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US 9,988,827 B2Granted
Magnetic key assembly
AssigneeDavid Frank Borenstein
InventorDavid Frank Borenstein
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Magnetic keys, bow caps and key components are described. In one aspect, the present application describes a key. The key includes a blade and a bow connected to the blade. The bow is for applying torque to the blade. The bow defines a key ring aperture located near a top of the bow. The top is the portion of the bow furthest from the blade. The key also include a magnet fixedly coupled to the bow by placement within the key ring aperture to provide a magnetic field on at least one side of the key.
Claims16
A key comprising:
- a blade;
- a bow connected to the blade, the bow for applying torque to the blade, the bow defining a key ring aperture, the key ring aperture offset from a center of the bow such that the key ring aperture is located near a top of the bow, the top being the portion of the bow furthest from the blade;
- and
- a magnet fixedly coupled to the bow by placement within the key ring aperture to provide a magnetic field on at least one side of the key, the magnet positioned to allow the key to be optionally coupled to an adjacent key having a similarly-positioned magnet and to allow the key to be inserted into a lock while the key is coupled to the adjacent key and having a thickness greater than the thickness of the bow and protruding from the bow beyond planar surfaces of first and second planar sides of the key by between 0.2 and 0.4 millimeters to allow the key to be pivoted in relation to the adjacent key having a similarly-positioned magnet without interference between planar surfaces of the keys when the magnet is in contact with the similarly-positioned magnet,
- wherein the magnet is a ring magnet and wherein a gap between a side of the bow and the nearest edge of the key ring aperture is five millimeters or less to allow the key to be optionally used with a key ring,
- and wherein the north pole of the magnet is oriented to provide a magnetic field at the first planar side of the key and the south pole of the magnet is oriented opposite the north pole to provide a magnetic field at the second planar side of the key.
3 more elements
A key comprising:
- a blade;
- a bow connected to the blade, the bow for applying torque to the blade, the bow defining a key ring aperture, the key ring aperture offset from a center of the bow such that the key ring aperture is located near a top of the bow, the top being the portion of the bow furthest from the blade;
- and
- a magnet fixedly coupled to the bow by placement within the key ring aperture to provide a magnetic field on at least one side of the key, the magnet positioned to allow the key to be optionally coupled to an adjacent key having a similarly-positioned magnet and to allow the key to be inserted into a lock while the key is coupled to the adjacent key and having a thickness greater than the thickness of the bow and protruding from the bow beyond planar surfaces of first and second planar sides of the key by between 0.2 and 0.4 millimeters to allow the key to be pivoted in relation to the adjacent key having a similarly-positioned magnet without interference between planar surfaces of the keys when the magnet is in contact with the similarly-positioned magnet,
- wherein the magnet is a disk magnet having no hole therethrough, and wherein the north pole of the magnet is oriented to provide a magnetic field at the first planar side of the key and the south pole of the magnet is oriented opposite the north pole to provide a magnetic field at the second planar side of the key.
2 more elements
A bow cap for a key, the bow cap comprising:
- a body portion defining a bow slot for receiving a bow of a key and a key ring aperture located between the bow slot and a top of the bow cap;
- and
- a magnet fixedly coupled to the body portion by placement within the key ring aperture to provide a magnetic field on at least one side of the bow cap,
- wherein the magnet is positioned to allow the key to be optionally coupled to an adjacent key received in another bow cap having a similarly-positioned magnet and to allow the key to be inserted into a lock while the key is coupled to the adjacent key and having a thickness greater than the bow cap and protruding from the bow cap by between 0.2 and 0.4 millimeters to allow the key to be pivoted in relation to the adjacent key without interference between body portions of the bow caps when the magnet is in contact with the similarly-positioned magnet.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.