ARTICLE OF JEWELRY

Abstract

An article of jewelry that has an elongated rigid body having a first body portion and a second body portion connected by a hinge is provided. The elongated rigid body has the form of an open circle or spiral. The first and second body portions are rotatable with respect to each other between a closed position and an open position. A latching device is arranged at or near the hinge, the latching device being configured to releasably lock the first and second body portions in the closed position.

Description

This invention relates to an article of jewelry, particularly a bracelet, ring, or necklace.

So-called open bracelets are known, generally having an open circle or spiral shape. Typically, said bracelets are made of relatively elastic material, and are generally temporarily expanded or deformed to allow such objects to be worn.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel solution for being able to wear open bracelets or similar articles of jewelry. Another object of the invention is to provide a solution for being able to adapt the configuration of an article of jewelry to suit the taste and/or “mood” of the user.

Thus, the subject matter of the invention is an article of jewelry, comprising

• • an elongated rigid body having the shape of an open circle or spiral, said elongated rigid body including a first body portion and a second body portion connected to each other by a hinge, whereby said first and second body portions are rotatable with respect to each other between a closed position and an open position, and
  • a latching device arranged at or near the hinge, said latching device being configured to releasably lock the body portions in the closed position.

A further subject matter of the invention is an article of jewelry, comprising an elongated rigid body having a free end and an ornamental element arranged at said free end, said ornamental element being fixed to the free end via a bayonet coupling.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims, which are to be understood as an integral part of this description.

Features and advantages of the shutter according to the invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, provided purely for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of an article of jewelry according to the invention, in the closed position and in the open position, respectively;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are a perspective view and an exploded view, respectively, of a detail at a hinge on the article in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged scale view of a detail of the article of jewelry with a disassembled ornamental element; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of said detail in FIG. 5.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an article of jewelry, specifically a bracelet, ring, or necklace. The article of jewelry comprises an elongated rigid body 1, made, for example, of a precious metal. The elongated rigid body 1 is shaped as an open circle or, as in the example shown, a spiral. The elongated rigid body 1 includes a first body portion 3 and a second body portion 5, the ends of which are connected to each other by a hinge 7. Due to said hinge, the first body portion 3 and the second body portion 5 are rotatable with respect to each other between a closed position (shown in FIG. 1) and an open position (shown in FIG. 2). The closed position is the position in which the article of jewelry is worn by the user, while the open position, in which the body portions 3 and 5 are spread apart, allows the user to easily put on or take off the article of jewelry.

In the illustrated example, the elongated rigid body 1, and thus the body portions 3 and 5, are tubular or in bar form. Each of said body portions 3, 5 may be made in one single piece or, as in the illustrated example, may be formed from multiple pieces assembled together.

Referring specifically to FIGS. 3 and 4, the first body portion 3 comprises an extension 3a that extends beyond the hinge point H between the body portions 3 and 5. In the illustrated example, the extension 3a is part of a separate piece mounted on the main portion of the first body portion 3, but this is not essential for the purposes of the invention. Alternatively, the extension 3a could be made in one piece with the first body portion 3. The second body portion 5 comprises a fork 5a within which the extension 3a of the first body portion 3 fits when the body portions 3 and 5 are in the closed position. In the illustrated example, the fork 5a is part of a separate piece mounted on the main portion of the second body portion 5, but this is not essential for the purposes of the invention. Alternatively, the fork 5a could be made in one piece with the second body portion 5.

The article of jewelry further comprises a latching device 10 arranged at or near the hinge 7. The latching device 10 is configured to releasably lock the body portions 3 and 5 in the closed position.

With reference in particular to FIGS. 3 and 4, the latching device 10 comprises a lever 11 housed within the second body portion 5 at the fork 5a. The fulcrum of the lever 11, made in the second body portion 5, is indicated by F in FIG. 3. The lever 11 comprises a first end 11a configured to engage (for example, with a tooth) a formation 11b (for example, a window) formed in the extension 3a of the first body portion 3 when the body portions 3 and 5 are in the closed position.

For this purpose, the lever 11 is elastically stressed, for example by means of a spring not shown, whereby the first end 11a of the lever 11 is stressed toward the inside of the space between the prongs of the fork 5a. The lever 11 thus comprises a second end 11c provided with a protrusion 11d extending beyond the outer surface of the second body portion 5 and configured to be manually operated by the user. Manual operation of the lever 11 allows the second body portion 5 to disengage from the first body portion 3, to allow them to rotate mutually. Due to the arrangement described above, both the hinge 7 and the latching device 10 are very compact and unobtrusive, and therefore only minimally alter the overall profile of the article of jewelry.

Since the article of jewelry has an open, circle, or spiral structure, the body portions 3, 5 have respective free ends, indicated by 3b and 5b in the figures. In the illustrated example, the free end 5b has a removable and interchangeable ornamental element 20. The ornamental element 20 is attached to the free end 5b of the second body portion 5 by a bayonet coupling 21.

In particular, the aforesaid free end 5b comprises a male portion 22 projecting axially from said free end 5b and provided with a laterally projecting guide pin 22a. In the illustrated example, the male portion 22 is made in a separate piece mounted on an intermediate piece 23, which is in turn mounted on the main portion of the second body portion 5. However, this arrangement is not essential to the purposes of the invention. The ornamental element 20 comprises a female portion 24 provided with a seat configured to receive the male portion 22 and having an L-shaped groove 24a configured to receive the guide pin 22a. Operable elastic means are therefore provided to keep the male portion 22 locked in the female portion 24 in the latched configuration shown in FIG. 1. In particular, said elastic means comprise a tip 25 housed within the male portion 22 and protruding axially therefrom. The tip 25 is elastically stressed outwardly in the axial direction, such as by a spring not shown.

Due to the arrangement described above, the ornamental element 20 may be removed and replaced with other, differently shaped ornamental elements. Therefore, users may adapt the configuration of the article of jewelry according to their tastes or mood.

Claims

1. An article of jewelry, comprising an elongated rigid body having the form of an open circle or spiral, said elongated rigid body including a first body portion and a second body portion connected to each other by a hinge, wherein said first and second body portions are rotatable with respect to each other between a closed position and an open position, anda latching device arranged at or near the hinge, said latching device being configured to releasably lock the first and second body portions in the closed position.

2. The article of jewelry of claim 1, wherein the elongated rigid body is tubular or in bar form, wherein the first body portion comprises an extension extending beyond a hinge point between the first and second body portions, and wherein the second body portion comprises a fork within which the extension of the first body portion fits when the first and second body portions are in the closed position.

3. The article of jewelry of claim 2, wherein the latching device comprises a lever housed within the second body portion at the fork, said lever being elastically stressed and comprising a first end configured to engage a formation made in the extension of the first body portion when the first and second body portions are in the closed position, and a second end provided with a protrusion extending beyond an outer surface of the second body portion and configured to be manually operated by a user.

4. The article of jewelry of claim 1, further comprising an ornamental element arranged at a free end of one or both body portions, said ornamental element being attached to the respective free end by a bayonet coupling.

5. The article of jewelry of claim 4, wherein said free end comprises a male portion projecting axially from the free end and provided with a laterally projecting guide pin, wherein said ornamental element comprises a female portion provided with a seat configured to receive the male portion and having an L-shaped groove configured to receive the guide pin, elastic means being provided configured to keep the male portion locked in the female portion in a latched configuration.

6. The article of jewelry of claim 5, wherein said elastic means comprise a tip projecting axially from the male portion and elastically stressed outwardly.

7. The article of jewelry of claim 1, wherein the article of jewelry is a bracelet, a ring, or a necklace.

8. An article of jewelry, comprising an elongated rigid body comprising a free end and an ornamental element arranged at said free end, said ornamental element being attached to the free end by a bayonet coupling.

9. The article of jewelry of claim 8, wherein said free end comprises a male portion projecting axially from the free end and provided with a laterally projecting guide pin, wherein said ornamental element comprises a female portion provided with a seat configured to receive the male portion and having an L-shaped groove configured to receive the guide pin, elastic means being provided configured to keep the male portion locked in the female portion in a latched configuration.

10. The article of jewelry of claim 9, wherein said elastic means comprise a tip projecting axially from the male portion and elastically stressed outwardly.

11. The article of jewelry of claim 8, wherein the article of jewelry is a bracelet, a ring, or a necklace.