Abstract:
A tool is used to split the coils of a key ring so that the key ring can be easily and efficiently placed on a key or other object. In one embodiment the invention includes a pair of guides, such as ribs or slots, incorporated into the bridge of the key ring grip. One rib or slot assists in getting the key ring onto the key and the other rib or slot assists in removing the key ring from the key. Alternatively, the tool could be separate from the key ring bridge and take the form of a plate having a pair of cut-out sections on opposite sides thereof. One cut-out has a sharp leading edge on the top of the plate and the other has a sharp leading edge on the bottom of the plate. A semicircular handle is attached to one side of the plate and assists it further by widening the gap between the coils so that a key can be threaded onto the free end of the key ring.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/820,261 filed Jul. 25, 2006, entitled “Key Ring Tool ” by David Maxwell, the entire substance and contents of which are hereby incorporated in total by reference. 
     
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to a tool to assist placing objects, such as a key, on a key ring. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    There are a number of devices in the prior art employed to assist putting a key, or other item, onto a key ring. They generally fall into two classes. The first class comprises devices that are separate from the key and the second class comprises devices which are incorporated into the key itself. 
         [0006]    The following devices appear to be relevant to the first class of tools, namely, those in which the tool is separate from the key ring itself. U.S. Pat. No. 6,860,130 describes an “Easy-To-Maneuver Key-Ring” which is held in place on the key ring and incorporates a tool for spreading the key ring spring. The following patents all appear to describe tools which can be attached to a ring, or separated therefrom and are usable to open the spring of a key ring so that a key can be placed therein: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,312,128; 4,325,278; 4,543,860; 4,706,477; 4,790,161; 5,373,717; 6,681,608; and, UK Patent Application GB 2 175 532 A. Of lesser relevance are the disclosures in U.S. Pat. Nos. 180,255; 5,713,232; and, Design Patent 311,980. 
         [0007]    The following devices appear to be relevant to the second class of inventions, namely, those in which the key ring spreader is incorporated into the key itself. U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,405 describes a key having a head including two wedge shaped portions which can cam a key ring open and then once it is engaged on the key ring reopen it so that it can be disengaged. U.S. Pat. No. 4, 719,778 discloses a device in which the splitter itself is incorporated into the tip of the wedge portion of the ring. US Design Patents 357,051 and 389,628 disclose key shapes having beveled edges which could be used to open a key ring. 
         [0008]    German Patent DE 304491 discloses a device in which the head itself can be split open. Of lesser relevance are the devices shown in U.S. Design Patents 367,343 and 485,505. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,093,468 entitled “Key Ring” describes a device which includes a punched out portion which makes it easier to slide a key into it. 
         [0009]    While there are devices described in the prior art to assist in the spreading of key rings, none appears to be as effective, compact and as efficient as the invention set forth herein. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    Briefly described, the invention comprises a tool for assisting in the spreading of a key ring so that a key or similar object can be placed thereon. The invention includes an ascending guide to assist in the spreading of the key ring so that an item can be placed on it and a descending guide in order to assist in the removal of an object from the key ring. In one embodiment the ascending and descending guides are located on opposite sides of a flat tool. According to the preferred embodiment the ascending and descending guides are located on opposite sides of the bridge on the top of the key. 
         [0011]    The invention may be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention as the key ring is just beginning to be spread by the outside edge of the bridge of the key. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a cross-section of the key embodiment shown in  FIG. 1   
           [0014]      FIG. 3A  is a second embodiment of the invention with a key ring not yet introduced. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3B  shows the ring starting to be rotated onto the ramp of the key in a counter clockwise direction. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3C  is a cross-sectional view of the bridge section of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . 
           [0017]      FIG. 3D  shows the leading edge of the ring now in the slot area of the key. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3E  illustrates the ring being rotated on its X-Axis to allow the leading edge to slip through the slot area of the key and then rotation performed in the Z-Axis in a continuing counter clockwise rotation until the whole ring is within the slot. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4A  illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention showing a ring sliding onto the top of the key in a negative X direction. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4B  illustrates the leading edge of the ring as it catches on the relatively sharp protruding ramp on the key forcing it down in a negative Y direction as the key is being pushed into a continuous negative X direction. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4C  illustrates the trailing edge of the ring now in the slot area and beginning to be rotated in a clockwise rotation around the Y-Axis. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4D  illustrates the ring as it is about 95% complete in its Y-Axis rotation as it is about to come off the top of the key ring bringing it back together in the form of a complete ring again and the ring being fully inserted into the slot or aperture of the key. 
           [0023]      FIG. 4E  illustrates the ring now in the slot of the key. 
           [0024]      FIG. 4F  illustrates the other side of the key as the ring is about to be pulled away from the key ring and the leading edge is now moving up against the ramp as the ring is about to be taken off of the key. 
           [0025]      FIG. 4G  illustrates the ring being pulled away in the direction of the arrow as the leading edge is being forced up the ramp separating the ring and allowing it eventually to be rotated again in a counter clockwise direction to separate the ring from the key. 
           [0026]      FIGS. 4H and 4I  illustrate an alternative embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIGS. 4A-4G , in which there is a vertical groove in the middle of the ascending and descending ribs to assist in the initiation of the key splitting. 
           [0027]      FIG. 5A and 5B  illustrate an alternative embodiment of the invention showing a ramp on both sides of the bridge which does not protrude beyond the key&#39;s surface. 
           [0028]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate another alternative embodiment of the invention with a concave or groove ramp inserted into opposite sides of the bridge so that it does not protrude beyond the key&#39;s normal surface, except that the ramps have a generally “S” shape. 
           [0029]      FIG. 6C  is a cross-sectional view of the ramp illustrated in the embodiment of  6 A and  6 B showing that the cross section of the ramp has a generally oval shape with sharp edges at either end and significant thickness in the center. 
           [0030]      FIGS. 7A-7E  illustrates different views of an embodiment of the invention in which the tool is separate from the key itself. 
           [0031]      FIGS. 8A-8D  illustrates the manner in which the tool illustrated in  FIGS. 7A  though  7 E is used to separate the coils of a key ring so that a key or other object can be placed thereon. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0032]    During the course of this description like numbers will be used to identify like elements according to the different views that illustrate the invention. 
         [0033]    One embodiment of the invention  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . As with all keys, embodiment  10  includes key body  12 , a key blade  14 , and a plurality of teeth  16  on the blade  14 . A slot  18  runs along the length of blade  14 . A grip section  20 , sometimes referred to as the bow, is located at the top of the blade  14 . An aperture  24  is located in the grip section  20  and further defines a bridge section  22  on the top of grip section  20 . The purpose of the aperture  24  is to accept a key ring  38  such as seen in  FIG. 3A . A first and a second wedge shaped section  26  and  28  respectively are located on the bridge  22  of the key  10 . Wedge shaped section  26  includes a sharp leading edge  36  whereas the opposite wedge shaped section  28  includes a sharp leading edge  30 . The purpose of the wedge shaped sections  26  and  28  is to be able to accommodate the separating of left handed and right handed key rings  38 . As seen in further detail in  FIG. 3A , a typical key ring  38  has a leading edge  40 , a trailing edge  42  and a plurality of coils  44 . The key ring  38  shown in  FIG. 3A  is wound in a clockwise fashion but could also be wound in a counter-clockwise fashion. 
         [0034]      FIG. 2  is a cross-section of the embodiment  10  shown in  FIG. 1  seen through perspective  2 - 2 . 
         [0035]    If a counter-clockwise key ring  38 , especially as shown in  FIG. 1  is employed, its leading edge  40  is split from the coils  44  by the sharp leading edge  36  of the wedge shaped ramp section  26 . Further rotation of the key ring  38  brings the leading edge  40  into the vicinity of the aperture  24  at which point the key ring is rotated 90° and rotation is continued until the ring is safely captured by the slot  34 . On the other hand, if the ring  38  is wound in the opposite direction, then the leading tip  40  would be split by the leading edge  30  of the opposite wedge shaped section  38  and the process repeated until ring  38  is safely encaptured by the aperture  34 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 3A  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention  50  which includes a first ramp section  52  on the top of the bridge  22  and a second ramp section  54  on the bottom of the bridge  22 . The top ramp section  52  includes a sharp leading edge  56  and the bottom wedge section  54  includes a sharp bottom leading edge  58 . A cross-sectional detail of the embodiment  50  as seen from perspective  3 C- 3 C is seen in  FIG. 3C . 
         [0037]      FIGS. 3D-3E  illustrate the manner in which a ring  38  is attached to the embodiment  50 . Initially the leading tip  58  is split from the remaining coils  44  by the sharp leading edge  56  of the upper ramp  52 . The key ring  38  is shown rotated in the direction of the arrow A in  FIG. 3B  to cause the separation of the tip  40  from the rest of the coils  44 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 3D  illustrates the continued rotation of the ring  38  in the direction of the arrow A bringing the tip  40  into the vicinity of the aperture  24 . In  FIGS. 3C and 3D  the ring  38  is rotated in the X-Y plane. When the tip  40  reaches the aperture  24 , the key ring  38  is rotated 90° in the direction of arrow C into roughly the X-Z plane by pushing in the direction of arrow B and the tip  40  is fed through the aperture  24  as the key ring  38  continues to rotate. Eventually the entire key ring  38  is captured in aperture  24 . When the user chooses to remove the key ring  38 , he or she, reverses the process by splitting the trailing edge  42  by means of the lower leading edge  58  of the lower ramp  54  and reversing the process shown in  FIGS. 3B-3E  until the key ring  38  is eventually released from the embodiment  50 . Accordingly, embodiment  50  can be used for both attaching a key ring to a key and for removing a key ring from a key. 
         [0039]    The preferred embodiment  60  of the invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 4A-4G . Preferred embodiment  60  includes a pair of ramps  62  and  64  on opposite sides of the bridge section  22 . 
         [0040]    The preferred embodiment  60  operates in the following manner. First the leading tip  40  of the key ring  38  engages the sharp leading edge top portion of the rib  62  and is separated from the remaining coils  44  as the key ring  38  is pushed in the X direction as seen in  FIG. 4A . As the key ring  38  continues to move in the X direction, as shown by arrow A in  FIG. 4B , the tip  40  engages the bottom portion of rib or ramp  62  forcing it downwardly in the direction of arrow B in a negative Y direction as a key continues to be pushed in a negative X direction of arrow A. 
         [0041]    As the key ring  38  continues to move along the negative X direction, as seen in  FIG. 4C , the tip  40  finds itself in the slot area  24  at which point the key ring  38  is rotated clockwise around the Y axis in the direction of arrow C. 
         [0042]      FIG. 4D  illustrates the key ring  38  when it is approximately 95% complete in its Y axis rotation. In this mode the trailing tip  42  is about to come off the top of the bridge  22  of the key  60  thereby brining it back together in the form of a complete ring with the ring being fully inserted in the slot  24  of the key  60 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 4E  illustrate the key ring  38  now completely received within the slot  24  after the completion of steps  4 A- 4 D. 
         [0044]      FIGS. 4F and 4G  illustrate the manner in which the key ring  38  can be removed from the preferred embodiment  60 . 
         [0045]    The first step in the removal mode is to use the bottom of the ramp or rib  64  to initiate the separation of the trailing tip  42  from the other coils  44  of the key ring  38 . 
         [0046]    Continued pushing of the key ring  38  towards the back of the key  60  in the direction of arrow A shown in  FIG. 4G  causes the tip  42  to separate in the direction of arrow B and to ride up the ramp  64  until it is at the top of the bridge  22 . At that point the key ring  38  is rotated about its own axis until the other tip  40  is clear of the slot  24  and, accordingly, the key ring  38  is free from the preferred embodiment of the key  60 . 
         [0047]    Another embodiment of the invention  70  is illustrated in  FIGS. 4H and 4I . Like the preferred embodiment  60 , the alternative embodiment  70  includes a pair of ramps or ribs  72  and  74  respectively on opposite sides of the key ring bridge  22 . Embodiment  70  includes the additional feature of sculpted indents  76  and  78  respectively on opposite sides of the bridge  22 . The purpose of the indents  76  and  78  is to assist in keeping the tips  40  and  42  from slipping off of the ramps  72  and  74  while the key ring  38  is being installed or removed. 
         [0048]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate another alternative embodiment of the invention  80  in which a pair of grooves  82  and  84  are located on either side of the bridge  22 . Grooves and  82  and  84  comprise a narrowed section of the bridge  22  and include a tapered top  86  and a tapered bottom  88 . This structure creates a pair of sharp leading edges  85  at the junction of tapered top  86  and the top of the bridge  22 . Conversely, it also forms a pair of sharp lower leading edges  87  at the juncture of the tapered bottom  88  and the bottom of the bridge  22 . The insertion of the key ring  38  starts with the separation of the tip  40  or  42  from the coils  44  by means of the either of the sharp leading edges  85 . Continued pushing of the ring  38  causes the tips  40  or  42  to separate further as the tip travels down the edge of the groove  82  or  84  until the loaded tip  40  or  42  enters the aperture  24 . The key ring  38  is then rotated like it is with embodiment  60  shown in  FIG. 4D  until the key ring  38  is fully lodged in the aperture  24  of the key  80 . The key ring  38  can be removed by separating the tip  40  or  42  from the coils  38  using either of the bottom sharp leading edges  87  and then continuously pushing the ring  38  up the edge of the groove  82  or  84  until the tip  40  or  42  reaches the top of the bridge  22 . Once that happens the key ring  38  is rotated until it is free of the bridge  22 . 
         [0049]    Another alternative embodiment of the invention  90  includes a pair of groove sections  92  and  94  which have an “S” shape side elevational profile. Like embodiment  80 , the grooves  92  and  94  lie totally within the plane of the bridge section  22  of the embodiment  90 . Also like embodiment  80 , the groove sections  92  and  94  have a tapered top  96  and a tapered bottom  98 . A cross-sectional profile of the grooves  92  and  94  is seen in  FIG. 6C  from perspective  6 C- 6 C of  FIG. 6B . This structure creates a pair of sharp leading edges  95  at the junction of tapered top  96  and the top of the bridge  22 . Conversely, it also forms a pair of sharp lower leading edges  97  at the juncture of the tapered bottom  98  and the bottom of the bridge  22  as seen in  FIGS. 6A-6C . The process of attaching or removing a key ring  38  from embodiment  90  is essentially identical to that explained above with respect to embodiment  80 . 
         [0050]    It should be noted that embodiment  90  is essentially a mirror image of embodiment  60  except that grooves  94  and  96  are substituted for exterior ribs  62  and  64 . Embodiments  80  and  90  are especially suited for the case where the handle or grip  20  of the key is relatively thick. The substitution of a concave groove structure resembles the general shape of the rib embodiments 
         [0051]      FIGS. 7A-7E  illustrates a tool embodiment of the invention which may or may not be incorporated into a key. The tool  100  includes a base  102  and a semi-circular ring or handle section  104  which is attached to the base  102  at two places. A pair of semi-circular cut-out sections  106  and  108  are located on opposite edges of plate  102 . The first semi-circular cut-out  106  has edges that bevel from the bottom of the plate  102  towards the top culminating in a sharp leading edge  106 . The second semi-circular cut-out  108  tapers, or bevels, downward from the top of the plate  102  culminating in a sharp leading edge  112  on the bottom of the plate. Note that cut-out sections  106  and  108  face in opposite directions, that is to say the sharp leading edge  110  of the first cut-out section  106  is located on the top of the plate  102  whereas the sharp leading edge  112  of the second cut-out section  108  is located on the bottom of the plate  102 . A tag  114  or key or other similar object or objects can be attached to the ring  104 . The tag  114  could, for example, comprise an electronic wireless car key. 
         [0052]    The manner in which the tool  100  is used to open a key ring  38  is illustrated in  FIGS. 8A-8D . 
         [0053]    The first step in the process is to split the tip  42  from the rest of the key ring coils  44  by using the sharp edge  112  of the cut-out  108  as shown in  FIG. 8A . 
         [0054]    According to the second step as show in  FIG. 8B , the key ring  38  is pushed in the direction of arrow A in a plane roughly parallel to the plane of plate  102 . This forces the tip  42  upward in the direction shown by the other arrow B in  FIG. 8B  and onto the top surface of the plate  102 . 
         [0055]    The third step on the process is seen in  FIG. 8C . The key ring  38  is rotated 90 degrees downward in the direction of arrow C so that the plane of the ring  38  is perpendicular to the plane of the plate  102 . In that position it is possible to rotate the ring clockwise in the direction of arrow D so that the tip  42  straddles the handle  104  causing it to separate further from the remaining coils  44  in the direction of arrow E. 
         [0056]    The fourth and last step, as shown in  FIG. 8D , is to place the tip  42  of the key ring  38  through the aperture  24  in the grip section  22  of the key and continue rotation in the direction of arrow D until the trailing tip  40  passes through the handle  104  and aperture  24 . After steps  8 A- 8 D are complete the key, key ring  38  and tool  100  are all connected together. The process can be reversed by using the other sharp leading edge  110  of cut-out  106  to initiate separation of either tip  40  or  42  from the coils  44  and then proceeding in a fashion shown in  FIGS. 8D to 8A  when the ring  38  and the key are then totally disengaged from the tool  100 . 
         [0057]    The invention described above is preferably made from a hardened metal but other hard plastics or ceramics or any other materials that hold its form and an edge would be suitable. The tool concept can be incorporated into the bridge of the key or can be a separate tool. 
         [0058]    While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes can be made to the structure and materials of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as a whole.