Memory button mount

• US 8,919,656 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2012
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Key Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Key Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Eckerdt, George
• Primary Examiner(s): STANFORD, CHRISTOPHER J
• Application Number:
  US13/483,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20120305655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/10 Key holders; Key boards key cases A45C11/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier

Abstract

A mounting spring coil is made to grip and releasably hold a cylindrical periphery of a memory button while transmitting an ID effectively. A memory button held in a coil of the mounting spring can support objects such as tags and keys that are identified by the memory button to account for removal and replacement of the objects being secured.

Claims

1. A memory button mount, comprising:

a) a mounting spring having coils in substantially full contact in an unflexed state that proceed successively from a base coil secured to a support surface to a gripping coil spaced apart from the support surface to form a conical shape, wherein;

the gripping coil is configured to releasably grip a cylindrical contact surface of the memory button, and a free length of the mounting spring is substantially equal to a solid length of the mounting spring; and

b) a contact spring configured to engage a plane contact surface of the memory button, and wherein the contact spring is arranged within the base coil of the mounting spring.

2. The memory button mount of claim 1, wherein:

the base coil is electrically secured to the support surface, the support surface being a circuit board; and

the contact spring is electrically secured to the circuit board.

3. A memory button mount, comprising:

a) a mounting spring having coils that proceed successively from a base coil having a first diameter to a gripping coil having a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter, wherein;

the gripping coil is configured to releasably grip a cylindrical contact surface of the memory button; and

a free length of the mounting spring is substantially equal to a solid length of the mounting spring and successive coils of the mounting spring contact each other in an unflexed state; and

b) a contact spring configured to engage a plane contact surface of the memory button, and wherein the contact spring is arranged within the base coil of the mounting spring.

4. The memory button mount of claim 3, wherein the coils of the mounting spring form a conical shape.

5. The memory button mount of claim 3, wherein:

the base coil is electrically secured to a circuit board; and

the contact spring is electrically secured to the circuit board.

6. A memory button mount, comprising:

a mounting spring having a substantially conical shape formed by coils that proceed successively from a base coil to a gripping coil with a pitch at each point in the mounting spring that is no greater than a diameter at the respective point in the mounting spring of a wire from which the mounting spring is formed, wherein;

the gripping coil is configured to releasably grip a cylindrical contact surface of the memory button; and

the coils of the mounting spring, including the base coil and the gripping coil, contact each other in an unflexed state, an external surface of each coil tangentially touching a respective external surface of at least one other coil when viewed in a cross section taken substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the mounting spring.

7. The memory button mount of claim 6, wherein the base coil is electrically secured to a circuit board.

8. The memory button mount of claim 6, further comprising a contact spring configured to engage a plane contact surface of the memory button, and wherein the contact spring is arranged within the base coil of the mounting spring.

9. The memory button mount of claim 8, wherein:

the base coil is electrically secured to a circuit board; and

the contact spring is electrically secured to the circuit board.

10. A memory button mount, comprising:

a mounting spring having coils that proceed successively from a base coil to a gripping coil, wherein;

the gripping coil is configured to releasably grip a cylindrical contact surface of the memory button; and

the coils of the mounting spring, including the base coil and the gripping coil, contact each other in an unflexed state, a pitch at each point of the mounting spring being no greater than a diameter at the respective point of the mounting spring of a wire used to form the mounting spring.

11. The memory button mount of claim 10, wherein coils of the mounting spring form a conical shape.

12. The memory button mount of claim 10, wherein the base coil is electrically secured to a circuit board.

13. The memory button mount of claim 10, further comprising a contact spring configured to engage a plane contact surface of the memory button, and wherein the contact spring is arranged within the base coil of the mounting spring.

14. The memory button mount of claim 13, wherein:

the base coil is electrically secured to a circuit board; and

the contact spring is electrically secured to the circuit board.

15. A system for mounting a memory button, comprising:

a) a tag coupled to the memory button, such that a cylindrical contact surface and a plane contact surface of the memory button are accessible on a first face of the tag, and wherein the tag has an upper end and a bottom end;

b) a wire loop having first and second ends configured to be coupled to the upper end of the tag to trap a key on the wire loop;

c) a mounting spring extending from a support surface substantially perpendicular thereto, the mounting spring having a plurality of coils in substantially full contact in an unflexed state including a base coil attached to the support surface and a gripping coil spaced apart from the support surface, a pitch at each point of the mounting spring being no more than a diameter at the respective point of the mounting spring of a wire used to form the mounting spring, the gripping coil being configured to releasably retain an external cylindrical surface of the memory button; and

d) wherein, when the memory button is retained in the gripping coil of the mounting spring, the wire loop comprises a central region extending into a space on a side of the tag opposite the first face of the tag.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein a head of a key trapped on the wire loop is at least partially disposed above the bottom end of the tag when the cylindrical contact surface of the memory button is being gripped by the gripping coil.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the coils of the mounting spring form a conical shape.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising a contact spring configured to engage the plane contact surface of the memory button, and wherein the contact spring is arranged within the base coil of the mounting spring.