Abstract:
The device of this invention is a combination key ring, pill box and light which includes a case containing a compartment for medicine and a compartment for a light and battery.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This is a continuation of provisional application Ser. No. 60,172,472, filed Dec. 17, 1999. 
     
    
     
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to a key ring and will have specific application to a key ring which incorporates a pill box and a light.  
           [0003]    For medical reasons, it has been found to be advantageous to have at one&#39;s immediate access certain forms of medication, such as aspirin for heart attacks and nitroglycerin tablets for angina attacks. Additionally, antidotes for insect stings needs also to be made readily available to people extremely allergic to insect bites such as bee and wasp stings. Containers for such medication are usually separately carried items which can be easily lost, misplaced or forgotten.  
           [0004]    In this invention, a medication holder is combined with a key ring and a light. The combination key ring, medication or pill box, and light is of a compact design which can be conveniently carried in one&#39;s pocket or purse. By including a predominately used key, such as a car or house key, the ring, box, and light combination device will always be carried by the user and thus conveniently available if and when needed.  
           [0005]    Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a medication case which is of compact design used in combination with a key ring.  
           [0006]    It is another object of this invention to provide a combination key ring, medication or pill box and light device which is of economical design and compact size.  
           [0007]    Still another object of this invention is to provide a medication or pill box which incorporates a key ring and which may also include a light and which is of a simplified use.  
           [0008]    Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following description. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of the combination key ring, medication or pill box, and light of this invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a side view of the device of this invention as oriented in FIG. 1.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a side view of the device as oriented in FIG. 3 showing the door of the medication compartment being partially open.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the device with the key ring removed for illustrative purposes and is seen as from the top.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the device showing the key ring removed and with the medication compartment door partially open.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device as shown in FIG. 5. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]    The preferred embodiment illustrated is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Rather, it is chosen and described to better explain the principles of the invention and to enable one having an ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention.  
         [0017]    The device  10  shown in the Figures includes a case or body  12  which is preferably formed of a plastic molded material into adjoining or claim shell-like parts  14  and  16 . Case parts  14  and  16  are joined together by screws  30 , 32 . Formed within case  12  is a medicine compartment  18  and an adjacent battery compartment  20 . A collar  22  extends about the light bulb  24  and includes a center opening  26 . A post  28  forming a component of case part  14  protrudes through opening  26  in collar  22 . Screw  30  extends through case part  16  and into post  28  of case part  14  serving not only to connect the parts together but also to retain collar  22  and its captured bulb  24  in location in device  10 . A lid  34  is hinged by oppositely extending pintles  36  to case part  16 . Pintles  36  are snap fitted into receiving openings or bores in case part  16  and enable lid  34  to be pivoted between an open position as partly shown in FIG. 6 and a fully closed position as shown in FIG. 7. When lid  34  is in its open position, compartment  18  is exposed. Lid  34  includes a depending tongue  38  which is grooved and which is snap fitted over a protruding rib  40  formed in the slotted end portion  13  of case  12 . Tongue  38  has a limited amount of flexure which allows the lid to be released from rib  40  when the lid is opened and to be snap fitted over rib  40  in its closed and secured position shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0018]    Slotted end  13  of case  12  includes a transverse dowel  44 . A connecting sleeve  46 , preferably formed of a flexible plastic or leather material extends around dowel  44  and a split key ring  48 .  
         [0019]    Bulb  24  includes a pair of spaced electrical leads  50 . Leads  50  extend into battery compartment  20  and between which is placed a battery  52  also housed within the battery compartment. One bulb lead  50  is in constant contact with one terminal side of battery  52 . The other lead  50  of bulb  24  is slightly spaced from the other terminal side of the battery and underlies a flexible, depressable switch component or tab  54 . Tab  54  is formed as in integral part of case compartment  14  in a cantilevered fashion. When tab  54  is depressed, it forces the underlying bulb lead  50  into contact with the underlying battery terminal which completes the circuit to the bulb, causing the bulb to light. Upon release of tab  54 , it springs back into its normal undepressed mode allowing the flexible lead  50  to spring away from contact with the battery, extinguishing the light in bulb  24 . Therefore as tab  54  is depressed or released by the user of device  10 , light  24  will be lit or extinguished.  
         [0020]    In medicine compartment  18 , there may be carried one or two aspirin, a plurality of nitroglycerin tablets, a small vial of antidote for insect stings or other emergency medication  42 . In this manner, the medication is readily available to the carrier of device  10 . The house or vehicle key attached to key ring  48  of device  10  will be readily available to the user for usage. Bulb  24  may serve as an illuminator for many purposes such as finding the necessary key slot in the vehicle or door.  
         [0021]    It is to be understood that the above invention is not to be limited to the details given but may be modified within the impended claim.