The present invention relates generally to a customizable necklace system and method, and more particularly, to a customizable necklace that can carry one or more pendants along the length of a relatively long necklace body that forms a closed loop, and a detachable magnetic fastener that secures two points of the necklace body to one another to form two separate, independently sized and shaped ornamental loops in the necklace body. The detachable fastener can be secured to different points along the necklace body to adjust the diameter and shape of the two separate ornamental loops and the position of the pendants relative to each other, if more than one pendant is included.
Generally, a necklace is an article of jewelry that includes a string and a plurality of ornamental members arranged linearly along the length of the string. The string may be fabricated from chain links, a gold strand, a silver strand, a natural filament, a polymer strand, and other strands, cables, and wires known in the jewelry art. The ornamental members may have a bore that enables the string to pass therethrough. Often, the necklace opens and closes at clasped ends that are meant to be worn centered at the nape of a wearer's neck. The necklace may also provide various pendants, stones, and other decorative members that are slidably received on the string. As to the necklace length, shorter necklaces such as chokers, princesses, and matinees are known, which cannot be pulled over the head. Alternatively, necklaces can be of varying, longer lengths allowing the necklaces to be pulled over the head.
Typically, clasps, pulling eyes, and magnets can be used to connect opposite free ends of the necklace together. For example, a pulling eye and a plate can engage each other to fasten and unfasten. Often, a simple friction fit relationship between two opposing metallic members can serve to fasten and unfasten the ends of the necklace. Additionally, such fastening means as plug-in clasps work to clasp with or without decorations added thereto, providing design points so that the a joint can be slid to one side or to the front along the length of the necklace.
Current length-adjustable necklaces do not consistently provide the required ease of length and positon adjustability, nor do these articles of jewelry provide the secure attachment means. It would thus be beneficial to have a customizable necklace that could reposition the pendants and change the loop configuration of the necklace body in an ornamental, facilitated, and time-efficient manner.
Accordingly, there is an established need for a customizable necklace system and method that solves at least one of the aforementioned problems.
The present invention is directed to a customizable necklace system and method. The customizable necklace may carry multiple pendants along the length of a relatively long necklace body that forms a closed loop. A detachable fastener secures two points of the necklace body to one another to form two separate, independently sized and shaped ornamental loops in the necklace body. Each ornamental loop can have a unique diameter and shape. Each pendant can hang from a different region of the ornamental loop. The detachable fastener can be moved along the length of the necklace body to fasten together different points of the closed loop, at the first region, middle region, and second region. This allows for customizable adjustability of the diameter and shape of the two separate ornamental loops, and the position of the pendants relative to each other.
In a first implementation of the invention, a customizable necklace system comprises a necklace body formable into a closed loop, and further comprises a first fastener and a second fastener configured to disconnectably fasten to one another. The first fastener is selectively and disconnectably attachable to the necklace body at different positions along the necklace body. The customizable necklace system is configured to adopt at least two usage configurations in which the first and second fasteners are carried by the necklace body and are disconnectably fastened to one another dividing the closed loop into a corresponding first loop and second loop. In each usage configuration, the first fastener is arranged in a different position along the necklace body relative to the other usage configuration or configurations. Also in each usage configuration, the first loop has a different size than the size of the first loop corresponding to the other usage configuration or configurations, and the second loop has a different size than the size of the second loop corresponding to the other usage configuration or configurations.
In a second aspect, the first fastener may include a clasp configured to disconnectably clasp to the necklace body at different positions along the necklace body.
In another aspect, the second fastener may be selectively and disconnectably attachable to the necklace body at different positions along the necklace body. In each usage configuration, the second fastener may be arranged in a different position along the necklace body relative to the other usage configuration or configurations.
In another aspect, the second fastener may include a clasp configured to disconnectably clasp to the necklace body at different positions along the necklace body.
In another aspect, the customizable necklace system may further include a first pendant carried by the necklace body at a first position along the necklace body. In a first usage configuration of the at least two usage configurations, the first pendant may be arranged in the first loop corresponding to the first usage configuration. In a second usage configuration of the at least two usage configurations, the first pendant may be arranged in the first loop corresponding to the second usage configuration.
In yet another aspect, the customizable necklace system may further include a second pendant carried by the necklace body at a second positon along the necklace body. In the first usage configuration, the second pendant may be arranged in the second loop corresponding to the first usage configuration. In the second usage configuration, the second pendant may be arranged in the second loop corresponding to the second usage configuration.
In another aspect, the second pendant may be different than the first pendant.
In another aspect, the necklace body may include at least one of a string, a cord, a strap, a band, a chain, and a strand.
In another aspect, the necklace body may include a plurality of ornamental members arranged linearly along a length of the necklace body.
In yet another aspect, the plurality of ornamental members may include at least one of a pearl, a bead, a precious stone, a semi-precious stone, a gold member, a silver member, and a stainless steel member.
In another aspect, the necklace body may include a plurality of links.
In another aspect, the necklace body may include at least one chain comprising the plurality of links.
In another aspect, the first fastener may be selectively and disconnectably attachable to the necklace body at different links of the plurality of links.
In yet another aspect, the second fastener may be selectively and disconnectably attachable to the necklace body at different links of the plurality of links defining different positions of the second fastener along the necklace body. In each usage configuration, the second fastener may be arranged in a different position along the necklace body relative to the other usage configuration or configurations.
In another aspect, the first fastener and second fastener may be configured to disconnectably and magnetically fasten to one another.
In another aspect, the first and second fastener may form an elongated link when disconnectably fastened to one another. In the at least two usage configurations, the first fastener and second fastener may be connected to the necklace body at opposite longitudinal ends of the link and the first and second fasteners may be disconnectably fastened to one another at an intermediate longitudinal section of the link.
In another aspect, the first fastener may include a clasp configured to disconnectably clasp to the necklace body at different positions along the necklace body. In the at least two usage configurations, the first fastener may be clasped to the necklace body at a first longitudinal end of the link.
In another aspect, the first fastener and second fastener may be disconnectably and magnetically fastened to one another at the intermediate longitudinal section of the link.
In yet another implementation of the invention, a method of customizing a necklace comprises the steps of:
obtaining a customizable necklace system comprising:
arranging the necklace body to form the closed loop;
disconnectably attaching the first fastener to a first position along the necklace body, spaced apart from a position along the necklace body at which the second fastener is carried by the necklace body;
arranging the necklace body in a first usage configuration, in which the closed loop is divided into two loops by disconnectably fastening the first fastener at the first position to the second fastener;
disconnecting the first fastener from the necklace body;
attaching the first fastener to a third position along the necklace body, spaced apart from a position along the necklace body at which the second fastener is carried by the necklace body;
arranging the necklace body in a second usage configuration, in which the closed loop is divided into two loops by disconnectably fastening the first fastener at the third position to the second fastener;
the two loops of the second usage configuration are visually different than the two loops of the first configuration.
In a second aspect, the two loops of the second usage configuration are visually different from the two loops of the first configuration in at least one pendant carried by the two loops.
In another aspect, the two loops of the second usage configuration are different in size than the two loops of the first configuration.
In yet another implementation of the invention, a method of customizing a necklace comprises the steps of:
arranging a relatively long necklace body to form a closed loop, the loop being defined by a first region, a middle region, and a second region, each region being substantially equal in length;
joining a first pendant to the necklace body, the first pendant being slidably displaceable to any region along the length of the necklace body, whereby a first neutral position of the first pendant is in the first region of the closed loop;
joining a second pendant to the necklace body, the second pendant being slidably displaceable to any region along the length of the necklace body, whereby a second neutral position of the second pendant is in the second region of the closed loop;
slidably displacing the first and second pendant along the length of the necklace body, whereby a first neutral position of the first pendant is in the first region of the closed loop, and whereby a second neutral position of the second pendant is in the second region of the closed loop;
attaching a first fastener to the first region of the closed loop of the necklace body, the first fastener comprising a first clasp joined to a first magnet;
attaching a second fastener to the first region of the closed loop of the necklace body, the second fastener comprising a first clasp joined to a first magnet, whereby two separate ornamental loops comprises a first ornamental loop carrying the first pendant, and a second ornamental loop carrying the second pendant, whereby the first ornamental loop is smaller than the second ornamental loop;
attaching the first fastener to the second region of the closed loop of the necklace body;
attaching the second fastener to the second region of the closed loop of the necklace body, whereby two separate ornamental loops comprises the first ornamental loop carrying the first pendant, and the second ornamental loop carrying the second pendant, whereby the first ornamental loop is larger than the second ornamental loop;
attaching the first fastener to the third region of the closed loop of the necklace body;
attaching the second fastener to the third region of the closed loop of the necklace body, whereby two separate ornamental loops comprises the first ornamental loop carrying the first pendant, and the second ornamental loop carrying the second pendant, whereby the first ornamental loop is substantially larger than the second ornamental loop; and
detaching the first and second fasteners from the necklace body, whereby the first pendant rests in a first neutral positon in the first region of the closed loop, and the second pendant rests in a second neutral position in the second region of the closed loop.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which follow.
The preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings provided to illustrate and not to limit the invention, where like designations denote like elements, and in which:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “rear”, “right”, “front”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
Shown throughout the figures, and with reference initially to
Referring to
In some embodiments, the necklace body 102 may further include one or more ornamental members arranged linearly along the length of the necklace body 102. The ornamental members may have a bore that enables passage through a string or other elongate body comprised in the necklace body 102. In some embodiments, the ornamental members may include, without limitation, pearls, beads, precious stones, semi-precious stones, a gold member, a silver member, and a stainless steel member. In one embodiment, the string carries multiple ornamental members in an adjacent, side-by-side relationship.
Turning now to
As mentioned heretofore, the customizable necklace system 100 may include one or more pendants carried by, joined with, or suspended from the necklace body 102. In the event of including more than one pendant, the pendants may be the same or different, i.e. may be visually the same (look the same) or different (look different). In a non-limiting example of the invention, the customizable necklace system 100 shown herein includes two pendants 108, 112. The first pendant 108 may include, without limitation, a metal ornament. The second pendant 112 may be different than the first pendant 108; for example, the second pendant 112 may include, without limitation, a crystal.
The one or more pendants comprised in the customizable necklace system can be fixed or, alternatively, slidably displaceable or otherwise repositionable anywhere along the length of the necklace body (e.g. disconnectable from the necklace body and selectively reconnectable to different positions along the necklace body). For instance, in the present non-limiting example, the pendants 108, 112 are joined with the necklace body 102 by a respective fastener that may be selectively attached to the different links comprised in the chain at selected positions in dependence of the wearer's needs. It must be noted that, while the fastener shown herein is a clasp ring, alternative or additional fasteners or connecting means known in the art of jewelry may be used to fixedly, slidably or repositionably join the pendants 108, 112 with the necklace body 102.
The one or more pendants 108, 112 can be worn centered or non-centered, as desired by the wearer, for instance and without limitation. As shown in
Turning now to
As mentioned heretofore, and referring now to
As illustrated in
The first and second fasteners 300 and 306 are connectable to one another to jointly form a link, best shown in
In summary, and with reference to the present embodiment, the pair of clasps 302, 308 on the fasteners 300, 306 may detachably attach to different points of the necklace body 102. The pair of magnetic fasteners 300, 306 may then easily and conveniently interconnect the two points 202, 204 with each other to form two customizable ornamental loops 500a, 500b. By adjusting the position of points 202, 204, the user may customize the size of each ornamental loop 500a, 500b, as well as the appearance of each ornamental loop 500a, 500b (for instance, in case the necklace body 102 has beads or other different ornamental elements disposed randomly or irregularly along the necklace body 102). The user may optionally place first pendant 108 and/or second pendant 112 at customizable positions in relation to each other.
The illustrations of
Thus, each ornamental loop can have a unique diameter and shape, and each pendant 108, 112 can hang from a different region of the necklace body 102. The first and second fasteners 300, 306 can be secured to different points of the necklace body 102, such as at the first region 106a, middle region 106b, and second region 106c, to adjust the diameter and shape of the two separate ornamental loops 500a, 500b and the position of the pendants 108, 112 relative to each other.
For example, as shown in
The illustration of
In yet another exemplary configuration, shown in
In yet another arrangement of clasps 302, 308 along the necklace body 102, the wearer may hang the first and second pendants 108, 112 at the same level, and will reattach the clasps 302, 308 accordingly.
It is also significant to note that the diameter and shape of the ornamental loops 500a, 500b, and the position of the pendants 108, 112, can be altered slightly by moving the connection points of the clasps 302, 308 within the same region 106b. In some embodiments, the arrangement can also be changed by sliding or otherwise repositioning the pendants 108, 112 along their respective ornamental loops. The arrangement can also be adjusted by connecting the clasps 302, 308 between the first region 106a and middle region 106b, and between the middle region 106b and second region 106c.
In operation, an exemplary method for customizing a customizable necklace system 100 comprises an initial step of arranging a relatively long necklace body 102 to form a closed loop 104, the loop being defined by a first region 106a, a middle region 106b, and a second region 106c, each region being substantially equal in length. The method may further comprise a step of joining a first pendant to the necklace body 102, the first pendant being optionally slidably displaceable, or otherwise repositionable, to any region along the length of the necklace body 102, whereby a first neutral position of the first pendant is in the first region 106a of the closed loop 104.
Another step includes joining a second pendant to the necklace body 102, the second pendant being slidably displaceable to any region along the length of the necklace body 102, whereby a second neutral position of the second pendant is in the second region 106c of the closed loop 104. In some embodiments, a step comprises slidably displacing the first and second pendant along the length of the necklace body 102, whereby a first neutral position of the first pendant is in the first region 106a of the closed loop 104, and whereby a second neutral position of the second pendant is in the second region 106c of the closed loop 104.
In some embodiments, a step includes attaching a first fastener to the first region 106a of the closed loop 104 of the necklace body 102, the first fastener comprising a first clasp joined to a first magnet. Another step may include attaching a second fastener to the first region 106a of the closed loop 104 of the necklace body 102, the second fastener comprising a first clasp joined to a first magnet, whereby two separate ornamental loops comprises a first ornamental loop carrying the first pendant, and a second ornamental loop carrying the second pendant, whereby the first ornamental loop is smaller than the second ornamental loop. A step comprises attaching the first fastener to the middle region of the closed loop 104 of the necklace body 102.
The method may further comprise a step of attaching the second fastener to the middle region of the closed loop 104 of the necklace body 102, whereby two separate ornamental loops comprises the first ornamental loop carrying the first pendant, and the second ornamental loop carrying the second pendant, whereby the first ornamental loop is larger than the second ornamental loop. A step includes attaching the first fastener to the second region 106c of the closed loop 104 of the necklace body 102.
Another step comprises attaching the second fastener to the second region 106c of the closed loop 104 of the necklace body 102, whereby two separate ornamental loops comprises the first ornamental loop carrying the first pendant, and the second ornamental loop carrying the second pendant, whereby the first ornamental loop is substantially larger than the second ornamental loop. A final step includes detaching the first and second fasteners from the necklace body 102, whereby the first pendant rests in a first neutral positon in the first region 106a of the closed loop 104, and the second pendant rests in a second neutral position in the second region 106c of the closed loop 104.
Although the drawings may show a specific order of executing the process steps, the order of executing the steps may be changed relative to the order shown in certain embodiments. Furthermore, two or more steps shown in succession may be executed concurrently or with partial concurrence in some embodiments. Steps may also be omitted for the sake of brevity. In some embodiments, some or all the process steps may be combined into a single process.
Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Furthermore, it is understood that any of the features presented in the embodiments may be integrated into any of the other embodiments unless explicitly stated otherwise. The scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/814,679, filed on Mar. 6, 2019, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
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