Patent Application
20220000226
A cross necklace typically features a Christian cross pendant or crucifix worn by Christians and others. Conventional cross pendants are shaped as a cruciform having an upright bar traversed by a horizontal bar. Conventional cross pendants typically comprise an elongated descending arm of the upright bar where the descending arm is longer than the ascending arm of the upright bar and longer than each of the arms of the horizontal bar.
A common problem with many cross pendants worn on a necklace, and particularly on a short necklace of about 18 inches or less, or of choker length, worn high on the chest near the crease of the neck or on the neck itself, is that the top and bottom ends of the upright bar tend to catch in the folds of skin or crease of the neck when the user bows the head downward toward the chest, thereby poking the top and bottom ends of the cross into the skin of the upper chest or neck. This can be painful for the user, and, in some cases, risks piercing the skin.
Accordingly, what is needed is an improved cross pendant that articulates and may be worn on a necklace high on the chest near the crease of the neck or on the neck itself that does not catch in the folds of skin or crease of the neck when the user bows her head downward toward her chest.
The disclosed cross pendant assembly according to various embodiments may comprise a necklace capable of being worn around the neck of a user and a cross pendant attachable to the necklace. The cross pendant may comprise a first component and a second component. The first component may comprise a first bar and a second bar orthogonally coupled to the first bar. The second bar may comprise a first arm and a second arm extending in an opposite direction form the first arm. The second component may be attachable to the first component and may comprise a ring and a third arm coupled to the ring. The first bar may extend through the ring.
A more complete understanding of the present technology may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the following illustrative figures. In the following figures, like reference numbers refer to similar elements and steps throughout the figures.
The present technology may be described herein in terms of functional block components. Such functional blocks may be realized by any number of components configured to perform the specified functions and achieve the various results. For example, the present technology may employ various cross pendants, necklaces, joints, hinges, hooks, loops, and the like, which may carry out a variety of functions. In addition, the present technology may be practiced in conjunction with any number of necklaces, bookmarks, bracelets, ornament loops, keychain loops, rings, earrings, and the like, and the cross pendant assembly described herein is merely one exemplary application for the technology.
Referring to
In various embodiments, the cross pendant 110 may comprise a first component 115. The first component 115 may comprise a first bar 120 and a second bar 125. The second bar 125 may be orthogonally coupled to the first bar 120 and may comprise a first arm 130 and a second arm 135 extending in an opposite direction from the first arm 130. The cross pendant 110 may also comprise a second component 140. The second component 140 may be capable of being suspended from the first component 115 and may comprise a ring 145 and a third arm 150 coupled to the ring 145, where the first bar 120 may extend through the ring 145.
In one embodiment, the first arm 130 and the second arm 135 may each be solid, and the third arm 150 may be articulated. For example,
In some embodiments, the first bar 120 may be fixedly connected to the second bar 125, such as shown in
The ring 145 may comprise any suitable size and shape so long as the first bar may extend through the ring 145, such as shown in
The necklace 105 may comprise a first end 170 and a second end 175 opposite the first end 170 and may be connected to the cross pendant 110 in any suitable manner. For example, in one embodiment, the first bar 120 may comprise an aperture (not shown) formed therein so that the necklace 105 may pass through the aperture (not shown). In an alternative embodiment, the first bar 120 may comprise a first attachment ring 180 fixedly coupled thereto, and the third arm 150 may comprise a second attachment ring 185 fixedly coupled thereto. The first and second ends 170, 175 of the necklace 105 may be coupled to the first and second attachment rings 180, 185 respectively.
In yet another embodiment, and referring now to
The necklace 105 may comprise any suitable necklace, such as a choker-style necklace, and the like. For example, in one embodiment, the necklace 105 may be a choker-style necklace having a length of 18 inches or less. Further, it will be appreciated that modifications may be made to the necklace 105 without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, instead of the necklace 105, a bookmark (not shown), a bracelet (not shown), an ornament loop (not shown), a keychain loop (not shown), a ring (not shown), an earring (not shown), or the like may be attached to the cross pendant 110.
The cross pendant 110 may comprise a variety of suitable jewels, such as precious or semi-precious stones, and the like, attached to any component of an articulated cross pendant 110, by any means known by a person of ordinary skill in the art, now or in the future. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention may comprise any of a variety of designs incorporated onto or into any component of a cross pendant 110, such as by coloring, etching, piercing, shaping, molding, or otherwise, by any means known by a person of ordinary skill in the art, now or in the future, so long as such incorporation of designs is consistent with the intended functionality of the cross pendant 110, as described above.
Manufacturing the various components of the cross pendant assembly 100 may comprise performing any or all of the following: extrusion, pultrusion, vacuum formation, injection molding, blow molding, resin transfer molding, casting, forging, cold rolling, milling, drilling, reaming, turning, grinding, stamping, cutting, bending, welding, soldering, hardening, riveting, punching, plating, and the like. In addition, the various components of the cross pendant assembly 100 may be made of many different types of materials or combinations thereof that can readily be formed into shaped objects provided that the components selected are consistent with the intended operation of the articulated cross pendant 110 described above.
As an example, the components may be formed of: rubbers (synthetic and/or natural) and/or other like materials; glasses (such as fiberglass) carbon-fiber, aramid-fiber, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; polymers such as thermoplastics (such as ABS, Fluoropolymers, Polyacetal, Polyamide; Polycarbonate, Polyethylene, Polysulfone, and/or the like), thermosets (such as Epoxy, Phenolic Resin, Polyimide, Polyurethane, Silicone, and/or the like), any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; composites and/or other like materials; metals, such as gold, silver, copper, zinc, magnesium, titanium, copper, iron, steel, carbon steel, alloy steel, tool steel, stainless steel, aluminum, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; alloys, such as aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, magnesium alloy, copper alloy, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; precious stones, such as diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; semi-precious stones, non-precious stones, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; any other suitable material; and/or any combination thereof.
It will be appreciated that, in some embodiments, the present disclosure may further provide a kit-of-parts for a cross pendant assembly as described herein, where the kit-of-parts may comprise at least one necklace as described herein and at least one cross pendant as described herein. The kit-of-parts may comprise separate components adapted to be assembled by the end consumer. In some cases, the kit-of-parts may reduce waste material, thereby increasing cost-efficiency and reducing the time necessary to manufacture the components of the cross pendant assembly. It will also be appreciated that, in other embodiments, any or all the components may be manufactured simultaneously and integrally joined with one another by the manufacturer.
In the foregoing specification, the technology has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments. Various modifications and changes may be made, however, without departing from the scope of the present technology as set forth in the claims. The specification and figures are illustrative, rather than restrictive, and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present technology. Accordingly, the scope of the technology should be determined by the claims and their legal equivalents rather than by merely the examples described. For example, the components and/or elements recited in any apparatus claims may be assembled or otherwise operationally configured in a variety of permutations and are accordingly not limited to the specific configuration recited in the claims. Benefits, other advantages and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to particular embodiments; however, any benefit, advantage, solution to problem or any element that may cause any particular benefit, advantage or solution to occur or to become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required or essential features or components of any or all the claims.
As used herein, the terms “comprise,” “comprises,” “comprising,” “having,” “including,” “includes,” or any variation thereof, are intended to reference a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, composition or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements recited but may also include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, composition or apparatus. Other combinations and/or modifications of the above-described structures, arrangements, applications, proportions, elements, materials or components used in the practice of the present invention, in addition to those not specifically recited, may be varied, or otherwise particularly adapted to specific environments, manufacturing specifications, design parameters or other operating requirements without departing from the general principles of the same.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/719,472, filed Dec. 18, 2019, which claims benefit of U.S. provisional patent application 62/781,158 filed Dec. 18, 2018, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated entirely herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62781158 | Dec 2018 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16719472 | Dec 2019 | US |
| Child | 17479945 | US |
