The present invention relates to a magnetically coupled jewelry clasp that can be decoupled with substantial ease by applying force slightly greater than the magnetic coupling force in a first direction, but the coupled jewelry clasp cannot be decoupled with substantial ease by applying force that is not in the first direction.
In exemplary embodiments, a jewelry clasp can comprise a first jewelry interfacer that can include a first jewelry retainer affixed to a male magnetic interfacer, the male magnetic interfacer can also include a cantilevered male protrusion. The first jewelry retainer can retain jewelry that extends substantially at a non-zero angle to the cantilevered male protrusion. The jewelry clasp can further comprise a second jewelry interfacer that can include a second jewelry retainer affixed to a female magnetic interfacer, the female magnetic interfacer can also include a female receiving region. The second jewelry retainer can retain jewelry that extends substantially at a non-zero angle to the female receiving region. Further, the cantilevered male protrusion can be capable of being received into the female receiving region and the first and second jewelry retainers can magnetically couple to each other such that the cantilevered male protrusion and the female receiving region can remain substantially parallel to each other and the first and second jewelry retainers can retain jewelry that extends substantially at a non-zero angle to the cantilevered male protrusion and/or the female receiving region.
In exemplary embodiments, when force is applied by jewelry retained in the first and/or second jewelry retainers at least some of the retaining force can be absorbed and/or distributed and/or distributed on the cantilevered male protrusion by a moment and/or shear stress.
In exemplary embodiments, the first jewelry interfacer and the second jewelry interfacer can be decoupled by applying a force large enough to overcome the magnetic coupling force in a direction that is substantially parallel to the cantilevered male protrusion.
In exemplary embodiments, a region of the female magnetic interfacer and/or a region of the cantilevered male protrusion can include a magnet and/or ferromagnetic material.
In exemplary embodiments, a region of the female magnetic interfacer can include at least one magnet and/or a region of the cantilevered male protrusion can include at least one magnet. Further, in exemplary embodiments, the at least one magnet of the cantilevered male protrusion can be located substantially near the distal most point of the cantilevered male protrusion and the at least one magnet of the female magnetic interfacer can be located at substantially near the deepest point of the female region.
In exemplary embodiments, the at least one magnet of the cantilevered male protrusion can be located substantially along the length of the cantilevered male protrusion and the at least one magnet of the female magnetic interfacer can be located substantially along the length of the female region. In exemplary embodiments, the cantilevered male protrusion can substantially be and/or can be constructed of one or more magnets.
In exemplary embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the cantilevered male protrusion and/or the female magnetic interfacer can be substantially round, square, polygonal, triangular, star shaped, quadrilateral, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, enneagonal, and/or decagonal. In exemplary embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the cantilevered male protrusion and the female magnetic interfacer can be square. In exemplary embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the elements of the jewelry clasp can include at least one curved surface.
In exemplary embodiments, the first jewelry retainer, the second jewelry retainer, the male magnetic interfacer, the cantilevered male protrusion, and the female magnetic interfacer can each be rectangular cuboid, a square cuboid, and/or a parallelepiped shape. Further, the cantilevered male protrusion and the female magnetic interfacer can each be rectangular cuboid, a square cuboid, and/or a parallelepiped shape.
In exemplary embodiments, when the first jewelry interfacer and the second jewelry interfacer are coupled they can form a shape that is rectangular cuboid, a square cuboid, and/or a parallelepiped shape.
In exemplary embodiments, at least one of the first jewelry retainer and the second jewelry retainer can retain at least one string of beads. Further, the at least one string of beads can be retained in a channel.
In exemplary embodiments, the male magnetic interfacer and the cantilevered male protrusion can be combined into substantially one cantilevered male magnetic interfacer that is affixed to the first jewelry retainer.
In exemplary embodiments, the first jewelry retainer, the second jewelry retainer, the male magnetic interfacer, the cantilevered male protrusion, and/or the female magnetic interfacer can be at least partially constructed of gold, silver, platinum, aluminum, pewter, palladium, any other reasonable material.
In exemplary embodiments, the jewelry clasp can further comprise at least one interim jewelry interfacer that can include an interim female magnetic interfacer affixed to an interim male magnetic interfacer such that the interim female magnetic interfacer and the interim male magnetic interfacer can be affixed in a position substantially parallel to each other. The interim male magnetic interfacer can include an interim cantilevered male protrusion. The interim female magnetic interfacer can be capable receiving the cantilevered male protrusion of the first jewelry interfacer such that the interim female magnetic interfacer and cantilevered male protrusion of the first jewelry interfacer can be magnetically coupled. Further, the interim cantilevered male protrusion can be capable of being inserted into the female magnetic interfacer of the second jewelry interfacer such that the interim male magnetic interfacer and female magnetic interfacer of the second jewelry interfacer can be magnetically coupled.
In exemplary embodiments, an interim jewelry clasp can include an interim jewelry interfacer that can include an interim female magnetic interfacer affixed to an interim male magnetic interfacer such that the interim female magnetic interfacer and the interim male magnetic interfacer can be affixed in a position substantially parallel to each other. The interim male magnetic interfacer can include an interim cantilevered male protrusion. The interim female magnetic interfacer can be capable receiving a cantilevered male protrusion of a first jewelry interfacer such that the interim female magnetic interfacer and cantilevered male protrusion of the first jewelry interfacer can be magnetically coupled. Further, the interim cantilevered male protrusion can be capable of being inserted into a female magnetic interfacer of a second jewelry interfacer such that the interim male magnetic interfacer and female magnetic interfacer of the second jewelry interfacer can be magnetically coupled.
The features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood with reference to the following, detailed description of illustrative embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein:
Generally, the jewelry clasp of the present invention includes at least a first jewelry interfacer and a second jewelry interfacer capable of magnetically coupling together. The magnetic coupling can be designed such that the first and second jewelry interfacers can decouple with substantial ease by applying force substantially in a first direction. However, the first and second jewelry interfacers may be substantially difficult to decouple when force is applied that is not substantially in the first direction. As described below, the first direction can be defined by elements of the jewelry clasp which couple together. Further, the first and second jewelry interfacers can be coupled to at least one article of jewelry that can be at a substantial angle to the first direction. Thus, force applied from the article of jewelry on the jewelry clasp may not be applied substantially in the first direction making it substantially difficult to decouple the first and second jewelry interfacers.
Referring to
In exemplary embodiments, first and/or second jewelry interfacer 102/104 can include at least one magnetic material (not shown) and female receiving region 116 can receive cantilevered male protrusion 110 such that first and second jewelry interfacer 102/104 magnetically couple when cantilevered male protrusion 110 is received by female receiving region 116. The combination of the at least one magnetic material and the mechanical interactions of female receiving region 116 receiving cantilevered male protrusion 110 can substantially limit the direction in which force can be applied to decouple the first and second jewelry interfacer 102/104 with substantial ease.
For example, referring to
Referring to
In exemplary embodiments, when first and second jewelry interfacer 102/104 are magnetically coupled together, force 302 can be applied by, for example, a user to decouple first and second jewelry interfacer 102/104 with substantial ease. Force 302 may only be, but is not limited to, slightly stronger than the magnitude of magnetic attractive force coupling first and second jewelry interfacer 102/104 and force 302 can be applied in a direction substantially parallel to the length of female receiving region 116 and/or cantilevered male protrusion 110. By way of example, if a user applies force 302 that is larger than the magnitude of magnetic attractive force coupling first and second jewelry interfacer 102/104 together and force 302 is applied in a direction substantially parallel to the length of female receiving region 116 and/or cantilevered male protrusion 110, jewelry clasp 100 can be decoupled with substantial ease and cantilevered male protrusion 110 can slide out of female receiving region 116. Thus, an ordinary person can apply a force that is not substantially difficult to decouple jewelry clasp 100, but this force required to decouple jewelry clasp 100 may be large enough such that jewelry clasp 100 does not substantially risk decoupling accidently and/or when not desired by the user.
In exemplary embodiments, the force required to decouple first and second jewelry interfacer 102/104 may increase as the angle of the applied forces direction moves from substantially parallel, at a zero angle, to cantilevered male protrusion 110 through various non-zero angles to substantially perpendicular, at a non-zero ninety degree angle, to cantilevered male protrusion 110.
It will be understood that the article of jewelry can be any article/ornament and/or plurality of articles/ornaments such as, but not limited to, a necklace, earrings, bracelet, watch, anklet, or any other reasonable article/ornament worn as an adornment. In some instances, the article of jewelry can be any plurality of items intended to be releasably coupled. Further, the article of jewelry need not directly connect first jewelry interfacer 102 and second jewelry interfacer 104. For example, any number of additional jewelry interfacers can be located between first jewelry interfacer 102 and second jewelry interfacer 104. For ease, at times, the article of jewelry is described as a beaded necklace connected at both ends to jewelry interfacers. This is in no way meant to be a limitation, rather it is merely for ease.
Referring to
In exemplary embodiments, at least one end of an article of jewelry can be affixed to the surface, and/or some surface variation, of jewelry retaining region 106/112. For example, jewelry retaining region 106/112 may not include a slot and/or opening and at least one end of an article of jewelry can be affixed to, for example, the surface of jewelry retaining region 106/112 by any reasonable technique, such as, but not limited to, solder, adhesive, and/or by any technique. The surface of jewelry retaining region 106/112 can be substantially smooth and/or can include surface variations such as, but not limited to, dimples, grooves, and/or any other variation. Further, any combination of any number of slots, openings, surfaces, and surface variations can be combined and/or further separated without deviating from the scope of the invention.
It will be understood that any number of articles of jewelry can be affixed to any number of jewelry interfacers by any technique such as, but not limited to, mechanically affixing, adhesively adhering, chemically bonding, by any combination thereof, or by any other reasonable technique capable of affixing jewelry to an interfacer. Mechanically affixing can include any technique such as, but is not limited to, retaining a region and/or end of an article of jewelry, surrounding a region and/or end of an article of jewelry, deforming a region and/or end of an article of jewelry, soldering a region and/or end of an article of jewelry, welding a region and/or end of an article of jewelry, any combination thereof, or any other mechanical affixing technique capable of affixing jewelry to an interfacer. Adhesively adhering can include any technique using any adhesive such as, but not limited to, cyanoacrylate, jewelry adhesive, urea-formaldehyde, resorcinol, phenol formaldehyde resin, animal glues, polyvinyl acetate, polyurethane glue, epoxy, contact cement, hot melt, hot bitumen, cold adhesives, any combination thereof, or any other adhesive capable of affixing jewelry to an interfacer. Chemical bonding can include any technique such as, but not limited to, melting, smelting, or any technique capable of affixing jewelry to an interfacer. For ease, at times, a beaded necklace is described as having an end bead retained by a jewelry retaining region. This is in no way meant to be a limitation, rather it is merely for ease.
Referring to
In exemplary embodiments, although not shown, at least one magnetic material 502 can be located at any reasonable location in first and second jewelry interfacer 102/104. For example, at least one magnetic material 502 can be substantially near the distal tip of cantilevered male protrusion 110, along at least some length of cantilevered male protrusion 110, substantially near the base of female magnetic interfacing region 114, along at least some length of second jewelry retaining region 112, along at least some length of female magnetic interfacing region 114, and/or along at least some length of male magnetic interfacing region 108, to name a few. Further, a plurality of magnetic material 502 can be located at any reasonable location in first and second jewelry interfacer 102/104. For example, a plurality of magnetic materials 502 can be located at the distal tip of cantilevered male protrusion 110 and/or substantially near the base of female magnetic interfacing region 114. As another example, a plurality of magnetic materials 502 can be located at least partially along the length of cantilevered male protrusion 110 and/or along at least some length of second jewelry retaining region 112 and/or along at least some length of female magnetic interfacing region 114.
In exemplary embodiments, although not shown, cantilevered male protrusion 110 can be and/or can be constructed substantially of at least one magnet. For example, cantilevered male protrusion 110 can be a single magnet and/or can be and/or can be constructed from a plurality of magnets.
It will be understood that at least one magnetic material 502 can be any form of magnet, ferrous material, any combination thereof, or any other material capable of generating and/or interacting with magnetic forces. For example, at least one magnet can be located at the distal tip of cantilevered male protrusion 110 and a ferrous material can be located substantially near the base of female magnetic interfacing region 114. As another example, at least one magnet can be located at the distal tip of cantilevered male protrusion 110 and at least one magnet can be located substantially near the base of female magnetic interfacing region 114. For ease, at times, at least one magnetic material 502 is described as a magnet. This is in no way meant to be a limitation, rather it is merely for ease.
Referring to
For example, referring to
As yet another example, although not shown, cantilevered male protrusion 110 and female receiving region 116 can have a cross-sectional shape which is substantially round and female magnetic interfacing region 114, male magnetic interfacing region 108, first jewelry retaining region 106, and second jewelry retaining region 112 can include at least one curved surface. This may be done such that first and second jewelry interfacer 102/104 can be capable of pivoting relative to each other. Any of the elements of jewelry clasp 100 can include a cross-sectional shape capable of producing at least one curved surface. For ease, at times, the cross-sectional shape of first jewelry retaining region 106, male magnetic interfacing region 108, cantilevered male protrusion 110, second jewelry retaining region 112, female magnetic interfacing region 114, and/or female receiving region 116 is described as being substantially square. This is in no way meant to be a limitation, rather it is merely for ease.
Referring to
Referring to
It will be understood that any number of interim connectors 902 can be coupled together. For ease, only one interim connector 902 is described. This is in no way meant to be a limitation, rather this is merely for ease. Further, it will be understood that any of the variations first and/or second jewelry interfacer 102/104 can similarly be applied to any number of interim connectors 902.
In exemplary embodiments, any of the elements of first and/or second jewelry interfacer 102/104 can be substantially hollow, substantially solid, or any combination thereof. Further, any of the elements of first and/or second jewelry interfacer 102/104 can be constructed from any material such as, but not limited to, gold, platinum, palladium, titanium, silver, tungsten carbide, stainless steel, rhodium, any combination thereof, or any other reasonable material for constructing jewelry.
Further, first and/or second jewelry interfacer 102/104 can be about 0.5 to 10.0 centimeters in length, can have a cross-sectional shape about 1 to 20 millimeters across, and each of the components can be constructed of a material that is 0.1 to 3 millimeter thick. Further, cantilevered male protrusion 110 and female receiving region 116 can have a length of about 2 millimeters to 8 centimeters and cantilevered male protrusion 110 and female receiving region 116 can have a cross-section shape about 1 to 16 millimeters across. If jewelry clasp is square shaped, when coupled it can have a length and width of about 0.5 to 6 centimeters. If jewelry retaining regions 106/112 include a slot, the slot can be about 0.5 to 15 millimeters wide and about 1 millimeter to 10 centimeters long.
In exemplary embodiments, each of first jewelry interfacer 102, second jewelry interfacer 104, first jewelry retaining region 106, male magnetic interfacing region 108, cantilevered male protrusion 110, second jewelry retaining region 112, female magnetic interfacing region 114, female receiving region 116, and/or any other element of jewelry clasp 100 can be further combined and/or separated without deviating from the scope of the claimed invention.
Now that exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail, various modifications and improvements thereon will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art.
This application claims priority to U.S. Design Patent Application No. 29/357,976 filed Mar. 19, 2010; U.S. Design Patent Application No. 29/363,321 filed Jun. 8, 2010; U.S. Design Patent Application No. 29/363,322 filed Jun. 8, 2010; and U.S. Design Patent Application No. 29/363,317 filed Jun. 8, 2010, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.