Key and Retainer Card Combination

The present invention relates to keys, especially of the tumbler lock operating type and key holders or retainers, and is more particularly concerned with a novel key and retainer card combination.

Automobile keys, house keys, and the like, which are virtually universally adapted for operating tumbler locks, are generally supplied loosely or in envelopes, key rings or key holders of various types. This is true for original issue keys, duplicate key sets and replacement keys.

Carrying of emergency duplicate keys generally presents a problem. Loose keys are extremely inconvenient to carry or store for emergency use, and this is particularly true of automobile keys. One expedient for making duplicate automobile keys available has been by placing them in a magnetic container which can be held magnetically to an accessible ferrous part of an automobile. The magnetic containers, however, are liable to be dislodged and lost. Carrying loose duplicate keys in a wallet, purse or garment pocket has obvious limitations and is generally inconvenient.

An important object of the present invention is to provide new and improved means for handling keys conveniently and in a manner readily adapted for wallet, purse and pocket storage, and especially suitable for carrying of emergency duplicate keys.

Pursuant to the present invention, there is provided a new and improved key and card combination, comprising a key carrying card, at least one key recess in the card, a key in the recess, and means separably retaining the key in the recess.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, although variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirt and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a key and card combination embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the article of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially along the line III--III in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional detail view taken substantially along the line IV--IV in FIG. 1, but showing the key in a raised position;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a modification;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially along the line VI--VI in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevational view taken substantially along the line VII--VII in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional elevational detail view taken substantially along the line VIII--VIII in FIG. 5 and showing the key separated from the card;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of another modification;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional elevational view taken substantially along the line X--X in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially along the line XI--XI in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 9 but showing how the keys are removable and replaceable in the socket recesses in the card.

In one preferred form of the present invention, a key and retainer card combination 15 comprises a convenient, preferably generally wallet (e.g. credit card) size card 17 carrying at least one, and as shown a pair of car (automobile) keys 18 and 19. For example, the key 18 may be a car door and trunk lock key, and the key 19 an ignition key.

The card 17 and the keys 18 and 19 may be made from the same material, such as a glass filled polycarbonate synthetic resin (plastic material) which may be injection molded and affords adequate stiffness without brittleness in both the card 17 and the keys 18 and 19. As depicted in FIGS. 3-4, the card 17 may be of a relatively thin section such as that commonly present in plastic credit cards. On the other hand, the keys 18 and 19 may be of a thicker section, such as about twice the card thickness, to withstand twisting stresses in use.

In a desirable arrangement, the keys 18 and 19 are located in the plane of the card 17, in respective key recesses or sockets there being a socket 20 for the key 18 and a socket 21 for the key 19. Each of the sockets is preferably of a size complementary to its key including the head of the key and the key shank, and with a sufficient clearance or tolerance relative to the edges of the keys to permit the keys to be readily received in the sockets and easily displaced from the sockets as desired.

Each of the keys 18 and 19 may be permanently attached to the card 17 in a manner permitting the key to be swingably displaced from the plane of the card when desired. For this purpose, the key 18 has an integral hinge connection 22 attaching its head end to the card 17. Similarly, the key 19 is connected to the card 17 by means of an integral hinge 23. This permits the card/key combination to be conveniently injection molded, wherein the sockets 20 and 21 are formed in the card 17, and the key 18 and 19 are adapted to be molded in generally displaced relation to the card but connected thereto by the integral respective hinges 22 and 23. Then the keys are adapted to be swung into their respective sockets in the card 17 and into the plane of the card as seen in FIG. 2, and from which the keys are adapted to be swung out at an angle to the card and swung back as desired, as indicated by directional arrow in FIG. 4.

For retaining the keys 18 and 19 in their respective recesses until it is desired to displace the keys for use, separable detent means may be provided comprising, for example, respective detent keeper recesses 24 at each side of the neck of each of the keys receptive of complementary detents 25 formed on the confronting edges of the card defining the recesses 20 and 21. In addition, or alternatively, each of the keys may have a detent keeper recess 27 in the tip of its shank receptive of a complementary detent projection 28 on the confronting edge of the card defining the associated key socket. Through this arrangement, when the keys are not in use for operating a tumbler lock, they may be snapped into their respective sockets substantially within the plane of the card 17 and wherein the separable detents will retain the keys against unintended displacement. When it is desired to use a key, it is easily pushed out of its socket by applying pressure against a face of the key to snap it out of engagement with its detent retaining means.

The keys 18 and 19 may be formed with usual longitudinal ribs and grooves in their shanks complementary to the key slots in the locks for which the keys are intended. As fabricated, the keys 18 and 19 may be simply blanks, each intended for a certain type of lock, for example for the lock of a particular make or model of automobile, or of whatever other type of lock for which intended. Since each lock has a particular tumbler code, each key must have its shank provided with notches 29 for the particular tumbler code for which intended. The notches are adapted to be cut in the shank edge by chipping or clipping out by means of a tool or a machine intended for that purpose. For example car dealers may have a key cutting machine which operates in accordance with a numerical code for cutting the desired ignition keys and the desired door and trunk keys. On the other hand, if the keys are intended to serve as emergency duplicates, the original keys may be used as templets in a machine that cuts duplicate keys from templets. While the keys 18 and 19 as shown in FIG. 1 have the tumbler notches indicated in full outline, it will be appreciated that as fabricated, the keys will have straight edges as indicated in dash outline.

In the modification of FIGS. 5-8, the key and card combination 15' has, similarly as the combination 15 in FIG. 1 a card 17' and keys 18' and 19'. The keys 18' and 19' start out as merely key blanks which are, as fabricated integrally attached to the card 17' within complimentary recesses by means of breakaway tabs 30 which integrally connect the key blanks to the card. There may be at least one of the breakaway tabs 30 connecting the tip of each key shank to the card, and a plurality of the tabs connecting the head of each of the key blanks, to maintain the blanks in a stable relation in the card until it is desired to remove one of the key blanks for processing the tumbler notches 29' in the edges of the key blank. The manner in which the key blanks are detached from the card 17' is demonstrated in FIG. 8 wherein separation of the key blank 19' is shown and it will be appreciated that removal of the key blank 18' may be effected in the same manner.

In another arrangement as shown in FIGS. 9-12, the card and keys of the combination are adapted to be fabricated separately and then assembled. To this end, a card 31 is provided with a recess socket 32 opening inwardly from one end to receive and substantially surround a key 33, and a recess socket 34 opening in from the other end to receive and substantially surround a key 35. Each of the sockets 32 and 34 is shaped to receive the shank of its key and the head of its key fully within the plane of the card and inset relative to the respective ends of the card. By having the keys on the order of twice the thickness of the card, the keys can be conveniently retained in their recesses in the card by means of a tongue and groove arrangement including, for example, longitudinally extending grooves 37 in the sides of the heads of the keys 33 and 35, and receptive of tongue-like flange edges 38 defining the enlarged portions of the sockets in the card 31 within which the keys are received for card-storage purposes. For stability the tip terminals of the shanks of the keys 33 and 35 may be provided with respective transverse grooves 39 receptive of complementary tongue flanges 40 at the inner ends of the slot-like sockets within which the keys are received in the card 31.

For retaining the keys 33 and 35 replaceably in the recesses 32 and 34, respectively, pressure releasable detent means may be provided, comprising in a simple structure detent nibs 41, desirably one for each of the keys, and located on one edge defining the key-head-receiving recess or slot enlargement and adapted to engage the key head adjacent to the outer end of one of the grooves 37 in the head, i.e., at the crown of the key head. As a result, the detents 41 will, by reason of the resilience of the material of the card 31 snap into retaining engagement behind the associated key head when the key is fully inserted within its recess slot or socket in the card, and for removal of the key the head is adapted to be snapped out of its socket in the card past the retainer detents 41.

It will be appreciated that the keys 33 and 35 may be supplied originally as key blanks. The user may then have the key blanks processed by means of a templet or a numerical code to provide the key shanks with appropriate tumbler operating notched edges 42. The keys 33 and 35 may be molded plastic, e.g. glass filled polycarbonate, or conventional aluminum or other metal keys.

Matching a set of keys 33 and 35 with their appropriate key recess sockets in the card 31 is facilitated by formation of the head-receiving enlarged portion of each key socket appropriate to the respective key to be received in that socket. For example, it will be noted that the key 33 has a wider head than the key 35, and the sockets 32 and 34 are appropriately of complementary dimension in the head receiving portions. Proper orientation of the keys 33 and 35 in the plane of the card 31 is assured by engagement of the tongue structures 38 in the corresponding grooves 37 in the key heads. After the key is fully received within its socket, the tongue structures 40 engaging within the grooves 39, together with the tongue and groove interengagement at the key heads, and the retention or interlocks by the detents 41 assures that the keys will be thoroughly retained within the plane of the card 31 against unintended displacement.

In order to facilitate reception of the generally tapered tips of the shanks of the keys 33 and 35 in the key shank receiving portions of the key sockets 32 and 34, the junctures of the head receiving portions of the sockets with the narrower key shank receiving portions of the sockets are desirably provided with inwardly tapering edges 43. To facilitate reception of the heads of the keys 33 and 34, the entrances into the enlarged key head receiving portions of the sockets 32 and 34 are desirably provided with tapered lead in cam surfaces 44. This facilitates manual insertion of the respective keys into their sockets.

By virtue of the greater thickness of the keys 33 and 35 relative to the card 31 alignment of the keys within the plane of the card when returning a key to its socket is facilitated for digital guidance by sense of touch as the key is grasped between the thumb and another finger of the manipulating hand.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention provides a novel key and retainer card combination well adapted for spare key storage and use or original issue key storage and use. The combination facilitates handling and storage of the keys as for example for wallet, hand bag, purse or pocket storage and retrieval. The flat structural relationships of the combination assures maximum utilization of minimum storage space, especially for key sets. Since the keys are preferably of a greater thickness than the storage card and with face areas of the keys elevated from the planes of the adjacent faces of the card, use of the present device in the dark or by sightless persons is facilitated by ability to differentiate key from card by sense of touch. Any of the key and retainer card combinations described, or modifications thereof are adapted to be produced economically and supplied at low cost.

Although car keys have been indicated in the illustrated forms of the invention, it will be appreciated that other types of tumbler lock keys may be similarly handled, such as house keys, office keys, mailbox keys, luggage keys, or any other keys adapted to operate tumbler locks.

It will be understood that variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of this invention.