Abstract:
A money holder for carrying functional coin money, such as quarters or silver and gold dollars. In particular, the money holder includes a key ring portion for engaging numerous keys, wherein the key ring is attached to a holder portion through means for attachment. The holder portion is generally disc shaped and is dimensioned to receive a plurality of coins.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present invention claims to the benefit of prior of U.S. Application No. 60/540,478, filed on Jan. 30, 2004. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not applicable.  
       REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX  
       [0003]     Not Applicable.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     On occasion, one will need to carry functional money, such as quarters, that can be used for various situations such as operating pay phones and feeding parking meters. However, many conventional methods and devices for carrying this emergency money are often cumbersome and inconvenient. Further, the need for carrying spare change is typically underestimated and ignored in view of these shortcomings.  
         [0005]     Accordingly, there exists a need for a device for carrying emergency money that is convenient and easily stored by the user.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.  
         [0007]     According to its major aspects and briefly stated, the present invention includes a money holder for carrying functional coin money, such as quarters or silver and gold dollars. In particular, the money holder includes a key ring portion for engaging numerous keys, wherein the key ring is attached to a holder portion through means for attachment. The holder portion is generally disc shaped and is dimensioned to receive a plurality of coins.  
         [0008]     A feature of the present invention includes the use of a key ring in combination with a holder dimensioned to receive coin money. Typical key chains and key rings that include storage capacity for money are cumbersome and unsightly. These types of key chains usually include a wallet-type holder for both paper and coin money along with a key ring. The holder of the present invention is effectively and efficiently dimensioned to receive only coin money. Therefore, the key ring is easily stored and transported. Further, the shape of the holder is such that the face of the coin money can be displayed while in the holder, which adds to the aesthetical appearance of the key chain in addition to reminding the user as to what type of coin is in the holder.  
         [0009]     Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a careful reading of the Detailed Disclosure of the Preferred Embodiments presented below and accompanied by the drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     In the drawings,  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the money holder of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the holder portion of the money holder of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates a cross-sectional, exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the holder portion of the money holder of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the holder portion of the money holder of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the holder portion of the money holder of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the holder portion of the money holder of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the present invention includes a money holder system  10  having a key ring  12  that is connected to a holder  14  for housing coin currency. Optionally, the holder  14  can operate separately from the key ring  12  to hold money. The key ring  12  includes end segments  13  overlapping intermediate segments  15  thereof and can be used for carrying at least one key  18 . Additional keys can be carried if desired. The key  18 , as well as the holder  14 , can be placed on and taken off of the key ring  12  by spreading apart a selected end segment  13  and a selected intermediate segment  15 .  
         [0018]     The coin holder  14  of the present invention is further illustrated in  FIG. 2 . As shown, the holder  14  is generally disc shaped and includes a plurality of annular members that can be threadedly engaged. In particular, the holder  14  includes an upper cover  20  and a lower cover  24  that are held in place by a coupling member  30  at its opposing ends. The upper and lower covers  20 ,  24  each includes a base wall  32  and an annular sidewall  34 . As further shown, the upper and lower covers  20 ,  24  can each further include an opening  50  in their base walls  32  so that the coins stored within the holder  14  remain visible. Alternatively, only either the upper cover  20  or the lower cover  24  can include an opening for such visibility.  
         [0019]     The upper and lower covers  20 ,  24  can be connected to the coupling member  30  in a variety of ways. For example, the covers  20 ,  24  can be threadedly engaged with the coupling member  30 . As illustrated in the figures, the coupling member  30  includes an external annular wall  40 , which can have external threads  42  thereon, and an internal annular wall  44 . In order to connect the upper cover  20  and the lower cover  24  to the coupling member  30 , the annular sidewall  34  of each of the covers can include internal threads  36  thereon, which engage the external threads  42  located at the opposing ends of the external annular wall  40  of the coupling member  30 . Further, the annular sidewall  34  of the covers  20 ,  24  can be knurled to facilitate the gripping of the upper and lower covers  20 ,  24 . It is also contemplated by the present invention that other means for engagement than threads can be used to secure the upper and lower covers  20 ,  24  to the coupling member  30 , such as corresponding male and female members (not shown) or interlocking internal and external ribs (not shown).  
         [0020]     Because the coupling member  30  of the present invention includes a generally tubular body that is hollow, as shown in  FIGS. 2-6 , the coupling member  30  can further include means for securing coins  60  within the body of the coupling member  30 . Not only does this feature prevent the coins from sliding about during transportation, but also the securing means  60  alleviates the need to keep the holder full of coins at any given time. In particular, the securing means  60  includes a spring  62  that is disposed between an upper rib  63  and a lower rib  64 . The upper and lower ribs  63 ,  64  are respectively held in place by an upper and lower annular flange  65 ,  66  formed along the internal annular wall  44  of the coupling member  30 . As illustrated, the upper and lower ribs  63 ,  64  are generally C-shaped and each includes rib flanges  70  dimensioned to be received by and to engage the upper and lower annular flanges  65 ,  66 , respectively, of the coupling member  30 . The upper and lower ribs  63 ,  64  each further include ledges  72  that can act as a coin rest when the ribs  63 ,  64  are engaged with the coupling member  30 . Although many materials may be used for making the various features of the holder  14 , these materials can include metals (ferrous or nonferrous), plastics, glass, stone, and wood.  
         [0021]     Although a variety of connectors can be used to place the holder  14  onto the key ring  12 , an embodiment of the holder  14  can include means for attaching  22  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The attaching means  22  includes an aperture  25  through which the key ring  12  can be engaged. Alternatively, a second aperture  26  can be included to engage additional useful attachments. However, the second aperture  26  is not a necessary feature to the present invention. The attaching means  22  can be formed integrally with the holder  14 , or, alternatively, it can include a male connector member  23  that is engagable with the holder  14  through a corresponding female member  27 . Further, the attaching means  22  can be rotatable about the longitudinal axis ( FIG. 3 ) of the connector member  23 . This features allows for enhanced flexibility and comfort in the operation of the money holder  10 .  
         [0022]     In operation, a user disengages the upper and lower covers  20 ,  24  from the coupling member  30 . Next, the user places a coin  100  on the ledge  72  of either or both of the upper and lower ribs  63 ,  64 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the diameter of the coin  100  is preferably less than the diameter of the opening  50  of the base wall  32  of each of the covers  20 ,  24  so that the coin  100  will not fall through the opening  50 . Although it is contemplated by the present invention that various sizes and dimensions can be employed to the various features depending on the types of coins needing to be carried, preferably, the securing means  60  is dimensioned so that coins approximately the size of quarters or gold and silver dollars can rest on the ledges  72  of the upper and lower ribs  63 ,  64 . After resting a coin  100  on the ledge  72  of either or both of the upper and lower ribs  63 ,  64 , the upper and lower covers  20 ,  24  are once again engaged to the coupling member  30 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , upon securing the covers  20 ,  24 , the coin(s)  100  become urged towards the base wall  32  of the upper and lower covers  20 ,  24  by the spring  62 , wherein the coin  100  placed on the ledge  72  of the upper rib  63  becomes urged toward the base wall  32  of the upper cover  20 , and wherein the coin  100  placed on the ledge  72  of the lower rib  64  becomes urged toward the base wall  32  of the lower cover  24 .  
         [0023]     Depending on how many coins are placed on each of the ledge  72  of the upper and lower ribs  63 ,  64 , the spring  62  will become compressed to provide more space to accommodate additional coins, as shown in  FIG. 5 . Furthermore, because the securing means  60  is generally hollow, coins  100 ′ smaller than those resting on the ledge  72  of the upper and lower ribs  63 ,  64  can be placed between the larger coins  100 , as illustrated in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0024]     Those skilled in the art of money holders will recognize that many substitutions and modifications can be made in the foregoing preferred embodiment with departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.