Patent Application
20190231038
The present invention relates to tools for making jewelry. Even more particularly, the present invention involves a mandrel having a slit or channel that enables the formation of wire loops used in forming jewelry.
Mandrels are hand tools used in jewelry making. Mandrels may be used to create jewelry of desired shapes and sizes out of blank material, such as a wire. For example, a mandrel may be used to produce a plurality of rings having the same or varying shapes and sizes by, for example, winding wire about the mandrel. However, further work performed on the individual rings afterwards may cause uneven and visible differences between the rings due to process variations.
In view of the limitations and drawbacks in the prior art, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a mandrel tool to simultaneously form a plurality of rings having a uniform shape and features.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mandrel tool that users saves time and effort in the construction of jewelry.
Additional objectives will be apparent from the description of the invention that follows.
In summary, there is provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention a mandrel tool comprising a mandrel head having a body, said body including a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, and an exterior surface extending between the first and second ends; and a slit extending at least partially through the exterior surface of the body and having a width to accommodate a sharp edge of a cutting instrument. By virtue of the slit, which serves as a cutting guide for the cutting instrument, the cutting instrument cuts through wire wound around the mandrel to simultaneously create a plurality of uniform rings without having to labor further.
The above and other features and aspects of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Like reference numerals may refer to like elements throughout the specification. The sizes or proportions of elements illustrated in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity. When an element is described as being on another element, the element may be directly disposed on the other element or intervening elements may be disposed therebetween. Elements of an embodiment that are not described in detail may be assumed to be similar to corresponding elements described in detail in the specification.
The present invention relates to mandrels used to form rings or closed-loops of various sizes and/or shapes by winding wire or other material about the mandrel. The shape of the ring is determined by the shape of the mandrel head. As wire is continuously wound about the mandrel to form a sequence of consecutive loops, the loops are cut at a slit positioned on the surface of the mandrel to form a plurality of uniform and/or uniformly proportioned rings.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the mandrel head includes a slit that penetrates two surfaces of mandrel. In particular, the slit passes through two adjoining surfaces of the mandrel (e.g., front end and a side), or through a portion of the body and/or an end portion of the mandrel head. The slit may be used as a guide to saw off wire continuously looped around the mandrel to form rings or objects of other shapes.
Mandrel 100 includes a mandrel head 101 having a body 102, a base 104, a first end 106, a second end 108, a plurality of sides 110, a plurality of side-to-side edges 112, a plurality of side-to-end edges 114, at least one starting hole 116, and a slit 118.
Handle 105 may be referred to as a support member. Referring to
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, mandrel 100 omits base 104. In this case, handle 105 may be detachably coupled to mandrel 100 through body 102. For example, body 102 may include a cavity (not shown) configured to be detachably coupled to the connection member 152.
In
It is understood that in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the connection member 152 may be connected to mandrel 100, and the cavity (not shown) may be disposed on handle 105.
In addition, the coupling mechanism illustrated in
Body 102 may include a polygonal prism (e.g., a square prism) including a plurality (e.g., four) sides 110, as shown in
Edges 112 may be angular (e.g., not rounded or beveled), as illustrated in
First end 106 may be flat, as shown in
Edges 114 may be formed between sides 110 and first end 106. As shown in
Starting hole 116 may be disposed on first end 106, as shown in
Any of holes 116 may be referred to as a starter hole because a wire or other blank material of various shapes and/or sizes (the wire or other blank material may be collectively referred to as “material that is external to body 102”) may be inserted in any of the holes to facilitate the start of the winding process to form continuous loops or rings on body 102.
Slit 118 may extend at least partially through at least one of sides 110 and at least partially through first end 106, as shown in
In addition, when one of sides 110 is referred to a first surface of mandrel 100, and first end 106 in referred to as a second surface of mandrel 100, slit 118 passes through at least a portion of the first surface and at least a portion of the second surface, as shown in
Bottom surface 120 of slit 118 may extend, for example, in an oblique direction with respect to a side 110 and/or first end 106, as shown in
Although not shown in the drawings, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, slit 118 is a partial or full penetration groove or channel that extends in a portion of body 102 of mandrel head 101, penetrating at least one of sides 110 but not first end 106. In other words, slit 118 may for example partially or fully penetrate body 102 but not penetrate first end 106 (e.g., it does not come out of first end 106). In this case, slit 118 may be an opening in one or more of sides 110, and may look, for example, similar to slit 118 in
Slit 118 may also have a 90° step or a “V”-shaped bottom end 120, whether extending (e.g., penetrating) through first end 106 or not.
Referring to
In addition, a depth of slit 118 may be substantially perpendicularly with respect to side 110 and/or first end 106, as shown in
When winding a plurality of adjoining loops of wire on mandrel, a saw or other cutting instrument may be guided by slit 118, and may be inserted into slit 118 to cut the adjoining loops into individual rings. Thus, openings resulting in the rings from the cutting process may have corresponding locations along the perimeter of each of the rings. In addition, since the wound wire is cut while disposed on the mandrel 100, the resulting rings may be substantially uniform.
In addition, since slit 118 is disposed within body 102, the rings can be expeditiously cut while supported on the body 102. Accordingly, the use of slit 118 may increase accuracy, consistency and throughput of production (e.g., of making jewelry or other objects).
It is clear that the use of slit 118 substantially reduces the undesirable effects of a hand snipping tool, which may cut different rings at different locations along their perimeters, or damage the rings when the wound wire is not resting on a supporting surface. The use mandrel 100 including slit 118 eliminates the need for an additional tool with a supporting surface to support the wound wire while cutting it because the wound wire can be cut on mandrel 100.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, mandrel 100 may include a plurality of slits 118.
Mandrel 200 may include a body 202, a base 204, a first end 206, a second end 208, a plurality of sides 210, a plurality of edges 212, a plurality of edges 214, a plurality of holes 216, and a slit 218 with a bottom surface 220.
Mandrel 200 may be configured to be detachably coupled with handle 150, as described above in connection with mandrel 100.
Referring to
As shown in
Other elements of mandrel 200 may assumed to be similar to their corresponding counterparts described above. Thus, a detailed description thereof will be omitted for brevity.
Mandrel 300 may include a body 302 including an exterior surface 322, a base 304, a first end 306, a second end 308, an edge 314, at least one hole 316, and a slit 318 with a bottom surface 320.
Mandrel 300 may be configured to be detachably coupled with handle 150, as described above in connection with mandrel 100.
Referring to
As shown in
When first end 306 is a convex half-sphere, body 302 and first end 306 may form a continuous surface without edge 314. In this case, slit 318 may extend through body 302 through at least a portion of cylindrical surface 322, and through the convex half-sphere first end 306. In this case, the alignment (e.g., direction of depth and direction in which slit 318 extends), may be the same as previously described. Similarly, when first end 306 is a concave half-sphere, and slit 318 may extend through at least a portion of cylindrical surface 322, and through the concave half-sphere first end 306. It is understood that first end 306 may have various shapes, and that slit 318 may extend through at least a portion of cylindrical surface 322, and through the first end 306, regardless of its shape.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, edge 314 may be rounded to form a continuous surface between body 302 and first end 306. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, edge 314 may be beveled.
In addition, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention where slit 318 does not penetrate first end 306, slit 318 may be a groove or slit having an opening in cylindrical surface 322. In this case, slit 318 may be a partial penetration groove or slit, or a full penetration groove or slit passing through, for example, diametrically opposite ends of body 302.
Other elements of mandrel 300 may assumed to be similar to their corresponding counterparts described above. Thus, a detailed description thereof will be omitted for brevity.
Mandrel 400 may include a body 402 including an exterior surface 422, a base 404, a first end 406, a second end 408, an edge 414, a plurality of holes 416, and a slit 418 with a bottom surface 420.
Mandrel 400 may be configured to be detachably coupled with handle 150, as described above in connection with mandrel 100.
Referring to
Referring to
When first end 406 is a convex half-ellipsoid, body 402 and first end 406 may form a continuous surface without edge 414. In this case, slit 418 may extend through body 402 through at least a portion of elliptic cylindrical surface 422, and through the convex half-ellipsoid first end 406. In this case, the alignment (e.g., direction of depth and direction in which slit 418 extends), may be the same as previously described.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, edge 414 may be rounded to form a continuous surface between body 402 and first end 406. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, edge 414 may be beveled.
In addition, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention where slit 418 does not penetrate first end 406, slit 418 may be a groove or slit having an opening in elliptic cylindrical surface 422. In this case, slit 418 may be a partial penetration groove or slit, or a full penetration groove or slit passing through, for example, opposite ends of body 402.
Other elements of mandrel 400 may assumed to be similar to their corresponding counterparts described above. Thus, a detailed description thereof will be omitted for brevity.
Mandrel 500 may include a body 502, a base 504, a first end 506, a second end 508, a plurality of sides 510, a plurality of edges 512, a plurality of edges 514, a plurality of holes 516, and a slit 518 with a bottom surface 520.
Mandrel 500 may be configured to be detachably coupled with handle 150, as described above in connection with mandrel 100.
Referring to
As shown in
Edges 512 and/or 514 may be at least partially angular, rounded and/or beveled, as described above with reference to edges 112 and 114 of
Slit 518 may be disposed at a middle of an edge 514, as shown in
Other elements of mandrel 500 may assumed to be similar to their corresponding counterparts described above. Thus, a detailed description thereof will be omitted for brevity.
It is understood that according to the present invention, the body of a mandrel may include a polygonal prism shape, or a shape having flat portions in combination with round/curved portions. In addition, although the body of the mandrel illustrated in each of
Thus, according to the present invention, a plurality of rings of various sizes and/or shapes may be efficiently and uniformly formed by using a mandrel with a slit as described above.
While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
