Carabiner optimized for small objects

Abstract

An embodiment relates to a carabiner including a carabiner body defining an opening having a width, the carabiner body including a gate rest notch and a gate rest. The carabiner further includes a pivotable gate coupled to the carabiner body at a pivotable point and adapted to contact the gate rest notch when in a closed position. The carabiner body is sized to accommodate an object having an opening and a thickness, the width being less than about 100% greater than the thickness.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 332,151, filed April 18, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] One embodiment is directed generally to carabiners, and more particularly to carabiners optimized to accommodate small objects with apertures, such as keys and the like. [Background technology]

[0003] A carabiner is a special type of shackle, typically implemented as a metal loop with a spring-loaded gate, used to quickly and reversibly connect components, especially in safety-critical systems. In many situations, carabiners are useful to hikers, anglers, outdoorsmen, travelers, and a variety of other users. Carabiners are used to tie down objects or connect one object to another. In many situations, users utilize carabiners to hold keys or other items, such as a key holder that holds one or more keys, and as a means to attach one or more keys to another object. However, concerns remain about the safety of the keys or other items attached to the carabiner, as well as the ease of use of the device.

[0004] Generally, known "carabiners" (e.g., clips, shackles, spring-loaded metal loops, accessory carabiners, etc.) have a relatively large opening in proportion to their overall size, or the opening is typically as large as possible without compromising the design of the carabiner. A larger opening generally improves the functionality of the carabiner and allows the carabiner to be attached to a variety of objects.

[0005] The opening usually starts near the top (i.e., swinging) end of the carabiner gate. This starting location is generally optimal because it allows the largest opening when the gate swings open, allowing the carabiner to accept a large range of objects (from small to large) and optimally utilize the opening in the carabiner body. Additionally, most known carabiners are unable to directly accept objects such as keys, whose holes are generally small, because the cross section of the carabiner body is generally too large. Summary of the Invention

[0006] An embodiment is directed to a carabiner including a carabiner body defining an opening having a width, the carabiner body including a gate rest notch and a gate rest. The carabiner further includes a pivotable gate coupled to the carabiner body at a pivotable point and adapted to contact the gate rest notch when in a closed position. The carabiner body is sized to accommodate an object having an opening and a thickness, the width being less than about 100% greater than the thickness. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] Further embodiments, details, advantages and modifications will become apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments, which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0008] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a carabiner according to one embodiment. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a side view of a carabiner according to one embodiment. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a carabiner according to one embodiment. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is a side view of a carabiner according to one embodiment. [Figure 3A] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a pet identification carabiner according to one embodiment. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B is a side view of a pet identification carabiner according to one embodiment. [Figure 4A] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a ring carabiner according to one embodiment. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B is a side view of a ring carabiner according to one embodiment. [Figure 5A] FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a ring-link carabiner according to one embodiment. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is a side view of a ring-link carabiner according to one embodiment. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is a perspective view of an S-shaped carabiner according to one embodiment. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a side view of an S-shaped carabiner according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] One embodiment is a carabiner optimized for objects with small holes, such as keys, by one or more novel features including the size of the gate opening relative to the overall size of the carabiner, the location of the gate opening, the angle of the edge of the gate opening, and the size of the gate rest notch, the gate rest extension, and the cross-sectional size of the carabiner body.

[0010] As disclosed, known carabiners typically have a relatively large opening to accommodate a wide range of objects. One problem with this known general design is that it results in a carabiner that is not very secure for small objects (e.g., keys, key fobs, and other thin / small objects that do not require or utilize a large opening). These objects can relatively easily fall out of the carabiner, resulting in the loss of important items that were thought to be securely held by the carabiner. This lack of security can be attributed to a variety of factors, including the relatively large opening providing an easy path for small objects to escape through the opening.

[0011] One reason this problem exists is that carabiners are not optimized for their intended use. Carabiners are designed to accept a variety of objects, with the tradeoff being significantly less secure for small objects. In contrast, embodiments optimize the design of carabiners for specific applications, such as holding keys as a better alternative to known key holders. The optimization in embodiments improves security and also minimizes the size of the carabiner when desired.

[0012] The embodiments of the present invention generally outperform known key holders such as split rings because they are easy to open and close to add or remove keys or other objects, and to attach themselves and keys to other objects such as belt loops, fobs, backpacks, and pocket tools. And most known carabiners generally do not directly accept keys or similar objects with small holes such as keyholes in their bodies because the cross-sectional dimensions of the body do not fit into the key opening or keyhole. Furthermore, even if the cross-sectional dimensions of the body are reduced to allow a key to be directly attached, they generally do not reliably hold the key. Some known carabiners address this by incorporating a locking mechanism that locks the carabiner gate in a closed position to reliably hold the key, but a drawback of such locking designs is that the user must intentionally unlock and lock them after each use, making them unsafe if unlocked or inadvertently opened.

[0013] In contrast, carabiners according to embodiments solve these safety problems by being optimized for a specific application, rather than being more universally compatible with a wide range of objects. This optimization involves one or more novel features, including optimized gate opening size and gate opening location and gate opening edge angle, gate rest notch size and depth, gate rest extension, and carabiner body size. Combining one or more of these features in these embodiments results in an increasingly or more secure carabiner that is simple to use and has high safety inherent in the design, since it functions similarly to a typical carabiner (i.e., does not require locking and unlocking). The more such features are used together in a design, the higher the safety level.

[0014] The embodiments involve modifying the inherent design of known carabiners so that they can be used to hold keys directly (i.e., key-optimized cross-sectional dimensions, where "key-optimized" is used to describe a carabiner body that is small enough in cross-sectional dimensions to pass through most common keyholes) and are naturally more inherently secure when used on a daily basis, as opposed to adding a specific locking feature to the carabiner that the user must intentionally operate or take a specific action to lock or unlock each time it is used. The advantage of the embodiments over locking carabiners is that they work whether locked or unlocked, and are always secure. With a locking carabiner, if the user forgets to lock it after each use, or if the lock accidentally opens on its own (or the lock malfunctions), it becomes unsafe and serves no intended purpose. The embodiments are also easy to use, as they do not require an extra step to achieve the enhanced security, and do not require an extra step to unlock before retrieving a key or other object.

[0015] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present disclosure, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments. Wherever possible, like reference numbers are used for like elements.

[0016] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a carabiner 100 according to one embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a side view.

[0017] Carabiner 100 includes a carabiner body 110 and a spring-loaded gate 102 that gates an opening 104. Gate 102 includes a pivot point 112 on one side and an opposite side 114 that rests on a gate rest notch 120 when not bent inward by a user. When closed, gate 102 and body 110 form a carabiner chamber 150. Gate rest 125 extends from gate rest notch 120 and can be considered a "gate rest extension" 125 due to its length relative to the size of carabiner body 110 compared to commonly known carabiners.

[0018] The carabiner body 110 includes a long side / side / axis when standing vertically (i.e., upright as shown in FIG. 1) and a short side / side / axis when standing horizontally. In an embodiment of the carabiner 100, the overall vertical length 172 at the outer edge is about 1.00 inches, and the horizontal width 170 at the outer edge is about 0.480 inches. In an embodiment, the cross section of the carabiner body 110 is optimally sized to receive a key (i.e., small enough to fit through a typical hole / hole in a typical key). In one embodiment, the cross section 171 of the rectangular carabiner 100 is about 0.110 inches and in another dimension (i.e., material thickness) is about 0.094 inches.

[0019] The embodiments include a number of novel features that, either alone or in combination, are directed to the size, location, and angle of the edge of the opening 104 in the carabiner body 110, the gate rest extension 125, the design of the gate notch 120, and the size of the carabiner body 110. These novel features are disclosed below.

[0020] In embodiments, the size of the opening 104 (i.e., the width indicated by distance 160) is reduced from the larger opening size found in typical carabiners, and is large enough for the intended use of accepting all common consumer and industrial key thicknesses. The common key thickness (i.e., for a typical "standard" key, the key thickness is approximately 0.070-0.085 inches) can be used as a constraint or guide to accept other related items such as split rings. For carabiner 100, the width 160 of opening 104 is approximately 0.100 inches. In embodiments such as carabiner 100, the width 160 measures approximately 0.015 inches-0.030 inches plus the maximum key thickness of 0.085 inches, or approximately 0.100 inches-0.115 inches. In embodiments, the width 160 measures generally approximately 17%-22% larger than the maximum object / key thickness.

[0021] Additionally, the length 168 of the gate 102 is approximately 0.520 inches. Thus, in some embodiments, the width 160 of the gate 102 is approximately 17-24% of the length 168, while in other embodiments, the width of the gate is approximately 17-38% of the length.

[0022] This minimum required opening size is slightly larger than the maximum thickness of a typical consumer or industrial key, which in itself improves the security of the carabiner in several ways: A smaller opening makes it harder for a key or other intended "small" object to be inadvertently dropped, because as the opening gets smaller, the path for the key to fall through becomes narrower and more complicated to traverse.

[0023] In the embodiment, the small size of the opening narrows the range of angles at which the key can enter the carabiner, and therefore narrows the range of angles at which the key can fall in the reverse process or orientation. The opening is so small relative to the thickness of the key that the key must enter the carabiner in proper alignment with the two inner edges of the gate opening to load it, and the reverse process of leaving the carabiner, which is relevant for safety, also requires that the key must fall through the opening in proper alignment with the two inner edges of the opening. In typical carabiners, the opening is so large relative to the thickness of the key that it can be removed or dropped at almost any angle or orientation. The relatively large size of the gate opening in known carabiners generally provides little restriction or added safety, particularly with respect to the key angle as disclosed.

[0024] In an embodiment that accommodates a key having a thickness and a hole for receiving a ring, opening 104 has a width (i.e., 160 in FIG. 1B) dimension that is less than 100% greater than the thickness. In one embodiment, the width dimension is less than 25% greater than the thickness. In one embodiment, the width dimension is less than 10% greater than the thickness. In one embodiment, the width dimension is less than 5% greater than the thickness. In one embodiment, for maximum effectiveness, the width dimension is approximately 0.015 inches greater than the thickest key that may be used to account for manufacturing tolerances.

[0025] The small opening size 160 relative to the length of the gate 102 in the embodiment (i.e., the portion of the gate that is not overlapping or supported by the carabiner body) also reduces the amount of the wire gate 102 exposed to direct mechanical stress from a key or other associated object. The carabiner body 110 is stronger, larger, and more rigid than a wire gate. Having a larger portion of the gate overlapping and / or supported by the carabiner body reduces potential failure due to the gate bending, being forced open, or breaking because the gate is much more flexible and weaker than the carabiner body 110.

[0026] In embodiments, due to the smaller size of the opening 104, the opening 104 may be located further down from the end 114 of the gate 102, toward the center of the gate 102. The ideal location is near the center of the gate 102, but may vary depending on the specific size of the gate 102, the size of the opening 104 in the body 110, and the intended use of the carabiner. A position that is too far up toward the open end of the gate 102 reduces security, while a position that is too far down toward the base end of the gate 102 reduces access and effective / useful opening due to a limit to how far the gate can swing inward to provide sufficient clearance.

[0027] This small opening not only allows the embodiment to have an opening location lower toward the center of the gate 102, but the lower / center opening location in the carabiner body 110 is a particular important design feature that improves the security of the carabiner 100. The embodiment has an opening location away from the edge of the gate and toward the center of the gate. Ideally, the gate opening is located as far away from the edge of the gate as possible, while still allowing sufficient access to the carabiner for accessing keys and other related items.

[0028] This new location of the opening 104 improves the security of the carabiner 100 by increasing the distance from the swing or open end 114 of the gate 102 to the actual opening 104 in the carabiner body 110. If a key (or other object or force) somehow or inadvertently lifts the gate and the key passes over or under the end of the gate 102, the key will have to travel a longer distance to reach the opening to escape. Also, because the closing spring force of the spring gate 102 increases as it approaches the pivot point 112, the key will have a harder time exiting the carabiner due to its lower opening position. As the gate 102 opens, the overall spring force is greater, and the gate 102 will push the key back / into the carabiner with greater force.

[0029] As disclosed above, the combination of the smaller / optimized gate opening 104 and the lower, more centrally located gate opening 104 effectively creates an "extended" length for the gate rest extension 125. When both the gate opening size and location are used as disclosed above, the gate rest extension 125 may be an optional feature in combination, but when the opening size is not optimized or cannot be optimized for an application, the gate rest extension 125 contributes to the optimization on its own. The gate rest extension effectively moves the opening of the carabiner body down or away from the gate opening. This feature gives the embodiment all of the safety enhancing features disclosed above, but there are additional benefits that come from the smaller / optimized gate opening alone, such as support of the wire gate from the carabiner body, a longer path for the key or object to fall out of the carabiner, and counter force of the gate when exiting the carabiner. 1, the length 169 of the gate rest extension 125, measured from the opening 104 to the center of the notch 120, is about 0.20 inches, and in other embodiments has a range of about 0.15 inches to 0.20 inches. In general, in embodiments, the length 169 of the gate rest extension 125=[(gate length 168)-(gate opening size 104)] / 2.

[0030] As disclosed, when keys, rings, and the like are attached to known carabiners, they can easily be accidentally removed from the carabiner by simply twisting the top of the opening near the swing end of the gate. This is particularly common with known carabiners that attach keys directly to the body (and known carabiners that hold keys indirectly, such as with split rings). This vulnerability exists for several reasons, including: the opening of the body is close to the swing end of the gate, and there is little overlap between the two parts (and therefore little support for the wire gate from the carabiner body); any slight unintended slack or movement of the gate in the non-swing, lateral direction is greatest at the end of the gate, where it easily separates from the carabiner body, and some of this movement arises from the natural flexibility of the wire gate, resulting in lateral movement of the gate at the swing end that is least desirable. All these factors mean that the gate can be inadvertently opened by being accidentally set off by an object on the carabiner (e.g. a key) or by external forces such as those exerted by an object in the user's pocket, resulting in the gate being inadvertently opened and the object on the carabiner being lost.

[0031] Another way that keys or objects can fall out is simply due to known carabiner designs, which cause some keys or rings to simply gate open and fall when twisted due to the way the parts happen to line up during the twisting action. In contrast, the novel location of the opening 104 in the carabiner body 110 in the embodiments eliminates or greatly reduces the possibility of keys or objects accidentally falling out of the carabiner in this manner or in other accidental ways. The shape in the embodiments acts to prevent the key from opening the carabiner as it turns or twists, even if the key is trying to remove it from the carabiner without intentionally opening it to properly remove it. This is in contrast to known carabiners where the key can easily turn or twist and fall out of the carabiner without the carabiner being opened to properly remove it.

[0032] In an embodiment, the gate rest notch 120 is designed so that when the end 114 of the gate 102 is seated in the notch 120, its outer surface is approximately flush with the inner edge of the carabiner body or slightly below (i.e., the depth of the gate rest notch 120 is greater than the wire diameter of the wire gate 120). This recessed position makes it difficult for a key to hook onto or pass under the end 114 of the gate 102 to open the gate 102, since the end 114 of the gate 102 is approximately flush with the carabiner body 110. This contributes to safety, since it is difficult for a key to lift the gate 102 and slip under it, move into the opening in the body, and inadvertently fall off the carabiner. In an embodiment, the depth of the notch 120 at its maximum point relative to the inner surface of the carabiner body 110 is approximately 0.047 inches, and the diameter of the wire forming the gate 102 is also approximately 0.047 inches.

[0033] If the full depth or ideal notch cannot be achieved, a deeper notch will provide increased safety, but an ideal minimum depth is one where no more than half the diameter of the wire gate 102 extends beyond the gate rest notch, or where the nominal minimum depth of the gate rest notch is half the diameter of the wire gate wire. If this is achieved, the gate effectively does not provide a "catch" or path for a carabiner key to get caught in the gate or slip under it and inadvertently open the gate. Instead, the key will roll over the edge of the gate and push the gate in the closing direction, rather than lifting it up and going under it. In some embodiments, 50% of the diameter of the gate 102 is the minimum depth required to provide any benefit.

[0034] In the embodiments, the depth of the gate rest notch is shown to range from deep enough for the end of the gate to be completely flush to deep enough that it protrudes slightly beyond the notch. Although not shown in the embodiments of Figures 1-6, the ideal depth of the notch is deep enough to allow the end of the gate to be below flush with the inner edge of the carabiner body while ensuring that enough material remains so that the carabiner body is not weakened. In the embodiments, this "ideal" depth is 125% of the gate diameter, but can be as deep as 150% of the gate diameter. For example, in a key-optimized carabiner, the width of the carabiner body is typically about 0.11 inches, and a minimum of about 0.04 inches needs to remain for strength. So if the wire diameter is 0.047 inches, then 1.5 x 0.047 = 0.0705. Add 0.04 inches to this and you get about 0.11 inches.

[0035] In an embodiment, the width of the notch 125 is about 15% larger than the wire diameter, while in another embodiment the width is about 125-150% of the diameter of the gate 102.

[0036] In an embodiment, the gate 102 intersects a portion of the body 110 at the opening at an angle less than 180°, less than 160°, or less than 140° such that an object sliding along the body toward the opening will not open the gate.

[0037] An embodiment of the present invention includes novel angles 165, 166 on the top / right inner edge of the opening 104 in the carabiner body, as shown in FIG. 1B. The angled opening is non-perpendicular to the long side of the body 110. In one embodiment, the angles 165, 166 are about 13.0°. The angles on each side are similar, so that the inner edges of the gate opening are parallel to each other. Parallelism is optimal to keep the opening to a minimum functional size for reasons disclosed above, but is not required.

[0038] Angles 165, 166, among other things, allow for a reduced overall carabiner width 170, which reduces the overall size of the carabiner while maintaining a desired / aesthetic aspect ratio. Also, because embodiments are designed for use with keys and the like and need to be small, so many things can be attached to a key fob and put in a pocket, and also function as a link / connector as disclosed below, it is desirable to minimize the overall size.

[0039] The novel opening angles 165, 166 in the embodiment guide the key at a slight upward angle from horizontal (in the direction the gate opens) when the key is loaded into the carabiner, where there is more clearance. The gate 102 does not need to swing inward as far at this angle or similar angles. Without such an angle, the gate 102 would have to swing farther, and some keys would hit the right inner edge of the carabiner body before the key had enough clearance to be loaded into the carabiner body. On the other hand, if the angle was downward instead of upward, it would be much more difficult to load the key into the carabiner. The smaller angle allows the key to enter the carabiner at a certain range of desirable angles while keeping the gate opening small.

[0040] This reduction in overall carabiner size is important because carabiners designed specifically to hold one or two keys and / or to act as a link connecting keys to a larger key holder must be very small, otherwise they would be cumbersome and useless for their intended use. The slight upward angle in the embodiments allows the keys to enter the carabiner more easily while still maintaining most or all of the security provided by the other design features disclosed above. A less preferred alternative to the angle in the embodiments would be to make the gate opening larger, which would be less secure for the reasons discussed above. The nominal angle in these embodiments, or the angle commonly used for the edge of the gate opening, is 90 degrees or nearly perpendicular to the edge of the gate opening. This angle is optimal for most embodiments, as it optimizes ease of key loading and key removal. The specific angles and ranges of angles disclosed above are used in embodiments that require a smaller carabiner.

[0041] In an embodiment, the carabiner body 110 has an intentionally small cross-sectional dimension so that a key can be accepted directly on the carabiner, which functions similarly to a split ring in this respect. In contrast, many known carabiners cannot accept a key directly, but rather require the key to be attached to a split ring, which in turn is attached to the carabiner.

[0042] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a carabiner 200 according to one embodiment, and FIG. 2B is a side view. Carabiner 200 is generally similar to carabiner 100 of FIG. 1, but with the addition of an integrated eyelet 202. Integrated eyelet 202 allows carabiner 200 to be used with a split ring, cord, or fob. When used with a split ring, the eyelet allows carabiner 200 to stay more aligned and with less unwanted movement than carabiner 100. Additionally, the integrated eyelet 202 provides an added layer of safety, as the eyelet 202 cannot open and inadvertently drop the entire carabiner off of the split ring, cord, or fob.

[0043] FIG. 3A is a perspective view and FIG. 3B is a side view of a pet identification tag carabiner 300 according to one embodiment adapted to be used to attach objects such as identification tags, tracking devices, lights, etc. to a pet's collar. Carabiner 300 is generally similar to carabiner 100 of FIG. 1. However, carabiner 300 does not require the entry angles 165, 166 of FIG. 1 because it is not constrained in size as carabiners adapted to hold keys are. The large diameter of typical D-rings on dog collars is one reason why carabiner 300 needs to be larger overall. Although opening 301 in body 302 is much larger (i.e., 0.2 inches) than the key versions of carabiners 100 and 200, they share all other design principles and characteristics, such as openings minimized for specific applications, gate opening location moved down and centered, recessed gate rest notch, gate rest extension, etc. The presence of these properties results in a very secure carabiner for holding identification tags and other items on a pet's collar, and which is easier to use than a split ring. Identification tags attached to a pet's collar, like keys attached to a key ring, are subject to shaking and swinging, creating a challenging environment where they can easily get lost if not secured. As with keys, it is also very important for a pet to not lose their identification tag or tracking device.

[0044] The pet identification tag carabiner 300 embodiment is "tag optimized" or thin enough to directly accept a pet tag, eliminating the need for the small split ring that typically comes with the tag, which is very difficult to use (as it is difficult to open using fingers). Furthermore, without the split ring, the actual dog tag / pet tag would fit in the proper forward facing orientation on the collar. The small split ring is also a potential failure point, since it must be manufactured from a very thin and potentially weak wire diameter to have enough flex to open. Another embodiment that has all the other features, but is not "tag optimized", and has a thicker body, may be useful for some users, as it has additional strength. The carabiner 300 can also be made in different shapes, such as circular, and still work well.

[0045] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of one embodiment of ring carabiner 400, and FIG. 4B is a side view. The carabiner has all of the novel features disclosed in connection with carabiner 100 of FIG. 1, except for the presence or absence of angles 165, 166 at gate opening 401. The intended use of this embodiment is not as a connector for attaching a key to another object, but rather as a key holder itself. It is intended to hold one or more keys together in a manner similar to known split rings. The advantage over known split rings is that the novel features allow for much easier insertion and removal of keys and other objects while still maintaining the necessary level of security disclosed above. Carabiner 400 does not need to have angled edges at opening 401 as carabiner 100 does, since its overall size does not need to be minimized for its intended use. Embodiments using this design will work with key-optimized and non-key-optimized (i.e., thicker body) carabiners, as well as with carabiners of shapes other than circular.

[0046] Compared to the embodiment of Figures 1-3, the length of the gate 402 of the carabiner 400 is smaller and is the minimum size for use with a key. In this embodiment, the size of the opening 401 is about 0.1 inches and the size of the gate 402 is about 0.412 inches. This reduced gate size allows the design to be more circular, which has an aesthetic benefit. Also, the reduced gate size increases the effective stiffness of the spring force of the gate, further improving safety.

[0047] FIG. 5A is a perspective view and FIG. 5B is a side view of a ring-link carabiner 500 with a strap 502 according to one embodiment. In addition to having all the features of the ring carabiner 400 disclosed above, the embodiment includes a gated area that includes a flat 504 at the carabiner opening that provides additional security (or security alone) because the flat 504 interacts with the loop 506 on the strap 502 when the ring is rotated so that the flat 504 is located under the loop 506. The tight or snug loop of the strap holds the gated opening / flat of the ring securely within the loop so that keys cannot access the opening in the carabiner body or accidentally fall out of the carabiner portion. The tight or snug loop of the strap is appropriately sized to allow the user to easily slide the flat out of the loop when inserting or removing keys or other objects into the ring.

[0048] An embodiment using this design works with key-optimized and non-key-optimized (i.e., thicker body) carabiners, and also with carabiners of other shapes other than circular. Single safety means that this embodiment would work safely even if the carabiner opening did not have the specific features disclosed above in connection with carabiner 100, but rather had the general carabiner opening features in the flat area. This is because the ability of the tight or snug loop of the strap to stay in place in the flat area during normal use makes the other novel features redundant or unnecessary. However, all the features combined are optimal for safety. Additionally, the hidden gate and gate opening (if covered by a fob loop) may improve the appearance of the device.

[0049] 6A is a perspective view and FIG. 6B is a side view of an S-shaped carabiner 600 according to one embodiment. Carabiner 600 is a two-chamber version of carabiner 100 and incorporates all of the novel features of carabiner 100.

[0050] In one embodiment, the central crossbar 602 separating the two chambers uses the same angles 165, 166 as carabiner 100. This allows for optimization of the small size required for similar uses to carabiner 100. Additionally, the same center bar angle allows the keys to be properly aligned at the correct angle, acting as a lead-in or guide for key insertion and removal. This angle also enhances aesthetics. Carabiner 600 works well with a variety of angles and sizes.

[0051] As disclosed, embodiments of the invention include one or more novel features for enhanced functionality. All of these features can work well with a range of dimensions. While the opening of the carabiner body is intended to be as small as possible for a particular intended use or application, a slightly smaller opening than that of a typical carabiner can work well and provide a significant improvement in security over a typical carabiner. The same principle applies to the location of the opening of the carabiner body. Lowering towards the center of the gate or the base pivot of the gate provides improved security, and while lowering towards the center of the gate is nominally the ideal location for the reasons discussed above, there is a wide range of locations that can still work well and provide improved security while still maintaining the ability to insert and remove objects from the carabiner. The same is true for the gate rest notch, there is a wide range of depths that can work well and provide improved security. The same is true for the angle of the edge of the opening of the carabiner body, the design works well at a variety of angles. The same is true for the gate rest extension, again, which can work well for a variety of lengths. Carabiners according to embodiments do not need to have all of these features present in all embodiments for the new carabiner to function in an improved and safer manner, any combination of these features described above can be present for the new carabiner to function in an improved manner.

[0052] The features, structures, or characteristics of the present disclosure described throughout this specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. For example, the use of "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "an embodiment," "particular embodiment," or other similar language throughout this specification refers to the fact that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearance of "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "an embodiment," "particular embodiment," or other similar language throughout this specification does not necessarily all refer to the same group of embodiments, but rather the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0053] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that embodiments such as those described above may be practiced with steps in a different order and / or elements in different configurations than those disclosed. Thus, while this disclosure discusses general embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions are possible while remaining within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims to determine the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

1. 1. A carabiner including a carabiner body defining an opening having a width, The carabiner body is Gate rest notch and Gate rest and a pivotable gate coupled to the carabiner body at a pivotable point and adapted to contact the gate rest notch when in a closed position; the carabiner body is sized to accommodate an object having a hole and a thickness, the width being less than about 100% greater than the thickness; Carabiner.

2. the gate rest notch has a depth such that the gate is approximately flush with the inside of the carabiner body when the gate is in the closed position; 2. The carabiner of claim 1.

3. The opening covers approximately the center of the gate.

2. The carabiner of claim 1.

4. The carabiner body has a cross-sectional dimension smaller than the size of the hole.

2. The carabiner of claim 1.

5. the object being a key; 5. A carabiner as claimed in claim 4.

6. The opening has two sides, and the two sides are non-perpendicular to the carabiner body.

2. The carabiner of claim 1.

7. Further comprising eyelets.

2. The carabiner of claim 1.

8. a strap having a loop connected to the carabiner; The loop is adapted to closely cover the opening when the carabiner body is rotated to prevent the gate from opening.

2. The carabiner of claim 1.

9. the width is about 17% to 22% greater than the thickness; 2. The carabiner of claim 1.

10. the width being about 17-38% of the length of the gate; 2. The carabiner of claim 1.

11. 1. A method for connecting an object to a carabiner, comprising: The method is: Providing a carabiner; The carabiner includes a carabiner body having a width and defining an opening that forms a chamber; The carabiner body is Gate rest notch and Gate rest and a pivotable gate coupled to the carabiner body at a pivotable point and adapted to contact the gate rest notch when in a closed position; the carabiner body is sized to accommodate an object having a hole and a thickness, the width being less than about 100% greater than the thickness; The method also passing the gate rest through the opening and onto the object; and pivoting the gate to an open position to slide the object into the chamber. method.

12. the gate rest notch has a depth such that the gate is approximately flush with the inside of the carabiner body when the gate is in the closed position; The method of claim 11.

13. The opening covers approximately the center of the gate. The method of claim 11.

14. The carabiner body has a cross-sectional dimension smaller than the size of the hole. The method of claim 11.

15. the object being a key; The method of claim 14.

16. The opening has two sides, and the two sides are non-perpendicular to the carabiner body. The method of claim 11.

17. The carabiner further includes an eyelet. The method of claim 11.

18. the carabiner further includes a strap having a loop coupled to the carabiner; The loop is adapted to closely cover the opening when the carabiner body is rotated to prevent the gate from opening. The method of claim 11.

19. the width is about 17% to 22% greater than the thickness; The method of claim 11.

20. the width being about 17-38% of the length of the gate; The method of claim 11.

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