Patent Publication Number: US-2021189765-A1

Title: Key Handle Assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     (e) INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to key holder devices and more particularly pertains to a new key holder device for improving key usability for persons having limited dexterity. The disclosed invention provides a user with an enlarged handle which is pivotable to provide improved operability for persons having limited dexterity and grip strength when locking and unlocking a door. 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The prior art relates to key holder devices. Prior disclosures being silent on a device which holds traditional keys and allows variable handle positions to aid in rotation of the key for persons having limited dexterity and grip strength. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a body. The body has a first side, a second side, and a perimeter edge extending between the first side and a second side. The perimeter edge has a top edge, a bottom edge, a front edge and a rear edge. The front edge of the body has a plurality of notches extending therein and toward the rear side. Each of the notches extends through the top and bottom edges. Each of the notches has a width configured to receive a key and a depth configured to allow the key to pivot through the body. A plurality of intermediate walls is defined on opposite sides of the notches. The body has an aperture extending therethrough. The aperture extends into the first side and through each of the intermediate walls. A rod extends through the aperture in the first side and through each of the intermediate walls. The rod is configured to be extendable through a key hole in the key such that the key is pivotably coupled to the body. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a key handle assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a front top isometric view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a front bottom isometric view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure taken along line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 6  thereof, a new key holder device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the key handle assembly  10  generally comprises a body  12 . The body  12  has a first side  14 , a second side  16 , and a perimeter edge  18  extending between the first side  12  and a second side  16 . The perimeter edge  18  has a top edge  20 , a bottom edge  22 , a front edge  24  and a rear edge  26 . The first side  14  and the second side  16  are positioned opposite each other at a distance between 0.50 inch and 2.00 inches apart. The front edge  24  and the rear edge  26  are positioned opposite each other at a distance between 6.00 inches and 10.00 inches. 
     The front edge  24  of the body  12  has a plurality of notches  28  extending therein and toward the rear side  26 . Each of the notches  28  extends through the top edge  20  and the bottom edge  22 . Each of the notches  28  has a width configured to receive a key  30 . Each of the notches  28  has a depth configured to allow the key  30  to pivot through the body  12 . A plurality of intermediate walls  32  is defined on opposite sides of the notches  28 . The body  12  has an aperture  34  extending therethrough. The aperture  34  extends into the first side  14  and through each of the intermediate walls  32 . The aperture  34  is positioned between the top edge  20  and the bottom edge  22  and is positioned adjacent to the front edge  24 . The aperture  34  may extend through the second side  16 . 
     A rod  36  extends through the aperture  34  in the first side  14  and through each of the intermediate walls  32 . The rod  36  releasably engages the body  12  adjacent to the second side  16 . The rod  36  is configured to be extendable through a key hole  38  in the key  30  such that the key  30  is pivotably coupled to the body  12 . The key  30  is positionable in a stored position  40  extending toward the rear edge  26  or in an extended position  42  extending away from the front edge  24 . The rod  36  may extend through the second side  16 . The rod  36  may be releasably fastened with a fastener positioned to abut the second side  16 . The rod  36  is releasably engaged to the body  12  using any conventional method of removable attachment, which may include threads, friction fittings, or pins. 
     The body  12  may be orientated in a multitude of alternative positions between the stored position  40  and extended position  42  wherein the key  30  is still insertable into a lock  44 . Potential alternative positions include the body  12  being perpendicular to the key  30  or at any angle between perpendicular and the extended position  42 . A person should position the body  12  in whichever position is best suited to rotate the key  30  and the body  12  when addressing any limitations to dexterity or grip strength. 
     The bottom edge  22  has a recess  46  extending therein and extending through each of the first side  14  and the second side  16 . The recess  46  extends into the notches  28  and is configured to provide access to the key  30  when the key  30  is in the stored position  40 . 
     In use, the key  30  is pivoted from the stored position  40  to the extended position  42 . The key  30  is inserted into the lock  44 . The body  12  is rotated to engage or disengage the lock  44 . The key  30  is removed from the lock  44 . The key  30  is pivoted into the body  12  to rest in the stored position  40 . 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.