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8--8 of FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the key identification cover A includes the envelope body 10 of resilient deformable plastic material or the like. The hollow body 10 includes the substantially flat top portion 12 which terminates on one side in the outwardly curving first sidewall 14 with the other side terminating in the outwardly curving second sidewall 16. The sidewalls terminate in the flat uninterrupted bottom portion 18 which is coextensive with the flat top portion 12. The flat bottom provides desirable key identification and/or ad space.

The top, bottom and sidewalls terminate at one end in reduced portions to form a restricted opening 20 through which a portion of a key extends as set forth hereinafter. The flat top portion 12 has extending therethrough the slit 22 toward each end of the top portion. The slit is deformable due to the deformable nature of the material of which the cover A is formed. At the other end of the body opposite to the opening 20 is the hole 24 formed in the top 12 and the hole 26 formed in the bottom 18 which is in alignment with the hole 24. The holes 24 and 26 are adapted to align with a hole in the head portion 25 of a conventional key K when a key is inserted in the holder A as will be described hereinafter. The conventional key K also includes the conventional lock-operating end portion 27.

Further provided is the relatively thin flat identification disc 28 member of a size to fit and be held within the holder underneath the key K where it is protected from wear and further deterioration.

The cover A is manipulated and used in the following manner and referring to FIGS. 1-4, the small operative end of a key K is extended into the slit 22 and the entire key including the head portion completely forced through the slit with the small lock-operating end of the key 27 extended out the restricted opening 20 with the head 25 of the key K encapsulated in the cover, the end 27 of the key being useable with a lock. It will be seen that with the key K partially within the cover as in FIG. 4, the cover A is securely mounted against displacement from the key. Additionally, the identification disc is contained in the holder against separation therefrom. The key is removed from the holder A by deforming the slot whereby the head of the key may be first forced out the hole followed by the operative end of the key.

With the holes 24 and 26 in alignment with the hole in the head portion of a key, a chain, ring or holder may be inserted and secured through the cover and the key.

The cover A may have a coloring matter including irridescent incorporated therewith, whereby the key may be identified simply by sight. The cover A may be constructed if a size is excess of the size of the head of the key whereby identification of the key may be made by sight or feel particularly valueable for sightless persons.