Method of preventing persons from forgetting a door key and being locked out of a room

[0002] It has been determined that mentally deficient persons will often leave their premises wherein the door will automatically lock behind them and the person will have forgotten to take an entry key with them. This means that the custodian of the premises will have to unlock the door for such persons, and it has also been determined that such persons often will react very negatively in self-abusive ways because they have forgotten their key and have locked themselves out of the premises.

[0003] It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a method of reminding persons, and particularly mentally deficient person from locking themselves out of a room or dwelling. A further object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive and easily implemented method of reminding a mentally deficient person from locking themselves out of a room or dwelling.

[0004] These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0005] A method of reminding persons, and particularly mentally deficient person from locking themselves out of a room or dwelling comprises the steps of hanging a key on a door frame adjacent a door opening having a door hingedly mounted thereon, in such a position that when the door is swung open with respect to the door frame, the door or lever attached to the door will engage the key and dislodge the key from its means of support to cause it to fall to a floor surface adjacent the door opening. These steps alert the person of the presence of the key so as to remind the person to pick up and retain the key before allowing the door to close, thus preventing the person from being locked out of entry to the room without the key if the door automatically locks upon closing.

[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the key mounted in a “reminder” position;

[0007] FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view showing how the door, upon being opened, engages the key for dislodgement from its position of retainment;

[0008] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the open door of this invention; and

[0009] FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the opposite side of the structure of FIG. 1.

[0010] An exterior wall 10 of interior room 11 (FIG. 2) has a conventional door opening 12 with a door frame 14 comprised of door frame member 16, 18 and 20 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The door frame member 16 has a conventional door stop 22.

[0011] Door 24 has a conventional latch 26 and a door latch handle 28 to actuate the same. The latch 26 is spring loaded and conventionally has the ability to be inserted into and withdrawn from latch keeper 29 (FIG. 2).

[0012] The key ring 38 has a larger primary key ring 40 and a secondary key ring 42. In practice, the primary key ring 40 is placed on the key support surface 32 so that one segment of the ring will be in the path of door 24 and lever 33 as it is opened. See FIG. 2. As the door is opened further, the lever 33 will penetrate the key ring 40 and cause it to be pushed outwardly off of the end of support surface 32 upon engaging tapered edge 33A, whereupon the key rings 40, 42 and the key 38 will fall to the floor surface as illustrated in FIG. 3. Thus, if the person involved will remember to hang the key 38 on the key retaining bracket 30 as shown in FIG. 2, and if the door is self-locking, and if the person forgets to remove key 38 from the retaining bracket 30 when departing the room 11, the opening of the door will remove the key in the manner described and the person will be reminded of the presence of the key as it falls to the floor.

[0013] The key 38 has a primary key ring 40 and a larger secondary key ring 42. In practice, the secondary key ring 42 is placed on the key support surface 32 so that one segment of the ring will be in the path of door 24 and lever 33 as it is opened. See FIG. 2. As the door is opened further, the lever 33 will penetrate the key ring 42 and cause it to be pushed outwardly off of the end of support surface 32 upon engaging tapered edge 33A, whereupon the key rings and the key will fall to the floor surface as illustrated in FIG. 3. Thus, if the person involved will remember to hang the key 38 on the key retaining bracket 30 as shown in FIG. 2, and if the door is self-locking, and if the person forgets to remove key 38 from the retaining bracket 30 when departing the room 11, the opening of the door will remove the key in the manner described and the person will be reminded of the presence of the key as it falls to the floor.

[0014] While lever element 33 with tapered edge 33A is preferred, the method would still be operative if the lever element 33 was removed and the ring 42 was engaged only by the door 24.

[0015] It is therefore seen that this method can be easily and inexpensively implemented, yet will be very effective by causing the key to come to the attention of the person involved in the event that the person forgets to have the key on their person as they depart the premises.