Patent Application
20140102139
A number of modular jewelry articles are currently available. This modular jewelry typically allows for a number of different settings to be held within a releasable closure. Examples of such modular jewelry are shown in a number of patents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,655 which shows a gem setting having a number of interconnected links. Each link includes an opening for receiving and holding a single gem stone and additional links may be added as desired. U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,453 discloses a jewelry setting including a frame having an upper surface with a number of apertures and a lower frame surface that retains the gems between the upper and lower surfaces. U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,241 discloses a finger ring having two hinged opposed members including a clasp which retains one or more gems on a first member and a catch on the second member. The clasp engages the catch to form a finger ring.
To date all recognized modular jewelry does not contemplate the need for even distribution of an odd or an even number of settings while maintaining a balanced distribution.
In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a configurable jewelry article is presented having a first frame section, a second frame section, the first and second frame sections being mated to define a channel having a plurality of setting positions to retain at least one jewelry setting. The setting positions are grouped into two groups, the first group centered on a central setting position and a plurality of pairs of setting positions spaced from said central position, and the second group centered on a pair of setting positions equidistant from the central setting position. The channel may be straight, triangular, square, circular, arcuate, heart-shaped, rectangle, V-shaped. The article may also include a hinge connecting the first and second frame sections.
In accordance with additional embodiments of the present invention, a jewelry article is presented having first and second frame sections defining a jewelry display channel, at least one jewelry setting having a beam, said beam having a predetermined cross-sectional shape, a first set of beam receivers, having a central beam receiver, formed into at least one of said first and second frame sections, the central beam receiver positioned at the midpoint of said channel; a second set of beam receivers, having a central pair of beam receivers, formed into at least one of said first and second frame sections, the central pair of beam receivers of said second set of beam receivers being equally spaced from the central beam receiver of the first set. The first set of beam receivers are formed in the first frame section and the second set of beam receivers are formed in the second frame section.
In accordance with additional embodiments of the present invention, a configurable jewelry article is presented having a first frame section, defining a channel, and having a number of paired indentations on either side of said channel, a second frame section, fixed to said first section, and at least one setting mounted on a beam, the beam being received within the paired indentations of the first frame section. The paired indentations may be aligned in two groups, the first group centered on a central setting position and a plurality of pairs of setting positions spaced from said central position, and the second group centered on a pair of setting positions equidistant from the central setting position.
A more complete appreciation of the invention and the many embodiments thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The present invention will now be described with occasional reference to the specific embodiments of the invention. This invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used in the description of the invention and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients and so forth as used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical properties set forth in the specification and claims are approximations that may vary depending on the desired properties sought to be obtained in embodiments of the present invention. Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical values, however, inherently contain certain errors necessarily resulting from error found in their respective measurements.
The present invention relates to a configurable jewelry article such as pendants, broaches, rings, earrings, bracelets and other jewelry which may easily be altered to include additional decorative pieces such as settings for stones or other charms. The jewelry article allows for a number of setting positions where settings may be retained within the article and allows the stones to be positioned so that they are centered or symmetrically positioned regardless of the number of settings. The reconfiguration is accomplished by placing the setting on a mount or beam that is received in one of a number of positions within the configurable article. The setting mount is preferably retained between upper and lower frame pieces. The frame pieces may be hinged to ease reconfiguration and are secured to one another during use. The setting positions are typically within a central channel formed in the article and the setting positions include a central setting position, suitable for mounting a single setting or as the centerpiece for an odd number of settings and two setting positions equidistant from the central setting position for an even number of settings. The jewelry includes two groups of setting positions: a first group having a central position, for an odd number of settings, and a second group having two central setting positions, for an even number of settings. The setting positions may be equally spaced as the distance from the central positions increases or the spacing may increase as the distance from the central positions increases.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The beam receiver positions 56 are spaced such that a single setting is positioned at or near the center of the display channel such that a single setting will be centered or an odd number of settings may be spaced equidistant from the central setting. Beam receiver positions 56 are also included such that two settings may positioned equidistant from the center of the display channel to give a symmetrical appearance. An even number of settings may be added and spaced equidistant from the two initial settings. The number and spacing of the beam receiver positions 56 allows for an even or odd number of settings to be displayed in a pleasant and symmetrical manner. The article 10 may be reconfigured as additional settings 20 are added. An alternative is to have a graduated spacing where a central receiver has equi-spaced pairs of receivers on either side where the spacing between adjacent receivers increases as the distance from the central receiver increases.
The jewelry article may be formed by any suitable process. In metal manufacture, any suitable casting technique such as sand casting, plastic casting, shell casting, plaster casting, and investment casting by the lost-wax or lost foam technique or a metal stamping process could be used. Other possible techniques may be permanent, die, centrifugal, and continuous casting. If the article 10 is formed of a polymer material, injection molding is one suitable method.
Other possible configurations for the jewelry article include configurations where any number of settings 20 can be displayed in any alternative suitable shapes, such as a triangle, square, heart-shape, rectangle or V-shape.
The present invention should not be considered limited to the specific examples described herein, but rather should be understood to cover all aspects of the invention. Various modifications, equivalent processes, as well as numerous structures and devices to which the present invention may be applicable will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art. Those skilled in the art will understand that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, which is not to be considered limited to what is described in the specification.
