Collector holder, particularly for keys

• US 6,006,562 A
• Filed: 12/03/1998
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Heinz Wolter
• Original Assignee: Heinz Wolter
• Inventors: Wolter, Heinz
• Primary Examiner(s): Gall, Lloyd A.
• Application Number:
  US09/205,148
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 70/456 R, 70/456 B, 70/459, 70/460, 206/38.1, 206/37.1, 206/37.4, 206/37.5, 206/37.6, 206/37.7, 206/37.8, 362/100, 362/116
• US Class Current: 70/456.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 15/005 Fobs
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/324 with pivoting keys A45C11/325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8676 Key holders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/8757 Releasable catches

Abstract

A collective holder, in particular for keys, having a holder housing (1) of flat configuration with a cornerless outline whose circumferential narrow side wall forms a running rail (2) with a removal opening, operable by a grip from a broad side wall, for runners (3) captured in the running rail (2). The collective holder provides an outline contour deviating from the circular and has two opposite, approximately semicircular arc segments (A, B) whose apexes (A'"'"', B'"'"') are spaced apart by approximately the width of two fingers, and whose broad side wall opposite the grip accommodates a luminaire (incandescent lamp 17) which points in the direction of the apex (A'"'"'), shines over the movement path of the runners (3) and can be activated by a pushbutton (24) arranged on the broad side wall.

Claims

1. A collective holder, in particular for keys, having a holder housing (1) with a cornerless outline a circumferential narrow side wall of which forms a running rail (2) with a removal opening (28), operable by means of a grip from a broad side wall (34), for runners (3) captured in the running rail (2), defined by an outline contour deviating from circular and having two opposite, approximately semicircular arc segments (A, B) having apexes (A'"'"', B'"'"'), and a broad side wall of which oposite the grip (32) accommodates a luminare which points in a direction of an apex (A'"'"'), shines over a movement path of the runners (3) and is activatable by means of a pushbutton (24) arranged on the broad side wall.

3. The collective holder as claimed in claim 1, further comprising broad side elevations which are arranged on both sides of a running rail holder and overlap the latter.

4. The collective holder as claimed in claim 3, wherein the apexes (37) of the broad side elevations are situated in the region of the midpoint of an arc segment (A) with the largest radius of curvature.

5. The collective holder as claimed in claim 3, further comprising an emblem (39) which is opposite the grip (32) and recessed in a broad side elevation.

6. The collective holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apexes (A'"'"', B'"'"') have radii of curvature of different size, and the outline contour has an ovoid shape.

7. The collective holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the luminaire points in the direction of an apex (A'"'"') with the largest radius of curvature.

8. The collective holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the removal opening (28) is situated in a region of a light beam.

9. The collective holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating grip (32) is part of a slider (30).

10. The collective holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the runners (3) have a hemispherical head (4) guided in a U-profiled running rail (2).

11. The collective holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the luminaire is embedded in a luminaire housing (16) fastened on a broad side of the holder housing (1).

12. The collective holder as claimed in claim 11, wherein the luminaire housing (16) is connected by screws to a bipartite running rail holder, and a screwing-in thread is formed by a central threaded cavity (14) of at least one screw (12) connecting two half running rail holders (10, 11) to one another.

13. The collective holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pushbutton (24) is formed by a thin-walled, deflectable luminaire housing section.

14. The collective holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein a metal running rail holder forms a contact bridge between a battery (K) and incandescent lamp (17).

15. The collective holder as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a contact tongue (23) which is displaceable against a large-surface contact (25) of the battery (K) by means of the pushbutton (24).

16. The collective holder as claimed in claim 15, wherein the contact tongue (23) is an end section of a compression spring (21).

17. The collective holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein a beam of an incandescent lamp (17) is directed by means of a cylindrical stop (27).

18. The collective holder as claimed in claim 17, wherein the cylindrical stop (27) is formed both by a luminaire housing (16) and by a facing running rail holder.

19. The collective holder as claimed in claim 9, wherein the slider (30) is guided linearly.

20. The collective holder as claimed in claim 11, wherein the luminaire housing (16) is wall-mounted by a rear edge (R) of the running rail (2).

21. The collective holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pushbutton (24) is arranged eccentrically and adjacent to an apex (B'"'"').

22. The collective holder as claimed in claim 12, wherein on its broad surface facing the luminaire housing (16), a half running rail holder (10) has a depression (10'"'"') which is intended to partially accommodate a button cell battery (K).

23. The collective holder as claimed in claim 22, wherein the half running rail holder (10) having the depression (10'"'"') is in conductive electric connection with the luminaire and is made of metal.

24. The collective holder as claimed in claim 9, wherein the operating grip (32) of the slider (30) has a serrated working surface (35) which projects partly beyond the broad side wall (34), which runs in a convex fashion.

25. The collective holder as claimed in claim 24, wherein the projection extends approximately over half the height of a tooth ridge.

2. A collective holder, in particular for keys, having a holder housing (1) with a cornerless outline a circumferential narrow side wall of which forms a running rail (2) with a removal opening (28), operable by means of a grip from a broad side wall (34), for runners (3) captured in the running rail (2), defined by an outline contour deviating from circular and having two opposite, approximately semicircular arc segments (A, B) having apexes (A'"'"',B'"'"'), and a radii of curvature of which differ from one another approximately by a factor of two, the grip (32) being situated approximately in the region of the midpoint of the arc segment (A) with the largest radius, and the removal opening (28) being situated at the apex (A'"'"') of this arc segment.

26. The collective holder as claimed in claim 2, further comprising broad side elevations which are arranged on both sides of a running rail holder and overlap the latter.

27. The collective holder as claimed in claim 26, wherein the apexes (37) of the broad side elevations are situated in the region of the midpoint of the arc segment (A) with the largest radius of curvature.

28. The collective holder as claimed in claim 2, further comprising an emblem (39) which is opposite the grip (32) and recessed in a broad side elevation.

29. The collective holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the apexes (A'"'"', B'"'"') have radii of curvature of different size, and the outline contour has an ovoid shape.

30. The collective holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein a luminaire points in the direction of the apex (A'"'"') with the largest radius of curvature.

31. The collective holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the removal opening (28) is situated in a region of a light beam.

32. The collective holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the operating grip (32) is part of a slider (30).

33. The collective holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the runners (3) have a hemispherical head (4) guided in the running rail (2) which is U-shaped.

34. The collective holder as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a luminaire embedded in a luminaire housing (16) fastened on a broad side of the holder housing (1).

35. The collective holder as claimed in claim 34, wherein the luminaire housing (16) is connected by screws to a bipartite running rail holder, and a screwing-in thread is formed by a central threaded cavity (14) of at least one screw (12) connecting two half running rail holders (10, 11) to one another.

36. The collective holder as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a pushbutton (24) formed by a thin-walled, deflectable luminaire housing section.

37. The collective holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein a metal running rail holder forms a contact bridge between a battery (K) and an incandescent lamp (17).

38. The collective holder as claimed in claim 37, further comprising a contact tongue (23) which is displaceable against a large-surface contact (25) of the battery (K) by means of a pushbutton (24).

39. The collective holder as claimed in claim 38, wherein the contact tongue (23) is an end section of a compression spring (21).

40. The collective holder as claimed in claim 37, wherein a beam of the incandescent lamp (17) is directed by means of a cylindrical stop (27).

41. The collective holder as claimed in claim 40, wherein the cylindrical stop (27) is formed both by a luminaire housing (16) and by a facing running rail holder.

42. The collective holder as claimed in claim 32, wherein the slider (30) is guided linearly.

43. The collective holder as claimed in claim 34, wherein the luminaire housing (16) is wall-mounted by a rear edge (R) of the running rail (2).

44. The collective holder as claimed in claim 36, wherein the pushbutton (24) is arranged eccentrically and adjacent to an apex (B'"'"').

45. The collective holder as claimed in claim 35, wherein on its broad surface facing the luminaire housing (16), a half running rail holder (10) has a depression (10'"'"') which is intended to partially accommodate a button cell battery (K).

46. The collective holder as claimed in claim 45, wherein the half running rail holder (10) having the depression (10'"'"') is in conductive electric connection with the luminaire and is made of metal.

47. The collective holder as claimed in claim 32, wherein the operating grip (32) of the slider (30) has a serrated working surface (35) which projects partly beyond the broad side wall (34), which runs in a convex fashion.

48. The collective holder as claimed in claim 47, wherein the projection extends approximately over half the height of a tooth ridge.