Distinctive phosphorescent clamp accessory with numbered top, specially created for latchkeys

Abstract

 This distinctive device, specially created for keys, consists of two substantially plane surfaces (1 and 2) connected to form a fork capable of holding between them the handgrip of a key (6) and so as to have on their common zone (3) a flat edge (10) on which distinguishing mark (11) can be applied or printed.
This accessory is made of clear phosphorescent plastic so that the numbers or other distinguishing marks printed in black will stand out clearly in the dark.
This accessory has plane surfaces with holes (4, 5) and these are symmetrically positioned to allow the introduction of a normal ring (12) to hold a bunch of keys and at the same time to permit its constraint to the handgrip of the key (6).

Description

[0001] This invention belonging to the classification of key accessories, is in fact different from other devices.

[0002] It is a known fact that if you need to lock a number of doors, cupboards or drawers then the different keys are held together in a bunch. This creates problems of finding a specific key since they all look rather similar. This task becomes even more difficult if you are working in the dark.

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to design an accessory which will give instant identification of the required key, not just by making it more easily recognizable from others which are different in appearance, but by making it recognizable from others of similar appearance.

[0004] A further aim is to design an accessory which will adapt to the different thicknesses of the body part of the key.

[0005] These and other aims will be seen to have been fulfilled from the detailed description given here below to illustrate a distinctive accessory specially created for latchkeys consisting of two plane surfaces jointed to form a clamp in such a way as to hold between these the body of a key and so as to have a top edge on the common topmost area on which different numbers or other distinguishing marks can be printed in black.

[0006] The invention is illustrated as a guideline but is in no way intended as a limitation in the enclosed drawings, where:

- in figures 1, 2 and 3 a partial cross-section is shown from three conventional views

- figure 4 shows a perspective drawing indicating the position of the accessory on the key

[0007] With reference to the above-mentioned figures, the plane surfaces 1 and 2 have holes 4 and 5 made in them in such a position that when the accessory is applied to the body of a key 6, the hole fits over the usual hole 7.

[0008] In view of the fact that the usual hole drilled in the key body can be in a variety of different positions, the two holes 4 and 5 should by preference be lengthened or oval in shape.

[0009] Figure 1, in which a broken line indicates the edge of the key body, shows how the position of hole 7 inside the holes made in the accessory is determined by the support of the rounded edge of the key body 6 inside a curved groove 8, or by the distance 9 between the hole 7 in the key and the edge of the key itself.

[0010] The depth and shape of the curved groove 8 are as required by shrink prevention techniques but are such as to make the top 10 perfectly flat so as to facilitate the correct marking of numbers or other distinguishing marks 11.

[0011] The two plane surfaces 1 and 2 are essentially parallel and in compliance with the usual thicknesses of key bodies: when the accessory is seen as a separate entity from the key, these surfaces converge slightly at the ends.

[0012] This means that when the accessory is applied to a key 6, there is a slight pressure which keeps the accessory in its correct position during handling to allow insertion of the retaining ring 12.

[0013] Numerous plastic materials can be used for injection moulding of this accessory, but the plastic should preferably be light in colour and the use of hard or resistant technopolymers is recommended;these must be compatible with the phosophorescent pigments used in compliance with known techniques.

Claims

1) Distinctive accessory specially for keys, consisting of two substantially plane surfaces ((1, 2) connected to form a fork capable of accepting between them the handgrip of a key (6) and so as to have on their common zone (3) a flat edge (10) on which at least distinguishing mark (11) can be applied or printed.

2) Distinctive accessory, as claimed in the preceding claim made of light-coloured phosphorescent material so that the applied or printed mark (11) will stand out in the dark.

3) Distinctive accessory, as claimed in the preceding claims, wherein the surfaces are provided with (4 and 5) positioned symmetrically to allow the insertion of an usual ring (12) used to hold a bunch of keys and at the same time to permit its constraint to the handgrip of the key.

4) Distinctive accessory, as claimed in the preceding claims, wherein the two plane surfaces are joined into a U-shape with converging ends, so as to obtain a clamping preload on the handgrip of the key.

Drawing