CONNECTOR

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an assembly for hanging a sheet of material such as a curtain from a stationary object, such as a rod. More specifically, the invention relates to a connector and/or an assembly that can either be integral to the sheet material or the curtain or removably connected to the sheet material or the curtain, and configured to allow the sheet of material and/or the curtain to be hung from an object; this object can be a fixed or a non-fixed object, most commonly, it could be a rod. More specifically still, the invention relates to a hanging assembly having a connector that can be either removably connected to the sheet of material or be integral part of the sheet of material, this connector enables and/or allows a sheet of material, or a piece of fabric or a curtain to be hung from a rod without having to remove the rod off its position and/or without having to utilize a standalone and/or a separate and/or an independent connector according to the present invention.

BACKGROUND

Curtains are known to be used to cover an opening including but not limited to a door and/or a window and/or an entrance, for aesthetic reasons as well as to provide shielding or privacy within a building or other structure. For example, a curtain can be adapted to separate a bathing area from the remaining room or a living space. A typical privacy curtain in a structure are hung or suspended from an elongated support rod, permanently or temporarily fixed to a portion of a structure. A support rod, or curtain rod, in a typical installation may be an elongated cylindrical or tubular element adapted to span a width of an opening in a structure and remain fixed to a portion of the structure. Fixing the support rod to the structure may require brackets, fasteners, adhesive, or other fastening devices to fix the rod to the structure. Alternatively, the support rod may be fixed to the structure via tension applied internally from within the rod, or externally from the structure.

Curtains are typically fabricated from flexible, sheet-like material, such as fabric or other woven materials, non-woven materials, natural or synthetic, polymeric materials formed into substantially flexible sheets, by known methods. For specific applications, specific materials may be required. In other applications, typical materials may require a different treatment to make the material suitable for the intended use. For example, in an application for using a curtain over a bathtub, because the curtain will likely come into contact with liquid, such as water, the material for the curtain may be required to be waterproof, or a non-waterproof material may be used if it receives a treatment, coating, additional layer, etc., to render the normally non-waterproof material waterproof or at a minimum the property to repel liquid.

The curtains can be drawn partially or completely across the width of the opening to be covered when such coverage is desired and/or needed. When not needed or desired, the curtain may be drawn to one side or the other of the opening, providing open access through the opening.

Typical curtains are hung from a support object using a type of connector that can connect between the curtain and the stationary object; the stationary object may be a rod. The connector can be an independent, standalone connector; it can be part of the rod; or it can be part of the curtain; the connector can be removably attached to the curtain, or integrally connected to the curtain. The connector is most often referred to generally as a curtain hook, which is adapted to connect between the first portion of the curtain, whereby the first portion of the curtain is located closest to the rod, or the support rod. Known curtain hooks and/or the connectors generally have at least one end, preferably two ends. The connector and/or the curtain hook is configured such that it has a first end and a second end whereby the first end is adapted to engage the first portion of a curtain and the second end is to engage a first surface of the curtain rod. Alternatively, known curtain hook may engage the curtain rod with its first end, either removably or permanently connected, and then having its second end engages the first portion of the curtain to the portion being closest to the rod. Traditional shapes for curtain hooks include but are not limited to ring shape, C- or S-shaped. While these curtain hooks provide the ability to attach and detach the curtain from the curtain rod, they also cause the curtain to inadvertently dislodge either from the hooks or from the rod, or from both because the connectors—namely, the curtain hooks—are isolated, separated and individual pieces that are incapable of providing stable connections. These curtain hooks also require considerable efforts to assemble by the user to first connect the curtain hooks to the curtain, then to hang the curtain to the curtain rod. Alternatively, the curtain hooks can first be hung on the curtain rod, and then hang the curtain directly on the hooks; this too requires considerable effort on the part of the user. The present invention remedies the shortcomings of using the independent and standalone curtain hooks to connect between a curtain and the rod by eliminating the two-step process.

The connector according to the present invention has at least one opening through its inner and outer perimeters, thus creating a first and a second end. The circumference of the inner perimeter is generally smaller than the circumference of the outer perimeter, and the connector of the present invention can similarly be used as a connector to connect between a two objects, for example, a curtain and a rod. The connector according to the present invention may have a variety of shapes, both geometric and non-geometric. Geometric shapes include but are not limited to circular, square, rectangular, and triangular, amongst others. The inner and outer perimeters may be the same shape, or they may have different shapes. The inner shapes of the connector do not need to conform to the outer shapes of the connector in accordance with the present invention. Irrespective of the shapes of the inner and outer perimeters, as a result of the opening through the inner and outer perimeters, the connector in accordance with the present invention performs a function of connecting and/or attaching a sheet of material to a substantially stationary object such as a rod; the connector has at least one end, preferably two ends, namely, the first end and a second end. The first and the second ends of the connector are positioned to oppose each other and may be adapted to be rejoined.

Other methods for hanging a curtain from a curtain rod include but are not limited to providing the curtain with fixed openings, apertures, gaps, passages or receptacles at or near the first portion and/or the top edge portion of the curtain. The openings or passages are an integral part of the curtain. For example, closed loops of material may be attached to the top edge portion of a curtain, with the loops spaced apart and arranged such that the open interior spaces of the loops are coaxial and aligned with the width of the curtain to span the opening to be covered. Some curtains include passages or holes located in the top edge portion of the curtain, spaced below the top edge. Providing these passages gives the curtain a more secure attachment to the curtain rod, thus decreasing the possibilities of the curtain separating from the rod, while still allowing the curtain to be easily drawn across the opening or to one side of the opening.

In order to hang curtains with passages fixed thereto, the support rod must be removed from the structure and inserted through the passages and/or openings provided. With the curtains having fixed passages, the top edge of the curtain may be arranged in an accordioned or pleated manner such that the open interior of the passages are aligned. After the curtain rod is inserted appropriately through the openings, the rod is then re-installed in the correct location across the opening to be covered. Removing the curtain from the rod requires the same steps in reverse order. This, however is a rather cumbersome process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The known connectors in the market fail to provide a secure and/or stable connection between a sheet of material such as a curtain and a supporter for the curtain such as a rod that, when in use, namely, when the connector is connecting the sheet of material, namely, the curtain to the supporter, namely the rod. The known connector fail to provide a stable, strong and easy attachment and detachment between the curtain and the rod. Accordingly, it would be an advantage to the state of the art and would fulfill a long-felt need to provide a connector, whether it is integral to a sheet of material such as a curtain and/or removably connected to a curtain, that can facilitate a one step connection between a sheet of material such as a curtain and a substantially stationary supporter, such as a rod that would allow the curtain to be easily hung from a rod so the curtain can be opened and/or closed without the sheet of material being separated and/or becoming detached from the supporter such as the rod.

Accordingly, the present invention relates to a novel connector and/or a curtain hanging assembly. The connector, by way of example will be described as a hanging assembly largely in terms of a shower curtain assembly with the understanding that the same assembly can be used in conjunction with other types of material, however, it is to be understood that the spirit of the invention is not to be limited to a shower curtain assembly. The present invention is a connector and it can be used to connect between two objects.

One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a curtain having at least one opening along a first/top edge portion of the curtain, spaced away from the edge of the curtain. In the two outer perforations and/or apertures and/or cavities closest to the left and the right side edge of the curtain, a cut is extended from each of the outer openings to the top edge of the curtain. In the inner openings, a path is extended through the curtain between each pair of the inner openings. The cuts that extend from each of the outer openings to the top edge of the curtain and the path between pairs of the inner openings enable the engagement of the curtain onto the rod without removing the rod.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the openings are reinforced by a curtain ring and/or a curtain hook and/or a curtain connector and/or a connector. Each of the connector has an interior passage of a size and shape so as to allow the passage of the curtain and when joined, the passages in the two elements are substantially coaxial and coextensive. Each element of the pair includes one opening through the element resulting in at least two free ends of similar or complementary cross section with portions of each free end in alignment with portions of the opposing free end or not in alignment with the portions of the opposing ends. These two free ends are joinable elements with each other. The path of the opening may be linear or non-linear, or partially linear and partially nonlinear; centered or off-centered; vertical or diagonal; and any combination thereof.

According to embodiments of the present invention, each of the joinable elements in a pair has opposing surfaces adapted for engagement with each other. Such adaptation could include mutually engaging structures configured to join the elements together with at least a portion of the curtain edge placed between the opposing surfaces. The mutually engaging structures may permanently engage the elements or may removably engage the elements. The engaging structures establish rotational and translational position of one element with respect to the other.

In an assembly according to embodiments of the present invention, a pair of joinable elements are placed, one on either side of a curtain, such that opposed surfaces face the curtain and such that the interior passage of each element is arranged in a coaxial manner and the passages are aligned with the passage in the top edge portion of the curtain. One element of the pair is arranged such that the free ends formed by the cut is aligned with the cut in the curtain. The other element of the pair is positioned such that the cut in that element is rotated from the cut in the curtain less than 15° in any direction, that is, the second element may be rotated in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction. When joined, the elements are rotationally positioned such that the cut in the first element of a pair is rotationally offset from the cut in the second element of the pair by less than 15° in any direction.

Once aligned, the opposing surfaces are urged together, with a portion of the top edge portion there between, such that the surfaces engage and are fixed in rotational and translational position with respect to each other and the curtain.

The above and other objects, features, and advantages of various embodiments of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms take at least the meaning explicitly associate herein, unless the context dictates otherwise. The meanings identified below do not necessarily limit the terms, but merely provide illustrative examples for the terms. In the text, the terms “comprising”, “comprise”, “comprises” and other forms of “comprise” can have the meaning ascribed to the terms in U.S. Patent Law and can mean “including,” “include,” “includes,” and other forms of “include”. The phrase “an embodiment” as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, though it may. In addition, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural reference; thus for example, “an embodiment” is not limited to a single embodiment but refers to one or more embodiments. As used herein, the term “or” is an inclusive “or” operator, and is equivalent to the terms “and/or,” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term “based on” is not exclusive and allows for being based on additional factors not described, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the foregoing brief description and the following detailed description are exemplary (i.e., illustrative) and explanatory of the subject matter of the present disclosure, but are not intended to be restrictive thereof or limiting of the advantages which can be achieved by the present disclosure in various implementations. Additionally, it is understood that the foregoing summary and ensuing detailed description are representative of some embodiments of the present disclosure, and are neither representative nor inclusive of all subject matter and embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate embodiments of this disclosure, and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain principles of embodiments of the present disclosure.

Various features of novelty which characterize various aspects of the disclosure are pointed out in particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the disclosure, operating advantages and specific objects that may be attained by some of its uses, reference is made to the accompanying descriptive matter in which exemplary embodiments of the disclosure are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which corresponding components are identified by the same reference numerals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed description, given by way of example, but not intended to limit the disclosure solely to the specific embodiments described, may best be understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a curtain assembly of the prior art.

FIG. 2 illustrates a curtain assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a curtain assembly hanging on a rod according to the embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIGS. 4-4E illustrate a series of configuration of a first embodiment of the connector in accordance with the present invention where the connector has one opening resulting in a joinable element in which the opposable surfaces located at the end of the two joinable elements are non-linear. FIGS. 4A through 4E shows a various embodiments for the opposable surfaces.

FIGS. 5-5D illustrate a series of configuration of a second embodiment of the connector in accordance with the present invention where the connector has one opening resulting in at least two joinable elements in which the opposable surfaces located at the end of the two joinable elements are centered; off-center; vertical; or diagonal in relation to the vertical plane.

FIGS. 6-6E illustrate a series of configuration of a third embodiment of the connector in accordance with the present invention where the connector has one opening resulting in at least one joinable element wherein the connector has an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, and both perimeters are not circular.

FIGS. 7-7C illustrate a series of configuration of a fourth embodiment of the connector in accordance with the present invention wherein the connector has one opening having at least one joinable element, the connector having an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, wherein both perimeters are not circular, and in which the first end of the joinable element has an opposable surface that is diagonal and/or non linear with respect to a vertical plane.

FIGS. 8-8A illustrate a series of configuration of a fifth embodiment of the connector in accordance with the present invention wherein the connector has one opening having a joinable element having an inner and an outer perimeter in which the outer perimeter is a decorative shape that can be seasonal, in the shape of any animal of choice, whether real or imaginary, can be any plant or flowers, can be any stars, any modes of transportation such as airplanes, automobiles, motorcycles, or consistent for any holidays, birthdays or for any decor that the user may like.

FIGS. 9-9A illustrate examples of a connector of a sixth embodiment in accordance of the present invention having an inner surface, an outer surface, at least one joinable element disposed on the inner surface, at least one joinable element disposed on the outer surface, in which the opening in the outer surface is off-set with respect to the opening in the inner surface of connector causing the joinable element on the outer surface to not be aligned with the joinable element on the inner surface of the connector.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As used herein, the term “curtain” is understood to mean generally a sheet-like structure having a first end, or a top edge, a portion extending downward from the first end and/or the top edge, and opposing side edge disposed at the opposite end of the first end forming the second end or the bottom edge. The distance between the left and the right side edges generally defines the width of the curtain.

As used herein, “top edge” or the first end is understood to mean the uppermost part of the curtain when hung in a conventional manner for curtains and it also denotes the portion of the curtain closest in proximity to the stationary object the curtain is hung from. “Top” is intended to have its plain and ordinary meaning, including the highest or uppermost part or location that has the shortest distance to the supporting element such as the rod.

FIG. 1 illustrates a known curtain assembly including a sheet-like structure such as a curtain 10, a horizontal supporting element such as a rod or curtain rod 12 which passes through openings/passages/apertures 14 forming a passage in the top edge or first end portion 16 of the curtain. The openings 14 are spaced a distance from the top edge of the curtain 18 in a direction away from the top edge/first end. Accordingly, in order to hang the curtain 10 from the rod 12, the rod must be first removed from its stationary position, threaded through the openings/passages/apertures 14, and reposition the rod 12 and at least the top edge portion of the curtain 18 arranged in an accordioned or corrugated fashion.

FIG. 2 illustrates a curtain according to an embodiment of the present invention. The curtain 10 has at least one opening: two outer openings 14a which are located on reinforcer and/or connector and/or ring 15, and four inner openings 14b forming two pairs of inner openings in the top edge portion 18. Six generally circular openings are shown for ease of illustration only, recognizing that more than or less than six openings may be used and shapes other than circular may also be used with similar results. Each opening 14a and 14b is preferably substantially surrounded by a reinforcing means such as a reinforcer and/or the connector and/or the ring 15 made of a resilient material to reinforce the openings 14a and 14b if the curtain 10 is susceptible to tearing and ripping. A resilient material is one that can be deformed to enable the curtain to be mounted onto and detached from the rod repeatedly while maintaining the shape of the openings sufficiently to retain the curtain on the rod. The resilient material can be made of any synthetic material or natural material such as fabric, plastic, or a resin, or metal, or a combination thereof, it can be water-resistant or water-repellant or any other suitable material constructed and shaped to achieve the goal of the present invention. The use of reinforcer 15 can also improve the movement of the mounted curtain 10 on the rod as well as improve the engagement/attachment/coupling of the openings 14a and 14b with the rod. The reinforcer and/or ring 15 can either be integral or removably coupled with the curtain 10 or can be formed from the same material as curtain 10 during the formation of the curtain 10.

The reinforcer and/or the connector and/or the ring 15 can have any shape compatible with the invention. Generally, the periphery of the openings 14a and 14b which actually engages the rod 12 (not shown) may be defined by the reinforcer and/or the connector and/or the ring 15 rather than the curtain 10. No distinction between these is made herein.

The two outer openings 14a formed on reinforcer and/or the connector and/or the ring 15, include opening 20 which extends through the thickness of the curtain, starting from the top of the opening 14a and extending from the top edge of the curtain 18. As shown in FIG. 3, the opening 20 enables engagement of the curtain 10 onto the rod 12. In the inner openings 14b, there is a path between each pair of openings 14b. The path between openings 14b in a pair further enables the engagement of the curtain 10 onto the rod 12. This path is accomplished by slits 17a and 17b extending through the thickness of the curtain between each pair of openings 14b. If openings 14b are reinforced with reinforcer and/or the connector and/or the ring 15, the slits would also extend through the rings as shown in FIG. 2.

According to the present invention, each joinable element has two surfaces; for easy reference, these will be referred to as an inner surface and an outer surface. It is to be understood that in certain configurations, as for example when a curtain is used to separate two rooms, or to divide a room, either surface could be considered inner, and either surface could be considered outer. In one embodiment of the invention, each joinable element comprises a single element, such that the inner and outer surfaces of each joinable element are the inner and outer surfaces of the single element. In another embodiment, each joinable element comprises two or more concentric elements, such that one concentric element comprises the inner surface, and another concentric element comprises the outer surface. When the joinable elements comprise two or more concentric elements, the concentric elements may be formed from the same material, or they may be formed from different materials. As a non-limiting example, the outer element may be more decorative than the inner element. The inner and outer elements may be attached to one another by a variety of means know to those of skill in the art, including but not limited to screws, hooks, clips, rivets, and any commonly known fastening device and the like.

As noted above, in an embodiment of the invention there is at least one opening through the joinable element, resulting in at least one free end, preferably two. In one embodiment of the invention, the opening through the outer element is in register with the opening through the inner element, resulting in two free ends. In another embodiment of the invention, the opening through the outer element is not in register with the opening through the inner element, such that the opening through the outer element is displaced with respect to the opening in the inner element (and vice versa). Such an embodiment results in four free ends, two free ends of the inner element, and two free end of the outer element. In embodiments in which the opening through the outer element is displaced with respect to the opening through the inner element, the free ends of the outer element are similarly displaced with respect to the free ends of the inner element.

To install a curtain of the present invention on a curtain rod, it is necessary to temporarily create a space between the joinable elements with respect one another. FIG. 9 shows an embodiment in accordance with the present invention in which joinable elements 91 and 93 are in a closed position. FIG. 9A shows an embodiment in which joinable elements 95 and 97 are in an open position. In those embodiments in which an opening through an outer element is displaced with respect to the opening in the inner element, as in FIGS. 9 and 9A, the joinable elements can be readily separated in one direction, but not in the other direction. For example, in the embodiment shown FIG. 9, the elements can be separated by moving element 91 in the frontward direction, while moving element 93 in the rearward direction, or moving elements 91 and 93 in opposite directions. However, constant movement in the opposite direction, i.e., 91 rearward and 93 frontward, is prevented by the overlap of the joinable elements. The overlap of the inner and outer surfaces of the joinable elements provides stability, thereby decreasing the likelihood of unintended disengagement of the curtain assembly of the invention, from the rod.

The interface of the joinable elements need not have a linear configuration. As previously mentioned, the interface of the internal surface of the joinable elements can be linear or non-linear, the interface of the external surface of the joinable elements can be linear or non-linear, or any combination thereof. Embodiments of the invention in which the joinable elements of the external surface have a non-linear configuration include but are not limited to those shown in FIG. 4 through FIG. 4D. For purposes of description, the joinable elements may be considered to have none, one or more male elements, and none, one or more female elements. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, one joinable element has a female (i.e., concave) semicircular element 40a, and the other joinable element has a male (i.e., convex) semicircular element 40b, such that when opposed at interface 40, the male and female elements interlock A variation of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 4A, in which joinable elements 42a and 42b each has a series of alternating male and female semicircular elements, such that the opposing surface of each joinable element has a scalloped appearance, and meet at interface 42.

Another embodiment is shown in FIG. 4B, wherein one joinable element 44a has a serrated female element, and the other joinable element 44b has a serrated male element, wherein the serrated male element interlocks with the female serrated element at interface 44.

A further embodiment is shown in FIG. 4C, wherein the joinable elements 46a and 46b each have a series of alternating male and female serrated elements, such that each opposable surface of the joinable elements has a “zig-zag” appearance; when the two elements meet at interface 46, the alternating male and female triangular elements of one joinable element interlock with the alternating male and female triangular elements of the other joinable element.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4D, one joinable element 48a has a rectangular female element, and the other joinable element 48b has a rectangular male element, wherein the rectangular male element of one joinable element interlocks with the female rectangular element of the other joinable element at interface 48. A variation of this embodiment is on in which the male and female elements are square, rather than rectangular.

An additional embodiment is shown in FIG. 4E, wherein joinable elements 49a and 49b each have a series of alternating male and female square or rectangular elements, such that alternating male and female square or rectangular elements of one joinable element interlock with the alternating male and female square or rectangular elements of the other joinable element, at interface 49.

In the embodiments shown in FIG. 4 through FIG. 4D, the inner and outer perimeters of the curtain openings are circular. The invention also embodies openings in which the inner perimeter, outer perimeter, or both perimeters, have shapes other than circular and although not illustrated, it is important to note that the inner and the outer perimeter of the connector in accordance with the present invention can be of the same geometric shape or different throughout all of the embodiments.

The opposing surfaces of the joinable elements may be vertical as shown in FIG. 4 through FIG. 4D. The invention also embodies opposing surfaces which are oriented diagonally with respect to the vertical plane, as well as opposing surfaces which are off-center. Also embodied are any combination of these orientations (vertical or diagonal) or positions (center or off-center). Whether oriented vertically or diagonally, or whether centered or off-center, the opposing surfaces can take a variety of forms, including but not limited to those shown in FIG. 4 through FIG. 4D.

FIG. 5A shows an embodiment in which the opposable elements of the external surface are off-center. Element 50a comprises one female serrated element, and element 50b comprises one male serrated elements, wherein the male and female elements meet at interface 50.

FIG. 5B shows another embodiment of the invention in which the opposable elements are off-centered. In this embodiment, opposable elements 52a and 52b each contain multiple rectangular elements, which meet at interface 52. A variation of this embodiment is one in which the elements are square, rather than rectangular.

FIG. 5C shows another embodiment of the invention in which the interface 54 between elements 54a and 54b is linear, and off center.

FIG. 5D shows yet another embodiment of the invention in which the interface 56 of the opposable elements 56a and 56b, are linear and diagonal.

As noted above, additional embodiments of the invention are those in which the outer perimeter of the joinable elements, or the inner perimeter of the joinable element, or both outer and inner perimeters o the joinable elements, are shapes other than circular. In such embodiments, the inner and outer perimeters may be the same shape, or may have different shapes from one another. Additionally, in such embodiments, the interface of the joinable elements may be linear or non-linear, centered or off-center, vertical or diagonal, or any combination thereof. One such embodiment is shown in FIG. 6, in which the inner perimeter 60d is square and the outer perimeter 60a is circular. In this particular embodiment the interface 60 of opposable elements 60a and 60b is linear, centered, and vertical, but other configurations are and can be embodied by the invention.

FIG. 6A shows an embodiment in which the inner perimeter 62c is triangular and the outer perimeter 62d is circular. In this particular embodiment the interface 62 of opposable elements 62a and 62b is linear, centered, and vertical, however, the configuration between the inner and the outer perimeters can be interchanged without departing from the spirit of the present invention and other configurations are and can be embodied by the invention.

Yet another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6B, in which the inner perimeter 64c is circular and the outer perimeter 64d is square. In this particular embodiment the interface 64 of opposable elements 64a and 64b is linear, centered, and vertical, but other configurations are embodied by the invention.

FIG. 6C shows an embodiment in which the inner perimeter 66c is square and the outer perimeter 66d is also square. In this particular embodiment the interface 66 of opposable elements 66a and 66b is linear, centered, and vertical, but other configurations are embodied by the invention.

Yet another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6D, in which the inner perimeter 68c is circular and the outer perimeter 68d is rectangular. In this particular embodiment the interface 68 of opposable elements 68a and 68b is linear, centered, and vertical, but other configurations are embodied by the invention.

FIG. 6E shows an embodiment in which the inner perimeter 69c is circular and the outer perimeter 69d is triangular. In this particular embodiment the interface 69 of opposable elements 69a and 69b is linear, centered, and vertical, but other configurations are embodied by the invention.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment in which the inner perimeter 70c is circular and the outer perimeter 70d is square. In this particular embodiment the interface 70 of opposable elements 77a and 77b is linear, centered, and diagonal, but other configurations are embodied by the invention.

Yet another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 7A, in which the inner perimeter 72c is circular and the outer perimeter 72d is squarer. In this particular embodiment the interface 72 of opposable elements 72a and 72b is comprised of interlocking serrated elements which are centered and vertical, but other configurations are embodied by the invention.

FIG. 7B shows an embodiment in which the inner perimeter 74c is circular and the outer perimeter 74d is square. In this particular embodiment the opposable element 74a is concave and opposable element 74b is convex, and the two elements meet at interface 77, which is centered.

FIG. 7C shows an embodiment in which the inner perimeter 76c is circular and the outer perimeter 76d is square. In this particular embodiment opposable elements 77a and 77b each comprise a single serrated elements, which meet at interface 77, which is centered.

The invention embodies configurations in which the inner or outer perimeter are any geometric shape, including but not limited to circle, square, triangle, rectangle, hexagon, trapezoid, etc., or any non-geometric shape. The inner and outer perimeters can be the same shape, or different shapes. Irrespective of the shape of the inner and/or outer perimeters, the opposable surfaces may be linear or non-linear, vertical or diagonal, centered or off-centered, and they may comprise a single or multiple male and female elements. All possible combinations of shapes of the inner and outer perimeters, and all possible shapes, orientations and configurations of the opposable surfaces, are encompassed by the invention.

In other embodiments, the outer perimeter may be a complex shape, which may be decorative or symbolic. For example, the outer perimeter may be in the shape of an animal, for example, a car, dog, horse, or “Teddy Bear,” or any other animal. FIG. 8 shows an embodiment in which the inner perimeter 80c is circular and the outer perimeter 80d is in the shape of a bear. In this particular embodiment, interface 80 between opposable elements 80a and 80b is linear, centered, and vertical, though other configurations are encompassed by the invention. The invention also embodies outer perimeters in the shape of other animals, either real or imaginary.

In other embodiments, the shape of the outer perimeter may have religious symbolism, for example a cross, or a Star of David, or A Buddha, any other shape with religious or spiritual significance. FIG. 8A is an embodiment in which the inner perimeter 95c is circular, the outer perimeter 85d is in the shape of a star. In this particular embodiment the opposable elements 85a and 85b meet at interface 80 which is linear, centered, and vertical, though other configurations are encompassed by the invention.

In yet other embodiments, the outer perimeter may have a seasonal shape, including but not limited to Santa Claus, a snowman, a snowflake, or an Easter Bunny. In each case, the inner perimeter may be any geometric shape, including but not limited to circle, square, triangle, rectangle, hexagon, trapezoid, etc., or any non-geometric shape. The outer perimeter can be any shape, and is not limited to seasonal shapes. Irrespective of the shape of the inner and/or outer perimeters, the opposable surfaces may be linear or non-linear, vertical or diagonal, centered, off-centered and they may comprise a single or multiple male and female elements. All possible combinations of shapes of the inner and outer perimeters, and all possible shapes, orientations and configurations of the opposable surfaces, are encompassed by the invention.

Having thus described in detail embodiments of the present disclosure, it is to be understood that the subject matter disclosed by the foregoing paragraphs is not to be limited to particular details and/or embodiments set forth in the above description. For example, particular numerical values or ranges are provided by way of illustration for clarity of exposition, and are not intended to limit the possible values or ranges that may be implemented in accordance with the present disclosure. Additionally, the present disclosure may be practiced without necessarily providing one or more of the advantages described herein or otherwise understood in view of the disclosure and/or that may be realized in some embodiments thereof. Accordingly, it is understood that many modifications and variations of the embodiments and subject matter disclosed herein are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

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