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US 11,692,372 B2Granted
Key system
AssigneeMagnetikeys, LLC
InventorsL. Walker Kellogg, II, Benjamin E. Pearson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A key comprises a body with a head and a blade and a magnet in the head. The key can be part of a key set including a plurality of keys. Each key can have a hole through the head, for example through approximately a center of the head. The key set can include a hub through the holes in the keys, such that the keys are coupled by and are rotatable around the hub. The magnets in the keys can silence, and resist, index, and lock rotation of the keys around the hub.
Claims22
A key set comprising:
- a key comprising a body having a head and a blade, a key hole through the head, a key first magnet in the head, and a key second magnet in the head, wherein the key first magnet is closer to the blade than the key second magnet;
- an accessory comprising a hole, an accessory first magnet, and an accessory second magnet;
- and
- a hub through the key hole and the hole, wherein the key is rotatable around the hub relative to the accessory such that the key first magnet and the key second magnet are rotatable around the hub relative to the accessory,
- wherein the key set has a first configuration and a second configuration,
- wherein when the key set is in the first configuration, the key first magnet is magnetically coupled to the accessory first magnet and the key second magnet is magnetically coupled to the accessory second magnet such that the key is indexed and locked in a first orientation relative to the accessory,
- wherein when the key set is in the second configuration, the key first magnet is magnetically coupled to the accessory second magnet and the key second magnet is magnetically coupled to the accessory first magnet such that the first key is indexed and locked in a second orientation relative to the accessory, and
- wherein the blade is closer to the accessory when the key set is in the first configuration than when the key set is in the second configuration.
5 more elements
A key set comprising:
- a first key comprising a body having a first key head and a first key blade, a first key hole through the first key head, a first key first magnet in the first key head, and a first key second magnet in the first key head, wherein the first key first magnet is closer to the first key blade than the first key second magnet;
- a second key comprising a body having a second key head and a second key blade, a second key hole through the second key head, a second key first magnet in the second key head, and a second key second magnet in the second key head, wherein the second key first magnet is closer to the second key blade than the second key second magnet;
- and
- a hub through the first key hole and the second key hole, wherein the first key and the second key are rotatable around the hub such that the first key first magnet and the first key second magnet are rotatable around the hub and such that the second key first magnet and the second key second magnet are rotatable around the hub,
- wherein the first key first magnet is rotatable into and out of alignment with the second key first magnet,
- wherein the first key first magnet is rotatable into and out of alignment with the second key second magnet,
- wherein the first key second magnet is rotatable into and out of alignment with the second key first magnet,
- wherein the first key second magnet is rotatable into and out of alignment with the second key second magnet,
- wherein the second key first magnet is rotatable into and out of alignment with the first key first magnet,
- wherein the second key first magnet is rotatable into and out of alignment with the first key second magnet,
- wherein the second key second magnet is rotatable into and out of alignment with the first key first magnet,
- wherein the second key second magnet is rotatable into and out of alignment with the first key second magnet,
- wherein the key set has a first configuration, a second configuration, and a third configuration,
- wherein when the key set is in the first configuration, the first key first magnet is aligned with and magnetically coupled to the second key first magnet and the first key second magnet is aligned with and magnetically coupled to the second key second magnet such that the first key is indexed and locked in a first orientation relative to the second key,
- wherein when the key set is in the second configuration, the first key has a second orientation relative to the second key and the first key first magnet and the first key second magnet are between the second key first magnet and the second key second magnet, and
- wherein when the key set is in the third configuration, the first key first magnet is aligned with and magnetically coupled to the second key second magnet and the first key second magnet is aligned with and magnetically coupled to the second key first magnet such that the first key is indexed and locked in a third orientation relative to the second key.
13 more elements
A key set comprising:
- a first key comprising a body having a first key head and a first key blade, a first key hole through the first key head, a first key first magnet in the first key head, and a first key second magnet in the first key head, wherein the first key first magnet is closer to the first key blade than the first key second magnet;
- a second key comprising a body having a second key head and a second key blade, a second key hole through the second key head, a second key first magnet in the second key head, and a second key second magnet in the second key head, wherein the second key first magnet is closer to the second key blade than the second key second magnet;
- and
- a hub through the first key hole and the second key hole, wherein the first key and the second key are rotatable around the hub such that the first key first magnet and the first key second magnet are rotatable around the hub and such that the second key first magnet and the second key second magnet are rotatable around the hub,
- wherein the first key first magnet is rotatable into magnetic attraction with the second key first magnet,
- wherein the first key first magnet is rotatable into magnetic attraction with the second key second magnet,
- wherein the first key second magnet is rotatable into magnetic attraction with the second key first magnet,
- wherein the first key second magnet is rotatable into magnetic attraction with the second key second magnet,
- wherein the second key first magnet is rotatable into magnetic attraction with the first key first magnet,
- wherein the second key first magnet is rotatable into magnetic attraction with the first key second magnet,
- wherein the second key second magnet is rotatable into magnetic attraction with the first key first magnet,
- wherein the second key second magnet is rotatable into magnetic attraction with the first key second magnet,
- wherein the key set has a first configuration, a second configuration, and a third configuration,
- wherein when the key set is in the first configuration, the first key has a first orientation relative to the second key, the first key first magnet is magnetically coupled to the second key first magnet, and the first key second magnet is magnetically coupled to the second key second magnet such that the first key is indexed and resists rotation away from the first orientation relative to the second key,
- wherein when the key set is in the second configuration, the first key has a second orientation relative to the second key and the first key first magnet and the first key second magnet are between the second key first magnet and the second key second magnet, and
- wherein when the key set is in the third configuration, the first key has a third orientation relative to the second key, the first key first magnet is magnetically coupled to the second key second magnet, and the first key second magnet is magnetically coupled to the second key first magnet such that the first key is indexed and resists rotation away from the third orientation relative to the second key.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.