Patent ID: 7127922
Filing Date: 2006-10-31
Classification: A45C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A key case, comprising: a housing including a top and sidewalls together forming a key unit receiving cavity in the housing, said cavity being open at the bottom and one end of the housing to define a key path into and out from the key unit receiving cavity; a key unit mounting pin extending from one sidewall across the cavity, said key unit mounting pin having a longitudinal slot open along one side of the pin and at the outer end of the pin; a key unit having a mounting opening through which the mounting pin extends; a coil spring in said mounting opening directly surrounding the mounting pin, said coil spring having a first end portion that extends diametrically across the spring into the slot in the mounting pin; said spring having a second end portion that is connected to the key unit and moves with the key unit; said key unit being pivotally connected to the housing by said mounting pin, for pivotal movement of the key unit between a first position in which the key unit is substantially within the key unit receiving cavity, and a second position in which the key unit projects endwise outwardly through the open end of the cavity; wherein movement of said key unit from the second position into the first position, stores energy in the spring for biasing the key unit toward its second position; and a releasable lock for locking the key unit in its first position, said releasable lock when released unlocking the key unit so that the stored energy in the spring will move the key unit from its first position into its second position.