ADJUSTABLE RING

Abstract

A method and apparatus for adjusting the ring size of a ring is disclosed. In some embodiments, the ring includes a frame having at least one groove, and at least one size adjustment insert having at least one tongue configured to be removably engaged with the at least one groove. In some embodiments, the at least one size adjustment insert is inserted into the frame.

Description

FIELD

The invention relates generally to jewelry, and more specifically to an item of jewelry for wearing over a person's finger.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment, a jewelry item is disclosed. The jewelry item includes a frame and at least one size adjustment insert. The frame has a first inner surface and a first outer surface, the first inner surface having at least one groove. The at least one size adjustment insert has a second inner surface and a second outer surface, the second outer surface having at least one tongue configured to removably engage with the at least one groove.

In another embodiment, a method of adjusting a ring size of a ring is disclosed. The method includes forming at least one groove on an inner surface of a frame, forming at least one tongue on an outer surface of at least one size adjustment insert, the at least one tongue being configured to removably engage with the at least one groove, and inserting the at least one size adjustment insert into the frame.

It should be appreciated that the foregoing concepts, and additional concepts discussed below, may be arranged in any suitable combination, as the present disclosure is not limited in this respect.

The foregoing and other aspects, embodiments, and features of the present teachings can be more fully understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a jewelry item according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the jewelry item of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a size adjustment insert according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Fitting a ring to a person's finger is often difficult because a person's ring size varies over time. For example, a person's ring size may change due to the weather, weight, and/or diet. Additionally, once a ring has been appropriately sized, a person is limited to wearing that ring only on a certain finger or fingers, unless he or she decides to have the ring resized. Moreover, if a ring that was once appropriately sized becomes either too tight or too loose, a person must either uncomfortably wear the ring or leave the ring at home. Applicants have recognized that by providing a ring with size adjustment inserts, various advantages may be realized.

FIG. 1 shows a jewelry item, such as a ring 100, having an opening 101 for receiving a finger therethrough. The size of the opening corresponds to a person's ring size. In some embodiments, the ring 100 has an outer surface 104 and an inner surface 102.

In some embodiments, the ring 100 includes a size adjustment insert 106 that is removably engageable with a frame 108. As illustrated in FIG. 1, once the insert 106 is inserted into to the frame 108, the ring 100 has a ring size defined by the insert 106. In some embodiments, the insert 106 has a tight frictional fit with the frame 108 such that the ring 100 appears to be one piece instead of two separate, but engageable, pieces 106, 108.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the ring 100 of FIG. 1, with the size adjustment insert 106 separated from the frame 108. As seen in this figure, the frame 108 has a first outer surface 110 and a first inner surface 112. The frame 108 may be made of any suitable material and have any desired thickness, that is, the difference between the diameters of the first outer surface 110 and the first inner surface 112. In some embodiments, the first outer surface 110 has a design and/or ornamentation.

In some embodiments, the frame 108 has a groove 114 disposed along a portion of a circumference of the first inner surface 112. In some embodiments, the groove removably captures a raised portion or tongue on the second outer surface of the size adjustment insert. In some embodiments, the groove 114 is disposed along the entire circumference of the first inner surface 112. In some embodiments, the groove 114 is positioned substantially in the middle of a width W1 of the frame 108, although the groove may be disposed in any suitable position of the first inner surface 112 in other embodiments as this aspect of the disclosure is not limiting. For purposes herein, a groove may refer to a single groove section or to a plurality of groove sections that extend along a portion of a circumference of the first inner surface.

In some embodiments, the groove has a width between about 0.75 mm and about 1.25 mm, although other widths may be used. In some embodiments, the groove 114 is cut into or otherwise machined into the first inner surface 112 of the frame 108, although other methods may be used to form the groove 114. Although only one groove 114 is shown in FIG. 2, two or more grooves 114 may be formed in the first inner surface 112 in other embodiments as this aspect of the disclosure is not limited in this regard.

In embodiments in which the ring 100 is a cylindrical shape, the circumference of the first inner surface 110 may be constant, or substantially constant, over the width W1 of the frame 108. In some embodiments, the circumference of the first inner surface 110 varies over the width W1 of the frame 108. In one embodiment, the first inner surface 110 has a cross section, taken along a width W1 of the frame 108, defined by a convex shape in which the circumference of the first inner surface 110 is greatest in a middle portion of the width W1 of the frame 108. The first inner surface 110 also may have a cross section defined by a concave shape or defined by another suitable shape as this aspect of the disclosure is not limiting.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, in some embodiments, the ring 100 includes an insert 106 having a second inner surface 116 and a second outer surface 118. The insert 106 may be made of any suitable material and have any suitable thickness. The insert 106 also may be a single integral piece, as shown in FIG. 2, although in other embodiments the insert 106 may have a slit as shown in FIG. 3. In some embodiments, the insert 106 includes a raised portion or tongue 120 disposed along a portion of a circumference of the second outer surface 116 to removably engage with the groove or grooves on the first inner surface of the frame 108. The tongue has a thickness that may vary in some embodiments. The tongue is also defined by a cross section that may have different geometries in some embodiments, for example, square, rectangular, circular, triangular, or another suitable cross section. In some embodiments, the tongue 120 is disposed along the entire circumference of the second outer surface 116. The tongue 120 may be located substantially in the middle of the width W2 of the insert 106, although the tongue 120 may be disposed on any portion of the second outer surface 118. In some embodiments, the tongue 120 is located on a portion of the second outer surface 118 that to corresponds with, and is removably engageable with, the groove(s) 114 on the first inner surface 112 of the frame 108. In some embodiments, the width of the tongue 120 is larger, or slightly larger, than the width of the groove 114.

For purposes herein, a tongue is intended to include a single tongue section or a plurality of tongue sections that extend along a portion of the circumference of the second outer surface. Although only one tongue 120 is shown in FIG. 2, the second outer surface 118 may include more than one tongue 120 in other embodiments as this aspect of the disclosure is not limited in this regard.

In some embodiments, the circumference of the second outer surface 118 is constant, or substantially constant, over the width W2 of the insert 106. In some embodiments, the circumference of the second outer surface 118 varies over the width W2 of the insert 106. In one embodiment, the second outer surface 118 has a cross section, taken along a width W2 of the insert 106, defined by a concave shape in which the circumference of the second outer surface 118 is the smallest in a middle portion of the width W2 of the insert. The second outer surface 118 also may have a cross section defined by a convex shape or another suitable shape as this aspect of the disclosure is not limiting.

Although only one groove 114 and only one tongue 120 are shown in FIG. 2, a person of ordinary skill should appreciate that more than one groove 114 and or more than one tongue 120 may be used in other embodiments. In some embodiments, the number of grooves 114 differs from the number tongues 120. It also should be appreciated that although the groove 114 and tongue 120 are shown substantially in the middle of the frame 108 and insert 106, respectively, the groove 114 and tongue 120 may be disposed on any portion of the frame 108 and insert 106, respectively. In some embodiments, the tongue or tongues 120 on the insert 106 are removably engageable with the groove or grooves 114 on the frame 108 such that the insert 106 may be removably inserted into the frame 108.

In some embodiments, the insert 106 is inserted in the frame 108 such that the first inner surface 112 and the second outer surface 118 are positioned adjacent to each other. In some embodiments, when the insert 106 is inserted into the frame 108, the tongue 120 is engageable with the groove 114. In some embodiments, the insert 106 is permanently inserted into the frame 108 while in other embodiments, the insert 106 is removable from the frame 108. In some embodiments, there is little to no space between the first inner surface 112 and the second outer surface 118, while in other embodiments, there is a space between the first inner surface 112 and the second outer surface 118. In some embodiments, the width W1 of the frame 108 is larger than the width W2 of the insert, while in other embodiments the width W1 of the frame 108 and the width W2 of the insert are the same or substantially the same.

In some embodiments, the insert 106 snaps into the frame, although other methods of attachment may be used to removably insert the insert 106 to the frame 108. For purposes herein, a snap fit or snap attachment may refer to a joining arrangement where a first part deforms, flexes, deflects, is compressed, or is otherwise moved from its original state to allow the first part to reach a second, mating part. When the first part engages with the mating part, the first part returns to its original state to form an attachment between the first and second parts.

In some embodiments, the first part may not return to its identical original state, but returns sufficiently to form the attachment. In some embodiments, the first part includes a tongue and the second, mating part includes a groove. In some embodiments, a consumer snaps the insert 106 into the frame 108, while in other embodiments, the consumer may take the ring 100 to a jeweler to have the insert 106 inserted into the frame 108.

In some embodiments, the ring 100 includes a plurality of size adjustment inserts 106 such that the consumer can insert one of a plurality of size inserts 106 to adjust the ring 100 to a desired size. In some embodiments, the insert 106 is removed from the frame 108 and, in some embodiments, an insert is inserted into the frame 108 to adjust the size of the ring.

In some embodiments, the thickness of the frame 108 is greater than the thickness of the insert 106, although the thickness of the frame 108 may be equal to the thickness of the insert 106 in other embodiments. The thickness of the insert 106 also may be greater than the thickness of the frame 108. In some embodiments, the frame 108 and the insert 106 may include the same materials, although it should be appreciated that the frame 108 and the insert 106 may include different materials in other embodiments. Each of the insert 106 and the frame 108 also may include precious and or non-precious materials, or any combination thereof, or any other suitable material for ring items.

In yet another embodiment, a method of adjusting the ring size of a ring includes forming a groove 114 in the first inner surface 112 of the frame 108, forming a tongue 120 on a second outer surface 118 of the insert 106, and inserting the insert 106 into the frame 108. In some embodiments, inserting the insert 106 into the frame 108 includes permanently inserting the insert 106 into the frame 108, while in other embodiments, inserting includes removably inserting the insert 106 into the frame 108. In some embodiments, inserting includes snapping the insert 106 into the frame 108. In some embodiments, the method also includes removing the insert 106 from the frame 108 and inserting a second insert is into the frame 108 to adjust the size of the ring 100. The method also may include determining the ring size of a person and selecting the size adjustment insert 106 to fit the person's ring size.

Although various structures defining the ring 100 have been shown and described with the insert 106 having the tongue 120 and the frame 108 having the groove 114, a skilled artisan should appreciate that in other embodiments, the insert 106 may have a groove and the frame 108 may have a tongue. As such, the embodiments described herein are not limited to the position of the tongue and groove on either the insert 106 or the frame 108. In one embodiment, the first inner surface of the frame 108 has a tongue and the second outer surface of the insert 106 has a groove. In some embodiments, the groove on the insert 106 and the tongue on the frame 108 are removably engageable. In some embodiments, the insert 106 is inserted into the frame 108. In some embodiments, the insert 106 is permanently inserted into the frame 108 while in other embodiments, the insert 106 is removable.

The ring 100 may have a circular shape and form a cylindrical body. The ring 100 also may have a square shape or other suitable shape for a ring as this aspect of the disclosure is not limiting. The ring 100 may be formed of a variety of materials, for example precious and non-precious materials. In some embodiments, the ring 100 may be formed of gold, silver, platinum, titanium, palladium, or other suitable materials, or any combination thereof. The outer surface 104 also may include a variety of decorations and designs and/or may include a jewel stone or stones mounted thereon. The ring 100 may have any desired thickness, that is a difference between the diameter of the outer surface 104 and the inner surface 102.

Although various structures of the insert 106 and frame 108 have been shown and described in a ring item 100, a person of ordinary skill in the art should appreciated that the size adjustment insert may be used in other jewelry items such as bracelets and necklaces.

While the present teachings have been described in conjunction with various embodiments and examples, it is not intended that the present teachings be limited to such embodiments or examples. On the contrary, the present teachings encompass various alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.

Claims

1. A jewelry item, comprising: a frame having a first inner surface and a first outer surface, the first inner surface having at least one groove; andat least one size adjustment insert having a second inner surface and a second outer surface, the second outer surface having at least one tongue configured to removably engage with the at least one groove.

2. The jewelry item of claim 1, wherein the at least one groove extends along a portion of a circumference of the first inner surface.

3. The jewelry item of claim 2, wherein the at least one groove extends along the entire circumference of the first inner surface.

4. The jewelry item of claim 1, wherein the at least one groove comprises at least one groove section extending along a portion of a circumference of the first inner surface.

5. The jewelry item of claim 2, wherein the at least one tongue extends along a portion of a circumference of the second outer surface.

6. The jewelry item of claim 5, wherein the at least one tongue extends along the entire circumference of the second outer surface.

7. The jewelry item of claim 1, wherein the at least one tongue comprises at least one tongue section extending along a portion of a circumference of the second outer surface for removably engaging with the at least one groove.

8. The jewelry item of claim 2, wherein the groove has a width between about 0.5 mm and 1.25 mm.

9. A method of adjusting a ring size of a ring, the method comprising: forming at least one groove on an inner surface of a frame;forming at least one tongue on an outer surface of at least one size adjustment insert, the at least one tongue being configured to removably engage with the at least one groove; andinserting the at least one size adjustment insert into the frame.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising removing the at least one size adjustment insert from the frame.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein inserting the at least one size adjustment insert comprises snapping the size adjustment insert into the frame.