| CPC B60R 11/00 (2013.01) [B60R 2011/0057 (2013.01); B60R 2011/0078 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
|
1. An integrated keychain assembly, comprising:
a keychain fob and a receiver-base that:
mechanically interlock with one another so as to provide a conformal mechanical interlocking fit so that the receiver-base resists gravity forces imposed on the receiver-base by the keychain fob in a first direction when the receiver-base is affixed to a support structure; and
magnetically attract one another, in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, when in the conformal mechanical interlocking fit with one another so as to hold the keychain fob in the conformal mechanical interlocking fit, wherein:
the keychain fob includes:
a body having a first mechanical-interlock structure and a first magnetic-attraction portion;
a first magnetic-attraction element engaged with the first magnetic-attraction portion; and
a keyholder support located below the first magnetic-attraction portion-region; and
the receiver-base is designed and configured to receive only the keychain fob, the receiver-base including:
a second magnetic-attraction portion having a fob-receiving region designed and configured to confrontingly receive the body of the keychain fob;
a second mechanical-interlock structure, wherein the first and second mechanical interlock structures comprise complementary male-female structures configured so that, when the receiver-base is affixed to the support structure, the first mechanical-interlock structure engages the second mechanical interlock structure as a user moves the keychain fob, in the second direction, into the conformal mechanical interlocking fit with the receiver-base and the conformal mechanical interlocking fit prevents the keychain fob from disengaging the receiver-base in a downward direction;
an attachment means for fixedly attaching the receiver-base to the structure; and
a second magnetic-attraction element engaged with a second magnetic-attraction portion, wherein the first and second magnetic attraction elements are selected, located, and oriented so as to be magnetically attracted to one another;
wherein the second mechanical-interlock structure on the receiver-base includes a pair of gaps located on opposite side of the receiver-base, wherein the pair of gaps define a corresponding pair of grasping regions that allow the user to grasp the body of the keychain fob when the integrated keychain assembly is deployed and the keychain fob is in the conformal mechanical interlocking fit with the receiver-base.
|