Interchangeable Jewelry Component

Abstract

An interchangeable jewelry device includes a locket including a body and a cover. The body defines a cavity, and the cover attaches to the body by a hinge. A case includes a socket sized to receive the body of the locket. A first magnet is positioned on an exterior surface of the body of the locket. A second magnet is positioned on an interior surface of the socket of the case that mates with the first magnet of the body of the locket when the locket is positioned in the socket of the case.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present subject matter relates generally to an interchangeable jewelry component. More specifically, the present invention relates to a jewelry locket and case assembly that may be adapted to be used across multiple jewelry formats.

Accessorizing can be a daunting task for many, especially when it comes to jewelry. The variety of jewelry styles makes it difficult to decide on the right piece, both at the point of purchase and on a day-to-day basis. Jewelry wearers must select from a broad category of jewelry styles (necklaces, bracelets, etc.), and then they must select which designs in those categories best suit their outfit for the day.

Many design styles incorporate colorful jewels and other elements that may not match a majority of outfits in the user's wardrobe. For this reason, jewelry wearers seek to find pieces that are versatile. But in order to build a versatile jewelry collection, the wearer must account for the many different styles of jewelry. On one day the wearer might want to wear a necklace, and on another day the wearer might prefer to wear a bracelet and not a necklace.

Ideally, the wearer would have a reliable, versatile piece of jewelry in every category. However, if there were one design they preferred over all the others that occurred on one piece of jewelry, the wearer would have to settle for other designs if they needed to wear a different style of jewelry. Further, the cost of building a versatile jewelry collection could be extensive in both time and money.

Unfortunately, the value of this selection process produces little benefit other than the satisfaction of choosing the best-looking piece. Jewelry is typically only for ornamentation and not function unless it is being used as a watch.

Accordingly, there is a need for an interchangeable locket device that can be adapted to multiple styles of jewelry, can function as a watch and as a container, and comes in a versatile and customizable design, as described herein.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To meet the needs described above and others, the present disclosure provides an interchangeable jewelry device that can be adapted to multiple styles of jewelry, can function as a watch and as a container, and comes in a versatile and customizable design. The jewelry device comprises a locket including a body and a closeable cover and a case including a socket sized to receive the body of the locket. The case can be integrated into various items of jewelry such as a necklace, a bracelet, a watch, or a brooch. Similarly, the case can receive a variety of lockets having different designs, stones, or appearances.

By providing case that receives the locket, the interchangeable jewelry device allows the user to adapt the locket for use with a necklace to a bracelet to a brooch. Further, the user may use the cavity within the locket in a number of ways, such as to display keepsake photos, as a container for scent pads or makeup, to hold personal items, or to display a watch or mirror. The locket may come in a variety of designs and materials, and it may be engraved for special inscriptions and messages.

The locket includes a body with an interior cavity and a cover that attaches to the cover by a hinge and clasp. The cover may incorporate a variety of decorative exterior designs, including fanciful ornamentation, engravings, or watch faces. The interior cavity can be used to hold a variety of personal items including lip gloss, scent pads, or mirrors. It may also include a glass pane for displaying a photograph or a watch face.

The case includes a socket for receiving the body of the locket. It may also include attachments for receiving bracelets, necklaces or pins. These attachments may include two prongs with holes for stringing through a chain or pin in the case of necklaces and brooches. The attachments for bracelets and watches may include four lugs (two on each end of the case) with embedded holes for links or hinges or holes for stringing through a chain.

The locket and case includes corresponding magnets to secure the locket within the socket of the case. A first magnet is provided on an exterior surface of the body of the locket. A second magnet is positioned on an interior surface of the socket of the case. The second magnet mates with the first magnet of the body of the locket when the locket is positioned in the socket of the case. Alternatively, a fastener, a latch, or another closing mechanism for securing the locket into the socket may be used.

In one embodiment, the locket locks into the socket of the case through a post and channel connection. The body of the locket includes one or more outwardly extending posts. A surface of the case defining the socket includes one or more channels for receiving the one or more posts of the locket. The channels have an L-shape so that the post(s) of the locket move through the vertical portion of the L-shaped channel as the locket is inserted into the socket and then the post(s) of the locket move through the horizontal portion of the L-shape channel as the locket is locked into place.

The user may use the locket and case assembly to adapt the locket to a variety of jewelry styles, including bracelets, watches, necklaces and brooches. The user may also remove the locket from the case and replace it with another locket with a different design or watch face. The user may remove the locket by releasing any external fasteners and removing it from the socket.

If the user would like to switch the style of jewelry, the user may remove the case from the chain, pin, bracelet, wristband or watch and attach it to a new style of jewelry, or the user could switch the locket from one case to another, depending on how the case is adapted to receive jewelry.

The locket may come in a variety of sizes, designs, colors, and materials. For example, the locket may include traditional jewelry ornamentation such as filigree or gemstones, or it may display a family photo on the outside. The locket and case assemblies may further come in a variety of shapes, including circles, squares, hearts, rectangles and ovals. The user may adapt jewelry styles to varying shapes by switching the cases along with the lockets in order to accommodate the desired shape.

An object of the invention is to provide a jewelry piece that the user can adapt to multiple styles of jewelry.

Another object of the invention is to provide a jewelry piece that has multiple potential functions, including holding keepsakes, makeup, scents or displaying a watch face or mirror.

An advantage of the invention is that it provides an easy-to-use method for installing and removing the lockets to the cases and then taking the cases from one style of jewelry to another.

Another advantage of the invention is that it provides a variety of options for designs, shapes, engravings and customization on the jewelry.

A further advantage of the invention is that it allows the user to create many different jewelry pieces from one set of adaptable lockets and jewelry attachments.

Yet another advantage of the invention is that it allows the user to use a favorite piece of jewelry in many different applications.

Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the examples will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following description and the accompanying drawings or may be learned by production or operation of the examples. The objects and advantages of the concepts may be realized and attained by means of the methodologies, instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord with the present concepts, by way of example only, not by way of limitations. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.

FIG. 1 is a perspective, exploded view of an interchangeable jewelry device including locket having a cover in an open position and a case of the present application.

FIG. 2 is a perspective, exploded view of the jewelry device of FIG. 1 showing the cover of the locket in the closed position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the jewelry device of FIG. 1 showing the locket within the case.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view from above of the locket of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view from above of the locket having the cover in the open position of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 6A-6D are the perspective view of the front, the perspective view of the back, the front elevational view, and the side elevational view of the locket of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are plan views of the locket of FIG. 1 with and without the cover, respectively, showing dimensions.

FIGS. 8A-8D are the perspective view of the front, the perspective view of the back, the front elevational view, and the side elevational view of the case of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the case of FIG. 1 showing dimensions.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view from above of the case and a perspective view from below of the locket of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate various embodiments of securing mechanisms of the case of the present application.

FIG. 12 illustrates alternative embodiments of the jewelry device of present application used with a variety of items of jewelry.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the interchangeable jewelry device 100 of the present application includes a locket 102 with a body 104 and a cover 106 that is received into a socket 108 of a case 110. The case 110 can be integrated into various items of jewelry 112 such as a necklace, a bracelet, a watch, or a brooch such as those shown in FIG. 13. Similarly, the locket 102 within the case 110 is interchangeable so that the user can select a locket 102 from a variety having different designs, stones, or appearances.

As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6A-6D, the body 104 of the locket 102 defines a cavity 114 for storing items such as keepsake photos, scent pads or makeup, personal items, or a watch or mirror. The cover 106 attaches to the body 104 by a hinge 116 and clasp 118. The socket 108 of the case 110 is sized to receive the body 104 of the locket 102. In one example, the locket 102 has dimensions noted in Table 1 and as seen in FIGS. 7A and 7B.

TABLE 1
Sample dimensions for the locket 102
Reference         Nominal Dimension
(FIGS. 7A and 7B) (mm)
A                 28.68
B                 22.39
C                 28.66

FIGS. 8A-8D illustrate an embodiment of the case 110 including the socket 108. In one example, the case 110 has dimensions noted in Table 2 and as seen in FIG. 9.

TABLE 2
Sample dimensions for the case 110
Reference Nominal Dimension
(FIG. 9)  (mm)
D         38.60
E         27.14
F         11.50
G         2.57

In one embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the locket 102 is held within the case 110 through the use of corresponding magnets 120, 122. A first magnet 120 is positioned on an exterior surface 124 of the body 104 of the locket 102. A second magnet 122 is positioned on an interior surface 126 of the socket 108 of the case 110. The second magnet 122 mates with the first magnet 120 of the body 104 of the locket 102 when the locket 102 is positioned in the socket 108 of the case 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the magnets 120, 122 are positioned within an inset cavity so that the magnet 120, 122 is flush with the adjacent surface 124, 126. Any number of magnets 120, 122 may be used. Further, the magnets 120, 122 may be adhered atop the surface 124, 126 or the magnetic properties may be formed integral with the surfaces 124, 126.

The locket 102 may also be further secured within the case 110 through a post 128 and channel 130 connection as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The body 104 of the locket 102 includes one or more outwardly extending posts 128. A surface 132 of the case 110 defining the socket 108 includes one or more channels 130 for receiving the one or more posts 128 of the locket 102. The channels 130 have a series of steps so that the post(s) 128 of the locket 102 move through the vertical portions 130a of the channel 130 as the locket 102 is inserted into the socket 108 and then the post(s) 128 of the locket 102 move through the horizontal portion 130b of the channel 130 as the locket 102 is rotated within the socket 108. In other embodiments, the channel may Other mechanical means for securing the locket 102 within the case 110 may be used in lieu of or in combination with the post 128 and the channel 130 configuration.

Referring to FIGS. 11A and 11B, the case 110 may also include a securing mechanism 134 for attaching to a bracelet, a necklace, a brooch, or other items of jewelry. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-3, 8A-8D, and 11B, the securing mechanism 134 includes first and second pairs of lugs 136, each lug 136 including an embedded hole 138 for receiving one of a link and a hinge of an item of jewelry 112 as shown in FIG. 13. A bracelet or watch may connect to the pair or pairs of lugs 136. FIGS. 8A-8D illustrate a case 110 including first and second pairs of lugs 136 that extend downwardly from the case 110 so as to curve along with the user's wrist when worn as a bracelet or watch 112. In another embodiment shown in FIG. 11A, the securing mechanism 134 is a bail 140 with an opening 142 for stringing through a chain or pin in the case of necklaces and brooches. Other types of securing mechanisms may be used as preferred or required by the corresponding item of jewelry.

It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages.

Claims

1. An interchangeable jewelry device comprising: a locket including a body and a cover, wherein the body defines a cavity, and wherein the cover attaches to the body by a hinge;a case including a socket sized to receive the body of the locket;a first magnet positioned on an exterior surface of the body of the locket; anda second magnet positioned on an interior surface of the socket of the case that mates with the first magnet of the body of the locket when the locket is positioned in the socket of the case.

2. The interchangeable jewelry device of claim 1, wherein the case includes a securing mechanism that engages with the item of jewelry.

3. The interchangeable jewelry device of claim 2, wherein the securing mechanism comprises a bail.

4. The interchangeable jewelry device of claim 3, wherein the bail receives a chain of a necklace.

5. The interchangeable jewelry device of claim 2, wherein the securing mechanism comprises at least one pair of lugs, each lug including an embedded hole for receiving a link.

6. The interchangeable jewelry device of claim 5, wherein the at least one pair of lugs of the case component receives a link of a watch.

7. The interchangeable jewelry device of claim 5, wherein the at least one pair of lugs of the case component receives a link of a bracelet.

8. The interchangeable jewelry device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of cases, wherein each case component includes a socket sized to receive the body of the locket, and a plurality of second magnets, each second magnet positioned on an interior surface of each socket of each case that mates with the first magnet of the body of the locket when the locket is positioned in a socket of the case.

9. The interchangeable jewelry device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of lockets, each locket including a body and a cover, and a plurality of first magnets, where each first magnet is positioned on an exterior surface of the body of each locket.

10. The interchangeable jewelry device of claim 1, wherein a surface defining the socket of the case includes at least one channel, and wherein the body of the locket includes at least one post that engages with the at least one channel of the surface.

11. An interchangeable jewelry device comprising: a locket including a body and a cover, wherein the body defines a cavity, wherein the cover attaches to the body by a hinge, and wherein the body of the locket includes at least one post;a case including a socket sized to receive the body of the locket, wherein a surface defining the socket of the case includes at least one channel;wherein the at least on post engages the at least one channel of the surface of the case.

12. The interchangeable jewelry device of claim 11, wherein the case includes a securing mechanism that engages with the item of jewelry.

13. The interchangeable jewelry device of claim 12, wherein the securing mechanism comprises one of a lug and a bail.